Mocked By Destiny - Book Review and Guest Post

Mocked By Destiny by Michele Richard, is a story about young love and having to grow up too fast. Stella lives in the tourist town of Virginia Beach. She has never had a strong male presense in her life, because in her family the men always leave. Although she's been raised with love and values, both her grandmother and her mother got pregnant at an early age. So Stella is determined not to follow in their path.
Then she meets Stefan. The attraction between them is immediate, and the fact that Stefan will be leaving soon only intesifies their feelings for each other. After some major family drama from Stefan's dad, Stella and Stefan end up having sex, and Stella winds up pregnant. But that's only the beginning of the story.
I thought the writing in this books was very tight and vivid. I liked that the point of view switched between Stella and Stefan's voices, giving the reader insight into what they both were thinking. I did find it hard to believe that a good looking guy like Stefan had never been kissed before Stella, but that's a minor detail.
Most of all, Richard painted a very detailed picture of how someone like Stella might react to getting pregnant based on her past experiences and family life. Stella was smart and ambitious and I was glad that didn't change despite her unplanned pregnancy. Mocked by Destiny is the first book about teen pregnancy that I have read in a while that tackles the complications and messiness of the issue. But it's also an enjoyable, romantic read.

Keep reading for a special guest post by the author, Michele Richard and an excerpt from Mocked By Destiny.

Thank you for letting me stop by! I’ve been running none stop this month. Mocked by Destiny was my first release and my first re-release under Renaissance Romance Publishing. Moving publishing houses has been an adventure and not a bad one. Now with Mocked by Destiny being in its second edition, I had opportunities I didn’t before. It’s really wonderful. So here’s a bit about Mocked by Destiny:

Summary:

For Stella Richards, life in the charming town of Virginia Beach is not as magical as one would think. Sun, fun, and sand only guarantee one thing: unwanted visitors. Stella learned long ago to never befriend anyone visiting the beach. They're here; then they're gone, drifting in and out as the tide ebbs and flows. She vowed to never connect with anyone vacationing in Virginia Beach - until spring break. Stefan changed everything.

Stefan Sterling lives life never knowing where he will end up next. Bouncing from one Military base to another has hampered his ability to connect to those around him. That's what happens when your father is in the military. Raised in a world of discipline, control, and strangers, Stefan never expected to find anyone he'd want to be close to - let alone love.

A family curse verses a loving abnormality promises to keep Stella and Stefan on their toes. Was it an accident or could it be destiny? Will they be able to survive their families? And, is there ever a time when you can fully let go of the person who awoke your soul?

I was hit with the idea for this book while I actually sat on the beach it was set in. Too eager to allow the idea to slip away, I grabbed my daughter’s notebook and started filling the pages. Half the book was finished before I returned to Boston. I’d never inspired to a published author. In fact: I’d hidden my writing from everyone who knew me, including my family. My insecurities about being accepted almost held me back from sharing. It took a friend from NY to talk me into sending it into a publishing house. You can imagine my surprise when it took second in a contest and was wanted by The Writer’s Coffee Shop. It’s found a new home at Renaissance Romance Publishing.

With so many wonderful reviews it’s hard to pick one favorite, but having it described as raw and realistic has to be my choice. I didn’t want to glorify it, I wanted to wake up teen minds and have them say, “NO! I don’t want that.”

With that said, don’t look for me to put it down either. It’s a hard situation for a teen and the family that supports them. My intent was always just to present with the facts in a fictional character that they could relate to. I feel I have them justice in what they had to go through. I’ll leave it up to you to decide.

Excerpt:

“Stella, I leave tomorrow, but we still have tonight. Please, let’s spend our last few hours alone?” he pleaded, his hair still dripping, the droplets glimmering as they rolled down his cheeks.

“I would like that,” I admitted, breathless. My body tingled as he stroked my arms.

He didn’t hesitate to drag me through the house and upstairs. I pointed out the door to my room with my trembling hand. With our hands clutched together, he spun to face me and kissed me desperately until I felt like I would pass out from oxygen deprivation.

“Stella,” he moaned, cupping my face in his hands. “I’ve never felt like this before with anybody. I need you in a way I’ve never needed anyone.” He whimpered into my mouth.

Stefan started rubbing his cold hands across my wet clothes. His clothes clung to his firm physique, making him look even more defined. His chest heaved against mine, making me want to be as close to him as possible. Our shared body heat started to warm our cool, damp skin. No amount of denial could hide the effect our closeness caused. 

“Stefan, this isn’t a good idea. I don’t want to be like my mom.” My mind said no, but my body was screaming yes.

“I promise I’m not like your dad. I’ll be back on August twenty-third, when my parents can’t stop us from being together,” he vowed with total confidence.

“I love you. Can’t we wait until then?” I chewed my lip, nervous.

“I love so much, I feel like my heart will explode. I want to show you by giving you the one thing they can’t stop me from giving you: me!”

There was no fighting it anymore. He wanted it, I wanted it, and that was the moment my dreams died. Whether I knew it or not at the time was irrelevant. At that moment I sealed my fate.

Thank you again for letting me stop by! Hope you will check out Mocked by Destiny!

Michele Richard