{"id":36482,"date":"2018-09-10T08:00:06","date_gmt":"2018-09-10T12:00:06","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.escapistbookblog.com\/?p=36482"},"modified":"2018-10-18T21:54:22","modified_gmt":"2018-10-19T01:54:22","slug":"arc-review-excerpt-giveaway-more-of-you-confessions-of-the-heart-1-by-a-l-jackson","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.escapistbookblog.com\/?p=36482","title":{"rendered":"ARC Review, Excerpt & Giveaway: More Of You (Confessions of the Heart, #1) by A.L. Jackson"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

A second-chance, small town, stand-alone romance in A.L. Jackson’s Confessions of the Heart Series<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Amazon\u00a0<\/a> |\u00a0 Paperback\u00a0<\/a> |\u00a0 <\/strong>Audible<\/strong><\/a><\/h4>\n

 <\/p>\n

Message from A.L. Jackson<\/strong><\/p>\n

My loves!! It’s here – the first stand-alone novel in my new CONFESSIONS OF THE HEART series. Oh my gosh, I have to confess, MORE OF YOU absolutely stole my heart.\u00a0 Writing Jace and Faith’s story was one of my best experiences as an author. Their story poured out of me, their chemistry so intense and palpable that the words burned inside and came to life in a way I’d never imagined!<\/p>\n

It’s intense.
\nIt’s sexy.
\nIt’s suspenseful.
\nIt’s packed with all the feels.
\nIt’s everything and more that I’d hoped it be.
\nI fell so hard for MORE OF YOU, and I know you will, too.<\/p>\n

Are you ready for my newest romance?<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\n

\r\n <\/div><\/div><\/b><\/h4>\n
\n

Synopsis<\/strong><\/h4>\n

My daddy warned me never to fall for a boy like Jace Jacobs . . .<\/strong><\/p>\n

The second I saw him walk through the door, I knew he was trouble.<\/p>\n

A gorgeous rebel with a bad attitude and a huge chip on his shoulder.<\/p>\n

My heart warned me. I didn\u2019t listen. I saw something protective and good beneath the fierce, tough exterior.<\/p>\n

I fell hard and fast.<\/p>\n

He promised we\u2019d be together forever, and then left me with a broken heart.<\/p>\n

Now, ten years later, Jace Jacobs is standing at my door.<\/p>\n

Sexier than he\u2019s ever been.<\/p>\n

Provocative and commanding.<\/p>\n

Successful and powerful.<\/p>\n

The man I always knew he would become.<\/p>\n

But I promised myself I\u2019d never lose my heart to him again.<\/p>\n

Even time couldn\u2019t dim our chemistry. One glance of his intense eyes, and I become weak. One brush of his hand, and he brings me to my knees.<\/p>\n

Little do I know, Jace holds the key to everything I\u2019ve lost and everything that threatens my future.<\/p>\n

Now he will either save me, or he will break me all over again . . .<\/p>\n

More of You \u2013 a Confessions of the Heart second-chance, stand-alone romance<\/em><\/p>\n

<\/h4>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\n

Review<\/b><\/h4>\n

\u201cI always believed in us.\u201d<\/i><\/b><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

The beginning of a new series for A.L. Jackson, this is a second-chance-romance with a twist of suspense, and a raw, intense and emotional love story that is full of heartache and passion, and beautifully swoony.<\/p>\n

Jace and Faith met as teenagers, she the na\u00efve good girl, and he the dangerous and mysterious boy from the wrong side of the tracks, but despite their differences, they fell deeply in love and dreamed of a future together. But it didn\u2019t turn out that way, and Jace left their small town, breaking both of their hearts in the process.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s ten years later when he returns. Faith has been left alone with her small daughter following the murder of her husband, and is receiving threatening messages. Jace knows that she\u2019s in danger and he rushes to protect the girl he still so clearly loves.<\/p>\n

\u201cI know you hate me, Faith. You have every right to. You should hate me every bit as much as I hate myself, but that doesn\u2019t change the fact that I\u2019m here. That I\u2019m going to take care of you. Protect you. Whatever it takes.\u201d<\/i><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

It\u2019s a great set-up as Jace moves himself into the huge rambling house that Faith is living in, under the guise of protecting her and her daughter while he works on much-needed renovations. It\u2019s clear from that first moment that there is SO much emotion between these two, and that neither of them ever moved on from the other, and the feels are intense from the very beginning.<\/p>\n

\u201cDo you think I could ever forget a single moment with you? Not ever. Not for a second. You were the only good thing I ever had.\u201d<\/i><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

The mystery of why Jace left, and what he\u2019s been doing in the years since unfolds throughout the story, as does the mystery of Faith\u2019s husband\u2019s death, and why she is in danger now. It\u2019s all very cleverly woven together, and creates even more intensity in the story as glimpses from the past reveal pieces of the puzzle. And as danger in the present becomes very real, it pushes Jace and Faith together even more as he situates himself into her life, and all of that long-ago emotion comes flooding out.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou took my heart when you left,\u201d I whispered.
\nHe took a slow step forward, his confession cracking in the air. \u201cAnd I left mine with you.\u201d<\/i><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

OMG, this book is full of emotion, heartache and longing. You can feel the connection between Jace and Faith, how much they want each other and how badly they wish everything could have been different, and watching them work through it all is heartbreaking.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m terrified of you hurtin\u2019 me all over again,\u201d I whispered. \u201cI can\u2019t take any more.\u201d
\nFlinching, his eyes dropped closed. \u201cI don\u2019t want to hurt you, Faith. Never. I never wanted to. I\u2019d give anything to stop that from happening again.\u201d<\/i><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

It\u2019s an exercise in patience waiting for the big moment, and we feel every angst-ridden, sexual-tension-filled second of it! But when it eventually comes, it\u2019s worth it as we get even more emotion in a swoony, romantic and passionate reconciliation that is absolutely gorgeous!<\/p>\n

\u201cI never stopped loving you. Not for a second. Not for a day. Because you\u2019ve consumed every one of my goddamned thoughts since the second I left.\u201d<\/i><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

It\u2019s not easy, and there are still things they need to work through, and as secrets are revealed and danger looms closer, the book builds to an exciting and intense climax that will test them both like never before, and make them question everything.<\/p>\n

I really liked this book. Though the emotion is intense, and the love story is beautiful, I wasn\u2019t as invested as I was expecting and hoping to. I was definitely cheering for these two to get their happy ending, but I found the reason for their split and all that contributed to their separation to be a bit frustrating. I also think that the writing was perhaps a bit flowery and poetic for me \u2013 but this is a very personal thing. I tend to zone out a bit when writing gets a bit repetitive and overly descriptive, and I found myself skimming descriptions of their broken-heartedness, their connection and the way their souls spoke to each other, especially because the book is quite long. But Jackson does a wonderful job of letting us feel everything that the characters are going through, and the way<\/i> the story is put together is really well done. And every moment with sweet little Bailey is heart-meltingly adorable!<\/p>\n

This is a strong start to the series, and I\u2019m looking forward to reading more, with Jace\u2019s brother, Ian up next!<\/p>\n

3.5 stars<\/p>\n

An Advanced Reader Copy was generously provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.<\/i><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Confessions of the Heart<\/strong><\/h4>\n

\"\" \u00a0\"\" \u00a0\"\"<\/p>\n

More of You (#1)
\n<\/strong>Review<\/a>
\nBuy:\u00a0 Amazon\u00a0<\/a> |\u00a0 Paperback\u00a0<\/a> |\u00a0 Audio<\/a><\/p>\n

All of Me (#2)<\/strong>
\nReview<\/a>
\nBuy:\u00a0 Amazon<\/a>\u00a0 |\u00a0 Paperback\u00a0<\/a> |\u00a0 Audio<\/a><\/p>\n

Pieces of Us (#3)<\/strong>
\nReview<\/a>
\nBuy:\u00a0\u00a0Amazon \u00a0<\/a>|\u00a0 Paperback\u00a0<\/a> |\u00a0 Audio<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

 <\/p>\n

\n

Excerpt<\/strong><\/h4>\n

\u201cLet me take care of you.\u201d The words grated from my tongue.
\nShe blinked at me. \u201cWhy did you really come here, Jace? After all this time? After all these years? What is
\nit you want?\u201d
\nYou.
\n\u201cI need to be here. I tri\u2014\u201d
\nThe confession locked in my throat, and I swallowed hard, forcing it out between the constriction I could
\nfeel baring down on every cell in my body.
\n\u201cI tried to stay away. But I couldn\u2019t. Not knowing what\u2019s happening. Not knowing what you\u2019ve been
\nthrough.\u201d
\nNot knowing just how fucking deep Joseph had gotten. Not knowing the lengths those assholes might go
\nto. I was getting a better and better idea of what that might be.
\nProtectiveness swelled.
\nAn anger so intense I saw black curled through my muscles.
\nI could feel it, a wire tripping somewhere inside me, one of those pieces I\u2019d been trying to keep contained,
\nheld back, ripped free.
\nNo way in hell was I backing down from this. No way in hell was I walking away from her.
\n\u201cI\u2019m moving in.\u201d
\nShe reared back. \u201cWhat?\u201d
\n\u201cYou heard what I said.\u201d
\nA heated anger rushed in to take over the helplessness. \u201cWell, I thought I did . . . and what I think I just
\nheard you say was you\u2019re movin\u2019 in here, and that\u2019s not goin\u2019 to happen.\u201d
\n\u201cYou need someone here to look after you. Besides . . . there are what? Eight rooms here? You will hardly
\nnotice me, and someone needs to be here to watch over things.\u201d
\n\u201cAnd you think that job lands on you?\u201d It was all a rushed horror as she pushed back her chair and
\nstumbled to her feet.
\nEnergy flashed.
\nSo intense my chest tightened.
\nPainfully.
\nProtectiveness pulsing out. Filling everything.
\n\u201cI think that\u2019s exactly what it is.\u201d
\nHarsh, hoarse laughter rocked from her, and she was biting at her lip like she wanted to bite back her
\nwords.
\n\u201cYou are the last person I want movin\u2019 in here. I already told you, all of this is too hard. It feels too
\ncomplicated. It\u2019s hard enough you bein\u2019 outside. You want to take up the inside, too?\u201d
\nI edged closer, breathing in all that intensity.
\nTaking it on as my own.
\nStanding next to the girl felt like inhaling life.
\nDid she think this wasn\u2019t going to be brutal for me, too?
\nMy voice quieted, though it was hard as stone. \u201cYou aren\u2019t safe here. You\u2019re scared. You can\u2019t deny that.\u201d
\nI edged closer, and she edged back. She hit the wall behind her.
\nShe was so close.
\nSo damned close I wanted to take one step closer and feel all of her. What it was like to be against that
\nskin.
\nHer words were so rough she could barely force them out. \u201cThen I\u2019ll call my daddy to come and stay.\u201d
\nMy fingers were back to toying with a lock of her hair, my head angled to the side. \u201cLet me take care of
\nyou, Faith. Let me be the one.\u201d
\n\u201cJace\u2014\u201d
\n\u201cPlease . . . let me do this for you. I\u2019m your family, whether you like it or not.\u201d
\n\u201cThis is a terrible idea,\u201d she whispered. Like it was her last plea.
\n\u201cIt might be the only good one I\u2019ve ever had.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\n

Giveaway<\/strong><\/h4>\n

\"\"<\/h4>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Don’t miss the adorable giveaway for the More of You release! It’s a Fight for Me Bundle + the EXCLUSIVE products from my MORE OF YOU release boxes!<\/h4>\n

ENTER GIVEAWAY HERE<\/strong><\/a><\/h4>\n

The Escapist Book Blog is not responsible for this giveaway<\/em><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\n

About the Author<\/strong><\/h4>\n

\"\"A.L. Jackson is the New York Times & USA Today Bestselling author of contemporary romance. She writes emotional, sexy, heart-filled stories about boys who usually like to be a little bit bad.<\/p>\n

Her bestselling series include THE REGRET SERIES<\/a>, CLOSER TO YOU<\/a>, and BLEEDING STARS<\/a> novels. Grab A.L. Jackson\u2019s latest novel, MORE OF YOU, the first stand-alone novel in her brand-new CONFESSIONS OF THE HEART<\/a> series.<\/p>\n

If she\u2019s not writing, you can find her hanging out by the pool with her family, sipping cocktails with her friends, or of course with her nose buried in a book.<\/p>\n

Be sure not to miss new releases and sales from A.L. Jackson \u2013 Sign up to receive her NEWSLETTER<\/a>\u00a0or text \u201caljackson\u201d to 24587 to receive short but sweet updates on all the important news.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

FACEBOOK<\/a> | FB READER GROUP<\/a> | AMAZON
\n<\/a>BOOKBUB<\/a>\u00a0|\u00a0TWITTER<\/a> | INSTAGRAM<\/a><\/strong><\/h4>\n

Check out our A.L. Jackson Author Spotlight<\/a> for more great reads!<\/strong><\/h4>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

  A second-chance, small town, stand-alone romance in A.L. Jackson’s Confessions of the Heart Series Amazon\u00a0 |\u00a0 Paperback\u00a0 |\u00a0 Audible   Message from A.L. Jackson My loves!! It’s here – the first stand-alone novel in […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":37046,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"nf_dc_page":"","yasr_overall_rating":3.5,"yasr_post_is_review":"","yasr_auto_insert_disabled":"","yasr_review_type":"Product","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[95,9,24,29],"tags":[35,59,900,48],"class_list":["post-36482","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-mystery","category-romance","category-second-chance-romance","category-steamy","tag-a-l-jackson","tag-arc","tag-confessions-of-the-heart","tag-review"],"yasr_visitor_votes":{"stars_attributes":{"read_only":false,"span_bottom":false},"number_of_votes":0,"sum_votes":0},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.escapistbookblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/More-of-You.jpg?fit=150%2C225&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p7gaNL-9uq","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.escapistbookblog.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/36482","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.escapistbookblog.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.escapistbookblog.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.escapistbookblog.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.escapistbookblog.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=36482"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.escapistbookblog.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/36482\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.escapistbookblog.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/37046"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.escapistbookblog.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=36482"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.escapistbookblog.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=36482"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.escapistbookblog.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=36482"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}