Release Blitz + 5 Star Review : Omega by Jasinda Wilder – Alpha Series – Book 3

Posted on 08/04/2015 by shellbellereads

Omega

Alpha Series – Book 3

By Jasinda Wilder

Synopsis

When you make an enemy of a man like Vitaly Karahalios, there is nowhere on earth you can go to escape his wrath. He’ll find you. He found me, he found Roth. He found Layla.

He found us, and now the unthinkable has happened. Someone I love has been kidnapped.

Again.

This isn’t a fairy tale.

Not everyone will get a happily ever after.

Sometimes we can’t just walk away from the past.

Love doesn’t always save the day.

The beast won’t always get his beauty.

But maybe, just maybe we can get our happy ending.

Buy: Amazon / B & N / ITunes / Kobo

Michel’s Review

Omega cannot be read as a stand alone romance. It must be read in series order.

I couldn’t wait to get my hands on Omega by Jasinda Wilder. Omega is the third book in the Alpha series. This series is a combination of erotica, sensual romance, romantic suspense, and dark thrillers. Each book has changed the direction of the series and added multiple layers of intrigue and suspense while maintaining the sensual erotic relationship between Kyrie and Roth. The third book, Omega, added another layer and another sensual romance between Harris and Layla while still giving Kyrie and Roth their happily ever after. Omega is my favorite book in this series!

In the previous books, Alpha and Beta, Roth and Kyrie’s world went from erotic intrigue to an action packed dark thriller. Due to Roth’s past dealings as an arms dealer on the black market he made some powerful enemies. When they killed Vitaly’s , the most powerful player, psychotic daughter; they started a war. A war they could not win. Vitaly has more power, more men, and more resources. He has a reputation to protect. The only way to keep his throne in the underworld is to destroy Roth, Kyrie, and anyone that has any connections to them. Roth and Kyrie are on the run. It will be up to Harris to save them all. Harris is the man for the job. He is the true Alpha in this series. Every Alpha needs a mate and Kyrie’s wild and crazy best friend Layla is the perfect woman to tame Nicolas Harris, Alpha extraordinaire.

Harris is in for an adventure that his special ops training never prepared him for. Layla is going to capture his heart and claim his soul. She is the perfect partner to stand by his side when facing the most brutal enemy. She will kick ass, take names, and rock Harris’s world at the same time.

Layla is my favorite heroine that Jasinda Wilder has created. I think I have a major girl crush on this woman. She’s strong, resourceful, intelligent, fun, and downright sexy. Harris is one of the sexiest heroes to grace Jasinda’s pages. This strong silent man doesn’t have to say more than three words before your panties are dropping.

And finally, Kyrie and Roth are just as hot for each other as they have been in the previous books. They are finally going to get their happily ever after.

I loved Omega. It was the perfect ending to this exceptional series!

Read the Alpha series by Jasinda Wilder.

________________________________

The Alpha Series

Alpha – Book 1

The first time it happened, it seemed like an impossible miracle. Bills were piling up, adding up to more money than I could ever make. Mom’s hospital bills. My baby brother’s tuition. My tuition. Rent. Electricity. All of it on my shoulders. And I had just lost my job. There was no hope, no money in my account, no work to be found. And then, just when I thought all hope was lost, I found an envelope in the mail. No return address. My name on the front, my address. Inside was a check, made out to me, in the amount of ten thousand dollars. Enough to pay the bills and leave me some left over to live on until I found a job. Enough to let me focus on classes. There was no name on the check, just “VRI Inc.,” and a post office box address for somewhere in the city. No hint of identity or reason for the check or anything. No mention of repayment, interest, nothing…except a single word, on the notes line: “You.” Just those three letters.

If you receive a mysterious check, for enough money to erase all your worries, would you cash it?

I did.

The next month, I received another check, again from VRI Incorporated. It too contained a single word: “belong.”

A third check, the next month. This time, two words. Four letters. “To me.”

The checks kept coming. The notes stopped. Ten thousand dollars, every month. A girl gets used to that, real quick. It let me pay the bills without going into debt. Let me keep my baby brother in school and Mom’s hospice care paid for. How do you turn down what seems like free money, when you’re desperate? You don’t. I didn’t.

And then, after a year, there was a knock on my door. A sleek black limousine sat on the curb in front of my house. A driver stood in front of me, and he spoke six words: “It’s time to pay your debt.”

Would you have gotten in?

I did.

It turns out $120,000 doesn’t come free.

Buy: Amazon / B & N / ITunes / Kobo

Beta – Book 2

Roth and I are on an open-ended tour of the world. Roth being Roth, this means missionary in Morocco, reverse cowgirl in Calcutta, bent over the bow of a houseboat in Hanoi, slow and sleepy on St. John. Anywhere and everywhere, in every conceivable position, and some I didn’t know were possible.

Life was pretty incredible.

Until I woke up in his chateau in France, alone. On the bed next to me was a note. There were only four words:

He belongs to me.

Buy: Amazon / B & N / ITunes / Kobo

Omega – Book 3

When you make an enemy of a man like Vitaly Karahalios, there is nowhere on earth you can go to escape his wrath. He’ll find you. He found me, he found Roth. He found Layla.

He found us, and now the unthinkable has happened. Someone I love has been kidnapped.

Again.

This isn’t a fairy tale.

Not everyone will get a happily ever after.

Sometimes we can’t just walk away from the past.

Love doesn’t always save the day.

The beast won’t always get his beauty.

But maybe, just maybe we can get our happy ending.

Buy: Amazon / B & N / ITunes / Kobo

________________________________________

Author Bio:

NEW YORK TIMES, USA TODAY, WALL STREET JOURNAL and international bestselling author Jasinda Wilder is a Michigan native with a penchant for titillating tales about sexy men and strong women. Her bestselling titles include ALPHA, STRIPPED, WOUNDED, and the #1 Amazon and international bestseller FALLING INTO YOU. You can find her on her farm in Northern Michigan with her husband, author Jack Wilder, her five children and menagerie of animals.

Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Goodreads

Release Blitz + 5 Star Review + Giveaway : Dare To Rock by Carly Phillips – Dare To Love Series – Book 7

Posted on 08/04/2015 by shellbellereads

Dare To Rock

Dare To Love Series – Book 7

By Carly Phillips

Synopsis

Avery Dare lives a quiet life in Miami as an online fashion/makeup video blogger. She has good friends, a close, large family and if her love life is lacking, she likes it that way. But when she receives an invitation to one of her ex’s concerts along with an invitation to meet him back stage, she decides to take the risk… and comes face to face with the reality of his rock star lifestyle – the press, the crowds, and the half-naked groupies.

At eighteen, Grey Kingston left everything he knew and loved behind to seek fame and fortune as a rock star, and he found it as the lead guitarist and singer for the band, Tangled Royal. Fans adore him, women throw themselves at him, and he can afford everything he couldn’t growing up. Yet at the height of his career, he’s ready to walk away and return home to a simpler life… and the woman he left behind, if he can convince her to give him another chance.

Except moving on isn’t as easy as Grey would like. When Avery is threatened by a stalker, it becomes evident Grey’s fans not only don’t want him to retire, they don’t want Avery in his life either. And Avery isn’t sure she wants the pressures that are part of Grey’s life… but she doesn’t want to lose him again, either. Can their recently renewed love survive the fallout?

Buy: Amazon / B & N / ITunes / Kobo

Excerpt

Sweat poured off Grey Kingston’s body, and his heart beat a too-rapid rhythm, the high and adrenaline rush from his performance still pulsing through his veins as he walked into the lounge backstage. He pulled off his soaked shirt and tossed it onto the floor, grateful for the stocked room and waiting pile of towels. He grabbed one and dried his face and hair, deliberately trying to slow his breathing.

The sound of Tangled Royal fans stomping their feet and demanding an encore echoed through the walls, but the band had performed their final set. Even as his pulse still soared.

He glanced toward the door. “Did she pick up the ticket?” Grey asked Simon Colson, their manager, who was busy texting on his phone.

“What? Who?” Simon, ever the well-dressed Brit, shoved his phone into his trouser pocket. No jeans for him. “Good show,” he said to Grey and the rest of the band, ignoring Grey’s question.

Lola Corbin, their lead singer and Grey’s best friend, was still bouncing in her heels, not yet coming down from their shared high either. “We did rock it,” she said, tossing her dark hair over her shoulder.

Milo Davis, their bassist, grunted something and fell into a chair in the corner. Grey narrowed his gaze. Milo barely had the energy for a full concert these days, and that worried him.

But right now Grey had bigger concerns and turned to Simon. “I asked you if Avery Dare picked up the VIP tickets I told you to leave at the box office.”

Simon shrugged. “I couldn’t tell you.”

Grey scowled at his manager’s I don’t give a shit tone. More and more lately, Simon’s lack of consideration about what the band members wanted grated on Grey’s nerves. Lola might be considering using him for her solo career, but anything Grey did going forward wouldn’t be with the man.

At least he’d indicated he had left the tickets. He’d be out of a job if he screwed with Grey on this. “Fucking find out.”

“What’s so special about this piece of ass?” Simon barely got the words out because Grey grabbed him by his collared shirt and pinned him up against the wall.

“Talk about her like that again and you’re done.”

“Whoa.” Lola put her petite body between them, pushing Grey away from their manager. “Everyone breathe,” she muttered. “You. Go take a walk and calm down before your company shows up,” she ordered Grey.

He stormed off, missing whatever lecture she gave to Simon next.

Though the man had done his job well, helping maneuver Tangled Royal to the elusive top of the charts, he cared about the bottom line and not much else. Especially not the fact that Tangled Royal was more than a band, people with real feelings, issues, and lives. No wonder Simon didn’t believe how serious both Grey and Lola were about changing their futures.

Danny Bills, their drummer, already had a wife and two daughters who lived in L.A. He was ready for home time, and everyone knew it. Milo was another story. If he didn’t stop the drugs, he wouldn’t have a future.

As for Grey, he hoped for more than the travel and fame that had been so important to him way back when. He hoped for her.

His eyes flickered to the door. No sign of Avery. He tipped his head back, wondering if she’d come backstage or ignore the invitation … and him. His stomach gripped painfully at the thought of not seeing her again. She was the one person who not only understood the loner musician he’d been as a teen but who’d grounded him when he’d threatened to spiral. With her soft voice, that thick mane of dark hair, and those lavender-like eyes, she’d burrowed someplace deep inside him. Still, she hadn’t been enough to hold him, not when fame, fortune, and the need to be something more lived within him.

But it was Avery whose face he saw in the nameless women he’d fucked over the years. Avery whose belief in him kept him going when times were hard. Funny how that worked. He wondered if she’d thought of him over the years and if she was as hyped up about possibly seeing him again now.

Tracey’s Review

Grey Kingston is every girl’s fantasy. The lead singer of Tangled Royal, he’s got the fame and the name to prove to himself and everyone else that he has what it takes to be a success. Avery Dare is the girl that Grey left behind. But now he’s back and determined to show her that he’s worth a second chance.

I love the DARE series by Carly Phillip. DARE TO ROCK, the seventh book in the series, is just as delicious as the previous ones. I love the whole convoluted Dare family history, and have enjoyed getting to know each of the members. As one of Robert Dare’s children, Avery knows what it’s like to be in the public eye. Forced at a young age to deal with her father’s fallibility, it has taken Avery a long time to recognize her own worth. When Grey returns to Miami and wants to start their relationship where they left off, Avery is not sure that she can trust him. But Grey will do anything to prove to her that he’s finished with the life of a rock star, and that his future is with her.

I really like Grey and Avery. He’s aware of the mistakes that he’s made, and is ready to step up and make amends. He’s smart, sexy, genuine, and very much in love with Avery. He’s also not afraid to stand up to her very alpha brothers, which is nice to see. And Avery has overcome a lot of obstacles to get to where she is. She recognizes the things holding her back, and really takes strides to overcome them so that she can be who she wants to be, and so that she can be with Grey.

DARE TO ROCK is a speedy read, entertaining, and full of memorable moments with the Dares. I highly recommend this book, as well as the entire series. 5 ‘hot rock star boyfriend’ stars for this one. Read these books!

___________________________________

About Carly Phillips:

New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author Carly Phillips N.Y. Times and USA Today Bestselling Author Carly Phillips has written over 40 sexy contemporary romance novels that today’s readers identify with and enjoy. After a successful 15 year career with various New York publishing houses, Carly is making the leap to Indie author, with the goal of giving her readers more books at a faster pace at a better price. Her Serendipity books will still finish up in January/February 2014 via Berkley as planned. Carly lives in Purchase, NY with her family, two nearly adult daughters and two crazy dogs who star on her Facebook Fan Page and website. She’s a writer, a knitter of sorts, a wife, and a mom. In addition, she’s a Twitter and Internet junkie and is always around to interact with her readers. You can find all information about Carly at her website and other social media sites …

Find Carly Online:

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads |

Giveaway

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Release Blitz: Finding Forever by Melody Anne

Posted on 08/04/2015 by shellbellereads

Finding Forever

By Melody Anne

Synopsis

PREVIOUSLY RELEASED AS PART OF THE “SWEET TALK” BOX SET.

This new release contains new content and deleted material not previously published.

Whitney Steele loses her sister in the blink of an eye and is caring for her niece and nephew, not knowing how she is going to get through the loss of the most important person in her life.

Liam Felton loses his brother and never gets to say goodbye. Can these two people come together and mend what’s been broken? Or will fate take them down a different road altogether?

Buy: Amazon / B & N / ITunes / Kobo

_______________________________________________

Author Bio

Melody Anne is the author of the popular series, Billionaire Bachelors, and Baby for the Billionaire. She also has a Young Adult Series out; Midnight Fire and Midnight Moon – Rise of the Dark Angel. She’s been writing for years and published in 2011. She hold a bachelors degree in business, so she loves to write about strong, powerful, businessmen.

When Melody isn’t writing, she enjoys spending time with her family, friends, and pets. She lives in a small town that she loves, and is involved in many community projects.

Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Goodreads

Release Blitz + Giveaway : Make You Burn by Megan Crane – Deacons of Bourbon Street Series – Book 1

Posted on 08/04/2015 by shellbellereads

Enter to Win a

Loveswept & Flirt Mug with

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MAKE YOU BURN

The Deacons of Bourbon Street #1

Megan Crane

Releasing Aug 4th, 2015

Loveswept

Meet
the Deacons of Bourbon Street, bad boy bikers who are hell on wheels—and heaven
between the sheets. Megan Crane revs up an irresistible new series co-written
with Rachael Johns, Jackie Ashenden, and Maisey Yates.

Sean
“Ajax” Harding’s oaths are inked into his skin. Once second-in-command of the
Deacons of Bourbon Street motorcycle club, he left New Orleans to protect the
brotherhood, and only the death of his beloved mentor, Priest Lombard, could
lure him back. Walking into the old hangout gives him a familiar
thrill—especially when he gets an eyeful of the bar’s delectable new owner. A
wild ride with her is just the welcome Ajax needs. Then he realizes that she’s
Priest’s daughter, all grown up and totally off limits.

Sophie
Lombard loved her father, not his lifestyle. She’s done with bikers . . . until
Ajax roars into town—arrogant, tough, and sexy as ever. And although he treats
her like the Catholic schoolgirl he once knew, Sophie’s daydreams tend to
revolve around sin. With the very real possibility of heartbreak looming,
Sophie knows better than to get too close to an outlaw. But every touch from
Ajax is steamier than the Louisiana bayou—and heat like this may just be worth
getting burned.

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This close, she could see too much. Entirely too much. The years hadn’t been particularly kind to Ajax, but then, he’d started off entirely too pretty for his own good. She remembered him in his feral early twenties, bright and blonde and so stunning that tourists had followed him around the French Quarter like they thought he was a harmless wolf cub set loose from his pack, like that hard smile of his was merely teeth and there was something more than violence in his sweet blue eyes.

I’m so glad you came back from Afghanistan in one piece, she’d heard one of the besotted tourists giggle at him once upon a very late night, over at one of the Priory tables with her too- short denim skirt already shoved out of his way.

And Ajax had responded, that angelic face of his never quite as hard as those eyes, No one comes back in one piece, bitch. With his hands high on her thighs and murder in his tone. They just come home.

His face was leaner now. Tougher. Less angel, more warrior. This Ajax wore his danger and his power right there on his face, in the lines that made his eyes look bluer, in the beard that made him look like the walking calamity he was, and no one would mistake this man for anything but that, blue eyes or not. He was lethal. And Sophie couldn’t help but think that he was far more beautiful for it, God help her. A battered, dark gold, finely-honed machine of a man, and he was grinning at her like he already had her pants at her knees and her ass over the nearest table.

No small part of her wished he did.

And she was fucked, because once that image was in her head, she couldn’t think of anything else—and she was positive he could read it right there on her face.

“You better tell your girl to put down that phone,” he said softly, so softly and so close that Sophie had to blink to make sense of it, so entranced was she by that mouth of his. “If the police show up in the middle of my homecoming party I might lose my sense of humor.”

“I’m fine, Danielle,” she called, and the bartender behind them froze, her cell phone clenched tight in her hand. “Sean here is just an old friend of my father’s.”

“You don’t have any idea when to quit, do you?”

“Because you, of course, are the model of restraint.”

That dangerous curve of his mouth tightened, and so did everything inside of her. “I’m not the mouthy piece of ass pinned up against the back of a bar, with a golden opportunity to rethink my attitude. If I were you, I’d take it.”

“I’m not afraid of you.”

Ajax studied her. “Then you’re as dumb as you act. Bad combination, babe. Especially in this neighborhood.”

“Should I interpret that as concern for my well-being?” she asked, her voice as acidic as it was sweet. “It’s hard to tell while you’re choking me out.”

A different sort of grin lit his face then, changing that look in his eyes and then dancing all over her. He shifted, sliding that big, hard hand of his up over her chin and then dragging his thumb over her lower lip, slowly. The grin drained from his face as he watched and he looked . . . hungry. Needy. Then he tested her teeth on the way back with the pad of that big thumb of his, and the urge to close her lips around him was so intense, so overwhelming, she lost her train of thought.

There was only Ajax, big and threatening and so beautiful it was making her shake.

He did it again. And it was the way he did it. It was pure sex in a simple little scrape of his thumb on her lip, then against her teeth, and it was dirty as all fuck.

Ajax lifted his gaze to hers then, and his blue eyes had gone hot. It shuddered through her, intent and heavy. A threat, she told herself. Dark and hard and life-altering. A distinct and deliberate threat.

But she was far more worried it was a promise.

Megan Crane is a New Jersey native who had great
plans to star on Broadway, preferably in Evita, just like Patti LuPone. Sadly,
her inability to wow audiences with her singing voice required a back-up plan.
Accordingly, she graduated from Vassar College and got her MA and PhD in
literature from the University of York in England. She wrote her doctoral
dissertation on AIDS literature, mostly so she could wallow in her obsession
with the remarkable multimedia artist David Wojnarowicz and her idol, the
bitter and hilarious David Feinberg. After many years in the rain and subject
to the whim of seasons, she followed the sun to Los Angeles, where she lives
with too many pets and an artist named Jeff. She is still plotting her Broadway
debut.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | GoodReads

Release Blitz + 6 Star Review + 2015 Favorite + Giveaway: The Paper Swan by Leylah Attar

Posted on 08/04/2015 by shellbellereads

Happy Release Day to Leylah Attar and her new book THE PAPER SWAN! Enjoy a sneak peek into the book below and make sure to enter the giveaway! This is a MUST READ to add to your TBR!

♥ Buy the Book ♥

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They say it takes 21 days to form a habit.

They lie.

For 21 days she held on.

But on Day 22, she would have given anything for the sweet slumber of death.

Because on Day 22, she realizes that her only way out means certain death for one of the two men she loves.

A haunting tale of passion, loss, and redemption, The Paper Swan is a darkly intense yet heartwarming love story, textured with grit, intrigue, and suspense. Please note: This is NOT a love triangle.

A full-length, standalone novel, intended for mature audiences due to violence, sex and language. Subject matter may be disturbing for some readers.

Robin’s Review

I began reading The Paper Swan during my 30-minute lunch break at work. Sitting at my desk, in amongst my fellow employees, the noise and talking, my attention was solely focused on the pages of The Paper Swan. It’s violent. More intense than watching a movie, Leylah Attar gets into your head with her words and plays on your fears. The Paper Swan begins with eyes-wide-open terror – the inconceivable fear of a woman who has been abducted. Leylah Attar immediately grabbed my attention with the scattered, panic-stricken thoughts of twenty-three-year-old Skye Sedgewick. She is at the mercy of her abductor. Unable to see who he is, her imagination runs wild. Who would do this to her? And to what end? It’s probably one of the best starts to a novel that I have ever read.

The Paper Swan is an epic tale about friendship, betrayal, vengeance, family and love. Despite the differences of their station in life, Esteban and Skye are the close childhood friends. Their parents shield them from the harsh realities of the Sinaloa cartel while they spend lazy, sultry days at Casa Paloma. Childhood memories are a respite from the violent beginning to The Paper Swan. Recollections of lullabies sung by MaMaLu, origami animals hand-crafted by Esteban, and bedtime stories, including one about a magic swan that graces the grounds of Casa Paloma, the villa owned by Warren Sedgewick. But as The Paper Swan progresses, Esteban and Skye’s young friendship morphs from something of pure innocence to a story about vengeance, of retribution, and we are introduced to Damian Caballero.

The Paper Swan is to be savored, like a Cuban cigar or the finest wine. This romantic suspense novel is powerful, enchanting, vibrant and poetic. Leylah Attar is an artistic author. Her words are colorful, her writing unconventional. She knows just which words to use to convey the feeling of a scene, to give a reader the maximum effect. Attar intersperses scenes of both past and present, mixing in beauty, darkness and suspense. She sprinkles in bits of humor to soften the blow of fear. We are able to sense real character development in Skye and Damian. They are each on a journey as they face the demons of their past, and their story comes full circle. The Paper Swan is a lovely book, one of the best that I have read so far this year. There have been so many wonderful books published this year, but in my opinion, The Paper Swan truly is in the top tier of books for 2015. I’m awarding Leylah Attar 6 stars for The Paper Swan!

Leylah Attar writes stories about love – shaken, stirred and served with a twist. When she’s not writing, she can be found pursuing her other passions: photography, food, family and travel. Sometimes she disappears into the black hole of the internet, but can usually be enticed out with chocolate.

Author Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Pinterest

Leylah Attar’s THE PAPER SWAN Release Week Giveaway

Happy Release + Review + Giveaway: Overtime by Toni Aleo – Assassins Series – Book 7

Posted on 08/03/2015 by shellbellereads

Overtime by Toni Aleo

Series: Assassins Series #7

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Down and out with an injury keeping him away from the game, Assassins’ defenseman Jordie Thomas lives for the blades of his skates on the ice and the feeling of oblivion off it. With no choice but to heal, he’s forced away from the sport that runs through his veins. With everything at stake and darkness setting in, he quickly finds himself spiraling even further out of control. As his life begins to come crashing down around him and his contract with the Nashville Assassins on the line, he’s given an ultimatum. Ready or not, Jordie is forced to face his past, the fears that consume him, and the one woman he let walk away.

Kacey King had her professional dreams come true, yet her heart was battered and broken. With an Olympic gold medal around her neck, she’s ready to look forward to the future but without the one man she wanted in it. She’s missing the key pieces of her heart she left months ago with the only person who was capable of destroying it, causing her to falter in all her plans to move on.

>In the game of life, there are winners and losers, and neither Jordie nor Kacey want to be on the losing bench. If only Jordie could convince Kacey he’s a changed man and that he wants her right by his side as his MVP for the biggest and best parts of a life they build together. With emotions running high and the game on the line, can two proud people find happiness with each other, or will their hearts and souls be left in the cold? Will they see that sometimes having someone by your side who knows the good, bad, and broken is better than going it alone and losing everything through the back of the net? They are out of time on the game clock and fighting for the win of their lives.

But overtime was made for an Assassin like Jordie.

PURCHASE ON AMAZON

___________________________________________________________

About the Author

Toni Aleo is the author of the Nasvhille Assassins series: Taking Shots, Trying to Score, Empty Net, Falling for the Backup, and Blue Lines.

When not rooting for her beloved Nashville Predators, she’s probably going to her husband’s and son’s hockey games and her daughter’s dance competitions, taking pictures, scrapbooking, or reading the latest romance novel.

She lives in the Nashville area with her husband, two children, and a bulldog. Read more about Toni here.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | GoodReads

___________________________________________________________

Giveaway

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____________________________________

Michel’s Review

I am a huge fan of the Assassin Series by Toni Aleo. This series features a professional hockey team with charismatic players that touch your heart. Overtime is the seventh book in this series and it is another record breaking goal.

I have to say that Overtime was a hard book for me. It deals with alcoholism. Having come from a home affected by this disease I could easily relate to the recovery process and the ongoing battles.

Jordie Thomas has been out of the season due to an injury. Hockey is his entire life or so he thinks. Jordie uses his sport as a way of coping with his messed up life. He came from a pretty horrific abusive background. He was grossly neglected. He has a lot of demons that haunt him. Another way Jordie has learned to cope is with liquor, partying, and sex. But this time around his drinking and partying has gotten out of control. His position on the team is at risk unless he gets help. He is forced to go to rehab. He is forced to face his demons. He is forced to face himself. He is forced to admit that he is an alcoholic. He has to make amends and admit he is in deeply love with a woman that he carelessly hurt.

Jordie has realized what he lost when he carelessly let Kacey King go. He convinced himself that he should not be messing around with his best friend’s little sister. He has convinced himself that he isn’t good enough for Kacey. Deep down he loves her with his entire heart and soul.

Once Jordie goes through rehab and faced his demons he realizes that he needs to get Kacey back in his life. He wants to be a better man for her. He wants to love her with his entire being. He wants her to be his future. He will have to prove he is worthy of this woman.

The meat of this story is Jordie’s journey. Admitting to being an alcoholic is the hardest step. Learning to forgive himself and accept his mistakes is hard. As we all know there are 12 Steps to becoming sober. It was heartbreaking and uplifting witnessing Jordie go through this journey. He had a very solid support system along the way. His sincerity was commendable.

Kacey on the other hand was a hard pill to swallow. She came across as a needy, immature, and self centered woman. She was so wrapped up in how Jordie hurt her that she forgot what made her fall in love with him. Once she found out Jordie was on the road to recovery she was not as supportive as she should of been. She was very insecure and insanely jealous. That is the last thing a recovering alcoholic needs. I felt like she needed therapy herself. She definitely needed to be in the Al-anon program in order to support Jordie the way he needed to.

I wish we could of seen more of their previous relationship to understand their deep love for one another. I had a hard time grasping their love. This book was very focused on the issues and I felt the couple lost some of their magical chemistry we look for in romance. The deal breaker that kept me from giving this a five star review was Kacey. She was just too much.

Toni Aleo tackled a very difficult subject and made it real in this book. I have to commend her with delivery of this story.

Excerpt Reveal: Wolf Trouble by Paige Tyler – SWAT: Special Wolf Alpha Team Series

Posted on 07/31/2015 by shellbellereads

Wolf Trouble

SWAT: Special Wolf Alpha Team

By Paige Tyler

Synopsis

He’s in trouble with a capital T
There’s never been a female on the Dallas SWAT team and Senior Corporal Xander Riggs prefers it that way. The elite pack of alpha male wolfshifters is no place for a woman. But Khaki Blake is no ordinary woman.

When Khaki walks through the door attractive as hell and smelling like heaven, Xander doesn’t know what the heck to do. Worse, she’s put under his command and Xander’s protective instincts go on high alert. When things start heating up both on and off the clock, it’s almost impossible to keep their heads in the game and their hands off each other…

SWAT (Special Wolf Alpha Team) Series
Hungry Like the Wolf
Wolf Trouble
In the Company of Wolves

Readers are hungry for Paige Tyler’s SWAT and X-Ops series:
“Wow, just wow!”-Fresh Fiction
“Nonstop action and hair-raising storytelling done well.”-RT Book Reviews
“A wild, hot, and sexy ride from beginning to end! I loved it!”-Terry Spear, USA Today bestselling author of A SEAL in Wolf’s Clothing

Buy: Amazon / B & N / ITunes / Kobo

Excerpt

“Be gentle,” he said as she got a grip on his wrist and shoulder. “It’s my first time.”

“Somehow I have a hard time believing that.”

Laughing, she shoved him off balance with her hip and executed the flip move. Becker was only a couple pounds lighter than Hale, but he didn’t resist quite as much when she started to move. Maybe he was just better at being a practice dummy, or maybe he wasn’t as experienced as Hale, but regardless, Becker went over her hip and landed in the dirt with a thud.

She’d done it! She’d put down a guy that outweighed her by a hundred pounds without using her werewolf strength. She hadn’t done it as smoothly as Hale did, and she fell over Becker in the process, but hey, he was on the ground.

The guys applauded as she climbed to her feet and helped Becker up. She was about to ask him if he wanted to try again when she realized he was looking at her strangely. Then he leaned forward and sniffed her. What the hell?

“Why does your uniform smell like Xander?” he asked.

She froze as Max, Alex, and Hale moved closer, apparently wanting to confirm it.

Crap. She was screwed. She and Xander were so busy showering separately to make sure their scents didn’t linger on one another, they never even thought about it rubbing off on each other’s clothes.

“Becker’s right,” Max said. “It smells like you and Xander have been rolling around on the floor together.”

Actually they had, but neither of them had been wearing clothes at the time.

“It does?” Hale frowned as he leaned in to sniff her uniform top. “I can’t smell anything.”

“That’s because your nose sucks, dude,” Becker said, then looked at Khaki. “What’d you and Xander do your laundry together or something?”

Double crap. That was exactly what they’d done. She’d spent the night at his place and tossed her clothes in the washer with his without thinking about it.

The guys were looking at her expectantly, waiting for her to answer. The problem was, she didn’t have a clue what to say.

She opened her mouth, not even sure what was going to come out, when Cooper spoke.

“You want to tell them, Khaki, or should I?”

Khaki’s heart stopped. Cooper knew. She didn’t know how, but he’d figured it out. And now, he was going to tell everyone.

“Um…”

She knew she should answer, but she wasn’t quite sure what to say. How did you just come out and admit you were sleeping with your squad leader?

She was still trying to decide if it would be best to just rip the bandage off all at once or drop the bombshell in small, bite-size pieces when Cooper decided she was taking too long.

“Khaki was practicing takedown moves with Xander this morning before you guys got here,” he said.

If she’d been at a loss about what to say before, she was absolutely speechless now. She hadn’t done anything that even looked like martial arts training with Xander this morning. Wrestling, maybe.

He met her gaze, his dark eyes unreadable. “You might as well admit it. You were trying to get in some advance practice so you wouldn’t embarrass yourself, right?”

Khaki had no idea why Cooper was covering for her and Xander, but she wasn’t going to look a gift horse in the mouth.

“Um, yeah.” She gave them a sheepish look. “I didn’t even know how to take a fall, so I asked Xander for some tips. I didn’t want to look like a complete idiot out here, at least any more of an idiot than I already do.”

____________________________________________

Author Bio:

Paige Tyler is the USA Today bestselling author of sexy, romantic fiction. She and her very own military hero (also known as her husband) live on the beautiful Florida coast with their adorable fur baby (also known as their dog). Paige graduated with a degree in education, but decided to pursue her passion and write books about hunky alpha males and the kick-butt heroines who fall in love with them. Visit her at http://www.paigetylertheauthor.com.

Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Goodreads

Chapter Reveal: Getting Hot by Mia Storm

Posted on 07/31/2015 by shellbellereads

Rules of engagement:

1) You have the right to use force to defend yourself.

2) Fire may be returned to stop a hostile attack.

3) You may not seize the property of others to accomplish your mission.

4) Detention of civilians is authorized in self-defense.

Delilah Morgan and her older sister Destiny have been on their own for two years, since their parents burned down the family home and went to jail for cooking meth. She’s street smart and tough. Nothing about her says sixteen, and she’s not about to tell anyone, especially Bran, the hot ex-marine bartender Destiny has her eye on. He’s stable and successful and everything her sister needs to keep them off the street. The only problem, something about Bran inspires her and suddenly she’s writing the best music she ever has. About him.

Branson Silo knows what it means to be in the line of fire. Home for a year from his second tour of duty in Afghanistan, he thinks he’s safe…until he meets Delilah. Despite her sharp tongue that makes him want to take cover, he can’t deny the attraction. But when he hires her to play weekends at his family’s saloon, he finds out she’s more than he can handle…which is saying something considering he used to blow things up for a living.

When the grenade finally explodes and the shrapnel flies, will Bran be left standing? Or has he survived years at war only to be taken down by Jail Bait?

ADD TO GOODREADS

Chapter 1
Bran

I shouldn’t have fucked her last week. That was my mistake, and I feel like a douche—something I’m not used to.
I watch Destiny tuck a long strand of platinum hair behind her ear with her pen as she finishes taking drink orders at the table near the door. She shoots me a secret smile when she turns and makes her way over, and I mentally shoot myself for getting caught looking. This train’s already careening down the track, barely holding onto the rails, and when I pull shit like this, it only picks up momentum.
“We got Hendricks?” she asks, slapping her order on the ancient mahogany bar between us.
I look over the order. “Closest thing I got is Tanqueray.”
The smile falls off her face and she blows out a sigh. “I’ll ask him.”
I follow the curve where her tiny waist blooms into a killer ass as she turns and heads back to the table.
She’s hot. That’s what it boils down to. When I took her home last week, it was after her first training shift with Carol. We’d sat at the bar and knocked back a few after closing and I got caught up in everything she had going on. I totally missed the signs. I didn’t see that she was looking for more than a hookup until after it was too late—until she didn’t leave after we’d done the deed.
The only guy at the table with three women—some total wannabe with a dark suit jacket over a turtleneck and pressed jeans—scowls and gives Destiny some lip. I can’t hear what he says over the piped in Kat Country, but she shrugs and says something back, then offers me an apologetic squint when the guy pushes up from his seat. He starts my direction on polished loafers, but his eyes widen slightly and he pulls up short when he sees me.
The reaction’s not unusual. When I left for boot camp six years ago, I was already in decent shape. I was Oak Crest High’s first ever (and only, as far as I know) four sport athlete all for years—football in the fall, wrestling in the winter, and baseball and track in the spring. Which is probably a big part of the reason my grades weren’t good enough to do anything but enlist. But the Marines made all that training look like fucking Romper Room, and it was only a matter of weeks before my bulk didn’t fit into any of my old clothes anymore. Since Pop owns the local gym and my sister Brenda runs it, when I’m not working behind Mom’s bar at the Sam Hill Saloon, I spend most of my time lifting weights. I’ve managed to stay in pretty decent shape…which means guys like this pansy ass are generally intimidated. Course, the tattooed six-foot-three thing doesn’t hurt the intimidation factor. Since I let my dark flattop grow out, I look more like a biker than an ex-Marine.
After a beat, his shiny shoes start moving again but he stops three feet short of the bar, out of my wingspan. “Tanqueray or Tanqueray number ten?” he demands, putting on a “big man” show for the women he’s here with.
I step aside to show him the rack behind me and he flinches a little at my movement. “For top shelf gin, Tanqueray’s what I got.”
He closes his eyes for a moment and exhales his disappointment, then scans my top shelf again. “Tanqueray isn’t even in the same league as Hendricks.”
I shrug. “You want the citrus, I’d go with the Seagrams. Something drier, I’ve got Beefeaters.”
He rolls his eyes toward the ceiling as if my suggestions are all so far below him he’s afraid of getting a nosebleed if he has to look all the way down at them. “Just give me the Tanqueray. Make it a Tom Collins so I don’t have to taste it.”
He stalks back to his table and drops into his seat as I start on their order.
Destiny comes over and watches me mix. “That guy’s a jerk,” she say with a flick of her eyes back toward the wannabe professor. “Thank God he’s Carol’s to deal with in fifteen.”
“You’re giving Carol the tip?” I say with raised eyebrows.
Her lip curls. “Guys like that don’t tip.”
I lift my eyes to him as I shake his Tom Collins. “He give you a hard time?”
“He thought I should’ve known what kind of Tanqueray we have.” Her face scrunches. “I didn’t even know there were different kinds.”
I glance at the table again. City folk for sure. Probably up here in the foothills for something at the college. “Guess he didn’t realize he’d wandered out of his natural habitat.”
She busts out a laugh as I pour his drink into the highball. “So, I was thinking…” she says when her laugh dies. “I could swing by your place when you get off. If you want.”
“Listen…” I start, setting the drink on her tray. But just as I open my mouth to tell her I don’t do relationships, Mom shoves through the swinging door from the kitchen. Five years in the Marines and two tours in Afghanistan, and I’ve yet to come across another single person who intimidates me…except my mom. She makes some of my Marine COs look like kindergarten teachers.
“Hey Vicky,” Destiny says. “Has Carol punched in yet?” She tosses her eyes at Mr. Hendrick’s. “I’m giving her that table as soon as she does.”
“She just clocked in,” Mom answers, glancing suspiciously at the table. “What’s the issue?”
Destiny shrugs a shoulder and picks up the tray of drinks I slide across the bar to her. “That guy needs to get over himself. Carol’s better at dealing with people like that.”
It’s the “take no crap” chromosome in the Silo family gene pool. My cousin is almost as intimidating as Mom. She has a way of putting pricks like that in their place without them even realizing how it happened.
Just as I’m thinking it, I see her pass by the porthole in the wooden door to the kitchen, pulling her dark curls back into a ponytail. A second later, she pushes through the door.
She looks at the three of us and her eyes narrow as she slings her short, black apron under her bulging belly and ties it. “You guys do know that when everyone clams up and stares at you when you walk into a room, that’s a dead giveaway they were talking about you, right?”
“All good, cuz,” I say, lifting one hand in surrender while picking up my bar rag with the other.
She gives us a glare that could fry bacon. “I’m not fat.”
“No, you’re not,” Destiny says, handing her the tray of drinks. “But I’m punching out and I need you to take that table.”
Carol’s gaze shifts to the table in question. “What’s wrong with them?”
“The guy’s a sanctimonious prick,” I say wiping down the bar. “He needs to be reminded his shit still stinks in the way only you can.”
A slow smile pulls at her mouth and she takes the drink tray.
“He’s the Tom Collins,” Destiny says. “The chardonnay is for the girl on his right and the Cosmos are for the other two.”
She bats her eyelashes and starts toward the table. “Coming right up,” she says, all breathy and sweet.
Mom turns to me once she’s gone, her frown deepening. “I came out here to remind you to put a note in the drawer if you pull petty cash, Bran.”
I give her a dubious smirk. “Really, Ma? I’ve been doing this for almost a year. Think I’ve got the drill down by now.”
“Well, the drawer came up exactly sixty short last night. So how else do you explain that?”
I feel my brows lift. My drawer’s never off by anything more than a few pennies. “You sure you didn’t pull it for the wine order?”
She scowls at me and crow’s feet crease the corners of her eyes. “I might be old, but I’m not senile yet.”
For her age, I have to say Mom looks pretty damn amazing. She met Dad sometime in the stone ages, when she used to dance at a strip club in San Francisco, and even still, I can see why he picked her out of the crowd. She’s got a deep worry line at the inside corner of her right eyebrow, but otherwise her face is deceptively youthful. The only thing that gives her age away is the skunk stripe that starts on the left side of her forehead and winds through the sea of dark hair pinned onto the back of her head like a the first swirl of cream into black coffee.
“I didn’t take any cash, Ma. Seriously.”
She sighs wearily and rubs her eyes. “It’s been a long day. I’ll check the numbers again tomorrow morning when I can think.”
I lean down and give her a peck on the cheek. “’Night, Ma.”
She hooks her elbow around my neck and yanks me in for a hug. “See you tomorrow, baby boy.”
She’s the only one I’d ever let call me baby or honey or any shit like that because, like I said, I’m a little scared of her. I watch her disappear through the kitchen door.
And then it’s just Destiny, waiting for an answer.
I take a deep breath and blow it out slowly as I turn to her. “Listen, Destiny. There’s no question you are fucking amazing, and I had an awesome time the other night…but I feel like you might have gotten the wrong idea about what this is.” I drop the bar rag and splay my hands on the bar between us, holding her gaze. I may be a dick, but I’ve got a moral compass that points in the right general direction most of the time. She deserves to be told straight up. “I’m not the kind of guy that does relationships, and even if I were, you wouldn’t want one with me.”
It’s not like I expect her to whine or beg. I’ve only known her for a week, since Mom hired her for day shifts, but she seems generally more together than that.
What I also don’t expect is a shameless smile to spread over her face as she leans closer. “So, are you saying that pounding me until I scream your name is too much of a commitment?”
I blow out a laugh and give my head a slow shake. “This isn’t how I pictured this conversation going.”
She pushes away from the bar and unties her apron. “I’ll be back before closing. Maybe have a drink or two. And when you leave, if you take me with you, you won’t be sorry. If not…” She shrugs. “…no harm no foul.”
I watch as she disappears through the kitchen door behind Mom to punch out. Carol drops another drink order on the bar on her way to the kitchen and I go back to work.
The Friday evening crowd picks up and it’s not long before all the tables are full and patrons start lining the bar. I dim the lights—the closest we come to ambiance.
The Sam Hill Saloon has been here since the gold rush, when the town of Oak Crest was established as a mining camp. After they got married, Dad brought Mom out here and bought her this bar to keep her “busy,” since he didn’t want her taking off her clothes for horny men anymore. She got it in the divorce and has run it for the last thirty years, but the truth is, almost nothing here has changed for nearly three quarters of a century. There are pictures on the walls of grimy gold miners lined up at this very bar. Even most of the chunky wooden barstools and tables have survived. At some point, some owner lined the front wall under the windows with three booths, and Mom added a big-screen TV, but other than that, it looks exactly like the pictures. And there’s the faint stench of stale beer emanating from the floor planking that no amount of bleach will ever get out.
But it’s a landmark, and the only bar in town, so we’re usually busy.
I’m blending a pair of frozen daiquiris with one hand and shaking a martini with the other when out of the corner of my eye, I see a solo blonde slide onto the barstool at the end, near the beer taps. I finish what I’m doing and prepare the tray for Carol to pick up before glancing over and seeing its Destiny.
A guy in the middle of the bar makes eye contact and nods at his empty beer mug. I grab it and start filling without really looking up at her. “Didn’t think I’d see you again till closer to closing.”
“Sorry?” she says. “Are you talking to me?”
The voice is off—slightly raspy and a pitch lower than her usual. I look up again and squint at her, wondering if she’s already started drinking. She’s taken her straight hair down from the ponytail she always wears it in and it’s not as long as I remember it from the other night—the only other time I’ve seen it down. There’s also a fading blue stripe cutting through the platinum over her right ear that I’ve never noticed before.
“What can I get you?” I ask her instead of pushing it.
I’m already reaching for the vodka and cranberry to start on a Madras, her drink of choice last week, when she answers, “Rum and Coke.”
“That’s different,” I mutter, shooting her another glance.
She gives me a puzzled look. “Look, I really just wanted to find out if you hire entertainment.”
My face mirrors her puzzlement, I’m sure, as I try to process her statement. “Why?”
She hunches to the side and pulls something up from her feet. I see it’s a battered black guitar case when the narrow end peeks over the top of the bar. “Because I need a gig.”
“Didn’t know you played,” I say, pushing her drink across the bar to her.
That baffled look is back as she pulls it toward her and takes a swallow. I can’t help following the curve of her long neck downward toward a pair of large round tits perfectly outlined by her snug, low-cut T-shirt. She is definitely hot, and if we’re on the same page, then I’ve got nothing to feel guilty about. She wants me to fuck her till she screams? I’m perfectly capable of that. She sets her drink down and catches me staring. She cuts me that wicked smile again, causing my cock to stir. I return the smile, sending the innuendo right back at her.
She props her elbows onto the bar and leans forward, giving me a clear look down her shirt. “Considering that we’ve never met before, I don’t find that surprising.”
I’m so absorbed in images of my face buried in those magnificent tits that it takes me a second to process what she said.
My eyes snap to hers. “Wait…what?”
She reaches across the bar, offering me a hand. “Lilah.”
There’s a full second all I can do is stare, wondering if this is one of those split personality things you hear about sometimes. And in that second, through the dim lighting, I take in all the tiny details—a dark mole at the outer corner of her right eye; her eyes, silver instead of blue; the missing white crescent-shaped scar above Destiny’s right eyebrow; and lips, a little fuller than I remember—which are smirking at me now.
“You’re not Destiny,” I say as it all clicks.
It’s not a question, but she shakes her head. “No. I am most definitely not Destiny.”
“Twins?” I ask.
She cocks her head playfully. “What do you think?”
“You’ve got to be. You’re fucking identical except for the eyes.” I tap my forehead. “And you’re missing a scar.”
Her perfect blond eyebrow raises in amusement. “She’s the pretty one and I’m the smart one.”
I bark out a laugh as I reach across and shake her hand. “Bran Silo. Good to meet you.”
She doesn’t let go of my hand for a second after we’re done shaking—just long enough to send a clear message that she’s interested.
A knot forms in my gut, and I realize it’s guilt. Destiny and I have an understanding, but regardless, I’m pretty sure fucking her sister would be way outside the bounds of gentlemanly behavior. Not that anyone would ever mistake me for a gentleman. “Destiny never mentioned she had a sister.”
“Doesn’t surprise me.” She takes another drink, nearly polishing it off in a few big gulps.
I tip my head at it her glass. “Another?”
“My limit is one,” she says, pushing her glass toward me. “Just Coke this time, thanks.”
Carol sweeps by on her way to the kitchen, dropping an order on my bar. “Thought you left,” she says to Lilah without slowing down. “Careful or your favorite customer might ask for you,” she adds, jerking her head at Mr. Hendricks as she disappears through the swinging door.
I bark out a laugh as I scoop ice into Lilah’s glass and fill it with Coke. “Good to know I’m not the only one.”
Lilah shrugs. “Happens all the time.” She slides out of her chair, lifting the guitar case. “So do you want to hear me play or what?”
I look around the crowded room, loud with chatter, drowning out the background music. “We don’t generally have live entertainment,” I say, which is really an understatement. We’ve never had live entertainment. But for some reason, I’m not willing to shut Lilah down so fast.
When my eyes find her again, annoyed impatience shines loud and clear out of her gaze. “So that’s a no?”
I feel my mouth pull into a cocky half-smile. “I didn’t say that.”
She opens her case and pulls out her guitar, unabashedly climbing through the window I left ajar for her. I watch as she sets herself up on the stool and rests the guitar in her lap, gripping it softly but confidently. She starts strumming, and I expect her to be discrete, since this is basically an audition, but there’s not a shred of self-consciousness or embarrassment anywhere in her disposition as she begins to belt out lyrics—an old No Doubt song that I can’t remember the name of.
The way she plays, as if on instinct; the passion in her voice, and the fact that she’s really fucking good, starts to turn heads at the tables closest to us. As they quiet and listen, more tables still, and soon the only thing she’s competing to be heard over is the Kat Country on the speakers. But she doesn’t decrease her volume. If anything, as eyes find her, she becomes louder, feeding off the attention.
I reach under the bar and click off the stereo, then lean onto the back counter and cross my arms, listening as she finishes one song and launches into the next.
A guy at the bar pulls a five from his pocket and flags me down with it. I grab his beer mug, but he shakes his head. “Is there a tip jar?” he asks with a nod toward Lilah.
I pull a fresh mug from under the bar and he slips the five inside, then I set it at the end of the bar near Lilah. She cuts me a smile and her eyes slide down my body as she sings.
And fuck me. I lean my hands on the bar and press against the lower counter when my dick won’t yield to my will. Without a doubt, everything Destiny has going on, Lilah’s got that and more.EACH BOOK CAN BE READ AS A STAND-ALONE

About the Mia Storm:

Mia Storm is a hopeless romantic who is always searching for her happy ending. Sometimes she’s forced to make one up. When that happens, she’s thrilled to be able to share those stories with her readers. She lives in California and spends much of her time in the sun with a book in one hand and a mug of black coffee in the other, or hiking the trails in Yosemite. Connect with her online at MiaStormAuthor.blogspot.com , on Twitter at @MiaStormAuthor, and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/MiaStormAuthor

Chapter Reveal: Screwed by Kendall Ryan

Posted on 07/31/2015 by shellbellereads

We are very excited for this brand new standalone from Kendall Ryan. Releasing on September 15 we get a peek at a sexy romantic comedy from the NYT Bestselling author.

I have one rule: Don’t shit where you eat.
Several of the women in the condo complex I own would love some one-on-one playtime, and why wouldn’t they? I’m young, fit, attractive, and loaded. Not to mention I’m packing a sizable bulge below the belt. It’s a combination that drops panties on a regular basis.

Yay, me, right?

But my cock, troublemaker that he is, has been confined to my trousers by my business partner. A concession I agreed to, and one that’s never been hard to enforce until Emery moves in across the hall. She’s smart, young, determined, and sexy as hell. I want a taste. I won’t stop until I’m buried deep inside the succulent new-in-town brunette.

After being warned about my past, she does her best to steer clear, but I’m about to show her that underneath it all, I’m a guy with a heart of gold and a cock of steel.

My name is Hayden Oliver, and this is my story.

SCREWED is standalone romantic comedy by New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today bestselling author Kendall Ryan. ADD TO GOODREADS

EXCLUSIVE iBooks Pre-Order

Chapter One

Hayden

Goddamn. This is going to be harder than I thought.

My eyes swing over to admire the most perfect pear-shaped ass I’ve
ever had the pleasure of laying eyes on while my business partner Hudson
continues lecturing me. I think it’s something important, but there’s nothing
more urgent than my body’s reaction to this shapely brunette. Jesus.
Those tits are definitely real.

“I mean it. Your cock is cut off this time,” Hudson says roughly,
his tone biting.

Tearing my gaze away from the succulent new brunette moving into
unit 4B, I face him. “Not literally cut off. I’m sort of attached to him. You
realize that, right?”

“Well it’s on lock down then. No more of this bullshit. I had
three calls this week alone from hysterical women – our tenants – who you, how
do I put this delicately? You fucked and then left before their pussies were
even dry.”

I smirk at him, but I can’t deny the accusation. We’re like the
real life Melrose Place. Sexy young twenty-somethings all living in close
proximity. There’s bound to be a little drama now and again. Together, Hudson
and I own thirty buildings in the greater Los Angeles area. And some of our
buildings have very fuckable tenants. Up until this point, I’d considered that
a nice bonus, and a perk of the job. Hudson has apparently viewed it
differently.

“Who’s that?” I ask, tipping my head toward the bombshell who’s
responsible for all the blood rushing to my groin. Fuck. I should have a
word with her about that, that’s not cool.

Hudson’s eyes swing to the left to see what, or rather, who has
captured my attention. And who’s given me this semi-chub, which I hope he
hasn’t noticed. We’re close, but we’re not that close.

“No, no, no. Don’t get any ideas. You’re not tagging that.”

She’s not close enough to overhear us, but I shoot him a scowl
anyway. “Show some class, man. Tagging is such a juvenile word. I’d take my
time, get her hot and ready first, until she was begging for me to fill her
tight, little cunt.”

“I’m fucking serious. You’re not to even think about her tight
cunt.”

“So you acknowledge she’s got a tight cunt?” I smile, proud of
myself.

He wipes sweat from his brow, looking worried. “Hayden, I’m
serious this time.” His voice has taken on a somber tone, and for once, I try
to be serious and focus.

Watching the way the vein throbs in his neck, my smile fades.
We’re standing outside of one of our nicest buildings just outside of downtown,
and the mid-afternoon sun is beating down on us. Suddenly I want to get away from
him, and away from this entire conversation and into the cool air conditioning
inside. Shit has gotten a little too real for me.

“You know me,” I grin at him, trying to lighten the mood. “I just
wanted to have some casual fun.” And if that meant sleeping my way through the
LA singles scene, so be it. I’m not looking for something deeper. I have a
luxury condo in the heart of the Hollywood Hills, drive a new model BMW and
possess a nine-inch cock. Translation: Life is good. Or it was, until Hudson
decided to get a bug up his ass and lay down the law today.

“Did you hear a word I just said? One of your latest conquests
threatened to report our company to the Better Business Bureau for unethical
business practices. This isn’t just about you. This affects me too. And I’ll be
damned if I watch everything we’ve built go down in flames because you can’t
keep your dick in your pants.”

“Point taken.” Hudson is pretty much the best friend, and best
business partner you could ask for. He’s smart as hell, dedicated, works like a
dog day and night. And not to mention when we began our real estate investment
company five years ago, he single-handedly fronted all the start-up capital
from his own savings and trust fund. It took me years to pay him back as the
profits rolled in, and he never once made me feel lesser, or like I was in debt
to him. Not to mention, he’s funny, well-off, and good looking. He’s an
excellent wing-man. Plus he knows the best taco joints.

Unable to help myself, my eyes drift over to her again. 4B fills
out a pair of yoga pants in ways that I doubt are even legal in most countries.
I needed to know what was underneath those curve-hugging black athletic pants.
Simple cotton panties, or a naughty g-string? Either way, I wanted to bury my
fingers inside the waistband of those pants, peel them down her hips and find
out. Perhaps it was because Hudson just made her forbidden fruit, but I wanted
a taste. My damn mouth was practically watering.

She looked smart, and put together, despite her casual attire, including
a tank top and tennis shoes. With a clipboard in one hand, and her trusty
number two pencil in the other, she ticked items off of her list, and
instructed the movers who were unloading and carrying boxes up to her new place
– which just so happened to be directly underneath mine.

“You’re not going to last three minutes let alone three days.” Hudson
grimaces, glancing over again at our newest resident.

“What do you know about her?”

He rolls his eyes, but humors me. “Emery Elaine Winters. She’s an attorney.
Excellent references. Even better credit score, and she signed a one year
lease. And she’s to remain in pristine condition, or so help me God …”

When I glance up at her again, I see Roxy, another of our residents
has joined Emery on the sidewalk, and they appear to be making small talk.
Shaking hands, exchanging words, and smiling at each other. There’s something I
strongly dislike about these two women talking. Roxy is an exotic dancer, and
she I have a bit of a rocky past. Which is a huge fucking understatement, but
not something I care to dwell on now. Hudson mentions something about fourth
quarter taxes, and I tune him out, sure I just heard my name on Roxy’s
over-glossed lips.

“Excuse me, I’ve got business to attend to.” I step around him,
heading straight toward my new prize. Roxy spots me, and takes off for the
parking area.

“Where do you think you’re going?” Hudson calls after me.

“Just being neighborly. Someone’s got to properly welcome Miss
Winters.”

“Dammit, Hayden,” I hear him shout.

“I’ve got this, buddy,” I shout back over my shoulder.

I can control myself around her. I have to, according to Hudson. I
don’t like being told what to do, especially where my cock was concerned, and
hell, it’ll probably only make me want her more, but as I close the distance
between Emery and me, I make a plan.

Friends.

I would become friends with the
so-hot-I-wanted-to-bend-her-over-and-fuck-her-in-broad-daylight new girl.

This was either the best plan I’d ever had, or would end with me
sporting a black eye, courtesy of my best friend.

It’s go time.

Kendall Ryan is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of contemporary romance novels, including Hard to Love, Unravel Me, Resisting Her and When I Break.

She’s a sassy, yet polite Midwestern girl with a deep love of books, and a slight addiction to lipgloss. She lives in Minneapolis with her adorable husband and two baby sons, and enjoys hiking, being active, and reading.

Visit her at: www.kendallryanbooks.com for the latest book news, and fun extras

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Release Blitz : Tangled Bond by Emma Hart – Holly Woods Files – Book 2

Posted on 07/30/2015 by shellbellereads

One date with the sexier-than-sin Detective Drake Nash. Simple.

Until you take into account that my brother finally proposed to his girlfriend, so Nonna is on a warpath—and the crazy old bat has Cupid by the balls.

The upcoming mayoral elections has everyone running on full speed, and while I couldn’t give any less craps about the corrupt Holly Woods mayor’s office, a dead body in the middle of a campaign speech has me thrown right into the middle of it. The victim is close to the mayor, but all he cares about is minimizing the damage to his campaign, so he hires me to work alongside Drake to close the case as quickly as possible.

Bad news for our tentative relationship.

We disagree far more than we agree, but being at loggerheads won’t get this murder solved… Or deal with the arrival of someone from his past.

The mysteries behind the murder aren’t the only things unraveling, and despite being knee-deep in lies and corruption and bonds so tangled they’re almost indecipherable, I have to figure out if I’m willing to fight for Drake the way I do justice…

Or if he’ll be my one who gets away.

One date with the sexier-than-sin Detective Drake Nash. Simple.

Until you take into account that my brother finally proposed to his girlfriend, so Nonna is on a warpath—and the crazy old bat has Cupid by the balls.

Bad news for our tentative relationship.

We disagree far more than we agree, but being at loggerheads won’t get this murder solved… Or deal with the arrival of someone from his past.

Or if he’ll be my one who gets away.

“We’re both fools, Noelle.”

I take a deep breath and look down at my hands clasped around the mug. “I’m sorry,” I say softly. “I just…”

“You’re not used to anyone other than your brothers stepping up and protecting you.”

I hate it when he’s right. Really, really hate it.

He closes the slight distance between us and gently takes my hands from the mug. “Hey.” He touches his fingers to my chin and lifts it, making me look at him. “I get it. I already told you I don’t want someone who needs saving. But saving and protecting are two vastly different things, cupcake. I don’t care if you need protecting from a killer or some sleazeball hitting on you because he’s loaded and wears fancy suits. I’m gonna protect you, whether you like it or not. I’m not afraid to stake my claim where dicks like him are concerned. One-up me on solving murders every day of the week, but don’t be mad at me for doing what feels right. Nothing matters more to me than protecting you, bella.”

Of all the things he calls me, I’ll never let him know how much bella affects me. Because just about every time he says it, I stop breathing. It’s always at that moment when my heart is already pounding.

“I know.” I raise an eyebrow. “I’m not apologizing again though.”

“I’m surprised you said sorry once.”

I purse my lips at his wide grin. “It won’t happen again.”

“I didn’t think it would.” His eyes spark in amusement. “I’m sorry too, but I can’t help it if your badass gene pisses off my alpha complex.”

“My badass gene is laughing at you.”

“My alpha complex wants to smack your ass.”

I grab my purse, put it over my butt, and walk backward. “Nope. That’s not how we’re starting today.”

“You’re right.” He stalks toward me with a lusty glint in his eye. “We’re gonna start it like this instead.”

He slams me back against my front door and I drop my purse. He dives his hands into my hair and seals his lips over mine. Fireworks erupt across my skin as I curl my fingers around his neck.

He devours me, plain and simple.

“Now,” he breathes, smiling. “Now, we’re gonna go and get some work done.”

I flick my thumb across his bottom lip, wiping away the smudge of my lipstick. “Now, we are.”

Photograph cheating spouses. Hand over the evidence. Cash my check.

That was my plan when I returned home to Holly Woods, Texas, and became a private investigator.

Finding the dead body in my dumpster? Yeah… Given the choice, I think I would have opted out of that little discovery, especially since all three of my brothers are cops. And my Italian grandmother is sure the reason I’m single is because of my job.

Of course, my connection to the victim is entirely coincidental. Until I’m hired by her husband to investigate her murder and shoved bang-smack into the path of Detective Drake Nash.

My nemesis, a persistent pain in my ass, and one hell of a sexy son of a bitch.

Shame he still holds a grudge from that time I shot him in the foot twelve years ago, or we could have something. In another life.

So now all I have to do is avoid my nonna’s blind dates, try not to blackmail my brothers into giving me confidential police files, and absolutely do not point my gun at Drake Nash. Or kiss him. Or jump his bones.

All while I hunt down the killer.

Sounds totally simple—until a second body proves that sometimes things that start as coincidences don’t always end up that way…

(Twisted Bond is book one of the Holly Woods Files series and while it does not end in a cliffhanger, it is not a standalone.)

AMAZON US AMAZON UK Barnes & Noble

By day, New York Times and USA Today bestselling New Adult author Emma Hart dons a cape and calls herself Super Mum to two beautiful little monsters. By night, she drops the cape, pours a glass of whatever she fancies – usually wine – and writes books.

Emma is working on Top Secret projects she will share with her followers and fans at every available opportunity. Naturally, all Top Secret projects involve a dashingly hot guy who likes to forget to wear a shirt, a sprinkling (or several) of hold-onto-your-panties hot scenes, and a whole lotta love.

She likes to be busy – unless busy involves doing the dishes, but that seems to be when all the ideas come to life.

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We are very excited for this brand new standalone from Kendall Ryan. Releasing on September 15 we get a peek at a sexy romantic comedy from the NYT Bestselling author.

Chapter One

Release Blitz : Tangled Bond by Emma Hart – Holly Woods Files – Book 2

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We are very excited for this brand new standalone from Kendall Ryan. Releasing on September 15 we get a peek at a sexy romantic comedy from the NYT Bestselling author.

Chapter One

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Chapter 1
Bran