{Blog Tour} Exposed (Captive #2) by Brighton Walsh (@WriteAsRain_ @SMPRomance)

Title: Exposed

Author: Brighton Walsh

Imprint: St. Martin’s Griffin

On Sale: July 21, 2015

Love can be lost but never forgotten.  Beautiful, sophisticated, and engaged to the son of a Senator, Evie Masterson has the perfect life. Except for one thing: it's all based on a lie. Five years ago, she created a new identity for herself and cut all ties to her criminal past. But she can't run forever, because something she witnessed years ago comes back to haunt her. And the only person there to help is the man she thought she left behind forever—the one man she's never been able to forget.

Devastatingly gorgeous and just as ruthless, Riley Everett is the criminal for hire who once stole Evie's heart. Years have gone by, but he's never been able to forget her either. Now her life is in jeopardy, and even after all this time, he'd still do anything to protect her, even if that means breaking into her mansion and stealing her away.

As they hide from the world, their long-lost passion reignites. But despite their undeniable chemistry, Evie can't give up the perfect life she's been working toward...and Riley has no part in it.

Evie Masterson is nothing like Genevieve Meyer.  She doesn’t attend fancy society parties, she doesn’t drink wine and she’s not from the perfect background. But now they are one and the same.

Five years ago, Evie ran for her life and has been hiding in plain sight in the upscale suburbs of Minneapolis.  All it takes is one random photo on the society page to unravel her delicate house of cards – and it also brings her straight back to the boy she once loved more than life itself.

She agreed to disappear to protect them both but now that he’s the one thing standing between her and those who want her dead – but to him she died a long time ago.

“Apparently my ex-girlfriend, who I thought was dead, is alive and well, living in a fucking mansion in Minneapolis.” 
He looked up at me, his eyes locked on mine.  
“Engaged to a rising attorney.”

He didn’t let me answer, didn’t even give me time to contemplate the look in his eyes, before he plowed on, “A picture-perfect life to anyone looking in.  Not for long, though.  You’ve got a bull’s-eye on your back, and people are coming to collect.  Soon.”

Riley thought that he lost Evie forever on that long night five years ago and his heart has never healed.  When he learns from his brother that she’s alive and in serious trouble, he knows he’s going to try to save her.  But can he save himself from falling in love all over again and will they lose more than just their hearts this time?

“Anything can happen, except when you’re with me.  No one is getting to you when I’m here.  No one is getting through me.  I’d have to be dead first.”

His eyes were hard, his voice strong and confident.  He believed the words he said.  If it came down to it, if there was a situation where my life was in danger and Riley was there to stop it, he would.  At the cost of his life.

And that was exactly what I was terrified of.”

Exposed is yet another highly entertaining quick read from Brighton Walsh!  Her story is thick with delicious tension and her characters are just the right amounts of imperfection and strength.

Emotions run as high as the heat between Riley and Evie and the ending is equally as satisfying.  This is what New Adult is all about…

Exclusive Guest Post - Brighton Walsh

What was the hardest book of yours to write?  Why and how did you manage to get through it?

Some books come easily. Caged in Winter, for example, was probably the easiest thing I’ve ever written. I wrote it in a month, straight through. I didn’t get hung up on anything, and the words were always just there.

That’s rarely the case, though. Every book has its challenges—whether it’s the characters or the subject matter or working out a plot issue. The hardest book I’ve written to date is, without a doubt, Exposed. Prior to this release, I would’ve said Captive was the hardest.

They’re both romantic suspense—something I’d never attempted before, and that in and of itself proved for more complications and challenges than I ever expected. Captive also had characters that I’d never written before—the alphaest of alpha males and a subdued, insecure heroine. I tend to prefer my heroes to be more on the gamma side (the best of both the alpha and beta heroes!), and I prefer my heroines to be outspoken, headstrong women. Writing characters I wasn’t used to was an exercise in patience, but I’m glad I did it.

In Exposed, though, not only did I have the challenge of it being romantic suspense and working out all the complications that come along with writing that, but I also dealt with a heavy issue from Evie’s past. I won’t go into details so as not to spoil for those who haven’t read, but I will say that handling this particular detail accurately and delicately was more challenging than anything else I’ve ever written. 

Authors have the privilege, but also sometimes the burden, of getting information into the hands of readers. Yes, I write fiction, but fiction is always based on reality, and what Evie went through isn’t segregated to books only. Real people are affected by the issues we write about every day. And bringing these sometimes difficult situations to life and allowing for an open communication for others is a responsibility I don’t take lightly. I can only speak for myself, but making sure I get the best, most accurate information out there is important to me. And doing so can feel like a huge weight pressing down. That weight can sometimes be so heavy and stifling, the words stop flowing altogether.

Fortunately, for me, I have my Plot Whisperer who is a saint and a miracle worker and manages to help me out of these funks, encouraging me, talking with me, brainstorming with me, and reassuring me until everything doesn’t feel so heavy anymore. Basically, she’s a miracle worker, and if you’re an author and don’t have one of these people by your side, run and find one. Without mine, I’m not sure I’d be able to face these challenging books. And I know I haven’t written the last book to flex my writing muscles.

About The Author - 

Brighton Walsh is a storyteller at heart. Love is her first love, and writing about it is a dream come true. When she's not overwhelmed by the incessant chatter in her mind, you can generally find her with her nose buried in a steamy book or partaking in some retail therapy in the Midwest where she lives with her own real life hero and her two energetic kids who (fortunately) know nothing about the naughty things she puts down on paper.

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