Synopsis:
I got burned with this book and I loved it. ~ R.D. Cole
Tiffany Aleman’s new stand-alone Smoldering is just that! HOT! The connection between Riley and Kelsey is explosive. Smoldering is a story about letting your heart lead you to happiness. I couldn’t put it down. ~ Kaylee Ryan
A girl searching for herself, a slimy politician and a hot military man all collide in this fantastic debut romance by Tiffany Aleman. ~ Ilsa Madden- Mills, Amazon Bestselling Author
Money ~ power ~ fame
Kelsey
Growing up in the arms of one of the wealthiest families in America, I lived a champagne lifestyle and never wanted for anything.
That life came with stipulations…
1. Marry the man I don’t love.
2. Make my parents proud.
Wrong.
I left my Manolos and fancy apartment behind and fled that life to find out who I really was.
Someone unexpected bulldozed my life.
Riley Jackson
He was the man everyone, including me, wanted, but his future was one I wasn’t sure I wanted to thrust myself back into. And when he chose a career over the family business, his family supported him instead of pushing him away.
My past collided with my future.
I didn’t see it coming. If I had, I would’ve ran far, far away.
Now I’m stuck in the same position I started in two years ago, except this time, it’s not my decision to make.
Loyalty to your family? Loyalty to your own happiness?
Which would you choose?
Review by Natasha Gentile
Meet Kelsey.
When we first meet Kelsey she is standing in a one of a kind spare no expense top of the line wedding dress. I mean who’s wouldn’t get a real tiara when they are marrying the governor. This is what she was bred for; this is what is expected from her. How can she not go through with a wedding to a man that she doesn't love and who has his side vagina at the wedding. Well she decided that she was through. Throw out the Manolo’s and the diamonds- this Cinderella has just turned into a pumpkin. She runs, but how far can you run from your past? Not far enough.
Riley Jackson has had the complete opposite life that Kelsey lead. He has parents that want him to pick what makes him happy, regardless if it’s their choice. He sets his sights on Kelsy and achieves something no one has ever done. He made her love. A feeling she’s never had, a feeling that was never cast upon her. What can go wrong?
Hello past- meet my present! Riley is in for a big surprise. Not a nice surprise, but a big knock him on his ass one. Kelsey never told him something important and now he’s blind sighted and to say it didn’t go over well, well that would be the understatement of the year.
He can’t get over it and she is not about to come between him and his future. She wants someone to fight for her, that wants to be with her. Let me warn you-get out the tissues, because there is a scene to end all scenes...I mean that scene shattered my heart into little bits of pieces.
You told me I was your sanctuary. People don’t run from the place that grounds them. But you did. And you left me a shell of a man that’s crumbling to the ground. You f*cking ruined me.
"It’s ok Riley, just know that, even thought I didn’t tell you every single gritty detail about my past, you knew me here", she points to her heart, “and that’s all that matters. What I feel for you is the realist thing I’ve ever f*cking felt. I was giving you space, you sealed our fate.” He broke me. He burned me.
This scene is the most heartbreaking and soul-shattering scene I’ve ever read. I held my breath and my heart pounded in my chest all the way up to my ears. I wanted to curl into a ball and sob for her and tell them everything is ok, but it isn’t, how do you recover from a broke heart when you have no idea what this feeling is?
She hits rock bottom and slowly starts to find herself again only to be thrust into Riley’s life again. Can they overcome the past and look to the future? What a wicked ride we went on. Up , down, all around and it was great.
On a side note this is the first book that I’ve read that has touched on the deployment side of the military and that scene before they leave had me holding my breath. To everyone whose lives the military touches, I want to thank you all for dedicating your life and the lives of your beloved to make sure we are safe.
Three Chicks Interview Riley and Kels
Let’s start
with some ice breaker questions….
Riley, explain
your enlistment in the Army-how many years must you serve until you are
eligible to retire? Any deployments coming up? Think you will ever leave the
service?
Riley: First let
me say thank you for having us here. Kelsey and I appreciate it. With the way
things are now in the military, you can actually retire at fifteen years, but
you have to serve at least twenty in order to get all your benefits when you do
retire. As far as deployments, I hope not. *shakes head and laughs* I mean, I
just returned from one. In reference as to leaving the service, right now I’m
not sure. I love what I do, but things change so it’s hard to say.
Kels, since
Riley is home have you cut back on either your studies or your work schedule?
Kels: I have.
He’s only been home for a few days and we’ve been catching up. Plus, we’re
living together now so there are a lot of changes and kinks we’re trying to
work through.
Riley, have you used your knowledge of Braille for
anyone other than your grandmother?
Kels: No. But one
day, when I have children of my own I will teach them too.
Kels, what is going on with Jen? Is she still with
Turner?
Kels: *shakes her head and smirks* Jen. Ha! She’s something else, but yes she’s still
with Turner. He’s good for her and I’m happy if she’s happy.
Riley, you
are very young to be a Warrant Officer, how did that happen in such a short
time?
Riley: When you
join the Army, you can actually ‘walk on’ or enlist to
become one. It helped
that I already had a Bachelor’s Degree in Business and that I already had a
pilots license too.
Kels, I’m sure you see a lot of Candace and
Brad-what’s new with them-any babies?
Kels: *Smiles at
Lisa* Actually, Candace is pregnant. And before you ask, no they don’t know
what they’re having. They didn’t want to find out even though I all but begged
them to. I mean who doesn’t want to go shopping for a baby boy or girl?
Okay, let’s
go a little deeper…
Riley, let’s get the hardest question, and the one
EVERYONE wants the answer to: why didn’t you answer Kels’ texts and calls after
the party, and why did that girl end up on your couch? If you hadn’t have been
too drunk, would you have gone through with having sex with her?
Riley: * rubs the back of his neck as he chuckles* Wow! What a way to put me on the
spot. *Looks from Kels back to Lisa* You’re right though. You and everyone else
deserve the answers to those questions. Kels’ calls and texts went unanswered
because I was hurt. I know it was selfish of me, she was hurting too but all I
could do was focus on my pain. I stayed in a continuous drunken stupor and
that’s what led to the other woman. I regret it, her, all of it more than
anything, but no, I like to believe that if I hadn’t been drunk I wouldn’t have
slept with her.
Kels, did
you want to rip out his jugular when you saw that skank coming out of his
apartment?
Kels: I wanted
to rip off something and let me say it wasn’t his jugular.
Riley, didn’t
you at some point, get sick of the way you were screwing and drinking your life
away? Why did you hang up on Kels when she called you and you were with that
other drunk skank? Before you were with Kels, were you a player (we really want
to just ask you if you were a manwhore before, or did breaking up with Kels
make you act that way?
Riley: *Inhales
deeply before nodding once* I was in a dark hole. I felt my life spinning out
of control and at that point it was beyond my control. I did get sick of the
way I was living my life, but like I said, I was stuck. Luckily for me, I had
to go to training and that helped sober me up. It also made me take a step back
and look at things from a different perspective. For the record, I never went
home with that woman but I did hang up on Kels and that I take complete
responsibility for. I have no real answer as to why I hung up on her other than
besides being hurt I was pissed. She had left me, twice, at least that’s how I
perceived it. And as far the “manwhore” question goes, I wasn’t a manwhore. I
didn’t fuck just anything, but I was single and had plenty of options.
Kels, what
do you think finally was the come to Jesus moment for you that made you stop
your own destructive behavior?
Kels: *Reaches
up and touches cheek* The slap heard around the world. Jen. My saving grace.
I’m not sure what would have happened if it hadn’t been for her.
Riley, why
did you show up on Kels’ couch when you did? Months had gone by without any
communication, why did you choose then?
Riley: *looks at Kels and holds her gaze* I had to know if it was really over. I had
been sober. Then finding out that you’re deploying will really put things in
perspective for you. I was still hurt but I felt like I was in the right state
of mind to actually go to her. Thankfully it all worked out. She’s it, my one.
Kels, if Riley
hadn’t have come back, do you think you would have made a life with Lyle?
*ducks head to avoid daggers from Riley*
Kels: *Looks from Riley to Lisa sheepishly* I
think it could have been a possibility, yes. But it would have never been the
same, I’m not sure my heart would have ever opened up to him like it did to
Riley.
Riley, what
would you have done if Kels didn’t give you another chance?
Riley: *Sucks in
sharp breath* I would have had let her go, albeit begrudgingly. I would have
understood her reasoning, I wouldn’t have liked it, but I would have
understood. Kels deserves a life full of happiness, whether it be with me or
someone else. All I want is for her to be happy.
Kels, do you
see Lyle at all? We would love to see him get his own HEA.
Kels: I do on occasion
and I’d love for him to get his happy ending as well and he will, one day. He’s
a good man. I hope he finds his forever.
Kels, now
that you working at a good paying job, any designer shoes making their way back
into your closet?
Kels: *Shakes
head and laughs* It always comes back to shoes doesn’t it? Yes, there are some
but it’s not something I have to have. I’m fine with a pair of chucks and flip-flops.
What
made you both write those beautiful letters to each other right before Riley
was deployed?
Kels: *Looks at Riley and smiles* I wanted him to
know how I felt. I wanted Riley to have a piece of me with him everyday while
he was away. I hoped that when he started feeling homesick he could look back
on my letter and remember that there was something to come home to.
Riley: *Squeezes
Kels’ hand and smiles* And I came back home just like I said I would, to you. I
wrote my letter to let her know where I stood. I didn’t want her to worry about
me even though I knew it was pointless. But I also needed her to know that with
deployments comes the harsh reality that I may not make it home. I needed her
to know that if that was the case, I wanted her to know that understood if she
moved on. But I also wanted her to know that I’d be waiting for her to join me.
Kels, have you ever see your parents again? Or has Lana?
Kels: No.
*shakes head* And I’m okay with that. I’ve come to the realization that
sometimes life just sucks and it is how it is. Lucky for me, I have Riley’s
parents whom I adore and love and they love me too. What I didn’t find in my
parents I found in them. As for Lana, I’m not sure if she has or not. To be
honest, I don’t think she’d mention it if she had.
So,
what does the future hold? Marriage, if so when? Kids?
*Riley and
Kels look at each other and smile*
Kels: One day to all of the above. Right
now, we’re just trying to get used to living together. We want to enjoy each
other for a little while.
Riley: *scoffs* She’s right to an extent but I plan on marrying her sooner than she
thinks and having her barefoot and pregnant right after the honeymoon. *Kel’s
slaps his arm playfully* You know it’s true, babe, no use in pretending *he
chuckles*.
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