SYNOPSIS

You know the old adage “if you love something, set it free?”
It’s the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard.
The dumbest thing I’ve ever done.
I loved her. I lost her. Hell, I let her go. And then spent five miserable years without her.

To cope with the loss, I put pen to paper and wrote her a love story, knowing when she was ready she’d hear the words I couldn’t say all those years ago.

Turned out, not only would she hear them, but when Hollywood came calling, I made sure she got the lead role. After all, no one else could portray the character whom she’d inspired.
Now she’s within arms’ reach and finally, she’ll know the truth in my heart.

Because that other cliché, “Actions speak louder than words?”
I’m going to prove it.
My words may have brought Ava Banks back into my life; I have to be enough to make her stay.

*****Patty’s Review*****

*****FOUR STARS*****
{ARC Generously Provided by Author}

He’d crept back into my heart and repossessed the place he’d never actually left, consuming me wholly as we’d been unable to do before. But there was still some small part of me that wondered if it was too good to be true.

For those of you who have read the Explosive series from the beginning, you will have met little Ava Banks when she was a mere toddler. The little niece of Lexi and Jace McAllister was quite a scene stealer. With every additional book, Ava never lost her sweet charm even as she got older. Now at the age of twenty-three, we get her story and it’s one that is beyond steamy and is very much made of the love we know mainly exists in fairy tales. This story has the Friends to Lovers, In Love With The Boy Next Door, and Second Chance Romance tropes. I have to just give a standing ovation to Tessa Teevan because she wrote one of the most sexiest scenes I have ever read in a book to date. I am referring to the office sex scene!! HAWT!!!!

Ava Banks and Tucker Manning have been the best of friends since they were conceived. Their mothers were best friends and neighbors. From childhood till senior year of High School their relationship was strictly platonic. That all changed on Prom Night when Ava finally realized she had feelings for Tucker that went way passed platonic. Ava makes her move and Tucker is immediately reciprocating her advances. Tucker admits that he’s been in love with her for quite some time and had been waiting for her to wake up. They spend the summer together and make plans to go off to college in California. Ava wants to become an actress and has been accepted to UCLA. Tucker has dreams of becoming a journalist and was accepted to USC. But one horrible tragic night changes their plans for the future and ends up separating the two for five years.

Five years later, Ava is living in California and is a professional actress. But time nor distance has caused her love to diminish in the least bit for Tucker. Ava has held on to her heartbreak all these years later. She’s never gotten involved with any man, nor has she had sex with anyone else because in her heart there is only one man for her—Tucker. One day she gets a call from her agent. A huge Hollywood movie director is filming a movie adaptation of a best-selling romance novel and he wants Ava for the leading actress role. The thing is, it’s to be filmed in her hometown in Ohio, a place she has avoided for the past several years because the pain from Tucker avoiding her had been too much for her to handle. What she doesn’t know is the novel was written for her by Tucker. It’s a spin on their story and it’s his grand gesture to get her to come back home and to him.

When Ava returns, she and Tucker run into each other almost immediately and there’s no denying the intense feelings and attraction are still very much alive between them. Soon they are taking their relationship to the physical level and what a coincidence, Tucker has also held on to his V-Card!!! As they spend more time together their feelings only intensify. But it’s not all smooth sailing for the happy couple. Tucker is plagued by the fear that Ava will leave him again and he knows he won’t survive it a second time. Ava seems to think that Tucker doesn’t want to try having a serious relationship because she abandoned him when he needed her the most.

Will they be able to get passed their insecurities and fight for the love that they were always destined to have? Now that Tucker has the freedom to leave his life in Ohio, will he follow Ava back to Hollywood or will she make Ohio her permanent home base?

WORDS I COULDN’T SAY is currently available and it can be read as a standalone.

Amazon – http://amzn.to/2g3vj9E

 

*****Mel’s Review*****

4 Stars!
(ARC provided by author)

 

 

Ava Banks is a 23 yr. woman from Cincinnati, Ohio. We first met Ava in Ignite as a toddler & she is the daughter of Jeremy & Sierra Banks. Ava grew up next door to the Manning family & was best friends with Tucker Manning since they were born. Their moms were best friends, and Tucker & Ava were inseparable. When they are 18 their relationship turns romantic & they realize their love for one another has grown and evolved.

Ava has dreamed of being an actress since she was little. She plans to attend college at UCLA & major in film. Tucker also plans to attend college in California, but something happens to derail his plans & their lives go in different directions. Suddenly Ava has to make a choice. Stay with Tucker, or leave him to follow her dreams. She leaves him behind to go become a star & doesn’t see him for the next five years.

 

Ava thought time would heal her heart, but no matter how much time passed, her heart still ached for the boy she left behind. She has become an actress, but remained lonely & forever missed her soul mate. Time & distance did nothing to diminish her feelings. She still longed for the boy she walked away from.

She wanted him back, so when she’s offered the dream role to star in a film in her hometown, she’s thrilled. She heads home hoping she can win back the love of her life & have a second chance with him. She decides she won’t give up without a fight.

 

Ava has no clue Tucker is responsible for her return to Cincinnati. He is behind it all & wrote a novel pouring his heart out to her. It’s his story that is being made into a film in Cincinnati. He’s never stopped loving Ava & still wants a future with her. Is there too much hurt between them, or can Tucker & Ava find their way back to each other?

 

-“I love you. I’ve always loved you. I will always love you.”

-“My heart was always with you. It always will be.”

-“This time, its forever.”