New Release + 5 Star Review: Being Brooke by Emma Hart

Posted on 12/14/2016 by shellbellereads

My name is Brooke Barker…

And I’m a freaking disaster.

No, seriously. I’m a college drop-out working a dead-end job, my best friend Carly’s dog gets more action than I do, and I have more bad dates in my diary than there are movie remakes.

Not to mention I’m completely and utterly in love with Cain Elliott.

The problem? He’s in a relationship. With a girl who’s so plastic she makes Barbie cry herself to sleep with jealousy.

The second problem? He’s my best friend.

My shut-up-and-put-harry-potter, yes-this-is-your-shirt, help-I-have-no-power, crap-I’m-out-of-tampon, kinda best friend.

And that’s all he can be, right?

Right.

Being Brooke is a standalone romantic comedy. Hilarious, super-sexy, and possibly highly inappropriate at times, this is the perfect feel-good read!

Amazon / iBOOKS / B&N

Cain’s phone begins to buzz on the table. The screen lights up, and the short name on the screen makes me have to fight a frown.
I know it’s Nina. It always is. It’s like she has a Brooke-dar. She can sense whenever Cain and I are alone and hanging out.
My heart sinks, slowly but heavily, and I school my expression into one of not caring. I refuse to look away from the TV now.
Cain hands me his pizza box, which I take, begrudgingly, then he leans forward and grabs his phone. He waits for the buzzing to stop, then unlocks it and turns it off vibrate.
Then? Then he shoves it under the table, screen down.
Ho. Lee. Shit.
I gape at him. I can’t help it.
A piece of pepperoni drops off the slice of pizza in my hand—the same one that’s frozen halfway to my mouth as I stare at him in total disbelief. Did he really just do it?
“What?” Cain shrugs and takes his box back, grabbing a piece of half-eaten, meaty pizza and shoving the end in his mouth. The crust crunches as he bites down.
I swallow and glance at the coffee table. “I don’t think you’ve ever not taken a call from her.” I can’t help the derogatory way I say ’her’. It’s not intentional—honest. It’s ingrained in me to be vicious to other women. I think it’s a female thing. Self-preservation and all that.
“I don’t think I ever haven’t either.” Cain tilts his head to the side and meets my gaze, a suspicious glint in his green eyes. “But the point is, we haven’t done this in weeks, and I’m having too much fun to leave. Besides, we have all this junk food. If I don’t help you eat it, you’ll eat it all, then it’ll be my fault when your pants don’t fit.”
Oh my god.
“Does she know you’re here?” I smirk slyly and raise my eyebrows.
He shifts uncomfortably. With a cough, he puts his pizza down and grabs his beer bottle to swig from it.
Oh. My. Shitty. Life.
“She doesn’t, does she?” I sit up straight, throwing my half-slice back into my box and shoving his shoulder. “Cain!”
“No,” he mumbles, scratching the back of his ear. “She doesn’t know.”
I laugh. I can’t help it. It’s totally immature of me to delight in the fact he hasn’t told the Prissy Princess where is he and he’s ignoring her calls, but I do. It’s hilarious.
And, okay. I’m smug. Totally smug. There’s only one reason he hasn’t told her, and that’s because she hates me too.
Bitchy Best Friend Mission: Level Up!
“And tell me.” I snicker, just about holding back the volcano of laughter threatening to erupt. “Where does Nina think you are?”
“She thinks I’m at Mom’s.” He looks at me, his lips flattening into a thin line. “Stop laughing, B. No, don’t shake your damn head. I fucking mean it. She’s a little insecure over my friendship with you and Carly, that’s all. Sometimes it’s easier to just tell a… little white lie.”
“A little white lie? She thinks you’re at your mom’s!” I laugh harder and wipe at my eyes because they feel a little too wet.
“I just want the best of both worlds right now, all right?”
“What is the best of both worlds? Pizza with me and blow jobs from her?”
“She chooses not to eat gluten. Until she finds a gluten-free recipe she likes, I can’t eat pizza when she’s around.”
Which is a lot.
I raise my eyebrows again. “Your girlfriend won’t eat gluten but she’ll happily put your dick in her mouth?”
“Brooke. Don’t be a bitch.” He chucks a piece of chicken from his pizza at me, his eyes narrowing.
I’m dying. I think this is it—this is how I die, laughing at Cain’s lame excuses for lying to his girlfriend about spending time with me.
“Oh my fuck. This is hilarious. Seriously. Someone call Comedy Central.”
“Brooke.” He says my name again, this time quieter.
I stop laughing. Just about.
“I’m sorry. I just think it’s funny. You want me to be nice to her but you lie to her about spending time with me.” I shrug a shoulder and peel a piece of pepperoni off my pizza. I’m not even that hungry anymore.
He sighs, putting the top down on his box, and sits back. “She thinks there’s something going on between us.”
I laugh even harder because I might cry if I don’t.
Hi, breaking heart. Grab the tissues, yo.
There’s an awkward silence hanging between us now. It’s not the first time someone has thought that, but given that the more time I spend with Cain, the more I seem to fall for him, it’s awkward. Especially since he’s lying to her just to hang out with me.
I clear my throat and look up at him. “That’s ridiculous. You’re my best friend. Like anything would ever happen between us. I can’t put up with your shit taste in music, for a start.”
“Exactly,” he replies in a quieter voice, scratching behind his ear again. “It’s fucking stupid. I can’t stand your taste in music either. Who the fuck likes Justin Bieber?”
“People who think Kanye West should retire.”

Tracey’s Review

I’m twenty-four, it’s a Friday night, and I’m waiting in for a take-out gyros and fries in my onesie. My life is just so exciting I can barely stand it.

Brooke Barker and Cain Elliott have been best friends, oh, forever. True but secret fact? Brooke’s been in love with Cain for almost as long. True but not so secret fact? Brooke is a hot mess, and that is where all of the fun begins.

Okay, I’m just going to say this right off the bat: I freaking LOVE this book. I’m already a huge fan of Emma Hart, so I had every expectation that I would like BEING BROOKE, but, friends, she continues to delight and entertain, and, per usual, I could not put this one down.

Emma has a gift for writing books full of love, family, and friendships that have stood the test of time. Her Burke Brothers and Holly Woods series are great examples of the strength of family ties, of small town life with its quirks and joys, and the beauty of love born out of friendship. BEING BROOKE has all of these qualities, and they, along with Emma’s signature snark, sass, and humor, make this new group of characters just as lovable as her others.

Brooke is truly a mess, but she’s aware of it, and she’s living life with no filters. A large part of Brooke’s appeal is her quirkiness, and her absolute refusal to do things any differently, and her sass and determination make her a lot of fun to read.

I think that we all love to live vicariously through those characters that grab life by the throat and just live in the moment, and there is no shortage of them in this book. There were many moments in BEING BROOKE that had me laughing out loud, including those starring her hoot of a grandfather, and I enjoyed every minute of it.

Emma’s latest is a book that I cannot recommend highly enough. 2016 has been one heck of a year, so a read that has so much love, laughter, and wonderfully awkward moments earns every one of the 5+ stars that I’m giving it, and makes for one of my favorites of 2016. My recommendation? Grab BEING BROOKE and finish up your year on an up note. You will not be sorry.

***ARC generously provided for an honest review.***

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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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Release Blitz + 5 Star Review: Max by Sawyer Bennett – Cold Fury Hockey Series – Book 6

Posted on 12/13/2016 by shellbellereads

Max

Cold Fury Hockey Series – Book 6

By Sawyer Bennett

Buy: Amazon / B & N / IBooks / Kobo

Synopsis

The Carolina Cold Fury’s hot new star shows his bad-boy teammates that even nice guys can score big in this steamy hockey romance from the bestselling author of Ryker and Hawke (“Sexy, emotional, and fantastic!” —Sandi Lynn).

The ice is a cold mistress. As the league’s most eligible goalie, Max Fournier has access to his fair share of willing puck bunnies, but right now he’s more interested in bringing home another championship than a one-night stand. A romantic at heart, Max believes in love; he’s just not great at relationships. So when he finally meets a nice girl who’s not blinded by his celebrity, he’s feeling the heat—and the pressure to save her from herself.

Between working two jobs and raising her sister’s kids, Julianne Bradley doesn’t have time for sports—or men. All she knows about Max is that he’s the sexiest customer to ever grace her gas-station counter. And he sees past her tired eyes and makes Jules yearn for things she can’t have: a glamorous fling, a passionate lover, and the time to enjoy both. Max makes her feel like Cinderella, even though Jules has enough baggage to crush a glass slipper. Luckily, he’s no prince—only a fierce competitor determined to win her heart.

Michel’s Review

The Cold Fury Hockey team is back on the pages and playing with our hearts once again. Up on the roster is the prince charming of the team. Goalie Max Fournier, the guardian of the net, is doing more than deterring pucks. He’s scoring big in our hearts.

Max is one of the most eligible bachelors in the league. Unlike most of his single teammates, he’s not a player. He doesn’t want the puck bunnies or easy hookups. He believes in love and lasting relationships. At this time in his life he’s not looking for a potential relationship. His focus is on his career as a goalie. His love of the game keeps him focused on his goals. Fresh off of an injury, he’s ready to get back on the ice without any distractions and play the best hockey he has ever played. He wasn’t expecting a new distraction when he stopped at a convenience store for a snack. A woman that could very well be a game changer.

Julianne is working two jobs to make ends meet. She is raising her sister’s children. Her life is consuming her. She barely has time to sleep let alone any me time. Forget about dating, romance, and relationships. When she meets Max Fournier, she knows she has encountered something special.

Max and Jules have found something special. They seem to fit perfectly. Their relationship isn’t perfect but it is magical in many ways. They are both determined people with very big hearts. Their little squabbles and pure determination kept me enchanted with their relationship. They were a very real couple working on a very realistic relationship.

Sawyer Bennett has once again delivered an enchanting romance that had me swooning. Max Fournier has stolen my heart and become my favorite Cold Fury Hockey player.

I can’t wait for the next Cold Fury bad boy to steal my heart.

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About the Author

USA Today Best-Selling author, Sawyer Bennett, is a snarky southern woman and reformed trial lawyer who decided to finally start putting on paper all of the stories that were floating in her head. She is married to a mobster (well, a market researcher) and they have two big, furry dogs who hog the bed. Sawyer would like to report she doesn’t have many weaknesses but can be bribed with a nominal amount of milk chocolate.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

Release Blitz + 5 Star Review : Jaded Hearts by Harper Sloan – Loaded Replay Series – Book 1

Posted on 12/13/2016 by shellbellereads

Jaded Hearts

Loaded Replay Series – Book 1

By Harper Sloan

Buy: Amazon

Signing with Brighthouse Records was supposed to be everything we ever wanted—our better life. Our chance at everything we never had but always wanted. All our dreams would finally come true and we were on top of the world. It was our chance at the happiness we never had in life.

Our every desire was at our fingertips and the power of that feeling was all consuming. But then it took every dream we thought would come true and it slapped us in the face with the cold hard reality.

Dreams were just that…something that floated on the cusp of untouchable, taunting you with every graze of your fingertips before slipping even further away.

Happiness…that feeling is a joke.

In the end it became painfully obvious that each of us would always have each other, but we would forever be alone.

Amazon US | Amazon UK | Amazon CA | Amazon AU | Nook | Kobo | iTunes

Goddamn, that smile is dangerous.

Who am I kidding? He is dangerous.

I do my best to ignore him, but it’s impossible. The steady brush of his arm against where mine is resting on our shared armrest constantly reminds me how much my body wants his touch. The scent of his delicious cologne hits my senses, making me want to climb in his lap and rub my face over his chest to get a potent lungful of it.

I can’t even remember the last time I was this horny, which is pathetically sad, since it was probably around the same time I actually got laid. Years. I think. Close to three. Maybe that’s why I’m a hot mess lately. I turn my head to study the side of his face and wonder if I can use this situation to my advantage. I mean, after all, we are in a ‘relationship’ now.

He turns and gives me a questioning arch of his dark brows, but I brush it off in favor of playing Disney Emoji Blitz on my phone.

By the time we had hit cruising altitude, I could hear the other men around me snoring away but not Chance. He’s fiddling with his phone, completely ignorant of the fact I’m about to start humping his leg.

“Excuse me,” I breathily say, unbuckling my belt and standing to move around him. I stand there, my head bent slightly because of the overhead, and wait. He doesn’t move, though. Instead, he drops his phone to his lap and gives me his complete attention; his eyes even dance a little like he’s finding this whole damn thing funny. “Excuse me,” I repeat, no longer breathy, and seconds away from coming.

No, that’s a lie. I’m still breathy and very much seconds away from soaking my panties even more than they already are.

His large hands grab my hips, and he guides me down on his lap with no resistance from my treacherous body.

“Not what I meant,” I say through clenched teeth, trying to sound harsh and offended, but I just sound dazed and turned on. I wiggle in his hold, trying to get free, but he’s too strong for me.

He leans up in his seat, his chest hitting my back and buries his face in my neck. I’m sure anyone who saw us would see a loving couple who just can’t keep their hands to themselves. He’s playing a dangerous game, though, because the second the solid, hard length of him presses against my backside, I forget this is supposed to be a game and squirm a little more. His teeth nip at my shoulder at the same time his groan hits my ears.

“Stop moving, Wren,” he demands, tightening his fingers on my hips.

“You’re the one who put me on your lap.” I curl my fingers over the empty seat in front of me and squeeze my eyes shut when I feel him growing harder under me.

“Yeah, because the flight attendant who just walked by had her phone out and pointed right at us. She’s doing a shit job of making it look like she’s doing something with her paperwork.” His hand comes off my hip, and he cups my jaw, turning my head to the side just when I was about to look up at where I last saw the attendant, forcing me to shift until all it would take is me throwing one leg over his body to be face-to-face. “Do not look at her,” he stresses; the sudden movement of twisting my body makes me bounce slightly in his lap, rubbing my legging-clad ass against his erection. His eyes drop to my mouth where I pull my bottom lip between my teeth and groan.

“Give me a reason not to look,” I dare him.

“You don’t want to go down that road, Wren. I’ll protect you from the world, but you need to protect yourself from me.”

“No one is asking you to.”

Not even knowing if we’re still being watched, I twist my torso the rest of the way, pulling my legs up until they’re bent at his stomach between us. Now that I’m facing him completely, I bring my hands up to curl them both around his shoulders before dragging them up to wrap around the corded muscles at the sides of his neck. His nostrils flare, but he doesn’t stop me. I give him the chance, but it never comes. Dropping my head, I press my lips to his. I explore his lips with small pecks and little licks of my tongue, learning his mouth before pressing more firmly. He sucks in a breath when I open my mouth and slowly drag the tip of my tongue over his bottom lip.

And then his control snaps.

His hands—still at my hips—lift me effortlessly until my legs are no longer folded between us, but now digging into the hard armrests with my knees pushing into his thighs, my back hitting the seat in front of me. His mouth opens, and his tongue meets mine, no hesitation whatsoever, as he deepens the kiss.

Our breathing echoes around us, making it sound like everyone on this plane could hear us, but I know it’s just because our faces are so close. I let out a moan, one that he swallows, that turns into a whine when he pulls back.

“That can’t happen again,” he softly scolds, just as breathless as I am.

What the hell? I might not have been into this whole fake-boyfriend-slash-bodyguard thing before, but I’ll be damned if I’m not going to take advantage of the situation. Especially now that I know how alive he makes me feel. Three years since I had pleasure from anything other than my own hand, and if that kiss is anything to go by, what Chance could make me feel is ten times more powerful than anything I’ve ever felt in my whole life.

I’m not passing that up.

Nope.

No fucking way.

“We’ll see about that.”

____________________________________

Michel’s Review

Harper Sloan has an exciting new series out! Loaded Replay is a rock star series that is loosely tied to the Corps Series and the Hope Town Series. This new series features the members of the band Loaded Replay. Jaded Hearts is the first book in this sensational new series.

This multi platinum band has reached super stardom throughout the world. For the past few years they have been touring non stop after releasing five multi platinum albums. The price of fame is starting to take it’s toll on all of the members. Their record company is demanding more than they can give. The media follows them every where they go. The fans are becoming obsessive. Some fans have taken obsessive to another level and it has become downright dangerous for Wrenlee Davenport, lead singer for Loaded Replay. The security the record company has provided isn’t doing their job. They are only on duty when they are playing venues or doing PR appearances to promote the label. It’s time to up their security. The other members of the band have decided to bring in an outside security company. One of the prospective security companies is Corps Security. Chance Nash ( from the Hope Town series) has been sent to represent Corps Security.

The moment Chance Nash enters Loaded Replay’s hotel suite he takes complete charge. He takes control of the reporter interviewing Wrenlee and puts a quick stop to the underhanded ploys the reporter is planning to get more of a story than Wrenlee bargained for. Wrenlee is intrigued with this powerful man that demands her attention.

Wrenlee is a very jaded soul. She has trouble putting her trust in people outside the band. She has very valid reasons. Throughout her childhood she suffered from neglect and verbal abuse from her parents. Her relationships have been just as bad. Her last boyfriend used her for her connections in the music industry. Chance Nash is changing the way she looks at life. She has finally found a man she can completely trust, a man who’s only objective is to take care of her.

Chance Nash is still reeling from an incident that almost cost his best friend’s wife her life. He takes his job very seriously. When his heart becomes involved it changes the game. He will never let anything happen to the woman he loves. He’s willing to sacrifice his job and his life if necessary.

Not only is Wrenlee learning to trust and believe in love once again, she is also beginning to take control of her personal life. It’s time for changes.

The band is also beginning to make changes in their own lives and careers. It’s a new beginning for Loaded Replay.

I absolutely loved Jaded Hearts. All of the characters in Loaded Replay were special in their own way. The dynamics between the band was loving, fun, and emotional. I loved that Chance Nash finally got his happily ever after. Harper Sloan has another sensational series to add to her accomplishments. I can’t wait to see what comes next for Loaded Replay.

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Harper is a NEW YORK TIMES, WALL STREET JOURNAL and USA TODAY bestselling author residing in Georgia with her husband and three daughters. She has a borderline unhealthy obsession with books, hibachi, tattoos and Game of Thrones. When she isn’t writing you can almost always find her with a book in hand.

Release Blitz + Excerpt + 5 Star Review: Dark Surrender by Rachel Van Dyken – The Dark Ones Saga – Book 3

Posted on 12/12/2016 by shellbellereads

Dark Surrender is LIVE and only $1.99! So snag this complete paranormal stand alone and read all about why having a male siren try to seduce you isn’t all it’s cracked up to be!

***

Dark Surrender

The Dark Ones Saga – Book 3

By Rachel Van Dyken

Buy: Amazon / B & N / IBooks / Kobo

Amazon UK / Amazon CA / Amazon AU

Synopsis

Complete Stand Alone/No Cliffhanger

Never met a male siren before?
You’re about to….

I grew up as a prince…
And lead the life of a King.
There isn’t anyone or anything that doesn’t want me, that isn’t attracted to me. They can’t help it. And I sure as hell don’t want them to. I live for their lust, I crave touch like an addiction, I make them beg on their knees for one, simple, caress.
As a male siren it’s my job to feed off emotion.
And I was happy to do it.
I am happy to do it.
What I’m not happy about? Being told I have to mate with some withering human and stay loyal to that one person for the next few centuries. There’s a war coming and being the idiot I am–I offered to take one for the team in order to help a friend.
Now my sexual appetite is taking a freaking kick in the nuts.
And I’m left wondering if it’s worth it.
If she’s worth it, with messy hair and dirty human hands.
But I have a world to save.
A job to do.
Now, if only, she would just let me do it rather than fighting me at every turn. I’ve lived lifetimes as the most irresistible being on the planet.
Only to meet my match.
With one.
Measly.
Human.
They say hells hot. They’re wrong.
Because Hope, my little human, is way hotter.
And before this is over–she may just singe me alive.

Excerpt

To say I was pissed.

To say I was angry

To say I was intrigued.

I couldn’t decide which emotion was going to win out, which made her all the more exciting. Sirens, for the most part, kept their physical appearance at a five. On a scale of one to ten, a five meant that you were clearly above average but not to the point that a person would literally sell a kidney and spleen in order to sleep with you.

No, the selling of body parts came at six.

Seven meant they were willing to commit a crime and sell body parts.

Eight was when they neared the wailing stage. I typically called it bartering, where they asked what they could possibly do in order to gain just one taste, anything, anything at all!

Nine was a rarity. I was a nine when I was tired, when I wanted a piece of ass from someone hot, and I didn’t want to make a big fuss over it. But a nine was dangerous because showing myself at a nine made it easier to wipe the individuals’ memories. Meaning I was more than likely cursing them to a life where they would never settle down because they’d be stuck comparing me to some sad human male with a beer gut, and he’d always fall short.

Even the Toms fell short.

Tom Brady.

Tom Hardy.

You get the picture.

In my entire existence, I’ve pulled a nine maybe four times. And each time I felt regretful — after all the sex had never been worthy of ruining some pathetic human’s chance at love.

And tens?

Tens weren’t done. To become a ten in front of a human would be the equivalent of a human discovering the sweetest tasting sin, the most physical and emotional ecstasy known over and over again. Add that in with good looks that made women, men, plants, atoms — you get the picture — full-on weep, and it just wasn’t done.

Never.

In fact, some might say it was forbidden.

I’d never been tempted.

Until five minutes ago.

I was currently at an eight, flirting with a ten, and she’d finally succumbed enough to fall to her knees, but when she glanced up, she blinked a few times then stood. “Sorry, I don’t know what happened.”

The hell?

I did a double take, my eyes narrowing as she shuddered before me, but still, nothing. No weeping. No sudden burst of adoration.

Nine, here I come.

I exhaled as I allowed my hair to go pure gold and my eyes to turn a shade of amber that looked like a never-ending ring of fire around my blue iris. I released waves of energy that I could see pulsing from my body with each exhale, and I was aware that she was being assaulted with my scent, a mixture of rain, fresh air, and finally a deep sweet chocolate.

The most addicting scents known to mankind.

The most cleansing scents to a human.

Her eyes widened as she gulped and then squeezed them shut and covered her face with her hands, her knees knocked together as she swayed.

“Open your eyes, human!”

“I-I’d rather not,” she said in a weak voice.

“Now!” The walls of the room shook causing a shriek to explode between her lips, and suddenly she was moving towards me and launching her plump body into the air.

Directly onto mine.

Mine.

My body.

Without any other option, I braced myself for her impact. Not that she could physically harm me, it was more of a mental brace of, oh shit the woman might be plump, but she moved with the speed of a torpedo.

I caught her in my arms.

The shaking stopped.

Her hands clung to the front of my shirt, her breathing was unsteady, her body sweaty, hot, and curvy.

I appreciated all types of beauty.

Even hers.

I would have preferred a small mate, one that I could terrify into submission — one I had no risk of falling in love with.

Because a siren in love — was a dangerous thing.

And a part of me wondered if that was what Cassius had planned all along. In order for me to be at my strongest, I needed to be in love.

Something I’d never experienced in all of my years of living, screwing, and toying with males and females alike.

“What.” I gave her a menacing glare. “The hell, do you think you’re doing?”

“I’m scared of earthquakes,” she whispered, licking her lips repeatedly until I thought I was going to go mad with the motion of her tongue sliding across the pink of her mouth. “Terrified, actually.”

“This is Seattle.” I was still holding her, for reasons beyond my realm of understanding.

“They say the next earthquake is going to be really big and half of downtown is going to slide into the Puget Sound, so excuse me for being scared!”

“And you live downtown?”

“Well… no.” Her brown eyes focused in on mine.

“Then you must visit there often?”

“No.”

I sighed impatiently. “So your fears are completely unfounded and illogical. Simply stop fearing it.”

“Easy for you to say.”

“I tire of holding you, human.” The lie fell easy; in fact, I had forgotten I was holding her until she fidgeted in my arms like she was the offended party, when I was the one who had just been assaulted. “The only thing you need to fear is me.”

“Because you…” She sighed. “You’re going to sacrifice me?”

I tried to hold the laugh in.

But it was all too ridiculous.

“Yes.” I nodded seriously, my lips twitching with the urge to smile. “The process will be painless. I’ll tie your hands and feet to the bedposts — strip you naked, and then plunge an immortal sword into your heart. You’ll need to repeat the words ut animam meam and then once you drink my blood — if it accepts you, you will live.”

Her face paled as she struggled to get out of my arms.

And then I lost it, dropping her back to her feet, laughing so hard I felt my body shook with it.

“I don’t even remember the phrase!” Her wild eyes darted between me and the bed, clearly not catching on. Joke. It was a joke.

“Well,” I lifted a shoulder and shrugged. “Then I guess you die.”

“But—”

“Better do it quickly, less pain that way.”

“What about the plants?”

My smile froze. “Either you’re extremely simple minded or mentally ill. What the hell are you talking about?”

“The—” She tugged at her low ponytail. “The plants, you know, around the grounds. I take care of them and Cassius—” Her eyes lit up. “Cassius said I was getting a promotion, so sorry, but you can’t kill me.”

I grinned. “Okay.”

She frowned.

I was still confused how she was shielding herself from my essence, but already I was mentally drained from the energy it took to get her to worship me — instead I returned to my normal everyday state and held out my hand.

She stared at it.

“Take my hand.”

“No.” She swallowed. “I think I’ll just wait for Cassius.”

“He’s already mated.”

Her eyes narrowed. “I’m not mating him.”

“No.” This, this was my favorite part, watching humans try to logically put together all of the pieces of the puzzle only to realize their brains were too small to comprehend the different parts they held, the angles, the colors, “You’re going to mate with me.”

I expected her to cry.

Maybe throw something.

Instead, she froze and then with a scream ran head first directly into my body sending me sailing backward against the marble floor.

I was caught unaware.

Meaning, I barely had time to stop myself before my head slammed back against the hard ground.

She tried to run toward the door.

“Cat and mouse.” I sighed from my position on the ground. “I always did like foreplay.”

She jerked against the doors with fervor, I’d give her that, but they wouldn’t budge.

Not until she was mine.

Not until the doors sensed my blood running through her veins.

“Why won’t it open?” Her voice was strangled as pieces of her hair fell out of its restraint and brushed against her shoulders. “You can’t keep me here forever.”

“I can.” I yawned. “I will.”

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Michel’s Review

No matter what genre Rachel Van Dyken writes, it is always an entertaining and thrilling read. The Dark Ones Saga is a unique paranormal series with werewolves, angels, vampires, elves, sirens, and demons teaming together to fight the evil forces. The unique cast of characters contributing their special gifts makes this series stand out. Each book in this series can be read as a stand alone novel or in series order. I would highly recommend reading these books in order.

Alex, the last male siren, has willingly sacrificed himself for the team. He must mate. As a siren this sacrifice is beyond the call of duty. Sirens are self serving, egotistical creatures. They don’t understand emotional connections or loving relationships. Alex has never felt that connection. He has always sought out the physical pleasures that come from sex but never sought out the emotional connections. When he met Hope he never expected to find the one thing he never knew he was searching for. But what will happen when Alex’s own darkness begins to surface? Will he succumb to the darkness or will he fight the darkness for the chance of love? Will he be able to overcome the darkness and face the evil that could overtake him? Hope is the only thing he has to hang onto.

Hope is an unexpected pleasure in Alex’s life. Hope, a botanist, sees the good in others but doesn’t give herself the same kind of insight. She suffers from feelings of abandonment from her past. Although Hope seems a bit meek and a little too sweet, she is not a pushover. She has an inner strength that is admirable. She can handle Alex with perfection. It’s more than her blood that calls to Alex.

As the forces collide, good verses evil, Alex’s and Hope’s relationship will be tested.

Rachel Van Dyken delivered another great story. I loved Alex and Hope’s journey to happiness. I love the build up heading towards the final battle against evil. I can’t wait to see what comes next in The Dark Ones Saga.

The Dark Ones

Book 1

FREE

Amazon / B & N / IBooks / Kobo

Synopsis

To touch a Dark One is death.
To talk to an immortal is suicide.
Yet, I’ve been marked by both.
A Vampire.
And the King of the immortals.
My life is no longer my own.
And now I know the truth, my life was never mine to begin with.
It was theirs.
It’s always been theirs.__

****

Untouchable Darkness

Book 2

Buy: Amazon / B & N / IBooks / Kobo

Synopsis

To love a Dark One is to invite death…

It is wrong to love her.
It is worse to want her.
It is sin to consume her.
I desire all three.

I’ve been given thirty days to prove my love to another immortal–as a human. Cursed to use nothing but the side of myself I’ve always despised to win her affection. I am Cassius, the King of the immortals, A Dark One.
And today I tasted fear for the first time.
How can I win her when my human emotions over take every ounce of logic I possess?
A darkness is brewing.
One I cannot stop as a human.
One that Stephanie, my loves visions, have shown, will be my end.
Thirty days ago I was King of the immortals.
Today I know fear.
Today I know how I will die.
By her hand.
The woman I love.

_________________________________________

Rachel Van Dyken is the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today Bestselling author of regency and contemporary romances. When she’s not writing you can find her drinking coffee at Starbucks and plotting her next book while watching The Bachelor.

She keeps her home in Idaho with her Husband, adorable son, and two snoring boxers! She loves to hear from readers!

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

New Release + 5 Star Review: Love Rehab by Louise Bay

Posted on 12/12/2016 by shellbellereads

Love Rehab

By Louise Bay

Buy: Amazon / B & N / IBooks / Kobo

Synopsis:

Ever wanted to fast forward to your happily ever after?

My name is Mackenzie Locke and I’m a loveaholic. I haven’t got a handle on men. Not even a little bit.

So I staged an intervention and booked me and my two best friends into Love Rehab, complete with a love shaman, horse therapy and a bunch of stones that promise to change my life. I’m not leaving until I’m cured.

Lesson #1: the first night of your stay, don’t have a one night stand with the hottest guy you’ve ever seen in your life.

Fail.

Lesson #2: make sure your one night stand isn’t planning on sticking around, teasing you, tempting you right back into his Levis.

Big Fail.

Lesson #3: Whoops. I forgot this one. I was too busy daydreaming about Blake McKenna’s mouth on mine and the way his five o’clock shadow feels on my thighs.

Epic Fail.

So maybe I’m not the best student. Maybe I wasted my time and money on Love Rehab. But I can’t help that I want to spend every minute with Blake, naked under the stars. Perhaps he can teach me every lesson I ever needed to learn.

A sexy, standalone, contemporary romance.

___________________________________________

Tracey’s Review

I had nothing left to lose…I couldn’t stay where I was, stuck in the cycle of rejection and confusion. Clearly, I needed professional help. I’d come to a fork in the road and I could keep traveling straight or try a new route.
I needed a cure.
I needed my plan back on track.
I needed Love Rehab.

Louise Bay has proven time and again that she is a writer of many faces. She’s got the second-chance thing, the hot executive afraid to commit, the guy next door, and, now, she’s got Blake McKenna, bio-chemist and ‘uncowboy.’ And, y’all, like every other time, I am in love.

I love the premise of this story. McKenna Locke has been through a series of failed relationships, ones that seem promising, but, well, they’re just not working. Deciding to do what any enterprising young woman would, McKenna finds Love Rehab, a sort of 7-step program for those looking to reprogram the way that they’re doing things and come out with a clearer understanding of who they are and what they want.

So, off to Christie, Oklahoma, for McKenna and her lovely and entertaining best friends, Kennedy and Rose, for a 5-day ‘experience.’ And, heck, if you’re about to rehab your love life, you might as well get started with a bang, right? Enter said ‘uncowboy,’ Blake. Sparks, flares, heat flashes, people. It takes about a hot minute for McKenna and Blake to home in on each other and, well, passion explosion.

Louise has done a great job with this book. Once that kismet bomb goes off, and McKenna and Blake begin their journey, there is nothing but love, passion, and some much-needed self-realization, and it all works together perfectly. I mean, there wasn’t a page that didn’t have me either laughing or swooning, not even one. Quirky and lovable characters, a fresh and entertaining storyline, and a love story that warmed my heart makes LOVE REHAB one of my most favorite reads lately, and certainly one of my favorites of 2016. 5+ well-earned stars for LOVE REHAB. This feel-good read should be right at the top of romance lovers’ TBRs, so grab it and enjoy.

***ARC generously provided for an honest review.***

_________________________________________

About the Author:

USA Today bestselling author, Louise Bay writes sexy, contemporary romance novels – the kind she likes to read. Her books include the novels Faithful and Hopeful and the novella series’ The Empire State Series, What the Lightning Sees and Calling Me. The novels and together the series are stand-alone although there are some overlapping characters.

Ruined by romantic mini-series of the eighties, Louise loves all things romantic. There’s not enough of it in real life so she disappears into the fictional worlds in books and films.

Louise loves the rain, the West Wing, London, days when she doesn’t have to wear make-up, being on her own, being with friends, elephants and champagne.

She loves to hear from readers so get in touch!

Facebook / Twitter / Goodreads / Amazon / Website

Excerpt Reveal + 5 Star Review: A Veil of Vines by Tillie Cole

Posted on 12/09/2016 by shellbellereads

A Veil Of Vines

By Tillie Cole

Synopsis

To most people, princes, princesses, counts and dukes are found only in the pages of the most famous of fairytales. Crowns, priceless jewels and gilded thrones belong only in childhood dreams.
But for some, these frivolous fancies are truth.
For some, they are real life.
On Manhattan’s Upper East Side, people have always treated me as someone special. All because of my ancestral name and legacy. All because of a connection I share to our home country’s most important family of all.
I am Caresa Acardi, the Duchessa di Parma. A blue blood of Italy. I was born to marry well. And now the marriage date is set.
I am to marry into House Savona. The family that would have been the royals had Italy not abolished the monarchy in 1946. But to the aristocrats of my home, the abolition means nothing at all.
The Savonas still hold power where it counts most.
In our tight-knit world of money, status and masked balls, they are everything and more.
And I am soon to become one of them.
I am soon to become Prince Zeno Savona’s wife…
… or at least I was, until I met Achille.
And everything changed.

______________________________________________

Caresa

I closed my eyes as the music pounded through my body. The air was sticky from the mass of bodies on the dance floor. My body swayed to the beat, my feet ached from the five-inch Louboutin heels I was wearing, and my skin was flushed from the copious amounts of 1990 Dom Pérignon I had consumed.
“Caresa!” My name split through the harsh sound of drums and synthesized piano notes. I rolled my eyes open and looked across our cornered-off section of the club at my best friend.
Marietta was sitting on an oversized plush couch, waving a new bottle of champagne in my direction. Laughing, I followed my throbbing feet to where she sat and slumped down beside her. In seconds, a champagne flute was in my hand and the bubbly was flowing once more.
Marietta sat forward, swishing her long blond hair over her shoulder. She raised her glass as though she was going to make a toast. But instead, her bottom lip jutted out into a pathetic pout.
I tipped my head to one side, silently asking her what was wrong.
“I was going to make a toast to the Duchessa di Parma, my very best friend,” she shouted over a new but similar-to-the-last song. “To my best friend leaving me here in dull old New York to go marry a real-life godforsaken prince in Italy.” Marietta sighed and her shoulders slumped. “But I don’t want to. Because that would mean this night is almost over, and tomorrow I lose my partner-in-crime.” A sudden sadness bloomed in my chest at her words. Then, when her eyes filled with tears, those words became a punch in the gut.
Placing my glass on the table before us, I moved forward and put my hand on her arm. “Marietta, don’t get upset.”
She put down her own drink and grabbed my hand. “I just don’t want to lose you.”
My stomach rolled. “I know,” I said. Then I didn’t say anything else, but I could see Marietta register my unspoken words. I don’t want to go either.
Keeping my hand in hers, I slumped back against the couch and let my eyes drift over the busy dance floor below. I watched the throng of Upper East Siders losing themselves in the music. A pang of fear swept through me.
This really would be my last night in New York. In the morning, I would fly to Italy, where I would live from that day on.
Marietta shuffled closer to me and cast me a watery smile. “How are you doing?” she asked as she squeezed my hand.
“I’m okay. Just nervous, I guess.”
Marietta nodded her head. “And your papa?”
I sighed. “Ecstatic. Overjoyed that his precious daughter will be marrying the prince he chose for me as a child.” I felt a pang of guilt for speaking about him so negatively. “That was uncalled for,” I said. “You know as well as I do, Baroness von Todesco” —Marietta scowled playfully at my use of her title— “that we don’t really get a choice in whom we marry.” I leaned forward and picked up my champagne. I took a long swig, enjoying the feel of the bubbles traveling down my throat. I handed Marietta her glass and raised mine in the air. “To arranged marriages and duty over love!”
Marietta laughed and clinked her glass with mine. “But seriously,” Marietta said, “are you okay? Truly okay?”
I shrugged. “I honestly don’t know how to answer that, Etta. Am I okay with the arranged marriage? I suppose so. Am I okay with moving to Italy permanently? Not really. I love Italy—it’s my home, I was born there—but it’s not New York. Everyone I know is here in America.” Marietta’s eyes softened with sympathy. “And am I okay with marrying Zeno Savona? The infamous Playboy Prince of Toscana?” I took a deep breath. “I have no idea. I guess that will become apparent in the next three months.”
“In your ‘courting period,’” Marietta said using air quotes, and snorted with laughter. “What a joke. What twenty-three-year-old woman and twenty-six-year-old man need a courting period?”
I laughed at her sassy tone, but then soberly replied, “Ones who don’t know each other at all? Ones who have to see if they can stand each other’s company before sealing their marital fates forever?”
Marietta shuffled closer. “You know as well as I do that you could hate this so-called prince, detest everything he is—and he you—and I’d still be your maid of honor at your wedding on New Year’s Eve.” She sputtered a laugh. “The very fact that the date has been set says it all. This marriage is happening.” Marietta held up her glass, got to her feet and, with arms spread wide, shouted, “Welcome to the life of the European blue bloods of the Upper East Side! Drowning in Prada and Gucci, dripping in diamonds, but having no free will to call our own!”
I laughed, pulling her back down. She broke into hysterics as her ass hit the couch, spilling champagne all over the expensive upholstery. But our laughter waned as the house lights came on one by one. The last of the dance music drifted into silence, and the rich patrons of Manhattan’s most exclusive nightclub began making their way to their limos and town cars. It was three o’clock in the morning, and I had six hours left in the city I loved beyond measure.

____________________________________________________

Michel’s Review

A Veil of Vines by Tillie Cole is a must read. I could not put this book down. It was a beautiful romance that blossomed in a world where neither of them fit.

A Veil of Vines is heaped with Italian traditions and royal hierarchy. Although Italy no longer recognizes the royal family as a ruling class, they are still prominent in the traditional customs of the Italian people.

Duchess Caresa Acardi has come to Italy to marry the heir to the Italian throne. By blood she is bound to the life long traditions of the people of Italy. She is to become their queen. Being raised in America has altered her views of love and marriage. Tradition and the family winery are at stake. In order to save the winery, the royal family has to show solidity and stability. The soon to be king has a notorious playboy reputation. He is a spoiled prince living off his family legacy. She is conflicted about her upcoming marriage to a man that she met briefly as a child. Her love for her family and their deeply tied roots is the only reasoning she can abide by. Once she arrives in Italy she finds that her heart may not be tied to the future king but is tied to the land itself.

Achille is the winemaker for the royal winery. His deep ties to the land and his innate sense of taste has made his wines beyond excellent. He will always be tied to the land. It’s his life force until he meets Caresa, his future queen.

Achille and Caresa were meant to be together. They are true soulmates. Their blood ties will never allow them to together. Achille has secrets that will always keep him bound to the land. The royal family also has secrets that will keep Achille tied to their land and their winery.

I won’t say much more except Tillie Cole did a phenomenal job writing this book. The beautiful descriptions brings the reader to Italy. This emotional story is more than a royal romance. It is a book of deep abiding love for tradition and love for the land. It is a special love story that truly shows what matters most in the heart.

I highly recommend A Veil Of Vines by Tillie Cole.

___________________________________________________________

Tillie Cole hails from a small town in the North-East of England. She grew up on a farm with her English mother, Scottish father and older sister and a multitude of rescue animals. As soon as she could, Tillie left her rural roots for the bright lights of the big city.

After graduating from Newcastle University with a BA Hons in Religious Studies, Tillie followed her Professional Rugby player husband around the world for a decade, becoming a teacher in between and thoroughly enjoyed teaching High School students Social Studies before putting pen to paper, and finishing her first novel.

Tillie has now settled in Austin, Texas, where she is finally able to sit down and write, throwing herself into fantasy worlds and the fabulous minds of her characters.

Tillie is both an independent and traditionally published author, and writes many genres including: Contemporary Romance, Dark Romance, Young Adult and New Adult novels.

When she is not writing, Tillie enjoys nothing more than curling up on her couch watching movies, drinking far too much coffee, while convincing herself that she really doesn’t need that extra square of chocolate.

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Release Blitz + 2016 Favorite + Excerpt + 5 Star Review + Giveaway: Worth Fighting For by Kirsty Moseley – Fighting To Be Free – Book 2

Posted on 12/06/2016 by shellbellereads

Worth Fighting For

Fighting To Be Free – Book 2

By Kirsty Moseley

Buy: Amazon / B & N / ITunes / Kobo

Synopsis

Kirsty Moseley brings us the sequel to Fighting to be Free.

Sometimes in life you have to walk away . . .

Leaving Jamie Cole was the hardest thing Ellie Pearce ever had to do. Somehow, she moved on. She made a new life in a new city with a new man. So when a family tragedy calls Ellie back home, she believes all her old feelings for Jamie-the hunger, the heat, the heartbreak-are safely behind her. But the second she lays eyes on him, the intensity of their connection is as strong as ever.

Sometimes you stay and fight . . .

Jamie knows pain. He’s felt it fighting in the streets, and he felt it fighting to survive in prison. Yet nothing he’s experienced has been as painful as the day Ellie left-until the moment she came back. This time Jamie is determined to hold on to Ellie forever. But as much as she still loves him, she can’t ignore the dark world he’s now a part of. Jamie has enemies. Dangerous ones. And after seeing Jamie with Ellie, they know exactly how to take him out . . .

Excerpt

“’Tis better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all.” Alfred, Lord Tennyson, said that in some poem in the 1800s. In my opinion, Alfred, Lord Tennyson, was full of shit.

Maybe Lord Tennyson had never truly loved someone; maybe he’d never cared for someone else more than he cared for himself, because if he had, if he’d loved someone so deeply he’d been willing to die for them, how could he have written such a horseshit line? I’m merely speculating, of course. I’m no academic, so I know nothing about the guy other than that one quote. So how then, you may ask, does my opinion so vehemently disagree with his?

Because I was in love once.

Only once.

And I lost her.

And I would give any fucking thing in the world to have never loved her at all. No, it most definitely is not better to have loved and lost..

Fuck love. And fuck Lord Tennyson.

Michel’s Review

After the highly emotional cliffhanger in Fighting To Be Free by Kirsty Moseley, I have been sitting on pins and needles for this book to release. I was dying for the conclusion to Jamie and Ellie’s story. Worth Fighting For was well worth the wait. It went beyond my expectations and delivered a very emotional and realistic conclusion. Kirsty Moseley took great care with delivering this story. She paid attention to details, allowed the characters to realistically mature, she allowed them to develop as individuals with embracing both the good and the bad, and she gave them new emotional hurdles to jump. I was glued to the pages as the rest of their story began to unfold.

Worth The Fight is not a stand alone novel. It is the sequel to Fighting To Be Free.

I wasn’t prepared for the sequel to be as heartbreaking as the first book. The first chapter delivers a devastating tragedy that sets the course for the rest of this book. At the end of the first book Jamie was serving time in prison. He set Ellie free to pursue her dreams of traveling Europe. Three years later Jamie is out of prison and now a crime boss. He embraced the life he desperately tried to be free of. His life is emotionless until Ellie returns home. He has to face the heartbreak and his past mistakes. He has to make choices that could affect Ellie’s life as well. He also wants to win her love but knows it’s impossible.

Ellie spent a year traveling through Europe trying to heal from the devastating heartbreak of losing Jamie. After the year was up she chose to stay in London. She has finally moved on in life. She is engaged and happy in London. Or so she thought until tragedy struck and she was forced to return home. Upon returning home she realizes that she has been running and avoiding her emotions.

I won’t say much more because this is a story the reader needs to experience for themselves. The one thing that stayed true was the matters of the heart. Jamie and Ellie had a deep abiding love for one another. They truly needed the time apart to learn what matters most in life. They both needed to grow up. Ellie needed a doses of reality because she had viewed the world through rose colored glasses. Jamie needed to become a independent man and make his own choices. He needed to find his own footing whether it was good or bad. The people of his past no longer controlled his life or future, only he had that power now.

The one thing that was evidently clear was they were both Fighting To Be Free. They had to learn that love is Worth Fighting For.

Kirsty Moseley’s writing was flawless. She delivered perfection in this powerful conclusion to the Fighting To Be Free story.

_________________________________

Fighting To Be Free

Fighting To Be Free Series – Book 1

By Kirsty Moseley

Buy: Amazon / B & N / IBooks / Kobo

Synopsis

FIGHTING TO BE FREE

All his life, people have told Jamie Cole that he was born bad. Maybe it’s true, maybe it’s not. But that doesn’t matter now. Because after a lifetime of demons, Jamie has finally found an angel.

Ellie Pearce learned the hard way that boys can’t be trusted. But the night she meets Jamie, something shifts. He’s different: brooding, a bit dark, determined to change. The connection they share is intense, compelling. Ellie tries to resist, but with each breathtaking kiss, she can’t help falling deeper.

Things between Ellie and Jamie are perfect-and perfection can’t last. When fate goes horribly wrong, Jamie’s only hope of saving his family is to strike a deal with the devil. Most of all, Jamie wants to prove he’s the person Ellie believes him to be. But if she learns just how much he’s been hiding, Ellie won’t be able to believe anything Jamie has ever told her . . .

____________________________________________________________

Kirsty Moseley has always been a passionate reader with stories brewing in her head. Once she discovered Wattpad, she finally posted a story. Seven million reads later, she self-published her debut novel, The Boy who Sneaks in my Bedroom Window, which later became a finalists for the 2012 Goodreads’ Choice Awards. Kirsty lives in Norfolk, England with her husband and son.

Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Instagram ~ Pinterest ~ Goodreads

**********

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Release Blitz + Excerpt + 5 Star Review + Giveaway: Going Under by Lexi Ryan – The Blackhawk Boys Series – Book 3

Posted on 12/06/2016 by shellbellereads

Going Under

The Blackhawk Boys – Book 3

By Lexi Ryan

Blurb

If I met Alexandra DeLuca for the first time today, I would only need one word to describe her:

MINE. She’s everything she was when we said goodbye. Beautiful, stubborn, sweet…and off-limits.

After two years leading separate lives, our worlds have collided. Now that she’s back home working and taking classes beside me, she’s bound to make me lose my mind.

She’s all I’ve ever wanted, all I’ve ever dreamed of, and the one thing I can never have.

Not because she’s my best friend’s sister.
Not because all four DeLuca brothers would come at me with fists swinging if I hurt her.
Not even because she’s way better than I will ever deserve.

I keep my distance because we didn’t meet for the first time today. We met five years ago when I was a different person. When my demons ruled me. Even though I’ve changed–even though I’ve gotten my life together and become a better man–I can’t change the past. And the secrets that haunt me would destroy her.

But I’m not the only one with secrets, and when the truth comes out, I don’t know where to turn. What do you do when your world washes away beneath your feet and you feel like you’re drowning? What do you do when the woman you promised yourself you’d never touch is the only thing that can keep you from going under?

GOING UNDER is a standalone novel and the third set in the world of The Blackhawk Boys series.

Football. Secrets. Lies. Passion. These boys don’t play fair. Which Blackhawk Boy will steal your heart?

ADD TO GOODREADS

Purchase Links

AMAZON US / UK / CA / AU
B&N / KOBO / iBOOKS
GOOGLE PLAY

Excerpt

He steps forward, close enough that I can feel his heat. “Do what?”

“Spend time with me. Come to my rescue. Make sure I make it home safely.” I wave a hand. “All of it. You don’t owe me anything.”

“You think I’m here out of a sense of obligation?” He laughs. “Fuck, that’s insane.”

“Is it? Can we just talk about the elephant in the room?” I ask him.

He’s staring at me, and it takes a few beats for him to process that I’ve spoken. I’d laugh if seeing him drunk didn’t also unsettle something deep inside me, some old part of me that still wants Sebastian to be my rock. But I’m not the girl recovering in the hospital anymore. I’m not the girl crying at her sister’s grave. Those experiences are part of who I am now, but I’m more, too. I’m stronger. I don’t need Sebastian’s strength to hold me steady. Or I shouldn’t.

I tuck my hands into my pockets. “Two years ago, the night before I left for Colorado…” He goes still, and I can’t make myself finish the sentence.

“I crossed a line,” he says.

I snort. God, the problem isn’t that he crossed a line—it’s that he didn’t. “Are you serious right now?”

He cuts his eyes to me again, the muscle ticking in his jaw. “It was a mistake, and you’re obviously still angry with me about it.”

I step away from him and wrap my hands around the porch rail. If I let myself look at him, I’ll overanalyze every expression that crosses his face. I realize I’m holding my breath and exhale. “It was a shitty thing for you to do.”

He’s silent for several heavy beats of my heart. When I can’t stand the silence anymore, I release the railing and turn to face him. “Let me make sure I understand,” he says. “Since I almost kissed you two years ago, I can’t walk you home anymore?”

“I don’t want…” I take a breath as I search for the words to explain how this makes me feel. “I don’t want a pity friendship.”

“What the fuck is a pity friendship?”

“It’s when you spend time with someone because you don’t want them to be alone.”

“You’re an expert on what I want now?”

“I think you made it perfectly clear what you do and don’t want from me two years ago.”

He takes half a step forward, and his gaze drops to my mouth. Can you feel someone looking at your lips? Because his gaze is so intense on my mouth right now that I’m sure I could close my eyes and still feel it as distinctly as a touch. “Dammit, Alex, if I’d have known you’d hold such a grudge for thirty seconds of weakness, I would have kissed you that night. Fuck my better judgment. At least then I’d know how you taste.”

I swallow hard and tell my pounding heart not to make more of this than it is. “You’re drunk, Sebastian.”

Stepping back, he drags a hand over his face. “Yeah.” He takes another step back. “Good night, Alex.”

I unlock the door and go inside, shutting it behind me without looking at him again. Slowly, I take the stairs up to my old room, close the door behind me, and lean against it. Only then do I allow myself to squeeze my eyes shut and take a long, deep breath to calm my racing heart.

His words replay in my head, making the muscles in my stomach grow tight. Just once I’d like Sebastian Crowe to make good on one of the fantasies he inspires. Just once I’d like him to follow me into this room and lock the door before pushing me against it and lowering his mouth to mine. I’d like to feel those rough hands slide under my shirt to unbutton my jeans…

I pull out my phone and text Bailey, letting her know I made it home okay. Then, without washing my face or changing my clothes, I fall into bed, close my eyes, and break a promise to myself by fantasizing about Sebastian Crowe.

“At least then I’d know how you taste.”

___________________________________

Michel’s Review

The Blackhawk Boys are back! Going Under by Lexi Ryan is the third release in this dynamic new adult series. This series is a combination of new adult romance loaded with emotional angst and sports romance featuring the college gridiron heroes. The dynamic cast of characters is diverse in personalities and life circumstances. The one thing they have in common is their deep abiding friendships with one another.

***

Going Under is my favorite book in the series. This book was a complex and very emotional story from beginning to end. My heart broke for both of these characters.

Sebastian Crowe has loved Alexandra Deluca for years. She is the one girl that is off limits because she is his best friend’s sister. Not only is she off limits, she’s too good for him. His past history is not a good one. He could of easily ended up on the wrong side of the law. Instead he has spent the past few years changing his ways after a tragedy happened. That night forever changed both him and Alexandra.

***

Alexandra is back in town after being away for years. She has been living in her dead twin sister’s shadow. She’s filled with guilt and remorse. She has returned home to start her own life and let go of the past. It’s time to start learning to love herself. One of the things she has to let go of is her attraction to Sebastian Crowe.

***

Alexandra is working in Sebastian’s family garage as well as going to the same school. They are thrown together at work and school. Both are trying to resist their attraction to one another for very different reasons.

****

As the truths come out and the layers are peeled away, these two people deserve happiness together. Sebastian will have to overcome his self loathing and embrace the goodness in his soul. Alexandra will have to learn to accept and love herself before she can truly love Sebastian.

***

I loved the emotional growth in both the characters. They both had to get past their painful pasts and learn how to move on. They both had to accept their pain as well as their personal victories.

***

Lexi Ryan delivered a truly emotional story.

______________________________________

Also Available

Football. Secrets. Lies. Passion.

These boys don’t play fair.

Which Blackhawk Boy will steal your heart?

To celebrate the release of GOING UNDER, the first book in The Blackhawk Boys series is on sale for $0.99 (regularly $4.99 USD). All the books in the series can be read as standalones!

99c SALE

AMAZON US / UK

B&N / KOBO / iBOOKS

GOOGLEPLAY

AMAZON US / UK / CA / AU

B&N / KOBO / iBOOKS

GOOGLE PLAY

COMING IN 2017

#4 Falling Hard – Keegan’s story

iBOOKS PRE-ORDER#5 In Too Deep – Mason’s story

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Author Bio

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of emotional romance that sizzles, Lexi enjoys reading, sunshine, a good glass of wine, and rare trips to the beach.Lexi lives in Indiana with her husband, two children, and neurotic dog. You can find her at her website: http://www.lexiryan.com/

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Holiday Release Blitz + 5 Star Review + Giveaway: Christmas On Crimson Mountain by Michelle Major

Posted on 12/06/2016 by shellbellereads

Christmas On Crimson Mountain

By Michelle Major

Buy: Amazon / B & N / ITunes / Kobo

Synopsis

LOVE ON THE MOUNTAIN

Peace and quiet—that’s all Connor Pierce wanted from the rented cabin on Crimson Mountain. Yet the caretaker turned out to be lovely April Sanders—a total distraction. As were the two little girls she was caring for. Connor’s plan to forget his painful past soon detoured into giving the ladies a Christmas to remember.

Being named guardian of two motherless girls has upended April’s world. Add to the mix a mysterious, brooding writer claiming he wanted to be left alone while going out of his way to bring a little joy to the girls, and she has quite the quandary. April had counted herself out of a happy ending. But maybe Santa still had a few surprises up his merry old sleeve…

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Excerpt

“Thank you for taking care of me these past couple of days.”

She sniffed. “It’s my job.”

He acknowledged her words with a small nod, or maybe it was the bitterness creeping into her tone that he recognized. “How are Ranie and Shay?”

“Do you really care?”

“Yes.” He sighed. “Even though I don’t want to care. The other night…on the highway…it affected me. Hearing that scream when the car slid on the road and the headlights moving closer.” He paused and a shudder ran through him. “I’m sorry I disappeared, but I wasn’t fit company for anyone after that.”

“It’s fine.” She tried to hold on to her anger even as it slipped through her body like grains of sand through her fingers. She needed that anger. It was safer with this man. Safer for her heart. “You don’t owe me an explanation.”

“I want to give you one anyway.” His hold on her gentled and he rubbed his thumb over the sensitive flesh on the inside of her wrist. “I’ve missed you, April. I’ve spent the past three years alone, and suddenly I’m lonely without you. I stopped caring. I didn’t think I had it in me to care, and I’m still so turned around. Every little thing sets me off and I can’t stop it. But I also can’t stop wanting to be near you. It doesn’t make sense.”

She closed her eyes against the onslaught of emotions that poured through her at his words and the gentle pressure to her skin.

“Do you know,” he asked, shifting so close now that she could feel his breath against her hair, “that I listen for the door to close after you leave and rush down to the kitchen because your scent lingers after you’re gone?”

She huffed out a laugh that sounded breathless to her own ears. “Are you saying I smell?”

“Like lavender and vanilla. I’ve made an idiot of myself the past two days following traces of you around the house.”

“Why are you telling me this?”

“Because I want you to know what you do to me, even if I should stay away. It’s better for both of us if I turn around and walk back to my bedroom until you’re gone.”

She waited a moment, but he didn’t move. “You’re not walking.”

“Hell if I can make myself go.”

“Don’t go,” she whispered. Slowly, as if she were gentling a stray animal, she lifted her hand. Her finger brushed the prickly strands of his dark beard, and his lips parted.

“I forgot to shave,” he muttered.

“Too busy?”

He took a breath, released it and then nodded. “Writing.”

“Connor,” April whispered. “That’s wonderful.”

He shrugged and looked away. “Who knows how long it will last. But the words are coming. So damn many, drowning me with their force. It’s like…”

She pressed her palm to his cheek, gratified when he leaned into it. “Like what?”

“Like it used to be.” He said the words softly, as if they were an apology. April could feel the tension in his body and wished, just for a moment, she could transfer his pain to herself. Give him a few seconds of remembering what it was like to live without the weight of guilt and sorrow bearing down on him.

“Look at me,” she said, moving closer to him, pressing into his warmth. His arms came around her waist, his hands splayed open against her back. She could feel their heat and strength through the thin cotton of her pajama shirt. So much talent flowed out of those hands. The worlds he created within his imagination and put on paper for readers to discover. “You have a gift, Connor Pierce.”

“It’s not—”

“Don’t say it. Whatever you’re thinking.” She brushed her lips over his. “Those words are in you. The stories you write are part of you.”

“How can they still be there when I’m dead inside, April? They were part of my life before, but now I’m—”

“You’re here,” she told him, and held her hand to his chest. His heartbeat was strong and sure under her palm. “With me. Now.”

“You make me feel things I’d thought I lost the capacity to feel. You make me want things—” His voice broke off as he drew in another deep breath. He leaned down until their foreheads touched. They stood that way for several long moments, her lips just grazing his. She breathed him in and it felt like she was pulling his essence into her lungs. Like he was part of her. A part she thought she’d lost after the illness and heartbreak that had changed who she was inside.

“I’m sorry I can’t be the man you deserve,” he whispered. “I’ll hurt you and girls. I hurt everyone—”

“Not now.” She pressed her mouth to the base of his neck, tasted the salt on his skin and wanted more. “This moment is ours.”

He claimed her mouth then, kissed her until the feel and taste of him was all she knew. Everything else burned away in the flame that was her need for him. He pulled her closer, if that was possible. Their tongues tangled and his hands skimmed under the shirt and up her spine, sending tingles as they moved. His kiss was demanding and consuming, and every inch of her body burned for him. For more.

His lips trailed over her jaw and he nipped at the sensitive flesh of her earlobe. “Will you stay?”

The simple question rocked her. How was it that such a longing could have been buried inside her and she’d never guessed? Even at her most in-love-and-alive, she’d never felt anything quite like the force of her desire for Connor. Still, she shook her head. “I have to go back in case the girls need me. If Shay wakes up…”

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Tracey’s Review

What makes a holiday read a winner for me? Beyond the snow, the caroling, and the cookies, there has to be that extra something, that bit that hits me in the heart and leaves me feeling uplifted and renewed. CHRISTMAS ON CRIMSON MOUNTAIN by author Michelle Major hits the marks in every way, and left me feeling just like I’d hoped.

Each of the main characters in this book have suffered loss at a significant level. Sickness, disease, death, all have made their mark on April, Connor, Shay, and Ranie. They have been left the worse for their experiences, and there are so many barriers to break down, but what makes this book a good holiday read is the prospect of hope that it delivers.

Author Connor Pierce has put himself on permanent shutdown since the tragic death of his wife and son. Hoping that the solitude of Crimson, CO, will help him break through a bad case of writer’s block, he is less than pleased that the woman acting as caretaker during his visit is also taking care of two young girls. Connor is the epitome of broken, unwilling and unable to connect with people since the loss of his family. Having had a rough time of things themselves, April Sanders and her two young charges need love and compassion more than anything else. In a lovely and heartwarming way, these four broken people find a safe place in each other, and, ultimately, find themselves.

I especially love Ranie and Shay, the young girls in April’s care. They are great examples of the resilience of youth, and just blossom under Connor’s and April’s attention. Ranie is everything you’d expect in a snarky 12-year-old, but, beneath the sass and prickliness, she’s just a girl that’s had to deal with far too much in her young life. And, Shay, sweet Shay, is like a true ray of sunshine, even having lost so much. These girls do so much to bring Connor and April together, and to make the story that much more lovely.

CHRISTMAS ON CRIMSON MOUNTAIN was my first of Michelle’s books, but it will not be my last. If you’re having a hard time getting into the spirit of the season, pour yourself some eggnog and snuggle up with this 4.5 ‘heartwarming, feels like home’ star read and prepare to fall in love.

***ARC generously provided for an honest review.***

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About Michelle Major:

Michelle Major grew up in Ohio but dreamed of living in the mountains. Soon after graduating with a degree in Journalism, she pointed her car west and settled in Colorado. Her life and house are filled with one great husband, two beautiful kids, a few furry pets and several well-behaved reptiles. She’s grateful to have found her passion writing stories with happy endings. Michelle loves to hear from her readers at http://www.michellemajor.com.

Connect with Michelle: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | Amazon

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Release Blitz + 5 Star Review: Nico by Sarah Castille – Ruin & Revenge Series – Book 1

Posted on 12/06/2016 by shellbellereads

Nico

Ruin & Revenge Series – Book 1

By Sarah Castille

Release Date: December 6, 2016

Pre Order: Amazon / B & N / ITunes / Google Play

Synopsis

Las Vegas Mafia boss Nico Toscani is used to getting what he wants, whether it is having the City of Sin under his rule or a beautiful woman in his bed. But when he meets his match in the gorgeous, headstrong Mia Cordano, the daughter of a rival crime lord, all bets are off . . . Sexy computer hacker Mia struggles to break free of her ruthless father’s Mafia ties . . . but she can’t resist the powerful and seductive Nico, who will stop at nothing to possess her. With their families locked in a brutal war for control of the city, Mia and Nico enter into a forbidden game. Will they surrender to the passion that burns between them and risk tearing apart their families? Or will Nico be forced to betray the only woman who sets his blood on fire?

Excerpt

He sensed her before he saw her. The soft thud of her boots, whispers in the air, the intoxicating scent of her perfume. Not wanting to ruin the moment, he kept his eyes averted until he finished his call. When he finally looked up, he saw an angel, dressed as the devil, to tempt him beyond original sin.

“Hello, Mr. Mob Boss.”

Hunger like he’d never known before took over him at the sound of her voice—husky and throaty in a way that made him think about pushing her to places where they would both lose their self-control.

She tapped her foot, and his gaze dropped to her boots. Cristo! She rocked her sexy punk clothes like no other woman he’d met, and more than anything he wanted to get under her skin. He wanted to know what made her tick, what music she listened to, what she liked to eat, and whether her apartment was as offbeat as her clothes. He wanted to know what it was about her that made a powerful Toscani capo with an empire to run want to spend the evening in a pool hall waiting for her to appear.

“Mia.” Her name on his lips was a sensual treat. “You’re lucky I’m a patient man.”

She snorted a laugh. “You are not a patient man. A patient man would have waited to bump into me on the street or at a wedding or a funeral, of which I expect there will be many after people see you here with me. An impatient man lays siege until he gets what he wants.”

“Do I get what I want?” He leaned forward and licked his lips, his entire being focused on her. An entire SWAT team could have run into the building throwing grenades and shooting machine guns, and he would have been totally unable to drag his gaze away.

“Depends what it is.”

“How about you in my bed?” He wasn’t usually so direct with the women he was trying to seduce, but playing it safe wasn’t going to work with a strong woman like Mia. He had to prove himself worthy and he could only do that by taking risk. Although he tried to convince himself he had come to honor a debt, the reality was he couldn’t stay away.

“You’ve wasted one of your three wishes. Try again.”

Nico frowned. “I thought I was forgiven.”

“Because I accepted a ride from you, and you fixed my car? Because I gave you a little thank-you kiss? Gratitude for a kind deed doesn’t equal forgiveness. And forgiveness doesn’t equal sex.”

Sex.

His assessing gaze drifted down her body, taking in the quick flutter of the pulse in her neck, the slight flush on her cheeks, and the bead of her nipples pressed against her thin tank top. He felt the impact of her desire deep in his groin. Fuck. Thirty seconds with her and he was perilously close to losing his self-control. Again.

“Are you done checking me out, Mr. Mob Boss?”

Cristo. Every word from her mouth went straight to his cock. Women didn’t talk to Nico with amused disdain. They didn’t accept his gifts and walk away. They didn’t make him wait three hours in a pool hall for the honor of their presence.

“You are a beautiful woman,” he said honestly. “You deserve a man who knows how to please a woman in bed.”

Her lips tipped at the corners, and she walked without hesitation between his parted legs sending all the wrong messages to the right part of his body. “And that would be you?”

“Yes.”

Heat sizzled in the air between them, and she dropped her gaze but, not before he saw the truth in her eyes. Yes, she wanted him. But she was going to make him work damn hard for the privilege of finding out what she hid beneath those badass punk clothes.

Boldly, he smoothed his hand up her thigh to curve around her hip. Pulling her closer, he gestured her down, pressed his lips to her ear. “You are wet for me, bella. Hot. I hear your need in the quickness of your breath, see it the flush in your cheeks, your nipples tight and begging for my touch, and if I stroked you, gently rubbed my thumb over your clit, you would come for me, and you would scream my name.”

Her breath hitched, ever so softly, and then she pulled away. “Save the sweet words for the women who are awed by your mobster charm.”

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Tracey’s Review

“I’m not afraid of girls with guns, bella. They either don’t know how to shoot or they don’t have what it takes to pull the trigger.
“Then you’ve never met a woman like me.”
“No, but I’m looking forward to our acquaintance.”

Nico Toscani is all about control. Casino owner, made man, member of the Cosa Nostra, he’s a man of many faces, and is used to calling the shots. Having decided long ago that the life of a mafia princess was not for her, Mia Cordano happily left behind a world where she was not in control to make her own way, and she’s not about to answer to anyone now, not even an ultra-sexy mob boss.

As a fan of the mobster read, I can happily say that author Sarah Castille has nailed it with NICO, the first book in her new Ruin & Revenge series. It’s everything dark, sexy, and dangerous, full of characters with as much to lose as to gain, and a storyline that just doesn’t quit, and I could not put it down.

As the bastard son of a former capo in the Las Vegas arm of the Sicilian mob, Nico Toscani has had to work harder than others to prove himself. But he’s finally at a place where he is a man of means, a man to be obeyed. When Mia Cordano walks in to his casino, though, able to take care of herself, and not at all interested in doing as she’s told, life as he’s known it changes.

Cosa Nostra came before blood family, and blood family came before the man. With his succession hanging in the balance and an agreement with the Sicilian Scozzaris to be honored, Nico had no place chasing after a beautiful, sexy hacker in crazy boots and punk clothes with dubious taste in music, who made him so damn hard when she refused to do his bidding, he couldn’t think straight.

These two drive each other crazy from the first minute that they reenter each others’ worlds, and it’s all sizzle and heat and all kinds of sexy. Even knowing that there is no way that their respective families, sworn enemies, will allow them to be together, Nico and Mia cannot stay away from each other. The magnetic pull between them keeps them coming together again and again, even as chaos erupts around them, and the players in each family stake their claims on the territory of Las Vegas.

I’m no stranger to Sarah and her hot as heck men, but Nico is a delicious departure, and I enjoyed him very much. Mia, too, is a breath of fresh air, every single punk rock hacker chick bit of her, and watching her hold her own and rock Nico’s world is fantastic.

There is action aplenty, dark, bloody, and fast-paced, along with so much passion, angst, and betrayal in this book. My take? NICO is 4.5 gritty, sexy, breathtaking stars, and I can’t wait to see what Sarah does in her next book, LUCA. Ruin & Revenge is a series to take note of, because these books are going to grab you, draw you in, and not let go, and you’ll love every minute of it.

***ARC generously provided for an honest review.***

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New York Times and USA Today bestselling author, Sarah Castille, writes contemporary erotic romance and romantic suspense featuring blazingly hot alpha males and the women who tame them. A recovering lawyer and caffeine addict, she worked and travelled abroad before trading in her briefcase and stilettos for a handful of magic beans and a home in shadow of the Rocky Mountains.

Sarah loves to connect with readers. Sign up for her newsletter to hear about new releases:

Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Goodreads

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