Excerpt + 5 Star Review + Giveaway : He Will Be My Ruin by K. A. Tucker … A Suspense Thriller

Posted on 01/27/2016 by shellbellereads

We are absolutely thrilled to bring you the Review & Excerpt Tour for K.A. Tucker’s HE WILL BE MY RUIN! HE WILL BE MY RUIN is a K.A. Tucker’s first suspense novel, published by Atria books, an Imprint of Simon & Schuster, and is set to be released February 2, 2016!

He Will Be My Ruin

A Suspense Novel

By K. A. Tucker

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iBooks | Kobo

IndieBound | Book Depository | Audible

About HE WILL BE MY RUIN:

The USA TODAY bestselling author of the Ten Tiny Breaths and Burying Water series makes her suspense debut with this sexy, heartpounding story of a young woman determined to find justice after her best friend’s death, a story pulsing with the “intense, hot, emotional” (Colleen Hoover) writing that exhilarates her legions of fans.

A woman who almost had it all . . .

On the surface, Celine Gonzalez had everything a twenty-eight-year-old woman could want: a one-bedroom apartment on Manhattan’s Lower East Side, a job that (mostly) paid the bills, and an acceptance letter to the prestigious Hollingsworth Institute of Art, where she would finally live out her dream of becoming an antiques appraiser for a major auction house. All she had worked so hard to achieve was finally within her reach. So why would she kill herself?

A man who was supposed to be her salvation . . .

Maggie Sparkes arrives in New York City to pack up what’s left of her best friend’s belongings after a suicide that has left everyone stunned. The police have deemed the evidence conclusive: Celine got into bed, downed a lethal cocktail of pills and vodka, and never woke up. But when Maggie discovers a scandalous photograph in a lock box hidden in Celine’s apartment, she begins asking questions. Questions about the man Celine fell in love with. The man she never told anyone about, not even Maggie. The man Celine believed would change her life.

Until he became her ruin.

On the hunt for evidence that will force the police to reopen the case, Maggie uncovers more than she bargained for about Celine’s private life—and inadvertently puts herself on the radar of a killer. A killer who will stop at nothing to keep his crimes undiscovered.

Excerpt

“I need some advice, Grady, and I have no one else to ask.”

“Shoot.”

“If you needed answers and the only person to give those to you was a person you didn’t know, had never met, and who might not like the questions you have to ask, what would you do?”

He twists his lips in thought. “I’d create a situation to meet this person, and make it hard for them to refuse me.”

Simple in theory…”But how?”

He exhales heavily, his warm breath grazing my cheek telling me that he’s facing me. “Find common ground. A location, a purpose, an acquaintance. Force the meet and then work your questions around the real ones that you want to ask. You can get a lot of information out of a person just by treading too close to what they don’t want to talk about. The look in their eye, their facial expressions, the way they react to the mention of a name, or a place.”

Grady seems more intelligent than what I’d expect of a pot-smoking building super. “You sound like you’ve been in my situation before.”

“Once or twice. Maybe.” I hear the smile in his voice.

Find common ground. Force the meet. The only common ground I have with this guy is now six feet underground in a San Diego cemetery.

Unless…

There is something that we’re both very familiar with.

I pull out my phone and scroll through my emails to find the one with her phone number. I know this is beyond inappropriate, but once I get something in my head, there’s no dislodging it. Plus, I’m high.

“Hello?”

“Hey Dani. It’s Maggie Sparkes.”

“Hi…Is everything okay?” She definitely sounds shocked to hear from me.

Grady watches me quietly. “I’m sorry to be calling so late. You know how you offered help with anything I needed? Well, I need a favor.”

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Michel’s Review

Wow… I did not see this coming! K. A. Tucker stepped up her game! She’s known for her dynamic New Adult and Romantic Suspense novels that have put her on all the best sellers lists and become a favorite among the readers. Her upcoming release He Will Be My Ruin is going to bring a new group of readers into her fold.

He Will Be My Ruin is not a romance. It is a psychological thriller that takes the reader on a twisted journey and keeps them guessing throughout the book. Each passage has the reader on the edge of their seat and surprised at what comes next. When the final revelations are played out it’s another shock. The story is unpredictable and has a very unique plot. The delivery keeps the reader captivated and glued to the pages. The characters are very well developed. The progression of their actions and involvement is meticulously choreographed throughout the story. The perfect sycronicity leads to an explosive ending.

I could easily envision this book being made into a movie.

He Will Be My Ruin by K. A. Tucker is beyond good… it is brilliant! Buy this book!

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About K.A. Tucker:

Born in small-town Ontario, K.A. Tucker published her first book at the age of six with the help of her elementary school librarian and a box of crayons. She currently resides in a quaint town outside of Toronto with her husband, two beautiful girls, and an exhausting brood of four-legged creatures.

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Release Blitz + Review + Giveaway: Dirty Tricks by Emma Hart – The Burke Brothers Series – Book 4

Posted on 01/26/2016 by shellbellereads

Dirty Tricks

The Burke Brothers Series – Book 4

By Emma Hart

Release Date: January 25, 2016

Chelsey Young’s dad was a rock star. Glamorous, right? But late nights, frequent travelling, and watching endless women rub their bodies against Lukas Young’s in a bid for his attention wasn’t exactly how Chelsey planned to spend her senior year of high school.

So when Kye Burke, of the ultra-sexy band Dirty B, sets his sights on Chelsey, she figures the best way to get him off her back is by taking his sexy butt to bed.

But after one night together, Kye has no intention of staying away from Chelsey, especially when she’s kissing him one minute then pushing him away the next. From watching her father, Chelsey knows the rock star lifestyle that Kye leads—being away for long stretches of time, girls throwing themselves at him on the regular, shirtless photos showing up in his inbox ten times a day. She wants no part of it.

Kye is determined for Chelsey to get to know him, the real him behind the rock star persona. But that isn’t so easy when Kye’s schedule will take him away for days, weeks, even a month or two at a time, which is a dealbreaker for Chelsey. Long distance means temptation to stray, and infidelity was the reason her own parents split. She knows it’s not fair to project her own insecurities onto Kye, but some things are unavoidable.

But Kye Burke isn’t Lukas Young.

And, distance or not, he’s going to damn well prove it.

Pre Order:

Amazon US * Amazon UK * B&N *** iBooks

DTteaser1

Excerpt

“What,” Chelsey exclaims, “the hell is that?”

With a wide smile spreading across my face, I shove my hands in my pockets like a teenage boy and look at her. “A Christmas tree.”

“Are those . . . penises?”

“Technically, dildos.”

“Like real ones?” She jerks her alarmed gaze to me.

“No. Just plastic.”

She flicks her tongue across her lips. “Uh-huh. Why do you have penises across your Christmas tree?”

“Because he’s an immature little bastard,” Leila answers for me.

“You didn’t stop me,” I shoot back.

“Hell no I didn’t. I cannot wait to see Mom’s face when she sees this!”

“When she sees what?” Mom’s voice creeps through the house ominously, and the close of the door after her sounds like the signal that I should run away.

“Uh . . . I’m just gonna go . . .to the store. . . .” I shuffle toward the door that connects the front room with the kitchen.

Chelsey lifts her eyebrows in amusement, and Dad grabs the back of my shirt so I can’t escape.

You wouldn’t think I was twenty-four. For numerous reasons, obviously.

“Kye Burke, why are there tiny penises on my Christmas tree?”

Her voice is calm. Really calm. I’m even more convinced that I should run. “Merry Cock-mas?”

Mom’s expression is somewhere between insane amusement and extreme frustration.

“I’m just gonna come back later . . .” Chelsey whispers, edging toward the living room door. “When there are less . . . cocks.”

“Good idea! I’ll come with you.” I wrestle out of Dad’s grip and dart behind him, through the kitchen, and into the hall.

Chelsey laughs and grabs my arm, dragging me back into the room. “I said I was going. I didn’t say you were escaping this cock-up.”

“Great choice of words,” Dad chuckles.

Mom pinches the bridge of her nose. “I should have known that when three boys left, one boy would have to make the impression of three,” she says, mostly to herself. “I should have known that the one who never left his little peep alone at two would one day decorate my tree in cocks.”

“Mom! What the hell?” I sputter.

“I should have known that his ball-hoarding obsession at six was a sign of things to come,” she sighs heavily and drops her hand. “After all, there’s one in every boyband. I thought I was ready for this.” Then, she turns to me. “Kye, son, we love you anyway, but I have to ask. Are you gay?”

Chelsey lets go of me, and laughter rips from her. Leila laughs, too, her book falling to the floor. Dad covers his face with his hands, and Mom just stands there in the middle of the room, her eyes wide. Her hands are now clasped in front of her sympathetically, and the tiny upturn of the right side of her mouth explains it all.

“Well played, Mother,” I say reluctantly, walking back toward the front door. “Well. Played.”

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Tracey’s Review

Chelsey Young has seen what it’s like to be involved with a rockstar. As the daughter of one herself, she’s experienced first hand what the long-distance, fame, and endless temptation can do to a marriage, and she wants none of it. Kye Burke, one fourth of the band the Dirty B.’s, understands why Chelsey’s gun shy about getting involved with him, but he’s up to the task of showing her just how different he is.

“Know that if you fight this, it’s futile. I know you love me, and I’m so…in love with you that the idea of letting you go is a…fairy tale. I don’t do fairy tales. I do real life, and you’re my real life. I’m gonna fight for this, for you, until your feel the same as I do.”

DIRTY TRICKS is the fourth book in Emma Hart’s The Burke Brothers series, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Because of the heartbreak she’s dealt with at the hands of her famous father, Chelsey has perfected the tough cookie facade. One night of letting her guard down, of giving in to the heat between her and Kye, though, and it’s all she can do to keep her head when he’s around. As for Kye, he’s wanted Chelsey for as long as he can remember, and he’s not giving up. I really loved watching these two interact, laughing out loud on more than one occasion. Their dialogue is wonderful, and Emma has created a whole cast of characters that are absolutely engaging, and a treat to read. Although this was my first time reading this series, I can’t wait to go back and read all the other books. 4.5 sexy, smart-alecky, heartwarming stars, and a recommendation to add the entire series to your TBR.

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

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The Burke Brothers Series

Dirty Secret

The Burke Brothers Series – Book 1

By Emma Hart

Synopsis

Conner Burke never expected Sofie Callahan to come back.

Where she’s been for the last two and half years is a mystery, and so is the reason she left in the first place. Now, though, she’s back in their hometown of Shelton Bay, South Carolina, at the same time Conner’s band Dirty B is home on a tour break.

Sofie Callahan has spent the months since her father’s death avoiding anything to do with her home town. But with her brother in Afghanistan, she has no choice but to return and sort out her father’s house, even if it means facing the boy she fell in love with and revealing the reason she left.

Conner has questions, and when his broken heart and her guilty one collide, Sofie has to start answering them. Their present is rocky, their future unknown. Only one thing is certain:

Sofie’s daughter will change everything.

Buy: Amazon / Barnes and Noble / ITunes

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51lhZBRz+OL._SX320_BO1,204,203,200_ Dirty Past

The Burke Brothers – Book 2

By Emma Hart

On the heels of Dirty Secret, here is a sizzling hot romance featuring another Burke brother and the girl he can’t resist, from the New York Times bestselling author of the Game series.

Walking out on my wedding wasn’t my best idea.

Neither was throwing my cell in the lake and taking a job as PA for Dirty B, America’s favorite rock band, complete with every teen girl’s dream man, the eldest of the Burke brothers.

Tate Burke is pure sex. Women actually throw their panties at him during shows. And Ella Dawson is the lucky little thing that gets to escort their fangirling butts out when he’s done with them.

Yay.

He’s a cocky son of a bitch, but there’s more to him than meets the eye. Every now and then Ella gets a rare glimpse of the Tate behind the “bad boy” act, and it attracts her in the most annoying way. The most annoying, heart-thumping, panty-wetting way.

When her abusive ex turns up at the hotel room Ella and Tate are sharing, raging mad, she knows she’ll need more than just a little protection. Tate sees red, and Ella can’t help but lean on him, despite his bad-boy ways.

And now? Now, he’s in a whole lot of trouble.

AMAZON ~Barnes & Noble~ iBooks

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Dirty Lies

The Burke Brothers – Book 3

By Emma Hart

Bad boy drummer Aidan Burke of Dirty B takes center stage in New York Times bestselling author Emma Hart’s hotly anticipated follow-up to Dirty Past and Dirty Secret!

Aidan Burke is the perfect rebound guy for Jessie Law after she catches her asshole ex-boyfriend with his hands down some other girl’s pants. The world-famous drummer of Dirty B isn’t shy about his preference for no-strings-attached relationships, so when she meets him on a night out, she takes him up on his simple proposal: One night of fun. Hot sex. Zero expectations.

But Dirty B’s tour is over, and they’re back in South Carolina—which means running into Aidan more often than Jessie would like.

When Aidan saves Jessie from her ex-boyfriend by insisting the two are dating, the band’s manager convinces them to keep up the charade in the hopes of re-inventing Dirty B’s image as lovable bad boys, as opposed to d-bags. Now all Aidan and Jessie have to do is put on a very obvious, very public show to convince everyone their affection is real.
But pretending to be in a relationship is harder than it seems. Aidan’s hordes of jealous fans have no problem bombarding Jessie with threatening messages online—and worse. And things only get more complicated when Jessie realizes her feelings for Aidan may not be so fake after all. Can Jessie live with the risks? And is Aidan willing to let her?

AMAZON / AMAZON UK/ B&N/ iBooks

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By day, New York Times and USA Today bestselling New Adult author Emma Hart dons a cape and calls herself Super Mum to two beautiful little monsters. By night, she drops the cape, pours a glass of whatever she fancies – usually wine – and writes books.

Emma is working on Top Secret projects she will share with her followers and fans at every available opportunity. Naturally, all Top Secret projects involve a dashingly hot guy who likes to forget to wear a shirt, a sprinkling (or several) of hold-onto-your-panties hot scenes, and a whole lotta love.

She likes to be busy – unless busy involves doing the dishes, but that seems to be when all the ideas come to life.

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*****

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Cover Reveal: Set The Pace by Kim Karr

Posted on 01/25/2016 by shellbellereads

Set the pace AMAZON Title: Set the Pace

Series: The Detroit Love Duet #1

Author: Kim Karr

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Release Date: February 21st

Cover Designer: Hang Le

Every city needs a hero, but Detroit’s white knight just might be a villain.

A rough childhood branded Jasper Storm trouble. A bad boy. Not worth a damn. His love of cars was the only thing that could battle his delinquency. With the need for speed in his blood, he overcame his wayward ways. Mostly. Now the broken city of Detroit hails him their shining star. And the man behind a new cutting-edge automobile is ready to turn this bankrupt town around.

Charlotte Lane was the tomboy who lived next door. She was his best friend. He was her protector. Then tragedy struck and she disappeared, forever—or so he thought.

Everything Jasper does in life is fast. He talks fast, f*cks fast, and drives fast. But when one reckless turn brings him face-to-face with the childhood he has tried very hard to forget, he finds himself on the edge of wondering if he shouldn’t slow down.

Time hasn’t erased who they are though. Jasper has many reasons to hate Charlotte and keep his distance, which is easier said than done. Soon she’s infiltrating his every thought and he can’t stay away. Back in town with an agenda of her own, she should push him aside. Make him turn around. Walk away herself. Yet she can’t.

With the past lurking between them, they proceed with caution. That is until one sex-filled night leads to murder, and things are forced to change. Now that Detroit’s biggest ally has suddenly become suspect number one, will Charlotte—the girl Jasper once kept safe—be the one to save him?

Reader * Writer * Coffeelover * Romantic

Kim Karr is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author. She is a daydreamer. So much so that if daydreaming could be a hobby it would be her favorite. It’s how her stories are born and how they take root. An imagination that runs wild is something to be thankful for, and she is very thankful. 🙂

She grew up in New York and now lives in Florida with her husband and four kids. She’s always had a love for reading books and writing. Being an English major in college, she wanted to teach at the college level but that was not to be. She went on to receive an MBA and became a project manager until quitting to raise her family. Kim currently works part-time with her husband and with the rest of her time embraces one of her biggest passions–writing.

Kim wears a lot of hats! Writer, book-lover, wife, soccer-mom, taxi driver, and the all around go-to person of her family. However, she always finds time to read.

She likes to believe in soulmates, kindred spirits, true friends, and Happily-Ever-Afters. She loves to drink champagne, listen to music, and hopes to always stay young at heart.

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Cover Reveal: Bend Me, Break Me by Chelsea M. Cameron

Posted on 01/25/2016 by shellbellereads

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Today we are revealing the cover for BEND ME, BREAK ME by Chelsea M. Cameron. This book is a New Adult Romantic Suspense title. Release date will be announced soon.

BendMeBreakMe

BOOK BLURB:

One girl.

Lonely.

Broken.

Lost.

One boy.

Determined.

Guilty.

Lost.

Two hearts.

One terrible secret.

It will either bring them together or tear them apart.

ADD BEND ME, BREAK ME TO GOODREADS

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TEASER:

“I get it,” she said. “I finally get it.” She wouldn’t look up at me, instead concentrating on her hands. There were a few freckles on the backs of them. I wanted to take one of her purple pens and connect them to make constellations on her skin.

“Get what?” I asked. Her eyes came up to my face.

“Why you’re so obsessed with me.” I raised both eyebrows, but inside, I was panicked. What if she figured me out? That would be disastrous. It would be the end.

“And why is that?” I said, trying to be playful.

“I’m mysterious,” she said, she wiggled her fingers in front of my face and the right side of her mouth drew up. Was that a smirk? Did Ingrid just smirk at me?

“Oh, is that what you think it is?” After so many intense moments, this moment of levity was like a cool drink for a parched throat.

“Definitely. What else could it be?” I wasn’t going to answer that.

“You got me,” I said, putting my hands up as if I surrendered. “I’m a sucker for a mystery.”

She nodded and I thought I spotted another smile, but it was gone quickly, stuffed away behind rigid lips.

“Thank you,” she said, so quietly that I almost didn’t catch it.

“You’re very welcome, Ingrid. Anytime.” I got up and brought her some pizza and another glass of water. I had the feeling she hadn’t been eating much recently.

She carefully ate two slices and had two water refills. It made the color in her cheeks come back.

“You must think I’m crazy,” she said.

“No. I don’t think that at all.” I wouldn’t think that about anyone, least of all her.

“Liar.”

“I’m not lying. Look at me.” I would never get used to the way her eyes seared into me.

“I don’t think you’re crazy, Ingrid. Not even a little bit.” Her eyes narrowed and I could tell she was assessing if I was telling the truth or not.

“Okay,” she finally said. “I believe you.”

“Good.”

AUTHOR INFORMATION:

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

AUTHOR LINKS:
Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

Cover Reveal: Target On Our Backs by J. M. Darhower – Monster In His Eyes Series – Book 3

Posted on 01/22/2016 by shellbellereads

COVER REVEAL

Target on Our Backs

(Monster
in His Eyes #3)

USA
Today Bestselling Author

J.M. Darhower

Genre: Romantic Suspense

Release Date: February 23, 2016

BLURB

The best way to keep your word is never
to give it.

Not long ago, in a chapel in Vegas, I swore to love Karissa
for the rest of my days. But nobody’s promised an infinite number of tomorrows.
Nobody’s promised forever. Sometimes, all we have left is today.

Carpe Diem

Seize the day.

It should’ve been over, we should’ve been happy, but people
are making it hard for me to live in peace. I’ve got so much blood on my hands
they’ll never be clean, and somebody out there seems to want me to pay for it. Happily Ever After always comes at a
cost, one any real man would be willing to pay. But that doesn’t mean I’m just
going to roll over and accept these consequences.

Because when it comes to the woman I love? The life I’ve
fought for?

Nobody is safe.

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Monster In His Eyes Series

Monster In His Eyes – Book 1

Ignazio Vitale is not a good man.

I suspect it, the first time I see him, sense the air of danger that surrounds the man. He has a way of commanding attention, of taking control, of knowing what I’m thinking before I even do.

It’s alarming and alluring. It’s dark and deadly. It’s everything I’ve ever wanted but the last thing I truly need. Obsession.

It doesn’t take him long to draw me into his web, charming me into his bed and trapping me in his life, a life I know nothing about until it’s too late. He has secrets, secrets I can’t fathom, secrets that make it so I can’t walk away, no matter how much I beg him to let me go. I see it sometimes in his eyes, a darkness that’s both terrifying and thrilling. He’s a monster, wrapped up in a pretty package, and what I find when I unmask him changes everything.

I want to hate him.

Sometimes, I do.

But it doesn’t stop me from loving him, too.

AUTHOR’S NOTE: This book is intended for a mature audience only, due to some dark and erotic content.

Buy: Amazon / Barnes and Noble / ITunes

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Torture Her Soul

Monster In His Eyes- Book 2

Don’t say it unless you mean it…

It’s a simple concept, one I’ve said time and again, but something people don’t seem to comprehend. You should choose every syllable carefully, because you never know when somebody will hold you to your word.

Somebody like me.

I’m not a good man. I’m not. I know. I have enough darkness inside of me to rid the world of every stitch of light. But there’s one I could never harm, one light I couldn’t bring myself to snuff out.

Karissa.

She thinks I’m a monster, and maybe I am. I taunt her with my touch, get a thrill out of torturing her soul. But I’m not the only one. The world is full of monsters, and I’m not the most dangerous one out there.

Not even close…

God help me, I love her.

I do.

And God help anyone who tries to take her from me.

Buy: Amazon / Barnes and Noble / ITunes

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Author Bio:

JM Darhower is the author of countless stories and poems, most of which only she has ever read. She lives in a tiny town in rural North Carolina, where she churns out more words than will ever see the light of day. She has a deep passion for politics and speaking out against human trafficking, and when she isn’t writing she’s usually ranting about those things. Chronic crimper with a vulgar mouth, she admits to having a Twitter addiction. You can find her there.

Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Goodreads

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Release Blitz + 5 Star Review: In This Life by Christine Brae

Posted on 01/22/2016 by shellbellereads

In This Life

By Christine Brae

Buy: Amazon / B & N / ITunes / Smashwords

Synopsis

Lovers don’t finally meet somewhere,
They’re in each other all along.
RUMI

It starts out so simply. Anna runs away to Thailand, drags her best friend Dante with her and spends a few weeks away, taking on other people’s problems while getting away from her own. She meets the enigmatic Jude Grayson, and for as long as it’s clear to both of them that it ends when they leave, she thinks she’s got the perfect fling planned out.

Or does she?

Anna returns home to find that her life is no longer the way it once was, and that she can’t stop thinking about him. She learns through tragedy that nothing she’s ever believed in has turned out to be true. The worst part? The people she loved were keeping a secret from her. And that no matter what she does, no matter how hard she fights against it, every path she takes keeps leading her back to Jude.

This is a story about love, found in a faraway place by two very unlikely people. It is also a story about friendship and loyalty and fighting for what you have despite the illogical mystery of fate. With the struggle between morality and guilt, faith and acceptance, there comes a learning that even the best-laid plans are powerless against the alignment of the universe.

From the beaches of Thailand to the streets of New York, three friends, Anna, Dante, and Jude will learn the hard way that once providence steps in, there is nothing in the world that can change what is truly meant to be.

Robin’s Review

Kismet. Destiny. Fate. How do you know if you are on the path fate has planned for you? What if there is something far greater, far more powerful, just waiting to step in? This is a theme author Christine Brae explores in her new standalone novel titled In this Life, where we are able to experience the richness of Anna Dillon’s story.

Brae introduces us to Anna at a time in her life that is filled with sadness and strife, when she flees the drama of her home life for something much different in a small fishing village of Thailand. All Anna really wants is to forget the emotional pain, so she convinces her best friend, Dante Leola, to volunteer with her on a medical mission at an orphanage. It’s on the tsunami-ravaged beaches of Thailand, where Anna and Dante meet Jude Grayson, and all three of their lives become inextricably tied together.

In This Life is a contemporary romance and contemporary women’s literature rolled into one, a journey about friendship, loyalty and love which will captivate and hold your attention until the very last page has been turned. Brae’s words are full of wisdom, both heartbreaking and joyful, both healing and redemptive. It’s an epic adventure of two souls, destined to be together, even as life sees the two of them heading in different directions.

Each of the three primary characters has endearing qualities, which is probably why In This Life became a very emotional read for me. Anna is easy for me to relate to. She experiences growth as a character because of the difficulties that she faces in her life. But In This Life is not only about Anna. This story also concerns the two men who are on this journey with her – Dante and Jude. Anna has feelings that are unique to each man, and Brae’s writing made certain that I was able to experience her feelings and emotions.

Christine Brae’s writing is the very best feature of In This Life. In This Life is Brae’s fourth full-length novel. I’m being completely honest in my assessment when I say that I have never witnessed a more dramatic improvement in writing. Brae’s writing is no longer the writing of an author who is just getting her feet wet. It’s matured, become more polished and descriptive, visceral and full of wisdom. Brae’s descriptive writing was exceptional, assisting me with visualizing scenes in my head.

I would recommend In This Life based on the writing alone, but this story about finding your destiny is what makes this novel special. In This Life is a solid 5-star novel, and I’m adding it to my list of 2016 favorites!

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Christine Brae is a full time career woman who thought she could write a book about her life and then run away as far as possible from it. She never imagined that her words would touch the hearts of so many women with the same story to tell. Her second book, His Wounded Light was released in December, 2013.

Christine’s third book, Insipid, is a standalone that was released in June, 2014, and her fourth book, In This Life is scheduled for release in January 2016.

When not listening to the voices in her head or spending late nights at the office, Christine can be seen shopping for shoes and purses, running a half marathon or spending time with her husband and three children in Chicago.

Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Goodreads

Excerpt + Giveaway: Dirty Tricks by Emma Hart – The Burke Brothers Series – Book 4 …Releasing January 25, 2016