Three Chicks and Their Books: Blog Tour: Down N Derby by Lila Felix

Synopsis

Maddox is running.

By accident, he discovered long ago that he was adopted as a baby and his need to find his biological father has consumed him ever since. Now, on a road trip, determined to find his father and his sanity, and armed with locations and his cousin, Nixon, to help him, maybe he can find the answers he’s been searching for. With nothing but a suitcase and a wad of cash to get him there, lead after lead takes him further from home.

But he’ll find much more than he intended.

He finds Storey, a pint sized pin-up model who has learned painful lessons about guys. Her wounds run deep, but so do his. She knows what she wants, but will she recognize it when it’s right in front of her?

Maddox can’t touch anyone without feeling like his skin is crawling, but just maybe his instinct to protect this amazing girl will supersede his own hang-ups.

If he can brush her skin and start to feel alive inside...everything will change.

4.5 star review

Down N Derby is book 3 in the Love and Skate series by Lila Felix. I became a big fan of Lila's from reading this series. This is Maddox Black's story, the youngest of the three brothers and once again Lila Felix, did not disappoint. We met Maddox in the first book Love and Skate and loving all of the the Black family as I do, I could not wait for Maddox's story and to find out the mystery behind who his real parents were.

Maddox found out when he was younger that his mother was really his aunt. His biological mother died shortly after giving birth to him and asked her twin sister, Sylvia to take care of Maddox for her. When Maddox found out that Sylvia wasn't his biological mother and that his real father took off before he was even born, things started to change for Maddox. When someone tried to touch him or hug him he would become twitchy and feel very uncomfortable. This is something that has been going on for quite some time, but also something that most people don't know about him. He decides to take a road trip to find his real father and enlists his cousin Nixon to come along for the ride. They sneak out in the middle of the night, for fear of his family trying to stop him if they knew where he was going He doesn't think his family would understand his reasons for needing to do this. He keeps in touch with Reed while on the road but asks her to promise not to tell anyone. But what Maddox doesn't realize is that asking Reed to keep a big secret like this from Falcon could possibly cause a strain in their relationship. While on the road, things start to change for Maddox, especially when he meets Storey.

I loved Storey! She is/was a derby girl who is now a pinup model in California trying to make enough money to go back home and go to college. She is a confident, feisty, beautiful girl who is also very down to earth and loveable. When Maddox meets her on the beach for the first time he can't help but being captivated by her. Storey is drawn to Maddox as well but has her guard up just a bit, due to her fear of being hurt again. But when Storey and Maddox meet there is an instant connection which sort of scares Maddox in a way. He has issues with being touched and is afraid that those issues will drive Storey away, but at the same time he can't help the feelings that he has for this girl and needs to get to know her better. Maddox and Storey both have issues from their past that they are trying to cope with. Storey has been hurt in the past by her abusive ex-boyfriend. While Maddox has been carrying around the guilt of his mother's death as well the sacrifices that he believes the Black family had to make in order to take care of him. As they start opening up to each other they start to let their guards down. But can two people who have been hurt and damaged in the past find the love and happiness that they deserve? And can Maddox get past the guilt of his past and live for the future?

I loved Storey and Maddox together. They found a love that was so real and even though they didn't know each other for long it never felt like a love that was rushed. They had a real connection, almost as if it was fate that brought them together. Storey made Maddox feel again, something he thought would never happen. She helped him get through his issues and stood by when it came time to meet his father. Lila Felix took us on a wonderful journey as we learned more about Maddox and the guilt that has been weighing him down for so many years. Maddox is such a loveable character and even at the age of 18 is an amazing and caring person. It will melt your heart to see him find someone like Storey who just wants to love him and help him through his issues. They really are made for each other.

What I love about this series for one is the Black family. They have their issues and some drama just as most families do, but no matter what they are all there to support and love each other. I will admit that Falcon may be my favorite but I still love all three brothers. They each have their own unique personality, which makes them each special in their own way. And let's not forget the wonderful ladies in their lives, who are all just as loveable. Lila Felix has created a cast of characters that you can't help but fall in love with and relate to on a personal level. It's as if you are a part of their family, going through the emotions with them. I loved Nixon and some of the moments between him and Maddox will have you laughing. I love that we still get to see all of the characters from the first two books and see what they have been up to. Some chapters are told from Reed or Falcon's POV so we get to see how Maddox running away has affected everyone. It isn't just about Storey and Maddox. I love this series and cannnot wait for Nixon's story. Another job well done by Lila Felix.

At the beginning of every chapter I love how Lila starts it off with a random thought. Some being funny and witty and some being serious. This one happened to be one of my favorites and actually made me laugh out loud.

I wanna wear my pants backwards today like Kris Kross. What? - Maddox Black

If you are a fan of this series like I am then you will Love Down N Derby. If you have not read this series yet, then what are you waiting for? You will not be disappointed. The first book in the series is Love and Skate, followed by How it Rolls.

Excerpt:

She let her shirt go and it cascaded down her waist, back into place and on top of my hand, not willing to leave her ink yet. She turned to face me, and my hand rounded the curve of her waist, around to her back and down to where those two dimples sat above the waistband of those tiny shorts she insisted on wearing to bed.

She reached out, grabbed my other hand and placed it on the corresponding spot on her right side.

“You’re not gonna go home, are you?” She whispered it to me; here in the dark while her thumb set me on fire, running across my bottom lip.

“Baby, you are my home,” I answered and pulled her down with me to show her.

****

About the author

Lila Felix lives in the swamps of Louisiana with her husband and three boisterous children. She loves coffee, anything cinnamon and loves to cook. She is a big roller derby fan. When she's not writing, she's watching 80's movies, reading, and collecting duct tape.

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Down N Derby Amazon