#BlogTour: BEYOND YOUR TOUCH by Pat Esden // #Review + #GIVEAWAY

Hello and welcome to my blog tour stop for

BEYOND YOUR TOUCH by Pat Esden!

Today I have a double review for you of the first novel, A HOLD ON ME and BEYOND YOUR TOUCH! As well, there is a giveaway for a $25 Amazon gift card below so make sure you keep scrolling. But first, let's learn more about the book!

BEYOND YOUR TOUCH

Author: Pat Esden
Series: The Dark Heart #2
Source: eARC via Publisher
Publisher: Kensington
Publication Date: August 30, 2016
Rating: 3.5/5 stars

Summary:
She wants more than he can promise.
His desires could lead to betrayal.
But without each other, neither can survive the dangers ahead.

Annie Freemont knows this isn’t the right time to get involved with a man like Chase. After years of distrust, she’s finally drawing close to her estranged family, and he’s an employee on their estate in Maine. Though she never intended to stay on the estate for long, her father’s illness and the mysteries surrounding her family made leaving impossible. And now with the newfound hope of rescuing her long-missing mother, Annie’s determined to be involved with the family’s plans one way or another.

If only she could keep her mind off Chase and focus on the impending rescue. But there’s something about the enigmatic Chase that she can’t resist. And she’s not the only woman. Annie fears a seductive stranger who is key to safely freeing her mother is also obsessed with him. As plans transform into action and time for a treacherous journey into a strange world draws near, every move Annie makes will test the one bond she’s trusted with her secrets, her desires—and her heart.

Purchase:

Amazon | Chapters

Start this series with...

A HOLD ON ME

Author: Pat Esden
Series: The Dark Heart #1
Source: eARC via Publisher
Publisher: Kensington
Publication Date: February 23, 2016
Rating: 3.5/5 stars

Summary:
She never wanted to return.
He wants nothing more than for her to leave.
But the fire between them is as strong as the past that haunts them.

Annie Freemont grew up on the road, immersed in the romance of rare things, cultivating an eye for artifacts and a spirit for bargaining. It's a freewheeling life she loves and plans to continue--until her dad is diagnosed with dementia. His illness forces them to return to Moonhill, their ancestral home on the coast of Maine--and to the family they left behind fifteen years ago, after Annie's mother died in a suspicious accident.

Once at Moonhill, Annie is shocked when her aunt separates her from her father. The next time Annie sees him, he's a bizarre, violent shadow of his former self. Confused, she turns to an unlikely ally for support--Chase, the dangerously seductive young groundskeeper. With his dark good looks and powerful presence, Chase has an air of mystery that Annie is irresistibly drawn to. But she also senses that behind his penetrating eyes are secrets she can't even begin to imagine. Secrets that hold the key to the past, to Annie's own longings--and to all of their futures. Now, to unlock them, she'll have to face her greatest fears and embrace her legacy…  

Purchase:

Amazon | Chapters

Disclaimer: I received an eARC of both of these novels in exchange for an honest review.

A Hold on Me

I really liked this one. I thought it was a solid foray into NA urban fantasy and I felt inspired by the characters. I had a couple issues with it, but I'm very excited for the next novel (I say as it loads onto my Kindle). I think if you are a fan of YA urban fantasy, this is a good series to get you into NA urban fantasy if you are looking to up the ages and situations of the characters.

I really liked Annie. I liked that she didn't accept anything at face value and tried to do everything she could to find out the answers regarding her father and his family. I thought it was really realistic for her to have questions and try to do research on her own. I thought that she was a little naive at some points and thought there were some times that she drastically changed just to further the plot but that didn't really take away from my reading.

I felt like her story and character arc were very YA in the sense that it felt like this was a YA novel with the characters just aged up. It was a pretty typical set up and there weren't a lot of Adult Content things happening in this one so I would actually feel comfortable letting a 16 or 17 year old read this one. There is sexual mention but no actual explicit sexual content which I was kinda glad for because I didn't really need it in this one.

I thought the romance was good too: I really liked the chemistry between Annie and Chase. They were a good mix (even if he said the dreaded UF line tbh). I thought it became a little quick at the end, like jumping from 50 to 100, because while there were sparks, it wasn't as though the characters were really more than friends who wanted to maybe have sex. So some of the things said at the end took me by surprise.

One thing that I didn't like was that it seemed like some characters did 180s at the end just to have the plot move along. I thought that Selena changed too quickly and the idea that the kids maybe knew all along was confusing to me. I felt like it was something that had to be done to make the plot continue rather than something that felt natural in the context of the story.

If you are a fan of urban fantasy, I think this is one for you! There is a lot of good stuff in this one and I can't wait to continue reading this series, I say as I open the next one on my Kindle.

Beyond Your Touch

Much like with A HOLD ON ME, I enjoyed this one with a couple things that I disliked. I still wholeheartedly stand by the idea that if you are a fan of Urban Fantasy or want something other than contemporary for your New Adult books, then you should give this series a try.

I really liked the plot of this one and that the younger group banded together to get stuff done. I thought it was really brave of them to do so and I liked that they all played up to their strengths and weaknesses. I would have liked more time in the djinn realm and to know more of the customs there. I felt like we just scratched the surface so hopefully in the next book there will be more?

I think the strongest part of this one was the plot. Whereas last book the romance wasn't so heavyhanded, we were basically forced to see something between Annie and Chase. And where it was more subtle last time, it was as though in the time between books, they became so intertwined that I didn't even recognize them. But they were sweet together and I liked that Chase wanted to keep Annie safe but that she didn't back down when she knew she could help him.

However, Annie annoyed the crap out of me this entire book. Not only was she jealous and petty the entire time, she knew she was jealous and petty and continued to be so. On top of this, Lotli, the new girl introduced to create a non-existent love triangle, apologizes to Annie for flirting with Chase and says she won't do it again and ANNIE STILL FREAKS OUT OVER IT. It bothered the fuck out of me. Annie needed to get high or something to chill out. Then she causes problems because of her rage induced jealousy which made me want to DNF the book at 90%. Honestly, I took off 1.5 stars because of Annie. She was the worst.

Overall, this is a GREAT series and I am very excited to see what happens next. I really hope that some things get cleared up and that Annie stops being so insecure. I highly recommend these books if you are a fan of Urban Fantasy and are looking for more of that or if you want to get into the New Adult genre!

PAT ESDEN would love to say she spent her childhood in intellectual pursuits. The truth is she was fonder of exploring abandoned houses and old cemeteries. When not out on her own adventures, she can be found in her northern Vermont home writing stories about brave, smart women and the men who capture their hearts. An antique-dealing florist by trade, she's also a member of Science Fiction & Fantasy Writers of America, Romance Writers of America, and the League of Vermont Writers. Her short stories have appeared in a number of publications, including Orson Scott Card's Intergalactic Medicine Show, the Mythopoeic Society's Mythic Circle literary magazine, and George H. Scither's anthology Cat Tales.

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