Who Would You Choose?

The love triangle in my YA novel, This Side of Tomorrow, has had readers picking sides ever since my critique partners looked at the first draft of my manuscript. Some like Parker Redding, the adorable football player who is alive and available for the main character, Rachel Hutton, to have a future with and others prefer Rob Thompson, the spirit who is well, not alive, but becomes Rachel’s best friend and forbidden love.

Here’s an excerpt from the book where Rachel first speaks with Rob after he rescues her from the antagonist, Ethan Scott, another spirit who just attacked her:

I peeked out and saw his silhouette in the light streaming from my room. With shaking hands, I pulled the door open.

The faint outline of his body appeared, becoming more and more visible with each passing moment. Adrenaline flooded my veins and I felt a little dizzy. Rob’s dark blue eyes peered down at me from below long lashes. He shifted from one foot to the other and stuffed his hands in his pockets. I could see him perfectly.

“Are you okay? Did he hurt you?”

I stared at him in the soft lamplight. He was beyond hot—a work of art. Beautiful.

“I’m okay. Sort of. Come in.” I tried to clean up my face with a tissue as I closed the door behind him.

“If Ethan wasn’t already dead, I would’ve killed him tonight. He was bad enough when he was alive, and he’s only gotten worse since not crossing over.” He pinched the bridge of his nose and closed his eyes.

The room started to tilt and I sat down on the bed. I took a few deep breaths and felt better.

“Sure you’re okay?” Rob’s brow furrowed.

I nodded, hugging a pillow.

Kitty jumped to the floor and rubbed her face against Rob’s legs, purring.

“Do you two know each other? And what is crossing over?”

Rob scratched Kitty’s head. “She introduced herself to me when you moved in. I never had a pet, so I kind of like her.” Kitty blinked her eyes at him. If she trusted him maybe I should, too. “And crossing over is what your spirit does when it goes to heaven. Or hell. Ethan’s refusing to cross over.”

And now here’s an excerpt from the book where Rachel first sees Parker shirtless at a pool party:

Parker spun the football in his hands as he approached. No matter how many times I’d imagined the sight in my mind, the real thing was a million times better than what I’d come up with. Smooth, tan skin covered his muscular torso and his dark eyes met mine with a hint of shyness. My heart took off at a gallop and I silently cursed my blazing cheeks.

“Beer?” he asked.

“Yeah.” I gave him a timid smile.

Parker grabbed a bottle from a nearby cooler and opened it before handing to me. I thanked him and took a drink, hoping it would calm me down. He gestured toward the pool. “Stairs or diving board?”

“Diving board.” I sat my drink on a table and removed the beach towel I’d wrapped around my waist.

His eyes scanned my body so quickly it might have been considered discreet, but his face turned red, giving him away. He jogged over to the board and jumped off, doing a flip before hitting the water. I laughed. His blushing episode was beyond cute.

He popped up halfway across the pool. “Your turn!”

So, based on the limited information I’ve shared, which love interest would you probably choose? You’ll have to read the book to find out which one Rachel ends up with, but if you’d like to comment on your favorite pick, please share!

You can read my manuscript for free on Swoon Reads, then please rate it and leave a comment. I only have until the end of January to get more ratings for Macmillan to consider publishing it this spring! Here’s the link: http://www.swoonreads.com/m/this-side-of-tomorrow