Blog Tour and Giveaway: Beautiful Failure by Mariah Cole

Title: Beautiful Failure 
Author: Mariah Cole 
Genre: New Adult Romance 
Hosted by: Mary Elizabeth’s Crazy Book Obsession

If you're looking for a heartwarming story about a girl who falls deeply in love with a troubled boy who changes her life--a sob story with pretty metaphors and a million ways that'll tell you how "broken" she is, STOP. Don't read another word of this.

I'm not that type of girl.

My name is Emerald Anderson and I'm not going to bullshit you: I flunked out of college after my sophomore year, I've been fired from every job I've ever taken, and I've never had a fully functioning relationship in my life.

I wish I could say that I had a cheerleader in my corner, someone who says, "No, Emerald--You're great and you are good at something!" but I don't. My grandparents are completely oblivious to my life, and my mother's dying words to me were "You're going to end up just like me one day. A beautiful nothing."

She was right.

As I decide to start my life over and take two jobs that will forever change me--one from the inside, and one from the outside, I keep my mother's words close to my heart so I can keep the sexy and mysterious Carter Black away.

He's the first man who's ever pursued me, the first man who seems bent on finding out why I am the way I am, but he's wasting his time.

I'm not broken. I don't need to be fixed. I'm perfectly fine being a beautiful failure...

Seeing Carter Black at her job for the second time… 

 “You have a very beautiful name, Emerald.”
 Carter sits down again and hands me two brownies.
 “Thank you.”
“I take it that buying you brownies doesn’t make me any less of a stranger?”
“Excellent guess.”
“Hmmm.”
He watches me take small bites.
“Do you like your job here?”
“No.”
“That’s good. I don’t think customer service is for you.”
“Excuse me?”
“Someone like you should never be allowed to work directly with people—or any breathing organisms for that matter.”
He’s grinning, and I want to laugh but I keep it inside.
“How old are you?”
His voice is serious all of a sudden. “How old do you want me to be?”
“Legal.”
“Do I look like a minor?”
“No, but it’s always good to double check.”
“Young girls have been a problem for you in the past?”
He laughs.
“You have a very smart mouth.”
“Pay me enough and I’ll show you what I can really do with it.”
He raises his eyebrow.
“Excuse me?”
I don’t back down. That’s one of Leah’s old lines—it used to net her an easy four hundred bucks, and I’ve often wondered what would happen if I ever used it.
“Are you propositioning me to pay you for a blowjob?”
“Is that what it sounds like?”
“It does.”
He smirks.
“It also sounds like you’re full of it.”
I blink, and then I burst into laughter.
“It was a joke.”
“So you are a child?”
I roll my eyes and stand up.
“Whatever.
Enjoy your coffee.”
I walk away without letting him get another word out. Sexy as hell or not,
I don’t need an unnecessary distraction; I need to focus on getting out of this city.

“Royals” –Lorde

“My Kind of Love”—Emeli Sande

“Firebomb”—Rihanna 

“Set Fire to the Rain”—Adele

“Say Something”—A Great Big World feat. Christina Aguilera

“Houstatlantavegas”—Drake 

“Dark Horse”—Katy Perry 

“Ho Hey”—Lumineers

“Runaway”—Kanye West

“Titanium/Pavane”—The Piano Guys

Albums:

21, Adele

20/20 Experience, Justin Timberlake

Unapologetic, Rihanna

Back to Black, Amy Winehouse

Songs About Jane, Maroon 5

Beautiful Failure (Carter’s POV)

First Encounter Scene

Walking inside of Starbucks, I expect to see the familiar bubbly blonde behind the counter, 
the one who never bothers to ask what I want to order.
 She always greets me with a 
“Hello, Mr. Black! I’ll have your grande coffee with two hazel nut shots right away!”

But today, there’s someone new. Someone with black hair who hasn’t even bothered to look up at me. 

With her head down, she types a few buttons on the register and sighs. 
“Starbucks Bistro. What’s your name and what do you want?”

“Is that the new greeting now?” 
I smile. 
“Did it change recently?”

“They don’t pay me enough to make conversation,” she says flatly. 
“What’s your name and what do you want—Please?”

This is a first…  
“Carter…Carter Black. Grande coffee with a hazelnut shot and two sugars.”

She writes on the cup and quickly turns around, mixing the drink on the back counter. 
From behind, I notice a small grey and black tattoo on her neck, partially hidden by her long ponytail.

What is that?

I’m admiring her ass when she suddenly turns around and gasps. 

She blinks, staring at me with her lips slightly parted. She looks as if she’s about to say something, but no words come out of her mouth. 

Her mouth. Her fucking mouth. 

Plump, pink lips. Bow shaped. Perfection.

“Are you going to give me my coffee?”
 I look into her dark green eyes. 
“Or do they not pay you enough to do that either?”

“Three dollars and seven cents.” 

I keep my eyes locked on hers as I hand her the card, 
wondering why I’ve never seen her in town before.  

Once she hands me my coffee, I decide to ask why. “When did you start here?” 

“Thank you for visiting Starbucks.” 
She rolls her eyes. 
“Have a nice day.”

I smile and bring the cup to my lips, never taking my eyes off hers. 
I can tell I’m making her uncomfortable because she’s shifting her weight 
from foot to foot and blinking every few seconds. 

“Is there something wrong with your coffee sir?” 
She purses her lips. 

The coffee is actually the best it’s ever been, but I don’t want to leave the store just yet. 

“It’s a bit bitter,”
 I say.

“No, it’s not.” She crosses her arms. “I just made it.”

“I’m pretty sure it is.” 
I hand the cup back to her.
 “Can you add some more sugar please?”

“There’s a condiment stand on the back wall. 
You can add it yourself.”

Is she serious?

I look at her nametag—Emerald, and prepare to really have some fun with her, 
but the familiar blonde suddenly steps next to her.

 “Mr. Black, is there something wrong?”
 she asks. 

“Not at all. I was just asking Emerald if she would add some more sugar to my coffee.” 

“Oh! I got it!” 

As she remakes it, I smile at Emerald—ignoring the fact that she’s scowling at me. 
It makes her look even sexier. 

“There you are.” 
The blonde smiles as she hands me the new coffee. 

I take a sip of it and immediately regret having it remade. 
It’s good, but what Emerald made was ten times better. 

“Much better.”
 I look at Emerald one last time, deciding that I’ll be back at the exact same time tomorrow. 
“Thank you ladies.” 

Emerald rolls her eyes and mouths 
“Asshole,” but she quickly forces a smile.
 I debate whether I should ask her to say that out loud, but I decide against it. 

I’ll have plenty of time to see her this summer…

5 Sweet Sizzling Stars
5 *It's about time !! Sizzling Hearts for Heat

Wow what an emotional roller coaster ride this story was. This is not a feel good romance. This is bitter, raw and real. With the opening line of
"My mother was a whore"
I wanted to cry for most of it. I felt this one personally having a difficult childhood myself. I identified with the way Emerald's mother treated her and felt heart broken at what she endured. The thing about Emerald was her tragic past made her into one sassy snarky heroine. She didn't take crap from anybody. I laughed out loud more than once when her sarcasm was let loose. This was all a tool to hide the scars deep inside but this also helped Emerald survive being all alone.

Emerald had her sweet church going grandparents who cared deeply for her but their lifestyle left them in a position to not understand what she was going through but when it counted they stepped up. I loved her friend Sarah, what a crazy loud but funny girl.


Carter was a mystery to me for most of the book. I wanted to scream at Emerald to jump on that but boy she had a lot of other issues to deal with. But then.....I was frustrated right along side her at points and got a little pissed on her behalf a time or two. But in his defense, Carter was the true gentleman and I think that this was new for him. He wanted something real and was slowly pealing the layers from this broken girls heart.

Carter and Emerald were so hot together. You could just feel the chemistry steaming from my kindle. I was about to snap..then bam..they exploded and I the scenes were beyond sizzling.  

I can honestly say that most of the time a cliffhanger will make me scream but I actually said YES!!! at this one. I was in utter shock. But in the best of ways.  
I truly loved this couple and believe they are meant to be.

This book is all about the emotion..... Our Heroine Emerald is a no nonsense girl. Raised by a hooker mother who only paid any attention to her when they were drinking or drugging, what other option did she have? She doesn't get close to anyone.... no friends, no ties to anyone, just uses people for what she needs and moves on.

Until a tragic event sends her to live with her grandparents...Emerald is forced to face her demons. A girl that has no idea how to function in real life... can't hold a job, can't function without a drink, what the hell can she do? Fired from her umpteenth job she hooks up with a "friend" that turns her on to stripping.

Emerald has always been a writer, since she first picked up a pencil. That is all she is good at and all she wants to do and all she knows she can do.

Writing has kept her grounded through it all....

Enter Carter. God, I wanted more of Carter. He is really a mystery to me through most of the book. He wants Emerald and nothing is going to stop him from getting her. Hot, sweet, sexy, caring... "swoon worthy" Carter.

Truly, this book is about growth. This book is about coming to terms with who you are, letting people in and going after what you want in life.

This book is about Emeralds journey from drunk and alone to a full life.

There are points in this book I just wanted to smack Emerald, but her bitch attitude is so intricate to who she is and who she can become.

Her journey was a great read for me. I hope you give it a try and enjoy it as much as I did.

View all my reviews

10.00 Amazon Gift Card

10.00 Starbucks Gift Card

3 e-book copies Beautiful Failure

5 signed Beautiful Failure Postcards

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Mariah Cole is a Starbucks addict (hazelnut shots please!), New Adult author, and an incessant daydreamer. Known for pushing the envelope, she’s an avid reader of indie books and is always looking to chat with readers and authors alike.