Into The Night Book Reviews: Blog Tour: Ruined by S.Pratt

Today we get to share with you Ruined by S. Pratt.

Title: Ruined

Author: S. Pratt

Genre: Contemporary Romance

“So I live my life according to the rules of others while my secret festers its way through my body. It bleeds slowly out of my heart and into my veins. Each word of my secret pulsing through me as it gets closer to the surface. I imagine one day it will get so close to the surface it will spring forth from my lips and reveal the monster I really am.” – Ruined.

Bailey Michaels is living a lie. She has a handsome and successful fiancé, a great job and a house in a town she adores. Her friends and family know her as the perfectly crafted individual she has created in their minds. Her deception knows no bounds when it comes to keeping the truth from everyone else. But it’s not enough. She craves the love of the one man she can’t possibly have – the only one who shares her secret.

Despite her angst over continuing her forbidden affair, nothing can keep her from Angel.

His dark looks, chiseled jaw and broodiness make it impossible for her to ever deny him anything. So when presented with a choice, Bailey knows she finally has to make a decision. Keep living the lie with her fiancé, Carron, or finally be with Angel – the man who’s had her heart since she was fifteen.

The funny thing with life though; just when you think you’ve got it all figured out, fate has a way of stepping in and turning the best laid plans to ruins.

‘Do you like it?’ His voice is whispery, floating from his mouth and then touches my ears gently.

‘Why would you do this for me?’ I am referring to the decorative state he has transformed the gymnasium rooftop. There are little pink and blue LED lights twinkling around the edges of the brick ledge. It looks magical, and I feel like Rapunzel at the top of her tower. He lets me break free of his touch as I walk to the center of the area he has cordoned off with the lights. It’s like our own prom, right here on the roof.

‘I hated my prom too, but I still wanted you to enjoy yours. I wanted this to be magical for you.’

‘It is,’ I whisper as I take it all in. There are flower petals, scattered all over the floor and there is a little table set with a white table cloth and two plastic champagne glasses and a bottle.

‘How did you get all this up here? Is that Champagne?’

‘Ah it’s nothing and, no, that’s not Champagne. That would be irresponsible.’ I look in his eyes, and we both burst out laughing at the irony. We finish our fit of giggles and calm as we stare deeply into each other’s eyes. We can hear the music booming underneath us, the air ducts on the ceiling offering an amplified acoustic as the lyrics float up towards our own private dance floor.

‘Would you like to dance young lady?’ One arm hides behind his back as he bows towards me, his other hand extended to ask for a dance.

‘Why thank you kind sir, I accept.’ He pulls me into his arms and twirls me around just as ‘The Miracle of Love’ starts to play hauntingly beneath us.

‘I love this song,’ I say.

‘Me too. Eurythmics – they’re an oldie but a goodie.’ He says no more as he presses his body to mine. We dance slowly, both melting into the wonderful feeling. I rest my head on his shoulder as we sway under the stars. For some reason, they seem more brilliant than I ever remember them being from up here. The pink and blue lights blur into a stream of color as he twirls me around, leading the way in a dance he’s done before. I can hear the muffled sound of students in the hall beneath us, but I drown them out and only hear the words of the song.

The miracle of love, will take away your pain.

The words consume me and I feel overcome with emotion. As he holds me tight, a tear slides down my cheek.

‘Hey, you’re not crying are you?’ He pushes me away from him slightly, taking in my appearance.

‘No, I’m not,’ I lie.

‘You are!’

‘They’re happy tears.’

‘Happy tears?’

‘Yes. I think this is the nicest thing anyone has ever done for me.’

‘Well, I wanted you to have your own private prom, away from people who don’t understand you like I do.’

‘Thank you. Really, you went to a lot of trouble to set this up and I’m truly grateful.’ He pulls me back towards him and wipes the tear from my cheek with his thumb.

‘You deserve it. I would do anything for you, you know?’ We continue our dance, the lyrics swaying us together. He pulls me close, desperate to comfort me.

I’m being roughly shaken. ‘Nooooo,’ I cry out. I’m pulled from my glorious memories to pitch blackness, Carron trying to wake me from my beautiful dream.

‘No!’ I cry out again, sorry that I am so rudely taken out of a memory I cherish so dearly.

‘You’re dreaming Bailey; it’s okay honey. You were just having a dream.’ His voice is intended to be soothing but I am cross at the intrusion. Damn it! I can’t even be with him in my dreams without having him snatched away from me!

‘I’m fine,’ I say as I roll over and turn my back on him. Carron scoots closer and cuddles me from behind. He is trying to be soothing, but all I want to do is go back to the dream. As I shut my eyes, I pray the dream resumes. There is nothing though, just darkness that fills the void after the beautiful memory.

Not available on Spotify: Forgiven by Nickleback

S. Pratt is a multi-genre author who lives on the east coast of Australia in northern New South Wales with her husband and two children. She has a choc Labrador, Scooby-Doo, and two little mice that the kids promised they'd look after. This is now Shelly's job, amongst other things. Things you may not know about Shelly? She has four tattoos and would love more, is only now in her 30's becoming a wine whore and is a fiercely, loyal friend.

Shelly's breakout novel, Ruined and companion novella, Ruining Angel are contemporary romance fiction books available on kindle and print from the Amazon store.

Sanctuary of Mine is her latest work in the New Adult Romance genre. (Graphic Design by Cover It Designs). Available NOW.

Beloved Soul by Shelly Pratt is available through Amazon and is published through Eternal Press. Please note that Beloved Soul's cover artwork, editing and publication are all done through Eternal Press.

All other novels are written and published by S. Pratt. Editing acknowledgements go to those who are listed on each individual book title.