Off The Record by Sawyer Bennett ~ Tour Stop & GIVEAWAY

See complete tour HERE

Yeah, so my stop was SUPPOSED to be my review - BUT I may have got over-excited about sharing that and posted it early.

You can see it HERE.

No worries, though.  I have something even BETTER for ya.  I sat down with Linc...and Nix for a little chat.  Enjoy.

V – Valerie speaking

N – Nix speaking

L – Linc speaking

V -Well hello there! So excited to get to meet you two and stare…I mean talk to you for a bit.

N: *Smirks*

L:  *Jabs Nix in the ribs, dimples exploding*

V -Dang if you aren’t even more gorgeous in person.  So not fair.  I’ll try not to take too many drooling breaks, guys.

N:  *laughs* I’m sure we can find a drool bib for you.

L:  Yeah, Ever has them laying all over our house. It’s a problem she has when she’s in my presence.

N: Dude...this is supposed to be a serious interview.

L:  I am serious, bro. My girl has it bad for me.

N: Who are you kidding? You’re the one that’s whipped.   *jabbing Linc back, a little more forcefully*   Valerie...how about you just start, otherwise this monkey will never shut up.

V -Okay, questions. 

V -Names.  I need the scoop on your names.  Named after someone? Mean something to the family?  I LOVE both of your names.  Different and yummy, yea know.  So let’s hear it.  (Shoot.  I think I’m already babbling.  So much hotness has that affect on me.)

N:  Actually, Nixon is a namesake in our family.  Apparently a lot of men on my mom’s side had it but she didn’t really like Nixon, so they called me Nix.

L:  I was an unplanned kid, so my name wasn’t exactly planned out either. *looking at Nix* Come to think of it, I have no fucking clue why they named me Lincoln.  Do you know?

N:  It sounded better than dumbass?

L:  Dude...you just told me to be serious...how ‘bout you do the same.  *pulls phone out of pocket and starts dialing* I’m calling dad. He’ll know.

L:  Hey, Pops. Nix and I are doing this interview with this super cool chick, Valerie, and she wants to know the origins of our names. Why did you and mom name me Lincoln?  *listens while his dad talks*  Cool. Thanks! Love you, Dad.”  *Linc hangs up and puts the phone back in his pocket. Looking at Nix with an air of superiority.*  Dad says that when I was born, I just had that look about me...like I would be a tireless champion for people. He said they felt naming me after someone like President Lincoln would be a great tribute to his legacy.

N: *snorts. Then starts laughing out loud.*  Oh, God...I can’t believe you fell for that.

L:  Whatever, dude. I’m sticking to that story.

N:  *still snickering* Next question, Valerie.

*Deep breath*

V- Nix.  Tell me something about Linc that we don’t learn in the books.  (Hold on Linc.  Your turn is coming)

L:  *groans*

N:  *looking at Linc with a positively evil look*  Well, there was this time when we were kids and away at summer camp, and it would embarrass the shit out of Linc if I told you about it...but I’ve actually got a better story. 

L:  Nix...so help me God, if you tell the story about Holly Metcalf in eleventh grade, I will murder you in your sleep. And I’ll be so quiet about it, Emily won’t even hear it happening.

N:  *completely non-plussed* So, when Linc was in sixth grade, one of his classmates had cancer.  *looking at Linc*  I forget what kind it was?

L:  *looking stunned* Leukemia.

N:  That’s right. At any rate, the kid lost his hair and all the other kids picked on him.  So what did Linc do?

V:  Beat them up?

N: Well...that’s what I would have done, but no...he shaved all his hair off, too...I mean bald as a baby’s butt.  Mom helped you do it, remember?

L:  I remember.

N:  And Linc was such a popular kid in school, he made bald heads popular. That kid ended up having a lot of friends and of course, they stopped picking on him. And the really cool thing, is that Linc wasn’t even a friend of his. He didn’t even know the kid, really. He just couldn’t stand to see someone being picked on. *looking at Linc*  Dad’s probably right about your name. You are a champion to people.

L:  Well, fuck man, that almost made me cry.  *wiping fake tears from his eyes* Like, can I have a hug or something?

N: Shut up, you dick.

V - Get even time.  Linc.  Tell me something about Nix that we don’t learn in the books.

L:  *dramatically stretching his arms out with hands clasped, cracking his knuckles* So, everyone thinks that Nix is this big, bad tough dude...but Emily made him watch Steel Magnolias a few weeks ago and he cried.

N:  I so did not do that, you jackass.

L: Did too. Emily emailed me and told me.  No worries, bro. She said she liked the softer side of you.

N:  *muttering* I can’t believe you just told that story...after I told the one about you shaving your head to help a sick kid.

L:  That’s pay back for that time you covered my toilet in Saran Wrap when we were living together while you were remodeling your house.

N:  *snickering*  That was freakin’ hilarious. I almost gave myself a hernia I was laughing so hard.

L:  Yeah, not so much.

V -Both of you.  Tell us about your first kiss. (Not of each other – with a girl! Guys)

L:  That’s easy. Karmen Villachez. I was in second grade. It was on a dare and I was certainly brave enough.  Always been brave when it came to kissing the girls!

N: Mine’s easy, too.  When Emily fell off the ladder and into my arms...and then she kissed me.

V:  *looks incredulous* There’s no way that was your first kiss, Nix.

N:  *sappy grin on his face*  But it was...my first real kiss anyway. Nothing before that was real. Nothing before that mattered.

L:  *making a gagging motion with his finger in his mouth*

V -Nix.  Think about when you met Em for the first time.  It was an accidental encounter as I recall.  J After you picked yourself off the ground and looked up at her, what was your first thought?

N:  Well, at first I was really pissed and I wanted to wring her pretty little neck...and trust me, I noticed how gorgeous she was. But then she got wobbly on me and started to faint, and I remember my heart lurched when I saw starting to fall. It scared me actually.  And after she became lucid and stopped her ramblings, I don’t know...there was just something about her that was compelling to me. Maybe it was only on a subconscious level, but I knew she was different than other women.

V -Linc.  You first meet up with Ever at a party you were having.  You saw her before she saw you.  What was your first thought when you saw her?

L:  Holy hell, I thought she was freakin’ gorgeous. I mean...you’ve seen those eyes, right? I think you can see them shine from like a mile away. I’ve never had a woman’s eyes captivate me like that. It was kind of surreal to be honest. They are still my favorite part about her, and trust me...she has a lot of awesome parts.

N: Keep it PG,  man.

V – Nix.  Describe Emily to us in 5 words.

N:  *scratching his chin*  Let’s see...Fierce, Determined, Protective, Brilliant, and Fucking Smokin’ Hot. I know that went over my word limit, but there’s no one more beautiful so she deserved the extra few words.

V – Linc. Describe Ever to us in 5 words.

L:  Loving, Independent, Honest. And A Million Times Hotter Than Emily. (No offense, Em, when you read this). I know that last one brought me way over the word limit, but the most important one is Forgiving.  That’s my girl.

V – So love your dad.  Did he ever say anything to you about your girls after he met them?

N:  Dad thought Emily was cute when he first met her at the hockey game, but he never in a million years guessed I had an interest in her. And frankly, I’m glad...because my interest at that time was a little X-rated. Not something I really wanted him to know at the time.

L:  Yeah, dad really felt bad for Ever. He knew Emily was really pissed at her at that barbeque we had, and he knew Ever made a mistake with that article, but he was never mad about it.  I think he saw something really special in Ever even before I did.

N:  But dad is now constantly harping on us about grandkids, especially since we got engaged.

L:  I know...he won’t shut up about it.

N:  Like the other day I was over at his house helping him fix the sink drain, and he kept going on and on...I wanted to plunge the wrench in my eye just to make it stop.

L:  He’s getting sentimental in his old age.

N: Thank God that won’t happen to us.

L:  Yup...won’t ever happen to us.

V -This or that time guys

Sweet or salty

N:  Salty

L:  Agree...salty

Day or night

N:  Night.

L:  Night.

Movie theater or DVD

N:  DVD

L:  Anti-social twerp.  Movie theater, definitely.

Blue eyes or Green eyes

N:  Ummmm....green?

L:  You seriously need me to answer that?

Skittles or M&Ms

N:  Skittles.

L:   You’re just bag of rainbow happiness, aren’t you?  M&M’s.

Brown hair or Blonde hair

N:  Brown hair.

L:  Ummm....brown hair?

Kissing or cuddling (NOTHING else – just choose)

N:  Kissing.

L:  Oh yeah, definitely kissing.

V - Okay it’s time for the spoilery stuff.  I promise to protect the question and the answer so only those who want to read it (who have read the book) can.

V – Nix.  I totally and completely LOVED the proposal in Off the Record.  Now I want to know about the wedding plans.  See, I’m remembering Ryan’s wedding and I’m assuming you did ask Emily’s father for permission so I’m hoping her parents will be there.  But I’m still thinking it’s gonna be a small affair.  Got any deets?

N:  Yeah, we’ve been talking about it. And you’re right...I did ask Alex for permission and he happily gave it.  Well...at least he seemed happy. Anyway, if I had my way, I’d take her down to the Courthouse tomorrow and we’d get it done. But Emily wants some type of ceremony with a minister. We’re actually considering a destination wedding...maybe in St. John or something, and only having our close family members attend. Then throwing one hell of a party when we get back for everyone else to come and celebrate with us.

L:  Just so I’m clear...I’m one of the close family members that are invited, right?

N: Seeing as how you’re the Best Man, I think you’re invited.

V – Linc.  You know where this is going, right?  I want to know about HOW you plan on popping the question.  See, I can’t stop thinking about a couple of newspaper articles that came into play in your relationship and well…I’m just wondering.  Any more articles happening?  AND don’t be telling me you haven’t thought about it yet. *teacher glare* I did tell you I was a teacher, right?

L:  *laughing*  That teacher glare is pretty scary, actually. As long as you promise Ever can’t see this, I will tell you I have something really good planned and trust me when I say, she’ll never see it coming.  I’m just waiting on one more tiny detail to iron out, and then it’s game on.  As for an article...hey, I’m not the writer. That’s Ever. But I do have some creativity.

*jumps up and gives both guys giant hugs*

V – Wow.  Did I just do that?  So glad you guys put up with me today.  You’ve been great.  Come see me again.

N: We had a great time, Valerie.

L:  Yeah, this was actually fun, even though Nix can be a turd sometimes.

N:  Better a turd than a moron.

L:  Freak.

N: Sissy.

L:  Douche.

V:  Who are you kidding?   You guys love each other.

N:  *looking at Linc and clapping him on the back*  Yeah, that we do.

L:  See you, Valerie.

*waves*

V- Bye!

Book Description:

The sparks of dislike burn hot, but the sparks of mutual attraction burn even hotter.

Ever Montgomery suffered the ultimate betrayal by the one man who she should have been able to count on for anything. It has left her hurt, jaded and incapable of forming relationships, but it also means that she can spot a liar a mile away.  These traits are earning her a reputation as a reporter with a keen nose for a good story and a complete understanding of the extreme power of the written word.

Lincoln Caldwell, is the hot goalie for the New York Rangers. At twenty-four and a rising star, he works hard and he plays even harder. He’s gorgeous and carefree—the ultimate charmer.  Ladies fall at his feet and the single life has never been lived the way Linc Caldwell does it.

When Ever publishes an article about Linc containing information that she received off the record, she finds herself on the receiving end of the athelete’s fury.  Rather than basking in the glory of exposing Linc as a shameless user of women, she finds herself at his mercy when he demands and receives retribution.  Required by her editor to trail Linc for six weeks, Ever is forced to look at the real Linc Caldwell.

 And she just might find that she has misjudged him.

About the author:

Sawyer Bennett is the pen name for a snarky southern woman and reformed trial lawyer who decided to finally start putting on paper all of the stories that were floating in her head. She is married to a mobster (well, a market researcher) and they have two big, furry dogs who hog the bed. Sawyer would like to report she doesn't have many weakness but can be bribed with a nominal amount of milk chocolate.

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