Excerpt Reveal: Two of Hearts by Christina Lee

Posted on 04/30/2015 by shellbellereads

Two of Hearts

Spin Off of Between Breaths Series

Release Date: May 5, 2015

By Christina Lee

Synopsis

A gripping standalone adult contemporary romance about finding yourself while taking a second chance at your first love…

Dakota Nakos was always the resilient, strong-willed achiever. But when her father dies and she’s entrusted with the family’s casino, she feels vulnerable, scared, and more than a little emotional –not exactly the best time to see an old lover she’s never really gotten over.

Dakota once meant the world to Shane Garrity. Then suddenly he left town to train as a U.S. Marshal, and their love for each other crashed into a memory. Now he’s come home for her father’s funeral, and one look at the girl he left behind stirs up both memories and regrets, and reignites a fire he feared he’d lost forever.

Dakota may be the same driven girl she always was, but she’s also changed in ways neither could have anticipated. She’s not just a young woman searching for own identity in the Native American community in which she was raised, but one questioning her new life outside her father’s shadow. Above all she wonders if Shane can push past her weakened defenses to rekindle what they once had, or whether the intense blaze between them will ultimately reduce her heart to ashes.

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

Excerpt

I didn’t know what I was expecting; it was awkward enough trying to understand what was happening between us. I had no idea what was going through his head or where we stood after he had kissed me out on my balcony and then crowded me in my office before the luncheon. Besides, I had made it clear that it was bad timing for us to restart our relationship. Too bad I couldn’t get him out of my mind for even one second.

And now his mouth was hot and wet, his tongue was deep in my mouth, the pressure of his body hard and soft at the same time. I moaned and sunk further into his warmth.

“Wait,” I said, breaking away from the kiss. I needed to get some things straight between us before I lost myself in Shane completely. “We need to talk about this afternoon. How much of my conversation with Ridge did you hear?”

“Enough to know that I’m not in this alone. You had regrets, too,” he said. “You still want me. Just like I want you.”

I tucked my head into his shoulder, unable to deny anything he’d said.

“No more waiting, angel.” His fingers were at the base of my neck, his other hand gripping my ass, pulling me in tight. “I can’t stay away from you.”

My hand reaching into his hair was the only assent I needed to give. He felt too good to stop now. I had dreamt of being with him again too many times to count.

He’d be leaving town soon, and I’d just have to suffer the consequences.

He hitched up my legs and my thighs easily slid around his waist. His lips were solid and bruising; he fixed me firmly against the wall, delicious sounds emerging from his throat.

His eyes darted down to my breasts, which had hardened into stiff peaks, and his shoulders became rigid. “That’s my shirt, Dee. You’ve had it this whole time?”

I nodded, too filled with lust to feel mortified. “I wear it every night.”

“Fuck baby, you’ve been wearing my shirt?” he groaned. “Goddamn, I’m even harder now.”

The Between Breaths Series

All of You- Book 1

In this powerfully emotional debut New Adult novel, Avery has just met her hot upstairs neighbor. He’s irresistible. Tattooed. And a virgin.

Nursing student Avery Michaels wants nothing to do with dating–she’s perfectly happy single. Privy to too many of her mother’s bad decisions and even worse taste in boyfriends, all Avery can handle is a string of uncomplicated hookups whenever the mood strikes.

When she meets smoking hot tattoo artist Bennett, she wants him–for just one night. But he won’t accept a no-strings-attached arrangement. He lives by a straight-laced code of values based on his own troubled upbringing.

Bennett sees something special in Avery and he wants more from her. Way more. As Avery wrestles with her emotions for Bennett, danger and tragedy force them to open up to each other. And Avery must face the terrifying realization that she wants more from him, too.

So she needs to make a choice–let Bennett go or finally let him in.

Buy: Amazon / B & N / ITunes / Kobo / Google Play

Before You Break – Book 2

A sexy, emotional New Adult romance about a bad boy on the edge and a good girl about to lose control…

A college baseball star isn’t supposed to have skeletons in his closet. But Daniel Quinn is hiding a guilty past so dark he refuses to let anyone get close. Except there’s something about gorgeous, studious Ella Abrams that goes beyond the electric attraction between them–something that makes him want to open up.

Ella has suffered enough heartache and guilt to fill one of her psychology textbooks, but she keeps that part of herself hidden behind a bubbly exterior. Until she receives an anonymous call while working a suicide helpline and the voice on the other end touches something inside of her that she can’t ignore.

Soon Ella and Quinn’s physical connection heats up, even as their deep and revealing hotline talks intensify. But by the time Ella realizes that her seductive jock and her sensitive caller are the same guy, it might be too late to save him–or to stop herself from falling too far…

Buy: Amazon / B & N / ITunes / Kobo / Google Play

Whisper To Me – Book 3

A hot and consuming New Adult romance about a wayward musician and the one girl who keeps him grounded…

At college, Rachel has a reputation for being a sarcastic flirt with a thing for star athletes. No one at school knows that she’d had her heart ripped to shreds by her high school sweetheart, who’d driven them both off the side of the road on a borrowed motorcycle, and then abandoned her. No one knows the real Rachel Mattson–except one person…

Ever since he helped nurse his sister’s feisty best friend back to health, pierced bass player Kai Nakos has been head over heels in love. But the supposed bad boy can’t risk letting Rachel know the truth–especially now that the two of them are back in their hometown for the summer, together for the first time since the months following that fateful night. Never mind that Rachel’s ex is back, groveling for her forgiveness.

Shaken by her ex’s return, Rachel finds herself turning to the one guy she knows she can trust. Kai is willing to hide his feelings for her, just to have Rachel touch him again. After all, this is only a temporary fling. Until it becomes something more. But maybe it had been more all along…

Buy: Amazon / B & N / ITunes / Kobo / Google Play

Promis Me This – Book 4

A new love will test the boundaries of passion between a privileged boy next door and the tattooed, blue-haired girl who helps him embrace his wild side…

Nate has developed quite a playboy reputation around campus. It’s not that he doesn’t respect or trust women; he doesn’t trust himself. The men in Nate’s family are prone to abusive behavior—a dirty secret that Nate’s been running from his entire life—so Nate doesn’t do relationships. But he can’t help himself around one girl…

Jessie is strong, independent, and works at a tattoo parlor. Nate can’t resist getting close to her, even if it’s strictly a friendship. But it doesn’t take long for Nate to admit that what he wants with Jessie is more than just friendly.

With Jessie, he can be himself and explore what he’s always felt was a terrifying darkness inside him. Even when Nate begins to crave her in a way that both shocks and horrifies him, Jessie still wants to know every part of him. Testing their boundaries together will take a trust that could render them inseparable… or tear them apart.

INCLUDES A PREVIEW OF TWO OF HEARTS.

Buy: Amazon / B & N / ITunes / Kobo / Google Play

There You Stand – Book 5

From the author of All of You and Before You Break comes a new Between Breaths male/male romance about the silent, inked up skateboarder and the tattoo artist who unravels him piece by piece…

Tattoo artist Cory Easton has worked long enough at Raw Ink to know, just by looking at a dude, what his body art reveals, what makes him tick, what even makes him scared. Until he meets the quiet and remote Jude York–so unreadable, so unreachable, and so unlike anyone else, he can’t help but arouse Cory’s curiosity.

As captivating and complex as his ink, Jude is a mystery–and Cory’s falling fast and hard under his spell. Against his better judgment to steer clear.

The rumors of Jude’s past overshadow him–whispers of prison and an unmentionable secret that’s kept him in the protective shadows of a local motorcycle club. As Cory probes deeper, he wonders how much he really wants to know. Especially since Jude has awakened something inside him that has been buried too long–and has him feeling completely alive for the first time in forever…

Includes a preview of Christina Lee’s upcoming adult romance Two of Hearts.

Buy: Amazon / B & N / ITunes / Kobo / Google Play

Two Of Hearts – Book 6

Release Date: May 5, 2015

A gripping standalone adult contemporary romance about finding yourself while taking a second chance at your first love…

Buy: Amazon / B & N / ITunes / Kobo / Google Play

______________________________________

Author Bio:

Mother, wife, reader, dreamer. Christina lives in the Midwest with her husband and son–her two favorite guys. She’s addicted to lip gloss, salted caramel everything, and believes in true love and kissing, so writing romance novels has become a dream job.

Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Goodreads

Happy Release- Sincerely Carter by Whitney G. (aka Whitney Garcia Williams )

Posted on 04/30/2015 by shellbellereads

Sincerely Carter

By Whitney G. ( aka Whitney Garcia Williams )

Synopsis

Just friends.
We’re just friends.
No, really. She’s just my best friend…

Arizona Turner has been my best friend since fourth grade, even when we “hated” each other. We’ve been there for one another through first kisses, first “times,” and we’ve been each other’s constant when good relationships turned bad. (We even went to colleges that were minutes away from each other…)

Throughout the years, and despite what anyone says, we’ve never crossed the line.

Never thought about it.
Never wanted to.

Until one night changed everything.
At least, it should’ve …

Just friends.
We’re just friends.
I’m only saying this until I figure out if she’s still “just” my best friend…

Buy: Amazon

Author Bio:

A self diagnosed candy addict, travel junkie, and hypochondriac, Whitney Gracia Williams LOVES to write about characters that make you laugh, cry, and want to (in the case of Selena Ross) reach through your Kindle and slap them.

She is the “imaginary bestselling” author of the Jilted Bride Series, Mid Life Love, Wasted Love, and Captain of My Soul.

When she’s not locked inside her room, feverishly typing away on her laptop, she can be found here:

Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Goodreads

Release Blitz + Giveaway: Adrenaline by Sunniva Dee

Posted on 04/30/2015 by shellbellereads

Adrenaline

An Ode to Love & Heartbreak Novel

By Sunniva Dee

Synopsis

CAMERON

Life’s the shit! Chicks squeal over how wild and yummy I am, play their silly games trying to tie me down. But I’m free as a bird, doing what makes life life: kicking extreme-sport-ass! I base jump, snowboard, bungee jump. I do anything for the rush.

Then, Ingela blows into town for college—a cool Swedish blast of trouble. Foulmouthed and runway-gorgeous, the girl seeps in like poison and melts the freaking brain.

To Ingela I am what chicks were to me: pastime, leisure, entertainment, pleasure. She’s killing me, and I’m digging it. There’s a new rush in town! Yeah, I hunt down my highs, and now the chase is on. I’ll catch her soon enough, just, what’s the deal with her ex?
BO
With Ingela, sex is a dance. A slow tango where skin flows over skin. It is slick readiness, a quiet welcome. It’s smooth, warm, right, and all wrong.

On and off. On and off. Again, she’s wrecked with grief. It’s a reminder of how I destroy her, how crushed relationships shouldn’t be revived.

We’ve done this for years, now, but clearly we’re in for more.

Buy: Amazon

Excerpt

Sex is a dance with her. A slow tango where skin flows over skin. It is slick readiness, a quiet welcome. It’s smooth, warm, right, and all wrong.

There’s no move she makes I don’t preempt. When it’s new, I follow. When I’m different, she forms to me. She was the ground I walked on. The air I worshipped. The first years together she was my everything.

With Ingela, sex is love. It is guilt over not giving her what she’s worthy of.

This girl. She deserves so much. And I?

I don’t have it all.

The way she looks at me. It’s knives sharpened and twisting in my gut because the extent of her love is beyond my capacity. I tell her again, for the seventh time in five years, what the answer always must be:

“Ingela, I can’t. You are the best person I know. You deserve someone with the chops to love you hard and forever. I’m not that man.”

Again, I’ve reduced her to this; her body, the one I just took to the skies in ecstasy, wracks with grief. This is why tonight is the last time we break up. I hate myself. I have to accept that I can’t make her happy.

It’s time I quit chickening out, quit running back to her over a bleak fling and whenever I need solace. To me, she’s comfort and familiarity. I’ll never stop loving Inga.

But to her, I’m still everything.

Author Bio

I write New Adult fiction with a paranormal twist and don’t shy away from romance and heart-wrenching passion when necessary.

I moved from Norway to the United States in 2001, and the first awesome five years I spent in the San Fernando Valley, Los Angeles. Then I read “The Book,” aka Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, which spurred my husband and me to move cross country to beautiful Savannah, Georgia.

I’m currently on my seventh year in the Deep South, where I enjoy the heat and the humidity. Besides writing, I spend my time with our “petting zoo” as in an opinionated parrot, a herd of cats that are experts on keyboard shortcuts, and puppies that…uh, bark.

I hold a Master’s degree in languages, with concentrations within literature and linguistics. I taught at college level for a decade before settling in as a graduate adviser at the Savannah College of Art and Design.

Writing is my passion, my joy, and my addiction. When I’m not writing, I read.
Shattering Halos is my debut novel, and its standalone sequel, Stargazer, is due out later this year.

Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Goodreads

Giveaway

Blitz-wide giveaway (INTL)
$50-dollar Amazon Gift Card
Set of signed book cover flats
e-copy of Leon’s Way
e-copy of Pandora Wild Child
e-copy of Shattering Halos
e-copy of Stargazer

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Release Blitz + Giveaway: Savor by Alyssa Rose Ivy – The Empire Chronicles – Book 4

Posted on 04/30/2015 by shellbellereads

We are absolutely thrilled to bring you the Release Day Launch for Alyssa Rose Ivy’s SAVOR! SAVOR is a New Adult Paranormal Romance and the fourth book in The Empire Chronicles Series. Grab your copy today!

Savor

The Empire Chronicles- Book 4

By Alyssa Rose Ivy

Synopsis

Buy: Amazon / B & N / ITunes / Kobo

Jared is Vera’s perfect man—until he opens his mouth. An incredible body and set of wings can only go so far when everything he says seems designed to make her mad. Still, she can’t deny her intense attraction or the fact that he is the closest thing she has to a friend.

Jared doesn’t go for bear shifters, especially ones that are related to his ex, but he can’t resist Vera’s charm or the way she understands him better than anyone else.

As suspicions build and loyalties are tested, Vera and Jared realize that they may not be able to trust anyone but each other.

*New Adult Paranormal Romance*

SAVOR Excerpt:

Savor (The Empire Chronicles #4)

Alyssa Rose Ivy

Excerpt

“I’m glad you don’t want me dead.” He smirked. Even his smirk was sexy.

“I’d be on my own if you were.” I put my hands behind my head.

“And you don’t like being alone?” He studied me in the darkness. Sometimes I wished neither of us had night vision. It left you so naked, never having an opportunity to hide.

“I do most of the time.”

“But not always?” His eyes raked over my body. The fact that he could make such a platonic conversation feel sexual gave me even more reason to resist him.

“Why does it matter?” Often the best way to avoid a question is to ask your own.

“It matters because I asked it.” And there went his mouth again.

My annoyance gave me back my will power. “Put a shirt on.”

“Why?” He grinned. “Am I distracting you?”

“No, but we should go. The sun will be up soon enough.”

“Maybe I shouldn’t go with you.” He sat up, swinging his legs off the side of the bed.

“No way.” I moved to standing. “You’re not backing out.”

“Why do you care?” He stood with his back to me. “You can do this alone.”

“Of course I can.”

He turned to me. “Then why does it matter if I go my own way?” He pulled on his t-shirt, and a little part of me missed the view.

“Because we agreed to help each other out. I stick to my promises.” That was one of my good traits. The not so good traits weren’t worth reflecting on.

“Maybe I don’t.”

“You do.” I put a hand on my hip. I didn’t have time for Jared’s games.

“How do you know?”

“I just do.”

“You’re infuriating.”

I groaned. “And what are you?”

“Charming.”

If I’d had liquid in my mouth I would have spit it out. “Not exactly the word I’d use to describe you.”

“Says the girl begging me to stay with her.”

“I never begged.” I crossed my arms over my chest.

“Would you beg?” His grin was his undoing.

“Is that how you like it, Jared? With your women begging?”

“I wasn’t talking about how I like my women.”

“Are you sure about that?” I grabbed my backpack and headed into the cabin’s small bathroom.

“Where are you going?”

I paused with my hand on the door. “To shower.”

About SAVOR:

Jared doesn’t go for bear shifters, especially ones that are related to his ex, but he can’t resist Vera’s charm or the way she understands him better than anyone else.

As suspicions build and loyalties are tested, Vera and Jared realize that they may not be able to trust anyone but each other.

Buy: Amazon / B & N / ITunes / Kobo

And don’t miss the previous books in The Empire Chronicles!

SOAR

SEARCH

STAY

Alyssa Rose Ivy Bio:

Alyssa Rose Ivy is a New Adult and Young Adult author who loves to weave stories with romance and a southern setting. Although raised in the New York area, she fell in love with the South after moving to New Orleans for college. After years as a perpetual student, she turned back to her creative side and decided to write. She lives in North Carolina with her husband and two young children, and she can usually be found with a cup of coffee in her hand.

Twitter Author Goodreads Pinterest Website SAVOR Goodreads ** Facebook

Giveaway

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Release Blitz : Fall For Me by JC Emery – A Ladder Company Novel – Book 1

Posted on 04/30/2015 by shellbellereads

Fall For Me

Ladder Company Series- Book 1

A New Series

By J C Emery

Release Date: April 30, 2015

Synopsis

Melanie Kincaid is a trust-fund baby with a knack for sassy comebacks and unnecessarily complicating her privileged life. So, of course she would have to fall in love with a man she can’t have.

Jameson Hayes is a NYC firefighter for Manhattan’s oldest ladder company with big shoes to fill and a city to protect. He’s strong, sexy, and not looking for the complications Melanie brings. But he can’t stay away from her either. The attraction between them is immediate and the pull between them is crazy powerful. But she’s only home for the summer and long-distance relationships never work.

Unfortunately, Melanie’s beauty and smart mouth are a lethal combination and Jameson isn’t the only Hayes who’s interested. As if his brother isn’t enough to compete with, now the city’s most famous arsonist wants to claim her as his next prize. Jameson can’t stand to watch Melanie get hurt and she can’t seem to keep herself out of trouble.

Fall for Me is the first Ladder Company novel, a stand-alone companion series about New York’s most elite firefighting family with hot alpha heroes, snarky heroines, and an arsonist hell-bent on destruction.

Buy: Amazon / B & N / ITunes / Kobo

Excerpt

“Mom!” I move through the foyer and into the open great room— a large, open living/kitchen combo— where I leave my suitcase and kick off my flats before I hit the carpet. What the hell is she doing with gas? That stuff is toxic.

“Well?” Mom says, appearing at the edge of the hall on the other side of the kitchen. She has a hand towel around her neck and one of her many yoga-specific exercise outfits on. This one is a light blue and she’s barefoot. Monica Kincaid is dedicated to many things in life— her husband Christian, her daughters (the youngest, especially), and her charity projects— but yoga is the one out of all of it that I don’t understand. It puts her at peace, she says.

“Well?” I ask and drape the dress bag over the island counter top in the kitchen and move around to prop myself up on one of the bar stools. God, that gasoline smell is driving me mad.

“Are we planning a spring wedding yet or what?” Mom says with a grin. Her nose wrinkles, catching the scent of the gasoline, I’m sure. “Janet and I have been taking bets.”

“God, Mom,” I say and place my head in my hands.

“No really,” she says, “Tell me.”

“Nothing happened,” I say. Verbalizing it is even more disappointing than it probably should be. Apparently, Mom and Dad were also in on Jameson and Royal’s surprise trip. It took all of an hour after they landed for Janet Hayes to text me telling me she wishes she could have been there. It was sweet, but then she suggested she needed to leave me alone so I could spend as much time as possible with Jameson. And that we shouldn’t be disturbed. While the level of investment our mothers have in our has-yet-to-happen relationship is borderline creepy, the support is pretty awesome. It’s a rarity to find a woman as kind and loving as Janet Hayes is. Even if she doesn’t really know appropriate boundaries and likes to talk about when her sons were starting puberty… in all the gory details. I know more about Jameson’s solo activities when he was a kid more than I care to.

“You must be joking,” she says and heads to the fridge where she pulls out a single-serve cup of yogurt. “That man flew down to that god-awful place—,”

As a child, JC was fascinated by things that went bump in
the night. As they say, some things never change. Now, as an adult, she divides
her time between the sexy law men, mythical creatures, and kick-ass heroines
that live inside her head and pursuing her bachelor’s degree in English. JC is
a San Francisco Bay Area native, but has also called both Texas and Louisiana
home. These days she rocks her flip flops year round in Northern California and
can’t imagine a climate more beautiful.

JC writes adult, new adult, and young adult fiction. She dabbles in many
different genres including science fiction, horror, chick lit, and murder
mysteries, yet she is most enthralled by supernatural stories– and everything
has at least a splash of romance.

WEBSITE |TWITTER| FACEBOOK| AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE| GOODREADS

Promo: The Breaking Free Series by E. M. Abel now Available…

Posted on 04/29/2015 by shellbellereads

Breaking Free Series on sale for a limited time….

Breaking Free Series

By E. M. Abel

Synopsis

Freeing Asia — Book 1

How does a tomboy raised in a house full of men find the sensual woman inside of her? Growing up with a widowed, retired Marine as a father and two older brothers taught Asia to be tough. But how does she stop being one of the guys and learn to find the right one?

Finding herself won’t be easy, finding love will be even harder.

Meeting Jay opens Asia’s eyes to the possibility of love and unbelievable sex but can his country club world accept the woman more comfortable in torn jeans and flip-flops? Or will she find the love she yearns for in the tattooed arms of her first love, a pro skater who has come back into her life?

With the possibility of new love or closure from a painful first love, finding her path is riddled with uncertainty and discoveries but before she can follow her heart she must first set it free.

Breaking Shaun— Book 2

Some men fall in love and hand their balls over to the first woman who keeps them interested—but not me. Surfing and my freedom are the only two things I’ve ever needed. Meaningless one-night stands are fun, but the drama and jealousy that follows them aren’t worth it.
Until I met Natalie, I never realized there were women who thought like me. She enjoys sex with no strings, and with a body like that, there isn’t a man around who doesn’t want a piece of her—including me.
But our friends and relatives all run in the same circles. And we all know friendship and sex leave a mess. Hearts always end up broken.
I know it.
But I still want her.

Sometimes, the things we want don’t always come easily. Every choice, every action has consequences that can change you.
They can change everything.
And no matter how fiercely guarded, even the strongest hearts can break.

Saving Jay— Book 3

Jay
My life was a dark and desolate place. Consumed by work and full of regret, loneliness had become my closest friend. Ink and a tattoo machine were my therapy, a way to claim my own skin with the art that I loved.
The day I walked into her shop, I knew I’d found what I needed.
The light I’d been looking for.

Jade
When I first looked into those blue eyes I saw a depth behind them that I wanted to explore. Jason “Jay” Clarke was more than a perfectly pressed suit and dimpled smile. He was a man with a heart of gold drowning in the weight of his world.
He wanted me to mark him.
I never expected him to soothe my aching heart.

When our worlds collide and Jay begins to fall apart, will my love be enough to save him?

Author Bio

E.M. Abel has been writing for as long as she can remember. Keeping journals, documenting her life and feelings, gave her an escape and a means to express herself. In 2013 she finally decided to take a chance and publish her debut novel, Freeing Asia, and she hasn’t looked back since. Her writing style has been described as “real” and “unapologetic”. She enjoys pulling her readers through an entire gamut of emotions– happiness, fear, sadness, humor, etc. She is determined to stay true to her voice and only publish books she loves. Her stories give her an outlet, a way to show the world who she is, and she refuses to settle for anything less.

Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Goodreads

Blog Tour + Review: Say My Name by J. Kenner

Posted on 04/29/2015 by shellbellereads

Say My Name

Stark International Trilogy- Book 1

By J. Kenner

Synopsis

New York Times bestselling author J. Kenner kicks off a smoking hot, emotionally compelling new trilogy that returns to the world of her beloved Stark novels: Release Me, Claim Me, and Complete Me. Say My Name features Jackson Steele, a strong-willed man who goes after what he wants, and Sylvia Brooks, a disciplined woman who’s hard to get—and exactly who Jackson needs.

I never let anyone get too close—but he’s the only man who’s ever made me feel alive.

Meeting Jackson Steele was a shock to my senses. Confident and commanding, he could take charge of any room . . . or any woman. And Jackson wanted me. The mere sight of him took my breath away, and his touch made me break all my rules.

Our bond was immediate, our passion untamed. I wanted to surrender completely to his kiss, but I couldn’t risk his knowing the truth about my past. Yet Jackson carried secrets too, and in our desire we found our escape, pushing our boundaries as far as they could go.

Learning to trust is never easy. In my mind, I knew I should run. But in my heart, I never felt a fire this strong—and it could either save me or scorch me forever.

Say My Name is intended for mature audiences.

Buy: Amazon / B & N / ITunes / Kobo / Google Play

Michel’s Review

Say My Name by J. Kenner is a spinoff of the Stark Trilogy featuring Damien Stark’s PA, Sylvia Brooks.

Sylvia has always been interested in real estate. When an opportunity to purchase an island off the California coast becomes available, she presents it to her boss, Damien Stark. Stark tells her to run with it and makes her head of the project. The project would include purchasing the island and developing it into an exclusive family resort. Sylvia has worked her tail off and wants this project more than anything. That includes finding the right investors, the right architect, the right kind of promotions, and all the t’s crossed & i’s dotted. Everything seems to be falling into place until the architect pulls out of the project because of a zen moment. If she does not find the perfect architect for this project it will all go down the drain. She has one architect in mind but it is almost impossible to obtain him on this project. Jackson Steele hates the Stark Industry. He hates Damien Stark. He refuses to work with them. There is a bigger reason why he won’t take the project. Sylvia.

Sylvia and Jackson have a past that ended on a bad note five years ago. She asked him to walk away from her and never look back. Jackson Steele is a man of his word and did what Sylvia asked of him. He walked away with a million regrets and a heart full of hurt. Five years later, the only thing he wants from Sylvia is to see her suffer the way he did after he walked away.

Sylvia will do everything in her power to get Jackson Steele on board with the project. She will swallow her pride. She will surrender her body. The one thing she will not do is lose herself to Jackson Steele. She will not let him know the secrets from her past that made her the woman she is today. Can she keep Jackson distant enough not to destroy her heart?

Jackson and Sylvia both have secrets. They both are harboring some bad memories of the past. Their secrets could destroy each other as well as the new project. The one thing they are learning is that five years didn’t make one difference as far as their hearts are concerned. Maybe it’s time to reveal the secrets and move forward.

Jackson and Sylvia are coming to solutions that will work for both of them. Solutions that will also make the project a success. Someone knows their secrets. Someone is out to destroy the Stark Resort project. Who is it and how far will they go? Cliffhanger!

The second book in the Stark International Trilogy, On My Knees, will release June 23, 2015. I am looking forward to this sensual intrically woven suspense trilogy.

Read Say My Name by J. Kenner. It will not disappoint!

Author Bio:

J. Kenner spent more than ten years as a litigator in Southern California and Central Texas, using her rare free time to indulge her passion for writing. California born, she now lives—and writes—in Texas, with her husband and daughters.

Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Goodreads

Happy Release: The Handler by D. R. Graham – The Noir ET Bleu Motorcycle Club Series – Book 2

Posted on 04/28/2015 by shellbellereads

The Handler

The Noir ET Bleu Motorcycle Club Series – Book 2

By D. R. Graham

Synopsis

A new adult novel from Entangled’s Embrace imprint…

He promised he would never be an outlaw . . .

While searching for the member of an outlaw motorcycle gang who murdered his dad, Cain Allen is offered a boatload of cash to “handle” the stunning teen popstar Lincoln Todd. Although he doesn’t need the headache of a high-maintenance celebrity, getting out of town will help him keep a low profile until he testifies against the other two killers.

Touring Europe with Lincoln proves to be more complicated than Cain anticipated, and despite his efforts, the line between their personal and professional lives blurs. She’s sweet, smart, and totally unpredictable. And he loves it.

But Lincoln’s association with Cain puts her in more danger than anyone could have imagined. When he joins forces with the Noir et Bleu Motorcycle Club to protect her, Cain discovers the lengths he’s willing to go, and the person he’s willing to become to protect the people he loves…

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Michel’s Review

The Handler is the first book I have read by author D. R. Graham. I have to say that I am impressed by her writing and really enjoyed this book. It had a fresh plot, solid writing, interesting characters, and a smooth flow. Although this is the second book in the Noir Et Bleu Motorcycle Club series, it can be read as a stand alone novel. I was so impressed with this book that I plan on reading the first book in the series, One Percenter.

Cain Allen is at crossroads in his life. While trying to search for the man responsible for his father’s murder and his mother’s injuries, he is very low on cash. His girlfriend is pissed that he is so far away from home. His sister wants him home. He’s living with some guys from the Noir ET Bleu MC and needs to pay rent. When his friend Tomcat calls and offers him a job as a “handler” for a teen pop star, it seems like easy money. All he has to do is make sure the princess pop star , Lincoln Todd, is safe and secure while traveling.

Thus begins the unique relationship between Lincoln and Cain. Cain is brutally honest with Lincoln and tells her the way things really are. He doesn’t sugar coat or spoil her like all the other people in her life. He earns her trust and she wins his heart. How can he keep her safe when he can’t distant himself or his heart.

The dangers he went looking for are following Lincoln on her tour. Can they both survive and come out with their hearts in one piece?

This fast paced and highly suspenseful book is full of twists and turns. It was not predictable and doled out surprises throughout the book. The romance that bloomed between Cain and Lincoln was very touching. He started out the book with a girlfriend and ended with his heart belonging to another. The author handled this with a grace that won’t turn the readers off. This book was indeed a gem.

I highly recommend The Handler by D. R. Graham!

__________________

D.R. Graham is the author of young adult and new adult novels for Entangled Publishing and HarperCollins Publishers. Her books include: the NOIR ET BLEU MOTORCYCLE CLUB series (One Percenter, The Handler), RANK, the upcoming BRAMPTON BEACH series, and the Apple iBooks best selling young adult novel, HIT THAT AND YOU’RE DEAD. She is also an award winning columnist for the Richmond News.

She worked as a social worker with at-risk youth for seven years before becoming a therapist in private practice. The clients she works with are children and teenagers. Her novels deal with issues relevant to young and new adults in love, transition, or crisis.

She currently lives in Vancouver, British Columbia with her husband.

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Happy Release + 5 Star Review + 2015 Favorite: The Mistake by Elle Kennedy – Off Campus Series – Book 2

Posted on 04/28/2015 by shellbellereads

The Mistake

Off-Campus Series – Book 2

By Elle Kennedy

Synopsis

He’s a player in more ways than one…

College junior John Logan can get any girl he wants. For this hockey star, life is a parade of parties and hook-ups, but behind his killer grins and easygoing charm, he hides growing despair about the dead-end road he’ll be forced to walk after graduation. A sexy encounter with freshman Grace Ivers is just the distraction he needs, but when a thoughtless mistake pushes her away, Logan plans to spend his final year proving to her that he’s worth a second chance.

Now he’s going to need to up his game…

After a less than stellar freshman year, Grace is back at Briar University, older, wiser, and so over the arrogant hockey player she nearly handed her V-card to. She’s not a charity case, and she’s not the quiet butterfly she was when they first hooked up. If Logan expects her to roll over and beg like all his other puck bunnies, he can think again. He wants her back? He’ll have to work for it. This time around, she’ll be the one in the driver’s seat…and she plans on driving him wild.

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Michel’s Review

It’s official…. I am a self declared PUCK BUNNY ! Elle Kennedy has delivered another fantastic book in her highly acclaimed Off-Campus series. Her latest release, The Mistake, features hockey player John Logan. John Logan is the latest college hockey legend to Grace the pages and make the readers swoon. This guy has it all… he’s a gifted athlete, he is hotter than hades, he’s a dirty talker that definitely can back up his banter, he’s a nice guy beneath the whorish reputation he carries, he’s dedicated to his family beyond expectations, and when he falls in love- he falls hard and takes everything down with him.

John Logan has been pining for his best friend Garrett’s girlfriend, Hannah. Hannah is everything he wants in a girlfriend. Logically he knows that she is off limits but he can’t help the way he feels. While trying to deal with his unrequited feelings he leans on his players reputation and sexual prowess for self therapy. He’s banging a different coed nightly and using frat parties as his playground. It may look like he is at the top of his game but deep down he is coming in last. Something has to give.

An accidental meeting with a freshman changes everything. When Logan meets Grace Ivers, he shares more than her gummy bears. The two start fooling around in a casual manner. He really doesn’t know much about Grace. He’s only interested in the distraction she provides him. But when the regular Puck Bunnies pull out their claws and start attacking Grace he steps in for the rescue. This leads to a huge mistake and wrong assumptions. When all is said and done, he has carelessly used Grace, led her on, and threw her away. When he realizes the consequences of his mistake he is full of regret. He wants a chance to rectify his mistake. He wants Grace. He wants another chance.

After numerous rejections, a long summer with his miserable family, and a harsh dose of reality, Logan is back at Briar ready to finish his senior year. He knows he has to make the most of the this year because it is his last chance before his future reality crushes him. The top of his list is making peace with Grace Ivers. He wants the opportunity to prove that he is a good guy and boyfriend material. But Grace has different ideas. She is going to put John Logan through the hoops. She’s going to make him dance to a new tune. She has a list. It’s a good thing that John Logan is a competitive athlete. He is going to get the workout and game that most players could never endure. John plans to win this game. This game is the only thing that matters in his miserable life. His future is riding on this game. He made have made the biggest mistake in his life but he learned a very value lesson. He learned the true meaning of love.

I absolutely loved this book as much as I loved the first book in the series. The tone of the story, the plot, the dialogue, and the characters are captivating. The Mistake is packed with humor, angst, heartbreak, redemption, and hope. Once again Elle Kennedy showcased her superb writing talent.

I am looking forward to the next books in this series. There are two hockey roommates screaming for a book. The very spoiled rich player Dean needs to be brought down a notch. Babyfaced Tuck needs someone to wrap him up in hugs & kisses and make sure he doesn’t forget to shave.

Each book can be read as a stand alone novel or in series order.

Read The Mistake by Elle Kennedy. It will not disappoint.

The Off-Campus Series

The Deal

Off-Campus Series – Book 1

By Elle Kennedy

Synopsis

USA TODAY BESTSELLER!

She’s about to make a deal with the college bad boy…

Hannah Wells has finally found someone who turns her on. But while she might be confident in every other area of her life, she’s carting around a full set of baggage when it comes to sex and seduction. If she wants to get her crush’s attention, she’ll have to step out of her comfort zone and make him take notice…even if it means tutoring the annoying, childish, cocky captain of the hockey team in exchange for a pretend date.

…and it’s going to be oh so good

All Garrett Graham has ever wanted is to play professional hockey after graduation, but his plummeting GPA is threatening everything he’s worked so hard for. If helping a sarcastic brunette make another guy jealous will help him secure his position on the team, he’s all for it. But when one unexpected kiss leads to the wildest sex of both their lives, it doesn’t take long for Garrett to realize that pretend isn’t going to cut it. Now he just has to convince Hannah that the man she wants looks a lot like him.

***New Adult/Contemporary Romance. First of a series, but each book will be a standalone***

Buy: Amazon / Barnes and Noble / ITunes / Kobo

_____________________

About Elle Kennedy

A USA Today bestselling author, Elle Kennedy grew up in the suburbs of Toronto, Ontario, and holds a BA in English from York University. From an early age, she knew she wanted to be a writer and actively began pursuing that dream when she was a teenager. She loves strong heroines and sexy alpha heroes, and just enough heat and danger to keep things interesting!

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Happy Release: Overruled by Emma Chase – The Legal Briefs Series – Book 1

Posted on 04/28/2015 by shellbellereads

Overruled

The Legal Briefs Series – Book 1

By Emma Chase

Synopsis

Emma Chase, New York Times bestselling author of the Tangled series, returns with the first installment of the Legal Briefs series!

A Washington, DC, defense attorney, Stanton Shaw keeps his head cool, his questions sharp, and his arguments irrefutable. They don’t call him the Jury Charmer for nothing—with his southern drawl, disarming smile, and captivating green eyes, he’s a hard man to say no to. Men want to be him, and women want to be thoroughly cross examined by him.

Stanton’s a man with a plan. And for a while, life was going according to that plan.

Until the day he receives an invitation to the wedding of his high school sweetheart, the mother of his beloved ten-year-old daughter. Jenny is getting married—to someone who isn’t him.

That’s definitely not part of the plan.

***

Sofia Santos is a city-raised, no-nonsense litigator who plans to become the most revered criminal defense attorney in the country. She doesn’t have time for relationships or distractions.

But when Stanton, her “friend with mind-blowing benefits,” begs her for help, she finds herself out of her element, out of her depth, and obviously out of her mind. Because she agrees to go with him to The-Middle-Of-Nowhere, Mississippi, to do all she can to help Stanton win back the woman he loves. Her head tells her she’s crazy…and her heart says something else entirely.

What happens when you mix a one-stop-light town, two professional arguers, a homecoming queen, four big brothers, some Jimmy Dean sausage, and a gun-toting Nana?

The Bourbon flows, passions rise, and even the best-laid plans get overruled by the desires of the heart.

Buy: Amazon / B & N / Kobo / ITunes

Author Bio:

By day, Emma Chase is a devoted wife and mother who resides in a small, rural town in New Jersey. By night she toils away the hours bringing her colorful characters and their endless antics to life. She has a long standing love/hate relationship with caffeine.

Emma is an avid reader. Before her children were born she was known to consume whole books in a single day. Writing has also always been a passion and with the 2013 release of her debut romantic comedy, Tangled, the ability to now call herself an author is nothing less than a dream come true.

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Saucy Southern Readers

professional, honest, and timely book reviews

Monthly Archives: April 2015

Happy Release- Sincerely Carter by Whitney G. (aka Whitney Garcia Williams )

Release Blitz + Giveaway: Adrenaline by Sunniva Dee

Release Blitz + Giveaway: Savor by Alyssa Rose Ivy – The Empire Chronicles – Book 4

We are absolutely thrilled to bring you the Release Day Launch for Alyssa Rose Ivy’s SAVOR! SAVOR is a New Adult Paranormal Romance and the fourth book in The Empire Chronicles Series. Grab your copy today!

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Release Blitz : Fall For Me by JC Emery – A Ladder Company Novel – Book 1

Promo: The Breaking Free Series by E. M. Abel now Available…

Blog Tour + Review: Say My Name by J. Kenner

Happy Release: The Handler by D. R. Graham – The Noir ET Bleu Motorcycle Club Series – Book 2

Happy Release + 5 Star Review + 2015 Favorite: The Mistake by Elle Kennedy – Off Campus Series – Book 2

Happy Release: Overruled by Emma Chase – The Legal Briefs Series – Book 1

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We are absolutely thrilled to bring you the Release Day Launch for Alyssa Rose Ivy’s SAVOR! SAVOR is a New Adult Paranormal Romance and the fourth book in The Empire Chronicles Series. Grab your copy today!

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