It's an honor once again, to be a part of a Blog Tour for my queen, KRISTEN ASHLEY!!!
BOUNTY is definitely one great read.
It's a story about finding one's great love...
and never,
ever
letting it go.
Justice Lonesome has enjoyed a life of bounty.
Even so, she’s inherited the curse of the Lonesome. A poet’s soul. Which means she’s still searching for something. Searching for peace. Searching for the less…that’s more.
And when the foundation of her life is pulled out from under her, grieving, she goes to the mountains to find her oasis. She hits Carnal, Colorado and decides to stay.
Deke Hightower lost everything at the age of two. He lost it again at fifteen. His life has not been about bounty. It’s been about learning to live with less, because there’s no way to get more.
Deke’s also watched all his friends go down to the women who gave them what they needed. He wants that for himself. But he knows that search isn’t going to be easy because he’s a rider. His home is the road. That’s the only place he can breathe. And the woman who takes her place at his side has to do it sitting on the back of his bike.
When Deke meets Justice, he knows she’s not that woman. She’s cute. She’s sweet. And she’s into him, but she’s got it all and Deke knows he won’t fit into that. So he holds her at arm’s length. Establishes boundaries. And Justice will take it because she wants Deke any way he’ll let her have him.
But when Justice finds herself a pawn in a dangerous game, Deke makes a decision.
When he does, he has no idea he’s just opened himself up to bounty.
“Jus.”
Deke’s
voice carved into the perverse, bitter sick my brother and his mother stirred
up in me and I lifted my gaze, twisted my neck and looked to his face.
He
was not close.
But
he was concerned.
And
that concern undid me.
I
turned fully to him, dropped my head and fell forward.
He
was not near and then he was, right there for me to collide with as everything
pressed into me. So much, I couldn’t hold it back, and the tears came.
He
wrapped his arms around me as he stepped farther into me so he could hold me
close.
That
was when I started sobbing. My body shaking with it, automatically burrowing
into his heat, his solidity, his bulk, all Deke.
His
arms tightened.
“I
miss him,” I whispered into Deke’s chest through a hitch.
The
words with that hitch barely sounded before I felt Deke’s hand glide up my
spine and tangle in my hair.
“Get
it out, Jussy,” he murmured, his words stirring the strands at the top of my
head so I knew he was bent to me.
Deke.
Fuck
me, Deke.
“My
brother’s a p-p-piece of shit,” I pushed out through the tears.
Deke’s
arm around me got tighter and the tips of fingers started stroking the side of
my ribs.
Even
this did not make me feel better. In fact this—all that was Deke enveloping all
that was me—made it better at the same time so much worse.
“He’s
contesting the…the will,” I shared.
Deke
said nothing.
I
kept crying.
It
came to me slowly that I was pressed hard to him and had my hands clenched into
his tee at the back. I felt the damp material against my cheek and knew how
many tears had leaked and that Deke took them from me.
I
also knew he was being cool, a nice guy, because that was who he was.
But
I couldn’t let this go on.
So
I pulled my shit together, unclenched my hands and smoothed the shirt before I
dropped them to his waist and tipped my head back.
“Sorry.”
Lamentably,
he took my cue and let me go.
Incredibly,
he didn’t do this completely.
He
put his hands on either side of my neck and bent close so his face was a couple
of inches from mine.
“Think,
from what you’ve told me, you get that times get bad. Hope, Jussy, you also get
that those times pass. Whatever’s happening, this will pass.”
Jussy.
Shit.
I
nodded because that was all I could do.
“Sorry,
I…well, your shirt’s all wet,” I said, taking one hand from him to wipe my
face.
“It’ll
dry.”
I
nodded again.
His
fingers curled around my neck gave me a gentle squeeze.
“You
good?”
I
was not.
I
gave him another nod anyway.
His
eyes moved over my face and I knew he knew that nod was an inaudible lie but he
didn’t call me on it.
He
just said quietly, “Good,” gave me another squeeze and dropped his left hand.
But
with his right, he lifted it up and I held my breath because I thought he was
going to touch my face, dry a tear, something.
Instead,
he raised it to the top of my head and tousled my hair before he gave me
another close look, turned and walked away.
Shit,
Deke comforted me then tousled my hair like I was his little sister.
Shit.
I
didn’t like that.
But
it was kind and it was sweet and it came from Deke.
So
as was becoming my lot, I’d take it.
(An ARC was provided to me in exchange for an honest review)
DEKE. JUSTICE.
JUSTICE AND DEKE.
A chance meeting.
And many, many things to be thankful for.
It's amazing how people come together by chance. Nothing forced, nothing premeditated. Just chance. You just gotta thank all your lucky stars for it. That's what happened to these two. It might not have been under the best circumstances, but that chance gave way to a whole new world for the both of them.
Now who wouldn't be thankful for the BOUNTY that is meeting your "FOREVER".
I've known Deke since he was introduced in the series a couple of books ago. He's an admirable man full of loyalty and friendship. He's this larger-than-life alpha guy with a big heart. However, underneath all that, there's this tiny insecurity that a reader like me wants to just break down.
Justice on the other hand... is a force of nature. She breezes all the way from one place to another. She's a star who's trying to go under the radar. I love how unpredictable her character is. She surprises me in the best way. I love just how she loves Deke and I love how she breaks down his walls. It's amazing to read about. :)
Now about the story...
(I'll try really, really hard not to give out spoilers)
Like I said, they meet by chance.
And then they lose touch. :(
However, just like with any love stories, there's always hope!
They get to see each other again... but in a very, very, VERY different scenario.
Personally, I love how these two reunite. It shows that in a way, grief can also bring people together. Grief can bridge gaps and grief brings out the best (or worst) in people. Even though their statuses seems oceans-apart, they make the relationship work spectacularly. The people around them are also very protective and supportive at the same time. It's just so heartfelt to read about.
The conflicts here are pretty intense in my humble opinion. I cried five times. FIVE. FRIKKIN. TIMES. Family will always be a big matter to me, so it's hard when I read about them not getting along. With the grief that Justice feels and the internal conflict of her family... I thought it would be too much for her o bear... But no. She soldiers on. She believes the best in people and that's another beautiful thing about her character. And while she's doing that, Deke is there to combat some of her demons. She broke down HIS walls, but Deke continues to give a wall of defense for Justice so that nothing bad would touch her. He's good at that, you know? Building things. Repairing what needs to be repaired. It's symbolic and also another awesome thing in this book.
Just how lucky can a girl be when she finds a man who can build and repair not only her house, but also her soul?
BOUNTY.
That really is what this is all about. :)
Expect to be blown away by a story that will surely make you feel thankful for everything. :) Read it. It's worth it!
Soooo what's my rating??
With a book this good... Of course it's a 5!!!
Kristen Ashley was born in Gary, Indiana, USA and nearly killed her mother and herself making it into the world, seeing as she had the umbilical cord wrapped around her neck (already attempting to accessorise and she hadn't taken her first breath!). Her mother said they took Kristen away, put her Mom back in her room, her mother looked out the window, and Gary was on fire (Dr. King had been assassinated four days before). Kristen's Mom remembered thinking it was the end of the world. Quite the dramatic beginning.
Nothing's changed.
Kristen grew up in Brownsburg, Indiana and has lived in Denver, Colorado and the West Country of England. Thus, she's blessed to have friends and family around the globe. Her family was (is) loopy (to say the least) but loopy is good when you want to write. They all lived together on a very small farm in a small farm town in the heartland. She grew up with Glenn Miller, The Everly Brothers, REO Speedwagon and Whitesnake (and the wardrobes that matched).
Needless to say, growing up in a house full of music, clothes and love was a good way to grow up.
And as she keeps growing, it keeps getting better.
8 more days!! CANNOT WAIT! <3 KA and this! THANK YOU!
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