REVIEW: Release by Aly Martinez

OUR REVIEW: It's been a while since we've read an Aly Martinez novel so when I saw she was releasing a stand alone novel, I thought it would be a good opportunity to read her latest.

I went in blind so I didn't realize that after the prologue we'd be primarily reading about the origin story of Thea and Ramsey, building up to how he ended up in prison. Once I quit looking for the more current chapters and just let their story build and grow, I settled in for a sweet story of how Thea and Ramsey went from childhood frienemies to best friends to lovers; how they helped each other in neglectful circumstances and became a little family who could count on each other to get through the tough days and laugh on the easier days. It was only around the last 40-ish percent that the reasons for Ramsey's imprisonment and their estrangement started to click into place and his reactions to her made more sense. While there were a few more surprises and tense moments in this last half, ultimately this romance was a sweet one.

Part coming of age, part friends to lovers romance that focuses on a subject not normally seen in this genre: love after serious prison time, Release is a good weekend read that's warm and will quickly get you to that happily ever after.

Release, an all-new “mesmerizing” and “captivating” standalone romance from USA Today bestselling author Aly Martinez, is available now!

 SYNOPSIS:

Growing up, Ramsey Stewart branded my soul in ways time could never heal.

At twelve, he asked me to be his girlfriend.

At thirteen, he gave me my first kiss.

By sixteen, we’d fallen in love, planned a future together, and had our eyes set on the horizon.

Love never fails, right?

But for Ramsey, it did.

Love failed him.

I failed him.

The entire world failed him.

At seventeen, Ramsey was convicted of killing the boy who assaulted me.

Move on,he wrote in his first and only letter from prison.

Start a new life, he urged.

I don’t love you anymore, he lied.

There was no such thing as giving up on Ramsey. Love may have been our curse, but he was mine—then, now, and forever.

So here I am, twelve long years later, waiting for a man I don't even know to emerge from between the chain link gates.

Download your copy today or read FREE in Kindle Unlimited!

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2QOughI

Amazon Worldwide: http://mybook.to/ReleaseAlyM

Add to Goodreads: http://bit.ly/2oGE1oo

Excerpt

It was funny. I’d spent almost half my life surrounded by the biggest, baddest criminals the state of Georgia had been able to capture. Yet, I was terrified of a five-foot-five woman who for some asinine reason was still in love with me. I couldn’t be around her. Not if I wanted to keep my head straight and my eye on the prize. I had three years before I got off parole. I needed to get a job, tuck away some cash, and, the second I was allowed to leave Georgia, get the hell out of there. Maybe, if I was lucky, I’d be able to convince my sister to come with me. We didn’t have to go far. We could stay in the south if she wanted. South Carolina, North Carolina, Alabama, Tennessee—there were schools everywhere. Nora wouldn’t have trouble finding a job. The hardest part would be convincing her to leave Thea. However, maybe if she did, Thea would finally move on with her life and stop obsessing about me. I’d known they lived together for a while. I didn’t want anything to do with Thea while I was locked up, but I was happy as hell Nora had someone to lean on. I had been under the impression that Nora had gotten her own place when she found out about my release. I had been under that impression because Nora had straight-up told me she was getting her own place after I’d declared there was no way I was living with Thea. Now, I was hiding in my room, waiting for Nora to wake up, open my door, and escort me to breakfast like a damn bodyguard so I could avoid confrontation. Next up in my efforts to kill time was a workout. Sit ups, push-ups, planks, running in place. This was when I realized Nora hadn’t bought me any deodorant. Another shower. Another naked lap around the bedroom, and this time, I managed to keep my hands off my cock. Finally, I got dressed. This required me to pick through a bunch of preppy shit Nora had bought for me to find tattered jeans and a fitted green tee that clung to my chest like a damn glove. In my closet, I found a belt and a pair of distressed brown lace-up boots that maybe could have doubled as combat boots if the war was taking place on a runway. But what the hell did I know about style? I’d been wearing orange or puke beige for almost half my life. When I was done with all of that and there was still no sign of Nora, I sat on the edge of the bed and decided to give the phone thing a try. I wasn’t totally out of the technology loop. We had computers at the library and we were allowed to use them if we earned the privileges. But they might as well have been dinosaurs compared to the phone she’d bought me. I couldn’t even get it to read my face with the fancy secret laser thing. I gave up trying pretty quickly. So there I was, bored out of my mind, starving, and poking at my newfound wrinkles in the bathroom mirror, when I heard a knock at my door. “Ramsey?” I froze, my eyes locked on the mirror, panic staring back at me. Thea. Jesus. I needed to find somewhere else to live. Leaning out of the bathroom, I stared at the door. If I was super quiet, maybe she’d think I was still asleep and go the hell away. When I didn’t reply, she knocked again. Her voice was timid and sweet, not at all like the fearless girl I’d grown up with. I hated it. “Ramsey? You hungry? I’m making breakfast? I was wondering if you wanted something?” Everything from my name to the fact that she was making breakfast was a question, as if maybe she was asking permission to cook in her own house. My stomach was currently feasting on my backbone. Still, I said nothing. She sighed. “Okay. Well, if you change your—” There were several seconds of silence. I quirked my eyebrow at the door, trying to figure out why she’d abruptly stopped talking, and then cursed my inability to develop x-ray vision. I held my breath, hoping to hear her footsteps as she walked away. No. Such. Fucking. Luck. The door swung open and she came walking inside with her hands stacked over her eyes. “Look, I know you’re awake. I heard you running earlier. I also heard you take at least three showers. Sorry, but the house isn’t that big. Neither is the hot water heater. Are you at least dressed so I can open my eyes?” Brave. Unapologetic. And completely oblivious to boundaries. Now that was the Thea I knew. “Get out,” I barked. “Dressed? Not dressed? Help me out here?” “Get. Out.” She kept her eyes closed. “You gotta eat, Ramsey. You can’t stay locked up in this room forever.” I wanted to tell her to get the hell out again. Honestly, it was on the tip of my tongue. But it never made it past my lips because my traitorous eyes stole a head-to-toe of her lithe body. She was barefoot, wearing jeans—tight ones that tapered at her ankle. They looked like mine in the sense that they had a rip in the knee. They didn’t look like mine in the sense that they hugged the curve of her hips and more than likely her ass too. A pink tank top stretched across her chest, and I swear on my life, fuck x-ray vision because I could see the pebble of her nipples beneath the fabric. It wasn’t a ridiculous dress. It wasn’t stupid fucking heels. She wasn’t wearing a face full of clown makeup. She was just Thea. The nostalgia pumped through my veins like acid even as my cock stirred. Fuck, I should have jerked off again in the shower. “I’m dressed,” I bit out, desperate for her to put her damn hands down and maybe use them to cover her tits instead. Her long, brown lashes fluttered as she opened her eyes. Those fucking eyes had once owned me. As a huge smile lit her face, I felt the claim all over again. “Oh, look, you chose one of the outfits I picked out for you.” Of course I had. Of fucking course. As soon as I got her out of my room, I was going to take the outfit off and light it on fire.

About Aly

Originally from Savannah, Georgia, USA Today bestselling author Aly Martinez now lives in South Carolina with her husband and four young children. Never one to take herself too seriously, she enjoys cheap wine, mystery leggings, and olives. It should be known, however, that she hates pizza and ice cream, almost as much as writing her bio in the third person. She passes what little free time she has reading anything and everything she can get her hands on, preferably with a super-sized tumbler of wine by her side.

Connect with Aly

Facebook: http://bit.ly/2RvbjCA

Twitter: http://bit.ly/2DUCq1Z

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2We92eT

BookBub: http://bit.ly/2V32S4B

GoodReads: http://bit.ly/2UKGUOM

Facebook Reader Group: http://bit.ly/2DEpPAh

Instagram: http://bit.ly/2DUgzrJ

Website: https://alymartinez.com/

Stay up to date with Aly by joining her mailing list today:

http://bit.ly/2WnkxjS

NEW RELEASE: Release by Aly Martinez

"I couldn't put it down! The incredible premise and the tension will keep you turning the pages until dawn." -Sarina Bowen, USA Today bestselling author

Release, an all-new powerful and emotional standalone romance from USA Today bestselling author Aly Martinez, is available now!

Growing up, Ramsey Stewart branded my soul in ways time could never heal.

At twelve, he asked me to be his girlfriend.

At thirteen, he gave me my first kiss.

By sixteen, we’d fallen in love, planned a future together, and had our eyes set on the horizon.

Love never fails, right?

But for Ramsey, it did.

Love failed him.

I failed him.

The entire world failed him.

At seventeen, Ramsey was convicted of killing the boy who assaulted me.

Move on,he wrote in his first and only letter from prison.

Start a new life, he urged.

I don’t love you anymore, he lied.

There was no such thing as giving up on Ramsey. Love may have been our curse, but he was mine—then, now, and forever.

So here I am, twelve long years later, waiting for a man I don't even know to emerge from between the chain link gates.

Download your copy today or read FREE in Kindle Unlimited!

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2QOughI

Amazon Worldwide: http://mybook.to/ReleaseAlyM

Add to Goodreads: http://bit.ly/2oGE1oo

About Aly

Originally from Savannah, Georgia, USA Today bestselling author Aly Martinez now lives in South Carolina with her husband and four young children.

Never one to take herself too seriously, she enjoys cheap wine, mystery leggings, and olives. It should be known, however, that she hates pizza and ice cream, almost as much as writing her bio in the third person.

She passes what little free time she has reading anything and everything she can get her hands on, preferably with a super-sized tumbler of wine by her side.

Connect with Aly

Facebook: http://bit.ly/2RvbjCA

Twitter: http://bit.ly/2DUCq1Z

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2We92eT

BookBub: http://bit.ly/2V32S4B

GoodReads: http://bit.ly/2UKGUOM

Facebook Reader Group: http://bit.ly/2DEpPAh

Instagram: http://bit.ly/2DUgzrJ

Website: https://alymartinez.com/

Stay up to date with Aly by joining her mailing list today:

http://bit.ly/2WnkxjS

COVER REVEAL: Release by Aly Martinez

“Aly Martinez is one of the best in the business. You have to read her books.” --Meghan March, New York Times Bestselling author

Release, an all-new emotional, second chance romance standalone from USA Today bestselling author Aly Martinez is coming January 5th and we have the incredible cover!

Growing up, Ramsey Stewart branded my soul in ways time could never heal.

At twelve, he asked me to be his girlfriend.

At thirteen, he gave me my first kiss.

By sixteen, we’d fallen in love, planned a future together, and had our eyes set on the horizon.

Love never fails, right?

But for Ramsey, it did.

Love failed him.

I failed him.

The entire world failed him.

At seventeen, Ramsey was convicted of killing the boy who assaulted me.

Move on,he wrote in his first and only letter from prison.

Start a new life, he urged.

I don’t love you anymore, he lied.

There was no such thing as giving up on Ramsey. Love may have been our curse, but he was mine—then, now, and forever.

So here I am, twelve long years later, waiting for a man I don't even know to emerge from between the chain link gates.

Add RELEASE to Goodreads: http://bit.ly/2oGE1oo

Sign up now to be notified when RELEASE is live: http://bit.ly/2WnkxjS

Cover Designed by: Hang Le

Photographer: Wander Aguiar Photography

Model: Zack Salaun

About Aly

Originally from Savannah, Georgia, USA Today bestselling author Aly Martinez now lives in South Carolina with her husband and four young children.

Never one to take herself too seriously, she enjoys cheap wine, mystery leggings, and olives. It should be known, however, that she hates pizza and ice cream, almost as much as writing her bio in the third person.

She passes what little free time she has reading anything and everything she can get her hands on, preferably with a super-sized tumbler of wine by her side.

Connect with Aly

Facebook: http://bit.ly/2RvbjCA

Twitter: http://bit.ly/2DUCq1Z

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2We92eT

BookBub: http://bit.ly/2V32S4B

GoodReads: http://bit.ly/2UKGUOM

Facebook Reader Group: http://bit.ly/2DEpPAh

Instagram: http://bit.ly/2DUgzrJ

Website: https://alymartinez.com/

Stay up to date with Aly by signing up for her mailing list today:

http://bit.ly/2WnkxjS

COVER REVEAL: The Truth About Lies by Aly Martinez

Today we are sharing the incredible cover for the first book in The Truth Duet by Aly Martinez. Check it out below, along with the blurb for the title. The Truth About Lies will be releasing on August 23rd! The second title in the duet, The Truth About Us, will be releasing on September 13th!

Be sure to follow Aly's newsletter to be notified when the books are live.

     

The Truth About Lies (The Truth Duet, #1)

Coming August 23

Sign up for Aly's Newsletter to be notified when the book links are live!

Synopsis:

Truth: From over a thousand miles away, I watched on the screen of my phone as two men murdered my wife. And I was helpless to save her.

Consumed by hate and rage, I spent four years running from my memories.

Until a shattered woman gave me a reason to stop.

Cora lived in a nightmare, but through sheer force of will, she’d turned it into something beautiful. She had a smile that could pierce the darkest soul. And with one glance, she shredded mine.

Lie: I was only there for a fresh start.

Lie: I had no idea what I was getting myself into.

Lie: There was nothing I could do to save her, either.

But that’s the thing about lies—you never know who to believe.

 

Add THE TRUTH ABOUT LIES (The Truth Duet, #1) to Goodreads

Add THE TRUTH ABOUT US (The Truth Duet, #2) to Goodreads

 

----------------------------

You won't want to miss this amazing series! Click here to get the links as soon as they're live, and to hear about giveaways and events for this duet.

---------------------

AUTHOR INFORMATION:

Originally from Savannah, Georgia, USA Today bestselling author Aly Martinez now lives in South Carolina with her four young children. Never one to take herself too seriously, she enjoys cheap wine, mystery leggings, and baked feta. It should be known, however, that she hates pizza and ice cream, almost as much as writing her bio in the third person. She passes what little free time she has reading anything and everything she can get her hands on, preferably with a super-sized tumbler of wine by her side.    

AUTHOR LINKS:

Sign up for Aly's Newsletter

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Instagram | Amazon

 

REVIEW: Thrive by Aly Martinez

Today we are celebrating the release of THRIVE by Aly Martinez. Thrive is the second book in the Guardian Protection series and it can be read as a complete standalone.

You can grab the ebook or paperback on Amazon.

Download the audiobook at Audible or iTunes.

 

OUR REVIEW:

Shel: Last year we discovered the fabulousness of Aly Martinez and we've been huge fans ever since. In Thrive we get to revisit the guys at Guardian Protection--more specifically the scowl-y, broody Jeremy--and their women (in this case a sassy Mira). Martinez weaves the early years of their story with what's going on with them now in a way that gives us their backstory and also continues to push the narrative forward. As noted in the synopsis, Jeremy and Mira's love story is not easy and did not end well the first go around. And actually, their first contact in 17 years didn't start well either. But, true to the style we've come to enjoy from Aly Martinez--humor and love prevailed. 

Court: She came out with a bang with the dual past and present point of view, though, didn't she? And I loved it, immensely because we needed all of those details. She made my heart strings tug with what could have been...and what will happen. I was in so much angst over it that I was literally not going to be able to sleep until I knew how things would go....so I didn't. 2 am, and a finished book later, and here I am gushing about this book! It was great to be back in the Guardian Protection world, seeing a few favorite familiar faces, and really just loving every single word of it.

Shel: Not only did I find the plot with Mira and Jeremy and the craziness that throws them together, I enjoyed how they moved past the craziness and into falling for each other. Their banter had me laughing out loud in almost every chapter. I also really enjoyed how much the other men at the agency had fun teasing Jeremy (especially because we all know they're going to get theirs at the hands of Aly Martinez and that brings me so much joy). And the way the end finally comes together was not at all what I thought was going to happen and so that surprise at the end was fun!

Court: IT WAS! Nothinig went the way I expected. I thought I knew the formula, and she threw a wrench in there that had me guessing right to the end. Right when I thought though that they would fall back into being too hot headed for our story and be right back where they were in their early 20's...there was maturity and growth and character development that was real and insightful, and really rounded out these characters really well. Not that there isn't enough snit fits and alpha male shenanigans to throw around...there is a plenty, and we hope you laugh and swoon and turn these pages like they're on fire.

Shel: This series is such a nice blend of romance and angst and humor and has me hopeful that the next installment comes soon. If you're a fan of Kristen Ashley and are looking for a writer that gives that same blend of alpha romance that will put a smile on your face, Aly Martinez and this series is a definite must read.

Court: I agree 100%. Aly Martinez has us hook, line and sinker and we will do whatever it takes to read more of her books!!! You should too! 

 

Thrive by Aly Martinez (Guardian Protection, #2)

Purchase the ebook on Amazon (Kindle Unlimited)

Purchase the Audiobook | Purchase the Paperback

Synopsis:

Technically, you aren’t supposed to fall in love with your best friend’s girl.

But if we’re talking technicalities, he wasn’t supposed to be cheating on her every other weekend, either. The day I met Mira York, I knew she was off-limits. But after months of stealing side-glances while he ruined the most beautiful woman I’d ever seen, I realized there wasn’t a rule in the world I wouldn’t break to make her mine. She chose him anyway. I wasn’t sure how I’d ever move on, but bitterness turned into fuel for my fire. Without Mira, I thrived. Until seventeen years later, when she showed back up, begging for protection from the very same man she’d left me for all those years earlier. Now, it was my turn to choose. And she wasn’t going to like my answer. THRIVE takes place seventeen years AFTER a love triangle.

Add Thrive to Goodreads

Sign up for Aly's Newsletter to receive exclusive details!

 

----------------------------

 

Purchase the previous book in the Guardian Protection Series

SINGE is the first book in the Guardian Protection Series and is FREE in KindleUnlimited

Amazon US | Amazon UK | Amazon CA | Amazon AU

---------------------

AUTHOR INFORMATION:

Originally from Savannah, Georgia, USA Today bestselling author Aly Martinez now lives in South Carolina with her four young children. Never one to take herself too seriously, she enjoys cheap wine, mystery leggings, and baked feta. It should be known, however, that she hates pizza and ice cream, almost as much as writing her bio in the third person. She passes what little free time she has reading anything and everything she can get her hands on, preferably with a super-sized tumbler of wine by her side.    

AUTHOR LINKS:

Sign up for Aly's Newsletter

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Instagram | Amazon