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Review: Whatcha Gonna Do With A Cowboy by Jodi Linton-Deputy Laney Briggs Series-Book 1.5

Posted on 09/16/2014 by shellbellereads

Whatcha Gonna Do With A Cowboy

Deputy Laney Briggs Series- Book 1.5

By Jodi Linton

Synopsis:

A thrilling suspense from Entangled’s Ignite imprint…

Some cowboys are worth getting dirty for.

In her latest adventure, sassy Deputy Laney Briggs discovers the local high school football coach passed out under the stadium bleachers wearing nothing but a smile…and his wife’s lingerie.

Things really start to get wild when she runs into the smoking hot Federal Marshal, Colt Larsen, snooping around the Granger’s house. Quicker than a cold snap comes and goes in Texas, Laney finds herself up to her eyeballs in a case involving a ruthless motorcycle gang, a Mexican drug cartel, a kidnapping, and a shoot-out to rival the O.K. Corral.

In over their heads, Laney calls in the big guns—her very own Texas Ranger, Gunner Wilson, who’s ready to fulfill every last one of her desires. But as things heat up between them, the stakes get higher than ever, and Gunner’s help may not be enough for Laney to get out alive…

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Tina’s Review

** This is a quick novella that takes place after book 1, PRETTY RECKLESS. **

Laney Briggs is a small-town Sheriff’s Deputy in west Texas. When she gets a call from fellow Deputy, Elroy Sampson to come up to the local High School, she arrives to find the football coach passed out drunk behind the bleachers dressed in women’s lingerie. Now, while this could undoubtedly become the subject of several jokes, Briggs can’t help but think that there was more to it and this was going to be a long night. And that’s before Coach’s wife goes missing and Federal Marshal Colt Larsen showed up in town. Now she needs to team up with the sexy Marshal to solve a missing person’s case that MAY have something to do with a Mexican gang that deals in drugs, arms, prostitution and human trafficking – all while keeping her hormones in check.

The sex scenes leave sexy and sensual behind and go straight for graphic but clinical porn. There’s a lack of emotion and warmth in the exceedingly lengthy scenes. This is not a book for readers under the age of 18, regardless of the fun looking cover.

Sold on the idea that the novella could stand on it’s own, I agreed to read this story. There is frequent mention of some bad stuff that happened “last year” (I assume in PRETTY RECKLESS), nightmares caused by some ordeal that I’ll also assume occurred in book one & some sexual history between Laney and her boy toy, Texas Ranger Gunner Wilson that dates back as far as High School. But despite the hints at a deeper back story, this novella CAN be read without reading Pretty Reckless first.

Living in west Texas, not 15 minutes from the Rio Grande’s Mexico border, I have to laugh when authors write about “swimming across”. The Rio Grande is a sandy, cracked-earth, waterless riverbed for all but a few weeks per year. Ms. Linton has a unique choice of humorous phrases, some off-putting sexual commentary and an obsession with Wranglers, I dare to say. Laney’s okay, but for supposedly being a professional law enforcement officer, I did feel that she neither took her job seriously on many occasions nor did she respect her superiors and/or others in her field. But being rude and disrespectful must be hereditary since her mama is just as bad. Gunner and Colt are both written to be stereotypically cocky, arrogant cowboys. The other secondary characters are okay. The chemistry and interaction between characters is passable. The sex scenes were cold, sterile and way too long. The plot was intriguing.

Author Bio:

Jodi Linton lives and works in Texas, with her husband and two kids. She can be found cozied up to the computer escaping into a quirky world of tall tales, sexy, tight jean wearing cowboys, and a protagonist with a sharp-tongue quick enough to hang any man out to dry. She writes the Deputy Laney Briggs Series.

Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Goodreads

Release Day Blitz + Review + Giveaway: The Certainty of Violet & Luke- The Coincidence Series- Book 5

Posted on 09/16/2014 by shellbellereads

The Certainty of Violet & Luke

The Coincidence Series – Book 5

Book 3 of Violet & Luke saga

By Jessica Sorensen

Synopsis

Violet Hayes’s life is a mess. Between her stalker, Preston, refusing to leave her alone, her parents’ case still being unsolved, and falling behind in school, she always feels on the verge of losing it. When some unexpected news comes her way, it’s the final straw and she ends up doing something that almost costs her life. Thankfully, she survives and makes a promise to herself to put her life back together and to try and figure out exactly how she feels about Luke Price, the one person that’s always there for her.

But as a recovering alcoholic and gambler, Luke has his own struggles to overcome. He’s also fallen in love with Violet, but fears telling her the truth, that it will scare her away or worse, she won’t reciprocate the feeling. Plus, there never seems to be a right time to say it, either the case, Preston, or life getting in the way.

Can the two of them ever get enough peace in their lives to conquer their fears and finally tell each other the truth about how they feel?

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Excerpt

“I do trust you. Too much,” I whisper, shutting my eyes. “You could crush my heart if you wanted to.” The silence that follows is maddening.

Did I just say that out loud?

One…

Two…

Three…

Time feels endless as I wait for what comes next. I hear him shift on the seat, feeling him scoot closer

“Violet, open your eyes.” His breath dusts my cheeks.

I swiftly shake my head, smashing my lips together. “I can’t.” But I find myself opening my eyes anyway and he’s so close, only inches away from me.

“I would never ever hurt you,” he promises, his hand gently cupping the back of my neck, fingers spreading across my skin. His touch sends a shot of tingles across my flesh and causes me to shiver as he guides me toward his lips. But I’m already leaning in, an invisible current pulling me toward him, like two magnets about to collide.

When we do crash into one another, it’s dangerously intoxicating, steals the air from my lungs, and sends my heart slamming in my chest. I’m already falling again to that place where I feel helpless yet safe. Emotions press their way to the surface, this time too strong to ignore. It hits me like lightning, an electric current surging through my body, overwhelming heat that both brings me alive and kills me at the same time.

I think it’s then that I know what I’m feeling. The thing I’ve been trying to avoid for days now, and I’m both terrified out of my mind yet alarmingly at peace.

The Coincidence Series Reading Order

1. The Coincidence of Callie and Kayden

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2. The Redemption of Callie and Kayden

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3. The Destiny of Violet & Luke

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4. The Probability of Violet & Luke

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5. The Certainty of Violet & Luke

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6. The Resolution of Callie and Kayden

Pre-Order- Amazon / Barnes and Noble / ITunes

7. Unbeautiful

Pre- Order – Amazon

8. Seth and Greyson

Pre-Order – Amazon

Michel’s Review

The Destiny of Violet & Luke

The Destiny of Violet & Luke is the first installment in Violet Hayes and Luke Price’s story. It can be read without reading the first two books in The Coincidence series. The previous books feature Callie and Kayden. There will be three books in the story of Violet and Luke.

The Destiny of Violet & Luke introduces the reader’s to the characters. We get a glimpse of their horrific childhoods, the scars the childhood left in their souls, and a full understanding of their destructive behaviors. Both came from completely different backgrounds with their own personal hells. Both have adopted destructive behaviors as coping mechanisms to get them through the pain and memories of the past. These destructive behaviors are escalating to the point of pure destruction. They are taking over what little control they have in their lives. They are the path that could very well lead to death. But destiny may have something different in mind for these two besides pain and death. Destiny may tie them together by one horrific night but it has also lead to find one another to ease their pain.

Luke Price has suffered an abusive childhood at the hands of his insane, drug addicted mother. His mother has abused him and his sister. The abuse eventually led to the suicide of his older sister and for Luke to turn to destructive ways to cope. He is closed off and has never shared his abusive past. His best friend Kayden has no idea of the horrors he has been subjected to. For Luke, fighting, gambling, alcohol, and women are his coping mechanisms. He is known as the elusive party jock on campus.

Violet Hayes witnessed her parents murder when she was five years old. The murders were never found. She has been shifted from one foster home to another. She has been rejected, abused, and neglected throughout her life. Her coping mechanism is danger and the adrenaline it brings. She is constantly flirting with death. She is closed off, extremely bitchy, and appears to be the campus slut. She is dealing drugs for her foster father. She is getting closer to the edge.

One fateful night brings Violet to Luke’s attention. She is jumping out of a window and literally lands on top of him. His sister committed suicide by jumping out a window. For some reason he wants to know why Violet, Callie’s dorm roommate, would be doing this. As he gets to know Violet and destiny throws them together several times, he realizes that he may have met a kindred spirit.

As the two get to know one another they find that they both need a place to stay for the summer. Neither can go home to their crappy families. They end up becoming roommates with Luke’s gay friends, Seth and Greyson. This odd group finds a way to not only live together but become friends that have each other’s backs.

The Destiny of Violet and Luke ends on a cliffhanger. Both are heading towards the worst kind of destructive that they will not be able to turn back from.

The Destiny of Violet & Luke gave a great introduction to this mysterious set of characters. Not only did we get to know these two troubled people, we also got to meet their friends (their books will be coming soon). This series has a great cast of characters that have their own personal demons to conquer. They come from different walks of life, have different responses to life in general, and capture the readers attention.

I highly recommend the The Coincidence Series by Jessica Sorensen.

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The Probability of Violet & Luke

Destiny has thrown Luke and Violet together once again. After Violet and Luke made the connection that his mother was involved in the murder of her parents, they went their separate ways. Violet couldn’t handle the pain and returned to her drug dealing foster father. It was the ultimate mistake and she realizes that she may have acted too compulsively. Her foster father wants more from her than dealing drugs for him. He is forcing her to do sexual things in order to keep a roof over her head. His abuse has also become violent. He manipulates Violet’s fear of being alone and fear of rejection. It reaches a point where Violet knows she has made a horrible mistake leaving Luke and returning home. She misses Luke fiercely. He had a way of making her feel safe, wanted, and understood. She was beginning to share her past and look to the future with Luke.

Luke was devastated when Violet left. He became very reckless with his drinking and gambling. He is pushing his own hard limits. When his gambling gets him into deep trouble, Violet is there to witness it. She is determined to help him out of his mess. They go to Vegas to see Luke’s card shark Uncle to get the money Luke owes. But trouble seems to follow them wherever they go. They are learning their past coping mechanisms are no longer working.

When the Vegas trip turns into a complete disaster, Luke has no other choice but to call his father. The man he hates because he deserted him and left him with his mother. The man he will have to learn to trust in order to survive his mistakes.

While Luke is coming to terms with his gambling, drinking, and father, Violet’s troubles are escalating. Her parents murder case is back in the media, she is being threatened by an unknown stalker that was involved in her parents murder, and her coping mechanisms are no longer working.

Violet and Luke have finally established a real relationship. They have learned that they need each other in a way they never thought was possible. They are connected to each other by choice as well as destiny.

Can they survive the storm ahead?

This installment to Violet and Luke’s story reveals some of the mystery behind Violet’s parents murder. It also opens Luke’s eyes to the destructive path his life has been on. He wants to become a better person for Violet. He wants to be the one who is strong and there for her no matter what. He has realized that he is in love with her and wants her happiness no matter what. It is an intense story that shows how these two damaged people can find solace in each other. They can find their inner peace together. They can look at past relationships and mistakes in a whole new light.

I highly recommend the Coincidence series. You must read The Destiny of Violet and Luke before reading The Probability of Violet & Luke. Their story is dark and powerful. They have led a very stormy existence and survived. Now they have to reach for the rainbow.

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The Certainty of Violet & Luke

Wow! The conclusion of Violet and Luke’s story has finally released. The Certainty of Violet & Luke finally brought the peace and closure both of them needed in their lives. It gave them an understanding of why their destructive behaviors where not the answer and why they would no longer work. This book made them realize they needed something more than their relationship as it was. They needed to learn to reach out and trust other people. They needed to understand the importance of having any kind of relationship whether it be a romantic relationship, a friendship, a family relationship, or an outside relationship dealing with their lives. Most of all they needed to recognize that only they could fix their own problems. They had to take the helping hands that were offered. They had to open themselves up to others. Once they did that, their own relationship would grow by leaps and bounds. They would have the love and security they always needed.

The Certainty of Violet & Luke was a powerful book about healing, closure, letting go of the past, and moving forward in life with a positive outlook. It was their destiny to be together and find the love they needed.

I highly recommend The Coincidence Series. The Destiny of Violet and Luke and The Probability of Violet and Luke must be read before reading The Certainty of Violet Luke.

Violet and Luke were strong characters that captured the readers attention. The other characters in this series are just as captivating as Violet and Luke. Each of these characters is being featured in this series. I am looking forward to seeing their stories come to life.

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The New York Times and USA Today bestselling author, Jessica Sorensen, lives in the snowy mountains of Wyoming. When she’s not writing, she spends her time reading and hanging out with her family.

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Review: Saddles and Sins by Jesse Evans

Posted on 09/16/2014 by shellbellereads

Saddles and Sins

Lonesome Point Series- Book 2

By Jessie Evans

Synopsis

A sinfully sexy romance from New York Times and USA Today Bestselling author Jessie Evans.

Even sweet cowboys have a sinful side…

Robert Lawson–Bubba to his friends–is six feet, four inches of tall, dark, and handsome cowboy, with a panty-melting voice and a face made to launch a country music career. But when his family’s ranch hands go down with the flu, Robert cancels his high-profile auditions in Austin, and returns home to Lonesome Point to help out. Fortune and fame are all well and good, but family and friends come first. Besides, he’s ready to enjoy some off-the-clock time with his manager, a woman who has him dying to show her what a good man can do to a woman when he’s given permission to be bad.

Marisol Medina has been looking for her golden ticket since she became a country music manager. A scandal with one of her clients nearly destroyed her, but now she’s close to launching an artist who will make her career. Robert Lawson has it all–talent, charisma, and a naughty side that flicks all of Marisol’s kinkier switches. But Robert is off limits. She refuses to mix business and pleasure, even if it will be hell resisting temptation while spending a week at the Lawson family ranch, doing her best to convince Robert to ditch the saddle and embrace his future as a star.

But as Marisol and Robert grow closer and the passion between them ignites, Marisol must decide if fear is stronger than love, or if a chance at forever is worth breaking all her rules.

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Tracey’s Review

Life is about to change for Robert ‘Bubba’ Lawson in a very big way. The success he’s long dreamed of is on the horizon, and there is no one he’d rather share it with than Marisol Medina. Marisol, Bubba’s manager, is a real pepper pot, a go-getter with a feisty attitude and the drive to help Bubba break into the country music scene. She also happens to drive him wild, and the feeling is very mutual.

I cannot even put into words the love that I feel for Robert ‘Bubba’ Lawson. Jessie Evans has written a sweet and sexy cowboy that, if possible, is even hotter than all of her previous men, and that’s saying quite a lot! I mean, swoon city. Not only is Bubba an awesome friend, as he showed us in ‘Leather and Lace’ (Lonesome Point Book 1), he is also a genuinely nice guy. Did I mention that he’s panty-meltingly hot? And talented? And smart? And quite possibly the most fabulous boyfriend ever?

I picked up this book and, as with all of Jessie’s books, could NOT put it down. Once I really met Bubba, there was nothing to do but hang on for the ride as he swept Marisol off her feet and broke down every wall that she tried to put up. He is not afraid to lay everything out there, and to make Marisol’s not-so-vanilla fantasies a reality. For real, where can I get my own Bubba? I’m afraid that Jessie may have spoiled me for other book boyfriends…I obviously cannot say enough about how much I loved Saddles and Sins, and I absolutely cannot wait for Tulsi’s and Pike’s story in Diamonds and Dust.

The Lonesome Point, Texas series. Hot Texas days, hotter Texas nights:

LEATHER AND LACE

SADDLES AND SIN

DIAMONDS AND DUST

GLITTER AND GRIT

About the Author

Jessie Evans gave up a career as an international woman of mystery to write the sassy, Southern romances, and sexy, New Adult romances she loves to read.

She’s married to the man of her dreams, and together they’re raising a few adorable, mischievous children in a tree house in the boonies. She grew up in rural Arkansas, spending summers running wild, being chewed by chiggers, and now appreciates her home in a chigger-free part of the world even more.

When she’s not writing, Jessie enjoys playing her dulcimer (badly), sewing the worlds ugliest quilts to give to her friends, going for bike rides with her house full of boys, and wandering the woods, glass of wine and camera in hand, on the lookout for Bigfoot.

Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Goodreads

Blog Tour + Review + Giveaway: Wherever You Will Go by Stephanie Smith

Posted on 09/16/2014 by shellbellereads

Wherever You Will Go

By Stephanie Smith

Synopsis

Brooke Willis had everything she ever wanted: a happy marriage, volunteer placement at the art gallery, and the promise of starting a family with the man of her dreams.

Saxon Reed had everything he ever thought he needed: a successful career, nice cars, expensive apartment, and more money than he knew what to do with.

After losing her husband Brooke insists on taking over his company to keep his dreams alive. Struggling in an industry she knows nothing about, Brooke turns to Saxon, her husband’s best friend and business partner, for guidance and support. Their mutual grief, and Saxon’s need to look after his best friend’s wife, creates a connection beyond just business.

Can Brooke take over the company and find a new life without saying goodbye to the past? Can Saxon protect and care for Brooke without scaring her away.

What happens when your heart doesn’t listen to your head? When lines are crossed and boundaries are pushed?

“Life goes on, whether you choose to move forward and take a chance in the unknown or stay behind, locked in the past, thinking of what could’ve been. I don’t want to live in the past anymore. I’m so lonely; there’s nothing for me here.”

Excerpt

“So?” I say, desperate to hear what she thinks in the hope she’ll tell me what to do.

“Fuck,” she breathes out. “Fuck.”

“I know, right? I have no idea what I’m doing, and I’m starting to feel like it’s careening out of control.”

“Starting to?” Her voice is high-pitched. “Brooke, fuck. This got out of control the minute you two started working together.”

“Well, I think that’s over-exaggerating a little,” I tell her, annoyed.

“Brooke, Saxon has always had a thing for you. What did you think sleeping with him on a regular basis was going to do? He has feelings for you. From what you say, very deep feelings. Do you feel the same?”

“What? I don’t know? Maybe? No.”

“Huh?”

“Shit, Rach, I care for him deeply. He means the world to me and has been my biggest support since Nate.” She frowns. “You know what I mean. Seeing him and spending time with him every day, we’ve naturally become close.” She nods, relenting. “But deep feelings? Yeah, I guess I do, but I don’t want this to go any further.”

“Why not?”

“Why not?” I scream. “What do you think? He’s Nate’s best friend, Rachel. I couldn’t do that to Nate.”

“Brooke, sweetie. You aren’t doing anything to Nate. Nate’s not here, Brooke. You aren’t cheating or being unfaithful to him. He’s gone, and it’s nearly been a year,” she says softly, trying to placate me.

“I feel like I’m choosing between them.” Tears well up in my eyes before falling down my cheeks.

Rach moves into the chair next to me and hugs me to her. “You can’t choose between them, Brooke. You don’t have that option. Nate isn’t here. He isn’t a choice.”

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Tracey’s Review

Life is perfect for Brooke Willis. She’s happily married to Nate, the man of her dreams, has a job that she loves, and is surrounded by family and friends. After losing Nate, Brooke’s search for a way to find something to give life meaning again leads her to his company, Argo, which he ran with the help of his best friend, Saxon Reed.

Saxon lives to work. He needs nothing more than to make sure that Argo continues to run successfully, and that Brooke has a shoulder to lean on. The only problem? He’s been attracted to Brooke since the first time he laid eyes on her, having to watch as she fell in love with his best friend ten years before. Now that Nate is gone, he finds himself less and less able to hide his feelings from Brooke.

In ‘Wherever You Will Go,’ Stephanie Smith has done a good job of showing one woman’s journey from unexpected loss to finding herself again. Brooke’s life has been pretty much defined by her relationship with Nate. When she is left alone, she is left with the task of finding those things that define her as her own person. Her relationship with Saxon allows her to rediscover herself as a woman in her own right, and to be accepted for her she is. Saxon is the stuff that great book boyfriends are made of. Undeniably hot and alpha, gorgeous and driven, he also has a vulnerable side that he’s kept buried, afraid to experience the feelings of loss that haunted his past. In being there for Brooke, he is able to grow, too, to become the sort of man that he never thought he wanted to be. Watching both he and Brooke evolve into themselves, whole and healed, made this book an enjoyable and emotional read. I look forward to reading more from Stephanie, and can’t wait for ‘Whatever You Do,’ Tate and Harper’s story.

Author Bio:

I’m first & foremost a reader & fangirl, I will always be first & foremost a reader & fangirl. I am on street teams, I pimp and I brag. I LOVE my Authors!! I have recently started writing as a way to relax and spend some time for me. My first novel Wherever You Will Go is due to release later this year. I’m having so much fun writing my first story and I’m looking forward to the journey it is taking me on

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Release Day Blitz + Review + Giveaway: Indiscretion Vol. 4 by Elisabeth Grace

Posted on 09/15/2014 by shellbellereads

Indiscretion Volume 4

Indiscretion Serial

By Elisabeth Grace

The image was seared into my mind. Imprinted. Emblazoned. Etched.

Did I blame him for what I saw? Or myself, for allowing him the ability to cause the pain coursing through me?

Betrayal was a weapon that cut to the core—the ‘what ifs’ the infection that festered in the wound.

I’d thought we’d had roadblocks thrown in front of us before. Damn. Those would have seemed like mere speed bumps if I’d seen what was coming…

Little did I know that what was headed our way would prove to be the biggest test of all—putting impossible choices in front of us. None of which seemed to lead to a happy ending in which the two of us were together.

Michel’s Review

Wow! After the first three volumes in the Indiscretion series by Elisabeth Grace being 5 Star reviews , I was anxiously awaiting for the final volume. I was expecting drama, suspense, more erotic moments between Max and Chloe, and finally their happily ever after. While Elisabeth delivered all of these elements, she took this series down an unexpected lane. She absolutely blew me away.

Indiscretion Volume 4 was one of the most emotional books I have read. The love between Chloe and Max was pure and exhilarating. Their devotion to one another through unforeseen circumstances that would break most couples was astonishing. Their journey to happily ever after was a heart wrenching road with many obstacles to overcome. The unexpected roadblocks broke my heart. At times they both found themselves lost and alone on a dark scary path that seemed to have no ending. But somehow these two managed to find that fork in the road that led them back to one another. In the end, Max and Chloe found their way back to each other and chose to journey through life together.

I really can’t say more about this final installment in this series. It is a powerful ending for this beautiful couple. Elisabeth Grace’s writing was superbly executed and made me an emotional wreck. I cried like a baby, laughed like a hyena, cussed like a sailor, and swooned like a damsel in distress. I was very moved.

I highly recommend the Indiscretion series by Elisabeth Grace. It is unpredictable and highly emotional. It has all the wonderful qualities that readers look for in good books. The writing is superb, the characters are enthralling, and the plot took me by surprise.

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Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Kobo | iTunes

All four volumes will be available together in one paperback shortly after the release of the fourth volume.

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Connect With Elisabeth Grace

If you’re US based and you want to receive a text message when Elisabeth has a new book go LIVE, text ROMANCE to 313131!

Release Day Blitz + Review + Giveaway: Bad Son Rising by Julie A. Richman

Posted on 09/15/2014 by shellbellereads

Bad Son Rising

The Needing More Series- Book 4

By Julie A. Richman

Blurb:

People think I’m a douche.

And maybe I am.

I use most people.

It’s what I know.

But if I love you,

I’d die for you.

I just don’t know that I’m worth loving.

Handsome, privileged bad boy Zac Moore has always played by his own rules – at school, in business, with women. He’s rewritten the rules to suit his own needs and his needs are all that matter.

Serious and focused family friend Liliana Castillo has one goal. Leave the pre-Med program at Yale to help people in developing nations.

As their paths cross and uncross, a tale of love, agony, betrayal and growth is woven, transforming two people who’ve hidden from relationships and love.

This is a stand-alone novel.

Buy: Amazon / Barnes and Noble / ITunes

Excerpt:

“Lils, I don’t know that I’m great boyfriend material. I’m used to being a dick. It’s what I know.” He was hoping she’d say something, but she didn’t. “But I would want it to be different with you. You’re not a drive-by. And I don’t really know how to do the other stuff. But you make me want it. You make me want to try.”

Sweeping her hair to one side, he buried his face in her neck.

Finally, she spoke, “Are you saying this to me because we’re stuck here? Because if you are, don’t. I don’t want a one night stand with you, Zac.”

Letting his teeth graze the soft skin of her neck, he felt her shiver, “I don’t want a one night stand with you either and with my track record I know that may be hard to believe. And of course the one girl I want to believe it, doesn’t.” Pulling his mouth away from her delicious tasting neck, he rested his chin on her shoulder.

“Ok, I’ve got nothing to lose here,” he began. “The weekend we met, all I wanted to do was make you notice me,” he laughed, “and you didn’t even know that I was alive. I wanted to make you smile, Lils. Isn’t that crazy. I just wanted to make you smile.”

Turning herself fully within the circle of his arm, she was on her knees facing him, “You wanted to make me smile?”

He nodded.

“I was so miserable. I just wanted to be over here. I didn’t want to be back at Yale.” Surprising him, she placed her hands on his cheeks, “And you wanted to make me smile?”

He nodded again.

And there it was, beautiful and elusive, and Zac could feel his emotions rising dangerously close to the surface. Liliana Castillo had a heart stopping smile and the only thing he could do was return it with one of his own.

Michel’s Review

I have been reading the Needing Moore series from the very first day Julie released Searching For Moore. I was blown away by the characters and their story. I needed more and became addicted to this series. Julie A. Richman delivered a mature romance that spans over twenty years. From the beautiful young love romance to the painful separation that spanned over twenty years, the readers experienced an emotional story. The entire series touched on some very realistic situations and realities that most people experience at some point in their lives or they know someone who has. By allowing her characters to experience these realities it made the series much more credible and personal to the readers. One of those realities was the rebellious teenage son. The son that objected to his parents divorce and acted out in the most horrific ways to prevent the divorce. He almost killed his father’s girlfriend in a fit of anger. The readers absolutely loathed this kid. It was impossible to believe that this kid could be redeemed and become a human being people actually liked. But Julie wielded her magic pen and as the series evolved we got to see this young man slowly begin to turn around. By the end of the trilogy we were astounded that he had come so far but were still a bit leery of trusting the changes. She gave us some insight into some of his other issues outside his parents separation and new lives. Now the readers are going to meet the real Zac Moore in Bad Son Rising.

I was sucked into Zac Moore’s story in the very first paragraph. As Bad Son Rising begins, Zac has now graduated from high school and is now in college. He has established a good relationship with his father’s new wife. He adores his younger brother and sister. He has become a part of the new family unit instead of being a hostile outsider. He recognizes the true meaning of love and what real happiness really means. He is happy that his father has finally found his true happiness. While Zac is in a better place mentally than he was in his earlier teen years, he is still not one hundred percent happy. He appears to be this over confident, smart, good looking young man with a bright future ahead of him. Beneath the surface, Zach has some low self esteem issues that have made him feel unlovable. He has suffered sexual abuse in his early years and has found that sex is mere act to deflect from his insecurities. He’s never had a real steady girlfriend or relationship. He doesn’t really date, he just has sex. He has not learned to trust others with the true Zach that hides within. Only a few friends have had a glimpse of who he really is.

When he meets Liliana Castillo his views on love and life begin to change. For the first time he wants to be the giver in a relationship rather than the taker. For the first time he wants to show someone he can be a better man. For the first time he is letting the real Zac out of his cage.

In Bad Son Rising we will witness Zac go from a party college boy to a brilliant engineering student. We will see his loyalty to his friends and family. We will witness his screw ups and mistakes. We will watch him take responsibility of his actions and life. We will watch him fall in love and make ultimate sacrifices for the woman he loves. In the end we will see a noble young man that has earned respect and love.

I feel like a parent or aunt that is so proud of their child. Zac Moore is very dear to my heart and I think I am just as proud of him as Schooner Moore is. As I finished this book I had tingly goosebumps all over.

Thank you Julie for giving us The Bad Son Rising. We have embraced Zac into our hearts. We are so proud of the man he has become!

Author Julie A. Richman is a native New Yorker living deep in the heart of Texas. A creative writing major in college, reading and writing fiction has always been a passion. Julie began her corporate career in publishing in NYC and writing played a major role throughout her career as she created and wrote marketing, advertising, direct mail and fundraising materials for Fortune 500 corporations, advertising agencies and non-profit organizations. She is an award winning nature photographer plagued with insatiable wanderlust. Julie and her husband have one son and a white German Shepherd named Juneau.

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Needing Moore Trilogy

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All three Bestselling, Top-Rated Books from The Needing Moore Trilogy by USA Today Bestseller Julie A. Richman, PLUS never before seen BONUS CHAPTERS for each book.

SEARCHING FOR MOORE – Book 1

MOORE TO LOSE – Book 2

MOORE THAN FOREVER – Book 3

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Blog Tour + Review + Giveaway: Boarded By Love by Toni Aleo – Bellevue Bullies Series -Book 1

Posted on 09/15/2014 by shellbellereads

Boarded By Love

Bellevue Bullies – Book 1

Spinoff of The Assassin’s Series

By Toni Aleo

Synopsis

Jude Sinclair here, hockey player for the Bellevue Bullies and lover of all ladies. Hockey’s in my blood, and not to sound full of myself, but I’m good at it…really good. The draft is within my reach—it’s mine to take—but that’s not the only reason people know my name. They know me because of my way with women. They know the score, and I aim to please. I just tend to stay away from repeat performances. In other words, I don’t do relationships beyond my family and friends. I’m happy with life. However, I should warn you that my story and how I see it playing out is about to change due to a certain redhead on campus.

She’s beautiful. Stunning. Breathtaking.

She’s my game changer.

~*~

He’s trouble from the moment I see him. I don’t know what I’m thinking, but from the moment I meet his gaze, I’m his. It’s a scary feeling.

I’ve never trusted anyone outside my aunt and uncle—and even that took months. I didn’t have it easy growing up. My mom was usually strung out, and she didn’t give me a second thought. Drugs and the men who paid her were more important to her. It was horrible, but I’m stronger today. Because of my past, security is what I need most. Money assures me that I can take care of myself today, tomorrow, and next month. I don’t want to ever be hungry or go without again, so I work hard for every penny.

Oh, by the way, I’m Claire Anderson. I’m a hard-studying sophomore at the University of Bellevue, dancer for the school dance team, and a burlesque dancer at a club, but that’s my secret.
You may think you know how our story ends, but you have no clue. It’s not easy falling in love… or living happily ever after. At first it may seem so, but when is anything worth having ever won without a fight?

Especially when you’re boarded by love.

Buy: Amazon / Barnes and Noble / ITunes

Excerpt

I can still taste her on my lips.

I swear. The taste hasn’t left me since I kissed her less than twenty-four hours ago, neither has the hard-on. She has me completely wound-up tight, whacking off till my dick is raw and wishing like hell to get in her pants. When I walked in to find her in only a sports bra and shorts that should be illegal… Well, I’m surprised I’m still vertical.

God, she is fucking hot.

Her long red hair is in a mess on top of her head with a cute little black bow at the base. She stands with such amazing confidence while the other girls cover their stomachs with their arms or slouch to the side, but not Claire. No, she stands proud, beautiful, and man, I just want to rush over there and touch her again. I still can’t believe she kissed me senseless then ran off without a second glance. While I don’t mind being used, I wasn’t done.

I need her. On me. Beneath me. Anywhere on me. Now.

I can’t take my eyes off her. I’m supposed to be watching some girl dance, but there is no way. Not with Claire in the room. She stands with the brunette from her Facebook. She’s even prettier in person, but she holds no candle to Claire. Hell, no one does. I watch as they talk, and the love just shines out of the brunette’s body for her. It’s crazy to watch. It reminds me of my mom’s love, and I figure it’s her mom. I need to ask because I have to know. I don’t know what it is about this feisty little redhead, but I want to know her ins and outs. Then I want to sleep with her. Continually. And then some more.

Michel’s Review

Boarded By Love by Toni Aleo was a fantastic start in the Bellevue Bullies series. It is the spin off of the Assassin’s series and features a college team located in Nashville, TN.

This novel features Claire Anderson, the troubled niece of Phillip Anderson, Assassin player featured in the Breakaway novel. Claire was a real troubled teen in the Breakaway novel and gave Phillip and Reese a very hard time. Her mother was a junkie that abused and neglected Claire throughout her childhood. Claire adopted her mother’s wild lifestyle until she went to live with her Uncle Phillip after her mother’s death. It took a lot of patience and unconditional love to bring this young woman around. Now she is on the right track. She is in college,dancing, and pursuing her dreams. She’s got herself together and is very focused. She wants to become a dance choreographer, preferably in the Burlesque style.

When she meets Jude Sinclair, captain of the Bellevue Bullies hockey team, she is knocked for a loop. It is the first time she has been attracted to someone in three years. He makes her want more than her dancing and future career. He gives her the love she never knew she needed. But will her dreams of Burlesque dancing and the route she is taking to secure those dreams keep Jude around for the long haul? She is afraid to tell him that she is working in a Burlesque club for fear of losing him. When the opportunity arises to make her dreams come true, she will have to come clean with her secrets and risk losing Jude. She will have to faith in their love. Trust doesn’t come easy for Claire.

Jude Sinclair is the Bellevue bad boy. He has a different girl in his bed daily. He is upfront with the girls and makes no promises. He’s sexy, hot, charming, and a very gifted hockey player. He will be going into the NHL draft soon and is focused on his hockey career. When he meets Claire Anderson, she changes his perspective on relationships. He wants Claire in his life and he doesn’t want to share her with anyone. She has stolen his heart. Claire is his game changer.

Boarded By Love was more than a new adult love story. Both Jude and Claire’s families played strong roles throughout the book. The reader saw a true glimpse of what real families are and how their relationships are important to a couple’s dynamics. We saw how these family relationships shape and mold their thoughts, feelings, and drives.

I loved all the characters in this book. They were very real and had an important role in the story. I loved seeing some of our favorite Assassin players make their appearance. I loved their protectiveness towards Claire and how they intimidated Jude. I loved Jude’s reactions to them.

While most New Adult books dwell on a lot of angst, indecision, and self reflection, Boarded By Love did not. Toni Aleo created characters that were very real and at the maturity level that they should be. Jude and Claire were very focused individuals, had good heads on their shoulders, and reacted just as they should have in all the emotional moments. Their relationship was beautiful. Toni allowed them to meet, flirt, date, and fall in love. She progressed their relationship in a way that most relationships progress in real life. It was beautiful watching Claire and Jude fall in love and tackle all the problems that came their way.

I can’t wait for the next book in this series. Like I said earlier, Toni created some interesting secondary characters. I am hoping the other Sinclair brothers get their own books. I am also hoping that Lucy Sinclair finds her true love, hopefully it will be an Assassin. The other team members and campus friends were intriguing as well. I think we have a lot to forward to in the future from Toni Aleo.

I highly recommend Boarded by Love.

My name is Toni Aleo!

I am a wife, mother of two and a bulldog, and also a hopeless romantic.

I have been told I have anger issues, but I think it’s cause of my intense love for hockey!
I am the biggest Shea Weber fan ever, and can be found during hockey season with my nose pressed against the Bridgestone Arena’s glass, watching my Nashville Predators play!
When my nose isn’t pressed against the glass, I enjoy going to my husband and son’s hockey games, my daughter’s dance competition, hanging with my best friends, taking pictures, scrapbooking, and reading the latest romance novel.
I have a slight Disney and Harry Potter obsession, I love things that sparkle, I love the color pink, I might have been a Disney Princess in a past life…probably Belle, and did I mention I love hockey?

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Release Day Blitz + Review: Dire by Alyssa Rose Ivy- Dire Wolf Chronicles-Book 1

Posted on 09/15/2014 by shellbellereads

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We are so excited to bring you the Release Day Launch for Alyssa Rose Ivy’s DIRE. DIRE is a first novel in her The Dire Wolves Chronicles Series.The Dire Wolves Chronicles Series is a New Adult Paranormal Romance! The Order of the books is: Dire, Dusk, Dawn. We can’t tell you enough how excited we are for Alyssa’s newest series, The Dire Wolves Chronicles!!

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Excerpt:

A single howl made me stop short. “The wolves!”

“Let’s hope they are farther away than they sound.” Gage tightened his hold on my hand and pulled me forward.

Three more howls filled the night. “They sound closer.”

We picked up the pace, and I chanced a glance behind me. That was a mistake. Several large grey wolves came into view. “Run!”

Gage didn’t need to be told twice. He broke into a run without letting go of my hand.

I ran as fast as possible over the frozen snow, but we didn’t get far before the wolves started circling around us. “Oh my god.” Could things get any worse?

“You have to make a run for it.” Gage’s voice quivered. “They’re going to kill us.”

“I’m not leaving you.” I tried to stay strong, and I kept my eyes locked on the wolves. There were five of them. All of them were massive, much larger than any wolf I’d seen before, but one of them was even bigger and had a large silver streak running down its back. That wolf seemed to be staring right at me.

“I’ll distract them. You run. I’ll catch up.”

I spotted an opening next to one of the smaller of the wolves and went for it. I didn’t make it far before one of the wolves stepped in front of me. I froze, paralyzed with fear, before my legs were knocked from under me. Suddenly, I was lying in the snow with a giant wolf hovering over me.

“We’re fucked.” Gage voiced exactly what I was thinking.

The silver streaked wolf stared down at me. It’s almost glowing eyes bored into mine. Was I really going to die as half-frozen food for a giant wild animal?

Then things got hazy and the air seemed to buzz. Moments later it wasn’t a wolf on top of me—it was a man. A completely naked man with a faint scar across his face.

“What the heck?” I tried to scurry back, but Hunter didn’t move. His very exposed parts nearly touched me. I didn’t want to notice his size, but I did. He was huge. He also didn’t look remotely concerned with the cold.

His lips brushed against my ear. “Were you going somewhere?”

About DIRE:

Dire: The Dire Wolves Chronicles

Gage was the first guy I ever wanted. He was my first crush and my first fantasy, but he wasn’t my first in any other way because he never saw me as anything more than a friend— at least not until the night that changed everything.

It was all Gage’s fault. He insisted we drive through the storm and take the back roads. By the time the storm hit full force we had no chance. One night of snowbound sex changed our relationship forever. The problem was at the same time I caught another guy’s attention. This other guy happened to be the alpha of a pack of shifter wolves. I thought the wolves were the worst of my problems, but I was wrong. When things went from bad to worse I had to make a lifelong sacrifice to save Gage, but what price is too much to save the one you love?

Buy: Amazon / Barnes and Noble / ITunes

Tracey’s Review

‘Dire’ is the first book in a new series by Alyssa Rose Ivy. It is being marketed as New Adult paranormal romance, but, in all honesty, it reads more like a Young Adult novel with more graphic sex written in. I had a hard time keeping up with the storyline in Dire, feeling like it was sort of all over the place. The book started off promisingly enough, with the relationship between Mary Anne and Gage being introduced as the main plotline. Once Hunter and his ‘family’ entered the scene, though, and especially with the introduction of Vanessa, the book pretty much fell apart for me. It just seemed forced and unrealistic, even by paranormal standards. The characters were a bit one-dimensional, and there was just too much going on for the story to mesh. Since this is the first in a new series, I would hazard a guess that ‘Dire’ serves as the set-up for the books that will come after, and really hope that Alyssa is able to tighten up subsequent entries in this series. I have enjoyed reading her books in the past, and am interested to see what she does with this series in the future.

About Alyssa Rose Ivy:

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.

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Release Day Blitz: Owned By Him Boxed Set- Emma Hart, Kendall Ryan, Laurelin Paige,and Clare James

Posted on 09/15/2014 by shellbellereads

Title: Owned By Him
Release Date: September 15, 2014

An alpha male boxed set by New York Times bestselling romance authors Laurelin Paige, Emma Hart, and Kendall Ryan, including Fixed on You, Late Call, and When I Break, featuring the hot new romance Dirty Little Lies by Clare James.

Four full length novels for one low price! Available for a limited time only!

Fixed on You
By New York Times bestselling author Laurelin Paige
A bartender with obsessive tendencies and a billionaire built on dominance come together in a steamy story that explores the line between head games and love-cures-all.

Late Call
By New York Times bestselling author Emma Hart
She’s a high class call girl. He’s taking over his father’s business.
Seven years ago, they fell in love in Paris.
They walked away at the end of the summer, never imagining they’d meet again.
Now he’s her client.

When I Break
By New York Times bestselling author Kendall Ryan
What happens when a sex addict falls for a virgin? With his life unraveling, Knox Bauer attends a local Sex Addicts Anonymous meeting where he finds himself tempted by the alluring instructor, McKenna.

Dirty Little Lies
By Clare James
After a nasty breakup, good girl Stevie Sinclair creates a sexual bucket list. And the mysterious Gabe Shannon is all too willing to help her check off each and every item … and then some.

Buy Links
Amazon US
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iBooks

Cover Reveal: Wicked by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Posted on 09/15/2014 by shellbellereads

Holy cow, y’all! We are so excited to bring you the Cover Reveal for Jennifer L. Armentrout’s WICKED! WICKED is a New Adult Paranormal Romance and is a part of Jennifer L. Armentrout’s Wicked Trilogy. It is being released on December 8^th, 2014. So make sure you pre-order it today!!

Amazon

WICKED Synopsis:

Things are about to get Wicked in New Orleans.

Twenty-two year old Ivy Morgan isn’t your average college student. She, and others like her, know humans aren’t the only thing trolling the French Quarter for fun… and for food. Her duty to the Order is her life. After all, four years ago, she lost everything at the hands of the creatures she’d sworn to hunt, tearing her world and her heart apart.

Ren Owens is the last person Ivy expected to enter her rigidly controlled life. He’s six feet and three inches of temptation and swoon-inducing charm. With forest-green eyes and a smile that’s surely left a stream of broken hearts in its wake, he has an uncanny, almost unnatural ability to make her yearn for everything he has to offer. But letting him in is as dangerous as hunting the cold-blooded killers stalking the streets. Losing the boy she loved once before had nearly destroyed her, but the sparking tension that grows between them becomes impossible for Ivy to deny. Deep down, she wants… she needs more than what her duty demands of her, what her past has shaped for her.

But as Ivy grows closer to Ren, she realizes she’s not the only one carrying secrets that could shatter the frail bond between them. There’s something he’s not telling her, and one thing is for certain. She’s no longer sure what is more dangerous to her—the ancient beings threatening to take over the town or the man demanding to lay claim to her heart and her soul.

About Jennifer L. Armentrout:

# 1 NEW YORK TIMES and USA TODAY Bestselling author Jennifer lives in Martinsburg, West Virginia. All the rumors you’ve heard about her state aren’t true. When she’s not hard at work writing. she spends her time reading, working out, watching really bad zombie movies, pretending to write, and hanging out with her husband and her Jack Russell Loki.

Her dreams of becoming an author started in algebra class, where she spent most of her time writing short stories….which explains her dismal grades in math. Jennifer writes young adult paranormal, science fiction, fantasy, and contemporary romance. She is published with Spencer Hill Press, Entangled Teen and Brazen, Disney/Hyperion and Harlequin Teen. Her book Obsidian has been optioned for a major motion picture and her Covenant Series has been optioned for TV.

She also writes adult and New Adult romance under the name J. Lynn. She is published by Entangled Brazen and HarperCollins.

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Review: Whatcha Gonna Do With A Cowboy by Jodi Linton-Deputy Laney Briggs Series-Book 1.5

Release Day Blitz + Review + Giveaway: The Certainty of Violet & Luke- The Coincidence Series- Book 5

Review: Saddles and Sins by Jesse Evans

Blog Tour + Review + Giveaway: Wherever You Will Go by Stephanie Smith

Release Day Blitz + Review + Giveaway: Indiscretion Vol. 4 by Elisabeth Grace

Release Day Blitz + Review + Giveaway: Bad Son Rising by Julie A. Richman

Blog Tour + Review + Giveaway: Boarded By Love by Toni Aleo – Bellevue Bullies Series -Book 1

My name is Toni Aleo!

I am a wife, mother of two and a bulldog, and also a hopeless romantic.

Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Amazon | Goodreads | Website

Release Day Blitz + Review: Dire by Alyssa Rose Ivy- Dire Wolf Chronicles-Book 1

Amazon Barnes and Noble iTunes GooglePlay Kobo

Release Day Blitz: Owned By Him Boxed Set- Emma Hart, Kendall Ryan, Laurelin Paige,and Clare James

Cover Reveal: Wicked by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Holy cow, y’all! We are so excited to bring you the Cover Reveal for Jennifer L. Armentrout’s WICKED! WICKED is a New Adult Paranormal Romance and is a part of Jennifer L. Armentrout’s Wicked Trilogy. It is being released on December 8^th, 2014. So make sure you pre-order it today!!

Amazon

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My name is Toni Aleo!

I am a wife, mother of two and a bulldog, and also a hopeless romantic.

Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Amazon | Goodreads | Website

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Holy cow, y’all! We are so excited to bring you the Cover Reveal for Jennifer L. Armentrout’s WICKED! WICKED is a New Adult Paranormal Romance and is a part of Jennifer L. Armentrout’s Wicked Trilogy. It is being released on December 8th, 2014. So make sure you pre-order it today!!

Share this:

Amazon Barnes and Noble iTunes GooglePlay Kobo

Holy cow, y’all! We are so excited to bring you the Cover Reveal for Jennifer L. Armentrout’s WICKED! WICKED is a New Adult Paranormal Romance and is a part of Jennifer L. Armentrout’s Wicked Trilogy. It is being released on December 8^th, 2014. So make sure you pre-order it today!!