BLOG TOUR INFO FOR SWEET FALL BY TILLIE COLE

25^TH – 29^TH AUGUST

Title: Sweet Fall (Sweet Home #3)
Author: Tillie Cole
Genre: New Adult Contemporary
Publication Date: 26^th August 2014
Blog Tour Organised By: Kelly @ Have Book Will Read

ABOUT SWEET FALL

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From the USA Today Best Selling Sweet Home Series, comes Sweet Fall; a tale of heartache, beating the odds and finding strength in the most unlikeliest of places.

We all have secrets.

Secrets well buried.

Until we find the one soul who makes the burden of such secrets just that little bit easier to bear.

Lexington “Lexi” Hart is a senior at the University of Alabama. Surrounded by her best friends, her loving family and having fulfilled her life-long dream of making the Crimson Tide cheer squad, everything is going exactly as she always dreamed it would. But beneath her happy exterior, demons lurk, threatening to jeopardize everything Lexi has worked to achieve.

When events in her life become too much to cope with, Lexi finds herself spiraling down into the realm of her biggest fear. Lexi falls hard, victim once again to the only thing that can destroy her and, on the way, finds herself falling straight into the dangerous tattooed arms of a guy from the wrong side of the tracks.

Austin Carillo, starting Wide Receiver for the Alabama Crimson Tide, must get picked in this year’s NFL draft. He needs it. His brothers need it. Most importantly, his mother desperately needs it. Brought up in a world where the poor are forgotten, the sick are left to fend for themselves and no hero miraculously appears to pull you out of hell, Austin had no other choice but to make a living on the wrong side of the law—until football offered Austin the break to get his life back on track.

But when a family tragedy drags him back into the clutches of the gang he believed he had left far behind, Austin finds himself falling. Falling back into criminal ways and falling deep into a suffocating darkness. Until a troubled yet kindred spirit stumbles across his path, where Austin quickly finds he is falling for a young woman—a young woman who might just have the power to save him from his worst enemy: himself.

Can two troubled souls find a lasting peace together? Or will they finally succumb to the demons threatening to destroy them?

New Adult/Contemporary Romance novel—contains adult content, sexual situations and mature topics. Suited for ages 17 and up.

*CAN BE READ AS A STAND-ALONE NOVEL*

ABOUT TILLIE COLE

Tillie Cole is a Northern girl through and through. She originates from a place called Teesside on that little but awesomely sunny (okay I exaggerate) Isle called Great Britain. She was brought up surrounded by her English rose mother — a farmer’s daughter, her crazy Scottish father, a savagely sarcastic sister and a multitude of rescue animals and horses.

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GIVEAWAY

Tillie is giving away a Kindle Fire HDX and this is open internationally!

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MY REVIEW
This book = Fuckin’ A.

Neither of our main characters have lived a normal life. Austin had to grow up quickly and consequently he learnt from an early age that life isn’t always good and easy. Lexi grew up happy but one flippant comment left her firmly believing she was never good enough. She could be thinner, prettier, better. She could be ‘perfect’. The incessant voice in her head guiding her to make seemingly bad decisions – but she was unable to stop the voice, to fight it.

My heart broke for both characters’ stories of hardship and life’s struggles. I wanted them to find a slither of happiness and peace together and hold onto it and let it grow. We saw a glimpse of this and it was stunningly beautiful but, naturally, life got in the way and it was torn from their grasp.

“We were both just too messed up to ever be with each other in the way we needed to be. Two shooting stars that burned out too quickly, never quite reaching each other’s skies.”

Both spiralled back down to their lowest points and whilst it was hard to read, Tillie’s powerful words on the page and the story being told through Lexi and Austin’s POVs shone through the page and straight into my heart shattering it further for their young selves.

Will they come out the other side together? Will it damage them both irreparably?

“I have fallen in love with you. The broken boy who has only ever known trouble and strife. Yet the broken boy who managed to put this broken girl back together, at least for a while.”

Knowing how personal a story this is to Tillie makes this book such a privilege to read and knowing that happy endings can come from the shittiest of beginnings leave you feeling lighter than you thought possible after reading such a tale.

MY RATING
5 Sweet Stars

EXCERPT
The truck rocked as Austin jumped up with me and he ran his hand through his hair almost in nerves as he stood beside me, staring at the view that had me so entranced.
“Austin… the moon. Why’s it so big?” I whispered in awe.
The orange-hued moon seemed impossibly large, so impossibly close. So close that I could almost touch it; it’s hazy reflection spanning the entire width of the river before us as it sat happily on the horizon. “It’s the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen.”
“It’s a Supermoon. The moon’s at its closest orbit to the Earth tonight. It’s size and closeness is an illusion to us here on Earth.”
“How?”
“When the moon’s that low on the horizon, it appears huge to us, but it’s no bigger than what we see every other night.” Austin pointed to moon before us and I couldn’t help but blink up at him surprise.
“Is this why we’ve come so far outta town. So we could see it in this setting?”
Austin fidgeted in embarrassment and nodded his head in one curt movement. “Supermoons don’t happen often and to really appreciate it, you need to get away from city and all the light pollution.” He then gestured to the stars above. A sky so full of diamonds that it didn’t seem like there was any room for the plain ol’ dark night sky. Every part was packed full of stars. I’d never seen anything like it.
“Austin… It’s beautiful. I… I can’t believe what I’m seeing. It’s like a dream.”
Feeling his intense stare on me, I immediately looked down, blushing. Austin cleared his throat and took a seat on the blanket, opening his large bag of barbeque.
I joined him on the blanket and wrapped my arms around my legs. Taking a huge steak, Austin leaned back against the side of the truck and met my eyes. I couldn’t help but smile.
“What?” Austin asked warily.
“I would never have thought you would be into all this.” I gestured to the sky. “Astronomy. Supermoons, stars.”
Austin seemed embarrassed and shrugged. Nothing more said in response.
“You sure you don’t want any of this?” Austin held out the large bag of food and I shook my head. Austin tossed the bag to the side, sucked the juices of his fingers and tipped his head up to enjoy the view. I did the same.
“How’s your momma?”
Austin’s breathing hitched for a moment, but then replied, “Still in hospital. But I saw her today and she’s feeling a little better.”
“I’m sorry that she’s so sick, Austin. Sometimes life’s just not fair.”
Austin dipped his head to look my way and asked, “Yeah? And how do you know life ain’t fair, Pix?”
Every muscle tensed at his question. I tried to relax, but I could tell by Austin’s inquisitive expression that he’d caught onto my apprehension. “I just do, Austin. What you see on the surface isn’t always the reality.”
There was an awkward pregnant pause, then Austin said, “You’re preaching to the converted, Pix.”
Austin waved his hand and sprawled out on his back. “Get down here. The view’s better.”
Licking my lips in nerves, I slowly slid onto my back and gazed at the night sky.
Austin pointed his fingers at a pattern of stars. “The Big Dipper.”
I followed his index finger as he mapped out the constellation.
“Wow,” I whispered, the moment feeling surreal.
“Ursa Minor.” Austin continued and I followed his demonstration with rapt attention. “Ursa Major, Cassiopeia, Draco…” And he went on, guiding me like Virgil through the complex ocean of stars. It didn’t take me long to stop following his hand pointing up at the sky, and to study the carefree, joyous expression on his usually hard and emotionless face.
He was beautiful… and there was so much more to him than I ever imagined.
Taking a deep breath, Austin lowered his hand, his fingers brushing over mine. A contented sigh slipped through his full lips and I felt weightless as he began making patterns on the back of my hand with his fingertip. He was entranced as he looked down and watched the motion of his caress.
“Why do you love the stars so much?” I whispered, trying to calm the frantic shivers shooting down my arm.
“Niente puo’ essere paragonato alla bellezza delle stelle.” The Italian from his lips was as smooth as velvet.
“What does that mean?”
“Nothing compares to the beauty of stars.”