Vivian’s
List
Book
One of Two Part Series
By: Haleigh Lovell
Blurb:
Vivian
Sorenson is in a verbally abusive relationship, and all the abuse has left her
feeling lost and disoriented. When her boyfriend, Brody, calls her
"frigid" and "boring ol' vanilla," Vivian ends the toxic
relationship and embarks on a journey of sexual self-discovery. Hence, the
sexual bucket list or as she calls it: Vivian's List.
Liam Sykes has known Vivian all his life. He's always been overly protective of her and perhaps half in love with her, too. When he happens upon Vivian's sexual bucket list, he agrees to be her sexual partner. Soon it becomes more than just sex as Liam picks up every jagged little shard of Vivian's shattered heart and pieces it back together, replacing it with a piece of his own.
Liam Sykes has known Vivian all his life. He's always been overly protective of her and perhaps half in love with her, too. When he happens upon Vivian's sexual bucket list, he agrees to be her sexual partner. Soon it becomes more than just sex as Liam picks up every jagged little shard of Vivian's shattered heart and pieces it back together, replacing it with a piece of his own.
** New
Adult Erotic Romance intended for readers 18+ due to language and sexual
content
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Excerpt:
Unable to
meet his gaze, I picked up my fork and pushed the food around the plate in a
circle. “He accused me of sleeping with you.” I inhaled sharply. “And he called
me frigid again.” I paused and took a swig of wine to cover my distress.
“Sometimes I can’t help but wonder … if I wasn’t so frigid in bed, he
wouldn’t have needed to find it elsewhere.”
I heard
Liam exhale. “Don’t do that, Viv.”
As I
fiddled with the stem of the wineglass, I forced myself to meet his gaze. “Do
what?”
“Doubt
yourself. Blame yourself. Don’t do that.” His voice was nothing but kind. There
was no hint of condescension in it.
I tried to
speak, failed, so I drank some more wine.
“Listen.”
Liam set his fork on the table. “If a girl is frigid, it is usually because the
way she is treated outside of bed has left her frigid.”
“But there
has to be something wrong with me. I mean, what twenty-two-year-old has never
experienced the Big O? You know, I can be a little uptight, even high-strung at
times. So really, it could just be me.”
“It’s not
you,” Liam said firmly. “Don’t let Brody mess with your head. Do you know that
about ten percent of women have never experienced an orgasm? And most women
aren’t able to climax with intercourse alone. They need other sorts of …” He
paused, seemingly to search for the word. “Stimulation.”
The word
made a blush rise on my neck and throat.
Liam leaned
back in his chair and regarded me steadily. “And from what it sounds like,
Brody is a fucking moron. No guy should ever expect you to function with the
predictability of a machine. And if he does, then he should just have sex with
his car.”
I smothered
a giggle. “So I take it you’ve had plenty of experience helping girls reach the
pinnacle of sexual passion.”
His lips
turned upward in a semi-grin. “Not really.”
“C’mon,” I
teased, swirling the wine in my glass. “What about all those Jessicas you
dated? Jessica Neal, Jessica Cena, Jessica Long, Jessica Alba?”
He let out
a dismissive laugh. “I never dated Jessica Alba.”
As I forked
a mouthful of ravioli, I pointed out, “You had the biggest crush on her,
though.”
He didn’t
deny it. “Me and every other guy I knew.”
I arched an
eyebrow. “So did you love all the other Jessicas?”
He
shrugged. “Truthfully, I don’t think I even knew what love was back then.”
I eyed him curiously.
“Do you know now?”
He shoveled
in a bite, chewed then swallowed. “I think I may have some idea.”
I leaned
back in my chair and ran a fingertip around the rim of my wineglass. “What do
you think love should feel like? Fireworks? Crazy intense, mad passion?”
The look he
gave me was long and considering. He lifted his glass and took a swig before
answering. “I think a slow burning candle produces more warmth and light than a
brief explosion.”
We stared
at each other as his words hung in the air between us. “With Brody …” I spoke
into the silence. “It was crazy intense. I met him in college my freshman year.
And right from the start, we had instant fireworks … the brief explosions you
were just talking about. He pretty much swept me off my feet, and I kind of
jumped off the diving board into the deep end.”
Liam had a
deep and intent expression on his face as he listened to me.
His eyes
were open and accepting. Nonjudgmental.
When I
finished, he grew quiet for a moment. Then he said, “I think the idea that love
must be crazy intense all the time is what keeps people from being satisfied
with the normal, boring day-to-day love. The sort of quiet love that is tucked
away in the corner instead of shouted from the rooftops. That kind of simple
day-to-day love … that quiet love, it might seem dull to others. But for me—”
He gave a short shrug— “that’s love.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Buy Link: Amazon
Add to: Goodreads
Vivian is looking for love and thought she had found it with Brody but she was very wrong. Brody was very verbally abusive and I was thrilled that Liam opened Vivian's eyes to Brody's true character. Liam is a very strong yet sweet and caring man. He refuses to let Brody destroy Vivian's sweet, fun personality. The developing relationship between Liam and Vivian was so well written. I love the strength that Vivian shows in deciding that she needs to experience a whole new world of sexuality and having the courage to be upfront with Liam the he is her choice in a partner. Liam is such a romantic at heart who decides that Vivian needs not just sex but wooing from a man, that I fell a little in love with him myself.
I recommend this book to readers of "friends to lovers" romances or any reader looking for a very good love story.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Haleigh
Lovell lives in the west coast with her husband and three rescue dogs. Haleigh
received a B.A. in Journalism and a B.A in Sociology from the University of
Wisconsin--Madison. Despite training as a journalist and a sociologist, Haleigh
soon found she preferred making up her own stories--stories with heat and
heart.
An expert at the art of procrastination, Haleigh is easily distracted by food and can often be found snacking on Flamin' Hot Cheetos, Pringles, Kit Kat bars, Toblerones and sushi.
An expert at the art of procrastination, Haleigh is easily distracted by food and can often be found snacking on Flamin' Hot Cheetos, Pringles, Kit Kat bars, Toblerones and sushi.
Come say
hello on FB: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Vivians-List/506901846065475
Twitter: @haleighlovell8
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Giveaway
Haleigh will be hosting a Tour Wide Giveaway for a $10.00 Amazon Gift Card or TWO Kindle Copies of VIVIAN'S LIST
Follow the tour HERE
Giveaway
Haleigh will be hosting a Tour Wide Giveaway for a $10.00 Amazon Gift Card or TWO Kindle Copies of VIVIAN'S LIST
Follow the tour HERE
Thank you for hosting today!
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