Monday 30 September 2013

Blog Tour ~ Review, Excerpt & Giveaway ~ Truth or Dare (His Wicked Games 2) by Ember Casey


Book Description:

After their passionate, heated weekend at the Cunningham estate, Lily and Calder have decided to take their relationship to the next level. But love in the real world isn’t all fun and games—especially when it becomes clear that Calder still harbors his share of secrets.

When Calder suggests they hold off on sex for a while, Lily knows something is seriously wrong—and she’s not afraid to pull out the big guns. She makes Calder a proposal he can’t refuse: an ongoing match of Truth or Dare that she hopes will bring them closer together both physically and emotionally.

But as the contest increases in intensity, so do the stakes, and suddenly Lily and Calder have to face the question they’ve both been avoiding: what sort of relationship do they have when they strip away all the games?


Excerpt:

I wake sometime in the night. The room is still pitch black, and it takes me a moment to recognize the source of the heat wrapped around me. When I do—when I remember that Calder is here and recall the circumstances of his arrival—the emotions hit me in waves: my initial pleasure at his nearness is followed quickly by shame and utter disgust with myself.

I’m an idiot.

I acted like some sort of bratty, immature teenager. And for what? There’s no way this evening fixed anything between me and Calder. And it certainly didn’t make things any easier for him. I’d be shocked if it didn’t make things worse.

But maybe I’m sobering up a little because the reasonable part of my mind seems to be regaining some traction.

So you had a few too many drinks, it reminds me. So what? Yeah, so you drunk-texted your ex. You got sick all over the bathroom. You’re not the first person to get sloshed and stupid, and you won’t be the last. Tomorrow you’ll get up, pop a couple more aspirin, and laugh it off.

Easier said than done, of course.

I roll over so that I’m face to face with Calder. The movement makes my head spin, but I ignore the throbbing in my temples. I want to look at him.

I’ve never just slept with him—literally slept, I mean. Once, back at his estate, we spent the night in his bed, but we didn’t really do much sleeping. Somehow, this feels more intimate.

He’s beautiful when he sleeps. There’s just enough moonlight peeking in around the curtain for me to make out his features—his strong jaw, his square chin, his straight nose. He looks peaceful, but even in his slumber there’s still tension around his mouth. I reach out and touch him gently at the corner where his lips meet, wishing I could just massage it all away.

He stirs, making a small sound. Without waking, he draws me closer, holds me against his chest. It’s too hot, and I can hardly breathe, but I don’t care. I press my lips against his heated skin, turn my face so my ear is right over his heart. His dusting of chest hair tickles my cheek, but I reach my arm around him and hold myself there. My fingers trace his spine, and I allow myself to breathe him in.

After a time, he moves again. He’s no longer asleep, I realize suddenly, but I have no idea when he woke. He reaches up and threads his fingers through my hair. I didn’t brush it after the shower, so it’s probably full of tangles, but he doesn’t seem to care. He doesn’t say anything. He just strokes my hair, again and again, until I fall back to sleep.

Our Review

Reviewed by Donna ~ 4 Stars

Calder, Calder, Calder, how I have missed you!! This book is the sequel to His Wicked Games and picks up 3 weeks after the conclusion of that book. Lily is back at work and Calder is off dealing with whatever it is he is dealing with (he is still being secretive).

Now outside of the estate will Calder and Lily be able to have a “normal” relationship? Despite all the secrets that Calder holds will Lily be able to discover the true “Calder Cunningham,” what will Lily have to do to peek at the cards that he holds so tightly to his chest. The secrets are not all one sided though…Lily is still reluctant to tell her father who the “new man” is in her life. She fears that he will not be accepted because of what happened with the pledges when the Cunningham Estate went to the wall.

The press are still out in force trying to get the scoop on what has happened. The rumour mill is in overdrive and Calder’s name is being sullied left, right and centre. Lily cannot defend him as people are still unaware of their relationship. Lily also feels that she still doesn’t know anything about Calder, she therefore plays him at his own game and starts a game of “Truth or Dare” to try and get him to open up and maybe just maybe she can shed some light on this mysterious man.

The games were a hoot!! Initially Calder does not play along and plays safe but eventually they open up to each other and Ember writes some seriously smoking scenes, who knew that a game of Truth or Dare could be so highly amusing, stimulating and seriously hot! They are both playing hardball during this book and it really makes for some highly entertaining reading.

When Calder “forgets” about what is going on with regards to his father and the estate, we get glimpses of the true Calder and he is a man that you cannot help but fall in love with. He has the weight of the world on his shoulders, but those little sneak peeks you get make you melt.

“But please, I don’t want to drag you into this. You are – you are the only thing keeping me together. The one perfect, beautiful thing in my life right now. The only thing set apart from all this bullshit. I need that, please, Lily, I need that. I need you.”

Like the first book, I was seriously rooting for this couple all the way through. I felt that they brought out the best in each other and truly deserved happiness, together! Ember Casey once again takes you on a journey that you don’t want to finish and the kindle was firmly gripped in my hands until the end, I could not put it down. I wanted to see if they got the HEA they so richly deserved and thoroughly enjoyed the ride to the end.

For a new author, Ember has a great way of you drawing you in, this book will make you laugh and cry, whilst taking you down a road full of plot twists and turns, angst, drama, love, romance and smexy times. I have thoroughly enjoyed this series and cannot wait to see what comes next from this author.
 
Truth or Dare Buy Links:
 
 
About the Author: 

Ember Casey is a twenty-something writer who lives in Atlanta, Georgia in a den of iniquity (or so she likes to tell people). When she's not writing steamy romances, you can find her whipping up baked goods (usually of the chocolate variety), traveling (her bucket list is infinite), or generally causing trouble (because somebody has to do it). She is the author of HIS WICKED GAMES and TRUTH OR DARE.
 


Tour Giveaway!
 

19 comments:

  1. Yay! Thanks for the post and the giveaway! so excited!!

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  2. I really enjoyed the first book and I'm looking forward to more of Lily and Calder! Thanks for the giveaway!

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  3. This is new series to me. It sounds really good and thank you for the giveaway!

    Raffle name: Demitra Giote

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  4. Looks great! Thanks for the giveaway! :-)

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  5. Love how the excerpt ended. I didn't realise this was part of a series.

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  6. Can't wait to read this! Thanks for the giveaway!

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  7. Haven't read the series yet, but definitely looking forward to it. Thanks for the giveaway. :)

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  8. No dare needed to make me read this one!! I am very much looking forward to reading it!!! Thank you!

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  9. I can't wait to read this! :)

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