Mia's Point of View: BLOG TOUR :: The Storm Inside by Alexis Anne

“The only thing holding me back was my heart. You know, the broken one. It knew if Jake and I got back together we’d make our past relationship look like child’s play. It would be a sweet footnote to this new, torrid love affair. ‘Jake and Eve 2.0’ would be an uncontrolled explosion of sex and adoration. Uncontrolled explosions were dangerous. Everyone knew that. And yet, I couldn’t seem to stop myself from playing with the matches…” ~Eve Loving someone and being in love aren’t always the same thing. That’s what Eve Daniels is trying to come to terms with when Jake Spencer suddenly returns to her life after ten years of silence. Haunted by a past he had no power to control, Jake left everyone and everything behind in hopes of saving Eve from his demons. His one regret was breaking her heart. From the moment they reconnect, it is clear to Eve the passion, brilliance, and determination that first attracted her to Jake are stronger than ever. So strong that fighting their pull seems useless. But falling back in love isn’t as easy as letting the walls down. Eve soon realizes the choices they’ve both made come with consequences. Ones that will test how deep her love runs for a man living with a storm inside.

**Recommended for ages 17+ due to explicit language and sexual situations**

The Storm Inside is a different kind of book. Not because of the story or the characters. But because of its focus. The book’s concept is to concentrate to the emotional turmoil of the female lead character, Eve. Yes there are a lot of hot scenes and there are of course quite a few events. But we focus on the emotional states Eve passes through.

Most books concentrate either on the actual events and the mystery or the romance and the sexy scenes. However, this one concentrates on Eve’s turmoil. She was betrayed in the past by her boyfriend and best friend Jake. After 10 years, Jake returns and claims his life back. But is she ready to forgive and forget? Is she ready to move on with or without him? And how bumpy will the ride be? After Jake’s return, Eve’s mind is full of questions and she can’t keep up with them. Her heart had finally stopped bleeding and her mind is screaming at her to avoid Jake at all costs. It’s not easy to forgive and move past everything. It’s definitely not easy to give your trust again to the same person who misused it in the first place. So can she take that leap of faith?

Jake has been through hell and back. He was actually raised in it. He had no self-confidence, no self-esteem and no purpose in his life. He had nothing. Or at least he felt like it, until he met Eve. She became everything to him. And everything is not always the healthy and desired thing to be to someone. Not when that someone is traumatized so deeply that he doesn’t see anything straight! But he did find himself and he did come back for her..And then it’s when the storm begins..

So, The Storm Inside, as the title tells you, speaks about the internal storm a person can have. About indecision, doubts and hesitation. It makes us wonder about the line between the lack of faith and the lack of intelligence. Is being in love always the right thing to feel? Is giving in to it the right thing to do? That’s what this book is about..Clearing someone’s head..And having good perception of the facts.

Basically, I loved this idea and the different path this book follows. And it’s a really good story..However, I didn’t find it very original..Personally, I found many similarities with Into the deep by Samantha Young ( both lead characters are called Jake, they broke the girl’s heart by disappearing and then coming back, the whole drama etc and the jealousy streaks and the hot scenes etc). By no means I say that they’re the same..I just found many similarities and I don’t like finding similarities..I prefer more original stories..Something I haven’t read before…But the story was beautifully created and the entire book was nicely written. I really enjoyed the flashbacks, but I think they came on too strong and too abruptly..I had to backtrack a few times to check where and when I was..Besides that, I believe that some things weren’t very well explained. For example, Eve’s work, Jake’s past was shady up to a point and how he left is still a mystery to me..I don’t know I may have misunderstood or something..But I did notice some lack of explanations. On the other hand, maybe that was the intention..

I have to say it created a storm inside me, as well. I’m not sure if I underestimate the book or if I simply didn’t like it enough..

In conclusion, if I mentally scroll down the entire book, I will tell you without a doubt that I really enjoyed the book, even if the story didn’t seem very original to me..I enjoyed reading about Eve and Jake..I loved the concept of focusing on Eve’s emotions and not the exact events or the steamy scenes. I loved this new approach!

It’s a book you should definitely check it out!!

Excerpt

Jake nodded slowly, his green eyes deadly serious as he spoke, “Trust me I understand completely, Josh. I will never, ever hurt her again. I can guarantee that.”

An ache developed in my chest as I watched him talk. How could he guarantee that? I knew with absolute certainty having Jake around me would lead to more. And more would lead to heartbreak. It was just what Jake did to me. It wasn’t his fault I loved him so deeply, so completely there was no choice but to give him all of me. Just as it wasn’t his fault that he loved me so passionately he couldn’t control it.

But then his stare swung over to me. He looked deep into my eyes and straight into my soul the way only he could. I swear he could see all of me. I was naked in front of him, it didn’t matter what I hid or wore, this man could see all of me. So when he spoke it wasn’t just words, it was a promise between his soul and mine. “Ten years ago I ran away from my demons. I’m back to make those demons afraid of me.”

The waiter returned with our appetizers, but Jake didn’t look away. He had me trapped with his eyes. They were smoldering and intense, undressing me slowly and caressing my skin, the heat between my legs was pulsing.

Whoever this man was, he was a strange mix of the man I had loved and the man I always knew he could be, plus something else entirely. Something unexpected. He was darker and more intense, he knew what he wanted and I had the very distinct impression he never took ‘no’ for an answer. This Jake got what he wanted. Period.

Panic ripped through me again. I didn’t like this feeling, the concept he would win me back against my will. That I had no choice in what was going to happen between him and me. “Excuse me,” I mumbled, clumsily standing up and tossing my napkin on the chair. “I need the restroom.”

Josh didn’t seem to notice the look of panic in my eyes, but Jake didn’t miss it. His intense green eyes silently watched me as I left the room.

But I didn’t go to the restroom, I ran to the kitchen. It was open and guests were welcome inside, but on a tour. I wasn’t with a guide, so I stopped dead in my tracks, looking around. A chef smiled at me warmly as he looked up from his work. For some stupid reason that made me giggle and I wandered over to the fish tanks like I belonged there.

Poor ugly fish were hours or minutes away from being someone’s dinner. I felt like one of those fish. I had been happily swimming along, blissfully unaware danger was right around the corner. Jake wanted me for his dinner and I wasn’t sure how I was going to keep him from killing me.

A throat was cleared behind me. I expected to see one of the many waiters ready to request I leave the kitchen until a proper tour was scheduled, but instead as I turned around my eyes fell upon Jake.

He was like a kid, no matter where I ran he kept turning up with a smile on his face.

“I didn’t mean to scare you away,” he kept a good five feet between us and his hands behind his back. He was making a conscious effort to seem safe and non-confrontational. “But I did want you to know how serious I am. Nothing about me is the same and I have every intention of righting every wrong I made before I left.”

He was wrong about one thing, there were many things about him that were the same. His smile was the same, his voice, and his heart. It may have been scared and buried beneath layers of crap parenting, but I’d seen it then as clearly as I could see it now. And Jake had a truly good heart.

Didn’t make me any less terrified of loving him.

“Did you pick Bern’s on purpose?” I asked. I noticed how straight he always stood. It gave him an extra air of confidence and control.

“Yes.” he said flatly. “I told you, I’m taking my life back. All of it. Even if you don’t want me back, I’m damn determined to make sure that’s what you want. I want you to be absolutely positive. Doubts will tear a person in two—trust me on that one. So, yes, I chose this restaurant on purpose just like I chose to pitch to you myself. I’m not going away, but I’m not going to force myself on you either. I didn’t expect you to fall into my lap and forgive me. This is gonna take time, time I am more than willing to invest. Because it needs to be done right. When you tell me you don’t love me, I want you to know it with every fiber of your being.”

Crap.“

Alexis Anne lives in Central Florida with her very own real-life tall, dark, and handsome husband and their two adorable superheroes. Their crazy lives have taken them from archaeology digs to breaking news as they traversed the worlds of anthropology and television news. When she's not reading or writing, Alexis can be found at the beach or on the water with her family. Her first series FILTERS is a Contemporary Romance with a splash of science fiction. The Storm Inside is her first full-length novel.