Release Day Blitz + 6 Star Review + 2015 Favorite + Giveaway: Traveling Woman by Jane Harvey-Berrick- The Traveling Series – Book 2

Posted on 04/07/2015 by shellbellereads

The Traveling Woman

The Traveling Series – Book 2

By Jane Harvey-Berrick

Release Date: April 7, 2015

Synopsis

THE CONCLUDING STORY of Aimee and Kestrel, begun in THE TRAVELING MAN
♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

How many times do you gamble on love? When love has knocked you down, should you give it another chance? When does optimism become stupidity?

And what happens when the man you’re in love with is never still, always moving, always traveling? Do you say goodbye, or do you leave behind everything that you’ve worked for, everything that you’ve ever known? Can a traveling carnival be my home?

Oh. You thought I had the answers. No, sorry. No answers, just a lot of questions—and a heart that wants to rule my head.

Can one person be my home?

Buy: Amazon / B & N / ITunes

Excerpt

I saw the Ferris wheel first, lit up in the twilight, the simple white lights making the huge steel structure seem almost ethereal. Without conscious thought, I touched the necklace that I never took off, my fingers stroking the tiny Ferris wheel set with a diamond at the center.

As I sat up straighter in my seat, I saw Kes’s lips curve upwards, although whether that was because he could sense my excitement, or because he was in a place that felt like home, I couldn’t say.

The fair wasn’t open yet; instead it lay dormant, the wide avenue of the midway with its silent stalls and unplayed games, its tricks and delights, waiting to unleash its pleasure on the paying public. It was a world within a world, a community of others, where being different was celebrated, expected, valued. It was also painted with a new face, hiding a darker history behind arcade games, glitz and glamor.

I rolled down the window and imagined that I could smell the faint scent of the fair: hotdogs, onions, cotton candy. I was transported back over a decade, to the first time I’d visited the carnival, the first year I’d met Kes. It was magical to me then, and even though Kes had been the one to show me the puppet’s strings behind the illusion, the magic had not lost its power. I was home.

Kes steered the car around to the staff area, and I realized for the first time how vast this fairground was.

“Kes,” I breathed. “This place is huge!”

“Yeah, one of the bigger ones,” he said nonchalantly.

We were still driving around the perimeter.

“How big are we talking?”

He shrugged. “Uh, 550 acres, give or take. Almost a square mile.”

“Wow! And the arena where you’re performing?”

He looked at me sideways. “Ten thousand people.”

My jaw dropped open, and it took me several tries before I could get the words out.

“Ten thousand?”

He scratched his thumb over his eyebrow. “It’s not sold out. So, maybe eight or nine thousand.”

“Oh my God! Ten thousand people are coming to see you? That’s crazy!”

He gave me a wry smile as I babbled.

“I mean, not crazy! Of course not! That’s great! In fact, it’s freakin’ awesome. Ten thousand people.” I couldn’t get my head around it.

“Yeah, it usually gets sold out on the last day.”

I gulped. “How … how many days are you doing the show?”

Kes grinned at me. “Three days.”

I stopped speaking. I literally stopped speaking.

“I never thought I’d live to see this day,” he laughed. “Aimee Andersen is speechless.”

Michel’s Review

The Traveling Duet series by Jane Harvey-Berrick is one of the most powerful and beautiful love stories I have ever read. Aimee and Kes captured my heart. These two extroardinary people found a love that only happens once in a lifetime. They overcame so many obstacles throughout their relationship and came out stronger. They grew as individuals. They became a stronger devoted couple. Their devotion to one another is the glue that held them together.

Traveling Man blew me away. I was anxious for the sequel to the story, Traveling Woman to release. I wanted Aimee and Kes to find a way to make their own happily ever after. I was afraid that the author was going to take the easy way out, find an easy solution, and make the magic in their lives look easy. I was afraid that the story was going to end on a predictable happily ever after note ( which still would of been an excellent ending for this couple ), but I wanted to see more of who they were and how they were going to make this impossible relationship work. I wanted more for them than the ordinary ending. I wanted SPECTACULAR! Readers I can honestly say that Traveling Woman was….

SPECTACULAR

BRILLIANT

PERFECT

WONDROUS

MAGICAL

BREATHTAKING

PHENOMENAL

ABSOLUTELY RIGHT FOR AIMEE AND KES

I am not going to give too many details for this book. It is a love story that every reader should experience.

I will say this, Aimee and Kes proved there was magic as long as they loved each other.

Kes truly amazed me. Not only was he a phenomenal showman, he was a phenomenal individual. He went after what he wanted. He held onto it tightly. He learned from his mistakes. He always strived to be better. He always loved Aimee with a true heart. He shared his world with Aimee, she held onto it with all of her being.

Aimee was incredible. She recognized what truly made Kes tick. She embraced his world and stood by his side at all times. She took the good with the bad. She made the bad good. She fought for their love. She nurtured it and made it unbreakable.

Together Aimee and Kes will take a journey that isn’t always easy. They will pave their path the best way they know how. They will always hold onto each other while venturing forward. At the end of the road they will realize they have always made the magic by loving one another.

Jane Harvey-Berrick has given readers an unforgettable love story. She gave us magic! She gave us Kes and Aimee. She gave us the Traveling Duet.

READ THESE BOOKS!

____________________________________

The Traveling Series

Traveling Man

The Traveling Duet Series – Book 1

By Jane Harvey-Berrick

Synopsis

I was ordinary. Nice.

He was extraordinary. And he wasn’t always nice.

Moody and difficult, brilliant and beautiful, Kes scared me and he protected me. He could be incredibly hurtful and incredibly thoughtful. He wasn’t perfect, but he was perfect for me. He challenged me, he took me out of my safe little box and showed me the world could be magnificent. He was everything I wasn’t.”

* * * *

Aimee Anderson is ten when the traveling carnival first comes to her nice little town. She doesn’t expect her world to change so completely. But meeting Kestrel Donohue puts her life on a different path.

Even though she only sees him for the two weeks of the year when he passes through her home town, his friendship is the most important of her life. As a child’s friendship grows to adult love, the choices become harder, and both Kes and Aimee realize that two weeks a year will never be enough…

Buy: Amazon / Barnes and Noble / ITunes

6 Star Review: http://smutbookjunkie.com/2015/01/28/traveling-man-by-jane-harvey-berrick-2015-favorite-6-star-review-giveaway/

About Jane Harvey- Berrick

I lived in London for over 10 years and have a love affair with New York. It’s only since I have moved to the countryside, that the words have really begun to flow.

I live in a small village by the ocean and walk my little dog, Pip, every day. It’s on those beachside walks that I have all my best ideas.

Writing has become a way of life – and one that I love to share.

Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Goodreads

Giveaway

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Release Blitz + 6 Star Review + 2015 Favorite: Come To Me Recklessly by A. L. Jackson

Posted on 04/07/2015 by shellbellereads

Come To Me Recklessly

The Closer To You Series – Book 3

By A. L. Jackson

AMAZON / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo

His heart was turned off…

Until she turned him on…

Christopher Moore gave up on the idea of love years ago. Now, his life is an endless string of parties and an even longer string of girls. Enjoying the physical perks with none of the emotional mess, hes convinced everyone that hes satisfied—everyone but himself.

Samantha Schultz has moved on with her life. Finishing her student teaching and living with her boyfriend, shes deluded herself into believing shes content. But there is one boy she never forgot—her first love—and she keeps the memory of him locked up tight. She will never allow any man to break her the way Christopher did.

When Christopher’s sister and her family move into a new neighborhood, Christopher is completely unprepared to find Samantha living at the end of the street. Memories and unspent desires send them on collision course of sex, lies, and lust. But when guilt and fear send Samantha running, Christopher will have to fight for what has always been his.

She lowered herself, gave a little shove, and slid down. I stopped her
descent at the bottom, her back pressed into the metal. I grasped the sides,
holding myself up, my nose an inch from hers as I hovered in her space. Her
eyes were doing that wild thing again, a raging sea that churned with all that
shyness, but flamed with bold strikes of courage, a storm that didn’t know which way to turn.

“Anyone ever kiss you before, Samantha?”I murmured low,
letting my nose do a little exploring along her jaw.

She shook her head no.

“Didn’t think so,”I whispered, before
I took a chance I was pretty damned sure was worth taking, and brushed my mouth
against hers. And was I ever right. She tasted like sugar and all things sweet,
like a spoonful of pure honey. A remedy.

Her kiss was every kind of timid, cautious in her inexperience, but it
didn’t take a whole lot to convince me that this kind of kiss was my
favorite.

_____________________

Tracey’s Review

“From the moment we met, he always had the power to bring me to my knees. I should have known his control over me would never diminish or dim. I should have known it would only intensify. Maybe I should have run. But somewhere inside, I knew he’d never let me get far.”Samantha Schultz, the daughter of a pastor, and Christopher Moore, wild child and bad boy, were never supposed to be together. When he rescued Samantha from the girls that were making her life a living hell in high school, neither one of them could have know what they were setting in motion.”He was gorgeous. Beautiful. And a little bit terrifying. He was trouble with a capital T. And I didn’t do trouble.””You don’t even know me.”
“I know your name is Samantha Schultz. I know you sit one row over and two seats in front of me in English Literature because I can’t stop watching you.”Once sure that they would be together forever, life as they knew it had changed, seemingly overnight, ripping Christopher and Samantha apart, and sending them on separate paths in life. Still reeling from those events of the past, Christopher has chosen to numb his pain by losing himself in meaningless hook-ups, going through the motions of life, refusing to allow himself to love again. Having been completely broken by Christopher, Samantha now finds herself in a safe but passionless relationship. A chance encounter with Christopher’s sister Aly, now married to Christopher’s best friend Jared, brings the past flooding back, and Samantha can no longer deny that she is settling for something less than she wants.Good Lord, the things that I felt while reading this story. A.L. Jackson is a master of writing the kind of book that evokes every possible emotion. Joy, sorrow, anger, edge-of-your seat, nail-biting angst, I experienced every one of these while reading Come To Me Recklessly.I absolutely love this story. Samantha and Christopher are inextricably bound together, unable to move on from their intense first love, even over the intervening years. Their love is truly like a force of nature. Tragedy, broken trust, distance, none of these has dimmed the power that each of them holds over the other, try as they may to forget.

“God, how many times had I imagined this? Seeing him again. What it would feel like, if it’d feel the same or less or more, if I’d burn up with desire or if I’d realize the years had only exaggerated the memories of him, building him up into something he was not. What I never imagined was he would crush me anew. As much as I wanted to look away, my gaze was locked on the boy who held every piece of my heart.”

I really appreciated having the past interspersed with the present and the alternating POVs between Samantha and Christopher. It brought their story full circle, while filling in the gaps, and allowed me to understand all of the circumstances that have brought them to their current place. Come To Me Recklessly is a book that I cannot recommend enough, and unequivocally give it and A.L. Jackson 5+ stars. If I could rate this read any higher, I would. Add this one to your TBR, because it is an absolute must-read, and you will not be sorry.

“What is this?” I forced out, the words shaky.
He grasped both sides of my face, bringing us nose to nose. “This is unstoppable.”

A.L. Jackson is the New York Times bestselling author of Take This Regret and Lost to You, as well as other contemporary romance titles, including Come to Me Quietly, Come to Me Softly, Pulled, When We Collide, and If Forever Comes.

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

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

To stay up to date with important news on A.L. Jackson, including new releases, sales, and exclusive specials and excerpts, text “jackson” to 96000 to subscribe!

FACEBOOK TWITTER GOODREADS AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE WEBSITE PINTEREST TSU

Happy Release + 6 Star Review + 2015 Favorite: Choose Me by Heidi McLaughlin- The Archer Brothers Series- Book 2

Posted on 04/02/2015 by shellbellereads

We are so excited to share with you the cover for CHOOSE ME, book 2 in The Archer Brothers Series by Heidi McLaughlin releasing on April 1st. This is a MUST READ series – make sure to add it to your TBR! Isn’t the cover gorgeous?!?!?!

Choose Me

The Archer Brothers Series- Book 2

Release Date: April 1, 2015

By Heidi McLaughlin

Buy: Amazon / B & N / Kobo

Two brothers.

One woman.

One son.

One choice.

Lives ripped apart, shattered and rebuilt.

Evan and Nate Archer: Brothers, best friends, warriors and now enemies. Both in love with the same woman. Both determined to fight for what they want.

Nate Archer promised to protect Ryley Clarke in the event Evan didn’t make it back. It’s a promise between brothers since the early days of basic training. Nate never considered that his feelings, long buried since high school, would resurface and grow stronger.

Evan Archer wants answers. He wants someone to pay. After being gone for an unprecedented amount of time, nothing is making sense now that he’s home. Most of all, he can’t understand how his brother ended up engaged to his fiancée. Evan is determined to uncover the mystery, and win back his family.

The Archers are about to fight dirty.

Cover Designed by Sarah at Okay Creations

Michel’s Review

The moment I woke up on April 1, 2015 the first thing I had to do was check my kindle. I was anxiously awaiting for Choose Me by Heidi McLaughlin. It is the sequel to Here With Me, the first book in the Archer Brothers series. Low and behold it was there on my kindle just waiting for me to read. After I rushed my kids off to school and shoo’d husband out the door, I sat down to read. I could not put this book down until it was finished. Hours later as I read the last word, I realized I had not gotten out of my pj’s, had not showered, and had not ate a thing. I was captivated by The Archer Brothers story and how it ended.

As I expected, it was another 6 + Star book that would go on my 2015 Favorites list.

Choose Me cannot be read as a stand alone novel. It is the sequel to Here With Me.

Here With Me ended on a major cliffhanger. Nate Archer had returned home from training exercises to find his dead twin brother, Evan Archer, alive and well. Not only was he alive and well, he was also with his fiance and son. He was a threat to his family, his life, and his happiness. It was hard to overjoyed to see his brother alive and well. Where had he been for the last six years? Was it really him or an imposter? What would this mean to his life as he knew it? Would he have to give up the woman he loved and the son he raised because his brother was the biological father? What had the Navy done to their lives?

As this emotional story unfolds, it will pull at all of your heartstrings. Nate Archer is not a bad guy, in fact he is a very honorable good man. He stepped up to plate when his brother lost his life. He was there when his brother’s son came into the world. He has raised the boy as his own. He didn’t purposely set out to fall in love with Ryley, he just wanted to take care of her like he promised his brother he would. He has made sacrifices so that his brother’s memory would be honored. He has everything to lose and nothing to gain except a shattered heart.

Evan Archer has lost everything he loved including his twin brother. He has had to fight for every moment with his family since his ascension from the grave. His own son, flesh and blood, is calling his brother daddy. His woman is wearing his brother’s ring. His brother may be responsible for his demise. He wants his life back. He has nothing to lose and everything to gain.

Ryley is in a situation that no woman would ever want to be in. She is in love with two brothers. One was her first love. He was her once in a lifetime kind of love. He captured her heart and gave her a son. He was her first for every emotional experience she would encounter, including grief. The other brother was there to pick up the shattered pieces. He shared her grief and experienced the same loss. He supported her, he nurtured her, he gave her friendship, and finally gave her a new love to look forward to. He has been a father to her son. How can she chose between two extraordinary men? Both have important places in her heart. How will this affect her son? He is the one innocent victim that is going to suffer from the decisions the adults make in his life.

Not only are there decisions about life to be made. There are still questions about the mission that destroyed all their lives. This mission did not only affect the Archer family, it affected and destroyed the lives of the three other men on this six year mission. Why would the Navy do this and cover it up?

As they start to question all the facts, the danger begins to escalate. Their lives are being threatened. The more they uncover, the more dangerous it becomes. When they finally get the truth of what happened it will be devastating for all that are involved.

In the end they will have the answers they needed but their lives will be forever changed. There were no victors in this story. Each person walked away scarred in some way. They will all find the peace they need to move forward in life. They will find that love comes in many ways. It’s not always what we thought it was.

Heidi McLaughlin has written a story that readers will never forget. It digs deep and touches your soul. The reader will experience every single emotion a person can experience throughout this book. Each of the characters is equally important. There are no heroes or heroines. They are real people trying to survive their lives.

Everyone may not get the happy ending they were hoping for. That is the way life is. When one door opens another one closes. Sometimes what we want is not what really need. In the end the most important thing is to love to the best of our ability. Give the best of ourselves. Give respect to the other people in our lives. Always put family first.

This is one the most emotional series I have read. Heidi McLaughlin has risen above her high standards and went beyond excellence with her Archer Brothers Series.

See the review for Here With Me, the book that started it all below……

Don’t Miss Out on book one in The Archer Brothers Series

Here With Me

A Smut Book Junkie Reviews 2014 Favorite & 6 Star Review

Michel’s Review

October 24, 2014

Here With Me by Heidi McLaughlin is the first book in her new series. This series is called The Archer Brothers. Being a huge Heidi McLaughlin fan, I had to one click this book the moment it went live. I devoured the book and am experiencing the ultimate reading hangover.

Wow! Here With Me by Heidi McLaughlin is her best book yet. The writing was superb! Heidi reached deep within the realm of emotions and executed them flawlessly throughout the book. The reader instantly becomes invested in the characters and feels every emotion they are experiencing. The characters are larger than life and jump off the pages. The secondary characters are an all-star supporting cast that completely makes this story surreal. The plot has been intricately woven into a book that reaches far beyond a second chance romance. Heidi adds suspense, drama, and an impossible love triangle. She adds the important elements that make these characters lives become even more real. Their families, their friends, and their support networks validate their lives. What holds all these characters together and makes them work harder to accept the unacceptable is a young boy. The five year old son that loves unconditionally. The book is written from duel POV ‘s. It flashes from past to present. The reader gets a strong sense of what brought this young couple together. They share their young love, their passion for one another, and their growth as a couple. We see them grow from teenagers to mature adults. We see their strengths and weaknesses. The one thing the reader can count on is their love for another. It is unquestionable. Their love is not the problem, it is their lives in the present, and their futures. There are difficult choices to make. Not only will these choices determine the future, they will destroy the fragile lives they have built. There is no winner. Each person will walk away hurt in some way.

Evan Archer was a Navy Seal. His last assignment should have been easy. An in and out. That mission stretched into six long years. When his team is finally able to come home they are in for a complete surprise. There are no welcoming committees, no military personal, and no transports home. Why? Because they are dead! They have been dead and buried for over five years. The lives they once had are gone. Their loved ones have moved on in life. Imagine the shock.

The only thing Evan wants is to return home to the love of his life and meet his son face to face. Riley Clarke has held his heart since he was a teenager. Imagine his shock when he finally meets up with Riley and she is not happy to see him. Imagine finding out that she is now engaged to another man. Imagine finding out that man is your twin brother. Imagine your son calling that man daddy.

Riley Clarke lost the love of her life when Evan was killed in action. She has spent the last six years moving on from that devastating loss. She had to give birth to her son alone. She has watched him grow alone. The only thing that held her together was the support of her family and Evan’s twin brother Nate. The two of them have mourned together, supported each other, and built a strong friendship that led to a loving relationship. When the man that owned her heart rises up from the grave she is once again devastated. She is angry with the world. She feels powerless and out of control. How can she choose between the man that owned her heart and the man that brought her heart back to life. Any choice she makes will destroy one of these men. Any choice she makes is going to forever break their brotherly bonds. It is going to destroy them all.

On top of all the emotional turmoil are the underlying facts about the mission. Clearly something went wrong. As the story unfolds it will raise many more questions.

I loved all the characters in this book. I am definitely rooting for Evan. I loved how he not only loved Riley as a teenager and grown woman, but how he respected her feelings and emotions at all times. He is truly a very good man. The readers did not get know much about Nate in the present times. We got to know him through memories and passages of the present. I think we will get to know his character in the next book. I think he is going to be more complex than we are anticipating.

This book ended on an emotional cliffhanger. It left the readers with so many questions. It also left the readers wanting to know Nate’s POV. I cannot wait for the next book, Choose Me by Heidi McLaughlin. I need it now!

Ryley Clarke has grown up with the military in her blood, with both parents serving their country. Ryley knows the risks of being married to the military. But when the unthinkable happens, and her future husband is killed in action, Ryley can barely survive… until Evan’s twin brother, Nate, helps her pick up the pieces.

After serving on a special mission with the military for six years, Evan Archer returns home to find the unthinkable – the love of his life, Ryley Clarke – engaged to his brother, Nate. With Nate on deployment, Evan needs to figure out what happened in his absence, and more importantly, how to win Ryley back from the man he once considered his best friend, but now thinks of as his rival.

Buy: Amazon / B & N / Kobo

Heidi is a New York Times and USA Today Bestselling author.

Originally from the Pacific Northwest, she now lives in picturesque Vermont, with her husband and two daughters. Also renting space in their home is an over-hyper Beagle/Jack Russell, Buttercup, two Parakeets, Gonzo & Hedwig, and their newest addition of a Highland West/Mini Schnauzer, Jill.

During the day Heidi is behind a desk talking about Land Use. At night, she’s writing one of the many stories planned for release or sitting court-side during either daughter’s basketball games.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest

♥ Books by Heidi McLaughlin ♥

Forever My Girl – The Beaumont Series #1

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iBooks | Kobo

My Unexpected Forever – The Beaumont Series #2

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iBooks | Kobo

Finding My Forever – The Beaumont Series #3

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iBooks | Kobo

Finding My Way – The Beaumont Series #4

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iBooks | Kobo

My Everything – A Beaumont Series Novella

Amazon

12 Days of Forever – A Beaumont Series Novella

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo

Lost in You

Amazon

Lost in Us – A Lost in You Novella

Amazon

The Archer Brothers

Here with Me

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo

Choose Me

Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Kobo

6-Star Review: Consolation by Corinne Michaels

Posted on 03/26/2015 by Saucy Southern Readers

Consolation

The Consolation Duet – Book 1

Release Date : March 18, 2015

Synopsis

Liam wasn’t supposed to be my happily ever after.

He wasn’t even on my radar.

He was my husband’s best friend—forbidden.

But my husband is dead and I’m alone. I ache for him and I reach for Liam.

One night with Liam changed everything. Now I have to decide if I truly love him or if he’s just the consolation prize.

Buy: Amazon/ B & N / ITunes

Excerpt

Aarabelle sits in her high chair as I feed her dinner. She’s growing so fast. Already she’s eating cereal and a little baby food. Soon she’ll be crawling and I have no one to celebrate with. Her father will never see these milestones and it breaks me apart.

“You should really lock the door,” Liam huffs as he throws his coat over the chair.

“But then I’d have to get up to let you in,” I state matter-of-factly and go back to feeding the baby, trying to put aside my worries. The fact is…this is reality. I have to deal with it.

“Uh huh. Hey, Pumpkin,” his eyes alight as he crouches down by Aara. It’s adorable hearing grown men use a baby voice. It gets a little softer and higher pitched.

The corners of her mouth lift and she throws her arms in the air when he gets close. My heart sputters seeing how happy she gets seeing him. Liam kisses her head and she giggles.

“At least someone is happy to see me,” he says playfully.

“I’d be happy if you brought me a present,” I joke.

He laughs and goes into the pocket of his coat. “Just so happens I did, but since that’s the only way you’ll be nice, I’ll hold on to this until you’ve earned it.”

Practically leaping out of my chair, I rush over. “What is it?” I try to peer around his back as he holds the mystery item.

Liam’s lips curl as he sees how much I want this. I don’t even know what it is. Jeez, I’m an idiot. “Nope. We eat first, then maybe you’ll get it.”

“Watch, it’s a freaking Pez dispenser or something stupid.”

“Guess you’ll have to be nice to find out.” He shoves the item into his back pocket and I fight the urge to reach and get it. “How was work?”

We spend the next thirty minutes going over my day and Jackson’s return. Liam never mentioned that they spoke, but he’s surprised to hear he’s in Virginia. After we finish the pizza, Liam somehow convinces me we should watch a movie. I get Aarabelle to bed and come down to find him sprawled out on the couch.

“By all means, make yourself comfortable.”

Liam pulls his beanie higher on his forehead and his eyes glimmer with amusement. He sits up and puts the TV on. “I picked the movie.”

“What?” I ask with mock incredulity. “It’s my house. Why do you get to pick the movie?”

“Ummm, I’m the guest.” He shrugs as if this should be an obvious answer.

I groan and lean back. “What crappy, shoot-‘em-up movie do I have to endure?”

“You’ll see. It’s a classic.”

Kelley’s Review

Holy Helluva Cliffhanger!!!

I am a huge fan of this series. I went through a whole box of tissues when I read Beloved and Beholden and my dishes and laundry piled up for several days. Consolation was another emotional rollercoaster of a read that trapped me from the very first chapter. There was no putting this book down. I was on a flight to Charleston for work and started bawling my eyes out. The passengers looked at me like I was crazy. All I could say was “really good book”.

At the end of Beholden we are given the news that Aaron has lost his life in battle. His friends and his pregnant wife are devastated. You get to see the story unfold from Natalie’s point of view and you can feel deep down in your body and soul the anguish she feels after answering that knock on the door. The knock that knocked the breath out of her.

It is a miracle when Liam shows up in Natalie’s life when she is in her darkest hour. He becomes her light and her truth and puts a smile on her face again. He truly cares for her and wants to see her happy again. He also falls in love with her little girl who looks so much like the best friend he lost. We get to see Liam’s point of view feel as well and what he is battling as he begins to have feelings for his best friends widow.

Corinne does an excellent job developing her characters. I could feel the pain that these two lost souls were harboring. I consider myself a seasoned reader and can usually predict what happens and this time I was left with my jaw dropped and mouth open going what the heck just happened. I did not see the plot twist Corinne had in store. Wow! I can’t wait to read Conviction in May. Thank you Corinne for another amazing read!!

Conviction

The Consolation Duet – Book 2

Release Date: May 27, 2015

By Corinne Michaels

Synopsis

I fell in love with Liam only to be left shattered into a million pieces. Again. The idea of being without him cripples me but the reality is, he’s gone.

He doesn’t understand and I can’t make him.

If only he’d see the conviction behind my words—then Liam would still be here.

Pre Order : ITunes

About Corinne Michaels

Corinne Michaels is an emotional, witty, sarcastic, and fun-loving mom of two beautiful children. She’s happily married to the man of her dreams and is a former Navy wife. After spending months away from her husband while he was deployed, reading and writing was her escape from the loneliness.

Both her maternal and paternal grandmothers were librarians, which only intensified her love of reading. After years of writing short stories, she couldn’t ignore the call to finish her debut novel, Beloved. Her alpha Navy SEALs are broken, beautiful, and will steal your heart.

Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Goodreads ~ Instagram ~ Pinterest

2015 Favorite…6 Star Review…Pocketful Of Sand by M. Leighton

Posted on 03/20/2015 by shellbellereads

A story of heartbreak, loss, redemption and second chances: Pocketful of Sand from New York Times bestselling author M. Leighton

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ìSheís beauty for my ashes. And Iím hope for her heartache.îóCole Danzer

I donít know what makes a great love story. Is it that instant attraction when boy meets girl? The passionate kisses and the fairy-tale ending? Or is it a lifetime of tragedy, paid in advance, for a few stolen moments of pure bliss? The pain and the suffering that, in the end, you can say are worth it for having found the missing piece of your soul?

The answer is: I donít know. I donít know what makes a great love story. I only know what makes my love story. I only know that finding Cole when I did, when Emmy and I were running from a nightmare, was the only thing that saved me. That saved us. He was more broken than I was, but somehow we took each otherís shattered pieces and made a whole. If that is what makes a great love story, if that is what makes an epic romance, then mineÖours is the greatest of them all.

Contains material that some may find disturbing. Not intended for readers under the age of 18.

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Tracey’s Review

There are books that just absolutely sweep you away, that touch you so completely that you have to sit with it once you’re done and just be. To say that I think this book is amazing would be an understatement. There are not enough ways for me to express just how much this book affected me, and how wonderful I think it is.

I have long been an avid fan of Michelle Leighton. Her stories are always full: love, joy, angst, and, yes, pain, Michelle writes all of these emotions so very well. Her characters most often have pasts that have left them not quite whole.

“Sometimes I think broken people gravitate toward one another, like our shattered pieces connect on a level that unscarred people never know.”

Both Eden and Cole have faced things in their pasts that would have leveled lesser people. That they are able to find in each other, brokenness and all, a connection and a safe place is a testament to love and healing. This is not a simple love story, though, and Cole’s and Eden’s journey to each other is not without challenges. I think that this is part of what makes Pocketful of Sand so powerful, because the characters and their story are more real.

“I’ve been alone a long time, and not once have I ever felt lonely. Bereft, yes. Angry, hell yes. Bitter, remorseful, hopeless, yes, but never lonely. Not until you. You changed everything…And I wasn’t prepared for that. I wasn’t prepared for you…

I hear him shift and then I feel the feather-light brush of his lips on my forehead, the tip of my nose, the curve of my cheek.

‘I know you’re awake. And I love you,’ he says quietly, his mouth near my ear.”

Michelle has captivated me with Cole, with his anguish, his self-imposed solitude, and with his heart. And Eden, fighter that she is, overcomer that she is, along with little Emmy, deserve every single bit of happiness that comes their way.

I can’t say enough times that Pocketful of Sand should be on your must-read list. It is certainly one of my favorites of 2015, and if I could give it more than 5 stars, I would. Thank you, Michelle Leighton, for this heartbreakingly beautiful book.

About M. Leighton

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author M. Leighton is a native of Ohio. She relocated to the warmer climates of the South, where she can be near the water all summer and miss the snow all winter. Possessed of an overactive imagination from early in her childhood, Michelle finally found an acceptable outlet for her fantastical visions: literary fiction. Having written over a dozen novels, these days Michelle enjoys letting her mind wander to more romantic settings with sexy Southern guys, much like the one she married and the ones you’ll find in her latest books. When her thoughts aren’t roaming in that direction, she’ll be riding horses, swimming in ponds and experiencing life on a ranch, all without leaving the cozy comfort of her office.

Happy Release + 5 Star Review + 2015 Favorite : Shaken, Not Stirred by Sawyer Bennett – Last Call Series –

Posted on 03/17/2015 by shellbellereads

Shaken, Not Stirred

Last Call Series – Book 5

By Sawyer Bennett

Synopsis

She swore she would never fall to any man.
He took one look at her and vowed to bring her down.

Casey Markham is a man-eater in a rut. Swearing off relationships may keep her heart safe, but she’s beginning to question if her casual flings will ever leave her satisfied. She’s wondering if it’s finally time to let go of the past and stop letting history control her future.

Bad boy biker, Tenn Jennings can’t get Casey off his mind. A chance encounter with the beautiful blond has left its mark, and now he’s determined to prove her wrong about everything she thought she knew about men.

It’s safe to say… Casey Markham has met her match.

BUY: AMAZON / B & N / ITUNES

EXCERPT

“Shut up, Casey,” I mutter as I start thrusting into her frantically, pressing my cheek against hers. “I’m still mad at you.”
She’s silent a moment… well, unless you count the moaning and heavy breathing on her part. As for my part, I surge over and over again into her tight, wet pussy, trying to pound away every bit of anger and confusion this woman causes in me. Casey’s fingers dig into my shoulders and her hips gyrate against me.
She catches me totally off guard when she suddenly starts coming, and I know this by the way her muscles clamp down hard against my dick and she screams out into the night air. That fuels me on harder and I start thrusting faster into her, my entire body lurching upward in a vain attempt to catch up to her.
Always feels like I’m trying to catch up to her.
Casey’s hands come to my face, and she pushes slightly at me so she can look me in the eye. My pace falls a bit, but I still aim as deep as possible.
She leans in, gives me a light kiss on my lips as I press her body tight against the brick wall.
“I’m mad at you too,” she whispers and my body goes completely still, lodged deep inside of her. My heartbeat is pounding madly, my blood is still firing, and my chest clenches over the uncertainty I see in her eyes. Then she kills me when she says, “I’m mad at you because you make me feel things that scare the shit out of me, but I’m just really glad you came in there and got me, Tenn.”
Her words cause my pelvis to tilt and grind against her hard, and I immediately start coming inside of her. My head drops to her shoulder, and I see stars for a moment as I unload drop after hot drop.
Fuck. Goddamn. Fuck.
What this woman does to me.
What this fucking woman does to me.

Michel’s Review

Last Call….

Shaken, Not Stirred by Sawyer Bennett is the book reader’s have been anxiously awaiting for in the USA Today Bestselling Last Call Series. This sensational series has captured the readers hearts. It has been an emotional roller coaster ride for all of the characters of this series. The reader has met a professional surfer, a female contractor, a best selling novelist, a FBI agent, a convict, a photographer, an heiress, an undercover police officer, and a female wild child that could give anyone a run for their money. These diverse characters have come together to form a strong bond of friendship and love. Their lives are anything but dull. Their bonds are unbreakable. Their passion is blazing. Their hearts are captured by that one person that comes along once in a lifetime. They are all living the dream except for the wild child. She has not found her inner peace. She has not found a man worthy of her love. She doesn’t want to find that man. She wants nothing to do with commitment and the happiness it brings. Or at least that is what she thought until the ultimate challenge rode into town. She is going to get a run for her money. She is going to fall hard.

Casey Markham has been an enigma throughout the series. She is Hunter and Brody Markham’s younger sister. She is Gabby’s best friend. She is loyal to her girls. She is a compassionate soul, a dedicated friend, and loyal sister. She is also a complete mess. She hops from one job to another, flunked out of college due to partying, and can’t seem to find her niche in life. She wants nothing to do with love and relationships. She is a MAN-EATER. She chews men up and spits them out faster than one can change their underwear. She prefers to use rich and prestigious men as her boy toys.

Casey is a complete mystery to her family and friends. They don’t understand her drives and motivations. They love her unconditionally but want her to find a better life. What they don’t know is all of the secrets that Casey has been hiding for years. The secrets that have led her down the path her life is on.

Casey is going to be taken down. She is going to fall hard. What kind of man could bring Casey Markham to her knees?

He rode into town on a motorcycle. He looked beyond the beautiful package and saw the real woman beneath the surface. He tamed the illustrious Casey Markham in bed and conquered her heart. He gave her a reason to change her ways. He gave her his heart. He gave her unconditional love. Tenn Jennings is the ultimate man. Tenn Jennings is Casey Markham’s last call…

Sawyer Bennett did not disappoint her readers. She created the perfect happily ever after for Casey Markham. Tenn Jennings is the ultimate man. He has every quality that any woman on this earth would desire. He has the sex appeal and panty dropping mannerisms that send your libido soaring. He has the heart of a warrior, the words of a poet, the patience of a saint,and the compassion of Gandhi. Could he get any better? He sure does, he could easily win the father of the year award. Plus…there are so many more surprises wrapped up in this man. In my honest opinion, Tenn Jennings deserves the GOLDEN PENIS award. He is one of the most swoon worthy heroes I have ever read.

Sawyer Bennett has outdone herself. Shaken, Not Stirred will shake and stir every sense. It will capture your heart.

The Last Call Series

On The Rocks – Book 1

He left to travel the world for fame and glory, but only after spurning Gabby Ward and crushing her young heart. Now Hunter Markham has come back home to the sand and salty breeze of the North Carolina Outer Banks so he can open up Last Call, a beach bar nestled among the dunes of the Atlantic.

Gabby Ward is not happy that Hunter has returned. Bitter over his rebuff years before, she’s content to stay far away from him and his dangerously charming ways.

Gabby’s well-schemed plans to ignore Hunter go up in flames when he presents an offer to her that she simply can’t refuse, throwing them together in a common quest to each reach their goals. Working together day in and day out proves to be problematic for Gabby, who soon realizes that the feelings she had for him are still very much alive. Hunter struggles to reach through to Gabby’s cold heart, all while starting a new career away from his life as a top ranked, professional surfer.

What starts out as a mutual business arrangement soon turns into a passion that neither of them can continue to deny.

Hard choices lay ahead for both of them when Hunter is offered a once in a lifetime opportunity to return to the pro surfing tour.

Choices that could destroy what they have built or take them further than they ever had dared to hope.

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Make It A Double – Book 2

Brody Markham has endured a nightmare, spending the last five years in prison and losing everything that was dear to him. Now he’s back home, trying to survive in a world he doesn’t recognize anymore. While his family and friends desperately try to reach through to him, he shelters himself further and further away from their love.

Alyssa Myers has worked her entire life to distance herself from the luxurious and privileged lifestyle in which she was raised. Running her non-profit agency, The Haven, she is content to spend her days helping abused animals find sanctuary, which fulfills her in a way that money just can’t buy.

Maybe it’s that she recognizes in Brody some of the same characteristics she sees in her homeless wards, but Alyssa is powerless to stop her personal quest to make Brody whole again.

While Brody struggles to surface from the darkness, Alyssa tries to protect her heart in case he’s not willing to accept the light that she offers him.

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Sugar On The Edge – Book 3

He’s utterly alone…

Tortured and existing in a dark spiral of despair, bestselling British author, Gavin Cooke, has come to the Outer Banks of North Carolina to escape the seedy lifestyle he had been living in London and in a desperate attempt to regain his writing focus. He’s twisted, bitter and angry at the world. He’s a loner… needing not a single thing other than his Scotch and a laptop upon which he can bang out his next erotic, dark thriller.

She’s running in place and getting nowhere…

Savannah Shepherd’s life is falling apart. Her dream of being a wildlife photographer seems a distant memory and she’s barely able to make ends meet. Driving herself forward with no clear goals apparent, she’s about ready to pack up her bags and head home with her tail between her legs.

Two unlikely lovers…

He’s raw, forceful and a dirty talker. She’s a flowers and romance type of girl. Yet within each other, they find a mutual craving that can only be satisfied by giving in to their desires for one another.
Lust turns into something more… something they were not looking for but tentatively accept. Will it be enough to push them past the obstacles of Gavin’s bitter past?

*SUGAR ON THE EDGE can be read as a stand-alone*

Amazon / B & N / ITunes

With A Twist – Book 4

Wyatt Banks is ready to give one woman the world. Unfortunately, his job as a cop tends to interfere with other goals. When Wyatt is sent deep undercover to investigate a sex slave ring, he doesn’t have time to do anything but focus on staying alive in a dark and dangerous underworld.

Wyatt isn’t alone though in his quest to save the women that are being sold into sexual slavery.

His partner, FBI Agent Andrea Somerville, is immersed just as deeply as he is, and she’s the bait to lure the sex slavers out into the open, as she poses as an erotic dancer in an attempt to snare the enemy. But danger runs as high as the sparks between them, and now Wyatt is caught between the job he loves and the woman he wants.

Amazon / B & N / ITunes

About Sawyer Bennett

Author Bio:
USA Today Best-Selling Author, Sawyer Bennett is a snarky southern woman and reformed trial lawyer who decided to finally start putting on paper all of the stories that were floating in her head. Her husband works for a Fortune 100 company which lets him fly all over the world while she stays at home with their daughter and three big, furry dogs who hog the bed. Sawyer would like to report she doesn’t have many weaknesses but can be bribed with a nominal amount of milk chocolate.

Sawyer is the author of several contemporary romances including the popular Off Series, the Legal Affairs Series and the Last Call Series.

Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Goodreads

Happy Release + 6 Star Review + 2015 Favorite: Pocketful Of Sand by M. Leighton

Posted on 03/15/2015 by shellbellereads

A story of heartbreak, loss, redemption and second chances: Pocketful of Sand from New York Times bestselling author M. Leighton

Get it on Amazon | iBooks | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Google Play

Add it on Goodreads

ìSheís beauty for my ashes. And Iím hope for her heartache.îóCole Danzer

Contains material that some may find disturbing. Not intended for readers under the age of 18.

Get it on Amazon | iBooks | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Google Play

Add it on Goodreads

Tracey’s Review

“Sometimes I think broken people gravitate toward one another, like our shattered pieces connect on a level that unscarred people never know.”

I hear him shift and then I feel the feather-light brush of his lips on my forehead, the tip of my nose, the curve of my cheek.

‘I know you’re awake. And I love you,’ he says quietly, his mouth near my ear.”

About M. Leighton

Happy Release + 6 Star Review + 2015 Favorite + Giveaway : Unraveled by Lorelei James – The Mastered Series – Book 3

Posted on 03/03/2015 by shellbellereads

Unraveled

The Mastered Series – Book 3

By Lorelei James

Synopsis

In this sizzling continuation of the Mastered series by New York Times bestselling author Lorelei James, a man will find the domination he’s always craved…

Shiori Hirano and Knox Lofgren are left to run the martial arts program at Black Arts while Ronin Black travels. On the surface, the two highest ranked belts appear to cooperate—but in private, they butt heads constantly, despite the undeniable attraction between them. Soon their power exchanges start to make for a sweltering dynamic in the bedroom…

At first Knox is shocked to be living out his submissive desires, but Shiori sets out to prove that embracing his true sexual nature doesn’t make him a weak man. But even while their sexual relationship grants him a power and fulfillment he finds surprising, there’s no training regimen for the fight that comes with loving a strong woman…

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Excerpt

Shiori moved to his other ear. One hand gripped his hair while

the other clamped onto his ass cheek. “The other choice is you on

your knees with that pouty mouth all over my pussy.”

“Look at me,” she said softly.

His lust-clouded

eyes met hers.

“Make me come so hard my knees give out. Then pick me up

and do it again.”

“A man like you?”

“A man who finds beauty in a woman secondary to her strength.

You have both in equal measure. So you tempt me beyond anything

I’ve ever experienced.”

“I changed my mind. I don’t give a damn about your sexual

past when you’re responding to my touch so beautifully.” She blew

in his ear. “A cliché for sure, but your body is my wonderland.”.

Shiori’s palms smoothed over his cheeks, and she tipped his

head back to look at him. “You did well.”

“It was all for you.”

“Now it’s your turn.” She brushed her lips across his. “Ask me.”

“Please, Nushi, let me come.”

“Come for me now.”

I’ve never craved a woman like I do you.” He groaned

and briefly closed his eyes. “I’m sitting here on my knees, my ass

stinging, knowing I’ve got more punishment in store, and my dick

is getting hard just imagining being with you again.”

The man worshipped her body with every caress, every

kiss, every stuttered breath. And yet he gave her total control. He

didn’t rock his hips or thrust up into her. He let her fuck him. That

surrender made this connection all the more powerful.

Warm lips trailed down her spine, and strong hands dug into

her hips. “One of these days I’m gonna map every muscle in your

back with my mouth. You’re so strong, and that is so fucking sexy.”

Lightning fast she wrapped her hand beneath his jaw and jerked

his face up. “Taking care of you is my responsibility, Knox. That

includes commanding you to get turned on, getting you off, cleaning

you up, and making sure you don’t do something stupid in the

aftermath.”

“Come into my lair, my sweet,” she murmured

against his lips, “and we’ll have us some kinky fun.”

You are alive and here with me, and

there’s no way I’ll ever be able to let you go. Not because you’re my

Mistress, but because you’re the woman I love. The woman I’ve

waited for my entire life.”

Shiori trapped his face in her hands and kissed him. “I didn’t

think I could love you more than I already do, but I was wrong.”

Another kiss. “Please get off your knees and hold me.”

Michel’s Review

The Mastered Series by Lorelei James is sensational! The latest release, Unraveled, blew me away. This book was emotional, raw, gritty, and very complex. It had an intense love story that was very realistic. The push and pull of their relationship in and out of the bedroom kept the reader glued to the pages. Their story is more than your typical BDSM romance. It was a story of pure passion. Both Shiori and Knox were learning more about themselves as individuals, as sexual partners, as lovers, as professionals, and social status. They were learning to satisfy their needs, feed their desires, and how to succeed in a romantic relationship.

I have read many BDSM books, long before Fifty Shades of Grey hit the scene. I have found that this romance theme borders the line with a love/ hate reactions. Most of these themed type of books have one extremely strong character and one character that appears to be strong but can be easily manipulated. I have read some that come across as harsh and somewhat abusive. Others I have read I found to only dabble in the BDSM world.

The one thing should be clear in all of these books based upon this romantic theme is the roles in the relationship. The dominant may be the one that controls the relationship, but it is with permission from the submissive. It is their responsibility to fulfill their needs, satisfy their desires, reward with their directives, and physically care for them at all times. They are responsible for reading their submissive’s feelings and reactions at all times. They have been given a great deal of power and trust. The submissive is the one that truly holds the power. They are the ones that are surrendering their trust and lack of power. They are the ones that can stop the exchange at any time, no matter how the dominant is feeling. They are the ones that are strong enough to let go of complete control and step outside of their ego.

As in most of the books, the female takes the submissive role and the male takes the dominant role. After all most romance readers want an Alpha male as the leading man in the story. It is unusual for the male to be the submissive. In most of the books with the male being the sub, it failed i epic proportions. The man appeared to be weak and wishy -washy outside of the bedroom. He didn’t have the backbone that was needed to be convincing in a romantic relationship. Lorelei James took a huge risk making her leading man a submissive and her leading lady a dominatrix. Knox was a pure alpha male that was strong willed, extremely protective, and in control at all times. Shiori is a strong, smart woman that grew up in a powerful world where strength of character is the most important value one can possess. She did not come across as an emotional female with power issues. She did not have gender issues.

Unraveling was exactly as the title implied. Both Knox and Shiori are at crossroads in their lives. When they first met, they seemed to but heads. It was more than their rankings within the Dojo that spurred their hostilities. It was the sense of change, the intrigue of something forbidden, and the overwhelming attraction to one another. When they finally come together it is explosive. They are both learning to open their hearts. They are learning new things about themselves that makes them stronger. They are learning that there is more than a sub and dom relationship at hand. They are learning that a real relationship is give and take. It is about learning when to let go and when to hang on. One is not stronger than the other. The true strength lies in being together.

This series is more than a Dojo full of characters with kinky preferences. The dynamics of this Dojo world intermixing with the MMA fighting world moves this series along. The relationships among all the characters makes their world a family. This family is larger than life and captures the reader’s heart.

Lorelei James wrote a powerful story with complex characters. Both of these characters stood out and were easy to embrace. Their relationship in the bedroom and outside of the bedroom was explosive. Their story was anything but predictable. The surprises that came at the end shook the series world without leaving it with a cliffhanger. It left the reader eager for the next book. Deacon has a story and a place in the Mastered world.

Unraveled truly earned a six star rating. It is my favorite release in the Mastered Series, It has become a 2015 Favorite.

The Mastered Series

Bound

In the new Mastered series by New York Times bestselling author Lorelei James, a woman’s desire to shatter her inhibitions leaves her unprepared for where that erotic journey will take her….

Former small-town girl Amery Hardwick is living her dream as a graphic designer in Denver, Colorado. She’s focused on building her business, which leaves little time for dating—not that she needs a romantic entanglement to fulfill her. When her friend signs up for a self-defense class as part of her recovery after an attack, Amery joins her for support. That’s where she meets him.

Ronin Black, owner of the dojo, is so drawn to Amery that he takes over her training—in public and in private. The enigmatic Ronin pushes Amery’s boundaries from the start, and with each new tryst, Amery becomes addicted to the pleasure and to him. But when Amery senses Ronin is hiding something, she questions her total trust in him, despite the undeniable thrill of his possession….

Amazon / Barnes and Noble / ITunes

Unwound

n the continuation to the Mastered series by New York Times bestselling author Lorelei James, a man’s need for control is tested by the one woman he’ll risk everything for…

When sensei Ronin Black first encounters Amery Hardwick, the fire in her eyes ignites a sexual spark a thousand times better than the primal rush he used to get from mixed martial arts matches. She accepts his darker edges and admits to him that her desires aren’t as wholesome as he believed. And before long Ronin is grappling with emotions he’s never felt before….

Yet despite demanding Amery bare her body and soul to him, Ronin holds a part of himself back. When she learns Ronin’s secret and walks out, his life begins to unravel. To regain her trust he must let go of his pride and prove to her that it’s more than passion binding them together.

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Schooled

The Mastered Series- Novella- Book 3

From the New York Times bestselling “master of erotic romance”* and author of Unraveled, Bound and Unwound comes the all-new novella in the Mastered series.
When Amery Hardwick first met martial arts master Ronin Black, she wasn’t ready for the primal urges his sensual rope artistry released in her. As it turned out Amery and Ronin were made for each other. But when they head to Japan for a delayed honeymoon and Ronin’s annual training with his sensei, Amery struggles to adapt to the foreign customs as well as running her burgeoning business from afar. But culture shock is the least of her worries when faced with the changes in Ronin—it feels as if she’s married a stranger. Caught between his sensei’s demands and pleasing his wife, Ronin is at war with himself over choosing advancement in his jujitsu training, or staying at home with the woman who owns his heart and soul. As the limits of their relationship are tested once again, Ronin and Amery discover that they both have a lot to learn about each other….and what it takes to build a love that’ll pass all life’s little tests.
Includes a preview of the new Mastered series novel, Unraveled.

Buy: Amazon / Barnes and Noble

Author Bio:

Lorelei James is the NY Times and USA Today Bestselling author of erotic westerns: the Rough Riders series, the Blacktop Cowboys series, and the erotic romances in the Mastered series. Lorelei lives in western South Dakota.

Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Goodreads

Giveaway

Contest: $25 Gift Card for the online retailer of your choice, Print editions of the first three books in The Mastered Series

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Happy Release + 5 Star Review – 2015 Favorite : Thoughtful by S. C. Stephens- A Thoughtless Series Novel

Posted on 02/24/2015 by shellbellereads

Thoughtful

Thoughtless Series – Book 4

By S. C. Stephens

Synopsis

In Thoughtless, Kiera told her story. Now it’s time to hear from the sexy rock star who captivated us all . . .

THOUGHTFUL

The only place Kellan Kyle has ever felt at home is onstage. Gripping his guitar in a darkened bar, he can forget his painful past. These days his life revolves around three things: music, his bandmates, and hot hookups. Until one woman changes everything . . .

Kiera is the kind of girl Kellan has no business wanting-smart, sweet, and dating his best friend. Certain he could never be worthy of her love, he hides his growing attraction . . . until Kiera’s own tormented heart hints that his feelings might not be one-sided. Now, no matter the consequences, Kellan is sure of one thing-he won’t let Kiera go without a fight.

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Michel’s Review

Our favorite rock star is back! Kellan Kyle stole our hearts in the Thoughtless trilogy. The latest release, Thoughtful is Kellan’s POV from Thoughtless, the book that began it all.

I have to admit I was a bit nervous about this book. I was fearful it was going to be the exact same book as Thoughtless with the same character motivations. I was also fearful that Kellan’s voice was going to come across more like a female POV. Many writers have attempted to retell a story from a different character’s POV and had epic fails. S. C. Stephens knocked Thoughtful out of the park. This book made me fall in love with Kellan Kyle’s character all over again. It actually endeared him to my heart more so than he already was. I closed this book with a happy heart and a satisfied mind.

S. C. Stephens has grown as a writer and mastered her craft. It is quite evident when you compare Thoughtless to Thoughtful. The writing has matured. This book clearly showcased the characters personalities with more depth and realism.

Thoughtful begins when Kellan first meets Kiera. His reaction to her was more than we were led to believe. It was beyond a physical reaction. I felt the intensity of his emotions and his deep need for her. I felt the longing he had deep in his soul.

As Kiera’s and Kellan’s relationship begins to progress the reader gets a better understanding of Kellan’s obsession for his best friend’s girl. Her rejections hurt more than his male pride and ego. They added more wounds to his deeply scarred soul. Her indecisiveness broke his heart. He wanted her to find him worthy of her love. He wanted to be her “one” that captured her heart.

Thoughtful gives the reader more insight to Kellan’s abusive childhood and a better understanding of his adult behaviors. The reader got to see where his insecurities developed and drove him to his manwhore obsessions. It validated the behaviors that led to Kellan being a manwhore. He was never shown love or affection. He never had any kind of healthy relationship whether it be a platonic , romantic, or family.

The reader got to experience all the swoon worthy love scenes, forbidden moments, and sneaking around in a whole new light. These moments affected Kellan just as deeply as they did Kiera if not more so. It seemed Kellan had more at stake because he allowed himself to become vulnerable. He never allowed himself hope.

The best part of Thoughtful was how it portrayed Kellan and Kiera’s love for each other. This book validated every action they were driven to take. They did it all for the possibility of a love that would last a lifetime. They did it because it was what their hearts needed to survive.

The moments of love, heartbreak, betrayal, and hope made this book a solid 5 Star book and 2015 Favorite. It made Kellan Kyle the man we love so dearly.

Kellan Kyle owns me!

The Thoughtless Series

Thoughtless – Book 1

For almost two years now, Kiera’s boyfriend, Denny, has been everything she’s ever wanted: loving, tender, and endlessly devoted to her. When they head off to a new city to start their lives together—Denny at his dream job and Kiera at a top-notch university—everything seems perfect. Then an unforeseen obligation forces the happy couple apart. Feeling lonely, confused, and in need of comfort, Kiera turns to an unexpected source—a local rock star named Kellan Kyle. At first, he’s purely a friend she can lean on, but as her loneliness grows, so does their relationship. And then one night everything changes…and none of them will ever be the same.

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Effortless – Book 2

After being caught in the middle of a love triangle that led to a devastating betrayal, Kiera pledged to learn from the mistakes she’d made. She was determined to never again inflict that kind of pain on anyone, especially the soulful, talented man who held her heart. But life offers new challenges for every relationship, and when Kiera’s love is put to the ultimate test, will it survive? Love is easy…trust is hard.

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Reckless – Book 3

Can love survive when life gets Reckless?

When the band hits it big, Kiera and Kellan must ask themselves: Can their love for each other withstand the constant pressures of superstardom? The friendships they’ve formed, the new family they’ve found, and the history they’ve forged will all play a part in helping them navigate the turbulent waters of the band’s exploding popularity. A greedy executive hell-bent on success, a declining pop star looking for an edge, and a media circus that twists lies into truths are just some of the obstacles the lovers will have to overcome if they are going to remain together. Fame comes with a price—but will it cost Kiera and Kellan everything?

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Thoughtful – Book 4

In Thoughtless, Kiera told her story. Now it’s time to hear from the sexy rock star who captivated us all . . .

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About S. C. Stephens

S.C. Stephens is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author who enjoys spending every free moment she has creating stories that are packed with emotion and heavy on romance.

Her debut novel, Thoughtless, an angst-filled love triangle charged with insurmountable passion and the unforgettable Kellan Kyle, took the literary world by storm. Amazed and surprised by the response to the release of Thoughtless in 2009, more stories were quick to follow. Stephens has been writing nonstop ever since.

In addition to writing, Stephens enjoys spending lazy afternoons in the sun reading fabulous novels, loading up her iPod with writer’s block reducing music, heading out to the movies, and spending quality time with her friends and family. She currently resides in the beautiful Pacific Northwest with her two equally beautiful children.

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Happy Release + 6 Star Review + 2015 Favorite : Garrett by Sawyer Bennett- Cold Fury Hockey Series – Book 2

Posted on 02/17/2015 by shellbellereads

Garrett

Cold Fury Hockey Series – Book 2

By Sawyer Bennett

Synopsis

New York Times bestselling author Sawyer Bennett hits the ice with the story of a playboy athlete whose winning ways lead him to a beautiful woman with a lot to lose.

Carolina Cold Fury star Garrett Samuelson never wants to miss out on a single minute of fun. Whether he’s playing hockey, hanging out with friends, or walking the red carpet with a new date on his arm, he lives every day to the fullest. When he meets Olivia Case, he sees someone who’s exactly his type—confident, sexy, smart . . . his next fling. But the more he pursues her, the more Garrett shares a side of himself that other women don’t normally get to see.

Olivia has been keeping a secret. While Garrett lives for the next thrill, Olivia’s not sure she’ll live to see the next day. She’s undergoing treatment for some serious medical issues, and she doesn’t have time for a relationship with no guarantees—especially one with a hot-as-sin womanizer who won’t take no for an answer. But as she gets to know the real Garrett, Olivia can’t help falling for him . . . hard. To reveal the truth would mean risking everything—but you can’t score without taking the tough shots.

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Kelley’s Review

Sawyer delivers an emotional rollercoaster that reminds us that life is too short not to live it to its fullest. We can sit around and worry about when the end will come or we can truly live and love for as long as we are given. This story is about love and loss and reminds us that no matter what we do, that often life is not fair. This read was not at all what I expected. I was up reading until 2:30 am and then had to turn around and get up at 6:00 am for work the next morning. I thought I was getting a steamy and sexy hockey story and what I ended up with was so much more. Sawyer shook me to my core and knocked the wind out of me. I have never finished a book in tears where I could not stop the overflow of emotions. Get your tissues ready and make sure you have some chocolate on hand because you will need them.

Garrett Samuelson is your typical sexy hockey player that often takes women to bed in pairs. He is the king of the one night stand and never spends more than one night with any woman. All of that changes when he meets Olivia. From the moment he first sees her he is stumbling all over himself and of course hits on her with the cheesiest pickup line. The thing is that he truly believes that she is the most beautiful woman he has ever seen. My favorite scene in this read is when Garrett tries to get Olivia to give him the time of day and she blows him off. I adore it when the good girl gives the bad boy the brush off. Garrett is extremely perplexed because he is not used to women that do not swoon at his feet. Olivia provides him with a serious challenge and he begins to rethink his one night no repeats mantra.

Olivia Case has a lot on her plate. She has just received some news that she has yet to process and does not have the time or desire to start a relationship with someone right now. However, she is very attracted to Garrett and one night with him between the sheets might be just what she needs to take her mind off of things. He is safe since he is not the relationship type and even though it is not in her good girl nature to go after a man that will forget her by the next evening she is so very tempted to make him put his money where his mouth is. The problem is that even when you think something is a sure thing sometimes it’s not. Olivia never saw what was coming when she tempted the king of one night stands.

I absolutely adored this read and loved that we get to see Sutton and Alex again as well. If you are looking for something different to read that is not predictable and will keep you turning the pages then look no further. Garrett will have your heart overflowing with love and will remind you that everything is never what it seems and you can never judge a book by its cover. In this case even though the cover is smoking hot there is so much more to the story then just some sexy times between the sheets. Bravo Sawyer for taking me on an emotional journey that I will not forget any time soon.

Michel’s Review

Sawyer Bennett scored a 6 star goal with her latest release Garrett , in the Cold Fury Hockey series. This book came as a complete surprise that took the readers on an emotional journey. Sawyer tackled a very heavy subject that can touch any of our lives. She researched the subject and not only used it to write a phenomenal love story, she also enlightened the reader without making it a downer. As in all her books, her characters are so well developed that they become very real people that become a part of the reader’s lives. The relationships between her characters are not only loaded with sexual heat and tension, they are also loaded with very real situations and difficulties that most people experience in their own personal intimate relationships. It’s never easy for two people to come together and have the perfect relationship. It takes commitment, communication, sacrifice, sharing, and placing another person first. Sawyer allows her couples to muddle through, find their way, and work on their flaws. She allows them to experience all the emotions, trials, and triumphs that most every day couples experience. This is what makes the reader connect with the characters and their lives. Sawyer also adds her special blend of magical storytelling that makes these characters larger than life. It is easy for the reader to escape into the world she has created. It is no wonder that she is a New York Times Best Seller.

Garrett is more than a sports romance. It is a story of life, love, loss, friendship, and hope.

Garrett Samuelson is the team manwhore. He’s known for his one night stands. He embraces his “ladies man” reputation with gusto. His one true love is not the ladies, it is his profession. He absolutely lives, breaths, and loves the game of hockey. He is committed to his team and the game.

Olivia Case is a free spirit. She is content with her life. She has a satisfying career, a close knit group of friends, and a great family. She is a happy independent woman. She doesn’t need a relationship to complete her. She is comfortable in her own skin and happy with her life. Everything is great until she receives some bad news that is about to alter it all. It makes her take a deeper look into her life, her goals, and her dreams. It also makes her realize that she has not been living life to the fullest. She needs to grab each moment and make it completely hers.

When Olivia and Garrett meet at a Cold Fury team party, the fireworks go off. These two are hot for one another. They both look at this insta attraction as a possibility of a phenomenal one night stand. For Olivia, it is giving her all to living life to the fullest, allowing pleasure in her complicated life full of trauma. For Garrett, it is spending a fulfilling night with a woman that flips all his buttons. What neither of them realized was that this was their one defining moment that would change their lives forever.

Garrett will have to prove his staying power. Olivia will have to allow Garrett into her inner circle and accept his commitment. Together they will face the world one moment at a time.

This book reached so many emotional depths that define us as people. It showcased the importance of friendship. It proved that love in any shape or form is the most important thing in the game of life.

This book not only brought Garrett and Olivia together. It introduced to new characters in this series. It brought the characters, Sutton and Alex, back into our hearts. Stevie (Olivia’s BF) has become one of my most admired book characters because of that one moment that he made everyone’s day better. And finally there was Zack. Sawyer set up his story and broke all of our hearts right along with his. I cannot wait for June 9th, 2015 to get here. I need this man to be okay. I need him to find a new happiness.

Sawyer Bennett is an ALL STAR WRITER ! Read Garrett!

Sawyer is the author of several contemporary romances including the popular Off Series, the Legal Affairs Series and the Last Call Series.

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Saucy Southern Readers

professional, honest, and timely book reviews

Category Archives: 2015 Favorite

Release Day Blitz + 6 Star Review + 2015 Favorite + Giveaway: Traveling Woman by Jane Harvey-Berrick- The Traveling Series – Book 2

Release Blitz + 6 Star Review + 2015 Favorite: Come To Me Recklessly by A. L. Jackson

Happy Release + 6 Star Review + 2015 Favorite: Choose Me by Heidi McLaughlin- The Archer Brothers Series- Book 2

6-Star Review: Consolation by Corinne Michaels

2015 Favorite…6 Star Review…Pocketful Of Sand by M. Leighton

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Add it on Goodreads

Get it on Amazon | iBooks | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Google Play

Happy Release + 5 Star Review + 2015 Favorite : Shaken, Not Stirred by Sawyer Bennett – Last Call Series –

Happy Release + 6 Star Review + 2015 Favorite: Pocketful Of Sand by M. Leighton

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Add it on Goodreads

Get it on Amazon | iBooks | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Google Play

Happy Release + 6 Star Review + 2015 Favorite + Giveaway : Unraveled by Lorelei James – The Mastered Series – Book 3

Happy Release + 5 Star Review – 2015 Favorite : Thoughtful by S. C. Stephens- A Thoughtless Series Novel

Happy Release + 6 Star Review + 2015 Favorite : Garrett by Sawyer Bennett- Cold Fury Hockey Series – Book 2

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