Book Description:
This is not a simple story of first loves, this is an emotional yet touching look at life and how the smallest decisions can shape futures.
What you think you know can change before your eyes. Fathers abuse, mothers deceive, best friends betray, sisters dismiss, love controls, and anger consumes.
After graduating from high school, Easton Grace knows exactly what he wants and how to get it. His goal for the summer includes two things: avoiding his father’s wrath and protecting his sister. His carefully laid plans are quickly changed when a girl comes to town causing him to lose his tight grasp of control on everything, including himself.
Following years of sorrow, Taylor Monaco returns to a town she never wanted to see again but will forever call home. Her life was eternally changed by the people in this town, especially one boy. Her heart desires someone she’s not sure her soul can handle.
Can Easton and Taylor find their path before it’s too late - before the storm?
Before the Storm Playlist
Don’t Look Back In Anger – Oasis
I Will Wait – Mumford & Sons
Everywhere I Go – Lissie
The Great Escape – Pink
Live Forever – Oasis
Break in the Storm – The Great Divide
Yesterday Road – The Great Divide
Over You – Miranda Lambert
#Beautiful – Mariah Carey
F**kin’ Perfect – Pink
Nobody Ever Told You – Carrie Underwood
Carried Away – George Strait
Cross That Line – Joshua Radin
Disarm – The Smashing Pumpkins
Cups – Pitch Perfect
Better than Revenge – Taylor Swift
The Storm of Life – Randy Travis
Before You Were Mine – Emily Wolfe
Falling – The Civil Wars
Goodreads:
Unedited Deleted scene
Sometime between Chapter 15 and Chapter 19 - Before the Storm
Easton
Present…
I finally got away from my sister’s watchful eye. I didn’t have anywhere I needed to be today and even more importantly there wasn’t anywhere I wanted to be. I wanted a break, a timeout from life. Everything was spinning out of control because they were all losing their minds…or I was losing my mind, I wasn’t exactly sure.
I heard footsteps approaching in the dry sand of Sunflower beach.
“What in the hell are you doing here?” I yelled at Dean.
“Well I assume the same thing you’re doing here – trying to get away from you and everyone else.”
I didn’t respond I just glared at him.
“Lily’s upset.” He said like I didn’t know my own sister was unhappy and that we were the cause.
“I know! What did you say to her?” I demanded.
“I told her what you wanted me to, I told her we were done and we could never be.” He took a deep breath and closed his eyes. “Isn’t that what you wanted?”
“No, that’s not what I wanted. I wanted you to stay away from her in the first place. Stay away from her until you grow up enough to deserve her.” I stood from my place on the rock and moved toward him. “Why would you think you could be with Lily when you were just messing with that red head? Are you trying to hurt her?”
“I didn’t do anything with Mindi. Not that I expect you to believe me, but it’s the truth. You’re determined to turn me into the bad guy and I think you’re doing a good job at it.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” I snapped.
“The harder you push the more you hurt her, not me.”
My Review
5 of 5 Before The Storm
Before the Storm is an amazing story of love, loss, and redemption. This is one of those stories that has you on a roller coaster of a ride with emotions.
Easton Grace is every girls dream man. He is sexy brooding and has secrets. He is a protector and a great brother. He protects his sister from their abusive father and dense mother. Easton can't wait to graduate high school so he can move away from his house and take care of his sister. He wants to get away from his father and start a new life. One where there is no abuse and neglect. He will do anything to protect his sister Lily so he plans on taking her with him. But all that changes when he meets one girl who came into life one summer and then left but now she is back and man he wants her more than anything. He realizes that there is something there.
Taylor Monaco never wanted to come back to the town that broke her one summer. The guy she feel in love with wasn't who she thought he was so she left broken hearted and never thought in a million years when she had to return to the town she would see him again and all the feelings she felt long ago come back and flood her mind and her heart. Taylor wants Easton but she is so nervous and scared because she does not want to get hurt again.
Will Taylor and Easton find there HEA? Will they be able to open up and love each other openly? This is such an amazing story that it will capture you and leave you breathless!
Team Easton Grace all the way!
Chapter Three
Easton
The only secrets are the secrets that keep themselves.
—George Bernard Shaw
Present…
I moved as fast as I could down the narrow aisle. Everything was a blur. I pushed people in my rush, but didn’t care about who it was or what damage I might have caused. I only had one focus – reaching Dallas and the girl. I had no idea what I was going to do once I was there; I just knew I had to take this opportunity before it was gone. Before she was gone. What if I never saw her again?
Before I reached the end of the aisle, someone grabbed me from behind. A loud grunting sound escaped my throat as I came to a complete stop. Their arm wrapped around my neck and pulled me tight into a headlock. I placed my hands on their arm and tried to pry them off, but the harder I fought, the tighter they squeezed.
“What in the hell are you doing?” Dean spat at me.
I couldn’t answer him because his arm was constricting my ability to talk…and breathe. He hauled me back to our seats, throwing me down in mine, then stood in front of me with the strangest look on his face, almost like he didn’t know me at all. He finally looked around the room, and my eyes followed his. Luckily, not many people were watching us because their attention was still turned to the main stage where the last of the graduates were being presented with their diplomas. He slapped me across the head and laughed. I assumed it was in an effort to make it look like we were just playing around, so I glared at him because I wasn’t in the mood for games.
I opened my mouth to tell him to mind his own business, but he spoke first.
“I don’t know what’s going on, but you need to chill out. What were you gonna do? Run over there and fight Dallas for talking to a girl you don’t even know? What’s wrong with you?” He finally took his seat next to me, but clamped his hand down on my shoulder so hard it made me flinch.
I leaned forward and ran my hands over my face, then through my messy hair. “I don’t know. There’s just something about her, I don’t know how to explain it. I know her, but I don’t,” I admitted and shook my head to try and clear my mind, but everything remained hazy.
Chapter Four
Easton
A kiss that is never tasted, is forever and ever wasted.
—Billie Holiday
Past…
I walked through the field until I was near the barn and I could hear Dean and Lily.
“So you never have?” Dean asked her.
“No, have you?” she asked.
“Yes, but it didn’t mean anything.”
I stopped outside the barn and peeked between two loose boards. Lily was sitting on a hay bale, and Dean was standing right in front of her. He reached up to push her hair out of her face, then stuck a sunflower behind her ear. I watched as he slowly leaned in and put his lips on hers.
I immediately ran around the corner and into the barn.
“What are you doing?” I shouted.
They jerked apart and looked at me, but neither spoke.
“You kissed my sister!” I snapped at Dean.
“Umm, I…uh, we…”
“You do not kiss my sister.” I grabbed Lily by the arm and pulled her behind me.
“We were just kidding around, Easton,” Lily said from behind me. “I’ve never kissed a boy before, so Dean showed me.”
I turned around and glared at her.
“You don’t need to know how to kiss a boy.”
“Calm down. All her friends had, but she hadn’t. No big deal.”
“It is a big deal to me. Keep your lips to yourself, okay?”
“Okay.” He laughed.
“We’re going home,” I said and led Lily from the barn.
Before we were through the barn door, I saw Dean wink at Lily, and she blew him a kiss.
“Oh, come on. I totally saw that. Stop it, you’re weirding me out.”
“Hey, wait. Was that movie good? I wanted to watch it with you!” Dean yelled as we walked toward home.
“Yeah, the movies real good. Not scary at all, so you can watch it all by yourself tonight after Grandma Violet goes to bed.” I laughed to myself.
Chapter Nine
Taylor
Walking with a friend in the dark is better than walking alone in the light.
—Helen Keller
Present…
I couldn’t see the girl next to me in the darkness, even though I could have probably reached out and touched her. She was seriously upset. She wasn’t just crying; she was can’t-catch-your-breath, ugly crying. It was awkward because she had no idea I was sitting here listening to her breakdown. For a few seconds, I thought she might pass out because she was having trouble catching her breath, but she let out a fierce growl and then slowly started to calm down.
“I hate him! He’s so controlling!”
I knew she was talking to herself, but I was starting to feel like a peeping Tom. I didn’t know how to break my silence since I’d already waited too long, so I finally cleared my throat loudly. She didn’t say anything, but she was able to suppress her crying.
“Who’s there?” she asked quietly.
“I’m really sorry. I was sitting here and didn’t know you sat down by me until you started crying. I guess I kinda hoped you’d just leave before you knew I was here.” All my words strung together in one lengthy breathe.
She didn’t say anything.
“But then you started talking, and I didn’t want you to accidentally spill any secrets to me. I’m really sorry. I’ll leave now.” I stood to leave, but a bright light blinded me before I could shield my face.
“Taylor?” I heard the girl ask. She shined the light on her own face.
“Lily?” I gasped. “What in the hell, girl? Why are you out here crying?” I grabbed her in a tight hug that I never wanted to let end.
She returned my hug, rubbing her hand up and down my back, and I felt tears strangling me as they tried to escape.
Chapter Twenty
Taylor
I like not only to be loved, but also to be told I am loved.
—George Eliot
Past…
“Stretch, I’m really glad that you’re here. I’ve never met anyone like you. You’re special.” He moved our hands to his mouth and kissed the back of mine.
“No, I’m really not.” I shook my head. “But I’m really glad that I’m here too. I never expected to meet someone like you here.”
We turned the corner, and I could see Lori’s house down the block. The porch light was glowing, so I knew she was waiting for me.
“What are you doing tomorrow?” he asked.
“I don’t know, what are you doing?”
“I’m doing whatever you’re doing, so when you decide, just let me know.”
I laughed, and my heart fluttered. My whole body felt as if I could float away any second and drift with the clouds.
We stopped on the steps of the porch.
“So I’ll see you tomorrow?” he asked.
I nodded.
He softly touched the side of my face, and leaned into to brush his lips against mine.
“I’ll never get tired of doing that.” He smiled.
“I’ll never get tired of you doing that either.” I smiled back.
Author Info:
Sarah Dosher was born and raised in rural Oklahoma where she currently resides with her cowboy husband and twins (one cowboy and one cowgirl).
She is addicted to books and The Golden Girls. Her love for characters inspired her to write her first novel, Haven from the Storm. She is currently working on the continuation of the Storms of Life Series. Before the Storm, a prequel novel, will be published August 30, 2013 and will feature Easton, Dean, and Lily. The second novel in the series, Sanctuary from the Darkness featuring Adley and Derek will be published in 2014.
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@sarahdosher OR https://twitter.com/sarahdosher
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