Title: Ruined
Author: S. Pratt
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Goodreads
Hosted by Love Between the Sheets
BOOK DESCRIPTION
“So I live my life according to the rules of others while my secret festers its way through my body. It bleeds slowly out of my heart and into my veins. Each word of my secret pulsing through me as it gets closer to the surface. I imagine one day it will get so close to the surface it will spring forth from my lips and reveal the monster I really am.” – Ruined. Bailey Michaels is living a lie. She has a handsome and successful fiancé, a great job and a house in a town she adores. Her friends and family know her as the perfectly crafted individual she has created in their minds. Her deception knows no bounds when it comes to keeping the truth from everyone else. But it’s not enough. She craves the love of the one man she can’t possibly have – the only one who shares her secret. Despite her angst over continuing her forbidden affair, nothing can keep her from Angel. His dark looks, chiseled jaw and broodiness make it impossible for her to ever deny him anything. So when presented with a choice, Bailey knows she finally has to make a decision. Keep living the lie with her fiancé, Carron, or finally be with Angel – the man who’s had her heart since she was fifteen. The funny thing with life though; just when you think you’ve got it all figured out, fate has a way of stepping in and turning the best laid plans to ruins.
EXCERPT
While I am in that state of semi-consciousness and sleep, I can feel the secrets in my chest. Slowly they move within my heart, the heart I keep locked. At first it is just a snippet … a word he said or a look. Pretty soon all manner of things are jumping and rattling around inside, almost like an incessant monster trying to get out from lock and key. Touches, kisses, promises, begging, pleading and abandonment – it’s all there raging like a storm in my chest, unleashed for me to feel the full impact of what the memory of all those things mean.
‘This is so fucked up!’ I scream so loudly the cat jumps off the bed and bolts out of the room. I doubt she will be back anytime soon. Rolling onto my side I bang my fist into the pillow and sob.
‘Why does it have to be wrong? Why, why, why!’ My anger soon turns to a muffled wail as I cry myself to sleep. The only problem is that no matter how many times I sleep, I will never wake up in a world where loving Angel is okay. I will only ever be able to have him in the snippets he allows.
AUTHOR INTERVIEW:
The author was kind enough to answer all of our questions about Ruined, the writing process and more!
What inspired you to write Ruined?
We were doing a 50k writing challenge on Facebook for the month of February … well, I wrote a little more and in 26 days, I had written Ruined! The idea, like all of mine, just sprouted instantly and I just went with it from there.
What books have most influenced your life most?
Enid Blyton’s Famous Five series first got me hooked as a reader when I was a child. I loved Sydney Sheldon as a young adult (I know, really old!) and then loved the epic way Bryce Courtenay wrote. These days, Twilight and 50 Shades have to be the most original works I liked before all the rest came along.
What book are you reading now?
I am almost finished reading Kaleb by Nicole Edwards. I don’t get to read much these days, I would say about ten books a year! But that is probably because I am writing about four to five books a year as well. And I’m a hands on mum too!
What was the hardest part of writing Ruined?
Actually, it was incredibly easy! The only thing I did have complaint about was the language phrasing, but I had some of that picked up by American betas before I released, but I guess some of it is hard to disguise. I’m very partial to saying bloody. The geographical aspect is perhaps better explained in Ruining Angel (novella).
How did you pick the names Bailey, Carron and Angel?
Bailey I was googling girls names, Angel was in reference to him being a “Guardian Angel” and Carron I didn’t even know was a name – I just made it up, lol!
Do you set aside a specific time each day to write?
Definitely not. I’m totally when the mood grabs me. Lately that’s at three am. I do have a good solid writing time available to me while the kids are at school, and then again at night when everyone is in bed, but sometimes I will get out 10k in a day, and then the next will ignore my writing for days so the plot can develop in my head. I never write anything down … It’s just me and the keys.
What’s your idea of the perfect vacation?
Oooh, I’m about to go on it! Skiing holiday for sure! I love the snow, hot chocolates, log fires and wearing winter woolies!
BUY LINKS
Amazon eBook
Amazon Paperback
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
S. Pratt is a multi-genre author who lives on the east coast of Australia in northern New South Wales with her husband and two children. She has a choc Labrador, Scooby-Doo, and two little mice that the kids promised they’d look after. This is now Shelly’s job, amongst other things. Things you may not know about Shelly? She has four tattoos and would love more, is only now in her 30’s becoming a wine whore and is a fiercely, loyal friend.
Shelly’s breakout novel, Ruined and companion novella, Ruining Angel are contemporary romance fiction books available on kindle and print from the Amazon store.
Sanctuary of Mine is her latest work in the New Adult Romance genre. (Graphic Design by Cover It Designs). Available NOW.
Beloved Soul by Shelly Pratt is available through Amazon and is published through Eternal Press. Please note that Beloved Soul’s cover artwork, editing and publication are all done through Eternal Press.
All other novels are written and published by S. Pratt. Editing acknowledgements go to those who are listed on each individual book title.
You can find all the latest information about Shelly and her other books (in different genres) by visiting Facebookor Web or Twitter
NOW ON GOODREADS – ADD SHELLY’S NOVEL TO YOUR TBR PILE!
GIVEAWAY
(2) Winners – One Signed Paperbacks of Ruined per winner.
(10) Winners – One eBook of Ruined Angel per winner.
(2) $5 Amazon Gift Card
PLAYLIST
Daylight, Maroon Five
Miracle of Love, Eurythmics
Bless the Broken Road, Rascal Flats
I Will Wait, Mumford and Sons
Beneath Your Beautiful, Labrinth
Anything Could Happen, Ellie Goulding
Sleeping At Last, Turning Page
Fucking Perfect, Pink
Wide Awake, Katy Perry
Kiss Me, Ed Sheeran
Forgiven, Nickleback