Piece By Piece by Teodora Kostova blog tour Spotlight, Review & Giveaway

Sometimes to reach the surface you have to fall to the bottom first... 

For the past ten years, Riley Davis’ life has been overshadowed by the tragic death of his partner. Fluctuating between alcohol induced daze, clinical depression and throwing all his time and effort into his business, Riley doesn’t believe, or even hope, that his life will ever be worth living again. 

Until Sonnie Frye drops by his haberdashery shop, changing his life forever. 

Sonnie is a man who likes getting what he wants, when he wants it. He’s worked hard to establish himself as Queen Victoria theatre’s chief costume designer, collecting multiple awards – and high-profile clients – along the way. Sonnie is used to putting his needs, goals and desires first, unwilling to compromise his own happiness for anybody else. 

Until he meets a handsome shop owner whose eyes are so sad that they immediately tug at Sonnie's heartstrings. 

Seeing something he wants, Sonnie is determined to get under Riley's skin and, preferably, into his bed. But he soon discovers the task is not that easy. For the first time in his life, Sonnie may need to put someone else’s needs before his own, and re-evaluate what really matters in life. 

Will the two men stand side by side to overcome their differences, and everything else life throws at them? Or will it all become too much to bear, shaking them to their very core, destroying everything they’ve worked so hard to achieve? 

***Sexual content, 18+ only*** 

***Piece by Piece is a standalone novel. It's the full story of Sonnie and Riley***

 Where to buy

Imagine finding the love of your life when you’re still young. Everything is perfect and beautiful even after close to ten years together. Then a hit a run accident takes that beauty and perfection from you, leaving you a shell of a man without the other half of your soul. That is what happened to Riley Davis. It’s been ten years since Richard was killed, but the gaping hole in Riley’s heart has never closed, it doesn’t get easier to spite what people continually tell him, and all Riley wants it to be left alone to run his shop and waste away in the apartment above it.

Sonnie Frye saunters into Riley’s life one day with Riley’s only friend, Penn, to buy some fabric at the shop he owns, Rags. Sonnie is immediately smitten with the older man. His long dark hair and those eyes that show so much pain, but something more. There is a person begging to be set free from all that sadness behind those eyes, and Sonnie makes it his mission to do just that. He’s like ant at a picnic, he is relentless. The two start out as friends, but eventually the mutual attraction wins and they become more. But Riley is still hesitant to allow another man into his heart, feeling it would be the worst betrayal to his dead lover. Sonnie has the patience of a saint though, I assure you, he will not be pushed away, he will pick Riley up and put him back together piece by broken piece.

First off, I will have to disagree with the publishers note that this is a standalone story. This story runs parallel to the events in the first two books, so while I suppose you could dive right into this one, you won’t even begin to comprehend the schematics of all the other characters. Regardless, I absolutely loved this book. Unless you have felt the pain of loss at the level Riley has felt, you won’t be able to understand why he has such a hard time letting go of the past. Kostova explained that pain and the suffering, the ins and outs, the whys and the fear of getting better because then you have to let it go so well and with such class that it gave me an insight into his character I usually wouldn’t have in a story that wasn’t as in depth into the pain.

While Riley is taking two steps forward, then ten steps back, Sonnie is always there by his side, a foundation of support. He pushes Riley sometimes, and it doesn’t always work in their favor, but in the end it’s that unwavering love, support and courage that Sonnie shows and shares with Riley that gets them through all the road blocks. Kostova also gave a very detailed retelling of places the couple would visit, so vivid in fact I felt like I was there with them. I really, really want to go to the wine library!

Definitely a must read, I still suggest reading in order, but be warned that there is a bit of darkness in this story. Kostova literally wrote his struggle and portrayed his pain so well that you won’t be able to read this book without feeling that pain. But the love and the passion he shares with Sonnie really make it all worth it. Well done Teo, well done!

Hi, my name is Teodora and I live in London with my husband and my son. I've been writing ever since I can remember, but it became my full time job in 2010 when I decided that everything else I've tried bores me to death and I have to do what I've always wanted to do, but never had to guts to fully embrace. I've been a journalist, an editor, a personal assistant and an interior designer among other things, but as soon as the novelty of the new, exciting job wears off, I always go back to writing. Being twitchy, impatient, loud and hasty are not qualities that help a writer, because I have to sit alone, preferably still, and write for most of the day, but I absolutely love it. It's the only time that I'm truly at peace and the only thing I can do for more than ten minutes at a time - my son has a bigger attention span than me.
When I'm procrastinating, I like to go to the gym, cook Italian meals (and eat them), read, listen to rock music, watch indie movies and True Blood re-runs. Or, in the worst case scenario, get beaten at every Nintendo Wii game by a very inventive kid. 

     

Thank you everyone for stopping by today, as a thank you from the Author as well she is offering up one kindle e-book copy of Piece by Piece. Just leave a comment below to be entered... Have you read the first 3 books in the series? If so, who is your favorite couple? I must admit that I love all the sexy mens in this series, but I've taken a particular liking to Riley and Sonny. 

I'll have Teodora stop by and choose a winner at the end of the tour, good luck everyone!