Excerpt Reveal: Indigo Nights by Louise Bay

Posted on 01/06/2016 by shellbellereads

FB Banner3

IN Amazon (1)

Indigo Nights

By Louise Bay

Release Date: February 9, 2015

Pre Order:

Amazon / Amazon UK / Amazon CA / Amazon AU / Kobo / ITunes

Synopsis

The only thing better than cake is cake with a side of orgasms.

Dylan James has no expectations when it comes to relationships. He uses women for sex and they use him for his money and power. It’s quid pro quo and he’s good with that. It works.

Beth Harrison has been burned. She’s tired of the lies and the game playing that men bring and has buried herself in her passion—baking which keeps her out of the reach of heartbreak. As she begins her career as a TV baker, a new world opens up to her.

Dylan and Beth both know that casual sex is all about giving what you need to get what you want.

Except that sometimes you give more than you need to and get everything you ever wanted.

T23

Excerpt

Beth

“As I deliberated over his age, his body, his mouth, Mr. 8A turned his head in my direction and caught me staring. I smiled, trying to cover the fact that I was thinking about him naked and between my thighs, not to mention wondering if every part of him was as solid as it seemed.”

Dylan

“I understood the dynamic between men and women. I got to sleep with hot women, and in exchange they got to fuck a rich guy in the hope that they’d become beneficiaries of my cash. I might be handsome, but I knew from bitter experience that if a richer guy came along, I’d be left in the taillights of the women I slept with. It just happened that now, there weren’t many richer men, which gave me a certain satisfaction. I’d made peace with the transactional nature of relationships between men and women and had no expectations. At some point in my past I’d thought that love was possible. Not anymore. It was all about giving to get.”

T25

______________________________________________________

Author Bio:

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

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

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

She loves to hear from readers so get in touch!

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

IN Amazon (1)

Pre Release Blitz + Review: Ready To Rock by Cara Connelly

Posted on 11/30/2015 by shellbellereads

51i2lxz976L._SX310_BO1,204,203,200_

Ready To Rock

By Cara Connelly

Release Date: December 1, 2015

Buy: Amazon

Synopsis

His name is on everyone’s lips–sexy rock star Jack McCabe

Jack’s gritty New York City band is red hot, almost as hot as his fiery romance with college student Lil Marchone, the girl from his past, now the woman he loves.

The problem is, Lil’s controlling ex wants her back. Rich, powerful, and ruthless, he’ll stop at nothing–including murder–to get Jack out of her life.

But Jack’s a badass himself, always up for a fight. And with the stakes this high, he’ll risk everything for Lil, even his band. Even his life.

ReadytoRock1

Excerpt

“Honey, you have to get help.” Mama’s tone was calm but urgent.

“Me? How?” I was frozen in place. I needed her to tell me what to do.

“Just open the door,” she said quietly, “and climb up to the road. Wave at the first car you see and tell them to call an ambulance.”

It sounded simple, but I was trapped in one of those dreams where you desperately want to run but your legs won’t move.

Then flames licked out from under the hood. Mama quit feigning calm. “Get out of the car!”

Galvanized, I yanked on the door handle. But the frame had bent. The door wouldn’t budge. “Mama, help me!”

“I can’t!” she shouted. And that’s when I noticed the dashboard sitting in her lap. Her legs were crushed, she was pinned to her seat. It was up to me to help her.

Unlocking my seatbelt, I leaned across to the other door. The car was tilted that way, so the door swung open when I touched the handle. But before I could bring my legs around, fire belched up from underneath. I leapt back, singed. Flames curled into the car. Mama was yelling. “Get out the back! Go! Go!” I yanked down the seat. The trunk was jammed with suitcases. I clawed at them. But Daddy had loaded the largest first, wedging it tight against the seat, braced by the smaller bags.

“I can’t,” I wailed. “I can’t move them!” And it was too late anyway. The flames were all around the car, the air inside so hot it seared my lungs. Reaching forward, I wrapped my arms around Mama’s neck; she clawed at my shoulders, trying to pull me between the seats, into her lap, to shield me with her body.

And then my door flew open, and a man thrust his shoulders right into that furnace. Mama saw him, and with all the strength she’d been using to pull me forward, she pushed me back toward him. “Take her! Take my daughter!” His arms locked around my waist and he hauled me backwards. Insanely, I clung to Mama, trying to bring her with me. She batted at my grasping hands. “Go with him!” And though I struggled at first, I had no choice. He was big and strong. He threw me over his shoulder and ran.

At the roadside, he set me down in the grass. The car was a fireball, the cottonwood jutting above it, burning like a torch against the dusky sky. “Mama!” I screamed, trying to get up.

The man pushed me down. Holding my face between his hands, he forced me to look into his eyes. “I’ll get them out, but you have to wait here. Promise me.” He seemed so steady and sure. I didn’t know what else to do, so I nodded. And without another word, he stood up and ran straight toward the car.

ReadytoRock2

5Star

Tracey’s Review

The last person that Liliane Marchone expects to see in the middle of New York City is the guardian angel that saved her life years ago. But when she and Jack McCabe meet up again, neither one could have known that they were meeting their other half.

Jack is not your typical rock god. Drawn to sing as an artistic escape, he’d rather do a hard day’s work at his day job than go ‘big’ with his band, the Devils. He’s a very complex character, and it doesn’t take Lil long to see that there is much more to him than meets the eye. For her part, Lil has suffered a lot of loss in her life, so finding Jack, who understands what she’s been through, answers a need that she didn’t realize she had. They truly are like two halves of a whole, and it isn’t long before these two are everything to each other. But their growing relationship doesn’t please everyone, and the road to happiness is not without its detours.

I love it when a book becomes one of those happy surprises, giving me more than I was expecting. READY TO ROCK by author Cara Connelly is one of these reads. I went in expecting a hot rocker story, and it is, but it’s much more, as well. Cara has crafted a story around the hot relationship between Jack and Lil, and woven in intrigue, jealousy, and a healthy dose of political drama to round things out. I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and raced through, because it was just that engrossing.

Creative plot line aside, the characters really make READY TO ROCK the read that it is. Family plays a big part in this book, and the supporting characters add so much to the story, especially Isabelle and Ty, and I really look forward to seeing more of them. 4.5 compelling, easy to read, totally sucked me in stars for this one. Add it to your TBR, and enjoy.

***ARC generously provided by the publisher for an honest review.***

___________________________________

Cara Connelly is the author of the Save the Date series of contemporary romances published by Avon Romance. The latest book in the series, The Wedding Gift, was released in May 2015. Cara’s smart and sexy stories have won several awards, including the Romance Writers of America’s Golden Heart, the Valley Forge Romance Writers’ Sheila, and the Music City Romance Writers’ Melody of Love. A former attorney and law professor, she lives with her husband Billy in the woods of upstate New York.

Connect with Cara at: Website | Facebook | Twitter| GoodReads |

51i2lxz976L._SX310_BO1,204,203,200_

Release Blitz + Excerpt + 6 Star Review + 2015 Favorite + Giveaway: Final Debt and Indebted Epilogue by Pepper Winters – Indebted Series – Book 6

Posted on 11/30/2015 by shellbellereads

Final Debt

Indebted Series – Book 6

By Pepper Winters

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

Synopsis

The Last Book in the New York Times Bestselling Dark Romance Series.

Where love tries to triumph and darkness continues to reign….

“I’m in love with her, but it might not be enough to stop her from becoming the latest victim of the Debt Inheritance. I know who I am now. I know what I must do. We will be together–I just hope it’s on Earth rather than in heaven.”

It all comes down to this.

Love versus life.

Debts versus death.

Who will win?

There is also a BONUS BOOK: Indebted Epilogue OUT NOW.

Indebted Epilogue

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

Excerpt

“READY TO DIE, Nila?”

Cut’s voice physically hurt me as he forced me to my knees. The ballroom splendour mocked me as I bowed unwillingly at the feet of my executioner.

Velvet and hand-stitched crewel on the walls glittered like the diamonds the Hawks smuggled—a direct contrast to the roughly sawn wood and crude craftsmanship of the guillotine dais. No finesse. No pride. Just a raised podium, framework cushioning a large tarnished blade, and a rope dangling to the side.

“Don’t do this. Cut…think about what you’ve become. You can stop this.” My voice mimicked a beg but I’d vowed not to beg. I’d seen things, understood things, and suffered things I never thought I would be able to endure. I refused to cry or grovel. I wouldn’t give him that satisfaction.

“In five minutes, this will all be over, Weaver.” Cut bent to the side and collected a wicker basket.

The wicker basket.

I didn’t want to think about what its contents would be.

He placed it on the other side of the wooden block.

My lungs demanded more oxygen. My brain demanded more time. And my heart…it demanded more hope, more life, more love.

I’m not ready.

Not like this.

“Cut—”

“No. No more talking. Not after everything you’ve done.” Ripping a black hood from his pocket, he didn’t hesitate. No fanfare. No second guesses.

I cried out as the scratchy blackness engulfed my face, tightening by a cord around my throat.

The Weaver Wailer chilled me. The diamond collar that’d seen what I’d seen and whispered with phantoms of my slain family prepared to revoke its claim and detach from around my neck.

This was it.

The Final Debt.

Cut pushed my shoulders forward.

A heavy yoke settled over the top of my spine.

I closed my eyes.

I said goodbye.

…

I waited to die.

Michel’s Review

Final Debt & Indebted Epilogue

Spoiler Free Review

********

Excerpt From My Original Indebted Review- Book 1 on 8/22/2014

The Plot

A Family Feud between the Hawks and The Weavers

A Royal Proclamation

A 600 Year Debt

The Debt Will Be Paid In Full

The Families

The Hawks are one of the most influential families in England. Their influence has a strong reach internationally. They are the world’s leading diamond dealers. They are also the leaders of one of the most powerful motorcycle clubs in the world. They are powerful, ruthless, violent, and unyielding. They will come out on top at all costs.

The Weavers are world renowned for their influence in the fashion industry. They have clothed royalty. They are masters at their trade. Unlike the Hawks, they are not a powerful family. They have impeccable lineage that they value. The only mark on that lineage is their debt to the Hawks.

The Main Characters

Jethro Hawk is the 29 year old, first born son in the Hawk family. At age thirty he will take over the reigns of the Hawk Empire. As part of that legacy, being the first born son, he gets the Indebted Inheritance. He gets the first born daughter of the Weavers. He fully intends to collect his inheritance, carry out his family’s vendetta, and claim the legacy he has been born into. He is cunning, calculating, ruthless, uncaring, controlling, manipulative, and downright terrifying. He is a villain in the darkest way. He will claim his inheritance at all costs.

Nila Weaver is a young, naïve, and innocent 24 year old woman. Like her fore fathers she has taken her place in the fashion industry. Her designs are innovative, sexy, and flawless. She has just made her mark in the Haute couture world. What should have been a celebration has turned into a nightmare. Jethro Hawk has come to collect the debt her family owes. A debt she never knew existed. A debt she will have to pay.

The collection has begun… payment is due……

*****

Final Debt & Indebted Epilogue Review

For one year, three months, and fourteen days I have been a prisoner of the Indebted Series by Pepper Winters. I have stalked social media, Facebook, and the author’s website, anxiously awaiting release dates, teasers, and excerpts on each book in this series. The moment each book went live I was devouring it. I could not pull myself away until the last word was read. When I finished each book I was right back to my previous dilemma and craving more. I was left anxious, horrified, fearful, and hopeful for Nila’s fate. I admired her strength and fortitude. I admired her commitment to those she loved. At times I felt her loyalty was misplaced but understood her convictions. Jethro Hawk mystified me. He was like a seesaw on the playground, up and down, never the same throughout the series. One moment I was passionately in love with him and the next moment I wanted to administer all the debts Nila had to pay. He was one of the most complex characters that I have encountered in fiction. I hated the Hawk family and everything that they stood for. I could not understand their greed, their convictions, and their disregard towards humanity. It was hard to understand the atrocities they were delivering in the name of the law and an age old contract. I also was on the fence with the Weaver family throughout this series. I couldn’t understand how they could allow this to continue throughout the generations. Their daughters should of been more important than the family honor and their royal legacy. As the story unfolded throughout the books I became more perplexed and more horrified. At the same time a beautiful and passionate love affair began and became stronger as the events of their situation worsened. I wanted Jethro and Nila to have their impossible happily ever after. I continued to hope…and bought each book.

Final Debt is the conclusion to this all encompassing series. It was superbly delivered in true Pepper Winters fashion. The reader didn’t know Nila’s and Jethro’s fate until the very end. Throughout the book there were revelations made that answered all of the readers questions. The age old contract was finally completely revealed. Readers were given an understanding of where it began and how it evolved into what it was in today’s time. The revelations also gave the readers a true understanding of the Hawks and the Weavers. As each revelation was revealed it made Nila’s and Jethro’s situation more dire. When it came time for the final debt to be delivered, it was paid. The reader will walk away from this story breathless and exhausted. The emotional rollercoaster, the immense danger, and the horrific revelations will sear the soul. The heartbreak and loss along the horrific journey will leave each character scarred for eternity. Neither family will be untouched in the end. What matters most is the the passionate love story that will define both families. A passionate love story that transcends time will make the heart race.

Pepper Winters did a brilliant job with the Indebted series. The Final Debt has been delivered and there is a surprise Indebted Epilogue that will justify the one year, three months, and fourteen days of waiting for this series to reach completion.

The Indebted Series by Pepper Winters is a truly epic dark love story!

Indebted

Indebted Series -Book 1

Synopsis

“I own you. I have the piece of paper to prove it. It’s undeniable and unbreakable. You belong to me until you’ve paid off your debts.”

Nila Weaver’s family is indebted. Being the first born daughter, her life is forfeit to the first born son of the Hawks to pay for sins of ancestors past. The dark ages might have come and gone, but debts never leave. She has no choice in the matter.

She is no longer free.

Jethro Hawk receives Nila as an inheritance present on his twenty-ninth birthday. Her life is his until she’s paid off a debt that’s centuries old. He can do what he likes with her—nothing is out of bounds—she has to obey.

There are no rules. Only payments.

A modern day Dark Erotic Romance

Buy: Amazon / Barnes and Noble / ITunes

First Debt

Indebted #2

Synopsis

“You say I’ll never own you. If I win—you willingly give me that right. You sign not only the debt agreement, but another—one that makes me your master until your last breath is taken. You do that, and I’ll give you this.”

Nila Weaver’s family is indebted. Stolen, taken, and bound not by monsters but by an agreement written over six hundred years ago, she has no way out.

She belongs to Jethro as much as she denies it.

Jethro Hawk’s patience is running out. His inheritance gift tests, challenges, and surprises him—and not in good ways. He hasn’t leashed her but he thinks he might’ve found a way to bind her forever.

Debts are mounting. Payment waiting.

Buy: Amazon / Barnes and Noble / ITunes

Second Debt

Indebted Series – Book 3

Buy: Amazon / Barnes and Noble / IBooks / Kobo

Synopsis

“I tried to play a game. I tried to wield deceit as perfectly as the Hawks. But when I thought I was winning, I wasn’t. Jethro isn’t what he seems—he’s the master of duplicity. However, I refuse to let him annihilate me further.”

Nila Weaver has grown from naïve seamstress to full-blown fighter. Every humdrum object is her arsenal, and sex…sex is her greatest weapon of all.

She’s paid the First Debt. She’ll probably pay more.

But she has no intention of letting the Hawks win.

Jethro Hawk has found more than a worthy adversary in Nila—he’s found the woman who could destroy him. There’s a fine line between hatred and love, and an even finer path between fear and respect.

The fate of his house rests on his shoulders, but no matter how much ice lives inside his heart, Nila flames too bright to be extinguished.

Third Debt – Indebted # 4

Indebted Series – Book 4

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

Synopsis

Fourth Book in the New York Times Bestselling Indebted Series.

“She healed me. She broke me. I set her free. But we are in this together. We will end this together. The rules of this ancient game can’t be broken.”

Nila Weaver no longer recognises herself. She’s left her lover, her courage, and her promise. Two debts down. Too many to go.

Jethro Hawk no longer recognises himself. He’s embraced what he always ran from, and now faces punishment far greater than he feared.

It’s almost time. It’s demanding to be paid.

The Third Debt will be the ultimate test…

Fourth Debt – Indebted # 5

Indebted Series – Book 5

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

Synopsis

“We’d won. We’d cut through the lies and treachery and promised an alliance that would free us both. But even as we won, we lost. We didn’t see what was coming. We didn’t know we had to plan a resurrection.”

Nila Weaver fell in love. She gifted her entire soul to a man she believed was worthy. And in the process, she destroyed herself. Three debts paid, the fourth only days away. The Debt Inheritance has almost claimed another victim.

Jethro Hawk fell in love. He let down his walls to a woman he believed was his cure. For a moment, he was free. But then he paid the ultimate price.

There is no more love. Only war. Hope is dead. Now, there is only death all around them.

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

Final Debt

Indebted Series – Book 6

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

Synopsis

The Last Book in the New York Times Bestselling Dark Romance Series.

Where love tries to triumph and darkness continues to reign….

It all comes down to this.

Love versus life.

Debts versus death.

Who will win?

There is also a BONUS BOOK: Indebted Epilogue OUT NOW.

Indebted Epilogue

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

—–

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

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

GIVEAWAY
$50.00 Amazon Card
Signed Copy of Indebted Epilogue

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Release Blitz + Excerpt + 5 Star Review + Giveaway: Zero Hour by Lili St. Germain – The Gypsy Brothers Epilogue

Posted on 11/24/2015 by shellbellereads

Zero Hour

A Gypsy Brothers Epilogue

By Lili St. Germain

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

Synopsis

The final, shocking conclusion to the #1 bestselling Gypsy Brothers series.

Juliette Portland’s purpose was simple: Seduce. Kill. Avenge. Once Dornan Ross and his sons were dead, her future was supposed to be clear. Her life was finally going to begin. And love… Against all the odds, she had the love of a boy she never thought she’d see again.

Everything should have gone according to plan. Everything should have been easy once Dornan was dead and buried.

But nothing’s ever that easy, is it?

Juliette

I might have survived Dornan’s wrath, but I was different then. Younger. Stupider. I’ve had too much time to think since I got out of the cage he locked me in. I’ve had too much time to dream about all the things he did to me.
I think about revenge a lot. When I’m thinking of the way the light dimmed in Dornan’s dying eyes and the way he said you killed my sons.
How beautiful it was, and how hollow.

Jason

Sometimes, I can’t tell if I’m starting to become him. My father. Dornan. The way I am, the things I’ve done—they make Juliette’s sins look like child’s play.
Of course, I’d never tell her that. I’ll never tell her the things I’ve done.
It doesn’t mean she won’t find out anyway.
Book 8 in the USA Today Bestselling Gypsy Brothers series. No cliffhanger.
Series Reading Order

THE GYPSY BROTHERS SERIES

Book 1 – Seven Sons (FREE)
Book 2 – Six Brothers
Book 3 – Five Miles
Book 4 – Four Score
Book 5 – Three Years
Book 6 – Two Roads
Book 7 – One Love
Alternate Novella – FREE at http://smarturl.it/GetLilisFreeBook
Book 8 – Zero Hour
THE CARTEL TRILOGY (A Gypsy Brothers prequel series)

Book 1 – Cartel (available now)
Book 2 – Kingpin (coming December 14, 2015)
Book 3 – Empire (coming 2016)

Excerpt

“When you blank out. When you go away. You’re with him, aren’t you?”

I take a step back. I feel like I’ve been punched. I don’t respond. I don’t even say, who do you mean, because we both know who we’re talking about here.

“Hey,” Jase snaps. “I want you to answer me.”

I can’t breathe. It’s like Dornan’s in the room. I feel his warm breath on my neck, the way he always tasted the same in my mouth. Like salt and cigarettes.

“Answer me,” Jase growls.

I break. “What?” I hiss. “What do you want from me? Do you want me to lie? I was supposed to kill him, and that was meant to be the end of it.”

Jase looks like he’s about to hit another wall. Or me.

“He’s dead,” he spits, “He’s dead, but you’re the one who’s gone. I need you to come back. I need you to come back to me.”

“I don’t know how!” I yell.

“You’re not trying!” he explodes. “You just sit here, in your dark little universe, thinking about him! Did you think about him while I was fucking you last night? Huh?”

Michel’s Review

The Zero Hour is the grand finale of the Gypsy Brothers series. It cannot be read as a stand alone novel and must be read in series order.

Jase and Jules have reached the Zero Hour. Revenge has been taken. The final judgement has been rendered. Souls have been taken and it has not only been their enemies souls. They have paid the price but it wasn’t enough. They may have had a victory but it was only the beginning of the real war. The ultimate battle has begun. They are at war within themselves, trying to find peace within their souls. The battle scars they carry are not just on the surface but covering their souls. The Gypsy Brothers and Dornan Ross destroyed them completely. Now they will have to fight their biggest battle, they will have to fight their demons and find the soul they lost long ago.

Revenge isn’t always sweet. It has tentacles that are far reaching long after retribution has been delivered. Both Jules and Jase were raised in a horrific world that destroyed everything good within themselves. Their only saving grace was their love for one another and the deep bond they shared. This may not be enough. Both are too damaged. To top it off they are still on the run from the Cartel and The Gypsy Brothers MC. The DEA is using them as pawns and no matter where they go they are not safe. It’s time to take matters into their own hands and destroy their enemies once and for all. It is time to take back their souls. This time it is not about revenge. Is not about surviving their world. It’s about taking back their lives and living them. It’s the Zero Hour and it’s time to seize their lives.

Lili St. Germain delivered an epic ending for the Gypsy Brothers series. It was a fast paced, nail biting ending with an emotional twist that validated every moment of their lives. It was the perfect ending for Jules and Jase. They seized the moment and found their happiness as the clock ticked down to the Zero Hour.

ALL 7 books in the COMPLETE Gypsy Brothers series are now in ONE SET!

Lili has INCLUDED BONUS EXCLUSIVE NOVELLA!

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

The Gypsy Brothers

Lili’s USA Today Bestselling series, together in one edition !

This bundle contains all books in the Gypsy Brothers series plus a bonus exclusive novella. The reading order for the series is:
SEVEN SONS
SIX BROTHERS
FIVE MILES
FOUR SCORE
THREE YEARS
TWO ROADS
ONE LOVE
&
ALTERNATE

A Gypsy Brothers novella featuring chapters told from Jase, Elliot and Dornan’s points of view.

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

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

**This bundle contains all books in the Gypsy Brothers series plus a bonus exclusive novella.**

Lili writes dark romance, suspense and paranormal stories. Her serial novel, Seven Sons, was released in early 2014, with the following books in the series to be released in quick succession. Lili quit corporate life to focus on writing and so far is loving every minute of it. Her other loves in life include her gorgeous husband and beautiful daughter, good coffee, Tarantino movies and spending hours on Pinterest.

She loves to read almost as much as she loves to write.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | Pinterest

GIVEAWAY
$100 Amazon Gift Card

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Book Blast + Excerpt from Reckless River (Book – 3) : Men of Mercy by Lindsay Cross

Posted on 10/23/2015 by shellbellereads

Enter to Win a

Gifted Ebook Copy of

RECKLESS RIVER (Book Three)

REDEMPTION RIVER

Men of Mercy #1

Lindsay Cross

Releasing Oct 21st, 2015

Cypress
Bend Publishing

Hunter James didn’t want or need
redemption.

Until one mission turns his world
upside down.

He left Mercy to fight for his
country and escape a broken heart. Years later, he is hard. Cold. A man without
mercy. Part of an elite Task Force, he tracks a brutal terrorist to his
home town. And runs into the woman who betrayed him…

Evangeline Videl was destroyed
when Hunter left. Determined to move on, she finds another man, but discovers
too late the monster hidden beneath his smooth smile. Struggling to find the
conviction to live, Evie finds her life spinning out of control.

Then Hunter returns…

Forced to band together to find the
terrorist before its too late, Hunter and Evie must learn to forgive or risk
losing the promise of redemption and their lives…

RESURRECTION RIVER

Men of Mercy #2

Lindsay Cross

Releasing Oct 21st, 2015

Cypress Bend Publishing

Ranger James accepted his best
friend’s death like a good soldier. With guilt. Regret. Vengeance. But a
forbidden desire keeps pulling him from his mission…

Desire for his best friend’s widow.

Killed in Action. That’s why Rachel
Carter’s husband wasn’t coming home.

A war widow, alone and broke, Rachel
struggles to revive her family’s crop dusting service to survive. Now she takes
to the skies to find escape. Escape from the pain. From the guilt. From the
earth-shattering desire for her husband’s best friend.

Rachel and Ranger can’t fight the
attraction between them any longer. But one fateful night cleaves their new
found love in two…

Can they find the will to fight for
true love? Or will an evil so shocking destroy their lives for good?

RECKLESS RIVER

Men of Mercy #3

Lindsay Cross

Releasing Oct 21st, 2015

Cypress Bend Publishing

They
say you can’t go home again. Jared Crowe never wanted to.Home meant facing memories of abuse and neglect.
Of dark closets and evil nightmares. Of his own relatives intent on killing
him. But now his brother’s kidnapping forces him to face those demons. Only
this time, Jared isn’t a scared little boy. He’s a full-grown Special Forces
operative bent on revenge.As a little girl, Sparrow Pickney risked her
life to free two abused boys. As a grown woman Sparrow needs to earn a place in
her adopted family’s business or be forced into a life of degradation. The
chance to prove her family loyalty comes when she catches Jared spying on the
compound and captures him.When Jared sees his captor, he realizes she’s
the girl of his dreams and vows to rescue her from a life of poverty. What
Jared doesn’t know is Sparrow may not be the savior he remembers…but the one
responsible for abducting and torturing his brother.

Jared is determined to find the truth. But that
truth may be more than his heart can take.

Find Lindsay’s Books Here

Amazon | B&N

It had been nearly twenty years since he’d seen her, but Jared could never forget those golden eyes. Eyes that had haunted his dreams ever since. Had she joined up with Kay? Or was she simply one of those poor souls struggling to survive?

The thought of Sparrow slowly starving filled him with a sense of guilt. He should have made her leave with them. Even though they’d been children when she’d freed them, Jared had been big enough to drag her out, whether she’d wanted to go or not.

She leaned over him, reaching for his hands. Her floppy hat fell down, blinding her, and she ripped it off and tossed it across the room. Long caramel-colored hair, full of sun-kissed highlights, waterfalled down the sides of her face and tickled his nose. Her scent surrounded him now, flooding his senses. Honeysuckle and wildflowers. His cock swelled in an instant. Jared gnashed his teeth together, trying to quell his intense reaction to her nearness.

Sparrow leaned down further and her loose tank top gaped open, treating him to a glorious view of surprisingly plump breasts cupped in a plain sports bra. His gaze locked onto her beaded nipples through the cotton. Fuck he wanted to rip that bra down and reveal what was hidden beneath. The loose manly clothes she wore made her look stick thin, but womanly curves were concealed beneath them.

Sparrow sighed and sat up straight, leaving rope dangling uselessly on his wrists. Jared gripped the metal headboard with his hands, waiting for her next move. She stood there for a moment and studied him, trying to decide what to do. Well, he wasn’t going to help her out one little bit.

“Keep your hands right there, got it?” Her voice was stern.

“Yes ma’am.” He had no intention of acting up. Yet.

She placed a knee on the mattress, and in one swift movement straddled him, settling on his belly. Jared groaned and closed his eyes thankful she hadn’t sat down lower on his body; otherwise, she would have gotten her own surprise. She leaned over him spreading her knees wider up his chest. His eyes popped open, unable to resist another view of her bare skin.

“You can stop with the theatrics right now, I know I’m not big enough to crush you.”

If only that were his problem. Her shirt dipped down even more and he fixated on the pale mounds of her breasts straining against the material of her sports bra. It was a crime to lock those beauties up in serviceable cotton.

She should wear nothing but pure silk and lace, perfect for him to rip off her body.

Her hair curtained around him again, and her soft lips parted in concentration as she worked. He was aware of every inch of exposed skin—from the graceful hollow of her neck to her supple forearms peeking out from the rolled up sleeves of her checkered work shirt. Even more aware of the intense heat radiating from her core, pressed so intimately to his chest.

“There. All done.” She sat back, a satisfied smile on her lips.

Jared tugged on the rope. He’d completely zoned out on anything other than her straddling him. It didn’t give an inch—the knot she’d tied was worthy of a professional. A small ounce of foreboding seeped into him. “Where did you learn to tie knots?”

“Trapping. Working snares. Been doing it since I was a kid.” Her words were so matter-of-fact, he had no doubt she spoke the truth. Holy shit. He yanked on the ropes, but they didn’t move.

“Impressive.” Jared wriggled his fingers and wrists, testing for any weakness. He found none.

“Might as well stop struggling. Nobody’s ever been able to get out of one of my knots. And I used my new rope too, so it wouldn’t snap easy.” She made a snapping motion with her fingers, the emphasis driving in just how stupid his plan had been. He should have used that easy opening she’d given him with the gun.

His foreboding turned to real worry. He had to get out of here to rescue his brother. Hoyt’s life depended on him. If he couldn’t get free… “Nice, now what?”

“Now you tell me who you are and why you’re here.” Sparrow sat back on her heels, the curve of her ass grazing the tip of his cock. He clenched his muscles, fighting to free himself from the pull of lust.

Remember, you’re the soldier trained in interrogation techniques. Now he just had to stop thinking with his dick for long enough to find out where Hoyt was being held. “My name is Jake.”

She tapped her chin, staring down at him. Once again he was enthralled by the intense color of her eyes. They were golden, almost like a cat’s, with a darker brown ring around the edges. “Jake. You don’t look like a Jake.”

He enjoyed hearing the name on her lips. Would enjoy hearing his real name even better. Her soft accent and long vowels stretched it out slow. Sensual. “And what do I look like?”

“I don’t know. Killer? Tiger?”

“That’s what people name their cats.”

“True. Why are you here?”
“Why did you take me hostage?” he countered.

“You were spying on my family. Only our enemies do that.” She shifted, brushing against his tip again. Fuck he wanted to rip free of these bonds and throw her down beneath him. Where was his detached logic now? Something about her was making him lose control.

“I have no interest in you. I was looking for a family member who went missing, know anything about that?” He studied her reaction intently, watching for any flash of awareness, but she didn’t give away anything.

“Haven’t seen anybody new around here in a long time, and I would know. Sorry, but you plopped down on the wrong piece of land.”

“He told me he was coming here.” Not really, but Jared knew without the slightest shred of doubt that Hoyt had been taken by the Crowes. Miss Kay wanted to finish what she had started all those years ago, even if Jared didn’t know why. It was bad enough his parents had died when Jared was only nine, Hoyt six, but to have his aunt try to murder them….

Jared yanked on the bonds again, testing the bed frame. It screeched but held firm. Shit.

“What does he look like?” Every time Sparrow moved or shifted he felt her. Desire was holding him hostage as much as the damn ropes. Got to get free. Got to find Hoyt.

“What do I get if I tell you?”

“What do you get? You get to live.” Her brows shot down as if confused.

“You won’t kill me.”

“Try me.”

“How about we make a little trade—you give me something, I give you something.”

“Give? What do you want?” She laid her palms on her thighs, kneeling over his body, the position incredibly erotic.

Blushing aside, maybe she wasn’t so innocent after all. He had a plan and she was part of it. He knew he could get more information out of Sparrow than her giant ass brother. And he’d find it a hell of a lot more enjoyable too. “Kiss me.”

She stopped moving all together and her eyes narrowed in on his mouth.

“Give me a kiss and I’ll sing like a bird.”

a Rafflecopter giveaway
//widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js

Lindsay
Cross is the award-winning author of the Men of Mercy series. She is the fun
loving mom of two beautiful daughters and one precocious Great Dane. Lindsay is
happily married to the man of her dreams – a soldier and veteran. During one of
her husband’s deployments from home, writing became her escape and motivation.

An
avid reader since childhood, reading and writing is in her blood. After years
of reading, she discovered her true passion – writing. Her alpha military men
are damaged, drop-dead gorgeous and determined to win the heart of the woman of
their dreams.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | GoodReads

Teaser Excerpt…Prologue and Chapter One… Priceless Treasure by Melody Anne

Posted on 10/16/2015 by shellbellereads

Priceless Treasure

By Melody Anne

Synopsis

Ashton Storm had always possessed a sense of humor, but he tended to be more thoughtless and self-absorbed than his other siblings. He skated along through life, enjoying the finer things. That was until one day his father had enough and gave him an ultimatum. He either did his father’s bidding, or his ride on easy street came to an instant stop.

Though Ashton fought against doing what his father demanded, he finally caved in and took the small boating company his father gave him and made it a multi-billion dollar corporation. Now, he’s back on easy street and he’s alone – but for how long?

Richard Storm was disappointed when his matchmaking plans for his son Ashton and the very sexy, smart, somewhat clumsy, Savannah Mills didn’t work out. But no other woman seemed to be catching his son’s eyes.

Fate has a funny way of working out though, and maybe, just maybe, Richard hadn’t been wrong about Ashton and Savannah being the perfect couple. Because they’re about to finally meet.

Buy: Amazon / B & N / ITunes / Kobo

_______________________________________________________

Excerpt

Prologue

“Have we pushed Ashton too far?” Richard Storm took a large gulp of good scotch and looked toward the ceiling as he thought about his words.

“What do you mean?” Joseph asked.

“He’s not the same man he was a few years ago,” Richard said, a heavy sigh showing the even heavier heart inside.

“But the goal was for him to grow up,” George pointed out.

“Yes, to grow up, but not to turn into this hard-nosed robot he’s become. I barely even recognize him anymore,” Richard pointed out.

“I hate to admit it, but I agree. I feel like we all have pushed him too hard,” Joseph said.

“He’s been busting his ass for four years now trying to prove that he’s not just another trust fund baby, that he is worthy of the Storm — and of course Anderson — name. But in that battle he’s been waging, a piece of his soul has been chipped away,” Richard said.

“I love that he wants to make you proud, Richard,” George said.

“He wants to make all of us proud, but this isn’t what I want. Yes, I want him to marry and produce kids, but above all, I want him to be happy,” Richard said, then realized his glass was empty. The stress was almost more than he could bear.

Richard’s two brothers stared at him in concern. The two Anderson patriarchs had been separated from him at birth, and they’d only met decades later, but his pain was their pain. After all, their DNA was almost identical.

“You should look on the bright side, though,” George said. “He used to be a devil- may-care bartender, but now he’s running a wildly successful business.”

Joseph piped in. “And didn’t you tell us that he used to be Mr. Playboy, just tomcatting all around both coasts? And now he’s engaged to be married. That’s another step in the right direction.”

“You’ve met his fiancée,” Richard snorted. “Yes, she has a fancy-schmancy name, and makes regular appearances in the society column. But she’s really nothing but a gold- digger out for alimony. Wouldn’t give him the time of day until she found out about his net worth. Sure, she bats her tinted eyelashes, but she’s no prize — unless you want to call her a prize bitch. … Excuse my French.”

“But what can we do?” George asked.

“I did what I could. I found the perfect match for Ashton. I gave a card to that lovely woman I mentioned before, Savannah Mills, but she never applied for the job I set up. That was two years ago, and now she has a master’s in oceanography. I can’t see her taking a job down at the docks after that.”

“Oh, yes, I remember that now,” Joseph said. “We’ve been so busy with the other kids, I’d temporarily forgotten. I’m not getting any younger, I’m afraid.”

“Do you think we move on from this Savannah?” Richard asked. “She really seemed to be The One, so I hate to give up.”

“No,” Joseph boomed — that’s what he always did. BOOM. “When love is meant to be, it’s meant to be. If she just finished her master’s and she’s set her sights on a PhD, you still have three months before the fall semester starts. Maybe now is the perfect time for her and Ashton to finally meet up.”

“But he’s still got that fiancée of his,” Richard growled.

“She won’t last,” George said. “Think about it. If Ashton sees Savannah, he’ll have to make comparisons, and the gold-digger will flame out. Your son isn’t that stupid, is he?”

“I wish I could be sure,” Richard replied, and a frown took over his face. “As I said, Ashton’s track record with women isn’t the best. And now, with him trying to prove something to himself or to us, he’s making bigger mistakes. Some young men never learn until it’s too late.”

“Ah, those boys, all of them, know how to put on a mask. I know Ashton has a heck of a lot more soul and a lot more character than he’s letting on. Somewhere inside, the real Ashton still resides,” Joseph assured them.

“I hope so, brother, because I’m beginning to think that son of mine won’t figure it out until it’s far too late,” Richard said.

Joseph threw him a determined look. “We never give up on the people we love. Sometimes we just have to bring out the electric cattle prod.”

Richard finally had a ghost of a smile. “Then let’s start planning. I happen to know that Savannah is more intrigued than ever before over sunken treasures. If she can get some free boat rides out to a site where a ship full of treasure is rumored to have sunk, I can see her finally taking that job down at the docks.”

“Hmm. Good thing Ashton does private cruises, isn’t it?” George said with a laugh. The three men bent their heads together.

Chapter One

A breathtaking view of the Pacific Ocean glimmered before her as Savannah Mills stood at the top of the private docks and gazed at another spectacular sunset.

The scent, sounds, and sights of the West Coast had always filled her with joy. It was unlike any anything she’d ever experienced in the whole United States — heck, the entire world, for that matter. Okay, dammit, she’d never traveled beyond these stupid western states, but who was counting? Completely beside the point. She’d looked at the photos on the Internet, and that had to count for something.

When she began moving, she stumbled on the dock, nearly face-planting before she managed to get her balance back. Being a first-class klutz wasn’t what she prided herself on, but nobody’s perfect.

When she reached the gates barring the way down to the docks on the beautiful Orcas Island outside of Seattle — one of the San Juan Islands — Savanna pressed in the code she’d been given. The gates opened without a hitch.

Maybe Savannah loved the ocean because it was endless. If you were on it, you could run away from the rest of the world, never to be found again — unless you wanted to be. That freedom was priceless to her.

She’d been in school for what felt like forever, so this summer was her break. She was going to resist cracking a single book … nah. She knew herself better, and she wouldn’t last two weeks on that mission. But still, she was going to make it at least a week. Plus, she was about to begin a dream job for the summer before she was locked away again in the classroom, the lab, and the library.

Yes, she loved school, obviously, or she wouldn’t have a bachelor’s in biology and a master’s in oceanography, and she wouldn’t be pursuing a doctorate once three short months had passed. But in the summer all she wanted to feel was fresh wind on her cheeks and seawater lapping over her feet. Did that make her a bad person?

Nope. It made her free. Free of classes, free of homework, free of late night studying. Free!

She made her way down until she was standing before the boats. Some were smaller than others, but they all were well taken care of, and they all had Sea Storms Enterprise in bold letters across them.

This was a business that catered to those who wanted anything from private boating adventures to a smaller cruise line experience. And she was now going to be a part of that world for the next three months. She reached out to caress one of the boats when she was nearly startled into face-planting again.

“Care to tell me what you’re doing on these docks?”

A shiver rushed down Savannah’s spine at the sound of a deep, dark voice behind her. But immediately after nearly jumping out of her skin, she wanted to kick herself for her fear. Emotions would no longer hold her back, not in this lifetime. She’d had enough of all that.

When she turned, she faced a muscled chest barely hidden from her view underneath a tight button-down white oxford shirt. It took her a little while to lift her head and look into this man’s bright blue eyes. Along the way, she hadn’t missed his lips, still compelling even if they were pressed together in a scowl.

“Are you mute?” he had the effrontery to ask.

She was instantly ticked off.

“Whoa. That was rude,” Savannah said, finding her voice. One hand on her hip, she sent this man a look that had made other males cower before her. No man would speak to her this way again, not as long as she was breathing.

“I’m generally rude to anyone who trespasses on private property — even a woman who obviously thinks that because she’s pretty, she can go wherever she damn well pleases.”

“I was invited here,” she said. “I don’t think your boss will be too happy with you when he finds out how you’re treating his other employees,” she told him with a mocking grin. There was the attitude she’d been searching for.

She refused to let this man belittle or intimidate her. No freaking way. Yeah, he had shoulders that seemed to go on and on, plus a chiseled jawline, and she was more than sure he was aware of all that. Why was it that great-looking men thought they owned the whole damned world and could treat other people like dirt? Whatever. His attitude was greatly reducing his attractiveness in her eyes.

His lips turned up as he took a step toward her, and Savannah felt her heart slam against her rib cage. She stumbled backward a few inches, but she was able to stop herself. Dammit. She wasn’t going to retreat.

“And please tell me who hired you. I’d like to pass the information along,” he said, stepping even closer, way too far into her personal space.

“Mr. Storm,” she said. In your face, asshole!
“Oh, really? You spoke to Mr. Storm in person?” the man asked. What a strange thing to say.

“Yes, as a matter of fact, I did. He approached me at my university and said I was a perfect fit.” She felt good in her righteousness. This man was obviously a disgruntled worker.

“What did Mr. Storm look like?”

“Why all these questions? I’m sure you know what the boss looks like,” she told him.

“I assure you that I do know what the boss looks like. But I’m not so sure you know how to speak the truth.”

Ugh! “Are you accusing me of something?”

“Isn’t that clear?” he said, and he didn’t even try to hide the arrogant smile spreading across his lips. “I think you’re a liar. I don’t think you’ve talked to Mr. Storm.” He took another step closer. “I also can’t figure out what you’re doing on the private docks.”

“I told you I was hired. Why else would I be here?”
“Because you’re after something,” he said.
“Do you think I plan on taking off with one of the boats?” she asked him. “Maybe. Wouldn’t be the first time someone tried.”
Damn he was an arrogant ass.
“I’ve never been so insulted in my life,” she snapped.
“I find that hard to believe.”

His smirk was insufferable. Savannah decided that working on the ocean, as much as she loved the idea, wasn’t worth dealing with this monstrous man. She glared at him before taking a calming breath. She wouldn’t yell. That would give him too much satisfaction.

“I assure you,” she said, “that Mr. Storm is going to have words with you.” The man she’d met would never want men like this to be the first face a new employee saw. No way. Mr. Storm had been kind and enthusiastic.

There was also no use in continuing this conversation. The man was obviously convinced he was king of the docks. Something he would be assured soon he was not.

“I somehow doubt that Mr. Storm will be quite pleased I’m escorting you from here,” he almost purred. He then reached for her. Hell, no!

Savannah panicked. She didn’t want this man to touch her. Taking a step backward, she pressed down. She quickly realized her mistake but it was already too late.

It was funny how she noticed the man’s eyes widen. There was no more dock behind her. She was going down — and it was going to be cold.

________________________________________________

About Melody Anne: Melody Anne is the author of the popular series, Billionaire Bachelors, and Baby for the Billionaire. She also has a Young Adult Series out; Midnight Fire and Midnight Moon – Rise of the Dark Angel. She’s been writing for years and published in 2011. She hold a bachelors degree in business, so she loves to write about strong, powerful, businessmen.

When Melody isn’t writing, she enjoys spending time with her family, friends, and pets. She lives in a small town that she loves, and is involved in many community projects.

See Melody‘s Website at: www.melodyanne.com. She makes it a point to respond to all her fans. You can also join her on facebook at: www.facebook.com/authormelodyanne, or at twitter: @authmelodyanne.

a Rafflecopter giveaway
//widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js

Release Blitz + Excerpt + 5 Star Review + Giveaway: Dirty English by Ilsa Madden-Mills

Posted on 10/14/2015 by shellbellereads

Meet Declan and Elizabeth in Ilsa Madden-Mills

new fighter romance!

Dirty English

By Ilsa Madden- Mills

Release Date: October 12, 2015

Buy: Amazon / Amazon UK

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

Synopsis

A scarred fighter.

A girl with rules.

One night of unbridled passion.

There are three things you need to know about Elizabeth Bennett: she’s smart as a whip, always in control, and lives by a set of carefully crafted rules. She’s learned the hard way that people you love the most always hurt you in the end.

But then she meets Declan Blay, the new neighbor at her apartment complex.

A tattooed British street fighter, he’s the campus bad boy she’s supposed to avoid, but when he saves her from a frat party gone bad, all her rules about sex and love fly out the window.

She gives him one night of unbridled passion, but he longs for more.

With only a cardboard-thin wall separating their bedrooms, he dreams of possessing the vulnerable girl next door forever.

One night. Two damaged hearts. The passion of a lifetime.

Excerpt

“Come to my apartment and spend the night with me.” I touched his face, my fingers stroking the softness of his sensuous lips. “Just one night and we can make this shitty world disappear.”

He exhaled. “A one-night stand?”

“Yeah.”

He cupped my chin. “Someone hurt you, didn’t they?”

My lips tightened. No one at Whitman knew about Colby except for Shelley and Blake, and I sure as hell wasn’t telling him. He’d judge me like everyone else had in Petal, North Carolina. “That’s none of your business.”

“I see.” His eyes searched mine until I felt like a bug under a microscope. “What if I wanted more than just one night?”

“Then your hands can let go of my hips now.”

He removed his hands slowly, the tips of his fingers grazing mine. “This may surprise you, but I don’t sleep with every girl I kiss.”

I’d been rejected. Again. “Blake said you got around, that you used—”

“And you believed him?” His voice was incredulous. “Dude is in love with you and he saw exactly how we looked at each other tonight—”

“Looked at each other? What are you talking about? You refused to dance with me and then you ran off with your girlfriend. Not to mention I just kissed you and you didn’t even care.” I threw my hands up.

“I wanted to fuck you the minute you walked in that party,” he snapped.

“Then why don’t you,” I bit out, tossing back my shoulders.

“You think you want me?” he said tightly. “You can’t handle me, Elizabeth. I can see it in your eyes. You’re scared of something, maybe not me, but something.”

My eyes went to his black eye.

He let out a harsh laugh. “Ah, that’s what you’re afraid of. You want the real truth? You told me tonight you didn’t like violence, but I’m an arsehole who uses his fists. That’s who I am.”

“What do you mean?”

His gaze was intense, dark and low, his face struggling as he fought to find the right words. “I’m in a fight club for money. I show up at warehouses and fight other blokes. Sometimes I beat them so bad they need medical attention. A few times, I’ve been beat to unconsciousness. I’m everything you need to stay away from.”

I inhaled, anger and lust and excitement all riding me. Anger that he was pushing me away, lust for the alpha male in him, and God help me, the fighting thing repelled me and excited me at the same time. “I don’t want to stay away from you. I want you to fuck me and stop making excuses for why you can’t.”

My words seemed to snap his taut restraint.

He pulled me back in his arms, his lips fusing with mine unerringly. His tongue plundered me in a sensual way my body had craved for years. I wrapped my arms around his neck, my anger morphing into all-out desire as he turned us and pressed me against the wall.

Yes, yes, this is what I craved.

A passion to remind me that I was real, not just some sad excuse of a girl who chose to exist on scraps of love.

Before I knew it, he’d shoved my robe off, his hands sculpting my shoulders, massaging them as he ravaged my mouth. I reveled in the warmth of his hand on my neck as his mouth skated down, kissing the hollows of my throat, sucking on my collarbone.

“Like this?” he asked, his voice dark and gravelly. “You want me to take you up against this wall?”

“Yes,” I moaned. Gone. Past caring as long as he kept his hands on me.

Out of control, my brain whispered, but I beat back the dark warnings as his warm hand found my breast and squeezed, his fingers rolling my nipple between his thumb and forefinger.

I gasped in pleasure and arched my back to get closer to his body, ignoring the fear that pricked at the surface.

The rules girl in my head stamped her foot and yelled at me. I ignored her.

But even if I wanted to stop right now, I couldn’t. My tongue tangled wildly with his, my hands pulled at his hair, spurring him on, his hand palming my breast and then tugging. Sharp sensations of need went straight to my core.

“Is this what you want? Something quick where we just take what we want and forget each other the next day?”

No. Not that. Not like the way he said it, like it was something dirty.

“Yes, like that,” I whispered against his shoulder, my mouth on his skin, tasting him as my teeth bit down.

Michel’s Review

How can you not like a book that references Pride and Prejudice as a guide to a modern day love story? Ilsa Madden-Mills brought out the big guns while writing Dirty English. Everything about this story held me captive to the very last word.

Elizabeth Bennett is not your ordinary college girl. Rather than experiencing the carefree college life she has chosen to concentrate on the academics. She doesn’t date, she doesn’t do relationships, and she does sex on her own terms with carefully selected partners. There’s are reason for her choices. She has been violated, damaged, and broken beyond repair. Or so she thinks until she meets Declan Blay, the sexy British fighter. This man is beautifully broken in his own way. Together they make perfect sense like Mr. Darcy and Miss Bennett.

Elizabeth has finally met a man that has the potential to break down her walls. Although she is thoroughly intrigued with Declan, she is also afraid of him. He has all the qualities that can make her break her own rules and make her have hope once again.

Declan is a fighter. He has had his own share of troubles in life. He has had to fight his upbringing and break the mold. He is doing illegal underground fights trying to raise enough money to open his gym. He wants to pursue a career as a UFC fighter. He is also a sentimentalist , he loves poetry and literature. He strives for excellence in every aspect of his life. When he meets Elizabeth Bennett, he has found another fight worth winning.

Elizabeth’s past comes back to haunt her in the most dangerous way. Declan is ready to be her hero and save her. First she must save herself and open up her heart.

Ilsa Madden Mills once again delivered a powerful story with dynamic characters. Declan is one of the sexiest English men I have encountered in fiction. He sure does give Mr. Darcy competition when it comes to leading men. The great thing about this book is that Dirty English is going to get his happily ever after. His Miss Bennett is going to fall for his charm and cherish his heart.

Dirty English was fantastic. I hope that Ilsa Madden- Mills will give her other English gent, Dax Blay (Declan’s twin), his own epic love story.

________________________________________________________

Briarcrest Academy Series

Very Bad Things – Book 1

Buy: Amazon / B & N / ITunes / Kobo

Very Wicked Beginnings – Book 1.5

Buy: Amazon

Very Wicked Things – Book 2

Buy: Amazon / B & N / ITunes / Kobo

Very Twisted Things – Book 3

Buy: Amazon / B & N / ITunes / Kobo

_____________________________________________________________________

Author Bio

New York Times and USA Today best selling author Ilsa Madden-Mills writes about strong heroines and sexy alpha males that sometimes you just want to slap.

She spends her days with two small kids, one neurotic cat, and one husband. She collects magnets and rarely cooks except to bake her own pretzels.

When she’s not crafting a story, you can find her drinking too much Diet Coke, jamming out to Pink, or checking on her carefully maintained chocolate stash.

Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Goodreads ~ Instagram ~ Amazon Author Page

★ Sign up for her newsletter★

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

GIVEAWAY
SIGNED PAPERBACK OF DIRTY ENGLISH

a Rafflecopter giveaway
//widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js

Excerpt Tour: A Love Called Simon by Sandi Lynn

Posted on 10/12/2015 by shellbellereads

A Love Called Simon

By Sandi Lynn

Synopsis

From the New York Times, USA Today & Wall Street Journal Bestselling Author of the Forever Trilogy, Sandi Lynn

No more men.
No more rich men.

That was what I vowed when I left New York and moved to Seattle until I met Simon Young, CEO of Young International, one of the largest luxury hotel chains in the world. He desired me and I let him. I was fully aware of his love for women and his hatred for relationships but I decided to play his game. I had a void that needed to be fulfilled and Simon Young was the man who could do it. Entering into a physical relationship only was the plan. No strings and no emotions allowed. But plans are made to be changed and rules are meant to be broken. We grew closer and I was falling in love, but Simon had a secret. A secret that would destroy everything. He was about to lose me and I was willing to walk away.

Intended for readers 18+

Buy: Amazon / B & N / ITunes / Kobo

As soon as we boarded the plane, I put my bag in the overhead above our first-class seats. It was heavy and overloaded with all the souvenirs and shopping we did in Vegas, or should I say that I did. Brendon, my boyfriend of six years, planned this little trip, which I thought was only going to be the two of us, but as usual, he invited a few of his friends to tag along. Friends that I couldn’t stand. Arrogant, self-absorbed, and womanizing rich boys.

“Thanks for your help.” I glared at Brendon as I took my seat next to him.

“It’s your shit. Not mine. You were the one who did all the shopping, so deal with it.”

“You’re an ass.”

“And you’re a bitch.”

I slowly shook my head and glanced over at the gentleman that was staring at me from across the aisle. For the love of God, he was hot. I gave him a friendly smile and then looked away. Brendon took out his iPad and began to check his emails just as the captain announced over the speakers that there was a slight delay in take-off. I sighed and reached in my purse to grab my Kindle.

“Shit.”

“What?” Brendon asked.

“I thought I put my Kindle in my purse. I must have put it in my bag.” I sighed as I got up and reached for the overhead.

I looked at Brendon when I was having trouble reaching my bag and taking it down. “Can you please help me? You’re a lot taller than I am.”

“Fuck no. Like I said, it’s your shit, not mine. Just sit your ass down and watch a movie or something. For fuck’s sake, Gabby, you’re driving me nuts already,” he spewed as he put his beats on.

I flinched when I felt a light touch against the small of my back.

“Here; let me help you since your friend over there won’t,” a rugged voice spoke.

___________________________________________________________

AUTHOR INFORMATION:

Sandi Lynn, A New York Times, USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author, spends her days writing full-time to provide her readers romance novels that will whisk them away to another world. She has a severe coffee addiction and can usually be found hanging out at the local Starbucks with her laptop, sipping lattes, and writing her books.

AUTHOR LINKS:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Google+ | Instagram

Release Blitz + Review + Giveaway: One Immortal by Tia Louise

Posted on 10/12/2015 by shellbellereads

Check out this Halloween Treat from Tia Louise!

Cover Design by Steven Novak, Novak Illustration

www.novakillustration.com

*Inspired by the cover of One to Hold, designed by Regina Wamba, MaeIDesign.com.

A STANDALONE PARANORMAL ROMANCE, based on ONE TO HOLD, Book #1 in the One to Hold series.

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

Release Date: October 12th

Blurb:

In the ancient cemeteries and forgotten neighborhoods of New Orleans lurks a realm of paranormal activity…

Derek Alexander, former Marine and top investigator in his field, is hunting a killer. Melissa Jones, small-town girl and budding entrepreneur, is running for her life.

When the two intersect at a bar off Bourbon Street, their sexual chemistry is off the charts, and they embark on a weeklong affair.

Derek wants more, but Melissa is hiding a secret that could be the death of them both.

WARNING: Contains vampires, shifters, witches, telepaths, strong language, and lots of HOT paranormal sexytimes. DO NOT READ if you’re easily frightened or easily offended.

Excerpt

Melissa

I’m trapped beneath him, tears filling my eyes, uncertain what all of this means or what happens now. He saw what I am, but he didn’t pull away. He held me down, watching me writhe in agony and desire, as if he knew what was coming.

Oh, god. A wave of dread tightens my stomach at the thought. He knew what was coming. He knows what I am.

His head is down on his forearm, but he’s still inside me. I wait until he finally lifts it, again looking straight into my eyes. He’s so beautifully mouth-watering. Sweat mingles with the rain on his cheek, and a little drop runs down into his beard.

Without having to see, I know my eyes darken. A whimper escapes my chest as the irresistible hunger burns in my throat.

His brow lowers. “You want to drink me?”

My eyes squeeze closed as a flood of fresh tears fills them, spilling out of the corners and down my cheeks. I take a shuddering breath, unable to deny the truth.

“Can you control it?” His voice has changed. The anger is replaced by curiosity.

Opening my eyes slowly, I study his expression, still stern, trying to understand. I don’t answer. I only watch him, my hunger aching in my gums.

His steel eyes hold mine with such determination. “Do what you have to do, but only for a moment.”

I’m confused by his permission, but I’m too weak to resist him. His grip on my wrists relaxes, and I slowly lift my hands to his broad, muscled shoulders, holding his eyes with mine as I carefully rise to lick the little bead of sweat off his cheek.

A noise rumbles in his throat, and inside me his erection returns. My breath picks up as the flavor of him spreads through my mouth. Rising higher, I press my nose against his heated skin, inhaling fresh rainwater mixed with his delicious woodsy man-scent.

I’m on fire. My moan is matched by his low growl as I trace my tongue along the line of his jaw to the ridge of muscle in his neck. I’m acting by instinct, grazing my razor-sharp teeth lightly across his skin, touching him gently with my tongue. His hips begin to move, thrusting again, and I feel the muscles in his shoulders tightening as his orgasm builds.

At last I’ve found it—the place from before, the little pin pricks. Like before, it’s so easy, a knife in warm butter. I penetrate him, and the hot, thick warmth of his life spills into my mouth.

Instantly, we’re plunged into that orgasmic plane, tumbling down the rabbit hole, lost in a whirlpool of giving and taking inexorable ecstasy.

“Fuck!” He groans as he comes inside me, pulsing long and hard, over and over.

My eyes are closed, my mouth attached firmly to his skin as I drown in the tsunami of pleasure, life flowing into me from all sides.

It’s harder to stop this time. I want more of him, more and more of this. He seems unable to pull away as well. He’s still in me, throbbing and gripping my hips so hard, I think they’ll break.

I might have kept going. I might have… but a beacon of light cuts through the quick thud of his heart beating strong in his chest.

STOP! The voice I recognize as mine echoes through my transformed state. It reminds me what I want. I want this man to live. I don’t want to drain his life and doom myself to living alone as a monster. I want to live with him in the light.

It takes all the strength I possess to pull out. I break my seal with a moan of regret, licking my lips to be sure none of him is wasted.

Dropping my head back onto the bed, I close my eyes to savor the sensation of him swirling inside me. Derek… so strong… my fighter… my hunter…

Only like before, the strange, foreign element is back. It burns longer this time before ultimately disappearing into my bloodstream.

It’s not him. It’s something else. What have you done, my hunter?

Tracey’s Review

A vampire hunter on a mission, two hot shifters, and a woman caught between the worlds of day and night. Worlds collide, passions ignite, and lives are changed forever.

Leave it to Tia Louise to re-imagine her awesome book ONE TO HOLD as a paranormal read. Genius, I tell you. Her alpha men make the transition to their ONE IMMORTAL alter egos seamlessly, and the ladies rock it. This telling of Derek and Melissa’s story is captivating in a whole new way, full of all the passion and intrigue of the original, with the twist of otherworldliness to make a fresh new experience, and I absolutely devoured it.

I’m a huge fan of paranormal romance, so I was super-excited to get my hands on this book. Tia very successfully intertwined the world of legend and reality that had me from the first few lines. Every single character was written so creatively, and I couldn’t wait to see where the story was going. ONE IMMORTAL is a solid 4.5-star read for me, and I highly recommend it as a must-read for fans of this series.

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

One To Hold Series

One To Hold- Amazon / Barnes and Noble / ITunes

One To Keep- Amazon / Barnes and Noble / ITunes

One To Protect- Amazon / Barnes and Noble / ITunes

One To Love- Amazon / Barnes and Noble / ITunes

One To Leave- Amazon / Barnes and Noble / ITunes

One To Save- Amazon / Barnes and Noble / ITunes

SIGNED COPIES: http://smarturl.it/SignedPBs

Author Bio:

Tia Louise is a former journalist, world-traveler, and collector of beautiful men (who inspire ALL of her stories… *wink*)—turned wife, mommy, and novelist.

It’s possible she has a slight truffle addiction. And she will never look at a family restroom the same way again.

Website ~Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Goodreads

*******

GIVEAWAY
Grand Prize: Signed Set of the ENTIRE One to Hold Series
Signed Copy of One Immortal
$5 Amazon Gift Card

a Rafflecopter giveaway
//widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js

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

Posted on 10/12/2015 by shellbellereads

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

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

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

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

One week. No more.

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

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

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

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

AMAZON PAPERBACK

EXCERPT

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

Robin’s Review

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

NEWSLETTER WEBSITE FACEBOOK AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE GOODREADS INSTAGRAM TWITTER PINTEREST

Saucy Southern Readers

professional, honest, and timely book reviews

Category Archives: Excerpt

Excerpt Reveal: Indigo Nights by Louise Bay

Pre Release Blitz + Review: Ready To Rock by Cara Connelly

Release Blitz + Excerpt + 6 Star Review + 2015 Favorite + Giveaway: Final Debt and Indebted Epilogue by Pepper Winters – Indebted Series – Book 6

Release Blitz + Excerpt + 5 Star Review + Giveaway: Zero Hour by Lili St. Germain – The Gypsy Brothers Epilogue

Teaser Excerpt…Prologue and Chapter One… Priceless Treasure by Melody Anne

Priceless Treasure

Release Blitz + Excerpt + 5 Star Review + Giveaway: Dirty English by Ilsa Madden-Mills

Excerpt Tour: A Love Called Simon by Sandi Lynn

AUTHOR INFORMATION:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Google+ | Instagram

Release Blitz + Review + Giveaway: One Immortal by Tia Louise

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

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Priceless Treasure

Share this:

Share this:

AUTHOR INFORMATION:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Google+ | Instagram

Share this:

Share this:

Share this: