Book Blitz & Giveaway
The Boyfriend List
by
R.S. Novelle
The Boyfriend List
by
R.S. Novelle
 |
Publication date: February 10th 2014
Genres: New Adult, Romance |
~ Synopsis ~
The
Boyfriend List follows twenty-year-old Reagan in her quest for the perfect
relationship after a somewhat tragic spring break breakup leaves her
disillusioned about love… again.
Reagan had always prided herself on making levelheaded, practical, analytical decisions about everything. Everything, that is, except where guys are concerned. Which was proven to her, once again, when her “boyfriend” opts to take another girl on their oh-so-romantic trip to his lake house. In order to prevent future heartbreak, she creates a checklist of all the qualities she wants in a man, and vows not to give her heart away again until she can determine if they fit every last criteria.
After scouring campus with her two best friends in her tricky journey, her detective work returns a pile of unworthy rejects, and it seems as though her choices are narrowed down to only two options: the hot stranger who’s inspired her new project, and her best guy friend Ian, who she’s always kept at bay due to his perceived playboy reputation.
Reagan gets more than she bargained for with her new set of rules, however, and is surprised to find that love, and the perfect boyfriend, may have been within reach the entire time. But will Ian’s reputation ruin his chances to prove his worth? And can Reagan let go of her insecurities long enough to even give him a chance?
The Boyfriend List is a light, New Adult romance about friendship, trust, and learning to let go in order to embrace what real love can offer.
Reagan had always prided herself on making levelheaded, practical, analytical decisions about everything. Everything, that is, except where guys are concerned. Which was proven to her, once again, when her “boyfriend” opts to take another girl on their oh-so-romantic trip to his lake house. In order to prevent future heartbreak, she creates a checklist of all the qualities she wants in a man, and vows not to give her heart away again until she can determine if they fit every last criteria.
After scouring campus with her two best friends in her tricky journey, her detective work returns a pile of unworthy rejects, and it seems as though her choices are narrowed down to only two options: the hot stranger who’s inspired her new project, and her best guy friend Ian, who she’s always kept at bay due to his perceived playboy reputation.
Reagan gets more than she bargained for with her new set of rules, however, and is surprised to find that love, and the perfect boyfriend, may have been within reach the entire time. But will Ian’s reputation ruin his chances to prove his worth? And can Reagan let go of her insecurities long enough to even give him a chance?
The Boyfriend List is a light, New Adult romance about friendship, trust, and learning to let go in order to embrace what real love can offer.
~ Excerpt ~
Maybe she needed to get some
fresh air, she decided. Go for a walk, clear her head. Anything to distract her
focus from her thoughts and reset her mind back on her paper.
Decision made. She shut down
her computer, set aside her books and wrapped her long hair into a somewhat
sloppy bun on the top of her head. Reagan had contemplated a light sweatshirt
to ward off the last cold brisk of winter that clung to the night air in stubborn
resignation, then decided against it. But before she’d even left her bedroom,
she turned back and yanked it off her bed after all. Apparently she was having
a hard time making up her mind about everything that night.
Zipping it halfway up her
torso, just below her breasts, she crept quietly out the front door and turned
to lock it behind her. A quick breeze whipped its way around the corner and
down the corridor, and as a shiver worked its way up her spine, she was
thankful she’d listened to her intuition. Maybe she should do that more often.
But just as Reagan turned to
go down the stairs and head out on her walk, she was met – nearly head on – by
an unexpected sight. Ian stood before her, mildly drunk but mostly sober,
looking as surprised to see her as she was to see him. It was clear he’d been
out for a night of fun, though she’d seen him far worse on more occasions than
she could count on both hands. But it was also just as clear that, once again,
he’d come home alone. She couldn’t help the little smirk of satisfaction that
turned up at the corners of her mouth on that discovery, though internally she
chastised herself at the thought.
“And just where do you think you’re going?”
His voice danced over the words with dramatic flair, an indicative side effect
of his inebriated condition.
It took her a minute to find
her voice. “I need a break.” She finally explained, “This essay’s killing me
and I want to clear my head.”
“Nice jacket.” He flicked the toggle of her
zipper, and Reagan felt it flutter in her core. “Want some company?”
The flutter was moving faster
at the suggestion. His eyes had grown dark, almost as dark as the night sky,
and she thought she saw something in them that begged her to say yes. Suddenly,
she wasn’t so sure she needed her sweatshirt any longer, since the temperature
seemed to have risen up all around her, working a pink tint into her cheeks.
She was glad it was so dark out, hopefully he couldn’t tell this time. “Aren’t
you just getting in though? You’re probably tired...right?”
Please say yes, please say yes, please say yes... she chanted in her head. The truth was she very much would’ve loved
his company, maybe a little too much, but she wasn’t certain she trusted
herself around him yet...alone...in the middle of the night. There were too
many possibilities, too many temptations that her imagination could come up
with. If she acted on any one of them, and was wrong in her assumption, well
the let down could be brutal at best.
“Tired? Me?” He shook his
head and made a face at the suggestion. “The party was just getting boring. Too
many of the same people, not worth the time.” Was he implying that she was worth his time then? Reagan
certainly hoped so, considering how long they’d been friends. But she couldn’t
help wondering if there was something more behind the words. “So what do you
say? Can I walk with you?” And as he tilted his head in that subtle way that
only Ian could, a dimple working it’s way into the corner of his cheek, she
felt her breath rush out of her lungs.
He’d put the ball back in her
court again. Damn him! There’d be no
getting around it this time, she’d have to give him a definitive answer. And
quickly. Reagan knew she should say no. There was something inside, warning
her that it wasn’t a good idea. As though accepting his innocent invitation
would somehow change things. Alter their relationship and shift their energies
toward one another in a way that could never be put back again. But, when she
really thought about it, hadn’t they kind of done that already?
And yet everything inside of her wanted to scream yes, and keep the momentum of what they’d started earlier in the
day moving forward. It wanted to let him take her hand in his, entwine her
fingers around his, as though it was the most natural thing in the world for
them to be doing. All she could manage though was a simple nod, stiffened by
the breath she held tightly in her chest. It was almost as though she was
afraid to acknowledge what she wholeheartedly wanted, even to herself, because
doing so would only leave her open and vulnerable to a future of regrets and
failures.
~ Links to Buy ~
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~ A little Q & A with Renee ~
Where are you from originally?
Originally I was born in the tiny little town of
Ashland, Kentucky. But we moved pretty quickly, and I grew up almost all of my
life in Gainesville, Florida (Go Gators!). Living in a city that kind of
revolves around the college there, and is comprised of mostly college students
gave me some great material for my upcoming New Adult stories.
Tell us your latest news?
I’m so, so
excited to have just released my first New Adult romance! I had so much fun
writing this book, and I really hope that readers will be able to connect with
the characters. I had originally planned it as a single title, but I’ve
received so many requests asking for more of Reagan and Ian that I’ve decided
to turn it into a trilogy! I’m really excited to explore the next step in their
journey together.
Where do you get your ideas?
It depends on
what genre I’m writing in. Sometimes they come from real life events and
experiences. Other times they’re inspired by pieces of a news story I’ve heard
or something in the community. But lately my muse likes to drop them into my
head at 3am while I’m trying to sleep.
What is your writing process?
I generally tend to think of the title first (I
work backwards like that), and then form the general concept of the story
around that. I sit on this for weeks, months, even years in some instances
until I feel like I know the story and characters well enough to plot the whole
thing out. After writing a detailed outline, I start the first draft and edit
as I go. Then I give it one or two more edits before passing it on to my proof
readers/beta readers. I tend to write quickly, so once I have an outline and
commit to writing a story, I usually have it done in 2-3 months.
Are any of your characters based on
real-life friends or acquaintances?
I think I
pull aspects of personalities from my real-life friends, but there isn’t a
character that is completely someone
I know. I based a lot of Ian’s characteristics, the way he loves and his
attentiveness to those he cares about, around the person I’m in love with.
They’re very much alike in that regard. And I’ve had friends like Petra in the
past who are so outgoing and confident in every situation.
Do you ever incorporate yourself into
your characters?
Absolutely! I
think as a writer it’s hard not to. You want the characters to be relatable and
feel real, so I’m constantly giving them my own insecurities and strengths, and
relying on my own experiences to portray a particular moment. But even more
than that, I often find that my characters are enjoying my favourite type of
coffee or tea, or that the color nail polish that I’m wearing as I write a
scene is the color they’re wearing as well.
Tell us about your cover. Did you
design it yourself and if you did where did you get the inspiration?
I designed
the overall concept and feel of the cover, but I worked very closely with a
professional graphic artist to bring it all together. I understand my
limitations, and I think it’s very beneficial to utilize professionals whenever
possible. And I enjoy the collaboration of working with someone else, bouncing
ideas off each other and watching the process of the image coming to life.
Coffee or Tea?
Coffee!!! I live for caffeine. But a nice cup of tea helps me unwind after a long day of writing.
Coffee!!! I live for caffeine. But a nice cup of tea helps me unwind after a long day of writing.
What do you do outside of writing?
I also still
write as a freelance journalist for magazines. But when I’m NOT writing, I
enjoy the beach, going to concerts or musicals, trying a new restaurant, or
exploring a new city. Since I spend so much time at my desk, I really enjoy
activities that will get me outside and active.
~ About the Author ~
Renee’
Novelle is Preceded by a long line of published family members, including
Pulitzer Prize nominated author and Poet Laureate of Kentucky Jesse
Stuart.
As a child, Novelle was already gaining recognition for several of her works, and in her formative years, she continued this trend by earning local awards for her short stories and poems.
Inspired to cultivate her talent, Novelle pursued freelance journalism and has found placement of 75 of her pieces in both online and print publications since 2008. Additionally, she has written multiple screenplays, and contributed her savvy, effective writing style to many non-profit and for profit organizations. She launched several blogs over the years, which garnered international attention.
In 2013, Novelle returned to her first love – fiction. She writes psychological and paranormal thrillers, as well as contemporary fiction and new adult fiction. For a complete schedule of upcoming releases, please visit www.RSNovelle.com
Though she received her Bachelor’s of Science in Communication, Summa Cum Laude, she considers herself a constant student of the written word. She’s an avid reader, an enthusiastic quote poster, and rarely takes “no” as a final answer. She has an unhealthy obsession for theater, dance, music and art, and strongly believes that wine is simultaneously the beginning of, and resolution to, all of life’s problems. She believes in following dreams, and that in the end, you always end up where you're meant to be.
As a child, Novelle was already gaining recognition for several of her works, and in her formative years, she continued this trend by earning local awards for her short stories and poems.
Inspired to cultivate her talent, Novelle pursued freelance journalism and has found placement of 75 of her pieces in both online and print publications since 2008. Additionally, she has written multiple screenplays, and contributed her savvy, effective writing style to many non-profit and for profit organizations. She launched several blogs over the years, which garnered international attention.
In 2013, Novelle returned to her first love – fiction. She writes psychological and paranormal thrillers, as well as contemporary fiction and new adult fiction. For a complete schedule of upcoming releases, please visit www.RSNovelle.com
Though she received her Bachelor’s of Science in Communication, Summa Cum Laude, she considers herself a constant student of the written word. She’s an avid reader, an enthusiastic quote poster, and rarely takes “no” as a final answer. She has an unhealthy obsession for theater, dance, music and art, and strongly believes that wine is simultaneously the beginning of, and resolution to, all of life’s problems. She believes in following dreams, and that in the end, you always end up where you're meant to be.
~ Connect with Renee ~
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