Because of Lucy by Lisa Swallow
Synopsis
Ness's parents are shocked when she turns down her place at Leeds University and takes on a full-time job in a call center. Determined to begin her adult life the way she wants, Ness moves to Leeds to live with her best friend Abby.
One night she meets Evan, who is everything she hates about guys. He may be hot but he's also drunken, arrogant, and on top of that, he apparently has sex with girls and forgets about it. But Evan isn't what he seems and Ness soon discovers they have more in common than she thought.
Evan is struggling to escape from his past too, and when Lucy appears she threatens his new relationship with Ness. Unsure if she can deal with the effect Lucy has on Evan, Ness makes a decision about her future which pulls them apart.
When their new lives don't go as planned, Ness and Evan are both faced with difficult choices.
All because of Lucy...
Try it for yourself! Goodreads | Amazon | Amazon UK
Excerpt
I
side step the sink and turn. A guy leans against the doorframe, trying to
appear nonchalant but his slackened stance indicates he’s attempting to keep
himself upright. His brown hair is longer at the front and spills into his
face, and unfocused brown eyes appear to be looking in my direction. He’s one
of the regulars. I don’t pay a lot of attention, but he’s a good-looking guy
and they never go unnoticed.
“Yes?”
I snap. I’m so not in the mood.
His
eyes sweep my figure. Unbelievable... I straighten my sleeves and look at him with an eyebrow raised.
“Are
you Abby’s housemate?”
“Who
are you?”
“Evan.”
He rubs his nose. “You’re not a student?”
“Correct,
I am the one not lying in a drunken haze on the floor contemplating my navel.”
Evan
takes a step forward, steadying himself with one hand as my witty repartee
sails over his head. “Why?”
“Why
am I not on the floor pissed?”
“Why
aren’t you a student?”
“Because
I work instead.”
“Hmm.”
He pauses and grasps onto the sink, searching for a glass. I pass him the spare
one. “Did you fail?”
“Fail what?”
Evan
fills the glass. “Or are you just not smart enough for uni? What is it you do?”
He gulps the water in three mouthfuls then wipes his mouth with his hand.
Arrogant
wanker.
“That’s
right, I’m not smart enough. I’m living with Abby until I can find a nice man
to marry then I can have 2.4 kids and a house in the suburbs. Because, as I’m
not a student, I have no future.”
Evan
leans against the sink. “Fair enough.”
Oh
my god he believes me. How pissed is he exactly? “So, you think anyone who
doesn’t go to university is inferior to you?” I demand.
I’ve
seen her friends looking down their noses at me. Inverted snobbery. On top of
that, the locals hate students and the students hate locals. I’m neither. I
can’t win.
We’re
close now and he stinks of alcohol and pot, a faint hint of deodorant lingering
on his clothes. Evan’s T-shirt has come untucked and rides up as he leans
against the sink. He’s toned, evidently works out. I can’t help myself, I check
him out. Beneath his curls he has deep brown eyes. Incoherent eyes. I hate to
admit, but something about him is seriously sexy.
Even
if he is a dick.
“Well,
if you’ll excuse me,” I say.
He
sniggers.
“What’s
funny?”
“You
sound like the Queen.”
Not
this again. I get enough crap at work. I move from Cheltenham to Yorkshire and
suddenly I’m ‘stuck up home counties girl’.
I
don’t dignify his comment with an answer and turn away from him, and walk out
of the kitchen.
“Want
me to get the guy out of your bed?” he calls after me.
I
stop and look round. “You know him?”
“I
could replace him.”
My
mouth drops open at his arrogance. An attempt at a flirtatious smile plays
around his lips but the unfocused eyes kill the effect he’s trying to achieve.
He’s serious. I imagine he has a ready supply of eager girls. No surprise with
a body and looks like his, such a shame he needs a personality transplant.
I
step towards him. “Evan. I am not pissed. Nor are you getting into my bed. Good
night.”
Feeling
happy with my retort, I saunter towards the stairs. Behind me, Evan
impersonates my sentence with an exaggerated posh accent.
It’s
a good thing that I’m sober otherwise I’d go back there and punch him.
About the Author
Lisa is originally from the UK but now lives in Perth, Western Australia. She splits her time between writing, raising a family and running a business. She even leaves the house occasionally.
Lisa writes romance and is currently working on a series of new adult paranormal romance novels, the first book, Soul Ties, was published in July 2013. She also writes new adult contemporary - Because of Lucy was released August 2013.
Lisa writes romance and is currently working on a series of new adult paranormal romance novels, the first book, Soul Ties, was published in July 2013. She also writes new adult contemporary - Because of Lucy was released August 2013.
Giveaway
There are two giveaways that you can enter. The first is for an ecopy of Because of Lucy (all my usual giveaway rules apply - please check my Giveaways page) and the other is for a necklace and 3 ecopies of Because of Lucy.
Posts
This sounds like a good romance. Thanks for sharing it.
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