Letting Go Excerpt, A Steamy First Kiss, Review & A Chance to #WIN

In The Truth About Letting Go, main character Ashley Lockett rejects religion and makes a vow in Chapter 2 never to step foot in church again.

Get me!

She does her best to keep that vow, and she never changes her mind about her decision. She's been hurt too badly.

Jordan's a Problem.

Ashley can't help her feelings for him, and they're both really hot together. But he's Mr. Young Life, so she pushes him away. Several times.

Then when she can't stop going back to him, she tries to argue him out of his beliefs. And their fights usually end up in lip-locks, too.

This excerpt is the first kiss between Ashley and Jordan, and it's when they first discover their chemistry.

Enjoy~

He grabs me around the waist, easily lifting me off the floor and through the door into his room. He puts me down, but his arms are still around me. They’re warm, and I’m surrounded by the smell of fresh-cut grass, the creek. My eyes travel from his blue shirt to his face, and his expression changes.

“Jordan, I—”

He leans down and cuts me off with a kiss. Soft, warm lips press over mine gently. I only hesitate for half a second before reaching up and weaving my fingers into his hair. I open my mouth, and the flavor of mint grows stronger as our tongues slide together. A burst of energy floods my chest, and suddenly, I’m kissing him again, faster, like I can’t get enough. He’s keeping my pace, and for the first time in months, the painful sadness is gone. In its place is this new feeling, this tense anticipation. I love it, this excitement canceling out that wretched sadness.

Our mouths break apart and we both gasp. He presses his forehead to mine, but my eyes are still closed. I’m smiling.

“I’m sorry,” he whispers, pulling me into his chest. “I didn’t mean to—”

But I don’t want to hear that. I reach for his face again, pulling it down to mine. I want more of the good feeling. He lifts me, and my hands stay on his cheeks as I kiss him again and again. A noise comes from his throat, and it’s like gasoline on a fire. All of me is hot and desperate. I barely notice as we fall back onto his bed, me on top, my fingers searching for the buttons on his new shirt. They’re easy to unfasten and soon, I’m sliding my hands over his smooth chest.

~~~

Jordan drops a bombshell a few paragraphs later that changes everything and sets up the basis of their ongoing "conflict." But yanno. You'll have to read the book for that part (*wink*).

The Truth About Letting Go

By Leigh Talbert Moore

Ashley wants to smash everything in her once-perfect life.

Charlotte wants to walk in Ashley's seemingly charmed shoes.

Colt wants to turn Smalltown USA on its ear--with Ashley at his side.

Jordan wants to follow his heart... but Ashley is the one sacrifice he never expected to make.

Up until now, Ashley Lockett has always followed the rules. She's always done the right thing, played it safe, and then her ideal life is shattered when her dad dies suddenly.

Fueled by anger and grief, she vows to do everything opposite of how she lived before. She rejects safety, the rules, faith, and then she meets Jordan.

Jordan has big dreams, he's had a crush on Ashley for years, he's a great kisser... but he's also safe.

Enter Colt. He is not safe, and he's more than willing to help Ashley fulfill her vow.

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My Review

The Truth About Letting Go is a wonderful book on the subject of grief and moving on after loss. LTM does a great job pulling you into Ashley's world of pain and anger. It's so much easier to loose yourself then deal with the anguish. I can't say that I've personally felt the loss of a close loved one, but I can tell you that I'd probably feel the same as Ashley.

Cover and Writing
I really like the cover, its contemporary (my favorite) and kind of whimsical. You wouldn't think that there were some sad issues just by looking at the cover. The writing style is also great. It is in the first person from Ashley's POV. The style is easy to read and relate to. 

Main Character
Ashley was a daddy's girl, and the sudden loss of her father has completely devastated her. I can relate to her grief, however sometimes she seems a bit childish.. which is understandable. I also don't like the fact that it takes her until the end of the book to decided that Jordan's secret is not the end of the world. I mean really!

Swoonworthy Points: 7.5
The first kiss shared between Ash and Jordan was enough to get your heart pumping! Sweet Baby Jesus!! There were other swoonworthy scenes in this book too. I think though, that this book was more centered on moving on and dealing with grief than romance. 

Final Thoughts
I think TTALG is a great read, it takes you through a range of emotions from sad to steamy. It was a pretty quick read that leaves you wanting to know what happens next.

Leigh Talbert Moore is a wife and mom by day, a writer by day, a reader by day, a former freelance editor, a former journalist, a chocoholic, a caffeine addict, a southern expat, a lover of any great love story, a beach bum, and occasionally she sleeps.

Find her online at her blog, on Facebook, on Amazon, Goodreads, Twitter, and Tumblr. Read excerpts of her books on Wattpad and Figment!

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