Review: DRIVE by Stephanie Fournet
I have loved everything I’ve read from Stephanie Fournet, and DRIVE did not disa[...]
Please welcome to Amy Lignor, the author of The Angel Chronicles series. She’s here today as part of her Tribute Books Blog Tour for Gilded Wings: The Angel Chronicles, Book 2 with a guest post, a read-along excerpt, and giveaway!
The Beloved Angel-Warrior Team from Until Next Time Returns!
When Matt and Emily are sent on their second mission they have no idea how truly dark human nature can become…
Emily never wanted to face humans again. With the heartache that went on down below, she’s still trying to figure out how to save souls that don’t deserve saving. The only one she wants to see again is Jason – the young man she fell in love with who became the soulmate she simply can’t forget…
Matt was trained to protect and defend the souls down below. Longing to feel the heartfelt emotions that come from being human, Matt wants nothing more than to have just one life – one chance – to live and love the girl of his dreams…
The powerful team find themselves in a brand new century, living in the Gilded Age of New York City. Emily takes over the body of Anya, a young Russian girl who arrives on Ellis Island after a hideous tragedy. There she meets up with a strangely familiar young man by the name of Drew Parrish, who helps Anya survive in an unknown world of luxury, snobbery and…obsession.
What Anya’s inner angel doesn’t know is that the soul she loves is also back. This time around Jason goes by the name of Max Carrow. Once a quiet and kind boy, he’s now part of the ‘Four Hundred Club,’ and wants nothing more than to be among the most admired as he climbs the shaky ladder of society’s elite.
As two worlds merge, Emily and Matt struggle under the weight of their “Gilded Wings.” Not only will they have to figure out who they should fight to save, but they must also face a romantic choice that could destroy them both.
The Allure of Romance
by Amy Lignor
Ever since ‘Romeo and Juliet’ had their tragedy, the romance novel has been the lure – the draw – for many readers. So it came as no surprise that when old Edward & Bella came along, love grew even more exciting for readers because one character was already dead, so they actually HAD the ability to live in each other’s arms for all eternity.
Romance is one of those rare things that make people forget. In other words: Heart comes to life and brain can take a day off. No, I’m not saying that when you’re in love you’re no longer intelligent. What I’m saying is that when you feel protected, excited and when you’re falling in love with that soul mate you’ve waited for such a long time, your brain knows that ‘all is right with the world.’ When that occurs a great deal of pressure is taken off your shoulders, because you now have that ultimate partner who will help, protect and offer that look in his/her eyes that you believed only came when ‘Once Upon a Time’ was spoken.
As a person who came from a family that had those huge romances – the two sets of grandparents who were always loving and kind to one another, and the mother and father who quite literally would check on each other while they were in the same room by looking over and giving a smile when needed – I was blessed to see the fact that real romance was certainly available and was a gift that you could find if you tried.
When I think of Matthew and Emily, I think of that partnership. Yes, there is the lure, the drama, excitement, hardship – everything that life offers when it comes to the two of them trying so hard to figure out how to be soul mates while doing a job that must be done correctly. But watching them be everything from friends to partners to enemies, makes my heart grow. As the writer, even as the words come out and are placed on paper, I am routing for them. Emily has a tough time, seeing as that she’s been in love with Jason ‘down below’ and has had that feeling of perfection. She is loyal, which means she can’t just wave off that lifetime and forget that he was her first, magical love. And I feel for Matthew a great deal. He’s had lives, he’s had romance, but when it comes to the ultimate partnership, Emily is the only one he wishes to stand behind to support; in front of to protect; and, finally, by her side so that they can face things together.
I don’t know what will happen to these two. Yes, I am the creator, but their hearts can walk down a different path in what seems like seconds sometimes as the story offers a twist or turn that I didn’t even know was coming. But, in the end, Matthew and Emily have joined the category of star-crossed lovers. They are knee-deep in a romance we all long to have, because their souls ARE one! Perhaps, for them, the third time will be the charm.
Until Next Time, Everybody,
Amy
Read-Along Excerpt from Gilded Wings
The hours passed by quickly, as Anya and Gregori were taken on a guided tour by the man who walked around Ellis Island like he owned the place. Joe had been there for so long he decided to show Anya and her young ward all the wonderful things available inside the bustling buildings.
“This is the Commissioner’s office,” Joe said, pointing to a line of people standing outside an open door.
Anya peeked in and saw an overweight man sitting behind a desk that was raised up off the floor. The windows, walls and lamps were green, and the people standing before the man were speaking in all languages. Using an interpreter to state their case, they explained why they should be allowed to stay.
Joe shrugged. “Some get through—others don’t. And that’s the man that decides their fate.”
“Is he nice?” Anya wondered, as she stared at the slightly angry looking man dressed in a black robe.
“He’s honest. And after all that these people have been through, honesty is about the best they can hope for.”
About the author:
Amy Lignor began her career at Grey House Publishing in northwest Connecticut where she was the Editor-in-Chief of numerous educational and business directories.
Now she is a published author of several works of fiction. The Billy the Kid historical The Heart of a Legend; the thriller, Mind Made; and the adventure novel, Tallent & Lowery 13.
She is also the owner of The Write Companion, a company that offers help and support to writers through a full range of editorial services from proofreading and copyediting to ghostwriting and research. As the daughter of a research librarian, she is also an active book reviewer.
Currently, she lives with her daughter, mother and a rambunctious German Shepherd named Reuben, in the beautiful state of New Mexico.
Author Links: Website | Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads
Many thanks to Amy for stopping by today!
Follow the read-along excerpt tour for more chances to win:
Jen, thanks again for inviting Amy to stop by. We appreciate your help in letting YA fans know about the release of Book 2 🙂
Cool blog tour, I’ve wanted to read this book for some time and I hope I can win it ^-^
Twitter: alwaysyaatheart
says:
Great post! I enjoyed what Amy had to say about romance. I don’t think it could be said any better. The excerpt is great to.
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