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Title: Promise Me Light (Promise Me #2)
Author: Paige Weaver
Genre: New Adult
Release Date: September 24, 2013
The epic conclusion of New York Times bestselling book, Promise Me Darkness.
"I'm darkness, Maddie. Stay away from men like me. You'll only get hurt."
At one time my life was simple. Easy. But that was before the war. Now I was no longer an average college student. I was a survivor. A woman living in a ravaged world. My future was not bright and my life was far from perfect. The war had taken so much from me… but it wasn’t finished yet. It wanted more.
It wanted my heart. My soul. The one person I couldn’t live without.
It wanted Ryder Delaney. My best friend. The bad boy. The one person who could fight like no other and love me like no one else. I watched him walk away one hot summer day and I prayed he would return. I needed him like I needed air to breathe and water to drink. Without him I was lost. A light without her darkness.
Until he returns, I’ll wait for him. And I believe he will return because love is powerful…
And so is the light calling him home.
Character Interview with Maddie & Ryder
Hi, Maddie and Ryder! Thank you so much for taking the time to answer a few questions for us here at Bibliophilia, Please. Do you mind telling us a little bit about yourselves?
Maddie takes a seat in front of me, crossing her legs gracefully before pushing back locks of her long, dark hair. She waits until Ryder takes a seat beside her to answer my question.
“My name is Maddie Jackson and I’m twenty-one years old. I was attending nursing school in Texas along with my friend, Eva. We shared an apartment near campus but I made as many trips home as I could. But that was before the war.” She glances over at Ryder, blushing as his eyes run over her body slowly. “Ryder has been my best friend since I was a little kid. I think I was six when he first knocked on my door, wanting someone to play with.”
“And I found someone to play with. The perfect plaything,” Ryder says in a deep voice, putting his hand on the back of the couch behind her. I watch as his fingers brush her hair back, lingering on her neck.
Maddie smiles timidly and seems to have trouble focusing on what she was saying. She takes a deep breath and I can tell she is somewhat embarrassed by Ryder’s words. I wonder, not for the first time, how these two very unlikely people ended up together.
“My mother died when I was young so it was just my dad and me for a long time. I was the typical college student. I studied hard and went to some clubs with Eva on the weekends. I stayed out of trouble--” Maddie starts to explain. “But then I went home with you,” Ryder interrupts. “And I was nothing but trouble.”
“Yes, then he went back to college with me. That’s when things changed between us. I’ll just leave it at that.” Maddie says with a grin.
Ryder stares at Maddie a second longer than is necessary. I can’t really read what he is thinking. His eyes are full of fire but when he looks at me, there’s nothing there but coldness. I shift uncomfortable in my chair, doodling on my notepad inside of looking into his cool blue eyes. I sit up straighter, refusing to be intimated by him. It’s almost impossible to do.
And you, Ryder? Do you mind telling us a little about yourself?
Ryder removes his arm from the back of the couch behind Maddie and leans forward, resting his elbows on his jeans. Suddenly, I’m all he’s focused on. I feel heat crawl along my neck. The butterflies in my stomach take flight. Even my heart seems to beat faster. Clearing my throat, I wait for him to answer my question. When he starts to speak, his voice is low, sounding like silk wrapping around me.
“My name is Ryder Delaney and I’m your worst nightmare. I’m not nice nor do I claim to be. I have no rules except one - don’t get close to anyone. I only end up hurting those around me. I’ve spent my life drinking, fighting, and sleeping around. Some call me a womanizer but I didn’t do anything the ladies didn’t want…no, begged me to do. But I was antsy. I wanted more but I couldn’t have what I wanted. I had no idea what I was going to do but I knew I had to get away from Maddie. She was my weakness and I couldn’t sit back and watch her fall in love with another man, knowing I could never have her. So I decided to leave and never look back. But things changed. I had to stick around for her only it ended up being for me too.”
When did you first realize that you loved one another?
Ryder rubs the back of his neck, looking irritated. “I get asked this all the time in these damn interviews,” he grumbles. “I don’t like talking about this shit but I guess I signed up for it.” He leans back but never takes his eyes off of me as he answers.
“If you gotta know, the truth is I've loved Maddie since we were little kids. At first, it was just the love between two friends but somewhere along the way my love for her grew. I fought it tooth and nail. No matter how many women I slept with, I couldn't get her out of my mind. I did everything in my power to ignore what I felt but it was no use. I loved her. It was plain and simple. I was stubborn because, hell, I’m not good enough for her. No one is. She represents all that is beautiful in life. Me, I’m broken. She doesn’t need that and I thought she didn’t need me.”
I watch as Maddie reaches over and places a hand on his jean-covered thigh. It’s an innocent touch but I have a feeling if I wasn’t sitting here, they would be all over each other. When Ryder glances at her, I see the love for her reflected in his eyes. It shocks me for a second to see him look so vulnerable. It's then that I know what they have is real even if he tries to hide it behind his cold exterior.
And how about you, Maddie? When did you know you loved Ryder?
“I think I’ve loved Ryder from the moment he knocked on my front door. He’s tried so many times to push me away but I refused to leave him. I watched as he lost himself in a bottle. I took care of him when he was broken and bleeding. I stood on the sidelines and watched as he was with woman after woman. It hurt but I refused to give up on our friendship. I’m not sure the exact moment when I fell in love with him because I believe I’ve always loved him. I just ignored my feelings because we’re best friends and you’re not supposed to fall in love with your best friend.” Maddie says with a shrug.
I start to feel a little breathless as Ryder leans forward again, his eyes focused on me with intensity. I’m starting to see why he could have any woman he wanted. When he looks at me like that, I feel like we’re the only two people in the room. How does he do that? I thought I was immune to that type of thing. I look down at my notepad and try to concentrate on the next question.
What do you like most about each other? Dislike?
“I can tell you what Maddie should dislike about me - I’m a cold S.O.B. I don’t let anyone close and I’m prone to throw a punch first and ask questions later.”
Maddie shakes her head and rolls her eyes. “He’s harmless but I guess there is some truth to that.”
“You know there is, Maddie. I’m far from perfect,” Ryder says.
“Yes, but who is? Not me.”
“To me you’re all that represents perfection,” Ryder says in a hushed tone, leaning closer to her.
Maddie rolls her eyes again but I can see a blush on her face. She tears her gaze away from him long enough to answer my question.
“I love that Ryder is who he is. He’s passionate and headstrong. He can be demanding one moment and loving the next. He’s not afraid of anyone. He takes what he wants but is willing to give his life for me or those he loves. I don’t like that he tries to hide his true feelings behind hardness. He’s so afraid of being hurt or hurting others that in the end, he only hurts himself. It also drives me crazy that he believes he’s not good enough for me. If anyone deserves true happiness, it’s Ryder.”
I look at Ryder expectedly, waiting for his answer. He doesn’t look too happy to have to give it.
“I dislike that Maddie always thinks she is tough and can take care of herself. It’s gotten her into trouble on more than one occasion. I’ve watched as she's been hurt. I ached to know she was in pain. I want to be the person that always takes care of her. The one that she reaches for when she needs someone. That’s the only thing I want in life.” He takes a deep breath and studies his hands before answering the rest of my question. “What I like most about Maddie is her soul. She’s a good person. She’s honest and believes everyone has goodness in them. When I see someone that can’t be trusted, she sees someone that needs a friend. She never gives up on me, even when I’m at my lowest. She sticks by me even when I try to push her away. I love her for that. Hell, I love her because she’s my best friend and I can’t live without her.”
Can you tell us a little bit about what went on in Promise Me Darkness and what we can expect in Promise Me Light?
“Well, in Promise Me Darkness, Ryder and I had to learn where we stood with each other. We had to admit our feelings and it wasn’t easy for either of us. That’s when things started to unravel around us. We were forced to leave my apartment and travel home. In a split second our lives changed in a way no one could ever imagine. The United States was not prepared for what happened and neither were we. In Promise Me Light, we’re learning to survive our new circumstances. Things are not what we expected. We’re having to deal with our own demons and sometimes they get the better of us,” Maddie answers. “But the books are about friendship and love. They’re about sticking together through thick and thin, no matter what. Because at the end of the day that’s all we have left – each other.”
What are the two of you willing to give up to be together?
Maddie pushes a strand of hair behind her ear before answering. “I’d give up everything for Ryder. He is the only person who really knows me. I can’t imagine my life without him. The moment I opened that door when I was six, my life changed forever. If one of us dies, it would take a miracle for the other to survive. I know that now.”
A few seconds of silence pass as Maddie’s words sink in. I’m almost stunned speechless with the power of their friendship and love. Ryder looks directly at me, making me squirm in my seat again. I know what he is about to say is going to be it – the reason I wanted this interview. He doesn’t disappoint.
“Maddie is my everything. I live and breathe because of her. I am who I am because of her. If it wasn’t for Maddie, I’m not sure where I would be or what I would be doing. For her I would give up my own life. I would die a thousand deaths and do it all over again to be with her. There is nothing I wouldn’t do. Nothing. She is the one. My one. Forever.”
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About the Author
Paige Weaver lives in Texas with her husband and two children. Her love for books became a love for writing at a young age. She wrote her first book as a teenager and continued writing throughout the years. Encouraged by her husband, she finally decided to self-publish. Her debut novel, Promise Me Darkness, was released in April 2013 and quickly became a New York Times and USA Today bestseller. Her second book, Promise Me Light, will be released in September 2013. She is currently working on other novels to be released in 2014.
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How clever! I loved that character interview! Ryder seems like quite an imposing character. He sounds like a bad boy with a good heart.
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