New Release + 5 Star Review: Veiled by Karina Halle – An Ada Palomino Story

Posted on 08/03/2016 by shellbellereads

Veiled

An Ada Palomino Story – Book 1

By Karina Halle

Buy: Amazon

From the New York Times bestselling author of The Lie and The Pact comes a new romance that will test your limits and leave you breathless.

Death.

It’s something that Ada Palomino has always known so well, having grown up in a house of horrors, surrounded by a family plagued by ghosts and demons and things that go bump in the night.

But after the sudden and tragic death of her mother two years ago, death has never felt so personal.

Or so close.

Now eighteen, Ada is trying to move on with her life and the last month of summer holds nothing but sunshine and promises with her first year at a Portland design school just around the bend.

That is until her increasingly violent and realistic dreams, dreams of other worlds, of portals and veils where her mother is tortured and souls bleed for mercy, start to blend into reality. Ada has to lean on her older sister, Perry, to try and make sense of it all but even then, she’s never felt more alone.

Then there’s Jay. Tall, handsome and deeply mysterious, Jay would be just another stranger, a familiar face on the bus, if it wasn’t for the fact that Ada has met him before.

Every night.

In every single dream.

And the more that Ada is drawn to him in both worlds, the more she’s in danger of losing everything.

Including her heart.

And her very soul.

Excerpt

Then, out of nowhere:

“You looked beautiful tonight, by the way.”

Oh jeez. Be still my fucking heart.

I try and swallow, his words, the sincerity in his voice rocking my world off-balance. “Which part? When the power went out or when Jacob went upstairs to fight a demon?” I joke. But I joke because I’m feeling this a little too much.

“All of it. You know why I call you Princess?” he asks, his tone graver than before, like he’s letting me in on a very deep secret.

“Because I’m a spoiled brat?”

“Because you’re beautiful.”

Well that shut me up. The sentence hangs in the air, larger than life.

He clears his throat and goes on and I have to fight against the urge to roll over and face him. “You have this way about you. You don’t see it. But I do. Like you’re born royalty. The way you hold yourself. Your walk. The face of an angel.”

Butterflies take flight in my gut, spreading through my veins until my whole body feels like its floating. “Why are you being so nice to me? Am I going to die?”

He laughs softly. “I don’t know why I’m saying these things. Just seemed like the things to say. You’re destined for something great, Ada, I know this. And it’s an honor to help see you through it.”

His words cascade down on me like ashes from a fire. Where they land, I’m ignited.

Jay thinks I’m beautiful.

And more than that, he believes in me.

Silence settles over us, stealing time. I hear him breathing in the dark, steady as a heartbeat. He might even be sleeping.

But I can’t even begin to shut down. My entire body, from the top of my scalp, down to my toes, is buzzing with heat and electricity. It’s like everything I felt for him before, everything I try to ignore, is coming out in full force, responding to his words, to his body so close to mine. I can feel the warmth at my back, sinking into my spine, just from his presence only.

I’m starting to have feelings for him. Not just in a he’s a giant hulking beast who’s here to protect me from the underworld way. But real feelings, slowly creeping into my heart, day by day.

The thought is terrifying in the same way that demons are terrifying.

They both might take possession of me.

They both might ruin me.

And I’m not sure how much of me I’ll have left.

______________________________

Michel’s Review

I am a huge Karina Halle fan. I started with her Experiment In Terror series several years ago. I anxiously awaited for each new release. It was very hard to see this series end. The EIT series ended exactly the way it should have and left readers satisfied that Dex and Perry were going to live their happily ever after. It also left a character hanging in the background screaming for her own story. Little Fifteen, otherwise known as Ada Palomino, was coming into her own. It was clear she had inherited the gift that had been passed down through the generations of women in her family. Little Fifteen was a bit too young to be dealing the other side. She needed time to be a teenager, grow up, and become a woman in her own right. She needed time to heal from the aftermath of her mother’s death. Her family needed time to become “normal”. Clearly to say I have been waiting for Ada to grow up is an understatement. It’s been two years since the last EIT book released. Two years for Ada to grasp her gift. Ada is now eighteen, ready to begin college, and more importantly ready for her gift. Veiled is just the beginning for Ada Palomino.

For the newer fans of Karina Halle, this book is going to be quite different from her new adult and contemporary romances. If you are not a huge fan of the paranormal genre, that’s okay. Veiled has a romantic element to it that has only just begun. Veiled can easily stand on it’s own merit as a paranormal romance or new adult romance ( with a touch of horror). I think this book is going to take the newer readers by great surprise. It’s going to open a new door in their Karina Halle world. I can almost guarantee that many will be downloading the Experiment In Terror series ( a great paranormal / horror romance series) and The Devil’s Metal Duology ( rock star paranormal / horror romance). For the EIT fans, Veiled is a long awaited gift.

Getting to the meat of the story, Veiled is chilling, hair raising turn in Ada Palomino’s life. Her sister Perry has moved out and married Dex ( Experiment In Terror series). For the past two years she and her father are trying to cope with their grief and loss of her mother. They are trying to forge a new normal in their lives after the horrors that plagued Perry’s world took their toll. Ada is beginning to experience some bone chilling dreams that have her scared out of her wits. These dreams are horrifically real. Her sister Perry is also sensing Ada’s predicament. When new neighbors move in ( Dawn and Sage from Devil’s Metal series), Ada’s world becomes more frightening. Part of their entourage is J.J. Abrams, the ridiculously hot guy Ada keeps seeing, and Jacob, a older middle aged man with a bad fashion sense. There is something peculiar about her new neighbors. Her new neighbors were sent because she is coming into her own, her gift is becoming stronger. They were sent for protection, guidance, and mentoring.

Jay Abrams is Ada’s Jacob. His mission is to protect her at all costs. He is neither bad nor good. He is her immortal protector with very human qualities. His assignment is to guide her and help develop her strengths. The depths of hell are reaching out for Ada. They are holding her mother’s soul in prison. She is the only one who can go through the Veil and into hell to save her mother. She just needs to learn to use her powers before it’s too late for her mother.

Jay is a unique Jacob. He still remembers his human life before he became a Jacob. That life is a story onto itself that makes him even more intriguing. He has a very strong pull to Ada that reaches beyond the normal scope of Jacob duties. His soul is drawn to her pure beauty within. He must deny this attraction, it could get Ada killed or damn her soul to hell. Denying this attraction is impossible.

Ada and Jay begin an illicit forbidden relationship that nearly destroys them both. The relationship gives evil a powerful edge. When they are walking through hell it takes a toll on them both. They may not survive. If they do, they may not return the same people they were before they entered the realm.

As for the rest…and the true love story… read the book.

Karina once again did a magnificent job writing this book. Her detailed descriptions bring the story to life. The reader experiences the journey right along with Ada and Jay. The detailed descriptions heighten all of the five senses and it seems like you are right there in the moment. The love story has a life of it’s own that makes this book shine. It leaves the readers wanting more from Ada and Jay.

At the end of the book Karina writes a very in depth view into her mind and writing world. Reach out and let her know how Ada and Jay’s story touched you. Hopefully their story will live on and take a new journey.

______________________________________

QUESTIONS ABOUT VEILED

Q: Is this YA?

A: No. The main character is 18 and there is sex, crude language and violence in the book. It is recommended for mature teens or 18 and up.

Q: Is there a cliffhanger?

A: Nope! There’s also no cheating and no love triangle (think I’ve covered the bases there!)

Q: Do I need to read the series (Experiment in Terror) that Veiled is a spinoff of first?

A: Absolutely not. Veiled stands alone. You do not need to have read the EIT series beforehand as this follows a different character (Ada Palomino) and a different storyline. However for those who have read EIT, all your favorites are in the book!

Q: Is it horror? Your other series was and I don’t handle scary very well…

A: No, it’s paranormal romance (though I promise you there are no vampires or werewolves), and while there are creepy elements to the story, it wouldn’t be classified as horror. If you can read KMM’s Fever Series or ANY urban fantasy, you’ll be fine.

Karina Halle is a former travel writer and music journalist and The New York Times, Wall Street Journal and USA Today Bestselling author of The Pact, Racing the Sun, Sins & Needles and over 25 other wild and romantic reads. She lives on an island off the coast of British Columbia with her husband and her rescue pup, where she drinks a lot of wine, hikes a lot of trails and devours a lot of books.

Halle is represented by the Waxman Leavell Agency and is both self-published and published by Simon & Schuster and Hachette in North America and in the UK.

Hit her up on Instagram at @authorHalle, on Twitter at @MetalBlonde and on Facebook. You can also visit http://www.authorkarinahalle.com and sign up for the newsletter for news, excerpts, previews, private book signing sales and more.

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Release Blitz + 5 Star Review: Exiled by Jasinda Wilder – Madame X Trilogy – Book 3

Posted on 08/02/2016 by shellbellereads

Exiled

Madame X Trilogy – Book 3

By Jasinda Wilder

Buy: Amazon / B & N / ITunes / Kobo

Synopsis

New York Times bestselling author Jasinda Wilder presents the conclusion to Madame X’s thrilling saga of discovery.

My name is Madame X.
My heart is torn in two.
And now I have to choose…

Caleb is everything to her: lover, caretaker, the man who gave her life meaning when she had none. But as she seeks the truth about herself and her past, she discovers that unravelling Caleb’s web of lies might very well be impossible.

Logan is everything she never knew she wanted: freedom, joy, and a passion she couldn’t anticipate. But is Logan’s love enough to save her from herself, from Caleb, and from the tumultuous truth of her past?

Caught between two equally compelling men, X must make the ultimate choice. But there’s more at stake than just her heart…

__________________________

Michel’s Review

Exiled should not be read as stand alone novel. It should be read in series order.

Exiled by Jasinda Wilder is the powerful conclusion in the Madame X trilogy. Finally all the questions are answered and Madame X is finally free to live her life. The answers are not what readers are expecting and everything is not completely black and white.

Caleb Indigo has had complete control of Madame X’s life. What she thought was her history is nothing like the real truth. Her existence as Madame X is nothing more than a fabricated lie. Caleb has molded her into a woman that meets every one of his needs and agendas. He conditioned her to respond rather than react. He wants complete control of her emotions, opinions, and physical existence. His obsession with her goes beyond the four walls he has kept her imprisoned within.

Logan Ryder only wants what is best for Madame X. He wants to be her partner, friend, confident, and lover. He gives his love and support freely. He uses his wealth and power to help her find herself. He’s found her name and now it’s up to her to claim it.

Madame X has discovered that she is a person. Her emotions, feelings, likes and dislikes are valid. Her quest to find her real past is an emotional journey. Without her memories, she is a shell of a person.

Caleb is fighting to hold onto Madame X. Logan is fighting for the woman he loves. Madame X is fighting to become whole.

Madame X has taken a difficult journey that was meticulously plotted by Caleb, unexpectedly detoured by Logan, and ended with Madame X reaching her final destination, herself.

Jasinda Wilder wrote an intriguing trilogy that kept me glued to the pages. The characters were dynamic and charismatic.

I highly recommend the Madame X trilogy by Jasinda Wilder.

_________________________

Author Bio:

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

Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Goodreads

Release Boost + 5 Star Review + Giveaway: Spectacular Rascal by Lili Valente

Posted on 07/29/2016 by shellbellereads

Title: Spectacular Rascal

(A Sexy Flirty Dirty Standalone Romance)

Author: Lili Valente

Genre: Contemporary Romantic Comedy

Release Date: July 26, 2016

Blurb

A Sexy Flirty Dirty Standalone RomanceF*ck being good. When you’ve been screwed over by Mr. Wrong, let a Spectacular Rascal show you how good it feels to be bad. My best friend and boss at Magnificent Bastard consulting—get revenge on your ex or your money back—is the smooth, successful New York businessman type. But me? I’m the other guy—the one you don’t bring home to mama. The tattooed, rough-around-the-edges, 100% primal badass. I won’t pull out your chair, sweetheart, but I will pull your hair.

I’ve got what it takes to make sure your dangerous dick of an ex thinks twice before he knocks on your door again.

Or I thought I did, until I meet my latest client: Catherine Jones, a.k.a. Polka Dot Panties. Former college running partner, sexiest woman I’ve ever almost de-virginized, and the only girl I’ve never been able to get out of my damn head.

Now my one-that-got-away is looking up at me with those big green eyes, daring me to take on an ex as dick-ish and dangerous as hers.

Well, you know what they say—it’s all fun and games until you’re making out on top of a mobster’s limousine.

Soon Catherine and I are in deep. We’re on guard, on the run, and on top of each other every chance we get. But outsmarting her mobster ex is the least of my worries, especially when I start thinking our falling hard act isn’t an act at all.

But after all this time, can a guy from the wrong side of the tracks find his forever with the sweet and sexy polka-dot-pantied girl next door?

Warning: SPECTACULAR RASCAL is a stand-alone erotic romance told from the hero’s point of view. No cliffhanger. Lots of dirty talk.

ADD TO GOODREADS

Purchase Links

AMAZON US / UK

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Tracey’s Review

Aidan Knight, Bash Prince’s bestie, and recently recruited co-bastard at Magnificent Bastard Consulting, could not be more different than his friend. This tall, tattooed drink of water is the guy guaranteed to strike fear into the heart of exes everywhere in his quest to right romantic wrongs. When Cat Jones, Aidan’s college friend, shows up looking for his help in getting rid of a dangerous boyfriend, he’s ready to bow out faster than you can say ‘conflict of interest.’ Before too long, though, he’s all in, and over his head…

With as much love as I have for MAGNIFICENT BASTARD, it was pretty much a given that Aidan would have his own place in my heart. I mean, there’s plenty of room there for Lili Valente’s guys, and I’d already met and was intrigued by Aidan. Hot, tall, tatted, bearded, what wasn’t to love? And, after all, he’d already proved his mettle by showing his, erm, assets in MB, so, yeah, color me a fan.

Whereas MB was a quirky, lighthearted romp of a story, there’s a little bit of a darker edge to SPECTACULAR RASCAL. Because, wise guys. And there is no better guy for the job of freeing Cat from the clutches of her crazy ex than Aidan. He’s invested in all the best ways, caring, loyal, and smart, and, yeah, sexy as all get-out.

Cat is just as badass as Aidan in her own way. She’s definitely got baggage, but has managed to rise above it. She can more than hold her own, and is the perfect foil for Aidan. Reading the letters exchanged between Cat and Aidan back in their college days had me laughing out loud (I mean, really, how could I not love banter between people nicknamed Curved For Her Pleasure and Polka Dot Panties?!), and it is clear even then that these two would find their way back to each other.

Lili has managed to win me over yet again (no surprise, really) with this book. Besides the swoony Aidan and kickass Cat, seeing Bash and Penny again, along with Shane, Aidan’s folks, and the inestimable Fifi, SPECTACULAR RASCAL is a story that goes right up there on my list of favorites. 5+ sweet, sassy, spectacular stars for this one. Ya done good, lady.

***ARC generously provide for an honest review.***
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____________________________________

Also Available

AMAZON US / UK

B&N / KOBO / iBOOKS

GOOGLE PLAY / AUDIOBOOK

Author Bio

U.S.A. Today Bestselling author Lili Valente has slept under the stars in Greece, eaten dinner at midnight with French men who couldn’t be trusted to keep their mouths on their food, and walked alone through Munich’s red light district after dark and lived to tell the tale.These days you can find her writing in a tent beside the sea, drinking coconut water and thinking delightfully dirty thoughts.

Lili loves to hear from her readers. You can reach her via email at lili.valente.romance@gmail.com or like her page on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/AuthorLiliValente

You can also visit her website: www.lilivalente.com

Author Links

FACEBOOK

WEBSITE
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NEWSLETTER

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Release Blitz + Excerpt + 5 Star Review: Burn by Elisabeth Grace – The Duplicity Duet – Book 2

Posted on 07/27/2016 by shellbellereads

Burn

Duplicity Duet – Book 2

By Elisabeth Grace

Buy: Amazon / Amazon UK / B & N / ITunes / Kobo

Synopsis

The stunning conclusion to the Duplicity Duet from USA Today Bestselling Author Elisabeth Grace.

“No”

One word.
Two letters.

But those two letters changed everything.

It was impossible to predict the impact I would have on the life of the only woman I’d ever truly loved. No way to know that I would result in her ruin.
I’d suffer for eternity with the knowledge that it was me who brought devastation to her doorstep.

Though I deserved the anguish I felt, to see her suffer was unacceptable.

I would fix this.

Somehow I would prove to her that I wasn’t the monster she thought I was.

Even if it meant becoming a monster in order to make that happen.

Excerpt

Then the door swung open and there he was. For a brief moment I was taken by his handsome features—his olive skin and pronounced jaw, the sparkle in his dark eyes, his perfect, straight nose. More than anything, it was the pull that remained between us that surprised me. Like I was a planet still circling his sun.

There was a moment when we locked eyes that the gravity of all that had happened wasn’t weighing heavy between us, and it almost caused me to stumble back.

Then, after the moment of intimacy had passed, I was sure I saw dread slip over his expression. I wasn’t going to stay put and find out though.

I wouldn’t be standing on his doorstep begging for whatever scraps of information he deemed worthy of casting my way. No, I was here to demand what he, at the very least, owed me, and I wouldn’t leave until he gave it to me.

“We need to talk.” I pushed past him, careful not to make contact, and bolted down the hallway toward the living room.

“Emily, this isn’t a good time.” Marco’s footsteps followed quickly behind me.

“I don’t care. Put aside whatever it is you’re doing. I want answers.”

I came to an abrupt stop when I stepped into the living/dining area and found Alexa sprawled across the couch like she was a feast ready to be enjoyed.

Her blouse was half unbuttoned, her legs draped over the cushions, causing her skirt to ride up a bit on her thighs, and her lips slightly swollen. Her lipstick had been rubbed off her mouth and onto her skin. She wore a saccharine smile that I wanted to rip off her face.

I crossed my arms over my chest and turned back to Marco. “Oh, I see. Well, pardon me for interrupting.” There was no disguising the venom in my voice.

His tortured gazed darted from me to her and back a few times before he schooled his features and responded. “Can we have this conversation some other time?” he asked, his voice neutral.

“Marco, who’s this?” Alexa purred from behind me.

I spun to address her with a fake smile on my face. “I’m Emily. We met at the art show a few months ago when I was there with Marco. Back when we were still fucking. You can call me Brandi, though.” I turned to lock gazes with him before finishing. “Everyone who knows me intimately does.”

His fists clenched at his sides and his jaw tightened. Good. Some small part of me was pleased that I was still able to elicit a reaction like that from him.

I swung my attention back to the blonde on the couch. “I’m sorry to swing by unannounced like this and interrupt what was obviously going to be a good time for you both. I just need a few minutes with Marco, and then I’ll be out of your hair.”

Alexa’s eyes narrowed on me for a moment, and though she was playing nice with me—probably for Marco’s benefit—it was clear she wasn’t pleased with the interruption.

“Perhaps I should go,” she said.

“No!” Marco said, whip fast. “Emily should be the one to leave.”

Not going to lie.

That stung.

A lot.

No matter that everything between Marco and I had been based on lies, the fact that I was so easily tossed aside smarted.

“I’m not going anywhere until we speak.” I leveled him with a gaze that told him I was serious.

“Why don’t you use my bathroom to freshen up, Alexa? It’s that way through my bedroom.” He pointed toward the room that we’d spent many a night in. “I’ll meet you there in a few minutes.”

A victorious smile crept across her face, and her gaze swung to me as she rose from the couch. She brushed her fingers across Marco’s chest as she passed him. “Don’t be too long.”

He nodded but didn’t spare her a glance as she passed, his gaze still fixed on me.

As soon as the bedroom door closed, I spoke. “Sorry to interrupt your play time, Marco, but you owe me some answers and I’m ready to collect.”

Haven’t met Marco Valenti yet, Now is your chance!

Hook (Book One)

Hook

The Duplicity Duet – Book 1

Buy : Amazon / Amazon UK / B & N / ITunes / Kobo

Synopsis

Women loathed me without even knowing my name. Men coveted the very idea of me.

Escort. Call girl. Prostitute. Hooker. Whore.

I’d heard it all. Done it all.

Over the years I’d felt a lot of things about my occupation…but not regret–never regret. I had my reasons for doing what I did and nothing and no one had ever made me question them.

UNTIL MARCO VALENTI.

He’d changed me and I’d naively fed into the fairy tale.

But Marco wasn’t my Prince Charming.

He had secrets of his own.

Secrets that would eventually rip away everything I held dear.

________________________________

Michel’s Review

The Duplicity Duet by Elisabeth Grace has cranked up to the heat with the final book, Burn. It was an intense and smoldering conclusion in this erotic romantic suspense duet.

Hook ended with a cliffhanger. High class Vegas call girl Brandi has fallen in love with her client Marco Valenti. Marco is a secretive and mysterious man that seems to have ties with the mafia. As their relationship begins to grow, Brandi is finally letting her guard down and allowing Marco into her real world. She is a mother of a special needs child. The responsibilities and medical care for a special needs child forced her to become a high class call girl. Her real name is Emily.

Marco’s secret business dealings have put Emily and her son in danger. They are forced to move in with Marco until he can take the necessary actions to eliminate the danger. His enemies strike before Marco has a chance. They have kidnapped Emily’s son. It soon becomes apparent that her son is dead.

Emily wants revenge on both Marco and the people that killed her son. She will do anything to extract that revenge. It’s a very dangerous vendetta and could cost her life. She has nothing left to live for. Her son is dead and the only man she loved and trusted betrayed her.

Marco is also out for revenge. He will bring down the man that killed Emily’s son. He will bring down his empire. His actions caused him to lose Emily and the chance of having a real family.

Burn was a powerful conclusion. I could not put this book down.

Elisabeth Grace has delivered an erotic thriller that will leave the readers hooked and burned.

______________________________

USA Today Bestselling author, Elisabeth Grace, has a soft spot for romance novels with happily ever afters and a hot spot for alpha males! She currently lives outside Toronto, Canada with her hubby and two small children. Life is busy, but never to busy for a good story and to share her love of reading and writing with others.

Connect with Elisabeth Grace

Pre Release + Excerpt + 5 Star Review: The Matchmaker’s Replacement by Rachel Van Dyken – Wingman Series – Book 2

Posted on 07/27/2016 by shellbellereads

Wingman rule number two: never reveal how much you want them.

Lex hates Gabi. Gabi hates Lex. But, hey, at least the hate is mutual, right? All Lex has to do is survive the next few weeks training Gabi in all the ways of Wingmen Inc. and then he can be done with her. But now that they have to work together, the sexual tension and fighting is off the charts. He isn’t sure if he wants to strangle her or throw her against the nearest sturdy table and have his way with her.

But Gabi has a secret, something she’s keeping from not just her best friend but her nemesis too. Lines are blurred as Lex becomes less the villain she’s always painted him to be…and starts turning into something more. Gabi has always hated the way she’s been just a little bit attracted to him—no computer-science major should have that nice of a body or look that good in glasses—but “Lex Luthor” is an evil womanizer. He’s dangerous. Gabi should stay far, far away.

Then again, she’s always wanted a little danger.

Amazon US / Amazon UK / Amazon CA / Amazon AU

TAKE A LOOK AT THE EPIC COVER HERE

I hated him.

HATED him.

Hate, hate, hate. I chanted the words to myself that very next morning as I stomped toward his ridiculously expensive house, next to the ridiculously nice lake, with his ridiculously loud red Mercedes parked out front. Jackass.

I’d be doing society a favor if I set it on fire.

Seriously.

The thing was probably filled with so much bodily fluid and disease that if he got in a car accident he’d infect the entire freeway and start a citywide epidemic.

I shuddered.

I compartmentalized Lex into two boxes.

The first box was Childhood Lex, the friend who used to hang out with Ian and me before he moved across town, never to be seen again. He used to ride with me to school, and when I was sick he gave me my own box of Kleenex—never mind that he stole it from his teacher’s desk. The point is, Childhood Lex was a keeper.

Box number two?

Asshole Lex, also known as the version I was walking toward. The Lex I met when I was eighteen, who momentarily stunned me speechless with his godlike beauty, had been a figment of my overactive, sad, hormone-riddled imagination.

On the outside? The perfect man.

With a brooding and sultry smile.

Biceps the size of my head.

Who gave me the distinct feeling that if I ran my hands over his buzzed hair I’d orgasm before he even touched me.

Whatever. I was over it. So over it.

A lot of people had stupid crushes when they were eighteen, right?

Now all I saw when I looked into his stormy blue eyes was syph or the clap, and that was being generous. The dude was a walking STD and seriously tried every nerve I had. He was an ass. Plain and simple, no sugar coating. He was the type of guy who’d tell a chick that she looked fat in a dress or who refused to share the communal breadbasket. See! He couldn’t even adhere to typical manners during mealtime! Just thinking about him had me tied up in knots.

Last year, when I went shopping and stupidly invited Ian along—which of course meant Lex had to come—I was told in no uncertain terms that if I would just stop drinking chocolate milk in the morning I’d be able to fit into a smaller size.

He’d smiled.

His dimples had deepened.

He’d even crossed his arms as if to say, Look, I did you a favor, pat me on the back.

Instead I had kicked him in the balls and tried to give him a black eye, clocking Ian in the face.

My point? Lex. Was. The. Devil.

I made a point of only hanging out with Lex when absolutely necessary, and even then I almost always had Ian as a buffer. But now that he was playing love nest with my ex-roomie, Blake? Well, I was on my own.

Lex opened the door after my third aggressive knock. Black sweatpants hung low on his hips, a vintage Mariners shirt fell open around his neck, and he was wearing black-framed glasses that made his eyes more appealing than should be legal.

“Sunshine,” he said, his smirk deepening as he crossed his burly arms over his chest.

“Dickhead.” I smiled sweetly. “New glasses? They look thicker than last time.”

“Better to see you with.” He leaned forward, his eyes narrowing into tiny slits. “There they are.” He reached for one of my boobs.

I slapped his hand away so hard my palm stung.

“Probably not the best way to treat your new male clients.” He shook his hand and turned towards the living room leaving the door wide open. Manners were completely lost on him.

Gritting my teeth, I slammed the door behind me and took off my shoes because I knew if I didn’t he’d give me hell.

He was a freak like that.

For as much ass as he got, it was shocking how much Lysol he used around the house. His clothes were never wrinkled; everything was pristine.

Even his breath.

Damn him.

He drank coffee like a Starbucks employee but never had coffee breath.

It was almost painful, staring him in the face, knowing that everything on the outside appeared perfect—but didn’t match the inside at all, not even close!

Beauty like Lex’s was dangerous and wickedly tempting, like something out of a paranormal romance novel. Sometimes, at night, when I dreamed of Lex getting hit by a car, I imagined him as a vampire roaming the streets in his favorite black sweats, shirtless, shimmering under the streetlights, just waiting for whores to line up so he could take a few bites.

A pencil flew by my head.

“Yo.” Lex’s eyebrows shot up. “We have a lot of work to do if we’re going to get you ready for the next two clients. Daydream about chicks on your own time.”

“I’m not a lesbian.”

He bit on his bottom lip, sinking back in his chair as his eyes slowly roamed from my mismatched socks all the way up to my head. “Okay, whatever you say, Gabs.”

I will not commit homicide. I will not commit homicide. “You know,” I said as I tossed my purse onto the table, “it’s offensive that you assume all lesbians dress like crap.” So what? I was wearing a ratty white T-shirt and ripped jeans, and I was pretty sure I still had mascara on from the night before. It was my Lex repellant. He hated sloppiness.

“Offensive.” He nodded. “Also true . . .” He used the spare pencil from behind his ear to slide my purse over to the farthest side of the table. “It wouldn’t kill you to wear something other than jeans and T-shirts, Gabs.” He sighed. “Say it with me: dresssss—”

I grabbed the pencil from his hand, broke it into two pieces, and handed them back to him. “I wear dresses, just not for you. Dresses are your kryptonite, especially short black ones. I refuse to be a part of your ‘shower time.’”

He snorted. “You wish.”

“Yes. Every night when I go to sleep I pray for Lex to dream of me while he jerks off because yet another girl refused to follow his instructions in bed : ‘Damn it, use the manual!’” I said, using my best imitation of Lex’s voice. I’d only heard him shout instructions to a girl once, and it had scarred me for life. What the hell are you doing? Do I look like I’m satisfied? There’s a diagram! Ugh.

Lex rolled his eyes. “Very funny, and the manual is there for a reason. Do you even know how many chicks get confused when I call out sexual positions? It’s like, get there faster, you know?”

My feelings were torn between fascination and disgust. “So,” I changed the subject. “Let’s train, because I have about ten years worth of Organic Chem homework.”

Lex sighed and held out his hand.

“No.” I crossed my arms. “I don’t need help.”

Okay, I needed help, desperately needed help, and Lex wasn’t just passably smart but a certified genius, at least when he applied himself. I refused to ask him to go over my homework just because Organic Chem was, to me, like reading a foreign language.

He cleared his throat.

I didn’t move.

Finally, he stood, slowly walked over to the end of the table, and fished the chem book from my oversized purse. “What chapter?”

“Lex—”

“If I’m teaching you Organic Chem, at least say Professor Lex.”

“Listen very closely, Lex.” I went over and jerked my book out of his hands. “I didn’t need your help last year when I almost failed biology, and I sure as hell don’t need your help now. Let’s just get this training done so I can go home and suffer in silence, alright?”

“Fine.” He dropped my book against the table and then, without warning, grabbed me by my shoulders and pushed me against the counter that bordered the kitchen. My butt hit the cupboard . “Up until now we’ve been helping people find their perfect match. Basically acting like a wingman so that the idiots of this world see the girl who’s been standing in front of them all along .”

Why was he standing so close? Did we have to be touching? I told my body not to respond to his proximity, but Lex was magnetic, even if every part of him was evil. My brain was having trouble functioning while his large palms were pressed into the tops of my shoulders.

“Okay.” I swallowed. “And now that you’re allowing guys to become clients of Wingmen Inc., I basically do the same thing. Give them confidence, help them capture the one girl who’s always seen them as the friend—or worse, who they’ve been invisible to.”

“What’s that like, I wonder?” Lex still didn’t release me. “Being invisible . . . Maybe next time a dude ignores you, take notes.”

And another insult.

“Lex.” I huffed out a breath. “Just get on with it.”

“Right.” His eyes momentarily locked on mine before he rubbed the bridge of his nose where his glasses were perched. It was not sexy. It wasn’t. Really. That. Sexy. “So whenever we take on a new client, we give them a list of questions, meet them in a public place, and then use the power of human emotions like jealousy and curiosity to get the other person interested. That’s where you come in. If another girl sees our client as desirable, he becomes desirable.”

“That easy?”

“Sort of.” Lex leaned forward. “But you can’t suck.”

“Suck?”

“At anything.” His lips hovered near my mouth. He was starting to freak me out. I wanted to run away, but I was pinned.

“Lex, if you kiss me I will bite your tongue off. I swear.”

“If I was actually kissing you”—Lex released one of my shoulders and placed a finger against my mouth—“you’d know it. This, my frumpy friend, is training.”

His lips descended.

They pressed against mine, then pulled back. “Yeah.” He shook his head. “Gabs, you’re going to need to open your mouth a bit more. Guys are stupid. They always assume that more tongue means better kissing, when the opposite is true, but you still need to have your lips parted, not locked down like Fort Knox.”

“What’s happening?” I tried to push away from him.

Lex rolled his eyes. “Gabs, believe me, this is all business. You can even keep your hand on my junk the whole time.”

“What!” I roared.

“So you know without a doubt that nothing about you turns me on.” He grinned menacingly. “Seriously, I don’t mind.”

“I do!”

“Hey!” He chuckled. “I was just trying to help.”

“Grabbing your penis is not the answer, Lex!”

“Weird, because it so often is.”

“I hate today.”

“Is it the rain?” He frowned.

“It’s not—”

“It is.”

“Stop that!” I shoved him. “Hurry up and grade my kissing skills so I can go home and study.”

“Kissing, hand holding, hugging, cuddling, laughing, winking—just a few things you need to master.” He was firing off so many horrible, body-numbing words.

“Just hurry up,” I grumbled in a defeated voice as I tried to block out the fact that he was a good-looking ass who offended me with every single breath he took.

“Ah . . .” Lex held up his hand. “One never hurries a kiss.”

“What about a passionate kiss?”

“A passionate kiss isn’t hurried, it’s frenzied. Damn, don’t you know anything?”

Heat swamped my cheeks.

“How many guys have you kissed, Gabs?”

“Plenty!” Five. I’d kissed five.

“You blush down your neck when you lie.” Lex cupped my chin and then brought his lips down against mine again. “Part.”

Sighing against his mouth, I relaxed my lips while his slid across.

He pulled back, wearing a frown of irritation. “A bit more, Gabs. Guys want access.”

I kept my eyes open.

So did he.

I didn’t want him assuming I was into it, which was probably his exact line of thinking. Only keeping my eyes open was an entirely raw experience, watching him watch me while I felt him.

I shivered.

“Cold?” That stupid smirk was back.

“Frigid.” I glared, putting myself down before he had a chance to.

“You read my mind.” He nodded seriously. “Now stop being a bitch, and let me teach you how to kiss.”

“I know how to kiss!” I don’t know what came over me—maybe it was the need to prove myself, or possibly it was just stress over the entire situation. Needing to stay in school and hating that he was the answer, I wrapped my arms around his neck and jumped, my hips colliding with his as I mauled his mouth with as much passion as I could conjure up, this time closing my eyes and putting everything I had into it.

With a growl, Lex pushed me back against the countertop. As my butt collided with the edge, his tongue plunged into my mouth and his hands dug into my hair, pulling it free from its ponytail while he changed positions his lips demanding a punishing kiss from a different angle as his he gave my hair a harder tug back.

I grasped at his T-shirt, pulling him closer and nearly falling backward into the sink.

And then, just when I was in danger of losing myself to the kiss that would probably be the best kiss of my life, I bit down on his bottom lip.

That move didn’t work out the way I’d planned, not at all. In my head it was smart. I’d piss him off, get him to pull back and leave me alone.

It did nothing of the sort.

Nothing of the sort at all.

With a hiss he pulled back, fire blazing in his eyes. For a split second that seemed to go on for an eternity, he hovered and I waited, both of us on the edge of something. He wet his lips, I mimicked the movement, and then, like a snake, he struck. His mouth fused to mine in a punishing kiss, one that bruised my mouth while imprinting its essence on my soul.

Passionate couple kissing, boy and girl sitting on wooden floor near the rumpled bed opposite the window.

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Michel’s Review

Okay ladies, it’s time to get your capes out and super reading powers fired up. Gabbi needs all the girl power she can get. As her designated sidekicks, we the readers have to have her back. We cannot and I repeat cannot fall in love with Lex. He is an evil villain put on this earth to make Gabbi’s life miserable. Do not look into his sexy eyes, do not swoon over his sexy evil smile, and do not peak at those six pack abs he’s packing. I’m telling you… this villain is a thief , he will steal your willpower and heart. Gabbi needs us to help her slay this evil villain or at least put a gag in his sweet mouth.

Gabbi and Lex are world war three waiting to happen. They can’t be around each other without objects flying ( mostly their clothes). Their verbal sparring is their foreplay. Each has quick wit, smart mouths, and sexual weapons. Beneath the battlefield lies two hearts meant for one another.

Lex is a villian. He is going to steal Gabbi’s complete heart. He is going to destroy anything that stands in the way. He’s bringing out his secret weapon, he’s bringing the pirates booty.

Along the way a love story is going to emerge in the aftermath of the destruction from the Matchmakers Replacement.

Rachel Van Dyken has knocked it out the park with this fun diabolical romance.

________________________________

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!

Want to be kept up to date on new releases? Text MAFIA to 66866!

You can connect with her on Facebook www.facebook.com/rachelvandyken or join her fan group Rachel’s New Rockin Readers. Her website is www.rachelvandykenauthor.com .

FACEBOOK / TWITTER / GOODREADS / AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE / NEWSLETTER

*******

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Release Blitz + Excerpt + 5 Star Review: The Angels’ Share by J. R. Ward – The Bourbon Kings Series – Book 2

Posted on 07/26/2016 by shellbellereads

The Angel’s Share

The Bourbon Kings Series – Book 2

By J. R. Ward

Buy: Amazon / B & N / ITunes / Kobo

Synopsis

#1 New York Times bestselling author J. R. Ward delivers the second novel in her Bourbon Kings series—a sweeping saga of a Southern dynasty struggling to maintain a façade of privilege and prosperity, while secrets and indiscretions threaten its very foundation……

In Charlemont, Kentucky, the Bradford family is the crème de la crème of high society—just like their exclusive brand of bourbon. And their complicated lives and vast estate are run by a discrete staff who inevitably become embroiled in their affairs. This is especially true now, when the apparent suicide of the family patriarch is starting to look more and more like murder…
No one is above suspicion—especially the eldest Bradford son, Edward. The bad blood between him and his father is known far and wide, and he is aware that he could be named a suspect. As the investigation into the death intensifies, he keeps himself busy at the bottom of a bottle—as well as with his former horse trainer’s daughter. Meanwhile, the family’s financial future lies in the perfectly manicured hands of a business rival, a woman who wants Edward all to herself.

Everything has consequences; everybody has secrets. And few can be trusted. Then, at the very brink of the family’s demise, someone thought lost to them forever returns to the fold. Maxwell Bradford has come home. But is he a savior…or the worst of all the sinners?

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Excerpt

Toyota trucks were not supposed to go seventy-five miles an hour. Especially when they were ten years old.

At least the driver was wide awake, even though it was four a.m.

Lizzie King had a death grip on the steering wheel, and her foot on the accelerator was actually catching floor as she headed for a rise in the highway.

She had woken up in her bed at her farmhouse alone. Ordinarily, that would have been the status quo, but not anymore, not now that Lane was back in her life. The wealthy playboy and the estate’s gardener had finally gotten their act together, love bonding two unlikelies closer and stronger than the molecules of a diamond.

And she was going to stand by him, no matter what the future held.

After all, it was so much easier to give up extraordinary wealth when you had never known it, never aspired to it—and especially when you had seen behind its glittering curtain to the sad, desolate desert on the far side of the glamour and prestige.

God, the stress Lane was under.

And so out of bed she had gotten. Down the creaking stairs she had gone. And all around her little house’s first floor she had wandered.

When Lizzie had looked outside, she’d discovered his car was missing, the Porsche he drove and parked beside the maple by her front porch nowhere to be seen. And as she had wondered why he had left without telling her, she had begun to worry.

Just a matter of nights since his father had killed himself, only a matter of days since William Baldwine’s body had been found on the far side of the Falls of the Ohio. And ever since then Lane’s face had had a faraway look, his mind churning always with the missing money, the divorce papers he had served on the rapacious Chantal, the status of the household bills, the precarious situation at the Bradford Bourbon Company, his brother Edward’s terrible physical condition, Miss Aurora’s illness.

But he hadn’t said a thing about any of it. His insomnia had been the only sign of the pressure, and that was what scared her. Lane always made an effort to be composed around her, asking her about her work in Easterly’s gardens, rubbing her bad shoulder, making her dinner, usually badly, but who cared. Ever since they had gotten the air cleared between them and had fully recommitted to their relationship, he had all but moved into her farmhouse—and as much as she loved having him with her, she had been waiting for the implosion to occur.

It would almost have been easier if he had been ranting and raving.

And now she feared that time had come—and some sixth sense made her terrified about where he had gone. Easterly, the Bradford Family Estate, was the first place she thought of. Or maybe the Old Site, where his family’s bourbon was still made and stored. Or perhaps Miss Aurora’s Baptist church?

Yes, Lizzie had tried him on his phone. And when the thing had rung on the table on his side of the bed, she hadn’t waited any longer after that. Clothes on. Keys in hand. Out to the truck.

No one else was on I-64 as she headed for the bridge to get across the river, and she kept the gas on even as she crested the hill and hit the decline to the river’s edge on the Indiana side. In response, her old truck picked up even more speed along with a death rattle that shook the wheel and the seat, but the damn Toyota was going to hold it together because she needed it to.

“Lane . . . where are you?”

God, all the times she had asked him how he was and he’d said, “Fine.” All those opportunities to talk that he hadn’t taken her up on. All the glances she’d shot him when he hadn’t been looking her way, all the time her monitoring for signs of cracking or strain. And yet there had been little to no emotion after that one moment they’d had together in the garden, that private, sacred moment when she had sought him out under the blooms of the fruit trees and told him that she’d gotten it wrong about him, that she had misjudged him, that she was prepared to make a pledge to him with the only thing she had: the deed to her farmhouse—which was exactly the kind of asset that could be sold to help pay for the lawyers’ fees as he fought to save his family.

Lane had held her, and told her he loved her—and refused her gift, explaining he was going to fix everything himself, that he was going to somehow find the stolen money, pay back the enormous debt, right the company, resurrect his family’s fortunes.

And she had believed him.

She still did.

But ever since then? He had been both as warm and closed off as a space heater, physically present and completely disengaged at the same time.

Lizzie did not blame him in the slightest.

It was strangely terrifying, however.

Off in the distance, across the river, Charlemont’s business district glowed and twinkled, a false, earthbound galaxy that was a lovely lie, and the bridge that connected the two shores was still lit up in spring green and bright pink for Derby, a preppy rainbow to that promised land. The good news was that there was no traffic, so as soon as Lizzie was on the other side, she could take the River Road exit off the highway, shoot north to Easterly’s hill, and see if his car was parked in front of the mansion.

Then she didn’t know what she was going to do.

The newly constructed bridge had three lanes going in both directions, the concrete median separating east from west tall and broad for safety purposes. There were rows of white lights down the middle, and everything was shiny, not just from the illumination, but a lack of exposure to the elements. Construction had only finished in March, and the first lines of traffic had made the crossing in early April, cutting rush-hour delays down—

Up ahead, parked in what was actually the “slow” lane, was a vehicle that her brain recognized before her eyes properly focused on it.

Lane’s Porsche. It was Lane’s—

Lizzie nailed the brake pedal harder than she’d been pounding the accelerator, and the truck made the transition from full-force forward to full-on stop with the grace of a sofa falling out a second-story window: Everything shuddered and shook, on the verge of structural disintegration, and worse, there was barely any change in velocity, as if her Toyota had worked too hard to gain the speed and wasn’t going to let the momentum go without a fight—

There was a figure on the edge of the bridge. On the very farthest edge of the bridge. On the lip of the bridge over the deadly drop.

“Lane,” she screamed. “Lane!”

Her truck went into a spin, pirouetting such that she had to wrench her head around to keep him in her sights. And she jumped out before the Toyota came to a full stop, leaving the gearshift in neutral, the engine running, the door open in her wake.

“Lane! No! Lane!”

Lizzie pounded across the pavement and surmounted barriers that seemed flimsy, too flimsy, given the distance down to the river.

Lane jerked his head around—

And lost one hold of the rail behind him.

As his grip slipped, shock registered on his face, a flash of surprise . . . that was immediately replaced by horror.

When he fell off into nothing but air.

Lizzie’s mouth could not open wide enough to release her scream.

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Michel’s Review

The Bourbon Kings series is quite different from the previous series by J. R. Ward. The writing and tone is in a class by itself that follows along the lines of contemporary fiction rather than romance fiction. It does not have the fast paced, intense action that readers are used to in the Black Dagger Brotherhood or Fallen Angels series. The characters are not the hard core alphas with loads of attitude to back them up. This series is based upon a prestigious family and their elite world. The characters are elitist that have been raised with entitlement and vast wealth.

The first book in the Bourbon Kings series introduced the characters, the dynamics of the Bradford family, and the death of daddy dearest. The father’s death appears to be a suicide until some very incriminating evidence is found that indicates murder. To the Bradford heirs the death of their father isn’t as devastating as it should be. He was a cruel man that mistreated his children all their lives. What is devastating is the mess he has left them in. He left the family bankrupt. He has lost over $165 million dollars in personal and business assets. He has also left behind mistresses, illegitimate children, and powerful enemies. Their distillery is close to shutting down. No body knows where the money went or how far the deceptions lie.

Lane has taken over the family finances. He’s trying to keep the family afloat, save the distillery, and save face for the business. With each debt he uncovers comes a multitude of deceptions and secrets. His siblings have fallen apart.

His older brother Edward was ruined long before Lane came home. His sister Gin is marrying a monster in order to keep her wealthy lifestyle. His brother Max has been MIA for three years. His teenage niece has returned home after being expelled from her exclusive school. His mother is in her own drug induced world and the woman that has been his mother of heart is dying. The only good thing in his life is his girlfriend, Lizzie. First he will have to divorce his conniving wife before he can marry the woman that owns his heart.

As the story unfolds it becomes very clear that everything is not as it seems on the surface. In typical J.R. Ward fashion, the reader needs to read between the lines and think outside of the box. The complexities are only beginning. I believe as the Bourbon Kings series progresses the readers are going to be in for some great surprises.

Right now the only thing the Bradfords can do to unravel the mess of their lives is to follow the money. That trail will lead to the answers that will make them all whole and a real family once again.

I know most readers were expecting this to be Edward’s book and in a sense it was. Readers are only beginning to see a small part of this very complex man. I think the revelations in future books is going to make up for what they were expecting in this book.

Like a good poker game, the game isn’t finished until all the cards are revealed and every hand has been played.

I can’t wait to see what comes next in The Bourbon Kings series. The Bradfords are in for a mighty storm.

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The Bourbon Kings

The Bourbon Kings – Book One

Buy: Amazon / Barnes and Noble / ITunes / Kobo

Synopsis

The #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Black Dagger Brotherhood delivers the first novel in an enthralling new series set amid the shifting dynamics of a Southern family defined by wealth and privilege—and compromised by secrets, deceit, and scandal….

For generations, the Bradford family has worn the mantle of kings of the bourbon capital of the world. Their sustained wealth has afforded them prestige and privilege—as well as a hard-won division of class on their sprawling estate, Easterly. Upstairs, a dynasty that by all appearances plays by the rules of good fortune and good taste. Downstairs, the staff who work tirelessly to maintain the impeccable Bradford facade. And never the twain shall meet.

For Lizzie King, Easterly’s head gardener, crossing that divide nearly ruined her life. Falling in love with Tulane, the prodigal son of the bourbon dynasty, was nothing that she intended or wanted—and their bitter breakup only served to prove her instincts were right. Now, after two years of staying away, Tulane is finally coming home again, and he is bringing the past with him. No one will be left unmarked: not Tulane’s beautiful and ruthless wife; not his older brother, whose bitterness and bad blood know no bounds; and especially not the ironfisted Bradford patriarch, a man with few morals, fewer scruples, and many, many terrible secrets.

As family tensions—professional and intimately private—ignite, Easterly and all its inhabitants are thrown into the grips of an irrevocable transformation, and only the cunning will survive.

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J.R. Ward is a #1 New York Times bestselling author with more than 15 million novels in print published in 25 different countries around the world. The books in her popular Black Dagger Brotherhood series have held the #1 spot on the New York Times hardcover, mass market, eBook, and combined print/eBook fiction bestseller lists and have debuted in the top 5 on the USA Today bestseller list. Prior to her writing career, Ward worked as a lawyer in Boston and spent many years as the Chief of Staff of one of Harvard’s world-renowned academic medical centers. Ward currently lives with her family in Kentucky where she has learned to enjoy and appreciate all things Southern. Connect with her online at www.jrward.com, Facebook.com/JRWardBooks, and Twitter.com/JRWard1.

Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Goodreads

New Release + 5 Star Review: The Year Of Second Chances by Jessica Sorensen – Sunnyvale Series – Book 3

Posted on 07/25/2016 by shellbellereads

The Year Of Second Chances

Sunnyvale Series – Book 3

By Jessica Sorensen

Buy: Amazon

Synopsis

Isabella Anders isn’t ready to accept that her mother is guilty of murder, and with the help of Kai, she might be able to find out the truth.

Over the last month, Kai’s feelings for Isa have grown. He knows he’s in love with her and will do just about anything to protect her. But by helping Isa, he’s putting his own life at risk.

Kai isn’t the only one in danger, though.

Isa is being stalked by someone who knows what really happened the day her mother was accused of murder, and they’ll do just about anything to keep her from discovering the truth.

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Michel’s Review

Yay! The final book in The Sunnyvale Series by Jessica Sorensen has released. It was well worth the wait and just as riveting as the first two books in the series.

The Year Of Second Chances by Jessica Sorensen is the third book in the Sunnyvale series. It should not be read as a stand alone novel. It needs to be read in series order.

The title is perfect for this book. Isabella Anders has spent this past year living second chances. A trip to Europe with her grandmother and cousin changes her life. For once she is a somebody. She’s not being ignored. She’s experiencing a loving family rather than being the black sheep nobody wants to acknowledge. She has transformed into a confident young woman embracing her beauty rather than hiding it. When she returns home she catches the attention of the Meyers brothers. One has been her friend and the other has been her lifetime crush. Now they are both noticing her as a woman. At the same time her family is protesting against her changes. They want to keep her down. Isabella finally has the courage to leave her home and move in with her grandmother. That’s just the tip of the iceberg in Isabella’s life. She is finally asking questions about her real mother who she thought was dead. Her mother is in prison for murder.

The Year Of Second Chances is the powerful conclusion to the secrets that are ruling Isabella’s life. It is also an eye opener for Isabella. The Meyer boys are showing their true colors and she’s finally seeing that there wasn’t a choice for her to make at all. The answer has been right in front of her all this time. Her heart knows which one it loves.

As Isabella uncovers a bit of information on her mom and secrets are beginning to reveal themselves ,the danger begins to escalate. A stalker, a kidnapper, and a murderer are on her tail.

Once again Jessica Sorensen wrote a riveting story. From oppression to independence, from hate to love, and from despair to joy, Isabella Anders has come into her own. I thoroughly enjoyed this series.

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The Sunnyvale Series

The Year I Became Isabella Anders

Sunnyvale Series – Book 1

Buy: Amazon

Synopsis

Isabella Anders has always been the girl that never fit in. Most days she feels invisible, especially when she’s around her older sister, Hannah, who catches the eye of everyone, including Kai and Kyler, the boys who live next door.

Isabella has had a crush on Kyler for years, but knows he’ll never see her as anything more than Hannah’s little sister, unless she finds a way to standout.

When Isabella gets an offer from her grandmother to travel overseas for the summer, she seizes the opportunity, hoping she’ll discover more about herself. And she does, but not in the way that she expected.

Three months later, Isabella returns home an entirely new person. The change is enough to catch both Kyler and Kai’s attention. But Isabella is still struggling with what she discovered over the summer and until she deals with the truth, she’ll never truly be herself.

******

The Year of Falling In Love

Sunnyvale Series – Book 2

By Jessica Sorensen

Buy : Amazon

Book 2 in Sunnyvale Series.

Synopsis:

Isabella Anders just found out Lynn and her dad want to send her to a reform school. But with the help of Grandma Stephy, Isa’s dad agrees to let her move in with her grandma.

Isa is more than relieved to be moving out. And after going on an unofficial date with Kyler, she wonders if maybe her life is starting to turn around. But then she discovers the truth about what really happened to her mother.

Not ready to fully accept that her mother is a murderer, Isa turns to Kai for help. Kai is more than willing to help, but to protect Isa, he keeps some of the more brutal details about her mother’s case to himself until he can find out more.

But when a mysterious blue car starts showing up everywhere, and Isa receives a threatening text message from an unknown caller, Kai realizes someone is dead set on destroying Isa. And he might not be able to protect her.

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

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New Release + 5 Star Review: Sinner’s Revenge by Kim Jones – Sinner’s Creed Series- Book 2

Posted on 07/22/2016 by shellbellereads

Sinner’s Revenge

Sinner’s Creed MC Series – Book 2

Release Date: July 19, 2016

Buy: Amazon / B & N / ITunes / Kobo

Synopsis

The sizzling second book featuring the Sinner’s Creed Motorcycle Club, bikers bent on riding chrome and meting out mayhem…

Shady has spent the last eight years of his life dedicated to the Sinner’s Creed Motorcycle Club. But after losing the man who was both his brother and his best friend, he has a new purpose—to avenge the death of the greatest nomad in Sinner’s Creed history.

His plan is flawless. His mission is simple: seek and destroy. There is no room for distractions—especially a distraction like Diem.

She’s infuriating. Demanding. Complicated. Impossible. And for some reason, Shady can’t stay away. But he only has space in his heart for one love: Sinner’s Creed. And the club always comes first. Always.

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Michel’s Review

After Dirk’s death, Shady wants revenge on the Death Mob MC. The Death Mob MC ruthlessly executed Dirk while the Nationals for the Sinner’s MC sat back and allowed it to happen because it for the good of the club. The Sinner’s MC comes first and as a member it is a top priority. Logically Shady knows this but his heart says something different. He’s beginning to question his life and his position in the Sinner’s MC. He lost more than a fellow club brother, he lost a true brother of the heart. He lost his family of the heart when Saylor and Dirk passed away. He wants revenge for himself and for the Sinner’s MC for being put in the position of sacrificing their best enforcer.

With the secret blessing of the Nationals and a few select brothers, Shady is on a mission of revenge. He has taken a six month leave with the agreement that if the club needs him, he will return and handle business. He’s gone to the east coast undercover as a normal citizen and is slowly making his mark against the Death Mob MC. He’s under the radar and living a life that’s foreign to him. When he meets a sexy pharmeceutical sales rep in a bar, it appears completely normal. Diem is not your ordinary sexy single lady looking for fun. She’s hard as nails, full of spit and vinegar, and a handful. She marches to her own beat and calls the shots. Shady is anything but normal himself. Together they are a war of wills, battling with sex, snarky banter, and one upmanship. Both are hiding deadly secrets.

As the secrets and revelations are revealed, their relationship takes a new direction. A direction that comes with deadly repercussions. Shady’s cover is blown. His mission may be in jeopardy. His life may be in jeopardy. His connection with Diem could cost his life.

Diem is more than a pharmaceutical salesperson. Once her true identity is revealed it takes the story on another path. This path controls the past, the present, and future of the Sinner’s MC. She has all the power.

Sinner’s Revenge took a completely different direction than Sinner’s Creed but also added the answers to the whys in Sinner’s Creed. Kim Jones connected all the dots with a complex story while giving Shady and Diem their right to shine. They were harder characters than Dirk and Saylor. Their damaged souls made them untouchable. In the end it was Dirk and Saylor’s life testimony and acts of love that made Shady and Diem make the right choices. The choice to love rather than hate.

________________________________________

Sinner’s Creed

Sinner’s Creed Series – Book 1

By Kim Jones

Buy : Amazon / B & N / ITunes / Kobo

Synopsis

First in a new series—welcome to the Sinner’s Creed Motorcycle Club, where hard bodies and hot leather are made for each other, and love gone wrong is the most irresistible of all…

“I was the demon-possessed monster and she was the innocent, naïve angel. But none of that matters. She asks, I give and right now, I’ll kill anyone who tries to stop me from giving this woman what she wants—me.”

Dirk lives in the shadows—performing hits, maintaining order, and upholding the no-holds-barred legacy of the Sinner’s Creed Motorcycle Club. A nomad with a restless spirit and a cold heart, the open road is his world. One of the few constants in his life: his desire for the one woman who has consumed his thoughts for years.

Saylor Samson grew up far from the harshness of Dirk’s world. But ever since she was seventeen she’s been drawn to this dark and mysterious man who always seemed to show up just when she needed him.

After years of fated encounters, he’s back. This time he’s taking her. This time she’s ready for the ride. But just when the darkness in Dirk’s life begins to fade, Saylor reveals a secret that puts them both to the ultimate test. Now, Dirk has to make a decision: submit to his destiny with the MC, or choose his own.

________________________________________

Kim Jones is a writer with big dreams. Inspired by her personal experience inside the MC life, she’s chosen to write biker romance stories that are authentic—expressing the true meaning of brotherhood and the lifestyle of motorcycle clubs.

In 2013, Kim began her self-publishing journey. Saving Dallas, her first MC series, is based on the life of an influential president who juggles the pressures of the Devil’s Renegades Motorcycle Club, and the search for true love.

Taking the club life and her career a step further, Berkley will be releasing Sinner’s Creed, her second MC series, in March of 2016—an inside look into the life of a 1%er and his sacrifice for what he believes in.

Kim plans to continue to self-publish off her Saving Dallas series, and has signed a two book deal with Penguin-Random House for Sinner’s Creed. She resides in south Mississippi with her husband, Reggie, two dogs, a cat and a donkey.

Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Goodreads

Release Blitz + Excerpt + 5 Star Review: Pennie$ by Pepper Winters – DOLLAR$ Series- Book 1

Posted on 07/20/2016 by shellbellereads

“A beaten slave and a richly dressed thief. Money is what guided their separate fates. Money is what brought them together. And money is ultimately what destroys them.”

Meet Elder in PENNIES,

Pepper Winters’ newest Dark Romance Series!

ONLY $0.99!

*****

Pennies

Dollar Series – Book 1

By Pepper Winters

***

Pennie$ is Book One in the Dollar Series

releasing July 2016!

***

Buy: Amazon / B & N / ITunes / Kobo / Google Play

Synopsis

“At 18 I had pennies, but money didn’t make me bold. At 19 I had dollars, but it didn’t dull the pain of being sold. At 20 I had hundreds, but then I met him and was found. At 21 I had thousands, but all I wanted was to be bound.”

“At 23 I had dollars, but life changed and made me rich. At 25 I had hundreds, but it wasn’t enough to stop my killing itch. At 27 I had thousands, but my reputation didn’t set me free. At 29 I had millions, but I met her and could finally see.”

Tasmin was killed on her 18th birthday. She had everything planned out. A psychology degree, a mother who pushed her to greatness, and a future anyone would die for. But then her murderer saved her life, only to sell her into a totally different existence.

Elder went from penniless to stinking rich with one twist of fate. His lifetime of crime and shadows of thievery are behind him but no matter the power he now wields, it’s not enough. He has an agenda to fulfil and he won’t stop until it’s complete.

But then they meet.

A beaten slave and a richly dressed thief. Money is what guided their separate fates. Money is what brought them together. And money is ultimately what destroys them.

She was poor.

He was rich.

Together…they were bankrupt.

Excerpt

Fuck this.

I stalked forward.

My hand came up.

The urge to soothe her catapulted my fingers to her cheek. My skin erupted from her delicate heat. I’d already had my single touch when I’d petted her hair. I wasn’t permitted a second.

But it didn’t stop me.

One second, she stood close, arching her chin at the door.

The next, she was across the cage, flying into a stack of boxes that tumbled in a clatter of butcher knives, butter knives, and sharp forks.

Her eyes turned luminous in the gloom, locking on mine with rage.

Shit.

I’d forgotten myself by feeling sorry for this beaten wraith, but she hadn’t forgotten her overwhelming hatred of men.

I didn’t look away. But I didn’t explain myself, either.

I’d borrowed her for the night. If I wanted to touch her, I could. The fact that she’d leapt away meant I could report her to her master and have her punished.

Or you could punish her instead.

The distance between us grew thicker as we breathed fast.

I waited…wanting to know just how deep her education in pleasure flowed. Tearing her gaze from mine, she swallowed hard. Piece by piece, she hid her loathing, replacing it with reluctant acceptance.

Inching closer, her toes nudged aside sharp blades as she made her way to me and fell to her knees on the cold concrete.

Half of me jolted with insane lust. Most of me shied away with repulsion as her straggly hair covered her face but not before I saw the twisted disgust and echoing despair.

“Get up,” I murmured. Even though my voice was low, the cavern of the garage amplified it, layering it with bite.

Instantly, she swooped up. The crackle of her joints and misused cartilage in her bones sounded like tiny gunfire.

“Don’t kneel. Not in here.”

Michel’s Review

Are you ready for another dark, twisted, and demented romance? One that will take you on a dark journey to hell with snippets of hope along the way? A tale that will take several books to completely unfold before there is justification and happiness? If that’s what you are looking for you might want to buy Pennies by Pepper Winters. It’s the first book in the Dollars series and I truly believe that every penny spent is going to be worth the adventure.

Pepper Winters is the queen of dark romance. She has a way of drawing the reader into a twisted world of pain, torture, suffering, and hopelessness. While she’s drawing the reader into this twisted world, she is also giving the reader a view into the minds of each of the characters. She eloquently introduces us to each character without giving away their true motivations. Her gift is allowing the reader to experience each moment with each character. By the time the reader is a few chapters in they are completely hooked in the dark twisted tale that is beginning to unfold. Pepper’s writing is perfectly synchronized to deliver enough of the dark tale that ends with a nail biting cliffhanger.

Readers meet Tasmin, a young woman that has been kidnapped and sold as a sex slave. Her fortitude and strength are her only weapons in her new world. For two years she suffers from unspeakable abuse until a business deal is the beginning of the change in her circumstances. After two long years she is no longer Tasmin. Tamsin is dead. She has become someone else and her only hope is her friend No One. When Elder Prest begins negotiating a business deal with her Master, she knows this deal is going to change her existence. The change is going to ruin her. Elder Prest is a thief and he is going to steal what’s left of her soul.

Once again Pepper Winters has created a dark world that challenges the reader to take the dark journey. I am sitting on pins and needles waiting for the next book in the Dollars series. Tasmin’s price tag is rising, she is a commodity in a dark world.

____________________________________

Pennies

Dollar Series – Book 1

By Pepper Winters

***

Pennie$ is Book One in the Dollar Series

releasing July 2016!

***

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

Amazon Pre Order will be available at a later date…

Amazon will be available at a later date.

To be notified when available: http://eepurl.com/120b5

Synopsis

But then they meet.

A beaten slave and a richly dressed thief. Money is what guided their separate fates. Money is what brought them together. And money is ultimately what destroys them.

She was poor.

He was rich.

Together…they were bankrupt.

Pre-order the Entire Series HERE!

Dollars (Book Two)

Release date to be determined

Pre Order

Amazon / Amazon UK / B & N / ITunes / Kobo / Google Play

Hundreds (Book Three)

Release date to be determined

Pre Order

Amazon / Amazon UK / B & N / ITunes / Kobo / Google Play

Thousands (Book Four)

Release date to be determined

Pre Order

Amazon / Amazon UK / B & N / ITunes / Kobo / Google Play

Millions (Book Five)

Release Date: May 30,2017

Pre Order

Amazon / Amazon UK / B & N / ITunes / Kobo / Google Play

_______________________

Pepper Winters wears many roles. Some of them include writer, reader, sometimes wife. She loves dark, taboo stories that twist with your head. The more tortured the hero, the better, and she constantly thinks up ways to break and fix her characters. Oh, and sex… her books have sex.

She loves to travel and has an amazing, fabulous hubby who puts up with her love affair with her book boyfriends.

New Release + 5 Star Review: Bossman by Vi Keeland

Posted on 07/19/2016 by shellbellereads

Are you ready to meet Chase Parker in BOSSMAN?

A standalone Contemporary Romance novel by

New York Times & USA Today Bestselling Author Vi Keeland

**********

Boss Man

By Vi Keeland

Release Date: July 18, 2016

Buy: Amazon / Amazon UK / B & N / ITunes / Kobo / Google Play

Synopsis

The first time I met Chase Parker, I didn’t exactly make a good impression.

I was hiding in the bathroom hallway of a restaurant, leaving a message for my best friend to save me from my awful date.

He overheard and told me I was a bitch, then proceeded to offer me some dating advice.

So I told him to mind his own damn business—his own tall, gorgeous, full-of-himself damn business—and went back to my miserable date.

When he walked by my table, he smirked, and I watched his arrogant, sexy ass walk back to his date.

I couldn’t help but sneak hidden glances at the condescending jerk on the other side of the room. Of course, he caught me on more than one occasion, and winked.

When the gorgeous stranger and his equally hot date suddenly appeared at our table, I thought he was going to rat me out.

But instead, he pretended we knew each other and joined us—telling elaborate, embarrassing stories about our fake childhood.

My date suddenly went from boring to bizarrely exciting.

When it was over and we parted ways, I thought about him more than I would ever admit, even though I knew I’d never see him again.

I mean, what were the chances I’d run into him again in a city with eight million people?

Then again…

What were the chances a month later he’d wind up being my new sexy boss?

Chapter One

What a waste of smooth, shaven legs.

“Jules? It’s Reese. Where the hell are you? I need you. This is the worst date I’ve ever been on. I’m literally falling asleep. I’ve considered smashing my head on the table a few times to keep awake. Unless you want me bloodied and bruised, I need you to call with a fake emergency. Call me back. Please.” Pressing end call, I blew out a frustrated breath as I stood outside the ladies’ room in the dark hallway at the back of the restaurant.

A deep voice from behind me caught me off guard. “Unless he’s also an idiot—in addition to being boring—he’s going to know.”

“Excuse me?” I turned to find a man leaning against the wall, his eyes pointed down as he texted away on his phone. He continued without looking up.

“It’s the oldest trick in the book…the emergency phone call. The least you can do is put in a little more effort. It takes two months to get a reservation at this place, and it’s not cheap, sweetheart.”

“Maybe he should be the one to put in more effort. His sports jacket has a giant hole under the arm, and he’s done nothing but talk about his mother all night.”

“Ever consider that your snobby attitude makes him nervous?”

My eyes nearly bulged out of my head. “You want to talk about snobby? You eavesdrop on my call and give me your unwelcome opinions, all while staring down at your phone. You haven’t even made eye contact with me while you’re speaking.”

The jerk’s fingers froze mid text. Then I watched as his head rose, eyes following a leisurely path starting at my ankles, up over my bare legs, and lingering at the hemline of my skirt before continuing to trace their way over my hips, coming to rest briefly on my breasts before finally settling on my face.

“Yes, that’s right. Up here. These are my eyes.”

He pushed off the wall and stood tall, catching the lone ray that had been lighting the hallway. The streak illuminated his face, and I could see him clearly for the first time.

Really? Not what I was expecting. With that deep, raspy voice and attitude, I assumed I’d find someone older, probably dressed in a stuffy suit. But this guy was gorgeous. Young and gorgeous. Dressed entirely in black—simple and sleek, yet there was an edge to the way he looked. Golden brown hair tousled in that sexy I don’t give a shit way, but still looked perfect. Strong, masculine features—a square, rugged jaw coated with day-old stubble on sunkissed skin, a straight, prominent nose, and big, sexy, sleepy eyes the color of chocolate. Those were now staring intently at me.

Without dropping my gaze, he lifted his arms from his sides, holding them up over his head. “You want to check me for rips before you decide if I’m worthy of speaking to?”

He was gorgeous all right, but definitely an asshole. “That’s not necessary. Your attitude has already decided that for me, and you’re not.”

Lowering his arms, he chuckled. “Suit yourself. Try to enjoy the rest of your evening, sweetheart.”

I huffed, but stole one last fleeting look at the beautiful jerk before I walked back to my date.

Martin was sitting with his hands folded when I returned to my seat at the table.

“Sorry,” I told him. “There was a line.”

“That reminds me of a funny story. This one time, I was at a restaurant with my mother, and when she went to use the ladies’ room…”

His voice faded away while I stared at my phone, willing it to ring. Damn you, Jules. Where are you when I really need you? Around the middle of the story—at least I think it was the middle—I noticed the jerk from the bathroom walking past our table. He smirked at me after taking a look at my rambling date and my disinterested face. Curious, I followed his path to get a look at who he was here with.

Figures.

Dyed blonde, pretty in a slutty sort of way, with a heaping amount of boobage falling out of her low-cut dress. She made googly eyes at her date as he returned; I rolled mine. Yet…I couldn’t help but glance over at their table from time to time.

When our salads arrived, Martin was talking about his mother’s recent appendectomy, and I grew particularly bored. My eyes must have lingered a minute too long, because the guy from the bathroom caught me staring at him. Across the restaurant, he winked, arched an eyebrow, and tipped his glass in my direction.

Jerk.

Since I’d been caught, why bother to hide my watching him? He was certainly more interesting than my date. And he wasn’t shy about looking my way either. When a waiter stopped by his table, I watched as beautiful bathroom guy pointed in my direction and spoke. Martin was still telling some mommy-dearest story as I glanced behind me to see what the attractive jerk across the room could’ve been pointing to. When I turned back, the jerk and his date were standing. Reading his lips, I could make out some of what he was saying…something about joining an old friend, I thought. Then suddenly, they were walking right toward our table.

Is he going to say something to Martin about what he overheard?

“Reese. Is that you?”

What in the hell?

“Umm…yes.”

“Wow. It’s been a long time.” He patted his hand on his chest. “It’s me, Chase.” Before I knew what was happening, the jerk (who was apparently named Chase) reached down and gripped me in a bear hug. While I was in his arms, he whispered, “Play along. Let’s make your night more exciting, sweetheart.”

Dumbfounded, I could only stare as he turned his attention to Martin, extending his hand.

“I’m Chase Parker. Reese and I go way back.”

“Martin Ward.” My date nodded.

“Martin, mind if we join you? It’s been years since Buttercup and I have seen each other. I’d love to catch up. You don’t mind, do you?”

Although he’d asked a question, Chase definitely didn’t wait for a response. Instead, he pulled out a chair for his date and introduced her.

“This is Bridget…” He looked to her for help, and she filled in the blank.

“McDermott. Bridget McDermott.” She smiled, undaunted by our new double date or Chase’s obvious inability to remember her last name.

Martin, on the other hand, looked disappointed that our twosome was now a foursome, although I was certain he would never voice it.

He looked to Chase as he sat. “Buttercup?”

“That’s what we used to call her. Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup. My favorite candy.”

Once Chase and Bridget were seated, there was a moment of awkwardness. Surprisingly, it was Martin who broke it. “So, how do you two know each other?”

Even though Martin asked the question looking at both of us, I wanted to make it clear to Chase that he was the one on the hot seat. This was his little game.

“I’ll let Chase tell you about the first time we met. It’s really a funny story, actually.” I propped my elbows on the table and rested my head on my folded hands, turning my full attention to Chase while batting my eyelashes with a sly grin.

He didn’t flinch, nor did he take more than a few seconds to come up with a story. “Well, it wasn’t really the first time we met that’s the funny story—more like what happened after we met. My parents split up when I was in eighth grade, and I had to transfer to a new school. I was pretty miserable until I met Reese here on the bus the first week. She was the off-limits pretty girl, but I figured I had no friends to bust my balls if I asked her on a date and she turned me down. So, even though she’s a year older than me, I asked her to the eighth-grade dance. Surprised the shit out of me when she agreed to go.

“Anyway, I was young, with a healthy dose of testosterone, and I got it into my head that she was going to be my first kiss. All of my buddies back at my old school had already gotten theirs, and I figured it was my time. So, when the dance was coming to an end, I tugged Buttercup out of the crappy crepe-paper-and-balloon-decorated gymnasium and into the hall for some privacy. Of course, since it was my first time, I had no idea what to expect. But I went for it—got right in there and started to suck her face.”

Chase paused and winked at me. “It was all good up until then, wasn’t it, Buttercup?”

I couldn’t even respond. I was so floored listening to his story. But again, my lack of response didn’t seem to bother him because he went right along, weaving his tall tale.

“Anyway, this is where the story gets good. Like I said, I didn’t have any experience, but I dove right in—lips, teeth, tongue, and all. After a minute, the kiss started to feel awfully wet, but I was into it, so I kept going and going, not wanting to be the first one to pull away. Eventually, when we came up for air—literally since I’d almost sucked her face off—I realized why it had felt so wet. Reese had gotten a nosebleed in the middle of the kiss, and both of our faces were covered in smeared blood.”

Martin and Bridget laughed, but I was too stunned to react.

Chase reached out and touched my arm. “Come on, Buttercup. Don’t get embarrassed. Those were some good times we had. Remember?”

“How long were you two a couple?” Martin asked.

Just as Chase was about to respond, I reached over and touched his arm in the same patronizing way he’d touched mine. “Not too long. Right after the other incident, we broke up.”

Bridget clapped her hands and bopped up and down in her seat like an excited child. “I wanna hear about the other incident!”

“I’m not sure I should actually share it, now that I think about it,” I mused. “Is this your first date?”

Bridget nodded.

“Well, I don’t want you to assume Chase has the same problem anymore. Since our little incident was so long ago.” I leaned over to Bridget and whispered, “They gain better control as they grow older. Usually.”

Instead of being upset, Chase looked thoroughly pleased with my story. Proud, even. In fact, the rest of the evening went on pretty much the same way. Chase told elaborate stories about our fake childhood, unafraid to embarrass himself in the process, and kept us all amused. I sometimes added to his stories when my mouth wasn’t hanging open at the crap he’d made up.

I hated to admit it, but the jerk had started to grow on me, even while telling stories about my bloody nose and the “unfortunate bra-stuffing incident.” By the end of the evening, I was ordering coffee to stall the night’s end—a far cry from our exchange in the bathroom hallway.

Outside of the restaurant, Martin, Chase, and I all handed the valet our tickets. I preferred to be in control of when a first date started and ended, so I’d met Martin at the restaurant. Of course Bridget had come in Chase’s car like a normal date. She was also practically rubbing up against his side as she clung to his arm while we waited for our cars. When my shiny red Audi pulled up first, I wasn’t sure how to say goodbye to…well…anyone. I took the keys and lingered with the door open.

“Nice car, Buttercup.” Chase smiled. “Better than that hunk of junk you drove in high school, huh?”

I chuckled. “I suppose it is.”

Martin stepped forward. “It was nice seeing you, Reese. I hope we can do this again sometime.”

Rather than wait for him to attempt to kiss me, I went in for a hug. “Thank you for a nice dinner, Martin.”

As I stepped back, Chase stepped forward and pulled me into a hug. Unlike the friendly back-pat I’d given Martin, Chase plastered me against his body. God, it felt good. Then he did the strangest thing… He wound my long hair around his hand a few times and closed it into a fist, using it to tug my head back. His eyes lingered on my lips as I looked up at him, and for a brief second, I thought he might kiss me.

Then he leaned down and kissed my forehead. “See you at the reunion next year?”

I nodded, feeling almost off-kilter. “Umm…sure thing.” I glanced to Bridget after he released me. “Nice to meet you, Bridget.”

Reluctantly, I folded into my car. Feeling eyes on me, I looked up while putting my seat belt on. Chase watched me intently. It looked like he wanted to say something, but after a few heartbeats, it felt strange to sit and wait any longer.

Taking a deep breath, I pulled away with one last wave, wondering why it felt like I was leaving something important behind.

Michel’s Review

Office romance, yeah it’s no brainer… do not go there! I would make an exception to the rule if Chase Parker was my boss. Chase Parker is one of the hottest, sexiest, and funniest men to grace the pages of novel. He is swoonalicious!

Vi Keeland has once again given the readers a man to die for! Not only is he one fine specimen, his story is too. Readers are going to fall head over heels in love with Chase Parker- The Bossman.

Reese accidentally meets Chase when she’s out on a date with another man. Being in her late twenties has kind of left the dating pool a little less crowded. When he calls her on trying to bail on her date and then takes it upon himself to intrude on their dinner with his own date. Let the games begin.

Reese is intrigued with the man she keeps running into. When she mentions searching for a new job, Chase finds a solution. Reese is now working in Chase’s company’s marketing department. He is now her boss and off limits. He’s so sexy that she keeps hoping that he will fire her or she can get up the nerve to quit. When she finally gives in and indulges in some overtime with the bossman, she’s in for a bonus. Chase Parker is more than meets the eye. Not only is he a genius and a hands on boss, he is also a sensitive,complex man with secrets.

Chase Parker is finally ready to move on from the past. When he meets Reese , he knows it’s time to let go and engage in the future. Just as things start looking brighter, the past comes back to destroy him.

Vi Keeland once again has written a fantastic book. I thoroughly enjoyed it and am in love with Chase Parker! He can boss me around any time he wants.

__________________________

About the Author

Vi Keeland is a native New Yorker with three children that occupy most of her free time, which she complains about often, but wouldn’t change for the world. She is a bookworm and has been known to read her kindle at stop lights, while styling her hair, cleaning, walking, during sporting events, and frequently while pretending to work. She is a boring attorney by day, and an exciting smut author by night!

Sign up for Vi’s mailing list now and be the first one notified of releases! https://app.mailerlite.com/webforms/landing/l3t4l1

Join Vi’s Violets for early news of books, fun chats and giveaways!

https://www.facebook.com/groups/ViKeelandFanGroup/

*****

Additional Books by Vi Keeland

Life On Stage Series

Throb – Amazon / Barnes and Noble / ITunes / Kobo

Beat –Amazon / B & N / ITunes / Kobo

MMA Fighter Series

Worth The Fight – Amazon / Barnes and Noble / ITunes

Worth The Chance – Amazon / Barnes and Noble / ITunes

Worth Forgiving –Amazon / Barnes and Noble / ITunes

Cole Series

Belong To You – Amazon / Barnes and Noble / ITunes

Made For You – Amazon / Barnes and Noble / ITunes

Stand Alone Novels

The Baller – Amazon / Barnes and Noble / ITunes / Kobo

First Thing I See– Amazon / Barnes and Noble

Left Behind – Amazon / Barnes and Noble

Books Co Written with Penelope Ward

Cocky Bastard

Amazon / B & N / ITunes / Kobo

Stuck Up Suit

Amazon / Amazon UK / B & N /ITunes / Kobo

________________________________

Saucy Southern Readers

professional, honest, and timely book reviews

Category Archives: 5-Star

New Release + 5 Star Review: Veiled by Karina Halle – An Ada Palomino Story

QUESTIONS ABOUT VEILED

Q: Is this YA?

A: No. The main character is 18 and there is sex, crude language and violence in the book. It is recommended for mature teens or 18 and up.

Q: Is there a cliffhanger?

A: Nope! There’s also no cheating and no love triangle (think I’ve covered the bases there!)

Q: Do I need to read the series (Experiment in Terror) that Veiled is a spinoff of first?

A: Absolutely not. Veiled stands alone. You do not need to have read the EIT series beforehand as this follows a different character (Ada Palomino) and a different storyline. However for those who have read EIT, all your favorites are in the book!

Q: Is it horror? Your other series was and I don’t handle scary very well…

A: No, it’s paranormal romance (though I promise you there are no vampires or werewolves), and while there are creepy elements to the story, it wouldn’t be classified as horror. If you can read KMM’s Fever Series or ANY urban fantasy, you’ll be fine.

Release Blitz + 5 Star Review: Exiled by Jasinda Wilder – Madame X Trilogy – Book 3

Release Boost + 5 Star Review + Giveaway: Spectacular Rascal by Lili Valente

Release Blitz + Excerpt + 5 Star Review: Burn by Elisabeth Grace – The Duplicity Duet – Book 2

Connect with Elisabeth Grace

Pre Release + Excerpt + 5 Star Review: The Matchmaker’s Replacement by Rachel Van Dyken – Wingman Series – Book 2

Amazon US / Amazon UK / Amazon CA / Amazon AU

New Release + 5 Star Review: The Year Of Second Chances by Jessica Sorensen – Sunnyvale Series – Book 3

New Release + 5 Star Review: Sinner’s Revenge by Kim Jones – Sinner’s Creed Series- Book 2

Release Blitz + Excerpt + 5 Star Review: Pennie$ by Pepper Winters – DOLLAR$ Series- Book 1

New Release + 5 Star Review: Bossman by Vi Keeland

QUESTIONS ABOUT VEILED

Q: Is this YA?

A: No. The main character is 18 and there is sex, crude language and violence in the book. It is recommended for mature teens or 18 and up.

Q: Is there a cliffhanger?

A: Nope! There’s also no cheating and no love triangle (think I’ve covered the bases there!)

Q: Do I need to read the series (Experiment in Terror) that Veiled is a spinoff of first?

A: Absolutely not. Veiled stands alone. You do not need to have read the EIT series beforehand as this follows a different character (Ada Palomino) and a different storyline. However for those who have read EIT, all your favorites are in the book!

Q: Is it horror? Your other series was and I don’t handle scary very well…

A: No, it’s paranormal romance (though I promise you there are no vampires or werewolves), and while there are creepy elements to the story, it wouldn’t be classified as horror. If you can read KMM’s Fever Series or ANY urban fantasy, you’ll be fine.

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