WINTER … JAX & SKY

ALL THINGS JAX AND SKY 

(& Jenks & Livvie, Reed & Emma, Knox & Rina)

***Also an exclusive sneak peak of Chapter One of Jax & Sky’s story, Winter (Book One of the Seasons Series) over in the Excerpt Page***

I did say it wouldn’t take me months to write my next blog post … and yet it’s been months.

Many, many, many months.

I would love to say that’s because I’ve been busy writing Jax and Sky’s story – and I do have about a quarter of their story written – but it’s me. I don’t know what my problem is.

I am so excited and in love with the story I have in my head for Jax and Sky. And also for Jenks and Livvie, Reed and Emma, Knox and Rina. I can still remember the dance I did around the house when these characters came out of nowhere – where their beginnings, middles, and ends became so clear, one thoughts after another, idea after idea, when all the twists and turns and the surprise connections just screamed at me … I remember laughing like a loon and having a smile on my face for the whole day. Because that’s when it happened. In one day. Jax and Sky immediately had their story mapped out in my head. And then over the next few days I thought about the first chapter I wrote of their story right in the middle of finishing my final book in the Beauty Series – and then bam! I had the next book, and the next, and the next.

And just thinking of what I thought then, and all the thoughts I’ve had after (all the one-liners, the back and forth dialogue, the chapters I have written, the outlines, the connections – all of it) I still have a smile … and I could probably run around like a loon for hours.

But I’m not going to.

Because there is another side to all of this as well.

Getting all these ideas, all these stories out of my head and into a book … it’s HARD.

HARD!

I didn’t have this problem with Unexpected Beauty, Chaotic Beauty, Changed Beauty, or Unbreakable Beauty. I might have thought I did. But I didn’t.

Not even close.

It’s like I am almost afraid to write their story completely because I am afraid the magic of them in my head won’t transcend to what I write down on paper. Does that even make sense?

This story I have planned out for them – for ALL of them – I am doubting I can even do them justice. And they’re my characters. My people. My creation.

I think THAT’S my problem.

I am doubting.

And I shouldn’t be.

I should have this amazing confidence to tell this story – these stories.

It’s not like I’ve never written before.

This will be my fifth book I am putting into publication.

It’s not my first series.

It is not even the millionth or billionth story I have created in my head in the last 34 years of living. (Seriously, the stories I have created throughout the years … That number reference definitely might not be a joke!)

It’s not my first time having doubts, fears, all of the emotions I am feeling right now.

But I am doubting everything.

Every. Single. Thing.

Maybe it’s because it’s the first time I am writing a story like the one I have mapped out in my head?

Maybe it’s because these characters are so different than Liam and Sam, Riley and Connor, Allie and Aiden, Beth and Ryan. Maybe it’s because I am completely starting over with nothing to rely on except myself and my brain and my heart and soul that breathes for this and I don’t want to crush any of it because all of this means the world.

Too much?

Probably.

But it’s still there.

Some serious pressure and stuff.

And it is one hundred percent all coming from me.

And it sucks.

I don’t want to get it wrong.

Because I feel like this book – and the next three after it – can be amazing.

A-M-A-Z-I-N-G

I want to be able to say they WILL be amazing.

They ARE amazing.

I want and need to say that, because these characters, their love stories, they are amazing … and I want you, the readers, to feel that way right along with me.

You deserve the story that is in my head, my heart, my freaking soul.

You deserve to read that story, to be a part of it, to live it. And hopefully love it!

And my characters deserve it to.

I deserve it.

So, OBVIOUSLY, this book is taking me a lot longer to write than I imagined. A lot longer than any of my previous books. I had hoped that it would be out living and breathing in the world by late Spring, early Summer … and now … I will just be happy if I have the first draft done by then. Because then comes the edits, edits, and more edits. So a an approximate date? I’m not sure.

2018? DEFINITELY.

Fall? PROBABLY.

Late Summer? MIRACLE????

But I DO have a cover … there is THAT.

I have a Jax and a Sky.

I have a Jenks and a Livvie.

I have a Reed and an Emma.

I have a Knox and a Rina/Cat.

And I also have tons of material for ALL the books. That’s something. Because when I finally get everything together – mostly myself – I am hoping that it just flows like it normally does.

But for right now, with tears in my eyes (seriously … stupid freaking tears), I need to say that I am sorry.

Sorry for delaying this book.

Sorry for taking so long writing it.

Sorry for all this doubt shit.

Sorry for rambling on and on and on and on and on and on …

But I need Jax and Sky’s story to be the BEST that it can be. And I need you all to KNOW that.

Like I said … YOU deserve it, I deserve it, JAX, SKY, JENKS, LIVVIE, REED, EMMA, KNOX, & RINA deserve it.

I will try and keep you posted a lot more than I have about this book and how it’s going. More than I ever have for any of the other books. Because you definitely deserve that.

And starting now, like I said above before I went and on and on and on and on, I am releasing the first chapter of Jax and Sky’s story.  And unlike the other books where I waited until I was almost done or completely done with writing before I started releasing teasers, I am going to start doing that now as well. A little something for bearing with me through all of this. A little something to show you that Jax and Sky are worth that wait … AND MAYBE I will throw in some teasers of the other couples and their books as well. Because like I said … I have a LOT of material for all of the rest of the books as well.

I am so thankful for you guys and the love you have shown me and my books.

I hope you continue to do so with this next series.

Seriously … these characters and their stories – they are SO worth it.

And I hope more than anything that you’ll be finding out for yourselves soon.

Until then enjoy the sneak peek of Jax and Sky’s story … and keep checking back or around (Twitter, Instagram, Facebook) for all the new teasers I will be releasing soon!

Happy Reading Everyone!

Tara

 

 

Endings & Beginnings

End of a series. New beginnings.

Editing Unbreakable Beauty was extremely hard for me. Not because of what was written. But because it is the final book in the series. I knew that when I was fully done – with the edits, with tweaking the cover and the back description, with acknowledging those who have helped me so much along with way, with fine-tuning every single aspect of the book cover to cover – that’d be it. Not only would I be done with Ryan and Beth’s story, I’d be done with Samantha and Liam, Connor and Riley, Aiden and Allie. And knowing that, it was hard. Before, I always knew that I would be writing for them again. I knew that we’d always have each of the characters throughout the remainder of the series … and now?

Now I need to let them go.

And man … Thinking about how I ended things with all of them … I feel like I could explore these characters forever. Even now I am thinking about Liam and his dimples and how they still affect Sam. How she still blushes. I am thinking about all the funny, bickering dialogue I could create for Riley and Connor, because it’s just so completely Riley and Connor. And Aiden and Allie? I want to create so much more happy for them. They deserve all the happy. I want so many more moments for all of them. And Ryan and Beth? More than any of my other couples, I want to see where they’re at in ten years, twenty. We all know they are getting their happily-ever-after … But I want to be taken on the ride.

But it will have to be enough for me to know that they will all get there. I say it in all my stories. Always. Forever. All the in-betweens. Of which there will be ups and downs, dips and turns, bit it’s life. And that’s all each of them wanted. They wanted to live life, love, laugh. Experience. And they will. They are. And they’ll be together throughout all of it. Forever. Always.

So I am content with that.

In my Author’s Note at the back of Unbreakable Beauty I talk about Ryan and Beth and their story. I wrote, “It’s my favorite [book]. I love Ryan and Beth together. I love their story. From the beginning of it in Chaotic Beauty, until now. They gave me a ton of laughter, some tears, they gave me very heated cheeks and a few wicked smiles, they gave me closure … and they also opened a door. They gave me Jackson Raines.”

Which leads us to the new beginnings.

In the last blog post I talked about writing a character in Unbreakable. He came out of nowhere. He was never supposed to be a character that had dialogue. He was never supposed to be interesting. He was never supposed to capture my attention so completely that I not only mapped out his whole entire story, but a whole series. I’m talking four books are already outlined – beginning, middle, and end. I have chapters already written for Jax’s story. I have chapters written for the others.

I have A LOT going on.

A lot that I am excited about.

I cannot wait to share what has been going on over here with this new series. And there is a lot to tell you.

But in a few weeks.

After I reveal my cover for Unbreakable. After a few weeks of getting Unbreakable out there in the world a bit more than I have been because I’ve been so busy writing, editing, living life.

Trust me though … I cannot wait to unleash Jax, Reed, Knox, Jenks, Sky, Livvie, Rina, and Emma on you. These characters … and their stories …

I am not going to say any more.

Not yet.

But this is a special time for me.

The closing of one chapter, the beginning of another. It just so happens that the closing of one chapter ended with the words “The End” (the end of those characters, the end to that series) and the other starts a whole new book. A whole new series. A whole new everything.

It’s starting to finally hit me; what I’ve accomplished, what I have, what I gained, what I have to “let go” and put on a shelf, or keep in my mind.

Sometimes I like to describe as my books having *all the feels* or my characters going through all of them … well … that’s me right now.

I am happy that Ryan and Beth are Ryan and Beth. I am happy with this whole series. And I am also happy getting down to business on the new one.

So that’s what I am going to do.

I am going to go and write.

And hopefully it’s not months again before I check in and let you all know what’s been going on.

Actually I know it won’t be … because I have a lot more fun things coming up with regards to Ryan and Beth … I have teasers … I have the beginning of their book that I am going to be posting … so there is still more… And like I said … soon I will be posting about the new series. And also a teaser from that as well. Most likely the whole first chapter!

So keep checking back!

These next few weeks and months will have a lot of info about the new series and a lot of exclusive sneak peeks!

Until next time! Happy Reading!

xoxo

The End of the Series

**** A few spoilers ahead  … You might not want to read if you have not read the previous books in the series****

 

The End.

Those were the hardest words to type, not only at the end of Ryan and Beth’s book (Unbreakable Beauty), but throughout the whole series. And there have been a lot of things I have written throughout the series. The aftermath of Sam’s attack in Unexpected Beauty. The aftermath of Connor getting shot in Chaotic Beauty. Aiden telling Allie what happened to him when he was younger, her doing the same, finding out what happened to Elizabeth after Aiden left her and also what happened to her at the end of Changed Beauty. There have been many things I have written that have made me cry, made me feel gutted and sick for days, but nothing quite like writing “The End” at the end of this story.

Because it is the end.

For years I have had Samantha and Liam, Connor and Riley, Aiden and Allie, and Ryan and Elizabeth in my head. Having conversations, getting into fights, getting themselves into trouble, loving, being happy – all of it. They felt real – and in some way that is hard to explain – they are real for me. And maybe they always will be. But knowing that it’s the end – I still feel a bit sad by the final few words of the story.

It’s taken me TWO WEEKS to sit and write that I am done. Normally I would have been shouting it to the world by now (Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, out the windows of my house) – I would have been elated , I would have felt like I owned the world – and maybe eventually I will feel like that. Maybe on the day of publication I’ll feel celebratory … Or maybe it will be even harder at that time because I can’t go back and change anything then. At least now before edits and during edits I still get to play in their world. But soon I won’t be. Soon it won’t just be the end – soon I will have to let them go…

And I don’t know how I feel about that.

I always knew that there would be a Samantha and a Liam, I knew Connor would have his own story, I knew Aiden would too … but Ryan? He wasn’t a character in my head until I wrote him on the page. But as soon as I did – as soon as Liam had a best-friend with that “interesting” reputation that was talked about so eloquently by Connor (ha-ha) I knew Ryan would most likely (definitely) get a book. And now he has one.

And it’s my favorite.

I guess it should be my favorite considering it’s the last one in this series, I’ve been writing scenes for Ryan since book one, then even more scenes for him once I wrote Elizabeth into book two and I knew without a doubt that they’d be together (it’s been a LONG time coming – and for me the anticipation was huge) …

But you all know that for a long time, no matter who came before, or who came after, Connor’s been my favorite male … I’ve not been shy about saying that … but Ryan? With Elizabeth? Hands down favorite couple! And Ryan may have edged out Connor for the top spot of my characters. Did I just write that? Did I? I almost feel like hitting the backspace button … but I am keeping what I just said … because Ryan definitely is something special. And together with his Beth … ahhhhhh!

But it’s not just them …

In this book we get to see all the couples, what they’re doing now, hints at what they’ll be doing in the future – this book is just different all around when the couples are together … This book just has a feel about it … It has *all the feels* … And that’s what probably makes this so much harder on me…

But I am not giving anything away. You’ll have to read and see if you agree – about all of it!

This has been a long journey… not just for me … but for you too!

But it’s not over.

I didn’t know where I would be at the end of this book. I knew the series was ending. I knew that Sam and Liam’s, Connor and Riley’s, Aiden and Allie’s, and Beth and Ryan’s journey to love and happily-ever-after would be done. But what next? That has already been running through my mind … what next … what now?

For years I have been harboring ideas for other stories … great ideas at the time … but nothing felt *right* when I was getting to the end of Ryan and Beth’s story – all their stories. I have been living in my character’s world for such a long time, I have fallen in love with them as they have fallen in love, I’ve gone on their roller-coaster rides of life with them – I needed something that screamed at me, that fought with me, something that made me fall hard and fast, something that made me say without a doubt – write my story … Because writing a story? It doesn’t only take most of the hours of the day for months at a time – it takes over everything! For months at a time my life becomes my writing … which means giving up a lot. These characters have to be worth it. Because I put a lot on hold for it. What I had in my head before, while seeming like amazing ideas … I knew they weren’t. Not anymore. Not after Sam and Liam. Connor and Riley. Allie and Aiden. And definitely not after Ryan and Beth … And the ending!

I needed more.

I needed something – someone – more than one someone even – to give me ALL the feelings inside of me that I needed, to know that *this* story is *the one.*

I didn’t think it would happen. I thought I would just wait it out until something popped in my head. Which was fine by me. I needed a break anyway. I needed to live some life outside of my writing cave.

But then I wrote about a certain someone in Ryan and Beth’s story. A character that came out of nowhere. I had no notes written about him. No name. No characteristics. Nothing. Until I started that chapter and there he was – it just …happened. I didn’t even know that he would actually have that much dialogue … and then there he was being “that” character.

A character I completely wanted to dive into.

He became a character who knows a few of the main ones from The Beauty Series – but he doesn’t hang out with them frequently, he’s not really connected. He’s someone who isn’t family or a really good friend. He doesn’t run in the same circles. He has no known past already out there (like Ryan, Aiden, or Beth who went into their books with a huge past, or Connor and Riley who already started dating and had a foundation). He doesn’t have a past yet. We don’t truly know anything about him. And we know nothing about *her*. We’ve never met the woman whose going to tangle with him and steal his heart yet!

Well, I have … but you haven’t!

These characters are going to be the main characters in my next book. YES – next book! As in I already started writing this book while I was writing Unbreakable Beauty. As soon as I wrote that character in, I started asking myself who is he – what’s his story … and at the end of that specific chapter in Unbreakable Beauty I created a new document and started writing the first chapter of Winter.

I have a few chapters already written for Winter … though I did put it on hold for a bit because like I said … writing “The End” for Unbreakable Beauty kind of drained me a bit.

And now … because of what I just said/revealed … I think I need to mention it again, or clarify things a bit and say that Winter has nothing to do with The Beauty Series other than the fact that we meet the main character in Unbreakable and he knows a few people from years ago … So this book is NOT a part of the series.

But … I can see how things might arise in the future … because as I sit here and type this my head is creating scenarios of how those words might come around and bite me in the ass one day …

So maybe we can call it a spin-off series???? How about that????

Because as I said, The Beauty Series is at an end. They are over. Sam, Liam, Connor, Riley, Allie, Aiden, Beth, and Ryan’s stories are told. No matter how much it hurts, how unbelievable it is, no matter how much I would love to write them forever – they are done.

And some new stuff is beginning.

And while I have mixed feelings about all of it, letting go and moving on – there are good and exciting feelings mixed in there too … so I know wherever this leads … it will be good!

And even though I stopped for a bit writing Winter, I hope to get back to it soon … Just like I hope to get editing soon on Ryan and Beth. (And I actually mean that this time! Normally I HATE editing – even thinking about editing – but this is the first time I can recall that I am actually looking forward to jumping into the story again!)

I’d love Beth and Ryan’s story to be in your hands soon! We’ll see … I don’t actually have a release date hammered out yet – when I know, you’ll know! I know it’s definitely going to be this year ! So there’s that! I am thinking this summer! Most likely late summer depending upon edits.

I’d also love for Winter to be done this year too and for you to have that in your hands by the end of the year … but once again with edits on Unbreakable Beauty and then writing Winter plus life in general … we’ll see! But it’s my goal! * More info will definitely be coming about – the spin-off series? are we going to really be calling it that? – soon!

But back to edits, and Ryan and Beth. I can tell you that Unbreakable Beauty is not as long as Changed Beauty – that was basically two books in one (seriously, the total amount of words and pages was at least two books) – but it is a bit longer than books 1&2 … at least for now. We’ll see after edits. But my point is – edits shouldn’t take forever for this one!

Unlike the last few months I’ll try and do a better job to keep you posted.  And also start getting out a lot of teasers! I know that’s something I did a lot of while writing Changed Beauty … but I have been awful for this book! But I was writing and writing … And now … Yes, once again … It’s the end!

And I still cannot believe it!

Over these next few weeks I plan on editing like I said, doing teasers, setting up some promotions, working on a book cover, updating my website … and of course, continue writing more of the next book.

It should be a busy next few weeks – next few months. But the more I think about it the more excited I am getting … so maybe I can finally get over the fact that it’s “The End” and start realizing I am starting a new beginning. A new chapter. A new everything!

Anyway … I hope to not be so much of a stranger.

Soooo…

Until next time … Happy Reading!

****And keep a look out for my cover reveal, an exclusive excerpt of Unbreakable Beauty that I will be posting soon, and also a description of the final book in this series! And MAYBE I’ll also post a bit more about Winter!

 

New Year … New Book

Happy Holidays Everyone!

I hope everyone is well and taking some time to enjoy what they love doing the most during this time of year! I’ve been decorating, and decorating, and doing even more decorating … and buying, wrapping … celebrating Christmas with family and friends … and I’ve been reading and writing! (I am currently starting to read book #102 for the year!)

I am enjoying these last few days of 2016 (and my birthday today) … but let me tell you … I am so ready to say goodbye to 2016! Emotionally, for many different reasons, this year has been the hardest. I am more than ready to put it behind me. But that doesn’t mean that good things didn’t happen too. My husband and I spent our first full year in our first home, I wrote my third book, I started writing and planning out my final book of the series, we added another cat to our little fur-family … there really has been some good mixed with the bad.

It just seems that this year the bad overshadowed everything else and it really took its toll. After releasing Changed Beauty I intended on getting right into the final book of the series – my goal was to almost be done by now – if it wasn’t already complete. And yet … after editing what I have … I have maybe a solid chapter that I don’t plan on changing …

I do have a lot of notes, a lot of scenes with plenty of dialogue between characters, I have what I view to be an amazing epilogue … I know how I plan to have the ending … I have a basic outline from Chapter One until the big finish … But so far I haven’t had the motivation. I am hoping that a new year brings a new attitude because I really, really, REALLY need to get down to business with Ryan and Elizabeth!

So with that being said … the release date for Ryan and Elizabeth … It is TBD.  I have no idea. And it actually makes my heart hurt to say that, as an author, and as an avid reader who has had to wait, and wait, and wait for a book to be written and released by someone else. In the past I’ve often wondered why books take forever to be released – I’ve often said “why can’t I have the next book now?” I’ve often wondered what the hell is so important that so-and-so can’t just sit down, write the story, and get it out there. Wow … I sure do hate that old me. Because that “old me” is still putting pressure on the “me” now.  I know what it’s like to want a book. I know what it’s like to want to have a complete ending for a series of books. A series that has been going on for years. So I want to not be that person … and I am that person now. All I can say is … life happens. I can’t control most of it – I WISH I could. If I could, this book would be done, I’d be moving on to the next book idea I’ve had circling in my brain for well over a year … I’d probably be a lot happier and under a lot less pressure … but well … LIFE! It’s unexpected, it’s chaotic, and sometimes some serious shit has to be dealt with before the change (and all the good and the happy) comes and all that … (you like what I did there?)

Well … I am hoping my own personal change is coming soon … I need some awesome … or hell … I need some normal!

But I am going to think positively … So I am going to say 2017 will give ME and YOU Ryan and Elizabeth’s story and the conclusion to all things Sam and Liam, Connor and Riley, and Allie and Aiden. And that not only will the book be fun, and awesome, and just happy and mostly carefree – so will 2017! How about that?!?!?!? (fingers crossed) (knocking on wood) (wishing) (praying)

I will definitely keep you posted a lot more in 2017!

And here is to hoping that you see Ryan and Elizabeth out in the world sooner that you might think!

I wish you all nothing but the BEST upcoming year full of all that you could ever want and dream!

Love You ALL!

Tara

Changed Beauty

I don’t even know where to start. If I start at the beginning this post will end up being 193,232 words which is exactly how many words Changed Beauty is. Think about that for a second. 193,232 words. It means that in a word document it is 549 pages. For the paperback version it’s over 600 pages and for the other formats … Well …You get the picture … Right?

But I don’t.

I don’t know how it happened again. All I can say is that when I was first finished with Changed Beauty I had over 700 pages as a word document. During my second editing of the book I got it down to around what it’s at now. During final edits, I deleted more, I added a bit … So, it ended up being what it is. And that’s that. It has to be. Because Allie and Aiden’s story is what it is. And it’s not changing. (ha.ha. I couldn’t help myself with that one.)

But in all seriousness though – it’s a long book. Because Allie and Aiden had/have a very long story. If you read books 1&2 (Unexpected Beauty & Chaotic Beauty) you know that Aiden’s past wasn’t very pretty, and we didn’t even touch upon about 90 % of it during the first two books. And during Changed Beauty you will find out that Allie’s past, and her present, isn’t all shiny and bright and hopeful either. I had to delve into who they were when they were teenagers because it makes them who they are now, and that all plays a big part into who they ultimately want to be. Out of all my books I feel that THIS one gives you a start, a middle, an end, and a future.

One of my earliest descriptions of this book was this:

 

Some things don’t need a description. Some things should never be talked about.

What happened in Aiden’s past should have been buried forever, and what’s happening to Allie now – it shouldn’t be happening. Not now. Not ever.

They are who they are now because of what they endured, what they suffered, what they’ve overcome.

They act how they act because of what life has taught them, what it’s done to them.

Aiden and Allie’s story doesn’t start when they meet, when they talk, when they touch, when they fall.

Their stories started long before then, when they were children – defenseless, scared, innocent, betrayed.

They say you can never outrun your past, and they’re right. They both learned that the hard way.

And what makes it worse?

The pasts they both had to live through … It’s coming back to haunt them. Ruin them. Destroy them.

What makes them who they are now? It will be asked over, and over, again. Who are they? What are they? What will they become?

What makes them fight against each other so fiercely, so passionately, withholding nothing, yet hiding everything?

Why aren’t they right for each other, when everyone can see that they want, they desire, they belong?

And what changes their minds? What changes them? And will the change last forever?

Because you know the road isn’t smooth. The past does come back as promised. The present rises and wreaks havoc. They get hurt, battered, betrayed, and broken. Again. But by who? And will they change again because of it? Can they change? Do they want to? Because not all changes are good, accepted, wanted, or needed. Not all changes are beautiful.

Some changes may lead you straight into your worst nightmare.

 

I meant every word of that first description I came up with – and I still do. It is still one hundred percent fitting of them and what happens. They’ve lived through so much, they’ve done so much – they will have to live through and endure even more as their story – their life – unfolds. What they’ve gone through – it had to have an impact on them, and how they look at others, how they look at life, how they view their futures and what they want out of life, who they want at their side for forever.

This wasn’t Sam’s story where we only touched upon one major issue – which was what happened with Aiden, or what she believes to have happened with Aiden, and how his leaving her created roadblocks in her life and her relationships. And I didn’t set up Allie and Aiden like I did with Connor and Riley in Unexpected Beauty so I could hit the ground running in Chaotic Beauty. Allie and Aiden had to connect first; they needed to build a foundation, figure themselves out, figure each other out, they had to truly grow and understand and let go (they had to change) … But they also needed to hold on and go along for the ride (they needed to trust, understand, believe in themselves and those around them) And they fought me and each other the whole time. Even before all the good stuff, we had to know them, I had to know them. Hell, they had to know who they were. We had to know them now (they had to know themselves now), and we needed to know and understand them from when they were younger. It was a process. An extremely long process. But it gave me Allie and Aiden. And I love Allie and Aiden.

And more than that … I especially love Allie.

I honestly did not know who Allie truly was (or where she was coming from, what she wanted and needed) until I created that first chapter for her. I had an idea of what and who I wanted her to be (we got a bit of her sass and sarcasm, her teasing, her friendship, and also her longing and loneliness, and also we got a brief mention of her potentially difficult life at home throughout the first two books), but really did I … Did I? I don’t think I did. Because Allie surprised the hell out of me! I fell in love with her. For me, she stole the book – or at the very least my attention! And I didn’t think that was going to happen (I mean, it’s Aiden’s book!). With all of my books I tend to love the men more and want to know everything (especially with Connor) – I needed to know it all – I wanted to be in their heads non-stop. Even with Liam, when it wasn’t written from his point of view, I needed to know who he was (where he was coming from, why he did certain things, and even though we don’t hear from him personally until the very end we knew exactly what he was thinking, feeling –

But Allie? I cannot believe I am saying this … I like her just as much … if not more. I needed to hear her voice, I needed to know what she was doing, thinking all of the time … She is my favorite female character that I’ve written! Which was/is unbelievably shocking because I didn’t see it coming at all! Aiden was the one who originally captured my attention while writing the previous books, not Allie – not really. I wanted to know his story, I needed to know! In the beginning I needed to know why Sam painted him in such a way in Unexpected Beauty – I wanted to know why he really did what he did AND what DID he really do (because I knew it couldn’t be as cut and dry or as small as Sam tried to make it out to be to others when it was something that had such a hold on her for years), I needed to know what was going on with him … And then how he was with Riley on her birthday – OHHHHH I needed to know about Aiden (what he said to her before he left her apartment and when they got to Molly’s, it’s still one of my favorite parts of the book and he’s not even the main character in that one)!!! But it was Allie who I was falling for fast. It took me a bit longer for Aiden. But he got there. And I love them. I especially LOVE them together. Maybe that’s why I love Allie so much too. Because of Aiden. And what he sees in her. What he does to her. What she becomes. How she truly changes and evolves. I don’t know. All I know, and all I can tell you, is I love Allie.

And I also love Elizabeth and Ryan.

You will run into Ryan and Elizabeth a lot in this book. You will also be seeing a lot of Liam and Sam, and Connor and Riley again. You will get a few big doses of them actually. There are a few group nights to look forward to & some personal conversations and revelations! But Ryan and Elizabeth … Jesus … I want you to have their book in your hands already!! Unfortunately I haven’t truly started their book yet (I do have around 30 pages I wrote when I began writing their story to include a sneak peek at the end of Changed Beauty, but that’s barely scratching the surface). I do have a stack of scenes I’ve written (scenes I rapidly wrote down on paper when I was writing Changed Beauty and some I wrote even before I started Allie and Aiden’s story, because I think I’ve mentioned it before, Ryan is like Connor – he is banging and clawing to have his way out of my head and his story all out on paper) … But their book won’t be out until next year. I am hoping early 2017, but I can’t guarantee it. It’s going to be my last book in the series … though I’m not going to lie – I introduce a character in Allie and Aiden’s story that had me smiling quite a bit and shaking my head and wondering what’s next for him … but I really am closing out the series with Ryan and Elizabeth. I might revisit the series later on down the road … maybe do a less lengthy spin-off or something – but that would be a ways off … because I already have two different ideas already written down for after this series …

But enough about that … I went completely off target there.

Anyway, yes you will see a bit of Ryan and Elizabeth … But there should be no surprise there to those of you who have read the previous book! I’ve been setting them up since book 2. And you will definitely get more insight into their relationship – and yes they do have one – much to Aiden’s annoyance. And my delight. All of that offers some scenes that absolutely caused me to laugh and smirk … and a few other things.

So really, this story offers a lot. Not just with Allie and Aiden, but the rest of the crew – the family. Because really … that’s what they are! They are each other’s family.

And I really hope you enjoy it.

It was frustrating to write, but it was also a pleasure. An experience. It changed me. It truly did.

I need to tell you guys that this won’t be my last posting about this book.

There is more that needs to be said.

And once you read the book, you will know why.

I feel like I might have given some things away already. But I know I haven’t. Because I know everything that is in this story. I know I didn’t even scratch the surface even though I am currently at 1,722 words. (Probably more now since when I first typed that total I didn’t even begin to edit yet)

In a little over a month I will pop on here again … mostly likely with a heading that will say something like “If you have NOT read Changed Beauty do NOT read this yet,” and I will skip a few lines and then POUR MY HEART OUT. Because in comparison to everything that I have to say about this book, all that I have just said above is complete and utter rambling with a few decent things thrown in.

Trust me.

It is NOTHING compared to what I need to say, want to say, and probably nothing compared to what you are going to want to hear. And know.

And I think I will leave it at that.

Until next time … Happy Reading! (Hopefully Changed Beauty when it comes out August 23)

XOXO

Tara