Alex's Destiny by Amy Gregory - Book Tour, Book Review, Giveaway

Title: Alex’s Destiny (Racing to Love #4)

Author:  Amy Gregory

Expected Publish Date:  11-1-13

Genre:  Contemporary Romance

Her destiny was written for her, long before she was ever born. She embraced it, wanting nothing more than to give everything within her back to the sport in which she was considered royalty. Her family’s legacy would live on, revered by all.  And she thrived on the long work days she spent teaching at the academy her blood was tied to. Alexandra Sterling needed that dirt track as much as she needed her next breath.

That same track was the one that drew in a young student years before. Alex had given her heart away the day they met, knowing that he belonged to only her. For years she’d waited, knowing without a single doubt that he’d make her his when the time was right.

But…she’d never asked Dallas if he felt the same way.

Her hurt leaves her vulnerable, her days dark and her instincts dulled. After one night of hell, Alex is lost. Her world is crumbling around her, and without her lifeline and best friend beside her anymore, there’s nothing to keep her from sinking with it.

Dallas Hunter is a pro rider on the motocross circuit, following in the footsteps of his father Eli. For Dallas, it’s always been Alex, but he’s kept his feelings locked away out of fear, his love for their family, his biggest obstacle.

One short and chilling phone call to her puts him on high alert. Knowing something is terribly wrong sends him racing across the country, back home, back to her. But what he finds almost kills him.

Now he’s watching her slip away right before his very eyes. Figuring out how to help Alex before it’s too late, might turn out to be harder than any race he’s ever ridden. And he has to do it with his team and sponsors screaming at him from the other side, trying to pull him back to the world he’s dedicated his entire life to.

Dallas knows he has to help his best friend, the woman he loves…and do it without tearing his family apart.

MY REVIEW-

Despite the fact that Alex was born with a silver spoon on her mouth, she had worked so hard to be where she is right now. She loved teaching at the academy - she lived and breathe the sport that she adored, and she secretly writes neat poems during her free time.

Alex had been in love with Dallas since forever. He was her destiny. She thought the two of them would end up together. After all, they grow up together, they spend little time apart, and they have always been a part of each other’s lives. She was saving herself for him. She didn’t date, didn’t flirt, didn’t kiss anyone – because she was waiting for him. So imagine her big surprise when he came home with a girl.

OUCH.

And although her heart was aching badly, I admire how she stayed strong, and how she calmly accepted his subtle rejection of her. It was painful to read how much she was hurting, and I wished that Dallas would man up and fight for her. Everyone knew they had a thing for each other, and it would only take a matter of time for them to act on it. But Dallas was scared that acting on his feelings would destroy the family he loves and owes so much apart. So despite the fact that he loved her dearly, he had to run away.

When he did, an awful thing happened. I had a glimpse of this scene from the first part of the story, but I didn’t really realize its impact until I read the rest of the chapters. And every day, she was slipping through her family’s finger. She was never the same.

It was Dallas who kept her together, Dallas who finally realized that his career could not surpass his feelings for her. Finally, he manned up, stayed by her through the toughest time that even her family were helpless enough to do so, and just loved her. He loved her intensely, passionately, and truly. He finally say those words to her – but with what happened, Alex didn’t think she was worthy of him anymore.

I was wondering the whole time, what would it take for Dallas to realize that no one will love him the way Alex would? Her love was as pure as it could come. But, I also understand where his fear was coming from, and it was just a little heartbreaking that it took a tragedy for him to finally step up and tell her how he really feels. Nevertheless, he was amazing. He didn’t push, he didn’t pressure, he just stayed with her and proved to her that he will always be with her, especially now that she needed him.

The novel was great, I like how their love story turned out. Yes, my heart got broken before I got my HEA – nevertheless, it was worth it. Even the tragedy, although it was heartbreaking, it paved way for Alex to become stronger and for Dallas to finally realize how important she is to him. 

RATING:

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

EXCERPT-

He’d done nothing but think for hours on end, bleeding into days. He didn’t have the words to do it with a phone call. He had to see her to read her facial expressions. Their relationship would change with that one conversation. For better or worse, he had to do it in person. 

Running toward the vacant information desk, he heard his name called. In a surreal moment, he turned, as if his life was a slow-motion movie.  Seeing his mother stand, he scanned the rest of the group sitting in the corner of the waiting room they’d taken over. James and Karen, his sister, Tasia, and brother, Marc, Uncle Jesse and Aunt Emery, Uncle Brody and Aunt Erin—they were all present. He felt his mother’s ice cold hand on his bare forearm and saw the fear in her eyes, the lines deepening across her forehead as her brows tightened. 

“Dallas?” 

“Where’s Alex?” He asked, the panic welling up inside him. Jack was missing. He hadn’t gotten a call from him. Had he beaten her brother to the right spot? 

Grabbing his mother’s hand, he watched the blood drain from her face, and his fears were confirmed. From behind, he heard his father’s voice mixed with that of another, a man he’d met a few times before. It was the words that spiked fear through his body as if he’d been cut wide open by a thousand needles. 

“The police will be coming back by later tonight to get more information.” Eli said to the family, who was all standing waiting for his answers. 

“I’m glad, but Mike is on his way as we speak.” James added, looking up from his phone. “He just texted that their plane is pulling into the gate right now, he and Taryn will be here as soon as they can.” 

Dallas knew Carter’s oldest brother Mike very well. He also knew the story of when Carter called for Mike’s help when Molly had been stalked over two decades before. Detective Mike Sterling was a large man, pure muscle, and had a presence that demanded respect. He was the man that saved Molly’s life and that piece of history sent an icy chill down Dallas’s spine. Something minor could be handled by the local authorities. Hearing his grandfather had specifically called on Mike for help, then that meant…turning away from his mother, he met his father eye-to-eye. “Dad…where’s Alex?” 

Dallas watched Eli’s eyes close, and he swallowed hard. Reaching out, he gripped Dallas’s shoulder. He saw the pain sweep across his father’s face, saw the rise and fall of his chest, and heard his low and deliberate tone.  Upon reopening his eyes, Eli’s voice turned Dallas’s blood to ice, “Son…you need to sit down.” 

His father looked sickened. The man standing beside Eli was bare chested, and holding his wrist, both hands bloodied. Suddenly Dallas saw fire, yanking from his father’s hold, he stepped back. “Where is she?” He asked once again, this time through clenched teeth, frustrated by the lack of answers, and scared to death of what those answers might be. 

“Dallas?” 

He turned and came face-to-face with his Uncle Carter walking down the shining tiled floor of the emergency room. 

Author Bio-

When asked ‘when do you have time to write’, Amy Gregory simply laughs.  The real answer is, “in bits and pieces”.  She and her husband live in Kansas City with their three fantastic kids that keep them running in three very different directions.  Because she sits so much, she always carries a notebook with her at all times.

She has an off the wall, snarky, off the cuff sense of humor that often shocks even those who’ve known her for years.  And she loves that her children have all been blessed that ability to make others laugh as well.  At least she’s grateful most of the time!  Her husband often teases her about how she “makes this stuff up” when he’s reading a piece of her work. The answer—“it just comes to me when I’m typing”. Scary thought, huh!

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