Blog Tour: Ignite by Tessa Teevan {Review, Excerpt, +Giveaway}
Welcome to my stop on the Ignite blog tour hosted by Love Between the Sheets!
I am so excited to share my review and an epic giveaway with you all!
by: Tessa TeevanPublication Date: Oct. 30, 2013
Publisher: Self-Published
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Age Group: Adult
Source: e-ARC received from the author in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Page Count: 333 pages
Order Links: Amazon | B&N | Kobo
My Rating: 4/5 stars
After nearly a year and a half of grieving the loss of her husband, twenty-seven year old Alexa Sullivan Tate is headed back to her hometown after a decade of being away. She has no idea her high school crush, Jace McAllister, the guy who stole her heart the same night that he broke it, is more than ready to pick up the pieces.
Jace has spent the last ten years in the Army defusing bomb after bomb, trying to forget the girl who ignited all his passions. Little does he know that the spark still exists.
Ten years ago they had smoldering chemistry, but the spark between them now might light a fuse that leads to an explosion even Jace can't stop. Not that he wants to. If only Alexa can get past her guilt and trust her heart again.
But how do you put it all on the line when you've already lost everything once before?
Jace has spent the last ten years in the Army defusing bomb after bomb, trying to forget the girl who ignited all his passions. Little does he know that the spark still exists.
Ten years ago they had smoldering chemistry, but the spark between them now might light a fuse that leads to an explosion even Jace can't stop. Not that he wants to. If only Alexa can get past her guilt and trust her heart again.
But how do you put it all on the line when you've already lost everything once before?
My Review:
Oh boy. Reading a book about an incredibly sexy Army boy is NOT a good idea for a single gal who doesn't live too far from an Army base. Just wanted to throw that out there. Ignite is a sexy, steamy, sweet read that will definitely get your blood pumping! I really enjoyed that it was relatively low in angst and that our love interest was such a good guy. Good guys are my new guilty pleasure so I can't get enough of them! Ignite, while sexy and steamy, definitely had its share of heartbreaking moments. My heart ached for Alexa and I can't even fathom what she was going through and how she dealt with such a crushing loss.
I really liked Alexa. She was a great protagonist and I definitely can understand her fear of letting someone get close to her again. After losing her husband to a car accident, Alexa is trying to cope with everyday life. The last words her husband spoke to her are on constant repeat in her brain and she's not handling his loss well at all. Her sister, Sierra, expresses her concern for her sister, telling her she can't mope around forever. Enough time has passed now and she tries to make Alexa understand that by remaining stagnant, she won't be able to heal and move forward. Sierra ends up asking Alexa to accompany her, her husband, and her daughter back to Florida for their 10 year reunion. Sierra asks Alexa to act as a nanny for her 4 year old daughter, but really Sierra has other ideas about reunion weekend.
Sierra knows that Jace McAllister will be attending and is hoping sparks will once again fly between him and Alexa. During high school, Alexa and Jace were inseparable. They became best friends, confidants, and loved spending time together. Both harbored feelings for one another, but never acted on them- both realizing too late how the other felt. Graduation night changes everything between them and a promise to reunite never comes- leaving Alexa as the one who got away. Upon finding out Jace will be at the reunion, Alexa is nervous- unsure of how to process this information or what to do when she sees him. Jace feels the same way. He has never gotten over Alexa and he desperately wants the chance to reconnect with her after so long. Upon reuniting, it is clear both of them still have strong feelings and attraction for one another. While Jace is ready to pick up where things left off between them, Alexa is very hesitant. She feels that by acting on her former feelings for Jace, she will be betraying the memory of her husband. She is conflicted as she thinks she should feel guilty for wanting more with him. Thankfully, her good friend Brady (who I loved!) was able to talk some sense into her and really help her put her fears and apprehension into perspective.
While Jace and Alexa certainly have chemistry, Jace understands that Alexa has been through a lot and he can't just jump right in where they left off that night 10 years ago. He knows he has to be patient with her and not rush her. By the end of the weekend, both are willing to see where they will go from there, but Alexa is worried about Jace's deployments and can't help but fear that she will lose another man in her life. The best thing about their relationship is that they actually communicate with one another. Alexa tells Jace what scares her and he in turn is able to look at life from a realistic angle that I felt she needed. Nothing in life is guaranteed. He can't promise her nothing will happen to him because he doesn't know if he can keep that promise. What he does promise is to do his best to make it back to her and I thought that was really sweet.
Jace is the ultimate dream guy. Really and truly. He is sexy, understanding, thoughtful, sweet, AND fights for his country. There really is no better combination in a man. He wants the whole package with Alexa: marriage, a family, her future. He knows not to push her, but he also isn't afraid to lay it all out on the line for her. Yes, taking that jump again is scary- but if she's not willing to take it- how can they have any kind of future together? Sometimes it takes a jolt to your senses to realize that life IS precious and there are things that should never go left unsaid because tomorrow isn't guaranteed.
In addition to the beautiful romance between Jace and Alexa, I loved our side characters. Sierra, her husband Jeremy, and their daughter Ava are absolutely precious. Sierra is a good sister to Alexa- giving her the pushes she needs to set things in motion. It is clear her and her sister are close, sharing everything with one another. Jeremy is a great brother-in-law to Alexa and watching their little family interact is adorable. Ava. Oh, Ava. She's is ADORABLE. She's also hilarious. Kids really are so innocent in what they say, and I found myself smiling at her more times than I can count. Seeing her warm up to Jace was beautiful and you could tell that he would make a great father someday.
I also liked Brady, Alexa's friend and co-worker. He was there to offer Alexa unbiased insight into her and Jace's relationship and ended up being Jace's biggest cheerleader. He wanted to see his friend happy and I'm glad she had someone that she could depend on that was on the outside. And then there's Knox, Jace's best friend. We don't learn very much about Knox in this book- just that he doesn't get along with his family and thinks Jace is crazy for getting so moonstruck over a girl. I am definitely looking forward to reading his story next!
Overall, this is a beautiful story about a girl and a boy finding their way back to one another after years of separation and loss and discovering that falling in love can happen more than once in your life. This story really shows you that tomorrow is not guaranteed and that is why living your life to the fullest each and every day is what counts. Don't be afraid to take chances, remember it's ok to be daring and a little reckless, but most of all- don't run from love- embrace it and fall into it every chance you get.
Excerpt:
I look around the bar and immediately spot him.
Holy shit, he’s even more gorgeous than before, I think as my eyes roam over
him. My heart races like I’ve just run miles to get here, and my eyes cannot
move from his. He looks just like Jace, but not the one I remember. He’s older,
and rugged, not quite like the high school senior I remember. My eyes widen as
I take in the bicep I’m pretty sure I couldn’t wrap my hand around. Hello
muscles, I think as I try to force away the image of him hauling me up into his
big arms and having his way with me.
I
shake the thoughts away as I sweep my eyes over the rest of him. He’s wearing a
plain black t-shirt that showcases the definition in his arms, and I can’t look
away. I swear he flexes a little when he sees me looking as I witness a thick
vein stretching across his forearm. I can see the beginnings of a tattoo
peeking out from under his right sleeve, and I’m dying for further inspection.
His dark hair is buzzed short in a standard military-style cut and his jaw is
more squared than I remember. His full
lips attract my attention as he wraps them around the beer bottle he’s taking a
drink from, and I involuntarily shudder at the memory of where those lips have
touched me.
His
blue eyes penetrate mine as he’s watching me, but his face is blank, so I have
no idea if he even recognizes me. Bullshit, he knows exactly who you are. His
eyebrows are drawn together, and I watch him take a deep breath as he plays
with his beer bottle. Ryan sets me on the ground, and I take this chance to
look down and turn away from him. I barely register what Ryan and Jeremy are
talking about when Sierra grabs my hand and drags me to the bar.
About Tessa Teevan:
I'm a twenty
six year old book junkie who is also obsessed with sports. Bengals, Buckeyes,
Reds are my teams! I work for the government during the day, hang out with Air
National Guard on the weekends, and am married to a guy 15 inches taller than
me. We're quite the pair! We currently live right outside of Dayton, OH with
our two cats.
I've been reading since I was a kid. My
mom was a librarian, so it was a given. Heck, she even made sure we watched
Wishbone instead of the Smurfs. In 2011 when I graduated from college, my mom
bought me a Nook, and then in the summer of 2012 I found this amazing site
called Goodreads. I was introduced to so many amazing indie/self-published
authors. After reading almost 400 books that year, my husband gave me the push
to finally sit down and write my own. It was a rocky start, but over time the
words started flowing and I couldn't get Jace and Lexi out of my head.
If I’m not
writing or looking through tons of photos of hot men, all in the name of
research, then you can probably find me curled up with my Kindle, ignoring the
rest of the world. I love my sports almost as much as I love my books. My other
obsessions include red wine, hot men, country music, and all things Grace
Potter.
I LOVE to hear from readers, so please
feel free to contact via any social media site listed below.
Giveaway:
a Rafflecopter giveaway
16 comments
Your opening sentences made me giggle! This sounds like a great read! I hadn't given it much consideration, but you have officially changed my mind. Awesome review!
ReplyDeleteHahaha! Dude. I should've had my friend hook me up while he was still posted there! GAH. Oh well. I hope you enjoy this one if you read it!
DeleteWHOA! First of all, wow that dude sounds yummers!
ReplyDeleteSecondly, whoa I don't think I would be able to live close to a army base and not go crazy. Good luck with that lol
Jesus Freak Reader
Hahaha! He is SO yummy Jess! Definitely a great book boyfriend! :) And thanks! I need the luck! LOL
DeleteI'm with Teresa!! LOVED that opening sentence! Gosh! I definitely want to read this one! It sounds so good, great story with s sexy guy ;)
ReplyDeleteGreat review!
Hahaha. I'm glad I amused you gals. :) If you're in the mood for a steamy read with a good guy and low angst- this is the one to get!
DeleteThank you for joining the tour! Jennifer ~Love Between the Sheets
ReplyDeleteThanks for having me Jennifer!!!
Delete"Reading a book about an incredibly sexy Army boy is NOT a good idea for a single gal who doesn't live too far from an Army base." Lol I love it!
ReplyDeleteI love good guys too. So much. Great review, sweetie!
Hahaha. It's so true though Andrea! I'm only an hour or so away! That's not far enough! LOL. Thanks for stopping by girl- good guys always win in my book!
DeleteHahaha -- love your first sentence! No stalking any army bases now, okay? This one sounds really great! Thanks so much for putting it on my radar! I love that quote and the excerpt :)
ReplyDelete:) But Michele!!!! I need to stalk and get me a soldier! LOL.
DeleteAwesome review girl! Right? Us single girls who live by Army bases shouldn't be reading this :-) I adored Jace and he is definitely my dream guy. I loved how realistic the romance was and the fact that it progressed over a longer time period.
ReplyDeleteWHY DON'T WE LIVE CLOSER TO EACH OTHER?! It's less creepy if we stalk in pairs! I'm glad you loved Jace too! I always felt the romance was realistic and I liked that alot!
DeleteYay nice guys! Plus he's in the army? Niiice. This book sounds really sweet, I might have to check it out! Thanks for the review!
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by! This is a super sweet book! I loved every minute of it!
DeleteLeave me some comment love! And I will get around to commenting back!
My blog is an award-free blog, however, as I just do not have the time to follow-up.