Blog Tour: PIECES OF YOU (Shattered Hearts #2) by Cassia Leo
The story that began in the USA Today bestseller RELENTLESS continues. Which team are you on?
In Relentless, college student Claire Nixon and surfer Adam Parker each had a painful past too heavy to carry alone. Claire tried to push Adam away, but Adam’s relentless pursuit of her heart and her secrets made her walls come crumbling down.
Though their hearts will never be whole again, Claire and Adam now know they are stronger together than they are apart.
But now Claire’s attending college a hundred miles away from Adam. With their relationship already hanging by a thread, Adam is sent to Hawaii on business.
And rock star Chris Knight is back in Claire’s life.
Chris wants his ex-girlfriend back and he knows just how to get her: only he has the power to mend the final missing piece of Claire’s broken heart. Now Claire must choose between a long-distance relationship with Adam and a second chance at love, family, and home.
New Adult Contemporary Romance: Due to strong language, drug use, and sexual content, this book is not intended for readers under the age of 18.
Buy Links
- Amazon
US: http://amzn.to/15bQCP8
UK: http://amzn.to/ZXOB4s
CA: http://amzn.to/10uI78X
Our Interview with Cassia Leo
We are so excited to bring you our interview with Cassia Leo where we asked a few questions we were dying to know the answers to after reading RELENTLESS and PIECES of YOU…Join us while we meet with Cassia!
Up All Night: Wow Cassia, we are in serious book hangover mode after reading Relentless and then Pieces of You! We are so thrilled to have you here with us today!
We love your level of drama in your books. Who or what is it that inspires you?
Real life. One of the many advantages of living a full life is that you meet so many people who inspire you on a daily basis. I love people. I think we all have a story to tell and a lesson to teach.
Can you describe your writing process? Do you know where you want this to go or is some of the story developing as you go?
A lot of the story is developed as I go. I don’t plot anything. I know where the story will begin and where it will end. I write each chapter with the same things in mind (getting the characters from point A to point B). I don’t like to plan ahead too much because then I box myself in. A lot of the twists and turns arise naturally and are just as surprising to me as they are to readers.
Claire must face the results of some tough decisions she made. What inspired you to write about the situation she faced and how she handled it?
Claire’s secret was the first thing I decided on for this series. The rest of the series grew from there. I have never known anyone with the kind of secret Claire was keeping, so that inspired me to dig deep into why someone would do that and what the ramifications of that decision would be.
Do you personally have a favorite, Adam or Chris?
I do, but it may or may not be the person Claire picks. Though I write the book, the characters have their own personalities. That makes me sound schizophrenic, but it’s true. I think this is why the line between Team Adam and Team Chris is so deeply drawn in the sand. People are very passionate on each side of this debate because Adam and Chris are both very different. I love them both for different reasons, but Claire loves one of them more and we will all find out who that is in book three.
There seems to be such a strong reaction from your readers, does this surprise you?
It did surprise me at first. Of course, as an author, I always love my characters, but I never expected readers to feel as passionately about them as I do. I think it has to do with the fact that many people feel that these characters are realistic. I try not to write caricatures of the typical broken girl, the typical bad boy, or the typical sweet guy. In my head (at least), these are real people who could exist in real life and they are dealing with the issues that arise the best way they know how. I think people like to feel like they can relate to characters and that they can learn along with them.
Who are your writing inspirations?
I absolutely love Markus Zusak, Lauren Oliver, John Green, and Stephen Chbosky. I’m a sucker for a beautifully told coming of age story.
What do you think about the view from some readers that Adam is Claire’s rebound?
I think it’s a valid concern. She went through so much within the months before they met. It’s natural for someone in Claire’s position, someone who’s grasping for every breath, to latch onto the first person who offers her a lifeline. But sometimes the person who offers you a hand is there for a reason. Destiny. Fate. Whatever. I guess we’ll find out in book three.
Whom do you picture as your fantasy cast?
I am very adamant about my fantasy cast, though a lot of my fans are not pleased with my pics. These are the people I see as the characters:
Claire Nixon – Teresa Palmer
(We added images for you!)
Adam Parker – Alex Pettyfer
Chris Knight – Sean Faris
Will we see resolution for Claire in book 3? And when can we expect the rest of her story?
Book three, Bring Me Home, will definitely see Claire getting her HEA. Bring Me Home is scheduled for release August 2013.
One last question that we like to ask of authors is if you were to impart advice to an up and coming author, what’s one thing you would share?
Someone asked me this a few days ago and I’ll give you the same answer: 1) read a lot of books within the genre you want to write; 2) get a good group of HONEST beta readers (not the ones who are afraid to hurt your feelings); 3) write every day and every chance you get.
Thank you, Cassia, for stopping by Up All Night Book Blog! Is there anything else you would like to add before we finish up?
Thanks for having me and for asking such great questions! And thanks for reading Pieces of You.
Our pleasure!! Now let’s share our reviews…
Abby’s Review 5 Stars
So you know when you finish reading a book and you want to get into a discussion group about it? This is like that. There are two men that Claire must Choose from, Adam and Chris.
Oh boy I am team Chris. Plenty of you will probably be Team Adam. Oh Chris, there is sweetness to him. He is vulnerable in so many ways. Yes he hurt Claire once but he is so ready now.
Adam, Oh Adam he is so intense.
I don’t want to give anything away in this review because this is one of those you need to read and form opinions. There are going to be those of you that love Adam. Then there will be the awestruck Chris fans.
The heat in this book is amazing. MMHMMMM some of these scenes have you fanning to cool off that is for sure!
There is a cliffhanger here, as soon as I finished I got on facebook and said I am screaming, so be prepared. Cassia Leo has you wanting more like you wouldn’t believe.
Dawn’s Review 5 Stars
Absolutely brilliant book! Cassia Leo had my emotions going from high to low and everywhere in between! There is angst and passion, love and guilt, anger and sadness, and hope and uncertainty.
Coming straight off of reading Relentless, I was desperate for Claire’s story to continue. I needed to know how her life would change as secrets were shared and pasts were laid open. I love the way Cassia Leo told this story not only from Claire’s point of view but also Adam’s and Chris’s. They each had a very unique voice and when an author can handle those transitions so seamlessly and make me hear each voice, it is nothing short of perfect.
There were moments I was sighing, moments my heart was breaking, moments I wanted to punch someone, and moments when it was steamy hot! And oh man, this book leaves you on a cliffhanger and you’ll be torn as I think anyone reading this book will be between Chris and Adam.
But in the end, as in Relentless, there is a kernel of hope for Claire and the many decisions and choices she has to make. I absolutely cannot wait for book 3!
ARC provided for honest review
About the Author
USA Today bestselling author Cassia Leo loves her coffee, chocolate, and margaritas with salt. When she’s not writing, she spends way too much time watching old reruns of Friends and Sex and the City. When she’s not watching reruns, she’s usually enjoying the California sunshine or reading–sometimes both.
Website http://cassialeo.com
twitter username https://twitter.com/authorcassialeo
Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/#!/authorcassialeo?fref=ts
Goodreads Page http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6521131.Cassia_Leo
Oh God! I am torn in reading interviews like this coz more often than not, authors gives a clue or something on how their book will end and who’s going to end up with you. ARGH!!!! IDK, but I am Team Adam but I have a feeling Claire is going to end up with Chris. I am betting my ass on it. But I do hope I am wrong.