Review: Sincerely, Carter by Whitney G. (aka Whitney Garcia Williams)

Posted on 05/20/2015 by shellbellereads

Sincerely Carter

By Whitney G. ( aka Whitney Garcia Williams )

Synopsis

Just friends.
We’re just friends.
No, really. She’s just my best friend…

Arizona Turner has been my best friend since fourth grade, even when we “hated” each other. We’ve been there for one another through first kisses, first “times,” and we’ve been each other’s constant when good relationships turned bad. (We even went to colleges that were minutes away from each other…)

Throughout the years, and despite what anyone says, we’ve never crossed the line.

Never thought about it.
Never wanted to.

Until one night changed everything.
At least, it should’ve …

Just friends.
We’re just friends.
I’m only saying this until I figure out if she’s still “just” my best friend…

Buy: Amazon

Robin’s Review

***Review may include spoilers for those who have not read Sincerely, Carter.

Sincerely, Carter is my first novel written by Whitney Gracia Williams. I love stories written about friends who become lovers. I have heard many positive comments about Whitney G, so I decided to give Sincerely, Carter a try. The writing in this story is exceptional, and at times, quite humorous. I found myself laughing out loud on several occasions! Carter and Arizona are awesome characters. I enjoyed reading about their friendship as it evolved over the years. The chemistry between Carter and Ari is through the roof, especially when they first become lovers. Their relationship is sweet, sexy and hilarious.

I adored Sincerely, Carter until I reached the 75% mark. I understand readers need to see tension between Carter and Arizona so the story meets the criteria of a romance novel, but the amount of time they are separated at the end of the novel is entirely too much for me. I found this completely frustrating, especially when you couple their separation with an abrupt ending to the novel. I would have enjoyed more story about Carter and Ari at the end of the novel, or at the very minimum, an epilogue. Perhaps more story would have made me feel more tolerant about the length of time they were apart.

After some deliberation, I have decided to give Sincerely, Carter an overall 4-star rating, but I also feel the larger part of this novel deserves 4.5 to 5 stars. I understand every individual has unique opinions, and I am positive other readers will enjoy the entire story. I do recommend Sincerely, Carter, and I look forward to more stories from Whitney G!

Author Bio:

A self diagnosed candy addict, travel junkie, and hypochondriac, Whitney Gracia Williams LOVES to write about characters that make you laugh, cry, and want to (in the case of Selena Ross) reach through your Kindle and slap them.

She is the “imaginary bestselling” author of the Jilted Bride Series, Mid Life Love, Wasted Love, and Captain of My Soul.

When she’s not locked inside her room, feverishly typing away on her laptop, she can be found here:

Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Goodreads

Release Blitz + Review + Giveaway: Shuttergirl by CD Reiss

Posted on 05/20/2015 by shellbellereads

Shuttergirl

By CD Reiss

Release Date: May 20th, 2015

Author Note: If you know me, you know my Submission and Corruption books. This is different. This is about love and loss, ambition and talent, and our commitments to ourselves and each other. I don’t close the door on the expression of love, but this is not the usual dirty pleasure.

Blurb

I am not hurt.

I don’t need a second chance with him, or a life I thought I had.

While he was out forgetting me to become a movie star, I was building a career out of nothing. A career as a paparazzi, but a career. For a foster kid who bounced around every home in Los Angeles, that wasn’t easy.

This camera is all I have.

He’s nothing to me. Every time I take his picture and sell it, I remind myself that I did it all without him or his approval, his cinnamon smell or his clear green eyes. He lights up the screen like a celestial body, but he’s nothing but a paycheck to me.

He can throw my camera off a balcony, and nothing has to change. We can stay king and queen of the same city, and different worlds.

Except this is Hollywood, and here, anything can happen.

Buy: Amazon / B & N / ITunes / Kobo

Excerpt

I stroked his hair, waist deep in peace, all worry gone for the moment, and floating in no more than an ocean of gratitude. I must have been more vulnerable than I realized, or he’d reopened some wound with his kindness, because though my sweet reverie stayed, as the minutes passed, a layer of need fitted itself on top of it.

I needed to tell him, if not the details, the outlines of who I was.

“I want you to know,” I whispered, starting somewhere small, then everything I didn’t want to say spilled out. “I have stuff. I’ve never been to jail, but you know, it’s stuff, and it’s ugly, and it scares me. Because, I mean, you’re so perfect, and I’m… I’m just a mess. I’m not whole. I’m a bunch of pieces of a person I cobbled together.” My eyes got wet when I thought of the comparisons between us and that picture in my silverware drawer. “So if you have to move on when you realize that, I’ll understand. You have an image, and if anyone understands protecting a career, it’s me. I mean, I’ll be mad, don’t get that wrong, but also.” I swallowed and blinked, shifting my head so he wouldn’t feel the tear on his forehead. “I won’t blame you.”

I waited for an answer. Anything. A change in position or a word on any subject. The weather. Sports. Something. But all he did was breathe.

I smiled so wide, tears fell into my mouth. He was sleeping.

Michel’s Review

I have to say I absolutely loved Shuttergirl by CD Reiss. It is not your typical Hollywood Movie Star romance. This book had grit. It had a unique plot that did not revolve around glamour. It did have the stunning drop dead gorgeous movie star. It did have the girl who came from nothing and was not a star. But she was not your typical naive girl. Her business was capturing movie stars at their worst moments and exposing them to the highest bidder. She was the queen of the paparazzi.

Michael Greydon is Hollywoods golden boy. He is newsworthy. Anything about him sells. He comes from Hollywood royalty. His life has always been under a golden rainbow.

Laine Cartwright makes her living taking pictures of the stars. Her favorite is Michael Greydon. It’s not because his pictures are a guaranteed payday. It is because he was a fleeting part of her past. He was her high school crush and brief friend. Their friendship may have been brief but it left an impact on Laine’s life. Good and bad.

Years later they are still on opposite sides of the Hollywood community. Their attraction for one another is undeniable. When an incident puts the two of them together, they begin to rekindle their friendship. Both are hoping that it could lead to more. Laine knows that this is impossible.

When the paparazzi catches wind of their budding relationship things will change drastically. Laine will find out what it is like to be on the other side of the camera. She will learn what it’s like to have your life under a microscope. Michael will learn that his golden charm can’t always win. He will get to experience the uglier side of life. He will be exposed because of Laine’s secrets. Her secrets could ruin his career.

What starts out as a fairytale type romance quickly turns into a nightmare for both of them.

It will be up to them how they handle what comes next.

CD Reiss wrote a fresh captivating story. I highly recommend Shuttergirl.

About CD Reiss

CD Reiss is a USA Today and Amazon bestseller. She still has to chop wood and carry water, which was buried in the fine print. Her lawyer is working it out with God but in the meantime, if you call and she doesn’t pick up, she’s at the well, hauling buckets.

Born in New York City, she moved to Hollywood, California to get her master’s degree in screenwriting from USC. In case you want to know, that went nowhere, but it did embed TV story structure in her head well enough for her to take a big risk on a TV series structured erotic series called Songs of Submission. It’s about a kinky billionaire hung up on his ex-wife, an ingenue singer with a wisecracking mouth; art, music and sin in the city of Los Angeles.

Critics have dubbed the books “poetic,” “literary,” and “hauntingly atmospheric,” which is flattering enough for her to put it in a bio, but embarrassing enough for her not to tell her husband, or he might think she’s some sort of braggart who’s too good to give the toilets a once-over every couple of weeks or chop a cord of wood.

If you meet her in person, you should call her Christine.

Stalk Her: Facebook | Twitter | Website | Goodreads | Pinterest | Intagram

GIVEAWAY & NOTE FROM AUTHOR

I am so happy with the response to Shuttergirl, and I cannot wait to send Michael and Laine out into the world, because who doesn’t swoon over a second chance at love?
It’s a new genre for me, and I’m exploding with excitement, so I’ve dropped some fantastic reasons for readers to get the book right away.
TREAT YOURSELF LIKE A MOVIE STAR!
$500 Spa Gift Card
If you could get an hour, or ten away from the daily grind of paparazzi and interviews (or the job and kids), what would you do?
Get a foot rub/slash/pedicure? A massage? Maybe something called a Sleep Treatment that right now sounds better than sex?
Maybe you’d bring a friend or two, or maybe you’d just get a manipedi when you wanted one. Because the life of a megastar ain’t for the weak-willed or lazy, and running from paparazzi can really wear down a girl’s nails.
Woodhouse Spas are no joke. They’re all over the country and they’re….sigh. Fabulous. But if you don’t live near one, we can do Burke Williams, Halcyon Days or Red Door.
HOW TO ENTER
Take the fun SHUTTERGIRL READER QUIZ!
The link to the quiz is in the back of the book, and yes, that’s the ONLY place to find it! There are bonus questions relating to Jonathan and Antonio for extra prizes. You have until June 3rd to enter! That gives you a solid two weeks to read the book and get your chance at a $500 movie star spa treatment!
If you are a paperback reader, email me and we’ll work it out .

Coming Soon… Behind Your Back by Chelsea M. Cameron

Posted on 05/20/2015 by shellbellereads

Today we are sharing teasers for two upcoming books by Chelsea M. Cameron. BEHIND YOUR BACK will be released May 26th, and BACK TO BACK will be released on June 9th.

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BEHIND YOUR BACK Summary:

To get to him, I need to use her.
I’ll play her like a violin and have her falling in love with me before she even knows what’s happening.
It will be easy. I’ve done it before and I’ll do it again.
She’s just a girl.
A tool to get what I want.
When I’m done with her I won’t think twice about walking away.
At least, that was what I thought.
Until I met her.

Add BEHIND YOUR BACK to Goodreads

BACK TO BACK Summary:

He underestimated me.
The girl with the red hair and green eyes.
But I also underestimated him.
We’re both good at what we do.
Together, we’re unstoppable.
But I’ll have to be careful.
Last time I played him and he’s not going to take the betrayal lightly.
I’ll have to watch my back… and my heart.

Add BACK TO BACK to Goodreads

a Rafflecopter giveaway

AUTHOR INFORMATION

Chelsea M. Cameron is a YA/NA New York Times/USA Today Best Selling author from Maine. Lover of things random and ridiculous, Jane Austen/Charlotte and Emily Bronte Fangirl, red velvet cake enthusiast, obsessive tea drinker, vegetarian, former cheerleader and world’s worst video gamer. When not writing, she enjoys watching infomercials, singing in the car and tweeting (this one time, she was tweeted by Neil Gaiman). She has a degree in journalism from the University of Maine, Orono that she promptly abandoned to write about the people in her own head. More often than not, these people turn out to be just as weird as she is.

FOLLOW CHELSEA:

WEBSITE | TWITTER | FACEBOOK | GOODREADS

Release Blitz + Giveaway: Falling For His Best Friend by Katee Robert

Posted on 05/19/2015 by shellbellereads

Falling For His Best Friend

Out of Uniform Series – Book 2

By Katee Robert

Synopsis

Avery Yeung’s biological clock just went off early. Thanks to her family’s medical history, she’s running out of time to get knocked up. And the only guy within donating distance? Her overprotective—and irritatingly hot—best friend. So clearly she needs an anonymous donor…

Anonymous donor? Over Sheriff Drew Flannery’s dead body. While daddyhood will never be in the cards for a man with his past, Drew won’t let Avery shop for a “popsicle pop.” He’ll do what’s right for his best friend by doing his best friend. But only if they do it properly.

But there’s nothing “proper” about it. Between the bed, the kitchen counter, and against his squad car, Avery and Drew are having the hottest sex ever. They can’t get enough of it—or each other. And without knowing it, they’ve crossed the one line that could ruin their friendship forever…

See where it all began with book 1 of the Out of Uniform series, In Bed with Mr. Wrong.

Buy: Amazon / B & N / ITunes / Kobo

Photo of sensual kissing young couple

Excerpt

He jumped, and then climbed to his feet when Avery did, and followed her to the plump older nurse. She smiled at them, making him wonder if she were someone’s grandmother—the kind who made cookies and read bedtime stories and…

What the hell was he even thinking?

As soon as they turned the corner from the waiting room, she handed him a small clear cup that had a sticker with his information on it. “You’ll put the specimen in here, please.”

The nurse opened a door. “You can leave the cup in the room when you’re done.” She smiled at Avery. “You’re welcome to go into the room with him, but we ask that you ensure there’s no saliva or other fluids involved so you don’t contaminate the specimen.”

Avery made a choked noise. “That’s so not going to be a problem.”

The nurse laughed and patted her shoulder. “I’ve heard that one before, honey. I’ll just leave you to it.”

He barely waited for her to disappear back around the corner before he turned to examine the room. It looked like an entire frat house’s stash of porn had exploded in there. “Isn’t this a little much for a few tests?”

She looked at him like he was an idiot. “How else are you going to get your engine running?

Besides, this isn’t about tests—though I’m sure they’ll run a few. You wanted to help me make a baby, so let’s make a baby. Now go get ‘em, Champ.”

Jesus Christ. She expected him to leave a specimen so the doctor could shoot it up her…

Apparently when they’d talked about making a baby, something had gotten lost in translation.

“You’re shitting me.”

“Nope.” She slid past him into the room and meandered around, stopping in front of the television and eyeing the collection of DVDs on the shelf next to it. “Oh, look, they have Busty Blondes #37. I seem to remember you having one of these videos back in high school.”

He grabbed her shoulders and tried to steer her away from the shelf. “Not interested.”

Truth was, his inspiration for self sessions had migrated toward pretty Asian women who looked a whole lot like the one standing in the room with him.

“If you’re not into the DVDs, they have magazines, too.” She poked one with her finger. “Though this one appears a bit crusty.”

“Christ, stop touching things. Do you know what men do in here?”

She rolled her eyes. “Yeah, Drew, that’s kind of the point. They come in here, watch or read whatever tickles their fancy, and then masturbate into that sanitary little cup right there.”

When she said ‘masturbate’ he thought his head might actually explode. “Avery—”

“Are you worried about hitting your mark? That is kind of a small cup. Want me to go find something bigger?”

God, she was killing him. It would have been so much more bearable if he thought she was kidding, but Avery was drop dead serious. It was a sign of her nervousness that she hadn’t cracked a joke since he got into her Jeep.

He couldn’t do it.

Tina’s Review

Judging a Book by it’s Cover: The colors and cover design attract the eye. The synopsis sounds like it will be a fun friends-to-lovers story with a healthy dose of trouble-making.
Looking Deeper:
Alternating third-person POV’s. Drew and Avery have been each others best friends since childhood; each being the other’s source of comfort, confidante, and solace. They learned the one another’s nuances and knew how to support the other in any given mood. But now, it seems things may be shifting in a different direction. She’s fast approaching 28, the age both her mother and sister were diagnosed with cancer and could not have children after, she’s in a race to get pregnant. Drew refuses to let his best friend go at it solo with some random baby daddy’s swimmers, so he volunteers for the job.
I’m guessing by the plot drops that Drew’s brother, Ryan, and Avery’s best friend, Bri, are the couple from book one. There’s enough of a background given on it to make me want to go back at a later time and read it. That said, this book can and does stand very well on it’s own. The characters are thoroughly enjoyable and completely likable. The dialogue is natural and interactions are believable. The plot is a whole lot of fun, while sprinkled with some highs and lows and the story line progressed smoothly at a perfect pace. The conflicts were resolved well in a timely manner as they arose. Predictability was virtually non-existent. The conclusion was good, but it felt cut short. The epilogue felt like a jump time jump, leaving the final conclusion a bit open ended; making you wonder about the pink or blue, a wedding, the crotchety grandparents, the heartsick sister… even still, I enjoyed the heck out of this one & would recommend the series to anyone who enjoys a bit of smart and sassy with their steamy, sexy.

About Katee Robert

New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author Katee Robert learned to tell her stories at her grandpa’s knee. She found romance novels at age twelve and it changed her life. When not writing sexy contemporary and speculative fiction romance novels, she spends her time playing imaginary games with her wee ones, driving her husband batty with what-if questions, and planning for the inevitable zombie apocalypse.

Giveaway

$25 Amazon Gift Card

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Happy Release + Review: Game Changer by Melissa Cutler – Bomb Squad Series – Book 3

Posted on 05/19/2015 by shellbellereads

Game Changer

Bomb Squad Series – Book 3

By Melissa Cutler

Synopsis

Welcome to Destiny Falls, New York, home of Bomb Squad–an ice hockey team full of rugged military heroes. A once-in-a-lifetime opportunity has the team captain packing his bags for greener pastures, but saying good-bye to the woman who’d captured his heart is easier said than done…

After being wounded in combat, Brandon Theroux lives every day like it’s his last. He never could have imagined that the sleek mechanics of his prosthetic leg would open so many doors, including minor celebrity status as a fitness model and a well-earned reputation as a rakish playboy. The only door it hasn’t opened is the one to Harper Johnson’s bedroom.

Harper has too much self-respect to join the ranks of Brandon’s “carpe diem” conquests, but when she needs someone to keep the peace in the tavern she owns, Brandon offers his help–as long as she agrees to a very tempting trade. It isn’t long before the two realize that a deal struck between friends who can’t keep their hands off each other has the potential to be a whole lot hotter than either of them is prepared to handle…

Buy: Amazon / B & N / ITunes

Tracey’s Review

Harper Johnson and Brandon Theroux have what you might call a ‘complicated’ relationship. Harper, local bar owner, and Brandon, decorated war veteran and captain of the local hockey team, have spent years dancing around each other, constantly fanning the flame of their attraction to each other. When life-changing events arise in each of their lives, will the spark grow or quietly go out?

I started reading this book and I could NOT put it down. Melissa Cutler has taken a very real, very sobering subject, and woven it into a story about love, passion, and finding that person inside yourself that you’re truly destined to be. I absolutely felt that the ‘heavy’ subject matter only made Harper and Brandon and their relationship more real. They are working through things that many of us face, and their long journey to a place of self-acceptance, finding their bliss, and opening themselves to the reality that has been a long time coming is well worth the read. I am a sucker for a friends to lovers read, and when there is enough angst and growth to make it a little harder to get to that place, even better. The chemistry between Harper and Brandon is white-hot, but it’s the evolution of their relationship, the blossoming of a true friendship, that had my heart. And, I’m not gonna lie, the sexy time here, oh, my goodness, break out the fan! Saying that the love scenes are steamy is not doing this book justice, and Brandon might just be one of my new favorite BBFs. I loved seeing his growth as he realizes what will truly make him happy. And Harper’s strength, her journey to a place of true peace, is so uplifting, and a lesson in a follow-your-bliss, take no prisoners approach to life. The addition of a quirky, loveable, unique cast of supporting characters make for a group of folks that seem like a lot of fun to be around, and make me eager to read more about them all.

Game Changer is a book with plenty of heart, passion, and soul, and turned out to be a gem of a read that I couldn’t recommend more. I easily give it 5 stars, and look forward to reading more books by Melissa Cutler.

***ARC Received from Penguin Group via NetGalley for an honest review***

Michel’s Review

I absolutely love the Bomb Squad series. This series not only gives the reader a sizzling hot romance, it also gives the reader a deep and meaningful story that is realistic. It touches on many emotions and insecurities that we all possess. It taps into their greatest fears as well as their greatest triumphs. This series features the wounded heroes that sacrificed a part of themselves for our country. Now they are home and learning to live with their losses. They are trying to make a new “normal” in their lives. They are trying to put the war in the past and move forward. Each character has a story that is going to win the readers over.

Game Changer is a friends to lovers kind of romance. Both Harper and Brandon fought hard to overcome their issues. Their love for one another was astounding.

Once again Melissa Cutler has delivered another fantastic book!

__________________________________________________________________

The Bomb Squad Series

Risky Business – Book 1

Welcome to Destiny Falls, New York, home of Bomb Squad–an ice hockey team full of rugged military heroes. But the season’s biggest match-up isn’t on the ice as one of their own prepares to go head to head with his new boss…

Allison Whitely’s ex left her with a mountain of debt and Cloud Nine, a struggling boat rental business. With zero job skills, her only hope of getting back in the black lies in a brooding ex-soldier who has her seeing red…

Theo Lacroix’s teammates are counting on their star player to help them win an upcoming high profile hockey game. But when a sexy tornado of a woman sweeps into Destiny Falls and expects him to help her with Cloud Nine, Theo is tempted to skate away from it all.

Theo vowed never again to be someone’s knight in shining armor, but his feelings–and desire–for Allison are becoming harder to ignore. He longs to save her, but to win Allison’s love, he’ll have to throw out his old playbook and take the ultimate risk…playing from the heart.

Buy: Amazon / Barnes and Noble / ITunes

Undefeated – Book 2

Welcome to Destiny Falls, New York, home of Bomb Squad—an ice hockey team full of rugged military heroes. The team’s battling a losing streak, but the season’s biggest game changer is one player’s second chance with the one who got away…

Yoga instructor Marlena Brodie is always up for a challenge, and her new job of snapping Bomb Squad out of their rut is definitely that, even though it means being in close contact with Liam McAllister, her high school crush gone bad. She can feel the damage pouring off of him—but also a wild and sexy strength that calls to her.

The Army turned Liam McAllister into a man, but as a combat medic, he saw far too much to ever be whole again. He’s not interested in the civilian world beyond his job as a carpenter, but he never stopped wondering what might have been with Marlena—and it isn’t long before she’s crashed through his carefully constructed walls. He longs for a new beginning with her, but to be the man she deserves, he’ll have to step out of his defensive zone and score the most important play of his life…

Buy: Amazon / Barnes and Noble / ITunes

Game Changer – Book 3

Buy: Amazon / B & N / ITunes

_________________________

Author Bio:

Melissa Cutler knows she has the best job in the world, dividing her time between her dual passions for writing sexy contemporary romances and edge-of-your-seat romantic suspense for Harlequin, Penguin, and Kensington Books.

She was struck at an early age by an unrelenting travel bug and is probably planning her next vacation as you read this. When she’s not globetrotting, she’s enjoying Southern California’s flip-flop wearing weather and wrangling two rambunctious kids.

Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Goodreads

Release Blitz + Giveaway: Love, Laughter, and Steamy Ever Afters – Ten Bestselling Authors – 10 Novels

Posted on 05/19/2015 by shellbellereads

Ten Novels by Ten New York Times Bestselling Authors

From the hot big city heroes that make us melt, to the sassy small town heroines that make us smile, this limited edition collection has something for everyone. Ten sexy and sweet full-length novels—a wide mix of fun, heart-tugging, addictively romantic love stories—each handpicked by an all-star gathering of ten of today’s most popular contemporary romance authors.

— Ten NYT Bestselling Authors

— Ten full-length, standalone novels (no cliffhangers) spanning 2,000+ pages

— Over 97% off retail for the individual books sold separately (a forty dollar savings!) — Only available until June (So snag your copy today)

THIS BOXED SET INCLUDES:

BELLA ANDRE – Can’t Help Falling in Love (The Sullivans)

MELISSA FOSTER – Seaside Dreams (Seaside Summers)

LAUREN BLAKELY – Trophy Husband (Caught Up in Love)

VIOLET DUKE – Love, Tussles, and Takedowns (Cactus Creek)

SAWYER BENNETT – On the Rocks (The Last Call)

CARLY PHILLIPS – Dare to Desire (Dare to Love)

ERIN NICHOLAS – Out of Bounds (Boys of Fall)

MELANIE SHAWN – Actually Love (Crossroads)

JESSIE EVANS – Diamonds and Dust (Lonesome Point Texas)

CRISTA MCHUGH – Falling for the Wingman (The Kelly Brothers)

Buy Links:

Amazon | Barnes and Noble

Exclusive Excerpts:

CAN’T HELP FALLING IN LOVE

by Bella Andre

Gabe Sullivan’s captain, Todd, stepped into the room.

“How’re you feeling, Gabe?”

“Good, Captain.”

He moved to sit up straighter on the bed and Todd shook his head. “You’re fine just like that. I know your skull must hurt like hell.” He nodded back to the doorway. “Are you ready to see Ms. Harris and her daughter, Summer?”

No, he thought, he’d be better off never seeing those eyes again.

He’d thought about Megan and her daughter one too many times for comfort. Not just because he was reviewing the rescue, trying to look for what he could have done differently, to have gotten them out faster and more safely—but because he hadn’t been able to forget her strength, how hard she’d fought to stay conscious, and what a fighter she’d been every single second of the harrowing journey from her burning apartment.

Still, he understood that fire victims often felt compelled to say thank you to the men who had saved them. Especially in a case like this, where they’d just barely held death at bay.

“Sure.” He began to nod, but a sharp shooting pain stopped him halfway into the movement.

Catching his grimace, Todd said, “I’ll ask Megan and her daughter to come back later.”

Her name fit her, Gabe had found himself thinking one too many times. Megan was pretty and strong all at the same time. It would be better to think of her as Ms. Harris. Although, he had to wonder, was there a husband? And if so, where had he been during the fire and why wasn’t he here with them now?

“No,” he said, “it’ll be better if I see them now.”

She’d say thank you, he’d tell her he was happy to see her and her daughter doing so well, and that would be that. No more being haunted by her eyes, by the surprising strength she’d shown him as she’d crawled on the floor of her apartment and down the stairs.

A couple of minutes later, Todd walked back in with the mother and daughter. Ignoring the pain in his head, Gabe sat up higher and forced a smile on his face.

And then, his eyes locked with Megan’s and his smile froze in place.

My God, he found himself thinking before he could shove the thought away, she’s beautiful.

The last time he’d seen her face it had been through a thick haze of dark smoke and the knowledge that one wrong move meant their lives were over. Her eyes were just as big and pretty, her limbs looked as lean and strong as they had when he’d been helping to move her along the floor, but now he could see the softness in her, the sweet curves of her breasts and hips in her T-shirt and jeans. He couldn’t stop staring at the startling green of her eyes, the silky dark hair falling across her shoulders, and the way her pretty young daughter was a carbon copy of her, the only difference their hair color, one dark, one light.

She seemed just as stunned as he and for a long moment, the two of them just stared at each other in silence until her daughter ran over to him and threw her arms around him.

LOVE, TUSSLES, AND TAKEDOWNS

BY VIOLET DUKE

She felt his eyes on her before she saw him.

Her body recognized the intensity of that stare as if it were hardwired to her directly.

The guys were all but forgotten now. Hell, the whole room faded away like white noise as she watched Hudson climb into the ring.

Lia enjoyed watching him move. There was nothing hurried about his motions; he always seemed relaxed and confident, efficient and ready. He wasn’t intimidating in that built-like-a-fridge way her friends who’d played football in college were. Rather, he was leaner. But infinitely harder. More etched out of wood than molded out of clay. As such, running into his chest was literally like running into a wall.

A hard, sexy wall lined with bricks.

“You’re killing me.” His voice simmered, soft and low, with a lazy smile curving his lips to show his words were more compliment than complaint. It took just one glance at the throbbing pulse in the muscular column of his neck for Lia to know he wasn’t nearly as unaffected as he sounded.

Then all analysis of the man scattered when he went and peeled his shirt up over his head, sending those granite-etched muscles of his back rippling and expanding. His eyes tangled with hers as he toed off his shoes and immediately, Lia felt a surge of adrenaline override any female reaction she’d normally have to the sight.

Because the man was doing something so much better than flirting.

He was inviting her to play.

No gloves. No strike pads.

With a slow grin, she snagged her teeth around the Velcro bindings on her MMA gloves and started stripping off the boxing tape underneath as well.

This was exactly the kind of sparring she’d been craving for weeks now.

Enter the fantastic giveaway now!!

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Release Blitz + Review + Giveaway: Only Forever by Cristin Harber – Only Series – Book 4

Posted on 05/19/2015 by shellbellereads

The final part in Grayson and Emma’s epic love story is available now! Grab ONLY FOREVER by Cristin Harber today! And if you missed the first part of their story, you can read ONLY FOR HIM here!

About ONLY FOREVER

The fourth and final installment of the Only series. Must be read in order.

There comes a time when Emma must face the secret she kept from Grayson. But she never thought it would be while she stood on stage at Emerald’s. The seconds she has to convey that her life is in danger are lost in the devastation that she sees rip through him.

She pinches her eyes closed. “Don’t leave me. No matter how mad you are, please, please don’t leave me here alone.”

But there’s more on the line than just Emma’s safety. There’s the danger that brought Titan’s Delta team in to the strip club in the first place. A threat that’s too close to home, too close to the family, the daughter and woman Grayson plans to claim.

I push away the sudden spring of fear. Life’s too unknown, with hidden enemies and unseen terrors. The idea that I could lose her again… it’s unbearable.

A love story like Grayson and Emma needs a forever love, and somehow they’ll find their way to her fairytale.

Amazon / B & N /iBooks

EXCERPT

“You’ve always been by my side. From the day we met. And God knows there were years of secrets and storms and pain and tears, until I came out the other side.”

“Gray…”

“I’m a better man, and I exist for you, for us.” I hold my breath and watch her silence. My chest hurts; my lungs burn. My throat is tight as I choke on the decades’ worth of sentiment. “I love both of you so deeply that my survival, my sanity, would be gone if I couldn’t be yours.”

My voice cracks, and her lips find mine. It’s a soft kiss but packs a powerful punch. She whispers, “We’re yours forever.”

Michel’s Review

Only Forever is the final book in the Only Series. It was the perfect ending for Emma and Grayson. Their secrets were revealed. Some of Grayson’s haunted past is put to rest, the other parts are managable. Emma’s secrets are exposed and it doesn’t tear their relationship apart. They have both made things right with their family and their young daughter. Now they have Only Forever.

Cristin Harber has once again given the readers a series that is easy to love. I look forward to what she has lined up next.

GIVEAWAY

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ABOUT CRISTIN HARBER

Cristin Harber is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling romance author. She writes sexy, steamy romantic suspense and military romance. Readers voted her onto Amazon’s Top Picks for Debut Romance Authors in 2013, and her debut Titan series was both a #1 romantic suspense and #1 military romance bestseller.

You can become a Titan Agent for exclusive scenes, details, and more! Visit the official Titan website here!

Text TITAN to 66866 to sign up for exclusive emails!

Happy Release + Review + Giveaway: Falling For His Best Friend by Katee Robert – Out of Uniform Series – Book 2

Posted on 05/19/2015 by shellbellereads

Falling For His Best Friend

Out of Uniform Series – Book 2

By Katee Robert

Synopsis

See where it all began with book 1 of the Out of Uniform series, In Bed with Mr. Wrong.

Buy: Amazon / B & N / ITunes / Kobo

Tracey’s Review

After learning that she has inherited a genetic trait that will make it hard to have a baby the older she gets, Avery Yeung has made the decision that she is going to be a mother. Right now. No matter that there’s no man in the picture, because once Avery makes up her mind, there’s no going back. Drew Flannery, town sheriff and Avery’s BFF since the tender age of seven, is not about to let Avery select the father of her child from an a la carte menu at some paternity clinic. Before he can stop to think about the wisdom of his decision, Drew offers himself to Avery, and life as they know it is about to get very real.

I really enjoy reading books from Entangled Brazen. They are spicy, sexy, and oh, so much fun, and this book definitely does not disappoint. Avery is a kick-butt, take no prisoners kind of lady. After finding out that both she and her sister are likely to suffer from the same health issues that took their mother from them at a very young age, Avery tends to live life to the fullest. Drew has been her partner in crime since they met as little kids, so the thought of him as something more has Avery a little flustered. Because, if this crazy idea works, then it could be the best thing ever, but if it doesn’t, then they each stand to lose their best friend.

This book was a quick read, because it was so entertaining, and just really darned sexy, but no less satisfying for the way that I sped through it. The chemistry between Avery and Drew is sizzling, and the whole ‘best friends to lovers’ history, one of my favorite tropes, just adds to it. Author Katee Robert has a way with dialogue, both between characters and in their own heads. Add in the great supporting characters, and this is a book that I would happily recommend. 4.5 sexy steamy stars for this one. Grab it, read it, love it; you will not be sorry.

About Katee Robert

Giveaway

Spread the love and enter to win the tour-wide giveaway!
1 $30 Gift card to Amazon or Barnes and Noble
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Release Blitz + 5 Star Review + Giveaway: #Selfie by Cambria Hebert – #Hashtag Series – Book 4

Posted on 05/18/2015 by shellbellereads

#Selfie

#Hashtag Series – Book 4

By Cambria Hebert

Synopsis

It’s all about the #Selfie.

She was the one girl I never wanted.

Until I had her.

One night.

One mistake.

Something we both wanted to forget.

I got rid of the proof. The one piece of evidence that could remind us both.

At least, I thought I did.

When it shows up on the school Buzzfeed, rumors fly. Friendships are tested and the feels get real.

I don’t do relationships. I don’t open my heart.

Especially for a girl everyone knows I hate.

What happens during spring break, stays in spring break.

Until it follows you home.

Buy: Amazon / B & N / ITunes

Excerpt

I didn’t think. I just reacted.

I leapt over the railing with ease. The distance down and the uneven sand I would be landing on didn’t even cross my mind.

It didn’t matter.

I landed like a cat, no trouble at all, and the second my feet hit the sand, I moved forward. Ivy was almost beneath the deck, but not quite. Her back was to me and she was sitting up, hunched forward over part of herself.

She was muttering some pretty damn colorful curse words beneath her breath, and my face split into a smile. “Another angry crab attack you?”

She stiffened and looked over her shoulder. Long blond hair cascaded down her back and partially over her shoulder, creating a waterfall around her.

God, she was beautiful.

Wait. No. No, she wasn’t.

I cleared my throat.

“Braeden?” She glanced up, surprised. “Did you jump down here?”

“Well, you screamed like you might be dying,” I quipped.

“Hardly.” She tried to roll her eyes, but it turned into a grimace. “I need a Band-Aid,” she said pathetically.

I bit back a smile and crouched down beside her. “Let me see.”

She leaned back a little so her body wasn’t blocking my view. The movement brought her closer against me, and the scent of cinnamon wrapped around me. My stomach muscles tightened and I jerked slightly. There was no way she could have noticed, but her head tilted back and her eyes found mine.

We stared at each other for the span of a few heartbeats, neither of us moving or saying a word until someone called down from above, wanting to know if we were okay.

I blinked, bringing myself back from the edge—the edge I always seemed perched on around her—and motioned for her to show me what was wrong.

She lifted her foot into her lap, and I looked down.

I heard myself mutter something, but I was back to not thinking again.

She had the cap of a beer bottle sticking out of the bottom of her foot. Blood oozed out around it and dripped into the sand.

I cradled her foot in my hand and gently stroked my thumb along her heel. A shudder moved through her, and I glanced up.

“Hurts, huh?” I murmured.

She blinked. “Uh…” She blinked again. “Yeah.”

Using one hand, I reached around to the base of my neck and pulled my T-shirt up over my head. I didn’t say anything when I reached for her again, and without any warning, I yanked the cap free.

Her breath hissed between her teeth and she smacked my arm.

“Hey!” I snapped.

“That hurt!” she yelled, but it came out more like a whimper.

I tossed the cap over my shoulder and glanced back down. Fresh blood welled. “It’s over now,” I said gently and used my shirt to wrap around her foot.

Once the shirt was in place, I pressed her foot between my hands, applying a little pressure.

Really, I just wasn’t ready to let go.

“Braeden?” Her voice caressed me. Being down here mostly concealed by the deck in the cool sand and low lighting brought back last night. It reminded me of the undeniable electricity between us.

I thought for sure it would be gone.

It was still there.

Michel’s Review

I was so excited when #Selfie by Cambria Hebert went live early. I dropped everything I was doing to read the latest book in the #Hashtag series. It was well worth the effort. I devoured this book! It is another #5 Star book in this series!

While reading the synopsis it became very clear that the author wanted the characters to remain a mystery to the readers until they opened the book and read it for themselves. So I am going to do this review a bit different than I do for most books….

#5 Star Review #Selfie #Hashtag Series #Cambria Hebert

#NeverTake Selfie For One Night Stand

#Hate Sex Is Phenomenal

#Collected More Than Seashells On Spring Break

#Player In A New Game

#Never Lose Phone

#Never Do Relationships

#Never Fall In Love

#Never Say Never

#Keep Your Secrets Close

#13 Is New Alpha Hottie To Watch

#Discover Who #BuzzBoss Is

#BuzzBoss Revelation

#Zack Still Haunts AlphaU

#13 New Dragon Slayer

#Love Is In The Air

#HEA

#Maybe?

#Cambria Hebert Nailed It

#Selfie # 5 Stars

Once again Cambria Hebert has given the readers an exceptional book. Her characters come to life and steal the readers hearts.

#Read #Selfie!

#Read#HashTag Series

The Hashtag Series

# Nerd – Book 1

Two people from completely different worlds are about to be thrown together…

In more ways than one.

She wants to keep her scholarship. He wants to stay on the team. An awkward alliance doesn’t even begin to cover Rimmel and Romeo’s relationship.

But that’s about to change.

It starts with a dare. An initiation. A challenge.

Quickly, it turns into more. But when you’re a victim of your status, there is no room for anything real. The rules are clear and simple.

Stick to your circle.

And never fall in love with anyone on the outside.

Buy: Amazon / Barnes and Noble / ITunes

#Hater – Book 2

The effect of that look lingered, like an unspoken promise, long after it was gone.

Becoming a couple – becoming the other half of a campus celebrity wasn’t easy. I let down walls guarding my heart and he looked past my glasses and accident prone tendencies. Romeo and I are an unlikely match, a #nerd and a jock. But we made it.

And we’re happy.

Zach doesn’t want us to be happy. He wants Romeo to pay for getting him kicked out of Omega and for the night he spent in jail. He’s going to use anything and everything he can to get his revenge. Including me.

As the weather on campus grows cold and the days become dark, revenge becomes the center of someone’s life and the happiness Romeo and I worked so hard for is threatened.

I can’t help but worry that our love is going to be overshadowed by hate.

Buy: Amazon / Barnes and Noble / ITunes

# Player-Book 3

Synopsis

Players gotta play.

Hate is like a poison. It contaminates everything.

So does doubt.

Even though I deny what I overheard, even though I insist it isn’t true, the seed of doubt has been planted. I can’t help but be tormented with the endless what-if’s that have taken over our lives.

Romeo and I were happy in love. The future stretched before us brighter than any star in the darkest sky. Now everything is broken. Literally broken. Romeo’s entire career is at stake, my entire future is threatened… and my past?

It’s coming back to haunt me.

To haunt us.

Romeo says we’re in this together and right now the only sure thing is us. But how far can a love so new be pushed? The lengths we will have to go to save each other puts everything at risk.

Romeo is a #player but how much of the game can one person play?

#About Cambria Hebert

Author Bio:

Cambria Hebert is a bestselling novelist of more than twenty books. She went to college for a bachelor’s degree, couldn’t pick a major, and ended up with a degree in cosmetology. So rest assured her characters will always have good hair. She currently resides in North Carolina with her children (human and furry) and her husband, who is a United States Marine.

Besides writing, Cambria loves a caramel latte, staying up late, sleeping in, and watching movies. She considers math human torture and has an irrational fear of chickens (yes, chickens). You can often find her running on the treadmill (she’d rather be eating a donut), painting her toenails (because she bites her fingernails), or walking her chorkie (the real boss of the house).

Cambria has written within the young adult and new adult genres, penning many paranormal and contemporary titles. Her favorite genre to read and write is romantic suspense. A few of her most recognized titles are: Text, Torch, Tryst, Masquerade, and Recalled.

Cambria Hebert owns and operates Cambria Hebert Books, LLC.

Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Goodreads

#Giveaway

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Cover Reveal: The Song Of David by Amy Harmon

Posted on 05/18/2015 by shellbellereads

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

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Saucy Southern Readers

professional, honest, and timely book reviews

Category Archives: Contemporary

Review: Sincerely, Carter by Whitney G. (aka Whitney Garcia Williams)

Release Blitz + Review + Giveaway: Shuttergirl by CD Reiss

CD Reiss is a USA Today and Amazon bestseller. She still has to chop wood and carry water, which was buried in the fine print. Her lawyer is working it out with God but in the meantime, if you call and she doesn’t pick up, she’s at the well, hauling buckets.

If you meet her in person, you should call her Christine.

Stalk Her: Facebook | Twitter | Website | Goodreads | Pinterest | Intagram

Release Blitz + Giveaway: Falling For His Best Friend by Katee Robert

Happy Release + Review: Game Changer by Melissa Cutler – Bomb Squad Series – Book 3

Release Blitz + Giveaway: Love, Laughter, and Steamy Ever Afters – Ten Bestselling Authors – 10 Novels

Release Blitz + Review + Giveaway: Only Forever by Cristin Harber – Only Series – Book 4

The final part in Grayson and Emma’s epic love story is available now! Grab ONLY FOREVER by Cristin Harber today! And if you missed the first part of their story, you can read ONLY FOR HIM here!

About ONLY FOREVER

Happy Release + Review + Giveaway: Falling For His Best Friend by Katee Robert – Out of Uniform Series – Book 2

Release Blitz + 5 Star Review + Giveaway: #Selfie by Cambria Hebert – #Hashtag Series – Book 4

Cover Reveal: The Song Of David by Amy Harmon

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CD Reiss is a USA Today and Amazon bestseller. She still has to chop wood and carry water, which was buried in the fine print. Her lawyer is working it out with God but in the meantime, if you call and she doesn’t pick up, she’s at the well, hauling buckets.

If you meet her in person, you should call her Christine.

Stalk Her: Facebook | Twitter | Website | Goodreads | Pinterest | Intagram

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Today we are sharing teasers for two upcoming books by Chelsea M. Cameron. BEHIND YOUR BACK will be released May 26th, and BACK TO BACK will be released on June 9th.

BEHIND YOUR BACK Summary:

BACK TO BACK Summary:

Add BACK TO BACK to Goodreads

AUTHOR INFORMATION

FOLLOW CHELSEA:

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The final part in Grayson and Emma’s epic love story is available now! Grab ONLY FOREVER by Cristin Harber today! And if you missed the first part of their story, you can read ONLY FOR HIM here!

About ONLY FOREVER

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