The Winners of the November FAOM Giveaway Are...

Hey everybody! It’s been such a great month here on Ups, Downs, Ins & Outs. This first month of the Featured Author of the Month with Linda Oaks has been a blast! But there is one last thing to do before the month is over and Linda steps out of the spotlight to allow someone else their time to shine…

We have to give stuff away!

All month readers, fans and friends have had the chance to enter to win one of two copies of Chasing Rainbows, the first book in Linda’s The Chasing series. I didn’t talk too much about this book beyond sharing the blurb and book trailer earlier this month. Addie and Jake’s story is a tough one. Well more accurately put, their road was a tough one. The love they share with each other – it’s a beautiful, touching thing, and in a couple of ways reminds me of my early relationship with Heli Dad. For all it’s beauty though, it’s got rough spots and moments when you just can’t be sure whether it’s really going to work. And then it does. It does and because of the struggle you know it’s that much stronger, that much better, that much more real.

I hope the ladies who receive the book will enjoy Chasing Rainbows as much as I have and I truly do hope that they will continue on to read the rest of The Chasing series. I’ve read them all now and can safely say that they are all great stories with touching depth, real characters, and moments of perfection that are all too difficult to find.

Enjoy your spoils Martha and Sylvia, and happy reading!!

Have You Missed Out This November?

The month of November is quickly coming to a close – but it’s not quite over yet, which means that you’ve still got time to enter the November FAOM Giveaway and secure your chance to win one of two copies of Chasing Rainbows by Linda Oaks.

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Chasing Rainbows is of course the first book in Linda’s The Chasing series and in case you’ve missed it, I’ve been talking about them all month long!

Want to know more about The Chasing series? Here’s a few links to help you out:

Chasing Rainbows and the other titles in the series can be discovered here.

Finding Forever is book 2 of the series and is featured here.

Book 3 The Way Home is spotlighted here but you can also see my review of the book here.

And the final book of the series, book 4, Fighting For a Chance is the topic of this post.

Still want to see more?

Check out my interview with Linda Oaks here and find out more about her and her writing. 

But seriously – don’t forget to enter the giveaway… After all, who doesn’t love a free book?

FAOM: My REVIEW of The Way Home by Linda Oaks

The Way Home

The Chasing series, book 3

by Linda Oaks

About the Book:

“Not everyone you love is going to leave you…but what if they do?"

For Nate Lucas, this was his reality.

When he lost her, he was left with no choice. Life was impossible in Crawley without her. He couldn’t live with all of the memories or her ghost.

He vowed to never return again.

It was business that brought him back and the chance to right a wrong, but then she needed him; his best friend’s little sister. Her life and her child’s were in danger. It was an arrangement until it became more. 

He vowed to never love again; to never allow the past a chance to repeat itself, but sometimes you’re left with no choice. 

When the walls around your heart are finally breached, do you run and save yourself or stay and fight for the chance to love again?

When you lose your way, how do you find the way home? 

The Review:

Nate Lucas lost the love of his young life when he was 18 years-old. We know this story, we’ve read (in Chasing Rainbows) how deeply that death affected the other people who loved her – Natalie Hayes. But for Nate, the pain wasn’t simply about her death; for him, the body blow came from more than just losing her, with her he’d lost his future. Or at least the future he’d seen for himself, for them, the only future he believed he could have. To survive, to go on, he had to leave. He had to keep himself separate, wall himself off and stay away.

But alone is no way to live, and living the way he did through all the years since her death was merely existing. To heal, to really live again would take more.

FAOM: I'm Giving 'Fighting for a Chance' a Chance Today

I’ve highlighted all of the books in The Chasing series… except this one, the last one. Fighting for a Chance is currently the final book in the series and features a character we met all the way back in the beginning in Chasing Rainbows. In that book, I was left with something of a bad taste in my mouth for Chance and his brother Chase. I am busily working my way through this series and I’m nervously looking forward to this final book.

Will I like the man Chance has become, or will I still have issues with him? Will I find myself rooting for him and Ivy, or quietly hoping that he gets a taste of his own medicine?

If you’ve already read Fighting for a Chance tell me what you thought of it? Should I give him a chance?

Fighting for a Chance

by Linda Oaks

It all began with a secret. 

A cross of paths that altered a life. 

Iris Malone had a plan of revenge. She searched for the man known as “The Savage.”

Chance Logan was one of the most promising heavyweight contenders on the planet. Her plan was simple, to make a savage fall to his knees. She would break his heart like he’d broken so many countless others before her. 

But sometimes even the best-laid plans can begin to unravel. 

What happens when you fall for the enemy?

When you’re in danger of losing your heart to the man you promised to make suffer?

When lines are crossed, and it’s too late to turn back, you have no choice but to live with the decisions you make. 

Will Iris’s plan for revenge ruin the chance at a love of a lifetime? Will she fight for a chance to love a savage or will she lose everything when the truth is finally revealed?

Someone was going down.  

Someone would pay. 

Do you care to place your bets as to who will be standing at the end of the final round?

If you’re like me and still need to read this book, you can get your copy of Fighting for a Chance here:

Amazon US  //  Amazon UK  

Amazon CA  //  Amazon AU 

iBooks  //  B&N  //  Kobo  //  Smashwords 

FAOM: Taking a Look at THE WAY HOME

After learning earlier this week in Linda’s interview that Nate, in The Way Home has been her favorite character to write, I was increasingly interested in reading the book. I’m just starting his story but obviously I recognize Nate from his mentions and brief appearances in Chasing Rainbows and Finding Forever. I’m truly very intrigued by him – what’s his whole story, the little I do know only makes me what to know more after all, what happens, what changes, and more how does that change him? I can’t wait.

Have you read The Way Home yet? What did you think? Did you love/hate Nate and his story?

The Way Home

by Linda Oaks

“Not everyone you love is going to leave you…but what if they do?"

For Nate Lucas, this was his reality.

When he lost her, he was left with no choice. Life was impossible in Crawley without her. He couldn’t live with all of the memories or her ghost.

He vowed to never return again.

It was business that brought him back and the chance to right a wrong, but then she needed him; his best friend’s little sister. Her life and her child’s were in danger. It was an arrangement until it became more. 

He vowed to never love again; to never allow the past a chance to repeat itself, but sometimes you’re left with no choice. 

When the walls around your heart are finally breached, do you run and save yourself or stay and fight for the chance to love again?

When you lose your way, how do you find the way home? 

Want to read it? Need a copy? 

You can get The Way Home here: 

Amazon US  //  Amazon UK 

Amazon CA  //  Amazon AU 

B&N  //  iBooks  //  Kobo 

FAOM: A Chat With Linda Oaks

One of the things I am looking forward to most as I do the Featured Author of the Month posts is having a chance to talk to the authors – to ask them questions about their writing, their books, their goals, and so much more. When I read a book, well okay – after I finish a book I often think to myself “I wonder what the author was thinking when they wrote this?” I cannot tell you how excited I am to be in the position of being able to actually ask that question now when it crosses my mind – or you know any of the other dozens of random questions that may come to me.

Author interviews are always interesting to me – sometimes the responses I get to questions I’ve asked are surprising. I mean that seriously, sometimes I’ll see the response and say “No way!” or “Really???? Wow.” Other times I read the authors responses and I end up thinking to myself that this person (regardless of their being an author I’m interested in) could be my new best friend! LOL. But really, to me, interviews offer an intriguing glimpse into the minds and lives of the authors featured in them. Linda’s interview was no different and you know, that’s a good thing.

I had to start, as I very frequently do, by asking Linda why or how she decided to become an author. It’s an important question – the answer could be deep, could be silly, or somewhere in between, but all things considered can offer significant insight. From there, well let’s just say my questions, like the possible answers to that first very important question, ran from deep to silly, and back again. Now without further ado, I think this is a great time to share with you the interview that I had with this month’s FAOM Linda Oaks.

FAOM: A Little About FINDING FOREVER

The second book in a series makes the reader one of two things: extremely excited because they loved the first book and can’t wait to see what happens next in the authors world, or extremely nervous because they loved the first book and can’t wait to see what happens next in the authors world. There’s a third option I suppose – a little of both. Having truly enjoyed the first book in November’s FAOM Linda Oaks’ series The Chasing I’m actually going to slide myself into that third position and say that I’m both excited and nervous. I’m just diving in to book 2 myself and I’m honestly looking forward to what I’m going to find.

Finding Forever (#2, The Chasing)

by Linda Oaks

What if forever was never meant to be?

Kara Thom had always been the confident one until the fateful day her heart was shattered. She lost the one person she thought would never walk away…

Devon McGraw, the man who had promised her forever.

When Kara returns to her hometown for a wedding, fate intervenes throwing her and Devon together once again. Their chemistry is stronger than ever before, but Devon is not the same guy that Kara fell in love with. The man he’d become had a past, and it was complicated.

He wanted a week, but Kara wants forever.

Will Kara forgive Devon’s past or will her own ruin any chance of her finding forever?

Get a Copy of Finding Forever for Yourself Today:

Amazon     //     B&N 

iBooks 

Smashwords   //    Kobo 

Still need to read Chasing Rainbows book 1 in the series? Enter to win a copy HERE or buy your copy at:

Amazon 

B&N 

iBooks 

Kobo 

Smashwords 

FAOM: An Overview of 'The Chasing' Series

As her bio told us, Linda loves chaotic romances with happily-ever-afters - those stories that draw us in with their many twists and turns, before delivering heart-warming, happy endings. So it shouldn’t be too surprising that the stories she writes are just that sort. From my experience so far, the books of The Chasing series take you into the grit and dirt, before brushing you off and leading you down the right path to happiness. Which, for me, just makes them all the more appealing.

Today I’ll introduce you to each of the titles in Linda’s The Chasing series…

Chasing Rainbows (book 1)

At the start of her freshman year, Addison Hayes’s world is tragically turned upside down and she finds herself spiralling into the darkness of destructive habits. Now three years later, she’s still battling the ghosts of her past.

With the start of her senior year, Addie finds herself entangled in a twisted game between twin brothers, Chase and Chance Logan. Their path of destruction leaves an already tormented girl feeling even more lost and confused. But sometimes out of complete chaos can arise a blindingly blessed insight whose name is Jake Riley.

Jake is like no other guy that Addie has ever met before. He doesn’t scare easily. Unfortunately for Addie, Jake wants her, darkness and all.

Will Addie lose herself in the darkness or will she be brave enough to finally set herself free?

This month we’re giving away 2 e-copies of Chasing Rainbows away to two lucky people! It is super easy to enter and multiple ways to get your name in the bucket… ENTER HERE.

Or Buy Your Copy Today at

Amazon

B&N

iBooks

Kobo

Smashwords

Finding Forever (book 2)

What if forever was never meant to be?

Kara Thom had always been the confident one until the fateful day her heart was shattered. She lost the one person she thought would never walk away…

Devon McGraw, the man who had promised her forever.

Will Kara forgive Devon’s past or will her own ruin any chance of her finding forever?

You Can Buy Your Copy at

Amazon

B&N

iBooks

Smashwords

Kobo

The Way Home (book 3)

It was an arrangement until it became more.

“Not everyone you love is going to leave you… but what if they do?”

For Nate Lucas, this was his reality.

When he lost her, he was left with no choice. Life was impossible in Crawley without her. He couldn’t live with all the memories or her ghost.

He vowed to never return again.

When you lose your way, how do you find the way home?

Find Your Copy of The Way Home at 

Amazon US

Amazon UK

Amazon CA

Amazon AU

B&N

iBooks

Kobo

Fighting For A Chance (book 4)

It all began with a secret.

A cross of paths that altered a life.

Iris Malone had a plan of revenge. She searched for the man known as “The Savage.”

Chance Logan was one of the most promising heavyweight contenders on the planet.

Her plan was simple, to make a savage fall to his knees. She would break his heart like he’d broken so many countless others before her.

But sometimes even the best laid plans can begin to unravel.

Do you care to place your bets as to who will be standing at the end of the final round?

Available Now at  

Amazon US

Amazon UK

Amazon CA

Amazon AU

iBooks

B&N

Kobo

Smashwords

And there you have it. Four books to pull your heartstrings, twist you up, and then reduce you to a puddle of “awwwwwwww” at the end. Throughout November I’ll be taking a closer look at each of the books and will be sharing more about each one with you.

Until then – happy reading!

But wait... Have you entered the giveaway yet? 

Take a minute and do that now HERE 😉

FAOM: Giveaway with November Author Linda Oaks

Who doesn't love a giveaway?

This month we've got 2 e-copies of Chasing Rainbows - the first book in Linda Oaks The Chasing series - up for grabs. 

You can enter in a number of ways: commenting on any FAOM post during November, visiting us on Facebook, following us on Twitter, Tweeting about the Giveaway, and even by joining the Ups, Downs, Ins & Outs mailing list. That simple, that easy, and you could win!

Contest closes November 29th, 2017 and winners will be announced and contacted by the end of the month. Good luck! 

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Introducing... The NOVEMBER Featured Author of the Month

The Featured Author of the Month for November is someone that I was lucky enough to have discovered in August 2015, not long after the release of her first novel. It was through a promotion on my Facebook page that she became an Author of the Day back then. Now it’s my pleasure to (re)introduce you all to Linda Oaks. Since that long ago promo event, I’ve followed Linda’s writing career as she’s gone on to publish 3 more books – all four are part of her Chasing series.

Linda loves chaotic romances with happily ever after’s. She believes the road to true love is always complicated. She has a passion for sweet tea, chick flicks, fuzzy socks and eighties big hair bands. When she’s not writing, she can be found spending time with her family, reading, fishing or lying in a hammock in her front yard daydreaming. She resides in Eastern Kentucky with her husband, two children and a horde of animals. She can be found on Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter and Instagram.

So I hope you will join me in welcoming Linda to the blog as our very first FAOM: Featured Author of the Month! Pop over to my Facebook page and say hello on any of the FAOM posts, or send us a shoutout on Twitter, just tag @apalusa_light and @banished4ever. 

You can track Linda down at a number of (other) places online and sell hello! Check her out: 

Facebook 

Twitter 

Goodreads 

AmazonAuthor Page 

Instagram 

Pinterest 

Wattpad 

 WordPress