Blog Tour: You Before Anyone Else by Julie Cross & Mark Perini – Review + Giveaway

Welcome to my stop on the You Before Anyone Else blog tour. Check out my thoughts on this book, and don’t forget to enter the giveaway before you go.

Publication: August 2nd 2016

Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire

Genres: Mature Adult, Contemporary, Romance

My Rating: 3.5 Stars

Model Finley needs someone to help her shed her “good girl” persona, so she’ll try Eddie on for size.

New York City model Finley is fed up with hearing the same feedback at castings: she needs to take some serious action to wipe the “good girl” stamp from her resume if she wants to launch to stardom.

Enter Eddie Wells. He’s shallow, predictable…and just as lost as Finley feels. Deep down, Finley is drawn to Eddie’s bravado, his intensity. Except Eddie is hiding something. A big something. And when it surfaces, both loving and leaving Finley will become so much harder.

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Links: Goodreads | Amz | B&N | Indiebound | iBooks | The Book Depository

 

~Review~

You Before Anyone Else is definitely a different breed of contemporary than I’ve read. We are thrust into the world of modeling, and I was eager to kick back and see what these characters had to offer. A girl who wants to shed her “good girl” image, and a boy who is running from his past; though the ending was rather too neat, I quite enjoyed it all. Even when Finley kind of irked me, I still liked her character. She showed a lot of growth, which is to be expected being thrust into big situations. I have to say that Eddie is my favorite character. He’s so complex, and has more narrative than Finley. And his secret…….Just wait for it.

Two young models, having fun and sleeping around. Until, it turns serious. It’s always like that with those types of arrangements, so I wasn’t surprised. I really love Finley’s and Eddie’s chemistry. They balanced each other out in ways that neither of their roommates could. And then……the bomb gets dropped, and I felt bad for Finley. I’m not judging Eddie, but I just know what direction Finley thought her life was heading with him, and then for this to make an entrance? Yeah, I felt bad for the girl. And the ending is kind of hit or miss for me; hence my rating. 

Told from Finley’s and Eddie’s POVs, You Before Anyone Else is a story of love, growth, and family. Sometimes you have to make impossible choices for yourself, and hope that the one you love will jump on board. Sometimes what you want isn’t what you need. And I think my personal opinion about the situation in this book, kept me from truly loving it. Still, the first half is worth reading this. I’d recommend this to fans of Huntley Fitzpatrick, or lovers of dramatic contemporary in general. 

 

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About Julie Cross

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.

LINKS: Website | Twitter | Facebook

About Mark Perini

Mark Perini, is a New York City based author debuting his first YA novel, Halfway Perfect. Additionally, Mark is a featured author in the upcoming anthology, 50 First Times.

Mark began his career as an international fashion model 8 years ago, 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.

LINKS: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Tumblr | Instagram

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Tour Schedule

Week 1:

7/25: kimberlyfaye reads – Review

7/26: Lost In Lit – Bookish Inspirations

7/27: The Cover Contessa – Review

7/28: In Wonderland – Top 10

7/29: Lekeisha the Booknerd – Review

 

Week 2:

8/1: Mary Had A Little Book Blog – Fancast

8/2: Reed’s Reads and Reviews – Review

8/3: Bookish Wanderlove – Gust Post

8/4: Dani Reviews Things – Review

8/5: A Book & A Latte – Q&A

~Giveaway~

3 Finished Copies of YOU BEFORE ANYONE ELSE (US Only)

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