Thursday, May 16, 2013

Blog Tour & Giveaway: Down 'N' Derby by Lila Felix



Summary:

Maddox is running.
By accident, he discovered long ago that he was adopted as a baby and his need to find his biological father has consumed him ever since. Now, on a road trip, determined to find his father and his sanity, and armed with locations and his cousin, Nixon, to help him, maybe he can find the answers he’s been searching for. With nothing but a suitcase and a wad of cash to get him there, lead after lead takes him further from home.

But he’ll find much more than he intended.

He finds Storey, a pint sized pin-up model who has learned painful lessons about guys. Her wounds run deep, but so do his. She knows what she wants, but will she recognize it when it’s right in front of her?

Maddox can’t touch anyone without feeling like his skin is crawling, but just maybe his instinct to protect this amazing girl will supersede his own hang-ups.
If he can brush her skin and start to feel alive inside...everything will change.




My Review ...

I'm a huge fan of Lila Felix and this series.  I spent several days taking my time and reading Down N' Derby, much to the detriment of the Author herself.  I didn't want to go too fast and wanted to savor every minute of it.  To say that I lovedit would be an understatement.  Every book in the Love & Skate series gets better and better.  First I want to start off by saying how much I love the names of each of her characters.  They all have the coolest names!

Maddox learned when he was younger that he is not a "true" Black.  His mom and dad are not his actual parents.  His mother died during childbirth and asked her twin sister, Sylvia, if she would take care of Maddox for her.  This is how Maddox became a member of the Black family.  Maddox struggles for years with the thought that he is the reason his mother died and the anger of knowing that his father left them before he was even born.  Because of all this, he has an issue with being touched and gets tingly, but not in a good way.

Maddox decides a road trip is in order to find his father and brings his cousin Nixon along for the ride.  We also get to see some of Nixon and the personal issues that he deals with.  Maddox and Nixon leave in the middle of the night, only telling Reed what they're doing.  Reed and Falcon are scheduled to be married and Maddox knows he won't be there for it.  Maddox leaving causes a few issues for Reed and Falcon who decide to post pone their wedding until Maddox is back.  Secrets are kept and it puts a strain on their relationship.  Okay, so now you get the preface, but not the meat.  I don't give spoilers ...

Along this journey we meet Storey, a beautiful pin up model that's had an extremely horrific past relationship.  She's feisty, but has her share of demons.  She catches the eye of Maddox.  Or I should say they catch the eye of each other.  We are taken for a ride with Maddox and Nixon in search of his father with a couple of stops along the way.

Can I just say, that I laughed so hard I was shaking my bed.  The moments between Nixon and Maddox were hysterical.  I made a point of texting Lila immediately.  HYSTERICAL!  The banter is one of the best aspects of Lila's writing.  Take all of the funny moments away for a moment and they don't compare to the way you feel and care about each and every character.  The story had my heart tugged on more than one occasion.  I love these characters.  Each and every one.  As the story goes along we really get a sense of Maddox's anguish and the demons he's carried for nine long years.  We are introduced to another character along the way, that had me begging Lila for another book, just for him.

True to Lila's writing, she puts everything into each and every story, that's full of heart and soul.  She has a way of making you feel you're right there watching and wanting to wrap your arms around each of the characters shoulders, telling them everything will be okay.  I was affected by the story line and the absolute realness as well as the guilt, that we sometimes feel.  There is always meaning to every book and something to take from it.  This, I truly appreciate.  I'm a passionate reader and it struct several different chords with me.  It has everything from forgiveness, acceptance to showing the stregnth of relationships.  She also did something fascinated with the very end, that I will not reveal.  You need to read it to see.  Let's just say that Lila took a chance and did something absolutely different and amazing.  I felt like I was there and I cried.

With each book written we get to see every character and watch their growth.  And that makes them all the more real.  I'm so thankful that past characters don't get lost along the way with each story.  This is truly a series about family and love.

I'm so proud of Lila as an Author, and so very proud to call her my friend.  I hope she knows that this is her calling.  This is what she's meant to do.  She's not afraid to take chances and do something different.  The best part is, she makes you feel.

Enter the Giveaway

a Rafflecopter giveaway

About the Author ...

Lila Felix lives in the swamps of Louisiana with her husband and three boisterous children. She loves coffee, anything cinnamon and loves to cook. She is a big roller derby fan. When she's not writing, she's watching 80's movies, reading, and collecting duct tape.
Lila Felix Links...
 

Love and Skate Series Links...
 
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