Review
"If you're looking for a cute and innocent love story, this one is adorable." - Amazon Reviewer.."If you want a feel good book then this is the perfect one." - Amazon Reviewer.."I can feel the love and passion between Maddie and Colby.. Its almost like I'm in the book watching it all happen. " - Amazon Reviewer
From the Author
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EXCERPT FROM IN PLAIN SIGHT:
Myheart races from what probably looked like a superhero dive when I stopped thiselderly lady from falling. It's weird because I pretty much saw the whole thingin slow motion. I've been walking for half an hour, mostly just wandering upand down streets outside of Shady Heights while I try to get my bearings afterthis whirlwind of a weekend. Then a hot guy with no shirt on talked to me andtripped me up. I didn't want to walk back past him, but this stupid road has adead end and I had no choice.
And then I saw her, her house shoesslipping off her toes as she stood on the curb, watering roses around hermailbox.
I was thinking to myself that this ladymight fall if she leans any further over, and sure enough, she did. I managedto catch her before she hit the ground, and I can't even imagine what wouldhave happened to her frail body if she fell on the concrete. I shudder at thethought.
But now my good deed has landed medirectly in front of previously mentioned hot guy. Hot, shirtless guy. Did I mention he is shirtless? I can't seem to lookaway, even though I desperately should.
"You like sweet tea, don't you?" thewoman says, patting my arm. She looks up at me with eager eyes, the kind oflook you see on loving grandmothers, not that I've ever had one of my own. Bothof my grandparents died many years ago. Something hurts my heart when I thinkabout how kind this lady is, and I want to say yes. Of course I want to say yesbecause she's a nice old lady and I love sweet tea. I wouldn't even hesitate ifit was just me and her.
But this guy is here, his longish hairall messy from the wind, his muscular arms glistening with sweat from doing theyard work and he's watching me with this curious smile that makes my kneesweak.
"I'd love some tea," I hear myselfsaying, the logical part of my brain taking over for my heart. If it were trulyup to me, I'd turn and run away because being this close to such a hot guymakes me nervous.
"Wonderful!" the lady says. "I'm GloriaRuiz."
"Maddie," I say, looping my arm intoher elbow as she offers it to me. "I'm Maddie Sinclair."
"Lovely name," she says, as we walk upthe sidewalk toward her house. The guy follows behind us, and when I glanceback at him, he gives me a smirky grin.
It almost seems like I've seen himbefore. Sure, he's super hot, but there's something familiar about him. I'mstill wondering why he's familiar to me when we get on the porch and Mrs. Ruiztells us she'll bring the tea and that we should relax and cool off from theheat.
"Maddie, hmm?" he says, pulling out apatio chair and sitting next to me, but at an angle so our knees are this closeto touching.
"It's not short for anything," I say onhabit. I get asked that a lot.
"Really?" He lifts an eyebrow. "Yourreal name is Maddie?"
I nod. "My mother isn't a fan ofshortening names. She said why name me Maddison if I'd only ever be calledMaddie?"
He chuckles. "I'm Colby, by the way."
And that's when it hits me.
This is Colby Jensen.
Star football player at Robert CullenHigh school, the pride of the Hornets football team up until a few months agowhen he had to get surgery. I may be as far from the popular crowd as you canget, but even I hear that type of school gossip.
This guy is probably the most popularsenior in our school. High school royalty always terrifies me. He's so popular,he's friends with the girls I saw in the ice cream shop, the stuck up bitcheswho know they're better than everyone else.
Breathing is suddenly hard, and I'mreally wishing I would have run away when I had the chance. Any second nowhe'll realize I'm just a loser, poor trailer trash who Jacoby made sure to talkabout to anyone who would listen. I don't exactly care what the popular crowdthinks of me, but I'd rather not see their sneer of disgust while I'm on SpringBreak.
Mrs. Ruiz brings a pitcher of tea andthree glasses with ice filled to the top. I breathe a little easier, gratefulto have her here as a distraction. Now all I have to do is down this tea asquickly as possible and get the hell out of here.
"I haven't seen you around," Mrs. Ruizsays, taking a sip of her tea. She was right--her tea is pretty good. "Did youjust move here?"
"Yes, kind of," I say, staring at theice cubes in my glass. "We just moved in a few streets over and I thought I'dtake a walk just to get some fresh air."
I know I'm no longer in Shady Heights,because that neighborhood is just a big circle filled with huge houses that allhave gates or gate keepers. I ventured into the next subdivision over, andalthough these houses are beautiful and probably still cost a fortune, theyaren't the mansions in my new neighborhood. In fact, I'd feel a lot better ifLandon lived in a house like Mrs. Ruiz. At least it's normal sized.
"Are you a senior?" Colby asks, leaningforward a little. He's so hot it's almost painful to look at him.
I nod.
"Awesome, I'll be happy to show youaround school."
"That sounds like a great idea," Mrs.Ruiz says. "Colby is a great kid. He comes over and helps me around the houseall the time. My own son won't even do it," she says, shaking her head.
"Well in my defense, she pays me,"Colby says with a laugh.
Mrs. Ruiz chuckles and waves a hand athim. "It's well deserved."
Colby turns his attention back towardme. "So, where did you live before?"
I'm definitely not giving him thehonest answer, so I decide on a more nuanced version of the truth. "We movedfrom this awful place," I say, waving my hand like it's no big deal. "Itdefinitely seems better here."
He nods. "You'll like Robert CullenHigh. We're pretty chill and the teachers are okay."
Wait. Does he think I'm new, new?
I guess it makes sense that Colby Jensenwouldn't recognize me, the loser poor girl who only moved here four months ago.I mean, why would he? Popular guys don't see the rest of us.
About the Author
Amy Sparling is the bestselling author of books for teens and the teens at heart. She lives on the coast of Texas with her family, her spoiled rotten pets, and a huge pile of books. She graduated with a degree in English and has worked at a bookstore, coffee shop, and a fashion boutique. Her fashion skills aren't the best, but luckily she turned her love of coffee and books into a writing career that means she can work in her pajamas. Her favorite things are coffee, book boyfriends, and Netflix binges.
She's always loved reading books from R. L. Stine's Fear Street series, to The Baby Sitter's Club series by Ann, Martin, and of course, Twilight. She started writing her own books in 2010 and now publishes several books a year.
