Preservation
By Rachel Wade
Blurb:
Fear is sabotage’s sweetest weapon.
Kate has no time for meaningless romantic charades, and definitely
no time for hot college professors who are full of themselves and smitten with
her. Constantly battling eviction notices, tuition she can’t afford, and a
sick, dependent mother, the last thing she needs is to be distracted with
someone else’s complicated baggage.
When she stumbles into Ryan Campbell’s creative writing class, he
is only “Mr. Campbell” to her, until Ryan finds himself captivated by her
writing and she is forced to face their mutual attraction. His cocky
know-it-all syndrome is enough to send her running in the other direction, and
his posse of female admirers and playboy reputation are enough to squander any
odds in her favor.
But underneath Ryan’s abrasive facade is something to behold, and
she can’t stay away for long. Ryan and Kate must decide who they’re willing to
become and fight against their former selves if they want to make things work.
That’s if academia, vicious vixens, old skeletons, and their own mastery
at self-destruction don’t pummel their efforts first.
1. What was your favorite writing class?
- I enjoyed general English comp. II because we studied a wide range of literature. I wrote my research paper on Flannery O'Connor since I chose Southern Gothic lit as my topic, and I really had fun with that.
2. What class in school did you just loathe and why?
- Math. Any and all math. I am absolutely horrid at math and I couldn't stand learning it. "Loathe" is too kind of a word to describe how I feel about the subject. :)
Lol. I support that!!!!
3. What are some of your favorite classic books?
- I love Bel Ami by Guy de Maupassant, and Dracula and The Bell Jar are favorites of mine as well.
4. Pride and Prejudice or Oliver Twist?
- Oh man, that is so tough! I love them both. But I'd have to go with Pride and Prejudice. I really love Austen.
5. Wuthering Heights or Jane Eyre?
Haha another tough one! Jane Eyre. Final answer.
6. Classic novels or naughty smut erotica?
- It depends. Both. I can't get enough steamy contemporary romance. It's one of my favorite genres to read. But every now and then, I go on a classic kick and won't read anything else.
7. What are some of your favorite hobbies when you are not writing?
Going to concerts, movies, and reading. My favorite thing to do is check out live music; smaller venues are especially fun. I love discovering new artists. I'm also a huge indie film buff (movie buff in general), so I watch tons of indie movies. Other than that, my nose is stuck in a book or I'm glued to my kindle.
8. Plot liner or by the seat of your pants kind of girl?
Definitely by the seat of my pants. With my first novel, I worked with a strict outline, but as I began to write more, I pretty much threw structured outlines out the window. Now I use loose outlines and just go with the flow instead.
9. What was your favorite thing about Preservation?
- The setting and the dynamic between Ryan and Kate, which was really fun to write. They're both frustrating characters and they clash, yet they work together, so I enjoyed writing their dialogue. Working with the setting was fun because I've been to all of the places in the book and I'm actually planning a move out there, so that was very personal and it felt like writing about home.
10. What is your current writing project?
- I'm working on two projects right now: a new contemporary romance (Love and Relativity) and the first book in a post-apocalyptic sci-fi romance series, called Repossession.
Thanks for having me again, Dana!
Excerpt:
On Monday I missed Ryan’s entire
lecture, zoning in and out as he spoke, trying to make sense of everything that
had happened with Carter. I couldn’t wrap my mind around the way he’d blown up
over something that was nonexistent. I wasn’t involved with Ryan, I wasn’t
planning on getting involved with
Ryan, and I definitely had no interest in pursuing a relationship at all, let alone with
my professor. Didn’t Carter know me at all? Hadn’t I made myself clear?
The truth began to gnaw away at me,
the silence in my mind revealing my most inner realities—that I did like Ryan.
I did let him flirt with me, and on some level, I enjoyed it. But so what? I
wasn’t going to let it go anywhere. Certainly not after what I’d heard about
him, even if I couldn’t believe everything I heard. And knowing he was dating
the redhead? And likely romancing another blonde?
Forget it. I wasn’t that girl, no matter how much he raised
my blood pressure. So why was all this eating away at me so much?
Surely I wasn’t attracted to Ryan
because I knew he was bad for me. And if I was, what kind of person did that
make me? Knots formed in my stomach and I sank further down into my seat while
I pondered the potential truth of Carter’s comments.
Before I knew it, class was over,
and as everyone began piling out of the room, Ryan leisurely rested against his
desk, rolling his pencil between his fingers as he watched me walk down the
stairway to meet him, a cocky, expectant grin on his face.
I decided to keep things formal.
“Mr. Campbell, you wanted to see
me?”
“Why yes, Ms. Parker, I did.” His
grin turned to a frown when he heard my address, his tone uncertain. He stopped
toying with the pencil and turned to grab a piece of paper. The room filled
with silence as the last student shut the door.
“There’s something I wanted to show
you, and I was wondering if you’d be interested in going with me.”
Going with him? Crap. “Okay...”
“It’s a writer’s conference in
Portland, a month from now. I’ve had two spots reserved for months now, just in
case one of my students wanted to attend. It’s a great chance to network and
improve your craft.” He handed me the flyer.
I didn’t take my eyes off of it.
“No pressure or anything, just
thought I’d offer.”
“Why are you asking me?”
“Sorry?”
“I mean, why me and not one of your
other students?”
“Because I have faith in your work
and I’m excited to see where it’s going to take you.” His eyes turned cold, his
jaw set. “Is that sufficient for you?” He lifted himself from the desk,
standing now.
“No, Mr. Campbell. I don’t think it
is.”
“Is there a problem, Ms. Parker?
Something you want to say to me?” Reaching for his tie, he began to loosen it,
unraveling it with his fingers, angry eyes still locked on mine.
“I’m not sure I like being your
pet. Or your science project, I don’t know which.”
“You have a smart mouth.”
“You make smart observances.”
“You’re going to make this
invitation difficult, aren’t you?”
“If you’re dishonest with me, yes.”
“You’ll regret it if you don’t
accept.”
“Is that a threat?”
“That’s a promise.”
I pursed my lips
and peered out the window.
“Dishonest with you about what,
exactly?”
My head snapped toward him again.
“Are you inviting me to this because you sincerely want me to go to the
conference or because you like me?”
“Like you? What is this, third
grade? My answer is both. And that’s a problem because?”
“I’ve heard things about you.”
“Oh?” He plopped down onto the
ledge of the desk.
“That you sleep with your students
and cheat on your girlfriend.”
“Excuse me? I don’t have a
girlfriend. And who I sleep with isn’t any of your damn business.” He walked
around to the other side of his desk, removed his gray tweed jacket and flicked
it onto his chair.
“I think it is my business if I’m going to be spending time with you off
campus. And isn’t the redhead your girlfriend?”
“I’m assuming you’re referring to
Alisha, and no, she is not my
girlfriend. Not anymore. Damn it, Kate, who the hell do you think you are?
You’re my student, I’m offering you a chance to go to this conference, and
you’re going to take it. That’s it, nothing more.”
“Excuse me?”
He veered around the desk to stand
in front of me again, our faces inches apart, nose to nose. “You heard me.
You’re going to go because you deserve it. You’re going to go because it’s an
excellent opportunity for you, and nothing you hear about me on this damn
campus or elsewhere is going to deter you, understand?” He licked his lips and
rubbed his jaw, glare stone cold.
My fists balled at my sides and I
could feel my face flush, a combination of fury at his audacity and nervousness
from standing so close to his mouth again. I didn’t trust myself around that
mouth.
“You don’t even know me.”
“I know your writing.”
“That’s not the same thing.”
“It’s more than enough.”
“Are you attracted to me, Mr.
Campbell?”
“Ryan.”
“Ryan. Well are you?”
“Of course I am, Kate. What, are
you not used to men finding you attractive? Do you need me to display it on a
parade float for you? Do you want me to do a song and dance?” He spoke quieter
now, an angry whisper. “I won’t screw you over like the other female students I
have in the past, if that’s what you’re asking.”
“So it’s true.” I breathed, my eyes
bouncing from his lips back to his smoldering, caramel eyes.
“I’m not proud of it and I can’t
take it back. So take it or leave it.” He shifted forward and his fingertips
grazed mine. “I won’t feed you lies and bullshit, Kate. I’ve messed around with
my students and I was a complete asshole about it. But you’re too good for me.
I wouldn’t hurt you. And from here on out, I won’t say or do anything that will
make you uncomfortable. You can go to the conference without me, please just
go.” Too good for him? What? Why is he
talking as if he knows me? Damn it, where is this going?
The tips of his warm fingers sent a
jolt through me and I involuntarily moved closer to him, understanding the
weight of what I was about to do—right here in his classroom. A hypnotic thrall
reeled me in, calling me to his touch, toward the current that passed from his
fingertips to mine.
I peered up at him with
frustration, trying to grasp his effect on me. It was so beyond my
comprehension and yet so crystal clear. We shared similar defenses, just
different mechanisms. He scared people off with his sleazy reputation and
haughty persona, and I scared them off with the scars of my past and my
workaholic nature. I could see right through him. Was I just as transparent?
“I won’t touch you unless you drop
my class. And only if you want me to,” he shut his eyes and leaned in further,
his lips barely touching mine as he tilted his head. “I can’t fuck up again,
Kate. I won’t. Not with you.”
I rested my hand on his chest and
felt it constrict, his heat pulling me in closer. “So if I’m not your
student...” I whispered and brushed my lips over his, feeling his hand slip
around and rest on the curve of my back. His stubble was so close and his
heartbeat raced under the palm of my hand. He swept a few strands of hair away
from my eyes and cupped my cheek in his palm, lightly brushed his lips against
mine again, this time pressing down to capture a kiss.
The sound of the classroom door
slamming against the wall caused us to jump apart.
“You son of a
bitch.” There stood Alisha, the redhead, arms crossed and fury present. Damn. I thought I threw Ginger off the boat.
Wow. Well, that should give you a whole list of reasons as to why this book held my interest.
What I Liked:
This book was a page turner from the first and I had trouble putting it down to go to work. Wow! I love books like that. The drama with Ryan and his fiancee in the first part of the book was heartbreaking. Kate's fascination with Ryan is captivating and is one of those plots that gave me that sensation of being hung on every word. Having read other books by author, Rachel Wade, I have to say this is my favorite so far. The erotic tension between the two characters is gripping and I didn't want it to end.
What I Didn't:
Not a thing.
Overall:
Great characters, with a dominant male and smart female that mix it up with erotic tension and great dialogue. The action and movement of the characters felt natural and that is a big one for me. This book held my interest and I couldn't wait to see what happened next. When it was over, I had one of those moments where you just sigh and wish there were about 500 more pages. I can't think of a better compliment to a book than that.
5/5
About the Author:
Rachael Wade is the author of the Amazon #1 best-selling
paranormal romance series, The Resistance Trilogy, and the best-selling
contemporary romance, Preservation. She is a member of the Romance Writers of
America and her work has been published in The Storyteller, A Hudson View
International Poetry Digest, and Amulet Poetry. When she's not writing, she's
busy learning French, watching too many movies, and learning how to protect
wildlife and stop animal cruelty. The first title in her post-apocalyptic
sci-fi romance series, The Keepers Trilogy, is set for release winter of 2012.
Web and social media links to include in your media kit, be sure
to include links to youtube book trailers if you have them:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/RachaelWade
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