100 Proof, an all-new taboo STANDALONE romance from Shanora Williams is available now!
100 Proof by Shanora Williams
Release Date: May 18th, 2017
Genre: Contemporary Romance
I was the low life.
The screw up.
The hopeless one with no future.
He was the rich guy. The smart one. The one who had it all.
My parents admired everything he did, while I was known for being their greatest disappointment. I didn’t follow the path they paved for me.
I drank and partied and did whatever the hell I wanted. The buzz was something I couldn’t live without – the fire that filled my veins after each sip always kept me running back for more.
But then I met her, and suddenly the drinks didn’t matter. The parties weren’t as fun. That fiery buzz came second for once.
I drowned only in her, wanting her more than I wanted to exist.
But even with her, I screwed things up.
Now, he’s with the woman I love. And he may have her, but what he should know is that even with all of his money, that nice house, and his expensive cars, her mind, body, and soul will always belong to me.
And I’m not sorry about it, brother, ’cause she was mine first.
Excerpt:
Breakfast was supposed to be happening in less than thirty minutes. I couldn’t bail on Vin. He would have taken it personally. I figured filling him in in person would be okay.
I wouldn’t even eat with him. I’d let him know what was going on and tell him he should schedule a flight back home as soon as he wanted to.
I collected my keys and my clutch before I could process my thoughts, but as I climbed into my car and started it up, driving away from our two-story brick home, I realized I wasn’t doing this for Vin’s benefit.
I was doing it for mine.
I wanted to see him again.
I wanted to know what was really going on with him.
I wanted updates on him and Zay. About California, period. I wanted to see if he’d changed at all—or if he was just giving the impression of it to try and win me over again. Not that he could, but he would try.
I knew this was stupid. I should have cancelled, like Lloyd said. By going to meet him—alone—I was asking for something to happen. I was secretly hoping to feel a connection again, but in the heat of the moment, I wasn’t exactly sure what that something was.
I drove with racing thoughts, wondering what I’d say—what I’d do. Do I hug him when I first see him? Do I shake his hand and pretend to be formal? Do I treat him like my future brother-in-law or as my former love?
I had no clue, but, still, I didn’t stop. I kept going until I was pulling into the parking lot of the busy restaurant and parking the car.
I didn’t fully breathe as I climbed out, didn’t stop moving as I walked towards the entrance. I didn’t fill my lungs with air until I saw him standing in the waiting area, wearing a navy blue T-shirt that clung to his firm upper body, dark wash jeans sitting low and snug on his hips, and his hair a beautiful, chaotic mess. The veins bulged on his arms, the very ones I used to have no problem tracing with the tip of my tongue.
My pulse roared.
And then it hit me.
This was exactly what I wanted to feel.
The electricity between us—the fire that could torch anything that stood in its way. I wanted to witness his smoldering eyes drinking me in, like I was the most beautiful woman in the world.
Lloyd had never given me this look. He had never stared for so long, like he would tear my clothes off right where we stood, no matter who was watching.
My throat tightened.
My core clenched.
But I pretended none of it was happening to me as I walked forward to meet him.
Sunny Shelly’s Review: 4 Stars
100 Proof is a dark, forbidden romance dealing with a love that you can never forget, sibling rivalry, family secrets and addiction — and not just of substance abuse.
Marley and Vin had an intense relationship full of love and fueled by drugs, alcohol and partying. They broke each other’s hearts when Vin entered rehab and Marley walked away. Marley, who was raised by junkies, was determined to put their life of partying behind her, while Vin was determined to clean up his act, make something of himself and win back the love of his life. Two and a half years later, Vin is summoned home by his estranged brother — who just so happens to be engaged to Marlena, aka Marley. It’s clear that Vin and Marley still love one another, and not all is on the up and up with his brother, Lloyd.
At first, I wasn’t sure how this was going to work, considering how Marley and Vin were together for three years. But the estrangement between Vin and his family, and the reason why he began drinking and abusing drugs in the first place, pulls it all together and makes the forbidden romance work. The fact that Lloyd is SUCH an a** definitely helped me root for Vin and Marley to get their HEA!
The story is told in past and present, and the time jumps flow seamlessly. The reason behind Vin’s addiction to alcohol and drugs was a punch in the gut, and my heart broke for him. It made me want to see him rise above being the black sheep of the family even more.
Like a bottle of 100 proof whiskey, Vin and Marley are absolutely addictive, and I loved how their addiction to one another ultimately healed their souls.
I received an advanced copy and voluntarily left a review
Read now FREE in Kindle Unlimited!
Amazon US: http://amzn.to/2rqMlF7
Amazon UK: https://goo.gl/raO9lJ
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Amazon AU: https://goo.gl/3u4v15
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About the Author:
Shanora Williams is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author who loves writing about flawed heroes and resilient heroines. She is a believer that love outweighs all, but doesn’t have a problem making her characters fight for their happily ever after.
She currently lives in Charlotte, North Carolina and is the mother of two amazing boys, has a fiercely devoted and supportive man, and is a sister to eleven.
When she isn’t writing, she’s spending time with her family, binge reading, or running marathons on Netflix while scarfing down chocolate chip cookies.
Connect with Shanora:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ShanoraWilliamsAuthor/
Twitter: @shanorawilliams
Instagram @reallyshanora
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