Always Beautiful by MK Oien, Review by Dee with an exclusive excerpt

Synopsis:

My name is Lucille Marie Harris, but everyone calls me Lucky.
My life was planned out by me, for me. I wanted nothing more than to finish school and have my dream job. I let nothing or no one stand in the way of that. That is until I met Zeppelin Rhoades. He had a way of changing me; turning my world upside down and making me feel reckless.

This is the tale of a summer romance that changes the course of two people’s lives forever.

You think you know how this story ends, but you have no idea. It isn’t always about where we end up. It’s about how we get there.

One person can change your life forever.

Zeppelin Rhoades changed mine.

About MK Oien

 

I’m a self-proclaimed book nerd, loud and proud! I firmly believe that reading and writing go hand in hand. When I picked up my first book of poetry (It was a children’s book of poems in my elementary school library) I decided that I wanted to write. I would jot down many a poem in my notebook and one day my grandmother looked at me and said “You should be a writer.” She was the first to encourage... me and I haven’t stopped writing since.
I love writing whatever comes into my head, whether it’s paranormal, sci-fi, romance, poetry or songs. I’m a daydreamer with a vivid imagination and a music junkie. Rock, Folk, Pop, Rap, Indie and Classical music all serve as great inspiration. I’m in a zone when I write, no sense of the “real” world or anything else around me. It’s like my hand is overcome by the person who needs to tell their story and they control the pen. It’s an amazing feeling and I don’t know how to live without. I simply can’t.
My favorite novel of all time is Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte. A romantic at heart, I am influenced by the amazing LaVyrle Spencer and Kathleen Woodiwiss. Authors are pretty much my version of rock stars and I hope to one day have a gigantic library filled to the brim. Obviously my favorite Disney movie is Beauty and the Beast. I'm a pretty quiet and shy person in real life and one of the greatest things about being an author is the opportunity to get outside of your own element for a while. I am living my dream and I hope to continue this journey for as long as I can. 

Dee's Review

**arc provided for an honest review**

The story of Zeppelin and Lucky is heartbreaking and beautiful at the same time. Lucky is so methodical in her life. Following the steps to get to her goal and never deviating from them. Zeppelin is the opposite. Live each day to its fullest and never look back. So when these two meet you don't think it's gonna last. He's the ultimate bad boy and she's the goodie two shoes. So when they start to get addicted to each other's company, you can't help but love how they balance each other out. How he's not really the bad boy but this great, amazing, super romantic man. He's able to help her relax. Start being able to let loose and relax, start enjoying life.

 Lucky is truly lucky with this BBF. I mean she's pretty kick ass herself. She's like every man's wet dream. So when things start to get fishy, and by things, I mean his actions, I honestly thought MK was going to write the typical story line that he was cheating. Boy was I wrong.

 Not even freaking close. If it was a game of hot/cold, I was in the freaking ice box I was so wrong. I cried. That was my reaction to Zeppelins reality. Not only his reality, but his reaction to Lucky, to seeing her. I did, I cried. I cried with her, for her, for him, for the reality of the story of people who really live with that. It's heart wrenching. 

And Lucky is so strong. How she fights. What she does. She is so strong at such a young age. She becomes his strength. And they are each other's worlds. I love the way this was written, the switch from memories to reality. I was a little confused at times, especially about her choice in dresses, but was glad that was cleared up and what it was for. Always Beautiful is the type of book where you get done and you know, you just know, this is going to be one of those books you read again. It truly is heartbreaking but incredibly beautiful, but one that you will think about after you are done reading it. It's a story of strength, and true love, and never giving up. It will be days later and Zeppelin and Lucky will still be in your head. Probably racing. I give this book 4.5 hearts.

*****EXCLUSIVE EXCERPT***** 

 After what must have been only a few more hours, I woke up to a stiff neck and a sore back. I supposed it wasn’t the best idea to stay on the couch. Rubbing my eyes and sitting up slightly, I checked the time on my phone and saw that it was three in the morning. I yawned and stood up to stretch. Leaving the blanket where it lay, I wandered sleepily down the hall to my room that I was staying in. I opened the door and closed it behind me in one fluid motion and continued on to the large bed in the dark.

It was warm in the room but I was too tired to open the window, so I just fell onto the bed atop the comforter and curled up on my side. Just as I began to drift off, I felt the bed move as if someone was rolling over. My body stiffened and I stopped breathing. What the hell?

Slowly and carefully, I sat up and looked toward the other side of the bed. Someone was in here! I couldn’t quite make out who it was, but I could tell it was a tall, muscular frame. I noticed an arm bent, nearly stretched out to me that was covered in tattoos. I swallowed my scream that instinctually wanted to escape. I shot out of the bed and ran over to flip on the light, my heart pounding in my ears.

“What the hell?” I questioned in a voice loud enough for the trespasser to hear. The person in my bed stirred and leaned up on one elbow. His still groggy blue eyes focused on mine slowly and his brow crumpled in confusion. I recognized the intruder now. It was that Zeppelin guy from earlier. “What the fuck are you doing in my room?” I probed as I stomped toward the bed where he lay, still looking at me curiously. A slow smile spread across his full lips and he sat up fully. The comforter from the bed, glided down his hard, tattooed chest to his narrow and bare hips. “Dixon said I could sleep in here.” He replied in a calm tone. I instantly began shaking my head. “No, no way! This is my room!” I seethed. “Calm down angel.” Zeppelin still wore that stupid grin, speaking softly.

“Calm down? Calm down? There’s a fucking stranger in my room!” I shouted. Zeppelin groaned and shot me a glare. “You could wake the dead with that voice.” He bit out and began to get up. I turned my attention to the pillows he had vacated in fear of him being naked. “Dixon said I could crash in here since you were on the couch. We didn’t expect you to be up until morning.” He explained. I crossed my arms and slowly gazed back at him. His sun tanned skin was covered in multiple intricate designs of different colors etched across his perfect body. He stood there confident, his arms at his side in nothing but a pair of black boxer briefs. I could feel my face flaming as I met his eyes. His gaze was just lifting to my face and I suddenly hugged my arms to myself tighter remembering that I was only in my tank top and sleep shorts that left little to the imagination.

“Why are you here?” I asked coldly. “I needed a place to crash for the night. I got ahold of Dixon and met up with him earlier after I left here and we were drinking. I wasn’t about to drive my car after having a few too many beers.” Zeppelin stated easily. I sighed and rolled my eyes. I understood why he wouldn’t want to drink and drive, especially in his kick ass car. That certainly didn’t give him the go ahead to stay in my room though.

“Well you have to sleep on the couch now. There’s no way I’m doing it again and there’s certainly no way in hell you’re staying in here.” I said as I narrowed my eyes at him.

“Not a problem angel. Man you have a temper.” He said with a chuckle as he walked passed me toward the door. I couldn’t control the compulsion to turn slightly to see him from behind; Big mistake. My throat felt dry and I had to quell the impulse to drop my jaw when I saw the tattoo between his shoulder blades. It read “Rhoades”. I wondered if that was his last name. That would make the most sense. Because I was a glutton for punishment, I checked out his fine ass as well. I let out another sigh and turned back to the bed.

“Hey Lucky?” Zeppelin questioned and my heart skipped a beat at the sound of my name on his lips. “What?” I gritted out without facing him. “Do you mind if I use one of your pillows?” He asked politely. “Yeah sure,” I responded quickly and tossed one of my many pillows at him. “Goodnight.” He muttered quietly before leaving the room.

I brought my hands up to my face and rubbed my eyes. This better not be a regular habit of Dixon’s to let his guy friends stay here. I sure as hell was demanding a lock for my room and having a talk with my cousin tomorrow. For now though, I just wanted to go back to bed and try not to think about the gorgeous tattooed man who had just been in my bed. That was likely to be the most action I’d get in a while.