Be a #ModelCitizen and Enter to Win!
YOU BEFORE ANYONE ELSE
Julie Cross & Mark Perini
Releasing August 2nd, 2016
Sourcebooks Fire
Bestselling author Julie Cross teams up with international
model Mark Perini to create You Before
Anyone Else, a poignant and authentic contemporary YA novel and companion
to Halfway Perfect.
The supportive friend, the reliable daughter, the
doting big sister: Finley is used to being the glue that holds everyone
together. But while her sweet demeanor makes her the perfect confidant, her
wholesome look isn’t landing her the high-paying modeling jobs, which are what
Finley needs if she is going to reopen her mother’s dance studio.
Enter Eddie. He’s intense and driven, not to mention
the life of every party, and he completely charms Finley. The last thing she
wants is another commitment to stand in the way of her dreams, but when she’s
with Eddie, their chemistry takes over and she can let go of her
responsibilities and just be. After all, what’s so wrong about putting herself
first once in a while?
Except Eddie is hiding a secret. A big secret. And
when it surfaces, he and Finley are going to have to choose between their love
for each other and everything else…
BUY NOW
Amazon | B
& N | Google | iTunes
FINLEY
This was a tough title for me to rate. I think I've changed my rating 3 times now. On one hand, once I got into the story, I couldn't put it down until I knew what happened to Eddie and Finley. On the other hand, it took a bit for me to get into the story and the young age of the main characters had me shaking my head at times. So overall, mixed emotions about this one. Liked some aspects, but I thought it could have used a little more work in others.
ARC provided for review.
EXCERPT
FINLEY
“What are you so afraid of?” Summer asks.
I take a sip of the beer Dima brought me a few minutes
ago. “Oh, I don’t know, addiction, overdose, puking on some innocent victim’s
shoes, random drug testing by the agency…”
Summer laughs. “Drug testing on models? Yeah, that’ll be
the day.”
Okay, so maybe I just don’t want to do it. Even if I
should be in my so-called experimental phase.
I wouldn’t exactly label myself a rule follower, but I
guess I’m just cautious. I haven’t always been this way. Not that I’ve done
drugs, but before high school, I was all about ballet. Let’s just say I had a
rep for being the sassy troublemaker. My mom being my ballet teacher may have
had something to do with my behavior. My fingers immediately move to the cross
dangling from my neck—I’ve only removed it a couple times over the last four
years. Somehow, it’s always warmer than my hands.
I debate texting my dad to ask him if he’s done coke or
molly. He’d probably tell me. But I wouldn’t want to freak him out. Seems like
a conversation better reserved for a weekend visit instead of late on a Friday
night when I could be too far gone to help, for all he knows.
I glance around the room and
finally spot someone I know: my friend Alex and his girlfriend Eve. Alex and I
did a big Calvin Klein shoot last year, and Eve was the photographer’s
assistant. Actually, Eve used to be a model too, another preteen/teen phenom
like Elana, who headlined that CK shoot along with Alex. My part had been
fairly small, and still, that was my biggest job ever.
“Have you met Alex?”
Summer shrugs, grabs two more shots of vodka, and hands
me one. “Like I would remember.”
I down the shot quickly and prepare to talk to Alex and
Eve. Maybe they’ve done drugs and can advise me. But my buzzing phone distracts
me. I pull it out of my purse and glance at the new text.
JASON:
Yeah, it’s so weird
to be home again. But I missed it.
My stomach flip-flops. He replied to my text. Hours
later, but still…this could mean—
“Oh lord, you’re pathetic.” Summer is leaned toward me,
reading over my shoulder. “That’s probably enough for you to live off of for
another six months or so, right?”
I glare at her and shove the phone back into my purse.
“No comeback? Wonder why…” She pretends to be in deep
thought. “He said he missed it. Not you. Cut the fucking cord already.
It’s not healthy.”
If only it were that easy. When you’re in a relationship
with someone for four years, you get so comfortable with that person. It’s
daunting to start all over again.
I make my way across the room to see Alex and Eve, who
are leaning against the back of the couch, more absorbed in each other than
anything else.
“I heard Elana’s back from France?” Alex asks me, keeping
his voice low.
“Yep, her and her mom. I think her mom is driving her
crazy, but that’s to be expected. French Mama is driving me crazy too.”
They both laugh at the mention of French Mama, but I
can’t take credit for that title. Summer made it up.
“I can’t believe her parents let her come back to New
York,” Eve says.
Alex smiles at her. “You’re just upset that they’re here
and not in France where we can hit them up for lodging.”
My gaze travels back and forth between the two of them.
“You guys are going to France? Are you going for Fashion Week?”
Eve shakes her head. “Nope. I did the Prada shoot, and
I’m done for good. Got tuition for next year covered.”
Even though Eve had supposedly quit modeling a few years
ago, she pulled a one-last-job stunt last spring to cover her tuition at
Columbia. She’s a photography student with a lot of experience under her belt.
“We’re doing the cheap travel, backpacking in Europe but
without actual backpacks thing,” Alex explains.
Across the room, another beer pong player is being
requested. This could possibly be the most adventurous thing I’m willing to do
here. I turn to Alex and Eve again. “Well, good luck in Europe. I’m gonna go
play beer pong.”
“Hey.” I grab Dima’s shirt sleeve. “You need another
player?”
He looks me over, deliberating. “Sure. Be the new guy’s
partner.”
“The new guy?” I glance around. What does that even mean?
New to the party, like he just walked in? I’ve been here fifteen minutes.
“He’s new to the agency,” Dima says. “First casting, and
he books some big job.”
“So we hate him then, right?” I joke. I turn around to
head toward the game table and run right into a guy about my age with wild,
dark curly hair and designer jeans.
“This guy,” Dima says to me and then turns to the new
guy. “Got you a partner. Finley. She lives in the agency apartment downstairs.”
They exchange a look that says I’ve been mentioned
before. I’m not liking that too much, but usually, I don’t come to these
parties. Instead, I bang on the door at two in the morning to tell them to
stop
thumping around like elephants. Maybe I got a bad rep.
While we wait for Dima to find a partner, I snatch two
beers from a nearby cooler and offer one up to New Guy. “So, Dima said you’re
new, but he didn’t say where you’re from.”
“Uh…the Midwest.”
“The Midwest.” Okay. Someone doesn’t want to get
personal. “Like Wisconsin or like Chicago?”
“Chicago…well, not in Chicago, but around it, you know?”
he says.
“Right.” I pop open my can and take a drink. “What’s your
name? I’m sorry, I don’t think Dima said…”
“Eddie.” He lifts his gaze again. “Eddie Wells. And
you’re Finley Belton, the girl who lives downstairs.”
Summer breezes past me but stops when she spots me
holding the beer pong ball. “Beer pong? Oh, you wild animal…grrrr.” She holds
up her tiger paws and growls at me.
I give her the finger and then turn back to Eddie. “I’m one
of the girls who live downstairs.”
“One is too bitchy, one is too underage, and one is
nice,” he recites, most likely quoting Dima.
This is exactly what I’m trying to escape tonight. “Dima
called me the baby bear?” I’m secretly hoping he catches my reference to
Goldilocks.
“No,” Eddie says. “He called you Finley Belton, but I
added the nice part, because you brought me a beer. And it is just right, not
to mention you’re talking to me instead of staring and whispering to other
people about me.”
Points for his fairy tale knowledge, and I’m sure the
whispering is the result of whatever big job he’s landed. Too many models at
this party.
Eve tries to be Dima’s partner, but he refuses and tells
Alex to play with him. Eve opens her mouth to protest, but Dima holds up a
hand. “Don’t even. I know your type. You’ll engineer some fancy trick shots. No
Ivy League players showing me up. I got a rep to protect.”
“Fine,” Eve snaps. “I’ll just stand here and look pretty.
And I’m definitely rooting for Fin and…” She gestures toward the new guy.
“Eddie,” I fill in for her. “Eddie from Chicago.”
“Eddie from Chicago,” Eve repeats. “Good luck.”
Summer returns and stands beside Eve, both leaning against
the back of the love seat.
“Fin makes a great partner,” Summer says to Eddie. “She
knits. Lots of finger dexterity.”
I shoot her a glare and will my face not to heat up. So
not cool.
WHAT I THOUGHT ABOUT
YOU BEFORE ANYONE ELSE
I'll admit, I was intrigued to read another novel by these authors. Halfway Perfect was a insider's view of fashion modeling and I was ready for more of that world. You Before Anyone Else is the story of two eighteen-year-old models, Eddie and Finley.
Finley is eager to shake her good girl image and decides a one night stand would do the trick. She hooks up with Eddie, a newcomer to the modeling world. But it isn't long before they are meeting up with each other on various jobs and Finley reveals her real love -- dancing. There's a definite attraction between them, but Finley has left a bit of her heart with her high school boyfriend back home in Connecticut.
When Finley goes home for a visit with Eddie in tow, the ex-boyfriend situation resolves itself and her world is a bit shaken when Eddie is deliciously charming. I have to say it was Eddie that made this story for me. He's got some serious stuff going on in his life, and he's a walking reminder that money doesn't solve everything. He really has no business encouraging Finley's feelings, but he's just so dang cute and responsible about everything he's hard to resist.
Eddie has a huge secret and it's one that has the potential to really screw up everyone's life. My biggest complaint about this story is with that part of the plot. I had trouble believing Eddie is handling this predicament at eighteen all by himself. Maybe it's my own preconceived notions about this age group or the fact that I work with young adults, but their age made it difficult for me to suspend disbelief in this tale and it was their likability that kept me reading.
Finley is eager to shake her good girl image and decides a one night stand would do the trick. She hooks up with Eddie, a newcomer to the modeling world. But it isn't long before they are meeting up with each other on various jobs and Finley reveals her real love -- dancing. There's a definite attraction between them, but Finley has left a bit of her heart with her high school boyfriend back home in Connecticut.
When Finley goes home for a visit with Eddie in tow, the ex-boyfriend situation resolves itself and her world is a bit shaken when Eddie is deliciously charming. I have to say it was Eddie that made this story for me. He's got some serious stuff going on in his life, and he's a walking reminder that money doesn't solve everything. He really has no business encouraging Finley's feelings, but he's just so dang cute and responsible about everything he's hard to resist.
Eddie has a huge secret and it's one that has the potential to really screw up everyone's life. My biggest complaint about this story is with that part of the plot. I had trouble believing Eddie is handling this predicament at eighteen all by himself. Maybe it's my own preconceived notions about this age group or the fact that I work with young adults, but their age made it difficult for me to suspend disbelief in this tale and it was their likability that kept me reading.
That being said, I did find the story engaging. I wanted to know what Eddie was going to do. I really liked Eddie and I liked him with Finley. They both seemed so much more mature than their age. Finley is facing major decisions in her life too that made the story interesting. There's a nice cast of supporting characters as well.
This was a tough title for me to rate. I think I've changed my rating 3 times now. On one hand, once I got into the story, I couldn't put it down until I knew what happened to Eddie and Finley. On the other hand, it took a bit for me to get into the story and the young age of the main characters had me shaking my head at times. So overall, mixed emotions about this one. Liked some aspects, but I thought it could have used a little more work in others.
ARC provided for review.
Julie Cross and Mark Perini, along
with Tasty Book Tours, are celebrating
those who have taken the steps in Breaking the Mold on society’s expectations,
like Finley, the heroine from YOU BEFORE ANYONE ELSE! We are looking for anyone who would like to
share their story and be entered to win a 2017 Erin Condren Life Planner!
Head over to fb.me/TastyBookTours
and leave a comment with your story. Feel
free to share picture of your journey and use #breakingthemold at the end of
your comment!
Entries must be in by 11:59pm, Aug
15th, 2016. No purchase
necessary to enter. If under 12 years
old, you must have approval by a guardian to enter.
Julie Cross is a NYT and USA Today
bestselling author of New Adult and Young Adult fiction, including the Tempest
series, a young adult science fiction trilogy which includes Tempest, Vortex,
Timestorm (St. Martin’s Press).
She’s also the author of Letters to Nowhere series, Whatever Life Throws at You, Third Degree, Halfway Perfect, and many more to come!
Julie lives in Central Illinois with her husband and three children. She’s a former gymnast, longtime gymnastics fan, coach, and former Gymnastics Program Director with the YMCA.
She’s a lover of books, devouring several novels a week, especially in the young adult and new adult genres.
Outside of her reading and writing credibility’s, Julie Cross is a committed–but not talented–long distance runner, creator of imaginary beach vacations, Midwest bipolar weather survivor, expired CPR certification card holder, as well as a ponytail and gym shoe addict.
She’s also the author of Letters to Nowhere series, Whatever Life Throws at You, Third Degree, Halfway Perfect, and many more to come!
Julie lives in Central Illinois with her husband and three children. She’s a former gymnast, longtime gymnastics fan, coach, and former Gymnastics Program Director with the YMCA.
She’s a lover of books, devouring several novels a week, especially in the young adult and new adult genres.
Outside of her reading and writing credibility’s, Julie Cross is a committed–but not talented–long distance runner, creator of imaginary beach vacations, Midwest bipolar weather survivor, expired CPR certification card holder, as well as a ponytail and gym shoe addict.
Mark Perini is
a New York City based author debuting his first YA novel, Halfway Perfect.
Additionally, Mark is a featured author in the NA anthology, Fifty First Times.
Mark began his career as an international
fashion model when he was 18 years old, while simultaneously obtaining a
business degree from Seton Hall University. He has a passion for traveling the
world, and he’s made a blood pact with friends to see all seven ancient wonders
of the world before he’s thirty. Four down three to go.
Don't miss the companion novel
HALFWAY PERFECT
1 comment:
Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts!
Post a Comment