Sink or Swim by Tessa Bailey is now available!
Sink or Swim is the final installment of the Beach Kingdom Series (following Mouth to Mouth and Heat Stroke) and is Andrew and Jiya's story (friends to lovers!). It can be read as a standalone title, although the characters are introduced in the two previous series books.
BLURB:
Andrew Prince wakes up before everyone else. He schedules the bar shifts, demands perfection from Long Beach’s lifeguards—most of all himself—and makes sure the family debts are paid. His unfaltering worth ethic might leave him exhausted, but it comes with one advantage. It distracts him from the love he’s been harboring since childhood for the girl next door—who he cannot have.
Jiya Dalal has dreams. To fly a plane, see the world below…and prove irresistible to her best friend, Andrew. But she needs to be a good daughter first, which is becoming an increasingly difficult task, since her parents expect a good marriage and the man she loves with all her heart refuses to pursue the blistering connection between them. Just when she’s beginning to believe Andrew truly doesn’t want her, a moonlight tryst on the beach exposes his true feelings. But an echo from the past kept them apart before…and it’s only growing louder with every stolen kiss…
Goodreads Link: https://bit.ly/2MbDTXM
Buy Links:
Amazon US: https://amzn.to/2zaEIHO
Amazon UK: https://amzn.to/2ZeEDxs
Amazon AU: https://amzn.to/30g7iDH
Amazon CA: https://amzn.to/2z5Dfmb
Read on for an excerpt of the book!
Excerpt:
Jiya looked up and found Andrew watching her intently. “What is this, Andrew?”
“We’re dancing,” he rasped, his gaze slightly unfocused.
“You’ve never danced with me like this before.”
His gaze strayed to her lips, before he resolutely dragged them away. “Do you want to stop?”
“No and that’s the problem.” Come on, Mrs. I Don’t Play Games Anymore, bring up the elephant in the room. It’s not going away. “You’ve been different with me lately. Is it...” She took two bracing breaths. “Is it because I’m dating?”
He started to deny it, then changed his mind. “Might be. Yeah. I know that’s fucked up,” he said. “You’ve always been min—my best friend. We won’t have this if you start dating someone seriously. If you...”
“Get married?” His complexion turned gray. “Mmm.” Cement caked her insides, but she was used to it by now. She’d loved Andrew since she was a child. She’d waited patiently for him to love her back—as more than a friend—and he hadn’t. He’d done nothing about it. So while she yearned to dissect his every word and rejoice in them, ached for what he was feeling, she couldn’t do it anymore without being a fool. “Ask me the question, Andrew. The one you ask me every night.”
A line formed between his brows. “Can I do anything for you, Jiya?”
“Yes.” She took his face in her hands. “You can stay my friend. No matter what happens. Fine, things are changing in my life. But I couldn’t bear it if I ever lost what we have. Just stay my friend. Promise me.”
His jaw bunched. “You know I’d cut my heart out before saying no to you, right?”
“Yes.”
“Then you have your answer.” He wet his lips. “But we’re finishing the dance.”
Jiya looked up and found Andrew watching her intently. “What is this, Andrew?”
“We’re dancing,” he rasped, his gaze slightly unfocused.
“You’ve never danced with me like this before.”
His gaze strayed to her lips, before he resolutely dragged them away. “Do you want to stop?”
“No and that’s the problem.” Come on, Mrs. I Don’t Play Games Anymore, bring up the elephant in the room. It’s not going away. “You’ve been different with me lately. Is it...” She took two bracing breaths. “Is it because I’m dating?”
He started to deny it, then changed his mind. “Might be. Yeah. I know that’s fucked up,” he said. “You’ve always been min—my best friend. We won’t have this if you start dating someone seriously. If you...”
“Get married?” His complexion turned gray. “Mmm.” Cement caked her insides, but she was used to it by now. She’d loved Andrew since she was a child. She’d waited patiently for him to love her back—as more than a friend—and he hadn’t. He’d done nothing about it. So while she yearned to dissect his every word and rejoice in them, ached for what he was feeling, she couldn’t do it anymore without being a fool. “Ask me the question, Andrew. The one you ask me every night.”
A line formed between his brows. “Can I do anything for you, Jiya?”
“Yes.” She took his face in her hands. “You can stay my friend. No matter what happens. Fine, things are changing in my life. But I couldn’t bear it if I ever lost what we have. Just stay my friend. Promise me.”
His jaw bunched. “You know I’d cut my heart out before saying no to you, right?”
“Yes.”
“Then you have your answer.” He wet his lips. “But we’re finishing the dance.”
Review:
| 4 stars ****
This was a good book! Sink or Swim is the third and final book in the Beach Kingdom series. This is Jiya and Andrew's story. They are both madly in love with each other, but have no idea what to do about it. The two have been very close, best friends since they were kids. Both of them have been secretly in love with each other. Totally, swoonily, completely adoring each other. But neither think the other is interested as neither have ever made a move and they both think the opportunity to be together romantically has passed. But when Jiya's very traditional Indian parents think it is time for her to be married, they begin arranging her candidates to possibly be engaged to. Andrew has a secret he is hiding from his past that he thinks makes him not worthy of being with her. But seeing her date in contemplation of marriage is making him crazy. Jiya doesn't want to date others either when she loves Andrew so much. When a last chance opportunity strikes for them to explore their feelings together, neither of them are willing to let it go. Jiya and Andrew soon find they are meant to be together.
I loved Jiya and Andrew. The way they loved each was amazing. Especially Andrew. He lived to serve Jiya, to do anything he could to make her day better or make her happier. He simply worshipped her. They were a really great couple. Very romantic and sweet. Things were not easy for them, but they were devoted to each other.
Overall, this was a really good read. There were emotional moments, sweet and romantic ones, as well as some super sexy ones. Jiya and Andrew's chemistry and connection is undeniable. I adored their friends to lovers romance. I am sad to see this series end, but look forward to whatever Ms. Bailey comes up with next!
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Author Info:
Tessa Bailey is originally from Carlsbad, California. The day after high school graduation, she packed her yearbook, ripped jeans and laptop, driving cross-country to New York City in under four days.
Her most valuable life experiences were learned thereafter while waitressing at K-Dees, a Manhattan pub owned by her uncle. Inside those four walls, she met her husband, best friend and discovered the magic of classic rock, managing to put herself through Kingsborough Community College and the English program at Pace University at the same time. Several stunted attempts to
enter the work force as a journalist followed, but romance writing continued to demand her attention. She now lives in Long Island, New York with her husband of eleven years and six-year-old daughter. Although she is severely sleep-deprived, she is incredibly happy to be living her dream of writing about people falling in love.
Website: www.tessabailey.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tessabaileyisanauthor/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TessaBaileyAuthor/?ref=bookmarks
Twitter: https://twitter.com/mstessabailey
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6953499.Tessa_Bailey
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