Title: Make Me Whole
Series: Oil Barrons Book 1
Author: Marie Johnston
Genre: Contemporary Romance
I had a perfect life. Schoolteacher. Married to my high school sweetheart. Little starter house that we called charming but was really just old. All I needed was the two-point-five kids and I’d be living my perfect dream. Then my husband died.
After the funeral, I had a breakdown that lasted for a month…or twelve. But now I’m reemerging, healing, finding my way. It’s time to learn who I am now, and whether or not I can fix a leaky sink. And by my side, the entire time, is my husband’s best friend, Liam. The single dad knows a thing or two about personal struggles, and about how to replace faucets.
With Liam, I feel alive again. Confident. Capable. Liam has become my best friend too. Except if my parents, my in-laws, and the rest of the town had any say, I’d stay far away from him and his bad boy reputation.
How do I admit to them what’s so hard to admit to myself? That I’m starting to look at him like he’s more than a friend. That the heat in his eyes when he looks at me is far beyond friendly. That like it or not, Liam makes me feel whole again.
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B095XB6VPR
Apple: https://books.apple.com/us/book/make-me-whole/id1569527086
Nook: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/make-me-whole-marie-johnston/1140498910?ean=2940160821092
Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/make-me-whole-8
Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=VM9MEAAAQBAJ
Excerpt 1:
Blinking to adjust to the dimmer light, it wasn’t hard to find Liam. Sparks flew from the far corner, where the light from the open door had the hardest time penetrating.
The torch Liam held went dark. He flipped his face shield up so it rested on top of his head. “Hey. That time already? The afternoon got away from me.”
He set his equipment on the work bench by the hunk of metal he’d been working on. He slapped his thick gloves down and took the face shield off. Then he shrugged out of his well-worn leather apron.
I blinked again, but it had nothing to do with lighting. His long-sleeved blue T-shirt with the logo of a bar and grill in Williston was plastered to his chest and back. A smattering of singe holes gathered around the collar and a few tiny ones on the sleeves where the apron didn’t reach. Liam adjusted his shoulders like he was trying to dislodge the fabric from his skin, but all the move did was make his muscles ripple.
I’d known Liam wasn’t the same lanky kid from high school, but I’d never had proof like this.
He ran a hand through his hair—same effect. Biceps bulging and rippling muscle.
My brain snapped a picture, like someday I might need to reference the type of man that could get my libido going again.
Which I wasn’t looking for. Dating wasn’t on my radar, much less…activities beyond that.
Although recently I’d been thinking… I gave myself a mental shake. My therapist said there was nothing wrong with thinking about dating someday. Nothing wrong with dating itself. Nothing wrong with not being ready. Nothing wrong with dating while still not feeling ready. I hadn’t reached that point yet. And I didn’t have to think about it at Liam’s.
Excerpt 2:
I pulled up to her place and hopped out. I didn’t bother knocking. Since she wasn’t in the kitchen, I headed for the bathroom. The light filtered into the hall.
I rounded the corner and stopped. Kenny was half buried under the sink, her butt in the air. It was the finest ass I’d seen. Round, firm, and swaying from side to side as she mopped up water with a towel.
My gaze was glued to her backside when she sat on her heels and popped her head out. I blinked and shook my head as if it could reorient blood back to my brain and away from my dick. “So, tell me again what happened.”
She jumped and twisted around. My lips quirked. She was a mess. Half her shirt was soaked, part of it plastered against her breasts. I tried, hard, not to look at the way her nipples fought the constraints of the material.
Her appearance didn’t change how my body was reacting. Her hair spilled out of a bun and stuck to her face from either the water or sweat. She was flushed and breathing heavily, as if it wasn’t hard enough to keep my eyes above her neckline.
“I’m so glad you’re here.” She pushed off the floor and dumped the wet towels into the bathtub. Sticking her hands on her hips she gestured to the sink. “I fixed that damn thing. Remember I told you I did it? And then it started leaking again. So I thought I’d put in a new faucet, cuz now I’m a superwoman or some shit. Only I fixed the toilet first. See?”
She flushed, then winced. “I forgot the water was off, so you can’t witness the tank refill, but it will. And it won’t leak.”
I didn’t fight my smile. This was rare Kenny. Rambling, flustered, and a little pissed off.
--
Coming Soon
OUR THOUGHTS
Angst that satisfies 😌
Kenny had lost the love of her life 💔
She was, barely putting one foot in front of the other 18 months later
If it wasn't for her therapist, her online support group, and Liam, her sometimes psychic, always pushy rock, she may never have found the courage to live again
For Liam being labeled the town "wild child" since birth (no fault of his mind you) a single dad, and an unwanted Barron (that one chapped the most ) had left him with few he could call "his people". There was Derek, Kenny, and his grandparents.
Now Derek and his G'pa were gone
Wasn't anything keeping him in town anymore
Once he knew Kenny was okay and he sold the land...
Though fate has something else in store for the next chapter of their lives. It isn't going to be easy to get there but the rewards will be worth it if they can get past the obstacles in their path.
These two left me with a grade 'A' book hangover
The balance between the hurts and the feels was ...
practically perfect -
I think I smiled a bit more 😄
Kenny had some growing to do which is natural after losing your partner. I enjoyed that part of her journey
Liam also had to come to terms with perceptions and acceptance as well as how that was affecting his life
Then there was them
There was such a natural feel to the way the relationship between Liam and Kenny developed - it felt right.
They fit
I know there is more to the evil Barron Sr. and I'm hoping we get the tea on him soon
I'm excited about Laney's story
Make Me Whole was a great start to the series
Well developed characters
Easy to get lost in the storyline
Definitely a small town that I will want to return to soon
ABOUT MARIE:
Marie Johnston is a RITA® Finalist, and a best-selling and award-winning writer of paranormal and contemporary romance – and an avid reader of them both.
Several years ago, when kids started outnumbering adults in the house, Marie Johnston left her job as a public health microbiologist to stay at home. Settling into working part-time and shuttling kids around gave Marie the opportunity to think about what she wanted to be when she grew up. A die-hard science geek, she explored her previously thought to be non-existent creative side after much time spent making snowman crafts and coloring princesses. Having entertained thoughts of writing a book one day then subsequently deciding it would be too hard, she finally put the figurative pen to paper and began to type – and fell in love with storytelling.
The Sigma Menace is the first series by Marie with Fever Claim being her first book EVER. She is humbled by the fact that people are willing to read to her books and looks forward to keeping readers entertained for many years.
Marie lives with her husband and four kids in the Upper Midwest where the summers are gorgeous, the winters are brutal, and spring and fall are luxuries.
CONNECT WITH MARIE:
WEBSITE: https://mariejohnstonwriter.com/
AMAZON: https://tinyurl.com/4876fm4u
GOODREADS: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/11248716.Marie_Johnston
BOOKBUB: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/marie-johnston
FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/mjohnstonwriter
INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/mariejohnstonwriter/
TWITTER: https://twitter.com/mjohnstonwriter
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