Happy Release + 5 Star Review: Aflame by Penelope Douglas

Posted on 04/21/2015 by shellbellereads

Aflame

Fall Away Series – Book 4

By Penelope Douglas

Synopsis

From the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of Bully, Until You, Rival, and Falling Away comes the sizzling conclusion to the Fall Away series.

The tables have turned. Now I have the power—and it’s his turn to beg…

Everyone wants to be me.

Maybe it’s the sway of my skirt or the way I flip my hair, but I don’t care. Even though their attention is the last thing I crave, I just can’t stop. I dominate the track, the speed rattles my bones, and the wind and the crowd screams my name.

I’m her. The girl driver. The queen of the race. And I’m surviving—something he thought I’d never do.

They all talk about him. Did you see Jared Trent on T.V? What did you think of his last race, Tate? When is he coming back to town, Tate?

But I refuse to care too much. Because when Jared does come home, I won’t be here.

Tatum Brandt is gone. I’m someone new.

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

Michel’s Review

The Fall Away series by Penelope Douglas has come to an end. Although it breaks my heart to say goodbye to all of the beloved characters in this series, it also made my heart explode with happiness on how it ended. The series has come full circle and once again the readers got to experience the love/hate relationship between Jared and Tate. This time they are older and ready to handle all the hiccups that life throws at them.

In the previous book, Falling Away, at the ending Jared and Tate broke up. They were the couple that all of the characters looked up to . They were the couple that overcame a very difficult relationship that should of ended before it began. Jared was a BULLY. Tate was a VICTIM. Somehow these two found a way to put aside the animosity and find the true meaning of love. They graduated high school in a loving relationship. They spent the first two years of college building a future. Somewhere along the way something went wrong once again. It wasn’t their relationship that was wrong, it was life. Tate was growing as an individual. She had solid goals that she was working towards. She was pursuing her dream of becoming a doctor. Jared was in limbo. Although he was attending college and was successful in the ROTC, it was not his dream. He didn’t know what he wanted to do in his future. He didn’t really have goals or dreams to build upon. The only thing he was sure of was his love for Tate. He was also smart enough to recognize that if they continued on the path they were on that somewhere along the way they would end up resenting each other. His misery would cause resentments. Her ambitions would cause resentments. Rather than continue on their mapped out course, Jared chose a new road. He had to take a break in their relationship to find himself. He had to find where his passions lied, what he could do, and how to become a better man for Tate. His intentions were to only take a break until he could come back with self respect and real ambitions. But Tate saw things differently. She saw the break as a break up. She saw it as an ending rather than a beginning. She was through with Jared once and for all.

After two years of separation, Jared is forced to come home because of family. He has been avoiding his family and friends once he realized that he and Tate were over for good. Jared has built a solid career and has found his true calling. At times it seems meaningless because he no longer has Tate in his life. But now he has to prove that he has become a better man and face the music. He has to face Tate. He has to face his family. He has to show them he has become something better.

During Jared’s two year absence Tate has changed. She has become bitter, emotionless, and resentful. Their friends have stayed by her side and supported her through her heartbreak at the cost of their relationship with Jared. She has to finally face Jared and let go of all the resentments before she can move forward in life.

The push and pull between Jared and Tate is just as strong as it has always been. These two have been a very important piece of the other all their lives. Now it’s time to put the pieces together and form one unit.

Penelope Douglas wrote a very powerful ending for the Fall Away series. She allowed her characters to grow, become true adults with real adult problems, and allowed them to experience the hardships that come along with maturity. In the end they all learned the true meaning of love, respect, and hope.

The Fall Away Series will always be one of my absolute favorite series.

Bully – Book 1

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Penelope Douglas delivers an unforgettable New Adult romance that toes the fine line between love and hate….

My name is Tate.

He doesn’t call me that, though. He’ll barely refer to me at all, and he’ll hardly ever speak to me.

But he still won’t leave me alone.

We were best friends once. Then he turned on me and made it his mission to ruin my life. I’ve been humiliated, shut out, and gossiped about all through high school. His pranks and rumors got worse as time wore on. I even went to Europe for a year, just to avoid him.

But I’m done hiding from him now, and there’s no way I’ll allow him to ruin another year. He might not have changed, but I have.

It’s time to fight back.

When one brave young woman stands up to her best friend Jared, now tormenter, the consequences go beyond anything either of them ever would have imagined….

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

Until You – Book 1.5

From New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Penelope Douglas comes a companion novel to Bully.
This is Jared’s story.
Have you ever been so angry that hitting things felt good? Or numb to all emotions? The past few years have been like that for me. Traveling between fury and indifference with no stops in between. Some people hate me for it, while others are scared of me. But none of them can hurt me, because I don’t care about anything or anyone.

Except Tatum.

I love her so much that I hate her. I hate that I can’t let her go. We used to be friends, but I found out that I couldn’t trust her—or anyone else. So I hurt her. I pushed her away. But I still need her. She centers me. Engaging her, challenging her, pushing her—it’s the one last part of me that feels anything anymore.

But then she went and screwed everything up. She left for a year and came back a different girl. Now, when I push, she pushes back…and I’m not sure either one of us will ever be the same.

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

Rival – Book 2

Madoc and Fallon. Two estranged teenagers playing games that push the boundaries between love and war…

She’s back.

For the two years she’s been away at boarding school, there was no word from her. Back when we lived in the same house, she used to cut me down during the day and then leave her door open for me at night.

I was stupid then, but now I’m ready to beat her at her own game…

I’m back.

Two years and I can tell he still wants me, even if he acts like he’s better than me.

But I won’t be scared away. Or pushed down. I’ll call his bluff and fight back. That’s what he wants, right? As long as I keep my guard up, he’ll never know how much he affects me….

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

Falling Away – Book 3

From the New Adult sensation and New York Times bestselling author of Rival

Jaxon is the guy she’s supposed to avoid. K.C. is the girl he won’t let get away….

K. C. Carter has always followed the rules—until this year, when a mistake leaves her the talk of her college campus and her carefully arranged life comes crashing to a halt. Now she’s stuck in her small hometown for the summer to complete her court-ordered community service, and to make matters worse, trouble is living right next door.

Jaxon Trent is the worst kind of temptation and exactly what K.C. was supposed to stay away from in high school. But he never forgot her. She was the one girl who wouldn’t give him the time of day and the only one to ever say no. Fate has brought K.C. back into his life—except what he thought was a great twist of luck turns out to be too close for comfort. As they grow closer, he discovers that convincing K.C. to get out from her mother’s shadow is hard, but revealing the darkest parts of his soul is nearly impossible.…

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

Aflame – Book 4

From the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of Bully, Until You, Rival, and Falling Away comes the sizzling conclusion to the Fall Away series.

The tables have turned. Now I have the power—and it’s his turn to beg…

Everyone wants to be me.

I’m her. The girl driver. The queen of the race. And I’m surviving—something he thought I’d never do.

They all talk about him. Did you see Jared Trent on T.V? What did you think of his last race, Tate? When is he coming back to town, Tate?

But I refuse to care too much. Because when Jared does come home, I won’t be here.

Tatum Brandt is gone. I’m someone new.

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

____________________________________________________________

About Penelope Douglas

Penelope Douglas is a writer living in Las Vegas. Born in Dubuque, Iowa, she is the oldest of five children. Penelope attended the University of Northern Iowa, earning a Bachelor’s degree in Public Administration, because her father told her to “just get the damn degree!” She then earned a Masters of Science in Education at Loyola University in New Orleans, because she HATED public administration. One night, she got tipsy and told the bouncer at the bar where she worked that his son was hot, and three years later she was married. To the son, not the bouncer. They have spawn, but just one. A daughter named Aydan. Penelope loves sweets, The Originals, and she shops at Target almost daily.

Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Goodreads

Release Blitz + 5 Star Review + Giveaway : There You Stand by Christina Lee – Between Breaths Series – Book 5

Posted on 04/21/2015 by shellbellereads

There You Stand

Between Breaths Series – Book 5

By Christina Lee

Synopsis

From the author of All of You and Before You Break comes a new Between Breaths male/male romance about the silent, inked up skateboarder and the tattoo artist who unravels him piece by piece…

Tattoo artist Cory Easton has worked long enough at Raw Ink to know, just by looking at a dude, what his body art reveals, what makes him tick, what even makes him scared. Until he meets the quiet and remote Jude York–so unreadable, so unreachable, and so unlike anyone else, he can’t help but arouse Cory’s curiosity.

As captivating and complex as his ink, Jude is a mystery–and Cory’s falling fast and hard under his spell. Against his better judgment to steer clear.

The rumors of Jude’s past overshadow him–whispers of prison and an unmentionable secret that’s kept him in the protective shadows of a local motorcycle club. As Cory probes deeper, he wonders how much he really wants to know. Especially since Jude has awakened something inside him that has been buried too long–and has him feeling completely alive for the first time in forever…

Includes a preview of Christina Lee’s upcoming adult romance Two of Hearts.

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

Excerpt

Chopper, get your ass back here!”

While he was distracted, I silently moved toward him, hoping to grab hold of that leash. But just as I approached, he took off again, following that same squirrel who’d taken a leap to the next large maple.

I was out of breath and now beyond frustrated. I shoved my hand in my hoodie, my fingers closing on a sturdy dog cookie.

When I looked up again, Chopper was headed straight for the skate park. Shit.

“Chopper, goddamn it,” I called in some last-ditch effort. “You don’t listen for shit.”

Unexpectedly, Jude York neared the cement barrier at the entrance to the bowl. His board clenched in his fist, he seemed to be assessing the situation as the large dog charged nearer.

He left his skateboard on the concrete walkway and stepped into the lawn. He squatted down in the grass, made eye contact with Chopper, and the dog changed course to sail directly toward him. What the hell was that about?

Some type of deep whistle emitted from Jude’s lips and instead of slamming into his chest, Chopper came to a sudden halt beside him. Like Jude was a damn dog whisperer or something. His strong fingers grabbed hold of his collar and he reached down to mutter something in the dog’s ear. Chopper sat down in the grass. Actually fucking sat down—I had never been able to get him to do that.

I became motionless as I watched them, even though Ace was eager to inch closer. At least one animal heeded my command. I wondered what it was about Jude that compelled Chopper to run toward him. I mean, I got the appeal, so maybe it was just pure animal instinct.

The muscles in Jude’s forearm flexed as he stroked Chopper’s head and the dog’s tongue hung out in a happy pant. The little fucker.

As I walked closer to Chopper, Jude’s eyes lifted to mine. And for the first time I saw an array of other emotions alight in them. The most blatant being amusement, as if his irises contained a flicker of light. His lips tilted at the corners in an almost imperceptible smile and he looked so dazzling right then. As he held my gaze for the first time ever, something tightened like a fist inside my chest.

Shit, he was stunning. In that exotic kind of way. His hair was a mass of short blond dreadlocks, his skin inked mainly in black, and his eyes were the most gorgeous light green I’d ever seen—almost like cellophane. And now those same eyes locked on mine and held steady.

Michel’s Review

There You Stand by Christina Lee is the fifth book in the Between Breaths Series. I have read and reviewed each book in this series. Each book in this series has received a 5 Star Review. Christina Lee has a unique writing style that delivers fresh plots, strong characters; both leading and secondary , emotional depth, smooth flow, and perfectly timed pacing. I have fallen for all of the characters in this series. I want all of the characters to have their own book.

There You Stand features Cory Easton, one of the artist at Raw Ink. He is known for his easy going nature and dedicated friendship. He is also openly gay. Although he is committed to his job and friends, he is a free agent in the dating world. He has had some bad experiences with former love interests and has been left with some emotional scars.

When a new skateboarder blows into town and frequents the park where Cory walks his dogs, Cory is mesmerized by this alluring young man. He is secretly attracted to the blond skater boy with a headful of dreadlocks and graceful moves.

Jude York is a man with secrets. He keeps a low profile and has some powerful connections with the local MC. He aims to keep to himself and live very quietly. His past can cause harm to anyone who is in contact with him. When he meets Cory Easton, the talented and gay tattoo artist from Raw Ink, he is intrigued with him. He has been attracted to both men and women in the past, but never with the hunger he has for Cory.

With Jude’s dangerous past and Cory’s emotional scars, these two young men will have to overcome the obstacles that hold them back. Both men will have to learn to let go and move forward.

Cory and Jude’s story is a beautiful story of learning to surrender, learning to communicate, and learning to trust. The end result is the perfect love story that has a happy ending for both men.

There You Stand can be read as a stand alone novel or in series order.

Tina’s Review

Judging a Book by it’s Cover:
Cover design- Overly blended, monochomatic design with inverted title. Kind of bland, not very eye-catching.
Synopsis – Mysterious and intriguing with a healthy dose of a couple hot guys? Sounded good to me!
Looking Deeper:
It’s quickly noted that although this is the fifth book in the series, there’s enough information given to the reader to allow them to read this book without feeling the *need* to read the others, but I suspect that it would be more beneficial and fulfilling if you did.
Cory’s poor judgement in men has left him nothing but a guarded heart and an unruly dog. Jude’s past is dark and mysterious. Both carry scars of the past, yet only only one’s is visible on the outside. Add a few dogs and a MC with a dubious record and there’s bound to be excitement.
Both Cory and Jude are very likable characters with past tragedies, guarded hearts and longing souls. The secondary characters are solid and supportive without being spotlighted too much. Dialogue and interaction between the cast feels natural and believable throughout. The plot is exciting, mysterious, and emotional in turns. It is written extremely well, making for a smooth, addictive read. There were several conflicts throughout the story that added more dimension and dynamics to the plot. A moderate level of predictability sadly took away a bit of the drama and suspense element, but did not detract from the overall experience. The climax and conclusion were completed in a timely manner, leaving no cliffhangers. Overall, it was a very good read that can definitely stand alone.

The Between Breaths Series

All of You- Book 1

In this powerfully emotional debut New Adult novel, Avery has just met her hot upstairs neighbor. He’s irresistible. Tattooed. And a virgin.

Nursing student Avery Michaels wants nothing to do with dating–she’s perfectly happy single. Privy to too many of her mother’s bad decisions and even worse taste in boyfriends, all Avery can handle is a string of uncomplicated hookups whenever the mood strikes.

When she meets smoking hot tattoo artist Bennett, she wants him–for just one night. But he won’t accept a no-strings-attached arrangement. He lives by a straight-laced code of values based on his own troubled upbringing.

Bennett sees something special in Avery and he wants more from her. Way more. As Avery wrestles with her emotions for Bennett, danger and tragedy force them to open up to each other. And Avery must face the terrifying realization that she wants more from him, too.

So she needs to make a choice–let Bennett go or finally let him in.

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

Before You Break – Book 2

A sexy, emotional New Adult romance about a bad boy on the edge and a good girl about to lose control…

A college baseball star isn’t supposed to have skeletons in his closet. But Daniel Quinn is hiding a guilty past so dark he refuses to let anyone get close. Except there’s something about gorgeous, studious Ella Abrams that goes beyond the electric attraction between them–something that makes him want to open up.

Ella has suffered enough heartache and guilt to fill one of her psychology textbooks, but she keeps that part of herself hidden behind a bubbly exterior. Until she receives an anonymous call while working a suicide helpline and the voice on the other end touches something inside of her that she can’t ignore.

Soon Ella and Quinn’s physical connection heats up, even as their deep and revealing hotline talks intensify. But by the time Ella realizes that her seductive jock and her sensitive caller are the same guy, it might be too late to save him–or to stop herself from falling too far…

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

Whisper To Me – Book 3

A hot and consuming New Adult romance about a wayward musician and the one girl who keeps him grounded…

At college, Rachel has a reputation for being a sarcastic flirt with a thing for star athletes. No one at school knows that she’d had her heart ripped to shreds by her high school sweetheart, who’d driven them both off the side of the road on a borrowed motorcycle, and then abandoned her. No one knows the real Rachel Mattson–except one person…

Ever since he helped nurse his sister’s feisty best friend back to health, pierced bass player Kai Nakos has been head over heels in love. But the supposed bad boy can’t risk letting Rachel know the truth–especially now that the two of them are back in their hometown for the summer, together for the first time since the months following that fateful night. Never mind that Rachel’s ex is back, groveling for her forgiveness.

Shaken by her ex’s return, Rachel finds herself turning to the one guy she knows she can trust. Kai is willing to hide his feelings for her, just to have Rachel touch him again. After all, this is only a temporary fling. Until it becomes something more. But maybe it had been more all along…

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

Promis Me This – Book 4

A new love will test the boundaries of passion between a privileged boy next door and the tattooed, blue-haired girl who helps him embrace his wild side…

Nate has developed quite a playboy reputation around campus. It’s not that he doesn’t respect or trust women; he doesn’t trust himself. The men in Nate’s family are prone to abusive behavior—a dirty secret that Nate’s been running from his entire life—so Nate doesn’t do relationships. But he can’t help himself around one girl…

Jessie is strong, independent, and works at a tattoo parlor. Nate can’t resist getting close to her, even if it’s strictly a friendship. But it doesn’t take long for Nate to admit that what he wants with Jessie is more than just friendly.

With Jessie, he can be himself and explore what he’s always felt was a terrifying darkness inside him. Even when Nate begins to crave her in a way that both shocks and horrifies him, Jessie still wants to know every part of him. Testing their boundaries together will take a trust that could render them inseparable… or tear them apart.

INCLUDES A PREVIEW OF TWO OF HEARTS.

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

There You Stand – Book 5

From the author of All of You and Before You Break comes a new Between Breaths male/male romance about the silent, inked up skateboarder and the tattoo artist who unravels him piece by piece…

As captivating and complex as his ink, Jude is a mystery–and Cory’s falling fast and hard under his spell. Against his better judgment to steer clear.

Includes a preview of Christina Lee’s upcoming adult romance Two of Hearts.

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

Two Of Hearts – Book 6

Release Date: May 5, 2015

A gripping standalone adult contemporary romance about finding yourself while taking a second chance at your first love…

Dakota Nakos was always the resilient, strong-willed achiever. But when her father dies and she’s entrusted with the family’s casino, she feels vulnerable, scared, and more than a little emotional –not exactly the best time to see an old lover she’s never really gotten over.

Dakota once meant the world to Shane Garrity. Then suddenly he left town to train as a U.S. Marshal, and their love for each other crashed into a memory. Now he’s come home for her father’s funeral, and one look at the girl he left behind stirs up both memories and regrets, and reignites a fire he feared he’d lost forever.

Dakota may be the same driven girl she always was, but she’s also changed in ways neither could have anticipated. She’s not just a young woman searching for own identity in the Native American community in which she was raised, but one questioning her new life outside her father’s shadow. Above all she wonders if Shane can push past her weakened defenses to rekindle what they once had, or whether the intense blaze between them will ultimately reduce her heart to ashes.

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

______________________________________

Author Bio:

Mother, wife, reader, dreamer. Christina lives in the Midwest with her husband and son–her two favorite guys. She’s addicted to lip gloss, salted caramel everything, and believes in true love and kissing, so writing romance novels has become a dream job.

Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Goodreads

GIVEAWAY

One Winner to receive the following: $10 gift card to the book retailer of their choice = An ARC of my adult romance releasing May 5th, TWO OF HEARTS,
and some Between Breaths swag mailed

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Teaser Tuesday: Fair Game by Monica Murphy- The Rule Series – Book 1

Posted on 04/21/2015 by shellbellereads

ONE WEEK GIRLFRIEND fans…you are going to LOVE this new series by Monica Murphy! Check out the covers and the FAIR GAME excerpt below!

Fair Game

The Rule Series – Book 1

Release Date: May 12, 2015

By Monica Murphy

Synopsis

FAIR GAME (The Rules Series, Book 1) May 12, 2015

Bad enough Jade Frost’s boyfriend drags her to a boring poker game. Even worse that he actually threw her into the betting pot during an intense round…and lost. Talk about the perfect excuse for Jade to make him her ex-boyfriend.

Now she supposedly belongs to the ultra rich, extremely gorgeous Shep Prescott. He could have anything he wants yet he seems to be in hot pursuit of her. No matter how rude, how snarky, how impossible she acts, it doesn’t stop him. More like her horrible behavior seems to make him want her more.

When she finds herself starting to fall for him, Jade’s confused. There’s more to Shep than the carefree rich charmer he portrays. He has secrets. And she wants to discover them, no matter how ugly they might be…

Excerpt

“What are you doing?” she asks, sounding the tiniest bit breathless.

“Making sure you’re not injured,” I answer, proud of how under control I sound. Inside, I’m chaos. My heart is thumping hard against my chest and my breathing’s accelerated. I grip her knee, and realize my hand is fucking shaking.

“I think you’re trying to get your hand up my skirt.” Leave it to Bitch Face to call me out. I can’t help but find her straightforwardness attractive. No girl is ever straightforward with me. They’re always coy. Playing games and flirting and never asking for what they really want. They always defer to me.

After awhile, that gets pretty damn boring.

“Maybe I am,” I say, moving my hand to rest on top of her knee.

Her lips curve into the smallest smile and seeing it feels like a victory. As if I’ve just won an extra difficult battle and that tiny curve of her lush lips is my prize. “You’re pretty determined, aren’t you?”

She’s not pushing me away. I need to take this moment. Seize this fucking moment and make it mine. Make her mine. At least for tonight. Her scent is making my head spin and just touching her knee has got me sporting wood. “I’m always determined.”

“Determined to piss me off?”

I chuckle and her smile grows. “Am I doing a good job?”

“You’re an expert at making me mad.”

“I think we’re having a moment,” I tell her. “A bonding moment.”

She looks the slightest bit horrified. “No. Way. That is the last thing I want to do.”

I raise my eyebrows, let my hand slide up a bare inch more. Then another. I’m so close to getting under that skirt, it’s not even funny. “You don’t like me very much, do you?”

“You don’t like me either. You call me Bitch Face.”

“You introduced yourself to me as Bitch Face.”

She tilts her head, all that wavy red hair tumbling over her shoulder. My fingers itch to touch it. “I did, didn’t I?”

“Yeah. I thought it was an unusual name…” I let my voice drift and she smiles once more.

“Says the man with an unusual name.”

“I told you it’s an old family name.”

“As a last name, not as a first.” She makes a little face. “It’s not very sexy.”

“You don’t think?” Interesting.

“I can’t imagine shouting out your name in the throes of passion.” Her cheeks go the faintest pink. That she’s even thinking like this gives me a secret thrill.

Forbidden. Unknown. This is the last girl I should consider getting naked with.

“Throes of passion?” I ask. “Someone’s been reading too many romance novels.”

“You know what I mean.” She waves a hand, dismissing her words.

“I don’t.” I pull the innocent act, which she isn’t falling for but it’s still fun. “What are you talking about exactly?”

“You’re not going to make me explain, are you?”

“I would love for you to explain. Or maybe I should help you.” I crawl my fingers up her thigh, playing with the frayed hem of her denim skirt. “Are you talking about…having sex?”

She nods, her cheeks blazing up. Hmm, she’s extra pretty when she blushes.

“And that moment…when we’re fucking…and you’re so damn close.” I lean in and inhale deep, my eyes almost falling shut as I absorb her scent, her warmth and that flush in her cheeks, the way her breathing quickens. “So fucking close as I push deep inside you. You don’t think it would be sexy to yell out my name just as I make you come?”

“N-no.” She shakes her head, that single word coming out as a squeak.

“Really.” I give in and settle my cheek next to hers, nuzzle her ear with my nose before I whisper, “Because by the time I have you coming, I’m fairly certain you’ll be crying out my name and begging me please.”

“You’re a real arrogant prick, aren’t you?”

I pull back from her the slightest bit, a little shocked. The girl doesn’t mince words. “Merely confident in my abilities.” I cup the back of her head, thread my fingers in the silky soft waves of her hair. I’d love to wrap her hair around my fist and tug her head back right before I kiss her…

“Proud of your manwhore status?”

“I can’t help it if the ladies flock to me.”

She rests her hand on my chest and gives me a gentle shove. “I’m not flocking to you.”

“Even after all that talk about coming and with my hand up your skirt?”

Jade looks down with a sharp gasp, dropping her hand to mine and shoving it out from beneath her skirt. “What are you doing?”

“I thought it was obvious.” When she says nothing, only glares at me, I continue. “I was going to kiss you and hopefully get you off with my fingers.”

Her mouth drops open. Instead of looking aroused, she looks…pissed. Vaguely horrified. “You’re disgusting.”

I lean back. Move way, way back though I’m not getting off the bed. Not yet. I still have a chance.

Or then again, maybe I don’t.

In The Dark

The Rule Series – Book 2

Release Date: August 25, 2015

By Monica Murphy

Synopsis

IN THE DARK (Book 2) August 25, 2015

Stuck spending the summer with his screwed up family, Gabriel Walker is bored out of his mind and looking for an adventure. And he seems to find it with the hot girl who lives next door. The attraction between them is instant. Electric. Soon they’re spending every stolen minute together. Talk about the perfect summer fling…

Lucy isn’t what she seems. She doesn’t live next door—she’s the maid who’s been hired to house sit for the summer while the family goes on a worldwide vacation. If Gabe wants to believe she’s a spoiled rich girl looking for some fun, she can go along with that. After the summer, she’ll never see him again.

They don’t count on running into each other at college. Now Lucy must keep up the pretense of being a rich girl—and it’s exhausting. She knows she’s falling in love with Gabe and she’s scared he feels the same. Will he still care about her when he discovers the truth?

Slow Play

The Rule Series – Book 3

Release Date: November 3, 2015

By Monica Murphy

Synopsis

SLOW PLAY (Book 3) November 3, 2015

Newly broke girl Alexandria Asher just wants to live a normal life. After her parents are sent to prison on embezzlement charges, she enrolls in college under her mother’s maiden name and tries her best to pretend she’s someone else.

Tristan Chadwick is everything Alex is trying to avoid. A seemingly egotistical, lazy, rich jerk, she dumps her beer on his head when he comes on to her one night at a party. This only spurs Tristan into action. He loves nothing more than a challenge. And the beautiful Alex is exactly the type of challenge that intrigues him.

Despite her reluctance, Alex finds herself quickly involved with Tristan. Underneath that playboy exterior is a good guy, a sweet and sexy guy who she is undoubtedly falling for. What they both don’t realize is the actions of Alex’s parents are the reason for so much tragedy in Tristan’s family. And when Tristan discovers who Alex and her family really is, can he forgive and forget?
______________________________________________________________________________

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

Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Goodreads

Teaser Tuesday: Clipped by Love by Toni Aleo – Bellevue Bullies Series – Book 2

Posted on 04/21/2015 by shellbellereads

Clipped by Love by Toni Aleo

Contemporary Romance

Bellevue Bullies #2

Coming April 27th!

Things are heating up for the Sinclair boys! With one already in the NHL, Jayden Sinclair is hoping to be next!

This has been the toughest year of my life. I watched my brother go into the draft without me, my mom got divorced, and the weight of my family’s issues is heavy on my shoulders. I feel like it’s my job to fix everything while working my butt off in school and trying to make my game better. I have to go into the draft. It will give my family the support they need, and it will prove that I’m good enough. But to get there, I have to show I can be the best captain for the Bellevue Bullies. The spot is mine—no one can take it. First though, Jude is making me go on a brother’s weekend. Innocent enough, I guess…until I see her. She’s the biggest competitor I’ve ever faced. Not only for my spot but also my heart. It’s hard to ignore someone like Baylor Moore.

***

I don’t lose. I can’t. My dad has bred me to be the best in anything I do. I am driven, I am smart, and I am going to be the first woman in the National Hockey League. No two ways about it. I’ve worked too hard. I’ve been through too much not to have what I want. I know I can do it. I will make my dad proud, and no one will stand in the way of that. That is, until I let him in. He scares me. He makes me feel. And he could very well be the one person who can make me want more than just to win.

We both have the same goal. Victory. But how do you compete against the person you want to win? It’s not easy. Love isn’t something you can control. It isn’t like a puck that can be handled by a stick. No, it has a mind of its own and does what it wants.

Neither of us saw it coming, and we really don’t know if there is a way to score, especially when you’re being Clipped by Love.

PRE-ORDER ON AMAZON

♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

About the Author

Toni Aleo is the author of the Nasvhille Assassins series: Taking Shots, Trying to Score, Empty Net, Falling for the Backup, and Blue Lines.

When not rooting for her beloved Nashville Predators, she’s probably going to her husband’s and son’s hockey games and her daughter’s dance competitions, taking pictures, scrapbooking, or reading the latest romance novel.

She lives in the Nashville area with her husband, two children, and a bulldog. Read more about Toni here.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | GoodReads

Happy Release: Five Days Until You by Monica Murphy-One Week Girlfriend Series- Book 4.5

Posted on 04/20/2015 by shellbellereads

Five Days Until You

One Week Girlfriend Series- Book 4.5

By Monica Murphy

Synopsis

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

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

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

Buy: Amazon / B & N

Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Goodreads

Review: Stupid Boy by Cindy Miles- Stupid In Love Series- Book 2

Posted on 04/16/2015 by shellbellereads

Stupid Boy

Stupid In Love Series- Book 2

Genre: New Adult

By Cindy Miles

Synopsis

From Cindy Miles, bestselling new adult author of STUPID GIRL, comes the next installment of her blockbuster Stupid in Love series – STUPID BOY.

“Stupid Boy by Cindy Miles is everything I love about a new adult romance– angsty, emotional and sexy. I couldn’t stop reading!”
– NYT and USA Today bestselling author Lauren Hawkeye

Brax Jenkins and Olivia Beaumont are the most envied couple at Winston University—but the so-called “virginity dare,” orchestrated by Brax’s old fraternity, almost tore them apart. Now, a new dare is taking shape, and it’s sure to set emotions ablaze—more than ever before.

Winston’s “It Girl” Harper Belle isn’t just president of the Deltas—she’s also a master at keeping her ugly past a secret. So, when the Kappas’ dare hits closer to home for her more than anyone realizes, she devises a competition of her own as payback. Three sorority sisters will seek out a notorious womanizer on campus and—unbeknownst their “mark”—secretly train him to be the perfect boyfriend. Always up for a challenge, Harper targets the biggest player she can find: Brax’s wickedly handsome foster brother Kane McCarthy.

But, Harper discovers there’s much more to Kane than girls, games, and partying. His easy smile belies the quiet, old soul reflected in his deep brown eyes. All it takes is one night, one secret laid bare, and one kiss from Kane to shift Harper’s world on its axis. Suddenly, the girl who’s always walked a straight and narrow path can’t think of anything else except losing control.

“A raw, beautiful, poignant story about pain, heartache and first love. I couldn’t put it down.”
– Carly Phillips, NYT bestselling author, on STUPID GIRL

Buy: Amazon / B & N / ITunes / Kobo

Michel’s Review

*** Arc provided by publisher, via Net Galley, for a fair and honest review. ***

When I saw Stupid Boy by Cindy Miles on Net Galley, I had to request a copy for review. I have read all of Cindy Miles paranormal books and absolutely loved them. I was intrigued to see that she had released some books in the New Adult genre. And once again she delivered a fantastic book with solid emotional writing.

Harper Belle is the perfect girl. She makes good grades, she is in one of the most prestigious sorority, her appearance is perfect, and her behavior is perfect. She was appalled by the rush stunt the Kappa’s pulled the previous year. She has devised a full proof plan for her sorority to put the Kappa’s in their place and make them model students. She and her sorority sisters are going to make these bad boy frat boys into the perfect boyfriends and model students. They are going to prove that with positive reinforcement that even the baddest of bad boys can be reformed. Her plan is not going to hurt anyone, it is going to make the Kappa’s better men.

Like most plans go, they have hiccups and fall off track. When she meets Brax Jenkins best friend from Boston, bad boy Kane McCarthy, she has found the perfect bad boy. He has come to Texas to “run the numbers”. He’s good at what he does and makes no apology for it. He is the perfect candidate for Harper to reform.

Appearances aren’t everything. Harper soon finds out that there is more to Kane than meets the eye. He is a smart, intelligent, and caring person. Somehow he looks beneath Harper’s perfect facade and sees a kindred spirit. He recognizes a wounded soul. He sees the beauty she has hid behind the perfection.

Both Kane and Harper will learn there are many sides to a person. There is a fine line between good and bad, right and wrong, and everything in between. What is important is to be honest with oneself. Also to give with a pure heart.

Stupid Boy was a very emotional book. Both Harper and Kane have survived horrific childhoods. Their coping mechanisms may be different but in the end they both need the same thing. They both need unconditional love.

Cindy Miles did an excellent job. I enjoyed Stupid Boy so much that I had to download the first book in the series, Stupid Girl. Let me tell you, Stupid Girl was another fantastic book. Each book in the series can be read as a stand alone romance or in series order.

I highly recommend the Stupid In Love series!

The Stupid In Love Series

Stupid Girl – Book 1

Only fools fall in love…

After her senior year of high school leaves behind nothing but heartache, Olivia Beaumont is sure of this: She’s no stupid girl. She sets out for Winston University, promising herself that she will remain focused on her first and only love – astronomy. But all it takes is cocky sophomore Brax Jenkins and an accidental collision with a football, to throw her entire year off course.

A quick-tempered Southie who escaped the inner city streets of Boston to pitch for Winston, Brax is known to play way more fields than just the baseball diamond. So, when his name is drawn to take part in his fraternity’s hazing dare, Brax eagerly accepts the mission to take Olivia’s virginity. But he doesn’t plan on falling hard for the sweet and sassy Texas girl who sees right through his bad-boy persona.

As Olivia and Brax battle their feelings for each other, echoes of the past year begin to surface. A boy who once turned Olivia’s whole world upside down reappears, and “harmless” pranks wreak havoc. Pretty soon the aspiring astronomer is on the verge of revealing her most difficult, heartbreaking secret. All the while, Brax must wrestle with the irrevocable dare, and Olivia struggles against all logic as she does the one thing only a stupid girl would do: fall in love.

Buy: Amazon / B & N / ITunes / Kobo

Stupid Boy – Book 2

Buy: Amazon / B & N / ITunes / Kobo

Author Bio:

Cindy Miles is the best-selling author of twelve novels, one anthology and three short stories. She also writes as Elle Jasper, and grew up on the salt marshes of the Vernon River in Savannah, Georgia.

Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Goodreads

Happy Release + 6 Star Review: The Shameless Hour by Sarina Bowen – The Ivy Years Series – Book 4

Posted on 04/15/2015 by shellbellereads

The Shameless Hour

The Ivy Years Series- Book 4

Release Date: April 15. 2015

By Sarina Bowen

Buy: Amazon/ B & N / ITunes

Synopsis

The girl who’s had everyone meets the boy who has no one.
For Bella, the sweet-talking, free-loving, hip-checking student manager of the Harkness men’s hockey team, sex is a second language. She’s used to being fluent where others stutter, and the things people say behind her back don’t (often) bother her. So she can’t understand why her smoking hot downstairs neighbor has so much trouble staying friends after their spontaneous night together. She knows better than to worry about it, but there’s something in those espresso eyes that makes her second guess herself.
Rafe is appalled with himself for losing his virginity in a drunken hookup. His strict Catholic upbringing always emphasized loving thy neighbor—but not with a bottle of wine and a box of condoms. The result is an Ivy League bout of awkwardness. But when Bella is leveled by a little bad luck and a downright sinister fraternity prank, it’s Rafe who is there to pick up the pieces.
Bella doesn’t want Rafe’s help, and she’s through with men. Too bad the undeniable spark that crackles between the two of them just can’t be snuffed.

Buy: Amazon / B & N / ITunes

I heard the band start to play the classic one-two Merengue rhythm that I’d heard my whole life. On the dance floor, the energy picked up as the geezers began to move to the faster beat.

“Let’s go,” I said, standing up. I offered Bella my hand.

But Bella shook her head. Even worse, she scooted her chair toward the wall.

“Don’t leave me hanging,” I said, my hand still waiting in the air. “Come on now. Nobody puts Bella in a corner.”

On the other side of the table, Bella’s sister snorted into her white wine.

Bella rolled her eyes. Hard. “You did not just quote Dirty Dancing.”

I leaned down near Bella’s ear. “I did. Now get your ass out of that chair, like the girl in the movie, or I’ll have to put you in a fireman’s hold.”

Her mouth tight, Bella stood up. Not one to waste an opportunity, I clasped her hand, tugging her onto the dance floor. When we were right in the center, I put one hand onto Bella’s waist and took her opposite hand in mine. She was as stiff as a piece of wood. “Shake it off, chica. This is supposed to be fun.”

“Your job tonight was to make my life less embarrassing. Not more.”

“I am doing that. We’re going to be the best looking dancers on this floor, and everyone in this mausoleum is going to wonder how I got so lucky as to be here with you. Now listen to this rhythm, okay? Just step to the beat. And let your hips absorb the motion.” I began to move to the music. The merengue is a Dominican dance, and every kid in my neighborhood can merengue before his fifth birthday. It’s just not that complicated.

With nervous eyes, Bella began to move.

“Use these hips,” I prompted, touching the silky fabric of her dress. As I watched, she loosened up a tiny fraction. “Yes! But even more. You look great. I wouldn’t steer you wrong. And think of pressing the balls of your feet into the floor.”

Biting her lip, Bella moved with me.

“That’s it! See? Nothing to it.” Just like that, we had a proper merengue going on.

“Can I sit down yet?” Bella asked.

“Not even close,” I laughed. “See, I knew you could move.”

Bella pouted. “We’ve seen each other’s moves, Rafe.”

She lifted her eyes, and the heat in them went straight to my dick.

Jesucristo. That was the trouble with getting so close to Bella. I was always going to be susceptible to her. Anything she did to remind me of that night was always going to knock me right over.

“Ha.” She said. “I finally found a way to shut you up.” Bella put a little more effort into her merengue then, looking smug.

Michel’s Review

The Shameless Hour is the fourth book in the Ivy Years Series by Sarina Bowen. Each and every book in this series has been beyond excellent and made our 2014 Favorites list. The Shameless Hour is following in the foot steps of it’s predecessors with a very unique story and very unique characters. There is nothing predictable about this book. This book paves the path for new characters in the series as well as featuring some of the beloved characters from previous books. She has allowed her characters to mature, grow as individuals, and move forward in their lives. Some have graduated and left Harkness College, others are working towards graduating, some are changing their interests and goals, others are finding new paths to follow; the one thing that remains the same is their dedication to friendship and love. Each character has a story to tell and hopefully each one will get a book. Up on the Harkness Roll Sheet in the Ivy Years series is Bella Hall, the student hockey team manager.

Bella Hall is in a class by herself. She can manage a team full of college hockey players and take any kind of crap from the guys and give it right back, She is a progressive thinker and is very open about her own sexuality. She doesn’t see any harm in hooking up with a guy as long as it doesn’t hurt any one else and there are no expectations for a relationship. She is a free spirit until a horrific mistake makes her the joke of the campus. Her mistake has been posted on the internet as a fraternity prank and it ruins her self esteem. The once outgoing girl turns into an introvert. But another previous mistake ends up being her redemption and the best thing to ever happen to her. It opens her eyes about the true meaning of love and relationships. It opens the door for new friendships. It shows her how loyal and valuable her friendship has been to others. It also gives her an opportunity to focus on her goals and ambitions for the future. Most of all… these two mistakes, one good and one bad, will be life changing for her in a very good way. She will find the kind of love she never knew she wanted or needed.

Rafe Santiago is a sophomore Soccer player at Harkness. He comes from a humble background. He was raised by a single mother in a strict Hispanic Catholic environment. He has been taught to respect women, that one night stand hookups are wrong, and that love should be the only reason to have sex out of wedlock. When a bad break up leads to a drunken one night stand with the beautiful Bella Hall, he is mortified the next day. He isn’t mortified because he had sex, he is mortified that he treated Bella with disrespect the morning after. He truly likes her as a person and has always harbored a secret crush on her. He is determined to apologize and make things right with Bella. He wants to date her and show her what a caring relationship means. When the unthinkable happens to Bella he’s determined to show her what an exceptional and beautiful person she is inside and out.

Rafe and Bella will form a beautiful friendship that comes from true respect. They will find that they have more in common than they think. They will also learn new things about themselves as well as each other.

Sarina Bowen penned another emotional and heart wrenching story. When Bella’s mistake was revealed I was floored. I was having an OMG moment and was completely stunned. I have never read a book with this kind of dilemma as part of the plot. How she handled this dilemma and how the characters reacted to it was amazing. She once again showed that people can overcome the things that hurt them most. This was a beautiful love story that showed the readers the value of friendship and respect. Rafe was another swoon worthy hero in the Harkness Hall of Fame. Well done Sarina! I can’t wait to see what’s coming next…. maybe a movie star, a hot shot soccer player, or some of our beloved hockey players.

Read The Shameless Hour by Sarina Bowen. It can be read in series order or as a stand alone romance.

The Ivy Years

The Year We Fell Down – Book 1

The sport she loves is out of reach. The boy she loves has someone else. What now?

She expected to start Harkness College as a varsity ice hockey player. But a serious accident means that Corey Callahan will start school in a wheelchair instead.

Across the hall, in the other handicapped-accessible dorm room, lives the too-delicious-to-be real Adam Hartley, another would-be hockey star with his leg broken in two places. He’s way out of Corey’s league.

Also, he’s taken.

Nevertheless, an unlikely alliance blooms between Corey and Hartley in the “gimp ghetto” of McHerrin Hall. Over tequila, perilously balanced dining hall trays, and video games, the two cope with disappointments that nobody else understands.

They’re just friends, of course, until one night when things fall apart. Or fall together. All Corey knows is that she’s falling. Hard.

But will Hartley set aside his trophy girl to love someone as broken as Corey? If he won’t, she will need to find the courage to make a life for herself at Harkness — one which does not revolve around the sport she can no longer play, or the brown-eyed boy who’s afraid to love her back.

Buy: Amazon / Barnes and Noble / ITunes

The Year We Hid Away – Book 2

She’s hiding something big. He’s hiding someone small.
Scarlet Crowley’s life was torn apart the day father was arrested for unspeakable crimes. Now the shock has worn off, but not the horror.

It’s a safe bet that Scarlet is the only first year at Harkness College who had to sneak past TV news trucks parked on her front lawn just to leave town. But college will be Scarlet’s fresh start.

Clutching a shiny new student ID — with a newly minted name on it — she leaves it all behind. Even if it means lying to the boy she’s falling for.

Bridger McCaulley is a varsity hockey star known for being a player both on and off the ice. But a sobering family crisis takes that all away. Protecting his sister means a precarious living arrangement and constant deception. The only bright spot in his week is the few sensual, stolen hours he spends with Scarlet.
The two form a tentative relationship based on the understanding that some things must always be held back. But when grim developments threaten them both, going it alone just won’t work anymore. And if they can’t learn to trust one another now, the families who let them down will take everything they’ve struggled to keep.

Buy: Amazon / Barnes and Noble / ITunes

Blond Date – Book 2.5

A blind date. A nervous sorority girl. A mean-spirited fraternity prank. What could go wrong?

As a sorority pledge, there are commandments that Katie Vickery must live by. One: thou shalt not show up for the party without a date. Two: the guy shall be an athlete, preferably an upperclassman.

Unfortunately, Katie just broke up with her jerkface football player boyfriend. Even worse, her last encounter with him resulted in utter humiliation. She’d rather hide under the bed than attend a party where he’ll be.

Yet staying home would mean letting him win.

Enjoying herself tonight was out of the question. She could only hope to get through the evening without her blind date noticing that he was spending the evening with a crazy person.

Andrew Baschnagel is living proof that nice guys don’t finish first. He’s had his eye on Katie since the moment her long legs waltzed into his art history class. So when her roommate sets Andy up to be Katie’s date, he’d be crazy to say no. Unfortunately, he doesn’t have a lot of practice with either girls or parties. Yet.

Buy: Amazon / Barnes and Noble / ITunes

The Understatement Of The Year – Book 3

What happened in high school stayed in high school. Until now.

Five years ago, Michael Graham betrayed the only person who ever really knew him. Since then, he’s made an art of hiding his sexual orientation from everyone. Including himself.

So it’s a shock when his past strolls right into the Harkness College locker room, sporting a bag of hockey gear and the same slow smile that had always rendered Graham defenseless. For Graham, there is only one possible reaction: total, debilitating panic. With one loose word, the team’s new left wing could destroy Graham’s life as he knows it.

John Rikker is stuck being the new guy. Again. And it’s worse than usual, because the media has latched onto the story of the only “out” player in Division One hockey. As the satellite trucks line the sidewalk outside the rink, his new teammates are not amused.

And one player in particular looks sick every time he enters the room.

Rikker didn’t exactly expect a warm welcome from Graham. But the guy won’t even meet his eyes. From the looks of it, his former… best friend / boyfriend / whatever isn’t doing so well. He drinks too much and can’t focus during practice.

Either the two loneliest guys on the team will self destruct from all the new pressures in their lives, or they can navigate the pain to find a way back to one another. To say that it won’t be easy is the Understatement of the Year.

Warning: unlike the other books in this series, this heartbreaking love story is about two guys. Contains sexual situations, dance music, snarky t-shirts and a poker-playing grandmother.

Buy : Amazon / Barnes and Noble / ITunes

The Ivy Years Collection- Three Full Length Novels + Novella

Life at the elite Harkness College is brought to you in four tales, each one sexier and more heartbreaking than the last. Contains: hockey hotties, snarky T-shirts, a slow-burn love affair, a liar (with reasons,) a virgin (with reasons,) and one adorkable basketball player.

Book 1: The Year We Fell Down
The sport she loves is out of reach. The boy she loves has someone else.
Corey was supposed to start college as a member of the women’s ice hockey team. Instead, she’ll spend it in a wheelchair. The only upside? Her too-delicious-to-be-real neighbor across the hall.

Book 2: The Year We Hid Away
She’s hiding something big. He’s hiding someone small.
Dorm rooms are supposed to be for sleeping, studying, and partying. Not for hiding your eight-year-old sister.

Novella: Blonde Date
A blind date. A nervous sorority girl. A mean-spirited fraternity prank. What could go wrong?

Book 3: The Understatement of the Year
What happened in high school stayed in high school. Until now.
Michael Graham will never tell anyone the truth about himself. Too bad his past walks right into the locker room on the first day of hockey practice.

Buy: Amazon / Barnes and Noble / ITunes

Author Bio:

Sarina Bowen writes steamy, angsty Contemporary Romance and New Adult fiction from the wilds of Vermont.

The Year We Fell Down, Book #1 in The Ivy Years series, began breaking hearts in March 2014. Book #2, The Year We Hid Away, is brand new.

For Harlequin-E, Sarina writes the Gravity series. Coming in From the Cold features an angsty downhill ski racer and one of the most unique plot conflicts in contemporary romance today.

Sarina enjoys skiing, coffee products and a nice glass of wine. She lives with her family, eight chickens and more ski gear and hockey equipment than seems necessary.

She would be honored to connect with you at http://www.sarinabowen.com.

Sign up for Sarina’s Mailing List

Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter~ Goodreads ~Amazon Author Page

Teaser Tuesday… Clipped By Love by Toni Aleo – Bellevue Bullies Series – Book 2

Posted on 04/14/2015 by shellbellereads

Clipped by Love by Toni Aleo

Contemporary Romance

Bellevue Bullies #2

Coming April 27th!

Things are heating up for the Sinclair boys! With one already in the NHL, Jayden Sinclair is hoping to be next!

This has been the toughest year of my life. I watched my brother go into the draft without me, my mom got divorced, and the weight of my family’s issues is heavy on my shoulders. I feel like it’s my job to fix everything while working my butt off in school and trying to make my game better. I have to go into the draft. It will give my family the support they need, and it will prove that I’m good enough. But to get there, I have to show I can be the best captain for the Bellevue Bullies. The spot is mine—no one can take it. First though, Jude is making me go on a brother’s weekend. Innocent enough, I guess…until I see her. She’s the biggest competitor I’ve ever faced. Not only for my spot but also my heart. It’s hard to ignore someone like Baylor Moore.

***

I don’t lose. I can’t. My dad has bred me to be the best in anything I do. I am driven, I am smart, and I am going to be the first woman in the National Hockey League. No two ways about it. I’ve worked too hard. I’ve been through too much not to have what I want. I know I can do it. I will make my dad proud, and no one will stand in the way of that. That is, until I let him in. He scares me. He makes me feel. And he could very well be the one person who can make me want more than just to win.

We both have the same goal. Victory. But how do you compete against the person you want to win? It’s not easy. Love isn’t something you can control. It isn’t like a puck that can be handled by a stick. No, it has a mind of its own and does what it wants.

Neither of us saw it coming, and we really don’t know if there is a way to score, especially when you’re being Clipped by Love.

PRE-ORDER ON AMAZON

♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

About the Author

Toni Aleo is the author of the Nasvhille Assassins series: Taking Shots, Trying to Score, Empty Net, Falling for the Backup, and Blue Lines.

When not rooting for her beloved Nashville Predators, she’s probably going to her husband’s and son’s hockey games and her daughter’s dance competitions, taking pictures, scrapbooking, or reading the latest romance novel.

She lives in the Nashville area with her husband, two children, and a bulldog. Read more about Toni here.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | GoodReads

Release Blitz + 6 Star Review + 2015 Favorite: Interim by S. Walden

Posted on 04/14/2015 by shellbellereads

Interim

Genre: YA/ NA Crossover Suspense/Psychological Thriller

By S. Walden

Synopsis

Book Description:

~A lot can change in the space between devising a plan and carrying it out. That space is called the Interim.~

High school seniors Jeremy Stahl and Regan Walters aren’t friends. Not even close. He’s a picked-on, picked-apart loser outcast. She’s a cool kid running with the popular crowd. It’s unlikely they’d ever speak to one another. Too bad he’s madly in love with her. But what does it matter, anyway? He’s got no time for love. Only revenge.

Meticulously detailed in the pages of his battered red notebook is his master plan: April 14, 9:30 A.M., two guns, eighty rounds of ammo, backup knives, eleven victims. He’s finally ready to answer every single taunt, jeer, and flying fist—unwarranted abuse that’s spanned six years of his lonely life. He’s justified. He’s ready. But he never readied himself for her.

Regan finds his journal. She reads it, and when he discovers her intrusion, he has to switch tactics. She’s a liability now.

Better fix that.

(WARNING: This is a New Adult standalone that contains graphic language and violence, including gun violence. If school shootings are an especially sensitive subject for you, then I urge you to refrain from reading this book.)

Buy: Amazon / B & N / ITunes / Smashwords

Letter to the Reader:

Dear Reader,

Not many authors will discourage you from reading their work. After all, the goal of our stories is to grow our readership, not diminish it. I’m well aware of that, but when I first became inspired with Jeremy’s story, I knew I would have to go about promoting it in an entirely different way—something far removed from my past marketing campaigns. I knew I would have to hide the book, stamp disclaimers all over it, plant seeds of doubt in your minds, decline requests for advanced reviews—in essence, all the things an author SHOULD NOT do when marketing her book. That’s why it took me so long to write the damn thing—over a year of worrying, second-guessing, flip-flopping, arguing. Jeremy sat waiting patiently, and I stared back at him wondering just how much he would destroy my career.

Then I remembered that his story is exactly the type of controversial social issue I enjoy tackling. I knew I had to write it because I could. I could be sensitive to the subject matter without being PC. I could leave my political and moral opinions out of it. I could make it a human story, not a gun story. I could do all these things if I worked very hard—if I was diligent and faithful to my characters and their experiences. Once I realized these things, I stopped fretting and just started writing, careful to keep all the details private and sacred. That’s how writing should be: private and sacred.

Now Jeremy’s story is no longer private, but I hope you will find it sacred. I hope you will throw off your preconceptions and bury your social and political views, your moral judgments. It’s too easy to go into a story like this already angry, especially if you or someone you love has experienced gun violence. I urge you to think long and hard before starting Interim if you are especially sensitive to the topic of school shootings. There are extremely violent, descriptive scenes, and I do not wish for my book to be a trigger for you.

I am well aware of the social debate a book like this may provoke. I did not write it for debate. I did not write it to make a statement about guns, gun control, gun access, Constitutional rights, etc. I am not interested in comparing my story to the horrific school shootings that have taken place in the United States. I have no motive other than to tell a story about an abused boy who felt he deserved justice. What you take away from the novel is entirely up to you.

Love,

Summer

Excerpt

Who was he? What was his purpose? He knew it once. Once, a long time ago, he decided to be a hero. He decided to avenge himself and all the other kids who were helpless against abuse. Once, a long time ago, he learned the difference between justice and mercy. He learned when justice was required. He learned when mercy was allowed. Once, a long time ago, he faced himself in the mirror and saw a stranger—a better boy than he could ever be. A boy with a mission. A boy with convictions. And he reached out to take hold of that boy, through the looking-glass, falling into a wonderland where righteousness ruled supreme and evil was destroyed with the pop pop! of a gun. The world made sense to him. Then.

Soundtrack: https://open.spotify.com/user/summerwalden/playlist/7I0P4NnU5bCiRzqMTapGEM

Robin’s Review

Twenty-three years ago, Pearl Jam released the alternative rock single named Jeremy. Jeremy is one of the most widely-recognized songs performed by Pearl Jam and is based on two different true stories. The main inspiration for Jeremy was a newspaper article about Jeremy Wade Delle of Richardson, Texas. On the morning of January 8, 1991, Jeremy Delle shot himself in front of his second-period English class. This song is also inspired by a student songwriter Eddie Vedder knew when he was in junior high school in San Diego. Instead of taking his own life, this student decided to gun down his classmates.

Now that you know the story behind the song, have you ever taken a moment to focus on the words of Jeremy? Go on…..pull out your iPod or do a search of YouTube videos and listen. It’s a very deep and dark song about a troubled teenager who decides to take control of his life and fight back on his own terms. It didn’t take long for me to recall Pearl Jam’s Jeremy once I began reading Interim, and the song will forever mean more to me now that I have read this novel.

It wasn’t easy for S. Walden to write her story about Jeremy Stahl. It took her a long time to come to terms with what was bouncing around in her head. Walden wants readers to know she is not speaking to a point. She has no agenda. She just has a story. Knowing Walden’s proclivity to write about dark and controversial subjects, I was nervous about reading Interim. In fact, I have never feared the content of a novel like I did with Interim. I had a healthy respect for this story based on the synopsis and personal discussion with the author before I began reading.

Walden truly agonized over writing Interim. Bullying. Parental neglect and abuse. Gun violence in schools. When you combine controversial subjects with violence, you have a recipe for something dark and scary. Something to be feared. This is the truth of the matter – the events that take place in Interim could happen at any school or shopping mall or workplace on any given day. So before you begin reading Interim, please be sure to read the letter from S. Walden at the beginning of the novel and be very sure you can handle the content.

I’m going to get straight to the point. Interim is a 6-star novel. It’s everything I could have hoped for in a thriller. Intense emotions, anger and panic. Darkness. Suspense. Graphic violence. Young adult romance. The authentic feel of the high school social scene. Issues teenagers deal with on daily basis. Walden was a teacher for several years, and she’s acquainted with the age group. She’s familiar with bullying. The dialogue, conversations between Jeremy and Regan, Hannah and other secondary characters, kept me on the edge of my seat. Interim completely held my interest. It’s one of the finest examples of character development that I can recall. It may have taken a long time for Walden to write this story, but I applaud the amount of time and thought she put into writing it. There is nothing rushed or sloppy about Interim. It’s one of the best novels I have read this year, and it has definitely earned a place on my list of 2015 favorites!

________________________________________________________________

S.Walden used to teach English before making the best decision of her life by becoming a full-time writer. She lives in Georgia with her very supportive husband who prefers physics textbooks over fiction and has a difficult time understanding why her characters must have personality flaws. She is wary of small children, so she has a Westie instead. She is the USA Today bestselling author of Going Under. When she’s not writing, she’s thinking about it.

She loves her fans and loves to hear from them. Email her at swaldenauthor@hotmail.com and follow her twitter feed at @swaldenauthor.

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

Facebook Giveaway

https://www.facebook.com/swaldenauthor/photos/p.888883921174916/888883921174916/?type=1

Happy Release + Review + Giveaway: Only For Us by Cristin Harber- The Only Series – Book 3

Posted on 04/14/2015 by shellbellereads

Only For Us

The Only Series – Book 3

By Cristin Harber

Synopsis

The third installment of the Only series. Must be read in order.

Grayson and Emma. First love. True love. And… they have a daughter. Abandonment is his curse. He left his woman, survived his team, and missed the moment most precious to a father. Until now.

I didn’t know you were killing yourself with work. I didn’t know you’re raising our daughter. So help me God, had I known, there is no military force on earth that would’ve kept me from you.

Love needs to heal all, or they won’t survive the collision of their separate lives. Emma must reach deep into her heart that is barely hanging on and find forgiveness. Grayson, wrecked with PTSD-filled nightmares, must prove that he’s here to stay and able to rebuild his family against all odds.

I need to say I love you. But what I mean is I love you–in a way that defies definition and exists only in a world that you and I are in.

Only for Us is the third installment in the Only series. All novellas will release Spring 2015.

Buy: Amazon / Barnes and Noble / ITunes

Exceprt

“I’ve done nothing for you to give me that trust, but I need you to anyway.”

I’m not pressed against his chest anymore. The warmth that encapsulated me moments ago is gone, but I feel different. Life’s shifted—I’ve been hanging on this roller coaster for years, and now it’s as if we’re cautiously slipping toward smooth sailing. The lump in my throat eases, and my eyelids lift, my gaze falling on the most handsome man I’ve ever seen.

“What do you say?” He inches closer.

“I love you, Grayson.” Deep breath. “When it comes to us, I’m all in.”

Michel’s Review

Grayson and Emma have found their way back to one another. Their separation was the catalyst to a very hard journey for both of them. For Grayson it was turning his back on the only thing he loved to serve in the military. For Emma it was mission of daily survival after the only man she ever loved left her without a word. The only thing that has made this betrayal easier is the beautiful baby he doesn’t know he has left behind. Their daughter is the only thing that came out good and pure.

Now Grayson is back and wants to reclaim the future he and Emma should of had. The separation has left a lot of mistrust and emotional scars. He vows he has become a better man. A man that will honor the woman he loves and cherish the daughter they created.

Emma and Grayson want to put their lives back together. They want to hang onto the love they have for one another. Although they have accepted and forgave each other, their path still will not be easy. They will have to win over Emma’s family, put Grayson’s childhood in the past, and find a new path to travel. First on the agenda is for Grayson to find a job in the civilian world. Lucky that Titan has their eyes on him. He may find a job that suits his skill set and will keep him close to home with Emma. It may be dangerous but not as bad as his job in the military. Emma will have to come clean to Grayson on how she has been supporting her daughter while going to college. It could be a deal breaker for them.

Just as things look like they are going to work out, Emma’s secret will be exposed in the worst possible way. What happens next? Cliffhanger. The final installment in the Only series, Only Forever, will release soon.

The Only Series is addicting. Cristin Harber has written an emotional story of first love and true love that will forever stay true. Read this series!

Only Series

Only For Him

Only Series – Book 1

Genre – New Adult

By Cristin Harber

Synopsis

Grayson Ford and Emma Kinglsey–close since they were kids, opposites in every way. He’s the stuff high school crushes are made of, Mister Popular, and captain of every team. She’s artsy, cute, and not in his league, though fully aware of Summerland’s “I Dream of Dating Grayson Ford” support group.

I can’t say no. The girl’s had my heart since before I knew it went missing.

He hides a life of hell. His father hates him, his mother’s gone. Emma is his only savior, yet she doesn’t know her power over him. She’s the only girl he wants, the only one he could ever tell–though he won’t.

I’m stronger, bigger, more of a man than he’ll ever be, but because I ruined his life, I’ve taken his crap, his attacks, the vulgar nature of his existence.

Until she discovers Gray’s embarrassment, his humiliation. Emma fights for him and for a chance. Theirs is a Cinderella story that she believes impossible. But as the layers peel back, it’s just a guy who needs a girl in order to keep breathing.

My mind is already doodling Mrs. Grayson Ford in imaginary notebooks. He has no clue where my head is at… But, given that I didn’t see what just happened coming, maybe I have no clue where his head is at either.

Only for Him. Only series, Volume One.
All novellas will release Spring 2015.

Buy: Amazon / Barnes and Noble / ITunes

Only For Her

Only Series – Book 2

Sequel To Only For Him

By Cristin Harber

Synopsis

The second installment in the Only series. Must read book one first!!

First loves never die but Grayson Ford comes close. Bleeding out in a war zone, he barters with God. Bring him back alive, and he’ll make it right with his girl.

All I want is Emma. I need her, and I fight for her memory. A story. A smile. Anything. But it’s all blank.

Emma is not his girl anymore. Time has skipped by and life’s been hard. She strips to pay the bills, waitresses to fill the hours between classes and her third job. All while working to be the best mama she can be to the little girl who will never know her daddy. Even though Grayson abandoned her, she mourned his death. Until he calls, and everything she knew was wrong.

It’s him. The him that ruined my life. That made my life. That confused my mind to the point that I can’t figure out if I’ve been destroyed or set free. The him that… is… dead.

He’s back with one objective–Emma Kingsley–and she never sees it coming.

Buy: Amazon / B & N / ITunes

Only For Us – Book 3

Only For Us

Only Series – Book 3

Release Date: April 14, 2015

The third installment of the Only series. Must be read in order.

Grayson and Emma. First love. True love. And… they have a daughter. Abandonment is his curse. He left his woman, survived his team, and missed the moment most precious to a father. Until now.

I need to say I love you. But what I mean is I love you–in a way that defies definition and exists only in a world that you and I are in.

Only for Us is the third installment in the Only series. All novellas will release Spring 2015.

The third installment of the Only series. Must be read in order.

Grayson and Emma. First love. True love. And… they have a daughter. Abandonment is his curse. He left his woman, survived his team, and missed the moments most precious to a father. Until now.

I didn’t know you were killing yourself with work. I didn’t know you’re raising our daughter. So help me God, had I known, there is no military force on earth that would’ve kept me from you.

I need to say I love you. But what I mean is I love you–in a way that defies definition and exists only in a world that you and I are in.

Only for Us is the third installment in the Only series. All novellas will release Spring 2015.

ABOUT CRISTIN HARBER

Cristin Harber is a USA Today bestselling romantic suspense and military romance author. Fans voted her onto Amazon’s Top Picks for Debut Romance Authors in 2013, and her debut Titan series was #1 romantic suspense, #1 military romance, and a USA Today Top 100 bestseller.

She lives outside Washington, DC with her family and English Bulldog.

Website | Newsletter | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

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!

Giveaway

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Saucy Southern Readers

professional, honest, and timely book reviews

Category Archives: New Adult

Happy Release + 5 Star Review: Aflame by Penelope Douglas

Release Blitz + 5 Star Review + Giveaway : There You Stand by Christina Lee – Between Breaths Series – Book 5

Happy Release: Five Days Until You by Monica Murphy-One Week Girlfriend Series- Book 4.5

Review: Stupid Boy by Cindy Miles- Stupid In Love Series- Book 2

Happy Release + 6 Star Review: The Shameless Hour by Sarina Bowen – The Ivy Years Series – Book 4

Release Blitz + 6 Star Review + 2015 Favorite: Interim by S. Walden

Happy Release + Review + Giveaway: Only For Us by Cristin Harber- The Only Series – Book 3

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this: