REVIEW TOUR STOP~THEN THERE WAS YOU By Melanie Dawn
Title: Then There Was You
(So Much It Hurts Series Book Two)
Author: Melanie Dawn
Chris King never saw it coming…
In some ways, closing the book on my first love was the worst day of life. I was gutted, and yet I was completely at peace with my decision. I walked away knowing that I did what was best for her, unsure if I could ever recover. Little did I know that one concert would change the entire course of my life. There I stood, signing autographs and snapping pictures with fans when a familiar face in the crowd catapulted my mind back in time—Salem Honeycutt, once a balm to my pain and a calm in my storm. Yet again, her smiling face gave me hope. Only one question remained: did she still see me as a wayward teenage boy who was completely off limits, or could she see the man I'd become…focused and driven, yearning for another chance at love?
For Salem Honeycutt, postpartum bliss seemed like a lie...
No one told me that I’d hate my baby when I brought her home from the hospital. No one told me that I’d want to put a pillow over my husband’s head and smother him in his sleep. No one told me that I’d want to slap every person who gave me the ever-so-cliché advice to ‘cherish every moment.’ No one told me that I’d despise my life the minute I became a mother, but I did. Then I met Chris King, the kid who made me want to pull myself up from the dark recesses of my mind and face each day. This kid, whose passion for life and talent for music, touched my soul deeper than I could ever touch his. Chris gave me a reason to live. I was once affectionately known as Mrs. H., Chris’s juvenile detention counselor. This is our story.
Hi! My name is Salem Honeycutt. Born in North Carolina and I am a counselor at a pregnancy care center in my hometown.
WHO AM I?
Hi! My name is Salem Honeycutt. Born in North Carolina and I am a counselor at a pregnancy care center in my hometown.
WHO AM I?
Hi! My name is Chris King. Born in North Carolina and I am a famous musician in the band, Fifth Wheel.
“Goodnight, Alexis,” I told her.
“Night, mom.” She gave me a quick hug and darted toward the stairs.
The moment she was out of sight, Chris hopped up and wrapped me in his arms. “You don’t know how much I’ve missed this, you in my arms like this,” he said, pulling me tight against him.
I sank into his chest, laying my head over the thumping beat of his heart. “I miss this too,” I admitted, breathing in his manly, musky scent.
Our bodies melded together as he cradled my head against him. Kissing me gently on the top of my head, he whispered, “I’ve missed you so much, Salem.”
I lifted my eyes to look at him. “Thank you for coming tonight. I know it wasn’t easy to get here, especially knowing we only have a few hours together.”
He looked down at me, smiling. “Baby, even if I had to drive all night just to spend one minute with you, it would all be worth it.”
My heart flipped in my chest hearing him call me ‘baby.’ It was definitely a nickname I could get used to.
He lowered his lips to mine. The hot rush of passion tore through my body the moment his lips touched me. God, I’ve missed him. I parted my lips, an invitation for his tongue to find a deeper connection.
He ran his hands down my back, sending shivers up my spine. The caress of his fingers across my back left me hungry for more.
Chris reached up, gently grasping the sides of my face and caressing my cheeks with his thumbs. His soft, luscious lips moved against mine. My fingers found their way to his hair and tangled themselves up in it, pulling him closer to me. He thrust himself against me, causing me to arch my back in response. A gentle tug of his teeth on my lip sent a flaming burst of yearning through my core. He was hungry for me, too. I felt it in the gentle pulse of his erection beneath the fabric of his worn-out jeans.
A quiet moan escaped my throat, triggering a frenzy of him clutching, grasping, and pulling me toward him. I could sense the desperation behind his actions.
“Salem,” he whispered between kisses, “what are you doing to me?”
Pulling away from his mouth, I asked, “What do you mean?”
Tucking a strand of hair behind my ear and sliding his thumb down the length of my jaw, he said softly, “I didn’t mean to do this.”
“Didn’t mean to do what?” I asked, my eyes wide with worry.
Chris smiled that sexy half grin that melted my heart every time. His eyes held a softness, full of affection and adoration. “Fall for you,” he breathed.
Melanie has struck again........Oh God I have no clue where to even begin, I am lost for words right now. I can't stop crying this is just......OMG I really don't know what to say.
Melanie has our done her self truly I'm not going to lie before I even started the book I taught there is no way she can top "So Much It Hurts" that was was heartbreakingly amazing. Holy shit was I wrong "Then There Was You" is in another league altogether I can't even think about it without cry not because I'm sad but these are happy tears.
When you come to truly care about a character the way I did Chris from book one seeing him find a happy ending is extremely special but it was the way it was written each word griped onto my heart like a vice.....I'm struggling to explain the affect this book has on me but let me tell you it was a surreal experience. I love it when a book can take me to that state of mind where I'm no longer aware of the world around me because I'm so caught up in the story unfolding before my eyes on the pages. I was enchanted and bewitched by Salem and Chris and I loved every achingly beautiful moment. I'm NEVER going to forget this story EVER.
Essentially the book is split into two; the first half goes over the past from the time Christ went to the detention centre his history with Salem, the devastating heartbreak he suffered after loosing Kaitlyn. Salem's post-partum depression and daily struggles as a new mother she love for her job and the boys she worked with. I cried or tried not to cry during this part of the book so much sadness and pain it literally engulfed me from the pages I felt every single thing Chris and Salem were feeling. Melanie has some crazy skills that's for sure what she accomplished with that first 50% of this book is magnificent the depths of emotions is breathtaking. I might have a vodka cranberry or three lol no I'm serious.
The second half balanced out the first half perfectly as the two former friends and confidants re-connect and fall in love. I am shutting up now because this is suppose to be spoiler free so if you want to know what happens then buy the bloody book it will be so worth it.
I am officially fan girl-ing all over Melanie she is an amazing Author and I cannot wait to read anything she writes she is so freaking awesome. Love her and more importantly this book which I highly recommend.
XOXO Natasha
Melanie Dawn is a thinker, a dreamer, and a hopeless romantic. When her head isn't in the clouds, she spends her time as a jack of all trades to her family. Melanie resides in the hills of North Carolina with her husband, her three children, and her cat. She enjoys lazy summer afternoons cruising around the lake on the pontoon boat with her family.
Melanie graduated from UNC-Chapel Hill with a BA in Psychology and earned her MA in School Counseling from Appalachian State University. She spent the first six years after graduate school as a middle school counselor. Those were years she deems as some of the best years of her life. That is, until she had children of her own. The last seven years have been spent as a stay-at-home mom. She has learned some tough life lessons, like what the inner absorbent pellets of a diaper look like scattered in the washing machine. She has also learned the strength of the willpower of a two year old lacking a nap. Through it all, Melanie has learned how to roll with the punches and appreciate the time she has been able to spend at home with her children.
Now that her last child has started Kindergarten, Melanie is ready to add a new chapter in her life. That chapter begins with her debut novel—So Much It Hurts.
AUTHOR INTERVIEW
Can you tell us something we don’t know about Melanie Dawn? I’m afraid of butterflies. I know it’s crazy, but it’s true. To me, butterflies are the clowns of the insect world, and clowns are just plain creepy.
Why do you feel you had to tell this story? Chris deserved to have his happily ever after. I never considered writing it, but I loved Chris too much to leave him hanging like I did in So Much It Hurts. He deserved to find love.
What was your inspiration in creating the characters? I have combined many aspects and elements of various people I know to create my characters. It’s fun to watch them take on their own personalities.
What was your favorite chapter to write and why? I loved writing about their trip to New York City. It was fun to do all the research for it. I went to New York when I was a child, but now I want to go back and visit.
Which is the hardest part to write and why? I had a tough time writing the scenes involving Salem’s postpartum depression. I had to dig deep for some pretty strong emotions. I even cried a few times.
If you can be any fictional character for a day, who would you choose and why? I would be Salem, of course! Who wouldn’t want to be intimately involved with Chris King. He is amazing in every way!
Any advice to give to aspiring writers? Never give up. Surround yourself with friends who will always support you and encourage you along the way. It’s not the journey to the top that matters. It’s about the friends you make along the way instead!
Any message to your followers? Thank you for your support. Thank you for your encouragement. You all make this effort worth it! I couldn’t do this without the love and support of my readers. Thank you for everything! Love and hugs to you all! xoxo
What’s next for Melanie Dawn? I’m working on the third book in the series. I will be sending Alexis to college!
Fast Talk
Hidden talent? My husband tells me I have a way of getting perfect strangers to tell me their whole life story. LOL
Biggest regret? I have a few, but I’ve learned a lot from them.
Favorite male body part? Smile
Last book you bought yourself? Undone by Rebecca Shea
Go-to drink order? Dr. Pepper
Shower song? Unanswered Prayers by Garth Brooks
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