Tour Review and Giveaway: Within these Walls by J.L. Berg

August 22, 2014 Kristi Blog Tour, Excerpt, Giveaways 2 ★★★★★

Within these Walls

J.L. Berg

Published on August 18, 2014

Genres: Contemporary, New Adult, Romance
five-stars

About WITHIN THESE WALLS

Within these walls, he became my solace, my sanctuary and my strength.

I am not strong. I am just a survivor of circumstance.

Isn’t that what we all do? Survive?

Each of us has our own set of circumstances to muddle through. Mine are just more…complicated.

Born with a severe heart defect, I’ve seen the inside of a hospital room more than my own bedroom.

I was drowning, a prisoner to the illness that owned me, until he appeared. He thinks he’s blocked out the world with his tattoos and hard exterior, but I see the real Jude, the one he so desperately wants to forget.

But is he the answer to my prayers or will he break my already damaged heart forever?

My name is Lailah Buchanan, and this is our story of hope, redemption and sacrificing it all for the one you love.

REVIEW:

FIVE AMAZING PUDDIN’ CUP STARS

This is one of the best books I read all summer. I read a lot of good books. Books that kept my attention and got me through the drudge of my every day life this summer. But THIS book… THIS book made me feel. I cried. I laughed. I sighed. I may of forgotten to breathe at one point. I had so many emotions running through me while reading that I woke up from my summer book funk.

Within these Walls is the first book I’ve read by J.L. Berg, and what a pleasant, surprise. I was awed from the beginning with the flow of the words and how each word wrapped around my heart and pulled it tight. Right from the get go, I Facebooked my reading groups and asked them if they read her other works and if not, one-click this baby because it is an amazing story. J.L. Berg became one of my go to authors with this book.

Within these Walls takes place mostly in a hospital. With borrowed time left, Lailah is taking each day as a gift, waiting and hoping, daring for a future. Jude believes he doesn’t have or deserve a future. The one he wanted is gone, forever, so while he struggles with moving on from his past, he isn’t really living. When these two meet, there’s instant chemistry. Told in alternating points of view, the reader connects easily with the struggles, sacrifices, and the every day successes and failures these characters feel and go through. But it’s more than just reading from these two POVs. J.L. Berg weaves together a story that would melt any romantic’s heart while delivering an emotional tale.

This is a magical book that allowed me to escape my daily grind and made me feel. I was captivated by chapter one and couldn’t put down the book. Jude is such a tortured soul and I wanted so badly to wrap him up in my arms and hold him tight. Through Lailah I experienced butterflies as I was transported to a book reality where I was able to be courted and experience falling in love for the first time all over again. Lailah had no chance in NOT falling for Jude. He was swoon worthy and total book boyfriend material.

“I want all those things to happen to you, Lailah. I want to see you cross out each and every item on that list, if that’s what it takes to make you feel alive or normal. The truth is, you are far from normal. You are light-years away from the word. You are exceptional. The word normal would be an insult to your very nature.”-Jude

This is a wonderful New Adult story that adds the perfect amount of romance and sex, but also has a depth to the story line that I just couldn’t stop reading. This is one of those books I find myself thinking about at night as I try to fall asleep. This is the kind of book that I think about at red lights. This is the kind of book that I find myself staring off in space recounting the Someday list.

Add Within these Walls to your Someday list. It’s fantastic in every way.

EXCERPT:

With one pudding cup snug in my pocket, I was the epitome of stealth.

I slipped through the door quietly, ignoring the fact that I looked like a creepy stalker, and I stepped into the darkened room like I had a purpose.

I did work here, so there could be a dozen reasons for me entering a patient’s room.

Delivering a fudge snack pack was probably not one of them.

Like the many times before, I tried not to linger as I entered the room, but with each passing visit, it became more and more difficult.

The first night I’d decided to do this, I’d quickly done this drop-and-dash routine. I had gone in and out without a second glance.

But then, I’d met her. I’d come to her room and found myself face-to-face with the girl behind my late-night pudding runs. She was shy and timid, her gestures clumsy and unpracticed. She was so different from the polished and sophisticated girls I’d grown up with. Even her name was awkward. It sounded like the classic Eric Clapton song “Layla,” but hers was spelled all wrong.

She had made me curious. I’d suddenly wanted to know what else in this world would make her smile.

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About J.L. Berg

J.L. Berg is the USA Today bestselling author of the Ready Series. She is a California native living in the beautiful state of historic Virginia. Married to her high school sweetheart, they have two beautiful girls that drive them batty on a daily basis. When she’s not writing, you will find her with her nose stuck in a romance novel, in a yoga studio or devouring anything chocolate. J.L. Berg is represented by Jill Marsal of Marsal Lyon Literary Agency, LLC.

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