5-Star ARC Review + Giveaway: Melt for Him by Lauren Blakely

Posted on 09/11/2014 by Saucy Southern Readers

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About MELT FOR HIM:

He knows exactly how to make her burn…

Fire captain and bar owner Becker Thomas usually spends his nights alone, trying to escape painful memories from his past. When he meets a sexy, free-spirited brunette outside his bar, he knows he’s found the perfect way to forget for one night. But when he later discovers the woman he’s itching for another night with is his best friend’s sister, everything comes to a halt.

Just out of a toxic relationship, Megan Jansen is only in Hidden Oaks to visit her brother, photograph the firemen’s calendar, and then slip off to another adventure. The brooding man who gave her the best sex ever is an unexpected surprise. The problem is, he’s her brother’s friend and a fellow fireman, and Megan’s rule is no firemen. She knows she’s going to get burned …but keeping their hands off each other is easier said than done.

50% of all preorders and release week sales will be donated by the author to the National Volunteer Firefighter Support Fund.

And don’t miss the novella in the Fighting Fire Series, BURN FOR ME!

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Kelley’s Review

Lauren once again delivers sizzle, spice, and everything naughty and nice. Megan and Becker light fire to the pages of this hot and sexy read. A strong leading lady and a sexy alpha male. What more could you ask for?

Megan has been asked to return to Hidden Oaks to shoot their annual firefighter calendar. Megan is perfectly content to take pictures of half-naked, sexy firemen because she has no intention of ever dating one. She lost her father years ago when he was fighting a fire and refuses to ever get involved with a fireman. Her mother was destroyed when her father died.

Becker moved to Hidden Oaks to escape his past and start anew. He is not looking for a relationship because his last one ended so badly. As Fire Captain he finds that women want him based on that alone. He could have his choice of lady of the week so why settle. When he catches Megan undressing in the alley behind his bar he can’t keep himself from staring at her. He is hidden in the shadows and he quickly begins to appreciate her sexy body.

What happens when Megan stumbles and falls into Becker’s arms? An insane night of passion with a plan to explore more passionate nights for the next two weeks before she heads out of town. Is it safe to have one night of passion with a man you hardly know?

“Why didn’t you tell me you were from here?” he asked, holding his hands out in question.

She furrowed her brow. “What?”

“I had no idea you were Travis’s sister,” he said, and he sounded pissed.

“And I had no idea you were a fireman,” she said, parking her hands on her hips.

He shoved a hand roughly through his hair, shook his head. “And I had no idea you were the photographer. You said you were an artist.”

Lauren delivers a delicious rollercoaster ride full of angst and passion as Megan and Becker try to extinguish the chemistry between them. She creates complex characters that you just can’t help but love as they battle their inner demons in order to find their happily ever after.

“Kissing her was like coming home. The feel of her lips was passion and certainty all at once. It was everything he’d know he’d wanted, and everything he could never give up.”

I absolutely adored this read. If you like your romance with a lot of angst and smoldering chemistry, you will love Melt for Him.

*WARNING: This read has the Smut Book Junkies Panty Melting Seal so make sure to have a spare pair ready because you will need them.

About Lauren Blakely:

Lauren Blakely writes sexy contemporary romance novels with heat, heart, and humor, and her books have appeared on the New York Times, USA Today, Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and iBooks bestseller lists. Like the heroine in FAR TOO TEMPTING, she thinks life should be filled with family, laughter, and the kind of love that love songs promise. Lauren lives in California with her husband, children, and dogs. Her novels include Caught Up In Us, Pretending He’s Mine, Playing With Her Heart, and Trophy Husband. She also writes for young adults under the name Daisy Whitney.

Website ** Blog ** Facebook ** Twitter ** MELT FOR HIM Goodreads ** Lauren Blakely Goodreads

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Review: Trashy by Cambria Hebert- Take It Off Series – Book 10

Posted on 09/11/2014 by shellbellereads

Trashy

Take It Off Series – Book 10

By Cambria Hebert

Synopsis

She’s trying to move on, but the past won’t let her go.

I fell in love once.

It was a big mistake, but the biggest mistake of all was staying with him.

He pushed me around. He cheated and treated me like trash.

I don’t feel sorry for myself, because I let him.

But no more.

I moved out. I’m saving my stripper’s salary for an education that will get me somewhere better.

But breaking the chains of a shitty past isn’t easy. He says I owe him. He says we aren’t done. I don’t care what he says anymore.

I do care about Adam.

But my history tells me I’m not the best judge of men. And the fact Adam’s been married four times tells me he probably isn’t a safe choice.

I need safe. I need better. I need out.

If the past is any indication of my future, getting out isn’t going to be easy.

Buy: Amazon / Barnes and Noble

Excerpt

“Kiss me.”

He didn’t need to be told twice. In seconds he was standing to his full impressive height and towed me up along with him. Adam released my hand and cupped my face. His hands engulfed my jaw but he was so gentle. His eyes swept over me like I was the most beautiful thing he’d ever seen and around us sparks flew like snowflakes in a blizzard.

Instead of crushing his mouth to mine like I expected, like I wanted, he took his time. His heated gaze dropped to my lips, then back to my eyes. His fingers spasmed against my head and tightened ever so slightly.

Slowly, slowly he lowered his head, cupping my jaw so that I could do nothing but hold still and wait for him to arrive.

The anticipation of his lips on mine was almost my undoing. Everything going on inside me head floated away. I became aware of the moment, of the quietness in the room, of the way my body swayed wanting to get closer.

Adam’s lips brushed over mine, a gentle caress, once, twice and then a third time. He lifted his head just slightly and stared down at me, his thumb climbed up and caressed my lower lip.

He smiled softly and then joined our lips once more.

The Take It Off Series

Torch- Amazon / Barnes and Noble

Tease – Amazon / Barnes and Noble

Tempt – Amazon / Barnes and Noble

Text – Amazon / Barnes and Noble

Tipsy – Amazon / Barnes and Noble

Tricks – Amazon / Barnes and Noble

Tattoo- Amazon / Barnes and Noble

Tyrst – Amazon / Barnes and Noble

Taste – Amazon/ Barnes and Noble

Michel’s Review

Cambria Hebert has added another fantastic book to the new adult romantic suspense Take It Off series. Each book in this series can be read as a stand alone book and does not have to be read in order. Each book features a different couple, different circumstances, suspenseful plots, and red hot romance. The Take It Off series is one of my favorite series. I am always one clicking Cambria’s books the moment they go live. Cambria always delivers a fantastic book.

We met the main characters from Trashy in the previous book Tease (book 2 in Take It Off Series). They were such strong secondary characters. They demanded their own book. Now eight books later, Roxie and Adam have their story told.

Roxie is the star stripper in Adam’s club. He has been fascinated with Roxie since she began to work for him a few years earlier. Unfortunately he was always in a relationship or married . He has a rule, never date his dancers, never mix business with pleasure, and he never cheats. He runs a clean business and keeps his girls safe. He shows them the respect they deserve. He is a fair and giving boss. He wants to give Roxie more but circumstances never allowed him to act upon it. When an incident happens and Roxie is attacked in her apartment ( Tease-book 2) it comes to light that Roxie had been living in an abusive relationship. Her ex is a dangerous man and has hurt her before. This incident makes Adam realize that he has to take some steps forward and make Roxie his. He proceeds forward with a divorce from his fourth wife, plans to open a new club, and promote Roxie to manager so she no longer has to dance. He is going to make her his no matter what.

Roxie may seem wordly because she is a stripper. That is the exact opposite of the woman she really is. She has only been with one man and that relationship proved to be life threatening. It took her years to free herself from the abusive relationship. She is finally free and living with her friend and fellow worker Harlow. After she is attacked in their apartment, it makes her realize that she will always have to look over her shoulder. Her ex has made it clear that he is not finished with her. Adam wants to protect her. Adam wants to love her. Adam wants her to have a better life. She wants the same things. She is fearful that her past is going to ruin her future. She is clearly right.

Adam and Roxie will face life threatening danger. Together they will stay strong. Hopefully they will be able to put the past where it belongs and move forward in life together.

I loved Trashy. It had a strong message about domestic abuse. Domestic abuse can begin a young age, when love looks pure and beautiful. As teenagers they don’t often recognize it as abuse. They are more in tune with their personal insecurities and ideas of perfect love. To a teen the control can look like unconditional love. Many women get into abusive relationships this way. When they finally want to get out it’s not easy. They’ve never experienced what a mature,strong, united, and giving relationship is. They’ve lost their own self worth. Roxie was that girl. She was strong enough to recognize the destruction in her life. She was smart enough to get out. She was brave enough to let Adam love her. She was strong enough to become the woman she was meant to be.

I highly recommend Trashy. Although the subject matter is heavy, Cambria wrote an entertaining story filled with passion, romance, compassion, and bravery.

Author Bio:

Cambria Hebert is a bestselling novelist of more than twenty books. She went to college for a bachelor’s degree, couldn’t pick a major, and ended up with a degree in cosmetology. So rest assured her characters will always have good hair. She currently resides in North Carolina with her children (human and furry) and her husband, who is a United States Marine.

Besides writing, Cambria loves a caramel latte, staying up late, sleeping in, and watching movies. She considers math human torture and has an irrational fear of chickens (yes, chickens). You can often find her running on the treadmill (she’d rather be eating a donut), painting her toenails (because she bites her fingernails), or walking her chorkie (the real boss of the house).

Cambria has written within the young adult and new adult genres, penning many paranormal and contemporary titles. Her favorite genre to read and write is romantic suspense. A few of her most recognized titles are: Text, Torch, Tryst, Masquerade, and Recalled.

Cambria Hebert owns and operates Cambria Hebert Books, LLC.

Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Goodreads

Review: Bang Bang by Rachel Van Dyken – An Elite Series Novella

Posted on 09/11/2014 by shellbellereads

Bang Bang

An Eagle Elite Novella

By Rachel Van Dyken

Synopsis

He was my best friend.
Until he became my enemy.
All within the span of one night.

Bang, Bang, Bang, Bang.

The rapid fire of gunshots became the soundtrack to my life.

This is the Mafia. Lines are blurred. Choices are never black and white. And the life you thought you knew is… one giant lie.

He was dead.
And I didn’t want his life to be in vain, so I tried to make something of myself. I tried and failed.

Now he’s back. Alive. And he wants something…

Me.

Nobody ever said the mafia played fair.
Welcome to The Family.

Buy: Amazon / Barnes and Noble / ITunes

EXCERPT

I wanted his lips more than I wanted my next breath, but how long before those lips were taken away? How long before my heart would get ripped from my chest a second time? I almost didn’t survive the first — I knew I wouldn’t live through the second.

With a jerk I pulled back and slapped him across the face. “How dare you!”

Ax swore and hit the steering wheel. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry I shouldn’t have assumed—”

“Assumed, what?” I yelled. “That I wouldn’t be completely pissed off? That I wouldn’t be shattered!” My voice wavered. “Totally wrecked forever because I’ve been mourning the loss of my best friend for five damn years only to find out he’s very much alive and suddenly wanting to play the white knight?” My body started to shake. “I died that day!”

Ax’s face twisted with pain. “Amy, I had to protect you… at all costs I had to protect you.”

“Your protection broke my heart,” I whispered.

He sighed, running his hands through his hair before answering. “Ames, sometimes what’s the best for us — is exactly what hurts the most.”

I refused to look at him. Instead I looked down, down at my bare legs, at the outfit I’d almost paraded about in before a crowd of horrible drunk men in order to make money. I wasn’t the same girl he’d left. I was damaged in the worst way. Because by saving me, Ax had taken away all purpose from my life. When I thought he’d died, my only goal was to live because he hadn’t.

And now? Now the shame of my situation was crippling.

Foster care kid.

Unwanted.

Unloved.

And completely and utterly alone. Abandoned, even by my best friend.

“Five years, Ax. And now you come for me…” I licked my lips. “I’m not vain enough to think it’s because you can’t find anyone to warm your bed at night, and I’m not confident enough to think it’s because you missed me so much you just couldn’t stay away. What do you want?”

“You.”

“Try again.”

He swore and looked away. “It doesn’t have to be like this. Had I known you were in this position—”

“What?” I snorted then bit down on my lip to keep from crying. “You would have driven here faster? You would have rescued me sooner? Pitied me more? Take your pick, Ax. Now tell me the truth. Don’t start off this new-found relationship with a lie.”

He was silent for a while then whispered, “You have something I need.”

“A brain?”

Ax’s smile nearly took my breath away “Besides that.”

I pressed my lips together and looked out the window at my dark and cramped apartment. “I have exactly one stuffed animal from my old life, the one you gave me when I was six. I have a Polaroid picture, a toothbrush, enough clothes to get me through a week and a half of living, a hairbrush, two elastic hair bands — Do you see where I’m going with this?” I sighed and ran my hands through my hair. “I have nothing you need, let alone want. Believe me.“

Ax studied my face, his expression softened as he said, barely above a whisper, “Let me be the one who decides that.”

I looked away.

“Don’t do that, Ames,” he murmured. “Don’t shut me out.”

“Five years, Ax.” I looked straight ahead. “Five years where my tears were the only thing keeping me company at night. I think you lost the right to tell me what to do.”

He swore. The car door opened. I gasped as humid air filtered in. “What are you doing?”

“Getting out of the car.” He shrugged and gestured at the building. “Going into your apartment and packing you up. We’ll stay at a hotel tonight.”

I snorted. “My apartment not good enough for you?”

“No.” He pulled a gun from his jeans, thumbed off the safety, and held it out in front of him. “I just hate getting woken up in the middle of the night with gunshots ringing out, don’t you?”

“Yeah.” I gulped, my eyes still trained on the gun.

“Guns don’t hurt people… people do,” Ax said softly. “Remember that.”

“I do.” I met his gaze. “Because in the end, it wasn’t the gun that broke my heart — it was you.”

I have always had a fascination with the inner workings of the Mafia world. The Elite series has kept me captivated. It is a fresh take on life in the “Family”. A new generation has taken control and are redefining the true meaning of “Family”. They are creating a new legacy to be carried on. They have learned from their violent upbringings that death isn’t always the answer. They’ve learned from brute force that although blood ties them together, there should be more than blood ties to keep the “Family” strong.

Five powerful families are tied together. The young men and women that run the American side of the Mafia are making their mark. They are determined to change the legacy their fathers bestowed upon them. Change is in the wind. They have killed for this change and will lay down their lives to uphold the new legacy.

If you have not read the Elite series, Bang Bang is the perfect place to start. This novella can catch the readers up to speed, get enough of the back story in the previous books, get introduced to the leading characters in the series, and have a good understanding of what direction the family is heading. It portrays the violent life these young people have been born into and how they have survived. They have all been pawns of their parentage and now have turned the tables. They have taken control of their lives. They are making the rules. They are cleaning the house.

Ax Abandonato and Amy DeLange were best friends until one fateful night. Bang Bang. They were separated by their waring families and left to live their lives in misery. For Amy, she went from one horrific abusive life to a life of poverty, despair, and constant struggle. For Ax, he went into hiding until the Family was ready for him to take his rightful position. Both were devastated by the separation. Amy presumed that Ax had died on that fateful night. Ax never forgave himself for putting Amy in the position of living another horrible life.

The Family has brought Ax back into the fold. He has been summoned to bring Amy back to the family. The night she disappeared, she took something the family wanted back. The DeLange line has been problematic to the overall operations of the entire Family. The ruling Family, the Abandonatos’ have had enough. It’s time to enforce the rules. Bang Bang.

Ax has always loved Amy with all his heart. He vows he will protect her and lay down his life. He will have to choose blood over heart. Blood always wins. Can he bring Amy back and betray her once again? Or will he get to keep the one woman he has always loved?

It’s a new generation. It’s a new Family. Will this Family change their past legacy?

Read this book! I highly recommend the Elite series. It is a thrilling, intense, and romantic series.

Welcome to the Family!

EAGLE ELITE SERIES

Elite

Buy: Amazon / Barnes and Noble / ITunes

Elect

Buy: Amazon / Barnes and Noble / ITunes

Entice

Buy: Amazon / Barnes and Noble / ITunes

Elicit

Buy: Amazon / Barnes and Noble / ITunes

About Rachel Van Dyken:

Rachel Van Dyken is the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today Bestselling author of regency and contemporary romances. When she’s not writing you can find her drinking coffee at Starbucks and plotting her next book while watching The Bachelor.

She keeps her home in Idaho with her Husband and their snoring Boxer, Sir Winston Churchill. She loves to hear from readers! You can follow her writing journey at www.rachelvandykenauthor.com

Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Goodreads

Review: Cover Me by Carrie Elliott- True North Series- Book 1

Posted on 09/11/2014 by shellbellereads

Cover Me

True North Series- Book 1

By Carrie Elliott

Synopsis

Derek Bast, always has the final say. In business and in his personal life, things are done his way, or not at all. So when a scathing review of his new band is published in The Scene and has his record producer second guessing his artistic choices, his band mate trying to call the shots, and Bast’s manager convinced he’s impossible to work with, it’s time to hunt down the source of his problems: Bess Halprin, reviewer for The Scene, the girl next door growing up, and his ex-best friend since senior year when she decided to hate him for no reason.

The last person Bess Halprin wants to see standing in the lobby of The Scene is Derek Bast. Unfortunately, she can’t deny that the last nine years look damn good on him. She expected to hate him. She didn’t expect the way he can still tug at her emotions, or the way his kiss—and his hands—set her on fire. Bess should’ve kept her distance, because Bast was right when he guessed her review was written for revenge. The problem is, to this day he has no idea what he did—how he screwed her over their senior year. The bigger problem? She’s giving him the opportunity to do it again, because she never could resist him.

When circumstances bring them both home to Santa Cruz, Bast earns his way into the heart of the girl next door, but when they return to L.A. and real life rushes in, will he be able to keep her this time or are the mistakes in their past destined to be repeated?

Buy: Amazon

True North Reading Order

Cover Me

Listen To Me

Ex- boy band pop star, Adrian, was only supposed to be a fling, not a relationship. Now the celebrity gossip reporters are saying that Karen, the older woman who seduced him into giving her a job as his assistant, has trapped him in her cougar claws by getting knocked up! Fine, she’s a few years older, but hardly a cougar. And she might have gained a lot of baby weight, but NO, she’s not having twins, so stop reporting it!

Four weeks out from her due date, Karen is freaking the freak out. How did this happen? How can Adrian, the guy her friends dubbed an unholy emotional robot for his lack of letting anything get to him, take fatherhood seriously? How could having a baby not ruin the career of a man young women lust over? How could he be anyone’s dad and how could she be a mom when she can’t even keep a fish alive?

But when Adrian says, “It’s all good, babe. I’ve got it covered,” Karen should listen to him.

Buy: Amazon

Tracey’s Review

Derek Bast is a rock god. The former lead singer of Generic Obsession, he’s set to make some new music as part of Unholy Union. Until the review. THAT review. The one written by Bess Halprin, Derek’s former friend and neighbor. But this isn’t the same Bess that used to listen to his music from her bedroom window. No, this is another Bess altogether, one that is all grown up, ready to let the world know just what she thinks of Derek Bast.

I really enjoyed COVER ME. I’m always a fan of books with rocker boys, and of best friends to more, too. Derek is one hot-as-heck guy, but what I really liked most about him was how quickly he realized that he wanted to be with Bess, and the lengths that he was willing to go to to show her what she meant to him. Bess is awesome. She’s feisty, smart, and is not about to fall at Derek’s feet now that he’s famous. Because she’s been down that road once before, dreaming of Derek as more than just the boy next door, and giving him her trust and her heart. But he did something to betray that trust, and she is absolutely dead set against allowing him to break her heart again. Now she’s kicking ass and taking names, a successful woman that will not be swayed by sweet talk and hot passion.

Carrie Elliot has done a fantastic job of crafting a relationship between Derek and Bess that is sassy, provocative, and hot, while still showing the sweetness of a longtime familiarity. The fact that they’re able to go back and address past hurts and their current attraction really adds to the story, and it’s easy to see why Derek and Bess fall so easily back into their old relationship. I did feel at times like Bess’ insistence that Derek figure out himself what he’d done to hurt her was going overboard, but the way that he figured it out really was important to the story moving forward, and made the follow-up much more sincere. And, in case you were wondering, there are plenty of super-hot and sexy scenes here. I mean, fan yourself hot. Hot flash hot. Phew.

I always feel lucky when I get a gem like COVER ME, one that enchants me beyond my expectations, and leaves me eager to read more by the author. I highly recommend this book, and look forward to reading more from Carrie Elliot.

Author Bio:

Carrie Elliott lives in Ohio with her family, loves going to movies that make her cry and has an ice cream addiction–we won’t mention the coffee and chocolate! She’s the author of the True North Series, Cover Me and Listen To Me now available, Resist Me coming Fall 2014. Find her on Twitter and Facebook and make sure to subscribe to Carrie’s newsletter for exclusive giveaways, content, sneak peeks at covers and more!

Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Goodreads

Cover Reveal: Grayson by Lisa Eugene

Posted on 09/11/2014 by shellbellereads

All she needed was a job…

The last thing twenty-four year old grad student Angie Roberts needs is to worry about her new boss’s father. After all, she’s never even seen him. He remains sequestered upstairs in a house that looks like it should be the main feature in an episode of Hoarders. She had no idea the house was such a dump when she took the job. But she’s concerned about the safety and health of the old man living under such horrid conditions.

What she got was a mystery…

Despite warnings not to venture upstairs, she wanders up to the second floor. What she sees is shocking. The man she finds is a gorgeous, sexy, middle-aged man– and he’s stepping out of the shower. But something is definitely not right. Why would this wealthy, handsome man live in a house in such disrepair while his nine-teen year old son resides in a lavish penthouse? Why does he hide away from society? Why does he come to her rescue and then run away?

What she discovered was heartbreaking…

Angie learns that forty-four year old Grayson Whitmore suffers from schizophrenia. Paranoid, he retreats into his own world.

What she ended up with was a treasure…

Angie is determined to get through to him. They form a friendship that blazes into an inconceivable love fired with erotic passion. Angie must now come to Grayson’s rescue because the wicked that has been perpetrated on him is unconscionable. First, though, she must gain the trust of a man whose mind does not allow for such a thing.

Lisa Eugene began writing as a way to mentally escape from the hectic medical world where she has been a practicing nurse for over twenty years. After publishing her first novel, STRICTLY BUSINESS, she quickly learned that readers couldn’t get enough of the world she created and now she lives out her wildest fantasies by writing steamy romantic suspense for her fan-favorite Washington Memorial Hospital series.

When she’s not plotting her next dangerous, fast-paced, sexy adventure, you can find her juggling a full time job, playing soccer mom, or curled up reading a good romance.

Instagram: http://instagram.com/lisaeugene43

Website: http://lisaeugenebooks.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/lisaeugene43

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LisaEugeneTheSweetSpot?ref=hl

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https://www.facebook.com/HeavenSentPromotions

Review: Blue Shoes #1 by JJ Knight – Morris Music Series-Book 6

Posted on 09/10/2014 by shellbellereads

Blue Shoes # 1

Blue Shoes Serial- Book 1

Morris Music Series- Book 6

By JJ Knight

Synopsis

Everyone wants a piece of sexy singer Dylan Wolf in the new rock star erotic romance, Blue Shoes.

Jess Rivera is a young music executive engaged to Morris Music’s hottest rock star: Dylan Wolf.

She wears a gorgeous diamond ring on her finger, and everyone wants to know when they’re getting married.

Between Dylan’s screaming fans who chase him everywhere, plus their glamorous L.A. lifestyle, the couple can hardly get a moment alone together.

That’s why they’re planning a secret wedding.

But when a visit to a bridal gown boutique goes terribly wrong, all their romantic plans are ruined.

Sometimes it feels like the whole world is against the couple’s love. Is it just bad luck, or is someone trying to destroy Dylan Wolf?

BLUE SHOES Volume 1 is the first in a 3-part series about Jess Rivera and Dylan Wolf. This is the same couple from JJ KNIGHT’s 5-part REVENGE series, but BLUE SHOES can be enjoyed without having read the earlier books.

Michel’s Review

When I read the Revenge Serial by JJ Knight I was blown away. Each installment ended with a new cliffhanger that had the readers on the edge of their seats. Jesse and Dylan went through an emotional rollercoaster caused by many outside players that had agendas that could ruin both of them one way or another. For Dylan is was recording contract and road to fame. For Jesse it was her career in the recording industry and independence from her farm girl beginnings. I loved how the serial ended and couldn’t imagine there could be more to the story.

JJ Knight, being the brilliant author she is, proved me wrong. There is more to their story.

Blue Shoes picks up about six months after Jess and Dylan became engaged. Dylan is on the road to stardom and Jess is now an executive at the Record Company. Both are heading towards fulfilling and lucrative careers. But those careers could very well tear this couple apart.

Dylan’s new found fame has the paparazzi on their heels all the time. His fans demand his attention and Dylan is digging the adoration. They have decided to plan a secret wedding to keep the paparazzi and fans out of their special day. They want to share it with close friends and family.

The secret wedding plan is turning into the ultimate disaster. Jess is attacked by the paparazzi and her wedding dress is stolen. Her boss wants her to go to Rome for four weeks to deal with their international distribution. Dylan is on the brink of recording a new album and his label is pushing him into the spotlight. Neither one of them has time for a wedding in their present state of existence.

Dylan encourages Jess to go to Rome to escape all the paparazzi. She can find the perfect dress, take care of her career, and he can get the album finished. But can their fragile relationship handle the separation?

While Jess is pining away for Dylan in Rome, Dylan goes off the radar. What happens after that will leave you in shock and dying for more. Right now, Dylan is not looking so good and making me want to kick his butt.

It will be interesting to see what happens next. JJ Knight can twist a story and make the hero look like a villain and then turn it around so we wonder why we even questioned his integrity in the first place.

I highly recommend this serial. There are only three books in this serial. We won’t have to wait too long for the next installment in the series.

Blue Shoes Serial is a Amazon exclusive and part of the Kindle Unlimited plan. If you don’t have a kindle ereader you can download the Kindle app for your computer, phones, and tablets.

The Revenge Serial

Morris Music Books 1- 5

Volume 1 – Amazon

Volume 2 – Amazon

Volume 3 – Amazon

Volume 4 – Amazon

Volume 5 – Amazon

About JJ Knight:

JJ KNIGHT is currently releasing BLUE SHOES, a follow-up to her popular REVENGE series.

New reader? You can start with BLUE SHOES #1, or with REVENGE #1. Both series are set at Morris Music and follow the same characters.

Also available: UNCAGED LOVE. New readers start with UNCAGED LOVE #1. This series features Colt, a pro MMA fighter, and Jo, the girl he rescues. This series is close to JJ’s heart, and she’s taken a number of bruises and sore muscles with a personal trainer to research the roles.

Come chat with JJ and other fans on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/jjknightauthor

New books mailing list: www.jjknight.com/p/newsletter.html

Website ~ Facebook ~ Goodreads

Review: Devil In Denim by Melanie Scott- Saints Series- Book 1

Posted on 09/10/2014 by shellbellereads

Devil In Denim

Saints Series- Book 1

By Melanie Scott

Synopsis

LIFE JUST THREW HER A CURVEBALL.

As the team-owner’s daughter, Maggie Jameson grew up in the New York Saints’ stadium—glove, cap, hot dogs, and all. Baseball’s in her blood, and she’s always dreamed of the day when she would lead the Saints to victory herself. That was before her dad had to sell the team to Alex Winters. The fast-talking, fiercely attractive businessman has a baseball pedigree that’s distinctly minor league. Maggie wants to hate him but his skills of seduction, however, are off the charts.

WILL LOVE BE A HOME RUN?

Alex could never have imagined how much this team means to Maggie. He needs her to help show the players that they’re still a family…even if he and Maggie are at the verge of exchanging blows. But her fiery determination and gorgeous looks prove irresistible to Alex. And much as he wants to relegate their relationship to the playing field—and get the Saints back in the game—Alex just can’t help himself: What he wants to win most is Maggie’s heart…in The Devil in Denim by Melanie Scott.

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Tina’s Review

Maggie Jameson has been molded and shaped her entire life to live and love baseball. Her father, being the owner of a major league team, the New York Saints, raised her at the stadium. The team became her extended family. Fans had adopted her as the unofficial mascot, dubbing her “Saint Maggie”. She left NY only to attend college in Chicago to learn the ins and outs of owning and operating a MLB team so she could take over the Saints when he was ready to step down. Or so that was the plan before the devil and his minions arrived.
Alex Winters and his two best friend, Lucas and Malachi, lived and loved baseball in college. Alex was an outstanding catcher. But things can change in a single, horrific second, like when a bomb detonates during a game. Alex and his friends were heroes for diving into the wreckage, saving lives.
But their heroic acts came at a price.
Their days on the team were over, the damage they’d sustained was to much to return. Although they had branched out over the years since, they remained as close as ever & his friends backed him when he declared that he wanted to buy & save his favorite team from certain death.
“Plan for the worst, expect the unexpected.” That was the motto that Alex, Lucas, and Mal now lived by and Alex knew that Maggie was going to be one the biggest “unexpected” of all. Especially with the owner’s vote coming up and a smarmy competitor looking to sabotage his bid.

For a debut novel, I am very pleased.
Maggie has finally graduated college and is ready to stand by her dad’s side as owner/CEO-in-waiting but her dreams are instantly crushed when the business meeting she attends blindsides her. Her dad just accepted a bid from Alex Winters to buy the team. Dear ol’ dad gave Maggie no warning or indication that he’d even WANTED to sell, so she’s left full of rage and hurt.
Alex has always loved the Saints and knew it was struggling, so in an effort to save the flailing team, be offers to buy it from Tom Jameson. He’s got to somehow convince Tom’s daughter that he’s the best chance the team has to survive and that he needs her help to make it happen.  Add one disgruntled former employee with plenty of attitude and newly-gained money to burn and you’ve got a wonderful recipe for escalating conflicts.
Alex is a phenomenal character, I really couldn’t find a flaw in him at all. Maggie was well-written as well, but I think she needed to put her professional panties on and quit allowing her emotions overwhelm her over everything. The pity parties would only be tolerated for so long. The plot was solid, the concept was strong. I really liked all of the secondary characters, except Will Sutter. His character was portrayed beautifully as the extremely dislikable villan. The story flowed smoothly and was easy to read. The numerous conflicts escalated throughout the book and each time were met with a level-headed resolve. The final conflict was managed and conquered methodically and with precision.  Well done, Melanie Scott!
The ending was a little loose, but with the next installment of the series, ANGEL IN ARMANI, due to release only four months from now, I imagine the story will pick up close to where this one left off.  I look forward to finding out how this all continues!

Author Bio:

Melanie Scott is an unrepentant bookworm. Luckily she grew up in a family that fed her a properly varied diet of books and these days is surrounded by people who are understanding of her story addiction. When not wrestling one of her own stories to the ground, she can generally be found reading someone else’s. Her other distractions include yarn, cat butlering, dark chocolate and fabric. She lives in Melbourne, Australia. To keep in touch, sign up for her newsletter at http://www.melanie-scott.net.

She also writes fantasy and urban fantasy as M.J. Scott To find out more about M.J’s books, check out her website or sign up for her newsletter at http://www.mjscott.net.

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Review: When We Collide by A. L. Jackson

Posted on 09/10/2014 by shellbellereads

When We Collide

By A. L. Jackson

Synopsis

From the New York Times Bestselling Author of Lost to You and Take This Regret comes a gripping new tale of loss and love.

William has spent six years running from his past and the last eight months trying to rid his mind of the dreams that increasingly haunt his nights. Trapped in a world of false ambitions and feigned affections, William knows he’s reached a breaking point and something’s going to give.

Maggie had lived her entire life without hope until one man showed her what it meant to be loved. He’d been her light in a lifetime of darkness. Six years ago, that darkness stole him away. Without him, she’s surrendered herself to an existence she doesn’t know how to escape.

When the family William left behind is struck by tragedy, he is called back to the one place he’s sworn to never return to again. In a moment that will change his life forever, William comes face to face with the girl who, with one look, captured his heart. He is unable to ignore the buried desires and the hope for the future they’d once believed they’d have.

Now William is ready to fight to take back what had been stolen from him six years before. But he never imagined what that fight might cost him.

A.L. Jackson gives you an intimate look into the lives of a family bound by an unseen connection in this new contemporary romance.

Buy: Amazon / Barnes and Noble / ITunes

Tracey’s Review

William Marsch fell in love with Maggie Krieger from the time that he first saw her. From that first moment, he wanted nothing more than to protect her from the violence that she had known her entire life, to show her just how precious she really was. And for a short time, he and Maggie shared their secret love, until it was ripped away, leaving him empty and angry, and Maggie a victim to continued violence. When William returns home six years later, passions are reignited, and he will stop at nothing to reclaim Maggie.

There are books that stay with you, books that you cannot stop reading, even though your heart is breaking. WHEN WE COLLIDE is just that sort of book. A.L. Jackson has taken some really tough subject matter, and infused it with passion, grace, and perseverance. I absolutely could not put this book down; it owned me from the very first page. There are things going on in WHEN WE COLLIDE that are called ‘triggers,’ so I expected this to be a dark and angsty read. I was not prepared for how very beautifully it was handled, and how very vividly real these characters and their story became for me. The fact that a love story could emerge from so bleak a panorama speaks to A.L.’s prowess as an author. I look forward to reading everything else that she writes, and unhesitatingly give this book five stars.

Author Bio:

A.L. Jackson first found a love for writing during her days as a young mother and college student. She filled the journals she carried with short stories and poems used as an emotional outlet for the difficulties and joys she found in day-to-day life.

Years later, she shared a short story she’d been working on with her two closest friends and, with their encouragement, this story became her first full length novel. A.L. now spends her days writing in Southern Arizona where she lives with her husband and three beautiful children. Her favorite pastime is spending time with the ones she loves.

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Review: Worth The Fall by Claudia Connor- The McKinney Brothers Series-Book 1

Posted on 09/10/2014 by shellbellereads

Worth The Fall

The McKinney Brothers Series-Book 1

By Claudia Connor

Synopsis

Prepare to be swept away by a talented debut author with a passionate, powerful story to tell.

They meet on a beach. . . . Abby Davis isn’t wearing a skimpy bikini or sipping umbrella drinks, not when she’s busy chasing around four little ones. And Matt McKinney isn’t looking for fun—he’s a Navy SEAL, a grown man with a long list of missions . . . and fallen brothers.

They only have a week. . . . Abby has brought her children to this beach to start over, to give them the enjoyable memories they deserve. Matt’s been sidelined by a combat injury, and haunted by the best friend he lost and the promise he made: to remain a SEAL—focused and dedicated. This leaves no time for what he’s always wanted: a family.

But a week is all it takes. . . . Matt opens her heart while Abby soothes his soul. And though they plan to say good-bye when the week is over, something magical happens on that beach, something neither can forget. Something utterly, completely worth falling for.

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Michel’s Review

Worth The Fall by Claudia Connor knocked my socks off. Her debut book, Worth The Fall, book one in the McKinney Brothers series delivered an unpredictable, highly emotional romance that made the heart soar.

Matt McKinney, a Navy Seal, is on a forced medical leave. His cousin talks him into going on vacation on the beach with two of his blonde bimbo friends. Matt is beyond bored and would rather be scrubbing the latrine with his toothbrush than getting it on with the blonde bimbo that’s primed and ready for him. He’s suffering with survivors guilt and questioning his career as a Seal. A bimbo isn’t going to put salve on his internal wounds.

Making an escape from his cousin and friends he takes a walk on the beach. There he meets a very special friend. A young five year old boy wanting to throw a football. Making the time to make a five year old happy opens the door to his heart. He meets the very pregnant mom and her four children between the ages of six and two. One week on the beach with a beautiful widowed mother and four very precious children changes everything Matt ever thought he wanted.

He wants Abby and her children in his life permanently. One week is not enough.

As they both go back to their lives in different states , they find they are still thinking about their week on the beach. They form a long distance relationship that leads to more.

This book portrays many truthful insights into real life. The hardship of being a single mother to four children. The hardship of being single and pregnant. The difficulties of a long distance relationship. The relationship gets even harder because of Matt’s military career. Add a haunted past that makes trusting hard and PSTD and it makes the plot even heavier.

The four precious children are the glue that holds Abby and Matt together. They have enough love and faith to keep this unusual family together.

It was refreshing to read this heartfelt romance. The romance and the small family out shined the sex scenes. The reader truly connected with these characters and their story.

Claudia Connor wrote a beautiful story. I look forward to more McKinney Brothers books.

Author Bio:

Claudia Connor attended Auburn University, where she received her undergraduate and masters degrees in early childhood education, and completed her studies in Sawbridgeworth, England.

After years of making up stories in her head, she finally decided to try writing them down when a friend told her oh, so kindly, that talking to imaginary people was in fact NOT normal.

Always a lover of happy endings, she enjoys movies, reading, and travel, but spends most of her time these days putting the stories in her head on paper. Worth the Fall is the first book in The McKinney Brothers trilogy. The second book, Worth the Risk, is set to be released in January 2015.

Claudia lives near Memphis, Tennessee, with her husband and three daughters.

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Cover Reveal + Giveaway: Free Me by Laurelin Paige

Posted on 09/10/2014 by shellbellereads

Title: Free Me
Series: The Found Duet Book One
Author: Laurelin Paige
Publication Date: December 9, 2014
Summary: Her story began long before she started working at The Sky Launch…

Screw fairytales. The only reward Gwen Anders got from her rough childhood was a thick skin and hard heart. She’s content with her daily grind managing a top NYC nightclub—Eighty-Eighth Floor. So hers isn’t a happily ever after. She doesn’t believe in those anyway.

Then she meets J.C.

The rich, smooth talking playboy is the sexiest thing that Gwen has ever encountered, but she’s not interested in a night-in-shining latex. But when a family tragedy pushes her to the brink, it’s J.C. who’s there to teach her a new method of survival, one based on following primal urges and desires. His no-strings-attached lessons require her to abandon her constant need for control. Her carefully built walls are obliterated.

Gwen discovers there’s a beautiful world outside her prison. Freedom is exhilarating—and terrifying. When she starts to feel something for J.C., she fears for her heart. Especially as she realizes that he has secrets of his own. Secrets that don’t want to set him free.

BOOK ONE OF TWO. This series can be read alone or with the Fixed Trilogy.

About Laurelin: Laurelin Paige is the NY Times and USA Today Bestselling Author of the Fixed Trilogy. She’s a sucker for a good romance and gets giddy anytime there’s kissing, much to the embarrassment of her three daughters. Her husband doesn’t seem to complain, however. When she isn’t reading or writing sexy stories, she’s probably singing, watching Mad Men and the Walking Dead, or dreaming of Adam Levine.

Laurelin on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LaurelinPaige
Laurelin on Twitter: https://twitter.com/laurelinpaige
Laurelin’s Website: http://laurelinpaige.com
Laurelin’s Newsletter: http://eepurl.com/z1ugH
Laurelin’s Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/LaurelinPaige/

Goodreads Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20551480-free-me
Amazon Link: http://amzn.to/1wfjYWp

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Saucy Southern Readers

professional, honest, and timely book reviews

Monthly Archives: September 2014

5-Star ARC Review + Giveaway: Melt for Him by Lauren Blakely

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About MELT FOR HIM:

50% of all preorders and release week sales will be donated by the author to the National Volunteer Firefighter Support Fund.

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Review: Trashy by Cambria Hebert- Take It Off Series – Book 10

Review: Bang Bang by Rachel Van Dyken – An Elite Series Novella

Review: Cover Me by Carrie Elliott- True North Series- Book 1

Cover Reveal: Grayson by Lisa Eugene

Review: Blue Shoes #1 by JJ Knight – Morris Music Series-Book 6

Review: Devil In Denim by Melanie Scott- Saints Series- Book 1

Review: When We Collide by A. L. Jackson

Review: Worth The Fall by Claudia Connor- The McKinney Brothers Series-Book 1

Cover Reveal + Giveaway: Free Me by Laurelin Paige

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About MELT FOR HIM:

50% of all preorders and release week sales will be donated by the author to the National Volunteer Firefighter Support Fund.

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