Welcome to our stop on the Grace Doll blog tour for Jennifer Laurens. The blog tour is hosted by I Am a Reader, Not a Writer and schedule can be followed HERE.
I've written since junior high school. An only child, I grew up writing big stories about big families. I also write YA under the name of JM Warwick. My hometown of Palos Verdes, California figures in much of my work, as does my current home of Pleasant Grove, Utah and other favorite places. I love to travel.
They say "write what you know" and I do. I am a mother, I have six children, five cats and a huge doberman/dane dog. I have a supportive husband and we've been married 25 years. Our lives, though challenging with a handicapped child who has autism, are centered in our family.
My life experiences have worked into all of my novels. Some more heavily than others, but parts of me are in each story. I love stories rich in family drama, where family members overcome obstacles through love and miracles.
Author: Jennifer Laurens
Reading Level: YA
Genre: Fantasy/Paranormal/Contemporary Romance
Released: July 9th 2012
Review Source: Author
Available: Amazon
• BN.com • IndieBoundSummary: Grace Doll had everything a girl could want: Fame. Fortune. Beauty.
Everything except, of course, her freedom. So when a powerful movie producer forces an experimental treatment on Grace--one that's purported to make beauty immortal--she stages her own death to escape him.
With the help of trusted friends, Grace slips into hiding. She's forever flawless, forever young and forever pursued by her past.
But when a stranger arrives on her doorstep, holding the key to a life she thought she'd left behind, Grace must decide between the safety she's known... and embracing the role she was born to play.
Grace doll is a story that is set in the 1940s. She had everything a woman would want. She had fame, beauty, and fortune. In the story we learn how Grace Doll met her abusive and sex craving husband Rufus. She was only thirteen and she was at the beach with her family. This handsome movie producer approached her parents asking if they would like to have their daughter be in a movie. So they said yes and that is where her life started with Rufus. He ended up changing her age to a much older woman. Months went by and she found out her family was killed in a fire. So the only person that she had was Rufus so he became her guardian and her husband. Grace Doll lived a wonderful life but at home it was a different story. She was tired of being treated like a sex slave. If he wanted sex with her he would take her wherever they were. No men were allowed to even look at her, talk to her or even touch her. So she came up with a idea to have her life changed. She asked her friends Oscar and her makeup artist Jonathan to help her escape Rufus for good. But the night that she wants to escape Rufus invited a doctor over that has developed a immortal serum that will keep her young for the rest of her life and not be able to have any children. Grace was given the serum and then all of a sudden her plan went into motion and her two friends burnt the house down. She was able to escape the fire with Oscar and Jonathan. In the fire Rufus was burned really bad and the doctor ended up dying in the house fire. But Grace was able to leave Rufus and never look back.
The story starts to take off when Jonathan, Grace makeup artist ends up dying and we meet his son Brendan. Brendan is this handsome young man that doesn't work but loves to surf and draw. He ended up living with his father and his step mother after his mother dies of Cancer. But after his father dies, his fathers lawyer gets in touch with him telling him he needs to meet him because there is something his father wanted him to do for him after he died. So he met with the lawyer and he finds out that there is a safe deposit box with something inside it with a picture of Grace doll and a letter. The letter says that he needs to find Grace doll and give her the box because there is something she wants inside it. But he can't tell anybody. Along the way another guy approaches him asking him to meet a man which turns out to be Rufus. He meets with Rufus and all he wants to know if his father said anything about where Grace Doll is. So Brendan tells him off and goes off looking for Grace Doll.. When he gets to her house she is not there so he waits. She shows up and notices the boy on the porch and when she sees him she notices right away that it's Jonathans son and then she knows that Jonathan ended up passing away. After their meeting that day it's when the whole book gets started and the romance starts to bloom between Brendan and Grace Doll.
I don't want to give away anymore but you need to read this book. I never read anything from this author before and I wasn't disappointed after reading this book. I would love to read another one of her books again. I love romantic books anyways so i enjoyed it so much. So if your not reading a book right now. Run and download or go buy this book and read it. You won't be disappointed at all. Believe me.
If that review is not enough to convince you, then here is a excerpt from Grace Doll:
At my touch, her lips part, her back melts into an arch and her head slowly tilts back. The move shoots a blast of want through me. A low moan trickles from her lips, sending my blood into orbit. “Stop,” she whispers.
I withdraw my palm and her head snaps upright. The stiffness in her body returns.
Twice now, I’ve touched her and she acts like she doesn’t like it. I’m an idiot. Keep your hands to yourself. My stomach feels like I’ve taken a punch.
I’ll never understand women.
Confusing. As. Hell.
Grabbing the Styrofoam cup of coffee, I gulp the contents down, then crush it in my fists, startling her.
Hold on. You’ve known her for what—a day now—but it feels like more than that. Or maybe I just want it to, so I’m messing with my own head.
I thought we had trust. Thought I’d helped her through this. That’s all I meant by touching her. She probably thinks you want more. That you’re like the guy in the cafe, waiting to dive into the ocean and take her with you. I bite back a snort. We’re in an airport. Like I’d jump her in front of all these people.
She’s watching me from behind those black lenses. Penetrating. Yet so guarded. Deep down I want her to watch. A warm sensation strokes my nerves whenever her eyes are on me.Forget it. She gave you the brush off, have some dignity.
I stand. The need to put some distance between us forces me take an aimless walk. I’ve liked girls before. But not like this. This isn’t even like. It’s beyond like. Part of me feels deeply invested in her, with a need that surpasses any other I’ve ever felt. It’s disconcerting. How I can want her this much when I’ve only known her for a day?
I can’t think of this logically. I’m off on some effed up wild errand. I’m confused by some sick bastard who thinks Grace Doll is alive. That’s not logical. None of this is.
Trying to shake off the weirdness of the situation is futile. The nibbling is constant. Insatiable. I’m only a few feet away from her and I can hardly keep myself from glancing over to make sure she’s still there.
Hoping she’s watching me.
I can’t resist. I toss a nonchalant glance over my shoulder.
She’s statue-still, those eyeless black lenses aimed my direction.
Blog Tour giveaway: $10 Amazon Gift Card + Copy of Grace Doll & Swag - Copy of Grace Doll -(Paperback open to US only, Ebook Internationally) - Ends 11/15/12
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So glad you enjoyed Grace Doll. I appreciate your participation in the tour!
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