Bree Murphy is stuck. Forced to
grow up too fast after the tragic death of her mother, she has little time for
any sort of life for herself. Now in her early twenties, she is coming to the
realization that she deserves to put herself first.
Drew Dougherty is also stuck, in a
state of merely existing. Memories and secrets of the day he lost both of his
parents haunt him, forcing him to cope the only way he knows how...by
fighting.
When these two worlds collide,
hidden truths are revealed and relationships are put to the ultimate test. At a
crossroad in their lives, they must decide if taking a risk is worth
everything.
Or will their love be…
Totaled.
Totaled is a full length, new adult
contemporary romance novel.
Due to mature content, profane
language, and sexual situations, this book is recommended for ages 18 and up.
4.5 star review by Alison East
I love reading- clearly from all the books and reviews I write, everyone knows this about me. So when I got asked to not only read Stacey Grice's debut novel- but beta read for her. I got to help Stacey brainstorm about her work in progress, and give her feedback before the book came out, or in layman'™s terms: nana, nana, boo, boo. I was thrilled, and I love to support good, hardworking authors whenever I get the chance.
The characters-
Bree is the heroine, feisty and funny- full of spunk. Taking care of her brother- Liam, and essentially her father. He owns a gym where he trains MMA fighters, boxers, pretty much anyone who wants to train. It's a lot to take on and Bree takes it quite literally like a champ. But it doesn't leave her much time to be a young girl.
"I'd been devastated in my life before. I had love and lost. I supposed I could do it again."
Drew is the hero- an up and coming MMA artist, coming to Florida from Arizona to escape the wreck that is his life. He may not think it, but he is so strong, and such a great alpha male. I loved Drew and all his claims to fame, especially Grilled Cheese Master.
Secondary characters;
The best friend, Sue- I loved her she was sassy and prissy, but got lots of American slang mixed him. She was kind of like the blonde, without being blonde.
The brother- Liam- I really enjoyed him. He was slow for his age, and always a little behind, but that never stopped him from his passion of the MMA world.
The friend- Mick- he helps Drew out when he needs it the most. It's an attribute that is great to have, and I really admired him for coming to Drew™'s aid.
The father- Pat- he is such a strong man, to have to raise two children by himself after his wife tragically dies, and for one to have special needs made it that much harder on him
The story-
Bree and Drew are both stuck in their life in different places. Bree is stuck because she is only twenty two years old and basically takes care of her brother and father as a mother would. Her and Liam's relationship is so close, it's like they are connected somehow- Stacey even mentions this right off!
But Bree needs an intervention- It’s almost like she doesn't know how to have fun. And Sue is always trying to get her to loosen up. Their banter together is super funny and witty. Totally well written for this first time author. Bree also thinks that she'™s the girl that everyone puts in the friend zone, and they always go for Sue, that is until Drew sets his eyes on her.
"I may not know his favorite color, but I know the curves of his jaw line, and how the left side of his lips curl up when he smiles. I can hear his laugh in my head. I can feel how protective he is just in the way he holds my hand. I love him with all of my heart."
Drew was such a great book boyfriend, I loved him. And he fell hard and fast, just like Bree did. There were a lot of twists and turns and some great unexpected moments. You have to wait and see what happened- I hate to give away and spoil such a great story.
And then the cliffhanger- oh sweet baby Jesus. I am wondering where it leaves Bree and Drew. Will Bree's father Pat find out what actually happened? Oh the questions that are forming in my head are overwhelming. But if you can't get that kind of emotion out of me after a book- it isn't a very good book to begin with. I can't wait for more from Stacey Grice- I think she is going to do fantastic
things. I just know it.
I love reading- clearly from all the books and reviews I write, everyone knows this about me. So when I got asked to not only read Stacey Grice's debut novel- but beta read for her. I got to help Stacey brainstorm about her work in progress, and give her feedback before the book came out, or in layman'™s terms: nana, nana, boo, boo. I was thrilled, and I love to support good, hardworking authors whenever I get the chance.
The characters-
Bree is the heroine, feisty and funny- full of spunk. Taking care of her brother- Liam, and essentially her father. He owns a gym where he trains MMA fighters, boxers, pretty much anyone who wants to train. It's a lot to take on and Bree takes it quite literally like a champ. But it doesn't leave her much time to be a young girl.
"I'd been devastated in my life before. I had love and lost. I supposed I could do it again."
Drew is the hero- an up and coming MMA artist, coming to Florida from Arizona to escape the wreck that is his life. He may not think it, but he is so strong, and such a great alpha male. I loved Drew and all his claims to fame, especially Grilled Cheese Master.
Secondary characters;
The best friend, Sue- I loved her she was sassy and prissy, but got lots of American slang mixed him. She was kind of like the blonde, without being blonde.
The brother- Liam- I really enjoyed him. He was slow for his age, and always a little behind, but that never stopped him from his passion of the MMA world.
The friend- Mick- he helps Drew out when he needs it the most. It's an attribute that is great to have, and I really admired him for coming to Drew™'s aid.
The father- Pat- he is such a strong man, to have to raise two children by himself after his wife tragically dies, and for one to have special needs made it that much harder on him
The story-
Bree and Drew are both stuck in their life in different places. Bree is stuck because she is only twenty two years old and basically takes care of her brother and father as a mother would. Her and Liam's relationship is so close, it's like they are connected somehow- Stacey even mentions this right off!
But Bree needs an intervention- It’s almost like she doesn't know how to have fun. And Sue is always trying to get her to loosen up. Their banter together is super funny and witty. Totally well written for this first time author. Bree also thinks that she'™s the girl that everyone puts in the friend zone, and they always go for Sue, that is until Drew sets his eyes on her.
"I may not know his favorite color, but I know the curves of his jaw line, and how the left side of his lips curl up when he smiles. I can hear his laugh in my head. I can feel how protective he is just in the way he holds my hand. I love him with all of my heart."
Drew was such a great book boyfriend, I loved him. And he fell hard and fast, just like Bree did. There were a lot of twists and turns and some great unexpected moments. You have to wait and see what happened- I hate to give away and spoil such a great story.
And then the cliffhanger- oh sweet baby Jesus. I am wondering where it leaves Bree and Drew. Will Bree's father Pat find out what actually happened? Oh the questions that are forming in my head are overwhelming. But if you can't get that kind of emotion out of me after a book- it isn't a very good book to begin with. I can't wait for more from Stacey Grice- I think she is going to do fantastic
things. I just know it.
never
releasing my face from his hold. Everything moved in slow motion and I knew
this was the moment of our first kiss.
Suddenly, out of nowhere, the sky opened up and it started raining. Not raining, pouring! Everyone around us (of whom I’d been unaware for the last hour) scattered like ants and we stood to run for cover with the rest of the crowd. People were frantic and crazy, squealing and sprinting for cover, bumping into us left and right. Drew grabbed my hand and pulled me with him, jogging away from the chaos in the rain. We were running in the street along the inter-coastal, in the direction of the gym a few blocks away. Already drenched, we laughed at each other, stepping in puddles and pulling each other back and forth to dodge others in our path. It felt like we were children, being playful and having fun with it, because what else could you do
at that point?
Suddenly, out of nowhere, the sky opened up and it started raining. Not raining, pouring! Everyone around us (of whom I’d been unaware for the last hour) scattered like ants and we stood to run for cover with the rest of the crowd. People were frantic and crazy, squealing and sprinting for cover, bumping into us left and right. Drew grabbed my hand and pulled me with him, jogging away from the chaos in the rain. We were running in the street along the inter-coastal, in the direction of the gym a few blocks away. Already drenched, we laughed at each other, stepping in puddles and pulling each other back and forth to dodge others in our path. It felt like we were children, being playful and having fun with it, because what else could you do
at that point?
When the
rain picked up, we were still a good four blocks from the gym. Drew suddenly
stopped jogging in front of me and turned around to face me, a look of
intensity and determination in his expression. I almost couldn't stop in time
and nearly crashed into his chest. He grabbed my face with both of his strong,
masculine hands and looked at me like I was a giant piece of chocolate cake and
he was starving. For two seconds he stared at me. Four seconds. Six seconds.
All the while standing in the middle of the street in the pouring rain. And
then his lips crashed into mine. His lips were firm at first but immediately
softened. He licked my lower lip, tasting me, enticing me to open for him and I
couldn't dream of doing anything in that moment but exactly whatever he wanted
me to do. I opened my lips slowly to invite him in and our tongues touched each
other, playfully at first and then with purpose. They danced together in
perfect synchronized harmony like a beautiful Viennese waltz. The waltz turned
into an angry paso doble, full of passion and angst. He kissed me with urgency,
like he couldn't get enough, but not with haste. He was savoring me, cherishing
me. My hair stuck to my face, slick with wetness from the rain, my dress
clinging to my body, soaked all the way to my underwear, but I didn't want to
move. Our hands were all over the place, grabbing each other anywhere,
everywhere. He held my face with one hand and reached around to the small of my
back to pull me in closer to him. The substantial, hard bulge between us
confirmed how much I was affecting him. I felt my core twitch and throb with a
need that I’d never felt before. My romance novels were finally right about
something—this aching and throbbing stuff was legit. I didn't want to stop
feeling it. I didn't ever want to stop.
Our mouths separated and I tried to take a
deep breath, but he moved his mouth down to my throat and neck, kissing and
licking, lapping up the raindrops from my skin, and I couldn't possibly catch
my breath with him doing that. I suddenly realized where we were still outside,
still in the wide open, still in the rain. He must’ve felt me stiffen, because
he brought his eyes up to mine and smiled.
"Let's get you out of the
rain," he said, and we started jogging towards the gym again.
I am a mother to a beautiful five
year old daughter and a wife to my best friend. Being a labor and delivery
nurse three nights a week pays the bills but I have recently decided to take my
hobby of writing to the next level. Living in Florida where I was born
and raised allows me to hear the waves and stick my toes in the sand whenever I
want, which is vital to my emotional well-being. Completely and absolutely
obsessed with good music, the lifeline to my creativity, I cannot and will not
write without it. Some things that I appreciate are honesty but not cruelty, an
unapologetic sense of humor, being able to make any situation fun, often
dancing like no one is watching, and a good cup of coffee with enough creamer
to make it blonde.
Being an astute people watcher with
a judgmental mind gives me constant inspiration for my stories. My characters,
like many authors, are conceived from a hodgepodge of actual people in my life,
unique personality traits, real world encounters, and conversations that I have
directly taken part in. Totaled is my debut novel with many more to come.
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