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Doing It For Love
All About Love #1
Cassie Mae
Releasing Sept 29th, 2015
Loveswept
Cassie Mae’s charming, sexy new
novel, perfect for fans of Emma Chase, puts a steamy twist on modern love as
one bride-to-be tries to put the spark back in the bedroom—by any means
necessary.
Elizabeth Fanning’s life looks
pretty perfect, judging by the diamond ring on her finger. Her fiancé, Landon,
is sweet, handsome, and hilarious. The trouble is, before they’ve even tied the
knot, their sex life has gone from mind-blowing to “meh”—and Liz isn’t ready to
be part of an old married couple. After a cathartic call to her best friend,
Liz comes up with a brilliant idea. She and Landon may never be able to
re-create the magic of their first time, but how amazing would their wedding
night be if everything below the neck was off-limits until then?
Liz thinks it’ll bring them closer
together. Landon’s convinced she’ll cave first. So they raise
the stakes: Whoever lasts longer gets to pick their honeymoon destination. With
her heart set on the Bahamas and Landon fighting for snowbound Utah, Liz simply
has to win. But pretty soon, her body is screaming for attention, and Landon’s
never seemed so far away. Has Liz’s experiment backfired? Losing their little competition
would be frustrating—but the one thing she can’t afford to lose is him.
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Exclusive Excerpt
“Did you want a baby?”
he asks, and my jaw drops.
“Huh?”
“It’s okay if you did. I
. . . I mean, I want to have kids with you someday.”
Someday . . . yes. But
not today. I grin at the scared-as-hell look on his face. That’s the great
thing about the longtime relationship. I know his looks. I know his smiles, his
frowns, his laughs. I reach to him, and his hand slips through my wet blond
hair, hugs the back of my head, and pulls me into his shoulder. I lock my arms
around his torso, ignore the sweet buzzing all over my stomach and heart and
sides. His fingers massage my scalp as he rocks me.
“I like the idea of
having a permanent piece of you,” I admit into his wet skin.
“You already have a
permanent piece of me.” One of his hands slides down the length of my back.
“Hell, you have the whole thing.”
“You know what I mean.”
“Okay . . . if you
really want . . . I’ll impregnate you. Open up.” He pushes at my thighs, and I
smack his shoulders.
“Pretty sure I want us
to be married first. And I don’t know . . . older.” Like years ahead of us. We
can barely afford to feed ourselves.
“You . . . you said
married.”
“I did.”
I push back on his
chest, and he scratches his dark hair. “Just letting you know I’m not freaking
out about it.”
“This is not freaking
out about it?” I say, circling my finger at his face. It could be the steam
from the shower making it smoke red, but it sure doesn’t seem that way.
“I let it slide like it
was nothing.”
“You did not.”
He growls, playfully
nipping at my neck. “Well, I’m not freaking out,” he muffles against my skin,
creating goose bumps up and down my spine. “Because, you know, we’re in the
spot.”
“Huh?”
“You know, the spot.”
“In the shower?” I laugh
when his red face darkens a shade.
“No, I mean . . . I love
you. And it’s not like I’m going to break up with you. And I’m pretty sure you
want to be stuck with me.”
“You think we’re stuck?
That’s ‘the spot’?”
“No. Shit, it’s coming
out wrong.”
“I don’t even know what
you’re trying to say.” I laugh, bending down to adjust the heat on the water.
“I’m saying there’s no
reason for me to freak out because I want to marry you. I think, you know, we
should get married.”
My hand stops dead on
the tap, and I crick my neck to catch his expression. He’s gone from red wine
to white in the blink of an eye, water dripping from his dark hair down his
forehead, and he frantically wipes it away. Then he reaches for me, pulls me up
against him, hiding his face.
“Um . . . what did you
just say?” I croak, my heart suddenly beating out of my skull. A tidal wave
rushes through my stomach, and my nails dig into his shoulders to make sure I’m
not dreaming or something.
He slowly backs away
from my neck, eyes wide as grapefruits. “I didn’t mean . . . oh shit . . . it
wasn’t supposed to happen like this.”
He falls forward,
pushing me against the cold tile and hitting his forehead on the wall near my
cheek.
“What wasn’t supposed to
happen?” I ask through a small laugh. Seconds ago, he was boasting about not
freaking out, and now he’s gone bat crazy.
“I had it all planned,”
he grumbles into the tile. The echoes bounce off my shoulder. “I even bought a
suit. Outside patio dinner, clear night for stars . . . I was going to pull out
all the romantic stops, and it just falls out when we’re in the shower.”
“Landon, are you being
serious? I can never tell.”
“Because I’m never
serious?”
“Pretty much, yeah.”
He lifts his head, eyes
meeting mine, and a nervous twitch pulls at the corner of his mouth. “Will you
marry me?”
My heart’s still
thumping through my brain.
“The test was negative,
Landon,” I try to joke, but it comes out wobbly. “You don’t have to—”
“I know.” His palms
cradle my face, drops of water falling from his eyelashes. “Will you marry me?”
His misty lips make
contact with my nose. I’m still trying to process if he’s serious or not.
“Really? This isn’t
because of that pregnancy test, is it?”
“I was planning on
asking a few weeks ago. Cross my heart, the ring’s been in this apartment for
at least a month.”
My eyes flick back and
forth between his, searching, searching, searching for a lie, a joke, a tease, something.
But it’s all honesty and nerves and love. So much love I find myself slipping
on the wall, losing strength in my knees.
“You are serious.”
“I love you, Liz. Marry
me? Please?”
I feel a smile tug on my
mouth. The water’s getting too cold to stay underneath, but my body temperature
rises, my skin boiling under his touch. I grip his forearms, holding myself
steady while he continues to cup my cheeks.
I love every bit of this
man, every piece of his heart and soul and mind and body. So even though I
wasn’t expecting it this way, even though I was just internally moaning about
not getting any spontaneous loving, I practically shout my answer at him.
“Yes.”
“Yes?” He pulls back,
the stream of water hitting him square in the face. I laugh and bat it away
from him. “Yes . . . you said yes?”
“Yes, I said yes.”
A large relieved breath
leaves his mouth before he presses it to mine. Landon’s arms circle my torso,
pull me up against his now hot and slick body, and every ounce of
disappointment I was feeling evaporates with the shower steam.
“I thought I royally
botched that.” He laughs, and a wave of minty breath travels from his mouth to
mine.
“You did,” I tease
before closing the gap between our lips again. “But I love you.”
Title: Doing It For Love
Author: Cassie Mae
Genre: New Adult, Contemporary Romance, Humor
Series or Standalone: Standalone Series (All About Love #1)
Rating: ★★★★★
Reviewer: Melyssa
If there’s one thing
I know I’m guaranteed when I pick up a Cassie Mae book, it’s that I will need
to take breaks while reading from the sheer loss of breath I experience from
laughing too hard.
Whether it be a novel written in the YA realm, or one such as this one that branches into the New Adult, the response is always the same.
Right from the first page, there’s evidence of this when the female lead, Liz, compares her relationship (or more specifically, their sexual one) with boyfriend, Landon, in terms of food. And not just any food, but the part of your dinner you’re most likely to either eat last or discard altogether.
Peas and Carrots.
Okay so I lied, maybe it’s just me that does that.
Either way, it was the perfect jumping off point for what would become one of the funniest books I’ve read this year, and what I was desperately in need of after spending so much time writing the gut wrenching stuff.
What jumped out at me most about this book can be summed up with one simple statement.
One of these things is not like the other.
Where most romances are based solely around the couple facing insurmountable odds in order to be together, this book comes at it from a different take. The couple that have gone through everything to be together, are together and this is what is affectionately referred to as what comes after the happily ever after. And it was perfect.
I don’t like to use the word perfect often, because nothing is ever truly perfect, but Liz and Landon, and the way their relationship is, right from the first page, straight up until the end was as close to perfect as I can imagine it gets and there was nothing perfect about these people at all. What they had though, it worked because at the end of the day, when you close your eyes and you step away from the story, you’re living their life.
Maybe you’re not living it exactly, but the way Liz gets irritated with Landon’s socks on the floor, even if the item in question is different, if you’ve ever lived with someone long term, and been in love with them, you’ve lived this relationship.
Cassie Mae has always had the ability to write a book drenched in reality. Whether its two awkward teenagers forging their way through daily life and pubescent awkwardness in order to end up together, or two adults in a long term relationship just looking to spice things up after falling into a rut, every step of the way through their journey is very, very real.
Which I suppose makes Cassie Mae “The Real Thing” huh? Lol
Okay, joking aside, this book drew me in on page one and never let up, not once straight up until the end. I laughed so much I cried, I may have stopped breathing at one point, and I straight up pulled my hair out at others based on Landon’s behavior and sometimes even Liz’s. So if this book does nothing else, I can assure you that it will make you feel. Pissed off, swooning, and laughing your ass off or just plain giddy happy, you will feel by the time you turn the very last page and for this writer/reader, that’s what makes the reading world go round.
The character development here was insane. You got to know these people as if they were from your actual life and the pacing was fantastic, with not one instance where I felt the book dragged or there was information given that didn’t in some way further the story toward its end. This book was the perfect combination of humor laced with romance with a dash of realism thrown in, along with a whole lot of dessert references.
Now before I taper off into the end of this review, I want to make mention of one more thing before I go. As I read deeper into this story, quotes resonating with me throughout, there was one quote that seemed to speak to me more than any others because with what I’ve already said about realism, I feel as though we got to see a real glimpse into the author as well. Or at least how I believe her to be when she sits down to write the stories that she does so well.
“I want…” he starts then his eyebrows pull in as a set look of determination takes over. “I want to make people smile. I want to tell an epic story…with laughter. I want to change the way people view the world. I want life to stop being so damn dramatic all the time.”
That quote is Cassie Mae to me (even if Landon said it). It’s a Cassie Mae book to me and quite frankly, is exactly why I am glad authors like her, and characters like the one’s she’s brought to life, exist. Because what Landon wants, is what she has given this reader and it’s a beautiful thing.
So to wrap this up…this story was great and should definitely be read by all. Whether you’re all about that romance or you’re not, there’s something here for you. If you like to laugh, if you like to smile, then you won’t be disappointed with this.
Add everything I’ve already said to the rest of the ensemble cast in this hilarious tale of what comes after the HEA and it’s probably one of the most well rounded and all around great books I’ve read thus far this year and a complete treat to read.
You know, a treat of the cheesecake variety ;)
Whether it be a novel written in the YA realm, or one such as this one that branches into the New Adult, the response is always the same.
Right from the first page, there’s evidence of this when the female lead, Liz, compares her relationship (or more specifically, their sexual one) with boyfriend, Landon, in terms of food. And not just any food, but the part of your dinner you’re most likely to either eat last or discard altogether.
Peas and Carrots.
Okay so I lied, maybe it’s just me that does that.
Either way, it was the perfect jumping off point for what would become one of the funniest books I’ve read this year, and what I was desperately in need of after spending so much time writing the gut wrenching stuff.
What jumped out at me most about this book can be summed up with one simple statement.
One of these things is not like the other.
Where most romances are based solely around the couple facing insurmountable odds in order to be together, this book comes at it from a different take. The couple that have gone through everything to be together, are together and this is what is affectionately referred to as what comes after the happily ever after. And it was perfect.
I don’t like to use the word perfect often, because nothing is ever truly perfect, but Liz and Landon, and the way their relationship is, right from the first page, straight up until the end was as close to perfect as I can imagine it gets and there was nothing perfect about these people at all. What they had though, it worked because at the end of the day, when you close your eyes and you step away from the story, you’re living their life.
Maybe you’re not living it exactly, but the way Liz gets irritated with Landon’s socks on the floor, even if the item in question is different, if you’ve ever lived with someone long term, and been in love with them, you’ve lived this relationship.
Cassie Mae has always had the ability to write a book drenched in reality. Whether its two awkward teenagers forging their way through daily life and pubescent awkwardness in order to end up together, or two adults in a long term relationship just looking to spice things up after falling into a rut, every step of the way through their journey is very, very real.
Which I suppose makes Cassie Mae “The Real Thing” huh? Lol
Okay, joking aside, this book drew me in on page one and never let up, not once straight up until the end. I laughed so much I cried, I may have stopped breathing at one point, and I straight up pulled my hair out at others based on Landon’s behavior and sometimes even Liz’s. So if this book does nothing else, I can assure you that it will make you feel. Pissed off, swooning, and laughing your ass off or just plain giddy happy, you will feel by the time you turn the very last page and for this writer/reader, that’s what makes the reading world go round.
The character development here was insane. You got to know these people as if they were from your actual life and the pacing was fantastic, with not one instance where I felt the book dragged or there was information given that didn’t in some way further the story toward its end. This book was the perfect combination of humor laced with romance with a dash of realism thrown in, along with a whole lot of dessert references.
Now before I taper off into the end of this review, I want to make mention of one more thing before I go. As I read deeper into this story, quotes resonating with me throughout, there was one quote that seemed to speak to me more than any others because with what I’ve already said about realism, I feel as though we got to see a real glimpse into the author as well. Or at least how I believe her to be when she sits down to write the stories that she does so well.
“I want…” he starts then his eyebrows pull in as a set look of determination takes over. “I want to make people smile. I want to tell an epic story…with laughter. I want to change the way people view the world. I want life to stop being so damn dramatic all the time.”
That quote is Cassie Mae to me (even if Landon said it). It’s a Cassie Mae book to me and quite frankly, is exactly why I am glad authors like her, and characters like the one’s she’s brought to life, exist. Because what Landon wants, is what she has given this reader and it’s a beautiful thing.
So to wrap this up…this story was great and should definitely be read by all. Whether you’re all about that romance or you’re not, there’s something here for you. If you like to laugh, if you like to smile, then you won’t be disappointed with this.
Add everything I’ve already said to the rest of the ensemble cast in this hilarious tale of what comes after the HEA and it’s probably one of the most well rounded and all around great books I’ve read thus far this year and a complete treat to read.
You know, a treat of the cheesecake variety ;)
Cassie Mae (who dons the
name Becca Ann on occasion) is the author of a few hundred—okay, maybe not that
many—books. Since writing her bestselling debut, Reasons I Fell for the
Funny Fat Friend, she has published books with Random House, Swoon
Romance, and Tulip Romance. She has a favorite of all her babies, but no, she
won’t tell you what it is (mainly because it changes depending on the day).
Along with writing, Cassie likes to binge-watch Teen Wolf and The
Big Bang Theory. She can quote Harry Potter lines quick as a whip. And she
likes kissing her hubby, but only if his facial hair is trimmed. She also likes
cheesecake to a very obsessive degree.
Website | Facebook | Twitter | GoodReads
Website | Facebook | Twitter | GoodReads
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