In Too Deep

In Too Deep, my awesome, talented friend, Michelle's debut novel  is out now!

I read the entire book in a day. When I like a book, I don't put it down until it's finished. If I don't like a book, I never read past the first chapter. That's how I roll. With Michelle's book, I didn't put it down.

I have to admit that although I loved the book, the story, and Michelle's writing, I wanted to slap the main character, Gracie and say, "Wake up! The guy's an a$$! Run. Run fast!" But it's a lot easier to see an abusive relationship when you're outside looking in, rather than when you're in the middle of it, isn't it? If you haven't yet, you need to read In Too Deep. It's available in paperback and Kindle.

A blurb:

Gracie has just finished her freshman year of college in Memphis when she takes a job at a local pizza joint in her home town of McKenzie, Tennessee. She is the epitome of innocence when she meets Noah. Noah is unabashedly handsome, intriguingly reckless and just cocky enough to be sexy. Gracie’s instincts tell her to stay far away from him and based on the stories she hears from her co-workers he leaves broken hearts in his wake. But still, she can’t explain her fascination with him.

Noah puts aside his bad boy ways when what he thought was a summer crush has him unexpectedly falling in love. But soon after Gracie transfers to UT Knoxville to be with Noah, their unexpected love becomes riddled with anger, deceit and humiliation.

Jake, Noah’s former roommate and Gracie’s best friend, can no longer be a bystander. Gracie’s world falls out from beneath her and when she breaks she turns to Jake for strength. As Jake talks her through a decision she’s not yet strong enough to make, together they uncover a truth so ugly neither of them is prepared for its fallout. Will Jake pull her to the surface or is Gracie Jordan finally In Too Deep?

An excerpt:

The strong force of the wave pulled me under. I gasped for air just before my face disappeared below the surface. My body rolled over and over, my arms flailed, and my head pounded into the sea bed which felt like a concrete floor. The salty water stung my eyes. I forced myself to keep them open, fearing I would slip into unconsciousness from the blow I took to the head. I knew I had to hold it together long enough for the swell to pull me back up when the wave rolled. But something was pulling me deeper. I fought with all my might, kicking against the thick water swallowing me whole. I used my arms like underwater oars and sliced through the depths trying to reach what I needed most, but I was in too deep.

“Get out!” I could barely get the words out before I had to run to the bathroom and void my gut of its contents. Noah didn’t move.

I wiped my mouth with the back of my hand and screamed, “I said, Get! Out!” I stumbled back into the room, grabbed the box of mementos I’d collected from the last year of our relationship, and dumped everything into the trashcan in the corner. Like a communal grave, there lay movie tickets, dried rose petals, a strip of photos from the boardwalk, all the beautiful letters he wrote last fall semester, an empty beer bottle, and all the rest of what was now just a reminder of the guy I thought I knew.

(One of my favorite pictures of Michelle - middle, me - right, and Mimi - left)

For my most awesome, loyal readers, Michelle has agreed to give away a signed copy of In Too Deep! Go like her Facebook page here Michelle Kemper Brownlow (where she has all sorts of bonus features like yummy pictures of Jake, Jake and Gracie's downloadable playlist, and information on upcoming projects). And leave a comment here to be entered into the drawing for the signed copy of In Too Deep! I'll choose a random winner on Friday, June 28. Good luck!