Blog Tour: Kayden: The Past by Chelle Bliss, Review, Teasers & Giveaway!

Released On: December 31, 2013

Kayden: The Past

by Chelle Bliss

A Prologue of the Love At Last Series

4.5 stars

I got into this story without reading the first book in the series, Untangle Me . Kayden: The Past is a standalone, which makes sense because it is the prologue for the series. However, I could tell that readers will be able to appreciate it even more of they read Untangle Me first. Considering that I really liked it without reading book 1, that's saying a lot!

I congratulate Chelle Bliss for writing a prologue book instead of an alternate POV. She took a risk here because from what I can gather from reviews of Untangle Me, Kayden is not what you'd call an ideal book boyfriend. Some reviewers called him selfish and immature. He apparently hurt Sophia too often and too much to be acceptable. The general consensus was that he's not the type of hero whom everyone would swoon over for. 

I think though that those people who didn't like Kayden in book 1 should definitely read Kayden: The Past. This book is such a revelation. I imagine it will explain so many things about his behavior, his alcoholism, practically everything negative perceived about him. He is definitely a three-dimensional character. What he shows to the world is often not what you'd expect he's feeling inside.

My heart just broke for him. He went through so much heartache, it's a miracle he's not more screwed up than he is when he first met Sophia. He's had his heart broken three times, and I can honestly say that none of them were his fault. It was the women he chose to love who messed up. 

Each broken relationship was so unfair for Kayden because he genuinely and sincerely cared for each of them. He cleaned up his act, worked hard, and when it all ended he came out a wreck each time. :( I was so pissed off at the cruelty of those women! It was because of the pain they caused that he turned to alcohol more and more.

There may have been times when Kayden seemed helpless and no match for those women and the situation they put him in, but he was also able to exact some form of revenge on them. Surprisingly.. no, not surprisingly.. I found myself rooting for him! *evil grin* I was on his side all throughout the book, and that's not something I expected at all. I was so ready to dislike him because of all the reviews of Untangle Me that I read beforehand. Well now, what can I say, I'm all for Kayden. Chelle Bliss was able to convince me. :)

By the time he found Sophia on Facebook, he was more or less done with relationships. All he wanted to do was his job, earn money... and later on, get to know Sophia better. I loved reading how he stopped meeting his acquaintances-with-benefits (I really wouldn't call them friends) because he would rather spend the evenings chatting with her. I was pleased to know that there's still some sweetness left in him despite everything he went through with women. 

Aside from those three failed relationships, the book also tells Kayden's escapades with other women. His good looks, physical assets *ahem*, appeal and overall likability made him a lady magnet. Not that he went all-out with a different woman each week, but he certainly didn't lack for female companionship whenever he made the effort. Now this also means that there are plenty of sex scenes in this book. If it starts to feel a bit much, it's okay to skim through some of them. You'll know which scenes are fine to gloss over and which ones have parts of the narrative that you shouldn't miss.

Kayden: The Past really exceeded my expectations. Chelle Bliss wrote this character beautifully, possibly even redeemed him in the eyes of many. By the end of this book, whatever hesitations you may have had in Untangle Me will hopefully be gone. He loves Sophia :) and he will do everything he can for her and their family.

Buy links: Amazon US | Amazon UK | Barnes & Noble | Smashwords

Synopsis:

** CAN BE READ AS A STAND ALONE NOVEL**

Kayden Michaels has a past filled with sex, addiction, and heartache. A past that he’s avoided sharing with the love of his life, Sophia, and held close to his core not risking rejection. Needing to get his addictions in check and gain control of his life for the sake of his family, Kayden is forced to confront his past and make amends for the path he’s walked.

Kayden must recount every carnal act and the betrayal from those he’s loved to identify the triggers that spur his addictions and overcome it all to be worthy of Sophia’s love – his sole reason to exist.

This is NOT a novella.

About the Author:

Chelle Bliss has dedicated her life to education. She has been a teacher for over ten years and holds a Master of Education degree. Teaching has given her a creative outlet, but she yearned for something more. Writing has given her that, no longer about just creativity, it became a journey.

Chelle is an avid reader; consuming contemporary romance, dark reads, young adult, and all things erotica. Chelle wanted to create a book filled with characters that readers could relate to with real world problems and matching wallets.

Chelle loves to travel and her favorite cities are New Orleans and Paris. She currently lives in Florida with her amazing boyfriend. He’s showed her the love and passion that she has poured onto the page.