The Perfect Distraction by Melissa Rolka - Book Tour, Book Review, Giveaway

When Katherine “Kate” leaves for her freshmen year at college, a grounded and stable piece of her is missing. She pushes away the ghosts of her past, determined to start her college life single, carefree and distracted.

Throughout high school Kate was reserved and shy, with little experience. Now, on her own, with little holding her back, Kate is ready to branch out. She bonds with a tight knit group of friends and even starts casually dating. What starts out as innocent flirting on the tennis courts slowly turns into a friendship and eventually something more complex. Reed comes into her life giving her the distraction she craves more than anything; but is she ready to give her heart away so easily?

Things get complicated when Kate’s ex-boyfriend and first love continues to pursue her. Kyle deeply regrets breaking her heart when he left for college the year before and is now on a mission to reclaim her. Kyle’s persistence and relentlessness is nothing short of obsessive. He will stop at nothing to win her back and prove his love.

Kate finds herself torn between her past and the unknown of the future. Her determination to stay distracted may just be her downfall or the beginning of something new and wonderful.

 

MY REVIEW -

Indeed a princess may kiss a lot of frogs before she can meet her prince charming.

Katherine Rose leaves home to attend college, willing to start fresh and something new. She was eager to put her past behind her, she wanted to start her college life single, free and distracted.

During high school, Kate was a shy, quiet girl with a little experience. She spent half of her high school life with Kyle, her ex boyfriend who left her just right before he went into college because he wanted to spend it single. It left her devastated and depressed – not to mention things at home weren’t really good.

But now on her own, she gains a whole new bunch of close friends, and even begins dating. She caught attention of three totally HOT boys. But there was one boy with piercing blue eyes that made her skin tingles and makes the butterflies in her stomach grow into birds. With an ex boyfriend who wants her back, and the problems at home, Reed was the perfect distraction. What started to be an innocent flirting on the tennis court – turned into friendship and into something deeper.

But Kyle – the ex boyfriend – wants her back. We were given a head start with Kyle, the prologue gets us into his brain. Readers would know how much he regret what he did and how much he wanted her back. He would do anything to have her. It was short to harassment and a little closer to obsession. Kyle can be charming at times, and very persuasive. He wanted his second chance with her to prove his love. He can be an a** too. Kate was surrounded by a lot of great guys, I wished Kate would be brave enough to turn around and completely shut him from her life. He didn’t deserve her, totally.

Kate is torn between her past, and her unknown future. She needs the perfect distraction – and who can provide a better distraction than Reed?? If there’s one thing I wanted to more from this novel is to have Reed’s POV. He has this mysterious aura that surrounds him, that makes you want to know him more. He wasn’t pushy, he took his time. He wanted her, but didn’t pursue her when she dating other. But finally, when they got together – it was magic. They were meant for each other. He was a sort of alpha – wanting to protect her and all, but it was never scary, unlike Kyle.

We join Kate’s journey in getting through her past, embracing her future and finding herself. It was a rocky ride, filled with unsure decisions, hot guys, and one single night that changed it all. I hope Kate knew what she’d doing and was really sure about it…

The ending was a little bittersweet, and yes, a cliffhanger. But Reed did get his POV for the epilogue, all the heartache is worth it. It had gotten me all riled up to read the next one in the series. I had a lot of questions hanging inside my head and I’m looking forward for the possible answers in the next book in the series.  

RATING:

★ARC Copy was given in exchange for an honest review.★

EXCERPT -

Once we reach the bottom of the stairs, I gain my confidence and take his hand leading him to the dance floor.  

“Let’s dance!”  I don’t give him time to respond, nor do I stop to look at his face to see his expression.  

Instantly, Maggie spots me and her eyes light up like a deer in headlights.  I smile and threw my head back as I grab onto Reed.  I start swaying my hips and moving provocatively to Promiscuous by Nelly Furtado.  The look on his face is priceless. 

“You don’t fool me, little girl,” he whispers in my ear as he moves my hair to the side.  Goosebumps travel all the way down my neck and down my spine.  Then he moves his hands to my waist and turns me with my back to his front.  This reminds me of last night in my dorm room.  Maggie moves closer and mouths to me “bad girl”.   I throw my head back into the crook of his neck and giggle. 

Kelly and Derek are still dancing nearby.  I can’t read the look Derek is giving me, but then I see him gaze at Kelly with amusement.  I think he may be surprised to see me with Reed again.  In this moment I feel at ease and carefree.  I turn back around and quickly become aware that Reed is in a sandwich.  Luckily it is just Quinn dancing behind him and when I look at her she winks at me.  Soon after she is pulled by her hips to Matt’s grinding moves. 

The music turns to a slower Cold Play song and Reed pulls me closer to him.  He starts to sway us softly.  I dare myself to look up and when I do his eyes look heated and deeper, almost sapphire.  Nervously, I bite down on my bottom corner of my lip.  Reed runs his hands up to my cheeks and kisses me teasingly slow while lightly sucking on my bottom lip.  It feels so good to be like this with him and I am wishing we were back upstairs in the bathroom or back in his room.  Moving his head into the crook of my neck he plants sweet kisses just under my ear.  As I feel myself getting lost in this moment, I am suddenly broken from it when someone grabs at my shoulder pulling me out of Reed’s arms and turns me around. 

With alcohol swimming in me I lose my balance, but I immediately notice the mixed green and hazel eyes that I had once found so loving.  Reed shifts behind me and moves his hands protectively around my waist.  The anxiety I had been feeling earlier quickly consumes me.  I stare in disbelief and fear.  

AUTHOR BIO -

Melissa Rolka grew up in the Chicagoland area all of her childhood and has always had a love of writing. She started by keeping a journal at a young age and then in high school she started writing poetry. A couple poems were published anonymously. Then in college she majored in Philosophy, which required lots and lots of writing. After graduating from Marquette University she traveled west to Los Angeles. There she worked for the Writers Guild of America and found herself submerged in the writers world. She worked on small writings, but never pursued them. On the side she became involved with a small theater group. Eventually she made her way back to the Midwest, where her heart belongs, and worked in business for several years. She found love, got married and has two beautiful children. Being at home has allowed her to keep following her love of reading and writing.The Perfect Distraction is her first full length novel. A second continuation of this story is in the works with hopes for a third. When Melissa is not writing she is caring for, playing with and loving her two kids. In between taking care of her family and writing she almost always has her nose buried in her Kindle.

  

GIVEAWAY - 

INT – 5 eBooks 

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US ONLY – 5 Signed Paperbacks

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BUY LINKS -

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