Welcome to my stop for the Playing With Fire by Ashley Piscitelli Blog Tour, hosted by Mary Elizabeth's Crazy Book Obsession :D! I was super excited to be chosen to be part of the blog tour. For my stop you can read my 4.5 star review :D!
Title: Playing With Fire
Author: Ashley Piscitelli
Series: Guarded Hearts #1
Publication Date: July 15, 2013
Genre: New Adult
Source: e-arc was provided by author for the blog tour for my honest opinion/review
Synopsis:
Madison Stevens has had a shitty life, her mother died at the age four and her father has always blamed her for it. She went through the foster system and is now attending college. Her boyfriend Chris is not willing to share Madison with anyone, not even her friends.
Her first day at college she meets Carter James, who makes her want everything she never thought she could have. She knows that she should ignore her feelings for Carter, but it's not as easy as it sounds.
As Carter and Madison begin to fall in love, they face many obstacles. Their biggest one is Chris who is not going to let her go easily.
Playing with Fire will be the first book in a three book series. It is about the obstacles that stand in your way on the path to love. It tests the characters strength and commitment to each other on every level from old boyfriend/girlfriends, to insecurities, and throws a little violence and scheming into the mix.
"Chris was like fire. It was pretty to look at but if you got too close you got burnt, and if it wasn’t controlled it would destroy everything in its path. Doing what I was about to do with Carter was dangerous, but what can I say I never had parents to warn me not to play with fire."
Her first day at college she meets Carter James, who makes her want everything she never thought she could have. She knows that she should ignore her feelings for Carter, but it's not as easy as it sounds.
As Carter and Madison begin to fall in love, they face many obstacles. Their biggest one is Chris who is not going to let her go easily.
Playing with Fire will be the first book in a three book series. It is about the obstacles that stand in your way on the path to love. It tests the characters strength and commitment to each other on every level from old boyfriend/girlfriends, to insecurities, and throws a little violence and scheming into the mix.
"Chris was like fire. It was pretty to look at but if you got too close you got burnt, and if it wasn’t controlled it would destroy everything in its path. Doing what I was about to do with Carter was dangerous, but what can I say I never had parents to warn me not to play with fire."
Add Playing With Fire by Ashley Piscitelli to your TBR Pile--->Goodreads
My Thoughts:
Before reading the synopsis of Playing with Fire, I thought it was going to be a New Adult paranormal book (the cover looks like it would be paranormal). But after reading the synopsis I got a contemporary romance/ realistic fiction interpretation :D! Playing with Fire was a great read, and it just kept me flipping through the pages. This has been one of the fastest reads that I've read so far :).
I hate that I always immediately think the worst of people. I wish I was the kind of person that could give their trust to someone.
I had a love and hate relationship with Madison's character. Let me start by saying that I loved how she started to pump up her self-esteem (all thanks to Carter), because her self-esteem was so low at the beginning. She always thought she was worthless- that no one needed her or would ever love her. But she is not to blame for feeling this way. I just felt that she was so broken from inside, as if she were almost hollow. I just felt sorry for the situations her character goes through. I did not really hate her character that much, because really she is sweet and lovable. I only hated that her self-esteem was so low. But loved that she became confident with herself, learned to love herself, and let others in her life.
She had a story and I was dying to find out what it was.
I fell in love with Carter's character :D! I don't usually fall for the nice and sweet boys in books, but I had to make another exception with Carter's character. He is just any amazing guy. No guy would ever stand next to Madison side, and support her the way Carter did. I feel in love with the way he supported, helped, loved, and cherished Madison. He is just your typical good, caring, loving, protective, sweet, and cute guy. Carter is Madison's hope to actually living a new life full of love and caring people. Without Carter Madison would have never been brave enough to take the steps she needed to get out of her situation.
Sometimes, I've thought about leaving him but, the truth is, I am scared of what he would do.
I have never read a story with the main character experiencing relationship abuse. Chris was seriously the creepiest, obsessive, and possessive character I have read so far. I actually felt Madison's fear towards Chris, and I just hated him. To think that girls go through what Madison went through with Chris, just makes me sick. This is where I had my hate relationship with Madison's character. I hated that she let herself be manipulated by Chris and let herself be both physically and mentally/verbally abused by him. I know that most of the girls that experience domestic abuse are either in denial, or feel that they don't have anyone that will help them. Ashley Piscitelli did an incredible job with bringing and centering relationship abuse in Playing with Fire.
He leaned in and gave me a quick kiss. “You deserve the world, baby, and I wanna help give it to you if you’ll let me.”
I loved the relationship between Carter and Madison. I believe I already mentioned what an amazing guy Carter is, when it comes to treating Madison like she is the most important person in his world. I love all the details Carter does to demonstrate how much he loves Madison, and to demonstrate how important she is in his life. My heart seriously ached for these two when Madison sacrifices her happiness to protect Carter. But when these two are together it is a sweet and caring relationship.
There went another little piece of my heart to him. I barely had any of it left; he had been taking it piece by piece ever since we met.
Playing with Fire by Ashley Piscitelli is a great start to a two series book. I feel in love with the whole concept of the story, and completely feel in love with both Madison and Carter. Ashley Piscitelli delivers love, happiness, grief, realistic situations, and two character's that will play with fire to be with each other. I just have to say one thing. Ashley Piscitelli WHY did you have to end Playing with Fire with a CLIFF-HANGER?!?! OMG, please tell me that it is a cliff-hanger, and it doesn't just end like that. My jaw just dropped to the floor with the ending. You can not just end Playing With Fire like that. I am seriously dying over here to get my hands on Breaking Through The Wall!!!!
Final Verdict: 4.5 Stars
Excerpt #5:
He turned around and smiled when he saw me. When he started to walk over to me doing his sexy strut and wrapped his arms around me, I was ready to drag him into the bedroom.
“Some amazing man left me a cute surprise on your pillow.”
He smirked. “He better not still be here, because I made you breakfast.”
I laughed and leaned up to kiss him. Moments like this were the best; just being able to relax and enjoy being happy together. “Happy Valentines Day, baby!” He pulled back and frowned at me. “What?”
“You stole my line!” I laughed and he kissed me again. “Happy Valentines Day, baby! C’mon, let’s eat.”
“Some amazing man left me a cute surprise on your pillow.”
He smirked. “He better not still be here, because I made you breakfast.”
I laughed and leaned up to kiss him. Moments like this were the best; just being able to relax and enjoy being happy together. “Happy Valentines Day, baby!” He pulled back and frowned at me. “What?”
“You stole my line!” I laughed and he kissed me again. “Happy Valentines Day, baby! C’mon, let’s eat.”
Teaser Pic:
Buy Playing With Fire:
Amazon (Ebook)
Barnes & Noble (Ebook)
About Author:
I live in Philadelphia Pennsylvania with my husband, two kids, and two dogs. On top of starting a writing career I am a full time student, and a full time mom. I love spending time with my kids, although I have to hide the computer from them when I am writing! I love being active and being able to do any activity outdoors.
I love reading romance books! I feel like being able to lose yourself in a book in one of the more exciting aspects. The books I love to read and write will be ones that make you feel for the characters. You should have an opinion on every character in a book. Whether you love them, hate them, or think they are up to something.
I have always thought as an author the most important critic is your reader, so I would love to hear from you. If you read the book and loved it or hated it, tell me. As long as it is in a constructive way I will always answer and interact with you. I want fans to feel free to tell me what they want for the characters in the story and what they want to see happen.
I love reading romance books! I feel like being able to lose yourself in a book in one of the more exciting aspects. The books I love to read and write will be ones that make you feel for the characters. You should have an opinion on every character in a book. Whether you love them, hate them, or think they are up to something.
I have always thought as an author the most important critic is your reader, so I would love to hear from you. If you read the book and loved it or hated it, tell me. As long as it is in a constructive way I will always answer and interact with you. I want fans to feel free to tell me what they want for the characters in the story and what they want to see happen.
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