by Melissa Foster
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release Date: November 9th, 2016
Blurb:
Imagine falling in love with a man, then finding out he was a killer...
TRU BLUE is a sexy, dark stand-alone novel written in the same loving, raw, and emotional voice romance readers have come to love, and the deeply emotional literary prose women's fiction readers have come to expect, from New York Times & USA Today bestselling, award-winning author Melissa Foster.
He wore the skin of a killer, and bore the heart of a lover...
There's nothing Truman Gritt won't do to protect his family--Including spending years in jail for a crime he didn't commit. When he's finally released, the life he knew is turned upside down by his mother's overdose, and Truman steps in to raise the children she's left behind. Truman's hard, he's secretive, and he's trying to save a brother who's even more broken than he is. He's never needed help in his life, and when beautiful Gemma Wright tries to step in, he's less than accepting. But Gemma has a way of slithering into people's lives and eventually she pierces through his ironclad heart. When Truman's dark past collides with his future, his loyalties will be tested, and he'll be faced with his toughest decision yet.
Book Trailer:
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UK: http://amzn.to/2eFw3BG
B&N: http://bit.ly/2fJR0iU
Kobo: http://bit.ly/2f0lOLc
iBooks: http://apple.co/2foQJPC
Google Play: http://bit.ly/2f3zQvA
Smashwords: http://bit.ly/2eIRUIb
Excerpt:
TRUMAN GRITT LOCKED the door to Whiskey Automotive and stepped into the stormy September night. Sheets of rain blurred his vision, instantly drenching his jeans and T-shirt. A slow smile crept across his face as he tipped his chin up, soaking in the shower of freedom. He made his way around the dark building and climbed the wooden stairs to the deck outside his apartment. He could have used the interior door, but after being behind bars for six long years, Truman took advantage of the small pleasures he’d missed out on, like determining his own schedule, deciding when to eat and drink, and standing in the f**king rain if he wanted to. He leaned on the rough wooden railing, ignoring the splinters of wood piercing his tattooed forearms, squinted against the wetness, and scanned the cars in the junkyard they used for parts—and he used to rid himself of frustrations. He rested his leather boot on the metal box where he kept his painting supplies. Truman didn’t have much—his old extended-cab truck, which his friend Bear Whiskey had held on to for him while he was in prison, this apartment, and a solid job, both of which were compliments of the Whiskey family. The only family he had anymore.
Emotions he didn’t want to deal with burned in his gut, causing his chest to constrict. He turned to go inside, hoping to outrun thoughts of his own f**ked-up family, whom he’d tried—and failed—to save. His cell phone rang with his brother’s ringtone, “A Beautiful Lie” by 30 Seconds to Mars.
“F**k,” he muttered, debating letting the call go to voicemail, but six months of silence from his brother was a long time. Rain pelleted his back as he pressed his palm to the door to steady himself. The ringing stopped, and he blew out a breath he hadn’t realized he’d trapped inside. The phone rang again, and he froze.
He’d just freed himself from the dredges of hell that he’d been thrown into in an effort to save his brother. He didn’t need to get wrapped up in whatever mess the drug-addicted fool had gotten himself into. The call went to voicemail, and Truman eyed the metal box containing his painting supplies. Breathing like he’d been in a fight, he wished he could paint the frustration out of his head. When the phone rang for the third time in as many minutes, the third time since he was released from prison six months ago, he reluctantly answered.
“Quincy.” He hated the way his brother’s name came out sounding like the enemy. Quincy had been just a kid when Truman went to prison. Heavy breathing filled the airwaves. The hairs on Truman’s forearms and neck stood on end. He knew fear when he heard it. He could practically taste it as he ground his teeth together.
“I need you,” his brother’s tortured voice implored.
Need me? Truman had hunted down his brother after he was released from prison, and when he’d finally found him, Quincy was so high on crack he was nearly incoherent—but it didn’t take much for f**k off to come through loud and clear. What Quincy needed was rehab, but Truman knew from his tone that wasn’t the point of the call.
Before he could respond, his brother croaked out, “It’s Mom. She’s really bad.”
Emotions he didn’t want to deal with burned in his gut, causing his chest to constrict. He turned to go inside, hoping to outrun thoughts of his own f**ked-up family, whom he’d tried—and failed—to save. His cell phone rang with his brother’s ringtone, “A Beautiful Lie” by 30 Seconds to Mars.
“F**k,” he muttered, debating letting the call go to voicemail, but six months of silence from his brother was a long time. Rain pelleted his back as he pressed his palm to the door to steady himself. The ringing stopped, and he blew out a breath he hadn’t realized he’d trapped inside. The phone rang again, and he froze.
He’d just freed himself from the dredges of hell that he’d been thrown into in an effort to save his brother. He didn’t need to get wrapped up in whatever mess the drug-addicted fool had gotten himself into. The call went to voicemail, and Truman eyed the metal box containing his painting supplies. Breathing like he’d been in a fight, he wished he could paint the frustration out of his head. When the phone rang for the third time in as many minutes, the third time since he was released from prison six months ago, he reluctantly answered.
“Quincy.” He hated the way his brother’s name came out sounding like the enemy. Quincy had been just a kid when Truman went to prison. Heavy breathing filled the airwaves. The hairs on Truman’s forearms and neck stood on end. He knew fear when he heard it. He could practically taste it as he ground his teeth together.
“I need you,” his brother’s tortured voice implored.
Need me? Truman had hunted down his brother after he was released from prison, and when he’d finally found him, Quincy was so high on crack he was nearly incoherent—but it didn’t take much for f**k off to come through loud and clear. What Quincy needed was rehab, but Truman knew from his tone that wasn’t the point of the call.
Before he could respond, his brother croaked out, “It’s Mom. She’s really bad.”
About the author:
Melissa Foster is a New York Times & USA Today bestselling and award-winning author. She writes sexy and heartwarming contemporary romance and new adult romance, contemporary women’s fiction, suspense, and historical fiction with emotionally compelling characters that stay with you long after you turn the last page. Her books have been recommended by USA Today’s book blog, Hagerstown Magazine, The Patriot, and several other print venues. She is the founder of the World Literary Café and Fostering Success. When she’s not writing, Melissa helps authors navigate the publishing industry through her author training programs on Fostering Success. Melissa has been published in Calgary’s Child Magazine, the Huffington Post, and Women Business Owners magazine.
Melissa hosts an Aspiring Authors contest for children and has painted and donated several murals to The Hospital for Sick Children in Washington, DC. Melissa lives in Maryland with her family.
Visit Melissa on social media. Melissa enjoys discussing her books with book clubs and reader groups, and welcomes an invitation to your event.
My review:
What an exceptionally lovely story. I can't
believe that this was my first book from this author even though I have
some ebooks of hers already on my kindle.
I absolutely loved the
cover and even more so now after reading this book. This story had so
many feels I didn't expect and it pulled me in from the very first page.
Truman was a character I didn't count on loving so much. He was such a
tough looking guy with a big soft heart and so much love to give. How
many men would do what he did? This was such a heartwarming story
despite the shadows looming overhead.
The Story:
Truman
spent years in prison for a crime he didn't commit. Now he is thrown
into taking care of his siblings he didn't know existed until his mother
overdosed. Since Truman feels like he had failed his younger brother,
he doesn't want to fail his other siblings too and give them a better
life.
When Gemma sees Tru standing at Walmart she cannot come up
with a good enough reason why this handsome guy with his massive biceps
is standing in the baby section in the middle of the night with a baby
in his arms and a kid in his cart. Brooding over a magazine he seems so
lost to her and despite the dangerous vibe around him she can't help it
and approaches him.
Truman never needed help in his life though
this pushy woman obviously knows a lot about what babies need. He just
wishes he would have met her in another lifetime, when things wouldn't
be as bad as they are because she is gorgeous and he can't imagine
someone like her being with someone like him. He is the wrong guy for
her, he knows this because even though she is so lovely and helpful,
when he would tell her the truth she would run for the hills.
Thoughts:
I
loved this book a lot! The story started out really good but moved a
bit slow in the middle part although I liked that it was not overdone
but had a real life feel to it. All the details about Tru made him the
perfect guy even with his troubled past. He was far from having a
perfect life but he had so much warmth inside his hard and tough body
that I couldn't resist his charm. He wasn’t someone you’d normally count
on taking care of kids that didn’t have to be his responsibility but he
changed his life within a heartbeat just to take care of his siblings.
This was so heartrending.
Gemma was a pushy, fun and warmhearted
woman but her life was anything from perfect growing up in a home
feeling like a prisoner. I loved how those two characters with their own
troubled pasts found and helped each other. It was like fate. Tru’s
paintings described him perfectly without being cheesy and I think that
the author had done a fine job with the characters of Truman and Gemma.
-- I received an ARC of this book from Give Me Books Promotions in exchange for an honest review. --
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I'm so happy you tried one of my books and loved it! Thank you so much for joining the tour and for your amazing review! XOXO
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