Lynn's Romance Enthusiasm: Loving the Book Presents: A Secret to Keep by Railyn Stone; #Excerpt, #Giveaway, & #Review

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book for review from Loving the Book and the author. I was not compensated nor was I required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am posting this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising".

Keeping secrets is a horrible way to live. Sloane Davis should know. She's kept her son a secret from his father for almost a year.

Now, her worst nightmare is coming true. Her ex is re-entering her professional life in the midst of the biggest project of her career. She's about to come face to face with the only man she's ever loved - her son's father.

Gates McCall is a brash man. He hasn't always been this way, but when Sloane walked out on him, something inside him broke. When his company's newest acquisition brings the two of them together once more, little does he know seeing her will bring back a flood of memories, feelings, and an unexpected surprise.

Purchase your copy here:
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Secret-Keep-Railyn-Stone-ebook/dp/B00YSS7LIY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1433986402&sr=8-1&keywords=A+Secret+to+Keep

Barnes&Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-secret-to-keep-railyn-stone/1121917126?ean=2940151590198

Railyn Stone hails from the Tar Heel State and is a romantic at heart. She believes you can find romance in the simplest aspects of life and enjoys letting her imagination run wild. Trying new restaurants, listening to music, playing golf and writing over the top stories about ordinary people are the hobbies she cherishes most.

Links for social media:

Twitter: @railynwrites

Facebook Author Page: www.facebook.com/railynst

Website: www.railynstone.com
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8571072.Railyn_Stone

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/railyns/

Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/Railyn-Stone/e/B00NR66YMW/ref=sr_tc_2_0?qid=1431815257&sr=1-2-ent

Rating: 4 Stars

Sloane Davis is great at keeping secrets. Gates McCall is a man that’s all about business. But he’s also full of surprises. As you read their story you may come to the point where you start to take sides. And you also begin to wonder that as a person ages can they change who they are.

This story isn’t all about our couple having sex. The author puts it in a scene where it makes sense. The story is about how two people need to come to grips with some secrets and figure out how they can interact without all the drama and tension of the past.

I found this story was a little slow in the beginning but it improved with time. It wasn’t too slow that I didn’t want to continue to see what Sloane and Gates have in store for the reader. And then you get to the point where you get hooked into the story because you want to find out what the outcome is going to be. The author spends her energy into developing her scenes and her characters. To me the sex was secondary.

This was my first experience with this author. The book was enjoyable enough that I would read this author again. She created some characters that I was really growing to hate but would like to see in another book just to see if they got their comeuppance or if they’ve changed for the better.

“Hey, come back to the here and now. Sloane come on, we have to focus. Are you going to be able to do this?” Liyah snapped her fingers in front of Sloane to get her attention. “Sloane? Sloane?”

“Oh, Liyah, I’m sorry. What were you saying?” Just as Liyah was about to answer her, she quieted and Sloane followed her gaze toward the door where her unbelievably handsome ex-fiancé stood.

“Santo cielo.” Liyah breathed and stood straighter, adjusting her jacket.

“He’s just a man in a suit,” Sloane said, trying to convince herself more than Liyah that he was just a man in a suit. She busied herself by stacking and reorganizing an already organized stack of papers. She could feel one single bead of sweat slowly meander its way down her back. But Gates’ magnetic pull soon had her staring at his deep-set hazel orbs. She tried to look away, but there was something about this man who was able to suck her in like cake flour through a sieve.

“He is so not just a man in a suit.” Liyah swallowed hard, shaking her head at Sloane’s dismissal of him. “I’m beginning to understand why you’re so nervous about this. Wow. You know, I didn’t realize how much Brayden looks like him.”

“Shh, keep your voice down.” Sloane tried to move, to blink, to do anything, but her body betrayed her wishes and she could only stare as Gates mingled through the room before he stopped near the two of them. She felt the individual hairs on her neck called to attention as his deep voice rumbled over her.

“Liyah, hello. It’s been a while. Sloane.” Finally regaining her faculties Sloane pulled herself up to her full height of 5 feet 6 inches and smiled. The unmistakable maleness of him filled her senses as she looked into those familiar eyes. Prickly chills scampered up her spine as she stood face to face with the father of her baby boy.

“Hi, Gates.” Liyah interjected, trying to break the obvious awkwardness.

“Gates, it’s good to see you again.” Sloane stammered while inwardly cowering under his intense gaze.

“Is it really?” Smirking, Gates continued past her to meet and shake hands with a few of the representatives from the various companies with bids on the table.

“Okay, so that went well.” Both ladies turned to watch him weave through the crowd of people as he headed towards the front of the room before Liyah turned to Sloane. “You up for this?”

“I don’t have much choice, do I? I guess he really does hate me.” Sloane swallowed the big lump of nerves in her throat and tried to pull herself together for what she knew was going to be the fight of her life. She and Liyah took their seats as the meeting got underway and she was never so glad to sit down. Her legs felt weak and her stomach was queasy. If it weren’t for the fact she hadn’t been with anyone since Gates, she would have sworn she was experiencing morning sickness all over again.

“Maybe not so much hate, as maybe severe dislike.”