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By a Thread #2
Tension
The Stella who emerges from the rubble of the bombing in Montana is a woman full of conflict. She knows she should be grateful that she lived when others didn't, but after waking in the hospital as a celebrity, complete with a new moniker, she's bitter and distrustful, questioning everything in her life. She's unsure of her friends, her new boyfriend, and her job. In addition, a face from the past reappears and threatens to take the one good thing in her life.
Stella attempts to deal with the new scrutiny of her life with her usual sense of humor, but she's filled with a new emotion that she tries desperately to hide: HATE. Her recovery is hastened by her determination to find the man who turned her into a walking scar. She's going to kill him; she needs to kill him.
Stella isn't alone. She has her close friends and her dog, Cooper. Will their support be enough to help Stella accomplish her plan, or will this endeavor be her undoing?
This book is intended for mature audiences due to strong language and sexual content.
Stella attempts to deal with the new scrutiny of her life with her usual sense of humor, but she's filled with a new emotion that she tries desperately to hide: HATE. Her recovery is hastened by her determination to find the man who turned her into a walking scar. She's going to kill him; she needs to kill him.
Stella isn't alone. She has her close friends and her dog, Cooper. Will their support be enough to help Stella accomplish her plan, or will this endeavor be her undoing?
This book is intended for mature audiences due to strong language and sexual content.
280 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 26, 2013
9 people are currently reading
247 people want to read
About the author
R.L. Griffin
14books470followersR.L. lives in the Atlanta area with her husband, son, and two dogs. After going to law school at American University, Washington College of Law, she settled back in the state in which she grew up but only after she fell in love with D.C. She worked in the Senate during the impeachment trial and the Department of Justice.
She loves reading all sorts of books and rarely has free time.
She loves reading all sorts of books and rarely has free time.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 99 reviews
April 23, 2013
Book 2 is a wild ride. Get ready for answers and then more questions. More Stella and more of George's POV.
August 1, 2013
Lucky enough to have read an ARC and LOVED EVERY WORD!!!
Like everyone else who was hooked on By A Thread by R.L. Griffin, I was left with my mouth agape with that cliff-hanger of an ending. I found myself trying like mad to click onto the next page, to see if I’d somehow missed a few pages at the end. This was the mother of all cliff-hangers and it left me wanting to know more. I needed to find out what happens to El, where does she go from here? What happens with Patrick, George, Jesse, Millie, Billy�..who is minding Cooper? Thankfully, Tension answers all of these questions.
In true R.L.Griffin fashion, Tension starts off with a teasing prologue that gives us a taste of what’s to come. The bombing in Montana has changed Stella, she is scarred, physically and emotionally. She is hard now � having overcome so much personal tragedy in By A Thread, she has used up her inner reservoir of patience (she had little to start off with though) and has become hard, filled with hate and a determination to right the wrongs that HE has done to her.
Finding herself an overnight celebrity, nicknamed the FBI Beauty, El is horrified to see how much of her life has changed. Put on an undefined leave of absence from her job at the General Counsel’s office for the FBI, the Paparazzi and Twitter keep tabs on the minutiae of her life and she desperately wants to ‘escape the hashtag that was her life�
Throughout all of this madness, El is supported by George, always present and as committed to her as ever; her best friend Millie, who has become her media handler and the ever faithful Cooper. Still angry and hurt by Patrick’s hand in her misery, she cannot trust him or turn to him when she needs him, ‘you broke the only thing I had left, trust. I can’t trust anyone now because of you.� In what was a surprising twist for me (and George it seems) Jesse, becomes El’s ‘person�, the only person she can be her true self with, engorged with so much hate and bile. ‘It was a weird sensation, but Stella felt she could be herself with Jesse more so than George…� He made her feel at ease when she felt keyed up around everyone else.�
Stella’s life has become a circus. Everything seems out of her control, so she focuses on the one thing she can control, the hate that grows inside her day by day. “He was out there somewhere, living, breathing and laughing. She was going to change that. She would put an end to his laughing…�.his breathing�.
I loved learning more about Stella’s parents, her mom Miranda who chastises ‘I didn’t raise you to talk like a trucker,� and later drinks neat vodka by the glassful with El when she’s woken from a nightmare. Stella’s dad, Frank, who was her silent, but avid supporter throughout By A Thread, who may have reached the end of his rope when the media uncover a nasty surprise that could utterly ruin all Stella has worked for.
Be assured, Tension is a helluva story. R.L. Griffin has a fantastic writing style that lures you in and makes you feel. I ran every gamut of emotions reading Tension. Stella’s pain, her misery, her hate; George’s desperation to make her feel again; Patrick’s panic and desolation at losing his best friend and Millie’s utter confusion as to what happened between Patrick and El.
Reading Tension, you will laugh. Stella retains her fast wit and hilarious turns of phrase. One of my favourite lines, ‘Did you know that pubic hair turns grey?� She has the ability to cuss like a trucker, drink like a sailor and captures the world’s attention with the very essence that is Stella Murphy. Although we see less of Billy, his one-liners will crack you up and there is a scene with Millie where I literally snorted tea all over my kindle!
You may shed a tear. Cooper’s unfailing loyalty alone can induce those feelings.
You will fall in love with George all over again.
You will love the cover artwork.
You will definitely hate clementines.
You will gasp aloud and just like the title, you will feel tense, but mostly you will LOVE IT!
Be prepared for another mother of a cliff hanger�. Which in a way I’m happy about as I know this won’t be the last we hear of Stella and her crew.
I’m ready for book three now R.L.Griffin!!!!
A resounding 5 stars!
Like everyone else who was hooked on By A Thread by R.L. Griffin, I was left with my mouth agape with that cliff-hanger of an ending. I found myself trying like mad to click onto the next page, to see if I’d somehow missed a few pages at the end. This was the mother of all cliff-hangers and it left me wanting to know more. I needed to find out what happens to El, where does she go from here? What happens with Patrick, George, Jesse, Millie, Billy�..who is minding Cooper? Thankfully, Tension answers all of these questions.
In true R.L.Griffin fashion, Tension starts off with a teasing prologue that gives us a taste of what’s to come. The bombing in Montana has changed Stella, she is scarred, physically and emotionally. She is hard now � having overcome so much personal tragedy in By A Thread, she has used up her inner reservoir of patience (she had little to start off with though) and has become hard, filled with hate and a determination to right the wrongs that HE has done to her.
Finding herself an overnight celebrity, nicknamed the FBI Beauty, El is horrified to see how much of her life has changed. Put on an undefined leave of absence from her job at the General Counsel’s office for the FBI, the Paparazzi and Twitter keep tabs on the minutiae of her life and she desperately wants to ‘escape the hashtag that was her life�
Throughout all of this madness, El is supported by George, always present and as committed to her as ever; her best friend Millie, who has become her media handler and the ever faithful Cooper. Still angry and hurt by Patrick’s hand in her misery, she cannot trust him or turn to him when she needs him, ‘you broke the only thing I had left, trust. I can’t trust anyone now because of you.� In what was a surprising twist for me (and George it seems) Jesse, becomes El’s ‘person�, the only person she can be her true self with, engorged with so much hate and bile. ‘It was a weird sensation, but Stella felt she could be herself with Jesse more so than George…� He made her feel at ease when she felt keyed up around everyone else.�
Stella’s life has become a circus. Everything seems out of her control, so she focuses on the one thing she can control, the hate that grows inside her day by day. “He was out there somewhere, living, breathing and laughing. She was going to change that. She would put an end to his laughing…�.his breathing�.
I loved learning more about Stella’s parents, her mom Miranda who chastises ‘I didn’t raise you to talk like a trucker,� and later drinks neat vodka by the glassful with El when she’s woken from a nightmare. Stella’s dad, Frank, who was her silent, but avid supporter throughout By A Thread, who may have reached the end of his rope when the media uncover a nasty surprise that could utterly ruin all Stella has worked for.
Be assured, Tension is a helluva story. R.L. Griffin has a fantastic writing style that lures you in and makes you feel. I ran every gamut of emotions reading Tension. Stella’s pain, her misery, her hate; George’s desperation to make her feel again; Patrick’s panic and desolation at losing his best friend and Millie’s utter confusion as to what happened between Patrick and El.
Reading Tension, you will laugh. Stella retains her fast wit and hilarious turns of phrase. One of my favourite lines, ‘Did you know that pubic hair turns grey?� She has the ability to cuss like a trucker, drink like a sailor and captures the world’s attention with the very essence that is Stella Murphy. Although we see less of Billy, his one-liners will crack you up and there is a scene with Millie where I literally snorted tea all over my kindle!
You may shed a tear. Cooper’s unfailing loyalty alone can induce those feelings.
You will fall in love with George all over again.
You will love the cover artwork.
You will definitely hate clementines.
You will gasp aloud and just like the title, you will feel tense, but mostly you will LOVE IT!
Be prepared for another mother of a cliff hanger�. Which in a way I’m happy about as I know this won’t be the last we hear of Stella and her crew.
I’m ready for book three now R.L.Griffin!!!!
A resounding 5 stars!
July 7, 2013
I was pumped but a little nervous when I won a copy of Tension because I was afraid I wouldn't love it as much as I loved BaT. Are you kidding me? What was I thinking? Tension was CRAZY good! I loved every word and I absolutely fell in love all over again with Stella and George, especially George! I'm in love. R.L. Griffin, you AMAZE me.
July 5, 2013
Tension by RL Griffin
5 stars!!!
One of the things that I have loved about starting blogging is when you stumble across an unknown author, give the book a chance, read it, fall in love with it and then are so enamoured with what you have just read that you cannot pimp the hell out of it enough. That is how I felt when I read RL Griffins first book "By A Thread". Tension is the next book in the series and I could not wait for this one...I hounded RL Griffin, I have stalked her on Facebook, Twitter and ŷ quite unashamedly I may add and I was absolutely stoked when she chose little 'ole me to get an advanced reader copy. The book landed in my email, I opened it immediately and I sat and read and read and read and read I could not put it down.
After By A Thread I loved Stella, she was such a character and the way that RL Griffin had portrayed her, you could not help but fall in love with her, she took no shit, she gave it in bucket loads, but most of all she was a fighter, she went through hell in BAT but she somehow managed to come out of it the other side not entirely unscathed but she came out, mainly in thanks to Patrick initially and then George.
Tension starts with Stella reliving what had happened from the time she left to go to Montana..on the plane she sends George an email..her wit and sarcasm comes through here and this had me laughing....(Cooper is her dog)
“BTW- Please take care of Cooper. He has had my back longer than you have. Take him on his run; take him to the Dog Barkery. He likes the female collie that hangs there around 1:00-2:00 on Saturdays. Let him sleep with you, he can keep my spot warm for me. Maybe we could Facetime. Okay, just kidding.�
I also love the way in the beginning this book flicks from past to present, you can't help but be pulled into the story. The part I love about RL Griffins style of writing is the fact that you feel the emotion, you feel what Stella is going through, you can imagine yourself in her shoes and you feel Stella's pain, during her recuperation you cannot help but feel.
“You think this is alright?! This,� she motioned to her torso with both hands, “will NEVER be alright again.� Her cries were on the verge of sobs. “YOU WANT THIS?!� she yelled through her tears. “WHY?! I don’t�
The first half of this book is really Stella's recovery, her trying to rebuild herself both physically, mentally and emotionally, trying to find her feet after months of rehabilitation and all this whilst being hounded by the press, the paparazzi, the FBI and the ATF and anyone else that wants a piece of the "FBI Beauty". After surviving the bombing and shooting that would have ended anyone else's existence Stella is a celebrity, people cannot get enough of her, they all want to see for themselves how this woman had managed to survive, how she had come out of it, if all or any of it was true.
Stella’s main struggle was coming to terms with what her “shooter� had done:-
“He was out there somewhere, living, breathing and laughing. She was going to change that. She would put an end to his laughing…�.his breathing�.
Overcome with contempt and abhorrence at what “the shooter� had put her through all Stella can think about and contemplate is revenge�.will she get it??
All the while the cogs are whirring, Stella battles to get her life back on track with George and Cooper, nothing is made easy with the constant invasion of privacy. Yet despite everything she is going through she never loses that wicked sense of humour:-
“Did you know that pubic hair turns grey?� Stella yelled back from his room.
Stella, manages to rebuild her friendships with Patrick (to a degree)…�
“Fuck, El. Please forgive me. Let me make it up to you. Give me a chance.�
“Give you a chance for what? To break what little I’ve got left? No thanks.�
“When I found out you’d been shot� I—I’d thought I’d lost you with you hating me. I couldn’t deal with it. You’re important to me, El. For four years we’ve been friends. You’re MY person. It wasn’t a lie when I helped pull you through that first year without Jamie. It wasn’t a lie when I held you during all your nightmares. It wasn’t a lie when I talked to your parents every day for an entire year, assuring them you were okay. It’s not a lie that you’re my best friend. I would do anything for you. I honestly thought I was doing something good for you. It was a mistake, and by the time I realized it, it was too late.�
and Billy, and their lunch dates always managed to crack me up:-
“Oh, you like my 19 year old self?� Stella teased.
“Way better. Now you’re old and all scarred and shit.� He shovelled Frito Pie in his mouth.
Everyone stared at Billy, quiet. Then Stella burst out laughing; real, obnoxious laughter, which caused Patrick and Millie to join in.
She never loses that wicked sense of humour.
I could go into depth about this book but then I would spoil it for you all, with a book that actually has a plot and story you can never say a lot without giving all the good bits away, so regrettably I have to keep my lips sealed and my fingers tied so they cannot type any spoilers.
I will add a little about George…other than the fact I absolutely adore him, he is so strong for Stella, he is her constant, his devotion to her never wavers despite her at times trying to push him away, he never gives up or gives in. I truly believe that she has found her best friend, her confidante, her soul mate, her lover and her husband in George. He is faultless in this book which only makes you fall in love with him even more.
“This is the start of something epic,� George declared, leaning back in his booth and releasing her hand.
“Something epic?�
He nodded. “Me and you. EPIC,� he confirmed. He smiled, unleashing those dimples she loved so much.
Or
“I think you might have been made just for me,� Stella said, gazing into George’s eyes.
“I think you might be right.�
I highlighted the hell out of this book, the heartfelt conversations between Stella and George had me in tears at times.
I will also mention Jesse, remember him, the football player…he truly becomes a best friend to both Stella and George in this book. I was really happy the way he was incorporated and not put in as a cat amongst the pigeons to destroy what Stella and George had. He truly came through for them both in this book.
Well, I can ramble but I won’t, all I will say is if you haven’t read “By A Thread� why not?? You must have heard me rant about it by now…buy it, devour it and then download Tension, because this truly is Tension by name and Tension by nature�.as Stella would say Oh My Shit!!!! As I would say freaking AMAZEBALLS and I cannot wait for book 3, RL prepare to be hounded�.and if you need a beta you know where I am (wink wink!!!)
5 stars!!!
One of the things that I have loved about starting blogging is when you stumble across an unknown author, give the book a chance, read it, fall in love with it and then are so enamoured with what you have just read that you cannot pimp the hell out of it enough. That is how I felt when I read RL Griffins first book "By A Thread". Tension is the next book in the series and I could not wait for this one...I hounded RL Griffin, I have stalked her on Facebook, Twitter and ŷ quite unashamedly I may add and I was absolutely stoked when she chose little 'ole me to get an advanced reader copy. The book landed in my email, I opened it immediately and I sat and read and read and read and read I could not put it down.
After By A Thread I loved Stella, she was such a character and the way that RL Griffin had portrayed her, you could not help but fall in love with her, she took no shit, she gave it in bucket loads, but most of all she was a fighter, she went through hell in BAT but she somehow managed to come out of it the other side not entirely unscathed but she came out, mainly in thanks to Patrick initially and then George.
Tension starts with Stella reliving what had happened from the time she left to go to Montana..on the plane she sends George an email..her wit and sarcasm comes through here and this had me laughing....(Cooper is her dog)
“BTW- Please take care of Cooper. He has had my back longer than you have. Take him on his run; take him to the Dog Barkery. He likes the female collie that hangs there around 1:00-2:00 on Saturdays. Let him sleep with you, he can keep my spot warm for me. Maybe we could Facetime. Okay, just kidding.�
I also love the way in the beginning this book flicks from past to present, you can't help but be pulled into the story. The part I love about RL Griffins style of writing is the fact that you feel the emotion, you feel what Stella is going through, you can imagine yourself in her shoes and you feel Stella's pain, during her recuperation you cannot help but feel.
“You think this is alright?! This,� she motioned to her torso with both hands, “will NEVER be alright again.� Her cries were on the verge of sobs. “YOU WANT THIS?!� she yelled through her tears. “WHY?! I don’t�
The first half of this book is really Stella's recovery, her trying to rebuild herself both physically, mentally and emotionally, trying to find her feet after months of rehabilitation and all this whilst being hounded by the press, the paparazzi, the FBI and the ATF and anyone else that wants a piece of the "FBI Beauty". After surviving the bombing and shooting that would have ended anyone else's existence Stella is a celebrity, people cannot get enough of her, they all want to see for themselves how this woman had managed to survive, how she had come out of it, if all or any of it was true.
Stella’s main struggle was coming to terms with what her “shooter� had done:-
“He was out there somewhere, living, breathing and laughing. She was going to change that. She would put an end to his laughing…�.his breathing�.
Overcome with contempt and abhorrence at what “the shooter� had put her through all Stella can think about and contemplate is revenge�.will she get it??
All the while the cogs are whirring, Stella battles to get her life back on track with George and Cooper, nothing is made easy with the constant invasion of privacy. Yet despite everything she is going through she never loses that wicked sense of humour:-
“Did you know that pubic hair turns grey?� Stella yelled back from his room.
Stella, manages to rebuild her friendships with Patrick (to a degree)…�
“Fuck, El. Please forgive me. Let me make it up to you. Give me a chance.�
“Give you a chance for what? To break what little I’ve got left? No thanks.�
“When I found out you’d been shot� I—I’d thought I’d lost you with you hating me. I couldn’t deal with it. You’re important to me, El. For four years we’ve been friends. You’re MY person. It wasn’t a lie when I helped pull you through that first year without Jamie. It wasn’t a lie when I held you during all your nightmares. It wasn’t a lie when I talked to your parents every day for an entire year, assuring them you were okay. It’s not a lie that you’re my best friend. I would do anything for you. I honestly thought I was doing something good for you. It was a mistake, and by the time I realized it, it was too late.�
and Billy, and their lunch dates always managed to crack me up:-
“Oh, you like my 19 year old self?� Stella teased.
“Way better. Now you’re old and all scarred and shit.� He shovelled Frito Pie in his mouth.
Everyone stared at Billy, quiet. Then Stella burst out laughing; real, obnoxious laughter, which caused Patrick and Millie to join in.
She never loses that wicked sense of humour.
I could go into depth about this book but then I would spoil it for you all, with a book that actually has a plot and story you can never say a lot without giving all the good bits away, so regrettably I have to keep my lips sealed and my fingers tied so they cannot type any spoilers.
I will add a little about George…other than the fact I absolutely adore him, he is so strong for Stella, he is her constant, his devotion to her never wavers despite her at times trying to push him away, he never gives up or gives in. I truly believe that she has found her best friend, her confidante, her soul mate, her lover and her husband in George. He is faultless in this book which only makes you fall in love with him even more.
“This is the start of something epic,� George declared, leaning back in his booth and releasing her hand.
“Something epic?�
He nodded. “Me and you. EPIC,� he confirmed. He smiled, unleashing those dimples she loved so much.
Or
“I think you might have been made just for me,� Stella said, gazing into George’s eyes.
“I think you might be right.�
I highlighted the hell out of this book, the heartfelt conversations between Stella and George had me in tears at times.
I will also mention Jesse, remember him, the football player…he truly becomes a best friend to both Stella and George in this book. I was really happy the way he was incorporated and not put in as a cat amongst the pigeons to destroy what Stella and George had. He truly came through for them both in this book.
Well, I can ramble but I won’t, all I will say is if you haven’t read “By A Thread� why not?? You must have heard me rant about it by now…buy it, devour it and then download Tension, because this truly is Tension by name and Tension by nature�.as Stella would say Oh My Shit!!!! As I would say freaking AMAZEBALLS and I cannot wait for book 3, RL prepare to be hounded�.and if you need a beta you know where I am (wink wink!!!)
July 7, 2013
Okay BaT fans, Tension will not disappoint you. RL starts off with a really great epilogue again and hooks you from the very beginning. Sometimes I was laughing hysterically. I was crying within the first 30 mins. of reading. At one point I was stressing out and frustrated, with my knees bouncing up and down. Finally, I felt Stella's anger. I was angry and I was living through all of her Tension! I am proud of her by the end of the book. Stella really needs something good in her life, luckily she has George! RL puts a huge cliffhanger at the end and I am so nervous about what she is going to do with El's life. This is a must read, even if we have to wait for the 3rd book. Write fast RL, write fast...PLEASE!
July 20, 2014
Tension starts off where By A Thread left off. Stella had spent the last four years falling apart - drowning in the pain of losing the man she thought was her soul mate, discovering the betrayal of not only her best friend Patrick, but that everything she went through in the last four years was a lie. Nearly destroyed; one lie that cannot be untold. He is alive. The lie almost killed her - that bullet almost killed her... now she wants one thing...
Stella is now facing a whole new life - she went from being the broken girl drowning her sorrows in the bottom of a glass to a trend on Twitter. The news of the bombing has hit the airwaves and along with her good looks - everyone wants a piece of her. But all Stella wants is to hide her pain behind the smile and seek out the man that destroyed her. She wants him to pay for what he did and she is prepared to risk everything to make sure he suffers for the last four years.
In Tension we don't get the conclusion to Stella's story - we get the gray area between her world falling apart and (hopefully) her healing herself enough to love again with a whole heart. Not just with fragments of a shattered heart that was torn to shreds when lies became her reality. George is there to stand her up when she is too weak, but he isn't the only man she leans on. She can't share the darkness with George, she can't let him be pulled into her reality. Jesse understands the need Stella has to seek out vengeance.
Her world can't seem to find balance; her footing is slipping and it just doesn't seem to every get easier for Stella. She has gripped reality loosely for four years - hanging on to her sorrow and now the only emotion she seems to cling to is her hate. Hate for letting him mean so much to her that it destroyed her.
George fell in love with Stella - he knew she was damaged but he loved her anyways. He has had to fight for every moment with her from day one. Part of knows that loving her will never be easy, that she is far too broken to ever be able to give him the normal life he wanted. But he loves her far too much to walk away from her. He is willing to love the parts of her that have healed in the hopes that one day she can give him more. George has done everything he could for four years to show her that she can love again - that she is worth being loved. He wants every piece of her, not just the pretty parts - but the ugly parts too. She just has to let him in.
In comparison to the first book, I feel torn as to the way I felt about this one. I wanted a conclusion and what I got was a journey - not quite to a destination, but in the right direction. And boy was the ending a cliffhanger - like a scream at your Kindle kind of ending! The suspense and build up was replaced with more of an emotional shift of the story. We saw Stella fall apart already and we thought she was getting closer to being healed. She was nearly there when everything shifted and suddenly she was taking two steps backwards. It's like this whole story was a build up and then it just ended before it got to that part of the story. I am glad that the author did not just pack in the ending and rush it - there are still so many different paths this can go, so many truths to be told - I can only hope that all of this leads us to a very HEA for George and Stella.
Stella is now facing a whole new life - she went from being the broken girl drowning her sorrows in the bottom of a glass to a trend on Twitter. The news of the bombing has hit the airwaves and along with her good looks - everyone wants a piece of her. But all Stella wants is to hide her pain behind the smile and seek out the man that destroyed her. She wants him to pay for what he did and she is prepared to risk everything to make sure he suffers for the last four years.
In Tension we don't get the conclusion to Stella's story - we get the gray area between her world falling apart and (hopefully) her healing herself enough to love again with a whole heart. Not just with fragments of a shattered heart that was torn to shreds when lies became her reality. George is there to stand her up when she is too weak, but he isn't the only man she leans on. She can't share the darkness with George, she can't let him be pulled into her reality. Jesse understands the need Stella has to seek out vengeance.
Her world can't seem to find balance; her footing is slipping and it just doesn't seem to every get easier for Stella. She has gripped reality loosely for four years - hanging on to her sorrow and now the only emotion she seems to cling to is her hate. Hate for letting him mean so much to her that it destroyed her.
George fell in love with Stella - he knew she was damaged but he loved her anyways. He has had to fight for every moment with her from day one. Part of knows that loving her will never be easy, that she is far too broken to ever be able to give him the normal life he wanted. But he loves her far too much to walk away from her. He is willing to love the parts of her that have healed in the hopes that one day she can give him more. George has done everything he could for four years to show her that she can love again - that she is worth being loved. He wants every piece of her, not just the pretty parts - but the ugly parts too. She just has to let him in.
In comparison to the first book, I feel torn as to the way I felt about this one. I wanted a conclusion and what I got was a journey - not quite to a destination, but in the right direction. And boy was the ending a cliffhanger - like a scream at your Kindle kind of ending! The suspense and build up was replaced with more of an emotional shift of the story. We saw Stella fall apart already and we thought she was getting closer to being healed. She was nearly there when everything shifted and suddenly she was taking two steps backwards. It's like this whole story was a build up and then it just ended before it got to that part of the story. I am glad that the author did not just pack in the ending and rush it - there are still so many different paths this can go, so many truths to be told - I can only hope that all of this leads us to a very HEA for George and Stella.
October 18, 2016
So, with the first book in this series, we were taken on a journey through Stella’s healing process from losing Jamie. She had her ups and downs, more downs than anything. We were left with a bombing in Montana—and wondering why Jamie had faked his death�
I was reeled in from the beginning. Stella has managed to survive the blast and being shot by Jamie, physically� emotionally, she is obviously damaged. She vows to move forward and seek revenge on the person who destroyed her not once, but twice.
We get to take a detailed journey of her trying to stay sane all the while she is full of turmoil thanks to Jamie. Her thoughts have her wondering if she is a monster like him.
All the while, George knows that she is holding back. Her smile is fake. He knows she isn’t telling her everything. He does his best to be patient with her. He loves her so much, and has to endure all of the media surrounding her� things become too complicated. In the end, he could be left no other choice than to walk away� But can he?
There is so much going on in this book, one would think that it will never end. Just when you think it is over� There is more� I wasn’t sure where the end of the book was going� I mean it seemed things were figured out� Then it came, and I saw right where it was going!
If you have read By a Thread, you MUST read this sequel!! You are missing out if you aren’t reading it. These books will definitely leave you wanting more. I fell in love with R.L.’s writing from the first sentence in the first book! She is one talented author! These books aren’t like any other! They are full of love, loss, crime, government cover-ups� you name it, it’s probably somewhere in one or both of the books! Unfortunately, there is no date set for the next book in this series� yes, there is a next book! If you thought the cliff hanger in By a Thread left you thinking WTF, wait for this cliffhanger. You will be hopping up and down wanting the next book PRONTO!
I was reeled in from the beginning. Stella has managed to survive the blast and being shot by Jamie, physically� emotionally, she is obviously damaged. She vows to move forward and seek revenge on the person who destroyed her not once, but twice.
We get to take a detailed journey of her trying to stay sane all the while she is full of turmoil thanks to Jamie. Her thoughts have her wondering if she is a monster like him.
All the while, George knows that she is holding back. Her smile is fake. He knows she isn’t telling her everything. He does his best to be patient with her. He loves her so much, and has to endure all of the media surrounding her� things become too complicated. In the end, he could be left no other choice than to walk away� But can he?
There is so much going on in this book, one would think that it will never end. Just when you think it is over� There is more� I wasn’t sure where the end of the book was going� I mean it seemed things were figured out� Then it came, and I saw right where it was going!
If you have read By a Thread, you MUST read this sequel!! You are missing out if you aren’t reading it. These books will definitely leave you wanting more. I fell in love with R.L.’s writing from the first sentence in the first book! She is one talented author! These books aren’t like any other! They are full of love, loss, crime, government cover-ups� you name it, it’s probably somewhere in one or both of the books! Unfortunately, there is no date set for the next book in this series� yes, there is a next book! If you thought the cliff hanger in By a Thread left you thinking WTF, wait for this cliffhanger. You will be hopping up and down wanting the next book PRONTO!
August 4, 2013
R.L. Griffin if I didn't freaking LOVE this story so much I would be so upset right now. Ugh, another cliffhanger. I am dying here. You are so cruel!!!
So this is the follow up to By A Thread (BaT) and let me tell you it was so kick ass! I loved every minute of it. Here in Tension, Stella is now recovering from events that occurred in Montana. She's going through a slew of emotions. She's scarred physically and emotionally. Stella has been lied to and betrayed. This has made her hard and now she's out for revenge.
Hatred had invaded her entire being; every cell in her body was full of it.
George is still there and boy is he such a rock. He's patient, supportive and loves the heck out of Stella. Swoon worthy for sure! He knows her so well and I just love these two.
"Not only did you fall in love with someone that's emotionally broken, now I'm physically broken too."
I loved BaT and this was an excellent sequel! It's intense, suspenseful, but also has humor and romance. Stella is a true fighter and I can't wait to read the rest of her story.
So this is the follow up to By A Thread (BaT) and let me tell you it was so kick ass! I loved every minute of it. Here in Tension, Stella is now recovering from events that occurred in Montana. She's going through a slew of emotions. She's scarred physically and emotionally. Stella has been lied to and betrayed. This has made her hard and now she's out for revenge.
Hatred had invaded her entire being; every cell in her body was full of it.
George is still there and boy is he such a rock. He's patient, supportive and loves the heck out of Stella. Swoon worthy for sure! He knows her so well and I just love these two.
"Not only did you fall in love with someone that's emotionally broken, now I'm physically broken too."
I loved BaT and this was an excellent sequel! It's intense, suspenseful, but also has humor and romance. Stella is a true fighter and I can't wait to read the rest of her story.
July 30, 2013
Wow! This is the sequel to By A Thread... And all I can say is WOW! And Oh.My.Shit!! I was fortunate enough to get an advance copy from the author. This book was a fantastic sequel. I know why it's called "Tension" - I just finished and am all tense and on pins and needles waiting for the third and final book to come out!
If you have not yet read By a Thread, get it today and read it! Tension will be released on August 1 and you want to read this book!
If you have not yet read By a Thread, get it today and read it! Tension will be released on August 1 and you want to read this book!
July 3, 2013
I was fortunate enough to receive an ARC. I devoured this book. I loved By a Thread, but I found that I loved Tension even more. My only complaint is that now R.L. has me anxiously waiting for the 3rd book!
July 30, 2013
Thrilling, suspenseful and full on amazing. Couldn't put it down and was rude to my family - ignoring them until I finished.
August 1, 2013
You know those undiscovered gems so many people harp on about? Well, this series is one of those. When I read the first book, I was absolutely blown away. RL Griffin is one of those authors that can take you anywhere with their writing. From the first page, I was hooked. I didn't think it could get any better than By a Thread. I was wrong.
The Good
The depth - Tension isn't one of those flimsy cutesy romances that we're all so fond of. I'll admit to reading those on a regular basis. They're good relaxation, but sometimes you need that edge to your read. RL does this beautifully in this second volume. Reading about Stella's struggles with the media and with everything exploding around her really got me thinking. What kind of a world do we live in, when we take pleasure in infringing upon others' privacy? What does that say about the state of the human race? Tension really makes you THINK about the way you're living your life.
The characters - RL has a gift for making characters come to life. It wasn't just the main couple that felt real. ALL of the characters, right down to the villain had backstories, plot and personality. Secondary characters are often as important as the main ones, as they shape the environment. RL has created some great environment-shapers. This story would not be what it is without the support of Millie, Patrick, JESSE (who I love) and all the other people.
The villain - I've said this once, and I'll say it again - a story is often as good as its villain, and RL has hit the nail on the head with that one. Though I was cursing said villain (who shall not be named for spoiler-y purposes), I was also falling in love with him. I mean, there's just something to be said about a psycho bastard who ruins the heroine's life. He makes her stronger, makes her want to fight and in his way, brings out the very best qualities in Stella. It has been a long time since I've read such an enjoyable villain.
The empathy - Stella cemented her place in my heart with her show of strength in the first novel, and her acts of bravery in this one fuelled her to the top of my list. She's written in such a way that you can't help but empathize with her, even if you have no practical experience that relates to her hardships. Though she does make some questionable choices, and I don't always see eye to eye with her, I can never hate her. Stella is the kind of character that does my feminist heart good. She's no trembling damsel in distress, and that is what creates the bond between us.
The Bad
After I finished this book, I felt like throwing something. I'm not kidding. I messaged the author and I was like "I HATE YOUR GUTS ROAR HOW COULD YOU." It had that kind of effect on me, folks. If it made me that emotional, how can I say anything bad about it? It's flawless people. Flawless.
This book is one that I would recommend to anyone and everyone. It's beautifully written, well thought out and has quite a bit of an entertainment value. It's like getting 3 books all wrapped in one. Who wouldn't want that?
My verdict? All the awards man ALL THE AWARDS. For formatting purposes, however I'll have to settle for 5 of my brightest stars. I can't wait for the next one. And I mean it. I. Can't. Wait.
The Good
The depth - Tension isn't one of those flimsy cutesy romances that we're all so fond of. I'll admit to reading those on a regular basis. They're good relaxation, but sometimes you need that edge to your read. RL does this beautifully in this second volume. Reading about Stella's struggles with the media and with everything exploding around her really got me thinking. What kind of a world do we live in, when we take pleasure in infringing upon others' privacy? What does that say about the state of the human race? Tension really makes you THINK about the way you're living your life.
The characters - RL has a gift for making characters come to life. It wasn't just the main couple that felt real. ALL of the characters, right down to the villain had backstories, plot and personality. Secondary characters are often as important as the main ones, as they shape the environment. RL has created some great environment-shapers. This story would not be what it is without the support of Millie, Patrick, JESSE (who I love) and all the other people.
The villain - I've said this once, and I'll say it again - a story is often as good as its villain, and RL has hit the nail on the head with that one. Though I was cursing said villain (who shall not be named for spoiler-y purposes), I was also falling in love with him. I mean, there's just something to be said about a psycho bastard who ruins the heroine's life. He makes her stronger, makes her want to fight and in his way, brings out the very best qualities in Stella. It has been a long time since I've read such an enjoyable villain.
The empathy - Stella cemented her place in my heart with her show of strength in the first novel, and her acts of bravery in this one fuelled her to the top of my list. She's written in such a way that you can't help but empathize with her, even if you have no practical experience that relates to her hardships. Though she does make some questionable choices, and I don't always see eye to eye with her, I can never hate her. Stella is the kind of character that does my feminist heart good. She's no trembling damsel in distress, and that is what creates the bond between us.
The Bad
After I finished this book, I felt like throwing something. I'm not kidding. I messaged the author and I was like "I HATE YOUR GUTS ROAR HOW COULD YOU." It had that kind of effect on me, folks. If it made me that emotional, how can I say anything bad about it? It's flawless people. Flawless.
This book is one that I would recommend to anyone and everyone. It's beautifully written, well thought out and has quite a bit of an entertainment value. It's like getting 3 books all wrapped in one. Who wouldn't want that?
My verdict? All the awards man ALL THE AWARDS. For formatting purposes, however I'll have to settle for 5 of my brightest stars. I can't wait for the next one. And I mean it. I. Can't. Wait.
April 29, 2014
Oh crap, no it's a cliffhanger. Please tell me that George will be alive. Damn I hate cliffhangers.
Okay, first off I will say that this is majorly lagging my reading and I'm finding it hard to focus more on the story cause of Stella. WOW, this girl has major major issues. I tend to find her annoying cause of her stubbornness. But I will have to admit the story, the plotting, the mysteriousness, the angst, the laughs and the swoon moments really make this book worth the read.
The characters are likable. Cooper (I want a dog now), Patrick who I miss and Billy who is slightly in the picture and sometimes I wonder why he has more lines that others. Anyways, lets not forget Millie OMG that girl is a hoot. But the funniest moment in the book is what happened to her (read to know).
Dreading Book 3. I have to complete the series. I want to know about George and Stella. aargh headache coming on!!!!
Okay, first off I will say that this is majorly lagging my reading and I'm finding it hard to focus more on the story cause of Stella. WOW, this girl has major major issues. I tend to find her annoying cause of her stubbornness. But I will have to admit the story, the plotting, the mysteriousness, the angst, the laughs and the swoon moments really make this book worth the read.
The characters are likable. Cooper (I want a dog now), Patrick who I miss and Billy who is slightly in the picture and sometimes I wonder why he has more lines that others. Anyways, lets not forget Millie OMG that girl is a hoot. But the funniest moment in the book is what happened to her (read to know).
Dreading Book 3. I have to complete the series. I want to know about George and Stella. aargh headache coming on!!!!
August 2, 2013
4.5 Stars...RL Griffin, you've done it again. I fell in love with George in BaT and even more now in Tension. I think its his accent *wink*. What a suspenseful ride. Nice job on the pov's. Stella is still Kick Ass Bad Ass. Even after everything she went through w/ the help of her "friends" and family, and *clears throat* George, she manages to lift her self up. Oh yeah lets not forget the dark knight in shining armoire, in this case with the football gear Jesse (I think Juewelz will enjoy him). Now on to the Asshat, I really wanna tie Mr. Clementines up by his little clementine balls. Maybe drag him through the marina. Overall it was fun, loving, sad, nail biting and let me make this clear *yells* "What A Cliffhanger". I Loved It. Can't wait for the next book. Congratulations. You deserve it. Love Ya Sexy Lady!!! *muah*
November 21, 2013
I recently finished re-reading this book in preparation for the third (and last) book in this trilogy (Seamless). First off let me say, I never re-read books. Secondly let me say, I am so glad I did! Not only is the writing in this book great - it is superb. Not only is the story line amazing - it keeps you on the edge of your seat. But, it's the characters in these books that makes me love them the most. I feel as though Stella and George have become my good friends and as much as I want to read the conclusion of the series, I am going to be sad to see them go. So to anyone who hasn't read By a Thread and Tension, get off your duffs and do it as Seamless will be out soon!
July 29, 2013
OMG..I was lucky enough to get my greedy little hands on a ARC of Tension. After reading BaT I couldn't wait for Stella's story to continue. RL Griffin is a freaking creative genius and will keep you on your toes! Expect the unexpected. I am impatiently waiting for book 3 (seamless). This series is a MUST read.
August 1, 2013
OH MY SHIT!!! This book is crazy! Stella is awesome. For as broken as she is, she is such a strong, likable character. George is even more swoon-worthy. And that little piece of shit, you know who, gets more psycho by the minute. I'll probably never be able to eat clementines without cringing.
Warning: Huge cliffhanger. Again.
ARC received for an honest review.
Warning: Huge cliffhanger. Again.
ARC received for an honest review.
July 5, 2013
Great second book to the series! Mrs Griffin does it again!! Stella's story is just as gritty and real in this one!! R. L. knows how to tell a story that keeps you up all night reading! Just one more page!! Just one more chapter!! A must read!!!u
November 13, 2013
4.5/5
Holy shit where do I even start with this review? I am seriously in love with R.L like seriously. This book has breathed new life into me. How you ask? Well after reading so many books that for me all seem to be the same, this one is just completely blew me away. While there is a love story here you have to get through all kinds emotions to get there. Its not an easy ride.
The entire time I am like OMG...Oh no....Holy crap!....Did that just happen? so many emotions ran through me. Have you ever thought of sky diving or meeting up with someone you have a total crush on and you get those butterflies and you feel excited yet sick at the same time? that is the only way that I can describe this book to you.
Stella has been through so much, and waking up in the hospital and not knowing how or what it was that happened or why she is there. (If you have not read By a Thread, you have to read that book prior to this one). Slowly the fog in her head begins to clear and she remembers bits and pieces. A twist is now she is being called a hero and paparazzi is now all around and the news is reporting things about her personal life.
Imagine being shot in an explosion and waking up to you all over the news? could you handle that? Even more pressing could you handle the fact knowing that someone you once trusted and cared for is the one who shot you?
George is by Stella's side and I was so thankful for that. Thankful because I feel that had he not been there she would have probably become more withdrawn. He is so patient and never gives up on her. I love this guy. *sigh* he warms my cockles.
Millie makes me laugh, she is Stella's BFF and makes her a twitter account so Stella can tweet updates about her progress to the world. She will text Stella to let her know when she istrending. Who does that? a real BFF that's who.
I loved this book. It has drama and suspense as well as the love aspect. It has friendships and sometimes those friendships are broken. R.L took me by my hand and lead me through a maze of fucked up emotions. There were times I wanted to kick her ass, times I wanted to kiss her, times I wanted to slap her and then at the end....I wanted to kill her! yup, she did this shit to me again! she is making me wait for another book, another fucking book!!! IDK if she thinks my heart and body can continue to take all the emotions she dishes out.
Even though she is going to make me wait yet AGAIN for another book I will gladly wait because I enjoy this series very much. I love Stella and George. So R.L is lucky that I am so invested and willing to wait because I HATE CLIFFHANGERS!!!!
Holy shit where do I even start with this review? I am seriously in love with R.L like seriously. This book has breathed new life into me. How you ask? Well after reading so many books that for me all seem to be the same, this one is just completely blew me away. While there is a love story here you have to get through all kinds emotions to get there. Its not an easy ride.
The entire time I am like OMG...Oh no....Holy crap!....Did that just happen? so many emotions ran through me. Have you ever thought of sky diving or meeting up with someone you have a total crush on and you get those butterflies and you feel excited yet sick at the same time? that is the only way that I can describe this book to you.
Stella has been through so much, and waking up in the hospital and not knowing how or what it was that happened or why she is there. (If you have not read By a Thread, you have to read that book prior to this one). Slowly the fog in her head begins to clear and she remembers bits and pieces. A twist is now she is being called a hero and paparazzi is now all around and the news is reporting things about her personal life.
Imagine being shot in an explosion and waking up to you all over the news? could you handle that? Even more pressing could you handle the fact knowing that someone you once trusted and cared for is the one who shot you?
George is by Stella's side and I was so thankful for that. Thankful because I feel that had he not been there she would have probably become more withdrawn. He is so patient and never gives up on her. I love this guy. *sigh* he warms my cockles.
Millie makes me laugh, she is Stella's BFF and makes her a twitter account so Stella can tweet updates about her progress to the world. She will text Stella to let her know when she istrending. Who does that? a real BFF that's who.
I loved this book. It has drama and suspense as well as the love aspect. It has friendships and sometimes those friendships are broken. R.L took me by my hand and lead me through a maze of fucked up emotions. There were times I wanted to kick her ass, times I wanted to kiss her, times I wanted to slap her and then at the end....I wanted to kill her! yup, she did this shit to me again! she is making me wait for another book, another fucking book!!! IDK if she thinks my heart and body can continue to take all the emotions she dishes out.
Even though she is going to make me wait yet AGAIN for another book I will gladly wait because I enjoy this series very much. I love Stella and George. So R.L is lucky that I am so invested and willing to wait because I HATE CLIFFHANGERS!!!!
August 1, 2013
OH MY SHIT!!! Where do I even begin? This book was freaking amazing! I won’t deny that you will get your emotions all twisted up and wondering “what the fuck just happened�. Trust me, it happened to me constantly throughout this book, but I loved it. This gives you a completely different feeling than from By a Thread, but a good different. RL did an awesome job that I felt that I was a part of the story. Just brace yourself for the roller coaster of emotions you are about to ride.
Stella had her life going for her. She had a great job, great friends, amazing boyfriend who adored her, a dog she loved; overall a wonderful support system behind her. It was all taken away from her when the explosion occurred. The explosion left her damaged. Not only did it leave her physical scars that she would see every day, it left her emotional scars that she would remember every second of her life. She was the only survivor of those working in the tent that day. Stella hated what she saw in the mirror. Her body was left permanently scarred with what happened that day. The bullet wound pierced perfectly through her tattoo making it seem naturally a part of it. She was afraid George would never see her the way he used to again; he wouldn’t love her body like he once did.
I love how the story shifts back and forth from current present time to going back and recalling how Stella was recovering in the hospital in Montana. As soon as George finds out what happens to Stella, he rushes on a plane to makes sure she is okay. He goes back a forth between her and the bar until she is better and can move back home. He just got her back and he will do everything he can to keep her. You definitely see the love he has for Stella. He has seen her recover from the loss of Jamie, but this is completely different. Stella is completely broken and is questioning everyone in her life. Will he be able to help Stella pick up the pieces this time around? Will Stella be able to trust everyone around her? Has everything in the past 4 years been a complete lie? Who can she believe if the one person, her person, she completely trusted lied to her all that time?
Since that incident, Stella has made a name for herself. She has been known as the “FBI beauty.� She was being talked about everywhere. Everything about her life was now available for the public to see, and there was no stopping it. While trying to recover from her injuries, the FBI was trying to investigate what happened and needed Stella’s cooperation. Despite her parents protest, she chose to go back home with George when she was released from the hospital. However, even though she was released, her job didn’t allow her to return to work. They kept making excuses for her return. She doubted she would ever return to work there again.
George knows Stella better than anyone, even herself. He knows that the smile she puts on every day is a fake one, one that just makes everyone think she’s okay, but deep down she is not. But he loves her so much that he won’t push her. He will wait for her to come to him when she is ready to talk about what she is really feeling. He has never pushed her. As much as it pains him to see that she is keeping her true feelings from him, he wants her to come around on her terms. All he can do is show her how much he loves her and that he is in it for the long haul. Stella just wants to go back to living a normal life and he will do anything to try and make that happen. Getting shot haunts her every thought and causes her nightmares. She can’t seem to escape it. Those blue eyes torment her. She will never forget those eyes looking at her when the trigger is pulled. Jamie has actually tried to contact her a few times. Hatred fills her body and she wants nothing more than to seek revenge. Jamie has taken her life from her and she wants to avenge that. How? She has no clue. But she knows one thing for sure. George will not be a part of it. Stella feels that George deserves someone better, someone not as broken as her and someone that can commit to forever. And not someone who plans to do what she has in mind. She can never taint George with that.
Stella’s relationships with her friends have pretty much diminished. She hates Patrick for what he did to her. He lied to her all those years, when he knew the entire truth about Jamie. How could she trust him now? Since Millie was with Patrick, it put her in a tough spot. Patrick and Stella never told Mille the entire truth of what really happened between the two of them, so she doesn’t quite understand why they can't just apologize to one another. Jesse is the only person Stella can trust. She confides in him, more so than George. Jesse is an NFL player who Stella had a thing with when she and George broke up the first time around. Jesse understands Stella and what she is going through. He has faced a similar situation and has recovered from it. He is helping Stella cope. George doesn’t approve of their relationship, but there isn’t much he can do about it. Stella reassures him it is strictly friendship between the two of them and that their sexual chemistry is a thing of the past. However, the media likes to say otherwise.
Even after months have passed, there is no escaping the media. They are still camped outside of their doorstep, following her everywhere, and she is still on the news and the internet. After spending an amazing holiday with George, Stella goes back to Georgia to spend time with her parents. What George doesn’t know is that she will be using this time in Georgia to train, strengthen and prepare herself for Jamie. Jesse is helping her train. Seeing Jesse and Stella together sends the media into a frenzy, sending George into a semi panic/fury. George is afraid that he will lose Stella. Although he feels that he needs to let her go, he loves her too much that he can’t. He will not and cannot lose her again. He will fight to keep her. Stella reassures him that the media is blowing things out of proportion. After almost losing George, Stella finally starts to open up to him, but not about everything. Stella has one more plan to complete before she can head back home.
Stella plans to get her life back in control. But what happens when her plan does not go according to plan?
Will Stella be able to get out of her situation safely? Will George be able to forgive Stella for not being completely open and honest with him? Will Stella ever be able to settle down and have a future with George? Will this be the final straw for George? Will Stella ever be able to be open about everything with George? Will she try and be the woman George deserves? Will Jamie capture her heart again? Will Stella ever move on from the explosion in Montana?
Stella is the bomb (no pun intended). This book shows the true strength the Stella has to overcome just about anything. Just when you think she has a break, shit starts to happen again. But she’s a fighter and although she struggles, she gets through anything that life throws at her. Yes she hit the bottom again, but she had George there to help her and she pushed right thought it. My heart honestly broke for George though. From the first book, he has always stood by Stella, even if it was just waiting for her to come around. In this book, he stayed by her side when she needed him the most. But she shut him out. She held out her feelings, and kept things from him. Stella should have been completely open and honest with him, just like he deserved. George knew that she was keeping things from him and he still didn’t push her. He never pushed her. He truly loved her. He accepted everything and stood by her. He is truly amazing. And to be exploited by the media was heartbreaking. Because he loved her so much, he could never walk out on her. I absolutely loved this book. The only thing however that I did not like was the terrible cliffhanger at the end. It will definitely leave you with, “OMG! WTF would she do that! RL is horrible!� because those were my exact words when I ended. RL, great job. Hurry up and get to finishing Seamless!
I received an ARC for my honest review.
Stella had her life going for her. She had a great job, great friends, amazing boyfriend who adored her, a dog she loved; overall a wonderful support system behind her. It was all taken away from her when the explosion occurred. The explosion left her damaged. Not only did it leave her physical scars that she would see every day, it left her emotional scars that she would remember every second of her life. She was the only survivor of those working in the tent that day. Stella hated what she saw in the mirror. Her body was left permanently scarred with what happened that day. The bullet wound pierced perfectly through her tattoo making it seem naturally a part of it. She was afraid George would never see her the way he used to again; he wouldn’t love her body like he once did.
I love how the story shifts back and forth from current present time to going back and recalling how Stella was recovering in the hospital in Montana. As soon as George finds out what happens to Stella, he rushes on a plane to makes sure she is okay. He goes back a forth between her and the bar until she is better and can move back home. He just got her back and he will do everything he can to keep her. You definitely see the love he has for Stella. He has seen her recover from the loss of Jamie, but this is completely different. Stella is completely broken and is questioning everyone in her life. Will he be able to help Stella pick up the pieces this time around? Will Stella be able to trust everyone around her? Has everything in the past 4 years been a complete lie? Who can she believe if the one person, her person, she completely trusted lied to her all that time?
Since that incident, Stella has made a name for herself. She has been known as the “FBI beauty.� She was being talked about everywhere. Everything about her life was now available for the public to see, and there was no stopping it. While trying to recover from her injuries, the FBI was trying to investigate what happened and needed Stella’s cooperation. Despite her parents protest, she chose to go back home with George when she was released from the hospital. However, even though she was released, her job didn’t allow her to return to work. They kept making excuses for her return. She doubted she would ever return to work there again.
George knows Stella better than anyone, even herself. He knows that the smile she puts on every day is a fake one, one that just makes everyone think she’s okay, but deep down she is not. But he loves her so much that he won’t push her. He will wait for her to come to him when she is ready to talk about what she is really feeling. He has never pushed her. As much as it pains him to see that she is keeping her true feelings from him, he wants her to come around on her terms. All he can do is show her how much he loves her and that he is in it for the long haul. Stella just wants to go back to living a normal life and he will do anything to try and make that happen. Getting shot haunts her every thought and causes her nightmares. She can’t seem to escape it. Those blue eyes torment her. She will never forget those eyes looking at her when the trigger is pulled. Jamie has actually tried to contact her a few times. Hatred fills her body and she wants nothing more than to seek revenge. Jamie has taken her life from her and she wants to avenge that. How? She has no clue. But she knows one thing for sure. George will not be a part of it. Stella feels that George deserves someone better, someone not as broken as her and someone that can commit to forever. And not someone who plans to do what she has in mind. She can never taint George with that.
Stella’s relationships with her friends have pretty much diminished. She hates Patrick for what he did to her. He lied to her all those years, when he knew the entire truth about Jamie. How could she trust him now? Since Millie was with Patrick, it put her in a tough spot. Patrick and Stella never told Mille the entire truth of what really happened between the two of them, so she doesn’t quite understand why they can't just apologize to one another. Jesse is the only person Stella can trust. She confides in him, more so than George. Jesse is an NFL player who Stella had a thing with when she and George broke up the first time around. Jesse understands Stella and what she is going through. He has faced a similar situation and has recovered from it. He is helping Stella cope. George doesn’t approve of their relationship, but there isn’t much he can do about it. Stella reassures him it is strictly friendship between the two of them and that their sexual chemistry is a thing of the past. However, the media likes to say otherwise.
Even after months have passed, there is no escaping the media. They are still camped outside of their doorstep, following her everywhere, and she is still on the news and the internet. After spending an amazing holiday with George, Stella goes back to Georgia to spend time with her parents. What George doesn’t know is that she will be using this time in Georgia to train, strengthen and prepare herself for Jamie. Jesse is helping her train. Seeing Jesse and Stella together sends the media into a frenzy, sending George into a semi panic/fury. George is afraid that he will lose Stella. Although he feels that he needs to let her go, he loves her too much that he can’t. He will not and cannot lose her again. He will fight to keep her. Stella reassures him that the media is blowing things out of proportion. After almost losing George, Stella finally starts to open up to him, but not about everything. Stella has one more plan to complete before she can head back home.
Stella plans to get her life back in control. But what happens when her plan does not go according to plan?
Will Stella be able to get out of her situation safely? Will George be able to forgive Stella for not being completely open and honest with him? Will Stella ever be able to settle down and have a future with George? Will this be the final straw for George? Will Stella ever be able to be open about everything with George? Will she try and be the woman George deserves? Will Jamie capture her heart again? Will Stella ever move on from the explosion in Montana?
Stella is the bomb (no pun intended). This book shows the true strength the Stella has to overcome just about anything. Just when you think she has a break, shit starts to happen again. But she’s a fighter and although she struggles, she gets through anything that life throws at her. Yes she hit the bottom again, but she had George there to help her and she pushed right thought it. My heart honestly broke for George though. From the first book, he has always stood by Stella, even if it was just waiting for her to come around. In this book, he stayed by her side when she needed him the most. But she shut him out. She held out her feelings, and kept things from him. Stella should have been completely open and honest with him, just like he deserved. George knew that she was keeping things from him and he still didn’t push her. He never pushed her. He truly loved her. He accepted everything and stood by her. He is truly amazing. And to be exploited by the media was heartbreaking. Because he loved her so much, he could never walk out on her. I absolutely loved this book. The only thing however that I did not like was the terrible cliffhanger at the end. It will definitely leave you with, “OMG! WTF would she do that! RL is horrible!� because those were my exact words when I ended. RL, great job. Hurry up and get to finishing Seamless!
I received an ARC for my honest review.
July 31, 2013
*ARC provided by author for honest review*
I don’t know why my thoughts are all over the place when it comes to this book. Trust me, I am in no way saying it’s bad but let’s just say I finished it on the train ride to NY and had I not been on a train full of people I probably would have thrown a tantrum. So many feelings�. First off, be warned, there is a cliff-hanger and it is beyond unexpected. In fact the author even apologizes for that fact and I can’t honestly say if I want to throttle her more or hug her for the amazinginess of this story.
I need to just insert this randomly in the middle of this review but OH MY GOD!! This cover is absolutely brilliant. I’m not usually one to go crazy over cover art. Most times nowadays the covers rarely even cooaberate with the story but with this one, you can almost say ձԲDz’s cover is the story. It’s actually a real tattoo that Stella has and the story behind that makes up not only who she is but how she reacts to what happens to her.
When the story begins, Stella has been having a shitty time. She definitely wins the award for shittiest day EVER! First her fiancé is killed and not a few y ears later she’s attacked at work and involved in a terrorist bombing. Not a normal day for everyone. After the loss of her fiancé, Stella’s been slowly trying to get her life back. After basically skipping out on a year, numbing her mind and body with booze and meaningless trysts, Stella is finally getting back to normal, or as normal as she can. She has a loving boyfriend named George, her dog Cooper and is hoping to pass the bar exam and finally become a lawyer which has been a dream of hers for a long time. Well, this bombing and attack (where she also gets shot) surely puts a halt in her new normal life. Everything Stella thought she knew is thrown under a bus and Stella has to navigate her new life totally conflicted and filled with an unbearable rage and passion for blood/revenge.
“It seemed like there were two separate people growing out of this injury: the one that wanted everything to be okay and the one full of rage who wanted to rip shit down and tear it apart at the injustice of it all.� � Stella
It took me a bit to get into the story only because the start is a little whacky. It alternates between her and George’s POV’s as well as flashback scenes to before, after and even during the attack. It doesn’t take long to get the gist of things and it’s possible it was only me but I felt a bit flustered as it was starting not knowing if the whole story would play out this way or if I would even like it. But boy was I thrown for a loop because I loved Tension. I may have loved Stella even more. Stella is one of those characters that makes you reflect on your shitty life and sort of not feel so bad because A. you’ve never been shot, B. you’ve never lost a fiancé to a horrible ATF accident C. you’ve never been involved in a terrorist bombing on the same day you’ve been shot and D. the press does not trespass on your life all because of the previous options. I mean how many people would even say sane after experiencing these things. Even getting released from the hospital is national news worthy event and every normal thing Stella had becomes impossible to keep.
Stella has a hard time, as you can imagine, readjusting to her new life. Her job won’t let her return and they are hazy on the details of when and if she can return. Her parents are hounding her to return home so they can hover over her and make sure she is better when all Stella wants is peace and quiet. The press makes that impossible giving her the moniker ‘FBI Beauty� which follows her everywhere she goes. It’s bad enough Stella has finally allowed her inner wounds to scab over now she can barely look at herself in the mirror, scarred as she is from the bombing and gunshot. She’s on the outs with her best friend and ex-roommate but even when she wants nothing to do with him, she holds her head high and perseveres.
I really, really loved George. George is Stella’s bar-owner boyfriend who struggles as much as Stella does, maybe even more so because of how helpless he feels. Stella does not make it easy on George, often appearing devoid of emotion and unable to prove to George that she is okay. And George worries about Stella. A lot. Even when George has no choice but to join forces with Stella’s football friend Jesse, the two are able to let bygones be bygones and remain focused on their plan. Together these two were both hilarious and an unstoppable force. (Was almost looking forward to them fighting, that would have been hot!!)
There is a plot twist that occurs fairly early in the book that only adds to Stella’s grief, as if the hellish day she had wasn’t bad enough. But don’t worry it really gives the story life and helps motivate Stella, even if the motivation is more geared by rage and hatred.
“You know that song by Jason Mraz about not giving up? That song is about you. I just know it. You rebuilt me into someone that people can stand. I want to tell you all these things, but then I want to vomit at the cheesiness. I want to tell you with all the problems I have, just having your hand in mine makes everything seem possible. Then I really do vomit.� � Stella
Overall
Tension is a phenomenal read that will leave you feeling bloodthirsty and hoping that things can finally go well for Stella and George. Their journey was both entertaining and enjoyable to read. This certainly is not your average hunky dory, cutesy romance. Really, you become more like Stella’s sidekick and can only hope that things will sort themselves out and George, Stella and Cooper can finally return to living a normal life. Sadly, for Stella this never seems to be a possibility and her rollercoaster life is certainly not over. I am not-too patiently awaiting the follow-up to Tension and cannot wait for these characters to return for more. Thrill fans will eat up Tension and want to stab someone with the leftover bones at the end. Enjoy the ride and when George demands you see a therapist, just give in and listen!!
I don’t know why my thoughts are all over the place when it comes to this book. Trust me, I am in no way saying it’s bad but let’s just say I finished it on the train ride to NY and had I not been on a train full of people I probably would have thrown a tantrum. So many feelings�. First off, be warned, there is a cliff-hanger and it is beyond unexpected. In fact the author even apologizes for that fact and I can’t honestly say if I want to throttle her more or hug her for the amazinginess of this story.
I need to just insert this randomly in the middle of this review but OH MY GOD!! This cover is absolutely brilliant. I’m not usually one to go crazy over cover art. Most times nowadays the covers rarely even cooaberate with the story but with this one, you can almost say ձԲDz’s cover is the story. It’s actually a real tattoo that Stella has and the story behind that makes up not only who she is but how she reacts to what happens to her.
When the story begins, Stella has been having a shitty time. She definitely wins the award for shittiest day EVER! First her fiancé is killed and not a few y ears later she’s attacked at work and involved in a terrorist bombing. Not a normal day for everyone. After the loss of her fiancé, Stella’s been slowly trying to get her life back. After basically skipping out on a year, numbing her mind and body with booze and meaningless trysts, Stella is finally getting back to normal, or as normal as she can. She has a loving boyfriend named George, her dog Cooper and is hoping to pass the bar exam and finally become a lawyer which has been a dream of hers for a long time. Well, this bombing and attack (where she also gets shot) surely puts a halt in her new normal life. Everything Stella thought she knew is thrown under a bus and Stella has to navigate her new life totally conflicted and filled with an unbearable rage and passion for blood/revenge.
“It seemed like there were two separate people growing out of this injury: the one that wanted everything to be okay and the one full of rage who wanted to rip shit down and tear it apart at the injustice of it all.� � Stella
It took me a bit to get into the story only because the start is a little whacky. It alternates between her and George’s POV’s as well as flashback scenes to before, after and even during the attack. It doesn’t take long to get the gist of things and it’s possible it was only me but I felt a bit flustered as it was starting not knowing if the whole story would play out this way or if I would even like it. But boy was I thrown for a loop because I loved Tension. I may have loved Stella even more. Stella is one of those characters that makes you reflect on your shitty life and sort of not feel so bad because A. you’ve never been shot, B. you’ve never lost a fiancé to a horrible ATF accident C. you’ve never been involved in a terrorist bombing on the same day you’ve been shot and D. the press does not trespass on your life all because of the previous options. I mean how many people would even say sane after experiencing these things. Even getting released from the hospital is national news worthy event and every normal thing Stella had becomes impossible to keep.
Stella has a hard time, as you can imagine, readjusting to her new life. Her job won’t let her return and they are hazy on the details of when and if she can return. Her parents are hounding her to return home so they can hover over her and make sure she is better when all Stella wants is peace and quiet. The press makes that impossible giving her the moniker ‘FBI Beauty� which follows her everywhere she goes. It’s bad enough Stella has finally allowed her inner wounds to scab over now she can barely look at herself in the mirror, scarred as she is from the bombing and gunshot. She’s on the outs with her best friend and ex-roommate but even when she wants nothing to do with him, she holds her head high and perseveres.
I really, really loved George. George is Stella’s bar-owner boyfriend who struggles as much as Stella does, maybe even more so because of how helpless he feels. Stella does not make it easy on George, often appearing devoid of emotion and unable to prove to George that she is okay. And George worries about Stella. A lot. Even when George has no choice but to join forces with Stella’s football friend Jesse, the two are able to let bygones be bygones and remain focused on their plan. Together these two were both hilarious and an unstoppable force. (Was almost looking forward to them fighting, that would have been hot!!)
There is a plot twist that occurs fairly early in the book that only adds to Stella’s grief, as if the hellish day she had wasn’t bad enough. But don’t worry it really gives the story life and helps motivate Stella, even if the motivation is more geared by rage and hatred.
“You know that song by Jason Mraz about not giving up? That song is about you. I just know it. You rebuilt me into someone that people can stand. I want to tell you all these things, but then I want to vomit at the cheesiness. I want to tell you with all the problems I have, just having your hand in mine makes everything seem possible. Then I really do vomit.� � Stella
Overall
Tension is a phenomenal read that will leave you feeling bloodthirsty and hoping that things can finally go well for Stella and George. Their journey was both entertaining and enjoyable to read. This certainly is not your average hunky dory, cutesy romance. Really, you become more like Stella’s sidekick and can only hope that things will sort themselves out and George, Stella and Cooper can finally return to living a normal life. Sadly, for Stella this never seems to be a possibility and her rollercoaster life is certainly not over. I am not-too patiently awaiting the follow-up to Tension and cannot wait for these characters to return for more. Thrill fans will eat up Tension and want to stab someone with the leftover bones at the end. Enjoy the ride and when George demands you see a therapist, just give in and listen!!
August 1, 2013
~Review~
★★★★
Oh my shit!! You know those caution signs you see before boarding a roller coaster?? Well this book needs to come with a humongous that warns you of high anxiety while reading!!
Not joking, the ending to this book will leave you gasping for breath!! Hahaha I just want to squeeze R.L. Griffin for giving me severe heart palpitations- exciting and nervous ones! I might have to send her my medical bill because I'm pretty sure my blood pressure just sky rocketed. Shit!! This book was so damn good!
So if you've read By A Thread, then you were all left hanging(possibly freaking out) and wondering what the EFF just happened!! Well, your "answers" are revealed in Tension. And note that answers is surrounded by quotes because, while a lot is revealed there is still a lot more left to be wondered.
That's what's so damn good about these books. You're a true masochist by reading this because you know you're gonna be torturing yourself with the ending. If you can't handle cliffhangers, you should just wait till the last book is released because you might end up in the ER. For real.
For those of you who've yet to read the first book, this series is about a young lawyer, who after her fiance's death, she rebuilds her life and takes a job for the FBI where she almost gets killed. In the second book, Stella is once again trying to rebuild her life after being attacked, but also trying to find her assailant.
I love, love the writing. Stella-r, eh eh!! Hehe!! (Sometimes I think I'm so funny) Written in Stella's third-person POV, just like the first book, but this time around we get a glimpse from George's POV!! Oh my sweet George, how I love him :)
Damn, I'm soo sorry for rambling. It's just so hard for me to write a review on a book that I just want to completely tease the shit outta you with spoilers. But I can't Because doing so would be a disservice to any one who picks up this series. If anything gets spoiled for you before reading, then all the fun is taken out. The big reveals are what make these books so dramatically goooood!! So do yourself a favor and buy 'em!
~Exclusive Dream Cast~
Stella
Jamie
George
Patrick
Millie
Billy
August 1, 2013
I feel like I need to start this review by stating that R.L. Griffin can make me swear like no other! Within the first few pages of Tension I was asking “WTF?� (loudly) and going back to By A Thread to check a few things and when I got to the end, not that you can call it that, I yelled so loud I scared the dog!!
Okay, now the actual review. I absolutely loved this book! I will admit that I struggled with Stella a bit in By A Thread. I truly felt for everything she was going through but there were definitely times when I wanted to smack her a bit. That all changed in Tension. I adored her in this book, she has such strength and determination and honestly, she scares me a little.
Stella is trying to recover from everything that has happened in Montana and it’s definitely a struggle for her. She has physical scars but it’s the emotional ones that are the most severe. She is angry and hungry for revenge but she is also trying not to let that anger consume her. She wants to be the woman George deserves and I love her for that. One of my favorite parts of Stella’s character is her sense of humor and I loved that despite everything happening it’s still intact.
George, ah George! I so love him and I have to give him some kind of ultimate book-boyfriend award. He is such a strong, loving man and holy crap does he love Stella. He provides such strength and stability to the story. He is the perfect match for Stella and he knows it. I feel like I could gush about all of his wonderfulness forever.
Tension was one of those books that I couldn’t put down once I started reading, it was just that good. All of the characters are such complete people I feel like they became a part of my life, even the crazy ones. I found myself thinking about them all even after I finished the book. The twists and turns in the story continually surprised me and I laughed and cried and yelled! R.L. Griffin has a remarkable talent to make me think I understand something only to make it very clear that I don’t in just a few chapters and I totally freaking love her for that! I could go on and on but I don’t want to give anything away and ruin this amazing story. I truly cannot freaking wait for third book!!
“Love only works when the other person loves you back�
I received an ARC copy of this book to review for
Okay, now the actual review. I absolutely loved this book! I will admit that I struggled with Stella a bit in By A Thread. I truly felt for everything she was going through but there were definitely times when I wanted to smack her a bit. That all changed in Tension. I adored her in this book, she has such strength and determination and honestly, she scares me a little.
Stella is trying to recover from everything that has happened in Montana and it’s definitely a struggle for her. She has physical scars but it’s the emotional ones that are the most severe. She is angry and hungry for revenge but she is also trying not to let that anger consume her. She wants to be the woman George deserves and I love her for that. One of my favorite parts of Stella’s character is her sense of humor and I loved that despite everything happening it’s still intact.
George, ah George! I so love him and I have to give him some kind of ultimate book-boyfriend award. He is such a strong, loving man and holy crap does he love Stella. He provides such strength and stability to the story. He is the perfect match for Stella and he knows it. I feel like I could gush about all of his wonderfulness forever.
Tension was one of those books that I couldn’t put down once I started reading, it was just that good. All of the characters are such complete people I feel like they became a part of my life, even the crazy ones. I found myself thinking about them all even after I finished the book. The twists and turns in the story continually surprised me and I laughed and cried and yelled! R.L. Griffin has a remarkable talent to make me think I understand something only to make it very clear that I don’t in just a few chapters and I totally freaking love her for that! I could go on and on but I don’t want to give anything away and ruin this amazing story. I truly cannot freaking wait for third book!!
“Love only works when the other person loves you back�
I received an ARC copy of this book to review for
August 2, 2013
This time R.L Griifin has raised the bar so high I can’t imagine how she’s going to better book 3.
If you think, that By a Thread took you down an emotional rollercoaster, well then be prepared for the ride of your life in Tension.
In By a Thread we were introduced to Stella Murphy a Law student, whose life seems to be headed on the right track. She has friends, Family, support and love. All heading for a HEA right?
When the things in life she values the most are ripped apart by a tragic accident, she herself falls apart for a while. I loved following her journey to recovery and healing, learning to trust and love again in By a Thread.
Book 2 kicks off right where By a Thread left us all hanging. Yes that was some cliffhanger of an ending.
So, just when we thought it would be a happily ever after R.L spun the story in a completely different direction.
When Stella wakes up she is determined to be stronger, and to seek revenge on the man that shot her. However, she has been physically and emotionally damaged and is not the same person she was before the incident. She’s strong, determined and on a war path.
“Life as she knew it was shattered for everyone to see, examine, and comment on publicly.�
Tension is filled with humor, whit and every emotion thinkable. We get to see how the relationship between George and Stella develops along with a few more tattoos too. We also meet a few more characters in Stella’s life as well as follow other relationships that were developed in By a Thread.
“Shh, El. Let me love you�
I love Stella’s strength that even through this battle and curve ball that life has thrown her yet again, she can still love, maybe not completely, but she’s not shut off.
“You alone, made me realize that maybe I can be put back together. That I could possibly be happy. The realization that you could be happy with me is almost too much for me to fathom.�
I was literally on the edge of my seat. I did not expect the twists and turns that were thrown at me throughout every single chapter. It was nail biting and just brilliant.
After reading Tension, I told RL that I couldnt talk to her. I needed a few days to process everything. Its one of those reads that has you mulling over it for days.
R.L Griffin has written an amazing series and I can’t wait to see what's in store for us next.
All the 5 stars are deserved
If you think, that By a Thread took you down an emotional rollercoaster, well then be prepared for the ride of your life in Tension.
In By a Thread we were introduced to Stella Murphy a Law student, whose life seems to be headed on the right track. She has friends, Family, support and love. All heading for a HEA right?
When the things in life she values the most are ripped apart by a tragic accident, she herself falls apart for a while. I loved following her journey to recovery and healing, learning to trust and love again in By a Thread.
Book 2 kicks off right where By a Thread left us all hanging. Yes that was some cliffhanger of an ending.
So, just when we thought it would be a happily ever after R.L spun the story in a completely different direction.
When Stella wakes up she is determined to be stronger, and to seek revenge on the man that shot her. However, she has been physically and emotionally damaged and is not the same person she was before the incident. She’s strong, determined and on a war path.
“Life as she knew it was shattered for everyone to see, examine, and comment on publicly.�
Tension is filled with humor, whit and every emotion thinkable. We get to see how the relationship between George and Stella develops along with a few more tattoos too. We also meet a few more characters in Stella’s life as well as follow other relationships that were developed in By a Thread.
“Shh, El. Let me love you�
I love Stella’s strength that even through this battle and curve ball that life has thrown her yet again, she can still love, maybe not completely, but she’s not shut off.
“You alone, made me realize that maybe I can be put back together. That I could possibly be happy. The realization that you could be happy with me is almost too much for me to fathom.�
I was literally on the edge of my seat. I did not expect the twists and turns that were thrown at me throughout every single chapter. It was nail biting and just brilliant.
After reading Tension, I told RL that I couldnt talk to her. I needed a few days to process everything. Its one of those reads that has you mulling over it for days.
R.L Griffin has written an amazing series and I can’t wait to see what's in store for us next.
All the 5 stars are deserved
August 2, 2013
How appropiate is the title of this book?
Tension is all I felt reading this! From begining to end. A lot of questions were answered and more questions surfaced! There were times I wanted to smack Stella. Maybe knock some sense into her! George is one word: SWOON! That man is heaven sent!
Stella is a lucky girl! Surrounded by so many people that love her and stuck by her from the get go! Such a stubborn mule trying to protect George from herself. Prime example was in By a Thread with her wall and dying herself her true feeling for him because she thought he deserved better.
OH! You think you see it coming, but you don't! More of the twists and turns. You will probably be at the edge of your seat. There are some emotial parts and I wont lie, reading this TWICE, I still cried! But don't worry because you will have a good laugh as well.
Wait till you get to the ending! You might want to say every bad word you can think of and RL Griffin probably heard a few from me.
Now to IMPATIENTLY wait for book three. I can't wait to see where Stella's story goes from here. But I hope its good. She's been through so much crap that I think she deserves it.
Happy reading! Enjoy!
Tension is all I felt reading this! From begining to end. A lot of questions were answered and more questions surfaced! There were times I wanted to smack Stella. Maybe knock some sense into her! George is one word: SWOON! That man is heaven sent!
Stella is a lucky girl! Surrounded by so many people that love her and stuck by her from the get go! Such a stubborn mule trying to protect George from herself. Prime example was in By a Thread with her wall and dying herself her true feeling for him because she thought he deserved better.
OH! You think you see it coming, but you don't! More of the twists and turns. You will probably be at the edge of your seat. There are some emotial parts and I wont lie, reading this TWICE, I still cried! But don't worry because you will have a good laugh as well.
Wait till you get to the ending! You might want to say every bad word you can think of and RL Griffin probably heard a few from me.
Now to IMPATIENTLY wait for book three. I can't wait to see where Stella's story goes from here. But I hope its good. She's been through so much crap that I think she deserves it.
Happy reading! Enjoy!
August 4, 2013
OMG how I love this woman and her amazing books! By A Thread was one of my favorite reads. Reading Stella's story, learning from her and feeling for her was an awesome experience. The cliffhanger in By A Thread made Tension one of my highly anticipated novels ever!
So, after I read it, how do I put my love into words?? I have no freaking idea! Stella's back and boy is she pissed! Buy Stella internalizes so much that the danger tends to be more to herself than to others.
And George, my sweet sweet George. The swoonworthiness that is George radiates even more in this wonderful second book in the series. His love and devotion to Stella makes my heart melt. I do have a few issues with his need to do everything for his family but who am I to judge.
When I realized there was going to be a bit of a cliffhanger again, I was a little more prepared. I only cussed RL out in my head for about 5 minutes instead of the previous 30 (LOL). But its okay, because Im getting a third and I don't have to let go of Stella and George just yet.
Go out and read this amazing series. You won't be disappointed of that I can promise you.
So, after I read it, how do I put my love into words?? I have no freaking idea! Stella's back and boy is she pissed! Buy Stella internalizes so much that the danger tends to be more to herself than to others.
And George, my sweet sweet George. The swoonworthiness that is George radiates even more in this wonderful second book in the series. His love and devotion to Stella makes my heart melt. I do have a few issues with his need to do everything for his family but who am I to judge.
When I realized there was going to be a bit of a cliffhanger again, I was a little more prepared. I only cussed RL out in my head for about 5 minutes instead of the previous 30 (LOL). But its okay, because Im getting a third and I don't have to let go of Stella and George just yet.
Go out and read this amazing series. You won't be disappointed of that I can promise you.
July 29, 2013
I was lucky enough to receive an ARC of Tension from the amazing RL Griffin. I started this book as soon as I got it. You literally have no idea what might happen next. I could not put it down and I am eagerly waiting for the 3rd book of the series( Seamless). If you thought Stella was tough as nails in BaT wait till you read Tension. With Stella recovering from the incident in Montana and being thrust into the spotlight when the news of it goes public, she is hurt,angry and determined.With George by her side offering his unconditional love and support she only has one thing on her mind.. REVENGE and she isn't gonna let anyone or anything stand in her way. With her friends all trying to help her deal with everything and Patrick seeking her forgiveness she turns to the only person she thinks will accept the broken girl she is... Jesse. Will Stella get her revenge? Will her friendship with Jesse ruin her relationship with George? Does she forgive Patrick? I won't spoil it for you so I guess you'll have to read Tension to find out...
August 2, 2013
4.5 StellaRifficFighterKickA$$ STARS!!
#IHateClementines
HAVE you SEEN the COVER?! #badA$$ Just like Stella!! I LOVED the continuation of By a Thread!! Stella Gah!!! AMAZING!!! George...All knowing and awesome!! I want to start off this review by saying... I have been WAITING for this book to come out seriously #WhyiCantSleepAtNight! It was so worth the wait! The only thing that has me totally bummed is...WTF?! I need book 3 like NOW... RIGHT FLIPPING NOW!
#IMightDieWithoutThis!
My Rating
4.5 Red Scars, Hashtags, FBI Beauty, Atlanta Falcon, Red Wig, Christmas Tree, Fighter, Clementines, and a LOVE that was MEANT to be Filled Stars!! For Drama, Fun, Mystery, and SEXY Fiction go get Tension!! #ReleaseYourBeast
Full Review tofollow...@
#LOVEDIT
xx
Ria
#IHateClementines
HAVE you SEEN the COVER?! #badA$$ Just like Stella!! I LOVED the continuation of By a Thread!! Stella Gah!!! AMAZING!!! George...All knowing and awesome!! I want to start off this review by saying... I have been WAITING for this book to come out seriously #WhyiCantSleepAtNight! It was so worth the wait! The only thing that has me totally bummed is...WTF?! I need book 3 like NOW... RIGHT FLIPPING NOW!
#IMightDieWithoutThis!
My Rating
4.5 Red Scars, Hashtags, FBI Beauty, Atlanta Falcon, Red Wig, Christmas Tree, Fighter, Clementines, and a LOVE that was MEANT to be Filled Stars!! For Drama, Fun, Mystery, and SEXY Fiction go get Tension!! #ReleaseYourBeast
Full Review to
#LOVEDIT
xx
Ria
August 2, 2013
5 BADASS STARS
The Stella who emerges from the rubble of the bombing in Montana is barely held together By a Thread.
Stella continues her story fighting with all sorts of emotions..love, revenge, trust. She is trying to rebuild her life with George & Cooper.
I love Stella she is one BADASS chick, gutsy as hell with a wicked sense of humor. Also not forgetting the rest of the cast of characters Jesse, Billy, Jamie, Patrick & Millie.
With many twists and turns Tension kept me hooked right up to the end, then blow & behold I was left with the cliffhanger!!!
SO WHAM, BAM THANK YOU MA'MA.....
THAT WAS ANOTHER BRILLIANT INSTALLMENT.
RL GRIFFIN YOU ARE AMAZING...CAN'T WAIT FOR BOOK 3.
The Stella who emerges from the rubble of the bombing in Montana is barely held together By a Thread.
Stella continues her story fighting with all sorts of emotions..love, revenge, trust. She is trying to rebuild her life with George & Cooper.
I love Stella she is one BADASS chick, gutsy as hell with a wicked sense of humor. Also not forgetting the rest of the cast of characters Jesse, Billy, Jamie, Patrick & Millie.
With many twists and turns Tension kept me hooked right up to the end, then blow & behold I was left with the cliffhanger!!!
SO WHAM, BAM THANK YOU MA'MA.....
THAT WAS ANOTHER BRILLIANT INSTALLMENT.
RL GRIFFIN YOU ARE AMAZING...CAN'T WAIT FOR BOOK 3.
July 25, 2013
Wow! R.L. Griffin really knows how to end a book. I was a mess when By a Thread ended. I'm an even bigger mess now that Tension has ended. Ugh. So frustrated! I bought Tension as soon as it went live and read it nonstop until I reached the last page, it is THAT good, I love this series because not only is there love connections there's a lot of action and mystery too. I still have a few unanswered questions, so I'm anxiously awaiting the next installment, Seamless. I love George and Stella. I love how he loves her, no matter what. I love Stella and think she is one of the strongest heroines I've ever read about. i hope they get their HEA. I highly recommend this series to everyone. Great job Mrs. Griffin!!
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