**Blog Tour** A Girl by Any Other Name by MK Schiller

        

Title: A Girl By Any Other Name

Author: MK Schiller

Publisher: Totally Bound

Genre: Romantic suspense

Publication Date: 12th January 2014

Hosted by: Luscious Laylah Release Day

Everyone tells him he needs to move on, but how can a man function 

without his heart? 

Ten-year-old Caleb Tanner wants nothing to do with Sylvie Cranston, the 

annoying weird girl who moves next door to him and gets him in trouble 

for swearing. But at twelve, they become friends when he teaches her how 

to hook a fishing line and she shows him the value of a selfless act. At 

fourteen, he falls in love with her. 

At sixteen, she dies. 

Or so he’s told. But Cal never believes it. Sylvie has become part of his soul. 

He knows her like the steady beating of his own heart. He’d know if she was 

dead. Cal looks for her, prays for her and finally he just waits for her. 

Nine years later, she walks into the community college English class Cal is 

teaching. Only this girl claims her name is Sophie Becker and she doesn’t 

know him. Cal knows better. He’s determined to get the girl he loves back—

and protect her from the danger that took her away all those years ago.

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Also by MK Schiller:

The Other C-Word:

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The Do-Over:

Amazon

Goodreads

I am a hopeless romantic in a hopelessly pragmatic world. I have a full 

time life and two busy teenagers, but by night, I sit by the warm glow of 

my computer monitor, and attempt to conjure up passionate heartwarming 

stories with plenty of humor.

I started imagining stories in my head at a very young age. In fact, I got so 

good at it that my best friend asked me to make up stories featuring her as 

the heroine and the boy she currently liked as the hero. We'd spend hours 

on the phone while I came up with a series of unrealistic, yet tender events 

led the object of her desire to finally profess his love. You've heard of fan 

fiction... this was friend fiction.

Even with that, it took many years to realize I could produce an actual full 

length book that readers would enjoy. I try to make my stories humorous, 

realistic, with characters who are flawed but redeeming. I hope you enjoy 

my stories and never stop searching for your happily ever after.

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I hesitated, finally looking at it, knowing it would piss me off no end to see  her naked body on display. I blinked in confusion, perplexed by the large  canvas. She had told me it was abstract, but I wasn’t prepared for this. It  looked more like a landscape scene than the gorgeous girl beside me. I had  just thought about how a woman’s body was all peaks, valleys and curves,  and that was literally what Rome had painted without any clear perspective.  Well, at least I didn’t have to worry about anyone else seeing this.  “How many hours did she pose for you, Rome?” I asked him.  “About six in total,” he replied, not taking his eyes off Sylvie.  “It’s very…interpretational, isn’t it?”  “It’s modern abstract, so yes.” He turned his attention back to Sylvie. “I  have to walk around, but have a drink with me later, okay?”  “’Kay. Congratulations, Rome.” She smiled at him and somehow this jackass  took that as a sign to hug her. My hands twitched, but I let it pass. She was  a beautiful girl and if I went around punching every guy who developed a  crush on her, I’d be a pretty busy man.  I stared back at the painting, putting my arm around her. “So, what do you  think?” she asked.  “Six hours, eh?”  “Yeah, it would have been less, but he kept getting the lines wrong and had  to start over a few times.”  I felt the grin tugging at the corners of my mouth. I bit my lip to keep her  from seeing it, but I failed miserably.  “What’s so funny?” she demanded. I choked on a laugh. She narrowed her  eyes at me, “What?”  I couldn’t control it anymore. I full-out laughed so hard, people turned to  look.  “I’m glad I bent down to whisper in her ear so we wouldn’t be overheard.  “Baby, isn’t it obvious to you? That guy just wanted an excuse to see you  naked.”  She released my hold. “No, that’s not true. This is his interpretation of me.  Jesus, Tex, that’s very petty of you to say.” She hissed the words in my  direction, managing to keep her voice to a very low level, although she was  shaking mad.  I pulled her back against my chest and put my arms around her so I could  have full access to her ear and she could clearly see the painting while I  explained myself. “I know you’re an artist, and you know art much better  than I do, but I’m a guy, and I know the male head—both of them—much  better than you. Right now, I’m struggling whether to kick Florence’s ass or  pat him on the back.”  “His name is Rome,” she replied, trying to keep her composure.  “Whatever. I’m not trying to be a jerk here. In fact, I think the idea was fucking genius as hell and very creative, but then again, he is an artist. I’m just being honest with you when I tell you that this”—I gestured to the painting—“has no resemblance to this.” I ran my hand down her neck, over the swell of her breasts and down her trim waist. We were in a corner and the way I was hovering I knew we wouldn’t be seen, not that I cared, but she would. Her breath hitched with my touch. “I know I’m way too possessive of you, but it’s not something I’ll ever apologise for because I  love you so damn much. And the fact is, you are too free-spirited and look at the good in all people. It’s the thing I’ve always loved most about you and  the very thing that scares the hell out of me too. Do you understand?” Her body was melting into mine, and I knew from the way she shivered it wasn’t from the cold.

Nicola's Review

4 Bare Naked Stars ****

At 10 years old Sylvie Cranston and her dad move in next door to Caleb 'Cal' Tanner in the small town of Prairie Marsh, Texas. To begin with Cal wants nothing to do with Sylvie. But over the course of a few years, his feelings towards her change. Sylvie shows Cal that she's not the weird girl everyone makes out her to be, and that she is in fact a funny, intelligent and caring girl. They become nearly inseparable. Best friends. Until one night at age 16, they are ripped apart.

After that night everyone tried to tell Cal that Sylvie is dead. That he needs to accept this and move on.  But no matter how many times they tell him, he knows different, he feels it. He refuses to accept that she really is gone.

"Momma, you have to believe me. I know she's not dead. She promised me she would fight. I'd know if she died. I'd feel it. She was part of me. She was in here," I said pointing to my heart. I sounded frantic, but I needed someone to have faith in the idea. "I love her. I know---"

Nine years later Cal is living in Portland, Oregon, teaching English Lit at the community college. He's likes it there, and enjoys teaching something he is passionate about. Until one day a new student catches his eye.  Enter Sophie Becker.

"The inflection in her voice jolted my memories as did the sweet thickness of those seductive lips that I could just barely make out. Sylvie? Had I finally lost my mind? Was she a ghost? An angel? A maddening spirit the likes of which had visited Scrooge on that fateful Christmas Eve? Fuck...What the hell was going on?"

Wanting to find out once and for all if it is Sylvie, he decides to confront her. At first she's adamant he doesn't know her, but after a little bit of a show down and ultimatum. She relents and he finally gets his Sylvie back. His 'Lenore'.

"I love you, Sylvie Cranston. I loved you since I was fourteen and I will love you until the day I die."

"I love you too, Caleb James Tanner."

"I have loved you since I was eleven and you sat next to me on the swings at church. Its grown each day since, even when we weren't together. I will never stop loving you."

But danger is still lurking in the background for Sylvie. Waiting for the perfect time to pounce and ruin it all over again. And although Sylvie uses this as a deterrent to fully commit, Cal is determined to protect the girl he's always loved and to finally have the future they deserve and want.

"I'm thanking you for finding me." He trailed kisses along my forehead.

"You found me. Besides, I had to come. I was missing something and I had to find it."

"What?"

"My heart. A man can't function without his heart."

While reading this book you start asking yourself a lot of questions

And when I got the answers to the questions swarming in my head. bloody hell. It was so much more than what I had first thought. Yeah, I had drawn up my own little conclusion of what was going on, but hell I was not expecting that. And then MK decides to through an even bigger curve ball and blows me away even more. It really leaves you with a Holy Fucking Shit moment.

I absolutely fell in love with Cal and Sylvie's story. I felt the anguish, the longing and determination Cal went through.  And I was so happy when they were finally reunited. The love radiated off of them even after all the time they spent apart.  

It's mostly told through Cal's POV, switching from the past when they were growing up to the present day. It's an amazing story of never giving up, second chances and love that never dies. It truly is wonderful and I loved every minute of it