Smash Into You
By Shelly Crane
Jude has spent the whole twenty one years of his life running. From what, he wasn't quite sure. His mother tried to keep him safe; a low profile, a constant move on the horizon, a week's pay always stashed away. She tried to instill in him that he was special somehow, though would never elaborate. He never felt different. He was so completely normal and vanilla that he wondered if it had all been in her head. But then she was murdered and all he saw was a running silhouette of a man as his mother said three final words to him. Three words that changed his whole being.
Never stop running…
Now he's semi-settled into a big town. The college is huge and easy to blend into. It's been three months since he had to move because 'Biloxi', as he calls the man who killed his mother, found him once more.
Then Marley, an eighteen year old girl who is as infuriating as she is blissfully ignorant of her gorgeousness, smashes into his car with hers. Then smashes into his life as he realizes that whatever it is he has that Biloxi wants, she has it, too. And now, they're after them both.
Never stop running…
Now he's semi-settled into a big town. The college is huge and easy to blend into. It's been three months since he had to move because 'Biloxi', as he calls the man who killed his mother, found him once more.
Then Marley, an eighteen year old girl who is as infuriating as she is blissfully ignorant of her gorgeousness, smashes into his car with hers. Then smashes into his life as he realizes that whatever it is he has that Biloxi wants, she has it, too. And now, they're after them both.
About the Author
Shelly is a New York Times & USA Today Bestselling author from a small town in Georgia and loves everything about the south. She is wife to a fantastical husband and stay at home mom to two boisterous and mischievous boys who keep her on her toes. They currently reside in everywhere USA as they happily travel all over with her husband's job. She loves to spend time with her family, binge on candy corn, go out to eat at new restaurants, buy paperbacks at little bookstores, site see in the new areas they travel to, listen to music everywhere and also LOVES to read.
Her own books happen by accident and she revels in the writing and imagination process. She doesn't go anywhere without her notepad for fear of an idea creeping up and not being able to write it down immediately, even in the middle of the night, where her best ideas are born.
Author Links
I was so happy when Shelly Crane selected me as one of the blogs to do a review for Smash Into You. So am honored to do this review. I will be as honest as I can, and try not to do any spoilers.
I was attracted to this book first of all because of Shelly Crane, as I am a huge fan of her Significance series. As anyone who has read my reviews, or who follows my blog, knows I am all about the paranormal/sci-fi, really anything outside the “normal” . This book does give just a tad outside the “normal” but really was not enough for me. That being said, I still really enjoyed this story. Being told from the male, Jude’s point of view was a nice change. You can understand why he does some of the things he does.
The relationship with him and Marley is a fun one to read about, as they didn’t exactly get along at first, but they get thrown together and things change from there.
What really kept me going is the why that was behind the people chasing him, then her. I kept waiting for some big revelation to something cool and supernatural, but was disappointed with what that was, was a let down to me. But that’s more because its me, and I need my paranormal elements to really love a book. In a way, I am glad I didn’t know if there was or not with this one, as it got me to read it anyway, and I loved it regardless, and that’s saying a lot for me to love a contemporary romance that has some mystery to it is all, with some action, and wondering on our part.
So, even if your like me, and need that supernatural/paranormal element in your books, I still recommend this book, as I am hard to please if its not my kind of book.
I will share a few teasers below for you, not spoiler, just to give a small taste of this great book.
You can also check out my Book Boyfriend of the Week post, here, for several cool teasers of the changing personality of Jude, like he was a jerk, then he is sweet, then steamy/romantic, even funny.
Here is a sweet scene that shows Jude’s more sensitive side:
The sob seemed to be stuck in her throat and her breaths were ragged. Her fingers were wrapped in my shirt and she was hanging on for life.
See, this was what I was talking about. I didn't know how to take care of somebody. I wasn't capable of doing and being all the things a girl like her needed me to. But I pulled my arm around her, ignoring the sting and ache from moving the wound. She melted into my side and got as close as she could get, but she couldn't look away. I pulled her face over with my other hand, keeping my arm firmly around her. She looked wild and unhinged. "Hide right here," I told her gently and pulled her faceto my neck. "You don't need to see that."See, this was what I was talking about. I didn't know how to take care of somebody. I wasn't capable of doing and being all the things a girl like her needed me to. But I pulled my arm around her, ignoring the sting and ache from moving the wound. She melted into my side and got as close as she could get, but she couldn't look away. I pulled her face over with my other hand, keeping my arm firmly around her. She looked wild and unhinged. "Hide right here," I told her gently and pulled her faceto my neck. "You don't need to see that."
Here is a part showing his protective side I guess you can call it:
She knelt down in front of me and pressed the gauze to my skin. Then she cleaned the blood up and taped it, ripping pieces of tape with her teeth. I watched the guy, who still stood at the door, with skepticism. He hadn't taken his eyes from Marley the entire time. His eyes were currently on her magnificent backside. I knew that backside didn't belong to me, but it might very soon. But it didn't belong to him either.After last night and what she did for me yesterday, I didn't know what I wanted anymore. I didn't want her to get hurt, I knew that, but I wanted to keep her. I felt selfish, but it also felt wrong to just throw her into the world and hope that Biloxi didn't find her.But right then, nothing mattered but this jackhole who was about to get kicked in the teeth. "Hey, buddy. Eyes up top, why don't ya?"She gasped, but I was staring down the neighbor.
That’s a few for you, the better teasers I did are at my post I mentioned, so check them out.
5 out of 5 stars for me.
I received a copy of this book from the author for my honest review.
This review is also posted at Goodreads Here, and Amazon here,
This review is also posted at Goodreads Here, and Amazon here,
Buy Links
ibook Store | Amazon UK | Barnes and Noble | Kobo | Smashwords (any format)
Buy at Amazon,
Paperback Kindle
Excerpt of Chapter One
One
It was a case of mistaken identity.
The kind that ended with appalled, parted lips and evil glares.
The worst kind.
The girl was cute. Adorable really. Cute and adorable wasn't the problem or the solution for me. I needed to blend and be invisible in the most plain-as-day way and girls like this, girls who just walked up to guys because they had hope somewhere deep inside them that I would fall for that pretty face, were the opposite of plain-as-day. Those kinds of girls got guys killed. At least the kind of guy that was on the run.
She had mistaken me for a normal guy.
And this girl who approached, who could see that I was already surrounded by one already, which was one more than I needed, must've thought I had a hankering for something sweet. Because when she spoke, her words were soft and almost made me want to get to know her instead of sending her packing. But I couldn’t stay in this town. It was better to hurt her now when she wasn't invested than it would be to leave one day without a trace.
The girl who was currently soaking up my attention— that she thought she had—she'd move on to her next prey and forget I ever existed. But sweet girls like this got attached and asked questions.
Don't stop running…
My eyes met hers and a buzz went through my body. The strange sadness in her eyes matched something in mine, meaning that she hadn't had an easy life either. Gah…this girl wasn't just beautiful, she was adorable and sweet and sad all wrapped up in a package that would be so easy to accept. It was way more appealing than the current materialistic succubus in pink attached to my arm right then. I swallowed and stared as bored as I could at the girl as she finally made her way to me from across the hall.
She tucked her hair behind her ear gently and smiled a little. "Hi, uh, can I just-"
Showtime. "Honey, that's real sweet, but I'm not interested." I slid my arm around my groupie. I didn't even know her name, but they were always within arm's reach. "As you can see, I have my hands full already, but thanks for offering."
She scoffed and looked completely shocked. I took her in, head to foot. She was really adorable. She had a great little body on her and her face was almond shaped. Her lips looked…sweet. She was not the kind I wanted within ten feet of me. She was still standing there. I had to send her packing…to save her in the long run.
I grinned as evilly as I could muster and felt a small twinge of guilt at the vulnerable look of her. I looked away quickly. I didn't even want to remember her face. "Run along, darlin'. Go find a tuba player. I'm sure he's more your speed. Like I said, I'm not interested."
She didn't glare, and that was a first. Most of the girls who approached a guy were confident. I mean that was the reason they thought they had a chance, right? But she looked a little…destroyed. When her lips parted, it was in shock—it was to catch her breath. I continued my bored stance, though at this point, it pained me in my chest.
But I was doing the best thing for this and any other girl. People who got involved with me were collateral damage when Biloxi came around. He was a ruthless bastard and if he found me and knew someone cared about me, or worse, that I cared about someone, he'd be all over them.
So when she turned without a word and swiftly made her way down the hall, I was thankful. I probably saved her life, though she had no idea. She thought I was an ass, but I was really looking out for her. That's what I told myself as I watched her go. That I had hurt her feelings for a reason, and that she'd get over it in no time.
A slender hand crawled over my collar.
"What's this from?" she asked in a purr and slid her thumb over the long scar from my ear all the way to my chin. She hadn't even acknowledged the girl at all and now, didn't give a flip either. It hadn't even crossed her mind that I might be more interested in that other girl. "Mmm, it's so sexy."
It followed my jaw line and it was absolutely not sexy. Unfortunately, it wasn't the first time some girl had said as much and it pissed me off to no end that they thought that, let alone said it out loud.
It was my reminder of what happened when I let my guard down and it was anything but sexy.
I bit down on my retort and sent her a small smile that showed her I was listening, but she had to work for it. "Is that right?"
"Mmhmm," she said and kissed my jaw. "I have a little scar, too." She pointed to the place between her breasts. "Right here. Wanna see it?"
I managed a chuckle. "Is there really a scar there?"
One of her friends, who was also on my arm from time to time, joined her, looping her arm through hers.
"Pick me up tonight and you can find out," the succubus purred, making her friend giggle.
"Don't think so, darlin'. Busy."
"Ahhh, boo." She pouted and let her other hand hook a finger into my waistband. "Well here's something to keep you company tonight."
She pulled me down by my collar and kissed me. I tried not to cringe away, but her lipgloss was sticky and sweet. When she tried to open my mouth with her tongue, I pushed her away gently with my hands wrapped around her bony arms.
"Let's keep this PG, honey. Settle down."
She giggled. I knew she would.
It was the last week of school. It was my last week to pretend that I was still in high school. The next time I made a move to evade Biloxi, I'd enroll in college because I was getting too old to be a high schooler. I didn't know where I was going. I would have graduated from high school already, but at the rate I was going, I didn't know if I would have actually graduated or not. School was not a place of learning for me, it was a cover, a place to blend in and be normal until Biloxi found me and then I'd be gone to the next place.
This was my life. No time or want for long-term girls, no fun, no movies, no parents.
This was my life, but it wasn't a life at all.
The worst kind.
The girl was cute. Adorable really. Cute and adorable wasn't the problem or the solution for me. I needed to blend and be invisible in the most plain-as-day way and girls like this, girls who just walked up to guys because they had hope somewhere deep inside them that I would fall for that pretty face, were the opposite of plain-as-day. Those kinds of girls got guys killed. At least the kind of guy that was on the run.
She had mistaken me for a normal guy.
And this girl who approached, who could see that I was already surrounded by one already, which was one more than I needed, must've thought I had a hankering for something sweet. Because when she spoke, her words were soft and almost made me want to get to know her instead of sending her packing. But I couldn’t stay in this town. It was better to hurt her now when she wasn't invested than it would be to leave one day without a trace.
The girl who was currently soaking up my attention— that she thought she had—she'd move on to her next prey and forget I ever existed. But sweet girls like this got attached and asked questions.
Don't stop running…
My eyes met hers and a buzz went through my body. The strange sadness in her eyes matched something in mine, meaning that she hadn't had an easy life either. Gah…this girl wasn't just beautiful, she was adorable and sweet and sad all wrapped up in a package that would be so easy to accept. It was way more appealing than the current materialistic succubus in pink attached to my arm right then. I swallowed and stared as bored as I could at the girl as she finally made her way to me from across the hall.
She tucked her hair behind her ear gently and smiled a little. "Hi, uh, can I just-"
Showtime. "Honey, that's real sweet, but I'm not interested." I slid my arm around my groupie. I didn't even know her name, but they were always within arm's reach. "As you can see, I have my hands full already, but thanks for offering."
She scoffed and looked completely shocked. I took her in, head to foot. She was really adorable. She had a great little body on her and her face was almond shaped. Her lips looked…sweet. She was not the kind I wanted within ten feet of me. She was still standing there. I had to send her packing…to save her in the long run.
I grinned as evilly as I could muster and felt a small twinge of guilt at the vulnerable look of her. I looked away quickly. I didn't even want to remember her face. "Run along, darlin'. Go find a tuba player. I'm sure he's more your speed. Like I said, I'm not interested."
She didn't glare, and that was a first. Most of the girls who approached a guy were confident. I mean that was the reason they thought they had a chance, right? But she looked a little…destroyed. When her lips parted, it was in shock—it was to catch her breath. I continued my bored stance, though at this point, it pained me in my chest.
But I was doing the best thing for this and any other girl. People who got involved with me were collateral damage when Biloxi came around. He was a ruthless bastard and if he found me and knew someone cared about me, or worse, that I cared about someone, he'd be all over them.
So when she turned without a word and swiftly made her way down the hall, I was thankful. I probably saved her life, though she had no idea. She thought I was an ass, but I was really looking out for her. That's what I told myself as I watched her go. That I had hurt her feelings for a reason, and that she'd get over it in no time.
A slender hand crawled over my collar.
"What's this from?" she asked in a purr and slid her thumb over the long scar from my ear all the way to my chin. She hadn't even acknowledged the girl at all and now, didn't give a flip either. It hadn't even crossed her mind that I might be more interested in that other girl. "Mmm, it's so sexy."
It followed my jaw line and it was absolutely not sexy. Unfortunately, it wasn't the first time some girl had said as much and it pissed me off to no end that they thought that, let alone said it out loud.
It was my reminder of what happened when I let my guard down and it was anything but sexy.
I bit down on my retort and sent her a small smile that showed her I was listening, but she had to work for it. "Is that right?"
"Mmhmm," she said and kissed my jaw. "I have a little scar, too." She pointed to the place between her breasts. "Right here. Wanna see it?"
I managed a chuckle. "Is there really a scar there?"
One of her friends, who was also on my arm from time to time, joined her, looping her arm through hers.
"Pick me up tonight and you can find out," the succubus purred, making her friend giggle.
"Don't think so, darlin'. Busy."
"Ahhh, boo." She pouted and let her other hand hook a finger into my waistband. "Well here's something to keep you company tonight."
She pulled me down by my collar and kissed me. I tried not to cringe away, but her lipgloss was sticky and sweet. When she tried to open my mouth with her tongue, I pushed her away gently with my hands wrapped around her bony arms.
"Let's keep this PG, honey. Settle down."
She giggled. I knew she would.
It was the last week of school. It was my last week to pretend that I was still in high school. The next time I made a move to evade Biloxi, I'd enroll in college because I was getting too old to be a high schooler. I didn't know where I was going. I would have graduated from high school already, but at the rate I was going, I didn't know if I would have actually graduated or not. School was not a place of learning for me, it was a cover, a place to blend in and be normal until Biloxi found me and then I'd be gone to the next place.
This was my life. No time or want for long-term girls, no fun, no movies, no parents.
This was my life, but it wasn't a life at all.
