Random on Tour: Los Angeles by Julia Kent
Publication date: July 19th 2015
Genres: Comedy, New Adult, Romance
Synopsis:
BOOK SEVEN IN THE NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLING RANDOM SERIES:
I guzzled another flute of Champagne and froze, the liquid in my throat, waiting to be swallowed.
Tyler was here.
We’d met a few times before, in passing. He was the substitute bass player for the band; I was the lead guitar player’s girlfriend’s best friend. In that weird sort of social circle thing where Venn diagrams get laid over different groups, Tyler and I were bound to be in the crossover once in a while.
He looked so hot. Short brown hair. A few days of beard. Bright green eyes that were more guarded than a Russian mobster’s. He was sleeved, the colorful tattoos a tapestry, but every time I met him I couldn’t quite see them. We only saw each other in dark concert halls, or tonight, under the stars.
He gave Sam a rare smile and a hearty handshake, forearm muscles bulging. I wondered what it would be like to have those hands on me. My fingers tracing those tats. Listening to him tell me the story of his body while he forgave mine.
Forgave it for failing me.
I shook my head fast to banish the thoughts that drew me into places so dark they became black holes of the soul. The gravity of trauma had a way of sucking all the good into it, and tonight I wasn’t going to let that happen. The opposite, in fact.
Tonight I was going to sleep with Tyler.
He didn’t know it yet, but that was okay. He would. Soon.
* * *
Random on Tour: Los Angeles is the 7th book in the New York Times bestselling Random series, the ongoing story of the up-and-coming rock band, Random Acts of Crazy. When the band’s bass player, Joe Ross, gets injured in an unfortunate sex act that gains nationwide coverage, it’s tatted-up Tyler (aka “Frown”) to the rescue for their first big concert.
There’s only one problem: the morning of his flight to L.A. he wakes up to find someone’s stolen all his money, his bass, his ID, and his pride. When he shows up at Maggie’s doorstep to ask her to drive him from their hometown of St. Louis all the way to L.A., these two damaged people learn quickly that being independent doesn’t always mean being free…
Warning: This book deals with the very difficult topic of sexual assault and rape, and I’ve taken great care to address this with the sensitivity and respect it deserves.
None of the scenes in the book contain sexual violence, though the characters do tell their stories of past sexual violence. None of those descriptions is graphic or gratuitous. This book is about hope and healing, but the characters do have past trauma that they discuss.
I guzzled another flute of Champagne and froze, the liquid in my throat, waiting to be swallowed.
Tyler was here.
We’d met a few times before, in passing. He was the substitute bass player for the band; I was the lead guitar player’s girlfriend’s best friend. In that weird sort of social circle thing where Venn diagrams get laid over different groups, Tyler and I were bound to be in the crossover once in a while.
He looked so hot. Short brown hair. A few days of beard. Bright green eyes that were more guarded than a Russian mobster’s. He was sleeved, the colorful tattoos a tapestry, but every time I met him I couldn’t quite see them. We only saw each other in dark concert halls, or tonight, under the stars.
He gave Sam a rare smile and a hearty handshake, forearm muscles bulging. I wondered what it would be like to have those hands on me. My fingers tracing those tats. Listening to him tell me the story of his body while he forgave mine.
Forgave it for failing me.
I shook my head fast to banish the thoughts that drew me into places so dark they became black holes of the soul. The gravity of trauma had a way of sucking all the good into it, and tonight I wasn’t going to let that happen. The opposite, in fact.
Tonight I was going to sleep with Tyler.
He didn’t know it yet, but that was okay. He would. Soon.
* * *
Random on Tour: Los Angeles is the 7th book in the New York Times bestselling Random series, the ongoing story of the up-and-coming rock band, Random Acts of Crazy. When the band’s bass player, Joe Ross, gets injured in an unfortunate sex act that gains nationwide coverage, it’s tatted-up Tyler (aka “Frown”) to the rescue for their first big concert.
There’s only one problem: the morning of his flight to L.A. he wakes up to find someone’s stolen all his money, his bass, his ID, and his pride. When he shows up at Maggie’s doorstep to ask her to drive him from their hometown of St. Louis all the way to L.A., these two damaged people learn quickly that being independent doesn’t always mean being free…
Warning: This book deals with the very difficult topic of sexual assault and rape, and I’ve taken great care to address this with the sensitivity and respect it deserves.
None of the scenes in the book contain sexual violence, though the characters do tell their stories of past sexual violence. None of those descriptions is graphic or gratuitous. This book is about hope and healing, but the characters do have past trauma that they discuss.
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
On sale for 99¢ from Dec 3-10!
An interview with Julia Kent
Q: Random on Tour: Los Angeles, is a standalone, but it’s
also the seventh book in your Random series. Will readers really be able to
start with this book?
also the seventh book in your Random series. Will readers really be able to
start with this book?
A: Yes, absolutely. I wrote Random on Tour: Los Angeles for a
charity boxed set (all profits donated to diabetes research), and wrote it as a
standalone for new readers. You do not need to have read the first six books in
the series (but if you like Random on Tour: Los Angeles, definitely go back and
read the rest!) at all. Maggie and Tyler (nicknamed Frown because he frowns so
much) are side characters from the series, and so their story is fresh.
charity boxed set (all profits donated to diabetes research), and wrote it as a
standalone for new readers. You do not need to have read the first six books in
the series (but if you like Random on Tour: Los Angeles, definitely go back and
read the rest!) at all. Maggie and Tyler (nicknamed Frown because he frowns so
much) are side characters from the series, and so their story is fresh.
Q: This is a “road trip romance.” Tell us more.
A: I’ve never written a “road trip romance” before, and when
the idea hit me – that Frown would have to turn to the woman whose advances
he’d spurned just recently – to help him on a long-distance road trip where they
were forced to be in a car for two days, I nearly cheered. That kind of forced
closeness creates tension – and, fortunately, attraction!
the idea hit me – that Frown would have to turn to the woman whose advances
he’d spurned just recently – to help him on a long-distance road trip where they
were forced to be in a car for two days, I nearly cheered. That kind of forced
closeness creates tension – and, fortunately, attraction!
Q: This is an intense book. Maggie is one of the band
member’s girlfriend’s best friends (say that ten times fast). She’s a gang rape
survivor. Her rape made national news seven years before, and she’s finally
recovered – and is ready to have sex again. Frown is trying to escape his
family’s cycle of drug addiction and living on the edge, barely surviving. He
has plenty of his own demons and secrets. Why have these two fall in love?
member’s girlfriend’s best friends (say that ten times fast). She’s a gang rape
survivor. Her rape made national news seven years before, and she’s finally
recovered – and is ready to have sex again. Frown is trying to escape his
family’s cycle of drug addiction and living on the edge, barely surviving. He
has plenty of his own demons and secrets. Why have these two fall in love?
A: Because they’re both so stubborn and so, so independent.
Love is about realizing that you’re not alone. You don’t need to put on the
“I’m fine” act.
Love is about realizing that you’re not alone. You don’t need to put on the
“I’m fine” act.
Q: Is that why you have a rather, um…crappy scene when
they’re on the road? You add some humor here. A lot of humor. Toilet humor.
they’re on the road? You add some humor here. A lot of humor. Toilet humor.
A: There’s an extended series of chapters where Frown has to
depend on Maggie for everything, and then they have to actually let their
guards down as nature, um, intervenes. All I’m going to say – without spilling
it – is that you can’t get more real than a road trip bathroom emergency. Or
six.
depend on Maggie for everything, and then they have to actually let their
guards down as nature, um, intervenes. All I’m going to say – without spilling
it – is that you can’t get more real than a road trip bathroom emergency. Or
six.
Q: How do you balance the comedy with the much more serious
issue of rape and recovery?
issue of rape and recovery?
A: I never, ever make light of sexual assault, and all of
those scenes took place before this book. As for the comedy, I think laughter
is a major part of the healing process. Life is funny, even when it’s just
plain awful. The hope and recovery that comes from laughter is as important as
love.
those scenes took place before this book. As for the comedy, I think laughter
is a major part of the healing process. Life is funny, even when it’s just
plain awful. The hope and recovery that comes from laughter is as important as
love.
AUTHOR BIO:
New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author Julia Kent writes romantic comedy with an edge. From billionaires to BBWs to new adult rock stars, Julia finds a sensual, goofy joy in every contemporary romance she writes. Unlike Shannon from Shopping for a Billionaire, she did not meet her husband after dropping her phone in a men’s room toilet (and he isn’t a billionaire).
She lives in New England with her husband and three sons in a household where the toilet seat is never, ever, down.
She loves to hear from her readers by email at jkentauthor@gmail.com, on Twitter @jkentauthor, on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/jkentauthor . Visit her at http://jkentauthor.com
She lives in New England with her husband and three sons in a household where the toilet seat is never, ever, down.
She loves to hear from her readers by email at jkentauthor@gmail.com, on Twitter @jkentauthor, on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/jkentauthor . Visit her at http://jkentauthor.com
Blitz-wide giveaway (INTL)
- $25 Starbucks card + a signed copy of Random on Tour: Los Angeles
- Ends December 17th
Sounds good 🙂 Thank you so much for the chance 🙂
this looks and sounds like a lot of fun 🙂 thanks for sharing!
I love this
The book sounds great and I LOVE the book cover!
Sounds good. Great cover. Thanks for the giveaway!