**Blog Tour ~ Entrusted ~ Connie Ann Michael**

Welcome to my stop on the blog tour for Connie Ann Michael's Entrusted. My stop includes an excerpt, my review, and a giveaway.

This tour was organized by Entranced Publishing.

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Entrusted by Connie Ann Michael

Genre: Young Adult Paranormal

Release Date: 18 November, 2013
Source: I received an eARC as part of the tour 
in exchange for an honest review
Rating: 3 Worms

Synopsis
Thrust into a world of Native American legends about Skinwalkers and Ancient Ones, Emma Hunter finds herself in the middle of a battle for a heart holding great powers – A heart hidden within her. 

Seventeen-year-old Emma wants what every teenage girl wants: a life that revolves around school, her friends, and a boyfriend who only has eyes for her. Little does she know that in order to get one, she must sacrifice the other two. After a series of events put into motion by Luke, the boy she thought loved her, Emma is kicked out of her group home and her school. Her best friend mysteriously vanishes and now she’s forced to move to a secluded coastal town, where she hopes to escape Luke’s obsessive control. Instead, she finds her dreams invaded not only by Luke, but Solomon, a mysterious Native American warrior sent to protect her.

But when Solomon shows up in her reality to explain he’s her protector, she soon learns that he’s so much more. As Emma struggles to understand what’s happening to her, she must also deal with her undeniable attraction to Solomon. Their connection is stronger than anything Emma has ever experienced before and now she must decide: can she trust him with her heart? And just how far will she go to protect it?

He pulled me to my feet. His hands remained on my upper arms. The intense heat of our connection radiated through the sheer material of my blouse. “It doesn’t mean I have to like the fact I’ve been replaced.” His voice was rough. “You look beautiful.”

I cocked my head to the side and watched his eyes move over me. A shiver ran through me. “You weren’t replaced.”

“You’re cold.” He took off his coat and wrapped it around my shoulders. Immediately, his scent filled the air around me. My head was swimming, either from the wine or the close proximity of Solomon, I wasn’t sure which. I held the front of the jacket closed. He slid his arms beneath, it running his hands up and down my back to warm me. Oh my goodness, was I getting warm.

“Warm now?” He gave me his teasing grin.

 “Why were you at the window?” I tried to keep my voice even while his hands continued to caress my back. “You scared the crap out of me.”

“I was going to knock. But then I saw you and sort of lost my train of thought. Anyway, I didn’t want to have to play the social guy this evening.”

“I’m not sure she would have invited you, it is kind of a girl's night,” I said.

“Why risk it?” There was that grin again.

I shook my head in a feeble attempt to avoid slamming my mouth against his lips. “So?” I raised my eyebrows.

“So?” He sounded distracted. He seemed to enjoy the closeness as much as I.

“Why are you here?” I pressed into his arms, utilizing all of my liquid courage. I would worry about Luke’s wrath later. Solomon couldn’t back away even if he wanted to and I was getting the feeling that he didn’t want to. His face clouded and I shifted my eyes to his mouth. I wanted to feel his lips on mine more than anything.

“You’ve been drinking.” His voice was tight.

I came crashing back to reality. “What?” I stepped back as if he had slapped me. Why was it no one ever kissed me? Was I that revolting?

“Better not let Bidi know you’re drinking while you’re working for her friend.” His disapproval was palpable.

“I wasn’t.” I started to lie, and then thought better of it. “It was just a glass.” It was a lame response, but I felt like a child being scolded. “Bidi isn’t my parent,” I added, and then wished I had kept my mouth shut.

He raised an eyebrow, but didn’t say a word. He’d dropped his hands from under the coat and the cold of the evening came back.
“And you’re not my father.” I took another step away from him.

“What would he have said about this?” I shivered at the coolness in his voice. I couldn’t believe he asked that.

“Nothing,” I yelled. “I don’t have one!”

He reached out and ran a finger along my forehead. “So many scars.” His hand continued down my cheek and stopped at my mouth. “Does it make it better? Does the alcohol make it any better?” The downward trail continued until he rested his palm lightly over my collarbone, his thumb running over my bare skin.

I felt my breath catch.

His hand slid to the back of my neck. Moving in, his lips touched my ear. “When it is time, you will not be drunk. Or tied to another.”

When I read the synopsis for Entrusted, my curiosity was certainly piqued. I love Native American folklore and having visited the Pacific Northwest a few times, these particular legends were of particular interest. While I liked Entrusted, it wasn't everything I was hoping for.

The story incorporates the Native American legend of the Raven. Long ago, he chose to travel the 'wrong' path and was punished. The Great Spirit took Raven's heart and placed it into a vessel for safekeeping until Raven's day of reckoning. 

The human vessel is Emma. Emma has led a challenging life to say the least. She wants to be normal but that is something she can't seem to attain. Every time she gets close to someone they've left her, or disappeared, or worse. She's recently been involved in an relationship and was kicked out of her foster home. She's now been placed with Bidi, a Native American woman, on a reservation. And there, she meets the boy who's been starring in her dreams. There is a connection between them, but Emma doesn't understand it. And after what she's endured with Luke, she's not sure if she can trust Solomon.

Solomon, the boy who began showing up in Emma's dreams, remains rather mysterious and enigmatic for awhile. Emma meets him in her dreams nightly, but he's standoffish and cryptic in real life - speaking in her mind quite often, and only offering that he's meant to be her protector.

Luke, the boy whom Emma thought loved her, has been toying with her. It seems it's all been in an effort to claim her. Luke is violently possessive, and Emma is grateful to have been put in a home so far from him. But Luke also comes to Emma in her dreams. Emma doesn't seem to be able to escape him.

I really, really enjoyed the Native American folklore element of the story. I liked the inclusion of Native American ceremonies, a potlatch, the histories, and eventually, the explanation of Emma's life. I only wished there had been a bit more description of Emma's life prior to Luke's appearance in it. I would have liked for Emma to have been made aware of her situation sooner in the story. The slow reveal of her part in the legend made the story a bit convoluted. It was frustrating that I didn't understand. And I wish Emma had been more decisive. I understood her logic to a point and I understood her hesitation to trust Solomon, but the indecision made me want to shake her.

I did enjoy Entrusted, despite my wish list. Ms. Michael did a nice job with researching the Native American lore, wrapping a story around it, and incorporating the language, ceremony, dance and tradition. I also liked the characters, particularly Solomon and his brothers. The story made me care about Emma and Solomon. And I wouldn't mind another story involving some of the side characters. Entrusted just wasn't all I was hoping it would be.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Connie Ann Michael was raised a city girl, but was converted to a country girl after college and now resides in a speck of a town in Central Washington State. She is married to her former boss as she worked at the local Pizza place and has two college age boys that provide endless material for her books. She loves the outdoors and can be found mountain biking, kayaking, or camping with her family. Being a busy family, she can be found working on her newest novel while on long road trips.

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