Tuesday, March 18, 2014

All relationships take TRUST, even with yourself

TRUST
Finding Anna #4
by Sherri Hayes
an erotica romance
Published by The Writer's Coffee Shop
Available Thursday, March 20th from:
 TWCSAmazonB&NiTunesKobo
 
a review from pearls

I am so happy to finally get to read the conclusion of Brianna and Stephan's story.  And, I'm a little sad to be leaving these characters, too.  (Although I know Sherri Hayes still has lots of great characters to write about!)  I loved these two from the start.  Stephan, the man who can't NOT do the right thing.  Brianna, the girl who will not be beaten.  And the friends, whose loyalty and support know no limits.  Sounds like superheroes, right?  However, these are just regular people living in a Midwestern town who find themselves in an unusual circumstance: the girl-next-door who is kidnapped by a sex trafficking ring. 
We see it on the evening news.  But we don't see what happens after, how that girl reclaims her life and her true self.  That is the journey of Finding Anna.  In Trust, she must learn to trust not only the people around her, but also her own self.  Likewise, the people around her must learn to trust her to be able to stand on her own two feet again. 
This is a heartbreaking story as the journey is not easy for any of them.  After falling in love with these characters, your heart breaks for each of them, knowing how each is hurting inside.  The addition of Stephan's previous girlfriend to the cast adds a foil, showing how much easier Stephan's road could be.  Stephan and Brianna must learn that faith in their love is what holds them together, trusting each to do what is the right thing. 
An excellent conclusion that ties up all the plot ends and leaves room for the characters to continue their lives beyond the pages of the books.  Stephan and Brianna's love for one another has never burned brighter, as they explore and define their own relationship outside of social expectations and definitions.  The side characters are integral to the story development and grow themselves with the experience. Kudos to Sherri Hayes for staying true to nature of a D/s relationship, for portraying accurately the healing process of victims of tragedy, and for raising awareness to an overlooked social issue with full candor. 
 
a review from TinkNCognito

The conclusion of the Finding Anna Series by Sherri Hayes was everything I had hoped it would be. As we have in each of the books, we continue to see the growth and strength that Brianna possesses. I fell in love with these characters from the beginning of Slave and have watched them grow in their love for each other but in Trust, we experience the loss they feel at being apart. No matter the reason, Sherri is masterful at making us feel the loss, the missing contact between these two wonderful characters. Not completely unexpected, we get some interesting twists to their story before we are allowed to share in the joy of their reunion. I don't think that is really a spoiler, I would have been sorely upset if they didn't end up together! But getting there was quite bumpy... I adored this series, enjoying the audio books now, as a way to reengage with characters that feel more like friends. I will miss Lily and Logan and hope one day that Sherri will revisit these amazing sidekicks to Stephan and Brianna and I will miss Stephan and Brianna but knowing they get their HEA, I can't be too sad to depart from them. Sherri weaves a wonderful story of survival, perseverance, and the lasting impact of love and sacrifice. I am so glad that I took this journey with her.

The Summary


Brianna is lost for the fourth time in her life. Each time was unexpected, and each changed the course of her future. The first life-altering event occurred when her mother died, and she moved to Minnesota to live with her father.
The second was when she was kidnapped at the age of seventeen and forced to be a slave. She would never forget those ten months. Brianna thought her life was over.
Everything changed again the day Stephan steamrolled into her life and brought her home to live with him. She had no idea what to expect—what life with her new Master would hold. That first month with Stephan was, in some ways, more confusing than the prior ten. As a slave, she’d known her place. With Stephan everything was new and different. He’d given her freedom and so much more.
Five months after Stephan rescued her, Brianna once again finds her life flipped upside down.
In this fourth, and final, installment of Finding Anna, Brianna must unearth strength she never knew she possessed. Stephan can no longer protect her from the outside world. She must learn to trust herself, embrace who she is, and discover who she wants to be. Only by facing her demons can Brianna find true happiness and peace.

Character Interview


For Stephan -
When in your life did you realize you were a Dom and what happened to make you realize it?
I didn’t come to the realization that what I liked when it came to sex meant I was Dominant until my sophomore year of college when I walked in on my roommate, Daren, and his girlfriend. After several conversations, and a bit of experimentation and research, I began classifying myself as a sexual Dominant.
 What is the best part of it and what is the hardest?
The best part is getting to act out elaborate fantasies with my partner. Sex is never boring when one has lots of toys and a vivid imagination.
 What is your favorite part of running The Coleman foundation and what do you dislike?
My favorite part is helping people. I love continuing my parents’ legacy of helping those who can’t afford to get the medical care they need. The worst part is the politics. Unfortunately, sometimes egos get in the way of helping the people who need it most. Red tape and kissing someone’s ass isn’t what it’s supposed to be about.
If you could do something else, what would it be and why?
That’s an interesting question. I knew from a young age that my future would include running The Coleman Foundation. If I had to do something else, it would still probably be along those same lines. As I said above, I enjoy helping people, so maybe I’d get involved in a program focused on literacy or maybe even something to help those who are trying to rebuild their lives after abuse or slavery such as Brianna experienced.
What do you think your parents would have thought of Brianna?
My mom would have loved Brianna. It would have taken my dad a little longer to warm up to her, but once he got to know her, he would have loved her as well. Ultimately, my parents would have wanted me to find someone who made me happy. It’s all they ever wanted for me.
For Brianna -
Your life with Ian was so horrible, would you change it if it meant you wouldn't have met Stephan?
The girl I was before doesn’t exist anymore. She died. Ian killed her. If he hadn’t, I would be different. I would want different things. As much as I love Stephan, yes, I would change things. I could never want what Ian did to me.
What is your favorite childhood memory?
Making Christmas cookies with my mom.
What do you hope to learn to do one day?
I hope to be able to walk down a crowded street and not be afraid.
Who taught you how to cook?
My mom. She loved to be in the kitchen.
If you could ask Ian one question, what would it be?
Why?
For Logan and Lily -
What is each other's best trait and most annoying habit?
Logan: Lily’s best trait is her enthusiasm. It’s contagious. Her most annoying habit? That would probably be her tendency to go overboard when it comes to making sure her clothes are perfect. She’ll spend hours trying to put together the perfect outfit and make us late for wherever we’re going.
Lily: Hmm. I’d have to say Logan’s best trait is probably his generosity. He’s always willing to give of himself to help others. He’s a lot like Stephan that way. I think it’s one of the reasons they are such good friends. As for his most annoying habit, that’s hard to pin down. He has a few.
Logan: You know, the weekend will be here before you know it, pet. *smirks*
Lily: *giggles* He likes to hog the covers. Sometimes I’ll wake up with not an inch of blanket on me because he’s stole it all.
Does your family know about your Dom/sub relationship and what is their attitude about it?
Logan: No. That’s not something I’d openly discuss with my family.
Lily: My sister does. She walked in on us once when we were in the middle of playing. It didn’t go over well, and now whenever she’s around she watches us both like a hawk.
How did you each come into the lifestyle?
Lily: My high school boyfriend found this book that talked about tying your partner up and using toys, so we started experimenting. Things sort of developed from there.
Logan: I was introduced to the lifestyle by Lily. She and Stephan helped me find my footing.

 

 About the Author

Sherri spent most of her childhood detesting English class. It was one of her least favorite subjects because she never seemed to fit into the standard mold. She wasn't good at spelling or following grammar rules, and outlines made her head spin. For that reason, Sherri never imagined becoming an author.
At the age of thirty, all that changed. After getting frustrated with the direction a television show was taking two of its characters, Sherri decided to try her hand at writing an alternate ending and give the characters their happily ever after. By the time the story finished, it was one of the top ten read stories on the site, and her readers were encouraging her to write more.
Seven years later, Sherri is the author of seven full-length novels and one short story. Writing has become a creative outlet that allows her to explore a wide range of emotions, while having fun taking her characters through all the twists and turns she can create.
Connect With Sherri
on her
Other books by Sherri
 

BLOG TOUR GIVEAWAY

 
a Rafflecopter giveaway
 
 

1 comment:

  1. I am thrilled that we got to go on this wonderful reading adventure with Stephan, Brianna and Sherri!

    ReplyDelete