Release Day Blitz; Beautiful Little Fool by K. K. Hendin

Posted on 06/22/2015 by shellbellereads

Today is the release day blitz for BEAUTIFUL LITTLE FOOL by KK Hendin. This book is not your typical romance with the perfect HEA, but if you are looking for something a little bit shocking, and evil, this is the book for you. It will be on sale for .99¢ for a very limited time!

AUTHOR NOTE from KK Hendin:

Just a little warning when reading BEAUTIFUL LITTLE FOOL.
Don’t trust anyone.
Don’t trust anything.
Don’t assume anything.
Don’t hope too hard.
You may be disappointed.
Good luck reading.

BOOK BLURB:

Eighty seven billion dollars.
One dead New York business mogul.
No heirs.
No wives.
No relatives.
Eighty seven billion dollars.
Not hers yet.
He doesn’t deserve them.
He doesn’t know what to do with them.
She does.
She always has.
Eighty seven billion dollars.
He’s overwhelmed.
She’s prepared.
That will should have had her name.
Not his.
Eighty seven billion dollars.
His looks are a bonus.
Her looks are her weapon.
He’s fighting a losing battle against his heart.
He doesn’t know it yet.
Eighty seven billion dollars.
She gets everything she wants.
He’s what she wants.
Love has nothing to do with it.
To get to where you’re going, sometimes you need to step on a few people to get there.
Good thing her heels are sharp.

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It will be just .99 cents for a limited time. Grab it while it’s on sale!

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AUTHOR INFORMATION:

KK Hendin’s Bio:
KK Hendin’s real life ambition is to become a pink fluffy unicorn who dances with rainbows. But the schooling for that is all sorts of complicated, so until that gets sorted out, she’ll just write. Preferably things with angst and love. And things that require chocolate.

KK spends way too much time on Twitter (where she can be found as @kkhendin), and rambles on occasion over at www.kkhendinwrites.blogspot.com.

FIND KK HENDIN:

WEBSITE | TWITTER | FACEBOOK | GOODREADS

BLOG TOUR + REVIEW + GIVEAWAY…. RELINQUISH BY M. N. FORGY

Posted on 06/22/2015 by shellbellereads

Relinquish

By M. N. Forgy

Release Date: June 17, 2015

Relinquish by M.N Forgy released on June 17th!

The story where a girl follows the only route to survive, the path of prostitution. What she didn’t know was that road led to her worst nightmare.

Synopsis

In my world, there is no such thing as love. It is just a lie we whisper into our client’s ear. Love is foreign and hazardous. What I did not expect was to bare my soul to a man who is as egotistical as he is dangerous.

His name is Landon. Despite his blackened soul, he tried to save me, but what he didn’t expect was my torturous fate to catch up with me.

To your father, I’m the escort.

To your mother, I’m the whore.

To the legal system, I’m the prostitute.

In the end, I’m just the other woman.

I have no idea if I will continue to survive, if I will ever find my path aside from the gritty streets I know so well. There is a good chance I will wind up in the ditch like most women in my position. Surrendering to my fate is the only choice I have. I must relinquish it all.

ALSO AVAILABLE AT : B & N / ITUNES

EXCERPT

Following Jayden across the way, I skim the crowd at the café and land on a pair of handsome eyes. So handsome, I stop walking.

Sitting at a table full of sexy men is a short, blond-haired guy, his face hard and chiseled. My God, his arms are pumped with muscle as his hands flex around a brown football. My core blossoms with incredible need as I eye his toned arms, and what I assume is a matching hard chest beneath his jersey.

“Charlie, let’s go!”Jayden yells, making me realize I’ve been standing here like an idiot, staring at a sexy stranger in a café. The guy smirks at me and tosses the football in the air, breaking eye contact.

I tuck my hair behind my ear, giving a small smile in return before walking forward. I suddenly crash into something, the impact throwing me back on my ass hard.

“Shit!”I shout with pain.

“Fuck!”roars a male voice standing above me. My eyes jolt upward to find a broad-shouldered man in a black suit, holding a broken plastic cup in one hand with coffee spilled all down his front. My stomach tangles into a bundle of tight knots, and my hands tremble from the strength and power this man radiates. Oh, shit.

“I am so sorry!”I stand up and start frantically brushing at the man’s very expensive-looking suit. My God, it’s like rubbing a rock. His body is so toned and strong beneath my palms, which isn’t helping me get a grip on myself. My eyes skirt up his arms, finding the fabric stretched tight around his biceps and causing me to swallow the lump forming in my throat. The knots in my stomach crawl into a fit of butterflies, and my heart races. He’s handsome—intimidating, really. The way his toned body and squared shoulders take up the space takes my breath away. His jaw is chiseled to perfection with scruff claiming it perfectly. I bite my bottom lip to keep from moaning.

“It’s fine, really,”he states, his voice deep as he grabs my wrists to stop me from slapping at his stained shirt pathetically. My body sparks with electricity where he grips me firmly. My mouth parts and my breathing shallows as I slowly trail my eyes from his hold on my wrist to his eyes. They’re green with little brown flecks thrown around them. They’re captivating. His jawline is strong and defined, his nose broad, and his dark hair is smoothed back with just a trail hanging loosely out of place on the front of his forehead from our sudden run-in. He’s fucking gorgeous, and I can’t look away.

“Are you all right?”he questions, raising an eyebrow. His voice is low and rough, making my eyes focus on his mouth.

“I-”I stutter, completely lost in the thought of his luscious lips on mine. These lips are not like any belonging to the guys at my high school, that’s for sure. When you look at them, his lips look like they’re made to make love to a woman’s body. The thoughts of the glorious pleasure they could bring make my cheeks warm, my chest ache.

“Charlie, let’s go!”Jayden hollers, catching mine and Sexy Man In a Suit’s attention.

“That your friend?”he asks, his lips that hold the perfect cupid’s bow turn into a slight smirk.

I open my mouth to speak but a wild hiccup noise escapes instead, caused from the wild beat of my heart against my chest. I close my eyes, humiliated.

He chuckles, releasing his hold of my wrists. The way he laughs causes my skin to rise with goose bumps.

“I gotta go,”I whisper nervously. I look down and stride quickly toward Jayden, praying I don’t bump into any more hot men on the way.

“Lord, give me strength. Vegas is already becoming a bad influence,”I mutter, catching up with Jayden.

MICHEL’S REVIEW

When I first read the blurb for Relinquish by M. N. Forgy, i was intrigued. This book sounded unique and on the cutting edge. I absolutely love a book with grit, darkness, and complicated characters. I did enjoy reading Relinquish but it did not quite reach my expectations I had built up in my mind.

Readers are first introduced to Charlie as a young child and then brought to present day. Charlie experienced a violent life changing event as a child which led her to spending the rest of her youth in the foster care system. Charlie has blocked the traumatic experience and has moved forward in her life one day at a time. She hasn’t known much kindness or caring. At the same time she hasn’t suffered from too much cruelty. Life in the foster care system is what it is. On her eighteenth birthday she is ready to leave her last and final foster care home. She has no intentions on looking back. As she is leaving, one of the other girls in the foster home, a year younger than Charlie, decides to go with her. In a sense they are on the run but nobody is really looking for them. They end up in Vegas.

Both girls are young and a bit naive . They may have had a tough life but they have not really lived life in the streets. What starts out as an adventure in starting their new lives quickly turns into a mess. With very little money they are struggling to survive. When Charlie’s new boyfriend starts giving her money she doesn’t realize he is giving her payment for services rendered. Once the realization hits and Charlie is put in a predicament that she didn’t see coming, she is at the start of her new profession.

Landon rescues Charlie from the dangerous predicament that she found herself in. He is not necessarily a good guy. He has his agenda where Charlie is concerned. He is also harboring some dangerous secrets. What starts as a business relationship between Charlie and Landon turns into something more.

Secrets will be revealed that will connect Landon and Charlie in the past as well as the present. It will be shocking and will keep the reader glued to the pages.

The plot was great and the pacing of the story was good. I would of liked to of seen a little more grit and darkness to the story that I know M. N. Forgy is capable of delivering.

I highly recommend Relinquish by M. N. Forgy.

_______________________________________________________________

About M. N. Forgy

M.N. Forgy was raised in Missouri where she still lives with her family. She’s a soccer mom by day and a saucy writer by night. M.N. Forgy started writing at a young age but never took it seriously until years later, as a stay-at-home mom, she opened her laptop and started writing again. As a role model for her children, she felt she couldn’t live with the “what if” anymore and finally took a chance on her character’s story. So, with her glass of wine in hand and a stray Barbie sharing her seat, she continues to create and please her fans.

Stalk Her: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

GIVEAWAY
KINDLE

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Blog Tour + Review + Giveaway: Red Nights by Shari J. Ryan

Posted on 06/22/2015 by shellbellereads

I’m Felicity Stone, a twenty-five-year-old with my whole life ahead of me. Well, until recently.

I didn’t do it. Why would they think I did? Why would I want my twin brother dead? Why is everyone looking at me like I’m a criminal?

Well, everyone except him… Hayes Peyton, the charmingly beautiful stranger I met in the park at midnight—a totally legitimate place to meet the man of my dreams. Plus, he knows I’m innocent.

Believing him is easy. So very easy. Maybe too easy?

But when you hear things like: ‘All good is laced with some bad, and everything you think is the truth—is nothing more than a blatant lie,’ it makes you question reality.

In Shari J. Ryan’s latest Romantic Suspense, Red Nights, you wonder how dark your world can get before all you see is red.

“Great night for a walk.” I can hardly hear him over the rain, but his words don’t quite matter. I’ve been waiting to kiss him since the moment I saw him sitting in a booth at the restaurant tonight.

First kisses are always nerve-wracking and full of surprise, but second kisses are full of anticipation thanks to what I already know, what I’ve already had a taste of. “I really like you,” he says, loud enough to drown out the heavy rainfall.

I can’t invite him in…is that why he’s stalling? I point upstairs. “Aspen, my friend I’m crashing with, would ask you a million questions if you came up. I—”

“Oh, no. No. I wasn’t waiting for an invitation. I have a ‘seven date’ rule anyway.” I can see him fighting the urge to smile, but he’s losing that battle.

“’Seven date’ rule?” I laugh.

“Yeah, it’s dumb.” He runs a palm down the side of his face. “Because I’m trying to figure out how I’m going to make it that long.” He leans in, stealing a quick kiss. But I feel cheated. I want more.

“How do you know we’ll last seven dates?” I ask.

“Good point. I probably won’t be able to put up with you for that long.” I know he’s teasing. But ugh. Damn him and that smile.

I throw my arms around his neck and crash my lips into his. His body tightens, maybe from surprise, but it takes less than a second for him to relax. He strips me of my control, pushing me up against the brick wall, his body heavy against mine. Even with the rain sloshing between us, his hands find my cheeks. His tongue sweeps across my lips.

I’ve changed my mind.

I’ll bring him upstairs.

I don’t give a shit what Aspen does. I want him. I need him to keep making me forget.

“Come up,” I say in almost nothing but a breathless whisper.

He bites down on his bottom lip, appears to think about my offer, then shakes his head in this seductive slow motion, making this moment painfully enjoyable. “Not tonight,” he says, placing a small kiss on the tip of my nose. His hand is clutched around my waist and everything within me hurts and aches for him. “Good-night, Blondie-locks.” He turns and leaves in the rain, and I watch him go.

It has been a good night. A very good night, actually.

And it all ends when I get upstairs…

MICHEL’S REVIEW

Red Nights by Shari J. Ryan was one of those kind of books that draws the reader in immediately. By the third or fourth page the reader is hooked. I read this book in one sitting and thoroughly enjoyed it. It had intrigue, mystery , suspense, and romance. This book was not particularly explicit. The romance was more on the milder side. The mystery and intrigue was more of the focus of the story. Shari delivered a book that kept me on the edge of my seat. Some parts gave me chills and creeped me out.

Felicity Stone’s life is a mess. Her life literally went up in flames. One moment she was living a charmed life, the next moment she was mourning the death of her brother. A death that was meant for her. She feels like she caused the fire that took her brother’s life and is having difficulties moving past it.

As she tries to move forward revelations are made that make her take two steps back. When she meets a sexy stranger at the park in the middle of the night things begin to change. She is starting to find a reason to move forward.

Heyes Peyton is not all that he seems to be. He has his own demons that have forced him to resign as a detective. He is now working the private sector. When he becomes involved with Felicity it becomes clear that there is more to the story than a tragic accident. It could be more than a case of arson. It could be premeditated murder.

As the case unravels and revelations are made it is becoming clear that Felicity is in deep danger. Heyes may not be able to protect her.

Red Nights is a thrilling suspense that I highly recommend.

______________________________________________________________

Shari J. Ryan is an Amazon Top 100 Bestselling author, a Barnes & Noble Top 10 Bestselling author, and an iBookstore #1 Bestselling author. She hails from Central Massachusetts where she lives with her husband and two lively little boys. Shari has always had an active imagination and enjoys losing herself in the fictional worlds she creates. When Shari isn’t writing, she can usually be found cleaning toys up off the floor.

To learn more, visit her at, www.sharijryan.com.

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Blog Tour + Review + Giveaway: Step F*@k by Scarlett Ward

Posted on 06/22/2015 by shellbellereads

Step F*@k Series

Part One Release Date : June 18, 2015

By Scarlett Ward

NOW AVAILABLE for ONLY $0.99!

Part One Synopsis

That’s all I did. A few too many glasses of wine with my best friend and the bitch convinced me to go on one of those dating websites.

A one-night stand.

A booty call.

And you know what? It.was.amazing.

I spent all night in a sexy stranger’s arms, hot and sweaty, until it was time to sneak out and do the walk of shame back to my apartment.

I never thought I’d see sexy stranger again, and I was totally fine with that – until my mother’s wedding.

She’s getting remarried, see. And sexy stranger just happens to be my new stepbrother.

All the wine in the world isn’t going to make this better.

Excerpt

He doesn’t let me finish. He lets go of my wrist and grabs my hips, lifting me up onto the bathroom counter. My breath catches in my throat as my shoulders collide with the mirror. He’s kissing my neck, his hands all over me, and I wrap my legs around his torso and run my hands through his hair.

“I don’t want to be doing this,” I gasp, but we both know that’s not true. And he’s not technically my stepbrother yet.

Michel’s Review

Debut Release of the new serial romance by Scarlett Ward is going to appeal to readers that love the forbidden romance. I had the pleasure of receiving ARC copies of all four installments. I was able to read these installments back to back without interruption. This kind of story is very hard to review in each installment, therefore, I am going to give my overall thoughts of the serial as a whole and then lightly break down each installment.

Emma is getting over a bad relationship where she caught her long time boyfriend cheating. She has trust issues and is gun shy about getting back into the dating world. After spending six months single, her roommate encourages her to join an online dating site. That is where she hooks up with Jai.

One wild night of passion leads to more than an awkward morning after. It ends with a viscous bang.

The two will meet up again when they attend their parents pre wedding dinner. This situation goes from awkward to heated in the upcoming wedding celebrations. They can’t keep their hands off of each other. They both fight, misunderstand the other’s intentions, and struggle to figure out how to fit in their new family dynamics.

Each installment ends on a light cliffhanger.

I think this serial should of been one novel. The cliffhangers were not enough to keep the reader dying for more. I found flaws in the family relationships and dynamics that just did not connect leading characters and secondary characters. There was not enough of a build up of sexual tension to validate the romance between the leading characters. It was more of a sex fest in my opinion.

Further more the character development was weak. It was very hard to connect with the characters and understand their drive.

Some may say that it is impossible to develop more when the story is delivered in novella length installments. I say no it is not because I have read so many of these type of serials that leave me aching for more.

I really had high hopes for this serial. Sadly it did not do it for me as a reader.

**************

Part 1- 3 Stars

Part one covers the meeting between Emma and Jai. It covers their one night stand and disastrous morning after.

This was a good introduction that left me intrigued and curious about what happens next.

Part 2 – 2 Stars

The leading characters, Emma and Jai , meet up once again at their parents pre wedding dinner. They begin hackling each other but at the same time can’t keep their hands off one another.

The reader also gets an introduction to the secondary characters in the story. We meet the family members. I can honestly say I really struggled with the family dynamics that were going on. It felt more like these two were with acquaintances rather than their parents. It was very odd.

Part 3 – 2 Stars

This installment takes the family to the lake house. They have a few days before the wedding to bond before the other guests arrive.

What happens in this installment is like two children in the sandbox fighting over the same toy. These two bicker and irritate the crap out of each other. They still can’t keep their hands off each other. I found these two spent more time sneaking around having sex. I never felt the chemistry between the two. I also never had a grasp on who they were as individuals as well as a couple. Their POV focused more on the sexual relationship rather than the mental relationship.

Once the wedding takes place all hell breaks loose between the two. Assumptions and misunderstandings force Emma to disappear. That disappearance was down right weird and out of the blue.

Part 4- 2 Stars

The conclusion to the story. The reader finds out why Emma disappeared. Which was interesting and believable. But what happens after that was predictable. Emma and Jai do find their happy ending.

Series Reading Order

Part Two

Releasing June 25th

Part Three

Releasing July 3rd

Part Four

Releasing July 10th

Scarlett Ward lives in Los Angeles, California and is releasing her first series June 2015.

Follow Scarlett on Goodreads at: http://bit.ly/1dNiwHz

GIVEAWAY
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Review : The Offer by Karina Halle

Posted on 06/19/2015 by shellbellereads

The Offer

By Karina Halle

Synopsis

She thinks he’s an arrogant playboy.

He thinks she’s an uptight prude.

But he’s about to make her an offer she can’t refuse.

Nicola Price used to have it all – a great career, the perfect boyfriend, an excessive shoe collection and an apartment in one of San Francisco’s best neighborhoods. But when she gets knocked up and her asshat boyfriend leaves her high and dry, Nicola’s perfectly crafted world comes tumbling down. And stays that way.

Now, Nicola is the proud single mom to a five-year old daughter and living a giant lie. She can barely afford their ghetto apartment and all the men she dates run when they hear she comes with a child. She’s struggling and scared – and nowhere near where she thought she’d be at age thirty-one.

Her saving grace comes in the form of a tall, handsome and wealthy Scotsman Bram McGregor, the older brother of her friend Linden. Bram understands a thing or two about pride, so when tragic circumstances place Nicola at rock bottom, he offers them a place to live in the apartment complex he owns. It’s pretty much the perfect deal, so as long as she doesn’t mind living beside Bram, a man that, despite his generosity, seems to antagonize her at every turn.

But nothing in life is free and as Nicola gets her feet back on the ground, she discovers that the enigmatic playboy may end up costing her more than she thought.

She might just lose her heart.

Those McGregor brothers are nothing but trouble…

Buy: Amazon / B & N / ITunes / Kobo

EXCERPT

When reality starts to fade in a bit, I find myself being walked to the door of my apartment building, my arms draped over both Kayla and Steph. We go up the stairs and now I’m standing in front of my door, wobbling back and forth, trying my hardest to look as sober as possible.Steph goes to knock on the door but it’s already open. I guess we are being loud, giggling, in the hallway.Bram looks at the three of us and my God is he a sight for sore eyes.“We brought her home,” Steph says, motioning with her hand for Bram to get out of the way, “your shift is over.”“No,” I tell them as they shuffle me inside. “He can stay.”

I know the three of them are exchanging a look over my head.

“I’ll make sure she goes to bed,” Bram explains. “No funny business, I swear.”

“Pinky swear?” Steph says and I turn to see her holding out her pinky to him. “You know I don’t break those.”

Ugh, Steph and her damn pinky swears. She wouldn’t even be married to Linden if it weren’t for one.

But Bram does a pinky swear with her.

“No funny business,” Steph warns him.

“Good thing I’m not funny!” I yell as I flop down on the couch. The room is beginning to spin.

“Nic, that was, like, five minutes ago,” Steph says. She reaches over the couch and pats my head. “Do you want us to undress you because Bram’s not allowed.”

“No one undresses me but me!” I yell, throwing my fist up into the air.

“Have fun with her,” Steph says to Bram. “And remember, she’s untouchable. Don’t make me make your brother punch you in the junk or something.”

Bram makes a scoffing noise. “Last time he tried to do that, I got him back good. You just ask him what happened on January 16th, 2005 and why he’ll never eat pudding again.”

“I mean it,” Steph threatens and I hear her and Kayla leave and the door closing.

I close my eyes too. Drift away for a moment. The spinning has stopped and there’s a beautifully cool breeze wafting over my skin.

“I’m not supposed to touch you,” Bram’s gruff voice says and when I open my eyes, he’s crouched in front of me, a lock of dark hair over his forehead. His face is shadowy in the dark, the only light now being from my bedroom behind him.

“That’s okay,” I mumble into the couch. “You can touch me. I say it’s fine.”

“How about I bring you something to sleep in? Do you have a favorite nightshirt? I always see you in that top that your nipples try and poke right through.”

“No, not the nipple shirt.”

He goes to get up. With a lazy hand, I grip his shirt. “Don’t leave. I’m fine here.”

“I can’t imagine you being comfortable.”

“I’m drunk. Everything is comfortable. Except I wish I had a cheeseburger. I would eat it and use it as a pillow. Or maybe use it as a pillow and then eat it.”

“I see.”

I raise my brow at him. “You just want to go through my underwear.”

“Oh, I’ve already gone through your underwear.”

“Lies.”

“I wore them on my head and danced around your apartment.”

“Did you really?” I ask, totally serious.

“Come on,” he says grabbing my forearms. “If you want to sleep in your clothes, that’s fine. But I’m bringing you to your own bed and taking off your shoes.”

“Can you brush my teeth too? I need clean teeth.” I let him pull me to my feet and I pitch to the left, heading right for the coffee table. But I’m in his arms, his capable arms, and he’s holding me to him.

“You have capable arms.”

“You have an exquisite arse,” he responds and half leads me, half drags me out of the living area and into the bedroom.

“I like the way you say arse,” I say with a giggle, exaggerating his accent. “I like the way you say everything.”

“I’m glad, because I foresee a lot of arse talk in the future.”

“Yeah, yeah.” I try and swat him away. “All talk and no arse pinching.”

Robin’s Review

No regrets. This is a theme of The Offer written by Karina Halle, and one I believe we should all strive to live by. It’s apparent Halle has been living by this motto for the last couple of years. Where she used to write exclusively in the horror and romantic suspense genres, she has now embraced writing in the new adult and contemporary romance genres, and her career has really taken off!

If you’re looking for a great summer read, look no further than The Offer. It’s a spinoff of the wildly popular novel titled The Pact, but this story can definitely be read as a standalone. The Offer is a sexy, contemporary romance filled with lots of humor, endearing characters and blazing chemistry. It’s also a story I found very easy to read. Halle introduced us to Linden McGregor and Stephanie Robson in The Pact. In The Offer, she shifts her focus to Linden’s brother and Stephanie’s best friend.

Our main characters are Bram McGregor and Nicola Price. Bram is handsome, wealthy and arrogant. He’s a Scottish playboy, and as far as Nicola is concerned, Bram is the devil in disguise. She’s more than aware of his reputation. He’s trouble, and she wants nothing to do with him. Nicola is a struggling, single mom trying to keep her head above water. Her car needs repairs, and the rent for her crummy apartment just went up. Her five-year-old daughter has not been feeling well, and just one week short of receiving a pay raise and health insurance, Nicola loses her job.

Bram steps in to offer Nicola and her daughter a rent-free apartment at the apartment complex he owns. They can live there until she gets a good job and is back on her feet. There’s only one problem with his proposal. The apartment Bram offers her is right next door to his own apartment, which means she has to put up with his grey eyes and dimples, his arrogance and playboy ways.

While I did personally struggle to connect with Nicola’s character, I agree Halle did a phenomenal job of developing her primary characters in this story. Nicola is uptight. She needs to loosen up and live a little, and Bram antagonizes her plenty about this. All Nicola sees in Bram is his playboy image – he’s a man who enjoys one-night stands, someone who just wants sex and would never consider being in a relationship.

Bram and Nicola are both very stubborn individuals. However, there really is a lot more depth to these characters, and as readers, we are able to see them gradually open their eyes and hearts to each other and fall in love. Their banter made the build-up of their relationship exciting. As I said earlier in my review, the chemistry between Bram and Nicola is really hot. Once they connect, Bram can’t seem to get enough of Nicola – just you wait!

Halle has written about children in her previous novels, but it seems like they were always minor characters – ghost children in the Experiment in Terror series or Camden’s child in The Artists Trilogy. I really don’t remember a time when a child character was so important to the story. Kudos to Karina Halle for Ava Price! She is adorable and funny, and she also has a health issue which requires a whole lot of research to write about. Before I conclude, there are a couple of items I really need to mention. There is an interesting twist to this story that completely caught me by surprise! And the epilogue – who is this Lachlan McGregor? I’m keeping my fingers crossed that we get another spinoff to The Pact! The Offer receives a solid 4-star rating!

With
her USA Today Bestselling The Artists Trilogy published by Grand Central
Publishing, numerous foreign publication deals, and self-publishing success
with her Experiment in Terror series, Vancouver-born Karina Halle is a true
example of the term “Hybrid Author.” Though her books showcase her
love of all things dark, sexy and edgy, she’s a closet romantic at heart and
strives to give her characters a HEA…whenever possible.

Karina holds a screenwriting degree from Vancouver Film School and a Bachelor
of Journalism from TRU. Her travel writing, music reviews/interviews and
photography have appeared in publications such as Consequence of Sound, Mxdwn
and GoNomad Travel Guides. She currently lives on an island on the coast of
British Columbia where she’s preparing for the zombie apocalypse with her
fiancé and rescue pup.

LINKS:

Excerpt Reveal 2: Up In Smoke by Tessa Bailey

Posted on 06/19/2015 by shellbellereads

Up In Smoke

Crossing The Line Series – Book 2

By Tessa Bailey

Release Date: June 23, 2015

Synopsis

Never start a fire you can’t control…

Connor Bannon is supposed to be dead. Dishonorably discharged from the Navy SEALs, he’s spent the last two years working as a street enforcer in Brooklyn for his cousin’s crime ring. Through a twist of fate, he’s now in Chicago, working undercover to bust criminals. But when a cute little arsonist joins the team-all combat boots, tiny jean shorts, and hot-pink hair-Connor’s notorious iron control slips.

Erin “she’s getting away” O’Dea knows two things. She hates authority. And… Nope, that’s it. When she’s forced to operate on the “right” side of the law, her fear of being confined and controlled blazes to the surface. The last thing she expects is a control freak like Connor to soothe her when she needs it most. Worse, something behind the sexy ex-soldier’s eyes ignites a dangerous inferno of desire. One that invites Erin to play with fire. And one that could get them both killed…

Buy: Amazon / B & N / ITunes / Kobo

Excerpt

Connor broke away, allowing them both to suck in oxygen. “Stay. I’m sorry. Stay.” He bent his knees to bring them eye to eye. His spoke of torture, but he was trying to hide it. “Look at me. I can handle this. I want you here. Don’t leave.”

“I don’t know if I can handle it,” she whispered.

His heavy breaths ceased. “What do you mean?”

She drew out a lighter from her back pocket and ignited the flame. It cleared her head a little, allowing her to search for the right words. Words that wouldn’t sound crazy. “I like touching you. It makes me feel really…good. And there isn’t a whole lot that makes me feel good, you know?” Her throat closed up. “I wish you could touch me, too. I don’t think I can stay here knowing I’m hurting you by making myself feel good…and I don’t think I can stop touching you. It feels like a must.”

A flare of panic flashed across his face. “I shouldn’t have said what I did earlier. You just caught me off guard.” He massaged his forehead with four fingers. “Did I scare you? Is that why you’re really leaving?”

“No.” She shook her head. “No.”

“Okay. Jesus. Okay.” He was silent a moment, but gears were turning behind his eyes. “You need to touch me and I need you to stay. Let’s give each other what we need. All right?”

Why was this so damn confusing? She’d only met this man yesterday and they were already tangled up [Edc1] in her web of fucked-up [Edc2] issues. He should want to be clear of her, shouldn’t he? No one else had ever bothered with her this long before. “Why? Why do you need me to stay? I—”

“I won’t rest,” he growled. “I’ll think about you somewhere, scared like you were last night, and I’ll go fucking crazy.”

Her heart lurched, dislodging her pride. “I’ve been taking care of myself for a long time. If the only reason you want me here is to play nursemaid to the crazy girl, that’s not going to work for me.”

“You know there’s more to it. You know.” He visibly centered himself with a deep breath, appearing to debate with himself. “I’ve got my own skeletons, Erin. They don’t rattle so much when you’re around. Your touching me…it makes me hot. But it soothes elsewhere.”

She knew her expression was pathetically hopeful, but couldn’t find a single shit to give. “Yeah?”

“Yeah,” he repeated. “I’m not going to lie, Erin. Yes, I want to sleep with you like hell. But only if it’s healthy. Would you trust me enough to go slow? A little at a time?”

Her pulse hammered out of control. “You touching me?”

Connor watched her closely. “When you’re ready. Not before. Never before.”

This is where she should climb down the fire escape and vamoose toward the street. A weight pressed down on her rib cage, making it difficult to draw a breath. It felt like the point of no return. But Connor’s eyes grounded her.

Safe. He’s safe.

“Okay, baby. Slow.”

His body drained of tension. “Thank you.” He leaned in and brushed their lips together, gently, reverently. “First, we talk.”

About Tessa Bailey

Tessa lives in Brooklyn, New York with her husband and young daughter. When she isn’t writing or reading romance, Tessa enjoys a good argument and thirty-minute recipes.

Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Goodreads

Blog Tour + Review: The Art of Deception: Undoing Time by Alyssa Richards

Posted on 06/19/2015 by shellbellereads

The Fine Art of Deception

Undoing Time

A Paranormal Romance Mystery

By Alyssa Richards

Synopsis

Art appraiser Adeline Montgomery just wants a normal life. One where she can ignore the vicious ghosts who follow her. One where she’s free from her “gift” of touching an object and seeing the owner’s deepest secrets. And one where she can fall in love without having all of the above get in the way.

But when tall, dark, and dangerous gallery owner Blake Greenwood enters her life, normal is the last thing she’s feeling. The man has more secrets than the priceless art he sells, giving Adeline’s quest for normal no chance. That, and he may just hold the key to uncovering the truth behind her father’s unexplained disappearance.

Despite her paranormal gifts warning her to stay away, she feels an inexplicable, captivating fascination for him, something that goes deeper than attraction. There’s something between them that’s older than time, and if she can learn to give him her trust, it may just save her life.

Buy: Amazon

Michel’s Review

The Fine Art of Deception : Undoing Time by Alyssa Richards was a fantastic debut. This book had mystery, suspense, crime, the paranormal- physic element, romance, and red hot passion. It was well written. The plot was well executed and the book flowed flawlessly. I was hooked in the first chapter.

Addie has gone to work in her father’s art company. As an appraiser, she is looking to incorporate her “gift” with her passion for art. She is hoping that through the artwork can she not only get the value of the piece but also the artist perspective and vision through her “gift”.

When her father and grandfather have disappeared from the firm while working on a business deal. Addie’s gift may be able to help her solve the mystery of their disappearance. When she meets the mysterious art dealer, she is hoping that her gift can help connect him to their disappearance. The problem is that her gift does not work on him at all. Soon they are both caught in a web of deception, lies, and danger. They must work together to uncover the truth.

Revelations will be made. Addie will have to decide if she can trust Blake or if he is the real culprit behind their disappearances.

This book was loaded with mystery and suspense. The plot was well executed and kept me on the edge of my seat. The sizzling passionate scenes between Addie and Blake were red hot.

The Art of Deception by Alyssa Richards was the perfect blend of several genres in one book. I highly recommend this book.

________________________________

Author Bio:

Alyssa Richards is new to the fiction genre and has just finished her first provocative fiction novel. She’s passionate about reading, writing, meditating, magnolias, and nurturing her herb and rose garden. She loves to travel, whenever she gets the rare and precious opportunity. She also loves animals and holds the world record for taking two adorable pups from homeless to pampered. She lives in the South with her husband, two great kids and the three very spoiled, rescue dogs who run the house.

Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Goodreads

Giveaway

a Rafflecopter giveaway

5 Star Review: Beat by Vi Keeland

Posted on 06/18/2015 by shellbellereads

Throb

Release Date: June 15, 2015

By Vi Keeland

Synopsis

Dimpled smile of a boy
Hard body of a man
Sings like an angel
Fucks like the devil

I was stuck between a rock(star) and a hard place.

At fifteen, his poster hung on my bedroom wall. At twenty-five his body hovered over mine. Every girl’s fantasy became my reality. I was dating a rockstar. Yet I was slowly falling for another man. The problem was—the two men—they shared a tour bus.

Flynn Beckham was the opening act.
Dylan Ryder was the headliner.

What happens when the opening act begins to shine so bright, it seems to dim everything else in its wake?

I’ll tell you what happens. Things get ugly.

Buy: Amazon / B & N / ITunes / Kobo

Excerpt

Despite the fact that Lucky had just casually mentioned that the lobby lounge serves coffee beginning at six a.m., I’m pretty sure of myself that she’ll be down there. But when I step off the elevator, the lobby is quiet. Empty. The coffee urns are just being set up in the lounge. I pour two mugs, make them just as we like it, and settle on one of the couches on the far side of the room where it’s private, yet I can still keep an eye on the door.

I grab a newspaper and begin to flip through to kill time. Then my eyes catch a pair of pink-painted toes in flip-flops. I don’t know why, but it’s in this moment that I realize, I’m fucked.

The sight of her toes makes me smile.

I’m falling for another guy’s girl. Something I promised myself I’d never do.

But then I reason with myself. I haven’t done anything wrong. Thinking a woman is beautiful and spending time with her doesn’t have to turn into anything, right? They’re just toes after all. But look how cute they are. I’ve never been a foot guy, yet I wouldn’t mind sucking… Stop. Just stop. We’re just friends.

Because I’ve been friends with so many hot women in the past and not fucked them? Yep. I’m screwed. I need to get the hell out of here.

“Good morning,” she whispers and smiles down at me. My eyes lazily travel up from her toes.

I’m totally not going anywhere.

I hold up her mug of coffee. And then I realize she still has the thin shirt she wears to sleep on and I’m eye-level with the sexiest taut nipples I’ve ever seen.

Screw sucking her toes… “Certainly is.” I grin.

Michel’s Review

Readers are ready for the Rock Star Romance of Summer 2015 ? Look no further and download Beat by Vi Keeland. This book is guaranteed to rock your socks off!

Readers met Flynn Beckham, the up and coming rock star, in Throb. We got a glimpse of what a cool guy Flynn was but it was only a small taste of who he is. Beat will have you swooning over Flynn, tossing your panties on stage, and stalking his shows. He is the real deal with a heart of gold and pure soul. He’s not your tortured and misunderstood rock star. He’s not the typical manwhore that does a different groupie every night even though the opportunities are there. He’s a genuine musician that is just as comfortable singing songs from “Frozen” as he is singing hardcore rock and roll. He loves fiercely and is not afraid to show his emotions. He’s as dedicated to the ones he loves as he is to his music. He is the perfect Rock God.

Flynn Beckham and his band In With Flynn are offered the opportunity of a lifetime that could make their career sky rocket. They are going to be touring with one of the most successful bands in the industry as an opening act on the second half of their tour.

An accidental meeting in a popular karaoke bar will set Flynn Beckham on a new path that could ultimately make or break his career. When he meets the sexy bartender, Lucky, his interest is sparked. When he finds out that Lucky is the girlfriend of the lead singer in the headlining band that he is going to be touring with, he is beyond disappointed. When that same girlfriend ends up being the voice coach that the record company wants him to work with he begins to believe fate may be on his side. When the plans for the tour change and he is brought on the replace one of the members in the heading band, he thinks that fate has dealt him a low blow. He is going to be forced to work with his voice coach and be forced to live night and day with her relationship with Dylan Ryder. The one thing Flynn has on his side is that he and Lucky have formed a solid friendship. They have more in common than their work. It doesn’t hurt that Dylan Ryder is a self indulgent prick that is more into his image than he is his woman. Flynn is going to take what he can and run with it.

Four weeks on the tour bus with the woman he’s falling in love with is going to be torture. To make matters worse he will be spending four weeks with the egotistical aging rock star that feels threatened by his musical talent. He’s not only going to steal the spotlight from the aging rock star, he’s going to steal his girl. This tour is either going to make or break his career. This tour is either going to change his life or break his heart. Flynn Beckham is ready to rock the world. Let the show begin!

Vi Keeland has once again written another fantastic book. Her writing talent spins a story that readers quickly become immersed in. The characters come to life and jump off the pages. The reader quickly connects with each and every character and falls in love with them.

I highly recommend Beat! It will rock your heart!

____________________________________________________

Throb

By Vi Keeland

Synopsis

The rules:

No dating.

No sex outside of the game.

No disclosing the terms of the contract.

Rules were made to be broken, right?

Eight weeks ago I signed a contract. One that seemed like a good idea at the time. A handsome bachelor, luxury accommodations, and a chance to win a prize my family desperately needed. There were some rules though. Lots of them actually. Follow the script, no dating, sex, or disclosing the terms of the deal. After my self-imposed moratorium on men the last year, it wouldn’t be hard to live up to my end of the bargain…so I thought. Until I realized the deal I’d made was with the devil…and I was in love with his dirty-talking brother.

Buy: Amazon / Barnes and Noble / ITunes / Kobo

___________________________________________________

Additional Books by Vi Keeland

MMA Fighter Series

Worth The Fight – Amazon / Barnes and Noble / ITunes

Worth The Chance – Amazon / Barnes and Noble / ITunes

Worth Forgiving –Amazon / Barnes and Noble / ITunes

Cole Series

Belong To You – Amazon / Barnes and Noble / ITunes

Made For You – Amazon / Barnes and Noble / ITunes

Stand Alone Novels

First Thing I See– Amazon / Barnes and Noble

Left Behind – Amazon / Barnes and Noble

About The Author: Vi Keeland

Vi Keeland is a native New Yorker with three children that occupy most of her free time, which she complains about often, but wouldn’t change for the world. She is a bookworm and has been known to read her kindle at stop lights, while styling her hair, cleaning, walking, during sporting events, and frequently while pretending to work. She is a boring attorney by day, and an exciting New York Times & USA Today Best Selling smut author by night!

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

Happy Release + Review : Step F*@k by Scarlett Ward – A Complete Series Review

Posted on 06/18/2015 by shellbellereads

Step F*@k Series

Part One Release Date : June 18, 2015

By Scarlett Ward

NOW AVAILABLE for ONLY $0.99!

Part One Synopsis

That’s all I did. A few too many glasses of wine with my best friend and the bitch convinced me to go on one of those dating websites.

A one-night stand.

A booty call.

And you know what? It.was.amazing.

I spent all night in a sexy stranger’s arms, hot and sweaty, until it was time to sneak out and do the walk of shame back to my apartment.

I never thought I’d see sexy stranger again, and I was totally fine with that – until my mother’s wedding.

She’s getting remarried, see. And sexy stranger just happens to be my new stepbrother.

All the wine in the world isn’t going to make this better.

Excerpt

I’m reaching for a napkin when I see that Jai is on the other side of the table, helping himself to a generous portion of the oysters.

“You know what they say about oysters,” he says. I pretend I didn’t hear him, but when I look over, he’s staring right at me.

“What?” I hiss. “You think you’re being clever? You think you’re going to impress me with that totally unoriginal line, like I’ve never heard that oysters are an aphrodisiac? That’s not why I took some—I happen to like how they taste very much and as a poor college student, I can’t afford to eat like this!”

He’s still staring. At my chest. Then the smirk returns. “Might want to pull up that dress, Janet Jackson.”

“What?” I look down. My left breast has completely popped out of the top of the dress, my nipple there on full display for anyone who happens to be looking. “Shit!” I try to stuff myself back in the dress, dropping the plate of salad and oysters in the process. “Fuck!”

“You know, they’ve got things you can paste on in these sorts of situations.” He reaches over and picks up the wayward oysters and puts them back on my plate.

“I’m not eating those,” I say. “I need to talk to you.”

I wriggle my shoulders and try to get myself as secure in the dress as I can before I hurry around to the other side of the buffet table. “I need to talk to you over here.” We go to the back of the restaurant, near the hallway to the bathroom, and I strategically place myself behind one of the columns that keeps us partially obscured from the rest of the restaurant.

“Imagine meeting you here,” Jai says, a slow grin spreading across his face. “I really had no idea. No idea at all. I knew I was going to be getting some stepsisters out of this blessed union, but I really had no clue—”

“Are you fucking kidding me? You expect me to believe that? You’re a fucking dog. A total fucking asshole.”

“I really do like the scarf. And the dress, too. You should’ve left the tit out. You’ve got great tits, you know.”

“I do NOT want to talk about my tits!”

“That’s certainly not the tune you were singing last night.”

“Do you realize how not funny this is? What a complete disaster this is? OUR PARENTS ARE GETTING MARRIED. That means we’re going to be brother and sister.”

“Step brother and sister. There’s a difference, darling.”

Michel’s Review

One wild night of passion leads to more than an awkward morning after. It ends with a viscous bang.

Each installment ends on a light cliffhanger.

Further more the character development was weak. It was very hard to connect with the characters and understand their drive.

I really had high hopes for this serial. Sadly it did not do it for me as a reader.

**************

Part 1- 3 Stars

Part one covers the meeting between Emma and Jai. It covers their one night stand and disastrous morning after.

This was a good introduction that left me intrigued and curious about what happens next.

Part 2 – 2 Stars

The leading characters, Emma and Jai , meet up once again at their parents pre wedding dinner. They begin hackling each other but at the same time can’t keep their hands off one another.

Part 3 – 2 Stars

This installment takes the family to the lake house. They have a few days before the wedding to bond before the other guests arrive.

Once the wedding takes place all hell breaks loose between the two. Assumptions and misunderstandings force Emma to disappear. That disappearance was down right weird and out of the blue.

Part 4- 2 Stars

The conclusion to the story. The reader finds out why Emma disappeared. Which was interesting and believable. But what happens after that was predictable. Emma and Jai do find their happy ending.

Series Reading Order

Part Two

Releasing June 25th

Part Three

Releasing July 3rd

Part Four

Releasing July 10th

Scarlett Ward lives in Los Angeles, California and is releasing her first series June 2015.

Follow Scarlett on Goodreads at: http://bit.ly/1dNiwHz

Excerpt Reveal : Up In Smoke by Tessa Bailey

Posted on 06/18/2015 by shellbellereads

Up In Smoke

Crossing The Line Series – Book 2

By Tessa Bailey

Release Date: June 23, 2015

Synopsis

Never start a fire you can’t control…

Buy: Amazon / B & N / ITunes / Kobo

Excerpt

She stood behind him now with her lips parted and cheeks flushed, watching him stroke himself off like a hormonal teenager. It shouldn’t have made him hotter, not when he didn’t fully understand the problems she obviously had knocking around inside her beautiful head. He should stop now and make her explain, tell her she couldn’t touch him anymore until he knew what she was going through. But there wasn’t any turning back. Not right now, not with his cock heavy in his hand, ready to erupt.

In the mirror, he could see her fingers smoothing against each other, as if she were imagining what it would feel like to replace his hand with her own.

Jesus. He liked having her watch. If her expression had been any different, it might have been another story. The look of wonder, the renewal of arousal that transformed her as she came slowly closer, had him clenching his teeth to prolong the moment. Fuck, though, it hurt. The front of her panties were wet from riding him until she came. Her flat stomach peeked out under the edge of her shirt, reminding him once again how crazy he was to yank it up and see what she hid underneath. At the same time, she looked like an innocent who’d stumbled upon something very, very bad happening and God, it made him want to corrupt her even more. Sick. I’m sick. His balls drew up tight…the tingling began at the base of his spine…

“You should leave,” Connor grated, squeezing his eyes closed. Christ, any minute now…he couldn’t wait any longer. Looking at her, knowing he couldn’t touch her, was killing him. At the same time, his mind was projecting images in a desperate attempt to send him over the edge and find relief. Erin straddling his face, hands cuffed behind her back. Erin’s eyes going blind, ankles around her ears, as drove into her like a madman. “Go, Erin.”

He didn’t hear her move. One second she was standing at the door, the next she was standing on the rim of his bathtub, just beside his left shoulder. Closer. Her tits were eye level and it took every ounce of self-control inside him not to suck them into his mouth, right through her T-shirt. A tiny moan dropped from her lips as she leaned close, watching his hand work his stiff cock. She placed her open lips on his neck and dragged them higher, where she licked at his ear.

“What are you doing?” he demanded. Do it again.

“What feels right,” she whispered, stroking his fingers over his chest. “Tell me what you’re thinking about. Is it me?”

“Of course,” he shouted. “You don’t want to know any more than that.”

“Yes, I do.” She lightly scraped her fingernails down his back, and he growled. “I want to know what I’m missing out on. Tell me.”

About Tessa Bailey

Tessa lives in Brooklyn, New York with her husband and young daughter. When she isn’t writing or reading romance, Tessa enjoys a good argument and thirty-minute recipes.

Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Goodreads

Saucy Southern Readers

professional, honest, and timely book reviews

Monthly Archives: June 2015

Release Day Blitz; Beautiful Little Fool by K. K. Hendin

Today is the release day blitz for BEAUTIFUL LITTLE FOOL by KK Hendin. This book is not your typical romance with the perfect HEA, but if you are looking for something a little bit shocking, and evil, this is the book for you. It will be on sale for .99¢ for a very limited time!

AUTHOR NOTE from KK Hendin:

SIGN UP FOR KK HENDIN’S NEWSLETTER

PURCHASE BEAUTIFUL LITTLE FOOL NOW!

It will be just .99 cents for a limited time. Grab it while it’s on sale!

AMAZON | BARNES & NOBLE | KOBO | iTUNES

FIND KK HENDIN:

WEBSITE | TWITTER | FACEBOOK | GOODREADS

BLOG TOUR + REVIEW + GIVEAWAY…. RELINQUISH BY M. N. FORGY

Blog Tour + Review + Giveaway: Red Nights by Shari J. Ryan

Blog Tour + Review + Giveaway: Step F*@k by Scarlett Ward

Review : The Offer by Karina Halle

Excerpt Reveal 2: Up In Smoke by Tessa Bailey

Blog Tour + Review: The Art of Deception: Undoing Time by Alyssa Richards

5 Star Review: Beat by Vi Keeland

Happy Release + Review : Step F*@k by Scarlett Ward – A Complete Series Review

Excerpt Reveal : Up In Smoke by Tessa Bailey

Today is the release day blitz for BEAUTIFUL LITTLE FOOL by KK Hendin. This book is not your typical romance with the perfect HEA, but if you are looking for something a little bit shocking, and evil, this is the book for you. It will be on sale for .99¢ for a very limited time!

AUTHOR NOTE from KK Hendin:

SIGN UP FOR KK HENDIN’S NEWSLETTER

PURCHASE BEAUTIFUL LITTLE FOOL NOW!

It will be just .99 cents for a limited time. Grab it while it’s on sale!

AMAZON | BARNES & NOBLE | KOBO | iTUNES

FIND KK HENDIN:

WEBSITE | TWITTER | FACEBOOK | GOODREADS

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