Monday, November 9, 2015

Change of Heart Blog Tour +Review


Title: Change of Heart
Author: Jennifer L. Allen
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release Date: November 6, 2015


Casey Evans and Decker Abrams have been best friends since they became neighbors at the age of six. After high school, Casey abruptly leaves their hometown of Charleston, South Carolina for the west coast, leaving Decker wondering where she went and why she left.

Three years later the two are reunited, both harboring some old resentment towards the other. Not to mention, Casey has been hiding a pretty big secret from Decker all those years. Not willing to risk losing Casey again, Decker follows her back to California in an attempt to save their friendship.

Will Casey and Decker work out their issues and be best friends again? Or will they finally become something more?



“Have you kissed anyone, Casey?” Decker asked after we spread out the blanket and sat down cross-legged at the end of the dock.
I laughed. “No, Deck. Guys don’t want to kiss me.”
“That’s not true,” he said.
“Then how come I’m seventeen and I’ve never been kissed?”
He looked down at his hands, fidgeting in his lap.
“Decker?” I asked sternly. What did he do?
“I may have threatened a few of the guys on the team.”
“What?! Why? How?” I couldn’t believe he did that. No wonder guys never talked to me, let alone kissed me. I knew I was plain and all, but still. There’s someone for everyone, right? All those guys that talked to me and he chased away…
“None of those guys are good enough for you.”
“Shouldn’t that be for me to decide?” I cross my arms over my chest, downright pissed off now.
How dare he?
“I’m sorry, Case.”
“Hmmf.” I stared off into the water, ignoring him.
Decker sighed. “You know what? I’m not sorry. I don’t want you kissing other guys and that’s that.”
My eyes snapped back to his. “Excuse me?”
“You heard me,” he said, looking down at his hands again.
“Yeah, I heard you. That’s a bunch of crap, Decker. You can’t just run interference all my life.” If I wasn’t sitting, I would have stomped my feet.
“Wanna bet?”
I rolled my eyes. Arguing with him was useless. He was the most stubborn person I knew, next to myself of course.
“Whatever, Decker.”
He sighed again. “I want to be your first kiss,” he whispered, so quietly I barely heard him.
“What did you just say?”
He looked up at me. “I said I want to be your first kiss.”
“What? Why? Decker?” I didn’t know what to say. Where was this coming from? Decker wants to kiss me? Why?
“Because when I think back to my first kiss, I want it to be a happy memory. And Casey, all my memories with you are happy ones.”
I felt tears well up in my eyes. Well, if that wasn’t the sweetest thing Decker Abrams had ever said to me. And I’d be his first kiss, too? Gorgeous Decker Abrams has never kissed a girl?
He groaned at the tears. “Don’t cry, Case.”
“Happy tears, Deck. Happy tears,” I smiled at him.
He grinned that boyish grin I loved so much that always got him out of trouble…with me and every other female in his life.
“So you’ve really never kissed a girl before?” I still found that hard to believe, but Decker had never lied to me before. 
He shook his head. “No. I wanted it to be special, you know?”
I nodded, “Yeah, I know.”
“So can I?” he asked, scooting closer to me on the blanket.
“Can you what?” He moved even closer.
“Kiss you?” I could feel his breath on my face, he was so close.
“Please,” I whispered, closing my eyes.
His lips brushed mine and I felt tingles all over my body. His lips were so soft, yet so firm. Suddenly his tongue was pressed against the seam of my lips. It was such a strange sensation. I wasn’t sure what I was supposed to do, but I wanted to taste him, too.
I opened my mouth and our tongues danced against one another. Touching and twisting, each sampling what the other had to offer. He finally put his arms around me and pulled me close to him. The kiss was amazing and seemingly never-ending, despite the awkward position we were twisted into. He eventually ended it with three short pecks on my lips.
As he pulled away we both opened our eyes. He smiled, so did I.
“Wow,” I said.
“Wow,” he agreed.
“Can we do that again?” I asked.
“Definitely,” he wasted no time, leaning in again.
Decker and I made out under the stars for hours that night. Never letting the other get too far away.
It was the start of something beautiful. 
But it was also the beginning of the end.
 



All I can say is WOW.  This book took me by complete surprise.  Casey and Decker have been friends since they were six years old.  Casey is smart, sweet, and caring.  Decker is handsome, popular, and plays baseball.  In high school Casey only had one other friend Jane.  Girls said mean things to her because they were jealous of how much time she spent with Decker and guys figured she must be good in bed because she wasn’t much to look at for Decker to spend so much time with her.  She never told him because she knew what he would do.  They took their relationship to the next level during their senior year.  Decker never brought their relationship public or told his friends.  Deep down Casey knew that he cared about her but with everyone saying those things about her and Decker never inviting her to spend time with his friends or to tell them that they had something together caused her to question things.  Then after graduation Casey just up and left for college.  She didn’t tell Decker that she was going or where she was going.  Decker was hurt when he found out she left and kept things from him.  Then three years later Casey comes because of her father’s death.  Decker is rocked by her appearance; the one weekend he comes home to surprise his parents she dares to show up.  When he goes to confront her he finds her crying and all his anger disappears.  He finds out why she is home and is determined to not waste this second chance; they are going to talk and straighten things out.  Then Casey gets scared because there are others things she has kept from Decker over the years and she doesn’t want to tell him about them so she tells him she is going back to California.  What she doesn’t expect is for Decker to follow her back there.  He is determined to prove her that he cares about her and to set things straight.  He won’t let this second chance go to waste.  Decker is about to find some important things out.  He may not get the second chance he is thinking of with Casey.  Will Casey cave and tell him everything that she has been going through?  Will she give them a chance at a real future together?  If you are a crier you will need tissues for this book.  This is the first book I have read by Jennifer and I wasn’t completely sure what to expect.  This book took a turn I didn’t see coming and I loved it.  The characters are wonderful and pull you into the story.  The book is wonderfully written.  I like books about second chances, who doesn’t?  This book has depth and engaging character.  I look forward to reading more books by Jennifer L. Allen in the future.  I would love to read a book about Casey friend and roommate Kate and the guy Jay she meets in this book.  They seemed like they would have an interesting story.

 
Jennifer lives in South Carolina with her husband and their four fur-kids. She is in grad school, pursuing a Masters in Psychology for Clinical Counseling. When she is not at work or taking classes, she is either reading or writing. Books have always been a passion. She also enjoys spending time with her family, traveling to new places, and music. She released her debut novel, Our Moon, in June 2015.

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1 comment:

  1. Thank you so much!! And thank you for the review!! Loved it. :)

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