Review: Take Me With You by K.A. Linde – Take Me Duet – Book 2

Posted on 02/10/2015 by shellbellereads

Grant
All of my demons are coming to head.
I thought Ari could push them back.
I thought I could conquer my vices with her at my side.

I thought wrong.

Aribel
Fear is my new constant.
I thought I could conceal it, contain it, control it.
I thought that now that I had Grant the worst was over.

I thought wrong.

But if we’re going to survive, wherever you go…take me with you.

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Grant practically bounded across the room until he was directly in front of me. Then, his hands were cupping my cheeks so tenderly that it was as if he thought I might break in half. Without a word, his mouth dropped down on mine, and the kiss was as light as a feather. It was a question, a soft and delicate question, one he had never asked before—permission.

When I didn’t pull away from him, he received his answer. The kiss deepened, and he coaxed all the anger out of me. He drew it out as if sucking venom from an open wound. He kissed me so heatedly and lovingly that not even a drop remained. All that was left was a bottomless well of emotions of how much I loved and missed him.

When I came back into the moment, I heard the catcalls and yells from the people around us. It was then I remembered that we were in a crowded room, surrounded by people, and Grant had kissed the breath out of me. I flushed from head to toe at the attention, but he wouldn’t let me pull away.

“I’m sorry,” he whispered. “I shouldn’t have blown up on you. I shouldn’t have done anything. You’re all that matters.”

I stared up at him in confusion. “Who are you, and what have you done with Grant McDermott?”

He laughed that beautiful glorious laugh, and a smile lit up his whole face. It was that damn smile that had won me over in the first place.

“Run away with me,” he murmured.

“What?”

“Run away with me. Let’s get out of here.”

“Where are we going?”

“Anywhere. Everywhere.”

Michel’s Review

Take Me With You by K. A. Linde is the sequel to Take Me For Granted. It should not be read as a stand alone novel.

Take Me With You picks up where the first book left off. Grant and Aribel have found their way back to one another. They are determined to make their relationship work. In the short amount of time they were separated many things happened that could destroy the love they are trying to hang onto.

Aribel comes from a prominent moneyed family. They are pressuring her to date a guy that is under her father’s wing. This guy is not all he presents himself to be and Aribel’s instincts are right on mark.

Aribel is also struggling to maintain her grade point average and keep her relationship with Grant flourishing.

Grant’s band is on the road to success. They are about to embark on a tour with a highly successful band. All of Grant’s bandmates want this to happen. Grant is holding back because of the problems he has had with the front man. He has tried to come between him and Aribel. Their new manager has also managed to cause problems for them. Grant would rather be in a bar band than pay the price of success by losing Aribel.

To top it off , Grant’s past is coming back to haunt him. His father is out of prison and is being persistent about reconnecting with him. Grant is fearful for Aribel because he knows what a dangerous man his father is.

Both Grant and Aribel will have to find a happy medium where their families are concerned. They will have to find a way to cope with Grant’s career in the spotlight. They will have to find a way to be themselves and cling to the happiness they have found in one another.

Take Me With You was the perfect sequel to the first book. I loved how both Aribel and Grant grew as individuals as well as a couple. I liked the maturity they found in this book. I was very pleased with the ending and felt satisfied with the direction this book took.

I would highly recommend this series!

USA Today bestselling author K.A. Linde has written the Avoiding series and the Record series as well as the new adult novels Following Me and Take Me for Granted. She grew up as a military brat traveling the United States and Australia. While studying political science and philosophy at the University of Georgia, she founded the Georgia Dance Team, which she still coaches. Post-graduation, she served as the campus campaign director for the 2012 presidential campaign at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. An avid traveler, reader, and bargain hunter, K.A. lives in Athens, Georgia, with her fiancé and two puppies, Riker and Lucy.

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♥READ THE SERIES♥

Book 1 – Take Me for Granted

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Book 2 – Take Me with You

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ARC Review: Drawing The Devil by Jon Keys

Posted on 02/05/2015 by shellbellereads

Drawing The Devil

By Jon Keys

Genre: LGBT, M/M Romance

Synopsis

A heart can live a lifetime in eight seconds.

Ever since his father caught him with another boy and threw him out at the tender age of sixteen, Dustin Lewis has been fighting his way up the national bull-riding rankings. He’s on the brink of qualifying for the National Finals when he draws Diablo, a notoriously rank bull—and the ride goes bad.

When bullfighter Shane Rees frees Dustin from the rigging of the same bull that nearly destroyed his face, he comes dangerously close to dropping his guard. Shane knows the potential consequences of being gay in a sport loaded with testosterone-overdosed cowboys, and the resulting scars of mind and body have left him with little self-worth.

Their near-death-by-bull first meeting sparks an attraction that awakens every last one of their personal demons. Yet as the National Finals draws closer, so do they. But they’ll have to overcome emotional highs, near-tragic lows, and bone-crushing danger before love can bust out of the chute.

Warning: Contains man-on-man boot knocking, rawhide and raw emotions, badass cowboys and even badder-ass bulls. This ain’t your old man’s rodeo.

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Tina’s Review

The story starts off a little roughly written with short, choppy and stiff narration. Although the plot describes an exciting moment, the elementary style of writing detracted from the enjoyment. Thankfully, it starts to smooth out a little after only 10-15 %. Shane seems like a pretty solid character, if a bit insecure. Dustin is written in a way that more often than not, he comes off as a kid in his mid-teens as opposed to a young man starting his twenties. Maybe it’s his supposed ADHD, but I don’t buy that, being the parent of an ADHD pre-teen. Worse, I had to continually remind myself that Dustin is over twenty years old because, too often, the dynamics between him and Shane felt more like older man and early high school kid. The few secondary characters add good dimension. Dialogue and interaction are passable most of the time. The plot’s synopsis caught my attention immediately as I am a huge fan of bull riding and it sounded intriguing. I have to state that reading that Bushwhacker was some aggressive beast kind of threw me for a loop because the reality of it is quite the opposite, whereas Modified Clyde or David’s Dream would have been a more likely candidate. The plot, in writing, was pretty good and it flows a little better than average. There were numerous conflicts throughout the book, most of which were resolved well. It does, sadly, bring light to the fact that gay men face hate crimes still to this day. Predictability was not too much of an issue. The ending was concluded in a way where all the loose ends were tied and tucked away, but there was enough vagueness in it that there could later be a follow-up book or one featuring Todd and his barrel-racer crush.

Author Bio

My earliest memories revolve around books; with the first ones I can recall reading being “The Warlord of Mars” and anything with Tarzan. (The local library wasn’t particularly up to date.) But as puberty set in I started sneaking my mother’s romance magazines and added the world of romance and erotica to the mix of science fiction, fantasy and comic books.

A voracious reader for almost half a century, I’ve only recently begun creating my own flights of fiction for the entertainment of others. Born in the Southwest and now living in the Midwest, I’ve worked as a ranch hand, teacher, computer tech, roughneck, designer, retail clerk, welder, artist, and, yes, pool boy; with interests ranging from kayaking and hunting to painting and cooking, I draw from a wide range of life experiences to create written works that draw the reader in and wrap them in a good story.

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ARC Review: Rock Solid by Samantha Hunter

Posted on 02/04/2015 by shellbellereads

Rock Solid

By Samantha Hunter

Synopsis

Opposites ignite…

Champion stock car driver Brody Palmer’s bad-boy reputation has forced him into early retirement. What no one knows is that his “retirement” is actually a publicity stunt. All Brody has to do is clean up his act and settle down. Unfortunately, every single woman with a pulse is now gunning to become the new Mrs. Palmer.

Hannah Morgan needs to shake things up, and Brody is the best way to do just that. So they strike a deal—a fake relationship…with all of the sexy strings included! Brody gets his improved image, and Hannah gets a whole lot more of Brody’s unpredictable wildness. Hot days, hotter nights—it’s the perfect plan! Provided, of course, they don’t do something to wreck it, like fall for each other…

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Tina’s Review

Brody’s latest good deed lands him in a media shitstorm and his sponsors are threatening to pull out. It’s been proposed that he take a one-year retirement, during which time he’s expected to clean up his act and builder a more respectable image. But he’s ordered to keep it to himself, he cannot tell even his friends or family that the retirement is staged. Hannah quit her accounting job when she was once again passed up for a promotion, citing that she was “too safe” and needed to be more of a risk-taker. On that advise, she opts to travel the country and blog about the journey to finding a new job that better suited her. The two met a while back and had a month-long affair. When Hannah sees Brody on TV one night, she decides he may be the story she needs to break into photojounalism. He doesn’t want to lie to Hannah, but he needs a cover “girl” to keep the other women away. Because this story read like a “book 2”, my OCD demanded that I research why it felt like I should already have read and known the mutual friends of Brody and Hannah. Reece and Abby were featured in I’LL BE YOURS FOR CHRISTMAS (Dec.1. 2010).
The characters are well-written, even if Brody comes off as being rather dick-ish at first. Luckily that is squashed rather quickly. The plot is a little used, but it’s written in a way where it’s not old and tired. There’s a smooth flow. The conflicts were plentiful and most were resolved with not too much predictability. The conclusion was satisfying, however I feel this book could have greatly benefited from an epilogue.

Author Bio

Samantha Hunter lives in Syracuse, NY, where after working as a university writing instructor for ten years she’s began writing full-time at home. Her first book was a Harlequin Blaze, Virtually Perfect (July 2004), which was the very first book she ever wrote and submitted (so don’t think it can’t happen!). Since, she’s written seven more Blaze books, with more on the horizon.

When she’s not writing, reading about writing, thinking about writing, or talking about writing, Sam enjoys spending time with family and friends, walking with her husband and their dogs (usually picking his brain on plots and character development, or talking about books they are reading at the time), learning to quilt, working in the unruly gardens that surround her house and reading. Her favorite authors are too numerous to list. Growing up back when no one cared if kids watched eight hours of TV a day, she’s still an addict and some favorite TV shows are Lost, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Bones, Desperate Housewives, and most fantasy/adventure/comedy that focuses on rich characterization and compelling storylines.

Sam looks at life as a continuous story being played out around us, and writers are people who just happen to be paying attention at the time. She enjoys grasping what she can of those observations and transplanting them in books, weaving them into new tales, and hopes to be writing romance in all its different facets for many years to come.

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ARC Review: In His Keeping by Maya Banks – Slow Burn Series – Book 2

Posted on 02/04/2015 by shellbellereads

In His Keeping

Slow Burn Series – Book 2

By Maya Banks

Synopsis

Abandoned as a baby to a young wealthy couple and raised in a world of privilege, Arial has no hint of her past or who she belonged to. Her only link lies in the one thing that sets her apart from everyone else—telekinetic powers. Protected by her adoptive parents and hidden from the public to keep her gift secret, Ari is raised in the lap of luxury, and isolation. That is, until someone begins threatening her life.

Beau Devereaux is no stranger to the strange. As the head of Deveraux Security, he’s more than familiar with the realities of physic powers. So when a family friend approaches him about protecting his daughter, he’s more than ready to jump on board. What Beau isn’t prepared for is the extent of his attraction to his beautiful and powerful client. What began as a simple assignment, just another job, quickly turns personal as Beau discovers he’ll do anything at all to protect Ari. Even if it costs him his life.

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Michel’s Review

In His Keeping by Maya Banks is the second book in the Slow Burn series. This addition to the Slow Burn series was a vast improvement over the first book, Keep Me Safe. Maya Banks brought her A Game to this novel and delivered a story that fans have come to expect. This book had suspense, a touch of paranormal, a well executed plot and red hot romance. The characters were well developed. The pacing of the story was fluid and kept the reader engaged throughout the book.

Arial is a young woman with an extraordinary gift. She has telekinetic powers. Her adoptive parents hid her gift and taught her from a young age to hide this gift. They were fearful that the knowledge of this gift could bring harm to Arial if the wrong people found out about it. They kept her sheltered from the world. She has only had to depend on them. Their fears were valid. After a random video showcases Arial’s gift, trouble comes chasing her down. Arial has been attacked. She’s in danger and she needs help. Beau Deveraux from Deveraux Securities is the man she needs to protect her.

Beau Deveraux is the Deveraux brother known for his muscle. He has a military background. His training qualifies him as an expert bodyguard and security agent. He’s the quiet Deveraux brother that stays behind the scenes, observes, and uses force when necessary. He is rough around the edges and has very little tact. He is content with being single and has no desire to engage in any other kind of relationship with a woman unless it is just sex. His opinions change when he meets Arial. He will do anything to protect her and claim her.

When Arial and her parents are kidnapped, secrets begin to unfold about Arial’s past and bloodline. A secret organization wants to get their hands on her and use her gift for diabolical purposes. Arial’s inner strength kicks in and she becomes a force to be reckoned with. Beau will do everything in his power to rescue and protect the woman he loves.

This story had all the elements the readers have come to expect from a Maya Banks novel. I loved the strong Deveraux family unit, the hot alpha males, the strong but vulnerable heroine, the sizzling sexual chemistry, and fast paced action.

The only thing I struggled with is the insta love between the characters. I like to see a relationship develop between the characters. I want to experience the mental foreplay along with the sexual foreplay. I want to see them grow as a couple.

Overall In His Keeping was a good book. I am looking forward to the next book in the Slow Burn series.

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Author Bio:
&nbsp:Maya Banks lives in Texas with her husband, three children and assortment of pets. When she’s not writing, she can be found hunting, fishing or playing poker.

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ARC Review: Cowboy Delight by Cheryl Brooks- A Cowboy Heaven Novella

Posted on 02/03/2015 by shellbellereads

Cowboy Delight

A Cowboy Heaven Novella

By Cheryl Brooks

Synopsis

Getting stranded has never felt so good…
Lauren Allen is on her way to meet her future in-laws when her car breaks down on a scorching, dusty Texas highway. There’s no shortage of handsome cowboys turning up to save the day, but she puts her trust in local rancher Steve Williams. From the moment she shakes his hand, his warm, calloused grip makes her hotter than she knows what to do with…

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Michel’s Review

Cowboy Delight by Cheryl Brooks is the debut novella in her new Cowboy Heaven series. If you haven’t read any of Cheryl Brooks novels then you are in for a treat. She is a master at writing erotic romance. Her love scenes are sizzling hot, passionate, and believable. Her characters are well developed and easy to relate to. She always delivers a good story along with the sizzling sex.

Cowboy Delight was a very enjoyable read. I was surprised at how well developed this story was considering it was a novella. I never felt like the story was being rushed, I never felt the overall plot was slighted by the sex scenes, and I felt very satisfied with the ending. It was refreshing to read adult characters that are in their thirties and have a great sense of self along with maturity.

Lauren is on her way to meet her finances family when her car breaks down in the middle of Texas. Being stranded in no where Texas is not where Lauren wants to be. When one of the local town cowboys offers her a ride, she is ready to get going.

Steve Williams is a widower. He is considered a safe, gentlemanly cowboy. He hasn’t dated since his wife’s death a few years earlier. When he lays eyes on Lauren his heart and sexual desires are kick started once again.

Steve and Lauren seem to thrown together by fate. Mother nature lends a helping hand. Rather than getting a ride to Houston, Lauren is getting to ride Steve.

These two are perfect for one another. Will they make the right choices that will make them happy in life?

Read Cowboy Delight.

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About Cheryl Brooks

Cheryl Brooks is a former critical care nurse turned romance writer. Previously published works in her Cat Star Chronicles series include Slave, Warrior, Rogue, Outcast, Fugitive, Hero, Virgin, Stud, and Wildcat. Look for book 10 in July 2014. Her newest series is Unlikely Lovers, including Unbridled, Uninhibited, Undeniable, and Unrivaled. Other self pubs include Midnight in Reno and Sex, Love, and a Purple Bikini and If You Could Read My Mind (writing as Samantha R. Michaels).
She also has several erotic novellas published with Siren/Bookstrand
She is a member of the RWA and lives with her husband, two sons, two horses, four cats, and one dog in rural Indiana.

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ARC Review: Surrender by Violetta Rand – Devil’s Den Series – Book 1

Posted on 02/02/2015 by shellbellereads

Surrender

Devil’s Den Series – Book 1

By Violetta Rand

Synopsis

Fans of Abbi Glines will adore Violetta Rand’s novels about strong-willed women who must fight to survive—and the men who love them. Welcome to the Devil’s Den, a Texas strip club where the air is heavy with desire . . . and sometimes dreams come true.

Ever since her mother kicked her out, twenty-year-old Robyn Gonzalez has been working the poles at the Devil’s Den, saving up to finish college and travel the world. With only her wits and her gorgeous body to rely on, Robyn has learned to be independent—fiercely independent. She’s never been tempted to let a man distract her from her dreams . . . until she meets the dead-sexy Garrick Dempsey.

The club’s new head of security, Garrick had walked away from a career as a mechanical engineer to return to his roots in Corpus Christi. He hadn’t planned on getting to know someone like Robyn, with her sinfully sweet combination of vulnerability and strength, at the Devil’s Den. She acts tough, but only because she’s been hurt. Soon Garrick knows he will do anything to win Robyn’s trust. And if that means surrendering to the red-hot chemistry between them, all the better.

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Tina’s Review

Alternating POV format. The characters are good, enjoyable even, but seemed a little porous. It has a fairly unique plot, more so than many I’ve read lately. Interaction and dialogue was, for the most part, believable. The plot layout had a lot of potential and was great in some aspects, but felt thin and even gaping in some areas. I would have liked to see a more solid and cohesive tie-in between their education and upbringing to their present lives, there was just not a solid enough reflection for me to truly feel connected with the characters or story. It wraps up tidily. There is some minor predictability, but not too much where it would ruin the overall effect. The overall concept was intriguing, but the execution was a little too busy and loose. Above average read, but not quite great.

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Author Bio:

Raised in Corpus Christi, Texas, Violetta Rand spent her childhood reading, writing, and playing soccer. After meeting her husband in New England, they moved to Alaska where she studied environmental science and policy as an undergraduate before attending graduate school. Violetta then spent nearly a decade working as an environmental scientist, specializing in soil and water contamination and environmental assessments.

Violetta still lives in Anchorage, Alaska and spends her days writing evocative New Adult romance and historical romance. When she’s not reading, writing, or editing, she enjoys time with her husband, pets, and friends. In her free time, she loves to hike, fish, and ride motorcycles and 4-wheelers.

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ARC Review: Flirting With Disaster by Victoria Dahl – Girls Night Out Series – Book 2

Posted on 02/02/2015 by shellbellereads

Flirting With Disaster

Girls Night Out Series – Book 2

By Victoria Dahl

Synopsis

There’s no hiding from sizzling chemistry…

Artist Isabelle West has good reasons for preferring a solitary life. Tucked away in a cabin in the woods, she has everything she needs…except a red-hot love life. That is, until a hard-bodied US marshal threatens to unearth secrets she’s spent years protecting. But giving in to the sparks flying between them can only lead to one thing…disaster.

Tom Duncan lives by the letter of the law. But no one has tempted him—or confused him—more than free-spirited Isabelle, who arouses his suspicion and his desire. As their connection grows, and their nights get hotter, they find their wild attraction might shake everything he stands for—and expose everything she has to hide.

Bonus Girls’ Night Out novella, Fanning the Flames, included!

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Tina’s Review

Daughter of a federal fugitive, Isabelle’s been hiding and running for the last fourteen years. When Tom is assigned to protect a judge near her remote cabin, she grows suspicious of his true motives, which -naturally- trigger his own suspicions of her evasiveness. He senses that she’s in trouble and he wants to help her, if only she’d trust him enough. As they find their attraction growing growing, lies get heavier and outside threats close in. Danger and deceit are hard to disentangle. An exciting plot! Great characters: they are strong, smart and witty. The dialogue and interaction is fantastic, the sexy scenes are a little off for me, but overall was decent. The plot was full of dimension and dynamics and flowed quite smoothly. The conflict carried through and was resolved well with virtually no predictability. The conclusion was pretty solid and there’s a small teaser to the next book in the series as a BONUS – separate from the main story.

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Author Bio:

I have my mother to thank for my passion for writing. My mom is an avid reader of popular fiction, and I began reading highly inappropriate books around the age of eleven, I think. (Thanks, Mom, for always leaving those delicious books strewn about!)

To Tempt a Scotsman, a Golden Heart winning historical, was my first published book. Here I am signing the cover! A Rake’s Guide to Pleasure (which was excerpted at the back of Scotsman) is my second.

Due to my all-around goofiness, my agent suggested I also try my hand at a contemporary romantic comedy. Boy, is my agent smart! I had a great time writing Talk Me Down, the story of a young woman who goes back to her small hometown in Colorado and causes a huge stir with her secretive career and her burgeoning relationship with the chief of police. Not only did I have a great time writing it, but Tara Parsons at HQN liked it too! So if you like cold weather, hot sex and dirty jokes, be sure to check out Talk Me Down (out in January 2009).

Speaking of cold weather, my family and I live in a beautiful ski town in
Utah. No, I don’t ski. I prefer to sit inside with a hot toddy and a good
book while the snow falls. It’s especially beautiful to watch when from the inside!

I have a wonderful husband and children, and the house is kind of crowded, what with the dukes, Scotsmen, police chiefs, and naughty ladies running around, but my family is very understanding about my imaginary friends. Good thing, since they refuse to leave!

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Happy Release + Review: Playing Dirty by Helenkay Dimon – Bad Boys Undercover Series – Book 1

Posted on 01/27/2015 by shellbellereads

Playing Dirty

Bad Boys Undercover Series – Book 1

By Helenkay Dimon

Synopsis

As an elite Alliance agent—the joint undercover operation of MI6, the British Secret Intelligence Service, and the CIA—Ford Decker lives for the adrenaline. But when he befriends sexy property manager Shay Alexander in hopes of finding her cousin, a known national security threat, Ford crosses the line, getting to know her better . . . in bed.

After being burned by her last relationship, Shay wants to take things slow. Yet she can’t keep her hands off the drop-dead gorgeous hottie who’s moved into her apartment building. So when Ford’s identity as an undercover agent is exposed, his betrayal cuts deep. Shay never wants to see him again, but Ford can’t let her go, not when her life is still in danger. He will sacrifice everything to protect her, then be prepared to walk away from the only woman he’s ever loved, even if it breaks him.

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Tina’s Review

A lab employee and vial of deadly toxin go missing. Chatter of a deadly release is picking up. A mission to acquire the target goes horribly wrong, suspiciously, with too much malfunctioning hi-tech equipment to missing intelligence.
Ford’s new landlord is the young employee’s cousin. He gets close to her in hopes of gaining intel, or so that was the original plan… under the guise of an IT tech, he’s finding it harder and harder to lie to her. Soon enough, his lies will catch up to him. Add to all of that, there’s a mole in the Alliance group and a very rich and well-connected uncle spinning some tall tales.
The characters are intriguing and the plot pulls you in with strong dialogue, believable interaction and plenty of dynamics. The flow of the story is smooth, however there are a few small parts that seemed a bit slow or unnecessary. The mystery and thrills continued to the end with virtually no predictability. The conflicts were met with mature and timely resolutions and the conclusion was mostly solid. There were a few minor, secondary threads that were left a little loose, but I would not classify it as open-ended and it definitely did not have a cliffhanger. Overall, this was a very good book and I enjoyed reading it very much.

About Helenkay Dimon

HelenKay Dimon is a former divorce attorney turned full-time romance author. Odd transition, right? She has sold over thirty novels, novellas and shorts to numerous publishers, including Kensington, Harlequin and Penguin, Samhain, Carina Press, and HarperCollins. Her nationally bestselling and award-winning books have been showcased in numerous venues and her books have twice been named “Red-Hot Reads” and excerpted in Cosmopolitan magazine. But the best part of the job is never having to wear pantyhose.

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ARC Review: Wake Up Maggie (The Misadventures of Maggie Mae) by Beth Yarnall- Book 1

Posted on 01/23/2015 by shellbellereads

Wake Up Maggie Mae

The Misadventures of Maggie Mae- Book 1

By Beth Yarnall

Synopsis

Making up, making out, and tracking a murderer…

A Maggie Mae Misadventure

Rearranging your cheating boyfriend’s family jewels isn’t a crime—unless your boyfriend is an Arizona state senator. And he happens to have a bullet in his chest.

Caught at the scene of the crime, Maggie Mae Castro is the only suspect, and the only one who saw the senator’s real killer—the skank ho he was cheating on her with.

FBI Special Agent Clive Poole has been shadowing the senator’s every move for nearly a year. He’s wanted Maggie from afar and knows she didn’t kill the senator, but with temptation close enough to touch, it’s now his job to protect her from danger.

Maggie finds herself falling for a man who knows everything about her, from her juvie record to her shoe size. But when they learn the senator was not what he seemed, and Maggie becomes the target of not one, but two killers bent on hiding their secrets, keeping Maggie safe is going to be even more difficult for Clive than sticking to his “hands off” policy.

Warning: Contains inappropriate make-out sessions, flying bullets, a senator with secrets, designer shoe abuse, and a vegetarian Special Agent who’s incredibly attracted to a woman who slathers her bacon cheeseburgers with PB&J. We’re talking about Maggie Mae Castro here—you never know what’s going to go down.

Buy: Amazon / Barnes and Noble / IBooks

Tina’s Review

Micro Novella, under 100 pages.
She’s been framed for murdering (and desecrating) her ultra-conservative senator boyfriend. He’s been surveilling the Senator for nearly a year and knows she’s not the killer. There’s a certain Stephanie Plum-esque vibe going on here. Surprisingly, there’s a full story packed in so short a page-span! The characters are likable, the dialogue is witty and smart, the plot is complete and full, it flows smoothly. The conflicts are resolved with little predictability. There’s a satisfying conclusion to this particular “episode”, with more to come. A fun, quick read!

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Author Bio:

Best selling author, Beth Yarnall writes romantic suspense, mysteries and the occasional hilarious tweet. For a number of years, Beth made her living as a hairstylist and makeup artist and co-owned a salon. Somehow hairstylists and salons always seem to find their way into her stories. Beth lives in Southern California with her husband, two sons, and their dog where she is hard at work on her next novel.

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ARC Review : Maya -And The- Tough Guy by Carter Ashby – Big Girl Panties Series – Book 2

Posted on 01/22/2015 by shellbellereads

Maya ~And The~ Tough Guy

Big Girl Panties Series – Book 2

By Carter Ashby

Synopsis

Maya Bradley is on her own now. With the help of her dear friends, Zoey and Addy, she’s determined to give her children the lives they deserve, away from their abusive father. But the journey is destined to be difficult, and she meets her first roadblock when she asks sexy, tattooed bar owner, Jayce Gilmore, for a job serving drinks.

Jayce has two reasons for not wanting to hire Maya. One: she deserves a more respectable job. And two: he’s been madly in love with her since he was a young boy. But when he finally realizes how desperate she is for work, he has no choice but to bring her on.

With Maya struggling to earn a living, get an education, and raise two children, Jayce finally finds himself in a position to help her. And though she isn’t interested in a relationship, Maya is showing definite signs of physical attraction. Jayce is sure he can keep his love hidden and fulfill her every fantasy. Unfortunately, he has severely underestimated the needs of his heart. As the moment of truth fast approaches, Maya must decide whether to break a tough guy’s heart, or open her fragile soul to the risks that come with loving again.

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Tina’s Review

This is the second book in the Big Girl Panties series. It can stand alone, but would be more meaningful if you’ve read book one first.
Eight years ago, Jayce and Maya almost had a “moment” on the night of their high school prom. When she backed out, Jayce was kind about it. He took her home and gave her his number. That was the night that irrevocably changed Maya’s life forever. With Maya trying to gain some independence after a lengthy healing process and having Damon arrested, she tries to find a job. Not an easy task for someone afraid of her own shadow. After discovering the lengths she’ll go to to provide for her children, Jayce employs her. Suddenly he’s nearly as afraid of her as she is of him!
Emotional. I laughed, I cried. I love Maya and if I thought she broke my heart in the first book, it was nothing compared to this one. Jayce pulls off such a strong and confident persona for the world, but inside, he’s still pretty broken too. What a wonderful pair. The secondary characters are terrific. They are strong and supportive without trying to take over the plot. The interaction and dialogue is real… it sucks you in, makes you *feel*. The plot is terrific and the story flowed quite smoothly. The conflicts are plentiful, some minor while some are complex and most were resolved. It’s a small puzzle piece, but no further mention is made of Maya’s dad’s outcome. Predictability was not obvious. This story concludes well, but leaves you anticipating Addy and Grey’s story.

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Author Bio:

When I got my first email from the man who would one day be my husband, it was very clear that he did not want to email me. Friends had set us up and he was obviously bowing to their pressure. His email consisted of a numerical list of facts about himself that he clearly meant to be the end of our correspondence.

My snarky response was a numerical list of facts about myself, and for some reason, he liked it. So that’s what I’m going to do here, since I’m not so good at writing about myself.

Carter is not my real name. Imagine how you would feel if your strictly right-wing religious family and friends found out you wrote stuff with sex and bad words in it.
I’ve been married 11 years and have three kids and two dogs.
I like to garden but I DO NOT like to talk about gardening. So please, let’s not talk about gardening.
I’m deeply introspective and welcome anyone who wants to bitch-slap me back into reality, should I float away a little too far into my own thoughts.
I think fiction is a basic and essential element of our existence as humans. I think it’s part of what makes us human. And I think we relate better to each other through stories than we do through fact–bitch slap me now, I’m getting introspective.
I’m a little flighty about hobbies. Reading, writing, and bread baking are the only ones that have stood the test of time. Current hobbies include mixing drinks, making mead, gardening, fermenting stuff from the garden…I think that’s all at the moment.
I’ll read anything. Most of my loved ones stick to their favorite genre, so I will go read what they’re reading so we can have stuff to talk about at the dinner table.
I homeschool my children. Not because of religious reasons. Not because I hate the system (although I’m not overly fond of it). But because I just want to be with them. And playing school is fun. Remember that? Playing teacher and making your younger sister do a bunch of homework? Was that just me?
Last one: The first time I dropped out of college was because I was having one of those existential crises teenagers are so fond of having. When I went home, I found stacks and stacks of notebooks in my closet full of unfinished (and god-awful) stories. I didn’t even remember writing them. But that’s when I realized that I was a writer. Because I have to do it. It’s who I am. The publishing thing is virgin territory, but I have always, and always will, write. Because I have to.

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Saucy Southern Readers

professional, honest, and timely book reviews

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