Today I’m taking part in the blog tour for Underrated. I’m sharing an extract from the book with thanks to Rachel Gilbey at Rachel’s Random Resources for inviting me on the blog tour and to the author for providing the extract.

Blurb:

Never underestimate a friend…

“I stand as close as I can to the Liver Building without looking proper weird and tip my head back. My eyes can’t focus properly, but I can make out a turquoise shape right at the top, so I mouth ’iya to Bella. I’m a bit soft on the Liver Birds. They’re 300-odd feet up in the air, so they should be able to see everything, but they’re chained down…”

A story of the far-reaching effects of unrequited love and drug (ab)use, Underrated follows five lads who are just trying to make things better for themselves. In Liverpool and on the south Devon coast, their lives entangle as they turn to cocaine.

While some people take drugs to escape their circumstances, others deal drugs to escape theirs. But is escape ever really an option?

Extract:

Will has fallen into dealing drugs, to make ends meet. He’s picking up a load cocaine from a pretty much inaccessible beach. James, a student, from a wealthy family who own the house on top of the cliff,  has become mixed up with drugs, and now helps Will.

The distance between here and Horse Cove is so small, I consider swimming it. It’s a tiny stretch of water. But then, once you’re in the sea, the waves suddenly look taller, the ocean itself looks bigger, and you can feel the pull of the currents. Also, I don’t know where the rocks are, and I don’t want to be smashed against the cliffs. I imagine myself, torn and bleeding. And what would I say if someone had to rescue me? No way. Too dangerous. Also, I’m shit-scared of basking sharks – just thinking about their gaping, toothless mouths coming towards me shudder. I’m right at the end of the sea wall now. The sun has disappeared behind the cliffs, and the is, finally, deserted. I scramble up the wall and reach for the rope and the canoe. James made us get a burgundy one, so that it’s kind of camouflaged against the rock – just in case anyone sees it and wonders what it’s there for. Not that anyone would. It’s only the rich fuckers whop have speedboats or jet-skis who can get close enough to see it anyway – so basically James’ family. Swansburne is a fucking dive – it’s Tamehaven where they do the regatta, and Exmouth where there’s proper sand. You don’t come here unless you were born here, or something’s gone seriously wrong in your life.

***

Underrated is available from Amazon.

You can follow the rest of the blog tour here: