Falling In Fall: Review + Giveaway: Freeing Her by AM Hargrove

~*SYNOPSIS*~

This novel contains mature content and it not intended for younger readers.

This is the beginning of a story... the story of two people who were meant to be together. Why? Because unknown to them, they shared terrifying pasts and the cruel circumstances of their births doomed both of them to a life of hell.

Two strangers ... one night ... one accidental meeting that changed their lives forever.

Gabriella Martinelli, Manhattan psychiatrist had only one goal in life—to help abuse victims avoid the horrors she’d experienced herself. She worked late, volunteered, and donated her services to anyone who needed them. Life was good ... until her nightmare resurfaced. He found her, and began stalking her, and she knew he wouldn’t stop until he destroyed every ragged piece of her.

Kolson Hart, Manhattan’s most eligible bachelor, was ruled by his dark past. He liked control, from the boardroom to the bedroom and didn’t care to be involved with someone whose life was just as screwed up as his was. But one look at Gabriella short-circuited everything. Want ... desire ... need ... will sometimes drive a man to do things he swore he never would.

He freed her from a life of fear ... When he couldn’t even save himself.

~*EXCERPT*~

“Gabby! What the hell are you doing out here? All alone?”

His voice jolted her out of her horrid memory. It was Kolson.

“Um, running.” He was dressed much like she was—running attire from head to toe, except he wore fancy earbuds and carried a phone.

Chestnut tendrils swept over her face, and she pushed them away. Her breathing was heavy from running and he fixated on her mouth … the one that was slightly too wide, but in the dim light, all he wanted to do was touch it, lick it. Her pink tongue poked out to dab her bottom lip and it nearly undid him. He wanted to bind her hands behind her back and bury his own in her dark strands. Then he wanted to haul her body up close so he could bite her wet lips. Hell, his dick was probably making a damn show in his shorts right now.

He clamped a hand around her arm and pulled her to the side of the walkway. “Are you intentionally trying to put yourself in danger?”

Who was this guy and why was he doing this to her? “Why are you so interested in my welfare?”

Kolson stared at her for a moment. Her question caught him off guard. He had to admit he couldn’t come close to having a good answer for her. Why was he doing this? He couldn’t very well tell her he wanted to fuck her. Nor could he tell her that he felt like they were kindred souls. She would think him crazy.

“Because someone has to, damn it. It’s obvious you’re oblivious to the dangers around you. Your cousin Danny could be out here. Or have you forgotten already?”

“Of course I haven’t forgotten!” How could he possibly think that?

She tried to snatch her arm out of his grasp, but he only tightened it. “You seem to be some kind of, oh, I don’t know, magnet for danger. Or maybe you’re one of those women who seeks out danger. Are you, Gabby?”

“No! I can’t believe you would even suggest that.”

“What would you think if you were in my shoes? Look around you. How many single women do you see out here jogging?”

She took a quick look around and didn’t see one.

“That’s right. There aren’t any. Do you have any pepper spray with you? Anything to protect yourself with?” He shook his head. Then he marched her in the opposite direction of her apartment. She had to jog to keep up with him.

“Let go of me.”

He paid her no attention. They entered a large, beautiful building and she remembered it from the other morning. It was his building.

He punched the elevator button with the side of his fist. When the doors opened, he nearly threw her inside. That’s when he released her to enter a series of codes on the elevator panel. No doubt she would have a bruise where he’d held her. But worse than that, he frightened her. Lids dropping to half-staff and mouth forming a thin crease, his nostrils flared as he stared her down. She backed into the corner, afraid he was going to hit her.

When the doors opened again, they were in his penthouse. “Come on,” he said, voice curt.

Shaking her head, she said, “I’m not going in there. You could be a lunatic.”

“If that were the case, you would’ve seen crazy way before now.”

“I’m not going and you can’t make me.”

He glowered at her and said, “Oh, yes, you are.” He picked her up and threw her over his shoulder. She kicked and pounded her fists into his back, but it didn’t faze him in the least.

Gabby wasn’t sure whether she was more frightened or infuriated by his actions. When he reached the den, he plopped her on to the sofa. She scrambled to her feet, spitting fire.

“What the hell was that all about? You can’t just pick me up and toss me around like you own me!”

“I told you. You have no business being out and about like that, all by yourself, unprotected.”

“And just who do you think you are? My dad or something?”

“I would like to think your father would protect you better than that.”

“Oh, yeah? Well, for your information, my dad doesn’t give a rat’s ass about me. He thinks I’m nothing but a pain in the ass. I don’t even speak to him!” And then her fingers covered the lips he was dying to touch as the pink coloring her cheeks turned ashen. She’d never breathed a word about her past to anyone. Ever. Her hands flew to her head as she stood there, shocked that those secretive words had rushed past her lips, words she kept tightly locked away from everyone.

She sucked in her breath and darted out of the room, knowing it was silly to do so, because she had no idea where she was going. She opened the first set of double doors she saw. Pushing one wide enough for her to slip through, she stepped inside and kept moving. She didn’t stop until she reached a huge window that overlooked the park and stared at the view as her ridiculous actions replayed themselves in her head.

Damn it, Gabby, what the hell were you thinking?

“What exactly did Danny do to you, Gabriella?”

The words were soft and the fact that he’d used her full name didn’t register. But the question itself did. It sounded like he screamed it at her.

“He didn’t do anything to me!” she shouted. Deny. Deny. Deny.

“Yes, he did. Your words contradict your actions.”

She pushed her tangled hair off her face and that’s when he caught a glimpse of her scars. His hand wrapped around hers and he pulled it toward him. With his index finger, he lightly probed the raised lines left behind by the box cutter. She tried to wrench free from his grasp, but he wouldn’t let her.

“Oh, Gabriella. Everyone carries scars. You, of all people, should know that.”

“Yeah, well, had I been smart enough to know I needed to run the blade in the direction of my veins, we wouldn’t be having this conversation.”

“Is that what you wanted? Would you have preferred death?”

“At one time, yes. But I don’t feel that way that anymore. Having experienced that gave me my life’s mission. To make sure no one ever has to go through what I did and deal with the shit the way I did.”

Kolson furrowed his brow as he stared at her. “What did that bastard do to you?”

In a low voice fraught with unease, she said, “Don’t you remember what I told you, Skippy? I’m the great secret-keeper. I’ll never tell.”

Kolson took a deep breath and clenched his teeth. Gabby saw the tiny muscle in his jaw twitch.

“Yeah, you will. One day I’ll get it out of you.”

“Oh? How’re you going to do that?”

He blinked, once, and then said, “Like this.” The hand that was holding hers tugged her hard and she fell against him, right into his arms. Before she knew what he’d planned, his mouth crashed into hers, and he kissed her. Hard. Without apology. Taking everything he wanted. And he smiled inside when he felt her respond. Her arms weren’t gentle when they grabbed him around his neck. She pulled him closer, as if that were even a possibility.

~*REVIEW BY ASHTON*~

I rate Freeing Her by A.M. Hargrove FIVE LEAVES!

Wow. This book kept me on the edge, quickly turning pages, and eager for more. I love when you finish a book, and you have to call your best friend (or in my case, a fellow Faller), and gush about how great a book was. Freeing Her was exactly that for me. I was fascinated with the storyline, fell in love with Gabriella and Kolson, and now I definitely need more!

Lusting over Kolson was not a difficult task, by any means...

"Even in her hungover state, there was no mistaking the man who stood before her. Tall and beautiful. Faded blonde hair, cropped a bit closer on the sides but longer on the top, with a sculpted face that was something you'd see on a magazine cover. Not the pretty kind of face you often saw, but a rugged one with flaws that was much sexier because of them. Compelling was the word that came to mind."

The chemistry between Gabby and Kolson came to life right off the page. Especially with the steamy scenes, and there are plenty to enjoy.

"The air disappeared and it wasn't because of a panic attack this time. No, this time she wanted to kiss him. She wanted to put her mouth on his and suck his lower lip and sink her teeth into it. It was because he stole the air from the room and she didn't give a damn. And it was because he made her forget that she even needed air in the first place."

Usually, my feelings toward the main female character are annoyed, jealous, or down right angry, but I loved Gabby and I rooted her on through the whole story. After all of the terrible things that happened to her growing up, and the lack of support from her family, she became such a good-hearted woman, helping others who are having traumatic experiences like she did. Then her past merges with her present...

But like Gabby, Kolson had his own issues and secrets. His love for Gabby has put him in a very serious predicament, and now we have to wait for Freeing Him to find out what's going to happen!

A.M. Hargrove has written such a beautiful story. I'm hooked, and now I can't wait for the next book. It is definitely a must-read!

~*ABOUT THE AUTHOR*~

One day, on her way home from work as a sales manager, A. M. Hargrove, realized her life was on fast forward and if she didn't do something soon, it would quickly be too late to write that work of fiction she had been dreaming of her whole life. So, she rolled down the passenger window of her fabulous (not) company car and tossed out her leather briefcase. Luckily, the pedestrian in the direct line of fire was a dodge ball pro and had über quick reflexes enabling him to avoid getting bashed in the head. Feeling a tad guilty about the near miss, A. M. made a speedy turn down a deserted side street before tossing her crummy, outdated piece-of-you-know-what lap top out the window. She breathed a liberating sigh of relief, picked up her cell phone, called her boss and quit her job. Grinning, she made another call to her hubs and told him of her new adventure (after making sure his heart was beating properly again).

So began A. M. Hargrove's career as a YA/NA and Adult Romance writer. Her books include Kissing Fire, Edge of Disaster, Shattered Edge, the series the Guardians of Vesturon (Survival, Resurrection, Determinant, Beginnings and reEmergent), Dark Waltz, Tragically Flawed, Tragic Desires, and Exquisite Betrayal.

Other than being in love with being in love, she loves chocolate, ice cream and coffee and is positive they should be added as part of the USDA food groups.

(If you're wondering, it didn't happen EXACTLY that way, but….)

You can also find her on Goodreads as Emerson St. Clair. Her novella series, Dirty Nights, is available and those are a little dark, a little erotic and a lot sexy!

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