Heavenly Blog Tour + Giveaway + Release Party: Saving Evangeline by Nancee Cain

Posted on 06/07/2015 by Saucy Southern Readers

Saving Evangeline by Nancee Cain

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Synopsis

Evangeline is the town pariah. Everyone knows she’s crazy and was responsible for the death of her last boyfriend. Even her mother left her and moved cross-country. Lonely and desperate, Evie decides to end her life.

Rogue angel Remiel longs to return to earth, but there’s just one problem. He tends to invite trouble and hasn’t been allowed back since Woodstock. The Boss sends him to save Evangeline, but there’s a catch: he can’t reveal his angelic nature, and he must complete the task as Father Remiel Blackson.

Forced together on a cross-country trip, a forbidden romance ignites and love unfolds. A host of heavenly messengers tries to intervene, but Remiel and Evangeline are headed on a collision course to disaster. Will his love save her, or will they both be lost forever?

Excerpt

“Evangeline, wake up!”

“No,” I whimper, squeezing my eyes harder and swatting at the hand on my shoulder.. The warm hand shakes me, again.

“Come on, Crazy Girl, you need to get out of the tub. This isn’t fair. I didn’t sign on for this kind of temptation. I’m only human remember,” Remi murmurs, his voice laced with frustration.

My eyes snap open, and I struggle to sit up, covering my nakedness as best as I can with my hands and knees. The bubbles are gone. The water is cold. And my skin burns with embarrassment. A rumble of thunder and crack of lightning splits the air and we’re plunged into darkness.

“Thank God,” he mutters followed by a grunt. I figure he must’ve run into the counter. Remi swears under his breath, and wind hits the side of the house, whistling with intensity.

Buy Saving Evangeline:

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Author Bio:

Nancee Cain writes contemporary and paranormal romances with a serrated edge. In her stories she addresses some tough social issues, but always with a healthy dose of humor.

Her daytime hours are consumed by nursing in the never boring field of substance abuse. This is rather ironic since at age 22, she met her real-life hero in a bar. She swears the amount of alcohol she’d consumed had nothing to do with her boisterous proclamation she’d met her future husband. A year later, she married him.

Raised below the Mason-Dixon line, she dishes sarcasm like a Southern woman dishes blackberry cobbler, sweet and tart. She considers life too short not to laugh and too serious not to discuss. Her ultimate book hero will always be Atticus Finch.

An avid reader and admitted autographed book junkie, Nancee needs a 12-step program for her compulsive book buying. Her Devoted Hubby swears her To-Be-Read list qualifies her as a certifiable book hoarder.

Social Media Links:

Goodreads ~ Facebook ~ Website ~ Twitter ~ Pinterest

Nancy is giving away a signed copy of Saving Evangeline

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Come to the Release Party and party with Nancee, Debra Anastasia, Helena Hunting, and AJ Harmon

https://www.facebook.com/events/1051070228254767/

Release Blitz + Review + Giveaway: Beyond The Cut by Sarah Castille – The Sinner’s Tribe Motorcycle Club – Book 2

Posted on 06/06/2015 by shellbellereads

Beyond The Cut

Sinner’s Tribe Motorcycle Club – Book 2

Release Date: June 2, 2015

By Sarah Castille

Synopsis

SHE’S HOLDING ON TIGHT.
As a teen, Dawn ran from a life on the streets straight into the arms of Jimmy “Mad Dog” Sanchez, a biker who promised to be her knight in shining armor. But his love was just another cage. Years later, Dawn’s former life still has its hooks in her and she’ll do whatever it takes to break free. When Cade “Ryder” O’Connor, a member of a rival club, makes her an offer, Dawn finds herself in a different, hotter kind of trouble with one irresistible Sinner…

WILL HE GIVE HER THE RIDE OF HER LIFE?
Cade is an outlaw biker with allegiance to one thing and one thing only: The Sinner’s Tribe Motorcycle Club. But when it comes to the stunningly sexy, fiercely independent Dawn Delgado, Cade finds himself…hungrier for more. Trouble is on Dawn’s heels and he wants to be the answer to her prayers, whether she wants him to be or not. What can’t be denied is the red-hot attraction between them. However, as they fall deeper, the danger rises and Cade may have to sacrifice it all…in Beyond the Cut by New York Times bestselling author Sarah Castille.

Buy : Amazon / B & N / ITunes / Kobo

Excerpt

“We never danced before,” she said softly. Her breath was sweet, citrusy, and he was tempted to lick that sugar from her lips, but uncertainty held him back.

“We never did a whole lot of anything before except fuck.” Exactly what he wanted to do now. And afterward, maybe they could talk, or do what couples did, although never having really been part of a couple, he didn’t know what that would be. Watch TV? Go for a ride? Fuck some more?

“Maybe that’s ’cause that’s all we’re good for together.”

That gave him pause. Yes, he enjoyed sex with Dawn, but he genuinely liked her. She was smart, sweet, sensitive, and funny. She had more grit and determination than anyone he’d met, working three jobs, putting up with Shelly-Ann, never giving up hope she’d get her girls back. He wanted to spend more time with her, but she was always running away.

“Well, we gotta have something together, because now you’re wearing my cut and there’s no turning back.” He brushed his fingers through her beautiful long, blond hair. They had that in common. But Dawn was soft, where he was hard. Curved where he was straight. Sweet where he was bitter.

“If you’d told me three weeks ago I’d be in a biker bar, dancing with a biker and wearing a cut, I’d never have believed you. This was the last thing I ever thought I wanted. Me. A biker’s old lady again.”

His old lady. He liked the sound of it. He liked watching the words on her lips, tumbling over the silky softness and into his heart. Three weeks ago, sitting in his booth at Peelers with Delilah in his lap, he never would have believed he’d have an old lady. “Say it again.”

She licked her lips, and the sight of her little pink tongue made him hard.

“Old lady.”

“My old lady. Say it.”

Dawn studied him for a minute, considering. “Yours.” She leaned up and kissed him and he lost the last threads of his control.

Michel’s Review

Beyond The Cut by Sarah Castille is the second book in The Sinner’s Tribe MC series. It is a gritty, sexy, and intense story that I would recommend to MC Romance fans. It is not a light and censored romance. Sarah Castille paints a very vivid picture of the MC world and their rivals.

Dawn has dealt with the MC world most of her adult life. She married a biker at the age of sixteen. She thought she was building a strong family unit. Instead she is in an abusive relationship and fears not only for her life but the life of her twin girls. When she tries to flee her husband and start a new life , the power of MC rules over her life. She loses custody of her children and has limited visitation. Her ex husband refuses to let go of her.

Dawn moved to a town where her husband’s rival MC resides. He can’t get her in this territory. She is done with the MC world. The only problem is her attraction to Cade “Ryder” O’Connor. He is a lifer in the Sinner’s Tribe MC. He is an outlaw like her ex husband. The only difference between the two in her mind is the patches on their cut. That is until she gets to know Ryder. He is everything her ex husband is not. She can’t stay away from him. But she knows she has to if she wants to get her daughters back.

The more Dawn gets involved with Ryder the deeper the cesspool of her life gets. She is being blackmailed to ensure she can see her daughters. She is being stalked and threatened by her ex husband. There is a war brewing in the Sinner’s Tribe world. Dawn may get caught up in it or become a causality of the war. Can Ryder protect his club and his woman?

I enjoyed Beyond The Cut but I found a few things that didn’t quite sit right with me. This book did not seem to have the comadery and brotherhood unity that most MC Romances have. I didn’t really feel like the club was backing Ryder and that they were more concerned with the politics of the MC world. They didn’t seem to care that women and children could be causalities. I also felt like Dawn spent more angsting over Ryder rather than her children. When the danger prevailed it seemed like the children were an afterthought. Otherwise Beyond The Cut was a good biker romance. I would recommend this book and the Sinner’s Tribe Motorcycle Club series.

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The Sinner’s Tribe Motorcycle Club Series

Rough Justice – Book 1

From New York Times bestselling author Sarah Castille comes Rough Justice, a scorching new series featuring red-hot, hard-riding bikers and the women who can’t help but love them…
IT TAKES A GOOD, STRONG WOMAN
Raised in a motorcycle gang, tough, beautiful Arianne Wilder has always dreamed of a normal life. But no sooner does she escape her father’s domineering grasp than she wakes up to find herself in a rival gang’s clubhouse—at the mercy of the dangerously sexy Jagger Knight.
TO TAME A MAN WHO’S HELL ON WHEELS.
The alpha leader of the notorious Sinner’s Tribe, Jagger Knight is all muscle, all biker, and all man. But somewhere inside this hard, tattooed outlaw, Arianne senses a kindred spirit—and she can’t ignore their tempestuous attraction. Can she beat him at his own game in a revved-up blaze of glory? Or will their passion spark a war that’s the end of the road for them both?

Buy: Amazon / B & N / ITunes / Kobo

Beyond The Cut – Book 2

Release Date: June 2, 2015

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

Sinner’s Steel – Book 3

Release Date: October 6, 2015

HE’S HELL ON WHEELS.
Tall, dark, and dangerously handsome, Zane “Tracker” Colter is the strong, silent type of tattooed muscle biker who drives women wild. But as a master of strategy for the outlaw MC club, Sinner’s Tribe, he doesn’t have time to play around with groupies and biker chicks-especially when he can’t stop thinking about Evie, the girl who got away…

SHE’S PLAYING WITH FIRE.
Evie’s been in love with Zane ever since they were children-until he broke her heart and disappeared. Now he’s back in her life, bigger and badder than ever. Zane is stunned by how beautiful and confident Evie’s become, using her artistic talent to customize motorcycles. He wants her so bad, he’d ride through fire to win her back. There’s one problem: Evie is dating his deadliest rival-the leader of the Black Jacks-and if Evie and Zane hook up, there’ll be hell to pay… in Sinner’s Steel.
Sarah Castille’s Sinner’s Tribe series is:

“Raw, rugged, and romantic.” -Eden Bradley, New York Times bestselling author
“A sexy and dangerous ride!”-Roni Loren, New York Times bestselling author

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

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Author Bio:

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

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

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Giveaway

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Summer Reads: All Of Me by Jennifer Bernard – Love Between The Bases Series – Book 1

Posted on 06/04/2015 by shellbellereads

All Of Me

Love Between The Bases Series – Book 1

By Jennifer Bernard

Synopsis

Jennifer Bernard, the USA Today bestselling author of the Bachelor Firemen series, scores another homerun with a brand-new series about sexy, single baseball players.

Playing for the Kilby Catfish is hotshot pitcher Caleb Hart’s last chance to salvage his career after a major league meltdown. But the day of his opener with the minor league team, Caleb strikes out with the gorgeous woman who is delivering a petition to run the unruly Catfish out of town. Now, to stay in the lineup, Caleb will need to score big with the feisty brunette he can’t keep out of his thoughts.

After the nasty lies Sadie Merritt’s rich ex-boyfriend spread about her all over town, she’s lucky to have a job at all. She can’t afford to screw it up by falling for the player who is supposed to be helping her change the image of the fun-loving Catfish. But that’s easier said than done when Caleb’s voice alone is enough to make her pulse race. And when he surprises her with a mind-blowing kiss, she knows there’s no turning back.

Buy: Amazon / B & N / ITunes / Kobo

Tina’s Review

Judging a Book by it’s Cover —
Nice colors. But I’m not a big fan. Both models on the cover poorly depict the characters as described in the book. The male model looks older and “softer”, at the same time the pose makes him look like he’s one of those grabby PitA guys who think they’re cute but they’re not. Sadie also looks older and way more “buttoned up” than described. The model’s got that look like “Oh yeah? I don’t think so buddy”. It seems more playful and cheeky, but you really do not sense any romantic connection from the cover.
Synopsis sounds okay, not like something I’d pick up on my own though. I’m not a huge fan of baseball and it sounds a little too redneck as well. But, as a favor to a friend, I’ve agreed to read it. I have liked the author’s firemen series, so I’m hoping the writing style will transfer over to this new series as well.
Looking Deeper —
Caleb is a great brother. But, the way he approaches Sadie? I’m surprised the guy hasn’t been charged with sexual assault. He’s always pawing at her, and more! And, maybe it’s some sort of hole-in-the-wall small-town mentality, but if Sadie’s so dang shook up over what Ham did to her, without looking into the violation of privacy laws and reporting the photos and video to the proper channels, how did she expect to ever become a successful lawyer? I get the familial tie in the law enforcement thing, but once it hit the web, it became Federal and she would not have had to deal with Ham’s podunk father. Their parents were a damn mess, both of them. The cast of secondary characters were enjoyable, but are currently little more than filler… only one or two actually contributed to the plot. The whole slug cause seemed like an unusual mockery. The conflicts were rather plentiful and, with better communication, could have been resolved much more smoothly and efficiently. The plot, as a whole, was good. There was some predictability, but not enough to be off-putting. The conclusion was solid, with a completed HEA and hints of others to come.
I found it difficult to connect to the characters. Caleb and Sadie seemed to have some trouble connecting as well… almost like an engine with one cylinder misfiring. The dialogue was still classic Jennifer Bernard, however. Smart, sassy and fun. Maybe it’s because this is the series’ debut and a whole new world needs building, but I’m not really a fan of the small-town busybody mentality in Kilby and hope like hell that future books in the series will focus less on the narrow-minded, nosy inhabitants. Fans of Jennifer Bernard will also note that this book is quite a bit steamier than her Bachelor Firemen books ever were. I have a pet peeve about “boner” being used in adult plots, my opinion is that it’s a term used by children, teens, and up into college. It is suitable for Young Adult and New Adult, but I don’t feel it is a mature word for mature adults. Unfortunately, the terminology had made an appearance a few times throughout the book. I felt as though maybe Jennifer’s alter-ego had a more predominant hand in writing this book, expecially the sexy scenes.

Michel’s Review

Baseball and romance… the perfect way to welcome in the summer season. Jennifer Bernard has given the readers some new Boys of Summer to fall in love with. The great thing about a baseball romance is that at the end of the book the readers know that there is more coming. After all a baseball team consists of nine players.

All of Me is the first book in the new series Love Between The Bases by Jennifer Bernard. It is a good mix of romance, angst, humor, small town quirkiness, and baseball. One bad boy baseball player and one good girl with a bad reputation is the perfect blend. Both have made mistakes that they need to right. Both need second chances. Both need each other whether they know it or not. The chemistry between Caleb and Sadie is sizzling hot and could melt a popsicle in a flash.

All of Me was a very good book to start the summer.

Author Bio:

Jennifer Bernard is a graduate of Harvard and a former news promo producer. The child of academics, she confounded her family by preferring romance novels to … well, any other books. She left big city life for true love in Alaska, where she now lives with her husband and stepdaughters. She’s no stranger to book success, as she also writes erotic novellas under a naughty secret name not to be mentioned at family gatherings.

Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Goodreads

5 Star Review…Moonlight On Nightingale Way by Samantha Young – On Dublin Street Series

Posted on 06/04/2015 by shellbellereads

Moonlight On Nightengale Way

Dublin Street Series

By Samantha Young

Synopsis

Logan from Echoes of Scotland Street is back with his own smoldering story, as the New York Times bestselling On Dublin Street series returns…

Logan spent two years paying for the mistakes he made. Now, he’s ready to start over. He has a great apartment, a good job, and plenty of women to distract him from his past. And one woman who is driving him to distraction…

Grace escaped her manipulative family by moving to a new city. Her new life, made to suit her own needs, is almost perfect. All she needs to do is find her Mr. Right—or at least figure out a way to ignore her irresistible yet annoying womanizer of a neighbor.

Grace is determined to have nothing to do with Logan until a life-changing surprise slowly begins turning the wild heartbreaker into exactly the kind of strong, stable man she’s been searching for. Only just when she begins to give into his charms, her own messy past threatens to derail everything they’ve worked to build…

Buy: Amazon / B & N / ITunes / Kobo

Tracey’s Review

Moonlight On Nightingale Way is the last book in Samantha Young’s beloved On Dublin Street series, and she really does go out with a bang. Logan MacLeod and Grace Farquhar get off to a prickly start, due mostly to a shared bedroom wall and her prickly response to his manwhoring ways. But it’s not long before friendship, then more, is in the air as life reveals surprises that bring them closer together.

I will happily read anything by Samantha. I am so in love with all the characters that we have come to know and love in this series. Diving into one of these books is like reconnecting with old friends, and, because Samantha writes about these people like they’re part of our own tribe, it really is so much fun to check in and see how what’s new with them. Not only do we meet Logan, Grace, and her friends, but the whole gang is here and very involved in all the goings-on. As well, Logan’s daughter Maia is a joy. Part über-responsible young woman, part typical teenaged girl, she is easy to love, and really adds to the story. Exploring complicated family dynamics and showing that real family is often chosen rather than dictated by birth, Samantha has written a story both romantic and poignant, and I loved every single page.

I am sad to see the end of the Dublin Street gang, but look very forward to what comes next from Samantha. With 5 ‘snarky, feel-good, so sexy I can’t stand it’ stars, Moonlight On Nightingale Way is a must-read, and you should add it to your TBR now.

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Author Bio:

Samantha Young is a New York Times, USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author from Stirlingshire, Scotland. She’s been nominated for the Goodreads Choice Award 2012 for Best Author and Best Romance for her international bestseller ON DUBLIN STREET. ON DUBLIN STREET is Samantha’s first adult contemporary romance series and has sold in twenty-eight countries.

Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Goodreads

Summer Reads: 6 Star Review + 2015 Favorite: Gus by Kim Holden

Posted on 06/04/2015 by shellbellereads

Gus

A Sequel to Brightside

By Kim Holden

Synopsis

The journey that began in top-rated, best-selling Bright Side, continues …

This is the story of Gus.
Losing himself.
Finding himself.
And healing along the way.

“ … but the honest-to-God truth is I don’t even know how to function anymore. Bright Side wasn’t only my best friend; she was like my other half … the other half of my brain, the other half of my conscience, the other half of my sense of humor, the other half of my creativity, the other half of my heart. How do you go back to doing what you did before, when half of you is gone forever?”

Buy: Amazon

Robin’s Review

When author Colleen Hoover recommends a novel, I make a note of it. Not only is Hoover a gifted writer, but I respect her opinion when it comes to a book recommendation. The novel I’m referring to on this occasion is Bright Side by Kim Holden, and it apparently made a positive impression on her. It was impossible to ignore all of the positive feedback from readers who had already taken her recommendation to heart, so I decided to purchase and read Bright Side. Kim Holden’s gripping and emotional story about Kate Sedgwick was heartbreaking, inspiring, and beautiful. Optimistic. Bright Side earned a 6-star rating from me and a rare spot on my list of all-time favorite novels.

Because of my immense love for Bright Side, I have been looking forward to the day I could read Gus, the second novel of Holden’s Bright Side series. It’s a story about Kate Sedgwick’s lifelong best friend, Gus Hawthorne. Simply put, Gus found a way under my skin. This story grew on me, steamrolling into something just as special as Bright Side. Gus Hawthorne is the songwriter and lead singer for Rook. The novel sort of has a slow start, with Gus drowning in heartbreak and loss. His life is falling apart. While the band is touring Europe, Gus is doing his best to get through each day. In order to ensure the success of the U.S. tour, management decides to hire a personal assistant for Gus.

Scout Mackenzie doesn’t know anything about Rook or its lead singer. She’s just running away from her problems when she accepts the position to be a personal assistant to Gustov Hawthorne. Scout has recently been in an abusive relationship. She could use the money, and she definitely needs some time away. Taking this position is perfect for her because Rook is beginning its tour of the United States, and she will be traveling with the band on the tour bus.

Right from the beginning, Gus and Scout do not hit it off. They put up with each other because they have to. This may seem strange, but I love this aspect of Gus. I commend Kim Holden for going this route, although it might not be a popular choice. I believe both of these characters need time to heal – to get some perspective on the circumstances they have been through. I found it refreshing to read how a relationship develops between Gus and Scout. How they grow on each other. We see them become friends first, helping each other heal. Friends before lovers.

One of my favorite things about Bright Side is the characters, most of them full of positive energy and charisma, so I was super excited to see Kim Holden revisit them in Gus. You should expect to spend plenty of time with the members of Rook – Gus, Franco, Robbie and Jamie. And Gus’s Ma? I just love her, and the close relationship they share. Ma is definitely my favorite secondary character, and she has a special role in this novel. The characters from Grant, Minnesota? Keller and Stella, Duncan and Shelly and many more are found in Gus. Kim Holden ties her characters from Bright Side and Gus together nicely.

Gus is an emotional story. At times, the novel can be sad. I found myself in tears on several occasions, but Gus is also funny, hopeful and inspiring. I absolutely adored the many ways we visit Kate and Gracie throughout this story! The healing and love that flourishes between Gus and Scout is heartwarming and fulfilling, and they show growth as individuals. The author does a fantastic job of fully developing each main character.

Bright Side and Gus. There is something very powerful about each of these stories. Maybe what I am feeling is the mood or tenor. I’m not sure, but whatever it is, I continue to feel it long after I have finished reading. Both novels are very special to me. Gus receives a 6-star rating, and I am including it on my list of 2015 favorite novels!

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Don’t miss out on Brightside by Kim Holden!

Bright side by Kim Holden

Synopsis

Secrets.
Everyone has one.
Some are bigger than others.
And when secrets are revealed,
Some will heal you …
And some will end you.

Kate Sedgwick’s life has been anything but typical. She’s endured hardship and tragedy, but throughout it all she remains happy and optimistic (there’s a reason her best friend Gus calls her Bright Side). Kate is strong-willed, funny, smart, and musically gifted. She’s also never believed in love. So when Kate leaves San Diego to attend college in the small town of Grant, Minnesota, the last thing she expects is to fall in love with Keller Banks.

They both feel it.
But they each have a reason to fight it.
They each have a secret.

And when secrets are revealed,
Some will heal you …
And some will end you.

Buy: Amazon / B & N / ITunes / Kobo

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Author Bio

Some of my favorite things: reading, writing, the two coolest guys on the planet (my husband and son), my bicycle (my husband built it for me), Facebook (I’m fairly certain it’s an addiction at this point), iced coffee (hazelnut), and music (LOVE Sunset Sons, the 1975, Dredg, the xx, Balance and Composure, Teenage Bottlerocket, and 30 Seconds to Mars). I also love dreaming, which brings me to my next point. I have one bit of advice for anyone reading this … follow your dreams. It’s never too late. Get started today … heck get started RIGHT NOW! I wanted to write a book 20 years ago. Instead I waited. And waited. I should’ve been writing. But I didn’t. I don’t do regrets, because the past is just that, the past. But let me tell you there’s nothing in the world like achieving something you’ve dreamt about for years and years. So, get started. Make your dreams reality.
I love to hear from other readers. Send me a message or find me on Facebook (https://facebook.com/kimholdenauthor) and tell what’s up in your reading world.

Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Goodreads

5 Star Review : Saving Evangeline by Nancee Cain

Posted on 06/04/2015 by shellbellereads

Saving Evangeline by Nancee Cain

Release Date: May 26, 2015

Synopsis

Buy: Amazon / B & N / ITunes / Kobo

Teaser

“Don’t do it,” a deep male voice commands.

A whisper of a breeze caresses my cheek. With a frustrated sigh, I lower my foot and drag my gaze from the murky, dark water that beckons me with its siren’s song. Glaring at the unwelcome intruder, I dash the tears from my cheeks. He stands in the shadow, and all I can make out is that he’s tall with broad shoulders. Striding toward me, hands in his pockets, he starts whistling. The thought occurs to me I should be scared and run, but it’s as if I’m glued to the spot. As he comes into the light, I see he’s a priest. But he doesn’t look like any priest I’ve ever known. This guy is Hollywood gorgeous. Under the dim light, he appears almost incandescent and his emerald eyes seem lit from within. Their intensity burns a hole into my paper-thin bravado, which slips away and disappears like ashes in the wind.

Dammit, I’d just worked up the courage to follow through with my plan to leave this nightmare behind, and this stranger has interrupted, dragging me back to my personal hell on earth.

Lis’ Review

Just finished this book and I’m smiling big right now. This is the feel good book of the year. I didn’t know what to expect, but irreverent humor and lovable wacky characters won me over from page one. How can you not love a fallen angel with a potty mouth?

Evangeline is a lost soul, depressed, self-tortured with guilt and ready to end it all. Remi (short for Remiel) is a bored angel, who can’t quite toe the line up in heaven, so God sends him to earth to help save Evangeline… as a priest. They meet on a bridge as she’s contemplating suicide. He tells her “Don’t do it.” Which means don’t jump but his reason for her not jumping? “I can’t swim.” I know, not very priestly, or very angelic either, but his flippant attitude and smart ass remarks win over Evangeline before she even knows what’s happening to her. They are a match for each other – she refers to her hometown priest as Father Asswipe. He refers to her as Crazy Girl. Both are heartfelt titles, and we soon realize that once she accepts his offer of a ride home off that bridge, we will be journeying with them on a wild ride.

The secondary characters we meet along the way are hilarious and portrayed perfectly. God as a golf-playing CEO reprimanding his wayward employee angel is perfect. Along the way we meet Mary and Martha, portrayed as two busy-body old ladies; St. Francis of Assissi portrayed as Franco, the convenience store owner who give Evangeline a mangy dog to care for; the angel Rafael, portrayed as a hitchhiking cowboy, and Mary Magdelene, portrayed as a trashy but sexy barfly. Each character has their unique qualities and each plays a part in keeping the two star-crossed lovers on the right path.

However, it’s Remi and Evie that we root for. As readers we want things to work out for them because their love for each other saves them both. It’s bittersweet when Evie finally finds out Remi’s true identity and I was a little disappointed with the way the story had to go, but not enough to want to change a thing. This book made me laugh out loud, cry tears of sadness and joy, and end up smiling like a … Crazy Girl. Lord knows if I had a guardian angel I would certainly want him to be just like Remi. The lessons he teaches Evangeline were not lost on me as the reader; it’s a mantra I try to live myself. And believe me, I will never look at another kids’ play area ball pit in the same way again.

Kudos to Nancee Cain on her debut novel. It’s definitely a 5-star, feel good, have fun and be irreverent read, and I am so looking forward to more inspired stories from this author.

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Author Bio:

Nancee Cain writes contemporary and paranormal romances with a serrated edge. In her stories she addresses some tough social issues, but always with a healthy dose of humor.

Social Media Links:

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5 Star Review: Ultraviolet : Season 1 – Episode 1 by Jessica Sorensen

Posted on 06/04/2015 by shellbellereads

Ultraviolet

Season 1 – Episode 1

By Jessica Sorensen

Hidden in the Red Hill Mountains is the quiet town of Hollows Grove.

In that town, there is a field where a secret is buried deep beneath the ground.

And in that field is where Mila was found abandoned with no memory of her past and haunted by visions of the future.

Nine years later, Mila’s life is almost as normal as any other eighteen-year-old. That is until she starts foreseeing the murder of Nyjah Bradley, a guy she’s never met before, but whose face is branded into her mind.

Constantly plagued by the vision, Mila decides to track Nyjah down and warn him of his impending death. But when the search leads her back to Hollows Grove, she learns there’s more to the sleepy town than meets the eye.

Buy: Amazon / B & N / Kobo

Goosebumps dot my arms as I become highly aware that there’s not a single drop of noise within earshot. Not even our shoes hitting the dirt make a sound. I want to ask Novela if she notices it, but I don’t want to risk upsetting her more than she is. I try to keep it to myself but then I hear the soft pitter-patter of light footsteps rushing up behind us.

Do you hear us? Do you hear us?

Welcome back. Welcome back.

We’ve been waiting for you, Mila.

Our gazes lock and without looking back, Novela and I take off in a mad sprint down the road

“Oh my God, we’re going to die,” she pants as she struggles desperately to keep up with me.

“We’re not going to die.” I gasp for air as I push my legs harder than I ever have before.

I don’t know what’s behind us. If it’s following us. What it wants. But as we near the edge of town, I dare look back over my shoulder and instantly wish I wouldn’t have. Because standing in the darkness of the road, watching us from a distance, is a lofty figure.

Michel’s Review

Jessica Sorensen never ceases to amaze me with her creative stories. I was apprehensive about reading Ultraviolet because it had a paranormal theme. I was expecting the predictable type of paranormal story and Jessica delivered something altogether different. I don’t know if a paranormal is the right genre to classify this series in. It could easily fall under the horror genre.

Ultraviolet : Season 1 -Episode 1 is a fast read. The reader can easily read this story on their lunch break. It is gives a strong introduction to leading character, Mila. Mila has an interesting background. She has no memory of her life before she was nine years old. She was abandoned in a small town in the mountains at the age of nine. She was adopted into a loving family and has had a happy life. The one thing that Mila has that is odd is her visions. She can foresee events in the future. She keeps her visions a secret from her family. Her best friend is the only one she has confided in about her visions.

Nine years later Mila is eighteen and has recently graduated from high school. She is planning a summer road trip with her best friend. Right before they are about to embark on their road trip Mila begins having visions. These visions are unlike any of the other visions she has had. They are coming to her in dreams as well as her conscience time. In these visions she witnesses a young man getting murdered. The vision is quite clear that she is the only one that can save him.

The road trip leads to an impromptu stop in the town where she was found deep in the mountains. What happens once she enters the town limits will frighten even the bravest soul.

Ultraviolet ends on a major cliffhanger that leaves the reader biting their nails and chills down their spine. I had goosebumps reading this book. In a lot of ways it reminded of the television show American Horror Story. It wasn’t the story itself that reminded me of it but the format and delivery of the story. Jessica Sorensen has mastered writing a chilling story that will leave the reader frightened and wanting more.

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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#SAVEMAX…#THE CONSEQUENCE OF REVENGE…#RACHEL VAN DYKEN

Posted on 06/04/2015 by shellbellereads

After losing his best friend to another guy, the notoriously
too-confident Max Emory suddenly feels lost. He may have devastatingly good
looks, an abundance of charm, and a claim to one of the biggest hotel empires
around, but he has no ambition anymore. So when his fed-up friends decide
they’ve had enough of his moping, they sign him up to be the next bachelor on
the reality series Love Island. And between his pride and his forged signature
on an ironclad contract, Max just can’t say no.

Now he’s stranded in paradise with twenty-four women, oneterrifying goat, and Becca, the breathtaking barista who already turned him down back home. The closer Max gets to Becca, the more determined he becomes to win her over. As she gets to know him better, things start heating up. But is Becca really after Max’s heart—or is she after the cash prize she could claim once the cameras stop rolling?

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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

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Happy Release + 5 Star Review: Follow Me Back by A. Meredith Walters – Twisted Love Series – Book 2

Posted on 06/03/2015 by shellbellereads

Follow Me Back

Twisted Love Series – Book 2

By A. Meredith Walters

Synopsis

The sequel to Lead Me Not, this dangerously sexy second installment in the Twisted Love series continues Aubrey and Maxx’s love story, from New York Times bestselling author A. Meredith Walters—who “writes the most beautifully flawed characters that still have you swooning” (Sawyer Bennett, USA TODAY bestselling author of the Off series).

Aubrey Duncan has loved…and lost. Should she follow a heart that’s betrayed her or a head that tells her to let go?

Maxx Demelo’s addiction almost destroyed him. It ruined his life and, most importantly, his relationship with the only girl he ever loved.

He has vowed to become the man Aubrey Duncan deserves. Even if he has to tear himself apart to do it. So he enters rehab, trying to fix the parts of him that are shattered as he longs to be healthy and whole.

Aubrey lost everything because she chose to listen to her heart. Now she has sworn to put herself first, to heal in the only way that she can…far away from Maxx and his demons.

But just as Aubrey is starting over, Maxx is released from rehab and thrust back into her world, determined to prove how much they still need each other. And the chaos that had defined them threatens to unleash once again…

But a heart, no matter how broken, is impossible to ignore.

Buy: Amazon / B & N / ITunes / Kobo

Michel’s Review

Follow Me Back by A. Meredith Walters is the sequel to Lead Me Not in the Twisted Love Series. It is the conclusion to Aubrey Duncan’s and Maxx Demelo’s tumultuous relationship. Their forbidden relationship was on a very destructive path that led to the ruin of both of them as individuals and as a couple. Follow Me Back is the aftermath and consequences from their helter skelter relationship.

Maxx Demelo is a drug addict. He has finally hit rock bottom. He overdosed and very nearly lost his life. Now he is dealing with the recourse of his addiction. He is also dealing with the loss of Aubrey and his relationship with his younger brother. He has destroyed everything good in his world. His overdose was a wake up call. He could not handle his life without the drugs. The drugs defined his art, his popularity, his persona, and his relationships. Now he is in rehab and facing the truth. He has not only destroyed himself but his loved ones as well. He sincerely wants to regain his life. He sincerely wants to end his addiction. He wants a relationship with his brother. He wants Aubrey’s love. It may be too late for all of it but he is going to do everything in his power to win them back. He is going to earn their trust and deserve their love.

After Maxx nearly died from the overdose Aubrey’s world crashed. The university found out about her secret relationship with Maxx. She has been dismissed as a councelor from the support group on campus. She has been put on academic probation and withdrawn from the counselling program. Her academic career is in the toilet. She is going to have to jump through hoops to regain her place in the program once again. One of the conditions to regaining that position is that she cannot have anything to do with Maxx Demelo. She cannot have anything to do with any of the members of the group. Like Maxx, Aubrey feels the loss. She loved Maxx with all her heart. She was devastated when she found out that not only was he using again, he was an addict. She almost died inside right along with Maxx when he overdosed. Now she has to pull herself together and move on in life in a positive and constructive manner. She has to hold onto her anger for Maxx otherwise she is going to end up right where she started.

Maxx is going to do everything in his power to get Aubrey back in his life. This time he is going to do it the right way for her and himself. He is going to prove that he is not a lost cause and that he can be the man she needs.

Maxx will struggle with his addiction. He will have to face the harsh realities of life. He will have temptation thrown in his path at every turn. He will have to be strong when the chips are down. He will find it harder and harder. In the end it will be up to him how his life unfolds.

Aubrey tried to resist Maxx but when she sees that he is really working on staying clean and sober it changes things. She allows herself to interact with Maxx. She allows herself to once again fall in love with him. The one thing she struggles with is her trust. She doesn’t know if she can ever trust him again. She is also facing some truths in her own life. She is facing her sister’s death, her bad relationship with her parents, and her own personal goals in life.

Together Aubrey and Maxx will struggle to rebuild their lives. In the end they will find out things about themselves, their relationship, and their path to happiness. Life isn’t easy. Life is a challenge. What is important is how you face those challenges.

A. Meredith Walters did an amazing job writing this sequel. She did not sugar coat the realities of being a drug addict or co dependent. She allowed these characters to experience the pain, the hardship, and the realities in their lives. She also allowed these characters to grow as individuals and become stronger better people. She allowed them to face the truths and build a new life without ever forgetting their old lives.

I highly recommend the Twisted Love series by A. Meredith Walters. It is a reading experience that will touch the reader.

_____________________________________

The Twisted Love Series

Lead Me Not – Book 1

In this dangerously sexy novel from the New York Times bestselling author of Find You in the Dark, a straight-laced college student meets a handsome but enigmatic stranger who lures her into an underground club scene, where she finds it difficult to resist temptation…

Aubrey Duncan understands loss. She knows what rock bottom looks like, and she is determined to crawl back up to the top after the sudden death of her younger sister. She blames herself for her part in the tragedy, convinced that she could have done something, anything, to help her.

In her effort to gain redemption, Aubrey starts fresh at Longwood University and facilitates an addiction support group, hoping she can support someone else in the way she failed her sister. But what she doesn’t count on is an all-consuming fascination with group member Maxx Demelo, a gorgeous, blond, blue-eyed enigma who hides dark secrets behind a carefully constructed mask. He only reveals what he wants others to see. But Aubrey glimpses another Maxx hidden below the surface—a Maxx who is drowning in his own personal hell.

As Aubrey and Maxx develop an attraction too intense to ignore, he pulls her into the dark underbelly of the city club scene, where she is torn by her desire to save him and an inexplicable urge to join him in his downward spiral. Worst of all, she is beginning to love everything she should run away from—a man who threatens to ignite in her a fire that could burn her alive…

Buy: Amazon / B & N / ITunes / Kobo

Follow Me Back – Book 2

Aubrey Duncan has loved…and lost. Should she follow a heart that’s betrayed her or a head that tells her to let go?

Maxx Demelo’s addiction almost destroyed him. It ruined his life and, most importantly, his relationship with the only girl he ever loved.

Aubrey lost everything because she chose to listen to her heart. Now she has sworn to put herself first, to heal in the only way that she can…far away from Maxx and his demons.

But a heart, no matter how broken, is impossible to ignore.

Buy: Amazon / B & N / ITunes / Kobo

__________________________________________

Author Bio

The New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of Contemporary and Paranormal romance including The Find You in the Dark and Bad Rep series as well as the upcoming stand alone romance, Reclaiming the Sand, and a dark new adult series for Gallery Books.

A. Meredith spent ten years as a counselor for at risk teens and children. First
working at a Domestic Violence/Sexual Assault program and then later a program
for children with severe emotional and mental health issues. Her former clients
and their stories continue to influence every aspect of her writing.

When not writing (or being tortured with all manner of beauty products at the hand of her very imaginative and extremely girly daughter), she is eating chocolate, watching reality television that could rot your brain and reading a smutty novel or two.

A. Meredith is represented by Michelle Johnson with the Inklings Literary Agency.

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Happy Release + Review : One More Shot by Victoria Denault – Hometown Players Series – Book 1

Posted on 06/03/2015 by shellbellereads

One More Shot

Hometown Players Series – Book 1

By Victoria Denault

Synopsis

They say you only get one shot at making your dreams come true.

Jordan is determined to take two.

Drafted by the NHL at eighteen, Jordan Garrison was headed for fame, and there was only one person he wanted to share it with-Jessie Caplan. He was crazy in love with her, and had finally told her so. They shared an amazing night . . . and then everything fell apart.

Jessie tries not to think about the night she gave herself to Jordan-or how he broke her heart. She tries not to think about it, but she does. Especially now, when she’s staring into his sky-blue eyes for the first time in six years. After so much time and torment, she can’t tell if she loves him or hates him. But Jordan has learned enough to know a connection like theirs is rare. He was lucky to find Jessie once. No way will he lose her again.

Buy: Amazon / B & N / ITunes / Kobo

Michel’s Review

One More Shot is the debut novel by Victoria Denault. This New Adult book has everything that fans of this genre look for in a book. The overall theme has so many things that readers love in romance. There is the friends to lovers theme. The second chance romance theme. The sports romance theme. And finally the small town romance theme.

Victoria Denault did an excellent job creating the atmosphere for this book. The reader was quickly drawn into the small world of Silver Bay, Maine. A world where mostly everything revolves around hockey. The younger generation wants to escape the small town life any way that they can. For Jordan Garrison and his brothers, hockey is their ticket out. For the Jessie Caplan and her sisters, education is the only way out.

Jessie and Jordy have been best friends since the third grade. Their families are close. Both have had crushes on each other since they hit puberty. One high school party and a cheating boyfriend lead to opportunity that neither Jessie or Jordy expected. It leads to them finally professing their love for one another. It leads to the loss of Jessie’s virginity. This should be the most wonderful thing in their lives and it could be, but this new found love has very bad timing. Both Jessie and Jordy are at the point in their lives where they have to make choices about their future. Jessie has applied to various colleges for a physical therapy degree. She is hoping to get a full scholarship. Jordan is going into the NHL draft. He is hoping to be drafted by a good team. He wants Jessie to go with him once he finds out what team he will be playing for.

Miscommunications, interferring manipulative ex girlfriends, and tons of insecurities will rip these two apart before they can really develop a strong intimate relationship. It will cause their relationship to go from a loving relationship to hateful enemies. It will change their families relationships. It will define how they both live in the future. Six years later they finally have to face the music to their destructive demise.

Jessie and Jordan will have to face each other once again and put the past to rest. The funeral for Jessie’s grandmother in Silver Bay, Maine will set the next stage of their relationship in motion. They have both grown up. They are both different yet deep down still the same. They both still love each other with all their hearts. Can they get past the hurts and mistrust to build the future they were meant to have together.

I really enjoyed One More Shot by Victoria Denault. At times I felt that Jessie and Jordy behaved more like immature high school kids but in the end it made sense. That was how their relationship stalled and once they let go of that they were able to act their age. I loved the secondary characters and look forward to the next book in the series.

Add One More Shot to your summer reading list. It will not disappoint.

_________________________

Author Bio

Victoria Denault loves long walks on the beach, cinnamon dolce lattes and writing angst-filled romance. Before focusing exclusively on writing novels Victoria was a journalist, a stand-up comic and dabbled in acting. She has lived in many major cities across North America, spent her childhood summers in Maine and adult summers in Spain. She’s now happily settled in Los Angeles with her husband and their two chubby Chihuahuas.

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Saucy Southern Readers

professional, honest, and timely book reviews

Category Archives: Book Review

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5 Star Review…Moonlight On Nightingale Way by Samantha Young – On Dublin Street Series

Summer Reads: 6 Star Review + 2015 Favorite: Gus by Kim Holden

5 Star Review : Saving Evangeline by Nancee Cain

5 Star Review: Ultraviolet : Season 1 – Episode 1 by Jessica Sorensen

#SAVEMAX…#THE CONSEQUENCE OF REVENGE…#RACHEL VAN DYKEN

Happy Release + 5 Star Review: Follow Me Back by A. Meredith Walters – Twisted Love Series – Book 2

Happy Release + Review : One More Shot by Victoria Denault – Hometown Players Series – Book 1

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