{Review} {Giveaway} {Excerpts} More Than This by Jay McLean

I wanted to read this book and then I was asked to participate in the blog tour.. 
Of course I fucking said YES, I got to not only put this one on top of my TBR pile but I also got to experience Mikayla and Jake's story sooner..

*Mikayla*

In one night my fairytale ended. Or it may have begun. This is my story of friendship and love, heartbreak and desire, and the strength to show weakness.

*Jake*

One night I met a girl. A sad and broken girl, but one more beautiful than any other. She laughed through her sadness, while I loved through her heartbreak.

*This is our story of a maybe ever after.*

He was right. It made no difference whether it was 6 months or 6 years.

I couldn’t undo what had been done. I couldn’t change the future.

I couldn’t even predict it.

It was one night.

One night when everything changed.

It was so much more than just the betrayal.

It was the Tragedy.

The Deaths.

The Murders.

But it was also that feeling.

The feeling of falling.

Author Bio:

Author of Mature YA / New Adult contemporary novels, MORE THAN THIS and a soon to be released sequel, MORE THAN HER. I enjoy reading and writing books that make people laugh, cry andswoon for dreamy book boyfriends. When not doing either of those, I can be found looking after my two little boys, and trying to avoid house work at all costs.

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Author Links:​

http://www.jaymcleanauthor.com/

https://www.facebook.com/jaymcleanauthor

https://twitter.com/JayMcLeanAuthor

http://www.goodreads.com/Jaymclean

My Thoughts

This book was really stinking good.. like GOOOODD!! 

I was captivated from the very beginning with the family and how sweet and caring they were towards one another. The family aspect is hardly used positively in the books I read. They are usually abusive, nonexistent, assholes, whores... You get the picture... It is refreshing to read a book with actual family units.. 

BUT unfortunately it does not last...

I do not want to go into too much details about what happens in this story because I am not sure I can do it without spoiling something.

In the beginning, Mikayla is betrayed, stabbed in the back and completely devastated all in one night. 

Luckily, she meets a rather attractive young man, with an Australian accent (YUMMM), named Jake.

Jake becomes Mikayla's lifeline that helps to keep her anchored, when the world around her is deteriorating. 

Everything she once knew is wiped away, everything she has ever loved...GONE.. She does not know which way is up and it is by a complete miracle that she hasn't let the pain just swallow her whole. 

If I was in Kayla's shoes, I would have been too devastated to even carry on after everything that happens. I would have climbed right under my covers and not come back out until my heart felt right again. 

It was down right depressing. 

Jake is her rock, even as a complete stranger, he is the one person Mikayla can count on through this awful time. He is understanding, sexy, compassionate, and everything that makes him just swoontastic! I loved him and his character. 

Not only that but his family and friends are just as amazing and kind of adopt Kayla in a way. 

With their love, support, kind words, and encouragement, she starts to heal from the pain that haunts her. She learns to lean on people who would have never been in her life if she never found out about that asshole.. aheemm. 

Fate and Karma always have a way of working things out. 

Throughout the story, we get to see Jake and Mikayla fall in love with each other, while the story gets told in both Jake and Mikayla's point of view. 

Turning the pages I kept waiting and anticipating for them to finally be together, to finally accept that they love one another and have them live happily ever after. But this takes a while and I think it took a lot longer than necessary. It dragged a bit and at times I found myself a little annoyed because of the slow pace. 

I liked Mikayla but I wasn't in love with her. There was something about her that I just didn't connect with completely. I have no idea what it was... maybe the fact that she kept herself locked up for so long and she did everything else with Jake but she wouldn't be with him? 
It drove me bananas.

I loved Jake's family they were everything I expected a true family to be like and his mom was extra special. I mean only she can tease Jake about his morning wood and laugh about it. 
I also loved all of Jake's friends and the banter between all of them was comical and a little cheesy but overall entertaining. 

I really liked this book. It was a fantastic read and I am looking forward to the next book in the series told in Logan's point of view. 
I have a feeling he is going to be an interesting character to read about ;)...

Overall, I give this book a 4/5 and I can't wait to read more from this author!!
If you want to read a book about loss, grieving, finding love, overcoming tragedy but with a lighter feel to it then I would follow these links and get it NOW!!! 

Amazon US
-> http://amzn.to/GMqLly

Amazon UK
-> http://amzn.to/GMqPBQ

Barnes & Noble.
-> http://bit.ly/1afbsev

Kobo
-> http://bit.ly/1afbuTE

Smashwords
-> http://bit.ly/GMr2VB

STAY TUNED FOR GIVEAWAY INFO AND 

EXCERPTS

GIVEAWAY

Excerpt 1

“He was going to meet you at the cages after he dropped us off. He was just there for me, that’s all.” I pause for a minute. “Wait, he didn’t tell you?”

Jake’s shaking his head, taking it all in. “He said it wasn’t his story to tell, and if I wanted to know I had to hear it from you.” He blows out a breath, puffing out his cheeks with the force of it. “Fuck, Kayla. I really am an asshole. I was a dick to him, and to you. And Julie, shit, I scared the shit out of her. Why didn’t you tell me? Was that what last night was about?”

“Yeah. I didn’t think about it until I was at the pharmacy with Julie, and then I wigged out, and I didn’t know what to do. I didn’t tell you, because I wanted to be sure first. I didn’t know what I was going to do if … you know.”

“So you’re not. For sure? Like a hundred percent?”

“Yeah, Jake.” I nod my head. “I’m sure.”

He breaths out a heavy sigh, and we sit in silence for a long time.

“Can I stay with you tonight? Please, Kayla?” It’s barely a whisper.

I scoot across the bed and lift the covers. He takes his shirt off and gets in. We face each other. Holding on, not wanting to let go, not even for a second.

We’re looking so intently into each other’s eyes, trying to see into each other’s souls.

Talking without speaking.

Feeling without touching.

“Jake?”

“Yeah?”

“It’s just you. It’s only ever been just you. It will always only ever be just you.”

And then he kisses me. A quick kiss on the lips. But it has the passion of a thousand kisses, and holds the power of a thousand promises.

“So much more than a lot,” he says, before we fall asleep, the best way we can, in each other’s arms.

Excerpt 2

I’m being a dick, and not concentrating on what I’m doing, and I think I end up putting the wrong weights on the bar because when I go to press them, I can’t, and I’m fucking struggling to get the bar off my chest.

“Woah.” I hear, as someone comes to spot me and get the bar back on the rack.

James. Of course it is.

“You all right, man?” he asks.

“I’m fine, asshole,” I spit out.

He’s taken aback for a second, before he removes his earphones and starts winding them around his iPod, like he’s ready to have a long conversation.

Great, just what I fucking need.

“I uh,” he clears his throat. This kid’s awkward as hell. “I heard you went to Emily’s grave on her birthday.”

I look at him sideways.

“Micky told me,” he states.

I don’t care.

He takes a deep breath in, and then sighs out loud.

I don’t say anything. Just sit on the bench and wait or him to fuck off.

“You know I asked Micky to marry me, right?”

Oh god, I can not have this conversation with him, not now.

I stay silent.

He continues, “I asked Kevin, her dad. I asked his permission before I did it.”

“So?” I bite out, because I don’t know where this conversation is going but I hate that we’re having it. “She said no, right?”

“Yeah, she did. That’s not the point I’m trying to make so quit being a jerk and let me finish.”

So I do.

“Kevin, he was a really good guy. He loved his girls more than anything. My dad, he’s kind of a prick. He’s one of those dads you’re always trying to impress, you know? Like nothing you do is ever good enough.”

I remember his dad from the funeral. I get it.

“Anyway, Kevin, he was different, always accepted you. His girls could have been or done anything, and he would always love and encourage them.”

I wait for him to go on.

“Shit, what I’m trying to say is that, when I asked him for permission, he kind of just looked at me strange for a few seconds, and I swear I thought he was going to say no. Then he clapped me on the shoulder and said, ‘James, she’s eighteen, and I can’t stop you. I think it’s a little young, but I was eighteen when I met Denise, so I can’t talk. I’m sure you will both make the right decision, and she’ll learn to love you as a husband.’”

He clears his throat.

“I was so fucking happy he was okay with it, I didn’t even think about what he said until later. That she would ‘learn’ to love me as a husband.” He pauses for a bit, thinking about his next words.

“I get it now, Jake, what he meant. She shouldn’t have to learn to love me like that, she just should. And, somehow, Kevin knew that she didn’t. And, now I see … I see it, the way she is with you, the way she looks at you, that’s how it should have been. Like you’re the only one. You’re it, Jake. You’re all of it. Her forever.”

Excerpt 3

We get to prom within seconds of the announcement. Heidi goes from the girl we know to the girl everyone expects her to be. She prances on stage, smiles and says a few words. Prom king is Doug, the quarterback. Of course he is.

They pose for photos, but it’s awkward as hell, because Doug knows Dylan’s watching, and you don’t fuck with Dylan. Doesn’t matter that, physically, they’d be a decent match up. There’s only one thing Dylan loves more than basketball, and that’s his girl. And there’s a huge difference between basketball and Heidi. We’d give him shit if he weren’t so serious about her. He’s not the hearts and flowers kind of guy, but he’s the heart and soul kind, and fuck if every girl would rather that than flowers.

Excerpt 4

My eyes widen and snap to Jake. He looks down, and shakes his head, with laughter in his eyes. He removes my hand that was covering his mouth, entwines our fingers, and gives my wrist a chaste kiss before Logan adds to the story.

“That’s not all that happened, tell her the rest, Jake.”

I look at him. Oh my god. He slept with her.

“Oh my god, you slept with her?” I gasp out.

“NO!” he yells, and everyone cracks up. “NO! What? God … No!” he says again, shivering and making a disgusted face.

“Then what?” I ask.

He presses his lips together, as if refusing to speak. I make an exasperated sound, and turn to the rest of them, eyes wide, pleading someone to finish the story.

Heidi starts to giggle, and everyone joins in.

“What? WHAT HAPPENED?” I need to know.

Heidi calms herself down. “Homegirl had an engagement ring on the dash board—a male engagement ring. She proposed to him!” She’s struggling to keep talking through her laughter. “She proposed to him, naked, in the back seat of his truck, with people all around!”

“NO!” I gasp, looking at Jake, bewilderment clear in my voice. He just nods his head slowly, his thumb stroking my stomach.

“What did you do?” I ask him, but he just shakes his head. I look to everyone else. “What did he do?”

“This is the best part,” Cam continues. “He gets so freaked out, he jumps out of the car, and starts to run home. It was an away game! It took him five hours to walk home. He left everything in his truck. His phone, wallet, gear bag, everything. He couldn’t call anyone. He was so freaked to go back to the truck, in case she was still there waiting for him, or if the ring was still there. We didn’t drive out to pick it up until a week later. He went a week without a car, because he was so freaked out.”

“That’s just one of the stories,” Dylan adds. “There’s like, a hundred more just as crazy.”

I’m laughing so hard now my sides hurt.

I’d almost forgotten what we’re all doing here.

And then I remember, and stop myself from laughing.

Because today is not a laughing day.

Jake brings his hand up to my face and kisses my temple. “You can laugh and be happy, Kayla. They would want you to be.”

I smile and kiss him on the cheek.

Logan takes a huge gulp of his beer and then belches, fingers pointing between Jake and me. Heidi and Lucy groan in disgust.

“I’m going to ignore this epic, ovary explosive, sexual tension thing you guys have going on and ask a question.”

I stifle a laugh against Jake's neck, while he rolls his eyes at Logan.

“Ask your question, asshole,” he says as he rubs his nose against my jaw. God, that accent, and that voice.

My eyes close for a second. I think my ovaries will explode.

“Why does he call get to call you Kayla, and everyone else calls you Micky?”

I shrug. “Because my family called me Kayla.”