Book Two in The Wake Series
by M. Mabie
Synopsis
This isn’t just a two-year long one-night stand. It’s my life.
This is my life. Our life. It isn’t just some careless affair.
I’ve made the worst decisions a woman could, but I’ll earn my second chance.
She can try keeping all the guilt for herself, but I’m just as much to blame.
Loving Casey wasn’t my biggest mistake. Fighting it for so long was.
I’ll show her how fearless our love makes me. I’ll protect her torn heart.
He still has magic in his eyes. He’s the man who makes me happy.
Her voice still brings me to my knees. She says my name like it’s sacred.
I live for the day when I’m his. To take care of him. To love him the way he deserves.
I can’t wait to be all she needs. I can give her a happy life, security and so much love.
Sometimes two ships never meet in the night, but ours did.
Sometimes the water is rough. It beats you all to hell until you have no choice but get stronger.
Our love story reads more like a tragedy, but to me it’s clean and pure.
Let them point their fingers. Without a love like ours, they haven’t really lived. I pity them.
I’m a cheating wife and a villain. I am his honeybee.
I’m a snake in the grass and I sleep best when I’m lying next to his wife.
I want to be his everything.
I’m nothing without her anyway.
This isn’t even close to over.
It’ll never be over.
Sail is the second book in the continuing Wake Series. For more information on the first book in the series see the link for Bait below.
Review
4.25 out of 5 stars
I'm not going to lie, Sail, was without a doubt one of my most anticipated releases of this year. Months crawled slowly by as I waited patiently and when it finally arrived on my kindle, I made a "beeline" to the sofa, wasting no time diving back into the crazy world of Blake and Casey! M. Mabie writes with such emotion you're left in the sweet torture of a love story that takes you hook, line and sinker.
Like many of you, the end of Bait left my heart broken into a million different pieces for these two. I had faith author M. Mabie would give these two their own HEA and everything would turn out okay, but my mind and heart constantly begged for the next installment so I could see just exactly how things were going to play out. How would M. Mabie fix the disaster left in the Blake/Casey tornado of avoidance and denial?
Obviously, if you've read Bait, you know THE cliffhanger. Sail picks up almost exactly where Bait ended. Blake is knee deep in the aftermath of the shit storm of her own making and finally she is beginning to see things as they truly are, it's as if now that the truth is out she can finally see things clearly. For the first time ever she is truly able to acknowledge to herself just how deep her love for Casey runs. See realizes without a doubt she needs him in her life and thus sets a plan of action in order to make amends, to go after the happiness she chooses for herself. The Blake in Sail is much easier to like, so all you people who wanted to punch her in book one should be happy with the woman she becomes during this installment.
Casey is his usual dreamy self and honestly what's not to love! I enjoyed his POV in the story because you see exactly the type of person he is and how much he loves Blake. I know he made some mistakes in the first installment as well, but his were easier to overlook for some reason. But, it's important to note the Casey in Sail is also different from the one we met in Bait. Casey finally see's the predicament he and Blake are in is just as much his fault as Blake's. Shouldering the blame, taking responsibilities for his own actions, and making the decision to show Blake not only with words but actions how deep his love for her runs, will only make you fall harder for this man! He is truly swoon worthy in his attempt to make up for his past and pursue Blake in the way she truly deserves.
The tone of this story is much more different than in Bait. Now that the cat is out of the bag as readers we get to see Blake and Casey take steps to pursue one another in a more pure way. It was a great progression and important to their story. While Bait was filled with secrets, lies, and actions meant to punish one another Sail's underlying theme is redemption and honesty. So why not a full five stars? For me while I loved seeing these two bask in happier times, I felt maybe too much time was spent getting to the next "drama." This time around the pace is much slower and while I throughly enjoyed this book after the roller coaster of emotions in Bait it was hard for me to relax into this slower pace, I kept worrying when would it happen, when would their new relationship be tested? And when the test finally comes the book ends. Without a doubt there is more story to tell but is it enough for a full third book? I'm sure M. Mabie has something great up her sleeve and thus I cannot wait to see where book 3 takes this beloved couple. So yes, Sail is a must read and I for one cannot wait for Book 3, Anchor to release!
Excerpt
The room was dimly lit with the few lights we’d left on. It was late, and even though I was tired from travel and just life in general, I craved the feel of him.
Our suite was warm, void of chill or worry. In the bedroom, we didn’t bother with a light, knowing where everything was by memory.
He guided me to bed. He let my hair down and brushed it off my shoulders, and then he held me close and pressed his lips to mine. Casey laid us down so softly I barely knew we were moving until I felt the fluffy pillow under my head.
I deepened our kiss and moaned when his body pressed against mine.
“We’re not going to have sex tonight, Blake,” he said breathlessly around my lips. Why? I wanted him so badly. Just like that. Slow and easy.
I tried to evict thoughts of uncertainty from my mind, but they snuck in with his words. His behavior was contradictory. He’d shown me nothing but affection and care since we saw each other in the airport.
Why wouldn’t he make love to me?
Old demons felt the need to speak up.
What if he doesn’t want you after the chase? What if he only likes the thrill?
I felt my body begin to tense for the first time since we’d arrived. The hands that had been wandering across his back stilled. The leg I had started to wrap around his waist slowly began falling to the side.
“Hey, where are you going,” he said, as he kissed my neck and ran a hand through my hair to the nape of my neck.
“I don’t understand,” I contested. “I want you.” He shifted his weight and I felt how hard he was against my inner thigh. He was definitely turned on. So what was his deal? “Don’t you want me, too?”
“Mmmm,” he breathed near my ear. “God, I want you.” His big right hand hitched my leg back around his hip and he palmed my ass, bringing my dress up to my waist in the process and exposing my pale pink underwear. “I’ve wanted you day and night for so long now. I don’t know how to not want you.” He spoke between kisses and rubbed his nose along my clavicle. Then he bit me gently at the crook of my neck. “But there’ve been too many times I’ve let that need for you cloud my focus.”
“No, Blake. Not tonight. Tonight, I’m going to make you come and then I’m going to sleep next to you. I’m going to fall asleep with you in my arms. All those nights I missed out on holding you and feeling you next to me. I stole them from both of us being scared and stubborn.
I have to be better this time. I see all that you’re doing and I’m so damn proud of you, honeybee,” he said calmly. “But I want more than just physical things from you. It isn’t that I don’t want you. Fuck, do I want you. But I need all of you. Not just this.” He moved against my center and I knew I had to change his mind. After hearing those sweet
words, I had to have him and I wasn’t going to fight fair.
“Please, Casey. Fuck me.”
He growled and pressed his forehead to my chest. “You’re evil.” He laughed. I wished he sounded defeated, but mostly he sounded amused. “You’re not making it easy for me to be noble.”
“Don’t be noble then,” I said as I wound my arms around him and
“If you knew what I was thinking about doing to you, you’d know I wasn’t.” He rolled partially over toward the center of the bed and ran his hand under my dress and up to my breast.
“Then tell me,” I shamelessly suggested.
The tips of his fingers roamed down my stomach and my pulse sped up. His fingers slid under the sheer fabric of my underwear and my breaths came in spurts as I mentally begged him to keep going. I was so wound up.
“Don’t worry. I told you I’d take care of you.”
Bait
Book One in The Wake Series
Still on Sale for 99¢
Synopsis
He was trouble from the start, but I couldn't resist.
She was the best kind of trouble. The kind that was so wrong, it felt right.
I’ve tried and failed to stay away from him.
I’ve done everything in my power to make her mine and keep her.
He’s almost impossible to say no to.
She never tells me yes.
We’re always fighting.
When we’re not fighting, we’re… well… making up.
He makes me laugh so hard.
I miss her laugh the most.
I'm a liar.
She knows the truth, but won’t admit it.
Sometimes, I wish I'd never met him.
I wish we could meet all over again. I'd do better.
His sweet girlfriend knows.
The guy she’s with is a fool.
I’ll never love anyone like I love him.
She doesn’t love me enough to choose us.
It was the wrong place.
It was the wrong time.
It should have been him.
It will always be her.
About Author M. Mabie
M. Mabie lives in Illinois with her husband. She is the author of the steamy comedy Fade In. Her sophomore release, Bait, is the first book in the angst-filled erotic Wake Series. She writes unconventional love stories and tries to embody "real-life romance."
She cares about politics, but will not discuss them in public. She uses the same fork at every meal, watches Wayne's World while cleaning, and lets her dog sleep on her head. She has always been a writer. In fact, she was born with a pen in her hand, which almost never happens. Almost.
M. Mabie usually doesn't speak in third-person either. She promises.
For Other books by M. Mabie click the titles below
