———————————————————————————————————
Synopsis
Alan Green and Samantha Cohn have known each other for as long as both can remember. They have a special relationship that has grown far beyond mere friendship.
Inseparable, Al and Sam have spent their lives with one another—from childhood secrets, through awkward teenage years, to finding themselves as adults—it’s always been the two of them together.
When unexpected tragedy hits, and Sam is left fighting for her life, Alan can only watch and wait. Left alone without his best friend, Alan spends his time reliving his past, ensnared in the memories of the chaotic relationship with the girl that stole his heart.
How would you spend the time until?
5 out of 5 STARS
———————————————————————
My Review
I had the privilege to Beta read The Time Until and the first time around, oh my god, I sat reading it, sobbing my heart out from start to finish. Both happy and sad tears. My emotions were all over the place and that in itself, to me anyway, is a book that I love. You make me cry, I will love you forever.
I have read this book three times and each time is just as emotional as the last despite knowing what is going to happen. Each time a little has changed and I think the final version is just pure amazing. Casey will have you hooked from the very start, wanting to know the beginning of Sam and Alan, wanting to journey through their time line, know about their friendship and how they go to the point they are at now…with Sam fighting for her life and Alan, his life also altered but he is petrified of life without Sam. Casey has a way with this story that you just cant and don’t want to put it down. You NEED to know what is going to happen, need to know their background but need to know if Sam lives or dies…and if she dies, how Alan is going to handle her death.
They have pretty much been inseparable since they were 5, and at 20, that’s a hell of a lot of time and years spent together. To lose her would kill him. My heart was hurting, my chest was hurting, I cried so hard that my make-up was running down my face and this book was all I could think about…and this was only when I was Beta’ing it, so I damn well know just how brilliant this story is if I was feeling all these emotions right from the beginning.
I don’t want to spoil the book, as I want YOU to read it and because so much happens during the time Sam is fighting for her life, from the past and the present of these two, how their families are coping and how their friends are there for both of them throughout the event. You find out so much from Alan, about his and Sam’s past, about how they became friends, everything they have been through together and separate and despite Sam being in a coma, you learn so much about her, her personality, her love, all from Alan and the flashbacks to the past and of course, how he talks about her in the present. You can really see how much he loves her, how he cant imagine life without her in it and how scared he is to loose her. It cant be an option to him, she has to live and be with him.
Casey makes you go through the motions with your emotions. I literally felt everything whilst reading this book, and bloody hell, what a debut it is. It is firmly on my ‘favourites’ shelf, not just of 2013, but of every book I’ve read. You can tell just how hard Casey worked on this book, to how he wanted it to be portrayed and read and he was spot on with everything – from the emotions, the storyline and especially how he keeps you hanging right until the end to see if Sam lives or dies. I was consumed within this book, needing to get to the end to know how it ended and it really is a great ending to the story of Sam and Alan.
If there is one book you buy today, then make it The Time Until. You will not be disappointed, you will sob your little heart out so hard but it’s worth every single word to get to the finish, to see how it ended….
So to you Casey, from Sugar Boobs, thank you so much for letting me Beta read this and everyone is going to love it, I just know it 😀 I look forward to reading more books from you in the future!
———————————————————-
Sam’s POV of the ‘First Kiss’
“Samantha can you go see what’s keeping Alan for me? I think he went to get cleaned up by the concession stand.” I nod my head and finish putting the folding chair into the back of the SUV. I walk up to the stand, but don’t see any sign of Alan anywhere.
“Where did he go?” I ask myself. Heading to the back of the stand, I hear the rustling of clothes. I roll my eyes a bit and make my way toward the sound.
“Hey, Al, everyone is wa—”
HOLY SHIT!
Alan is standing there with his shirt halfway off his body and my heart has just died. This is no pansy boy here. No sir, this is a man. A ripped, chiseled man. Sweat beading down his chest causing his body to glisten in the fading sunlight. I bite my bottom lip in an unconscious attempt to bite his stomach. I shouldn’t be staring at him like this, but I have to. My eyes are drawn to his stomach muscles as he flexes them slightly. Despite knowing it’s for my benefit, the gesture makes me want to touch him. His goal-keeper shorts hang low on his hips, showing a tantalizing view of his underwear – which hang just as low as his shorts. My breathing freezes in my lungs and the slow burn is a welcome reminder that I’m alive and not in heaven.
I want this to be real.
He finishes taking off his shirt and his biceps work under his tight skin causing my temperature to sky rocket. My feet move on their own and I suddenly find myself standing in front of him, eyes locked on his Spartan like abs. He looks so delicious I can’t stop from feeling his muscles. Slowly running my fingers along the hard edges of his brawn. He shivers slightly at my touch and I fight to control the sudden surge of excitement from my knowledge that my touch causes that reaction in him.
Touching his body causes my body to heat more. My core is so hot I’m surprised my pants haven’t started on fire. The hot moisture causes my clothes to cling in a strangely enjoyable way.
If he was to touch me like I’m touching him I’d most likely explode into a nuclear explosion – or a supernova.
“Where did these come from?” I ask at barely a whisper. It’s the loudest I can muster since my body has decided to stop lubricating my throat. My eyes never leave Alan’s stomach, I’m not confident in my ability to control myself if I look into his eyes.
My control is fragile as it is right now.
“Where do you think?” he ask me back. “I run every day. I have to stay in shape for soccer.”
Of course, I knew that. I’m not an idiot, despite evidence to the contrary at the moment.
My other hand joins the first one in its exploration of Alan’s amazing new body. I start to calm down a bit, but I can still feel my cheeks burn. I risk a glance up at his face and immediately realize my mistake.
He’s majestic in his look of adoration. The lingering drops of sweat make his face glow in the sunlight at his back. He’s beautiful and all mine. That thought brings a smile to my lips. Looking at his lips I barely have time to ask myself what they would taste like before I got first-hand knowledge. Alan’s body moves so fast I don’t even know what to do. His heavenly body slams me against the wall and the pleasure of the force nearly causes me to moan.
Alan’s never been this forceful and dominating. It feels amazing. His powerful arms – which I’ve never taken the time to fully enjoy – hold me firmly but gently against his body as our lips explore each other. The incredible taste of his warm lips cause me to forget to breath and I have to break away briefly to catch my breath and my bearings.
Alan has different ideas and my mouth in suddenly invaded by his tongue. My eyes roll into the back of my head at the new sensation. It’s intense and powerful, but also gentle and considerate. He’s taken control but not enough to make me feel pressured. I feel like I could say “stop” at any time and there would be no hesitation.
I decide to give in to him completely at this moment. I want to see how far he’s willing to take this new and very much approved attitude.
I start to slip from his grasp and before I can readjust he grasps my ass to hold me up. The gesture causes a surge of lust to shoot through my wet body. The sudden emotion and response makes me gasp slightly and moan loudly into his mouth. My mind starts to fall into bliss, but I can make out a wicked smile on his lips before I disappear. Wild anticipation intrudes on my bliss as I wonder what he has in store for me now.
His tongue slides slowly down my neck and the resulting goose-bumps send chills down my back and more lust to my already willing and waiting core. He pushes against me harder as he sucks on my collarbone and feeling his obvious excitement makes me lose even more control. I can’t control my strength when I crush his face into my chest.
His need hits a certain spot on my wetness and I nearly pass out from the sensation.
“Oh my god,” I scream in-between breathes. Oh my god is right… this feels godly. Why does it ever have to stop? I might just shatter into a million pieces if he does.
Alan takes my mouth again and I enjoy the swollen feeling that comes from it.
“I love you,” Alan whispers into my mouth.
The entire world grinds to a swift and decisive stop. I remember what we’re doing.
He’s my best friend.
What the hell am I thinking?
“Wow,” a small voice comes from next to us. Still in a confused trance of pleasure and shock, I turn my head with Alan to see his sister standing there. Alan jumps away and I immediately regret not savoring his delectable smell and feel before, I miss it now. But knowing what we were just doing causes me to forget my regret.
We shouldn’t be doing that, ever. We’re friends not lovers. What would happen if things didn’t work out? It would disastrous. I need Alan. He’s been my rock and comfort for so long. I can’t lose him simply because of something like lust I mistake for love.
But he says he loves me. Is it real love? How long has that been?
Alan is talking to his sister. I can’t focus on them at the moment, I’m trying to keep from going crazy from worry.
I can’t lose him.
The thought alone is enough to send fear blasting through my very soul. My heart seizes in my chest at the potential abandonment.
No, I can never let that happen!
“That never should have happened,” I tell him and a pinch of pain attacks my heart at his dropped face. This has to be done.
“What do you mean?” he asks me and the hurt evident in his voice cause me to second guess my decision before fear takes over again. I get up and push his hand out of the way. Maybe I should explain a little. He might understand if I tell him my reasoning behind all this.
“Sam?” The pain in his voice convinces me that nothing will help the situation. I take a step back when he steps up to me. I’m not scared of him, but his touch will be my undoing right now. Words start spilling from my mouth with no thought behind them.
“This is all wrong… We can’t… I don’t want…” I don’t want to change our relationship. We can’t do this. This doesn’t feel wrong, but I think it is.
I have to get out of here before his sorrowful, majestic face cause me to break in two. I bolt for the car and spend the rest of the ride home in silent contemplation. We can still go back to how we used to be…
Right?
————————————————————–
GIVEAWAY!!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
———————————————————-
About Casey
I like to write and love just about anything romance [Except triangles, I hate triangles…. Oh! And Squares! They’re the worst].
Anyway, I live with my wife and two kids in good ole U.S.of A. and I actually work full time as a Graphic Designer. I write to relieve stress and because I like to create stories.
The Time Until is my first book and it’s both a joy and a chore to write.
————————————————————
Links to The Time Until
Amazon | Amazon UK | Amazon Canada | B&N | Nook | Smashwords | ITunes
Z. Elizabeth 