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CATEGORIES: Anna Todd, Excerpt, Exclusive

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Karina knows the harsh realities of military life. And like anyone who has grown up around an army base, she knows the background noise that follows a soldier home from war. That’s why she’s forging her own quiet life in her own little house. But she hasn’t turned her back on her family. She’s the glue that holds them together—when her father is deployed, when her brother, Austin, has another brush with the law.

Karina knows that she has to look after herself, that she can’t always fix what’s broken. But when Austin’s behavior worsens and her father’s reactions grow more extreme, Karina feels her own edges beginning to fray. That’s when she meets him—a closed book she’s desperate to open.

At just twenty, Kael is a handsome, brooding soldier struggling with the aftermath of two tours in Afghanistan. He’s emotionally damaged and closed off. Quiet doesn’t begin to describe him. But as Karina gets used to his stable presence, she finds it hard to ignore the way he makes her feel. In their time together, she finds the stillness she has always wanted and never found. She lets down her guard. And she lets herself fill in the blanks about this mysterious man.

But illusions quickly made are quickly shattered. That’s when Karina has to find her own courage—to untangle the truth from the lies, and decide what she’s going to do about it.

EXCLUSIVE EXCERPT: The Brightest Stars

Anna Todd

Book Series: Stars

Bestselling author Anna Todd returns with a gripping novel about a young woman’s quest to keep her family together, despite the lies that are tearing them apart, and I have not only an excerpt for you from this riveting story about love and lies, but Anna Todd is also partnering with us for an AMAZING GIVEAWAY. Enter below to win a paperback copy of The Brightest Stars + a $50 Visa Gift Card for a romantic night out!

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Excerpt

The man in the waiting area must have been new, because I didn’t recognize him and I never forgot a face. He seemed patient enough. Not Mali, though. She was two minutes away from calling Elodie.

“I can take him if she’s not here in five minutes. My next client can be moved an hour later, it’s Tina,” I told Mali. She knew most of the patrons who came in and out of her salon; she remembered names like I did faces.

“Fine, fine. But your friend is always late,” she scolded. Mali was the nicest woman, but made of pure fire.

“She’s pregnant,” I said, defending my friend.

Mali rolled her eyes. “I have five children and I worked just fine.”“

Touché.”

I kept my laughter quiet and texted Tina to see if she could come in at one. She immediately responded with a yes, like I knew she would.

“Sir,” I called to the man in the waiting room. “Your therapist is actually running late. I can start you now if you’d like. Or you could wait for Elodie.” I didn’t know if he was partial to her for some reason, or if he just wanted a massage. Now that we were on Yelp and booking online appointments, I never knew which clients wanted a specific therapist.

He stood up and walked to the desk without saying a word. “Is that okay?” I asked.

He hesitated for a second before he nodded. Okay …

“All right—” I looked at the schedule. Kael.What a strange name. “Follow me, please.”

We didn’t have assigned rooms—not technically—but I had fixed up the second room on the left to perfectly fit my taste, so that was the one I used the most. No one else took it unless they had to.

I had brought in my own cabinet, my own decorations, and was in the process of convincing Mali to let me paint the walls. Anything would be better than this dark purple color. It wasn’t exactly relaxing, plus it was dull and dated the room by about twenty years.

“You can leave your clothes on the hanger or the chair,” I told him. “Go ahead and strip down to however you’re comfortable. Lie facedown on the table, and I’ll be back in two minutes.”

The client didn’t say a word; he just stood next to the chair and lifted his gray T-shirt over his head. He was definitely military. Between his solid build and his nearly-shaved head, he screamed soldier. I grew up inside army posts my entire life, so I knew. He folded his shirt and set it down on the chair. When his fingers tugged at his athletic pants, I left him alone to undress.