Kennedy's Awakening
Book Series: Love's Awakening
Author: Perri Forrest
Genre: Contemporary Romance / Novlette
Publication Date: 12th November 2017
Genre: Contemporary Romance / Novlette
Publication Date: 12th November 2017
Book Description:
Kennedy Daniels is young, beautiful and successful. But she’s like a lot of women who have been hurt in love. She is guarded, angry, and dead set on not repeating the same mistakes again. But if the way she treats men is the way she intends to continue through life, she won’t have to worry about attracting a man to have a relationship with, at all. Her sharp tongue and her trigger-happy attitude is a turn off, and not something she expected to ever be confronted about.
But then she meets him...
Javier Zamora is a man’s man who is very much a straight shooter. He’s not here for the games or the bullshit. When he ends up calling Kennedy out on her behavior, sparks fly--but not in a good way; and what was supposed to be a blind date, set up by good friends, ends in a bitter battle of words.
After the exchange, Kennedy and Javier part ways, but the sting of Javier’s words remain. This chain of events, forces Kennedy to take a long hard look at herself, and what she sees, she doesn't quite like.
On the heels of her epiphany, Kennedy decides that a getaway is what she needs. She wants to take that time to reconnect, soul-search, check the areas of her life that need work. But then the unexpected happens... hers and Javier's paths cross once again.
Just like the first time they met, sparks fly. However, whether or not they fly in the same direction as before, remains to be seen.
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Author Interview with Perri Forrest
1. What inspired you to want to become a writer?
Reading. I’ve been an avid reader since I was pre-teen. The stories I loved were paranormal stories, and then as I got older, it was psychological thrillers. And go figure, they’re both genres that I want to write in, but don’t dare! They’re both extremely intense, and both have very insightful readers—like myself, that are waiting to see the flaws. Sorry, I’m just not that bold. Maybe one day. But yes, reading is what made me want to write. I’ve been penning short stories for years that will never see the light of day. When I finally decided to jump in, it was a feeling like no other, and now it’s a very huge part of me. I write even when I don’t want to. I write when I’m happy or sad. It’s like the best friend that’s always there.
2. Tell us your most rewarding experience since being published.
The most rewarding experience was the very first piece of “fan” mail that I received. I touched me that my story actually touched someone. You want to be impactful, but you never know if that will be the case. When I started to see that there were women who felt that what my characters had to say… mattered… it meant something. And still does. I keep all of the emails that I receive and refer to them often. A lot of times wondering if they still feel the same. Does my work still touch them as it once did.
3. If you could have a signed copy of any novel what would it be and why?
Chances, by Jackie Collins. I would have loved to have a signed copy of that book. The way that Jackie wrote Lucky Santangelo made me admire that “Boss” mentality in a woman. I forget how old I was when I read it, but I believe I was a teenager. Jackie, on a whole, wrote stories that allowed me to be taken away. It wasn’t about what the characters looked like, it wasn’t about over embellished love stories, it was THE STORY. I love a good story that keeps me on the edge of my seat. Chances did that. I would also want one of Paulo Coelho’s The Alchemist and Shaneska Jackson’s Caught up in the Rapture.
4. If you could have any superpower what would you choose?
Awww, man! I dream of healing. I would love to be able to touch a person’s temple and heal them of illness, of hurt, of unwanted energy. Healing, for sure.
5. Please tell us in one sentence only, why we should read your book.
You didn’t specify a book, so I’ll go off of a book that’s close to my heart and answer for that one. I’d say that it could be for all readers. From male to female, I think there’s something for every reader in the book. There’s the lessons that I try to drop in small doses—as much for me as my reader. There’s the conversations that my characters involve themselves in. And there’s always going to be a woman who holds her own, even with flaws and vulnerability present.
6. Any other books in the works? Goals for future projects?
Absolutely! I released a title in February, Promise Me You Won’t Let Me Fall, and it did really well with readers. It was a novella and meant to be a standalone. However, after feedback I received, I penned a part 2, that went to the editor last night, and releases on April 20. I’m already at work on the next novel and I’m keeping that a secret. But I will say that I’m having a lot of fun mapping out the key players, and hope to have it done in time for a June release.
7. Do you write as you go or do you have the book planned before you start the first draft?
My characters are always on standby and tagging me in once they know I’m done with another character. So there’s never down time. And since I write as I go, I really just need a character name and first sentence and then me and that character initialize everything until other characters are tagged in.
8. What movie and/or book are you looking forward to this year?
Unfortunately, I don’t get to read as much as I’d like to! My ideal kickback would be a glass of red Moscato, and a thick hardcover novel! But since I can’t, ummm… let’s see. With the movies, I’ve been really disappointed with a lot of movies lately. So, I’ll stick to TV shows and say that I’m eagerly anticipating the return of The Chi. That’s all I got for now.
9. If you could live anywhere in the world where would it be?
Italy
10. Can you see yourself in any of your characters?
Funny you ask. I’m in all of them. They’re born from pieces of me.
A big thank you to Perri Forrest for dropping by to answer a few questions for readers and fans. Check out my review of Kennedy's Awakening below and the giveaway on offer for books 1 & 2 of Promise Me You Won’t Let Me Fall by Perri Forest.
MY REVIEW
Kennedy Daniels' previous relationship has had such a negative effect on her love life and relationships to the extent where her heart is always on fight or flight mode. She refuses to let her guard down, so much so, she fails to acknowledge that her biggest problem is her inability to let loose and drop her guard, which in effect has made her bitter and judgemental. On a night out with two of her closest friends, Kennedy meets Javier, the charming fella who stepped in to help her ward off a guy who just won't take a hint. Things turn south, however, when Kennedy finds out that Javier is her blind date, and he has a few honest words for Kennedy that end up bruising her ego. Despite her resentment towards Javier, Kennedy can't help but wonder if it's time to take a long hard look at her life and maybe make a few changes. But will she be able to push her pride aside and give love another chance?
I'm still new to contemporary romance, so I'm always on guard whenever I pick up a book, but I quickly dropped my guard when I started reading this book. I think there's a little bit of Kennedy Daniels in each and every one of us, even if we're not completely aware of it. The character is one a lot of people will be able to relate to. She guards her heart well, but sometimes it becomes a detriment to her relationships, or rather it's the one thing interfering with her love life, propelling her into a life of loneliness. When she meets Javier, she realises that she might just have met her match, and she doesn't like it one bit. Kennedy is a fierce character who from the outside appear to be invincible, but on the inside, she's terrified of letting someone in, in fear she may lose herself as she did in her previous relationship. Javier is a man who knows exactly what he wants and isn't afraid to express his desires and feelings. Kennedy and Javier's interaction exudes passion and sexual tension. I thought the intimate scenes were tasteful and not too graphic to digest. I loved both Kennedy and Javier. They were so different yet managed to complement each other well.
I would have liked to get the sense of Kennedy having more purpose outside of her love life as it felt as if she didn't exist outside of her own interpretation of herself, predominantly focused on the male perspective, which was of a primarily sexual context. It would have been nice to see how she interacted with co-workers, family or just other men who didn't particularly have a romantic interest in her to see how she perceived the situation and the world around her to weigh up how much time she spent thinking about her love life, or lack thereof. She is described as a successful independent woman but not so much presented as such as the focus of the story was purely on her sexuality. I would have liked to have seen Kennedy Daniels, the strong, successful, independent woman we were informed of, even if only for a scene or two. Having said that, I still liked the Kennedy Daniels portrayed throughout the story. She was a likeable and relatable character. And of course, Javier was quite the charmer.
This was a very raw and real portrayal about the the bittersweet nature of love and how it can both make and break you. It was an enjoyable read.
VERDICT:
Rating: 4 Star
Source: Author
Perri Forrest is a California based author. She has produced numerous outstanding titles including having reached number one in Interracial Romance, as well as African American Romance on the Amazon Best Sellers list. The fan favorite series, "Rapture", was an international hit debuting at number two in Women’s Fiction for three consecutive weeks on the Amazon Best Sellers list in the United Kingdom and the United States.
Having studied psychology, Perri delves into the intrinsic elements that make her characters tick. She consistently creates strong female leads weaving in the complexities of fiction and real life. This dynamic writer, who has penned stories since a preteen, ensures that each novel is mixed with insight, passion and love.
An unintentional venture into blogging allowed Perri to express her raw emotion, break down her personal barriers and explore her gift of writing. Ultimately Perri’s blogs resulted in fans adoring her work and clamoring to read more. Writing quickly became her sole driving force, and her goal is to nurture the minds and hearts of the readers who trust her to feed their literary appetites.
When not creating her own captivating characters, Perri can be found enjoying a good suspense thriller.
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