October 2021 Book of the Month Giveaway
November 23, 2021 04:30 PM Posted by juliannadouglas
I completed five novels, a children’s book, and two short stories during the month of October, but only one full-length romance garnered five stars from me. It’s the third book in a serialized set of novels that follows wealthy CEO Stephan Coleman and Brianna Reeves, the young woman he rescued from horrific abuse by buying her from a man who’d enslaved her as a minor. The previous book had ended on a cliffhanger with Brianna’s dad, who’d had a hand in her being sold into slavery, showing up at her door while Stephan was at work. This book begins with the outcome of that encounter, which unfortunately traumatizes Brianna and forces her to deal with more of her troubled past. The remainder of the story follows Stephan and Brianna through roughly another month of their lives together as Stephan patiently and gently works through Brianna’s fears and helps her to come out of her shell and be more comfortable around other people. She begins to see more of her childhood friend, Cal, even though he and Stephan don’t entirely get along, and meets his girlfriend, Jade, as well as spending more time with their friend, Lily. Stephan and Brianna also talk more about a possible dom/sub relationship down the road and what that might look like, while Stephan still faces censure from multiple fronts for his lifestyle. Stephan continues his investigation into Ian, Brianna’s former slave master, and with the help of his CFO, finds some incriminating evidence, but along with it, he’s also outed for buying her freedom. Despite all the challenges they’ve face, Stephan and Brianna’s love has only grown, but this information getting out, along with nasty allegations from her father, could destroy the beautiful life that they’ve been building together.
Throughout each book of the series so far, I’ve been falling more and more in love with Stephan. He’s one of the kindest, gentlest romance heroes I’ve read in general and is definitely one of only two Dom heroes I recall reading that I could genuinely call sweet. He has so many wonderful qualities that make him an awesome hero and a great Dom, but the thing that really draws me to him is that over and over, Stephan proves his love for Brianna and that he’s willing to do literally anything for her, including facing his own fears. All of this makes him one of the most swoon-worthy heroes I’ve ever read. Brianna is still very shy and meek after all that’s she’s been through, and she also harbors some natural submissive tendencies. But with Stephan’s help, she’s been able to gradually open up more. Because of her father showing up, Brianna is forced to deal with more of her past, which is difficult for her, but with Stephan by her side, she finds the strength and gradually starts to discover her own voice, too. Brianna is a very sweet heroine who’s been deeply traumatized, but throughout this book, she takes more steps in a positive direction than steps back. I love these two together and think they make a great couple. Both of them come to the realization that they love each other in this book and I very much enjoyed seeing them declare that love. In fact, they both demonstrate their love consistently even without saying the words. This book ends on yet another cliffhanger that nearly gutted me, but deep down, I know that their love is strong enough to survive. The prospect of seeing how that happens makes me extremely eager to pick up the next book. That’s why I’m naming Sherri Hayes’s Truth as my October Book of the Month. If you enjoy a dominant hero with a sweet side paired with a deeply tortured heroine gradually finding healing for her trauma, then you should definitely give this book a try. Keep reading to learn how you can win a copy for your own library.
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Cover Blurb- For the last two months, Brianna has discovered something she never thought she would again. Hope. After the horror of being Ian's slave for ten months, a fate she never imagined she'd escape, it feels as if she is living a dream. She has freedom she hadn't expected to have again, and she wakes up every morning not fearing what the day will bring. There is also Stephan. The man who saved her from the daily torture she had to endure at the hands of Ian and his friends. The same man who makes her heart race with just the thought of him. Life is good. Outside forces are determined to conspire against them, however. |
When Brianna's father shows up on her doorstep, it sends her world spiraling out of control. He brings with him new information about how Brianna ended up in Ian's clutches, but will it make a difference? Will Stephan be able to find a way to make Ian pay for all he made Brianna suffer? As Brianna and Stephan try to find out the truth, their relationship is tested. She is forced to face her past head on, and deal with the ugly reality of what happened to her.
Will Stephan's love be enough to see her through her newest challenge, or will the fragile trust they've built come crumbling down around them as the truth makes itself known.
This book contains BDSM themes and past abuse and is intended for mature audiences.
If you haven’t read this wonderful series yet, and would like to get a head start, the first book, Slave, is available for free in ebook from all major book retailers.
Amazon | B & N | Kobo | iBooks | Google
Since the book is part of a serialized series that really needs to be read from the beginning, I’m willing to substitute either the first or second book, both of which are wonderful in their own right, if the winner would prefer.
Read my complete review of Truth.
Giveaway
If you would like to win a copy of Truth to see how wonderful it is for yourself, just enter the Rafflecopter giveaway below. One lucky winner will receive their choice of an eBook or print copy of the book. If the winner chooses an eBook, I will gift it to them via the eBook retailer of their choice (Amazon or B & N). If the winner chooses a print copy, I will have it mailed directly to them via Amazon. Good luck!
International Entrants: You are welcome to enter my contest, but please note that not all eBooks are available in all countries due to copyright restrictions. If this is the case, Amazon offers an option to trade for a gift card (I'm not sure about B & N). If you choose print, I can mail it to you via the Amazon website that services your country, pending availability and cost. Otherwise I will mail it to you via U. S. Amazon's standard international shipping, but it may take up to 6-8 weeks to arrive, and I may not have the capability of tracking the package.
Categories: Book of the Month, Giveaways
Tags: Sherri Hayes
