EXCERPT and GIVEAWAY
The Ghost of You and Me
by Kelly Oram
Description
How do you tell someone who hates you and blames you for the death of his best friend that you miss him?
From the bestselling teen and young adult author of Cinder & Ella comes a new heart-wrenching romance sure to bring all the feels.
The tragic death of Spencer Schott unravels the lives of the two people he loved most - his girlfriend, Bailey, and his best friend, Wes. Secrets and guilt from that fateful night keep both Bailey and Wes from overcoming Spencer’s loss and moving on with their lives.
Now, nearly a year later, both Bailey and Wes are still so broken over what happened that Spencer can’t find peace in the afterlife. In order to put his soul to rest, he’s given one chance to come back and set things right ... even if that means setting up his girlfriend with his best friend.
With the emotional resonance of Jellicoe Road and the magical realism of The Lovely Bones, The Ghost of You and Me is a story about overcoming grief, finding redemption for past mistakes, and the healing power of friendship and love. Fans of John Green, Sarah Dessen, and Nicholas Sparks are sure to love this haunting new tale from Kelly Oram.
This is a clean young adult romance stand alone novel that reads like contemporary drama romance and has just a touch of magical realism.
Excerpt
“What is he doing here?” Liz whispers from somewhere behind me. The sound is distant, barely registering in my mind.
“What do you mean? Who is he?” Charlotte asks again.
Wes Delaney is here. I can’t believe what I’m seeing. It’s been almost a year. He dropped out of school a couple of weeks after Spencer’s accident and disappeared from Columbia High’s social radar. My heart pounds at the sight of him.
Wes pays the lunch lady for his food, and when he turns around, his eyes immediately land on me as if he already knew which direction to look. My mouth goes dry when our eyes meet. I didn’t know how much I’ve missed him until this exact moment. My entire body yearns to reconnect with him. And yet ... I have no business feeling that way. I squash those feelings and let my old friend, guilt, swamp me. Guilt is all I deserve where Wes is concerned. Still, I can’t look away from him.
He seems different - older and hardened. His head is shaved nearly bald. Only a dark layer of fuzz remains that is no longer than the five o’clock shadow ghosting his face. It’s a surprisingly good look for him. While Spencer eventually outgrew his awkward tween stage (mostly), Wes never experienced one. He was always hot. Now, he’s just plain sexy.
With his hair so short, his dark eyes and long lashes stand out more than normal. And he’s so built that even from my seat across the cafeteria I can tell his body is rock hard beneath his tight plain white T-shirt and low-hung jeans. He looks tough. Jaded.
“What’s he doing here, Bailey?”
I ignore Trisha’s question. I couldn’t speak right now, even if I knew the answer—which I most definitely do not. I can’t breathe. Can’t think. I’m locked in his stare, and I can’t decipher the look on his face.
Where has he been for the last year? What is he doing here now? What is he thinking? Why can’t he take his eyes off me? Is he going to tell everyone what really happened that night?
Feeling sick, I jump up from my seat and run from the cafeteria as if my life depends on it. Right now, it feels like it does.
Praise for the Book
"I absolutely love every one of her main characters in this story. [...] As with all of her books, they are perfect for teen readers all the way to adult. She’s a pretty clean writer and one that I let my own teen daughter read. This book is so worth the read." ~ Monic Mccarver
"It's really a great story about grief and love and understanding and the power of true friends. The voice is excellent and drew me in. The compelling emotions of everyone involved made me cheer Spencer on and root for his success as he tried to help the loved ones he'd left behind. The Ghost of You and Me was an emotional journey and COMPLETELY worth it." ~ Karie
"I loved it... this book was raw, gritty, real and real! the characters had so much depth and brokenness that you could feel exactly what they felt as their stories were uncovered." ~ Mel
"This book is heartbreaking and poignant, and made me cry, and if someone else had written it I probably wouldn't have loved it so much. Kelly Oram's writing elevates any tale to a level that is difficult to achieve. So thank you Kelly for making me cry, and for introducing me to the latest characters in your head." ~ Lissa Hawley
"As with all of Kelly's books I laughed, and as expected from title and premise, I also cried. This story was touching, moving, happy, sad and beautiful. May I even chance the pun and say it was Hauntingly so? The emotions were real and raw, but so is the happiness at the end! A definitely must read, especially if you're a reader who wants ALL the feels!" ~ Llscott
About the Author
Kelly Oram wrote her first novel at age fifteen - a fan fiction about her favorite music group, The Backstreet Boys, for which her family and friends still tease her. She's obsessed with reading, talks way too much, and likes to eat frosting by the spoonful. She lives outside of Phoenix, Arizona, with her husband, four children, and her cat, Mr. Darcy.
Giveaway
Enter the blast-wide giveaway for a chance to win a $50 Amazon gift card or PayPal cash.
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