2015 Favorite + 6 Star Reviews: November 9 by Colleen Hoover

Posted on 11/13/2015 by shellbellereads

November 9

By Colleen Hoover

Synopsis

Beloved #1 New York Times bestselling author Colleen Hoover returns with an unforgettable love story between a writer and his unexpected muse.

Fallon meets Ben, an aspiring novelist, the day before her scheduled cross-country move. Their untimely attraction leads them to spend Fallon’s last day in L.A. together, and her eventful life becomes the creative inspiration Ben has always sought for his novel. Over time and amidst the various relationships and tribulations of their own separate lives, they continue to meet on the same date every year. Until one day Fallon becomes unsure if Ben has been telling her the truth or fabricating a perfect reality for the sake of the ultimate plot twist.

Can Ben’s relationship with Fallon—and simultaneously his novel—be considered a love story if it ends in heartbreak?

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Robin’s Review

I’ve found a new favorite novel from author Colleen Hoover! This one is special, friends, and although I’ve seen a couple differing opinions, it’s just a beautiful love story. In my opinion, November 9 has it all. It’s warm and fuzzy. It’s full of emotion-driven angst, twists and turns we’ve come to expect from Colleen Hoover, and characters who dare you to fall in love with them. November 9 is one of the most satisfying novels that I have read in a very long time, and I have HUGE hangover after reading it!

On the day she’s supposed to move from Los Angeles to New York, Fallon O’Neil meets Benton James Kessler. It’s rotten luck that Fallon the transient should meet Ben the writer on that day – not only are they attracted to each other, but the two of them have an immediate connection. Fallon has a fiery personality, and although she lacks self-confidence, she is full of life. Ben is an aspiring novelist. He’s handsome, charming and thoughtful – characteristics that I love to see in a Colleen Hoover male lead character.

After spending the most amazing day together, Fallon and Ben know they have to part ways, but not before they decide to make future plans. At the age of eighteen, Fallon knows she doesn’t want a boyfriend until she’s at least 23, so the two of them decide on a compromise: they plan to meet on the same date, November 9, at the same time and place, each year until they are both 23. No phone numbers are to be exchanged, and no contact is allowed in-between. In the meantime, Ben now has the creative inspiration he needs to begin writing his novel.

If it’s a story written by Colleen Hoover, there’s a good chance I’ll fall in love with the male lead character, and that’s exactly what happened. I’m tickled pink about my love for Ben! I’m pretty sure it surpasses my love for Ridge, the male lead character of Maybe Someday. Hoover immediately grabbed my attention with the compelling interaction between Fallon and Ben. It’s every woman’s dream to meet someone like Ben, and I fell in love hard with this couple.

I found myself intrigued with each new visit, curious to learn what Fallon and Ben had experienced during the previous year. It was exciting for me to read where each new visit would take them as a couple, especially when you factor in real life experiences. I was impressed by the character growth that Fallon and Ben show over the arc of the novel. Of course, Colleen Hoover is a master at weaving plot twists. If you’ve read any of her other novels, you probably already know to expect one when you read November 9. All I can tell everyone is to hold on tight while Hoover takes you for a ride! My emotions were literally up and down, all over the place, while I followed Ben and Fallon on their relationship journey.

Colleen Hoover gets a 6-star rating for November 9! It was absolutely perfect for me, and I am bursting with excitement to share my love for this novel with anyone who will listen! In a year where we have seen so many talented authors release outstanding novels, November 9 is a strong contender for my book of the year!

Michel’s Review

November 9 by Colleen Hoover has made my 2015 Favorites list. This is a book you don’t want to miss!

Colleen Hoover has a special gift of creating a story that is flawless, effortless, and compelling. Her characters take on a life of their own. Their story reaches out and keeps you captive until the very last word. As the story unfolds the reader becomes a part of the story and is falling in love as well. But an epic love story is not the complete story. Colleen adds a plot that sneaks up on the reader and smacks them in the face before they have a chance to see it coming. The reader is so involved with the characters themselves and enraptured by their personalities that they don’t look for the hidden plot that is evolving.

Out of all of Colleen’s books I think November 9 is my favorite. Ben and Fallon are both dynamic characters in completely different ways. Their personalities complement each other and bring out the best in one another. I loved seeing the personal growth between these two as individuals and as a couple as they were evolving into adulthood. Both had their crosses to carry in life but let that one day each year become their magical moment where the only thing that existed in the world was each other. It was their time of acceptance, healing, and loving unconditionally.

For five years Ben and Fallon met on November 9. Each year was a life altering moment in their lives. They learned to love, to hurt, to ache, to accept, and to forgive. Their journey began on November 9 and came to a full circle on November 9. Several years of their lives were tied up in that one day, those precious moments that made the rest of their lives credible and worthwhile.

Colleen Hoover delivered an emotional story that will forever remain in my heart.

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NOVEMBER NINE

BY COLLEEN HOOVER

Don’t miss Colleen on tour for NOVEMBER 9:

DALLAS, TX

Monday, November 9th

HALF PRICE BOOKS

10:00 PM

5803 E Northwest Hwy

Dallas, TX 75231

http://www.hpb.com

RSVP and details: https://www.facebook.com/events/571747856307832/

CINCINNATI, OH

Tuesday, November 10th

JOSEPH-BETH BOOKSELLERS

7:00 PM

2692 Madison Road

Cincinnati, OH 45208

http://www.josephbeth.com

RSVP and details: https://www.facebook.com/events/910564405703742/

CHICAGO, IL

Wednesday, November 11th

ANDERSON’S BOOKSHOP

7:00 PM

26 S. La Grange Rd.

La Grange, IL 60525

http://www.andersonsbookshop.com

RSVP and details: https://www.facebook.com/events/877624532344894/

RIDGEWOOD, NJ

Thursday, November 12th

BOOK ENDS

7:00 PM

211 E. Ridgewood Avenue

Ridgewood, NJ 07450

http://www.book-ends.com

RSVP and details: https://www.facebook.com/events/176661676006949/

WHITE PLAINS, NY

Friday, November 13th

BARNES & NOBLE #2202

7:00 PM

230 Main Street

White Plains, NY 10601

http://www.barnesandnoble.com

RSVP and details: https://www.facebook.com/events/760158847428849/

MIAMI, FL

Saturday, November 14th

BOOKS & BOOKS

5:00 PM

265 Aragon Avenue

Coral Gables, FL 33134

http://www.booksandbooks.com

RSVP and details: https://www.facebook.com/events/903716756377916/

BOSTON, MA

Sunday, November 15th

BROOKLINE BOOKSMITH
5:00 PM
279 Harvard St
Brookline, MA 02446

http://www.brooklinebooksmith.com

RSVP and details: https://www.facebook.com/events/1484734548495141/

LOS ANGELES, CA

Tuesday, November 17th

CHEVALIER’S BOOKS

7:00 PM

126 N. Larchmont Blvd.

Los Angeles, CA 90004

http://www.chevaliersbooks.com

RSVP and details: https://www.facebook.com/events/1008186655868793/

AUSTIN, TX

Tuesday, December 8th
BOOK PEOPLE

7:00 PM
603 N. Lamar Blvd
Austin, TX 78703
512-472-5050
http://www.bookpeople.com/

RSVP and details: https://www.facebook.com/events/1642732965964748/

Now for the fun….the #November9 Contest!
Enter the Rafflecopter to win a prize bundle of one signed copy of NOVEMBER 9 and a pair of #November9 sunglasses! (5 prize bundles in total) Contest is open until November 30th.

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About Colleen Hoover

Author Bio:

Colleen Hoover’s love for writing began in 1985 when she was five years old. Her first story was titled “Mystery Bob” and was a huge hit with her mother, who was really good at faking interest. Colleen continued to write short stories for friends and family until December of 2011, when she decided to write a long story she titled, “Slammed.” She self-published SLAMMED to Amazon in January, 2012 and it hit the NYT’s bestsellers list in May, 2012. She has since signed with Atria Books, a division of Simon & Schuster, and now has six NYT’s bestsellers. Colleen prefers to be called a writer, as the term “author” still terrifies her and makes this feel like a job with expectations. She doesn’t work well under pressure and hopes writing will always remain fun and exciting. Colleen’s newest novel, UGLY LOVE, releases August 5th, 2014. She is currently working on a new novel, CONFESS, which she is writing as fast as she can before she wakes up from this crazy dream.

You can follow Colleen on Instagram and Twitter @colleenhoover. You can also find her on her blog at http://www.colleenhoover.com where she holds a daily book-a-day giveaway, or on her very active Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/authorcolleenhoover where she loves to give away more free stuff when her husband isn’t looking.

Colleen also wants the world to know that writing short biographies in third person is incredibly awkward.

Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Goodreads

Have you met Beckett in Slow Burn by K. Bromberg @Kbrombergdriven…

Posted on 10/14/2015 by shellbellereads

Slow Burn

The Driven Series – Book 5

By K. Bromberg

Slow Burn by K. Bromberg was one of the best reads this year! Such an emotional, sexy story! Check it out if you haven’t! 🙂

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I LOVED Slow Burn, @kbromberg13! Becks & Haddie’s story was on I’ll never forget!

#FiveStars #Books #TopRead #SlowBurn

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Have you met Beckett in Slow Burn by @Kbrombergdriven?

Synopsis

From the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the Driven series.

ONE NIGHT. THAT’S ALL IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE.

Reeling from the sudden loss of her sister, Haddie Montgomery has sworn off relationships. All she wanted from Beckett Daniels was a sexy distraction to help her escape her pain for just a little while….There weren’t supposed to be any strings attached—so why can’t she shake the memory of that unforgettable night from her thoughts? Or the taste of his kiss from her lips?

No matter how hard Haddie tries to forget about him, Becks relentlessly tries to prove that she should start living for today. But she is determined to avoid romantic commitment, and she can always use her ex-boyfriend’s reappearance to help snuff out the slow burn within her that Becks has sparked….

Or will fate force her to realize that this kind of connection doesn’t come along very often and a chance at love is worth the risk?

Buy: Amazon / Barnes and Noble / ITunes / Kobo

Excerpt

“Yeah. That’s one way to put it. Is there something else you called for besides trying to stick your nose in where it doesn’t belong?”

I open my mouth and then shut it, unsure how calling him because I just needed to hear his voice has devolved so quickly into this. Into me scrambling for words I can’t find to fix shit that doesn’t need fixing.

Because I don’t want this. Don’t want him.

“Well then, if you want to actually talk instead of pull this ridiculous bullshit, I’m here for you…but Had…? Whatever this is here…this passive aggressive crap? I don’t do too well with that. We had our one night. You made it quite clear you didn’t want anything more than that so you don’t get to call me up and question what I might or might not be doing with anybody else. You want no strings? Then cut the ties…but frankly I don’t think you know what the fuck you want so until you figure your shit out, I think it’s best that we say good night before we make a bad situation even worse.”

“Wait!” Desperation rings in my voice in the single word. And I hate myself for sounding like this but I’m so lonely, so scared and just want the comfort I know he can bring me right now.

I wait for the sound of the dial tone to assault my ears. Wait for the incessant beep that reaffirms why I have barbed wire wrapped around my heart – painful but necessary. But there is nothing for a few moments until I hear the phone scrape against the stubble on his face.

And I wait…my throat burning with the tears I want to shed but am so sick of. The ones that no longer bring me comfort.

“I’m here, Haddie. I’m not going anywhere, okay?” The timbre of his voice carries his concern and sympathy to me through the line.

The incoherent sound I make is all I can offer in thank you to him for not hanging up on me. For not giving up on me.

I LOVED Slow Burn, @kbromberg13! Becks & Haddie’s story was on I’ll never forget!

#FiveStars #Books #TopRead #SlowBurn

Kelley’s Review

Wow! K. Bromberg brings readers a scorching hot romance filled with love, loss, and healing. Get your tissues ready because you will need them for this emotional ride.

Haddie is so lost after losing her sister to breast cancer. Lexi was her other half. They were inseparable as kids and when the opportunity to open their own business together presented itself it was too good to be true. Lexi was diagnosed with a rare form of genetic breast cancer and she was taken from Haddie in the blink of an eye. Haddie has been living in the darkness ever since and has been pushing everyone away….that is until Becks comes along. He slowly and stubbornly creeps his way into Haddie’s heart. Will Haddie be able to let her walls down long enough to let him in? or when times get really tough will she shut him out? Becks is a determined man but there is only so much a man can take.

This book had me turned inside out. I could not put it down. Kristy weaves an emotionally gripping story about a selfless woman who will do anything to keep those that she loves from being hurt. This story resonates with me because my grandmother died of breast cancer. She died because she tried to hide it from everyone and by the time it was found out it was too late. I admire Kristy for writing such a strong character that is willing to go to drastic measures in order to survive. I went through and entire box of tissues. When we go through tough times in life we have so much more of a fighting chance if we are surrounded by people who love us.

I wish I may, I wish I might, have this wish I wish tonight…I wish I could have a love as strong as Haddie and Becks.

About K. Bromberg

New York Times and USA Today Bestselling author K. Bromberg is that reserved woman sitting in the corner who has you all fooled about the wild child inside of her—the one she lets out every time her fingertips touch the computer keyboard.

K. lives in Southern California with her husband and three children. When she needs a break from the daily chaos of her life, you can most likely find her on the treadmill or with Kindle in hand, devouring the pages of a good, saucy book.

On a whim, K. Bromberg decided to try her hand at this writing thing. Her debut novels, Driven, Fueled, and Crashed of The Driven Trilogy were well received and went on to become multi-platform bestsellers as well as landing on the New York Times and USA Today lists. Her other works include a short story, UnRaveled, and a companion piece to The Driven Trilogy titled Raced. She is currently working on three stand alone Driven novels, Slow Burn, Sweet Ache, and Hard Beat. She also plans to release a novel addressing the 10 year gap at the ending of Crashed in late fall 2015

Betrayal by Aleatha Romig is live! 2015 Favorite + 6 Star Review

Posted on 10/13/2015 by shellbellereads

One week. No future. No past. No more.

Alexandria Collins has one week to live carefree—no ghosts of her past or pressures of her future haunting her. Reinventing herself as “Charli,” she is knocked off her feet by a sexy, mysterious man who brings her pleasure like she never imagined. With her heart at stake, she forgets that decisions made in the dark of night reappear in the bright light of day.

“Some of my tastes are unique. They aren’t for everyone. I understand that.”

Lennox “Nox” Demetri is wealthy, confident, and decisive—he knows what he wants. From the first time he sees Charli at an exclusive resort, he knows he wants her. Although he is usually the one to make the rules, together they agree on one:

One week. No more.

When betrayal comes from those closest to Alexandria, she must decide how far she is willing to go to survive. Choices are not always easy, especially when they involve the heart, body, and soul. After all, Infidelity is a business, and some rules are meant to be broken.

“Is it really cheating if you’re doing it to yourself?”

From New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Aleatha Romig comes a sexy, new dominant hero who knows what he wants, and a strong-willed heroine who has plans of her own. With classic Aleatha Romig twists, turns, deceptions, and devotions, this new epic dark romance will have readers swooning one minute and screaming the next. Have you been Aleatha’d?

BETRAYAL is a full-length novel and the first of five in the INFIDELITY series.

Buy: Amazon / B & N / ITunes

AMAZON PAPERBACK

EXCERPT

I motioned around the patio. “Is this what you do? You save women from the resort leaches and lure them to your lair?”
“My lair? Am I Batman?”
“Are you? I don’t know.”
He smirked. “If only I could make a living at doing just that, but alas, no. You’re my first rescue.”
I stopped my reach for a piece of cheese and looked back up at him. “You’re first?”
“My first rescue,” he clarified. “Hardly my first.”
“Why?”
He lifted his glass toward me in a toast. After I lifted mine, he said, “To you, Charli with an I, and to learning more about you.”
After our glasses clinked and we both took a sip, I asked the question that I’d been dying to know ever since our morning encounter. “You seem to have a clear advantage. You know my name, but I’ve yet to learn yours.”
“Do I?”
“Do you what?”
“Do I have an advantage?” He leaned closer. “Do I know your name? You see, I had the resort’s reservations scoured. I wanted to send a gift to your room and confirm our dinner, yet Charli was nowhere to be found.”
I took a deep breath. “Well, I’m here with my sister. I guess my name isn’t on the reservation.”
“You’re sister?”
“Yes, and you—if I were to have the reservations scoured?”
The sun had now fully set, falling below the water and the darkening sky was beginning to fill with stars, especially over the water.
“Would you believe, Batman?” When I didn’t respond, he said, “Bruce Wayne?”
Though I pursed my lips, I felt the twinkle in my eyes.

Robin’s Review

Creative writing almost seems effortless for Aleatha Romig. Her writing just flows. It’s smooth, easy-to-read and consistently clean of editing issues. She writes stories that will capture your attention and leave you yearning for more insight. Plots no one else would ever dream of. Novels that are dark and twisty, entertaining, and keep you theorizing long after you have finished reading.

Betrayal is the next great novel to be published by Aleatha Romig. It’s the first novel of her brand new Infidelity series, and Romig considers it dark romance. Please don’t judge Betrayal by its name. It’s not about a love triangle or cheating on a partner. According to Romig, “It’s about compromising your own beliefs for your heart and dreams.”

Our protagonist is Alexandria Charles Montague Collins. Alex is a Montague. The Montague family of Savannah, Georgia comes from old money. Montague women are proper Southern belles who are expected to marry and have babies to carry on the family name. A career is completely out of the question, but even so, Alex dreams of becoming an attorney. She’s well on the way to reaching her goal when she graduates summa cum laude from Stanford University and is accepted to Columbia Law School.

Just a few weeks prior to her move across the country, Alex and her best friend, Chelsea, decide to spend a week at the exclusive Del Mar Club and Spa. It’s a week without being confined to the pretentious Montague family cage. A week away from the rigid focus on her career and dreams. Her goal is to spend a week free of her restraints, living only for the moment, with her best friend, Chelsea. Alex reinvents herself as Charli (with an “I”).

“This was her week to live, to do what Alex wouldn’t and Alexandria couldn’t.”

It doesn’t take long for Charli to be approached. Her mystery man has broad shoulders, defined abs, a trim waist and thick thighs. He is dominant, confident in what he wants, and what he wants is to have dinner with Charli.

“Though I felt as though I, Charli, was betraying Alex, the woman I’d worked so hard to be, I agreed.”

The physical relationship that develops between Nox and Charli is extremely hot! It’s not about how explicit Betrayal is – it’s all about the chemistry, the control and trust, Charli letting go of her self-imposed and familial restraints. It includes everything that happens between them during one short week.

The main characters continue to stir my curiosity now that I am finished reading. Betrayal is mostly told from the point of view of Alex Collins, with the timeline shifting back and forth between present and past by chapter. Romig gives readers a decent picture of Alex, but something tells me we have only begun to crack the surface of her real life. I think Alex has skeletons in her closet that are yet to be revealed. Because Nox and Charli agree to “no past and no future” when they meet at Del Mar, we are given no indication of who Nox really is. We get a glimpse of his point of view towards the end of the story, and I am intrigued, that’s for sure.

Aleatha Romig has five novels planned for this series, and I have no doubt she is going to lead willing readers down a rabbit hole. Remember the Consequences series? I expect nothing less than a complicated plot that is full of twists and turns and heaps of irony. My mind is already swirling with theories and possibilities. Truly – what a fantastic start to a series! Betrayal deserves no less than a 5-star rating, but I’ve even toyed with giving it 6 stars. Congratulations to author Aleatha Romig for earning a spot on my list of 2015 favorites!

Aleatha Romig is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author who lives in Indiana. She grew up in Mishawaka, graduated from Indiana University, and is currently living south of Indianapolis. Aleatha has raised three children with her high school sweetheart and husband of nearly thirty years. Before she became a full-time author, she worked days as a dental hygienist and spent her nights writing. Now, when she’s not imagining mind-blowing twists and turns, she likes to spend her time with her family and friends. Her other pastimes include reading and creating heroes/anti-heroes who haunt your dreams!

Aleatha released her first novel, CONSEQUENCES, in August of 2011. CONSEQUENCES became a bestselling series with five novels and two companions released from 2011 through 2015. The compelling and epic story of Anthony and Claire Rawlings has graced more than half a million e-readers. Aleatha released the first of her series TALES FROM THE DARK SIDE, INSIDIOUS, in the fall of 2014. These standalone thrillers continue Aleatha’s twisted style with an increase in heat. In the fall of 2015, Aleatha will move head first into the world of dark romance with the release of BETRAYAL, the first of her five novel INFIDELITY series.

Aleatha is a “Published Author’s Network” member of the Romance Writers of America and represented by Danielle Egan-Miller of Browne & Miller Literary Associates.

NEWSLETTER WEBSITE FACEBOOK AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE GOODREADS INSTAGRAM TWITTER PINTEREST

Pre Release + 6 Star Review + 2015 Favorite: Betrayal by Aleatha Romig

Posted on 10/12/2015 by shellbellereads

One week. No future. No past. No more.

“Some of my tastes are unique. They aren’t for everyone. I understand that.”

One week. No more.

“Is it really cheating if you’re doing it to yourself?”

BETRAYAL is a full-length novel and the first of five in the INFIDELITY series.

AMAZON PAPERBACK

EXCERPT

Robin’s Review

“This was her week to live, to do what Alex wouldn’t and Alexandria couldn’t.”

“Though I felt as though I, Charli, was betraying Alex, the woman I’d worked so hard to be, I agreed.”

Aleatha is a “Published Author’s Network” member of the Romance Writers of America and represented by Danielle Egan-Miller of Browne & Miller Literary Associates.

NEWSLETTER WEBSITE FACEBOOK AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE GOODREADS INSTAGRAM TWITTER PINTEREST

Release Blitz + 6 Star Review + 2015 Favorite + Giveaway: A Lover’s Lament by KL Grayson & BT Urruela

Posted on 10/06/2015 by shellbellereads

It’s the release day of A Lover’s Lament by KL Grayson & BT Urruela! I love this fantastic contemporary romance so much. Today, we have an excerpt and a fantastic giveaway, so be sure to check out all of the release day fetivities!

About A Lover’s Lament:

In a matter of seconds my entire world changed, and it was in that moment that I stopped living and simply began to exist.

In my grief, I sent a letter to the first boy I ever loved. I hoped in writing it I’d find some peace from the nightmare I was living, some solace in my anger.

I didn’t expect him to write back. I wasn’t prepared for his words, and I certainly wasn’t ready for the impact this soldier would have on my life. A deep-rooted hate transformed into friendship, and then molded into a love like I’d never known before.

Sergeant Devin Ulysses Clay did what I couldn’t: he put the shattered pieces of my heart back together, restoring my faith in humanity and teaching me how to live again.

But now that I’m whole, I have a decision to make. Do I return to my life as I knew it and the fiancé I left behind, or do I walk away from it all for the only man to ever break my heart?

***

I’ve been living in hell, but you won’t hear me complain.

These men depend on me, as I do them, and this brotherhood is the only family I’ve ever known.

The Army saved me from a callous mother and a life on the wrong side of the tracks that was quickly spiraling out of control. So unlike most of the men in my platoon, going home wasn’t something I longed for.

I was content overseas, spending my days defending this country that gave me my life back. Fighting became my new normal … until her.

A letter from Katie Devora—a letter that I almost didn’t open. Her words put a fire back inside of me that I didn’t know I’d lost. She gave me hope during a time when I was fighting every day just to stay alive, and now it’s time I fight for her.

Buy Links:

Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Goodreads

Exclusive Excerpt:

I wake before the sun has checked in for the day and scan the tent, noting my men still sleeping heavily. My morning ritual, at least the days I have time to do it, requires a bit of privacy, and I make certain I have it before I begin. Most of these clowns will just jerk it from their cots in the middle of the night with the rest of us passed out around them. There’s always been something odd about that to me. On a regular basis, I’ve woken up to the sounds of heavy breathing and skin slapping skin, and it pisses me the fuck off. If I’m not dog-tired, they’ll get a boot heaved in their direction, aimed straight for the dick and with the express purpose of putting them out of business for a while.

No, jackin’ the beanstalk in public isn’t for me. Unfortunately, that leaves only one other place to do it—the Drop Zone. Porta-shitters, as we like to call them, sit for weeks without being emptied and capture every bit of the sun’s heat. It’s like a fucking greenhouse in there, and one breath in that motherfucker while beating off and your dick is in full retreat.

So there’s a trick to doing this just right; you have to prep him first. You get him up and going, and then you quickly finish in the shitter. For most of these guys, the bikini-clad chicks above their cots or the porno mags stashed in their bags are a necessity for a proper jerk-off, but I’m an imaginative guy. I close my eyes and my mind becomes like a time machine of fuck. Marilyn Monroe in Some Like it Hot … bam! … cum everywhere. Farrah Fawcett in her iconic red swimsuit bent over the counter … set the time machine and go.

This time my mind goes for none other than Jackie O. She’s spread-eagle, with my tongue lightly flicking her throbbing clit while she’s begging for my dick. And, of course, I’m making her call me Mr. President. I laugh at the last thought but notice it’s at least gotten the job started. Since my dick is half-mast and ticking its way to full form, I slink my way to the tent’s entrance.

Stepping out, I’m met by the sun creeping softly over the tops of the barriers, and I hurry toward the porta-shitters, positioned just past the Humvees in front of the eastern wall. This two-hundred-yard walk is the most important part of the process. You have to walk with speed but not urgency, in hopes that you don’t attract attention from the few others also awake—all while the imagined porn still reels in your head.

I manage to make it into the shitter undetected and quickly go to work on my shaft while my left hand pinches my nose like a vise and my eyes squeeze tightly shut. Only this time it isn’t someone famous that I picture. It’s Katie.

Even as early as it is, the Drop Zone is like a sauna, and beads of sweat collect on my forehead. I try desperately to hold in my breath as the seconds tick down. Just as my lungs begin to demand air and my body stiffens, I toss my head back with a stifled groan. My body recovers from its high much quicker in this setting, but at least the job is done. Two weeks of combat stress gone, just like that.

Michel’s Review

Rather than doing a typical review talking about the characters and their story, I have chosen to do a spoiler free review. I am not going to talk about the characters personally. I will say they are strong, dynamic, and charismatic. Their story is one that the reader needs to experience for themselves. It will touch your soul to the very core.

Wow…Wow…Wow! A Lover’s Lament by KL Grayson and BT Urruela is one of those books that captures the reader’s attention and keeps them glued to the pages until the very last word. It’s a beautiful, timeless love story that is emotionally honest. It’s a story of forgiveness, perseverance , commitment, and a celebration of the human spirit.

The combination of these two authors creating this story added a very special element to this story. The reader was able to experience both the realistic and raw points of view from the female and male perspective. The portrayal of the events that happened on the warfront were more personal and compelling. BT Urruela had first hand experience and was able to put the comradery, the fear, the loneliness, and the dedication these soldiers were experiencing into elegant words that each reader could easily connect with. KL Grayson complimented BT Urruela’s characters with compelling characters on the homefront going through their own emotional traumas. Both of the leading characters had compelling stories that touched the heart. When they brought both worlds together through youthful history, letters, and an emotional reunion, it was magical. It proved that the power of love is stronger than the power of hate. The power of love heals the soul.

This book was touching in so many ways. It will capture your heart.

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About the Authors:

K.L. Grayson resides in a small town outside of St. Louis, MO. She is entertained daily by her extraordinary husband, who will forever inspire every good quality she writes in a man. Her entire life rests in the palms of six dirty little hands, and when the day is over and those pint-sized cherubs have been washed and tucked into bed, you can find her typing away furiously on her computer. She has a love for alpha-males, brownies, reading, tattoos, sunglasses, and happy endings…and not particularly in that order.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/KL-Grayson/1403900879892076?ref=hl

Twitter: https://twitter.com/authorklgrayson

IG: @booksbyklgrayson

Taylor Urruela was an infantryman in the US Army from August 2004 until February 2011. At the end of a year long tour in Baghdad, IQ, his vehicle was hit by two roadside bombs, which took his right leg below the knee and the life of his commander. He was awarded the Purple Heart for his wounds, an Army Commendation Medal and Combat Infantryman’s Badge. He medically retired from the Army in 2011 and moved to Tampa, FL where he currently works as a Director and Brand Ambassador of VETSports, a veteran community sports nonprofit he co-founded in 2012. He also conducts speaking engagements and he’s a personal trainer for Tampa Sports Academy.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BTUrruela?fref=ts

Twitter: https://twitter.com/BTUArmy

IG: @BTUrruela

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Release Day Blitz: Dirty Promises by Karina Halle – The Dirty Angels Series – Book 3

Posted on 09/15/2015 by shellbellereads

Dirty Promises

Dirty Angels Series – Book 3

By Karina Halle

Release Date : September 15, 2015

Synopsis

Dirty Promises is the final book in The Dirty Angels Trilogy. While the first two books can be read as standalones, Dirty Promises can not. Reading Dirty Angels and Dirty Deeds beforehand is HIGHLY recommended.

Also, people sensitive to violence and immoral characters who make questionable decisions should refrain from reading this book. The real cartel life is not pretty, not easy and certainly NOT romantic and that is more than reflected in Dirty Promises.
Blood. Sex. Revenge.
It ain’t easy being king.
Drug lord Javier Bernal has sliced and diced his way to the top of the Mexican drug trade, presiding over the country’s largest cartel. But his rise to power comes at a brutal price: the death of his sister, Alana. Devastated and wracked with guilt, he turns away from his new wife, Luisa, forcing their marriage into a steady decline. But it isn’t until she’s pushed into the waiting arms of Esteban Mendoza, his right-hand man, that Javier realizes everything he’s lost.
And it isn’t until he learns the truth about Alana, that he realizes everything there is to gain.
Blood will spill.
Cities will burn.
Heads will roll.
Because Javier will stop at nothing until he gets what he wants.
And what he wants is raw, ruthless revenge.
The most dangerous man is the one with nothing left to lose.

Buy: Amazon / B & N / ITunes / Kobo

EXCERPT

My gun began to feel heavy in my hands. I needed to use it, and soon.

Light was seeping in underneath the door, so I pushed my goggles up on my head and slowly pushed it open.

The kitchen was empty, and the only light came from above the stove. The fridge hummed and the house was silent except for muffled laughter coming from down the hall.

A terrible scream splintered the room.

A man’s scream.

Had the ambush already begun?

I exchanged a worried glance with Diego as we heard doors further down the hall being flung open. Footsteps.

People ran past the kitchen, heading up the stairs toward the scream, not bothering to look our way.

All of them except for Juanito, that was.

He stopped dead in his tracks at the archway, staring at us like we were ghosts. I couldn’t help but grin.

He snapped out of it, reaching for his gun, but mine was already aimed at him. I shot him in the kneecaps, both of them, just as his gun fired, bullets cracking the ceiling.

Then, as if on cue, all of the outside erupted in gunfire. The sound shook the walls, and through the rattling windows bursts of light filled the sky. My army was here.

I ran over to Juanito who was screaming in pain, and picked him up by the collar, shaking him.

“All right you little fuckface,” I sneered at him, trying to fight the urge to strangle the fucking life out of him. “Tell me where Esteban is and I’ll make your death painless. Don’t tell me and I’ll break your bones with a hammer. Which one is it?”

His screaming wouldn’t stop. I shook him again. “You can’t protect him now. You’ll never fucking walk again and he sure as hell won’t give two fucks about a pathetic piece of garbage like you. So talk.”

But before he could, Diego was calling out my name. I let go of Juanito, rolling over him just in time as the air above me burned with bullets. Diego fired back at the assailants, and I kept rolling until I was behind the kitchen island. I quickly reached for the grenade which I knew could take out enough of them without damaging the structural integrity of the house, and tossed it out of the kitchen. It rolled down the hallway.

They yelled at each other to move but it was too late. I pressed my hands over my ears as the blast went off.

“Jesus, Javi,” Diego swore as pieces of plaster rained down on him. “You haven’t even moved back in yet.”

I didn’t care if it was sloppier than my usual methods — it was efficient. I scrambled to my feet and stared at the wreckage. There was a ragged hole in the wall, smoke and flames licking the edge.

I shrugged. “I wanted to open up that room anyway.”

Miraculously, or something of that nature, Juanito was still alive, holding on to his bleeding and blasted knees as he writhed on the floor.

He was missing half his face though, so it wasn’t like he escaped the explosion unscathed. He was very scathed and crawling for freedom.

I covered my nose and mouth with the crook of my elbow and walked into the smoke, letting it wash over me. Juanito looked up at me with what was left of him, begging for mercy with an outstretched hand.

I stepped on his hand instead, crunching the bones beneath my boot.

“That was for my sister,” I seethed. “I know you intercepted her call when she was calling me for help.”

“Javier, we have to go,” Diego said, coughing and coming over to stop me. A war was raging around me, but none of it mattered. All that mattered was an eye for an eye.

This time I stomped on Juanito’s arm, driving it in with all my might, like I was squashing a cockroach, until I felt it break beneath me.

He screamed.

I smiled.

But I was the furthest thing from happy.

And Juanito couldn’t even speak at this point. His mouth was a flap of burning skin, covering a gaping hole. He was useless.

I slid the hunter’s knife out of its sheath, and with one swift motion, stabbed it downward into the top of his skull.

The screaming stopped.

Robin’s Review

So…..I just finished reading Dirty Promises by Karina Halle. Dirty Promises is absolutely phenomenal, but this story is not going to be for everyone. If you’re expecting a new adult or contemporary romance similar to Where Sea Meets Sky or Racing the Sun or Love, in English, you are going to be surprised! You need to have a strong threshold for reading about torture, rape and many other depraved acts. If you are sensitive to these types of violence, please thoughtfully consider whether or not to move forward with reading this story. Now on to the good stuff!

Although each novel of the Dirty Angels series can be read as a standalone, I recommend these books be read in order. In fact, I will take this statement one step further and recommend that you read Sins & Needles, Shooting Scars and Bold Tricks before beginning the Dirty Angels series. The events that take place in The Artists Trilogy occur before the Dirty Angels series and many of the characters cross over into Dirty Angels, Dirty Deeds and Dirty Promises. It’s not absolutely necessary, but I think if you read The Artists Trilogy first, it may improve your reading experience. I consider both of these series to be dark romantic suspense, with a key emphasis on the word dark.

The plot of Dirty Promises centers on a Mexican cartel, with the main characters being drug lord Javier Bernal, his queen Luisa Bernal, and their second-in-command, Esteban Mendoza. Javier and Luisa are having marital problems. Esteban is jealous of Javier and power hungry. He seeks to exploit any weakness that Javier may have. What plays out is a chess match – players maneuvering to see who will come out on top. I don’t want to give too much away, but as you can imagine, the cartel lifestyle is brutal. It’s every man for himself, and as you probably know, drug lords rule by fear.

Esteban Mendoza. Javier Bernal. Esteban is sexually depraved. Javier, our antihero, likes to inflict pain. Actually, both of these men like to inflict pain, but at least Javier has the capability of feeling remorse. Esteban is pure evil. Both of these men are fueled by hatred and rage, while Luisa spirals downward into an exceedingly black frame of mind. Dirty Promises is told from the perspective of each of these characters. Karina Halle pushes the boundaries of dark writing in this novel. It’s creativity at the darkest level. Reading their thoughts put me in a very dark place. In fact, there were moments when this novel was almost too intense for me to read.

The true strength of Dirty Promises lies in the writing. Karina Halle has written more than twenty-five books which span over several genres. With this being said, I believe Dirty Promises may be Halle’s best book yet. She shows the true extent of her talent and creativity, and her artistic and storytelling skills. Her descriptive writing appeals to the senses of those who read her novels, even the most seasoned readers, and the effect is truly astounding. Her descriptive writing gives you the feeling of witnessing a scene firsthand, kind of like the movies, with the benefit of knowing what the characters are thinking. I’m going to be honest with you. If you love dark novels, if you think you can handle the violence, I highly recommend Dirty Promises! Karina Halle gets a 6-star rating from me, and I will definitely be including this novel on my list of 2015 favorites!

Michel’s Review

Dirty Promises by Karina Halle is the grand finale in the Dirty Angels Series. The ending was epic! Karina Halle pulled out a handful of surprises, gruesome shockers, and realistic scenes that make this story credible. She allowed these characters to fail and hit rock bottom . When they found the strength to pick themselves up and fight back, it was not a classic fairytale battle where Prince Charming conquers, wins the princess, and they live happily ever after. It’s a dirty dark story. It’s a dirty fight. Some would say that Javier conquered his world and won. He may have came out the last man standing but it was not without paying a very heavy price.

Javier Bernal is the King. He’s become the leader of one of the most powerful cartels in Mexico. He rules his kingdom with a heavy hand. He’s ruthless, at times heartless, and would not hesitate to kill if you cross him. He lives by his own code of honor and has stayed true to it throughout the years. But one incident changes him and his kingdom begins to crumble. His marriage begins to fail. His power is waning. His right hand man, Esteban Mendoza, is stepping in and taking his kingdom, including his queen, Luisa Bernal.

Javier has sunk to deepest depths of hell. He has become the devil himself. He has lost his sense of honor. He has become the man he never wanted to be. Power was too seductive. It cost him his wife and family. It cost him his cartel and power.

Javier will have to reach deep to find himself. He has some powerful tricks up his sleeve. He will never surrender, even if it means his queen must die.

Luisa Bernal is caught in Javier’s path to hell. She is a pawn between two men seeking absolute power. Her love for Javier has destroyed her. Her love for Javier will be her death. She may not have chose this life but she will choose to die with her dignity. Even Javier cannot take that away from her.

A brutal bloodbath that takes many lives will prove who will come out on top. No one is going to be the same.

This book was very realistic portraying the violence in the Mexican Cartels. It is gruesome, violent, abusive, and degrading. At the same time there are valuable life lessons learned. Choices that will either define them as humans or monsters. In the end Javier Bernal is going to face his sins. It will be up to him to choose what kind of man he wants to be.

Karina Halle did not hold back in this story. She gave the reader an action packed, edge of the seat ,dark romantic suspense book. Her writing was incredible. As a reader you are drawn into their world and witnessing this dark story as it unfolds.

I highly recommend The Dirty Angels series. These books need to be read in series order. I would also recommend reading the Artist Trilogy along with the novella, On Every Street. The Artist Trilogy introduces the readers to Javier Bernal as a young man on his quest for power. The reader gets a true sense of the man he is and how he evolved into what some would call the devil himself.

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The Dirty Angels Trilogy

Dirty Angels

Dirty Angels Trilogy – Book 1

From the USA Today Bestselling author of Love, in English and The Artists Trilogy, comes a dark romance about a good girl and a very, very bad man. It’s a deliciously twisted take on forbidden love, set among the drug cartels of hot, steamy Mexico and is not for the faint of heart. It contains explicit sex, violence, abuse, drug use, bad language and sexy Mexicans. You have been warned…

For Luisa Chavez, a twenty-three year old former beauty queen, a better life has always been just out of her reach. Sure, she’s had men at her feet since she was a young teenager but she’s never had the one thing she’s craved – security. Having grown up in near poverty, her waitressing job in Cabo San Lucas can barely let her take care of herself, let alone her ailing parents. Every day is another unwanted advance, every day is a struggle to survive.

When Salvador Reyes, the depraved leader of a major Mexican cartel, takes an interest in her, Luisa is presented with an opportunity she can’t afford to pass up. She’ll become Salvador’s wife and exchange her freedom and body for a life of riches – riches she can bestow upon her deserving parents. But Luisa quickly finds out that even the finest wines and jewels can’t undo the ugliness in her marriage, nor the never-ending violence that threatens her every move.

Soon, Luisa is looking for an escape, a way out of the carefully controlled life she’s leading. She finally gets her wish in the worst way possible.

As it is, being the wife of Salvador makes her an ideal target for rival cartels and there’s one particular man who needs Luisa as part of his cartel’s expansion. One particular man whose quest for power has destroyed lives, slit throats and gotten him out of an American prison. One particular man who will stop at nothing until he gets what he wants.

That man is Javier Bernal. And he wants Luisa. He wants to take her, keep her, ruin her.

Unless she ruins him first.

Some men were born to create empires, some women were meant to be queen.

**Dirty Angels is the first standalone novel in the Dirty Angels Trilogy, in which all books feature or involve different characters. The character of Javier Bernal is from The Artists Trilogy, and while reading TAT is recommended if you want additional insight into this twisted character, it is not required.**

Buy: Amazon / Barnes and Noble / ITunes

************

Dirty Deeds

Dirty Angels Trilogy – Book 2

By Karina Halle

Synopsis

From The New York Times, Wall Street Journal and USA Today best-selling author of The Pact and Sins & Needles, comes the next standalone novel in the darkly romantic suspense Dirty Angels Trilogy – DIRTY DEEDS.

As a flight attendant, Alana Bernal has had her share of suitors. She’s also had more than her fair share of tragedy within her messed-up family. But what she hasn’t had is love. Real, rip-your-heart-out, tear-your-clothes-off, all-consuming love.

At least that was the case until she met an American tourist, Derek Conway, a ripped ex-soldier with steely eyes and a commanding presence.

What started as a chance encounter between the two in Puerto Vallarta, a weekend full of hot sex and mindless passion, has led to something more.

Something deadly.

Because Derek isn’t the type of man to fall in love. He’s not a man who sticks around.

And he’s definitely not in Mexico on vacation.

Derek is a mercenary, a killer-for-hire, a man who does the ugly jobs for the highest bidder.

Unfortunately for Alana and Derek, the highest bidder has the power to destroy whatever worlds they have created for themselves.

The highest bidder can destroy everything.

NOTE: this book follows Dirty Angels but can be read as a standalone. It has scenes of violence, harsh language and sexual situations. Not intended for those under 18.

Buy: Amazon

Dirty Promise

Book 3

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

Karina Halle is a former travel writer and music journalist and The New York Times, Wall Street Journal and USA Today Bestselling author of Where Sea Meets Sky, Racing the Sun, The Pact, Love, in English, The Artists Trilogy, Dirty Angels and over 20 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 Atria Books/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 www.authorkarinahalle.com and sign up for the newsletter for news, excerpts, previews, private book signing sales and more.

FACEBOOK TWITTER GOODREADS AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE

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Happy Release + 6 Star Review + 2015 Favorite: Grayson’s Vow by Mia Sheridan

Posted on 09/11/2015 by shellbellereads

Grayson’s Vow

A Sign of Love Novel – Inspired by Libra

By Mia Sheridan

Synopsis

A standalone romance from the New York Times bestselling author of Archer’s Voice.

Kira Dallaire is desperate.

Some challenges in life seem too hard to overcome. With little money, and even fewer options, the quick-witted and vibrant twenty-two-year-old needs to reinvent herself. Known for her generous heart and impulsive personality, she devises a survival plan, possibly her most outrageous idea yet.

Grayson Hawthorn is losing hope.

Some obstacles in life seem too hard to overcome. Betrayal definitely being one of them. With limited capital, and dwindling resources, he is attempting to resurrect his failing family vineyard, a self-imposed vow seemingly destined to fail. That is until a young woman enters his office with an outlandish, unexpected proposition impossible to refuse.

What begins as a temporary business arrangement, soon evolves into more as vivacious, spirited Kira challenges detached, arrogant Grayson to want more from life. To want more for himself. But as their wills clash and fiery passion ignites, they’ll realize that sometimes the past creates walls too difficult to climb, and that lies and deception rarely precede a happily every after.

As Kira and Grayson race toward their destiny, they will discover that some vows are meant to be broken, and others are worth risking everything for . . . even your very own heart.

THIS IS A STAND-ALONE SIGN OF LOVE NOVEL, INSPIRED BY LIBRA. New Adult Contemporary Romance: Due to strong language and sexual content, this book is not intended for readers under the age of 18.

Buy: Amazon / B & N / ITunes / Kobo

Tracey’s Review

Once upon a time, a witch met a dragon…

When Fate brings Grayson Hawthorne into Kira Dallaire’s life, she is desperate. Hopeless and almost penniless, she’s about to launch her biggest Very Bad Idea yet, and Grayson is key to its success. But Grayson, bitter and empty, figures Kira for a scheming princess, and is less than interested. Kira is nothing if not persuasive, though, and thus begins GRAYSON’S VOW, the latest in Mia Sheridan’s Sign Of Love series.

I love every single book that Mia writes. She is absolutely one of my go-to authors, and she has outdone herself with this book. Both Kira and Grayson know what it’s like to long for the love and approval of the most important people in their lives. While Grayson is defined by his past, Kira’s answer is to overcome the sadness to create a better reality, something that she is determined to share with him.

“Listen to me, Grayson…There is always pain in this life. Not just for me, not just for you–for everyone. You can’t avoid it. And sometimes the pain is so great, it feels as if it carves out the very essence of who you are. But it doesn’t, not if you don’t allow it to. It carves out a place in you, yes, but love is meant to fill that space. If you let it, pain makes more space for love within you. And the love we carry inside makes us strong when nothing else can.”

Mia’s writing is beautiful, symbolic and full of emotion, and I could not stop reading once I began. From the first page through the epilogue, GRAYSON’S VOW is absolutely one of my favorites of hers, and of 2015. And, speaking of the epilogue, it’s always one of my favorite parts of Mia’s books, and this one does not disappoint, as it is truly one of the highlights for me. If I could give this book any more stars, I would, as it is just wonderful. You do not want to miss out on this 6-star heartbreaking, renewing, love-affirming read, so add it now. You will not be sorry.

Gratitude and love overwhelmed me…in that moment, I knew I would never again believe life didn’t hold miracles.With her love, my beautiful little witch had transformed a place once filled with joy and dreams. As we held each other, the age-old phrase whispered through the trees, the roses, and the grapevines beyond: In Vino Veritas. In wine there is truth. But the greater knowledge that now lived in the peaceful silence of my heart was: in love there is truth.

_________________________________________

Author Bio

Mia Sheridan is a New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal Bestselling author. Her passion is weaving true love stories about people destined to be together. Mia lives in Cincinnati, Ohio with her husband. They have four children here on earth and one in heaven.

Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Goodreads

Release Blitz + Excerpt + 6 Star Review + 2015 Favorite : Hollywood Dirt by Alessandra Torre

Posted on 09/07/2015 by shellbellereads

Hollywood Dirt

By: Alessandra Torre

Genre: Contemporary Romance

ADD TO YOUR GOODREADS

*** * * * ***

Cole Masten. Abandoned by his superstar wife, Hollywood’s Perfect Husband is now Hollywood’s Sexiest Bachelor: partying hard and screwing even harder. Move over Colin Farrell, there’s a new bad boy ruling Los Angeles.

Summer Jenkins. That’s me, a small town girl stuck in Quincy, Georgia. I cook some mean chicken and dumplins, can bluff a grown man out of his savings in poker, and was voted Most Friendly my senior year. Other than that… I don’t have too much going on.

We were from different worlds. Our lives shouldn’t have collided. But when Cole Masten’s jet landed in our country airport, we all sat up in our rocking chairs and watched. And when an opportunity crossed my path, I jumped at the chance.

But I didn’t expect what ended up happening. I didn’t expect Cole Masten to be an ass, or to pursue me, or for everything to get tangled up around set riggings, camera cords, bra straps and heartstrings.

Sometimes, opposites just aren’t meant to attract.

amazon |nook | iBooks | kobo

* * * * *

Excerpt

When the door to the production trailer burst open, it brought with it a wave of heat and beauty. Cole looked up from the storyboards and locked eyes with Summer, who blew across the room at him like a tornado on tilt.

“There’s no love story between Ida and Royce.” Summer snapped, throwing down the script, pages fluttering down between them. In the small trailer, conversations stalled and he could feel the attention turn their way. “I’ve read the book. Three times!”

It was good to know that someone had read the damn book. Cole glanced down at her temper tantrum of a mess and back up, raising his eyebrows mildly. “It’s a movie,” he said, turning back to the storyboards. “The writers are adding some excitement. It’s normal. You’d know that if you were in this business.” The dig was unnecessary but he couldn’t help it. This woman turned him into the devil.

“I read the first script. The one you sent over with my contract. Ida and Royce hated each other. Why would Royce…” she snatched up a page from the ground and read out a line. “pushes Ida against the file cabinet and kisses her passionately.” She balled up the page and threw it down to the ground and he could see, in her eyes, the panic. Panic. An unexpected reaction.

“We’ll use that,” Don made the dangerous move of stepping in, putting a soft hand on her shoulder. “You don’t understand. The passion from their hatred will make it hotter.”

“No.” Summer said, her face hard, her eyes on Cole. “It doesn’t make it hotter. It makes it stupid.”

“Aww… come on, Summer.” Cole chided, stepping closer, his hand reaching out to pull at her wrist. She fought him, yanking it back and the moment of their bodies meeting didn’t happen. He leaned down and whispered, right against her ear, the smell of her apple-scented lotion enough to make him want to empty out the production trailer right that moment. “Sure it does.”

She jerked back and twisted away. “If he kisses me on camera I’m going to lose it.” She shot at Don, pointing an accusatory finger in Cole’s direction.

“I know you will,” Cole laughed, crossing his arms to fight from reaching out. “You’ll fall apart under my mouth, baby.”

Summer screamed in response, her hands thrown up in frustration, and spun to leave, her script left behind, the slam of the exit door loud in the full production trailer.

“That went well,” Cole mused. He linked his hands and rested them on his head, rolling his shoulders back. Panic. She’d had panic in her eyes. Fuck.

“What do you expect?” Don said. “You threw this on her without warning. I told you we should have met with her this morning, gone over the changes to prepare her. But no – you just wanted to dump it on her via call sheets and sides.”

“Dump it on her? I was People’s Sexiest Man last year. She’s not mentally adjusting to a war camp for God’s sake. How hard is it to kiss me?”

“It’s actually three kisses,” a dark-haired PA to his left pointed out. “And a grope.”

He gave her a hard look and she withered a little.

“I’ll go talk to her,” Don said. “Eileen, you shoot #4 and I’ll talk to Summer. I want to try to get #14 shot at eleven so let’s get our asses in gear and get this done.”

“I’ll talk to her.” Cole stepped in. “You shoot #4 and I’ll talk to her.”

“No,” Don snapped. “With my luck you two would make up and any authenticity to the scene would disappear. Just stay away from her and be ready at eleven.”

Cole chewed on his cheek, then nodded. “Fine.” Don was right. He should stay away from her. Far. Far away.

Want to read the first pages of Hollywood Dirt?

Visit http://www.meetcolemasten.com/

Michel’s Review

Hollywood Dirt by Alessandra Torre is a box office hit! It is by far one of my favorite Hollywood Romances to date . It is fun, fresh, quirky, and heartwarming. The moment I started reading this book I was drawn into the story. It was like it was unfolding on the big screen right before my eyes. I could not put it down.

Summer Jenkins is not your typical sweet southern girl. Yes, she has the southern manners. Yes, she can cook up a mouth watering meal. She can bowl you over with her southern charm and cut you down to size in nicest southern drawl. She is not your usual southern belle. She is not completely put together like a beauty pageant queen. She could care less about appearances. She’s a good southern girl that is the pariah of her small hometown. She embarrassed the good folks of Quincy three years earlier. She did the unthinkable and brought shame to the good townsfolk. Now she’s the girl who has no friends or community support. She is just waiting for the opportunity to escape this slow southern town and never look back. When Envision Entertainment rolls into town looking to make a movie, it is her ticket out of Quincy.

Cole Mastens is Hollywood’s Golden Boy. He has numerous film credits to his name, he has three oscars under his belt, he has the most beautiful Hollywood Starlet as his wife, and every woman wants him. He has an entourage of people in his employ to do everything for him. The only thing he has to do is show up, act, and look pretty. Now he is about to embark on producing his first film , The Fortune Bottle. His life is golden until he catches his wife cheating in his Hollywood mansion. His life begins to fall apart. The spoiled golden boy doesn’t know how to handle rejection and hurt. His actions send him into a destructive frenzy that could ruin his career, lose all his assets, and lose his financial rights to the The Fortune Bottle. He needs help in the worst way. In steps the renowned divorce attorney, Brad De Luca ( the Innocence series ) to straighten Cole Mastens out. His word is the law. His demands are unquestionable. Cole Mastens now has to march to Brad De Luca’s beat if he wants to save his golden butt.

Brad has a plan. Cole has to go to Quincy, GA and stay out of the spot light until the production of The Bottled Fortune is complete. Making Cole Mastens live in the small sleepy town of Quincy is like making him move to Mars. It is a whole different world. People are not dropping and jumping to his beck and call. Women aren’t swooning when he steps into a room, especially Summer Jenkins.

The Bottled Fortune is going to be the best film in Hollywood. Cole Mastens is going to learn how to be a real man once again. Summer Jenkins is going to get her ticket out of Quincy. Along the way they are going to find the true meaning of love and passion. Brad De Luca knew what he was doing when he sent Cole Mastens to Quincy. Summer Jenkins capitalized on Cole Jenkins. Cole Jenkins earned his title of Hollywood Golden Boy. And the town of Quincy has a whole new story to gossip about.

I absolutely loved this book. Alessandra Torre stepped out of her usual type of writing. Rather than writing a dark, complicated, twisted, erotic romance; she wrote a fun, fresh, sizzling hot contemporary romance that is uncomplicated. I loved how she used Hollywood quotes at the beginning of each chapter to portray how twisted the Hollywood lifestyle is. At the end of each chapter she added a passage of Quincy gossip about Summer that built up to the mysterious reason why she was shunned by her own town. When the revelation was finally revealed it is very original and unpredictable. It made Summer an even bigger woman! After I finished this book I wanted to run to Walmart late at night to buy a bottle of coke in hopes of sighting Cole & Summer at their finest!

Read Hollywood Dirt by Alessandra Torre …. you will love it!

Want to read the first pages of Hollywood Dirt?

Visit http://www.meetcolemasten.com/

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Alessandra Torre is an award-winning New York Times bestselling author of ten novels. Her books focus on romance and suspense, all with a strong undercurrent of sexuality. Torre has been featured in such publications as Elle and Elle UK, co-hosted Dirty Sexy Funny with Jenny McCarthy, as well as guest blogged for the Huffington Post and RT Book Reviews. She is also the Bedroom Blogger for Cosmopolitan.com.

You can learn more about Alessandra on her website at www.alessandratorre.com, or you can find her on Twitter (@ReadAlessandra) or Facebook.

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6 Star Review + 2015 Favorite : Hope Is Lost by Emma James – Men of Ocean Beach Series – Book 2

Posted on 08/28/2015 by shellbellereads

Hope Is Lost

Men of Ocean Beach Series – Book 2

By Emma James

Synopsis

“When the power of love overcomes the love of power, the world will know peace.”
-Jimi Hendrix

Keanu Lee, the funny man, finds himself on the sticky end of a night out with his best friend Levi. Keanu’s life is about to take another unexpected, sharp turn. New friends will be found under the most unique circumstances.

Hope Walker is a lost soul, and Ajax, the street performer, is her unspoken protector. Together, they survive the streets of Ocean Beach.

Life has a way of righting wrongs when you least expect it.

Come join this sexy crew as they show you that, even though life may take from you, it can also give back when you least anticipate it.

The Ocean Beach series continues with the brotherhood, passion, and laughter you have grown to love, and through the eyes of these survivors, you will realize love can truly heal.

The past will never be forgotten, but there is hope if you just allow yourself to have a little faith.

*Reader Note*

This is an adult contemporary romance series of five books and one novella with a difference.

There is a brotherhood of guys who will make you feel a whole range of emotions, and all of the characters are strongly involved in each sequel.

This novel does contain strong sexual content for the mature 18+ reader.

Buy: Amazon / B & N / ITunes / Kobo

Michel’s Review

Hope Is Lost by Emma James is the second book in the phenomenal Men of Ocean Beach Series. Once again Emma James delivered a poignant touching story that adds a few more layers to the epic ongoing story of the Men of Ocean Beach.

Hope Is Lost should not be read as a stand alone novel. The series should be read in order to experience this emotional story.

Hope Is Lost picks up where A Little Faith left off. Another revelation has been made that sent Faith into a whirlwind and left the guys dealing with the aftermath. That is only the beginning. Retro is moving full speed ahead. Slade is learning he has a softer side. Harley is learning that he can’t protect everyone, especially his heart. Levi is proving that beauty goes deeper that what is on the surface. Jase is battling his silence and is reaching out for love. Keanu is going to experience another frightening event that will renew his outlook on life. Hope Is Not Lost if you have A Little Faith. He will meet two extraordinary people that will teach him the true meaning of compassion.

Hope Walker and Ajax may not have a roof over their heads or money in their pockets. What they do have is far greater than all the riches in the world. They have heart. They have compassion for their fellow man. When they meet Keanu in a very unique situation, not only will it change their own lives but those of the Men of Ocean Beach and their close circle of friends. They are going to become a part of this close knit family and make them even better people.

Along the way the Ocean Beach crew is collecting new members for them to love and protect. A surely teenage boy and his enchanting six year old sister will become a part of this family. A stunning art gallery owner and a take charge grandmother will be embraced by this family.

The Men of Ocean Beach still have their crosses to bare. They still have their secrets. The latest members are no different. This unusual group of people will give a new definition to the word family. They will always have each others backs. They will always embrace the true meaning of compassion. They will pay it forward.

Once again Emma James delivered a multi layered story that only enhances the ongoing story of the Men of Ocean Beach. They are all leading characters that are demanding their happily ever after together. The will get it and experience a beautiful journey along the way.

Hope Is Lost ended with another astounding revelation that leaves the reading dying for the next book. It was not a cliffhanger… just an intermission for the rest of the story in The Men of Ocean Beach lives.

I can’t wait for Joy Is Found, the third book in the Men of Ocean Beach Series, to release.

Hope Is Lost was another phenomenal installment to the Men of Ocean Beach Series.

Men of Ocean Beach Series

A Little Faith – Book 1

“You never know how strong you are until being strong is the only choice you have.”
~ Bob Marley

Faith was nearly fifteen when her life was torn apart, she sheltered herself from knowing anything about that fateful day.

Six years later she is older and stronger and has decided to confront this sexy brotherhood of hot men she ignored for her own survival.

Harley, Keanu, Text, Levi and Retro will reveal to Faith all is not what it seems and she will discover the level of strength these friends possess.

She will come to realize the secrets they have all been shielding her from in humorous and emotional ways.

Faith isn’t going back to Dallas in a hurry, not until she can help those that need her the most.

This is a story of new beginnings, a strong brotherhood of sexy guys and a love that has been lost along the way. It is a story with twists and surprises that will tug at your heart as well as make you laugh.

Humor is a weapon that can only last so long until life peels the layers back and what is underneath and hurting shows through.

Faith wasn’t there for them when they needed her, but she damn well will make sure she is now.

Welcome to Ocean Beach.

Sometimes you just have to have A Little Faith.
Reader Note: This is a mature aged new adult/adult contemporary romance with a difference. This novel does not contain abusive parents, on the contrary. There is no mean girl, no rape or abuse or cheating. There is however a brotherhood of guys who will make you feel a whole range of emotions.

This novel does contain strong sexual content for the mature 18+ reader.

What I will tell you is this is a five book series with 2 novella’s also added to it. My style is different, readers are picking up on it. I am not just having boy meets girl in each book and HEA, there is more, much more going on. This is a series where all characters are strongly involved in each installment.

Buy: Amazon / B & N / ITunes / Kobo

Hope Is Lost – Book 2

“When the power of love overcomes the love of power, the world will know peace.”
-Jimi Hendrix

Hope Walker is a lost soul, and Ajax, the street performer, is her unspoken protector. Together, they survive the streets of Ocean Beach.

Life has a way of righting wrongs when you least expect it.

Come join this sexy crew as they show you that, even though life may take from you, it can also give back when you least anticipate it.

The Ocean Beach series continues with the brotherhood, passion, and laughter you have grown to love, and through the eyes of these survivors, you will realize love can truly heal.

The past will never be forgotten, but there is hope if you just allow yourself to have a little faith.

*Reader Note*

This is an adult contemporary romance series of five books and one novella with a difference.

There is a brotherhood of guys who will make you feel a whole range of emotions, and all of the characters are strongly involved in each sequel.

This novel does contain strong sexual content for the mature 18+ reader.

Buy: Amazon / B & N / ITunes / Kobo

Joy Is Found- Book 3

Coming 2015

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Author Bio:

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

Emma James lives in Queensland, Australia with her supportive husband, three children and a big black Labrador. Life is busy and most entertaining in the James household.

Writing has been a part of her life for many years. Life was getting on and it was time to put her fears aside and do what she does best. It was time to show readers what she was made of, take that leap off the diving board and see where it takes her.

Emma is a creative person at heart. She loves to read as much as write, devouring books into the wee hours of the morning.

Who needs sleep, right?

Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Goodreads ~ Amazon Author Page ~ Pintrest

Blog Tour + 6 Star Review + 2015 Favorite + Giveaway : A Little Faith by Emma James – Men of Ocean Beach – Book 1

Posted on 08/28/2015 by shellbellereads

A Little Faith

Men of Ocean Beach Series – Book 1

By Emma James

Synopsis

“You never know how strong you are until being strong is the only choice you have.”
~ Bob Marley

Faith was nearly fifteen when her life was torn apart, she sheltered herself from knowing anything about that fateful day.

Six years later she is older and stronger and has decided to confront this sexy brotherhood of hot men she ignored for her own survival.

Harley, Keanu, Text, Levi and Retro will reveal to Faith all is not what it seems and she will discover the level of strength these friends possess.

She will come to realize the secrets they have all been shielding her from in humorous and emotional ways.

Faith isn’t going back to Dallas in a hurry, not until she can help those that need her the most.

Humor is a weapon that can only last so long until life peels the layers back and what is underneath and hurting shows through.

Faith wasn’t there for them when they needed her, but she damn well will make sure she is now.

Welcome to Ocean Beach.

Sometimes you just have to have A Little Faith.

Reader Note: This is a mature aged new adult/adult contemporary romance with a difference. This novel does not contain abusive parents, on the contrary. There is no mean girl, no rape or abuse or cheating. There is however a brotherhood of guys who will make you feel a whole range of emotions.

This novel does contain strong sexual content for the mature 18+ reader.

Buy: Amazon / B & N / ITunes / Kobo

Excerpt

I’m swiveling back and forth, searching the crowd for Harley.

“Hey, short stuff.” A deep voice slices into my thoughts from over my right shoulder.

I slowly turn around, meeting Harley’s smiling face. I may have been short once, but now I am five-foot-eight, not exactly below-average height.

I take in Harley. He’s tall—six-four, at least—and gorgeous with light brown, short hair; tanned skin; and does he have some ink work on his arms? I’m normally very curious about tattoos, but now isn’t the time to look.

I know I’m looking him up and down, but it’s been so long, and he has changed. The softer boy features have been replaced by a big, muscular, chiseled man.

I swallow.

“Wow, is that really you, Harley Madden?” I’m drinking him in. I don’t remember Harley being so big and buff. His charcoal t-shirt molds tightly to his chest like a second skin. He wasn’t this muscular the last time I saw him. His belted, black jeans and boots complete his handsome look that has quite a few people in the crowd appraising him. He looks a little dangerous in his dark clothing. He would make Will purr like the cat who got the cream. I must admit, even I’m a little taken back.

He leans in and grabs me in a bear hug, lifting me off the ground, leaving me a little breathless. My face is nestled in his neck, catching his scent of cologne and soap.

Wow.

“Okay, big guy, you can stop squeezing the life out of me now,” I try to breathe out. He loosens his hold and slowly let’s go while I take a step back.

“You look amazing, Harley.” I find myself smiling. It feels good. I was worried about feeling awkward meeting Harley again after so long, but something just clicks. He was my brother’s best friend, and I’ve known him all my life. “It’s been a long time.”

“I could say the same about you. I might have to start calling you Faith.” He flashes me an amused grin, showing me perfect, white teeth and a dimple.

The baggage carousel starts up and everybody squeezes in tighter, trying to jockey for a position to get their luggage when it appears.

“Whoa!” I’m already beginning to feel less nervous having Harley here with me when I’m suddenly knocked off balance. Harley’s left arm snags me around the waist, bringing me up against his hard side. He shoots the person beside me a dirty look. Some people really do need to chill out when they travel.

I step away from him when I notice my case coming towards me.

Harley stops me with a gentle, firm hand on my arm. “I’ll get it for you, which one?”

With one, bright blue suitcase and camera bag in his hands, Harley walks me out the sliding doors of the airport and we cross to the parking garage.

The sun is shining, and my grey hoodie jacket is making me too hot. I unzip it, taking it off as I’m walking, revealing a tight white tank top. Much cooler.

Harley is staring at my chest and nearly trips over. I roll my eyes. You can never take the boy out of the man.

“Harley, are you finished staring?” I laugh a little at the look on his face. “So I grew up.”

“You certainly did,” he mutters and looks away. I could have sworn I heard him swear and mumble something about guard duty.

Michel’s Review

*** Spoiler Free Review ***

Wow ! Wow ! Wow! A Little Faith by Emma James was astonishing! This book came as a complete surprise and kept me glued to the pages. The characters jumped out of the pages and pulled me into their world. They made me experience their lives. They shared their lives with an open honesty and generous hearts. They made me admire their strength, courage, generosity, and dedication to one another. Their lives were fractured by one horrific event. They faced adversity with an eloquent spirit. They were not left untouched. They carry their scars with grace. They deal with their nightmares by depending on one another. They don’t allow this horrific event to defeat them. They allow that moment in time to define the remarkable men they are today. They will always be haunted by the memories but will move forward in life with a positive attitude. They will allow these memories to define the men they have become today. They are remarkable.

The synopsis for this book tells very little about the story itself. It is enough to intrigue the reader without giving away the meat of this story. Five men share a deep bond that will keep their lives linked together forever. It is a story of a living life to it’s fullest. It is a story of letting go of the past and embracing new beginnings. It is a story of having A Little Faith.

A Little Faith is not your typical romance that features one couple. It features six extraordinary men. They are all leading characters in their own right. They all have their own story to tell and it intertwines together. As their story unfolds , other characters are introduced into their circle. The reader will meet three exceptional women and one steely man that is honored to be their friend. Lost love will be found once again. The possibilities of new love are on the horizon. New friends are coming into their lives. They will all experience the true meaning of love and friendship.

Each man has their cross to bare. Each carries their cross differently. They use humor, silence, and over protectiveness to deflect their pain. They lean on on another. They will always have each other’s back no matter what happens in life.

Emma James did a brilliant job writing this book. A Little Faith is a story with multiple layers. Each chapter is written from a different character’s POV. The story flows beautifully. This story illustrates the past and the present with perfection. Each character is vibrant. The prologue had me hooked within the first few paragraphs. I was mesmerized and could not put the book down. Some would say it ended on a cliffhanger but I would define it as an intermission. The complete story is going to unfold in several books. The Men of Ocean Beach are demanding their story be told thoroughly. They are demanding that they all get their happily ever after together.

I was captivated by their story. I became invested in each character. When I finished the last page of A Little Faith I had to immediately download Hope Is Lost, the second book in the Men of Ocean Beach series.

A Little Faith by Emma James is phenomenal.