Happy Thursday! Today, I’m spotlighting a new contemporary romance by K.M. Frist. No Matter What releases tomorrow, and it sounds like an intriguing YA romance. Let’s check it out!
About the Book:
Title: No Matter What
Author: K.M. Frost
Genre: YA Contemporary Romance
Release Date: May 12, 2023
Blurb: Mason’s life is far from perfect, but it turns out it can get worse. When his mom ends up in prison, he’s shipped off to the middle of nowhere. Apparently he’s got grandparents—parents of the father he knows nothing about. Mason’s not interested in bonding with these newfound grandparents. He just wants to survive until his eighteenth birthday so he can escape this backwater town and finally be free.
Emily is struggling to keep what’s left of her family from falling apart after a horrible accident stole her mom. She has enough on her plate with mothering her younger siblings and protecting a secret that could destroy everything, when she runs into Mason—literally. Her life doesn’t need more complications, and this distractingly attractive, clearly damaged boy promises nothing but trouble. Still, she can’t help but be drawn to him.
Mason and Emily are opposites in nearly every way, but neither can deny the attraction between them. Mason knows he isn’t good enough for her, and Emily knows she should stay away, but that doesn’t stop the pull they feel toward each other. Their tentative relationship is threatened when Mason is put in the crosshairs of the local gang and the town sheriff. Mason and Emily will have to decide what they really want—and if they’re willing to fight for it.
LINKS: Kindle | Goodreads | BookBub
Pre-order NO MATTER WHAT and fill out the form linked below to receive a signed bookmark! https://forms.gle/a8oesLjVHbbxXYnD8
About the Author:
K.M. Frost was brought up surrounded by books, and has loved stories of all kinds her whole life. Romance, comedy, and fantasy are some of her favorite genres to write, read, and watch. When she’s not writing, she enjoys reading, traveling, and graphic design.
K.M. Frost lives in Northern Utah, and is the author of the YA sweet contemporary romance, No Matter What, and the YA dystopian trilogy, Reality Dreamers.
Social Media Links:
- Website: https://www.kmfrost.com/
- Facebook: K.M. Frost https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100027309353631
- Instagram: @KM.Frost.Author https://www.instagram.com/km.frost.author/
- Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6306719.K_M_Frost
- Book Bub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/k-m-frost
Excerpt:
EMILY (POV)
I was crouched in aisle two, straightening boxes of crackers, when the bell above the door tinkled. I stood and turned to smile at the new customer. My smile froze and every muscle locked up.
Two guys around my age pushed into the store, a girl a couple years younger tagging along. Her golden-brown hair and hazel eyes were almost an exact mirror of my own, but that was where the resemblance stopped. Her bone structure was sharp, like our dad’s, and her skin was almost too pale. Her black tank top highlighted the fact she was too thin, and her heavy makeup made her look older than fifteen. But when I looked at her, all I could see was my little sister.
She sent me a sneer, and that was enough to break through my surprise.
“Lisa.” My tone was part question, part scold. “Dad said you’re not allowed to leave the house for another week.” Honestly, I’d been surprised she hadn’t been grounded for longer, considering she’d stolen three hundred dollars from the lockbox in my parent’s closet.
The guys ooo’d and sniggered as they moved farther into the store. Luke was seventeen, like me, and had dropped out of school back in February. He’d dyed his hair white and a new silver piercing glinted in the dip between his chin and lower lip, but the same darkness lived in his ice-blue eyes. Ty was almost nineteen. He was taller and broader than Luke, with thick dark hair and diamond studs in his ears. Despite their differences, they both ran with the White Snake gang and were never up to anything good.
“I can do whatever I want,” Lisa said with a glare. “It’s my life.”
Ty dropped his arm around her shoulders and yanked her into his side with a smirk. A wave of anger and disgust washed over me. My hands itched to shove him away from my little sister.
I forced myself to stay calm. “It’s not just about being grounded. You know you’re supposed to be watching Ben. I have to work, so—”
“Are you low on cash, babe?” Luke purred. He stepped closer to me, bringing the smell of old beer and something sweeter and fouler with him. “I could hook you up, you know. Just ask me nicely.”
I ignored him—or, at least, I pretended to. There was no ignoring the crawling of my skin. I kept my eyes on my sister. “You need to go home.”
Her face twisted into a scowl. “You can’t tell me what to do. You’re not Mom.”
The words were meant to hurt, and they did.
I drew a thin breath, my chest aching. “If Dad finds out you disobeyed him and you’re running around town with these . . .” I couldn’t even think of a word to describe these guys.
“Is that a threat?” Luke’s amusement was clear in his voice. He came even closer, and I couldn’t stop myself from stepping back—right into the shelf behind me. He leaned down, right into my space, and whispered, “You know, I like threats, too.”
“Yeah?” I wished my voice was stronger, but I still raised my chin and did my best to look unintimidated. “How about I call for the manager? Do you like that threat?”
His response was a growl. His bony fingers shot forward, grabbing my chin and digging in painfully.
“Hey!”
We all turned at the new voice, and for a second I could only stare. It was the guy from the McDonald’s parking lot. I’d kind of hoped I wouldn’t have to see him again and face the humiliation of almost killing him with my car a few days ago. Guess I wouldn’t be that lucky. He wasn’t looking at me, though. His eyes were locked on Luke, his expression even darker than when he’d yelled and cursed at me.
Luke was still holding my chin. I took advantage of the momentary distraction and knocked his hand away.
He shot me a black look but refocused on the more obvious threat. “Butt out.”
The guy from the parking lot—Mr. Peterson had called him Mason—tipped his head to the side, though his dark expression didn’t change one bit. “Or what?”
Surprise rippled over Luke’s face, followed by anger. Ty matched his every expression. Lisa watched them like this was an entertaining movie.
Luke took a menacing step toward Mason. “Or you’re gonna regret it.”
Ty finally let go of my sister and moved to stand beside his buddy. I couldn’t help thinking Mason looked more dangerous than both of them combined. Something in the air shifted, and my breath caught. We were on the edge of something, and it was not good.
