Title: Emerge
Author: S.E. Hall
Genre: New Adult Coming of Age
Intended for Mature Audiences!
Laney Walker is a quick witted, athletic, southern tomboy who lets few get too close, using her sarcastic zingers to deflect. She also has no idea how others view her since Evan, her best friend, has coveted her since they were children. But college puts a gap between Laney and Evan that neither of them were prepared for- old relationships are tested, new ones are formed and nothing will ever be the same.
Especially when in walks one Dane Kendrick, not at all the familiar, southern charmer of home, but an animal all his own.
A story of growing up, friendship, loyalty, first love, primal love...and life.
Review by Debra (guest reviewer):
Laney is the quintessential tomboy. She grew up with her dad as her influence and it shows. She is a star on her high school softball team and sees herself as one of the guys. She only has one girl friend. She has no idea that the guys see her as the confident, sexy unattainable beautiful girl next door. That is until Evan, her best friend since forever turns her world sideways when he tells her he loves her. As their relationship evolves & deepens she finds herself feeling things she only heard about 'til now. Things seem to be heading towards a perfect future for Evan & Laney, same university & a forever love to get them thru. Then reality intrudes & they are separated. Can Evan the star football player avoid the temptations that come with his top jock status? What about Laney and her newly found physical & emotional feelings? Will she seek comfort with another? Are her feelings for Evan those of a first love or a made to last soul deep love?
This is an emotional ride, but one I think we can all relate to on some level. I am looking forward to the next chapter in this story. I really enjoyed this book. It was an easy but heart tugging read that should be on your TBR list.
4 stars!
Excerpt:
He sighs and cast his eyes down. “Laney, you’re that girl.
The one guys make up in their head when they put all the best parts together to
make one perfect girl. The man who gets you to actually pay attention, well,
he’ll be the luckiest guy on the planet, and he’ll know it. All that, and the
fact that you never date, is pretty damn intimidating.”
There’s a flutter in my chest; does he mean I’m the perfect
girl made in his head? Is he intimidated by me?
He moves closer now, I can feel the heat coming off his
body. Yes, Evan, find the courage. And then his hand is cupping my cheek, and I
instinctively lean in to it, a little gasp of air escaping my lips.
I’ve never imagined this with Evan, it’s never occurred to
me to even dare hope what he felt for me was more than a protective best
friend. Good thing, I would have done the fantasy no justice. His thumb brushes
my bottom lip and I realize…I could be swinging a bat, casting a reel, and
driving a truck all at the same time, but I’m still 100% woman.
I think I speak out loud. “Are you intimidated, Evan?”
He leans over, touching his forehead to mine as he takes a
deep breath. His nose brushes along mine, his whisper on my lips. “Not anymore,
I’m done with that, and I’m done not kissing you. All you have to do is say no,
precious girl. But please, please….just say yes.”
As I whisper “yes,” his mouth takes mine. His lips are soft
and gentle, sending a sizzle throughout me. His hand glides from my cheek to
the hair behind my ear, stroking it slowly, over and over again. He breaks
contact to lean back slightly, meeting my eyes, and a whiny protest from the
loss escapes me. I’m positive he sees a confusing mixture of happiness, shock,
and…lust?
“Again?” he asks me in a low grumble.
I leave the question
unanswered, putting one hand firmly on the back of his neck, the other over his
heart, feeling that hard chest and rapid beat under my palm, and pull him hard
against my lips. He groans and steps in so his body is flush against mine as I
open to allow him free reign of my mouth. Our tongues tangle together, knowing
each other just as Evan and I do.
My mind is racing as quickly as my pulse, but instinct takes
over as my hands move all over him. His solid arms, firm shoulders, strong
back…tight ass. I can’t feel enough of him in this moment and lose myself to
the desire consuming me. His sweet murmurs along my neck, jaw, in my ear spur
me on, almost to the point of no return, until loud squeals from the party rip
through our haze.
All at once, I
remember where we are and that anyone could walk upon us. It also shames me
that I was careless enough to leave Kaitlyn alone this whole time while I
fondle my best friend in a field, so I regretfully pull back. Evan’s eyes take
a while to slowly open and find mine, but in them I see everything I need to,
overpowering any inkling I might have had about regret or embarrassment. In
those blue pools, there’s no second guessing, these are not the eyes of my
“friend.” I know my Evan, and he liked it. I really liked it, beyond my wildest
dreams that I never had.
“Come on,” I say almost painfully, “we have to get back and
check on Kaitlyn.”
His shoulders slump and he rolls his eyes, but finally grabs
my hand and interlaces our fingers. We’ve held hands a million times, but never
like this. It feels good, I feel secure, but most of all—I start to believe
what people have said here and there in recent years…I feel beautiful.
Evan tugs on my hand slightly, slowing me up some, and turns
me to him. “Laney,” he barely whispers, “can you do one thing for me? “
He could say climb Mt. Everest right now and I’d agree. The
look on his face is so sexy and now that I know how that mouth feels…wait, what
was the question?
“Yessss?” Am I flirting?
“Can we pretend you’re really mine, just mine, Evan Mitchell
Allen’s, at least for tonight?”
I think of the gentle hand on my cheek, the soft then
rougher kiss, the protection from Matt, the #14 on his back every week, the
Disney movie marathons, and I say, without a doubt in my mind, “with
pleasure.”
The smile that spreads across his face and the fist pump I
doubt he realizes he’s just thrown assure me I should feel as good about my
answer as I do. At least for tonight…is that all I want? All he wants? I refuse
to overanalyze right now; this is new, overwhelming, and exhilarating…I’m just
gonna ride this wave without worrying; there’s a first time for everything.
I’m not sure which of us sets the pace for the walk back,
but neither speeds it up. Once back, still hand in hand, I immediately notice
that Kaitlyn is slow dancing with Matt, so she’s definitely way past drunk, or
maybe he used a better line on her. Whatever. As long as I can see his hands,
I’ll let her enjoy herself. Evan nudges me, so I look up.
“Dance with me?” Evan asks with an eyebrow raised and sexy
plea in his eyes.
It’s “Big Green Tractor” by Jason Aldean in the background;
we both love this song. I nod.
Evan sings the song softly in my ear as we dance. He has no
idea what a good singer he is, and apparently my body just received the memo
tonight as well. All the times we’ve cruised around together, singing at the
top of our lungs, or played iPods while we fished…it did not have this effect
on me. Why oh why could this not be the longest song ever written???
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