Stay With Me: Blog Tour Stop, Review & Giveaway

With one look, I’m his . . .

With one touch, he’s mine . . .

With one kiss, it changes everything between us . . .

I’ve been famous since I can remember. Singing, acting, dancing—I’ve done it all. The tabloids cover my every move, but I don’t want that anymore. I want to be normal, whatever that is.

When I leave Hollywood for college in Vermont, I’m on my own for the first time in my life. This is my chance to figure out who I am and what I want in life.

But it’s a lot harder than I expected. I can’t escape my image. Classes are difficult, and I’m struggling. And then there’s Caleb Fox.

Sexy, intriguing Caleb Fox.

Caleb is the one man who doesn’t want to use me. He breaks down my walls. He challenges me. He wants me. And I just don’t know if I can give him the same—or if he’ll stick around when he finds out my shameful secret that the tabloids haven’t managed to uncover.

Dating him is risky enough, but loving him could break me.

Title: Stay With Me (With Me ~ Book 1)
Author: Elyssa Patrick | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Website
Publication Date: August 30 2013
Publisher: Self-Published
Length: 270 Pages
Add it to your TBR Pile: iTunes | Kobo | All Romance | Amazon US | Nook | Smashwords

Tour Organized by: Book Crush

Source: ARC provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.
Cover Love: Love it, the colors are perfect.
Point of View: 1st person, following Hailey

My Rating: 4 Stars

I really enjoyed Stay With Me, was it perfect? No, but it was a very enjoyable read, with some really loveable characters.

“With you, there’s always music.”

Hailey.  It took me no time at all to warm up to Hailey.  I understood completely how difficult it is for her to actually trust somebody else.  When you have grown up in the world she grew up in, where your 'friends' sold you out for a magazine or tabloid articles, then how could you not have difficulties with trust?

“I am drawn to him, and everything is pushing me toward him, not away”

Caleb.  He is of course perfect.  Yet another example of how perfect book boys can be.  He is caring, honest, and respectful of Hailey.  Even though they are instantly attracted to each other, I would say they built up their friendship first.  It wasn't all hot and heavy right off the bat, they built up to that kind of relationship.  But, wow... once they were both on the same page, that page set on fire.  There are some pretty hot sex scenes in this book.  Would I still classify it as New Adult?  Yeah, don't most people have sex in college?  Why shy away from it here?  They are both adults, nothing wrong with it.

“And you were all dark and mysterious in the shadows.”

I also adored the side characters.  Caleb has some pretty funny, hot and sexy room-mates and I am happy to report that they will be getting their own books.  Those are going to be some great books as the With Me series grows. 

Now for the little niggles.  Again, I want to say I really enjoyed Stay With Me.  I read it in one sitting, and found it to be quite the page turner.  But there were little parts that made me question a few things.  I am all for Hailey completely dropping out of the Hollywood life, I get that part.  What I don't understand is how there is not more publicity around her at the school?  It was explained that she just wasn't as famous because she wasn't putting herself out there, but I would still have expected at least a few paparazzi around her.  At least toward the beginning, when she first started school.  I can just imagine them all clambering for that photo of her walking to class, or seeing if she had any new boyfriends.

There is also the big secret that is mentioned in the blurb.  I actually got why Hailey felt this secret was so big that people would hate her.  It's not the secret that I'm really referring to here, but it is how many times Hailey mentions it.  Every time she started to let herself get closer to others, she would think about the secret.  It was thought about so many times that by the time it came out, I was just happy that it was done and dusted.

However, I must give praise to the way the secret was handled by Caleb.  We all know that with these types of books we are waiting for the proverbial other shoe to drop somewhere between 70% and 85%.  Some big misunderstanding that drives our heroine and hero apart.  I was thrilled with the way Caleb handled everything.  It showed maturity, and in all honestly it showed how much he actually cares for Hailey.

“I'm so glad you came here, Hailey.  So very, very glad.  You are my every heartbeat, and I love you.”

So in closing, I would suggest this book to anybody that likes these types of stories.  It was interesting to get into the mind of a celebrity that is trying to distance herself from that life.  You see their faces in the magazines, and on the TV and you believe everything that is being said.  It is a bit of a wake-up call to stop and remember that they are people, just like you and me, and to not believe everything that is said or even shown.

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