Blurb:
The inseparable are well and truly split.
Mack, Faith and Lacey, joined at the hip since they were kids, are about to graduate high school. You might think this sounds like a book about coming-of-age and taking that leap into adulthood.
It is—except one of them doesn’t make it …
Mackenzie Carter has one solid thing on the agenda for her future—get out of town and focus on her post-school studies. After all, she’s wanted to be a vet since she was a little girl, and nothing, not the thought of being apart from her two best mates or the idea that maybe she’s got more-than-friendly feelings for a sexy local surfer can alter that … can it?
Graduation changes everything.
Almost three years later, and Mack’s high school dreams are just that—figments of her imagination, thanks to the guilt that haunts her on a daily basis. Will a faux relationship with Byron Leckie be the thing she needs to get her life back on track? Or will it make everything worse?
One thing is for certain. When these two collide, the damage will be fierce. After all, graduation was never meant to end like this.
Purchase Links:
iBooks:
https://itun.es/au/oDHebb.l
Amazon US:
http://amzn.to/1RaCuXK
Amazon AU:
http://bit.ly/20a10in
Amazon CA:
http://amzn.to/1RaBaV4
Amazon UK:
http://amzn.to/1TITPsV
Kristine's Review:
Reviewed: May 2016.
Mackenzie Carter had a comfortable life, she was loved by her family, surrounded by her two bestfriends Lacey and Faith, the end of year twelve and graduation is in her sights and her university study options after school are already narrowed down to moving to Sydney to follow her dream, only she's not sure if it's her dream anymore or everyone else's. Embarking on her final push towards end of year Mack is both ready and unsure, on the cusp of adulthood, that dichotomous age where you know everything and nothing at all. Certain truths are always true though, bestfriends tell each other everything, and its never okay to fall for your bestfriends boyfriend. When graduation night ends in unexpected tragedy, Mack's world tilts on it's axis, three bestfriends are torn apart, the lives of those around them broken, staying was never part of the plan, leaving is truly the only option, when Mack leaves everything behind determined to start again, she thinks her days in their small town are over, only the past has a way of coming back whether your ready to deal the memories it brings or not.
Byron Leckie had the seemingly perfect life, loved by all, hottest girlfriend in town, good friends, plans for the future, the last thing he expected was to develop feelings for his girlfriends best friend, despite doing the right thing and abiding by the cardinal rule of never coming between friends, that year changes the trajectory of his life forever, when tragedy strikes on graduation night Byron is broken, being the good guy didn't save anyone and his close knit group of friends was torn apart. Chasing memories of guilt and years of heartache when he runs into Mack again years later he finally has the chance to write the wrongs of the past, to fix some of whats broken, and bring one of the towns favourite daughters home.
Losing someone too soon, too young is tragic, the mystery surrounding Faith's death only intensifying the feelings of guilt, one night three years ago changed everyone's lives, in Seeking Faith McKellar takes the reader on a journey of guilt and shame, of pain and heartbreak, of ultimately forgiveness and love, the inherent sense of suspense woven through each moment held me captive, intrigued almost immediately and desperate for more I devoured Seeking Faith, McKellar begs the question of what happens after the storm, after the sadness and after the hurt, she's examines survivors guilt in the subtlest of ways, as both Mack and Byron wade through a sea of emotions, some beating them down, others buoying them to continue. Set across a picturesque backdrop of coastal life, interspersed with the vibrant canvas of bustling Sydney McKellar held me captive from the first page until the very last page.
About Lauren McKellar:
Lauren K. McKellar is the writer of contemporary romance reads that make you feel. With a passion for all things fiction, she is a hybrid-published best-selling Australian author of young and new adult books.
In addition to her fiction work, Lauren edits manuscripts for both publishing houses and a host of successful independent authors, working on both structural and line elements. She loves working collaboratively to achieve a common end goal.
Lauren lives by the beach in Australia with her husband and their two dogs. Most of the time, all three of them are well behaved.
Connect with Lauren on
Facebook
Blurb:
The inseparable are well and truly split.
Mack, Faith and Lacey, joined at the hip since primary school, are about to graduate high school. You might think this sounds like a book about coming-of-age and taking that leap into adulthood.
It is— except one of them doesn’t make it …
Lacey Marone had two solid things on her agenda for her future — working in the Pepperoni Palace until she figured out what the hell to do with her life, and getting together with her bestie’s older brother, Quade, who she’s crushed on since she was a kid.
Then graduation night changed everything. Almost three years later, Lacey won’t rest until she discovers the truth surrounding Faith’s death. She’s outcast by those who want to move on from the tragedy, as if the town’s sweetheart never existed.
Years after losing Faith, Quade Kelly returns home to Runaway Beach, determined to mend ties with his parents and cement a future in his hometown teaching at the local primary school. Quade soon learns that his sister’s ghost lives on, thanks to Lacey, the girl who still owns a piece of his heart.
Lacey is hung up on her quest for answers. Quade wants to bury his failures of the past. The pull between them can’t be denied but can the past be forgotten?
Truths will be uncovered and hearts will be cracked open wide. After all, graduation was never meant to end like this.
Purchase Links:
iBooks: https://itun.es/au/71jebb.l
Amazon US:
http://amzn.to/1WE0ZWc
Amazon CA:
http://amzn.to/209YTep
Amazon UK:
http://amzn.to/1U1sUZg
Amazon AU:
http://bit.ly/1NzYCjU
Kristine's Review:
Reviewed: May 2016.
Lacey Marone had a pretty sweet deal, final year of high school, one third of the
best bitches, loving and supportive family and the beginnings of a new relationship with the only boy that's ever caught her attention, Quade Kelly. The boy who she's loved from afar for as long as she can remember is just as smitten with her, no longer destined to admire the object of her affection from afar, her best friend Faith's older brother, with plans to tell everyone about their new relationship after graduation Lacey is excited for what's to come, when tragedy rocks their tight knit community the last thing on her mind is announcing her big news. At a time when Lacey should be surrounded by those she loves, she's left alone, heartbroken, desolate, when Quade leaves without an explanation and Mack disappears into the night, the girl who once had everything now has a gaping black hole in her life, grieving for her dead best friend, grieving the lost of the relationship that was just beginning, grieving her other best friend, she turns her efforts to educating teens about the dangers of drinking and alcohol and the roads at night, while searching for some clue as to what happened to Faith that fateful night that everything fell apart.
Quade Kelly had a good life, older brother to Faith, whom he adored, loving family, good friends, and a new relationship with Lacey, the girl who had always been there and yet was suddenly everywhere he looked. Brother to the prodigal daughter, when she dies Quade is adrift, blame for her tragic death falling squarely on his shoulders, shrouded in guilt and pain he leaves everything he knows behind. Returning home three years later, ready to rewrite the past that crushed him, try to rebuild the relationship that crumbled with his parents, try to reconnect with the girl he never forgot.
The sense of suspense and intrigue ran through Losing Faith, Lacey's need to discover what happened to her best friend, using her pain to fuel her quest to uncover the truth, Lacey is strong, sassy, confident, she refuses to be bullied by those in town who just want to forget Faith every existed, strongly supportive of her parents, and their family business, there is so much about her that I truly adored, independently I adored by Lacey and Quade, but together I wanted more, I wanted more from Quade, I wanted more strength from Lacey, I wanted to feel their connection, the strength of his apology, I wanted to know with certainty that she exorcised some of that anger and grief, I wanted to feel Quade's ability to admit that the way he left effected more than just him, that taking off unexpectedly broke something inside of Lacey, that running away was something he regretted, and more than anything was desperate to fix, to make right. I wanted passion, and need, I wanted to feel that inherently through their actions and their words, rather than being told how deeply they felt for one another.
Losing Faith running concurrently to Seeking Faith explores the side of what happens after tragedy strikes to the people left behind, the town left in its wake. Lacey shows herself to be the rare combination of adolescence and adult, clinging to rewriting the past, dogged by the uncertainty of not knowing the hows and whys of that fateful night, desperate to ensure that it never happens again, that drive and dedication is what I cheered on relentlessly while reading.
Exhilarating at times, Lacey and Quade's story had me intrigued, and while there were moments that's utterly captivated me, I struggled to truly feel connected to Lacey and Quade as their relationship reconnected and gained strength. Dive into Losing Faith and discover all the secrets and lies that hide behind the smiling faces left behind.
About Jennifer Ryder:
Jennifer Ryder is a bestselling author with five novels in the Spark Series published to date. She loves to write about boys on dirt bikes, detectives and strong females who aren’t afraid to fight for what they want.
Living on a rural property in New South Wales, Australia, she enjoys the best of city and country. Her loving husband is ever willing to provide inspiration, and her two young cherubs, and sheep that don't see fences as barriers, keep life more than interesting.
Jennifer placed third in the International Stringybark Erotic Short Fiction Award 2013.
Connect with Jennifer on
Facebook
