Thursday, June 13, 2013

BLOG TOUR: In Too Deep by Michelle Kemper Brownlow

Long- Gracie has just finished her freshman year of college in Memphis when she takes a job at a local pizza joint in her home town of McKenzie, Tennessee. She is the epitome of innocence when she meets Noah. Noah is unabashedly handsome, intriguingly reckless and just cocky enough to be sexy. Gracie’s instincts tell her to stay far away from him and based on the stories she hears from her co-workers he leaves broken hearts in his wake. But still, she can’t explain her fascination with him.

Noah puts aside his bad boy ways when what he thought was a summer crush has him unexpectedly falling in love. But soon after Gracie transfers to UT Knoxville to be with Noah, their unexpected love becomes riddled with anger, deceit and humiliation.

Jake, Noah’s former roommate and Gracie’s best friend, can no longer be a bystander. Gracie’s world falls out from beneath her and when she breaks she turns to Jake for strength. As Jake talks her through a decision she’s not yet strong enough to make, together they uncover a truth so ugly neither of them is prepared for its fallout. Will Jake pull her to the surface or is Gracie Jordan finally In Too Deep?



Michelle Kemper Brownlow has been a storyteller her entire life. Her debut was on the high school cheerleading bus granting requests to re-tell her most embarrassing moments for a gaggle of hysterical squadmates.

Earning her Bachelor’s degree from Penn State University in Art Education and then marrying her very own “Jake,” she moved to Binghamton, NY where she taught high school. After having two children she quit work and finished her Master’s degree in Elementary Education at Binghamton University.

The Brownlow family of four moved to Michelle’s hometown of Morgantown, PA while the children were still quite young. A few years after moving, her family grew by one when they welcomed a baby into their home through the gift of adoption. The family still resides in PA, just miles from where that high school cheer bus was parked.

Michelle has been an artist for as long as she can remember, always choosing pencils and crayons over toys and puzzles. As a freelance illustrator, her simple characters play the starring roles in numerous emergent reader books published by Reading Reading Books.

“Writing is my way of making sense of the world. When I give my characters life on the pages I write, it frees up space in my mind to welcome in new stories that are begging to be told,” says Brownlow
Well, the whole time reading In Too Deep, I kept wondering where this was going to go.  The way the story flowed I was very unsure of things until the last 20% of the book.
I was torn almost all the way through the book and that is somewhat unusual for me. I usually make up my mind about things and don't waiver.  But you find yourself immersed in to Gracie's life and feeling everything she is experiencing.  
From the beginning of her relationship with Noah and hearing her tell piece by piece of how it was magical, electric; you can't help but root for the relationship to find its way back to that.  I'm not going to lie....I was hoping right along with Gracie that he would change; be the man she deserved. I would also be screaming at her, wanting to shake some sense in to her...*shakes head*...I believe I was as messed up in the head as she was. 
Something that I truly loved in this book was seeing Gracie go from point A in her life to point B.  Even though this book revolves around a broken relationship, there is so much more here than that.  We see Gracie blossom in to someone that she can be proud of.  It is a journey of self-discovery, especially when she thought she had lost who she was.  It was a story that showed a good support system with a good family, best friends who were always there for you...which I think ultimately defined this whole tale.  
Gracie's best friend, Jake...also former roommate to Noah...was the rock that Gracie needed through all her struggles, battles.  The relationship these two had was pure, honest, and loyal.  You could see how much they cared for each other.  It was absolutely beautiful.  I don't want to give any more info here...Could spoil some things...*wink, wink*
Anyway, In Too Deep had me glued to the pages, eager to see how everything would turn out.  It carries you through so many emotions, feeling everything Gracie is going through.  I will say that I was a little disappointed in how the book ended.  It was sort of abrupt for me.  But, it did provide you with the answers you were looking for.
Michelle Kemper Brownlow did a fantastic job providing insight in to a life of a good girl who fell for the bad boy, hoping for him to change, yet finding out that she is the one that actually changed.

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2 comments:

  1. Wow! Thank you so much! I'm not sure I've ever had a BLAZING review! :) I am thrilled you enjoyed Gracie...even if that meant getting frustrated with her first...and I really loved your review!

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  2. Great review! It looks like Gracie grows through so much character growth I always love that in books like these especially! So happy you enjoyed it!

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