Title: Like You Mean It
Author: Jillian Liota
About Like You Mean It:
“I want to make you smile like you mean it.”
The day Cole Lannington says those words to me, I already know I’m falling. Hard. For a man I can never have. Because there’s no way in hell I’ll ever deserve a man like him.
Annie
All I need to do is keep my head above water. Push a little harder. Keep that smile plastered on my face for my son as we try to wade through the new life that’s threatening to drown us both.
But on the first day I can’t seem to hold it all together, I meet him. And for some reason, he comes to my aid. Before I know it, Cole steps in and becomes an important part of my life. Our lives. Fills a void left vacant by a man who never wanted to fill it in the first place.
Too bad he can never be more than a friend.
Cole
All I need to do is be a nice guy to my new neighbor. Make her smile a little bit. Find space in my tidy, structured life to ease the burden she carries so she and her son can enjoy life without the bastard who treated them like they were insignificant.
I don’t expect to talk and laugh and feel a warmth in my chest I didn’t know was missing until she showed up at my door. Somehow I end up caring about her more deeply than I should. But my friendship with Annie opens my eyes to what it could be like to have something deeper. To feel something stronger.
To fall in love like I mean it.
Like You Mean It is the first book in the Like You Series and is a standalone novel.
Title: Like You Want It
Author: Jillian Liota
About Like You Want It:
“Sometimes, wanting someone just isn’t enough.”
I don’t want to believe those words. Because I’ve never fallen for someone like Fin Callaghan. And I can’t imagine that this feeling isn’t enough.
CARLY.”
To say my first interaction with Fin leaves much to be desired is an understatement. He infuriates me, barely speaks, and glares at me all the time. Not to mention he thinks I’m a mess.
It isn’t in my plans to start to like him. To fall for him. To want something more. But Fin’s past is filled with a pain that makes any kind of us impossible. He can’t seem to figure out what he wants, and truthfully, neither can I.
All I know is that I want more than what he’s willing to give.
FIN.”
All I should be focusing on is my family as we try to sort through the wounds left by our past mistakes. I have more than enough on my plate, have sacrificed too much to fracture my focus. I shouldn’t allow a woman to get in the way. Especially one like Carly Palmer.
She’s different. Wild. A bright burst of color in my world of black and white. Before I know it, she’s all that I want. All I can think about. But it doesn’t matter. I’ve been through betrayal that still singes my skin, eats at my soul.
I won’t allow it to happen again.
Like You Want It is the second book in the Like You Series and is a standalone novel.
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Exclusive Excerpt:
“Well, thanks for placating Jones with the motorcycle,” I say. “I appreciate how nice you are to him. But I should probably get back inside. We have to head out soon.”
Cole looks back at me, his eyebrows furrowing for a second, and Jess’ smile grows just slightly.
“See you guys later,” I say.
Then I turn and waddle my fat pregnant butt back to my house. I have places to be, and it doesn’t include whatever is going on between Jess and Cole.
But the minute I enter my house, I realize all of the windows in the front are open, and after standing in the entry for just a second, it’s more than easy to hear them talking.
“What was that?” Cole hisses.
There’s silence for a second, and I step closer to a window and glance outside. Jess is just standing there, looking at him.
“What do you mean?”
Even from here, I can hear the absolutely faux innocence in her voice. I roll my eyes, then realize Cole has done the same thing.
“Don’t pull that. I thought if you met Annie, you’d see that you have nothing to be worried about.”
Ouch. I wince at his comment. He wanted me to meet his girlfriend so she’d realize I’m not competition? Well, first of all, obviously I’m not competition. I’m a fat fatty pregnant lady that’s bloated and gassy and crying all the time. And two, Cole is way, way out of my league. Like years out of my league. Literally. He’s at least ten years older than me, seems to be leading a successful life, and as time passes, I’m becoming even more aware of how handsome he is. Like, really handsome.
Yeah, in the pool of life, he’s swimming in the Olympic-sized one next to Michael Phelps, while I’m over in the kiddie pool testing out floaties.
But still. No one wants their mediocrity shoved in their face.
Maybe I shouldn’t listen to them anymore. Eavesdropping never did anyone any good. I’m sure of it.
But before I can get far enough away from the window, I hear him continue.
“She’s my pregnant fucking neighbor who is all alone and has no friends. Have a little pity, Jess. Jesus.”
The blood drains from my face.
Have a little pity, Jess.
Great. Exactly what I fucking want. Someone who feels obligated to be nice to me because I’m such an unfortunate mess of desperation and failure.
I glance back out the window and see Cole sitting on his bike. And when his eyes track over to my house for a second, somehow, they land on mine.
I step quickly away and rush towards the back of the house.
“Jones!” I call to him.
His smiling face pops out of his bedroom just before I get there.
“You ready?”
When he nods, I give him a high five. Then I wait like a coward to hear Cole’s motorcycle rev up and head down the road before walking out to my car.
I don’t want his pity, and if he’s realized that I overheard what he said to Jess, I definitely don’t want his remorse either.
About Jillian Liota:
Jillian Liota is a new author writing contemporary romance and new adult fiction. She lives in Kailua, Hawaii with her amazing husband, 2 cats, and 3-legged pup.
She is the author of the new adult romance novel The Keeper, which focuses on a female college soccer goalie, as well as the follow up novella, Keep Away. Her newest release, Like You Mean It, is in the contemporary romance genre and has a more mature voice, as it follows a pregnant mother finding love in a new town. The next novel in the Like You Series, Like You Want It, will be published in Spring 2019
She has a master’s in Higher Education and Student Affairs, and she is passionate about all things improvement, development and organization.
She’s also a big fan of taking walks with her husband and dog Maia, reading romance (obviously), watching a handful of horrible reality TV shows, and exploring the island she calls home. Check out her Contact page for more information on how to connect.
Connect with Jillian:
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