Wednesday 30 October 2013

Blog Tour and Giveaway - Love Resisted (Real Love Stories #2) by Melanie Codina



Synopsis:
For Allie Baxter, love was never something she had to worry about. She was loved by her friends, her family, her husband until the day it was ripped away. Losing love was the deepest pain Allie had ever endured, and it was an agony she vowed to avoid feeling ever again. Crippled with guilt over her loss, for five years Allie served her self-appointed exile from the daily comforts offered by friends and family, only to return and attempt to fit herself back into their open armseven if she knew she didnt deserve it. Mike Lawson was not something Allie expected; the love of a man was not something Allie was prepared to want. The spark of desire that had long ago died inside her suddenly returned, bringing the memories of her pain with it. She swore she would never allow herself to love again but how long could love be resisted?
 
Review by Janeane - ARC received for honest review.

Before reading Love Resisted, it is best to read "Love Realized" to get an idea of the group dynamics of this crazy bunch.

We first meet Allie and Mike in Love Resisted, Mike as a potential love interest for Gillian, and Allie, the best friend.

Allie is the smiley, crazy girl everyone loves.  She is the friend you want in your corner. Your fiercest critic, and your most vocal defender. Loves her family and friends like no other can. And I just love her crazy antics.

But behind the smiles is heartache. Such heartache.  Allie lost her forever, her husband Marc 5 years ago in an accident.  Since then she has closed her heart off to love, because how can anyone ever fill the hole he left.
 
Mike has been smitten since the moment he first met Allie.  Single dad after losing his wife to cancer 8 years ago, he is willing to move on and make a new life for himself - and he wants to do that with Allie.

Allie closes herself off to others with smart-arse comments and at times completely bitchy behaviour, but this is totally understandable when you get into her head.  Guilt consumes her and she won't allow herself to move forward.

I love how Mike relentlessly pursues Allie.  He is determined to break down the emotional walls she has built up around her heart, and with a little help from her friends and his family (none of them like to keep their noses out of each other business - IRL this would get annoying, but in fiction it is heartwarming) he might just do it.  And he will use all the tricks in his box to make her his.  

There might have been some of these
 
And one of these
And they may or may not have ended up here at some stage
Melanie Codina had me sucked in from the very beginning of Love Resisted.  Getting the inside view as the relationship between Allie and Mike blossoms, falters and grows had me laughing, crying, throwing the pom poms and cheering, mentally slapping their heads together, the works. She makes you have a vested interest in the lives of those she is writing about. 

The interactions between all the family and friends in this series is just wonderful, and makes me jealous that I don't have it with my family (just due to distance, but I miss it).

The two little scene stealers in this series are definitely the boys Dylan and Ryan... got every adult wrapped around their little fingers and work it.  But they are also extremely protective of the people they love - even though they are only 8 years old!  Bodyguards, c-blockers, heartbreakers - they are that and much more.

Mike's relationship with his 18 year old son Zane is amazing, and the relationship Zane creates with Allie is just wonderful.  

I look forward to more in this series - we NEED to know what happens with Jason!




About The Author:
Melanie is an amazing mother of four, an awesome and tolerant wife to one, and nurse to many. If you dont believe her, just ask anyone in her family, they know what to say. She is also a devoted chauffer, the keeper of missing socks, a genius according to a six year old, the coolest soccer uniform coordinator according to a twelve year old, and the best damn mac-n-cheese-with-cut-up-hot-dog maker in the whole world. Well that last title isnt really official, but its still pretty cool to be called it.
When not being ordered around by any of the kids, you can find her with her nose in a book or on the sideline of a soccer game cheering on one team or another. But thats mostly because she has a thing for the coach. When she is not doing all of the above, you can find her obsessed with a group of fictional characters all vying for a spot on the page of whatever shes working on. Its a fun and crazy life to lead, but wouldnt have it any other way
Melanie is an amazing mother of four, an awesome and tolerant wife to one, and nurse to many. If you dont believe her, just ask anyone in her family, they know what to say. She is also a devoted chauffer, the keeper of missing socks, a genius according to a six year old, the coolest soccer uniform coordinator according to a twelve year old, and the best damn mac-n-cheese-with-cut-up-hot-dog maker in the whole world. Well that last title isnt really official, but its still pretty cool to be called it. 
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SPECIAL NOTE:
Melanie and family will be donating $1 from every copy of Love Resisted sold in October 2013
 



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