FMR Book Grind: Where The Road Takes Me by Jay McLean

TITLE: Where The Road Takes Me

AUTHOR: Jay McLean

RELEASE DATE: February 10, 2015

SYNOPSIS:

Chloe has one plan for the future, and one plan only: the road. She’s made a promise to herself: don’t let anyone in, and don’t let anyone love her. She’s learned the hard way what happens if she breaks her rules. So she’s focused on being invisible and waiting until she can set out on the road—her dream of freedom, at least for a little while.

Blake Hunter is a basketball star who has it all—everything about him looks perfect to those on the other side of his protective walls. He can’t let anyone see the shattered pieces behind the flawless facade or else all his hopes and dreams will disappear.

One dark night throws Chloe and Blake together, changing everything for Blake. For Chloe, nothing changes: she has the road, and she’s focused on it. But when the so-called perfect boy starts to notice the invisible girl, they discover that sometimes with love, no one knows where the road may lead.

PURCHASE HERE:

AMAZON

REVIEW BY: Amy

Trust that the most unexpected person to fall into your life will actually be your life and soul. Jay Mc Lean does not write to write, she writes to feel. She puts herself 100% all in with emotion and heart from the second the words form with in her. You cannot just read Jay Mc Lean…you feel her from the top of your head way down to your toes. From the thoughts in your brain to the depths of your heart. She can evoke feels from places you didn’t know existed and never dreamed possible.

Where the Road Takes Me was the most unexpected things I’ve ever read from her. I had nothing to go on except “it’s Jay Mc Lean”… and it was better, way better than I could have thought of. I was blown away by her sheer ability to write a great story. One that I can completely lose myself in over and over and over again. One that will stick to me even after it’s been read. One that even days later, can make me quote or re-read sections because it was THAT GOOD.

The characters…oh the characters…FANTASTIC!!! I fell in love with each of them so hard. I mean Chloe… adorable, troubled and strong as hell Chloe. Melted my heart in eleventy three different ways. BLAKE HUNTER is a freak’n GOD!!! “I placed his hand against my heart so he could feel the impact this had on me. You’ve just completed me”…DIED!!! I mean who recovers from that??? Jay Mc Lean had me brought down to puddles of emotional mush just from the sheer building of this relationship!

DO NOT even get me started on the friendships in this book. I mean AMAZING!!! Everyone’s characters evolved and matured in the course of a summer to the point where I couldn’t imagine NOT reading them. Friendships were made and lives were changed. I was in awe of how seamless Jay made everything. Josh and his determination, Blake and his blind faith, Chloe and her acceptance nearly killed me.

“And that’s when it happened. Something changed. A switch. It felt like someone had taken away the grey dullness behind my eyes and splashed color into them”. That’s what Jay has done to me. She has turned on the light and I see beautiful vivid color. She has taken me to a point of no return as a reader. She has held my hand through the heartache to heal and be rebuilt again. This book was amazing, beautiful, thoughtful and above all else magnificent. It is her best work yet. I am so proud of Jay and this book and all that it represents to her and the book world. She has turned my world red in more ways than one and I will be forever grateful. This book is 100% worth all of the love and feels that you will receive from it.

5 STAR READ ALL THE WAY!!!

REVIEW BY: Leeann

This is truly an epic love story. I can't think of any other way to describe it.

I admit until I read this book I was a Jay McLean virgin. I hadn't read any of her other books. I think after this I will need to rectify that situation.

This book is one that makes you feel. By the end I had tears running down my face.

Chloe lost her mother at a young age and her aunt just a few years later. She is certain she is destined to deal with the same fate they suffered. So she makes sure no one can get close to her. She has built walls so high that no one can get through. Not her foster parent or foster siblings.. Then she meets Blake. He is determined to get through to her because he knows she is the best thing to ever happen to him. Blake has his own demons though. His mother is an alcoholic and his dad is just downright mean. He pretty much leads his own life because they are just too busy for him.

Things aren't always as they seem and this story is full of unexpected, emotional and beautiful moments.

I read this book in one sitting because I just could not tear myself away from the story.

I would recommend everyone gets themselves a copy of this book.. you seriously will not be disappointed!

5 Stars

EXCERPT:

Chloe lifted her gaze and locked it with mine. She shook her head again and groaned, “Fine.” Then she took off her shirt.

My jaw dropped.

My hands had touched her bare skin, the curve of her hips, and her tiny waist, but I’d seen her body only once, when she was in a bikini, and that had been for only a minute. But that was nothing compared to seeing her like this. Up close. So close her sports bra–covered breasts were just under my nose.

“Blake?” she whispered.

I struggled to take my eyes off her chest, but I finally made it to her face. She had her hair tied up in a messy knot on top of her head, like she often did. But a few strands were stuck on her neck and on her face . . . and a little sheen of sweat covered her arms and her stomach, her chest, her breasts . . .

“Blake,” she repeated, and I trailed my eyes back to hers again.

She pouted before she said, “Give me the ball?”

I shook my head and hid the ball behind my back.

She pouted again. “Please?” she whispered. Then a hint of a smile broke through.

“Are you trying to seduce me into giving you my ball?”

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Jay McLean is the author of the More Series, including More Than This, More Than Her, More Than Him and More Than Forever. She also has two standalones coming soon titled Where The Road Takes Me, and Combative.

Jay is an avid reader, writer, and most of all, procrastinator. When she's not doing any of those things, she can be found running after her two little boys, or devouring some tacky reality TV show.

She writes what she loves to read, which are books that can make her laugh, make her smile, make her hurt, and make her feel.