Promises Hurt
Elle Brooks
Release date – 2nd August, 2014

Synopsis –
I wasn’t planning on falling for Ethan Jamison, hell I wasn’t planning on our paths ever crossing. He’s the most popular guy at school and a complete player. Me; I’m the perpetual good girl, trying to carry out one last request. But when you make a promise, how far do you go to see it through?

~ Blair

It’s a running joke that I’m a terrible liar, if only people knew the truth. My whole life has been spent making excuses and deflecting questions. I was pretty good at it until Blair Thomas entered my world. She saw through the mask that everyone is so willing to accept. She makes me want to tell her all my secrets, but can she promise to keep them?

~ Ethan

Excerpt –
I look down at my cell and it’s 4:54pm. No sign of Ethan. No text to explain. What a douche. I mean, okay so I needed to be here anyway to collect books, but that’s not the point. He didn’t know that. I can’t stand people that make plans and then break them without warning. It takes two seconds to send a text.
I’m packing up my things when Ethan Jamison barges through the library doors. He’s panting like he’s out of breath and his eyes are frantically scanning the almost empty room. Then they land on me. I stand completely frozen, mouth gaping like a total moron. Of freakingcourse it has to be that Ethan. He makes his way over, and the sound of his boots echoing through the otherwise silent room awakens me from my dumbstruck state. Emily’s letter flashes in my mind and I feel instantly embarrassed. Like, somehow he knows about it, which of course, he can’t, but I’m still panicking.
He stops a few feet short of my table and looks a little unsure. This isn’t the cocky Ethan Jamison that struts around school thinking he’s god’s gift. It’s thrown me a little.
“Hey, um…I’m Ethan,” he says, looking down at me. He lays his guitar case down at his feet and then adjusts his backpack on his shoulders. “Are you the tutor, I mean, sorry…are you Blair?”
I never realized how tall he actually is up close and personal. I’ve seen him play at a gig for about two seconds once, but he was on a stage, so of course he’s gonna look taller than everyone else. Emily and I have only stalked him at a distance. His blue eyes are boring into mine and I’m just standing there. Staring. Like an idiot. He shifts his weight and I realize he’s asked me a question. I still haven’t replied. Shit.
“Er…yeah, I’m Blair, nice to meet you. I was just about to go, I thought you weren’t coming. You’re late.” The last part comes out all pissy like I’m mad at him.
An amused grin starts to form; his mouth pulling up slightly at one side and the boy has dimples—real life honest-to-god dimples.
I shake my head and practically bark out, “I’ve been waiting for you for almost a half hour. If you’re gonna be late when we meet, you could at least give me a heads up?” Oh my god, why the hell am I telling him off?
His smile widens and he’s not even trying to look sorry. He drops his backpack on the table and takes a seat.
“Yeah, I had practice and it ran over. Steve has a no phone rule, so it’s kinda hard to let you know when I don’t have my cell.”
Steve is the music professor; he’s got the new age hippy vibe going on and makes all his students call him by his first name. I pull my chair back out and take a seat. “Okay. Well, um, let’s just get started then.”
I look up and his eyes are zeroed in on my chest. What a complete douche, he’s already ogling my boobs. I cough twice and raise my eyebrows in a ‘what the hell, my eyes are up here’ stare, and his cheeks immediately redden.
“Shit, no, I wasn’t checking you out! I mean…um, I wasn’t staring at your…fuck, well I kinda was but I mean, shit; I was just trying to read what your shirt says.”
Holy crap, this guy’s more awkward than I am.

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I think I’ve calmed down enough to actually write a review for this book now!

Promises Hurt is a debut novel for British author Elle Brooks and was recommended to me by a fellow blogger as something I would like!

And boy, did I like!!

The prologue and beginning chapters damn well nearly had me bawling my eyes out like a baby and if I hadn’t have been reading in public I think tears would have fallen!

The story revolves around our two main characters, Ethan and Blair.

Ethan is an out-going, member of a band, cool kid in the senior year of high school. Blair is the introverted, intelligent, quirky loner in the senior year of high school. Not an apparent match for a couple. Or so you’d think.

Ethan has had it hard for a long time. He is a different person at home than he is at school and quickly finds solace and a true friend in the witty and caring Blair.

Blair – who has had her fair share of heartache and sadness – knows of Ethan (I mean, who didn’t?), but she didn’t know him until their paths crossed. She was helping him out by being there for him and she felt less lonely with him in her life.

The two of them formed a strong, unshakeable bond and soon became inseparable.

Their back stories continue but they soon start to face them together until the almost explosive ending. I won’t give anything away but it’s all there. Darkness, light, deep emotions, painful secrets and enlightening truths. But above it all? Love. Friendship. The bond between two people. A deep need for one another above anyone else.

If you love angsty YA reads then this is perfect for you! And that cliffhanger? DAMN!! Elle, you cannot write fast enough for the next segment to Ethan and Blair’s story!

Such an amazing first book to release into the world of equally stunning works. I am truly excited to see where Elle Brooks will take us on her writing journey, I can only hang on and hope it’s not too bumpy a ride!

5 out of 5 stars!!

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