Stories and Swag!: Blog Tour: Review of Running in Place by L.B. Simmons

Book Title: Running in Place (Mending Hearts Book #2)

Author: L.B. Simmons - Facebook, Twitter, Blog

Tatum O’Connell:

Some call me a party girl. People see me as happy, full of life, with absolutely no cares in the world. They see what I want them to see. But no one knows me - really knows me. Not even Noah Reese. Mr. Perfect is always watching me, most likely judging every single imperfect thing I do. But, if Noah wants to keep an eye on me, that’s just fine. I definitely don’t mind. I just hope he doesn’t have any plans to save me from my new-found life of self-destruction because in order to save me, he will have to see me…

And I’m never going to let that happen.

Noah Reese:

Perfect. That’s me. That’s the only acceptable way to be, according to my father. Perfect grades. Perfect manners. Perfect athlete. Perfect SAT scores. Perfect college. And recently, I was accepted into the perfect med school. My future has already been mapped out for me and there’s nothing that can change that. Not even Tatum O’Connell. That girl is out of control, yet for some reason, I can’t seem to keep my distance from her. I watch her closely, hoping that one day she’ll let me in, but watching her lead her life down the dangerous path she’s on right now isn’t easy…

I have a feeling I’m about to find myself swept away by the hurricane that is Tatum O’Connell.

“Two fleeting souls,

Unknowingly tethered.

Too slowly drawn,
Impatient fate calls.
The jolting collide intertwines their lives
And splinters their walls.”
“Catalyst” – Noah Reese

Elle says...

Running in Place is the second installment in L.B. Simmons’ Mending Hearts Series. I really enjoyed the first book,Running on Empty, and had extremely high standards for the next in the series. For the record, my expectations were absolutely demolished. I was beyond blown away by this story, and Running in Place has officially become one of my all time favorite books!

Book two follows the story of Noah Reese and Tatum O’Connell, Trace’s sister. Remember Trace? He ended up falling for Harlow (Alex’s best friend) in Running on Empty. Yes, it’s a tangled web of who knows whom and how they know each other. Running in Place can be read as a stand alone, but if we’re being honest, Running on Empty was such an incredible book, why not just do yourself a favor and read both? Seriously. Read both.

Tatum is a damaged good. Her monster of a mother has finally passed away, years after her father tragically died. She’s spent her entire life fighting to survive and because of this she carries around some serious demons. I loved her character. She is sassy yet vulnerable. You can’t help but absolutely love every bit of Tatum – flaws and all.

As for Noah Reese, there are no words. He’s sexy, smart and absolutely driven. Underneath his well-composed exterior, he’s a slave to his father’s wishes. Bound by a future that’s out of his control, Noah is counting down until he may finally be able to live a life for himself. Noah stole my heart. He’s one hell of a book boyfriend and there is something undeniably sexy about a man who is both fragile enough to have weakness and strong enough to protect. Again, I am speechless at just how thought consuming his character is. By the end of the book, he found a spot at the top of my book boyfriend list.

The characters are amazing, but the story itself is beyond phenomenal. There is love, struggle, utter heartbreak, and an ending so perfect you’ll be nursing one hell of a book hangover. Prepare yourself for a total sob-fest. Seriously. 83% is an emotional bitch slap. I couldn’t put the book down, but had to when I was crying (and snotting) so hard I couldn’t see the words through my tears. By the end of the story, I looked like I’d been hit by a freight train of ugly. This story is unimaginable perfection.

Do yourself a favor, drop everything, and fire up those e-readers. Running in Place is not only one of the best books in 2013, it’s one of the best books ever written. Since finishing this story, I feel ruined. I don’t know what to read next. All I want to do is start back at page one and read this over and over again. L.B. Simmons doesn’t hold anything back and delivers a raw, emotional masterpiece. It’s not always about finding true love, but about finding yourself.

Author Bio:

L.B. Simmons is a graduate of Texas A&M University and holds a degree in Biomedical Science. She has been a practicing Chemist for the last 11 years. She lives with her husband and three daughters in Texas and writes every chance she gets.

Connect with L.B.:

Website: http://www.lbsimmons.com/

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/lbsimmonsauthor

Twitter: https://twitter.com/lbsimmons33

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6580347.L_B_Simmons