I’LL BE THERE (The Montgomery Brothers 6) by Samantha Chase-review, book tour and giveaway
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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date December 1, 2015
This Montgomery Has a Head for Business
Working for Zach Montgomery is challenging on many levels-coming from a wealthy and powerful family, he lives by his own rules and doesn’t answer to anyone. But Gabriella Martine has no intention of backing down. She’s used to handling stubborn men, and it doesn’t hurt that Zach is smart, charismatic… and gorgeous.
And a Heart for Adventure
Zach’s perfect world is turned upside down when a climbing accident leaves him broken, angry, and maddeningly dependent. In his slow quest for recovery, Gabriella is always there to help… but as Zach comes to see his beautiful assistant in a new light, he is forced to re-evaluate what it really means to be a man worthy of Gabriella’s love.
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REVIEW: I’LL BE THERE is the sixth installment in Samantha Chase’s contemporary, adult THE MONTGOMERY BROTHERS romance series focusing on the Montgomery family. This is CEO Zach Montgomery, and personal assistant Gabriella Martine’s storyline. I’LL BE THERE can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty, although I would recommend reading the series in order for backstory and cohesion.
SOME BACKGROUND: Uncle William Montgomery considers himself a matchmaker and his focus now centers on his brother, Robert Montgomery’s family. Zach Montgomery is William’s nephew and latest target-a man whose personal and physical recovery from a fall will depend upon his battered relationship with the woman who calls to his heart. Uncle William and Zach’s father Robert have devised a plan to push Zach and Gabrielle together-even if it means destroying Gabrielle’s heart and soul, in the process.
Told from dual third person perspectives (Zach and Gabriella) I’LL BE THERE focuses on a second chance-of sorts-for Zach and his assistant Gabriella. Zach is in recovery and rehab following a mountain-climbing expedition that went horribly wrong leaving Zach a virtual shell of his former self-in pain, slow to heal, and having a difficult time with his mobility, Zach has become an angry, self-absorbed, broken man, and with it comes threats against family, friends and the people who love him the most. Enter Gabriella Martine-Zach’s long suffering personal assistant, and the woman who bears the brunt of Zach’s fiery temper and caustic personality. For five years, Gabriella has been all but ignored by the man with whom she has fallen in love, and Zach is none the wiser or aware of how much his attitude and personal attacks against Gabrielle have broken her heart.
The relationship between Zach and Gabriella is one that began as employer to employee where the forbidden attraction between two people was hindered by a mistaken perception and hurtful words. Gabriella has become a virtual punching bag for her family’s attacks, and Zach’s abrasive attitude, acerbic rants and bully behavior that have left our heroine a victim of circumstance and office gossip, and the recipient of venomous anger. Gabriella is a smart, competent woman who can’t seem to say no to the man that she loves. Zach’s five year ‘temper tantrum’ and his treatment of Gabriella is nothing short of cruel, yet our heroine endured until the bitter end, when Zach, once again, took everything out of context and allowed jealousy and hate to rule his mouth and his mind. Their attraction to one another has not gone unnoticed by family and friends, but Zach is unwilling to acknowledge the truth about the woman who calls to his heart and his issues with his lack of independence and need for help. Just as their relationship becomes loving and romantic, Zach comes face to face with Gabriella’s past, and pushes Gabriella out of his life – one final time. The $ex scenes are seductive but mostly implied.
I’LL BE THERE is an emotional storyline; a heartbreaking romance about healing and recovery; acceptance and denial; moving forward and letting go. The premise is a story of second chances and making amends; the characters are passionate and intense; the romance is full of anguish, anxiety, and slow to build. My anxiety level over Zach’s attitude and treatment of Gabriella and his family, as well as Gabriella’s willingness to accept Zach’s verbal and emotional attacks left me feeling uneasy and distressed.
Wait For Me
Trust in Me
Stay With Me
More of Me
Meant for You
Copy supplied by the publisher through Netgalley
Reviewed by Sandy
Hey, everyone! It’s Samantha Chase and I am psyched to be here with you today. This month I am totally celebrating the release of “I’ll Be There” – book six in the Montgomery Brothers series. I fell in love with this family from the very beginning – and I think some of you have too! But there has been something special about Zach and Gabriella’s story that is different than any of our other Montgomerys.
From the time “Meant for You” came out (book five), readers instantly began asking about Zach and Gabriella. We were introduced to them in that book and you really got a sense that there was a story brewing there. They were snarky and argumentative with one another in a way that you just knew was masking some deep feelings. And by the end of the book we had the makings of a wounded hero and an under-appreciated heroine. The best part is that no matter how angry Zach made us, we still believe there’s room for redemption.
And as for Gabriella, I think readers are waiting for her to put her boss in his place! We want her to stand up for herself and maybe make Zach suffer a little in the process. Who doesn’t love a heroine who finally realizes her self-worth and makes the hero come begging? I know I love that!
I think this story – more than any other I’ve written – deals with the complexity of a relationship between two broken people. It’s more than a personality clash and both Zach and Gabriella have healing to do – both together and apart.
Shifting again so he had his arms resting on the table, he looked at Gabriella and studied her face. “The truth?” he asked and waited until she nodded. “Okay, Gabs. But remember, you asked. I invited you here tonight because I needed you to realize how sorry I was for the way I’ve treated you. I’ve done some serious soul searching these last few days and I don’t like the man I’ve become. I’m committed to my therapy with Alex and I’m committed to getting back to being the head of Montgomerys. I didn’t want you to come in here on the defensive. I wanted us to just have some time to talk and…get to know each other again.”
She leaned back in her chair and let out a shaky breath. “Wow. Okay.”
That was it? That was all she had to say? “But more than that, Gabriella, I don’t want to do any of it without you. I need you. You are the reason I’ve been able to accomplish all I have with the company. You’re the reason I’ve been successful in just about every aspect of my life for the last five years.” Reaching across the table, Zach took one of Gabriella’s hands in his and just marveled at how soft it was. He always wondered what her skin felt like and now that he knew, he wanted to feel more. “Don’t leave me. Please.”
Her blue eyes filled with tears and she used her free hand to quickly wipe them away before they fell and then studied their hands on the table. “Zach,” she said softly, “we’ve been over this.”
“I know, I know,” he replied just as softly. “I need another chance, Gabriella. I need a chance to make things right.” He looked up, his gaze meeting hers. “I need you.”
Deciding to be bold, he turned her hand over and twined their fingers together and gently squeezed. He was surprised she didn’t pull away and thought maybe—just maybe—they were making progress. “I know I can’t erase the things I’ve said and done, but if you’ll give me one more chance, Gabs, I promise not to screw up. If I do anything to upset you, you can walk away. Hell, you can slap me in the face, kick me in the shin or throw something heavy at me and I’ll take it. I just…I can’t do this without you.”
Her eyes never left their joined hands.
“I don’t want to do this without you,” he said quietly.
“I’m afraid to…believe you.” He barely heard her words, they were uttered so softly.
Everything inside of him clenched with pain. His always confident, ever-efficient assistant was now distrusting and uncertain—because of him. “I don’t know what to say to make you believe me. Tell me. Tell me what I need to do. Anything. Anything you need from me to gain your confidence, and I’ll do it.”
She looked up at him. “It’s not that easy. Every day I walked into the office, I gave you another chance. Every time you berated me or made me feel like I screwed up and I came back, I gave you another chance. From my standpoint, you’ve had two years’ worth of second chances. I think I’ve been more than generous.”
His other hand reached out to cup her hand in both of his. “I know you have and you have no idea how much I appreciated it.” She looked at him with disbelief. “It’s true! I know I never said it but every morning you were there, I was thankful. Every time you walked into my office, I was thankful. Please. I’m begging here, Gabs.”
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New York Times and USA Today Bestseller/contemporary romance writer Samantha Chase released her debut novel, Jordan’s Return, in November 2011. Although she waited until she was in her 40’s to publish for the first time, writing has been a lifelong passion. Her motivation to take that step was her students: teaching creative writing to elementary age students all the way up through high school and encouraging those students to follow their writing dreams gave Samantha the confidence to take that step as well.
When she’s not working on a new story, she spends her time reading contemporary romances, playing way too many games of Scrabble or Solitaire on Facebook and spending time with her husband of 25 years and their two sons in North Carolina.
NOTE: The Reading Cafe is NOT responsible for the rafflecopter giveaway. If you have any questions, please contact the publisher.
Samantha: I think this story was probably the most REAL story – emotion-wise – that I’ve ever written. I am lucky in that I still have both of my parents, so I really had to explore how it would feel if that weren’t the case. Sometimes in a story, it’s mentioned that one or both parents are gone, but you don’t really look into how that loss can still affect you years later. I cried a lot while I was writing – and then remembered to call my parents and tell them I loved them!
