Sure, opposites attract, but in this sexy, smart, eBook original romance from Ruthie Knox, they positively combust! When a buttoned-up banker falls for a bad girl, “about last night” is just the beginning.
Cath Talarico knows a mistake when she makes it, and God knows she’s made her share. So many, in fact, that this Chicago girl knows London is her last, best shot at starting over. But bad habits are hard to break, and soon Cath finds herself back where she has vowed never to go . . . in the bed of a man who is all kinds of wrong: too rich, too classy, too uptight for a free-spirited troublemaker like her.
Nev Chamberlain feels trapped and miserable in his family’s banking empire. But beneath his pinstripes is an artist and bohemian struggling to break free and lose control. Mary Catherine—even her name turns him on—with her tattoos, her secrets, and her gamine, sex-starved body, unleashes all kinds of fantasies.
When blue blood mixes with bad blood, can a couple that is definitely wrong for each other ever be perfectly right? And with a little luck and a lot of love, can they make last night last a lifetime?
Review:
I enjoyed Ruthie Knox’s first book, Ride With Me, very much. Though I was at first afraid that a book about crossing the country on a bike would be boring, it was anything but. I loved the characters, especially cranky hero Tom. He could be such a jerk as he fought off his attraction for the outgoing Lexie that I found the conflict and tension between them convincing. When I picked up Ruthie’s new book, About Last Night, I wasn’t sure what I would discover, but a story about a heroine who was afraid of commitment wasn’t it. While it took a while for me to become engrossed in the story, once I was, whoa, boy! The payoff was worth every bit of perseverance to get over the hump that was the beginning of the book for me, and though it took a while to happen, once I was engaged in this story I didn’t want to put it down.
Cath was at first hard for me to like because she didn’t like herself and couldn’t forgive herself for making some major mistakes in her youth. She has convinced herself that she doesn’t deserve to be happy, and that there will never be a happily ever after for her. She is so certain that she will never have happiness that she constantly tries to sabotage her relationship with Nev. Cath is the definition of "angst," so if you like emotionally wrought stories, this one is right up your alley.
To make sure she doesn’t mess up again, Cath has had each of her major, life-altering disasters tattooed onto her skin. The tattoos are meant to remind her to never screw up again. Too bad for Cath that she enjoys men so much. She can’t deny her attraction to them, and she makes no excuses for enjoying sex. She just tries to avoid getting lassoed into another relationship with another loser, where she will forget every bit of common sense that she possesses. Cath is a woman who loves deeply and lives life passionately, and she just can’t help herself from getting caught up in the moment. This has caused a lifetime of heartbreak for her, and she is determined to never fall for another guy again.
After downing one too many drinks, she finds herself under the care of a handsome guy she knows from her train stop. While she doesn’t know his name, doesn’t even want to know it, she finds herself, once again, giving in to her “bad” Cath urges. She can’t resist City, as she calls him, and she is helpless to deny herself the promise of pleasure he offers. Before she can sneeze, she and Nev are embroiled in a satisfying and passionate affair. The pages sizzle when they are together, and I thought that my Kindle was going to burst in flames. Seriously. These guys are hot together.
Even though I couldn’t deny the flames that consumed them, at first, I wasn’t convinced of the relationship between Cath and Nev. I wasn’t drawn to Nev’s personality because he is such a good guy. I thought he was kind of boring. I like crabby cyclists better than I like perfect bankers who long to be painters. And Nev is perfect, in every way but one. While he realizes that what he and Cath have is special, he doesn’t want to frighten her off, so he gives her the emotional space and so much patience so she can finally start to confide in him about things that matter. Things of substance. Things that two people share that prove that they trust you and wield you together in mutual love and respect. So, even as Nev gives Cath everything she needs, he doesn’t have the strength to stand up against his family and take the things that he needs to make himself complete. This weakness nearly undoes him.
As the story unfurled, it became clear that Nev was just the kind of guy to give Cath the grounding and contentment she needed to find her own sense of self-worth. I don’t know why I think nice guys are boring, but Cath, based on her many errors in judgment, felt the exact same way. It wasn’t until Nev started to push back that I found him worth all of the emotional turmoil seething through this story. When he finally got well and truly pissed, and finally grew the other ball he needed to live life on his own terms, I finally said, “Crap! This is such a good book!”
The last half of About Last Night is so emotionally charged that I was exhausted by the time I finished it. In a good way. All of the misgivings I had for Cath and Nev evaporated – there could be no other partner for either of them. Together, they were finally able to confront, and defeat, the demons that plagued them. I am so curious to see what Ruthie Knox has up her sleeve for her next book, because her first two books were such satisfying reads.
Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we’re eagerly anticipating.
Strange Chemistry has an awesome lineup of books slated to release the last half of this year. Poltergeeks by Sean Cummings looks really, really good! In stores in October.
15-year-old Julie Richardson is about to learn that being the daughter of a witch isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. When she and her best friend, Marcus, witness an elderly lady jettisoned out the front door of her home, it’s pretty obvious to Julie there’s a supernatural connection.
In fact, there’s a whisper of menace behind increasing levels of poltergeist activity all over town. After a large-scale paranormal assault on Julie’s high school, her mother falls victim to the spell Endless Night. Now it’s a race against time to find out who is responsible or Julie won’t just lose her mother’s soul, she’ll lose her mother’s life.
Androids, Boy’s Love, Sex Dolls, and more cool stuff from America’s #1 Source for Doujin Manga!
GEN Manga Announces the Release of GEN 11
GEN 11will be available nationwide May 2012!
NEW YORK, NY – GEN Manga Entertainment, Inc. announces the upcoming release of GEN 11. (GEN 11,156 pages, black and white, 1.99) will be available May 2012.
GEN, now available in both print and digital format, is also available on Apple’s itunes and the free Comics+ app on Apple’s itunes. GEN Manga Entertainment will give away a free preview version of the popular magazine this month on the official GEN Manga website (genmanga.com) to introduce four all new stories!
Android Angels: Wouldn’t it be great to live with the perfect woman or perfect man? Android butlers and babes are the future. These short stories are tales from a land beyond, where androids not only protect humans, but also live and get intimate with them. Author: Kosuke Kabaya
One is Enough: Matsumoto-kun is just about to turn sixteen when he accidentally bumps into and injures his mysterious high school senpai, Mizushima-kun. Now, he is bound to make it up to him, but the lines aren’t clear on just how far this new angst filled steamy relationship will go. Author: love
Stones of Power: Café Renard seems to be your run-of-the-mill establish, but it is more than meets the eye. When strangers stumble upon the hidden secret within an average business front, they find a mysterious woman selling stones with magical properties. Before they know it they are transported on strange adventures of science fiction and fantasy. Author: Isora Azumi
Anomal: Weird tales of horror and the bizarre are part of a peculiar vision of the world in this collection of short stories. Author: Nukuharu
The indie series Alive and Good-bye Geist will also be continued in issue GEN 11!
Presenting new indie manga circles from Japan, GEN, a monthly publication,will be released in the US and Japan simultaneously. Digital format and print editions for GEN are available now. Based in New York, GEN Manga Entertainment (www.genmanga.com) endeavors to publish new and unseen graphic work from Japan, being in the unique position to bring readers work first, more original and untamed manga will be sure to come!
Cover Shot! is a regular feature here at the Café. I love discovering new covers, and when I find them, I like to share. More than anything else, I am consumed with the mystery that each new discovery represents. There is an allure to a beautiful cover. Will the story contained under the pages live up to promise of the gorgeous cover art?
I loved The Stubborn Dead by Natasha Hoar, so I did a happy dance when I saw the cover for her next release, The Ravenous Dead. I can hardly wait to read this! If you enjoy Urban Fantasy, give Natasha’s series a try. The stories are fun and packed with a ton of action!
This time the dead are hungry…
Rachel Miller doesn’t just see dead people, she rescues them. As a member of The Order of Rescue Mediums, she spends most of her time helping stubborn spirits move on from the world. But after she learns the details of three brutal murders, she knows the culprit can only be a reaper, an undead monster that relentlessly stalks its victims to feed on their souls.
A reaper once consumed the soul of Rachel’s mentor as she watched frozen in fear. Now, Rachel is in the role of teacher to Kit Elkeles, a rodach just learning to control his wraithlike powers. After Kit and Rachel rescue a half-vampire, they work to protect him while searching for a way to stop the reaper. But when Rachel realizes who the monster is really after—and just what kind of dark magic she’ll need to stop it—will she be able to do what is necessary before it devours one of her friends…or even herself?
Joanne Brothwell is celebrating the release of Stealing Breath, a paranormal romance from Crescent Moon Press. Joanne dropped by the virtual offices to discuss her new book, and she also brought a goodie! After the interview, you can enter for a chance to win a digital copy of Stealing Breath!
[Manga Maniac Café] Describe yourself in 140 characters or less.
[Joanne Brothwell] I live in the country on the Canadian prairie with my family where my stories are inspired by the dead things that appear at my doorstep on a daily basis.
[Manga Maniac Café] Can you tell us a little about Stealing Breath?
[Joanne Brothwell] Deep in the backwoods of North Dakota, Sarah Ross is searching for a missing child when she is attacked by a glowing-eyed creature known to the Navajo as a Skinwalker. Using mysterious abilities, Sarah escapes, only to run directly into Evan Valente, a handsome, charismatic stranger who helps her back to safety. But why is Evan out in the forest so early in the morning?
Sarah learns her eyes bear the mark of the Indigo Child, an evolved human with the ability to feel the emotions of others; unfortunately, her indigo aura is highly desirable to not only Skinwalkers, but to others who wish to steal her powerful essence.
Soon, Sarah falls deeply in love with Evan and wants nothing more than to follow her heart, but she can’t ignore the lingering feeling that Evan is hiding a terrible secret. The deeper she digs, the more danger she faces, forcing her to face the darkest, innermost parts of her soul.
[Manga Maniac Café] How did you come up with the concept and the characters for the story?
[Joanne Brothwell] I was reading about the Indigo Child stuff in the new age literature and thought it was a great concept for a story. Then, a friend of mine, an Indigenous woman, told me about a personal experience she had with a Skinwalker. It was so creepy and wonderful that my head began spinning the tale, and here I am today.
[Manga Maniac Café] What was the most challenging aspect of writing the story?
[Joanne Brothwell] Revisions. I’m sure there are 50 completely different versions of this story, which were thrown out and rewritten so many times I lost track. I would literally cut 50,000 words, sometimes in one sitting!
[Manga Maniac Café] What three words best describe Sarah?
[Joanne Brothwell] Empath. Indigo Child.
[Manga Maniac Café] What are three things Evan would never have in his pocket?
[Joanne Brothwell] Evan would never have a pink umbrella from a girlie drink, a receipt for a romance novel, or a black comb in his pocket.
[Manga Maniac Café] What are your greatest creative influences?
[Joanne Brothwell] Cassandra Clare. I absolutely adore her characters and writing. They’re so flawed and yet so loveable. Jace is the ultimate hot, tortured, angsty hero. This is what I strive for in my own writing.
[Manga Maniac Café] What three things do you need in order to write?
[Joanne Brothwell] Silence. I can’t write with the TV on, my kids chatting, hubby texting in the corner. I need quiet, otherwise I’m too distractible—wait—what’s that …?
[Manga Maniac Café] What is the last book that you read that knocked your socks off?
[Joanne Brothwell] Fifty Shades of Gray. I’ve never read anything like that before, and I only read it because I was pitching a literary agent who loved it. It’s not the writing that is most compelling to me per se, because I see many areas where the writing could have been tightened up. It was the fabulous voice of the author that really shone through each and every page, and I was immediately hooked.
[Manga Maniac Café] If you had to pick one book that turned you on to reading, which would it be?
[Joanne Brothwell] Charlotte’s Web. That’s the first chapter book I read, and I’ll never forget how much I loved Charlotte, or how devastated I was when she died. I still have that book, and despite being dog-eared and sepia-coloured, it is very dear to my heart.
[Manga Maniac Café] What do you like to do when you aren’t writing?
[Joanne Brothwell] Read. Work. Play with my kids. Hang out and talk with my hubby.
[Manga Maniac Café] How can readers connect with you?
There, they can find links to my various online hangouts!
Thank you for having me, it was a blast!
[Manga Maniac Café] Thank you!
Giveaway Time!
Want to win a digital copy of Stealing Breath? Entering is easy! Just fill out the widget. Earn extra entries for following. Easy, Huh?! Open INTERNATIONALLY!
GEN, now available in both print and digital format, is also available on Apple’s itunes and the free Comics+ app on Apple’s itunes. GEN Manga Entertainment will give away a free preview version of the popular magazine this month on the official GEN Manga website (
