Cover Reveal + Giveaway: Instigation by Tessa Teevan- The Clandestine Affairs Trilogy – Book 1

Posted on 03/12/2015 by shellbellereads

Instigation

The Clandestine Affairs Trilogy – Book 1

Release Date: April 20, 2015

Pre Order: Amazon

Synopsis

Breaking up is hard to do.

Three years after her life changed forever, Gabriella Latham finally has it all. Killer job [if working for her boyfriend counts]. Killer closet [even if she doesn’t technically own any of it]. Killer boyfriend [who refuses to let her leave him, even when she tries]. Unfortunately for her, the last part isn’t hyperbole. She just doesn’t know it yet.

Adrian Morningstar was a dream come true. No one had ever loved her more, and for the first time, in longer than she could remember, she was no longer alone. He was the Prince Charming to her Cinderella, until suddenly he became the Beast from whom she could not escape.

Until him.

When Rafe Matthews is hired to oversee the guest home construction of one of the most powerful businessmen in the country, he finally has his in. Nothing will get in the way of what he sets out to do.

Until her.

Watching from the shadows, he’s drawn to the beautiful, isolated woman of the house. His curiosity is piqued and he has to have her. She may be taken by the boss, but that’s not enough to stop him. Or her.

It leads to a game of cat and mouse. But who is the true predator? And who is the prey?

Nothing is quite as it seems.

Passions ignite. Tempers flare. Secrets kill.

Teaser

“You know too much as it is. It’s too late. God, I’m so fucking sorry for this. Sometimes I wish I’d never laid eyes on you that day. That I’d just kept going. And yet, no matter what happens, I’ll cherish the memories we had for the rest of my life. I couldn’t live without them, as selfish as that sounds. But then again, I think you’ve found I’m a selfish man.”

About Tessa Teevan

I’m a twenty something book junkie who is also obsessed with sports. Bengals, Buckeyes, Reds are my teams! I work for the government during the day, hang out with Air National Guard on the weekends, and have been married to my own book boyfriend for over seven years. We currently live right outside of Dayton, OH with our two cats.

If I’m not writing or looking through tons of photos of hot men, all in the name of research, then you can probably find me curled up with my Kindle, ignoring the rest of the world. I love my sports almost as much as I love my books. My other obsessions include red wine, hot men, country music, and all things Grace Potter.

Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Goodreads ~ Email

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Happy Release: Love The Way You Lie by Skye Warren – Stripped Series – Book 1

Posted on 03/12/2015 by shellbellereads

Love The Way You Lie

Stripped Series – Book 1

By Skye Warren

Synopsis

A dark romance about the lies that lead us down…

I’ll do anything to get safe, even if that means working at the scariest club in town.

I’ll do anything to stay hidden, even if it means taking off my clothes for strangers.

I’ll do anything to be free. Except give him up. When he looks at me, I forget why I can’t have him. He’s beautiful and scarred. His body fits mine, filling the places where I’m hollow, rough where I am soft.

He’s the one man who wants to help, but he has his own agenda. He has questions I can’t answer. What are you afraid of?

You.

Buy: Amazon / B & N / ITunes

Excerpt

In the first moments onstage, I’m always blinded.

The bright lights, the smoke. The wall of sound that feels almost tangible, as if it’s trying to keep me out, push me back, protect me from what’s going to happen next. I’m used to the dancing and the catcalls and the reaching, grabbing hands—as much as I can be. But I’m never quite used to this moment, being blinded, feeling small.

I reach for the pole and find it, swinging my body around so the gauzy scrap of fabric flies up, giving the men near the stage a view of my ass. I still can’t quite make anything out. There are dark spots in my vision.

The smile’s not even a lie, not really. It’s a prop, like the four-inch heels and the wings that snap as I drop them to the stage.

Broken.

A few people clap from the back.

Now all that’s left is the thin satin fabric. I grip the pole and head into my routine, wrapping around, sliding off, and starting all over again. I lose myself in the physicality of it, going into the zone as if I were running a marathon. This is the best part, reveling in the burn of my muscles, the slide of the metal pole against my skin and the cold, angry rhythm of the song. It’s not like ballet, but it’s still a routine. Something solid, when very few things in my life are solid.

I finish on the pole and begin to work the stage, moving around so I can collect tips. I can see again, just barely, making out shadowy silhouettes in the chairs.

Not many.

There’s a regular on one side. I recognize him. Charlie. He tosses a five-dollar bill on the stage, and I bend down long and slow to pick it up. He gets a wink and a shimmy for his donation. As I’m straightening, I spot another man on the other side of the stage.

His posture is slouched, one leg kicked out, the other under his chair, but somehow I can tell he isn’t really relaxed. There’s tension in the long lines of his body. There’s power.

And that makes me nervous.

I spin away and shake my shit for the opposite side of the room, even though there’s barely anyone there. It’s only a matter of time before I need to face him again. But I don’t need to look at him. They don’t pay me to look them in the eye.

Still I can’t help but notice his leather boots and padded jacket. Did he ride a motorcycle? It seems like that kind of leather, the tough kind. Meant to withstand weather. Meant to protect the body from impact.

The song’s coming to a close, my routine is coming to an end and I’m glad about that. Something about this guy is throwing me off. Nothing noticeable. My feet and hands and knowing smile still land everywhere they need to. Muscle memory and all that. But I don’t like the way he watches me.

There’s patience in the way he watches me. And patience implies waiting.

It implies planning.

I reach back and unclasp my bra. I use one hand to cover my breasts while I toss the bra to the back of the stage. I pretend to be shy for a few seconds, and suddenly I feel shy too. Like I’m doing more than showing my breasts to strangers. I’m showing him. And as I stand there, hand cupping my breasts, breath coming fast, I feel his patience like a hot flame.

This time I do miss the beat. I let go on the next one, though, and my breasts are free, bared to the smoky air and the hungry eyes. There are a few whistles from around the room. Charlie holds up another five-dollar bill. I sway over to him and cock my hip, letting him shove the bill into my thong, feeling his hot, damp breath against my breast. He gets close but doesn’t touch. That’s Charlie. He tips and follows the rules, the best kind of customer.

I don’t even glance at the other side of the room. If the new guy is holding up a tip, I don’t even care. He doesn’t seem like the kind of guy who follows rules. I don’t know why I’m even thinking about him or letting him affect me. Maybe my run-in with Blue made me more skittish than I’d realized.

All I have left is my finale on the pole. I can get through this.

This part isn’t as physically strenuous as before. Or as long. All I really need to do is grind up against the pole, front and back, emphasizing my newly naked breasts, pretending to fuck.

That’s what I’m doing when I feel it. Feel him.

I’m a practical girl. I have to be. But there’s a feeling I get, a prickle on the back of my neck, a churning in my gut, a warning bell in my head when I’m near one of them. Near a cop. My eyes scan the back of the room, but all I can see are shadows. Is there a cop waiting to bust someone? A raid about to go down?

My gaze lands on the guy near the stage. Him? He doesn’t look like a cop. He doesn’t feel like a cop. But I don’t trust looks or feelings. All I can trust is the alarm blaring in my head: get out, get out, get out.

I can barely suck in enough air. There’s only smoke and rising panic. Blood races through me, speeding up my movements. A cop. I feel it like some kind of sixth sense.

Maybe he feels my intuition about him, because he leans forward in his seat.

In one heart-stopping moment, my eyes meet his. I can see his face then, drawn from charcoal shadows.

Beautiful, his lips say. All I can hear is the song.

I’m not even on beat anymore, and it doesn’t matter. It doesn’t matter because there’s a cop here and I have to get out. Even if my intuition is wrong, it’s better to get out. Safer.

I’ll never be safe.

The last note calls for a curtsy—a sexy, mocking movement I choreographed into my routine. Like the one I’d do at the end of a ballet recital but made vulgar. I barely manage it this time, a rough jerk of my head and shoulders. Then I’m gone, off the stage, running down the hallway. I’m supposed to work the floor next, see who wants a lap dance or another drink, but I can’t do that. I head for the dressing room and throw on a T-shirt and sweatpants. I’ll tell them I feel sick and have to leave early. They won’t be happy and I’ll probably have to pay for it with my tips, but they won’t want me throwing up on the customers either.

I run for the door and almost slam into Blue.

He’s standing in the hallway again. Not slouching this time. There’s a new alertness to his stare. And something else—amusement.

“Going somewhere?” he asks.

“I have to… My stomach hurts. I feel sick.” I step close, praying he’ll move aside.

He reaches up to trace my cheek. “Aww, should I call the doctor?” His hand clamps down on my shoulder. “I wouldn’t want anything bad to happen to you.”

I grip my bag tight to my chest, trying to ignore the threat in his words. And the threat in his grip. I really do feel sick now, but throwing up on him is definitely not going to help the situation. “Please, I need to leave. It’s serious. I’ll make it up later.”

He’ll know what I’m saying. That I’ll make it up to him personally. I’m just desperate enough to promise that. Desperate enough to promise him anything. And he’s harassed me long enough that I know it’s a decent prize. I’m sure he’ll make it extra humiliating, but I’m desperate enough for that too.

“Please let me go.” The words come out pained, my voice thin. It feels a little like my body is collapsing in on itself, steel beams bending together, something crushing me from the outside.

Regret flashes over his face, whether for refusing my offer or forcing me that low. But this time he doesn’t let me go. “There’s a customer asking for you. He wants a dance.”

Free on Amazon

Tough Love- Prequel to Love The Way You Lie

A story about the sacrifices we make for love…

I sneak out of my room every night. My father’s guards don’t see me. My sister doesn’t see me.

No one sees me, except him.

He’s the son of a mafia foot soldier. My father is the boss. I shouldn’t even know Giovanni. And I definitely shouldn’t kiss him. Our relationship is doomed to fail, but that won’t stop me from trying.

Not every girl wants to be a princess. I just want to be free.

About Skye Warren

Skye Warren is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of dark romance. Her books are raw, sexual and perversely tender. For those new to her work, consider the bestseller Wanderlust, Prisoner or the Dark Nights series starting with Trust in Me.

Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Goodreads

Happy Release + Review: Addy and The Smart Guy by Carter Ashby- Big Girl Panties Series – Book 3

Posted on 03/11/2015 by shellbellereads

Addy And The Smart Guy

Big Girl Panties Series- Book 3

By Carter Ashby

Synopsis

If it weren’t for her best friends, Zoey and Maya, Addy Hart would be a prudish, uptight Barbie doll. Thankfully, through love and persistence, they’ve helped introduce her to her wild side. Unfortunately, even her wild side doesn’t have the courage to go after the one thing she wants more than life itself.

Dr. Greyson McDaniel has resisted his lovely teaching assistant for three years, now. He has no intentions of endangering his job or her reputation. But as spring break approaches, he’s seized with a wicked impulse. He invites her to his mountain retreat for a week. Just one week of intense escape.

What they both discover after their affair is that a week isn’t nearly enough. But as much as they long to be together, there are obstacles in their way, and the ethics of student-teacher relationships are the least of their problems. When she realizes how deeply rooted Grey’s commitment issues are, Addy begins to despair of ever having a happy ending with him. But Addy’s love might be just what’s needed to free him of his past.

Buy: Amazon

Tina’s Review

The synopsis is strong. The cover is not as impressive to me; the couple do not seem to capture the essence of Addy and Grey as they are describe and I’ve imagined. But aside from that, we’ve got the story itself. It’s the third in the series and includes the previous couples as secondary characters. While this can be read as a stand-alone novel, the reader would gain the most out of it if it were read in order of the series.
Addy’s been crushing on her college professor for years and even becomes his TA to be closer to him. She’s a 23-yr old virgin who’s saved herself for the man she thinks she can never have. He’s 12 years older and afraid of commitment and fears putting his career on the line for his young student-turned-assistant. Even though he knows he can’t have her, he’s just caveman jealous enough to want no guy to have her. <- I’m not sold on that whole storyline, the series was great without trying to add all of the taboo and obsession elements. There are moments that I really like Addy and others that I really, REALLY don’t. Same with Grey. Most of the time, I really truly liked him… but every now and again he’d screw it up by acting like an idiot. The cast of secondary characters, both new and old, were beneficial and supportive to the plot. Dialogue was believable, interaction felt mostly natural. His using “kiddo” as a nickname for her was a little off-putting. The plot certainly contained enough drama and plenty dynamics and writing style flows very smoothly. The conflicts were mostly resolved, but there really was no clear-cut resolution to the Gwen issue. Predictability was low. The conclusion was mostly wrapped up. It had the HEA, but I felt it could have benefited from an epilogue covering all three couples if this is meant to be the end of the series. Overall, I was a huge fan of the series and liked this book, but I hate to say this… I liked the other two books better.

_______________________________________________________________

Author Bio:

When I got my first email from the man who would one day be my husband, it was very clear that he did not want to email me. Friends had set us up and he was obviously bowing to their pressure. His email consisted of a numerical list of facts about himself that he clearly meant to be the end of our correspondence.

My snarky response was a numerical list of facts about myself, and for some reason, he liked it. So that’s what I’m going to do here, since I’m not so good at writing about myself.

Carter is not my real name. Imagine how you would feel if your strictly right-wing religious family and friends found out you wrote stuff with sex and bad words in it.
I’ve been married 11 years and have three kids and two dogs.
I like to garden but I DO NOT like to talk about gardening. So please, let’s not talk about gardening.
I’m deeply introspective and welcome anyone who wants to bitch-slap me back into reality, should I float away a little too far into my own thoughts.
I think fiction is a basic and essential element of our existence as humans. I think it’s part of what makes us human. And I think we relate better to each other through stories than we do through fact–bitch slap me now, I’m getting introspective.
I’m a little flighty about hobbies. Reading, writing, and bread baking are the only ones that have stood the test of time. Current hobbies include mixing drinks, making mead, gardening, fermenting stuff from the garden…I think that’s all at the moment.
I’ll read anything. Most of my loved ones stick to their favorite genre, so I will go read what they’re reading so we can have stuff to talk about at the dinner table.
I homeschool my children. Not because of religious reasons. Not because I hate the system (although I’m not overly fond of it). But because I just want to be with them. And playing school is fun. Remember that? Playing teacher and making your younger sister do a bunch of homework? Was that just me?
Last one: The first time I dropped out of college was because I was having one of those existential crises teenagers are so fond of having. When I went home, I found stacks and stacks of notebooks in my closet full of unfinished (and god-awful) stories. I didn’t even remember writing them. But that’s when I realized that I was a writer. Because I have to do it. It’s who I am. The publishing thing is virgin territory, but I have always, and always will, write. Because I have to.

Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Goodreads

Cover Reveal: Coda by CD Reiss – The Submission Series – Book 9

Posted on 03/11/2015 by shellbellereads

Coda

The Submission Series – Book 9

By CD Reiss

Release Date: March 18, 2015

Pre Order: B & N / ITunes / Google / Kobo

Synopsis

Did you want a pat little ending about Jonathan and I riding off into the sunset? Did you want flowers and stars? Man, I wish it was all soft filters and violins. I wish we could fight about who cleaned the bathroom or who was cooking dinner. But I knew I was never destined for simple contentment.

I almost committed murder for him. I almost tore us apart to save him. How do you get back on the horse after that? Because, I promise you, nothing is the same. Nothing.

I’ve earned our happily ever after. Now I have to survive it.

The Complete Submission Series

Eight Book Bundle of Submission Series…

Only $3.99

Buy: Amazon / B & N / Google Play

About CD Reiss

CD Reiss is a USA Today and Amazon bestseller. She still has to chop wood and carry water, which was buried in the fine print. Her lawyer is working it out with God but in the meantime, if you call and she doesn’t pick up, she’s at the well, hauling buckets.

Born in New York City, she moved to Hollywood, California to get her master’s degree in screenwriting from USC. In case you want to know, that went nowhere, but it did embed TV story structure in her head well enough for her to take a big risk on a TV series structured erotic series called Songs of Submission. It’s about a kinky billionaire hung up on his ex-wife, an ingenue singer with a wisecracking mouth; art, music and sin in the city of Los Angeles.

Critics have dubbed the books “poetic,” “literary,” and “hauntingly atmospheric,” which is flattering enough for her to put it in a bio, but embarrassing enough for her not to tell her husband, or he might think she’s some sort of braggart who’s too good to give the toilets a once-over every couple of weeks or chop a cord of wood.

If you meet her in person, you should call her Christine.

Stalk Her: Facebook | Twitter | Website | Goodreads | Pinterest | Intagram

Fierce: A Fantasy Collection – Sixteen USA Today and New York Times and Amazon Bestsellers

Posted on 03/10/2015 by shellbellereads

We’re having a release day launch for Fierce: A Fantasy Collection. This anthology has sixteen USA Today, New York Times and Amazon bestsellers, including Mercedes Lackey!!! Grab your copy today!!

Fierce: A Fantasy Collection Synopsis:

As Featured On USA Today!

Join epic fantasy legend Mercedes Lackey and fifteen additional New York Times, USA Today, and Amazon bestselling authors on the adventure of a lifetime!

Over one million words and sixteen realms of fantasy brought together for your reading pleasure. Discover courageous characters fighting for justice and order. Journey between kingdoms of dragons and lands of anarchy as tales of magic and mayhem unfold.

Grab it today, before it’s gone!

Buy Links:

Amazon | Barnes and Noble | iBooks | Kobo | Google Play

Cover Reveal: Ascenders by CL Gaber- Book 1

Posted on 03/10/2015 by shellbellereads

Look at the gorgeous cover for ASCENDERS by CL Gaber! Check out the excerpt below for a sneak peek!

ASCENDERS (Ascenders 1) by CL Gaber

YA Paranormal Romance/Fantasy

Goodreads

Is this Hell or is this High School?

THE ASCENDERS Takes You To the In-between Where Teens Who Died Young Go On the Epic Adventure of an After-Lifetime.

Blurb:

Walker Callaghan doesn’t know what happened to her. One minute she was living her teenage life in suburban Chicago…and the next minute, she was in a strange place and in a brand new school with absolutely no homework, no rules, and no consequences.Walker Callaghan, 16, is dead.

She doesn’t go to Heaven or Hell. She lands at The Academy, a middle realm where teenagers have one thing in common: They were that morning announcement at their high schools because they died young.

These high school kids are now caught in a strange “in-between” zone where life hasn’t changed very much. In fact, this special teen limbo looks a lot like life in a quaint Michigan town complete with jocks, popular girls and cliques. “There are even cheerleaders in death,” Walker observes. It’s not a coincidence that the music teacher is a guy named Kurt who “used to have this band.” The drama teacher, Heath, is crush worthy because back in his life, he starred in some superhero movie as the Joker.

Principal King explains the rules — there are none. Why? You can’t die twice.

There is no homework.

No tests.

No SATS.

You’re just there to learn because the human brain isn’t fully formed until you’re 24.

By the way, you can’t get hurt physically, so race your Harley off that hillside. But falling in love is the most dangerous thing you can do …because no one knows how long you’ll stay in this realm or what’s next. Walker falls hard for tat-covered, bad boy Daniel Reid who is about to break the only sacred rule of this place. He’s looking for a portal to return back to the living realm.

Ascenders….An epic adventure of an after-life time.

EXCERPT

In what seemed like an instant, my back foot caught on a large fallen tree branch and I fell forward with all my body weight. Crashing hard onto my hands and knees, I cried out, but I wasn’t in any real pain. Before I could stand up, I slipped again until my stomach slammed against the surface of the thickly iced-over pond. The cracking sound was like thunder. Then, in what felt like a sickening surge of broken glass and rushing water, the ground suddenly ceased to exist. I didn’t have time to scream as I dropped into the dark, lifeless, icy chill of wintery water.

I braced for the first slap of bitter freeze, instantly calling up some stupid fact from science class at Kennedy High where we learned that Titanic survivors described hitting the freezing ocean water as thousands of tiny knives stabbing every inch of their bodies.

I expected excruciating pain, but there was none. There was just numbness as I entered the earliest stages of being converted to ice.

Resistance was only natural and I fought hard as my hands flailed through the water trying to keep my head above the murky freeze, but it was pointless. The water was hungry that night and my thrashing almost made a game out of its impending conquest. It only took a second or two of my desperate survival dance for the lake to swallow me whole.

Daniel must have heard the crack and he stopped in place. Slowly, he turned around as I struggled to pop up again, but by putting up a fight I only succeeded in making it worse. As my body was being carried under the heavy sheet of ice in an involuntary dance, I could see Daniel above, the soles of his black boots carefully following my route as he calmly watched me drown.

In a way, it was fascinating to watch him ever so gradually shuffle along as my hands desperately reached from under my new icy roof for the bottom of his boots. The only thing that separated us was about five solid inches of deadly winter soup. By the time he found me in an even darker spot where the lake mingled with several dead, embalmed trees, all he could see from under the thick coating was my face looking up at him, frozen in horror. He saw my pouty mouth almost kissing the ice and frantically trying to say one word to him.

“Help!” I mouthed.

I gulped down murky green water, ingesting long tentacles of lifeless leaves and thick clumps of sludge-dirt, and it all slid easily into my lungs while he just stood there. He. Stood. There.

Frantically, I maneuvered away from the spot by the trees, which made it worse because now I was pinned under even thicker ice, my milky-white face pressed up against eight to ten inches of immovable crystals.

Casually, Daniel walked to where I was wildly waving my arms underneath the water. When I looked up now, he was a hazy dark blur that made me suddenly dizzy. That’s when I shut my eyes to wait for the inevitable.

But I didn’t black out. Long minutes passed, my eyes sprung open, and I continued to push upward again as the water became midnight black. For some reason I was still alive, but I still couldn’t free myself from this wintry prison.

My mind raced. How much time had passed? How much time could pass before I would be brain-dead? How much time before I died?

Daniel still stood above the ground and calmly watched me struggle. “To hell with this,” he finally said, loud enough for me to hear him under the ice. Was he telling me to stop struggling and just accept that I lost?

After another endless minute passed, he shook his head and, though apparently talking to himself, said even louder, “Okay, enough . . . but you need to know.”

Kicking through a thinner spot of ice, he made a small hole and then pummeled it into a bigger passage with those clomping boots. Reaching down into the crack, he offered me a strong hand and a tat-covered, muscular arm. Somehow through the dark water, I saw human fingers moving and grabbed them like they were my only lifelines, which is exactly what they were to me.

All it took was one big hoist and I was in his arms, pressed body-to-body up against him, soaking wet, freezing cold, and mad as hell.

With my right hand, that had absolutely no feeling in it, I slapped him squarely across the jaw as hard as possible. When he didn’t budge much, I slapped him again, which made my hand tired, but it didn’t hurt. When I attempted to punch his face, he grabbed my hand in a firm way that signaled we weren’t going another nine rounds.

“Easy there, tiger,” he said with a smirk that made those soft eyes twinkle. “I guess you’re a fan of the Rocky movies.”

“Why . . . you bastard . . . why . . . you didn’t even try to save me,” I sputtered, but I wasn’t really coughing and certainly my brain was perfectly fine. For a split second, I counted to five backward. Again, it was amazing that my mind was still functioning. Maybe the water was cold enough to save me. Is that how it worked?

“I saw you. You were just standing there! Watching! Watching me die!” I screamed, shoving him again. This time, I took him by surprise and he landed butt-first in a pile of snow.

Calmly, he stood up, lurched forward, and grabbed both of my arms, holding me against his rock-hard chest until I stopped struggling and gave up the idea of trying to knock his block off. He held me tightly like he was protecting me from some danger worse than what just happened. Tears formed in my eyes and I began to touch my arms and then tested my breathing, which was perfectly normal. He still refused to let go. Big white puffs of my breath filled the dark sky and I watched them evaporate slowly like little clouds. Then I looked up.

“Why aren’t I dead?” I said in an anguished voice.

Daniel took a deep breath, carefully released me, and then answered slowly.

“Because, baby, you can’t die twice,” he said.

For more information check out the ASCENDERS website HERE!

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About the Author:

C.L. Gaber is the co-author of the bestselling YA novel “Jex Malone.” She is also an entertainment journalist, syndicated worldwide through the New York Times Syndicate. She interviews A-lister movie, TV and music stars for the Chicago Sun-Times. A movie-loving kid in Chicago, she grew up to earn a degree from the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism at Arizona State. Now she lives Nevada with her husband Ron, once her high school boyfriend; her stepdaughter, Sabrina; and their dogs, Colt and Georgie.Website

http://www.clgaber.com/ | Facebook

Happy Release + 5 Star Review: Confess by Colleen Hoover

Posted on 03/10/2015 by shellbellereads

Confess

By Colleen Hoover

Release Date : March 10,2015

Buy : Amazon / Barnes and Noble / ITunes

Synopsis:

From #1 New York Times bestselling author Colleen Hoover, a new novel about risking everything for love—and finding your heart somewhere between the truth and lies.

Auburn Reed has her entire life mapped out. Her goals are in sight and there’s no room for mistakes. But when she walks into a Dallas art studio in search of a job, she doesn’t expect to find a deep attraction to the enigmatic artist who works there, Owen Gentry.

For once, Auburn takes a risk and puts her heart in control, only to discover that Owen is keeping some major secrets from coming out. The magnitude of his past threatens to destroy everything important to Auburn, and the only way to get her life back on track is to cut Owen out of it.

The last thing Owen wants is to lose Auburn, but he can’t seem to convince her that truth is sometimes as subjective as art. All he would have to do to save their relationship is confess. But in this case, the confession could be much more destructive than the actual sin…

Buy : Amazon / Barnes and Noble / ITunes

Robin’s Review

Colleen Hoover is well-known for including innovative and artistic features in her novels. Whether she is collaborating with a musician or artist, writing poetry or writing in the lyrical style, Hoover’s creativity makes her stories unique and special. In the past, she successfully collaborated with recording artist Griffin Peterson for Maybe Someday. Peterson wrote and recorded several songs that are included in the story. I found that listening to each of the songs while I was reading Maybe Someday greatly enhanced my reading experience.

Colleen Hoover has now collaborated with artist Danny O’Conner to create paintings that are included in Confess. Hoover also asked her readers to submit anonymous confessions – real confessions – some of which were chosen to be included in Confess. In this story, anonymous confessions are left at the door of artist Owen Gentry, and he uses these confessions as inspiration for his paintings. Pictures of Danny O’Conner’s paintings are found throughout the novel.

Confess is a deeply moving story about two individuals who each have a past shrouded in mystery. Twenty-year-old cosmetologist Auburn Reed recently moved from Portland, Oregon to Dallas, Texas. She needs a second job so she can afford to hire an attorney. Twenty-one-year-old Owen Gentry is desperately in need of an assistant to help in his art studio. Auburn notices the “HELP WANTED” sign in the window of the art studio first. Then she notices a sign that reads CONFESS. Finally, she notices a multitude of confessions – each written in different handwriting – which cover the windows of the studio. When Owen opens the door of his art studio to find Auburn reading the confessions, it felt like fate was throwing these two characters together.

Colleen Hoover’s writing is top-notch in Confess. One of her greatest strengths is her ability to weave an unforgettable story, and Confess is unforgettable in the best kind of way! Owen Gentry and Auburn Reed both have their own secrets. In fact, there is a lot of mystery surrounding the main and secondary characters. It didn’t take long for me to realize this, and if you are anything like me, your head will be full of questions as you read this novel. If you didn’t already know this about Colleen Hoover, you will find out she is an expert at slowly unwinding her story, giving readers small bits of information until you finally have the full picture at the end of the novel.

Confess was not easy for me to read. I have read every novel Colleen Hoover has published, and Confess has a darker feel to it than most of her previous novels. My emotions were all over the place while I read this story. Parts of Confess left me feeling very sad. I felt anger. Angst. But I also felt hope, and there were plenty of moments where I caught myself smiling, laughing and feeling joy. There are huge reveals in Confess. Twists in the storyline. I am still intrigued by the confessions submitted by real people like you and me – most of them are profound and heartbreaking. And O’Conner’s paintings are incredible. Confess is a very special novel that is well-deserving of 5 stars. You won’t want to miss reading this latest novel from author Colleen Hoover!

Michel’s Review

Colleen Hoover has once again delivered a compelling novel that touches more than the reader’s mind. She incorporates their senses as well as their imagination. She taps into their emotional realm and touches their soul. She engages the reader’s complete attention.

Colleen is known for her collaboration with other types of artists to bring her stories to life. She collaborated with musician Griffin Peterson in her novel Maybe Someday and brought music to her story. This time around in her latest release she has collaborated with artist Danny O’Connor to bring color and visual emotions to the reader. She has also incorporated some of her readers by using their confessions to inspire her writing and the artist’s paintings. This monumental collaboration resulted in the truly touching novel Confess.

Confess has a bit of a darker undertone than most of Colleen’s novels. It starts out with despair and heartache. The kind of heartache that will never go away and be forgotten. Time does heal the deep rooted pain to a dull ache that remains in the soul. Time also gives back a new kind of balance that helps alleviate the pain. Time gives us new things to focus on, new things to love and cherish. It teaches us that it’s okay to move on and live again. It teaches us that is okay to have regrets, remorse, heartache, and rebellion. It also teaches us that it is okay to be happy, live life to it’s fullest, and that love is the greatest gift. The one thing about life is that it is going to be no matter what. That is where confessions come into play. They can be good or bad. They can be mean or pleasant. They can be beautiful or ugly. They are parts of ourselves that validate our lives.

Owen Gentry is a gifted artist that uses anonymous confessions as inspirations for his work. He lets they confessions touch his soul and guide his brush. He has witnessed life at it’s ugliest and knows that others have had their own personal crosses to bear. When he places a help wanted sign in his studio window he is unaware that is the first footstep to a new journey in his life. It has opened the door to his destiny and fate.

Auburn Reed has come to Texas with a purpose. She is young and broke. She needs money to bring her purpose into action. Her job as a cosmetologist isn’t going to get it done. She needs another job. When she stops at a storefront window and begins to read confessions pasted all over the windows, she is mesmerized. When she spies the help wanted sign in the window, she knows fate has led her down this path. When she meets the charismatic artist, Owen Gentry, she knows her destiny is somehow intwined with his.

Auburn and Owen’s lives have been fated for a long time. Their history is intertwined in a very odd and mysterious way. The other people in their lives are dictating the path their lives are on at this time. It will be up to Owen and Auburn to make their own path and let destiny guide them. They will have to let go of the secrets in their souls. They will have to confess.

Colleen Hoover delivers a powerful message throughout Confess. She not only delivers an entertaining novel, she gives her readers food for thought. Then she adds an extra layer of icing by giving her readers another way to experience her story. She gives them a visual with the artwork by Danny O’ Connor.

Danny O’ Connor’s contribution was breathtaking. Each of the paintings captured that one moment and monumental emotions of that moment. He looked into the soul of the characters and gave them more than a face. He painted their souls.

Confess is a consuming reading and visual experience. Thank you Colleen Hoover and Danny O’ Connor for this experience.

About Colleen Hoover

Colleen Hoover’s love for writing began in 1985 when she was five years old. Her first story was titled “Mystery Bob” and was a huge hit with her mother, who was really good at faking interest. Colleen continued to write short stories for friends and family until December of 2011, when she decided to write a long story she titled, “Slammed.” She self-published SLAMMED to Amazon in January, 2012 and it hit the NYT’s bestsellers list in May, 2012. She has since signed with Atria Books, a division of Simon & Schuster, and now has six NYT’s bestsellers. Colleen prefers to be called a writer, as the term “author” still terrifies her and makes this feel like a job with expectations. She doesn’t work well under pressure and hopes writing will always remain fun and exciting. Colleen’s newest novel, UGLY LOVE, releases August 5th, 2014. She is currently working on a new novel, CONFESS, which she is writing as fast as she can before she wakes up from this crazy dream.

You can follow Colleen on Instagram and Twitter @colleenhoover. You can also find her on her blog at http://www.colleenhoover.com where she holds a daily book-a-day giveaway, or on her very active Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/authorcolleenhoover where she loves to give away more free stuff when her husband isn’t looking.

Colleen also wants the world to know that writing short biographies in third person is incredibly awkward.

Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Goodreads

About Danny O’Connor

My name is Danny O’Connor I’m an artist from Liverpool UK and I studied Graphic Arts at Liverpool John Moores Art School.

My work is a celebration of contrasts focusing mainly on portraits and figures with a prevalence of opposing artistic influences. My inspiration walks a tightrope between high and lowbrow sources as diverse as Comics, Illustration, Character Design, Tattoo art and Graffiti to Abstract Expressionism, Cubism, Futurism, Art Noveau, Modernism and Constructivism all pulled together to create hyper stylised and abstracted works. Contrasts play a big role in what I do, it’s probably the most resounding feature throughout all of my work in one way or another. I like to mix natural flowing lines with harsh diagonals. Clean crisp areas of colour with layered messy splashes of paint. I’m trying to achieve something that appears both modern and almost futuristic whilst retaining a raw traditional aesthetic.

The paintings are built up in layer upon layer of paint which give the pieces great depth of field. They are created with an arsenal of tools that doesn’t settle with convention. As well as the more widely acknowledged paint and brush I use all manner of mediums such as, Correction Fluid, Spray Paint, Ink, Paint Markers, Texture Pastes, Charcoal, Graphite, Oil sticks and Collage. All applied in an equally diverse manner using brushes, fingers, paint rollers, sticks, paper and cardboard to drip, splash, spray, print and stroke the paint onto the surface.

Danny O’Connor aka. DOC Artist based in Liverpool UK

Website ~ Facebook

Happy Release + Review + Giveaway: Rock Hard by Nalini Singh – Rock Kiss Series – Book 2

Posted on 03/10/2015 by shellbellereads

Rock Hard

Rock Kiss Series – Book 2

By Nalini Singh

Release Date : March 10, 2015

Buy: Amazon / Barnes and Noble / ITunes

Synopsis

In New York Times Bestselling author Nalini Singh’s newest contemporary romance, passion ignites between a gorgeous, sinfully sexy man who built himself up from nothing and a shy woman who has a terrible secret in her past…

Wealthy businessman Gabriel Bishop rules the boardroom with the same determination and ruthlessness that made him a rock star on the rugby field. He knows what he wants, and he’ll go after it no-holds-barred.

And what he wants is Charlotte Baird.

Charlotte knows she’s a mouse. Emotionally scarred and painfully shy, she just wants to do her job and remain as invisible as possible. But the new CEO—a brilliant, broad-shouldered T-Rex of a man who growls and storms through the office, leaving carnage in his wake—clearly has other plans. Plans that may be equal parts business and bedroom.

If Charlotte intends to survive this battle of wits and hearts, the mouse will have to learn to wrangle the T-Rex. Game on.

EXCERPT

Charlotte arrived at work at seven thirty the next morning to find Gabriel Bishop’s office door open, but no carnivorous predator inside. A fresh suit was hanging on the back of his door, however, which meant he’d been in already.

Deciding to catch up on e-mails that had come in overnight from international suppliers as well as stores involved in a stock take, she was typing a reply when a sweaty Gabriel arrived fifteen minutes later. He was dressed in black running shorts and a faded University of Auckland T-shirt that was currently sticking to his body.

She’d known he was in shape, but now she realized none of it was an illusion created by his well-cut suits. Okay, she’d already known that, but seeing his muscled body in the flesh was a whole different ball game. He was built like a tank, hard and powerful.

Each of his thighs was thicker than both of hers put together, his biceps toned, his shoulders appearing even wider than usual. Everything about him was big. Civilized clothing didn’t make him look better, she realized—it toned down his intense masculinity. Out of his suits, with the ink on the upper part of his left arm exposed, as well as that on his opposing thigh and…

Her skin hot and lower body clenching, she just nodded in response to his “Good morning.”

Disappearing into his office, he returned with his suit pants and a fresh shirt slung over his arm, along with a sports bag. “Push the meeting with Sales to nine, will you, Ms. Baird? I need to talk to HR about something before then.”

“Yes, sir,” Charlotte said almost soundlessly, but he was already gone, heading toward the employee shower one floor down.

The thigh tattoo went all the way around, the design intricate.

Heart rate a rapid stutter, Charlotte got up after he disappeared and decided to go grab him a coffee. He’d bought her one yesterday after all. She was just being nice. “Oh, shut up, Charlotte,” she muttered once she was in the elevator, and slumped her face into an upraised hand.

The truth was she was running away. Only for a few minutes, but that’s what this was: strategic retreat. Gabriel Bishop was overwhelming. Once, before she’d ever met him and under the influence of cocktails, she’d told Molly she wanted to rip off his shirt and sink her teeth into his pecs.

That desire hadn’t waned even now that she knew he was a T-Rex. Of course, the desire was all strictly in her imagination. The idea of actually handling him in real life? So impossible as to be laughable. Charlie-mouse was not about to play with a predator who could eat her alive and not even notice the bones. The good news was that she could admire him in relative safety—there was no chance in hell he’d ever notice her as a woman.

Getting the coffee from a nearby café, she took it back upstairs. He was in his office when she entered, the striped dark gray of his tie hanging around his neck and his damp hair roughly combed. The scent of clean, fresh soap over warm skin permeated the office. Shooting her a smile that turned him from gorgeous to flat-out devastating, he flipped up the collar of his white shirt to get the tie in place. “Thank you, Ms. Baird.”

Nodding, Charlotte escaped, though she really wanted to stay. She’d never realized how erotic it was to watch a man dress until this precise moment. And she shouldn’t be having these thoughts about her boss—especially since she couldn’t keep from quivering like a rabbit in his presence. Sometimes she just annoyed herself.

“Get to work,” she muttered and knuckled down.

Gabriel was fine for the first hour, but then he began barking orders even a six-armed woman with a split personality would have had trouble handling.

Finally, pushed to the edge, Charlotte snapped. “I’m going as fast as I can!” she yelled when he asked her for something a minute after he’d asked her to complete another task.

He scowled and held out a file. “This is a priority.”

Grabbing it from his hand, she said, “Fine,” and slapped it down on her desk.

It was over an hour later that he disappeared for ten minutes. When he returned, it was to put a small bakery box on her desk. “I think you need something to sweeten your mood today, Ms. Baird.”

What she needed was for the T-Rex who was her boss to stop snarling and growling, she thought as he returned to his office. Not opening the box until her curiosity had almost killed her, she found it held a slice of decadent chocolate cake with a white-chocolate ganache topped with curls of both white and milk chocolate. “I cannot be bribed with cake,” she muttered, eating a bite nonetheless.

Michel’s Review

T-Rex is hunting his prey. Charlotte, the sweet meek little mouse, is hiding from the predator. It may not be pre-historic times. Cavemen may not exist openly in modern times. The one thing that never changes is the law of the universe. There will always be an Alpha. He will claim what is his. He will own it, protect it, love it, and keep it. It is his.

We first met Charlotte in the first full novel in the Rock Kiss series. She is Molly’s timid and quiet best friend. She is easily intimidated. She is terrified of her new domineering boss. She has nicknamed him T-Rex. He was always stomping through the company, chewing up people, and spitting them out left and right. He is a demanding boss and he has promoted Charlotte to be his PA.

Gabriel Bishop is a former rugby player that had to retire due to injuries. His career has changed from being an aggressive player to aggressive businessman. He saves companies that are going under and turns them around. When he takes on a new company he knows that he has a battle in front of him. He has to be hard on the workers, rigid with his policies, and ruthless in the business world. That is what it takes to turn a company around. Weed out the weak and fortify the strong. What he didn’t expect was to be attacked by a stapler wielded by a mouse. Quickly that mouse turns out to be more than a timid little creature. Charlotte Baird is smart, witty, and determined. She may be shy but she is not a doormat. She has a warrior heart underneath it all. When he promotes Charlotte to be his PA, he will get more than a valuable assistant.

Gabriel knows that he will have to tread lightly and go slow with Charlotte. He senses that there is more to her shyness and timid personality. He wants her to be completely his. He wants her to know she’s valued just the way she is. He may have to go T-Rex at times, but catching his little mouse will be more delicious than he anticipated. T-Rex is going to learn some lessons from the little mouse.

I really liked Rock Hard. Gabriel and Charlotte were a very entertaining couple. I love books where complete opposites attract. I love when they bring out the best in each other. I am glad that Nalini brought these characters to life.

_________________________________________________________________

Rock Kiss Series

Rock Addiction – Book 1

A bad boy wrapped in a sexy, muscled, grown-up package might be worth a little risk…

Molly Webster has always followed the rules. After an ugly scandal tore apart her childhood and made her the focus of the media’s harsh spotlight, she vowed to live an ordinary life. No fame. No impropriety. No pain. Then she meets Zachary Fox, a tattooed bad boy rocker with a voice like whiskey and sin, and a touch that could become an addiction.

A one-night stand with the hottest rock star on the planet, that’s all it was meant to be…

Fox promises scorching heat and dangerous pleasure, coaxing Molly to extend their one-night stand into a one-month fling. After that, he’ll be gone forever, his life never again intersecting with her own. Sex and sin and sensual indulgence, all with an expiration date. No ties, no regrets. Too late, Molly realizes it isn’t only her body that’s become addicted to Fox, but her heart…

Buy: Amazon / Barnes and Noble / ITunes

Rock Courtship – Book 1.5

What happens when the Gentleman of Rock decides to play dirty?

A drummer for the hottest rock band on the planet, David has a single, powerful weakness: Thea, the band’s publicist and the woman who steals his breath away with her every move.

Only problem is, Thea doesn’t date clients—or musicians. Emotionally scarred by a cheating ex, she’s not about to risk her heart with a man who has groupies buzzing around him like flies. Even if his sexy smile ties her up in knots.

What she doesn’t know is that David is a one-woman man…and he’s madly in love with her. David’s determined to prove he’s worth the risk, and willing to court her, step by exquisite step. Thea’s about to discover just how long and hard this handsome drummer can play.

Buy: Amazon / Barnes and Noble / ITunes

Author Bio:

NEW YORK TIMES AND USA Today bestselling author of the Psy-Changeling and Guild Hunter series Nalini Singh usually writes about hot shapeshifters and dangerous angels. This time around, she decided to write about a hot and wickedly tempting rock star. If you’re seeing a theme here, you’re not wrong.

Nalini lives and works in beautiful New Zealand, and is passionate about writing. If you’d like to explore her other books, you can find lots of excerpts on her website. Slave to Sensation is the first book in the Psy-Changeling series, while Angels’ Blood is the first book in the Guild Hunter series. Once Rock Addiction is out, swing by the site to check out the special behind-the-scenes page, complete with photos of many of the locations used in the book.

STALK HER: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

Giveaway

$50 Amazon Gift Card

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Happy Release: Her Soldier by H.J. Bells – That Girl Series – Book 3

Posted on 03/10/2015 by shellbellereads

Her Soldier

That Girl Series – Book 3

Release Date : March 10, 2015

By H.J. Bellus

Synopsis

Sergeant Jeremiah Abbner died in the line of duty serving his country. Or at least that’s what the newspapers said…

The US Government handed him a new identity, and strict orders not to make contact with anyone from his past. As far as society was concerned Sergeant Jeremiah Abbner was dead, and buried six feet under.

Not having contact with his ex-wife would be easy. She was a manipulator and a cheater.

Not seeing his daughter on the other hand would devastate him…

Beau Morgan, aka Jeremiah, settles down in a town far away from everything he’s ever known. Coping with the trauma he’s experienced and discovering a new life Beau finds himself the most aggressive he’s ever been. His blood simmers with rage while his fists are thirsty to let it all out .

In the middle of his own living hell he never expected to run into an old familiar face. And to top it off, one who recognized him as Jeremiah.

He’s vowed never to love again, but as circumstances land him in the arms of a woman, Jenni Lee, this time he may not have a choice, as she rarely takes no for an answer.

Can Beau Morgan control his temper long enough to settle into his new life? Or will resentment taint him forever?

Buy: Amazon / Barnes and Noble / ITunes

Tina’s Review

First person POV (Jenni’s). Long Novella: 150 – 180 pages.
Beau is working as a server at a party and is sent back to the restaurant for more food when supplies run low. Upon returning. he hears an all too familiar and distasteful sound. Flesh and bone, being struck, followed by feminine, pain-filled pleas. Jenni’s rescued by Beau, brought to the hospital and taken back to his place to heal in safety. He’s secretive and has a temper that flips like a switch, but she’s never felt safer or more at home than with him. And those blinding rages? They seem to be soothed by merely her nearness.
Cover: Very appealing. Synopsis: Vague, but intriguing. Characters: I really wanted to love these characters, but instead had a lot of doubts about them. They are both seriously f-ed up individuals. He’s suffering PTSD with rage issues and is a bit controlling / possessive. He has a past life he’s not allowed to talk about, yet he leaves mementos of that life out in the open to remind him DAILY of what all he’s had to give up on top of the hellish experiences that he often relives at night. She’s nearly been beaten to death by her boyfriend, yet she trusts this big, angry stranger without a second thought AND just accepts that he can’t talk about himself… she KNOWS that there are questions she just should not ask him? It has Florence Nightingale AND Stockholm Syndrome symptoms clanging in my head. It’s hard to believe that such a quick-building relationship while under such stress will amount to something true, deep, and lasting. That said, the characters are well-written, I mean I obviously gained a very specific vibe from both of them and that’s half the magic of telling a story. Meanwhile, the secondary characters are great. They cover the fun, good, evil, loving and supportive spectrum well. While the relationship foundation between Beau and Jenni was concerning, it did feel like they began to develop a more natural relationship as time went by. The dialogue and interaction are fitting for the portrayed characters. The plot has a vast array of diversity, dimension and dynamics while the flow is easy and smooth. Sex scenes ran from frantically desperate and aggressive to reverently slow and sweet. It’s not until I hit the 75 percent mark that I felt true emotion and what horrible, heartbreaking emotion it was! The entire book was laced with conflict, most of which was resolved by the time the story concluded. Although the story wraps up solidly enough, there are a few small threads that were left dangling to be continued in a finale novella. There was very little predictability, in fact things seemed to continually go in the opposite direction than expected.
I’m wondering if I would have enjoyed Jenni as a character more if I’d met her at the beginning of the series and learned more about her first as a secondary character.

——————————————————————————–
Author Bio:

I am an independent author excited about releasing my first novel very soon. A big dream coming true!!! I’m all country…the kinda country where green grass grows and corn pops up in rows….love Miranda and her bad ass music!!! Just a simple country girl getting one story out of her head at a time…I always fall hard for a trucker style hat…especially if it’s a John Deere hat….loves me a good ol’ farm boy!!!!!!

Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Goodreads

Happy Release + Review: Unwritten by Melody Grace – Beachwood Bay Series – Book 7

Posted on 03/10/2015 by shellbellereads

Unwritten

Beachwood Bay Series – Book 7

By Melody Grace

Buy: Amazon / Barnes and Noble / ITunes

He’s my best friend’s brother – and the only boy I’ve ever loved. Movie star, manwhore, and totally off-limits.

Until now.

I told myself it was time to move on, until one epic night changed everything. Now there’s no denying the way I feel when he touches me, or the reckless desire in his eyes.

Once we cross that line, there’s no going back. But can I risk it all for him when he’s still hiding secrets of his own?

Some love stories are destiny. Ours is still unwritten.

Tracey’s Review

Zoey Barnes has been in love with Blake Callahan for as long as she can remember. Her knight in shining armor, Blake helped Zoey to believe that she was important, that things would get better, that she could make her life whatever she wanted it to be. To Blake, though, Zoey is just his sister Tegan’s best friend, another little sister and part of his family. Convincing him that she’s so much more will be Zoey’s biggest challenge yet.

Visiting the community of Beachwood Bay and its residents is always a lovely experience for me. From the small-town closeness of Beachwood Bay to the extended and intertwined cast of characters, I know that I will love each story, and Unwritten is no different. I was excited to read this book, having previously been introduced to Zoey and Blake. Zoey is absolutely adorable. She speaks to a part of each of us, that part that is unsure, that is trying to find our place in the world, that wants something so badly that she will do whatever it takes to get it. Seeing her step out in faith to go after Blake is sometimes painfully awkward, but I couldn’t help but root for her. And Blake, Blake has had to be the consummate actor for a very long time, the Callahan that smooths out all the edges, that makes everyone feel better, even when he’s falling apart himself. In Melody Grace’s usual fashion, she has brought together two people that have suffered more than their fair share in their young lives, but whose resilience allows them to rise above their pasts. Separately, Zoey and Blake are getting through life just fine, but together they make each other shine, and be the best that they can be.

I love that Melody continues to give updates on everyone, so that it really seems as though we’re a part of their stories. That she is able to flow effortlessly from one book to the other, and not lose any of the depth of character, or punch of emotion, is a testament to her success as one of the currently reigning voices in contemporary romance. I am looking very forward to reading UNFORGETTABLE, Ash’s story, and give Unwritten 5 emotional and sexy stars.

Tina’s Review

Quick fore-notes: Although this is the seventh book in the series, I’ve not read any of the previous ones, nor have I ever read anything my Melody Grace until now. While I am NOT a fan of the awkward looking cover, I was intrigued by the minimalistic approach to the synopsis.
The story is written in a first-person POV, most often being Zoey’s but later it alternates more between her and Blake. All switches are clearly defined and the transitions are made smoothly. The prologue begins on New Year’s Eve, but then picks up months later. Throughout, there are flashbacks over the past six years. The timeline is clearly marked and easy to keep track of.
Zoey’s had a secret crush on her best friend Tegan’s older brother, Blake, for years. But being four years younger than him, she was always seen more like another kid sister. Now, both adults, she’s home from a stint in Paris and she’s determined to make him see her for the woman she is. A New Year’s Resolution, hers, coupled by a steamy kiss is the only validation she needs to pursue her attraction to him. All of the characters, whether good, bad or ugly, are well-written with diverse personas creating a rich, full cast. The dialogue and interaction between them is believable and feels fairly natural. There is enough dynamics and drama to keep the plot from feeling flat or listless and plenty of conflicts that needed to be worked through, some more maturely that others – but that is to be expected when the characters are early- to mid- 20-year olds. There was not a lot of predictability. The conclusion was solid and felt complete.
A final word: You know how you have a favorite snack, like a can of chips or a pint of ice cream? It’s a yummy treat that you enjoy devouring, but then you look down and it’s gone? You kind of feel guilty because you consumed it in one sitting and now there’s none left to savor and enjoy? That is how I felt with this book. Ms. Grace has a fluidity to her writing that made it entirely too possible to devour the book in a binge read.

Melody Grace is the New York Times bestselling author of the Beachwood Bay series. A small-town girl turned SoCal beach lover, after spending her life with her nose in a book, she decided it was time she wrote one herself. She loves steamy romance novels, happily-ever-afters, and lusting after fictional menfolk. She lives in LA with her two kittens, Bucky Barnes and Steve Rogers.

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Saucy Southern Readers

professional, honest, and timely book reviews

Monthly Archives: March 2015

Cover Reveal + Giveaway: Instigation by Tessa Teevan- The Clandestine Affairs Trilogy – Book 1

Happy Release: Love The Way You Lie by Skye Warren – Stripped Series – Book 1

Happy Release + Review: Addy and The Smart Guy by Carter Ashby- Big Girl Panties Series – Book 3

Cover Reveal: Coda by CD Reiss – The Submission Series – Book 9

CD Reiss is a USA Today and Amazon bestseller. She still has to chop wood and carry water, which was buried in the fine print. Her lawyer is working it out with God but in the meantime, if you call and she doesn’t pick up, she’s at the well, hauling buckets.

If you meet her in person, you should call her Christine.

Stalk Her: Facebook | Twitter | Website | Goodreads | Pinterest | Intagram

Fierce: A Fantasy Collection – Sixteen USA Today and New York Times and Amazon Bestsellers

Cover Reveal: Ascenders by CL Gaber- Book 1

Happy Release + 5 Star Review: Confess by Colleen Hoover

Happy Release + Review + Giveaway: Rock Hard by Nalini Singh – Rock Kiss Series – Book 2

Happy Release: Her Soldier by H.J. Bells – That Girl Series – Book 3

Happy Release + Review: Unwritten by Melody Grace – Beachwood Bay Series – Book 7

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CD Reiss is a USA Today and Amazon bestseller. She still has to chop wood and carry water, which was buried in the fine print. Her lawyer is working it out with God but in the meantime, if you call and she doesn’t pick up, she’s at the well, hauling buckets.

If you meet her in person, you should call her Christine.

Stalk Her: Facebook | Twitter | Website | Goodreads | Pinterest | Intagram

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