Under the Stars, the stunning conclusion of the thrilling, white-hot second-chance Bright Lights Duet from USA Today bestselling author Tia Louise is available NOW!
Under the Stars
All around us was darkness and night…
I’m not a hero. I’m a survivor.
I had one way out, and I took it.
Now all I want is peace,
A place to pick up the pieces and start over.
But she wants justice.
Names on a list, faces in the crowd.
I vowed to help her, but it’s taking us back to the demons.
Until he appeared.
I thought he died in the fight.
I was wrong.
He’s here.
Stronger, more powerful… Sexier.
And dangerous.
The boy I loved is now the one man we have to fear most.
When he tried to save me, he had no power.
Now everything has changed, and he’ll never stop until I’m his.
Excerpt:
~ Lara ~
We stop walking and turn to face the emerald waters. The briny air pushes her hair back and around her shoulders. Tendrils spin around my face, and the inescapable sorrow filters through my chest.
“I can’t do this anymore.”
“Yes, you can.” Her voice is flat, and she bends to put Pierre on the dry sand. “I’m going up. How much longer will you be out here? Celeste is making Quiche Lorraine for breakfast.”
Another sigh. “I’ll be up in a bit. I’m finishing my exercise.”
“Don’t stay out too long or I’ll eat all the food! Come, Pierre!”
I watch her run up the tall staircase, her little dog at her heels, thinking of the reasons she has to run. I remember her as a small girl on the street, in the dark alley behind the theater. She was thin and starving and hunched in the corner waiting to die.
She was so malnourished, I thought she was younger than her actual age, which was twelve. I remember carrying her inside and fighting with Rosa. I remember Rosa boxing my ears and telling me the first time that kid cried, she’d throw us both in the alley with the rats. I remember the terror I felt that night and Molly falling asleep so quietly with her head on my chest.
She needed me. She loved me, and I loved her fiercely in return.
I remember her running around the theater, a sweet and innocent kid never suspecting the hawk was circling above, watching her, closing in to steal her soul and warp her future. I’ll never forgive myself for what happened to her. I’ll never forgive myself for not being there to protect her.
A flash of pain moves through my stomach, and I remember someone saying the same words to me not so long ago…
Walking to the edge of the water, I look out at the surf, at the waves rushing in and out. I think about how nothing bad can happen here. The sins of the past are far, far away from this beautiful place.
Only it’s a lie.
The sins of the past are never far away.
We carry them with us in our hearts wherever we go.
No matter how far we run, we can never outrun ourselves.
Tears are in my eyes, and I blink them away. My emotions are so close to the surface these days. I squat and wrap my arms around my knees, holding my insides together and wishing…
My wishes never come true.
“Lara!” A strong male voice cuts through the breeze.
For a moment I don’t believe it. It’s a wish caught on the wind and carried away out to sea.
“Lara!” It’s louder this time, closer.
Nervous anticipation floods my chest. I stand and look up and over my shoulder. The staircase where Molly descended is empty. The one ahead of it is empty as well.
Was it a dream?
Another shout, and I realize it’s coming from behind me. Turning, I see a tall figure jogging down the steps. He’s alone, and he’s moving fast. I look around, and no one is here. I have nowhere to run, nowhere to hide.
My heart alternates between beating out of my chest and dying. I’m back on that train, seeing him for the first time out of the blue, completely caught off-guard, alternately panicking and rejoicing… He’s alive!
He’s wearing faded jeans and a plain white t-shirt. His caramel hair is a little longer, but not much. It moves in the breeze as he approaches me.
He’s strong and pure and gorgeous as ever, and the way we touched, our glorious reunion is stronger and hotter in my memory than the sun climbing higher in the sky.
I want to cry. I want to sing. I want to hold him…
But now everything has changed.
Read UNDER THE STARS Today!
(Free in Kindle Unlimited)
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Start the series with UNDER THE LIGHTS for only 99¢!
(Free in Kindle Unlimited)
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About the Author:
Tia Louise is the USA Today best-selling, award-winning author of When We Touch, the “One to Hold” and “Dirty Players” series, and co-author of the #4 Amazon bestseller The Last Guy.She loves all the books (as long as they have romance), all the chocolate (as long as it’s dark), strong coffee and sparkling wine.
After being a teacher, a book editor, a journalist, and finally a magazine editor, she started writing love stories and never stopped.
Louise lives in the Midwest with her trophy husband, two teenage geniuses, and one grumpy cat.
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Amazon Author Page: http://smarturl.it/TLMAA
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It’s so weird to me that there are places like this out
there, there are still people living like Molly and Lara did in the previous
book. Their worlds are so completely different from mine. It’s just hard to
believe life is different for everyone.
Mark deserves a gold medal for his strength, his quick and
easy forgiveness. If I was in his shoes, I’d be out for blood and wanting to
show Lara how the vanishing acts with the little one felt. He is way more
forgiving than I could ever muster up. I’m angry at Lara for him. Hell, I’m
even angrier at Molly. I get her desire for revenge, for retribution, but damn
man, her jealousy infuriated me!
Ha! I just deleted 4 sentences of my anger for Molly. Only
Tia Louise’ could make me go on a rant about a fictional character until I
realize I might be a little insane! lol So yeah, this book, this duet, pulled
emotions from me. Louise’s writing and character depth can pull me into the
danger and action so quickly. She leaves me feeling and struggling with emotions
that I shouldn’t feel for fictional characters. I don’t want to go into more of
the storyline... I'd surely slip out some spoilers and nobody wants that!
I have to add that Under the Stars is amazingly sweet and
tender, it’s completely fast-paced and action-packed. I questioned who to
believe, who to trust. Louise takes us through bright lights, big dreams, high
hopes, struggling days that all end in a forever kind of love. Can that love be
enough with the mountain of lies and secrets between them?
I received
an ARC of this book with the hope that I will leave an Unbiased Opinion. I was
not required to leave a review, positive or otherwise, and my opinions are just
that... my opinions.
Check out my Review for
Under the Lights HERE
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