Happy Release: The Photographer Trilogy Box Set by Sarah Robinson

Posted on 01/02/2015 by shellbellereads

◆◇◆◇ New Box Set Release! ◆◇◆◇

The Photographer Trilogy by Sarah Robinson

NOW LIVE!

SYNOPSIS:

He takes a picture of every woman he kills.

She takes nothing from anyone.

Kate Jackson is a woman haunted by her past with no direction in life, and surviving only on her close relationship with her sister, Annie. Until she meets charming lawyer, Derrick Kane.

Just when she thinks she might have found the key to learning how to live again, maybe even how to love, The Photographer rips it all away from her with one click of his camera.

Somehow she survived, determined to rise above the trauma life has dealt her. Yet, she doesn’t get away that easy, The Photographer isn’t done with her yet.

The infamous serial killer begins dropping menacing hints at every turn.

Reminding Kate that he owns her. That he broke her body.

The small, quiet life that Kate Jackson had built for herself is over. Pulverized by the twisted workings of the notorious serial killer and the agony of being betrayed by the one man she had trusted her heart to. Trust had never come easily to her, yet she had given it to Derrick. And he destroyed her with it.

Kate is a fighter and refusing to allow a sadistic killer to take everything from her yet again, she delves into the police investigation targeting The Photographer and finally revealing his true identity. Kate is fighting for justice while fighting to reclaim the man she loves, and somehow learn to trust him again.

But when an innocent life is on the line, the cost of justice could be more than love can afford. Kate quickly learns that finding the face behind the mask, doesn’t make you safe.

Monsters are only uglier in the light of day.

**Please note that there is no cliffhanger at the end of this series and everything is fully wrapped up. This box set also includes a never before read, deleted scene about The Photographer’s childhood.

DISCLAIMER: Due to violent and dark subject matter, this story is intended for readers over the age of 18 years old.

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◆◇◆◇ Purchase Links! ◆◇◆◇

*Book 3 Paperback includes bonus scene. All ebooks for box set include bonus scene too.

The Photographer Trilogy Box Set (Tainted Series Books 1-3)

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All About Sarah Robinson

Sarah Robinson is the four-time Amazon Bestselling Romance and Crime Thriller Author of the contemporary Rockstar romance series Sand & Clay, as well as the very popular romantic suspense trilogy, The Photographer Trilogy. All of her novels have reached Amazon’s Bestseller Rank in Crime, Crime, Thriller, Contemporary Romance, and/or Romantic Suspense.

In regards to future publications, she is with the Seymour Literary Agency and has recently been contracted by Loveswept, a Random House Penguin imprint, to begin a new contemporary romance series in late 2015 about an Irish family living in the Bronx of alpha male, MMA fighters who own a gym called Legends.

Sarah Robinson is a native of the Washington, DC area and has both her Bachelors and Masters Degrees in criminal psychology. She is newly married to a local police officer, Justin, who is just as much of an animal rescue enthusiasts as she is. Together, they own a zoo of rescues, as well as volunteering and fostering for multiple animal shelters.

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Other Books by Sarah Robinson

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Stalk Sarah on Social Media

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Happy Release : How Sweet It Is by Kelly Jamieson

Posted on 12/30/2014 by shellbellereads

How Sweet It Is

Release Date: December 30, 2014

By Kelly Jamieson

Synopsis

A free-spirited woman…

Eccentric interior designer Mirelle Brasseur is tired of relationships with handsome, charming, fickle men—in other words men just like the father who abandoned her. She’s fun and funky, but takes her career seriously. She’s not about to let a man derail her dreams or wound her heart again.

An ambitious man…

Award winning chef Bradan Hunt is handsome and charming, but he’s always honest with women about his one date-one night rule. Between his best-selling cookbooks, his TV appearances, and his restaurant, he’s too busy for a relationship. He saw what a lack of ambition did to his parents. Bradan wants more. His newest restaurant is going to be the best, so he hires Mirelle to help him design it.

Turn up the heat…

Soon it isn’t just the food sizzling in the kitchen, in spite of Mirelle’s misgivings, as the attraction between the chef and the designer heats up. It will take more than one date-one night for them to overcome their pasts and find a way to cook up a sweet future together.

Pre-Order: Amazon / Barnes and Noble / ITunes / Smashwords

Excerpt

Bradan had no idea what he was doing there. He had no time for volunteering and he wasn’t really all that much into animals except the ones that ended up in his kitchen. Although he was always deeply respectful of the sacrifice those animals had made. But he had to admit the pets all did have a certain appeal, and so did the sexy blonde who was showing him around.

Today she wore a tiny gray T-shirt, jeans that were rolled up in a deep cuff above her delicate ankles and pink Converse. Those pink Converse fascinated him, for some reason. She definitely had her own unique style. She’d tried to tame that wild mane of blonde waves in some kind of bun thing, but strands kept sliding out and hanging in her face. It was sexy as hell. As was her ass, when she turned to lead him down the hall.

“We’ll go do some laundry,” she said. “Sorry, it’s not the sexiest task here.”

“What’s sexier than laundry?” he asked dryly.

She laughed. “Most people who volunteer want to work directly with the animals, but there’s so much else that needs to be done, too. These things are just as important.”

“How long have you been volunteering here?”

“A couple of years. I love animals and I wish I could have a pet but I’m not allowed pets in my apartment building…well…” Her voice lowered conspiratorially. “I actually have a secret pet. Don’t tell anyone.”

He watched her with amusement. “What kind of secret pet?”

“A rat.”

“A…rat?” His hands paused, full of towels he was removing from the dryer.

“Yes. His name is Amos.”

“A rat.”

She nodded. “Yes. He’s very gentle and affectionate. He loves being with people.”

He arched an eyebrow. “You’re bullshitting me, aren’t you?”

“No!” Her eyes widened. “I’m serious! Rats make great pets. They’re very domesticated. Amos is super sweet.”

“Fuck me.” He shook his head. As a chef, a rat was absofuckinglutely the last animal he ever wanted to see. “This I gotta see.” The words came out of his mouth with honest innocence—he really did want to see Amos the rat and to see Mirelle with him. But she immediately got all cool and closed up again. He sighed, carrying the laundry over to a table to fluff and fold it.

When she forgot herself, she was sweet and funny, her upbeat personality and easy smile so sexy and appealing. When she remembered who he was, she got all tight and serious and rigid. Damn. He tried to focus on what she was showing him and telling him.

“I’ll show you where to put the towels.”

When he eventually pulled out his cell phone to check the time, he cursed inside. He had to get back to the restaurant. He’d been missing in action too many nights this past week with Paco picking up the slack, but dammit, he didn’t want to leave.

“I have to go,” he said regretfully.

“Yeah, I’m about to leave, too.”

“D’you need a ride home?”

“No, I have my car. I just have to say goodbye to Monty.”

He watched her find the dog he’d seen her with when he’d arrived, crouching down to hug him, letting him lick her chin. Monty gazed up at her adoringly and she rubbed him with such a fierce look of affection on her face, Bradan’s heart turned over.

Damn. He wasn’t into dog kisses, but he found himself wishing she was holding him that tightly, looking at him with such profound love, letting him lick her all over. When she straightened, the emotion on her face had his heart squeezing. She was really sad to be leaving the dog. He recognized the deep sensitivity in her but she smiled at him with determined cheer as she grabbed a hooded sweatshirt and her purse from a locker. Today her bright-colored purse appeared to be constructed of…Kool-Aid packages. Whoa.

“We could get a cup of coffee,” he said, following her out.

She turned and looked at him. “You said you had to go.”

“I…yeah.” Jesus! This was not how things went for him with women! He rubbed his face. He had to get a grip here or risk making a fool of himself over her.

Author Bio:

Kelly Jamieson writes romances with heat that’s sweet. Her writing has been described as “emotionally complex”, “sweet and satisfying” and “blisteringly sexy”. If she can stop herself from reading or writing, she loves to cook. She has shelves of cookbooks that she reads at length. She also enjoys gardening in the summer, and in the winter she likes to read gardening magazines and seed catalogues (there might be a theme here…) She also loves shopping, especially for clothes and shoes. But her family takes precedence over everything else (yes, even writing). She has two teenage children who are the best kids in the world, not that she’s biased, and a wonderful husband who does loads of laundry while she plays on the computer writing stories.

Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Goodreads

ARC Review + 2014 Favorite : The Pact by Karina Halle

Posted on 12/29/2014 by shellbellereads

The Pact

Contemporary Romance

By Karina Halle

Synopsis

***SPECIAL HOLIDAY PRICING – $0.99 UNTIL JANUARY 1st***

*The Pact is a FULL-LENGTH
*STANDALONE (not part of a series)
*”FRIENDS-TO-LOVERS” CONTEMPORARY ADULT ROMANCE

It all started with a pinky swear…

Linden McGregor is tall, rugged, and gunslinger handsome; a helicopter pilot with a Scottish brogue and charm to spare. He’s also one of Stephanie Robson’s best friends and has fit into that box for as long as she’s known him.

Beautiful, funny and an ambitious businesswoman (with one hell of an ass), Stephanie Robson is one of Linden McGregor’s best friends and has fit into that box for as long as he’s known her.

But some relationships can’t be boxed, can’t be classified, can’t be tamed.

Back in their mid-twenties and tired of the competitive hit-or-miss dating scene of San Francisco, Steph and Linden made a pact to marry each other if neither one of them were in a serious relationship by the time they hit thirty.

It sounded like fun and games at the time but as the years to thirty tick past and lovers come and go out of their lives, the pact becomes larger than life.

Sex is inevitable. Friendships are tested. Hearts are on the line.

The pact is about to change everything.

Note: due to the dirty talk and sexy times, The Pact is not meant for anyone under the age of 18. All characters in THE PACT are in their thirties, therefore this is NOT a new adult book…even though love can mess you up at any age.

Buy: Amazon

Robin’s Review

In her acknowledgements, Karina Halle mentioned she had no plans to write The Pact. She had other novels planned – novels that had been planned for some time. But inspiration can strike at the oddest times, and this time it struck when Halle was reading a magazine as she was waiting to board a plane to whisk her away to Hawaii. In just three short weeks – on her vacation, no less! – Karina Halle wrote The Pact. She wrote every single day while she was in Hawaii, sharing “….it all came so easily, I just couldn’t stop. It was a hell of a lot of fun.” Sometimes you just have to take an idea and run with it.

Stephanie Robson calls him Cowboy. Linden McGregor calls her Baby Blue. Linden has a Scottish brogue accent and beard. Steph has newly dyed jet-black hair and blue eyes. Linden is self-assured, handsome, ambitious and intense. He has a BA in business and is close to getting his helicopter pilot’s license. Steph is beautiful and smart. She runs a clothing store in San Francisco, but aspires to open her own clothing boutique. Linden has hair the color of mahogany and dark blue eyes. He’s a womanizer and self-centered. Together Linden and Steph are best friends.

Linden has a proposition for Stephanie. It’s her birthday, and they are both perched on barstools at The Burgundy Lion in San Francisco. Both of them are now in their twenty-fifth year. They have each struggled with dead-end relationships for years. Linden tells Steph they are good for each other. Compatible. They make sense together. He proposes that the two of them should agree to marry each other if neither are in a serious relationship by the time they turn thirty. Certain that Linden is joking around, Steph agrees to his proposal with a pinky swear and the pact is born!

We were told The Pact would be a different type of novel for Karina Halle. Her usual repertoire consists of gritty, dark romance, horror romance, and new adult contemporary romance. The Pact is classified as adult contemporary romance and is narrated from dual points of view. It’s sexy and fun and has a lighter feel to it. Many of you who follow my reviews know that I absolutely love reading stories about friends who become lovers. There was the perfect amount of sweetness and angst in The Pact. All of these features combined to put a huge smile on my face after finishing the story!

Before I end this review, I need to mention the writing. I truly appreciate and respect the talented writing of this author. How many authors are capable of writing an unplanned full-length novel in three weeks? Of this quality? During their spare time while on vacation? And it’s not just the story, itself. It’s the attention to detail. Pay close attention to the adjectives, adverbs, and descriptions Halle weaves into her writing. She appeals to the senses of her readers. Her attention to detail results in bringing the scenes she is writing to life. Karina Halle is very diverse in her writing. It’s true. The Pact is unlike any of her previous novels, and I think this 5-star novel will appeal to many new readers who love the adult contemporary romance genre!
Author Bio:

With her USA Today Bestselling The Artists Trilogy published by Grand Central Publishing, numerous foreign publication deals, and self-publishing success with her Experiment in Terror series, Vancouver-born Karina Halle is a true example of the term “Hybrid Author.” Though her books showcase her love of all things dark, sexy and edgy, she’s a closet romantic at heart and strives to give her characters a HEA…whenever possible.

Karina holds a screenwriting degree from Vancouver Film School and a Bachelor of Journalism from TRU. Her travel writing, music reviews/interviews and photography have appeared in publications such as Consequence of Sound, Mxdwn and GoNomad Travel Guides. She currently lives on an island on the coast of British Columbia where she’s preparing for the zombie apocalypse with her fiancé and rescue pup.

Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Goodreads

Serial Review: The Billionaire Salvation Serial by Bella Love-Wins

Posted on 12/29/2014 by shellbellereads

The Billionaire Salvation Serial

Hero – Book 1

Hero For Me – Book 2

Hero For Christmas – Book 3

By Bella Love

Hero

~ She was hoping for a hero, but never realized who she would save. ~

This is a contemporary, new adult romance serial. For 18+ readers.

Kate Samuel thought she had left it all behind. The life of a billionaire’s daughter, and her incessant search for her macho hero type.

When she saved a neighbor’s young son during a fire at her new row house home in lower Manhattan, everything changed. And firefighter Lieutenant Matt Lewis made it all the more confusing.

Yeah…he was hotter than any man she imagined being with, but could he be just like the rest of the hero heart-breakers?

Find out by reading HERO, Book 1 of The Billionaire Salvation Series. Note: This is the first of at least 4 books in the serial.

Buy: Amazon / Barnes and Noble / ITunes

~ She was hoping for a hero, but never realized who she would save. ~
This is a contemporary, new adult romance serial. For 18+ readers.

Kate Samuel thought she had left it all behind. The life of a billionaire’s daughter, and her incessant search for her macho hero type.
When she saved a neighbor’s young son during a fire at her new row house home in lower Manhattan, everything changed. And firefighter Lieutenant Matt Lewis made it all the more confusing.
Yeah…he was hotter than any man she imagined being with, but could he be just like the rest of the hero heart-breakers?
—————————–
This serial takes place in New York, less than a month before Christmas. Kate is a radio DJ with a specialty in Communications and Social Media Strategy. She’s dreamed of having a Hero of her own for years, but the one she found in college used and abused her. When Kate rescues a young neighbor boy from a house fire, she’s suddenly a viral sensation and local hero, although her efforts warranted a hero to help her in return. With her home now burned to nothing, the homeless heroine somehow finds herself staying with her personal hero – in his home and in his arms.
All goes fine for a few days until a visitor shows up at Matt’s house and drops a bombshell of a cliffhanger… to be continued in HERO FOR ME.
There were several minor errors noted (an extra, missing, or misplaced word) throughout the book, however it’s not so bad that it completely ruins the overall vibe and flow – but I’d consider having a sit-down with the proofreader if I were Ms Love-Wins.
The characters, primary and secondary, are very likable. They have good dialogue and interaction. The flow of the book is decent, when not taking into account the minor errors (only 4 or 5). The plot was good for being such a short story, but did not have a lot of conflicting elements in it yet – it was more character development and plot set-up. Predictability was extremely low. This novella does not conclude but leaves it open for the next episode.

Hero For Me

~ She was hoping for a hero, but never realized who she would save. ~

This is a contemporary, new adult romance serial. For 18+ readers.

Kate Samuel met the handsome Lieutenant Matt Lewis, and it seemed like everything changed. He seemed like the only genuine man she knew, even though he was also a billionaire.

When her ex-coworker Joy announces that Matt is her man, all Kate’s faith disappeared. It was a painful reminder about all the hero heart-breakers she had already experienced first hand.

Were her instincts all wrong? Was Matt just another two-timing billionaire?

Find out by reading HERO For Me, Book 2 of The Billionaire Salvation Series. Note: This is the second of at least 4 books in the serial.

Buy: Amazon

Kate Samuel met the handsome Lieutenant Matt Lewis, and it seemed like everything changed. He seemed like the only genuine man she knew, even though he was also a billionaire.
When her ex-coworker Joy announces that Matt is her man, all Kate’s faith disappeared. It was a painful reminder about all the hero heart-breakers she had already experienced first hand.
Were her instincts all wrong? Was Matt just another two-timing billionaire?
————————
So, we’ve already met the characters and have begun to learn a little of each of their back stories. The plot continues where HERO leaves off. Kate leaves Matt’s and moves into a hotel near the radio station where she is threatened by a strange man after he breaks her door down. Part two of the serial abruptly ends at the Fire Fundraiser with an explosive cliffhanger to be continued in episode 3, HERO FOR CHRISTMAS.
Again, the characters are above average and likable, the plot is short but filled with good interaction. There is a little more dynamics in this episode of the serial than the last. The dialogue in a few places is not quite natural, but overall it’s pretty good. There were more conflicting elements in this novella to add a little more depth to the plot, which was very nice, but as is the nature of a serial, the conflict has no resolve as of yet. I am pleased to also find very little predictability. The ending is left open for the next episode to continue onward. Happily, I can also say I found less errors (added, missing or misused words) in this episode, however there were still two or three that I’d noticed that made it past the proof-reader.

Hero For Christmas

~ She was hoping for a hero, but never realized who she would save. ~

This is a contemporary, new adult romance serial. For 18+ readers.

When the men behind Kate’s attack threaten her life again, Matt takes matters into his own hands. Their escape to the Hamptons for Christmas seems like the perfect solution. But was Kate ready to face the ghosts of her Christmas past?

Find out by reading HERO For Christmas, Book 3 of The Billionaire Salvation Series. Note: This is the third of at least 4 books in the serial.

Buy: Amazon

Kate Samuel and Lieutenant Matt Lewis were finally together. With Kate’s attacker still on the loose, it didn’t seem like they could ever have peace of mind. Even with the power and wealth of Matt’s billionaire status, they were not safe.
When the men behind Kate’s attack threaten her life again, Matt takes matters into his own hands. Their escape to the Hamptons for Christmas seems like the perfect solution. But was Kate ready to face the ghosts of her Christmas past?
—————————
Part three picks up precisely where HERO FOR ME leaves off… Kate has just unveiled what she thought was the fourth corporate donor’s check at the Fire Fundraiser event only to reveal a threatening message addressed to her. Now they’re off to the Hamptons where security is tight as they prepare for the Charity Christmas Ball.
Same characters following the timeline, still likable. I have a minor issue with the dialogue at times with her using his name & he using hers on such a regular basis. That’s something a stranger does to implant another person’s name into the brain. The conversation during sexual encounters feels awful scripted as well. Other than that, the plot is decent and it flows well. There’s one error that I just could NOT overlook… it occurs on Christmas Day morning. The comment Matt makes BETWEEN “God, Kate.” and “I need you more than air.” Who’s Kara? I mean, that would have been like a bucket of ice water to me – and essentially was. Once more, the novella leaves off with a cliffhanger. This one is not as spectacular as the last and not as grand as it could have been.

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SERIES OVERALL: I noticed Matt does not seem to work at the firehouse or at his businesses too often and everyone’s more that willing to accommodate him taking time off. He can be assuming and controlling one minute, then contrite the next. If demanding doesn’t work, he turns on the charm and pleads. She wants her independence but enjoys the efforts he puts forth in taking care of her… she wants it all.
The novellas are each under one hundred pages in length and it is a serial, so one leads into the next and so forth. There are no solid conclusions, there ARE cliffhangers at the ends. The overall plot is good, but again, with the short nature of each episode or part in the serial it’s really hard to feel the dynamics of it. One of the things I enjoyed most about this series so far is it’s ability to do just the opposite from what I’d been expecting it to do. There was no predictability for me.
My biggest concern was that Ms. Love-Wins’s proofreader was sleeping on the job when this passed their desk. It should never have gone to publication with the errors it has. Yes, it contains graphic sex but the series DOES come with a warning for the more easily offended readers. Watch for the back end review in early to mid-February, after parts 4 and 5 are released.

Author Bio:

About me: I’m twenty -three years old and work as a communications analyst in a small firm. I live a little north of Toronto and dream of moving to the small town of Grimsby, Ontario one day. Once I move out of the city I would love to have a Shih Tzu and 2 cats as pets and practice kids. I always wanted to write, which I why I completed a degree in Communications and Literature. I dream to improve my writing to where I can write fiction full time, and I know that it’s with daily writing practice that I will get better and better. I have one older brother and my parents live in Northern Ontario.
I find my stories to be about new adults and women in their mid-twenties, usually from wealthy families. This is because I went to school with the kids of some of the wealthiest families in Canada, and as I witnessed their woes first hand. My philosophy toward life is to believe that learning is possible, and that by learning everyday, we can improve and grow.

Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Goodreads

6 Star Review: Nine Minutes by Beth Flynn

Posted on 12/29/2014 by shellbellereads

Nine Minutes

By Beth Flynn

Synopsis

On May 15, 1975, fifteen-year-old Ginny Lemon is abducted from a convenience store in Fort Lauderdale by a member of one of the most notorious and brutal motorcycle gangs in South Florida.

From that moment on, her life is forever changed. She gets a new name, a new identity and a new life in the midst of the gang’s base on the edge of the Florida Everglades—a frightening, rough and violent world much like the swamps themselves, where everyone has an alias and loyalty is tantamount to survival.

And at the center of it all is the gang’s leader, Grizz: massive, ruggedly handsome, terrifying and somehow, when it comes to Ginny, tender. She becomes his obsession and the one true love of his life.

So begins a tale of emotional obsession and manipulation, of a young woman ripped from everything she knows and forced to lean on the one person who provides attention, affection and care: her captor. Precocious and intelligent, but still very much a teenager, Ginny struggles to adapt to her existence, initially fighting and then coming to terms with her captivity.

Will she be rescued? Will she escape? Will she get out alive—or get out at all? Part psychological thriller, part coming-of-age novel, filled with mystery, romance and unexpected turns, Nine Minutes takes readers into the world of one motorcycle gang and inside the heart of a young girl, whose abduction brought about its fall.

Buy: Amazon / Barnes and Noble

Michel’s Review

Nine Minutes is one of the books that stunned my senses and left me with a major book hangover. I read this book over a month and half ago. After I finished the book I had to gift this book to several of my friends because it is the kind of book you “have” to read. Each and every friend that has read this book had the same kind of reactions that I had to it.

This more than a typical biker romance. It is a story that renders a very real look into a lawless lifestyle. Although many of the characters are hardened criminals with ethics that are horrendous, they are also very human. Their emotions and feelings are just as valid as anyone else emotions. Their methods of dealing with their emotions are just as valid as how anyone else deals with their own. We all have insecurities, we all have hopes and dreams, we all want the ones we love to have the best we can give, and we all have our own ways of protecting our deepest emotions.

The background for this story is so true to it’s portrayal. I grew up in that area of south Florida in that exact timeframe. I am very close to the same age as the heroine in this story. The existence of this kind of MC club was in fact present in that area at that time. As I was reading this book I had chills from the in depth descriptions. I felt like I was walking back in time to my younger years and looking at it through different eyes. It is was mind blowing. When my mother, who has lived in south Florida for over fifty years, and raised her family there, read this book she was just as stunned as I was.

The story itself was captivating. It is a story of a lawless life, a story of a stolen life, and a story of unconditional love. Although Grizz lived in a very violent world and delivered his own kind brand of justice, he also had a sense of honor and heart of gold. For those he loved, he gave his all. For those that betrayed his love and trust, he dealt with in a very gruesome violent manner. In the end he paid for his love. In the end he paid for his sins. He did it with honor for those he loved. He accepted the punishments for the crimes he committed. He protected his family from suffering the repercussions of his crimes. He gave those he loved the ultimate gift. He gave them the gift of love and happiness.

Ginny was a young teenage girl when she was abducted. She was just beginning her journey into womanhood. Although she was taken, manipulated, and molded into a different kind of person, she was also given the gift of unconditional love. Her life may have turned out very differently had she not been abducted. Would she have had a better life? Most likely not. Her childhood was not sunshine and roses. Her life was not full of love. She was forced to grow up at an early age. She was forced to become responsible and self reliant. She was a survivor. She used her intelligence to guide her. I think that is one of the reasons she was abducted. One person saw the uniqueness and inner strength she possessed. One person saw her value as a human being. One person loved her for everything she was. One person valued her enough to steal her away. In the end that one person almost destroyed her life. Through it all that one person also gave her more than his love, he gave her a love that would last a lifetime and always be there for her. He gave her a new love story to live.

Nine Minutes is not a forever love story. Nine Minutes is breathtaking story of unconditional love and strength of the human spirit. Nine Minutes is two beautiful love stories that intwine one woman into a person of strength, compassion, and beauty. Two love stories that show her how by just being herself is more valuable than anything else in this world.

Nine Minutes is a powerful story. Although Nine Minutes ends with a cliffhanger, it is not one that will have readers in an emotional uproar. Nine Minutes has a resolution to that part of Ginny’s story. It ended the only way it could. The cliffhanger is more about the secrets that will be revealed. It is about the other love story in the book. It is the path to Ginny’s forever love story.

Read Nine Minutes! It is exceptional!

Author Bio:

Beth Flynn is a fiction writer who lives and works in Sapphire, North Carolina, deep within the southern Blue Ridge Mountains. Raised in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, Beth and her husband, Jim, have spent the last 16 years in Sapphire, where they own a construction company. They have been married 30 years and have two daughters (the youngest in high school) and two dogs. In her spare time, Beth enjoys writing, reading, gardening, church and motorcycles, especially taking rides on the back of her husband’s Harley. She is a four-year breast cancer survivor.

Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Goodreads

Review: Curtains- Sexual Awakenings Vol. 4 by Angelica Chase – Sexual Awakenings Series- Final Book

Posted on 12/23/2014 by shellbellereads

Curtains

Sexual Awakenings Series -Book 4

By Angelica Chase

Synopsis

It’s not him, it’s her.

Violet

Rhys had just torn my heart apart with his admission. A common
bond—one that had completely ruined my former life and forever altered his—was once again threatening to destroy my world. I hate our pasts, and right now, I hate him for his.

Rhys

She blames me for the truth—a truth I had no idea existed.
I’ve tried to protect her from the ugliness that came with loving me. I don’t know if she will ever move on from what I never saw coming.
This is book four of a four part serial.

Buy: Amazon / Barnes and Noble

Tracey’s Review

‘The term “curtain call” is used to describe a sequence at the end of a performance, featuring each main character, which results in a similar individual recognition of each actor by the audience as would occur in a stage curtain call.’

The first three installments of the Sexual Awakenings series by Angelica Chase have focused on the evolving relationship between Rhys and Violet. The tempo of the dance between the two of them has steadily increased, reached its crescendo, and brought them here, to their grand finale. In CURTAINS, we, as readers, get to see things from both Rhys’ and Violet’s point of view, gaining some insight as to what has led them both to this point in their lives and their relationship with each other. I enjoyed finally getting a glimpse into what had shaped Rhys, what had led to his relationship with Sandra, and, ultimately, to his desire to be with Violet. Violet, for her part, is finally able to put her past with Alex behind her, and to be comfortable and secure in what she’s found with Rhys. Both Rhys and Violet are able to take their final positions on the stage of their performance, and to bring down the curtain on past events once and for all.

Angelica Chase did a great job of writing a fast-paced and engaging series that had me hooked from page one. I have looked forward to each next book, watching both Rhys and Violet change in ways that ultimately brought them to exactly where they needed to be. Their interactions are always intense and almost always hot and sexy. Having read each book and waited impatiently for the next, I am completely happy with how things were wrapped up. The epilogue in this book lends the perfect touch, closing things out with a bang, which is nothing less than I’ve come to expect and enjoy from Angelica. Once again, 5 steam, sexy, and extremely satisfying stars.

The Sexual Awakening Series

Sexual Awakenings

Volume One: The Waltz

By Angelica Chase

Synopsis

You know what they say… One man’s trash is another man’s treasure.

After sacrificing years of my life on a cheating husband, I’d had enough. I set out to quench a thirst I had ignored for years. I gave myself one year to explore my sexuality—to delve into my deepest, darkest desires. With nothing to lose and everything to gain, I would have my sexual revolution. I would have my … awakening.

Unsure of where to start, I took a risk to make myself seen. Little did I know, the man who saw me would give me everything I ever wanted, one sweet orgasm at a time.

Diving into the world of both pleasure and pain, I was sure with Rhys I had found what I’d been missing … until he took it away.

Filthy Erotic Romance. For Mature Audiences only. Extremely Explicit Sex. Strong Language.

Buy: Amazon / Barnes and Noble

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Sexual Awakenings Vol. 2

The Tango

By Angelica Chase

Synopsis

Weeks passed without hearing from Rhys; then I received a text that shook me to my core.

The Barracks. One hour. RED

I lied, he’s angry, and I’m about to pay for my lie with a pound of flesh.

RED.

I wasn’t supposed to fall for him. He blurred the lines and I stepped right over. Now I was facing his wrath, and my undeniable feelings for him. I had to find a way to make things right.

RED.

Rhys felt threatened by my secret, but little did I know, he was hiding one of his own.

FILTHY EROTIC ROMANCE. EXTREMELY EXPLICIT SEX. STRONG LANGUAGE

Buy: Amazon / Barnes and Noble

Sexual Awakenings Vol. 3

The Last Dance

By Angelica Chase

Synopsis

Rhys

I was on my way out of the life when she came barging in with her new appetite and unrealistic expectations of what a Dom should be. All I had left to do to break free was sell the club and walk away. Now I found I had something to walk toward. And for the first time in my life, I hoped I’d be enough for a woman.

Caring for a woman was easy for me. I had always cared for different women for different reasons. Loving a woman had always been quite a bit harder.

Doms don’t have to say I love you.

Violet

The last two months of my life had altered me in ways I could never have imagined. When I set out to discover myself sexually, I never expected to fall in love with the only man who calmed my world and both tortured and soothed my senses. I’d been snapped out of my fantasy by the latest slap of reality.

Little did I know … reality wasn’t finished with me yet.

Buy: Amazon / Barnes and Noble

Connect With Angelica Chase

Facebook ~ Goodreads ~Twitter – TSU

Unbeautiful by Jessica Sorensen – Unbeautiful Series- Book 1

Posted on 12/23/2014 by shellbellereads

Happy Release Day to Jessica Sorensen and her new book UNBEAUTIFUL! This is book 1 in the Unbeautiful Series. Make sure to enter the giveaway below for a chance to win an ebook copy of this book. Good luck!

♥BUY THE BOOK♥

AMAZON | B&N | KOBO | iTUNES | SMASHWORDS

Emery

You want to know my secrets? What lies beneath the pretty? The scars I can’t let anyone see? The scars tied to my secrets?
On the outside I appear normal. Some might even say perfect.
They say that I’m a pretty girl. They say I should be happy. They say that I have nothing to be angry about. That I’m popular. A cheerleader. That I’m perfect.
Perfect. Perfect. Perfect.
But all they see is what’s on the outside.
On the inside I’m raw, open, bleeding. Scars that can’t seem to heal the wounds.
Carrying dark secrets about who I really am.
How afraid I am to tell the truth.
And it’s slowly killing me.

Ryler

Tattoos. Piercing. Scars. The guy who can’t speak.
Gothic freak. Mute. Punk. I’ve heard it all.
They say that I’m probably dangerous. They say people should stay away from me.
They say. They say. They say.
But who are they anyway?
To decide what I am.
They don’t know what’s hidden beneath the scars. Beneath the piercings and tattoos.
The secrets I keep hidden beneath the silence.
Maybe if they knew, they wouldn’t fear me so much.
Then again, maybe they’d fear me more.

“How long have you lived here?” I recline against the railing of the stairway and wrap my arms around myself as the cool air nips at my skin.

He rubs his jawline with one hand while the other spells away, “A couple of months. It’s been an interesting change to go from Sin City to here.”

“Sin City?” Strands of my hair fall into my face as I angle my head to the side in confusion. “What’s that?”

“It’s a nickname for Vegas.”

“Why is it called that?”

A pucker forms at his brows as he brings his finger to his mouth and traces it back and forth across his bottom lip and over his lip ring. I’m absolutely mesmerized by the movement, drawn in by it to the point where I actually contemplate kissing him. I’ve never just planted one on a guy before; Evan was in total control of the relationship.

Ryler moves his hand away from his lip and bites on his lip ring. “Because it’s a city with sins tempting people at every corner—gambling, booze, sex.”

About a year ago, I lost my virginity to Evan, but standing here, watching Ryler sign sex while sucking on his lip ring, makes me feel like a virgin again.

“Oh,” is all I manage to get out of my mouth.

I only breathe normally again when he releases the metal from his teeth and drops his cigarette to the ground.

“So, about the party.” He gestures at the door. “Do you want to come in for a while? They’re playing cards and there are drinks and snacks and stuff. Plus, your papers are in there.” His lips quirk to a half grin and my stomach somersaults.

Do I want to come in?

Boy, do I want.

A lot.

Even through the fear, I want to go through that door.

More than I’ve ever wanted to do anything in my entire life.

In the back of my mind, I hear the voices of my mother, father, and Evan whispering that what I’m about to do is wrong. I’m not being who I’m supposed to be. I’m being all wrong, imperfect. I’m surrounding myself with unbeautiful people, according to their standards.

I smile the biggest smile that’s ever graced my lips, even though I’m terrified out of my mind. “A party sounds fun. I’ve never actually been to one.”

“You seriously are sheltered, Emery.” He reaches for the doorknob but pauses. “I can help you change that.” He winks at me.

The disapproving voices in my head continue to chant as I follow him inside and into the unknown. But the music swallows them up as soon as I step over the threshold. Everything in my mind quiets the moment I step into the room. Everything is still for the first time in my life without taking the medication.

The New York Times and USA Today bestselling author, Jessica Sorensen, lives in the snowy mountains of Wyoming. When she’s not writing, she spends her time reading and hanging out with her family.

Facebook † Twitter † Website

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Cover Reveal: Sail by M. Mabie – The Wake Series – Book 2

Posted on 12/22/2014 by shellbellereads

Sail

Book Two in The Wake Series

by M. Mabie

Releasing Early 2015

Synopsis:

This isn’t just a two-year long one-night stand. It’s my life.

This is my life. Our life. It isn’t just some careless affair.

I’ve made the worst decisions a woman could, but I’ll earn my second chance.

She can try keeping all the guilt for herself, but I’m just as much to blame.

Loving Casey wasn’t my biggest mistake. Fighting it for so long was.

I’ll show her how fearless our love makes me. I’ll protect her torn heart.

He still has magic in his eyes. He’s the man who makes me happy.

Her voice still brings me to my knees. She says my name like it’s sacred.

I live for the day when I’m his. To take care of him. To love him the way he deserves.

I can’t wait to be all she needs. I can give her a happy life, security and so much love.

Sometimes two ships never meet in the night, but ours did.

Sometimes the water is rough. It beats you all to hell until you have no choice but get stronger.

Our love story reads more like a tragedy, but to me it’s clean and pure.

Let them point their fingers. Without a love like ours, they haven’t really lived. I pity them.

I’m a cheating wife and a villain. I am his honeybee.

I’m a snake in the grass and I sleep best when I’m lying next to his wife.

I want to be his everything.

I’m nothing without her anyway.

This isn’t even close to over.

It’ll never be over.

Sail is the second book in the continuing Wake Series. For more information on the first book in the series see the link for Bait below.

Sail Links: Goodreads | Casey’s Playlist | Blake’s Playlist

Connect with M. Mabie: Website | Amazon | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | tsū

Other Books by M. Mabie: Fade In (Standalone Contemporary Romance) | Bait: Book One in the Wake Series

Happy Release Day: Something Reckless by Lexi Ryan

Posted on 12/22/2014 by Saucy Southern Readers

Amazon | Barnes and Noble | iTunes

He talks dirty to me, but I don’t know his name.

He wants to tie me up, but I don’t know his face.

He turns me on, but I couldn’t point him out in a crowd.

I’ve fallen for an anonymous stranger, and tonight the anonymity ends. Tonight I want more than typed secrets and texted promises. I want something reckless. Heat. Passion. The thrill of being entirely possessed.

Because I suspect this anonymous stranger isn’t a stranger at all.

Lizzy Thompson met riverrat69 online through Something Real, a service promising to deliver meaningful relationships by forbidding its users to share names or photos until they’ve reached a certain benchmark. She was looking for love. He was researching an investment. They hit it off. Talked and flirted, hid behind screen names and cartoon avatars.

Now they’re breaking the rules and meeting in person. But Liz is prepared. She’s picked up hints and followed clues.

She’s ninety-percent convinced she’s discovered the identity of her dirty-talking online friend.

She wonders if her ex-lover Sam Bradshaw knows her identity too.

When she rolls the dice on one reckless night, her chance at something real could crumble.

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22434551-something-reckless

Excerpt from Something Reckless

“You look amazing in this dress. I’ve been pretending all night that there’s something I want to do more than get you out of it.”

“What would you do with me if you got so lucky?”

“I’d keep you up all night, for starters.” He slides a hand into my hair and traces the side of my neck with his thumb. His groan rumbles through me. “Tell me what you came here for.”

I thought that was pretty clear. “I’m wearing extremely slutty underwear. What do you think?”

His nostrils flare and his breathing goes thready. “I think I’m going to have to up my game, because now I want to see it.”

I have to bite back a smile. “Good,” I say. My heart thumps out a beat, probably Morse code for please and thank you.

“How slutty is this underwear of yours?”

I lick my lips. “Oh, it’s damn near whorish.”

“Let me see it, Liz.”

I lift my chin and prop my hands on my hips. “Seriously? That’s all the seduction I get? Let me see it?”

He steps closer until I have to crane my neck to look at him, and holy hell he smells good. “What game are we playing here, Rowdy?” he murmurs against my ear. “Is this the one where we pretend we don’t want each other and sleep alone . . .” His fingers skim down my shoulder and my eyes float closed. “Or is it the one where I make you come so hard you scream my name and tomorrow you act like you want nothing to do with me?”

“Are those my only choices?” I ask, but I keep my eyes closed, focusing on the feel of his rough fingers dancing across my skin. The truth is, I don’t want to play either game. I’m done playing games when it comes to Sam. I’m done pretending I don’t want him when I do, and I’m done pretending our annual one-night stand is enough for me.

“Tell me you aren’t going to run away in the morning. Promise me you won’t shut me out again.”

I don’t know what that means, and I’m too scared to analyze it. My eyes are still closed when he takes my chin in his fingers and tilts my face up to his, still closed when he brushes his lips over mine and when I open under him because I’m helpless to this man’s kiss.

“Promise me,” he repeats.

“I won’t run away.” Then I unzip my dress and let it fall to the floor in a puddle, and my boldness is rewarded. Sam’s lips part and his breath escapes him in a rush.

He steps back and takes me in. The bra is strapless, black lace demi-cups that lift my breasts until they threaten to spill out. The panties—what there is of them—are a thong in matching black lace. Their fine lace straps sit in a sharp V high on my hipbones.

A ringlet of hair escaped my up-do, and he takes it between his fingers and twirls it around. I deserve a medal for not melting right here at his feet.

He hooks his index finger under the black bow between my bra cups. “Did you wear this for me?” His voice is a husky whisper that I can’t deny.

“Yes.”

His fingers skim my belly, trace over my hip, following the lace of my thong behind me to where the straps meet at the small of my back. My breath catches as he takes the fabric path over the curve of my tailbone and down, his fingers bringing every nerve ending to life as they pass. Electric pleasure whips through me.

“Fourteen months since I’ve touched you,” he says. “Fourteen months since I’ve gotten to hear the way you breathe when you’re turned on, since I’ve gotten to listen to you scream as I make you come. Tell me you haven’t thought about it.”

“I’d be lying.”

“Don’t lie,” he says, eyes hot and intense. “Just tell me you want me.”

Adult Contemporary Romance

FREE introductory novella to the SOMETHING RECKLESS

“You need a good guy. A long-term guy. One who does dates and romance and emotional strings…I’m just an asshole who wants to tie you up, make you come, and walk away.”

Samuel Bradshaw is a man with a reputation—the kind of reputation that should have me running the other way. Instead, it has me searching for the shortest distance to his bed. I won’t be the starry-eyed girl who thinks she can change a man like Sam, and despite what he thinks, forever is not what I need. I need the things he makes me feel, the way he turns me on, and the promise of pleasure in his eyes. This promises to be SOMETHING WILD.

About the Author

New York Times and USA Today bestselling romance author Lexi Ryan’s novels have been described as intense, emotional, and wickedly sexy. A former college professor, she now writes full-time from her home in Indiana, where she lives with her husband, two children, and a neurotic dog. Find her on Facebook or Twitter to chat about books, TV, and her children’s latest antics.

Website | Facebook | Twitter

Happy Release: Angel by Kelli Maine- Lucifer’s Legion Motorcylcle Club Series- Book 3

Posted on 12/22/2014 by shellbellereads

Angel

Lucifer’s Legion Motorcycle Club Series – Book 3

By Kelli Maine

Synopsis

On the run, Luc gets word from LLMC that the cartel has agreed to return Angel to them instead of killing her, but they need a replacement.

If Luc hands over Lilith, trained and ready to be delivered to the cartel, the club will forgive him his betrayal and welcome him back into the fold.

Luc must decide where his loyalty lies—with the club that saved his life and Angel who almost broke his resolve to never keep anyone for himself, or with Lilith, the crazy bitch who got inside his head and knows him better than anyone ever has.

Buy: Amazon

Lucifer’s Legion Series

Lilith- Book 1

On Sale for limited time on Amazon for .99

Lilith

Lucifer’s Legion Motorcycle Club Series-Book 1

By Kelli Maine

Synopsis

Who am I?
I’m every woman’s worst nightmare.
A taker of lives.
A trainer of slaves.
You can call me Lucifer.

Luc “Lucifer” Bontrager is a nomad in Lucifer’s Legion Motorcycle Club. Traveling chapter to chapter, he brings in big money kidnapping women, training them and selling them as sex slaves. He’s heartless, brutal and all business.

And then he meets his match.

Lilith. Every man’s worst nightmare. A taker of lives. A sociopath on the run.

Inked up with satanic symbols and verses, she’s fearless and completely insane. Luc can’t train her, he sure as hell can’t sell her, and—for the first time in his life—he can’t bring himself to put a bullet in the bitch’s head either.

She’s his worst regret.

Her words and cold, calculating eyes haunt him. She’s the devil on his shoulder, reminding him of all his sins. He should’ve killed her when he had the chance, because when the unthinkable happens and Luc falls for the young, innocent girl he’s training, Lilith seeks her revenge, targeting the only girl he’s ever wanted to keep as his own.

Buy: Amazon

Nomad

Lucifer’s Legion Motorcycle Club- Book 2

By Kelli Maine

Buy: Amazon

Synopsis

I see you.

I know you.

I am you.

He should’ve put a bullet in her head when he had the chance.

When Luc　”Lucifer” Bontrager wakes up to Lilith—the satanic, sociopath bitch he left for dead in　the desert—holding a gun to his head, his first thought is the girl in the club’s basement. That’s how he knows he’s screwed.

He’s lived his life training women for Lucifer’s Legion Motorcycle Club to take over the border and use for profit. Now he’s caught up in the innocent, young girl he’s supposed to hand over to a Mexican cartel boss in a few days. There’s no way in hell he’s letting her go.

But Luc can’t save her if he’s dead, so this time Lilith won’t get away from him alive.

NOMAD is the second installment in the Lucifer’s Legion Motorcycle Club series and continues Luc’s story from LILITH.

Author Bio:

Kelli Maine is the erotic romance author of USA Today Bestseller and #1 Nook book, Taken, and the Give & Take series, along with the Dolls & Doms novellas and Chains. She lives in Northeast Ohio with her husband and kids. When she’s not writing, Kelli enjoys watching reality T.V., getting lost in random Wikipedia pages and searching online ads for vintage muscle cars.

Favorite Author: Diana Gabaldon
Favorite Food: Japanese
Favorite Superhero: Spiderman
Favorite Place I’ve Been: Yucatan Peninsula
Writing Must Haves: Coffee and chocolate
Plotter or Pantser: Proud Pantser

Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Goodreads

Saucy Southern Readers

professional, honest, and timely book reviews

Category Archives: Contemporary

Happy Release: The Photographer Trilogy Box Set by Sarah Robinson

◆◇◆◇ New Box Set Release! ◆◇◆◇

The Photographer Trilogy by Sarah Robinson

NOW LIVE!

◆◇◆◇ Purchase Links! ◆◇◆◇

All About Sarah Robinson

Other Books by Sarah Robinson

Stalk Sarah on Social Media

Happy Release : How Sweet It Is by Kelly Jamieson

ARC Review + 2014 Favorite : The Pact by Karina Halle

Serial Review: The Billionaire Salvation Serial by Bella Love-Wins

6 Star Review: Nine Minutes by Beth Flynn

Review: Curtains- Sexual Awakenings Vol. 4 by Angelica Chase – Sexual Awakenings Series- Final Book

Unbeautiful by Jessica Sorensen – Unbeautiful Series- Book 1

Cover Reveal: Sail by M. Mabie – The Wake Series – Book 2

Sail

Book Two in The Wake Series

by M. Mabie

Releasing Early 2015

Synopsis:

Sail Links: Goodreads | Casey’s Playlist | Blake’s Playlist

Connect with M. Mabie: Website | Amazon | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | tsū

Other Books by M. Mabie: Fade In (Standalone Contemporary Romance) | Bait: Book One in the Wake Series

Happy Release Day: Something Reckless by Lexi Ryan

Happy Release: Angel by Kelli Maine- Lucifer’s Legion Motorcylcle Club Series- Book 3

◆◇◆◇ New Box Set Release! ◆◇◆◇

The Photographer Trilogy by Sarah Robinson

NOW LIVE!

◆◇◆◇ Purchase Links! ◆◇◆◇

All About Sarah Robinson

Other Books by Sarah Robinson

Stalk Sarah on Social Media

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Sail

Book Two in The Wake Series

by M. Mabie

Releasing Early 2015

Synopsis:

Sail Links: Goodreads | Casey’s Playlist | Blake’s Playlist

Connect with M. Mabie: Website | Amazon | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | tsū

Other Books by M. Mabie: Fade In (Standalone Contemporary Romance) | Bait: Book One in the Wake Series

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