Crooked Cat Publishing
Published on: February 7th 2014What They Say:
Faith owns The Coffee Pot in the outdoor adventure sports mecca of Derbyshire’s Peak District. She hasn’t had a man in her life for a while, as she’s been too busy serving cakes to weary rock climbers and mountain bikers to find time for the complications of a relationship with the male of the species.
At least, that’s what she tells herself. The truth is that since she got her heart broken she’s had problems trusting men.
When she meets Zane, one of the new owners at the Carrdale Extreme Sports Centre, Faith finds herself enjoying his company even though part of her can’t help wondering why he’s so reluctant to talk about himself.
Then the past comes back to haunt her in the shape of Zane’s business partner Matt, who just happens to be the guy who broke Faith’s heart all those years ago.
With Matt out to cause trouble and Zane keeping secrets Faith’s life is about to get very complicated indeed…
What I Say:
I would like to thank Shaz (Fictionaddiction Book Tours @shazjera) and Zanna Mackenzie for send me a copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.
As the blurb says Faith owns her own business in the small town in the Peak District not allowing herself to have a love life since having her heart broken by her ex Aaron. Until Zane walks in and she feels the flutter as they get to know each other.
Both Faith and Zane are easily likeable characters, despite them both having histories, Faith having put hers behind her. Zane hasn't put his past behind him, especially when it turns out Matt is his business partner is Faith's ex Aaron (now using his middle name).
The book explores all the things that go with someone's history and not being able to trust someone, even when you desperately want to and not let it destroy your relationship.
The book is really well written, exploring the characters range of feelings and showing that you really do have to put your past behind you before you move on to your future. Truth and honesty really are the key to happiness.
Matt as it turns out really is a good mate to Zane, even if his efforts to show this are a little screwed.
4 out of 5 stars
It was Aaron.
Faith wiped her hands on a tea–towel. She wanted to speak, but couldn’t get her brain into gear enough to make her mouth form the words.
Email fictionaddiction.booktours@gmail.com
Excerpt
This couldn’t be happening.
Zane had said his business partner was called Matt. She was sure of it. Yes, he’d definitely just introduced him as Matt. But the man standing before her wasn’t Matt.
This couldn’t be happening.
Zane had said his business partner was called Matt. She was sure of it. Yes, he’d definitely just introduced him as Matt. But the man standing before her wasn’t Matt.
It was Aaron.
Faith wiped her hands on a tea–towel. She wanted to speak, but couldn’t get her brain into gear enough to make her mouth form the words.
She’d thought Aaron was gone from her life.
It looked as though she was wrong.
She took a step back, wrapping her arms around herself. Suddenly she felt cold and shaky. Aaron was back? This was impossible.
She took a step back, wrapping her arms around herself. Suddenly she felt cold and shaky. Aaron was back? This was impossible.
Yet here he was, standing in her kitchen. She felt dizzy and light-headed.
How should she react? Should she admit they knew each other? Why had Aaron changed his name to Matt anyway? Would he prefer it if the fact they knew each other was kept quiet?
But she knew she couldn’t keep something like that from Zane.
As she debated what to say and do next, the room remained awkwardly silent. Zane was looking at her questioningly.
What should she say?
Come on, think, woman. Think.
Too late. Aaron spoke first.
“Faith, it’s amazing to see you again after all these years.”
OK. So he didn’t want to keep it a secret that they already knew each other.
“Aaron,” she managed to say. “This is a bit of a shock.”
“That’s an understatement,” Matt said, stepping forward to pull her into a hug.
“Hang on a second,” Zane said, pushing into the room. “Aaron? That’s your proper name isn’t it?” He raised enquiring eyebrows at Matt. “What’s going on? You two already know each other?”
Fun, Flirty Facts With The Guys
Do you prefer your book heroes to be mean and moody or sensitive and vulnerable? Zanna Mackenzie’s new book, If You Only Knew, has both, with bad boy Matt and emotionally wounded Zane….
Facts for Zane:
*Celebrity you've been told you look like: Apparently the actor Kieren Hutchison, though I think I’m probably taller.
*Naughty food you like to indulge in: Triple choc muffins. Especially the ones from Faith’s coffee shop in the village. She makes the best muffins going.
*What you wear to bed: It varies, sometimes a t-shirt, sometimes nothing.
*How many people you've said "I love you" to: Only one. Until I arrived in Carleton I honestly thought I’d never say those words again. Now I’ve met Faith and our relationship is taking me way outside my emotional comfort zone and I’m started to wonder…
*Relationship deal-breaker: A woman who is unfaithful. When I’m involved with someone I am one hundred per cent committed to that relationship; I need the woman I’m involved with to feel the same way.
*Your first kiss - How old were you? Did you instigate it? I think I was about thirteen or fourteen. It was on one of those joint Boy Scouts and Girl Guides camping trips. Her name was Anna, we went off into the woods. I was planning how to make a move when she pushed me up against a tree and kissed me. She was quite a forthright girl!
Facts for Matt:
*Celebrity you've been told you look like: Ryan Gosling but I’m better looking.
*Naughty food you like to indulge in: Cakes, pizza and a fried breakfast of eggs, bacon and sausages. I’m an active guy; I run an outdoor extreme sports centre so I burn off all those calories anyway.
*What you wear to bed: Nothing!
*How many people you've said "I love you" to: Do you mean said it to, or said it to and actually meant it? If it’s the latter, then the answer is two.
*Relationship deal-breaker: A woman who cheats on me.
*Your first kiss - How old were you? Did you instigate it? I was thirteen. Yes, of course, I instigated it. Her name was Kathy and it was at the school disco. We had a fun time.
About the Author
Zanna Mackenzie lives on the Derbyshire/Leicestershire border with her husband, 4 dogs, a vegetable patch that’s home to far too many weeds and an ever expanding library of books waiting to be read.
Being a freelance writer and editor of business publications is her ‘day job’ but, at every opportunity, she can be found scribbling down notes on scenes for whatever novel she’s working on. She loves it when the characters in her novels take on minds of their own and start deviating from the original plot!
If You Only Knew is Zanna’s third novel; her previous books The Love Programme, and How Do You Spell Love? were both published in 2013.
How should she react? Should she admit they knew each other? Why had Aaron changed his name to Matt anyway? Would he prefer it if the fact they knew each other was kept quiet?
But she knew she couldn’t keep something like that from Zane.
As she debated what to say and do next, the room remained awkwardly silent. Zane was looking at her questioningly.
What should she say?
Come on, think, woman. Think.
Too late. Aaron spoke first.
“Faith, it’s amazing to see you again after all these years.”
OK. So he didn’t want to keep it a secret that they already knew each other.
“Aaron,” she managed to say. “This is a bit of a shock.”
“That’s an understatement,” Matt said, stepping forward to pull her into a hug.
“Hang on a second,” Zane said, pushing into the room. “Aaron? That’s your proper name isn’t it?” He raised enquiring eyebrows at Matt. “What’s going on? You two already know each other?”
Fun, Flirty Facts With The Guys
Do you prefer your book heroes to be mean and moody or sensitive and vulnerable? Zanna Mackenzie’s new book, If You Only Knew, has both, with bad boy Matt and emotionally wounded Zane….
Facts for Zane:
*Celebrity you've been told you look like: Apparently the actor Kieren Hutchison, though I think I’m probably taller.
*Naughty food you like to indulge in: Triple choc muffins. Especially the ones from Faith’s coffee shop in the village. She makes the best muffins going.
*What you wear to bed: It varies, sometimes a t-shirt, sometimes nothing.
*How many people you've said "I love you" to: Only one. Until I arrived in Carleton I honestly thought I’d never say those words again. Now I’ve met Faith and our relationship is taking me way outside my emotional comfort zone and I’m started to wonder…
*Relationship deal-breaker: A woman who is unfaithful. When I’m involved with someone I am one hundred per cent committed to that relationship; I need the woman I’m involved with to feel the same way.
*Your first kiss - How old were you? Did you instigate it? I think I was about thirteen or fourteen. It was on one of those joint Boy Scouts and Girl Guides camping trips. Her name was Anna, we went off into the woods. I was planning how to make a move when she pushed me up against a tree and kissed me. She was quite a forthright girl!
Facts for Matt:
*Celebrity you've been told you look like: Ryan Gosling but I’m better looking.
*Naughty food you like to indulge in: Cakes, pizza and a fried breakfast of eggs, bacon and sausages. I’m an active guy; I run an outdoor extreme sports centre so I burn off all those calories anyway.
*What you wear to bed: Nothing!
*How many people you've said "I love you" to: Do you mean said it to, or said it to and actually meant it? If it’s the latter, then the answer is two.
*Relationship deal-breaker: A woman who cheats on me.
*Your first kiss - How old were you? Did you instigate it? I was thirteen. Yes, of course, I instigated it. Her name was Kathy and it was at the school disco. We had a fun time.
About the Author
Zanna Mackenzie lives on the Derbyshire/Leicestershire border with her husband, 4 dogs, a vegetable patch that’s home to far too many weeds and an ever expanding library of books waiting to be read.
Being a freelance writer and editor of business publications is her ‘day job’ but, at every opportunity, she can be found scribbling down notes on scenes for whatever novel she’s working on. She loves it when the characters in her novels take on minds of their own and start deviating from the original plot!
If You Only Knew is Zanna’s third novel; her previous books The Love Programme, and How Do You Spell Love? were both published in 2013.
Find out more about Zanna on her blog www.zannamackenzie.blogspot.co.uk, on Twitter via @ZannaMacKenzie or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/zanna.mackenzie
Author Links
www.zannamackenzie.blogspot.co.uk
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ZannaMacKenzie
Facebook: www.facebook.com/zanna.mackenzie
Goodreads - http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/10703273-zanna-mackenzie
Amazon Author Page - http://www.amazon.co.uk/Zanna-Mackenzie/e/B00BKY1A18/ref=ntt_dp_epwbk_0
Main buy links for book:
*Amazon UK
http://www.amazon.co.uk/You-Only-Knew-Zanna-Mackenzie/dp/190984148X/ref=pd_rhf_gw_p_t_1_GMEM
*Amazon USA
http://www.amazon.com/You-Only-Knew-Zanna-Mackenzie/dp/190984148X/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1390576576&sr=8-2&keywords=zanna+mackenzie
Author Links
www.zannamackenzie.blogspot.co.uk
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ZannaMacKenzie
Facebook: www.facebook.com/zanna.mackenzie
Goodreads - http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/10703273-zanna-mackenzie
Amazon Author Page - http://www.amazon.co.uk/Zanna-Mackenzie/e/B00BKY1A18/ref=ntt_dp_epwbk_0
Main buy links for book:
*Amazon UK
http://www.amazon.co.uk/You-Only-Knew-Zanna-Mackenzie/dp/190984148X/ref=pd_rhf_gw_p_t_1_GMEM
*Amazon USA
http://www.amazon.com/You-Only-Knew-Zanna-Mackenzie/dp/190984148X/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1390576576&sr=8-2&keywords=zanna+mackenzie
Email fictionaddiction.booktours@gmail.com
Jo, what a fab review. So glad you enjoyed If You Only Knew.
ReplyDeleteThank you for taking part in Zanna's tour.
Shaz
A pleasure as always x
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