Summer Reads… Five Days Until You by Monica Murphy- A One Week Girlfriend Novella

Posted on 05/24/2015 by shellbellereads

Five Days Until You

One Week Girlfriend Series- Book 4.5

By Monica Murphy

Synopsis

Unsure. That’s how I’m feeling about my entire life. Just when everything’s good and I have it all under control, my girl Chelsea decides she’s going to leave me for the summer. Despite my disappointment, I have to support her. It’s what she wants, an opportunity she can’t say no to and no way will I be the one to stop her. I love her too much to hold her back.

Opportunities are happening for me too, though. A big one that my brother-in-law Drew says I can’t pass up. I’m working extra hard. So is Chelsea. It’s like we don’t have any time to get together. We keep making the same promise–only five more days until we see each other again. But we keep breaking that promise. Is our relationship strong enough to survive all of these changes?

**FIVE DAYS UNTIL YOU continues the story of Owen & Chelsea from FOUR YEARS LATER. Plus includes a BONUS holiday story featuring Drew + Fable! Also, read chapter one of FAIR GAME, the first book in Monica’s new NA series The Rules coming May 12th!**

Buy: Amazon / B & N

Michel’s Review

The One Week Girlfriend Series is one of my all time favorite series. I fell in love with all of the characters in the series. I thought the series was finished but Monica Murphy releases these wonderful novellas that give us a snippet of the characters lives after the book is finished.

Owen and Chelsea are going strong. Summer is approaching and they are debating what to do with their time. Chelsea has been offered an internship at a university a few hours away. Owen doesn’t want to hold her back. He knows this could be a huge factor in her choosing where to go for her masters degree. He reluctantly encourages her to take the position. He plans on going up every weekend to see her. Their separation will only be 5 days at a time. But life has a way of interfering with the best laid plans.

Owen is presented with an opportunity he cannot pass up. He is a contender to be scouted for Pro Football. He will have to buckle down and get serious about his game. His brother in law Drew and his coach have placed him on a rigorous training schedule. Between the little time he has and the sheer exhaustion he is unable to keep his promises to Chelsea.

Their separation begins to wear on their relationship. Things are getting tense. Chelsea is making new friends and a life without him. Owen needs to make Chelsea understand that she is his world.

Misunderstandings, hurt feelings, and anger will get in their way. In the end Chelsea and Owen will have to choose whether their relationship has run it’s course.

Once again Monica delivered another fantastic story. This couple went through the trials that many couples face. I love both Owen and Chelsea. I am so happy that I got to experience another slice of their lives.

I write books. I have the best job ever. New York Times and USA Today bestselling author. Writer of new adult contemporary romance-ish stuff. Published with Avon and Bantam. Mom and wife. Native Californian.

Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Goodreads

5 Star Review: The Friend Zone by Kristen Callahan – The Game On Series – Book 2

Posted on 05/24/2015 by shellbellereads

The Friend Zone

Game On Series – Book 2

By Kristen Callihan

Synopsis

USA TODAY BEST-SELLING SERIES
Gray doesn’t make friends with women. He has sex with them. Until Ivy.

The last thing star tight-end Gray Grayson wants to do is drive his agent’s daughter’s bubblegum pink car. But he needs the wheels and she’s studying abroad. Something he explains when she sends him an irate text to let him know exactly how much pain she’ll put him in if he crashes her beloved ride. Before he knows it, Ivy Mackenzie has become his best texting bud. But then Ivy comes home and everything goes haywire. Because the only thing Gray can think of is being with Ivy.

Ivy doesn’t have sex with friends. Especially not with a certain football player. No matter how hot he makes her…

Gray drives Ivy crazy. He’s irreverent, sex on a stick, and completely off limits. Because, Ivy has one golden rule: never get involved with one of her father’s clients. A rule that’s proving harder to keep now that Gray is doing his best to seduce her. Her best friend is fast becoming the most irresistible guy she’s ever met.

Which means Gray is going to have to use all his skills to win Ivy’s heart. Game on.

New Adult/Contemporary Romance with a HEA – Recommended for readers 18 and older.
Book 2 in the Game On series.

Buy: Amazon / B & N / ITunes / Kobo

Michel’s Review

The Friend Zone is the second book in the Game On Series by Kristen Callahan.

It’s a fun romance that started as friendship and turned into a beautiful love story.

Gray Greyson is at the top of his game. He has scouts looking at him. He has agents vying for him to sign with him. He can get any woman he wants. He’s smart and doesn’t have to worry about football as his only career. His life is golden.

When his best friend breaks his leg he lends him his truck. The agent he’s looking to sign with lends him his daughter’s pink car. The hottest player on the field is cruising around town in powder puff car. Gray is okay with that. He’s comfortable in his own skin. He doesn’t need props to make him look better.

When he gets a text from Ivy MacKenzie telling him how to drive her car, the game is on. Through snarky texts Gray and Ivy become fast friends. When she finally arrives back in the States Gray is ready to pick up their friendship in person. Ivy has become one of the most important persons in his life.

These two were made for one another. They both have a quirky sense of humor. They are both compassionate towards others. They both love sports. They both love food. They are the ying and yang to one another.

Both Ivy and Gray are falling in love with one another. They are afraid to take it to the next level because of the fear of ruining their friendship. When they finally surrender to their feelings it is explosive.

These two will have their ups and downs throughout their relationship. The gel that holds them together is their deep friendship.

Gray Greyson is one of my favorite male heroes. He is the real deal, the full package.

Kristen Callihan has written another fantastic book that will leave your heart swooning. I can’t wait for more in this series.

Game On Series

The Hook Up – Book 1

The rules: no kissing on the mouth, no staying the night, no telling anyone, and above all… No falling in love

Anna Jones just wants to finish college and figure out her life. Falling for star quarterback Drew Baylor is certainly not on her to do list. Confident and charming, he lives in the limelight and is way too gorgeous for his own good. If only she could ignore his heated stares and stop thinking about doing hot and dirty things with him. Easy right?

Too bad he’s committed to making her break every rule…

Football has been good to Drew. It’s given him recognition, two National Championships, and the Heisman. But what he really craves is sexy yet prickly Anna Jones. Her cutting humor and blatant disregard for his fame turns him on like nothing else. But there’s one problem: she’s shut him down. Completely.
That is until a chance encounter leads to the hottest sex of their lives, along with the possibility of something great. Unfortunately, Anna wants it to remain a hook up. Now it’s up to Drew to tempt her with more: more sex, more satisfaction, more time with him. Until she’s truly hooked. It’s a good thing Drew knows all about winning.

All’s fair in love and football…Game on

Buy: Amazon / B & N / ITunes / Kobo

The Friend Zone – Book 2

Gray doesn’t make friends with women. He has sex with them. Until Ivy.

Ivy doesn’t have sex with friends. Especially not with a certain football player. No matter how hot he makes her…

Which means Gray is going to have to use all his skills to win Ivy’s heart. Game on.

Buy: Amazon / B & N / ITunes / Kobo

Author Bio:

Kristen Callihan is an author because there is nothing else she’d rather be. She is a three-time RITA nominee and winner of two RT Reviewer’s Choice awards. Her novels have garnered starred reviews from Publisher’s Weekly and the Library Journal, as well as being awarded top picks by many reviewers. Her debut book FIRELIGHT received RT Magazine’s Seal of Excellence, was named a best book of the year by Library Journal, best book of Spring 2012 by Publisher’s Weekly, and was named the best romance book of 2012 by ALA RUSA. When she is not writing, she is reading.

Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Goodreads

Summer Reads… Down The Shore by T. Torrest

Posted on 05/24/2015 by shellbellereads

Down The Shore

By T. Torrest

Synopsis

DOWN THE SHORE
A rock-and-roll romantic comedy.

Livia Chadwick is a photographer by day and a self-proclaimed rock slut by night.
Her dating life is a lackluster parade of evasive jerks and
her boss is an unrelenting nightmare of a human being.
What else can a girl do but rent a beach house with her girlfriends
And blow off a little steam every weekend?
But hey, she’s from Jersey. Barhopping down the shore all season is sort of mandatory.
All is going according to plan… until she meets Jack.

Jack Tanner is a contractor-turned-musician in a small-town cover band
suddenly thrust into the limelight.
He’s already had enough of the rock-and-roll lifestyle, and groupies have never been his thing.
Then again… there’s a gorgeous brunette in the audience tonight, checking him out with the most incredible green eyes he’s ever seen.

She’s looking for a fling.
He’s looking for forever.

It’s gonna be one helluva summer.
Set in the summer of 1995, DOWN THE SHORE takes the reader on a tour through some of the Jersey shore’s hottest hot spots over one, sleepless, flannel-clad summer.
It’s a look back to a time when the music was groundbreaking, the rock clubs were king,
and bar bands ruled the world.

***Not recommended for anyone under the age of 18, and/or any readers who are slut-shamers, guido sympathizers, beach haters or anti-music. Other people who should walk away from this book immediately: Readers who have sticks up their butts about offensive language, those who don’t like detailed sex scenes in their stories, idiots who think “Jersey Shore” has anything to do with actual New Jerseyans, and anyone who can’t appreciate the mother-effing nineties.***

READ WHEN YOU’RE IN THE MOOD FOR:
Light, sexy, funny, romantic, and nostalgic.

Buy: Amazon / B & N

Michel’s Review

Down The Shore by T. Torrest is the perfect book to welcome in Summer. It is the perfect combination of beach parties, summer vacations, rock n roll, and romance. I absolutely enjoyed this book!

Liv Chadwick is not your typical heroine. She is in a class by herself. She knows what she wants and one of those things is not a permanent boyfriend. She is a self acclaimed rock star slut, not a groupie mind you, because she appreciates any rock n roll talent. She doesn’t want promises, she doesn’t want freebies, and she doesn’t want future hook ups. She loves music. She loves men. She loves sex. What 23 year old woman wouldn’t?

Liv and her friends have rented a house on the Jersey Shore for the summer. Although she relishes the summer beach party life, she is still a working girl. She’s at home during the week and on the beach on the weekends. Life couldn’t get much better.

But it does get better. She meets the hot upcoming rock star Jack Tanner. He has the same social group as she does. He is wickedly talented and wickedly hot. Liv has set her sights on her next rock star conquest.

Jack Tanner has other things in mind when he meets Liv. He’s tired of the casual hookups. He wants a real relationship even though he just got out of a bad one. His music is fun but not his real goal in life. He just wants to have a nice girlfriend that can enjoy his music, friends, and family. Now he has to convince Liv to go for it.

Jack and Liv come to an agreement. Ten dates before sex. This gives Jack a chance to show Liv who he is and what they can have. Liv is reluctant. By the end of ten dates she’s singing a new tune. She’s ready to be the girl Jack wants.

Life has a way of getting in the way. Before summer is over both Liv and Jack will be nursing broken hearts. Can they move on in their lives after they have had the summer that only happens once in a lifetime?

Liv and Jack a caught up in the current. Can they find the life raft that will save them both? Can they find that summer never really ends. They will have to swim through murky waters before they can come ashore. Once they are back on solid ground they will learn more about who they are and what they want.

I really enjoyed this book and highly recommend it!

Author Bio:

T. Torrest is a New Adult fiction writer from the U.S. She has written many books, but prays that only a handful of them will ever see the light of day. Her stories are geared toward readers of any age that know how to enjoy a good laugh and a dreamy romance.

Ms. Torrest was a child of the eighties, but has since traded in her Rubik’s cube for a laptop and her Catholic school uniform for a comfy pair of yoga pants. She likes pina coladas and getting caught in the rain. She’s not much into health food, but she does enjoy talking about herself in the third person.

A lifelong Jersey girl, she currently resides there with her husband and two sons.

She also LOVES to get friend requests on goodreads and facebook http://www.facebook.com/pages/TTorres… and personal messages from readers via email ttorrest@optonline.net

Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Goodreads

5 Star Review: Dragon’s Lair by Chantal Fernando – Wind Dragons MC Series – Book 1

Posted on 05/24/2015 by shellbellereads

Dragon’s Lair

Wind Dragons MC Series – Book 1

By Chantal Fernando

Synopsis

The first in a new sexy romance series from bestselling author Chantal Fernando about the bad boys of the Wind Dragons Motorcycle Club and the women who fall in love with them.

When I found my boyfriend cheating on me, I did something stupid.

Or should I say, someone?

Because of that mistake, I’m now stuck in a world I don’t belong in.

I’m a law student. They’re criminals. He’s the vice president of a motorcycle club. I’m a good girl with a strict upbringing. He’s my ex-boyfriend’s brother.

And I’m screwed.

Buy: Amazon / B & N / ITunes / Kobo

Michel’s Review

I have been looking for a MC series to sink into. The Wind Dragon MC Series by Chantal Fernando is off to a very good start with the release of Dragon’s Lair. I could not put the book down and finished it in one sitting. It kept me mesmerized. The characters came to life, the Dragon MC brothers captured my attention. The club dynamics were interesting. This brotherhood had a combination of diverse men that made their own laws in life. The women that were important to these men were strong, self sufficient, and had an important place in the club, whether they were a club whore or an old lady.

Dex and Faye have known each other all their lives. They came from prominent families that placed an importance on their status in the community. Dex has always been the older brother Faye needed. He sensed her loneliness as a child. He made sure she knew she was an important part of his life. As they grew older, Dex moved on. Faye became her own woman. She was an intelligent law student with the perfect boyfriend. She focused on her achievements and tried to move past her family’s expectations. When she catches her perfect boyfriend cheating on her something snaps inside. She is no longer content being the perfect girlfriend, the perfect daughter, and perfect student. She wants to experience life outside of her small world. She makes the decision to step out of her comfort zone and begin living. One night out and a one night stand will change everything in her life. She hooked up with a biker. That biker was the man she had built her childhood dreams around. The man she no longer really knows. That one night leads to her being pregnant.

When Dex catches wind that Faye is pregnant the rules of the game change. He takes her into his protection. He makes her a part of his life. He installs her in the Wind Dragon’s clubhouse. He wants to make sure their child is brought into the world safely. He would do anything for Faye and his child except make her his old lady. He has his reasons and he’s not sharing them with Faye.

Faye will flounder around in her new world. She is exposed to a lifestyle she never knew existed. She will have to turn a blind eye on the shenanigans that are going on daily. She will have to learn to turn the other cheek. She will have to learn not to have expectations as far as Dex is concerned. She will have to draw on her wits and inner strength to survive in Dex’s world.

Faye will find new strengths she never knew she had. She will find a new family that values her. She will make new friends and new enemies. She will become a woman to be reckoned with. She will learn how to handle Dex. She will show him that her love is more than an old childhood friendship. She will show him what a true partner is. She will earn his respect and the respect from the brothers.

I absolutely loved this book. Not only were the leading characters powerful, the secondary characters also demanded my attention. The club dynamics and comradery was enthralling. The entire story kept my full attention. When I finished the book I was dying for Arrow’s book to release. I am invested in the Wind Dragons MC series.

The Wind Dragons MC Series

Dragon’s Lair – Book 1

The first in a new sexy romance series from bestselling author Chantal Fernando about the bad boys of the Wind Dragons Motorcycle Club and the women who fall in love with them.

When I found my boyfriend cheating on me, I did something stupid.

Or should I say, someone?

Because of that mistake, I’m now stuck in a world I don’t belong in.

I’m a law student. They’re criminals. He’s the vice president of a motorcycle club. I’m a good girl with a strict upbringing. He’s my ex-boyfriend’s brother.

And I’m screwed.

Buy: Amazon / B & N / ITunes / Kobo

Arrow’s Hell – Book 2

Release Date: June 16, 2015

From bestselling author Chantal Fernando, the second book in a sexy romance series featuring the bad boys of the Wind Dragons Motorcycle Club and the women who fall in love with them.

Being the younger sister of a Wind Dragons MC member isn’t as great as you’d think it would be.

I can’t escape the details of my brother’s exploits. No one tells me anything. Men who know who I am tend to stay away from me.

And worst of all: the members of the MC are off-limits.

When Arrow catches my eye, I make it my mission to make him happy again.

When I fall head over heels in love with him, I just hope he will be there to catch me. And that my brother doesn’t kill him…

Buy: Amazon / B & N / ITunes / Kobo

Tracker’s End – Book 3

Release Date: August 11, 2015

The third in a sexy romance series from the bestselling author of Saxon and Toxic Girl about the bad boys of the Wind Dragons Motorcycle Club and the women who fall in love with them.

Tracker is everything I’ve ever wanted.

I see him. I’ve watched time change him.

I’ve been patient, but he still hasn’t noticed me. Not the way I want him to. The more time I spend with the MC, the more I understand.

When you want something, you have to take it. You have to fight for it.

And Tracker is more than worth fighting for…

Buy: Amazon / B & N / ITunes / Kobo

_____________________

Author Bio:

New York Times, Amazon & USA Today Bestselling Author Chantal Fernando is twenty seven years old and lives in Western Australia.

Lover of all things romance, Chantal is the author of the best selling books Dragon’s Lair, Maybe This Time and many more.

When not reading, writing or daydreaming she can be found enjoying life with her three sons and family.

Chantal loves to hear from readers and can be found here:

Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter~ Goodreads

For Limited Time…. The Law of Moses by Amy Harmon on sale!

Posted on 05/24/2015 by shellbellereads

If I tell you right up front, right in the beginning that I lost him, it will be easier for you to bear. You will know it’s coming, and it will hurt. But you’ll be able to prepare.

Someone found him in a laundry basket at the Quick Wash, wrapped in a towel, a few hours old and close to death. They called him Baby Moses when they shared his story on the ten o’clock news – the little baby left in a basket at a dingy Laundromat, born to a crack addict and expected to have all sorts of problems. I imagined the crack baby, Moses, having a giant crack that ran down his body, like he’d been broken at birth. I knew that wasn’t what the term meant, but the image stuck in my mind. Maybe the fact that he was broken drew me to him from the start.
It all happened before I was born, and by the time I met Moses and my mom told me all about him, the story was old news and nobody wanted anything to do with him. People love babies, even sick babies. Even crack babies. But babies grow up to be kids, and kids grow up to be teenagers. Nobody wants a messed up teenager.
And Moses was messed up. Moses was a law unto himself. But he was also strange and exotic and beautiful. To be with him would change my life in ways I could never have imagined. Maybe I should have stayed away. Maybe I should have listened. My mother warned me. Even Moses warned me. But I didn’t stay away.

And so begins a story of pain and promise, of heartache and healing, of life and death. A story of before and after, of new beginnings and never-endings. But most of all . . . a love story.

Buy: Amazon / B & N / ITunes / Kobo

Coming Soon……

The Song of David

By Amy Harmon

Release Date: June 15, 2015

Pre Order: Amazon / Smashwords

Synopsis

She said I was like a song. Her favorite song. A song isn’t something you can see. It’s something you feel, something you move to, something that disappears after the last note is played.

I won my first fight when I was eleven years old, and I’ve been throwing punches ever since. Fighting is the purest, truest, most elemental thing there is. Some people describe heaven as a sea of unending white. Where choirs sing and loved ones await. But for me, heaven was something else. It sounded like the bell at the beginning of a round, it tasted like adrenaline, it burned like sweat in my eyes and fire in my belly. It looked like the blur of screaming crowds and an opponent who wanted my blood.

For me, heaven was the octagon.

Until I met Millie, and heaven became something different. I became something different. I knew I loved her when I watched her stand perfectly still in the middle of a crowded room, people swarming, buzzing, slipping around her, her straight dancer’s posture unyielding, her chin high, her hands loose at her sides. No one seemed to see her at all, except for the few who squeezed past her, tossing exasperated looks at her unsmiling face. When they realized she wasn’t normal, they hurried away. Why was it that no one saw her, yet she was the first thing I saw?

If heaven was the octagon, then she was my angel at the center of it all, the girl with the power to take me down and lift me up again. The girl I wanted to fight for, the girl I wanted to claim. The girl who taught me that sometimes the biggest heroes go unsung and the most important battles are the ones we don’t think we can win.

Pre Order: Amazon / Smashwords

Author Bio:

Amy Harmon is a USA Today and New York Times Bestselling author. Amy knew at an early age that writing was something she wanted to do, and she divided her time between writing songs and stories as she grew. Having grown up in the middle of wheat fields without a television, with only her books and her siblings to entertain her, she developed a strong sense of what made a good story. Her books are now being published in several countries, truly a dream come true for a little country girl from Levan, Utah.

Amy Harmon has written five novels – the USA Today Bestsellers, Making Faces and Running Barefoot, as well as Slow Dance in Purgatory, Prom Night in Purgatory, and the New York Times Bestseller, A Different Blue.

Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Goodreads

Giveaway

6 $25 Amazon Gift Cards

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Weekend Holiday Sale….Limited Time…Complete Series…. One To Hold Series by Tia Louise

Posted on 05/23/2015 by shellbellereads

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A former journalist, Louise lives in the center of the USA with her lovely family and one grumpy cat. There, she dreams up stories she hopes are engaging, hot, and sexy, and that cause readers rethink common public locations..

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2015 Favorite…. 6 + Reviews: Never Never 2 by Colleen Hoover and Tarryn Fisher

Posted on 05/22/2015 by shellbellereads

Never Never Part Two

Never Never Trilogy – Book 2

By Colleen Hoover and Tarryn Fisher

Synopsis

*Part two of the Never, Never novella series.

New York Times bestselling authors Colleen Hoover and Tarryn Fisher are back with the much-anticipated, nail-biting sequel to the New York Times bestseller, Never, Never.

“Never forget that I was your first real kiss. Never forget that you’ll be my last.

And never stop loving me between all of them.

Never stop, Charlie.

Never forget.”

Silas races against time as more truths unravel, while others twist tighter together. And now, the stakes are higher as Silas’ control slips and others begin to point fingers. Charlie is in trouble and he must be the one to bridge the chasm between their past and their present. Because somewhere between I love yous and Never Nevers and Never Agains, a truth they can’t imagine, beckons to be found.

“Where are you, Charlie?”

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

beautiful young couple in the sunlight

Michel’s Review

I have been counting down the months, days , and minutes for Never Never 2 by Colleen Hoover and Tarryn Fisher to release. The moment it released I devoured this book. I am so invested in Silas and Charlie’s story.

Never Never 2 picks up where Never Never left off. Silas and Charlie have gone through another reset. Silas is in his car. Charlie is missing. Once again Silas has to figure out who he is, what his past is, and what is going on in his present. Luckily he had the letter and clues that he left himself to unravel the mystery.

Meanwhile Charlie is in a very strange place after the reset. She doesn’t have any clues as to who she is and how she came to be where she is. She has to rely on her wits to survive. She is piecing some of her past together through her dreams.

Silas is on the search for Charlie and time is running out. Charlie is trying to escape but has no idea where to go once she does.

Never Never 2 progresses the story of Charlie and Silas along. The reader is given a glimpse of what might have led to the dilemma they are in. There are revelations about both of their families, friends, and their relationship. There are revelations as to why they may be in the predicament they are in.

Both Silas and Charlie are smart. They have the intelligence to reason through their predicament. They have the inner strength to survive where their lives are at. They have their love to get them to the place they need to be. They need to find each other.

Once again Colleen and Tarryn kept the readers captivated with Silas and Charlie’s story. This installment to the story gave readers a lot of information and hidden clues. It also contained enough information to give the readers hope. In the end the reader is left puzzling over their dilemma but not torn to shreds about it. It left the readers with faith in Silas and Charlie. It also left the readers with some solid clues that they could formulate into solid theories.

I can’t wait for the final book. I have my theories!

one sad woman sitting on the floor near a wall and holding her head in her hands

Robin’s Review

Colleen Hoover and Tarryn Fisher ended Never Never with a killer cliffhanger that left thousands of readers desperate for more of Charlie and Silas. If you are anything like me, you’ve probably been wondering, “Where is Charlie?” Never Never: Part 2 is very satisfying, and although it’s not the conclusion to the series, I’m delighted to share it completely surpassed my expectations!

Once again, we find Colleen Hoover writing the chapters for Silas Nash. Sigh. Out of all of her male characters, Silas Nash is my favorite. I love his passion. His intensity and determination. His fierce love for Charlie. “Never forget that I was your first real kiss. Never forget that you’ll be my last. And never stop loving me between all of them. Never stop, Charlie. Never forget.” Silas is a young man who will not be deterred. He’s smart. Determined to find Charlie. Determined to find out why he and Charlie continue to lose their memory.

Tarryn Fisher continues to be the voice of Charlie Wynwood. Even with no memories, Charlie is a very perceptive young lady. She’s a strong protagonist who – underneath all of her bravado – can also be a little vulnerable. Readers, like myself, who are somewhat familiar with Tarryn Fisher? I think we all see a little bit of Tarryn in Charlie. Just like Silas, we were all left scratching our head, wondering what could have happened to Charlie at the end of Never Never. Since we begin Part 2 with a reset, Charlie has no real answers. It was a brilliant way to keep the mystery of “Where is Charlie?” alive.

Plain and simple – I absolutely loved Never Never: Part 2. This story is everything I had hoped for. Everything I had been anticipating. More often than not, the second novel of a trilogy is the weakest installment. Not with Never Never: Part 2. It’s honestly one of the best middle books that I have ever read. It appears to be well thought out. It’s full of classic writing from Hoover and Fisher. Really – anytime you read a story written by either of these authors, you can expect the writing to be exemplary, but it’s also seamless. The story is narrated by Silas and Charlie, the authors choosing to alternate points of view by chapter. The difference in writing styles feels completely natural because each protagonist has a unique personality.

My emotions were all over the place while I was reading Never Never: Part 2. It was thrilling. I was anxious and confused. It even had me in tears. From beginning to end, the story is creative and dramatic. Mysterious. Intriguing. Romantic. Part 1 of Never Never left my mind in a whirlwind – I had questions on top of questions after I finished reading. Have you ever been subjected to information overload? We are given a boatload of information in Never Never: Part 2. Theories are laid to rest. Questions are answered. Never Never: Part 2 has a satisfying conclusion that left my mind at ease, and I am nothing but hopeful for Silas and Charlie in the final book of the trilogy.

Lots of novels receive a 5-star rating. When I review a novel, I sometimes do something a little more. If a 5-star novel deserves more than that rating, if I feel it has something extra-special, I give it a bonus star. Never Never: Part 2 falls directly into this category. 6 stars for Colleen Hoover and Tarryn Fisher!

gentle embrace of beautiful young lovers in the sunlight

About The Authors

Colleen’s Bio

Colleen Hoover is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Slammed, Point of Retreat, This Girl, Hopeless, Losing Hope, Maybe Someday, Finding Cinderella, and Ugly Love. She lives in Texas with her husband and their three boys.

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Tarryn’s Bio

Tarryn Fisher is the New York Times bestselling author of Mud Vein. She was born in South Africa, and lived there for most of her childhood. She moved to Seattle just for the rain. She reads and writes more than she sleep. She spends way too much time on Facebook and Instagram and drinks sick amounts of Starbucks.

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Review: Shadow Of Doubt by Tiffany Snow – The Tangled Ivy Trilogy – Book 2

Posted on 05/22/2015 by shellbellereads

Shadow of Doubt

The Tangled Ivy Trilogy – Book 2

By Tiffany Snow

Synopsis

Ivy Mason has it all: beauty, a plush apartment, a fancy car, and a debonair British spy boyfriend who pays all her bills. If only her boyfriend was in her life—and her bed—more than just sporadically.

Part of an underground British agency called the Shadow, Devon Clay knows that secrecy is what has kept him alive. Anyone he loves is a liability, and being involved with him puts the other person in grave danger. Yet Ivy is someone his heart can’t resist.

When an enemy from Devon’s past returns, the spy and his girlfriend are thrown headlong into an international conspiracy that puts everyone Ivy loves at risk. From the Missouri River bottoms to the brothels of Amsterdam, Ivy and Devon must outrun and outmaneuver the forces allied against them, and no one can be trusted.

Michel’s Review

If you are looking for an action packed, high suspense, international thriller, and sexy romance , take an adventure with The Tangled Ivy series by Tiffany Snow. This series makes James Bond look like a pre schooler on the international playground. The books must be read in order because it is an ongoing adventure where the stakes are high.

Shadow of Doubt opens where In His Shadow left off. It appears Ivy Mason is living the dream. She has a high end apartment, beautiful clothes, and one hot sophisticated spy boyfriend. The only problem is that the sophisticated spy boyfriend is MIA more than he is in her bed. She goes weeks and months without seeing or hearing from him. When he does show up their time is very fleeting. He refuses to give her more. She is beginning to feel used. She is feeling like a kept woman.

When one of Devon Clay’s enemies shows up in Ivy’s apartment the game has changed. Her life is in danger. She has no way to contact Devon. The only thing she can do is turn to her friend in the FBI for protection. But even the FBI can’t protect Ivy. The stakes are too high and there is more than one player after her. Her secret is out, she is a commodity because of what she carries around in her body. All the players in the game are ruthless. She needs Devon to protect her and destroy the enemies at bay. Devon may show up when it’s far too late.

Devon will be facing many choices. His career makes impossible for him to settle into any kind of relationship. He has powerful enemies that would use any person he loves as a bargaining chip. He is falling in love with Ivy but knows he has to let her go. When Ivy’s life is on the line Devon will have to choose between Ivy and his career. He will learn who his true enemies are. No one can be trusted.

Ivy and Devon will face international terrorists, mortal enemies, and danger beyond the norm. They will be running from more than one enemy. Each enemy has their own agenda.

This book ends on a major cliffhanger that will have the readers biting their nails.

I highly recommend The Tangled Ivy Series.

_____________________

The Tangled Ivy Series

In His Shadow

The Tangled Ivy Trilogy- Book 1

By Tiffany Snow

Synopsis

Ivy Mason is hiding—from her past, from herself, and from anyone who could love her. The only kind of love she’s ever known hurts, leaving scars on her body and soul. Now, her world may be boring and predictable, but that’s exactly what she wants. Until Devon Clay walks into her life.

A lonely man in a deadly profession, Devon works as an agent for an underground British agency known only as the Shadow. Nothing about him is safe or ordinary. The danger that consumes his life turns into an addiction Ivy can’t resist…even if it proves fatal.

As Ivy’s past begins to catch up with her, she wonders if love really is the twisted thing she’s always thought it was. Maybe it could be more with this man, who’s shown her that she doesn’t need to protect herself from everyone. Is what she feels for Devon worth the risk? He may save her heart or break it, if she manages to stay alive.

Shadow of Doubt

The Tangled Ivy Series – Book 2

By Tiffany Snow

Synopsis

______________________________________________

About Tiffany Snow

I love to stick with characters over a series of books when I read, which is the same way I write. My first series – THE KATHLEEN TURNER SERIES – includes five books, two companion novels, and features a love triangle. My new series, coming from Montlake Romance December 16, 2014, is the TANGLED IVY TRILOGY, beginning with IN HIS SHADOW.
As for me, I’ve been reading romance novels since I was way too young to read such things, have an unhealthy obsession for all things Doctor Who, prefer Pepsi to Coke and Absolut to both, think men who drink girly cocktails are wusses, have learned to never stop believing in my beloved St. Louis Cardinals, and can recite the entire scripts of When Harry Met Sally and Apollo 13. George Washington is cool, Bon Jovi still rocks the house, and Bruce Willis is the ultimate alpha-male hero. Most of all, romance never, ever gets old.

Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Goodreads

#SAVEMAX….The Consequence of Revenge by Rachel Van Dyken

Posted on 05/21/2015 by shellbellereads

#SAVEMAX

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, one terrifying 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?

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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Series Review: When You’re Gone Trilogy by Taryn Elliott – Rock Star Romance

Posted on 05/20/2015 by shellbellereads

When You’re Gone Series

By Taryn Elliott

Anything But Mine – Book 1

Buy: Amazon / B & N / ITunes / Kobo

Bulletproof Weeks – Book 2

Buy: Amazon / B & N / ITunes / Kobo

Edge of Forever – Book 3

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Reviews by Tracey

Anything But Mine – Book 1

Rock star Logan King has come home to Winchester Falls for the annual Summer Festival. Only this time he’s hauling a helluva lot more baggage than a few suitcases and vintage guitars. His closet contains more than the usual skeletons…and if he doesn’t keep the door firmly locked, someone might get harmed. The specter of what haunts him forces him to turn away from anything more than one-night-stands.

Until Izzy and her topaz eyes finally give him a reason to try again.

Since moving to town Isabella Grace has found friends and a place to belong for the first time in her life. Running the Summer Festival is the perfect way to show how important her new community is. She just never planned on a whirlwind fling with a man too used to saying goodbye. Or to fall for a guy who has as many secrets as he does hit songs.

Logan is used to protecting himself, but protecting Izzy is all new territory. With everything that matters to him at risk, he refuses to let her get hurt—even if that means he has to walk away. For her own good.

Buy: Amazon / B & N / ITunes / Kobo

**********

Review

For Logan King, rock star and frontman for All the King’s Men, Winchester Falls, VA, represents home, a safe place away from the frenetic pace that is his life. When Logan returns to Winchester Falls to head up the annual summer festival, he’s not prepared for Isabella Grace. Isabella has made Winchester Falls her home, and herself a valued part of the community. In an effort to give back, she’s taken on the job of putting together the summer festival. When she and Logan meet, there are sparks and then some.

When I open a Taryn Elliot book, I know a few things for sure: I will be hooked immediately, I will fall in love with the characters, and I will love every single minute of the story. Every single one of these things is true of Anything But Mine, the first book in the When You’re Gone series. I started reading, and I could NOT put this book down. From the minute that I met Logan and Izzy, along with all the other great residents of Winchester Falls, I could not flip the pages quickly enough. I mean, hello, REALLY hot rock star. And, smart, strong, self-assured woman. This is a match made in heaven, and the heat between them is palpable. Taryn writes so realistically, and with such passion, that I could literally feel the chemistry between Logan and Izzy. Add in the back story of Logan’s and Izzy’s pasts, and the angst that still fuels him, and this is one heck of a read.

Anything But Mine is part of a trilogy, so, yes, there is a cliffhanger. And it’s one that will grab you and send you running for Bulletproof Weeks, the second book in the series, so that you can pick up right after the action in this book. I cannot recommend this book, or this series, or Taryn Elliot, strongly enough. She and her characters have quickly become some of my go-tos, and I happily give Logan, Izzy, and the gang 5+ ‘steamy, swoony, oh, my gosh, this book is on fire’ stars. Add it to your TBR and fall in love.

**********

Bulletproof Weeks – Book 2

Being a famous rock star for almost two decades means putting his life on display. But for the last two years Logan King has dealt with the uglier side of fame. When his stalker escalates to issuing veiled threats against the first woman he’s allowed in his life, Logan locks down and shuts Izzy out. His stalker isn’t just anyone—she’s as famous as he is with a financial reach that makes her infinitely more treacherous.

Falling for Logan King wasn’t part of Isabella Grace’s plans and their spectacular public breakup didn’t make it easy to move on. Whispers and pitying looks from people in her small town send her fleeing from the first place that finally feels like home. Her solace becomes her travel for work, but the niggling sense that someone is watching her follows her from city to city. When she begins to unravel the secrets that surround the man she still loves, she discovers her personal security detail and demands answers. And they all point to Logan.

Letting him back into her life comes with many more challenges–and rewards–than she could’ve ever dreamed. But loving a man like Logan comes at a dangerous cost. One that has a lasting effect that could echo into all their tomorrows.

Buy: Amazon / B & N / ITunes / Kobo

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

Review

Following her very public break-up with Logan King, Isabella Grace has thrown herself into doing what she does best. Immersing herself in her business, Between the Lines, she doesn’t have the time to think about Logan and what they had. Although he’s left Winchester Falls for New York City, Logan hasn’t stopped making Izzy’s safety his top priority. Knowing how dangerous his ex can be, he will never stop protecting the woman that he loves.

After picking my jaw up off the floor at the end of Anything But Mine (When You’re Gone Book 1), I lit into this book like it was my job. I NEEDED to see how Taryn would resolve the way things broke down between Logan and Izzy. And, as ever, our lady does not disappoint. These two are just as magnetic as ever, just as hot as ever, and just as all-consuming as ever. I regularly fall in love with my book boyfriends, but, let me tell you, Logan is in a league of his own. Everything about him, especially the way that he loves Izzy, is swoony, sexy, and just, mmmmm….And Isabella is perfect for him, loving all of him, even the stuff that isn’t so easy to deal with.

As she does, Taryn leaves us with a heart-stopping cliffy, one that left me thinking, ‘Are you KIDDING me?!’ and hyperventilating. Even knowing that things could not be as easy as they appeared, the way that this one ends just wrecked me. Even so, I cannot wait for Edge of Forever, the third and final book of this trilogy. In the meantime, Bulletproof Weeks is a must-read, and gets 5+ ‘I’m still fanning myself, I have to have the next one!’ stars. Read these books now!

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

Edge of Forever – Book 3

One night gave her everything. One night almost took it all away.

Isabella Grace never had a place she could call home until she moved to Winchester Falls. When a romantic moment ends in pain and horror, Isabella must deal with the aftermath of one woman’s vengeance.

After tragedy rocks the small town, the people rally around its newest member, and Logan King, Bella’s rockstar boyfriend, is doing his best to help her pick up the pieces of her shattered life. In spite of the secrets and suspicion that have dogged their every step since the beginning, he helps her find her way back to herself in the midst of her heartbreak over all she has lost. But his unrelenting need for revenge is shaking the bedrock of the foundation of the love they’d only begun to build—and Bella isn’t at all sure they’ll get through it unscathed.

Or alive.

Buy: Amazon / B & N / ITunes / Kobo

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

Review

I went into this book with my heart hurting, scared to see what the fallout would be following the devastating end of Bulletproof Weeks (Book 2). Tears, absolutely. This final book is the culmination of the build-up in the previous two, and Taryn does it masterfully. This is a true love story, a story of the constancy of love, of the refusal to give up when things get tough. Logan and Izzy are dealing with issues that would break other people, but Logan, especially, proves that he, that they, are stronger than the people that would drive them apart and bring them down. If possible, I love him even more. And Izzy, broken and bereft, rises to his challenge, and comes out of her heartbreak stronger than ever.

A storyteller to the very end, Taryn does a fantastic job of keeping up the mystery, and, I have to admit that I did not guess beforehand ‘whodunit.’ I could not have asked for a more satisfying wrap-up to this series, nor recommend it any more strongly. Five beautiful, rewarding, heartwarming stars for this book. If you haven’t done it already (what are you WAITING for?!), read these books!

________________________________________________

About Taryn Elliott

TARYN ELLIOTT comes from the great state of New York—upstate, thank you very much. She’s usually busy making up stories with her best friend until the wee hours of the morning, or fangirling over her favorite TV show. She falls in love with each and every one of her leading men as she writes their book, and there’s always a soundtrack to match.

She loves talking to readers, so if you’d like to reach her, please visit her website: tarynelliott.com and sign up for her newsletter, or drop her a line at: taryn@tarynelliott.com.

Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Goodreads

Saucy Southern Readers

professional, honest, and timely book reviews

Category Archives: Book Review

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2015 Favorite…. 6 + Reviews: Never Never 2 by Colleen Hoover and Tarryn Fisher

Review: Shadow Of Doubt by Tiffany Snow – The Tangled Ivy Trilogy – Book 2

#SAVEMAX….The Consequence of Revenge by Rachel Van Dyken

Series Review: When You’re Gone Trilogy by Taryn Elliott – Rock Star Romance

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