Salvage Her Heart Tour Stop!

Evie is living a life with a man who she no longer knows.

He’s taken every single aspect of their love and turned it into a dirty, sordid mess that she can’t escape.

His controlling, arrogant manner cares for no one, not even her. The only problem is, if she were to try and leave he’d just as soon kill her.

Life seems an interminable hell that she can’t escape, but all that changes the day she meets Grayson Glines.

He’s the kind of man that might be able to give her a second chance, but Evie wonders at what cost to both of them will she be free of her husband’s clutches.

I read a lot of romance novels, and I have to say, this one was pretty original.  Not only is it written in 3 different character’s POV, but it’s also got a pretty original storyline.

In this book we meet Evie, who is very unhappy.  She is married to the domineering Alex, a CEO and king of Jackassville.  He manipulated Evie into marrying him in the first place and now kind of keeps her in an ivory tower, allowing her no outlets of her own.  It is not a marriage based on love or respect and I would call Alex abusive.  In a word, he sucks.   While going to the local deli, Evie meets Grayson, the good guy.  The light to Alex’s dark.  He wants to know more about Evie and help her out of her so apparently unhappy situation.  Will he be successful?  Can Evie be happy?  Will Alex let her go? 

I found this read to be pretty emotional.  Evie is such a tragic character and you really do feel bad for the life she has found herself leading.  At the beginning, I can’t really say that I understood Grayson’s motivations with Evie.  It seemed to me that he didn’t know enough about her to justify all the feelings she was stirring in him.  I was willing to suspend my disbelief, though, and give Grayson a shot.  At the end of the day, he’s just a really great guy that helps make Evie story not so dreadful to read after all.  Alex, however, I hated from the beginning and will continue to be one of the most hated characters of in all of bookdom.  What a jerk.  

I thought the overall plot of the book was great, and it kept me on the edge of my seat until the resolution at the end.  I honestly didn’t know which way it would go, so I was hooked on the book until I found out.   My only complaint is that it felt like the resolution came a bit too easily.  Maybe it’s just because I was into the book, but I felt a bit let down by how it all happened.  But overall, a great and heart wrenching story and a 4 star read for me.

Wow, I was taken by surprise with this one.  When I felt I knew what was going to happen Shelly Pratt took me to a whole new level of twisted and the ending was not only original but it justified the means for the actions that had been done.  I was seriously looking at my kindle once I had finished asking myself, how did the author come up with this ending?  Brilliant.

Evie dreamed of those romances she read about as a teenager, where her Prince Charming would come and sweep her off her feet, marry her and their passion would be ever present in each day of their marriage.  What she got instead was a controlling man who couldn’t separate power and abuse with love.  Alex knew what love was, he knew he would like to have a loving relationship, but not over having a woman he could beat, abuse and control. 

When Alex found a way to “buy” Evie from her parents, he took it.  Not only would he have a beautiful woman to do as he pleased with, he would control her family and his power would be even greater in the world.  Laying out every detail of Evie’s day, even what she was going to wear, he fed his ego with ideas of how he could control her even more.  Believing he had broken her down to be his slave, he wasn’t prepared for Evie to find out the truth and start searching for her own freedom.

What started out as a simple escape for a cup of coffee and the pastries Alex would love, turned into a situation where she found a man who would show her what love really was.  Grayson was no stranger to heartache and disappointment, but with the help of Jean, he had found his foundation and was trying to make his art career take off.  Until the money started coming in from his art, he was content to pour coffee and help Jean at the store. 

An instant attraction begins between Evie and Grayson but she couldn’t risk his life by becoming attached.  Grayson couldn’t risk is sanity by not having Evie in his life.  We follow these two as the friendship begins and Evie finally confides in Grayson about her home life and what she has to endure.  He is determined to save his Princess from this abuse and his life would mean nothing without her in it.  Evie begs him to forget about her, Alex will kill them both if he ever finds out, but she isn’t sure if Grayson can ever let go of her and his dreams for the two of them.

As I stated earlier, the ending was awesome.  How this all played out left me on the edge of my seat needing to read more and more till I was at the end.  The plotting and planning for how this story would be concluded blew me away.  Grayson showed he was much more than an artist and country boy, he was intelligent and determined.  To see Evie allow herself to trust Grayson after the betrayal she had experienced was captivating.  She had to let go of so much to free herself and allow herself to survive.  What I loved most was the point Alex realized what he had done.  In this case, revenge is better served cold, warm or hot, as long as it was served and I loved it.

While this could be called a dark and twisted story, it had a great balance of light and love as well.  I really enjoyed reading it and look forward to reading more of Shelly’s books.  She brings such a unique insight to her stories and does it in ways that blow me away in how she thinks and presents her ideas.  Highly recommend this book.

**Please note – the following is unedited and remains subject to change. Worldwide copyright laws are observed.**

If women tell you they don’t like power, they’re fucking lying. They do like it, and do you know how I know this? They’ve all become a little too obsessed with books and movies that make masochistic males out to be the good guys. So as I tell you my side of the story, remember, I’m the good guy. Well, at the very least, I’m good-looking.

People say I’m arrogant and rude, which is laughable when that is what has drawn them to me in the first place. I would prefer to think of myself as a confident, self-assured man who knows what he wants. And I most definitely knew what I wanted when it came to Evie.

That girl wasn’t like the others, which is probably why I took the whole game to another level and had to put a ring on her finger. I wanted her as my property. She needed to be mine to do what I wanted with; mine to control. She was a challenge. Even now I can see it in her eyes as she’s gagging on my cock. Now don’t go and get all soft on me. You think she really doesn’t want this? Bullshit. She’s a great actress, the theatrics all being part of the game. It makes it more exciting for me and her if she puts up a little resistance.

Do you know what I like best about Evie? Her mouth. She’s got these luscious lips that are full and plump. I’m preferable to her painting them with a red glossy lipstick because it gets me off to see the bright stain around my cock as she gives me head. Like the clothes she wears and the way she acts, I control everything down to her make-up. I have her wear the kind of make-up that I’m preferable to. Don’t judge. I told you, I like control.

It’s been a long day. I’ve had conferences with clients and dinner with business partners. We’ve only just returned to our apartment in the city but my night is far from over. There will always be more work, it’s the nature of the beast. I didn’t get to being CEO of my own company by slacking off. Labouring jobs are for losers. Sure, I had a privileged upbringing and was born with the proverbial silver spoon in my mouth, but I still believe in good work ethics. Rome wasn’t built in a day, and if I want to continue on my path of wealth and success then I’m damn well going to put my work before absolutely everything.

First things first, though. Despite the lateness of the evening, I wanted a little release. I wanted those red lips on my cock, sucking me until my balls cease to ache with lust. I’m not going to stop until I’ve squirted my seed into her throat and made her swallow the whole damn lot.

Nights like these, I prefer to sit in my leather chair that faces out of the panorama glass windows that afford views over the Brisbane River. The lights of the Story Bridge twinkle back at me and the water looks dark, murky and mysterious under the night sky. I bought this apartment as a wedding gift for Evie, but for the most part I don’t think she likes it. Ungrateful springs to mind, although it could just be the company. I’m seriously laughing as I tell you that, because to be honest, I don’t give a fuck whether she likes me or not. She’s mine and that’s all that matters.

While downing my fifth scotch for the evening, I beckon her to me. She says nothing, but she knows what I want. Forget the elephant in the room; it’s a bit hard to hide my bulging erection that I’ve freed from my pants. Most people would be worried about getting their four hundred dollar trousers dirty. Not me. That kind of money is pocket change in my world. Despite her eagerness to oblige me, there is a reason behind her willing to please. I mean come on, if you haven’t figured it out already you’re not as smart as I thought you were. Okay, I’ll spell it out for you any way. I get a little rough. Not all the time, but if you don’t give me what I want, well, let’s just say there are consequences.

‘On your knees’. There was no need for the command, but fuck, I’ve got to say I like the sound of my own voice. It’s rich, deep, commanding and powerful. It speaks of a man who has always gotten what he wants. Evie is no exception. I wanted her then and I want her now. She obliges me by sliding to her knees, her silk stockings making it slippery on the tiles for her. She grabs my knees to steady herself before leaning forward to take me in her mouth, all the while not making eye contact with me. I let her get away with it for the minute, but my patience has limits.

Her mouth is hot and wet. It is utter delight as her lips start to move back and forth over my shaft, messily leaving behind her lipstick as she does. As she goes to work on me, I down the last of my drink before taking her carefully done braid in my grasp. Evie is definitely in my league as far as looks go. She’s got long, blonde hair that has never seen the inside of a salon. All the streaks and highlights are from time spent outdoors. Sometimes she likes to challenge me on my rule of her keeping it natural. I think her opposing opinions are merely to rile me up so that I put her in her place. Yes, I do think she secretly likes me smacking her arse. It may belittle her at the time but you can be rest assured it makes her think twice before raising the subject again. I refuse to have my wife look like some fake, tarted-up bimbo. I want her looking natural – well, except for the red lippy. The red lipstick stays.

I’m not going to give it up easily. I’m going to make her work for it. Hell, I even zone out for a while, taking in the city that is my playground. Living and working in a town that is fast becoming a place that doesn’t sleep is like a drug. The more I immerse myself in it, the more I want to be king of this empire. Slowly but surely I’m putting other companies out of business. Pretty soon I’m going to have everything I ever dreamed of.

Evie is sucking greedily now. Not because she’s into it, because she’s not. Oh let’s be honest! She just wants me to give it up so she can get the job over and done with. I know she doesn’t mind me fucking her vanilla, but blowjobs have never been her thing. She tried to pull off me once just as I was about to come. What a mistake. She’s never tried to pull that shit again, although she still gags, the reflex an unbreakable trait. Like now, for example; even in the darkly lit living room I can see her eyes beginning to water as my dick swells against the back of her throat. I’m sure she can taste my pre-come – the salty, bitter fluid already affording her a taste of what’s to come.

I slide a little lower in my leather seat, thrusting just that little bit more inside of her mouth. She tries to back off, although there’s no escape. Her braid that is wound tightly around my fist is tugged ever so slightly, a reminder that I have control of her head. I’m close and she knows it. I can feel her reposition my dick towards the back corner of her mouth where her molars are so she doesn’t have to taste my semen on her taste buds. If I was any kind of man, which I am, I should be rather insulted by this – which I am. And when I’m insulted, I’m not very forgiving.

When I come, I come hard. And no, it’s not aimed at the back of her mouth like she’d have liked. Pulling her hair makes her wince and she loses some of the suction on my shaft, her lips making sucking and slurping noises as she tries to reposition me back to where she’d like me. Unfortunately for her, she’s too late. Her perfectly positioned tongue is only lapping at the eye of my cock when I blow in her mouth. I’ve got to give her credit for her spunk because she does try to pull away. Unsuccessfully, I might add. My grip on her hair forces her to remain right where she is. I keep her there until I’m licked clean. Getting a blow job is not as good as fucking her pussy, but it sure comes a close second. I never give her the satisfaction of pleasurable sounds coming from my mouth, though, because that would be giving her the green light that she has in some way pleased me. And with the knowledge that she has pleased me would give her power. Power I don’t want her to have.

There may, or may not be tears in her eyes tonight. They have no effect on me whatsoever. I dismiss her to bathe before bed while I pour myself a refill of scotch. Twenty-two stories below, people are still walking the boardwalk that runs along the river’s edge. Some are alone, others huddled together like love birds. It’s a sentiment I’m not familiar with. My whole life is lived like a business transaction. I know I like having Evie in my life and I know I like the status of being a married man. But love, well, it’s not for me.

In the beginning I know Evie foolishly thought that it could be that way between us. Like her parents, she was lured into the deception I was selling. Trust me when I say, no one sells lies like I do. I showed them what they wanted to see; revealed the parts of me and my life that would be desirable by a family like theirs. Each and every one of them fell hook, line and sinker. It’s laughable, really, that one family could be so gullible. I’m sure over the last three years they’ve all tried to think a way out of the Alex Stratford contract, but all I can say is, ‘Over my dead body,’ or more likely, over theirs. 

©Copyright 2013/2014 Shelly Pratt

Shelly Pratt is an Amazon, word-of-mouth, bestselling, self-published author who is also traditionally published with Pegasus under the Vanguard imprint in the UK, and, with a small publishing house in the United States of America. Only starting her writing career in 2012, she has achieved exceptional reception selling e-books in the USA, publishing over seven books, all in different genres. Shelly lives with her husband, two children and Labrador Scooby Doo in northern New South Wales in Australia. Snow skiing is her other passion.

 

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