Release Blitz + Excerpt + 5 Star Review + Giveaway: Blow by Kim Karr – The Tainted Love Duet – Book 1

Posted on 09/21/2015 by shellbellereads

One Couple…

Two New Books…

A Story of Tainted Love…

Blow – September 21, 2015 – Book 1

Buy: Amazon / Amazon UK

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

Crush – November 16, 2015 – Book 2

Pre Order: Amazon

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Blow

By Kim Karr

Release Date: September 21, 2015

Synopsis

2 fatal sides.

1 epic love.

7 days to survive.

They met in the face of danger. They weren’t looking for love. They both knew better. But they couldn’t stay away, and they fell hard.

He is heart-stopping handsome, fearless—and haunted by deadly ties.

She is breathtakingly beautiful, determined—and in harm’s way.

They should have parted. They didn’t. They never should have fucked. They did. And now time is running out. One hundred sixty eight hours. That’s all that remains. While Logan McPherson fights to save them, Elle Sterling is forced to make a choice that could change everything.

When torn between right and wrong, tainted love doesn’t have a chance…or does it? ‪#‎taintedlove ‪#‎weshouldhaveknownbetter

Buy: Amazon / Amazon UK

Excerpt

Prologue

Four Months Before

Logan

Mile after mile, I ran. Faster, feet pounding against the broken asphalt, breath crystalizing in the air. I’d been fleeing along the edge of the road for what seemed like eternity. Trucks zoomed past me, taillights fading in the distance, and still there were no sirens.

The moon slipped behind a cloud and left me moving blindly. Finally, a whistle filled the darkness. It was what I’d been waiting for.

Let’s see how bad they want this.

I spun in the opposite direction and spotted the familiar red and blue lights. With a quick jump, I vaulted over the damaged guardrail and found myself tumbling down a steep ravine.

Landing on my stomach, blood dripped from my nose, and the taste of rust flooded my mouth. I didn’t take the time to wipe it away. I had to keep moving. I’d started this game and I was going to finish it.

Quickly, I leapt to my feet and began to run again. When a sharp burning and throbbing pulsated in my right ankle, I knew my speed would be impaired. I must have twisted it in the fall. With everything I had, I tried to ignore the pain.

Adrenaline pumped through my bloodstream, making my heart race and giving me the strength I needed. I was no longer on the pavement and my terrain was harder to navigate. Trees, broken branches, and the sickening smell of the stagnant river surrounded me. I pushed onward.

It could have been worse—at least there wasn’t any ice.

Still, it was fucking freezing out here. Snow fell around me. Chilled to the bone, I tugged my hat farther down over my ears.

I didn’t stop, though—I had to keep going.

When my eyes were streaming from the cold and my leg muscles began to seize up, I knew my body needed a break. I’d find cover and play the wait-and-see game.

The dilapidated abandoned warehouse a few yards away seemed like my best choice. The hinges were rusted and appeared broken, but when I yanked on the door, it wouldn’t open.

With a sigh, I stomped my salt-stained shoes in the slush I was standing in and looked around.

No sign of them, yet.

They’d be here soon enough.

My lungs burned as I bent over with my hands on my thighs in an attempt to catch my breath.

Poised to move in any direction, I thought about my decision to bait them.

Smart?

Stupid?

I couldn’t believe the game of cat and mouse I had entered into—with the Boston Police Department nonetheless.

But I’d had enough. They’d been following me around for almost a week. Their more-than-obvious tail was bordering on harassment. Pushed to the limit, today I’d decided it was time to find out what it was all about. I was going to force their move. I left my vehicle and took off. They were tracking me, but what they were waiting for to approach me, I had no idea. At this point I had two choices—approach them or keep going. Since I didn’t want to make it easy, I kept running.

Time seemed to be at a standstill as I looked around again. I knew they were close. Yet, as I searched my surroundings, there were no signs of life; everything around me was dark except for the golden glow from the cables of the Zakim Bridge.

The bridge.

I couldn’t believe I’d ended up on the West End. That was more than a slight hike from the tip of the South End, where I’d started all this.

What time was it anyway?

Before I could look at my watch—the one my grandfather had given me, the one worth more than most of the houses in the surrounding area, the pretentious Patek Philippe with an authentic enamel dial and custom-made rubber watchband, the one almost a match for his own—a yellow beam of light shined down on me.

I guess the BPD finally decided to make their move.

A heavily Boston-accented voice carried through the wind. “Put your hands in the air where we can see them.”

“Fuck me. Really? You’re going to arrest me? For what?” My gaze scoured the area until they came into sight.

There were three of them and one of me. I didn’t plan to keep running. I didn’t need to, but even if I wanted to, there was nowhere to go. The riverbank was on one side and they were on the other. The trio moved closer and drew their weapons. I responded with equanimity and raised my palms. Still, not a single one of them lowered a gun. Step by step, they moved toward me. When they were about five feet away, I decided to help them out and face them, but before I could, the tallest figure lunged for me.

He pinned me to the wall. “I just wanted to talk. I wasn’t going to arrest you until you assaulted me. But thanks for giving me a reason.”

“I was putting my hands behind my back, asshole,” I grunted.

“Right,” he snickered.

Nostrils flaring, the fatter one grabbed me by my collar and yanked me to him. “Stop resisting.”

What the fuck?

A quick punch to the gut and a kick to my leg had me belly down in a matter of seconds.

Most men would have been scared shitless, but not me. I grew up living in two very different worlds, the only similarity being power and greed. To look at me, you wouldn’t believe I was capable of doing the things I had done. Born with a silver spoon in my mouth, I was the grandson of one of the wealthiest men in New York City.

It wasn’t my trust fund background that anyone had to worry about, though. I was also the grandson of the former head of Boston’s Blue Hill Gang—a piece of me I had tried to renounce. That I wanted to escape. But my family ties kept me bound. The Irish Mob might have changed since my father’s father ran things, but there were some things that never changed.

I’d been raised in both worlds and these cops knew it. They were counting on the Blue Hill Gang part of me to greet them.

Well fuck them very much—but that’s not what they were going to get.

Michel’s Review

Wow! Blow by Kim Karr was fantastic! I could not put this new contemporary romantic suspense down. Blow is the first book in The Tainted Love Duet.

Blow is an intricately woven story that involves the Irish Mob in Boston. There is the added mystery of a missing woman, missing drugs, and the different factions- two powerful gangs in the mob playing against one another. Add the DEA and law enforcement to the mix and the story gets more intense. Caught in the middle of the mess is an innocent woman and baby. They both may end up being casualties before all is said and done.

After fifteen years of not hearing from her sister, Elle gets a call out of the blue. Her sister Elizabeth asks her to take care of her young daughter Clementine if anything should happen to her. When Elizabeth goes missing, Elle moves to Boston to help her sister’s husband Michael O’Shea, take care of the baby and help find Elizabeth. It is not just a matter of a restless housewife leaving home. There are millions of dollars and missing drugs that belong to the Irish Mob. It is believed that Elizabeth O’Shea is involved. Her husband and child are being threatened. Now that Elle is in the picture, her life is in danger as well.

Logan McPherson has been dividing his time between his families in New York and Boston. One side of the family is powerful old money. The other side of the family has powerful Irish Mob ties. Logan is not a part of the family illegal business and is an attorney in New York. But the mess in Boston has drawn him back. His family is in danger. His family may be involved. Now an innocent woman and baby are drawn into the mess.

It will be up to Logan to figure out what is going on and who is behind it. Logan is falling for Elle which could make her situation even worse. Any woman he loves is a target.

As the danger escalates to an all time high so does the passion between Logan and Elle. Just when they think they figured out how to get out of this mess alive, new players make their moves. Their situation goes from dangerous to absolutely deadly.

Blow ended on a suspenseful cliffhanger. I can’t wait for Crush to release in November.

Kim Karr has woven an intricate story that is passionate and unpredictable. I am hooked!

****

I live in Florida with my husband and four kids. I’ve always had a love for reading books and writing. Being an English major in college, I wanted to teach at the college level but that was not to be. I went on to receive an MBA and became a project manager until quitting to raise my family. I currently work part-time with my husband and full-time embracing one of my biggest passions—writing.

Stalk Her: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

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$25 Amazon Gift Card

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Release Day Blitz: Bereft by Jennifer Foor – Seven Year Itch Series – Book 2

Posted on 09/21/2015 by shellbellereads

We’d been married seven years, and for the most part, I
thought we were happy. Little did I know my other half wasn’t. He’d been
screwing around on me for the past six months. Now, on the verge of divorce,
I’ve found myself in a conundrum.

He’s half my age, with a body that won’t quit. I keep
telling myself it’s payback, but who am I kidding? Instead of getting even,
I’ve now made things irreparable. I have a choice to make, and it’s going to be
a lot harder than I imagined.

Give in to Temptation

Fulfill your deepest Desires

AMAZON

_______________________________________________

Jennifer Foor is an award winning Contemporary Romance Author.

She is married with She’s best known for the Mitchell Family Series, which includes ten books.two children and spends most of her time behind a keyboard, writing stories that come from her heart.

Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Goodreads ~ Amazon Author Page

Release Day Blitz + 5 Star Review + 2015 Favorite + Giveaway: Fade To Red by Willow Aster

Posted on 09/21/2015 by shellbellereads

Fade To Red

By Willow Aster

Synopsis

Dancing in pop superstar Beckham Woods’ entourage was the last thing Roxie wanted. Her life with little Leo was blissfully ordinary; she didn’t have time for the drama that stirring up old memories would surely cause.

But when Roxie took a spot on an international tour with Woods and rock icon Ian Sterling, the lure of financial security and her passion for dance pulled her into an emotional storm that threatened to spin out of control and hurt the ones she loved most.

Just as she began to adjust to her new life, it became apparent that danger was in the shadows, waiting for a chance to move…

***Fade to Red is a standalone novel featuring characters from True Love Story.***

Buy: Amazon

Robin’s Review

Willow Aster introduces a new facet of her writing in her newest novel titled Fade to Red. She is proficient at telling a story, and although her novels aren’t many, those Aster has written are beautifully-crafted. True Love Story. In the Fields. Maybe Maby. Two of her previously written titles are contemporary romances, while the third is a coming-of-age novel. But Fade to Red is a different type of story for Willow Aster. It’s a romantic suspense novel, a genre in which Aster very obviously excels, and something I was pleasantly surprised to discover!

Roxie Taylor loves dancing. She’s absolutely incredible in her audition for a spot with the dancing entourage for superstar Beckham Woods. Roxie doesn’t think she’ll be offered a position, but when Beck sees her dance, he specifically requests that she be chosen for his upcoming tour with Ian Sterling. He doesn’t realize it, but Beck and Roxie have a history. When they dance together, their sexual chemistry is off the charts, but so is the underlying tension. Roxie carries a whole lot of anger for Beck, and he has no idea why.

Fade to Red is mysterious. Willow Aster kept me guessing about the circumstances surrounding Roxie and Beckham’s past for most of the book. Clues about their past begin early in the story and continue to be sprinkled throughout. Fade to Red drew on my interest like a moth is drawn to a flame. I couldn’t wait to get to the bottom of the truth, but I also enjoyed experiencing their story along the way.

Wow – Willow Aster writes great romantic suspense! I was excited to explore this new component of her writing, especially since I thought Fade to Red was a contemporary romance. She writes a scary villain – one who is mentally unstable, but cunning enough to evade detection – in Fade to Red. I was a nervous wreck the entire time I was reading! The suspense aspect, combined with the element of mystery, really makes Fade to Red a page-turner!

Fade to Red is a spinoff novel of True Love Story. Instead of a small guest appearance of Ian Sterling and Sparrow Fisher, fans of these beloved characters will be delighted to learn this couple plays a huge role in Fade to Red! In fact, along with Beckham and Roxie, Ian claims one of the four points-of-view in Fade to Red. I’ll leave the fourth point-of-view as a surprise.

Willow Aster has her own, unique writing voice, which seems to fit her personality. In Fade to Red, the writing flows beautifully and the pacing is continuous. The author quickly captured my attention with the mystery and clues and by steadily building the suspense element to the explosive climax. My nerves were completely wrecked by the time I finished reading Fade to Red! The back and forth, the push and pull between Roxie and Beck, and the mystery behind their past – all of this combines to create sexual tension that is scorching hot! Fade to Red is truly an outstanding romantic suspense novel, and I really hope we see more in this genre from Willow Aster in the future! Fade to Red grabs 5 stars and is one of my 2015 favorites!

Giveaway

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About Willow Aster

Willow Aster loves nothing more than writing the day away–anywhere will do. Her ideal place to write would be a remote treehouse somewhere, but not just any treehouse. It would need to be more like a fabulous cottage inside and free of bugs. Oh!–and a refrigerator full of Coca-cola, Orangina, and cheese. www.willowaster.com

Author of True L̶o̶v̶e̶ Story (USA Today Bestseller), In the Fields, Maybe Maby and the upcoming Fade to Red.

Connect with Willow

Webpage: http://www.willowaster.com/

Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/willowasterauthor?fref=ts

Facebook Fan Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/870978829643191/

Goodreads Author Page: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6863360.Willow_Aster

Goodreads Fan Group: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/169437-fans-of-willow-aster

Instagram: https://instagram.com/willowaster1/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/WillowAster

Newsletter Signup link: http://eepurl.com/bvmq9L

Release Blitz: Sins of Sevin by Penelope Ward

Posted on 09/21/2015 by shellbellereads

Sins of Sevin

By Penelope Ward

Release Date: September 21, 2015

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

Synopsis

From the New York Times bestselling author of Stepbrother Dearest, comes a new forbidden STANDALONE romance.

What happens when the one you want is the only one you can’t have?

My name is Sevin.

Homeschooled and sheltered by my ultra-religious family, I was always taught that lust was a sin.

Elle was the girl who’d been carefully chosen for me.

After a long-distance courtship, I’d be moving into her family’s guesthouse so that we could get to know each other in the months before the wedding.

Boundaries were set: no inappropriate touching, no kissing, no sex before marriage.

I’d accepted those rules and my fate.

Until I met the one I wanted to sin with.

That was when restraint became a problem…especially since the one wasn’t Elle.

It was her sister, Evangeline.

You know what they say about best laid plans.

My name is Sevin, and I have sinned.

Told in alternating points of view, Sins of Sevin is a full-length standalone novel. Contains graphic sexual content and harsh language. Only appropriate for adult readers age 18+.

Excerpt

As he gulped down the water, I watched his Adam’s apple moving up and down. I used the opportunity to glance over his sweaty body up close. The top of his underwear was sticking out of his jeans. The smell of him was intoxicating, a mix of cut wood, sweat and cologne. I thought about our talk the other night, how he’d confessed his sexual history. As much as it disturbed me, knowing he’d used that body to give a woman pleasure made me weak with desire. I could only imagine what that would feel like with him.

Elle would find out.

I was still looking down at his abs when he said, “Thank you.” My eyes immediately shot up to meet his incendiary stare.

He’d caught me checking him out.

“You’re welcome.”

His mouth curved into a smile as he handed me back the glass. “How have you been? I haven’t seen you much this week.”

“Yeah. I’ve been busy.”

“I have something for you,” he blurted out in a way that indicated he was anxiously waiting to say it.

“For me?”

“Yeah. Wait here, okay?”

Sevin ran over to where his truck was parked and grabbed something out of the open window.

He returned to where I was standing and handed me a CD.

“What is it?”

“If you like the Smiths, you’ll like some of the songs on here. I included a few Smiths songs—the ones from your favorite album, but there’s also The Lemonheads, The Pixies…and Pulp.”

“You made this?”

“Yeah. I made it for myself and burned you a copy.”

“Thanks.”

He looked me straight in the eyes and said, “Number ten is my favorite.” Then, he walked away.

I immediately took it back to my room and dusted off my old portable CD player.

Lying down on my bed with the sun streaming in, I drowned out the world and listened to every song. When it got to number ten, I paid special attention, knowing he’d specifically called that one out.

The name of the song was Like a Friend. I later found out it was by Pulp. With each lyric, my eyes became heavier until they welled up in tears. The words described to a tee exactly how I’d been feeling about him. The singer was shouting out all his feelings about his friend, that she was everything he shouldn’t want, everything that was bad for him, but yet he couldn’t stop wanting her. He’d take what he could get even if that just meant being friends. Every single line spoke to me. It was the first time I realized that maybe I wasn’t alone in my torment. This situation—whatever was happening between us—was taking a toll on him, too.

I must have listened to the song five times before I went over to the window and looked down at him. At one point, he finally looked up and noticed me. He squinted his eyes to see me through the glare of the sun. I still had my headphones on. He knew I had heard number ten. The look on his face when our eyes locked only confirmed that number ten wasn’t just a song. It was his way of speaking to me.

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

Penelope Ward is a USA Today Bestselling author.

She grew up in Boston with five older brothers. She spent most of her twenties as a television news anchor, before switching to a more family-friendly career.

Penelope lives for reading books in the new adult genre, coffee and hanging out with her friends and family on weekends.

She is the proud mother of a beautiful 10-year-old girl with autism (the inspiration for the character Callie in Gemini) and a 8-year-old boy, both of whom are the lights of her life.

Penelope, her husband and kids reside in Rhode Island.

Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Goodreads

Additional Books by Penelope Ward

Cocky Bastard– Amazon / B & N / ITunes / Kobo

Stepbrother Dearest – Amazon / B & N / ITunes / Kobo

My Skylar – Amazon / B & N / ITunes / Kobo

Gemini –Amazon / B & N / ITunes / Kobo

Jake Undone –Amazon / B & N / ITunes / Kobo

Jake Understood –Amazon / B & N / ITunes / Kobo

Release Blitz + Giveaway : Bad Wicked Twisted by Ilsa Madden-Mills – Briarcrest Academy Box Set

Posted on 09/21/2015 by shellbellereads

Ilsa Madden – Mills has revealed the cover to Bad Wicked Twisted: A Briarcrest Academy Box Set!

FOUR red-hot stories about the bad, wicked and twisted characters of Briarcrest Academy, featuring a dirty-talking gym owner, a football player, a sexy rock star, and a British bad boy.

Book Cover Designer: Sommer Stein (Perfect Pear Creative)

Release Date: September 20th

★ Pre-Order Bad Wicked Twisted Today!

Buy: Amazon / Amazon UK

Blurb

VERY BAD THINGS (Amazon Top 5 Book and #1 in New Adult and College Age Romance)

Leaving behind her mansion and Jimmy Choos, Nora Blakely becomes a girl hell-bent on pushing the limits with alcohol, drugs, and meaningless sex.

Then she meets her soulmate, but he doesn’t want her.

Sexy gym owner Leo Tate has one rule: never fall in love…until Nora shows up with her list of bad things. He resists the pull of their sizzling connection, hung up on their age difference.

Welcome to Briarcrest Academy, where the best things in life are VERY BAD THINGS.

VERY WICKED BEGINNINGS (Prequel Novella: Amazon Top 100 Book and #1 in Urban Fiction)

When wicked ballerina Dovey Beckham meets football star Cuba Hudson, she didn’t plan on having her heart shattered into a million pieces. He’s the bad boy with a dark past and when he falls for Dovey, he knows she can’t be part of his future.

Welcome to VERY WICKED BEGINNGINGS.

VERY WICKED THINGS (Amazon Top 100 Book and #1 in Urban Fiction)

Dovey Beckham is a ballerina from the wrong side of the tracks with a scholarship to prestigious Briarcrest Academy. She gives her body but never her heart. Cuba “Hollywood” Hudson is a wealthy football player with fast cars and even faster girlfriends.

Until the day he meets her, and she offers him something he’s never tasted: true love.

Their passion is electric, their connection deep, but once in a lifetime kind of love doesn’t come easy, especially when dirty money, past sins, and old flames come calling.

Welcome to Briarcrest Academy…where the best things in life are Very Wicked Things.

VERY TWISTED THINGS (Amazon Top 100 and #1 Urban Fiction)

Violet St. Johns is a talented violinist hiding out in a Hollywood mansion, struggling to forget the devastation of her parent’s sudden death.

Vital Rejects front man Sebastian Tate never imagined his music video would go viral, skyrocketing him to instant fame. Okay, maybe he did. He’s a cocky dude, and he knew his name would be in lights someday.

When he sees the elusive girl in the mansion next door playing her violin nude, they begin an erotic game of spying.

When they finally come face-to-face, sparks fly and clothes comes off. But giving his heart to a girl isn’t Sebastian’s plan; falling for a guy who craves attention isn’t Violet’s.

Welcome to Briarcrest Academy….Hollywood style….where the best things in life are VERY TWISTED THINGS.

Praise for the Briarcrest Series:

“Cuba is hot, delicious, and intoxicating…the perfect book boyfriend. Be prepared for an addictive read.” ~Tijan, NYT Bestselling Author

_______________________________________________

Author Bio

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

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

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

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

★ Sign up for her newsletter★

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$50 Amazon Gift Card (Open Internationally)

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Release Blitz: The Book Boyfriend Series Box Set by Erin Noelle

Posted on 09/21/2015 by shellbellereads

The USA Today Best Selling Book Boyfriend Series including Metamorphosis, Ambrosia, Euphoria, and Timeless is now available in this Collector’s Edition boxed set, along with Alive, an alternate ending novella, and TWO bonus scenes.

Follow Scarlett MacGregor’s transformation from a young, naïve girl to a strong, mature young woman and her search for self-discovery and true love.

Intended for mature audiences.

Buy: Amazon

Erin Noelle is a Texas native, where she lives with her husband and two young daughters. While earning her degree in History at the University of Houston, she rediscovered her love for reading that was first instilled by her grandmother when she was a young child.

A lover of happily-ever-afters, both historical and current, Erin is an avid reader of all romance novels.

Her titles published include the Book Boyfriend Series, the Dusk ‘Til Dawn Series, Translucent, Conspire — co-authored with SE Hall, Surviving Us, MILF: Wrong Kind of Love and Spark.

Her books have been a part of the USA Today Bestselling list and the Amazon and Barnes & Noble overall Top 100.

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Release Blitz + 5 Star Review + Giveaway: The Dark Ones by Rachel Van Dyken

Posted on 09/20/2015 by shellbellereads

To touch a Dark One is death.

To talk to an immortal is suicide.

Yet, I’ve been marked by both.

A Vampire.

And the King of the immortals.

My life is no longer my own.

And now I know the truth, my life was never mine to begin
with.

It was theirs.

It’s always been theirs.

Barnes & Noble

Smashword

EXCERPT

I didn’t open my eyes. “No staying in bed all day?”

“About that…” Ethan sighed. “The good news is it will feel like we’ve been in bed for days when really it could have been mere hours.”

“Hmm?” I perked up. “Well, that’s a nice trick.”

“I’m full of them.” His eyes sparkled. “Care to know more?”

“Yes,” I whispered, my mouth finding his.

With a groan, he pushed me back against the mattress and loomed over me, his naked body glorious-looking against the sunlight streaming through the window. “Perhaps we’ll stay a bit longer.”

“Yes.” I nodded my head eagerly. “I’m your mate, after all. Don’t you want me to be pleased?”

“You were pleased at least four times last night, possibly five, if we count the time I—”

“Shh.” I put my hands over his mouth.

He smirked. “Afraid the dust will hear?”

I rolled my eyes.

“Ethan!” Alex’s voice boomed on the other side of the door. “Feed her!”

“Ignore him,” Ethan hissed.

The knock got louder. “For the love of God, she’s human. Give her food.”

“He’s a siren. He knows nothing.” Ethan continued kissing me.

“Mason will break down the door if he has to.” Fighting broke out in the hall. “Ethan, I can smell the sex from here. One immortal to another, feed her before you can’t feed from her anymore.”

Ethan growled and pulled back from me. “They have no manners.”

I was half-tempted to cover my face with my hands. Had they heard us? Of course they’d heard us, and they knew, and they could… Yeah, I wanted to crawl under the bed and hide for a few days. Instead, Ethan pounced from the bed, put on a pair of jeans, and jerked open the door while I tried to hide beneath the covers.

Alex peered over Ethan’s shoulder and waved.

I had no choice but to wave back and hope that I wasn’t as red as I felt.

“She’s alive.” Alex held up his hand for a high five. “No? Not funny? Too soon?”

“Horrible joke,” Mason said next to him. “I made eggs. She’s going to need food. Make her eat everything on the plate and—”

He was still talking when Ethan slammed the door in his face and brought a giant plate of food over to me.

“Forgive them.” Ethan scowled. “There aren’t typically secrets between us, and they’re just concerned for you.”

I pointed at the eggs, ten slices of bacon, and toast. “Clearly, they don’t want me to starve.”

“Wolves.” Ethan looked heavenward. “He should be more concerned with his own diet, the ass.”

“It does smell good.” I moved up the bed so I could lean against the headboard. “Do you eat?”

Ethan’s lips curved into a predatory smile. “I ate several times last night. Care for me to refresh your memory?”

My cheeks burned.

“So tempting.” He reached for a piece of bacon and held it to his lips, taking a small bite that had my entire body clenching to keep from reaching out and attacking him. “And yes, I can eat. I typically do eat but haven’t been because when we drink, we don’t need normal food.”

“But before me…” I grabbed a piece of toast. “You were eating normal food.”

“I like you better.” He winked. “But yes, I was.”

“Good to know I’m better than bacon.”

“Your taste…” His eyes brightened. “…is unlike anything I’ve ever had.”

“Hmm…” I licked my lips.

“Stop it,” he hissed and looked away. “Damn, I can’t watch you eat. I’m going to shower while you eat your entire plate as per Mason’s orders, and then I’ll contemplate letting you leave this room so you can go to the bookstore.”

“Ah!” I almost knocked over the food. “My job! Am I late? Will I get fired?”

Ethan burst out laughing. “It’s eight in the morning. He’s expecting you when I drop you off. No sooner, no later. You won’t get fired. He wouldn’t dream of it, and you really are adorable.”

“And hot.” I sighed.

“That too.”

“No, I mean hot, as in, it’s scorching in here.”

Ethan winced. “You may be that way for a few days.”

“Hot?”

He nodded.

“Why?”

“Too much vampire blood makes you overheat a bit.” He shrugged. “It won’t turn you— You’re very much human, like I’ve said before, but sometimes the vampire blood causes a type of burn to take over in your bloodstream, not painful, just not exactly pleasant if it’s a hundred degrees outside.”

“Good thing it’s Seattle.” I bit into the toast.

“Yes, well, I imagine at this point, raindrops would simply turn to vapor if they landed on your skin.”

I smiled.

“Shower.” He nodded. “I’m going to turn around now and walk away.”

“Narrating?”

“Apparently, that’s what I do when I can think of nothing more than ripping that sheet from your body, slamming you into the nearest wall, and possessing you all over again.”

I dropped the toast.

He growled, taking two steps toward me, then swore and turned back around.

“Have a good shower!” I called.

Another growl was his answer, and then his jeans went flying. I wasn’t laughing anymore.

Michel’s Review

Rachel Van Dyken has stepped up her game. Dark Ones is the latest release and it is not what readers have come to expect from Rachel. This book is a paranormal romance that is unique in this genre. It has the combination of paranormal entities such as vampires, werewolves, and sirens. It also has angels and Dark Ones, a combination of human and angel. The Dark Ones are considered to be an abomination in the both realms. Their existence is almost extinct. It is forbidden to reproduce more of their kind.

***

The Dark One Cassius is considered to be the King of the Immortals. His touch can enslave a human. It can give them life or death. Most times it is death.

***

Humans are numbered and called upon to serve the Immortals. They are called for breeding purposes. If they can survive the mating process they may be gifted with eternal life and become immortal themselves. But somewhere in the past 150 years the process became imbalanced. The humans began dying. The immortals were not reproducing. Cassius has gotten out of control and tries to claim each human for himself. The last time he did it he crossed the lines. He stole the vampire’s mate and caused her death. He also killed their child.

***

When the human Genesis is called upon, Cassius thinks because of her name, she is the prophecy that will turn their world back to balance. He wants her for himself. She is the intended mate for Ethan, the vampire. This time around Ethan is not going to let Cassius destroy another human, let alone his mate.

***

The battle has been declared. Immortals are taking sides. The worlds are colliding. Is Genesis the beginning or the end of the world as we know it?

***

Read this book! It is fantastic!

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Rachel Van Dyken is the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today Bestselling author of regency and contemporary romances. When she’s not writing you can find her drinking coffee at Starbucks and plotting her next book while watching The Bachelor.
She keeps her home in Idaho with her Husband, adorable son, and two snoring boxers! She loves to hear from readers!
Want to be kept up to date on new releases? Text MAFIA to 66866!
You can connect with her on Facebook www.facebook.com/rachelvandyken or join her fan group Rachel’s New Rockin Readers. Her website is www.rachelvandykenauthor.com

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Cover Reveal: The Fifteenth Minute by Sarina Bowen – The Ivy Years Series – Book 5

Posted on 09/18/2015 by shellbellereads

The Fifteenth Minute

The Ivy Years Series – Book 5

By Sarina Bowen

Release Date: October 13,2015

Synopsis

Freshman Lianne Challice is known to millions of fans as Princess Vindi. But sometimes a silver screen sorceress just wants to hang up her wand, tell her manager to shove it, and become a normal college student. Too bad that’s harder than it looks.

She’s never lived a normal life. She hasn’t been to school since kindergarten. And getting close to anyone is just too risky — the last boy she kissed sold the story to a British tabloid.

But she can’t resist trying to get close to Daniel “DJ” Trevi, the hot, broody guy who spins tunes for hockey games in the arena. Something’s haunting his dark eyes, and she needs to know more.

DJ’s genius is for expressing the mood of the crowd with a ten second song snippet. With just a click and a fade, he can spread hope, pathos or elation among six thousand screaming fans.

Too bad his college career is about to experience the same quick fade-out as one of his songs. He can’t get close to Lianne, and he can’t tell her why. And the fact that she seems to like him at all? Incredible.

Pre Order: Amazon

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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 Shameless Hour – Book 4

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

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.

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Cover Reveal: Bad Wicked Twisted by Ilsa Madden-Mills

Posted on 09/17/2015 by shellbellereads

Ilsa Madden – Mills has revealed the cover to Bad Wicked Twisted: A Briarcrest Academy Box Set!

FOUR red-hot stories about the bad, wicked and twisted characters of Briarcrest Academy, featuring a dirty-talking gym owner, a football player, a sexy rock star, and a British bad boy.

Book Cover Designer: Sommer Stein (Perfect Pear Creative)

Release Date: September 20th

★ Pre-Order Bad Wicked Twisted Today!

Pre Order: Amazon / Amazon UK