BLOG TOUR, REVIEW, & GIVEAWAY: WHEN YOU ARE MINE BY KENNEDY RYAN

About WHEN YOU ARE MINE

Forever is a heartbeat away . . .

Kerris Moreton knows how to make things work. Bounced from foster home to foster home as a kid, she adapted; when opportunity arose, she thrived. Now, about to open her own business and accept a marriage proposal, Kerris is ready to build the life she's always wanted. The only thing missing? A passionate connection with her would-be fiancé, Cam. Kerris wants to believe that sparks are overrated-until Walsh Bennett lights her up like the Fourth of July.

. . . but what about love?

As one of the East Coast's most eligible bachelors, Walsh enjoys financial independence, fulfilling work with his family's nonprofit, and plenty of female attention. But lately he's been distracted by the one woman he can't have. Lovely to look at and even sweeter to know, Kerris is the soul mate Walsh never thought he would find. The problem is, his best friend found her first . . .

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OUR REVIEW:

Look, here's the deal..I don't even know how to start writing about this book; I'm just conflicted. I didn't want to like it--there's a love triangle, really nice people, really awful people, and the angst, godddd..the freakin' angst. Usually all of those things do not make for a happy Shelley and believe me, I was bitching via text to Courtney about the angst! the love triangle! and yet I read it in less than 24 hours. So...hmmm....how do I explain that? Obviously despite my moaning about the things that made me un-freaking-comfortable with angst, I felt compelled to read it...To infinity what Shelley said. I had to start it a bit later than normal, because with my current schedule I am keeping I am perpetually behind! SO....to get these texts outlining lots of OMG, lots of F bombs, and lots of OH THE ANGST! I was seriously scared to death to read this book. Not that I had any doubts that it would be good...but for the heart shred factor. I knew it would be high. And it was! Here's why: 

Kennedy Ryan shows us from the first chapter that we are in for some sheeeeit. It starts at a wedding and our three contestants in the love triangle are all there: Walsh and Cam (best friends forever) and Kerris (the girl loved by them both and who happens to care for them both).  And by chapter two? By chapter two we know who the players are and how they are all connected and from there (for about the first 40%) we get the back story--how this love triangle happened. This was the part that had me in uber pissed off mode. I felt awful for Walsh (fairly consistently throughout the book, actually), and I alternated between pissed off and worried about Kerris, and with Cam ..I really wanted to like him more than I actually did...but he was fairly harmless enough (although I did have some moments when I glared all narrowed eyed at him). 

I guess I am glad we found out pretty quickly how things were going to go...so I didn't dive right off of the cliff immediately...but oh my gah. Walsh. I have special love for him because that is my mother's maiden name. Lots of Walsh's around me, so that was really cool. And then there is the fact that these boys are best friends. Ok, I said boys...they are most definitely men...and I knew that good things would NOT be coming over them pining for the same girl, and especially after Cam had been with this girl FOR A WHILE! 

Somewhere around the 40-50% mark, the current relationships have solidified and other challenges arise...and this is where things get tolerable, as far as the angst goes...things are happening, but I wasn't feeling quite so "I-want-to-drunk-tweet-Kennedy-Ryan-and-ask-her-why-she's-killing-me-with-this-book" and more interested in how these characters were going to handle things. And so I'm going along, breathing easier and BOOM! trouble..from about 75% to the end I just had to remind myself that the next book isn't out until October and I have to let it go..just read it and accept that there are some messed up things and let that shit go. ...here I am..trying to let some shit go..until October. 

I am completely shredded right now. She's right. The last 25%...just gah. Things in my life right now are so freaking relatable that I just...have no words...other than Kennedy's words ripped my heart out and stomped on it...but in the most surprising way. None of the events of this book ended how I thought or imagined they would, and I am still reeling. I am most pleasantly surprised by this book, and this DEBUT, from an amazing author...I am so excited to read more! 

Some things I'm randomly thinking before I end this:

Sofia ..I want to throat punch her. Lots. Ditt-fucking-oh.

Martin...please get your shit together. :-( 

Jo...enough with the judge-y Mc-judgerson act..seriously...GGRR

Cam...not cool what you did that night, NOT COOL. Double GGRR!

Walsh...dude. UGH! Killer! 

Kerris..grow a pair and freakin' woman up and do the right thing. I don't know what the right thing for her is, but I know what the right thing for me is. The inferno that will be book 2 is going to be KILLER! 

Kennedy Ryan..I have thoughts about book 2...can't wait to see if I'm anywhere close to accurate.

Happy reading, y'all.

Shelley: 4 stars
Courtney: 4 Stars also! Great debut! 

ABOUT KENNEDY RYAN

Kennedy Ryan grew up in North Carolina, but loves living in Atlanta with her husband (tall – check, dark – check – handsome – check), and her handful of a son. Though she knew, like writers often do, that she was supposed to tell stories, the road to fulfillment has been paved with “some of everything” jobs that kept her family eating and living indoors. With her degree in Journalism from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (Go Tar Heels!), she has focused on writing for non-profit organizations and even doing some non-fiction ghost writing. Only in the last few years did she start telling stories again.

In addition to being a devoted wife and mom, she’s also a passionate advocate for families living with Autism. Her son was diagnosed at the age of two, and she has made it her mission to help as many families as possible find the resources and services they need. 25% of her royalties will go toward her national charitable partner Talk About Curing Autism and Myles-A-Part, her foundation serving Georgia families.

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