by | November 22, 2016 · 1:15 pm
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RELEASE DAY BLITZ: REVIEW AND EXCERPT: Words I Couldn’t Say by Tessa Teevan

Title: Words I Couldn’t Say
Series: Promise in Prose #1
Author: Tessa Teevan
Release Date: Nov 22, 2016
Genre: Standalone Contemporary Romance
Photo Credit: Sara Eirew Photography
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.
The air around us was silent save for the crickets chirping off in the distance. The cool Cincinnati breeze nipped at my skin while I waited for his reaction. When I’d started writing this novel, it had been an ode to my past love. My past life. But then it’d taken on a life of its own and become so much more. Which had made it that much more poignant. That much harder to fathom the one word that’d been haunting me for years.
Goodbye.
At long last, he turned to the final page and sucked in a breath. My stomach twisted in knots because he was about to read the end. And I didn’t know how he’d interpret it. Half scared he’d tell me that I’d lost my mind and no one would ever want to read this story, especially with that ending.
He didn’t make me wait long. As his head slowly rose, I was taken aback at the tears shining in his usually cheerful eyes. This man, who had always been like a second father to me, had been reduced to tears by my words. My words. Words we both knew for whom they were meant. And, instead of calling me a fool or attempting to kill me, he watched me with tearful appreciation, switching between nodding and shaking his head as if trying to process it all.
I didn’t know how to react, so I simply stared at him, waiting for him to say something. Anything.
He closed the manuscript and set it on the table in front of us before taking a long swig from his whiskey glass. I followed suit and enjoyed the smoky burn that did little to soothe my nerves.
“Jesus Christ,” he muttered, his eyes locking in on mine. “Tucker. You did it. You fucking did it,” he whispered, seemingly unashamed of his emotional display.
I nodded, the same emotion welling up inside me when I remembered the ending of my first novel. So many love stories begin with the girl who got away. Mine wasn’t any different. Not only in my novel, but in real life as well. Ava Banks was, and always would be, that girl for me. But, instead of slipping through my fingers, she’d made the conscious decision to leave. And, like most dumbass men, I’d let her. Hell, I’d pushed her away. I’d regretted it ever since.
But, now, I was hoping like hell I could get the second chance Trevor did. Hoping like hell my story would turn out differently than his. But, either way, I was putting myself out there, as terrifying as that was. She finally, finally would hear the words I couldn’t say all those years ago.
Now, I just had to wait to see what she’d do about it. 

Review

Everyone has a story to tell…an exploration of the highs and lows of life and the lessons learned throughout the years. Sometimes the tale is romantic and loving while, other times, it’s painful and depressing, forcing choices to be made that unequivocally define who that person is and the path that person takes to find his/her happily ever after, if it’s even possible.

When art imitates life, a couple’s real story becomes fictitious, in a sense, because names have changed and the real-life ending hasn’t been written yet even though the book’s conclusion takes on a life of its own. But regardless of the fictional storyline, a couple’s own story is still in production, so that means there’s still a chance to change their story…to take advantage of a second chance for their first love and ride off into the sunset together, instead of walking away from each other without fighting for a love that’s been there from the very beginning.

Ava Banks and Tucker Manning were meant to fall in love…fate brought them together for a reason, but it also drove them apart in order for dreams to be fulfilled and unexpected circumstances to be controlled in a constructive way. Despite the heartbreak of being pulled apart and the lonely existence both have felt for the past 5 years, they’ve grown as individuals and are now ready to reclaim the person who’s always been theirs and change the ending that occurred all those years ago to one that fit how much they love one another and their willingness to fight instead of walk away.

I love the concept of a story within a story, and Tessa Teevan does an amazing job of tying the two together and using one as a stepping stone for the other. Writing Those Three Words was a cathartic experience for Tucker, and it’s one that solidified what’s been missing from his life for the last 5 years. Trevor and Abby’s story sets in motion his reunion with Ava and allows old hurts to be kept in the past and the focus to be on the present and creating a future where Tucker and Ava fight for their relationship instead of hurt one another all over again.

Words I Couldn’t Say is an emotional journey for both Tucker and Ava as well as readers. In flashbacks, we learn how they broke each other’s hearts 5 years ago and the extenuating circumstances that tore them apart and then we witness the ways they repair one another’s hearts and prove by their actions that the love they’ve always felt for one another hasn’t dissipated despite the time and distance; in fact, it’s been their guiding force to bring Ava back home to Cincinnati and back into the arms of a man she’s always belonged to since she was born.

Words have power…the power to destroy…the power to heal…the power to bring lovers back together, but words alone can’t overcome a heartbreaking past…that requires a combination of words and deeds as well as a little help from fate!

4.5 Poison Apples

Tessa Teevan is a twenty-something book junkie who is also obsessed with sports. Bengals, Buckeyes, Reds are who she spends her time rooting for. She’s a research analyst by day, reads/writes by night, and is married to a guy 15 inches taller than her, making them quite the pair! They currently reside just outside of Dayton, OH with two adorably grumpy cats. 
If she’s not writing or scouring through tons of photos of hot men, all in the name of research, then you can probably find her curled up with her Kindle, ignoring the rest of the world. She loves her sports almost as much as she loves her books. Her other obsessions include red wine, hot men, rock music, and all things Corey Taylor. 
She adores hearing from readers, so please feel free to contact via any social media site listed below. 
  

 

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