{Blog Tour} "Take This Regret" by A.L. Jackson

Title:  Take This Regret

Author:  A.L. Jackson
Publisher:  Sapphire Publishing
Publication Date:  April 5, 2012
Genre:  Contemporary Romance
Format:  Kindle 700 KB  |  Paperback 252 pages

Where to find A.L. Jackson Online:

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Buy the Book on Amazon:  Paperback  |  Kindle

Synopsis: 

There are some mistakes we make that we will regret for the rest of our lives.  For Christian, it was the day he betrayed Elizabeth. 

Christian Davison has a plan for his life.  He is determined to become an attorney and to one day take his place as partner in his father’s law firm.  Nothing will stand in his way, not even Elizabeth Ayers and their unborn child.

After Christian cuts her from his life, Elizabeth spends the next five years struggling to provide for her daughter and willing to sacrifice anything to give her child a safe, comfortable life.  

For five years, Christian has regretted the day he walked away from his family and will do anything to win them back just as Elizabeth will do anything to protect her daughter from the certain heartache she believes Christian will bring upon them.

When Christian wrestles his way into their lives, Elizabeth is faced with asking herself if it is possible to forgive someone when they’ve committed the unforgiveable and if it is possible to find a love after it has been buried in years of hate.  Or are there some wounds that go so deep they can never heal?

They say everyone deserves a second chance.

My Review

I literally read this book in one sitting, I started it about 9:45 pm and I finished it at 1:15 am!  Once I started I couldn't put it down.  I loved this book.  I don't remember the last time I cried so much reading a book.  Not sad crying, but more of a happy/sad.  

There were some readers that said they didn't like Christian in the beginning, but I did, despite the bad decisions he made.  This is really his story, he changes so much as this story progresses and it's a beautiful thing to see.  Each turn of the page just made me love him more and more.  I had more of a problem with Elizabeth, she was so cold and closed off.  I realize that she had reason to be, but it was very clear that he is making a solid effort and it just takes her so long to "get it".  I was extremely frustrated with her for most of the book.  If there is one saving grace on her behalf it's most certainly Lizzie.  She is a doll from beginning to end, I just couldn't get enough of her.  This story also has a nice cast of supporting characters that are very well constructed by the author.  I love the story with Christian's parents and how supportive Matthew and Natalie are.  I loved the interactions between Natalie and Christian too.  

All in all, I really enjoyed this story.  There was some strange verb usage, but nothing detrimental to the flow of the story.  Just odd word usage that could totally just be my weirdness!  Other than that it's very well edited, no typos that I saw and I usually pick up at least one in any given Kindle read.  I have hawk eyes when it comes to them to the point of annoyingness, so I often have a hard time with small published books.  Not so in this case.  This book is well written and the plot flows well.  This is actually the 2nd book in a row I have read with switching POV's and I enjoyed it even with the small overlapping in the time lines when the POV's changed.

I definitely recommend this book.  I felt so much for the characters and the story and I think most reader will be pulled in just like I was.  There aren't many content concerns.  There was just a couple curse words and a couple of love scenes, but not really overly detailed.

Author Bio

A.L. Jackson first found a love for writing during her days as a young mother and college student. She filled the journals she carried with short stories and poems used as an emotional outlet for the difficulties and joys she found in day-to-day life.

Years later, she shared a short story she’d been working on with her two closest friends and, with their encouragement, this story became her first full length novel. A.L. now spends her days writing in Southern Arizona where she lives with her husband and three beautiful children. Her favorite pastime is spending time with the ones she loves.

Author Interview

Q: Who is your favorite author?

Ah! Start me off with the most difficult question.

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve finished a book and thought That was the best book I’ve ever read and then that author becomes one of my favorites.  So how do I narrow it down to one?

Let’s see…one who really sticks out to me because I love all of her books is Erin Kellison. She writes really great paranormal romance.

Q: If you could only recommend one book by that author which one would it be?

Start with Shadowman. It has one of the most compelling prologues I think I’ve ever read in a book. 

Q: Was there something specific that made you want to become a writer?

There is no one specific thing that made me want to become writing other than the fact that I love creating characters and their stories, and it feels amazing to see them come to life on paper. It sounds cliché to say it’s a compulsion to write, but on some level, it is. 

Q: How important is social media to you in promotion of your work?

Social media is very important to the promotion of my work. So many people look to the internet for almost everything they buy, from home goods to cars to the next best read.  The thing that is so great about this for me is I’ve met the most incredible friends I never would have met otherwise. 

Q: What was the inspiration behind Take this Regret?

I was a young mother, so I often include young mothers in my writing just because it is something that I can relate to so well. While Take This Regret was not directly inspired by my own experiences, I definitely pulled from the emotions I felt as a young mother. 

Q: Do you listen to music while you write?

I don’t usually listen to music while I’m writing, but I definitely listen to get me into the mood to write.  I try to pick music that sets the mood.

Q: If so, what song in particular would be first in a Take this Regret playlist?

Take This Regret’s theme song is The Boy Who Blocked His Own Shot by Brand New. It’s an incredibly intense song that speaks of regret and the difficulties in finding forgiveness when you’ve wounded someone so deeply.  I always felt it was the perfect fit. 

Q: Any series in the works or single books only?

I have a stand-alone romantic thriller coming out November 2, 2012 called When We Collide, although I have a trilogy in the works. I hope to have the first in that series out some time in 2013. 

*Disclosure of Material Connection: I am a member of Reading Addiction Blog Tours and a copy of this book was provided to me by the author. Although payment may have been received by Reading Addiction Blog Tours, no payment was received by me in exchange for this review. There was no obligation to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are entirely my own and may not necessarily agree with those of the author, publisher, publicist, or readers of this review. This disclosure is in accordance with the Federal Trade Commision’s 16 CFR, Part 255, Guides Concerning Use of Endorcements and Testimonials in Advertising*