Verna Loves Books: Book Blog Tour~ Promo & Giveaway~ Broken Truth by: Beth Ashworth

Title: Broken Truth

Author: Beth Ashworth

Genre: Contemporary Adult Romance

Publication Date: November 15th, 2013

Tour Host: Dreams Come True Promotions

Life for Charlotte (Charlie) Harris couldn’t be any better at this moment in time. She has her dream job, she has the extremely wealthy knight in shining armour and she has the best friends a girl could ever ask for. On paper, the beautiful world unfolding at her feet almost appears too good to be true for a working class girl from Manchester right?

But what happens when you gloss over the statistics and realise that the happy bubble you have been living in for the past fifteen months has all been a twisted, torturous path of lies? What if you realised that the person you loved wasn’t who they claimed to be any longer?

With the once sacred and happy memories now turned into hatred and despair, Charlie must now follow her instincts to either forget her past and move on or force the hand that holds the cards to her life to reshuffle the deck before it leads onto the twisted future that lies in store.

What will she choose?

Can she forgive and forget for the only man her heart has ever loved?

~DELETED SCENE~

So before I let you loose with a deleted scene from Broken Truth, there are a couple of things I wanted to mention to you first.

This scene will contain spoilers. If you haven’t yet finished the book then I wouldn’t recommend reading this scene until afterwards.
The ending to Broken Truth was completely changed following beta feedback. As you will understand from the below scene, things could have been very different for Charlie and Callum.

*Spoiler* - Now this is the opening to the old chapter thirty-one. It followed on from Marco’s introduction of the new International Operations Director at the very end of chapter thirty... It was Callum.

Deleted Scene from Broken Truth

As a chorus of claps and well wishes flooded around the room, Charlie remained frozen and silent in her seat. She couldn’t breathe as an unexpected force started to pound deep inside of her brain. It was fierce, threatening to push out of her ears at any moment. It was a feeling of being trapped. It was a feeling of pressure rushing into your ears after putting your head under water.

She felt as though she were drowning.

“This can’t be happening,” she eventually whispered into the room. She watched Callum step forward and close the door behind him. Charlie knew that she had to be dreaming. She couldn’t imagine for one second that Marco had just announced Callum as the new director of the company. It was impossible. She knew that he had obligations back home, so it couldn’t be true that he was now here.

“Fuck,” she heard Sophia curse loudly as the recognition of Callum’s name embedded and clicked in her mind. “I don’t even know what to say,” she said as she shook her head.

Charlie pressed her hand against her forehead and closed her eyes. The pounding was becoming more and more forceful the longer she looked at him. She hoped that if she closed her eyes she would rid herself of the nightmare she was currently in.

“Charlotte?” Charlie opened her eyes at the concern in Marco’s voice. “Are you alright? Would you like a glass of water?”

Realising that she had once again attracted the attention of the entire room, including Callum, Charlie blushed a furious shade of tomato. “I’m okay, thank you. I am just feeling a little warm,” she explained, picking up Sophia’s notepad. She started to fan her face in an attempt to calm her soaring body temperature.

Diverting her eyes to one spot in the corner of the room, Charlie heard a few background whispers before Callum’s deep, throaty chuckle reverberated off of the walls around them. The sound of his voice sent cold shivers instantly trickling along the length of her spine.

As much as she didn’t want to admit it, she had missed hearing his voice.

“He keeps staring at you,” she heard Sophia whisper discreetly her way. “And those eyes... Jesus, Charlie. I can practically see him undressing you from where he is stood.”

“Shush,” Charlie smirked, nudging Sophia slightly in the ribs.

“As much as I am on your side, those eyes are just so damn hypnotising,” she giggled quietly.

Charlie couldn’t resist the curiosity any longer. Slowly she lifted her eyes to where Callum stood with Marco. Within seconds, the usual physical chemistry between them burned hungrily in the air. He fixed his eyes firmly over Marco’s shoulder at her. The appetite within his stare was unnerving, yet she couldn’t tear her eyes away.

“I’m getting horny just watching you two,” Sophia whistled, flicking between both Charlie and Callum.

“Right, shall we get on with the meeting then?” Marco clapped his hands together eagerly and looked around the room. “Callum, if you’d like to take a seat then we will begin,” he said, gesturing towards the empty seat to Charlie’s left.

“Oh God,” she breathed as an award winning smirk appeared across Callum’s features. She knew this was going to be a bad idea. She was already second guessing the emotions flooding through her body, without the added worry of him being sat in such close proximity.

Trying to keep her cool, Charlie merely nodded as Callum took the empty chair beside her at the head of the table and opened up his laptop. After he had switched it on, she immediately caught sight of the wallpaper saved to his desktop background.

Her breath caught in the back of her throat as she took in the picture onscreen. Recognising it instantly, her memory flicked back to the night with ease. It was the Saturday evening after their first anniversary. They had decided to go out for dinner with their friends, which had then turned into a night out at Zachary’s. Drinks had been flowing for a few hours by the time the photos had started. In this particular picture, Callum had gripped hold of Charlie unexpectedly from behind and pulled her against the strain in his trousers. Whilst her face was a comical sight, Callum had managed to maintain his signature, seductive smile and usual pose without problem.

Charlie shook her head.

She needed to remember what this man had done to her and everything he had put her through.

“So Charlotte...”

Charlie jumped out of her seat a little and directed her attention towards Marco who was watching her movements carefully. “I do apologise, please could you repeat that?”

Marco narrowed his eyes. “I was just asking if you wouldn’t mind telling the team a little about yourself as an introduction.”

“Ummm-”

“Don’t be nervous,” Marco said as he took his seat. “We all work here as a family, so this is our getting to know you period.”

Placing her hands neatly on the table, Charlie looked around the room. “Hi, my name is Charlotte, but you can all call me Charlie. I have been in Milan a total of two days following a move from Manchester. I like to shop... quite a bit. And I hope we all get along great while I’m here.” She flushed a little at the end of her sentence realising that she sounded like a new member at her local self-help group.

“Thank you, Charlie,” Marco winked. “I’m sure we will all get along very well.”

Charlie saw Callum’s body language instantly stiffen at Marco’s words. She recognised this change in stance quite well and could tell that he was fighting the urge not to retort his comments.

“In fact, perhaps we should schedule an evening out to welcome our newest member of staff?” Marco suggested, his eyes practically gleaming with possibilities.

Hearing Callum suck in a sharp breath beside her as he tried to contain his growing protectiveness, Charlie decided to cross over the line that she had previously been happy to stay away from.

“That sounds great,” she replied happily as she gently brushed her bare leg against Callum’s trousers. She smiled at the sound of his gasp, the unexpected touch surprising him greatly.

She knew that she was playing a dangerous game here, but she wanted him to know that she was grateful for his protection, however difficult their situation was.

“Will you join us tonight, Mr Ellis?” Charlie turned towards Callum and cocked her head to the side.

His gaze intensified as he licked his lips. “I’ll be there,” he nodded.

Beth Ashworth was born in Manchester in 1990, but shortly moved to the modest city of Coventry where she was raised and still resides now.

As a vivid reader from a very early age, Beth has always been keen to put her words onto paper. As a child she was always found with either a book in her hand, a pen and notepad or a computer games controller.

Starting off by initially writing alternate endings to her favourite Jacqueline Wilson books from around the age of ten, Beth has continued to grow and love her passion for books.

Eventually, after many unfinished books and short stories, she finally decided to follow her passion and write books that she hopes people will love.

When she isn't reading or writing, Beth loves to spend time with her husband and friends

~20 FUN FACTS~

Twenty Fun Facts about Beth Ashworth

My friends and work colleagues think that I am THE laziest person on the planet. Seriously... I don’t like to do anything.

2. I swear like an absolute trooper. Leave your politeness at the door in my house...

3. I carry my Kindle wherever I go. You never know when you are going to be delayed right?

4. I have a VERY sweet tooth. (Two root canals at 23... Ouch!)

5. I’m terrified of the dentist.

6. I’m also terrified of spiders.

7. Did I mention heights as well?

8. My now Husband and I had a long distance relationship for over a year before he finally moved in with me. (Five years together and still as strong as day one!)

9. It was always a dream of mine to own a pair of Christian Louboutins. Now I have had them over a year and I am too scared to wear them. The red is too pretty!

10. I am part of the most amazing group of girls. My Smut Sisters are my besties and I love them! Within the small group of us, we bring authors, readers and bloggers together. We talk, we laugh, we support, we beta read, we gossip and we watch porn together. (Seriously... we are now past the point of no return)

11. Video games are my obsession. I kick arse at Call of Duty... For real!

12. Justin Timberlake is my boo <3

13. As much as I love top 40 hits and big music artists, I am also a huge fan of K-POP. Girls’ Generation, SHINee, 2NE1, EXO, 2pm... Love! Love! Saranghae!

14. I ~~had~~ still have an unhealthy obsession with Christian Grey.

15. I have a twitter, but I’m not as hooked with it as I am Facebook.

16. Twinkies and Mountain Dew are craved daily.

17. I hate tea and coffee... bleh!

18. Self-publishing my first book was one of the scariest things I’ve ever done.

19. I’m an only child.

20. I get over emotional at practically everything. Books, films and television programmes can have me in tears with the slightest of things. I need to learn to suck it up... I know.