Synopsis: ***This book is a spin-off of Waiting on Forever with no prior books needed to be read before it***
Recent college graduate, Kayla Reynolds was ready to leave the university, sorority life behind. Leaving her boyfriend of over three years, she packed her bags and moved four hours south to the big city…New York City. Bright lights, streets that never sleep, and a business lifestyle that she yearned to have were all at her fingertips.
Kayla Reynolds was chasing her dream.
Determined and eager to make it in the corporate world, Kayla changed everything- her image, lifestyle, and outlook on life, putting her career first and her personal life second. That was until her first day, the first time she got a glimpse of Miles Blackwell. Corporate CEO and part owner of ETV, and not to mention, incredibly handsome, Miles Blackwell took Kayla by surprise, stealing her heart as he did.
But nothing had ever come that easy for Kayla. Life had always seemed to have a personal vendetta against her, stepping in when everything seemed too good to be true, reminding herself of whom she really was. It wasn’t until she met Merrick Drake that she realized when to stop; when running was no longer an option. For the first time in her life she had someone she could relate to; someone who wouldn’t judge- who saw the person she was inside. She and Merrick connected…on more levels than one.
When life was too much to handle, they ran.
But there was only one person that could make Kayla stop for good. Only one man that made her want to stay.
Would Kayla finally stop running or would it all be too much to handle?
***
Excerpt
She let out an exasperated breath. “No. No, I gotta figure this out.” She turned to face me, legs crossed, intertwined. “I don’t know what to do, Merrick.”
I felt it in my chest. She was lost, pleading for help. I didn’t know if I was the best person to help her. I’d lived just as fucked up a life myself. From the age I could run, I did, staying at friend’s houses almost every day of the week, stopping home quick after school just to make sure my mom hadn’t overdosed and was dead on the floor. I did this almost my whole life…up until I ran here.
“I can’t really help you, babe, if I don’t know what happened,” I told her as sympathetically as I could, looking into her sad eyes. Even if I wasn’t the most qualified person to give advice, I wanted to help, but I also needed to know what happened first.
Kayla rubbed her face with her hands, keeping them over her eyes for a minute longer. She was thinking; questioning if she was ready to spill. I didn’t want to force her to do it, so I sat there quietly. I wish I could just sweep her up and run far, far away; take her away from all the bad in her life permanently, but that would mean I had to run again, and I was done running. I couldn’t do it anymore.
“I loved him.” Her voice was a whisper. She removed her hands from her face but only to look down to her crisscrossed feet. She couldn’t look at me while she told me, and I was okay with that. “I let my guard down when I knew I shouldn’t have, but I couldn’t help it.”
I felt it in my chest. She was lost, pleading for help. I didn’t know if I was the best person to help her. I’d lived just as fucked up a life myself. From the age I could run, I did, staying at friend’s houses almost every day of the week, stopping home quick after school just to make sure my mom hadn’t overdosed and was dead on the floor. I did this almost my whole life…up until I ran here.
“I can’t really help you, babe, if I don’t know what happened,” I told her as sympathetically as I could, looking into her sad eyes. Even if I wasn’t the most qualified person to give advice, I wanted to help, but I also needed to know what happened first.
Kayla rubbed her face with her hands, keeping them over her eyes for a minute longer. She was thinking; questioning if she was ready to spill. I didn’t want to force her to do it, so I sat there quietly. I wish I could just sweep her up and run far, far away; take her away from all the bad in her life permanently, but that would mean I had to run again, and I was done running. I couldn’t do it anymore.
“I loved him.” Her voice was a whisper. She removed her hands from her face but only to look down to her crisscrossed feet. She couldn’t look at me while she told me, and I was okay with that. “I let my guard down when I knew I shouldn’t have, but I couldn’t help it.”
***
Review: Is there a timeline to love? Is it written in some cosmic rulebook that you must know someone for a certain amount of time before you can say those three magical words? Of course not! Sometimes love builds over time, smoldering and crackling beneath the ashes. Other times it ignites your soul from only the smallest spark.
Kayla is a recent college graduate running from a comfortable ho hum life to the exciting adventure she has always wanted. Taking off to NYC to work for one of the country's largest entertainment broadcasters is a dream come true. Deciding to focus solely on her career, finding live, or even lust, is the last thing on her agenda. But when does anything ever go according to plan?
Miles has lived a life of privilege, filled with the best money can buy. Gorgeous women drape themselves across his arm and change on a near weekly basis. This lifestyle suits him just fine until one early morning in the elevator of the ETV building. Miles' world was knocked off it's axis with just one look at Kayla. he was drawn to her. Captivated by her. Knowing her has to have her, he forgoes all other plans to make that happen.
With Kayla, Miles' feels something her has never experienced before. But is that spark enough to set their relationship ablaze?
While Running from Forever is the story of Kayla and Miles, for me the true star of the book was Merrick. He was my favorite character in this novel. I loved that he was a down to Earth guy who didn't treat Kayla like she was made of glass. I enjoyed Kayla's determination. She knew what she wanted and committed to making it happen. I thought Miles was a little too sweet, but that is my own personal preference and shouldn't reflect poorly on the character himself. He was sweet, kind, and gentle.
This was my first novel out of Ashley Wilcox series. I will definitely have to find the time to read the others. I especially look forward to Merrick's story!
Happy Reading!!
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Meet Ashley Wilcox
Some may consider me a jack of all trades, but I consider myself well rounded.
I’ve waitressed, styled hair, answered phones and, most recently, worked full time as mom to my two beautiful little boys.
Then there was this book… Everyone and their brother started talking about this book series titled Fifty Shades of Grey by EL James. I didn’t really pay attention to the craze at first, since I wasn’t a big reader- okay, I didn’t read at all. But curiosity got the best of me, so I downloaded it to my kindle.
I was immediately hooked. I read the whole series in three days. Yes, three books in three days.
I kept finding all these great books that I HAD to read (just ask my credit card!).
Then I started hearing voices. Voices that turned into stories; stories that were begging to get out of my head.
I started writing them down on scraps of paper. Then I transferred them to my computer. Before I knew it, Planning on Forever was born.
The voices in my head are still talking, so I’m still writing.
Links:
http://www.ashleywilcoxauthor.com/
http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Ashley-Wilcox-Author/534100859949004
https://twitter.com/ashleywilcox55
http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6564533.Ashley_Wilcox?from_search=true
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