Title: Coming Apart at the Seams (Riley O'Brien & Co. #2)
Author: Jenna Sutton
Publication Date: December 1, 2015
Publisher: Berkley
Pages: 336
Format: Paperback ARC
Source: Publisher
Age Group: Adult/NA
Genre: Contemporary Romance
From the author of All the Right Places, a sweet and sexy romance about finding the right words and the perfect fit...Love can take some time to break in...Teagan O’Brien, heiress to the Riley O’Brien & Co. denim empire, is anything but a spoiled rich girl. She’s worked hard to secure her place in the family business and can hold her own, in and out of the office. Only one man has ever been able to get under her skin—sexy football star Nick Priest. Years ago they crossed the line from friends to lovers, but he left her heartbroken. Since then, she’s been determined to keep him at arm’s length—no matter how tempting he looks in his jeans...Nick has fortune, fame, and looks that make most women hot and bothered. But he doesn't have the woman he really wants. He knows he screwed up when he walked away from Teagan, and now that he has a second chance, he’ll do whatever it takes to win her over—no matter how tongue-tied he gets...
Where do I begin my obsession with Jenna Sutton and her Riley O'Brien & Co. series!!! Obsession would totally be an understatement about the love I have for the story lines, characters, and writing style illustrated by Ms. Sutton in these beautiful series. From the moment I finished reading All the Right Places and learned about book 2, I couldn't wait to get my greedy hands on Coming Apart at the Seams. What I loved the most about book 2 is the fact that the story begins where All the Right Places finishes, but then reverts to the past to show Teagan's and Nick's journey. I absolutely adore this concept because it allows the reader to fully understand their relationship. Now let's get to the juicy part and discuss these beautiful characters.
Teagan O'Brien- Sassy, smart, educated, and the little sister of Quinn and Cal O'Brien. Teagan is currently going to law school in Boston and things are not easy. She wouldn't know how to handle herself and the stress of school without the help of her best friend Bebe who is always there to help and support Teagan get through the difficulties of law school. Together, they are a great team and have built a very strong sisterly relationship. Things seem to be getting into order when out of no where Teagan receives an unexpected visitor, NICK PRIEST.... Teagan has always had a bit of a small crush on Nick who is her older brothers Quinn best friend. However, Nick has a reputation of being a womanizer and she wants to keep their relationship in the friend zone.
Nick Priest- Sexy, passionate, playboy, and a man of few words are the best way to describe Nick. Currently a professional football player who was traded to Boston, Nick looks up Teagan on a whim and decides to spend some time with her and venture the city. The two really hit it off and go out several times to explore the city. It really doesn't take long before you can feel the strong connection between these two wonderful characters. Nick has always felt comfortable around Teagan because they have a special way of communication where he doesn't have to speak. This is extremely important to him because Teagan hasn't even realized that he has a speech problem. Nick is really good at covering it up. Slowly over time, the two begin to develop stronger feelings for one another. And this is where the trouble truly begins...
If you are looking for a sexy read full of passion, surprises, and intensity then this is the perfect read for you. Jenna Sutton did a phenomenal job of perfectly demonstrating the trials and tribulations relationships go through over time. I personally loved the way she was able to blend book 1 and book 2. You really can tell a lot of planning was put into this read and that to me alone is worth every minute spent reading it. The story line is realistic, the characters are wholesome, and the relationships are full of passion. This read totally had me reading at all hours anxious to find out what would happen next. I rate this read a 5 owl rating because I could not find a single flaw. Jenna, you truly are an amazing author and I cannot wait to get my hands on book 3 Hanging by a Thread!
Jenna Sutton spent most of her career as an award-winning journalist covering business-related topics including healthcare, commercial real estate, retail, and technology.
Nowadays she writes about hot, lovable guys and the smart, sexy women who make them crazy. It’s the culmination of a lifelong dream, and she feels so lucky to be able to do it.
Jenna has a Bachelor’s degree in Journalism from Texas Christian University and a Master’s degree in Integrated Marketing Communications from Northwestern University.
She and her husband live in Texas in a 103-year-old house affectionately known as "The Money Pit".
INTERVIEW
Q: Where did you get your inspiration for the characters in All the Right Places?
A: The hero and heroine of All the Right Places, Quinn O’Brien and Amelia Winger, came to me after I thought of a fun way to start a book. All the Right Places starts with a list of all the words for butt, and I came up with the idea after seeing a bumper sticker. My husband and I were running errands, and as we sat at a stop light, I noticed the bumper sticker on the car in front of us. It advocated breast cancer awareness, and it said: Save the Ta-tas.
I pointed out the bumper sticker to my husband, and he pointed out that there are a lot of words for breasts. And then he oh-so-helpfully proceeded to name them all: boobs, hooters, jugs, melons, rack, tits… oh, the list just goes on and on.
I started thinking that there were a lot of words for butt, too: ass, backporch, badonkadonk, booty, caboose, derrière… again, so many words, so little time.
That thought led me to another – listing the synonyms for butt would be a fun beginning for a romance novel. But who would be thinking about butts all the time? And then it came to me – someone who was involved in the clothing business.
And the most popular clothing for butts? Jeans.
That’s how I came up with Riley O’Brien & Co., a denim empire reminiscent of Levi Strauss & Co. I envisioned a company that was going through a transition, and the next generation of O’Briens were struggling to preserve their legacy. I wanted all the heirs of the company to have their own story, and All the Right Places is the story of Quinn O’Brien, the heir apparent and future CEO of this multi-billion company.
Q: What books have you read that have influenced your writing for your books?
A: I read romance almost exclusively because I crave the happily ever after, which is different from a happy ending, I feel compelled to point out. Books in other genres might have happy endings, but I feel cheated if I don’t have the HEA. I think Lisa Kleypas’ books have influenced my writing quite a bit. I always learn something new by reading one of her books, and I want my readers to discover interesting tidbits of info as they read through my novels. Blue-Eyed Devil is my favorite Kleypas book. Rachel Gibson is another author who has influenced my writing. I love her heroes because they think, act, and talk like real men. Frankly, I think a lot of heroes in romances today are very obviously written by women. See Jane Score is my favorite Gibson novel, and the hero, Luc Martineau, still remains at the top of my list for best heroes of all time.
Q: Where did you come up with the names for your main characters Amelia and Quinn?
A: I have no idea where Amelia’s name came from. It kind of just popped into my head. I’ve always liked the name, which sounds both feminine and strong. As for Quinn, I wanted him to have a traditional Irish name, and I loved the sound of it.
Q: Did you consider any changes to your writing style when writing this series?
A: This is an interesting question, and one that I’ve never been asked. Writing instructors and authors talk a lot about an author’s “voice” – which is akin to a band’s “sound”. An author’s voice is what attracts or repels readers, and as a long-time romance reader, I think I instinctively understood what voice was, but until you sit down to write a book, you really don’t know what kind of style or voice you’re going to have. I wrote the kinds of characters, dialogue, and sex scenes that I like to read. I’m not sure I could change my writing style, even if someone asked me to. I’ve thought about writing dark romance with tortured characters, but I’m not sure my voice really translates into that kind of book. I haven’t tried, though, so maybe I’d surprise myself.
Q: Are you planning to expand the Riley O’Brien & Co. series?
A: I always planned the series to include three full-length novels, one for each of the O’Brien heirs. After I finished the third book, Hanging by a Thread, I had an idea for a novella connected to the series, so I wrote one. Then I had another idea for a novella, so I wrote it. And recently, I decided to write a third novella tied to the series.
Q: If you had to do it all over again, would you consider making any changes to Coming Apart at the Seams?
A: Coming Apart at the Seams doesn’t have the typical structure for a romance novel—it’s not linear. It starts in the present, goes back into the past, and then comes back to the present. I hope readers will love the non-linear structure, but I realize that it might not appeal to some people. Regardless, it’s how I envisioned the book from the very beginning, and I couldn’t imagine telling Nick and Teagan’s story any other way. Beyond the structure, there is one chapter toward the end that I wrote in the original manuscript that I decided to take out. I still don’t know if I made the right choice, so I’m going to post it on my website as an “extra” for readers.
Q: What was the hardest part in writing your books? Any unanticipated road blocks
A: I wrote the Riley O’Brien & Co. series very quickly. Once I started writing, I was in the zone. I thought about my characters all the time. Everyone around me told me that I seemed so much happier and optimistic. Of course, I wasn’t surprised to hear this because as an author, I get to: 1) control everything that happens in my fictional world 2) spend most of my day with hot guys in my head and 3) guarantee a happily ever after.
Q: Have you learned anything from writing these books that has changed your thinking of life?
A: Yes. An interesting side effect of me being a published romance novelist is that my husband is much more popular, both professionally and personally. He’s very proud of me and my writing, but he tells people, very insistently, that he is not the inspiration for my books. They never believe him, though, and I’m mute on the subject. Another important thing I’ve learned: readers do not read the book that I wrote; they read the book that their life experiences created. What I mean is that every reader sees a book through the lens of their own life experiences, so they might not feel the things I meant for them to feel when they’re reading.
Q: Do you have any writing rituals or traditions that help you stay focused when writing?
A: I don’t have any rituals or traditions. I don’t even have a schedule. But I am a plotter, and I outline very extensively, so that keeps me focused when I write.
Q: What message would you like to portray to your readers about your books and the next projects ahead?
A: Because of its non-linear structure, Coming Apart at the Seams is both a friends-to-lovers story and a second chance romance. I’ve tried to create a heroine who is smart, strong, and relatable, and a hero who is likable, lovable, and most of all, lickable.
Book three in the Riley O’Brien & Co. series, Hanging by a Thread, will be out next summer – June 7, 2016, to be specific. Hanging by a Thread is Cal O’Brien’s story, and I’ve paired him with Teagan’s best friend, Bebe Banerjee. We get to know Bebe very well in Coming Apart at the Seams, and I hope readers will agree that she is the perfect match for Cal. s
I recently read and loved Sweet Soul by Tillie Cole.
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