We are so excited to bring you the Review & Excerpt Tour for Molly McAdams’ TO THE STARS! TO THE STARS is a contemporary romance novel being published on February 9th by HarperCollins’ William Morrow Impulse imprint and is the second novel in Molly’s Thatch Series.
To The Stars
Thatch Series – Book 2
By Molly McAdams
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About TO THE STARS:
In the second standalone book in New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Molly McAdams’ Thatch series, Knox Alexander must convince his long-time love Harlow Evans that they’re meant to be together.
He promised to wait for her.
She told him he was wasting his time.
Not waiting for him ended up being the biggest mistake of her life.
When they were younger, Knox Alexander swore to Harlow Evans that he would wait for her to turn eighteen so they could be together. But that was two and a half years away, and Harlow couldn’t ask him to give up all the fun and thrills of going away to college for her. As the years passed, Knox remained a constant in her life but when her eighteenth birthday came around, Harlow’s heart belonged to someone else.
Every day for the last four years, Harlow has been haunted by that fateful choice. And though he may appear unaffected by what happened in their past, Knox has always tried to fill the void Harlow left. But when he comes stumbling back into her life and refuses to leave, will Harlow finally let him into her heart…?
Excerpt
Despite the glimpse of the Collin I’d once loved, it only ended up being that—a glimpse. Over the next forty minutes I messed up too many times, and Collin’s anger with me continued to grow. I knew I could have done a better job at being the wife Collin thought I should be; I just couldn’t concentrate.
I could feel Knox’s eyes on me, and it was too easy to turn and find him. But I was terrified that if I looked at him, Collin would notice. Forcing myself to look away from what my soul reached for was draining and taking every ounce of focus I had. I knew I needed to get it together, I needed to start impressing Collin even; but Knox was there. There. As was Collin. And both were incredibly pissed-off. The only good part of the night was that Ren had already left with a girl my age.
“You know what I’m finding hilarious?” Collin asked as he pulled me away from the latest couple we’d been speaking with, his lips brushing my ear. “It seems like for the past hour I’ve had to convince people you love me. You’re holding yourself stiff and away from me, you seem distracted and your responses are delayed, and you’ve barely made eye contact with me. Now tell me, Harlow, why would I have to convince all these people that my wife loves me? Better yet, why would I have to try to convince myself that she still does?”
I froze. In the years of going through all this, in the years of him having sex with someone who couldn’t bear to look at him or take part in it, Collin had never questioned my love for him. Dread filled me, making it feel like there were hands gripping and twisting my stomach. His questioning something like this would end horribly. “Collin, don’t be ridi—”
“Do not speak.” His fingers dug into the inside of my forearm, and my mouth immediately popped open, a harsh breath blowing past my lips. “Don’t show your pain, Harlow,” he warned.
I snapped my mouth shut and tried to control my expression, but I knew I wasn’t succeeding when his fingers pressed in harder.
“Do not show your pain,” he gritted out—his smile never wavered.
I clenched my jaw and somehow managed to plaster a tight-lipped smile on my face.
Collin’s lips ghosted along my neck. “Do you love me, Harlow?” His grip loosened enough to allow me to answer.
I loathe you with every fiber of my being.
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Tracey’s Review
From the moment they’d met, Knox Alexander and Harlow Evans had just known that there was something special between them, something so special that neither time nor distance could dim it. But when choices were made that changed the course of their love, and life took them in different directions, would that love be enough to anchor them to each other?
TO THE STARS by Molly McAdams is one of those books that you cannot bear to put down, even as it is tearing you apart. Knox and Harlow met when she was still very young, and, even though she was mature for her years, she was unable to see that Knox was trying to let her find her own way before settling down with him. The choices that she made, completely understandable ones for a young woman her age, would bring heartache that neither she nor Knox could imagine.
This book is a love story, yes, but deals with some very timely and very uncomfortable scenarios, including many that are most definitely triggers for some people. Molly has done a phenomenal job of detailing a relationship gone so very horribly wrong, and of the dark side that can exist just below the surface. The paralyzing fear that Harlow experiences, the devastation of realizing that the veneer of civility is so very thin in certain individuals, is almost visceral, and I found myself moved to tears of sorrow more than once when reading TO THE STARS.
This is the sort of story that gives you pause as you read, because it is very easy to imagine this very situation happening to someone that you know. And, honestly, statistics show that the sort of things that Harlow suffers happen all too frequently.
In the end, TO THE STARS paints a picture of a love strong enough to overcome even the most heinous evil, and shows that love always does, indeed, win. I would recommend this book without fail, and encourage you to add this one to your TBR, but make sure to have your tissues ready. 5+ stars for a story beautifully and tragically told, one that is a warning, a lesson, and, ultimately, a story of hope.
***ARC provided by the publisher for an honest review.***
Michel’s Review
This may be one of the most difficult reviews I will ever write. I don’t really want to give away spoilers but feel like there are some things that need to be disclosed to the readers about To The Stars by Molly McAdams.
First of all I want to say that this is a solid 5 Star book. The writing is superb. The delivery of the story from duo POV’s, as well as past and present, make this story authentic. Molly McAdams unique talent of writing an emotionally involving story that wrenches the readers heart goes beyond expectations. What she delivers in To The Stars will engage every emotion imaginable and will engage the reader physically to the point of pain. This book is quite different from her previous new adult romances. It goes beyond the emotional angst and delves into emotional terror.
The synopsis for this book is a bit deceiving. It leads readers to believe that this is a second chance romance after teenage angst tore this couple apart. It has the second chance romance that readers were expecting. The difference is the journey Harlow has had to travel. It is beyond a teenage girl making bad choices due to immaturity. The choices she made led her down a road no woman, young or old, ever wants to be on. She chose the wrong man and ended up scarred for life, emotionally and physically. She endured physical abuse that led to a life of terror.
This is a book about surviving domestic abuse. If this subject matter is a trigger or hard point, do not read it. Molly pulled out the big guns and gave the reader a very vivid, graphic, and painful look at domestic violence.
Harlow was in an awkward position in life that led her to choosing the wrong man to spend her life with. When she met Knox she was a fifteen year old girl. She was too mature for the boys her age but not emotionally mature enough for an older guy. Rather than diving into a romantic relationship, they developed a strong friendship with the promise of more when she turned eighteen. By the time she reached eighteen, she still did not have enough life experience or social experience to make the right choice where romance was concerned. Because of her inexperience and immaturity, her perceptions of Knox’s behavior were off base. What she perceived as rejection was something different altogether. Her reaction was what a typical girl would do at that age. She moved on to another guy. She didn’t look at the overall picture, she didn’t analyze her emotions, and she didn’t listen to her gut instinct. She dove head first into a relationship that appeared to be perfect in everyone’s eyes even though deep down she knew her heart ached for the boy she had once loved. She rushed into marriage and ended up in living hell. For five years she lived in a nightmare where the monster was very real.
When she runs into Knox at a coffee shop in town, she’s a hollow shadow of the girl he once loved. When her secrets begin to surface it awakens the horrific beast that was hiding beneath the terrifying monster she already knew. It’s too late for her and Knox. She has finally reached her breaking point and resigned herself to the life she chose. She’s lost all hope. She’s lost all her will.
Knox has loved Harlow for seven years. He is going to do everything in his power to save the girl he has always loved. It doesn’t matter that she chose another man. What matters most is that the girl he loved is freed from the nightmare. He wants her to reach for the stars. He wants to see the girl he once knew find herself again. He has loved her to the stars and back. Now he wants her to love herself.
As I read this story my stomach was in knots. At times I was physically sick to my stomach. I was horrified at Harlow’s life. I felt every emotion, every moment of terror, and the resignation in her soul. I could easily see how a young,impressionable young woman could easily fall into this kind of abusive relationship. It clearly is not from lack of intelligence, lack of good judgement, or lack of self esteem. It’s from inexperience and emotional immaturity. There isn’t wisdom or previous experiences to draw upon. There’s the desire to find romance and prince charming. There’s the desire to be an adult and make your own choices in life. Harlow didn’t give herself the chance to blossom. Growing as an individual takes time, life experience, and reflection.
Molly McAdams delivered a powerful story that will make readers cringe but also become aware of all the ramifications caused by domestic violence. She didn’t sugarcoat the story or add fluff to the romance. She gave the readers a very real view of a life many women have lived. The one message I took away from this book is that no matter how bad life can be there is always hope if you are brave enough to reach for the stars.
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And don’t miss the first book in the Thatch Series…
LETTING GO
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About Molly McAdams:
Molly grew up in California but now lives in the oh-so-amazing state of Texas with her husband, daughter, and fur babies. When she’s not diving into the world of her characters, some of her hobbies include hiking, snowboarding, traveling, and long walks on the beach … which roughly translates to being a homebody with her hubby and dishing out movie quotes. She has a weakness for crude-humored movies and fried pickles, and loves curling up in a fluffy comforter during a thunderstorm … or under one in a bathtub if there are tornados. That way she can pretend they aren’t really happening.
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