Release Day Blitz: Because of Lucy by Lisa Swallow

Today we are celebrating the release of BECAUSE OF LUCY by Lisa Swallow. This is a New Adult contemporary romance title that was originally published as a novella in 2013. This is a new edition that has been fully revised and expanded into a full-length novel! Because of Lucy is the first book in the 'Butterfly Days' series and you can get it now for FREE exclusively through Amazon Unlimited, or for .99¢ for a very limited time!

BLURB:

"In life, there are some people you have to lose in order to find yourself."
Ness’s parents have planned her life but Ness is determined to control her own future. She leaves home and moves to Leeds with childhood friend, Abby, and shocks her parents by turning down a place at medical school to take a job in a call-centre.
Ness meets Evan, a student friend of Abby’s, and isn’t impressed. He’s drunk, arrogant and rarely spends the night without a girl in his bed. But unlike most guys she meets Evan quotes poetry and can hold a conversation, forcing Ness to change her opinion.
Evan is struggling to escape too and throws himself into the student lifestyle to hide from the past following him. In Ness, Evan finds somebody who shares the need to walk away from what people expect him to be.
But Evan can’t hide from his past forever and when Lucy appears she threatens his new relationship with Ness. Ness is unsure she can deal with the effect Lucy has on Evan, and makes a new decision about her future.
When everything falls apart and their new lives and relationship don't go as planned, Ness and Evan are both faced with difficult choices. All because of Lucy.

 

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Lisa is an Amazon bestselling author of contemporary and paranormal romance. She is originally from the UK and moved to Australia in 2001. She now lives in Perth, Western Australia with her husband, three children, and Weimaraner, Tilly, who often makes appearances on Lisa’s social media. Lisa’s first publication was a moving poem about the rain, followed by a suspenseful story about shoes. Following these successes at nine years old there was a long gap in her writing career, until she published her first book in 2013. In the past, Lisa worked as an English teacher in France, as an advertising copywriter in England, and ran her own business in Australia. Now she spends her days with imaginary rock stars. She lived in Europe as a child and also travelled when she left university. This has given Lisa stories which would sound far-fetched if she wrote them down, and maybe one day she will. These days, Lisa is happy in her writing cave, under Tilly’s supervision.      

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Chapter Reveal: Because of Lucy by Lisa Swallow

Today I am sharing chapter one from BECAUSE OF LUCY by Lisa Swallow. This is a New Adult contemporary romance title that was originally published as a novella in 2013. This is a new edition that has been fully revised and expanded into a full-length novel! Because of Lucy is the first book in the 'Butterfly Days' series, and it will be released in just one week - next Tuesday, February 25th.

 

 

Because of Lucy (Butterfly Days #1)
Releasing: February 25

Add Because of Lucy to Goodreads

Book Blurb:

"In life, there are some people you have to lose in order to find yourself." 

Ness’s parents have planned her life but Ness is determined to control her own future. She leaves home and moves to Leeds with childhood friend, Abby, and shocks her parents by turning down a place at medical school to take a job in a call-centre. 

Ness meets Evan, a student friend of Abby’s, and isn’t impressed. He’s drunk, arrogant and rarely spends the night without a girl in his bed. But unlike most guys she meets Evan quotes poetry and can hold a conversation, forcing Ness to change her opinion. 

Evan is struggling to escape too and throws himself into the student lifestyle to hide from the past following him. In Ness, Evan finds somebody who shares the need to walk away from what people expect him to be. 

But Evan can’t hide from his past forever and when Lucy appears she threatens his new relationship with Ness. Ness is unsure she can deal with the effect Lucy has on Evan, and makes a new decision about her future. 

When everything falls apart and their new lives and relationship don't go as planned, Ness and Evan are both faced with difficult choices. All because of Lucy. 

  

 Because of Lucy Chapter One

AUTUMN 

NESS 

There’s a stranger lying in my bed. The streetlight casts an orange glow through the open curtains and across the tell-tale mound, and underneath my brand new and expensive bedding is a snoring figure. A male, judging by the size, and by the decibels. When I left for work this evening, the bed was definitely vacant. 

I drop my bag on my carpeted bedroom floor and swear loudly. He doesn’t hear. I’m not surprised; the noise of voices and music downstairs would drown out the sound of my murderous intent towards this moron. I’m exhausted after an eight-hour shift and this is not what I need. 

Slamming the door behind me, I head for the stairs. The tatty furniture of the lounge room is covered with people, although littered is the term I’d use. Half a dozen inebriated, scruffy students are draped over the brown sofa or propped against each other on the threadbare carpet. A couple gaze at me absently. My housemate, Abby, squints and pulls herself unsteadily to her feet. She staggers towards me, her drink sloshing from the cup onto the dirty floor. 

“Ness!” she cries, trying to hug me. “You’re home!” 

I step back. “I’ve been home for half an hour.” 

She blinks. “Have you?” 

Her long brown hair escaped the straightening tongs this evening and sticks up on one side. Abby’s smeared lipstick and her boyfriend, Matt, nearby indicate why she didn’t notice me coming home. 

“Who is in my bed?” 

Abby gives me a look; one I’ve learned to identify over the years. She’s beyond any chance of reasonable conversation. “No idea.” 

“Abby, I’ve been working all night. I’m knackered. I want to go to bed and there’s one of your guests occupying it.” 

Abby giggles. 

“Not funny!” I snap. “You can’t do this every night; weekends only for parties. Please.” 

We agreed to share a house, her as a student, me working full-time. What a huge mistake. 

“It’s not my fault…” 

“What? You mean we were invaded? They just let themselves into the house?” 

The people in the room are becoming familiar, the same set of friends arranged in their favourite places around the room. Drinking and smoking, discussing politics and listening to Lou Reed. So hip, so retro. So clichéd. 

“No, but…” She puts a hand over her mouth, making a noise somewhere between a hiccup and a burp. No, but… she’s the only first year student in the group who lives in her own house. When the pubs and clubs shut, the friends can’t fit everyone into one of their dorm rooms, and I have the pleasure of their company most nights. I want to shout at Abby, tell her how selfish she’s being, but there’s no point. Her goldfish memory is worse when she’s drunk, and she won’t remember a thing I say in the morning. 

“So where do I sleep?” As if I’m going to get any sleep in party central anyway. 

Again, Abby looks at me blankly. 

“For god’s sake, Abby!” 

This is pointless. I pick my way through the bohemian bodies on the floor and into the kitchen. Empty bottles and dinner plates vie for a place on the cluttered kitchen counter. There’re two glasses left in the white cupboards and I fill one with water. 

Why did I join student Abby in Leeds when I’d rejected a place at the university myself? I’m rubbing my parents’ faces in it while I lower myself into the life of a call centre drone. Pride of the family, Vanessa, was always going to be a doctor, like Daddy. Or she was until I said ‘screw that’. I’m not their precious Vanessa who they can mould into what they decide I should be. I’m Ness, and I’m doing what I want with my life. 

As I regard the state of the so-called elite, studying class around me, I’m doubly glad I’m not one of them. 

“’Scuse me.” 

I sidestep the sink and turn to the voice. A tall 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; unfocused brown eyes look in my direction. This person is one of the regulars. I don’t pay a lot of attention to Abby’s friends, but he’s a good-looking guy; and however hard I tried not to, I’ve noticed him, but not only because of his looks. 

Some nights as I eat a late dinner after work at the table in the corner, I watch the group from my seat with a mixture of despair and amusement, and this guy intrigues me. Girls gravitate to him, and he turns on his smile and soaks up their attention, but something I can’t put my finger on hovers around the confident persona. This guy has his place as the joker who ensures he’s at the centre of the group, but some nights he’s quiet and focuses more on drinking and less on girls. Like tonight. 

“Yes?” I snap, not in the mood. 

He sweeps a gaze along the length of me, eyes lingering on where my work shirt stretches across my breasts. Unbelievable... I straighten my sleeves and look at him with an eyebrow raised. 

“Are you Abby’s housemate?” he asks. 

“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 on the counter with one hand, as my witty repartee sails over his head. “Why?” 

“Why am I not on the floor drunk?” 

“Why aren’t you a student?” 

“Because I work instead.” 

“Hmm.” He 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. 

The arrogant bloody… “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 my kids and a house in the suburbs. Because, as I’m not a student, I have no future.” 

Evan leans against the sink, his tall frame dominating the small kitchen. “Fair enough.” 

Oh my god, he believes me. How drunk is he exactly? “So, you think anyone who doesn’t go to university is inferior to you?” 

I’ve seen Abby’s friends looking down their noses at me. To make things worse, the locals band together and hate students, and the students do the same and clash with the locals. I’m neither. I can’t win. 

We’re close now and Evan smells of alcohol and pot, with a faint hint of a clean scent lingering on his clothes. His plain blue T-shirt rides up as he leans against the sink; that’s a serious set of abs he has. Okay, I can’t help myself, I check him out. Beneath his fringe, Evan 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 moved from Surrey to Yorkshire and suddenly I’m ‘stuck up Home Counties girl’. 

I don’t dignify Evan’s comment with an answer, turn away, and walk out of the kitchen. 

“Want me to get the guy out of your bed?” Evan 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. Evan has his ready supply of eager girls; I guess it doesn’t matter to them how conceited he is. Some girls go for his type. Not me. 

I step towards him. “Evan, I am not one of those drunk girls in there. I have no interest in you getting into my bed. Good night.” 

Feeling happy with my retort, I weave back through the lounge in the direction of the stairs. Behind me, Evan impersonates my words with an exaggerated posh accent. 

It’s a good thing I’m sober; otherwise, I’d go back and slap him.

  

The next book in the series, Finding Evan, will be releasing March 29th!

Finding Evan (Butterfly Days #2)
Releasing: March 29th

Add Finding Evan to Goodreads

Lisa is an Amazon bestselling author of contemporary and paranormal romance. She is originally from the UK and moved to Australia in 2001. She now lives in Perth, Western Australia with her husband, three children, and Weimaraner, Tilly, who often makes appearances on Lisa’s social media. Lisa’s first publication was a moving poem about the rain, followed by a suspenseful story about shoes. Following these successes at nine years old there was a long gap in her writing career, until she published her first book in 2013. In the past, Lisa worked as an English teacher in France, as an advertising copywriter in England, and ran her own business in Australia. Now she spends her days with imaginary rock stars. She lived in Europe as a child and also travelled when she left university. This has given Lisa stories which would sound far-fetched if she wrote them down, and maybe one day she will. These days, Lisa is happy in her writing cave, under Tilly’s supervision.      

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Newsletter | Amazon

 

 

 

 

 

 

Double Cover Reveal: Because of Lucy & Finding Evan by Lisa Swallow

Today I am sharing the covers for BECAUSE OF LUCY and FINDING EVAN by Lisa Swallow. These are New Adult contemporary romance titles that are part of the Butterfly Days series. Because of Lucy will be released on February 25th, and Finding Evan will be released March 29th!

Because of Lucy (Butterfly Days #1)
Release Date: February 25, 2016

Add Because of Lucy to Goodreads

Book Blurb:

"In life, there are some people you have to lose in order to find yourself." 

Ness’s parents have planned her life but Ness is determined to control her own future. She leaves home and moves to Leeds with childhood friend, Abby, and shocks her parents by turning down a place at medical school to take a job in a call-centre. 

Ness meets Evan, a student friend of Abby’s, and isn’t impressed. He’s drunk, arrogant and rarely spends the night without a girl in his bed. But unlike most guys she meets Evan quotes poetry and can hold a conversation, forcing Ness to change her opinion. 

Evan is struggling to escape too and throws himself into the student lifestyle to hide from the past following him. In Ness, Evan finds somebody who shares the need to walk away from what people expect him to be. 

But Evan can’t hide from his past forever and when Lucy appears she threatens his new relationship with Ness. Ness is unsure she can deal with the effect Lucy has on Evan, and makes a new decision about her future. 

When everything falls apart and their new lives and relationship don't go as planned, Ness and Evan are both faced with difficult choices. All because of Lucy.

Finding Evan (Butterfly Days #2)
Releasing: March 29, 2016
 

Add Finding Evan to Goodreads

Book Blurb:

“She killed a part of me – the part that trusts when someone tells you they love you, and allows you to trust that person with your heart.” 

Ness and Evan return to Leeds from Europe, and begin their new life together. But the past Evan has buried for years resurfaces and threatens their future. 

After fifteen years, Evan doesn’t want any contact with the woman who abandoned him, but is unwillingly pulled into his mother’s life. 

Feeling pushed aside by Ness’s focus on her studies and new friends, Evan can’t confide in Ness about what’s happening. This return to his old behavior adds more distance to their relationship. When Ness’s new friend Ollie picks up the pieces because Evan is away, Evan’s insecurities threaten their relationship further. 

Ness becomes aware of Evan’s situation, and she questions whether he will ever be able to break his ties to those dragging him down. If he can’t put himself first, and live the life he wants, she can’t see how their relationship could work. In return, Evan struggles with Ness’s inability to allow herself close to people, and her distance pushes him further away. 

Then the decision about the future of the relationship is taken out of their hands by something that could end things between Ness and Evan forever. 

  

Lisa is an author of new adult romance and writes both paranormal and contemporary, often with a side of snark. Lisa is originally from the UK but moved to Australia in 2001 and now lives in Perth in Western Australia with her husband, three children and dog.       

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Newsletter | Amazon

 

Covers Designed by Najla Qamber Designs 

Photo by Lindee Robinson Photography 

Models: Julianna Gentile & Jared Stilwell

What do you think of the covers? Leave a comment!

 

 

 

 

Book Blitz + Giveaway: Because of Lucy by Lisa Swallow

 

Because of Lucy

Author: Lisa Swallow

Genre: New Adult Contemporary Romance

Release Date: August 28, 2013

Description:

*Recommended 17+ due to strong language and sexual content*

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...   

(When Ness meets Evan) 

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. 

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.

Author Links:

Website: http://lisaswallow.net/

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7091632.Lisa_Swallow

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lisaswallowbooks

Twitter: https://twitter.com/lisa_swallow_au

Buy Link: Amazon

Giveaway: (1) ebook copy of Because of Lucy - Open Internationally!

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Grand Prize Giveaway (Open INT):

--Necklace with butterfly picture pendant.

--3x ecopies of Because of Lucy

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