Wednesday 19 February 2014

Blog Tour - Past Imperfect by Alison G Bailey



 


Title: Past Imperfect (Perfect 2)
Author: Alison G. Bailey
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release Date: February 15, 2014
 
 
 
In Present Perfect, Brad Johnson was sexy, cocky, rich and a complete Smurff**ker. He could afford anything he wanted and could charm any girl he set his eyes on. Everything was laid out in front of him, all for the taking except the one thing he craved and needed. A tragic event forces him to reevaluate his life. When he tries to change, will the people in his life let him move on from his past or will they constantly hold him to the life altering mistakes he’s made?

Mabry Darnell is intelligent, ambitious, beautiful, and sassy. Secrets from her past haunt the present causing her to question her actions in order to shield her heart and protect her life.

From the moment Brad and Mabry met, their connection was strong, intense, and electrifying. Both knew they had found the one person who could satisfy what the other ached for. When their pasts collide with their present, will it prevent them from having a future together or will love be strong enough to conquer their demons?
 



 
 
 
ALSO AVAILABLE
 
 
 
 
 
 
SIX HUGE STARS!
 
Okay, here goes, my very first 6 STAR review of 2014! That's right, SIX HUGE STARS! I am so in love with this book, so in love with these characters, so in love with the amazing author Alison G. Bailey. (I just may stalk her on facebook now)

This book was amazing, heartfelt and sucked me in from the first chapter. I loved the way the author alternated between past and present tense and how the stories meshed so seamlessly. Brad and Mabry both broke my heart and then mended it back together again.

This is not a light and fluffy read, it is also not a dark read. It is a read that deals with some heavy subject matter that plagues today's society. Suicide and self harm. I wanted to wrap both of these characters up in my arms and comfort them.

I absolutely loved Present Perfect, I bawled my eyes out, although this is part of that series, it can definitely be read as a standalone. We do get a little glimpse of Tweet and Noah in this book.

Past Imperfect was beautiful, heartbreaking, full of redemption and most of all love. You can't ask for much more in a book.
 
 
~ Review by Erin

 
 
*****4.5 Past Imperfect “Wamfu” Stars****
 

 
There was nothing imperfect about Past Imperfect..this book was perfection for me. I loved it  and devoured this book in one sitting because I was so invested with Brad and Mabry’s story.  Ms. Bailey did a remarkable job in writing this beautiful and heartbreaking tale of two individuals trying to escape their painful pasts.  Brad and Mabry’s journey was a beautiful tale of showcasing that our past does not define us and true love does not come by finding the perfect person, but by learning to see an imperfect person perfectly.

 
In Present Perfect, we were first introduced to Brad Johnson and he could be only described as a jerk to put it mildly. Now the Brad in Past Imperfect did a total transformation where he was able to redeem himself. Brad may seem to have the perfect life with two successful parents as lawyers and could have any woman he wants but the looks can be deceiving. His childhood was not filled with love and family bonding. According to his parents, his birth was a mistake. The “old and immature” Brad admits that he used women and it didn’t bother or affect him till one day that it all changed. This one tragic event forever changed him to transform and change his old ways. His womanizing days are over. The transformation and redemption of Brad was not an easy task for him but his efforts to redeem himself was truly remarkable. Sometimes our past haunts us with regrets and immobilize us from moving forward but Brad was able to climb out of the despair and make things right. He learned from his past mistakes and made amends with them. With the new changes Brad made to improve his life, he finally found love with Mabry Darnell. For the first time, he is in love and wants to protect and cherish it.

 
Like Brad, Mabry Darnell’s childhood was not pleasant. Her once happy loving childhood was completely shattered when her mom committed suicide. This once tragic event forever changed Mabry. That day not only Mabry’s mom died but so did her father. The loss of his wife left her dad broken and depressed. She lost both parents since her dad became an empty shell of his former self. Her childhood was filled with heartache and pain and the only way Mabry could ease the hurt was to numb herself by inflicting self-harm. For years, she never felt loved and so self-harm was her coping mechanism. When Brad and her relationship was getting serious, Mabry tried to distance herself fearing that everyone she loves is going to end up leaving her. Luckily for her Brad didn’t see it that way. He never once gave up on Mabry. He meant every word when he said that he loved her.
 
 
As Mabry and Brad navigates this uncharted territory of love, their past seems to collide with the present. It seems that no one can escape their past. The past is a reminder to us all that it did happen and it cannot be changed but the future can be. Ms. Bailey’s back and forth of the present and past allows readers to understand how far Brad and Mabry’s pain goes. Some scars are not seen but they are there.  Will their past dictate their future? How long can Mabry hide her secret of self-harm? Will Brad finally find forgiveness with himself and will his love be enough to help Mabry out of the darkness?  

 
 
Ms. Alison Bailey did it again. Her writing truly captured my heart and I felt every ounce of emotion Brad and Mabry evoked. I loved how Ms. Bailey was able to show the transformation and growth of two imperfect and flawed characters. Past Imperfect dealt with heavy subject matters but what I love about this book was that Ms. Bailey did not sweep the issues of depression, suicide, and self-harm under the rug. She allowed readers to understand yes there are people out there who are suffering and going through this. It reminds us all that a helpful hand and a shoulder to lean on is sometimes one step for them to realize that they are not alone.  As for the epilogue, I LOVE IT !!! It was one of the best epilogue that I read and I couldn’t stop smiling while reading. It was a perfect completion to Brad and Mabry’s story and I loved every word of it. Truly, Past Imperfect reminds us all that life is not about the destination but the journey. The journey of Brad and Mabry was filled with many heartaches, disappointments, fears, love, and tears but through it all this couple showed us how strong their love for each other was.  Brad and Mabry’s imperfect past will always be there but together they will write their beginning and ending. All there is left to say is go read Past Imperfect and join Brad and Mabry as they discover how two broken imperfect and flawed individuals found peace, love and closure.

 
 
~ Review by Michelle 


 
 


Alison was born and raised in Charleston, SC. As a child she would create (write) additional scenes to TV shows and movies that she watched. She attended Winthrop University and graduated with a major in Theater. While at school she began writing one act plays which she later produced. Throughout the years she continued writing and producing several one act plays, but then life got in the way and she hung up her pen for a while. At the end of 2012 a very talented author friend convinced Alison to go back to writing and see what happens. So she did and fell back in love with it. Present Perfect will be Alison's first self-published book. A few personal facts, Alison loves anything sweet, especially frosting, and is addicted to Diet Pepsi. Alison's philosophy: Don't let your obstacles define you. At times life can get pretty overwhelming, but with a great support system and a lot of humor you can get through them. If you have humor in your life your spirit stays strong and you can tackle anything.
 

 

1 comment:

  1. Thank you for the beautiful reviews and teasers. Alison

    ReplyDelete