Be a #ModelCitizen and Enter to Win!
YOU BEFORE ANYONE ELSE
by Julie Cross & Mark Perini
Releasing August 2nd, 2016
Sourcebooks Fire
Bestselling author Julie Cross teams up with international
model Mark Perini to create You Before
Anyone Else, a poignant and authentic contemporary YA novel and companion
to Halfway Perfect.
The supportive friend, the reliable daughter, the
doting big sister: Finley is used to being the glue that holds everyone
together. But while her sweet demeanor makes her the perfect confidant, her
wholesome look isn’t landing her the high-paying modeling jobs, which are what
Finley needs if she is going to reopen her mother’s dance studio.
Enter Eddie. He’s intense and driven, not to mention
the life of every party, and he completely charms Finley. The last thing she
wants is another commitment to stand in the way of her dreams, but when she’s
with Eddie, their chemistry takes over and she can let go of her
responsibilities and just be. After all, what’s so wrong about putting herself
first once in a while?
Except Eddie is hiding a secret. A big secret. And
when it surfaces, he and Finley are going to have to choose between their love
for each other and everything else…
Read an Excerpt
FINLEY
“What are you so afraid of?” Summer
asks.
I take a sip of the beer Dima brought
me a few minutes ago. “Oh, I don’t know, addiction, overdose, puking on some innocent
victim’s shoes, random drug testing by the agency…”
Summer laughs. “Drug testing on models?
Yeah, that’ll be the day.”
Okay, so maybe I just don’t want to do
it. Even if I should be in my so-called experimental phase.
I wouldn’t exactly label myself a rule
follower, but I guess I’m just cautious. I haven’t always been this way. Not
that I’ve done drugs, but before high school, I was all about ballet. Let’s
just say I had a rep for being the sassy troublemaker. My mom being my ballet
teacher may have had something to do with my behavior. My fingers immediately
move to the cross dangling from my neck—I’ve only removed it a couple times
over the last four years. Somehow, it’s always warmer than my hands.
I debate texting my dad to ask him if
he’s done coke or molly. He’d probably tell me. But I wouldn’t want to freak
him out. Seems like a conversation better reserved for a weekend visit instead
of late on a Friday night when I could be too far gone to help, for all he
knows.
I glance around
the room and finally spot someone I know: my friend Alex and his girlfriend
Eve. Alex and I did a big Calvin Klein shoot last year, and Eve was the
photographer’s assistant. Actually, Eve used to be a model too, another
preteen/teen phenom like Elana, who headlined that CK shoot along with Alex. My
part had been fairly small, and still, that was my biggest job ever.
“Have you met Alex?”
Summer shrugs, grabs two more shots of
vodka, and hands me one. “Like I would remember.”
I down the shot quickly and prepare to
talk to Alex and Eve. Maybe they’ve done drugs and can advise me. But my
buzzing phone distracts me. I pull it out of my purse and glance at the new
text.
JASON:
Yeah, it’s so weird to be home
again. But I missed it.
My stomach flip-flops. He replied to my
text. Hours later, but still…this could mean—
“Oh lord, you’re pathetic.” Summer is
leaned toward me, reading over my shoulder. “That’s probably enough for you to
live off of for another six months or so, right?”
I glare at her and shove the phone back
into my purse.
“No comeback? Wonder why…” She pretends
to be in deep thought. “He said he missed it. Not you. Cut the fucking
cord already. It’s not healthy.”
If only it were that easy. When you’re
in a relationship with someone for four years, you get so comfortable with that
person. It’s daunting to start all over again.
I make my way across the room to see
Alex and Eve, who are leaning against the back of the couch, more absorbed in
each other than anything else.
“I heard Elana’s back from France?”
Alex asks me, keeping his voice low.
“Yep, her and her mom. I think her mom
is driving her crazy, but that’s to be expected. French Mama is driving me
crazy too.”
They both laugh at the mention of
French Mama, but I can’t take credit for that title. Summer made it up.
“I can’t believe her parents let her
come back to New York,” Eve says.
Alex smiles at her. “You’re just upset
that they’re here and not in France where we can hit them up for lodging.”
My gaze travels back and forth between
the two of them. “You guys are going to France? Are you going for Fashion
Week?”
Eve shakes her head. “Nope. I did the
Prada shoot, and I’m done for good. Got tuition for next year covered.”
Even though Eve had supposedly quit
modeling a few years ago, she pulled a one-last-job stunt last spring to cover
her tuition at Columbia. She’s a photography student with a lot of experience
under her belt.
“We’re doing the cheap travel,
backpacking in Europe but without actual backpacks thing,” Alex explains.
Across the room, another beer pong player
is being requested. This could possibly be the most adventurous thing I’m
willing to do here. I turn to Alex and Eve again. “Well, good luck in Europe.
I’m gonna go play beer pong.”
“Hey.” I grab Dima’s shirt sleeve. “You
need another player?”
He looks me over, deliberating. “Sure.
Be the new guy’s partner.”
“The new guy?” I glance around. What
does that even mean? New to the party, like he just walked in? I’ve been here
fifteen minutes.
“He’s new to the agency,” Dima says.
“First casting, and he books some big job.”
“So we hate him then, right?” I joke. I
turn around to head toward the game table and run right into a guy about my age
with wild, dark curly hair and designer jeans.
“This guy,” Dima says to me and then
turns to the new guy. “Got you a partner. Finley. She lives in the agency
apartment downstairs.”
They exchange a look that says I’ve
been mentioned before. I’m not liking that too much, but usually, I don’t come
to these parties. Instead, I bang on the door at two in the morning to tell
them to
stop
thumping around like elephants. Maybe I got a bad rep.
While we wait for Dima to find a
partner, I snatch two beers from a nearby cooler and offer one up to New Guy.
“So, Dima said you’re new, but he didn’t say where you’re from.”
“Uh…the Midwest.”
“The Midwest.” Okay. Someone doesn’t
want to get personal. “Like Wisconsin or like Chicago?”
“Chicago…well, not in Chicago, but
around it, you know?” he says.
“Right.” I pop open my can and take a
drink. “What’s your name? I’m sorry, I don’t think Dima said…”
“Eddie.” He lifts his gaze again.
“Eddie Wells. And you’re Finley Belton, the girl who lives downstairs.”
Summer breezes past me but stops when
she spots me holding the beer pong ball. “Beer pong? Oh, you wild
animal…grrrr.” She holds up her tiger paws and growls at me.
I give her the finger and then turn
back to Eddie. “I’m one of the girls who live downstairs.”
“One is too bitchy, one is too
underage, and one is nice,” he recites, most likely quoting Dima.
This is exactly what I’m trying to
escape tonight. “Dima called me the baby bear?” I’m secretly hoping he catches
my reference to Goldilocks.
“No,” Eddie says. “He called you Finley
Belton, but I added the nice part, because you brought me a beer. And it is
just right, not to mention you’re talking to me instead of staring and
whispering to other people about me.”
Points for his fairy tale knowledge,
and I’m sure the whispering is the result of whatever big job he’s landed. Too
many models at this party.
Eve tries to be Dima’s partner, but he
refuses and tells Alex to play with him. Eve opens her mouth to protest, but
Dima holds up a hand. “Don’t even. I know your type. You’ll engineer some fancy
trick shots. No Ivy League players showing me up. I got a rep to protect.”
“Fine,” Eve snaps. “I’ll just stand
here and look pretty. And I’m definitely rooting for Fin and…” She gestures
toward the new guy.
“Eddie,” I fill in for her. “Eddie from
Chicago.”
“Eddie from Chicago,” Eve repeats.
“Good luck.”
Summer returns and stands beside Eve,
both leaning against the back of the love seat.
“Fin makes a great partner,” Summer
says to Eddie. “She knits. Lots of finger dexterity.”
I shoot her a glare and will my face
not to heat up. So not cool.
My Thoughts about YOU BEFORE ANYONE ELSE
I've wanted to read a book by Julie Cross for quite a while now, ever since her books were recommended to me by Heather at The Turning Pages, and YOU BEFORE ANYONE ELSE is a great one to start with.
This book had my attention from the very beginning and kept it throughout. I enjoyed the dual narrative, reading the story from both Finley and Eddie's perspectives.
I loved the playfulness between Finley and Eddie. Together they seemed young (because they are) and carefree, but they both are carrying heavy weights. They are sweet and open and affectionate and I thought honest, UNTIL I found out about Eddie's secret. I knew it had to be something huge, but I was caught off guard and didn't see it coming at all. I enjoyed the surprise of it all because it made me immediately question if these two people who have obviously fallen for each other will be able to work out it. Oh, the DRAMA. I love it!
What I liked:
- Finley's interactions with her family. Her father is a great character - he's a hip, realistic dad.
- The apartment atmosphere. Many people brought together from different walks of life bringing with them a variety of experiences.
- French Mama!
- Finley - it's OK to be the sweet girl
A Favorite Quote:
"You're allowed to feel overwhelmed." I flash a grin. "I have that effect on women." - By itself, this makes Eddie seem cocky, but it is part of his charm. He's really unsure at times, but this shows his playfulness. I admit, I was charmed by him from this moment on.
The storytelling by Cross and Perini is seamless and I'm looking forward to reading more from these authors. The companion novel, Halfway Perfect, is already in my TBR pile!
BUY NOW
Julie Cross and Mark Perini, along
with Tasty Book Tours, are celebrating
those who have taken the steps in Breaking the Mold on society’s expectations,
like Finley, the heroine from YOU BEFORE ANYONE ELSE! We are looking for anyone who would like to
share their story and be entered to win a 2017 Erin Condren Life Planner!
Head over to fb.me/TastyBookTours
and leave a comment with your story. Feel
free to share picture of your journey and use #breakingthemold at the end of
your comment!
Entries must be in by 11:59pm, Aug
15th, 2016. No purchase
necessary to enter. If under 12 years
old, you must have approval by a guardian to enter.
Julie Cross is a NYT and USA Today
bestselling author of New Adult and Young Adult fiction, including the Tempest
series, a young adult science fiction trilogy which includes Tempest, Vortex,
Timestorm (St. Martin’s Press).
She’s also the author of Letters to Nowhere series, Whatever Life Throws at You, Third Degree, Halfway Perfect, and many more to come!
Julie lives in Central Illinois with her husband and three children. She’s a former gymnast, longtime gymnastics fan, coach, and former Gymnastics Program Director with the YMCA.
She’s a lover of books, devouring several novels a week, especially in the young adult and new adult genres.
Outside of her reading and writing credibility’s, Julie Cross is a committed–but not talented–long distance runner, creator of imaginary beach vacations, Midwest bipolar weather survivor, expired CPR certification card holder, as well as a ponytail and gym shoe addict.
She’s also the author of Letters to Nowhere series, Whatever Life Throws at You, Third Degree, Halfway Perfect, and many more to come!
Julie lives in Central Illinois with her husband and three children. She’s a former gymnast, longtime gymnastics fan, coach, and former Gymnastics Program Director with the YMCA.
She’s a lover of books, devouring several novels a week, especially in the young adult and new adult genres.
Outside of her reading and writing credibility’s, Julie Cross is a committed–but not talented–long distance runner, creator of imaginary beach vacations, Midwest bipolar weather survivor, expired CPR certification card holder, as well as a ponytail and gym shoe addict.
Mark Perini is
a New York City based author debuting his first YA novel, Halfway Perfect.
Additionally, Mark is a featured author in the NA anthology, Fifty First Times.
Mark began his career as an international
fashion model when he was 18 years old, while simultaneously obtaining a
business degree from Seton Hall University. He has a passion for traveling the
world, and he’s made a blood pact with friends to see all seven ancient wonders
of the world before he’s thirty. Four down three to go.
Don't miss the companion novel
HALFWAY PERFECT
Thank you for sharing your lovely review!!
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