✯BOOK BLITZ:✯ The Dylan Dilemma by Patricia B. Tighe {EXCERPT + GIVEAWAY!}

The Dylan Dilemma by Patricia B. Tighe

Release Date: April 24th 2018 by Swoon Romance

Pages: 339

Genres: Contemporary, Young Adult

High school senior Kenzie Harper-Shea has no time for dating, especially after the arrival of the basketball coach from hell. Now Kenzie has lost her confidence, is in a slump, and in danger of losing out on a scholarship to play college ball. The last thing she needs is her “vacation boyfriend,” Dylan McCoy, distracting her with warm smiles, inside jokes, and swoony kisses.

Dylan, however, is totally ready to date. He finally lives in the same town as Kenzie and is not about to lose the chance to let their relationship grow into something more. But for now, he’ll stay in the friend zone because he’s determined to find out what has her running scared. It can’t be just about basketball.

As Kenzie spends more time around Dylan, her feelings become a jumbled-up mess. It’s obvious they’re into each other. So, why does she panic whenever she thinks about dating him? Is it connected to basketball or to something deeper? She’s not sure. Does she have the courage to examine her heart, even if it means breaking Dylan’s?

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{EXCERPT}

Dylan

Satisfaction settled over me. “That’s not true.” Oh, Kenzie was jealous all right. Now to get her to admit it.

“I don’t believe this. You’re usually so good at reading people and you’ve totally messed up where she’s concerned. That girl likes you. As more than just a friend.”

I shook my head. “We’ve always joked around. It doesn’t mean anything.”

“She kept touching you.”

I gave her my best “you’re being ridiculous” face. “Kenzie—”

“No.” She strode over to me. “She slid her hand down your arm like this.” Kenzie trailed her fingers along my forearm.

I forced myself to ignore the tickling sensation. “So?”

“She played with your hair.”

“What? She did not.”

“She reached up and stuck her hand in your hair.” Kenzie lifted a hand but paused, leaving it waiting in the air.

“You mean when she was pulling that leaf out of my hair?”

“Oh, good grief, Dylan. You did not have a leaf in your hair! She just wanted to touch you. Why can’t you admit it?”

I turned away like I was tired of the conversation. “You’re overreacting.”

She grabbed my shoulder, twisting me back around. “I know what I saw.”

We stood really close now, her hazel eyes glaring. They were tinged with blue, almost a light aquamarine color, and their intensity made me freeze in place. I wanted to pull her against me, to feel her arms tighten around me, but something was about to happen. Good or bad. I knew it. So I waited, not sure if it was right or not, breathing in the clean soapy scent of her T-shirt and wondering why she didn’t stink of sweat after tennis.

Kenzie slid her hand down my forearm. “Lissa did this,” she whispered. She ran the other hand into my hair, holding my head. “And this. And she wanted to kiss you, but I don’t know if she did or not.” Her lips were seriously close. “Did she?”

I swallowed. “No,” I said through a breath.

AUTHOR BIO:

The mother of two grown sons, Patricia B. Tighe lives in West Texas with her husband and dog. She eats way too much pizza, drinks way too much coffee, and watches way too much NFL football. On the bright side, she also reads and writes teen fiction. She promises to include as much romance, angst, and adventure as possible in her books.

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{GIVEAWAY!}

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✯BOOK BLITZ:✯ Life in the Danger Zone by Patricia B. Tighe {EXCERPT + GIVEAWAY!}

Life in the Danger Zone by Patricia B. Tighe

Release Date: November 1st 2016

Series: The Zone #3

Genres: Contemporary, Young Adult

Sixteen-year- old Rose Mulligan’s plan for the summer cruise with her grandparents is simple—read mysteries in the sunshine and see historical sites. It doesn’t include joining a young people’s tour group or crushing on a boy whose flirting runs hot and cold. And it definitely doesn’t include being accused of theft.

Sam Briggs also has a plan for the trip—hang out with his uncle and cousins, and avoid thinking about his stupid parents. But when family members pair-up with strangers, Sam is left wanting to hit something. The only bright spot is shy, constantly blushing Rose, a girl he really needs to avoid. She’s too nice for a meaningless hookup. Then why can’t he stop thinking about her?

Determined to clear her name, Rose decides to find out who the real thief is. It quickly becomes clear that everyone has secrets. Dangerous secrets. But by the time Sam starts helping with the investigation, Rose is wishing she could forget the whole thing and just focus on his intense gaze and lopsided smile. There are only a few days left on the trip after all, and they’ll never see each other again once it’s over. Right?

But it’s too late. Danger has a way of finding you, whether it’s disguised as a cunning thief or a swoony boy.

Purchase: Amazon

{EXCERPT}

Sam’s point of view

We continued on for a while, occasionally dodging people coming from the other direction. At one point, the promenade made a sharp turn to the left, bringing us face-to-face with two middle-aged men engaged in a loud discussion in Croatian. While smoking cigarettes. And only wearing gold chains and black Speedo-type briefs.

Our passing didn’t bother them at all. They kept talking like we weren’t even there. But I held my breath because Alexis was about to give me crap. It was as predictable as saying the sun would set tonight. Because I used to love Speedo briefs for swimming; it always felt like the longer jammers slowed me down. Later I changed my mind. It happens. You need to get rid of all liabilities in a race. Even those that might be just in your head.

Alexis started coughing, and I knew it wasn’t because of the smoke. Here it came. And three, two, one …

“Those are just like the ones you used to wear, aren’t they, Sam?” Alexis asked, laughter in her voice.

I looked behind me. She and Rose were both smiling. Although Rose’s smile looked like she’d had to plaster it on. “Kind of, yeah.”

“You looked so adorable in them with your little stick legs,” she said.

I stopped walking and turned around. Marie stopped too. “I have never had stick legs,” I said. Oh, no. Now all three girls stared at my legs—well, my calves were the only part showing. My skin got all prickly, and I shoved my hand in my pocket to keep from scratching my knee.

Alexis’s smile grew broader. “You did when you were twelve.”

I glared at her. “So did you.”

She laughed. “But I wasn’t wearing Speedo briefs.”

Rose covered her mouth. She had to be smiling under that hand. I wanted to grab it and pull it away from her face. Heck, I just wanted to grab her hand in general. I shook my head at her. “Not you too.”

She raised one eyebrow, but before she could say anything, Marie spoke. “Not sticks,” she said, still examining my legs.

“Not anymore,” Alexis said.

“Nope,” Rose said, between her fingers, “definitely not sticks.”

I was torn between running away and dropping trou so they could get the full effect. But just then, Nick appeared. “Why’d you guys stop?”

“Don’t even,” I said to Alexis, causing her to bust out laughing.

AUTHOR BIO:

The mother of two grown sons, Patricia B. Tighe lives in West Texas with her husband and dog. She eats way too much pizza, drinks way too much coffee, and watches way too much NFL football. On the bright side, she also reads and writes teen fiction. She promises to include as much romance, angst, and adventure as possible in her books. 

Website, Twitter, Facebook, Goodreads

{GIVEAWAY!}

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Thanks for stopping by! :)

✯BOOK BLITZ:✯ Life in the Lucky Zone by Patricia B. Tighe {EXCERPT + GIVEAWAY!}

Life in the Lucky Zone by Patricia B. Tighe

Release Date: April 5th 2016 by Swoon Romance

Series: The Zone #2

Genres: Contemporary, Romance, Young Adult

Seventeen-year-old Lindsey Taylor has been living a charmed life—always the lead in school plays, possessor of a healthy entourage and a hot boyfriend. But halfway through her junior year, the unthinkable happens. Her boyfriend dumps her. She screws up her audition for the spring play. And to top it all off, her theater teacher wants her to run lines with Trey Berger, a gamer guy who irritates her practically every time he opens his mouth. Lindsey needs to find some better luck and quick.

Trey Berger can barely tolerate Lindsey Taylor. It’s bad enough that their best friends are dating and he has to see Lindsey at group hangouts. Now they have to rehearse together. Berger would rather do just about anything else, even chill with his grandmother, whose dementia has forced her to move in with his family.

But as the semester continues, Berger discovers there’s more to Lindsey than the drama queen persona she puts on for everyone else’s benefit. And the person behind the mask might be someone he cares about. A lot. So what exactly is he going to do about it?

And while Lindsey desperately tries to change her luck and heal from the breakup, she slowly realizes Berger has become her best friend. This video-game-playing boy makes her laugh. And holds her when she cries. Could he possibly become something more?

Purchase: Amazon

{EXCERPT}

With a weird sensation in my gut, I set the tea on the TV stand and then awkwardly put both arms around her. She turned her face into my chest and gripped my flannel shirt in her fists. I held her shaking body tighter, which seemed to make her cry even harder.

Well, this was fun. It looked like more comfort equaled more tears. Who knew? And why hadn’t that unnamed person ever told me? Jerk.

I had no freaking idea what to do next. Apparently Rose and Claire were right. Lindsey was in a lot of pain. Should I say something? Pat her on the back? I went for the easiest thing I could think of. I moved one hand to the back of her head and just held on. Some kind of citrusy scent floated up from her hair, and I had to swallow the urge to sneeze.

It must have been three minutes, but it felt more like three days before she stopped shaking in my arms. Then she shifted, resting her cheek against my chest. Her breathing began to slow. She wasn’t falling asleep, was she? But no. She let go of my shirt and slid her arm around my torso. Holy moly. How long was I expected to stay in this position? I mean, she was soft and everything, so holding her was nice, but we were only friends. If this went on much longer, it was bound to get seriously awkward.

I had to do something. I started running my hand up and down her back. “You asleep?” I whispered.

“No.” She lifted her head and yawned.

I chuckled. “But you were close.”

She sighed. “Yeah, guess I was.” She straightened and pulled herself out of my arms.

“It’s okay.”

Her green eyes looked huge against her blotchy face. “You’re an amazingly good person.”

I tilted my head slowly from one side to the other. “Don’t say that.”

“Why not?”

“Because if you think like that, then you probably won’t argue with me. And I’d miss our fights.”

She smiled. “I promise to always fight with you.”

“Thank you.”

“Even though you’re amazingly good.”

“Shut up.”

This time she actually laughed.

I smiled. Good, no awkwardness. We’d gone back to the way we were before. I showed her to the restroom, then helped her get her stuff together and walked her to the car.

She tossed her purse and books into the front passenger seat and lifted her head as though she were steeling herself for the drive home. She smiled up at me. “Thanks, Dragon Boy,” she whispered, and then kissed me on the cheek.

Um, okay. My face tingled where her lips had touched. I held on to the door while she climbed in and then waved as she drove off.

Nope, nothing different at all. Right.

AUTHOR BIO:

The mother of two grown sons, Patricia B. Tighe lives in West Texas with her husband and two dogs. Her love of the written word caused her to get a journalism degree from Texas A&M University in 1980 and an MA in Writing Popular Fiction from Seton Hill University in 2008. When not writing or reading, she can be found walking the dogs or yelling at the TV during an NFL game. She's also a fan of British TV shows. Downton Abbey, anyone? 

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{GIVEAWAY!}

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Thanks for stopping by! :)