Feature: Saving Beck by Courtney Cole

There comes a time when offering your life for your child’s doesn’t work, when you realize that it’ll never be enough.

The cold needle in his warm vein was a welcome comfort to my son at first. But then it became the monster that kept us apart.

Heroin lied, and my son believed. It took him to a world where the last year didn’t happen, to a place where his father was still alive. What Beck didn’t understand was that it couldn’t bring his father back from the dead. It couldn’t take away his pain, not permanently.

You think it can’t happen to you, that your kids, your family, will never be in this situation.
I thought that too. But you’re wrong.

Step into our world, and see for yourself.
Watch my golden boy become a slave to this raging epidemic. Watch me try and save him.

Drug addiction comes with a price.
Trust me, you’re not equipped to pay it.

Don’t miss this heartwrenching, evocative, yet hopeful novel—it will leave you forever changed.

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ARC Review: Guardian by Courtney Cole

When I began reading this story, I had no idea what to expect. I found myself drawn to the main character Whitney Lane. She is strong, yet vulnerable and wise beyond her sixteen years. The story starts after Whitney experiences the death of her father Peter Lane, where she was actually present during the unexpected tragedy, followed by putting her father’s memory to rest. She is so devastated, and to make matters worse, she has become the sole provider in the home despite her mother being very much alive. I truly loved how the author brought life to her characters by way of them experiencing emotions so vividly. One could never comprehend how many people go through the pain of loss, grow up too fast, or how many become swallowed by grief. I honestly was surprised to find such raw emotion in a novel that is completely applicable to real life. Therefore, it goes without saying that Courtney Cole truly did write this book with every part of her being.

Whitney is an older sister to little Ellie, who is understandably quiet and introspective now that she has experienced death so close to her as a little girl. Whitney instantly assumes the role of Mother in the home because their mom has disassociated herself from the real world; she is like a ghost to her daughters. While Maricel Lane (the mother) is slowly withering away from what appears to be depression, Whitney is caring for her sister, paying the bills in her mother’s name, and slowly forgetting what it’s like to be a teenager. Then, of course, she finds herself enamored by a boy named Brady who has been a student for the past two years. Now, I’ll admit that I instantly found this unusual since Whitney’s best friend Delaney has always been the one to admit her fascination with the pretty boy football star of the school, not Whitney; until now.

On top of her attraction to Brady that happens suddenly, she is strangely curious about a new boy who has arrived in town named Carter. This interest made much more sense to me because not only does Carter appear to be equally attractive in comparison with Brady, but he seems to hate Whitney. Every time he sees her, she feels like he is trying to sear her flesh, his gaze is so dark with emotion that appears to be hate-filled. So, naturally, Whitney is drawn to him because the situation is inexplicable and young girls have a tendency to lock onto target’s they cannot have. With that said, it becomes clear soon afterward that there are supernatural forces at work around Whitney, and that these two boys both play a part.

Brady seems so perfect; he manages to be empathetic regarding Whitney’s mom and her catatonic behavior. He even enlists his father whom happens to be a psychiatrist to help. Carter turns out to be a really sweet guy, albeit a little bit of a tortured soul. With that said, after Samuel comes into the picture as Whitney’s guardian angel, nothing is as it seems. Nearly every person who appears to be helping her, who appears to be loyal, is using her; tricking her. Samuel, of course, cannot interfere by guiding Whitney to make decisions, but he is always watching out for her safety.

After Samuel’s appearance, I began to view the story as unique because of angels and demons existing so closely among humans. I liked how the author brought free will into the mix and how demons could create circumstances to push evil forward in a human’s decision making. However, it was hard for me to get on board with the idea that every single person has a plan according to God. That idea has been among many peoples’ beliefs for so very long, but according to the angel Samuel, what is supposed to happen to an individual is basically mapped out for potentially years in the making. If this is true, if our “plan” is mapped out for us, then we truly do not have as much freedom as we think. After all, despite our having free will to make our own decisions, all roads lead to our intended destiny regardless. That idea was a little hard for me to swallow, simply because I have a hard time liking the idea of anyone or anything having any control of my life. With that said, this is a story, so I suppose that if the writing made me think so deeply about one detail, the book is a success.

Ultimately, Whitney is a part of a disastrous plot involving demons and a plan to overtake the human world; to overthrow God and the angels. Her family just happened to be involved because of unforeseen circumstances. Her dad was an archaeologist and somehow his work is intertwined with ancient evil. Whitney is caught in the middle and somehow has to save her family, herself, and the world. Luckily, with the help of her guardian angel, a special boy with roots that go back to the beginning, and her own bravery, she wins the battle. To say that this story was great would be an understatement. There is creativity in each aspect brought to the book in the action, romance, and tragedy. I thought a few parts were predictable, but I only had an idea for the possibilities, not how the book itself would play out. Therefore, I can honestly say that I would be more than happy to get my hands on any books that Courtney Cole writes.

**ARC provided by InkSlinger PR**

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Feature and Giveaway: Guardian by Courtney Cole

Sometimes, things that go bump in the night are real.

My name is Whitney Lane. I’m sixteen years old and at first, I thought I was crazy.

I kept seeing shadows move along walls, and hearing whispers around corners, but whenever I looked, there was never anything there.

Until one day, there was.

Our world isn’t what we think. There are things around us, good things, bad things, scary things.
Things that we tell ourselves aren’t real, but they are.

They’re very real, and they’re terrifying.

I’ve been swept up now, in a battle of good and evil, confused about love and what is supposed to be love, but isn’t. I don’t know what to think anymore. I can’t trust my emotions and I don’t know what is true.

There’s only one thing I know for sure.

Nothing is what it seems.

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ARC Review: Until We Fly by Courtney Cole

Until We Fly is the fourth book in the Beautifully Broken series by Courtney Cole. These books have interconnected characters but can be read as standalones. This is Brand Killien's story, and I absolutely loved him. I have been waiting to get his story since I read If You Leave, because I absolutely fell in love with him in that book. As with all the books in this series, the characters are dealing with some really tough issues and this one wasn't always easy to get through. But these books are so good that it is worth it to give them the chance.

Brand Killien is an ex-Army Ranger, and though he has been successful with his career he has never believed he was good enough. He wasn't good enough for his friend Jacey, and she left him with a broken heart. When Brand gets a call from his mother saying that his father passed away, he returns home to Angel Bay despite the childhood that he had. But when he arrives and things quickly go from bad to worse he is left injured and in need of a place to stay and help with his daily tasks. Nora Greene has always wanted Brand Killien. She has watched him for years over the summers she was at Angel Bay even if he never noticed her since she was younger than him. But when he saves her life and ends up getting hurt, she thinks its the perfect opportunity to get him to finally see her. Nora intends to spend the summer hooking up with Brand before she goes to work for her father. But Nora is running from something terrible that is determined not to let her go. Brand and Nora grow closer over their time together, but with so many secrets still between them can they possibly have any kind of future beyond the end of summer?

I loved Brand. He is sexy and sweet, and just a really great guy. He had grown up in a really bad situation at home, but he was determined and successful. He relied on his friends and their family to help him get through and came out better even if he still had issues because of it. I loved that he was determined to show Nora that she was worth more than how she was acting at times and that women should be treated with respect. He was strong and capable even when he was dealing with injury, and I loved that he just went about his life as best he could without letting it get him down. Nora annoyed me at times, but for the most part I liked her. At the beginning she was acting extremely desperate and was literally throwing herself at Brand. It was pretty ridiculous and honestly it made me not want to like her at all. Even after several times of him telling her she was better than that she continued to do so and then would get all indignant when he told her she was acting like a whore. But she finally woke up and saw that she didn't need to act like that, and that is when I finally started to like her. Just like Brand, she had been dealing with a lot and she felt like she wasn't good enough. Where Brand didn't have any parents that were good, she at least had her mom. But it was good to see her start to really lean on Brand as well as help him get over his past as well. They were able to be the support the other needed, and they were perfect for each other. I was glad that they helped each other heal, and I think that their relationship was so real and strong because of it. They also had a ton of chemistry and were really great together.

Overall, I liked this book a lot. I have to say that this is probably my favorite of the series. I just loved Brand from the moment that I first read about him, and I have been waiting for his HEA ever since. I never felt like Jacey was right for him, but it was hard to see him be so upset over her. I felt so badly for everything that he had to experience, but I am so glad that he finally got the woman that he needed and deserved. Things worked out exactly as they were meant to, and it made him who he is. It was also really nice to see previous characters again, and get caught up with where they were at this point. I really enjoy this series, and this book was a great addition. Courtney Cole has a way of playing with your emotions and running you through the wringer and yet at the end you can't help but sit back and love everything she just put you through. These books are really good and are definitely worth the read. I would highly recommend this series and would suggest that you start with the beginning but it isn't necessary. These books are just so good though, and it is really great to see how all the characters are linked and how they get to where they are. This one was another winner, and I look forward to reading more from Courtney Cole in the future.

**ARC Provided by Inkslinger PR**

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ARC Review: If You Leave by Courtney Cole

If You Leave is the second book in the Beautifully Broken series by Courtney Cole. I have not read the first book, If you Stay, but after this I definitely will be. These books can be read as standalones, but they do have interconnected characters. I really enjoyed this story and I am excited to read about more of the characters in this series. I thought that Courtney Cole has a great writing style, and she was able to pull me in right from the start with this one. I am looking forward to seeing what she has in store for the rest of this series.

Madison gave up the life she wanted after her parents were suddenly killed. She came home and now lives in their house while she runs their restaurant. Her best friend Jacey has been trying to get her to meet her brother for awhile and finally convinces her to take a night off and have some fun. Madison loses Jacey though, and she ends up meeting a hot guy named Gabriel on her way out of the club. She decides to have some fun and ends up going home with him, only for their taxi to get in an accident on the way. Gabe freaks out and Madison ends up making sure he gets home safely but ends up going home alone. They both think that is it, but when Gabe goes to visit his sister they run into each other at Maddy's restaurant. Gabe is Jacey's brother and the person she had been trying to fix Madison up with. Gabe and Madison keep running into each other and before long their attraction is too much to fight. But Gabe is still suffering from PTSD after a horrible thing happened to him while he was an Army Ranger, and believes that he isn't good enough for more than a hook-up with Madison. Madison grew up with a bad family situation and isn't looking for volatile and possibly violent. However once Gabe and Madison start to develop feelings for one another, can they figure out a way to put their pasts behind them and move forward together? Or will their pasts keep them from having a future together?

I liked Gabe. He was strong and sexy but also really vulnerable. He was understandably damaged and you could tell just how much guilt he felt for things that weren't his fault. He was loyal and a good friend as well as a good brother. He looked out for those he loved and it was clear that he would sacrifice himself for them. I loved that he was a bit cocky and that he wasn't afraid to go after Madison. At first I wasn't sure I was going to like Madison. She seemed to start off kind of bitchy and rude, but it quickly became easy to see that it was just her way of trying to protect herself. She was caring and would do anything for her friends and family. I really liked how she was so protective of her sister and Jacey. Even though she tried to fight her feelings for Gabe, I liked that once she had let him in she was all in. Gabe and Madison had a ton of chemistry and they were hot and steamy together. I liked how they were able to open up to each other and that it helped them heal and grow. They made a great couple and I thought that they each brought something to the relationship that the other had never had but needed. It was nice to see how well they fit together and were stronger because of their relationship.

I had a few things with this one that I didn't care for, and they are the reason that I dropped my rating down a bit. I thought that Jacey was incredibly immature and she annoyed me pretty much the entire book. I couldn't believe how ridiculous she was being on more than one occasion. She seemed selfish and spoiled, and it was really hard for me to care about her at all. Towards the end of the story she did seem to kind of see that she was having an effect on those around her and I just hope that it wakes her up. Her book is the next in the series and I will check it out despite how I felt about her in this one. I just hope that she redeems herself and turns out to be a better person than in this book. I also had a problem with some things that happened with Gabe. I don't want to spoil anything, but there are some things he does when he is trying to protect Madison from himself that really bothered me. Frankly those things alone were pretty much the reason this one lost a star for me. I couldn't believe what he did and it didn't make sense to me at all. After Madison finds out about it, she just seems to move on and put it right in the past too. I know for a fact that if it were me, I wouldn't be able to do that as easily as she did. It just didn't seem to fit with the strong feelings and love that these two proclaimed that they had for each other. I also had a problem with Pax and Mila. I haven't read their story yet, and I am looking forward to it. I really liked them both and I loved how Pax and Madison were really close. Their interactions were some of my favorites and you could see that they really cared about each other and not just because they were in-laws. But I felt like they sort of took over this book with their story. I understand that since Mila and Madison are sisters and really close that it would really affect Madison with what was going on. But I also felt like Pax and Mila had already had their book and though its always nice to get glimpses of characters in a series, they should pretty much remain in the background from that point on unless they get another book of their own.

Despite those problems though, I really did enjoy this book. I liked that these characters were real and that they were a little broken. I was really able to see how they were affected by everything that they had been through, and yet they were able to overcome the really awful things that had happened to them. I also really liked most of the other characters from this book, especially Brand. I really hope that he gets his own story because I found him really interesting. He seemed like a great guy and he really deserves his own HEA. This story is filled with ups and downs and was an emotional roller coaster for me. There were parts that were light and funny and had me laughing. But there were also really heart wrenching scenes that had me reaching for some tissues. I think that this is a really great romance, but that it also is a great story about growth and healing. I feel that this is one of those books that everyone can find something to connect with, and I really think that if you haven't read this one you should give it a shot. I can't wait to read more from Courtney Cole, and I look forward to reading more in this series.

**ARC provided by NetGalley**

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Feature and Giveaway: If You Leave by Courtney Cole

26-year old Gabriel Vincent is a badass hero. Or he used to be, anyway. As an ex-Army Ranger, Gabe never thought he needed anyone. But after one horrible night in Afghanistan scars him in a way that he can't get past, he needs someone who can help him heal...even if he doesn't realize it.

25-year old Madison Hill doesn't need anybody...or so she thinks. She grew up watching her parents' messed-up abusive relationship and she knows there's no way in hell that she's ever letting that happen to her.

They don't know it in the beginning, but Gabriel and Madison will soon develop a weakness: Each other.

But Gabriel's got a secret, a hidden monster that he's afraid Maddy could never overcome... And Maddy's got issues that she's afraid Gabe will never understand. They quickly realize that they need each other to be whole, but at the same time they know that they've got demons to fight.

And the problem with demons is that they never die quietly.

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