Breaking Brandon
(Fate, #2)
by Elizabeth Reyes
GENRE: Contemporary Romance
RELEASE DATE: November 26, 2013
BLITZ ORGANIZED BY: As the Pages Turn
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SYNOPSIS
Fate is a Moreno Brothers spinoff series.
He ruled out attachments years ago. Then one day he crosses paths with a beautiful but pampered daddy's little princess. History has taught him one thing about women like her—steer clear.
She was starting over. She moved back to her home town, took a new job assignment, and left her past behind. For the first time in over eighteen months, she's even intrigued by a man—a sexy but cold and indifferent drill sergeant. Despite feeling drawn to him, she has no time to figure out his inexplicable aversion to her.
Then Fate steps in one night, forcing them together. There's a connection neither can refute, and they both consider giving into the undeniable attraction.
Fate however can also be cruel. Just when they surrender to their heart's desires, past demons resurface in the most unexpected way, threatening the happiness neither realized they so desperately needed.
"Ok counting down fun facts from number five. You might not know this about Sergeant Billings," she winks at him with a grin as he stares at her lifting a brow."Or maybe you did if you were paying close attention.... He sleeps in the nude." She leans over and kisses him lightly on the lips whispering. "And of course now he has me doing it, too."
Brandon appears undaunted by this but doesn't take his eyes off her even as she pulls away giving her that unreadable stare only he can do so well.
"Number four fun fact," she continues. "Most won't be surprised but as um... particular as Brandon can be about most things. He's very good in the kitchen," she grins at him sinfully. "And I don't just mean with me on the counter." Brandon's eyes shoot open obviously not expecting her to share that with us. Regina laughs but continues. "I mean he's a very good cook and still can't get over how much I lucked out meeting someone this hot, this sweet, but who can also cook the way he does. Talk about feeling like a pampered princess."
We get a little smile from Brandon this time as he straightens out in his chair. *Whispers* Did I mention he's in his fatigues and looks too damn hot for words!
"Number three," Regina smiles big leaning into Brandon. "That last one just reminded me of this. He's adding another tattoo to his collection that reads Princess Billings."
Now we get a glimpse of that full beautiful smile. Regina giggles kissing him again a bit longer than last time. This time Brandon brings his hand around her neck pulling her closer for a much deeper kiss and as much as I'd like to sit here and watch dreamily... it's getting hot and my note cards I'm using to fan myself are not big enough for the heat I'm beginning to feel! *Ahem!* Thankfully Regina pulls away a bit embarrassed though Brandon's serious expression offers no apologies.
Rubbing his thigh with her hand she smiles. "Fun fact number two. For someone who puts on such a tough act, barely ever smiling, I've now seen Brandon laugh almost to tears." She giggles and Brandon actually chuckles shaking his head. "Okay so it's only certain people in my family that bring it out in him but still. He's laughed to the point he was holding his sides more than once now."
After whispering some stuff and laughing some about it Regina clears her throat and continues.
"Number one fun fact about Brandon is something new for him and I'm so happy about this by the way ." Brandon peers at her curiously. "When I first met Brandon he was all about no attachments. Obviously he made an exception. Anyone whose read our story will know this," she says smiling sweetly at him. "But he's continued to make exceptions. He may not admit it openly but he's embraced my family whole heartedly even becoming very close with my brother-in-law, the kids and a few others. So the number one fun fact about Brandon is he's now embracing making attachments of all kinds. In love and in friendship."
She squeezes him hard and kisses him again only this time they keep it short. "Okay you're turn," she smiles playfully.
I now get to ogle.. err.. focus on Brandon legitimately and for good reason. He has the spotlight.
"Alright I'll do them backwards like she did," he informs me with that serious stare and already I can feel the sweat beading around my forehead and upper lip.
I nod nervously. "Go ahead Mr.— Uh Sergeant Billings." He smiles at me!
"Fun fact number five and I mentioned to Regina even she wouldn't know some of these," Regina stares at him half smiling. "She murmurs in her sleep."
Regina's mouth falls open. "I do not!"
"Yeah you do," he says very smugly. "Most of the times I can't make out what you're saying," we're indulged once again with another very satisfied smile. "But a few times I have and it's very interesting."
Regina begins grilling him in a hushed voice but I hear him tell her he has to move on to the next one. He turns back to me still looking too smug.
"Fun fact number four," he glances at Regina for a moment his expression changing—going a bit serious. "She can surf." He stares at her for a moment, raising an eyebrow. "A little too well for someone who only spent one summer doing it."
"It really was only one summer," she insists.
Suddenly the playful Brandon who spoke of her murmuring is gone and Sergeant Billings is back in the room. "Fun fact number three," he says all humor gone from his eyes. "She's been refilling the empty tote in my closet."
"Brandon!" she says bringing her hand to her flushing face.
"That's all I'm saying about that," he assures her. "Fun fact number two," he continues quickly. "She and her baby sister think no one is on to them trying be sneaky about getting her older sister hooked up with—"
"That's not true!" Regina protests.
"Babe, you're not sneaky. It's pretty obvious."
"I meant we're not being sneaky," Regina smiled. "I didn't realize you thought we were trying to be."
"Good to know because everyone knows what you two are up to." He squeezes her leg and takes a deep breath. "Number one fun fact about Regina?" he looks back at her going from playful to serious to almost nervous and we actually see him gulp. "She's taking a home pregnancy test when we get home."
Regina and I both gasp. "Brandon that's supposed to be a—"
"By the time this is posted everyone will know babe." He winks at her and as playful as he attempts to look he's lost some facial color. "Trust me."
I'm speechless but have no choice but to thank them for joining me and wrap it up. On to interview Elizabeth Reyes!
We asked Elizabeth two choose some of her favorite lines from Breaking Brandon. In no particular order she gave us her list but being the tease that she is she's made very short comments on why she chose them then said she'd just let you the readers figure it out. She CLAIMS she doesn't want to spoil anything for the reader. Hmph!
He finally understood what his father had meant all those years. That kind of deep emotion—the kind he felt suffocating his heart at that moment—was sacred. It was something that should remain deep inside. No one had a right to know you were feeling it but yourself.
Her comment was this sets up how much it will take to Break Brandon. Hmm..
Regina: You’ve obviously made some kind of assessment about me, yet you know nothing about me.”
Brandon: “That’s right. I don’t. And I’m sorry that my lack of desire to know more upsets you.”
Ouch! Reyes only gives us a smug smile. Tease!
“Sir, I can explain.”
“Yes, you can and you will,” Brandon said, his tone hard and full of authority just as he’d been trained by the very best. “Only not here, not like this.” He got right in Rodriguez’s face. “I want a full report on my desk tomorrow morning, explaining why you ignored a direct order from your superior. I wanna know exactly what you were talking to her about when you’ve been instructed to stay away from her entirely. And also want you tell me why the hell I shouldn’t write you up.”
Reyes comments is, "One of the very first signs of breaking down and he knows it."
“What I was doing before you . . . Baby, I may as well have been dead. My life now with you compared to what it was then . . . I was dead.”
Here I only comment about this one was a "Sigh!" and a big smile.
5.In middle and high school she played clarinet and was in the band.
4. Despite all the drama and break ups she writes in her books she has never
broken up with her hubby for even a day since they first started dating almost
twenty-two years ago! "Not even a day. I was angry at him for a few hours ONE time
when we were dating but never once have we uttered the words break up."
3. She is very good at playing Texas Holdem. More than once she's won an
entire tournament consisting of mostly men ( her husband's friends and brothers)
and has earned the playful nickname by said friends and brothers of "The Black
Widow."
2. She considers herself a storyteller before a writer. She's been creating
stories in her head since she was a little girl and the stories still come to her from
every direction. Later she learned to write them down so they made as much sense
on paper as they did in her head.
1. Unless you count the few creative writing assignments she had in her high
school English classes she has never taken a single creative writing course.
To read our reviews of Breaking Brandon click HERE
Brandon and Regina gives us 5 Fun facts about each we didn't know about
Regina smirks digging her teeth into her bottom lip as she glances at Brandon then clears her throat and sits up all no nonsense like.
"Ok counting down fun facts from number five. You might not know this about Sergeant Billings," she winks at him with a grin as he stares at her lifting a brow."Or maybe you did if you were paying close attention.... He sleeps in the nude." She leans over and kisses him lightly on the lips whispering. "And of course now he has me doing it, too."
Brandon appears undaunted by this but doesn't take his eyes off her even as she pulls away giving her that unreadable stare only he can do so well.
"Number four fun fact," she continues. "Most won't be surprised but as um... particular as Brandon can be about most things. He's very good in the kitchen," she grins at him sinfully. "And I don't just mean with me on the counter." Brandon's eyes shoot open obviously not expecting her to share that with us. Regina laughs but continues. "I mean he's a very good cook and still can't get over how much I lucked out meeting someone this hot, this sweet, but who can also cook the way he does. Talk about feeling like a pampered princess."
We get a little smile from Brandon this time as he straightens out in his chair. *Whispers* Did I mention he's in his fatigues and looks too damn hot for words!
"Number three," Regina smiles big leaning into Brandon. "That last one just reminded me of this. He's adding another tattoo to his collection that reads Princess Billings."
Now we get a glimpse of that full beautiful smile. Regina giggles kissing him again a bit longer than last time. This time Brandon brings his hand around her neck pulling her closer for a much deeper kiss and as much as I'd like to sit here and watch dreamily... it's getting hot and my note cards I'm using to fan myself are not big enough for the heat I'm beginning to feel! *Ahem!* Thankfully Regina pulls away a bit embarrassed though Brandon's serious expression offers no apologies.
Rubbing his thigh with her hand she smiles. "Fun fact number two. For someone who puts on such a tough act, barely ever smiling, I've now seen Brandon laugh almost to tears." She giggles and Brandon actually chuckles shaking his head. "Okay so it's only certain people in my family that bring it out in him but still. He's laughed to the point he was holding his sides more than once now."
After whispering some stuff and laughing some about it Regina clears her throat and continues.
"Number one fun fact about Brandon is something new for him and I'm so happy about this by the way ." Brandon peers at her curiously. "When I first met Brandon he was all about no attachments. Obviously he made an exception. Anyone whose read our story will know this," she says smiling sweetly at him. "But he's continued to make exceptions. He may not admit it openly but he's embraced my family whole heartedly even becoming very close with my brother-in-law, the kids and a few others. So the number one fun fact about Brandon is he's now embracing making attachments of all kinds. In love and in friendship."
She squeezes him hard and kisses him again only this time they keep it short. "Okay you're turn," she smiles playfully.
I now get to ogle.. err.. focus on Brandon legitimately and for good reason. He has the spotlight.
"Alright I'll do them backwards like she did," he informs me with that serious stare and already I can feel the sweat beading around my forehead and upper lip.
I nod nervously. "Go ahead Mr.— Uh Sergeant Billings." He smiles at me!
"Fun fact number five and I mentioned to Regina even she wouldn't know some of these," Regina stares at him half smiling. "She murmurs in her sleep."
Regina's mouth falls open. "I do not!"
"Yeah you do," he says very smugly. "Most of the times I can't make out what you're saying," we're indulged once again with another very satisfied smile. "But a few times I have and it's very interesting."
Regina begins grilling him in a hushed voice but I hear him tell her he has to move on to the next one. He turns back to me still looking too smug.
"Fun fact number four," he glances at Regina for a moment his expression changing—going a bit serious. "She can surf." He stares at her for a moment, raising an eyebrow. "A little too well for someone who only spent one summer doing it."
"It really was only one summer," she insists.
Suddenly the playful Brandon who spoke of her murmuring is gone and Sergeant Billings is back in the room. "Fun fact number three," he says all humor gone from his eyes. "She's been refilling the empty tote in my closet."
"Brandon!" she says bringing her hand to her flushing face.
"That's all I'm saying about that," he assures her. "Fun fact number two," he continues quickly. "She and her baby sister think no one is on to them trying be sneaky about getting her older sister hooked up with—"
"That's not true!" Regina protests.
"Babe, you're not sneaky. It's pretty obvious."
"I meant we're not being sneaky," Regina smiled. "I didn't realize you thought we were trying to be."
"Good to know because everyone knows what you two are up to." He squeezes her leg and takes a deep breath. "Number one fun fact about Regina?" he looks back at her going from playful to serious to almost nervous and we actually see him gulp. "She's taking a home pregnancy test when we get home."
Regina and I both gasp. "Brandon that's supposed to be a—"
"By the time this is posted everyone will know babe." He winks at her and as playful as he attempts to look he's lost some facial color. "Trust me."
I'm speechless but have no choice but to thank them for joining me and wrap it up. On to interview Elizabeth Reyes!
We asked Elizabeth two choose some of her favorite lines from Breaking Brandon. In no particular order she gave us her list but being the tease that she is she's made very short comments on why she chose them then said she'd just let you the readers figure it out. She CLAIMS she doesn't want to spoil anything for the reader. Hmph!
So let's examine these. Up first is this one.
He finally understood what his father had meant all those years. That kind of deep emotion—the kind he felt suffocating his heart at that moment—was sacred. It was something that should remain deep inside. No one had a right to know you were feeling it but yourself.
Her comment was this sets up how much it will take to Break Brandon. Hmm..
Next she chose this one.
Regina: You’ve obviously made some kind of assessment about me, yet you know nothing about me.”
Brandon: “That’s right. I don’t. And I’m sorry that my lack of desire to know more upsets you.”
Ouch! Reyes only gives us a smug smile. Tease!
Another one of her favorites:
“Sir, I can explain.”
“Yes, you can and you will,” Brandon said, his tone hard and full of authority just as he’d been trained by the very best. “Only not here, not like this.” He got right in Rodriguez’s face. “I want a full report on my desk tomorrow morning, explaining why you ignored a direct order from your superior. I wanna know exactly what you were talking to her about when you’ve been instructed to stay away from her entirely. And also want you tell me why the hell I shouldn’t write you up.”
Reyes comments is, "One of the very first signs of breaking down and he knows it."
On to the last one she
Here I only comment about this one was a "Sigh!" and a big smile.
5 fun facts you might not know about Elizabeth Reyes:
4. Despite all the drama and break ups she writes in her books she has never
broken up with her hubby for even a day since they first started dating almost
twenty-two years ago! "Not even a day. I was angry at him for a few hours ONE time
when we were dating but never once have we uttered the words break up."
3. She is very good at playing Texas Holdem. More than once she's won an
entire tournament consisting of mostly men ( her husband's friends and brothers)
and has earned the playful nickname by said friends and brothers of "The Black
Widow."
2. She considers herself a storyteller before a writer. She's been creating
stories in her head since she was a little girl and the stories still come to her from
every direction. Later she learned to write them down so they made as much sense
on paper as they did in her head.
1. Unless you count the few creative writing assignments she had in her high
school English classes she has never taken a single creative writing course.
About the Author
USA Today Bestselling Author, Elizabeth Reyes continues to answer to her calling on a daily basis. Since releasing her debut novel Forever Mine (Moreno Brothers #1) in 2010 she has now published 9 full length novels total and fast at work on the next. The excitement her Moreno Brothers, 5th Street, and Fate series have garnered has far exceeded her wildest dreams. It is with as much excitement that she'll continue to put out books related to these series as well as introduce brand new ones very soon.
In 2014 she will take her next step in the exciting world of writing and publish her first traditionally published book with Simon & Schuster/Atria. But she will continue putting out self published books as well.
***BOOK BLITZ GIVEAWAY***
Elizabeth is offering up (3) winners, signed copies of Breaking Brandon.
The giveaway is open internationally. Giveaway ends at 11:59 PM CST 12/06/2013.
Reading the review had me blushing , which is hard to do at my age, but I really can't wait to read this, it looks like an awesome read! :) Thanks for a great giveaway
ReplyDeleteGreat giveaway. I can't wait to read.
ReplyDeleteI love Elizabeth's writing and this is a great giveaway! thanks
ReplyDeleteThank you for the great giveaway chance! I am a HUGE fan of Elizabeth's. I love ALL her books! Breaking Brandon was a great story! Loved it!
ReplyDeleteCant wait to read this one!! Thanks for the giveaway :)
ReplyDeleteI loved this book! Thanks for the interview and giveaway!
ReplyDeleteLove love love Elizabeth Reyes I inhale her booke..even good 2nd 3rd and 4th time...
ReplyDeleteI love this book, but i love all her books.
ReplyDeleteLooks like another winner! I love stories like these.
ReplyDeleteAnother great book Elizabeth. Thank you for sharing your awesome talent!
ReplyDeleteI loved the Moreno family books. Can't wait to read this one.
ReplyDeletelooks interesting, I hope I win
ReplyDeleteGreat reviews! Love your fun facts too. Elizabeth Reyes, knows how to write and tell stories. (despite the lack of taking creative writing course, which she obviously did not need) I love all her books, the Moreno's, 5th St Boys and now her spinoff Fate series. Looking forward to reading Breaking Brandon!
ReplyDeleteReading the exert had me blushing. Very nice and interesting. Thanks for the giveaway. :)
ReplyDeleteI have a ebook copy of this book but havent got the chance to read it(maybe soon). Thank you for the giveaway!
ReplyDelete