Happy Release Day Alison…
Synopsis
Every life has a
different path full of sharp turns, smooth curves, and steep drop offs.
Hollis Murphy has a plan—college, career, boyfriend, love, marriage, family. A predictable, normal life. She’s on track until an outside force causes her to crash and burn. They call it an accident, because that’s the only word they know to explain what happens to her. It helps everyone move on with their lives, except for Hollis. She holds on to the belief that she’s been targeted for a reason.
Risher Stevenson is intelligent, caring, sweet, and the hottest boy Hollis has ever laid eyes on. He fits perfectly into her original plan for a normal life. Everyone loves him.
Benton Daniels is intelligent, caring, sweet, and the bravest boy Hollis has ever met. He doesn’t fit into her life but gives it purpose and makes it extraordinary. Everyone hates him.
One is bullied. One is tormented. All are judged. How will it STOP?
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Excerpt
“Name?”
she said, impatiently.
I
was so flustered that for a second I’d forgotten who I was. “Hollis Murphy.”
She
scribbled something on a spreadsheet and handed me a packet with my name and
the number two hundred ten typed out on the front sticker, which I assumed was
my room number.
In
a flat bored voice, she said, “Everything you need to know is in the packet.
Should you have any additional questions or needs after reading the
information, please ask your RA. Have a productive semester. Next!”
Clutching
the envelope to my chest, my gaze shifted back down, and I walked quickly out
of the office.
As
I turned the corner, a loud deep woot! jerked my attention down the hall. I
took one step before crashing full force into something solid and warm.
Stumbling back, I dropped the envelope. Once my balance returned, my eyes
focused on a gray T-shirt with cut off sleeves, stretched across broad
shoulders. When I glanced down in search of my envelope, I couldn’t help but
spot the narrow hips and round ass covered in black basketball shorts. As I
squatted to pick up the envelope, a tanned forearm came into view. My gaze
roamed up to find the arm was covered in bulging muscles.
“Oh
god, I’m so . . . sor…ry,” I stammered, my cheeks heating with embarrassment.
“Here
ya go,” a deep voice said.
Reaching
for the envelope, my gaze inadvertently shot up to the warmest green eyes ever
created. His dark brown hair was cut short on the sides, longer on top, and
tousled. The perfect amount of scuff peppered his strong jawline, with deep
dimples framing a sexy lopsided smile. The air was immediately sucked from my
lungs. He wasn’t just hot, he was boy band hot.
A
deep chuckle drifted down before I realized he had stood up and was extending
his hand to me.
Oh boy! I get to touch
him.
I
slipped my hand into his and felt an immediate jolt of electricity. The muscles
in his arm twitched. He felt it too.
“Thank
you,” I said, as he helped me up.
“I’m Risher Stevenson.”
He
was actually introducing himself to me.
It had become a habit not to look
directly at anyone, especially a stranger. I automatically angled my head down
and to the left, to hide the messed-up side of my face. But those green eyes
locked me in place.
“Hollis Murphy.”
“Nice to meet you Hollis Murphy.”
“Sorry again about running into you.
I need to do a better job at watching where I’m going.”
The tip of his tongue slipped
between his lips before they formed into a slight smirk. Just as he was about
to speak, his name came barreling down the hallway.
“Rish! Get your ass down here. We’ve
got a ton of boxes to haul in.” A blond-haired guy was standing at the end of
the hall.
“I gotta go finish helping my
friends move in.”
I nodded.
Risher took three steps before
turning back toward me. “Don’t do too good of a job.”
My eyebrows squished together in
confusion.
“At watching where you’re going. I
hate to think I won’t get rump bumped again.”
He winked before
jogging away.
I Sasquatched those shoulders, those
hips, and that ass all the way down the hall.
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Angie Reviews Stop!
“So
do not fear, so I am with you: do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will
strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand."
Beyond 6 Stars
Stop! Is incredibly powerful, it broke my heart then healed it in the
most beautiful ways.
Hollis Murphy is on her way to the college of her
dreams, to study her passion and start a brand new chapter in her life. But
instead of being excited to begin her new journey she is nervous and scared
more than anything else. Her life was irrevocably altered one night a year ago
and while she is incredibly happy to still be alive, she will carry the scars
with her forever, emotionally and physically. Once upon a time Hollis was a typical,
fun, easy going, well liked senior in high school. She has always had the most
amazing parents and the best friend anyone could ever ask for, but even that
isn’t enough to keep the darkness away forever, the feelings of loneliness and
the overwhelming, sometimes crippling fear that still overcomes her, still
creep in, no matter how much time passes. Being away from home for the first
time in her life, separated from her Mom, Dad and Maggie (her BFF) is going to
extremely difficult for Hollis, but she’s determined and refuses to sacrifice
any more of her life for the accident that happened a year ago. It’s already
claimed more than enough.
“I
didn’t understand what everyone’s problem was with me. I didn’t do anything to
warrant their cruel attention. I just wanted my life back.”
Settling into her new home at Chambers University is
a daunting task but Hollis is going to give it her all, her new roommate,
Abagail is a bit aloof but seems nice enough but then she stumbles into him.
Literally stumbles into him. Risher Stevenson, the most swoon worthy boy she’s
ever encountered in the wild.
“This
real boy was so much dreamier than the ones in my head.”
Everything changes in an instant and for the first
time in a very long time, hope flickers, albeit weakly in Hollis’s heart. Their
relationship made my heart race and stutter, I giggled at their banter and I
found myself swooning over Risher, he’s all kinds of perfection.
Stop!
Is a far cry from the last college romance you read guaranteed. In fact I’ve
neverread a story that tackles the extremely sensitive issues that are covered
within these pages, and it is done with breathtaking beauty, understanding, and
sensitivity. Bullying has always been and always will be a hot button issue for
me, I have no tolerance for it in any shape way or form, so to say that this
book affected me deeply is a gross understatement.
“The
true character of someone is not visible with a brief glance from the naked
eye.”
My heart hurt from the very first pages of this book
and it continued throughout. The writing is absolutely flawless and engrossing.
The characters: Hollis, Risher, Abbigail and Benton, made me feel every ounce
of their pain, joy, fear, insecurity, conflict, and shame. Stop was amazing, and
I felt the words do deeply it was at times overwhelming. Bailey has a true gift
for creating heartfelt and powerful stories and Stop! Is just that. The grace
and poise with which she tackles these subjects is mindboggling and truly
inspiring. There is no judgement, only understanding and genuine compassion. This
book will leave you feeling emotionally distraught but also fulfilled and
happy. I cannot possibly stress this enough, everyone should read this book,
young (actually especially the young) or old this story will give you an
entirely new perspective on life, love, loss, grief, acceptance of others and
our differences and determination. It was simply perfect in every way. I loved
Stop, every single word, every moment, every tear that I shed, lead to one of
the best books I have ever read. Congratulations to Ms. Bailey she has once
again broken me as a reader; I am still sniffing and emotional while typing
these final words. Well played Alison, well played indeed. Stop! Now has a
permanent position on my all-time favorite book list and it’s incredibly well
deserved.
“Stretch
your mind, open your heart, and expand your understanding.”
Buy It Today
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Meet Alison
Alison was born and raised in Charleston, SC. She attended Winthrop University and graduated with a major in Theater. While at school Alison began writing one-act plays, which she later produced. Her debut novel, Present Perfect, landed on Amazon's Best Seller List and appeared on many "Best Reads of 2013" Book Blogs. The novel won Best Book at the 2014 Indie Romance Convention Awards. Her second novel, Past Imperfect, was published in February of 2014 and appeared on several best books of 2014 lists as well. Presently Perfect, the third and final book in The “Perfect” series was released in Dec 2014 to rave reviews. In March 2015 all the love, swoon, heat, and angst were combined into the Perfect Series Box Set.
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