I don’t usually host a lot of new adult books (I pick based on what sound good to me which means, unfortunately, you guys are stuck with them … sorry! 🙂 ) but there’s something really interesting about this series.
*****
The Medford Series
by Lisa Hahn
Genre: New Adult Romance
~
Book One: Drawn Together
Blurb:
Hailey Sommers is only home from New York for a few months. So when she reconnects with the one guy she can’t forget, will she be able to walk away…again?
Hailey can’t wait to get back to New York City. There she’s a confident children’s book author with a healthy social life. Being back in her hometown of Medford only reminds her of the less-than-cool girl she used to be…until she runs into Cody, the boy she lusted after all four years of high school.
Cody West has everything he could want in Medford, except Hailey. When she left for the big city, there was a hold in his life no other girl could fill. But he’s not sure he wants to open himself to the pain if she leaves again.
A chance encounter at the town coffee shop reignites the chemistry between the pair and is almost enough to make Hailey forget how much she wants to return to the city she’s grown to love. Almost. Wanting it all, Hailey plans to bring Cody back to New York with her. The only catch is that she’s not sure he’ll agree…
Amazon – http://www.amazon.com/Drawn-Together-Book-Medford-Series-ebook/dp/B015RMGB58
Excerpt:
I looked up from my netbook screen, and there he was: Cody West. The boy I lusted after throughout high school. The boy who changed my life and didn’t even know it.
He’d grown up since I last saw him at Jessica Mitchell’s graduation party. His sandy hair still cascaded down his forehead, but it no longer perpetually hung down over his big brown eyes. Four years of high school football had kept Cody in shape back when I knew him, but four years of college football had added a little bit of bulk to his lean frame. At least, I assumed he played in college. I knew that he headed off to Temple with a sports scholarship.
Rocking back onto his heels, Cody scanned the glass pastry case, probably looking for something sweet to go with his coffee. He tossed his hair to the side as he inspected the muffins. He always liked sweets. He and I used to pass bags of candy back and forth while Mrs. Cole, our art teacher, wasn’t looking. After taking a sip of my cappuccino, I smiled at the memory, glad for the first time that I was back in Medford.
Having forgotten about the work waiting for me on my netbook, I watched Cody unabashedly, wishing I could’ve heard whatever he said to make the barista blush. He dug into the pockets of his khaki cargo shorts for some cash, playfully pulling it away from the barista before dropping it into her hand. She giggled, probably glad that she and Cody crossed paths that afternoon. I knew I was glad to see him.
He finally spotted me, tucked away in a quiet corner of the coffeehouse. As soon as recognition set in, the corners of his mouth curled into a relaxed smile, a smile that caused a swarm of butterflies to thrash around inside my stomach. Man, he looked good. Wiggling my fingers, I waved a flirty hello at my old friend. His brown eyes narrowed as his smile widened—a sign he was just as glad to see me, as I was to see him.
Cody held up his index finger to indicate that he’d come over shortly, then peered over the counter to check the barista’s progress on his order, the muscles in his calves flexing as he shifted his weight onto his toes.
He was definitely much stronger than the boy I spent my last night in town with.
~
Book Two: Pulled Apart
Blurb:
Will Callie O’Connor ever catch a break?
Callie has a lot to be excited about. At the end of the summer, she’s going away to college and moving in with her awesome boyfriend. After living with her difficult and vindictive mom for the past twenty-two years, she’s definitely ready to leave her life in Medford behind.
Ben Weber has been nothing short of a perfect boyfriend. Being away from Callie while at law school has been tough, but he’s looking forward to everything the new school year will bring for the couple.
But it’s all too good to be true. Their plans fall apart when Callie’s mom runs into financial trouble and demands her daughter’s help. Despite everything her mom has said and done, Callie feels obligated to help her family even though she’s broken up about what it means for her future career as an elementary school music teacher and her relationship with Ben. Will she be able to figure everything out before it all comes crashing down around her?
Amazon – http://www.amazon.com/Pulled-Apart-Book-Two-Medford-ebook/dp/B018RBEVK8/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8
Excerpt:
I shut my car off and threw open the door with shaky hands. When I stepped out, I was half expecting my legs to give out beneath me. I’d been an absolute mess since my little talk with Mrs. Weber the day before. So far, I’d done a good job of hiding it from Ben, but that was probably because we hadn’t seen each other for two days. In fact, I was super upbeat when I called him to make plans. Originally, we were just supposed to go see some new action movie he’d been going on and on about, but I suggested we meet up for dinner first, explaining that I missed him so much that I wanted to try and squeeze in some extra time together before I worked a double tomorrow.
From the sidewalk, I saw him through Anthony’s expansive glass storefront, lounging in a cozy red booth and thumbing around on his phone. He had no idea what was coming.
And if everything went according to plan, he’d have no idea what the catalyst for our break-up was.
The more I thought about it, the more I was sure that what Mrs. Weber said made a lot of sense. Ben would sacrifice everything he’d worked so hard for to make sure I was happy. I couldn’t let him do that. Not for me. Not for a girl who didn’t have half the potential he does. Ben’s family has been grooming him for law school success since he showed an interest in the family profession back when he started ninth grade. In the same vein, my mom had prepared me for a life of hardship. However, I’m not so sure her actions were as intentional as the Webers’. I think she just liked to see me struggle.
I counted my breaths as I walked to the door, taking my time in an effort to delay the inevitable. The longer it took me to walk there, the longer Ben would be mine.
*****
Author Info:
Lisa Hahn writes contemporary and new adult romance. She’s interested in characters that are smart, sincere, and somewhat artistically inclined. Her and her husband currently reside in Northern New Jersey with their cat and two dogs. In addition to writing, Lisa likes yoga, fitness, veganism, and professional wrestling.
Romantic Reads and Such 