Release Day Blitz + Giveaway : Yours Forever by Joya Ryan – Reign Series – Book 3

Posted on 05/07/2015 by shellbellereads

It’s Joya Ryan’s book birthday!! Yours Forever, the third and final book in her Reign trilogy is out now, and she’s sharing an exclusive excerpt with us, as well as a giveaway! Be sure to check out all the festivities!

Exclusive Excerpt:

“Now you’re worried about me?” I scoffed.

He hit me with a dark glare and stepped forward. “I’ve always been worried about you.”

I wanted to yell and scream and tell him he was full of it. Because he’d watched me cry, heard me beg—beg—for him to stay, and still turned away. The memory sickened me but it didn’t change the outcome.

I’d begged for him.

Something a weak person would do. I hated being weak. Tried so hard to feel anything but that single emotion. Which was why Jack was the best kind of sinful pleasure. Because in one breath he made me feel strong—and in another he made me beg. Only he could cause a war between two such powerful emotions. But I couldn’t give in now. My father was gone, my world wrecking like a slow moving train collision and I was on the brink of snapping under the pressure.

“I’m done with you,” I whispered.

Wild heat flamed like melting obsidian behind those electrifying eyes. He pushed the chair that separated us out of the way, toppling it over onto the soaked grass and the force made mud splattered on my ankle. Jack stepped into the newly open path and didn’t stop until the tip of my nose brushed against his wet chest.

He pinched my chin and lifted my face to the rain. I stared up at him, eyes fluttering from the drops of water hitting me. His gaze was ensnaring and his expression burned me up as he looked down at me, haloed by the gray sky and thick blanket of rain.

He was an angel. A stark, beautiful angel of darkness.

“Say what you need to say,” he rasped. “Be done with me if that’s what you want.” His hips shifted, pressing into my body and I bit back a moan. “But I’m nowhere near done with you.”

About Yours Forever:

For fans of J Lynn, Jodi Ellen Malpas and Sylvia Day comes the final book in the Reign trilogy. This is an all-consuming, raw and powerful love story that seduces, surprises and stays with you.

Playing at forever is a dangerous game…

Torn between two men and surrounded by secrets, Lana is forced to make an agonising choice. But what – and who – does she really want?

Buy Links:

Yours Forever:

Amazon | Barnes and Nobles | Goodreads

Yours Completely:

Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Goodreads

Yours Tonight:

Amazon | Barnes and Nobles | Goodreads

Joya Ryan Bio:

National and international bestselling author Joya Ryan is the author of the Shattered Series (Break Me Slowly, Possess Me Slowly and Capture Me Slowly), the Sweet Torment Series (Breathe You In, Only You), and The Chasing Love Series (Chasing Trouble, Chasing Temptation, Chasing Desire).

Passionate about both cooking and dancing (despite not being too skilled at the latter), she loves spending time at home color coding things. She resides in California with her husband and her two sons. Visit Joya Ryan online

Facebook | Twitter | Website | Goodreads

Enter Joya’s giveaway!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Happy Release: Spencer by Kerry Heavens

Posted on 05/07/2015 by shellbellereads

@TheSpencerRyan exudes confidence,
I mean, have you seen him???
His dark good looks and tattooed muscled perfection are too much.
He’s hot. Lickably hot.
And he has a way with words that leaves me breathless.
But cocky doesn’t even cover it,
this guy is so arrogant you have to fight back.
But God he’s so lickable!
The thing is though,
he looks like sex but he’ll taste like jackass.

@OMGJazzyP is a sexy, annoying ball of rage in fuck-me heels
and she hates me.
Although her nipples would tend to disagree.
It’s a deadly combination.
She’s a princess.
And when I say princess, I mean intolerable, spoiled brat with a tiara.
Sure she’s got that curvaceous goddess thing going on,
but that mouth of hers…
God it needs something in it to shut it up.
#GotJustTheThingRightHere

This is not your average British romance.
It’s a tale of high heels, hot tattooed bad boys and
sex oranges, all wrapped up in a coating of chocolate.
It’s ‘love’ in a social media world,
where not everyone is who they seem
and where some people’s bios should carry a warning.
#JustSayin

He growls, moving closer, putting his beer on the table. “You don’t know me.” He’s right in front of me now.

He smells amazing.

Dammit.

“I don’t want to know you.”

He lets out a clipped laugh. “Liar.”

“You arrogant piece of shit!” I raise my hand to slap his smug face, but he catches my wrist and pins it against the wall above my head. He leans into me until I can feel his breath against my cheek. It sends unwelcome shivers down my spine. I hate him and I hate what he does to me.

My breathing is rapid, but so is his.

“Why do you have to be so fucking irritating?” he hisses, through clenched teeth.

“You bring out the best in me. Now get the fuck off me before I hurt you.”

He sneers. “That, I’d love to see, Princess.”

“Try me,” I dare him, turning my face ever so slightly to look in his eyes. I want him to see how angry I am, to see that I really can’t stand him. Unfortunately, he is looking at my lips, why is he looking at my lips? Just then his eyes flick up, and for a second, I see just a hint of confusion, before his lips crush against mine with such force an involuntary moan escapes.

His tongue forces its way into my mouth and begins exacting its revenge on mine for the nasty things I’ve said.

What the fuck is happening? I hate him, but my God I want to fuck him. This is so bad. I need to stop this now. His hand is still pinning my wrist to the wall, so with my other hand I shove at his shoulder, he breaks contact with my mouth for a second grabbing my other wrist and pinning it along with the first in one strong hand.

“What do you think you’re doing?” I gasp, fighting to breathe. I badly want to fight him, but I need to feel him.

“Figuring this out,” he murmurs as his mouth begins to travel to my neck. He bites my earlobe and I cry out. Pleasure and pain, passion and fury, surge through me and I start to fight.

Yanking at my hands held securely in his firm grip, I can’t help another moan as his hot, breathless kisses work their way down my neck. His free hand snakes into my top and yanks down the cup of my bra.

“Figuring what out?” I pant. “I hate you and you hate me, it’s perfectly easy to understand. Ah!” His fingers pinch my nipple hard.

“If you hate me, why are you panting like a dog in heat?” he says as he sinks his teeth into the soft skin of my neck and bites hard enough to leave a mark.

“Fuck!” I growl, the pain just increases the damned pleasure. I fucking hate my body for its betrayal. “Don’t flatter yourself,” I spit. His head dips lower and my top is lifted

up, then his mouth is on my nipple. At this point I’m screwed; my nipples are my weakness. I moan loudly and lose myself for a second in the sensation. He bites down and I cry out. Then realisation floods back in. I wriggle to get out of his grasp again, but he holds me tighter. His hand stills my hips and I freeze as it slides around my arse and up, under my skirt. I try again to get free of him as his busy hand pushes my skirt up around my waist.

“Why fight me?” His fingers travel around my thigh.

“Why? Because I hate you, that’s why.”

“You want me, you can’t deny it.”

“In your dreams,” I start to protest, but his fingers find their way to the front of my knickers and slip inside. All the air leaves my body as his fingers slide across my clit and then sink inside.

“Liar!” he purrs, working his fingers.

I whimper. I’ve never been so turned on, or so at odds with myself. “If you hated me,” he pulls his hand away, leaving me to sag with disappointment, “you wouldn’t be this wet.” His fingers force their way into my mouth, coated with my need.

This display of dominance has a shiver running through me, and without thinking, I suck at his fingers and groan.

He smirks. “Face it, Princess, you want me.”

I do.

No.

Shit.

I don’t.

He lets his fingers slip from my mouth and stares at me with a look of triumph, like he has me right where he wants me.

“You’re a pig,” I whisper, “you make me sick.”

“Yeah?” he challenges.

“Yeah,” I breathe.

Then, he presses himself against me.

Ho-ly fuck.

Terrible wife

Mediocre mother

Appalling housewife

Fashion graduate

Wedding co-ordinator

Sex toy salesperson

Shop manager

Designer

Font collector

Romance addict

Fancier of nice men

Ok, fancier of almost all men

Awesome cupcake baker

Incessant singer

Film buff

Friend

Writer

Facebook / Twitter / Website

Happy Release : Wild Irish Envy by Sibylla Matilde = Copperline Series – Book 2

Posted on 05/07/2015 by shellbellereads

*** Mature Content; Strong Language; Sexual Content with m/f, m/f/m, and exhibitionism/voyeurism***

“She is the forbidden fruit. The one girl I want and the one I can never have. Never mind that I saw her first. That I met her first. That I wanted her first.”

Denny Byrne is Dublin-born, but found his life and his music in the Rocky Mountains. He arrived in Montana on a student visa where he met the rest of his band, the Bangin’ Mofos… and where he met Felicity Williams.

She was so very tempting, but just young enough to be untouchable. Their brief encounter tortured him for months, only to leave him bereft when a friend swooped in to claim her. But a traitorous envy consumed him. A hunger that never faded. An overwhelming ache that caused Denny to pull away just when his friend needed him the most.

After four years of denial, ‘Fliss’ is once again before him. In a moment of weakness, she relies on him in a way he’s always coveted, but never expected. Hardened by tragedy and wary of his assistance, she forces his hand, causing Denny’s control to slip.

Contrition and conscience have kept them apart for far too long. But when a simple agreement is eclipsed by an undeniable yearning, can he let go of the past and finally seize what has always really been his to take?

Cover Photo by: Sara Eirew Photographer

*** Mature Content; Strong Language; Strong Sexual Content with m/f, m/f/m, and a taste of f/f/m***

She was the most beautiful girl I’d ever seen. Pure class. Old money. I never stood a chance… until she broke up with her dickhead of a boyfriend and went off the rails.

Brannon Forrester doesn’t expect much from life. He coasts through aimlessly. No real ties. Nothing to hold him back. Hanging out with his best friend, lead singer of a local bar band, he lives for pleasure, out of the spotlight but with all the excess of the band’s small-town fame. After all, why should he be good when the only woman he really wants will never give him the time of day?

Then, one night at an after party, Sophie Buchanan walks through the door. In an attempt to throw caution to the wind and dream out loud, she looks to him as a guide to the wild side. As someone who can show her all the excitement and recklessness her world has been missing. He plunges her into a reality of fervent passion… and heartbreaking betrayal.

Their roles have been set. He has only ever been a good time. She has only ever been a pretty face. It would be insane for them to fall in love. But when emotion complicates lust, can the caution of the mind suppress the will of the heart?

Author Bio:
Sibylla Matilde grew up in the mountain valleys of Southwest Montana exploring the dusty Old West gold country on the back of a horse. She attended a two-room schoolhouse beginning in 1st grade & had the same teacher until she changed schools after 7th. Beginning at about age 12, Sibylla discovered historical romance, feeding off of work of Jude Deveraux & Lisa Kleypas. She loves a book that can make the reader run the gamut of emotions, from the sweet glow of new love to gut-wrenching heartache. She is a true romantic & always has stories floating around in her head, living in a fantasyland until she writes them down to free them.

Music is her emotional trigger. Growing up with a Wagnarian-loving mother, Sibylla was raised to treasure music that digs deep into the psyche, drawing out elation, sorrow, grief, desire. The soundtrack to her life includes many genres spanning centuries. She looooooooves Thirty Seconds to Mars (rather obsessively, actually… but, really, how can you NOT be crazy about this guy!? Jared Leto. Shhh. ) & pimps them out to all her friends through Spotify. She also delights in Met Opera HD broadcasts at her local movie theater & hopes (listening Met?) to someday see Diana Damrau reprise her role as Mozart’s Queen of the Night in Die Zauberflöte.

Sibylla lives with her husband and hero who saved her from her own calamitous, young-adult self. He makes her laugh daily, even when things are tough. He’s proved to her that love really can heal a shattered soul. In 18 years, they have never had a fight, although argue regularly with their two teenage kids who have, unfortunately, inherited their father’s quick wit (unfortunate as it is a quick wit that Sibylla, herself, definitely does not possess – there is a reason she is a writer & not a stand-up comedian). They live a quiet life with their two weird little rescued Chiweenies. Wait… teenagers & little yap-dogs? OK, maybe not so quiet.

Website / Facebook / Twitter / Goodreads

Trailer Reveal: Hard Ink Series by Laura Kaye… These are the men of Hard Ink

Posted on 05/06/2015 by shellbellereads

We are over the moon about this Trailer Reveal for Laura Kaye’s Hard Ink Series! HARD TO LET GO-the final title in the Hard Ink Series, published by Avon Romance, is releasing June 30th!! Laura has **a very special treat, through June 29, anyone who pre-orders HARD TO LET GO, and Fills Out This Form, will receive a Hard Ink Series Short Story! Just fill out the quick form here!**

Pre-Order at Amazon | B&N | iBooks| Kobo

Hard to Let Go on Goodreads

And now….The Amazing Hard Ink Trailer…

Link:https://youtu.be/qM45fjLJXXk

About HARD TO LET GO:

Beckett Murda hates to dwell on the past. But his investigation into the ambush that killed half his Special Forces team and ended his Army career gives him little choice. Just when his team learns how powerful their enemies are, hard-ass Beckett encounters his biggest complication yet—a seductive, feisty Katherine Rixey.

A tough, stubborn prosecutor, Kat visits her brothers’ Hard Ink Tattoo shop following a bad break-up—and finds herself staring down the barrel of a stranger’s gun. Beckett is hard-bodied and sexy as hell, but he’s also the most infuriating man ever. Worse, Kat’s brothers are at war with the criminals her office is investigating. When Kat joins the fight, she lands straight in Beckett’s sights . . . and in his arms. Not to mention their enemies’ crosshairs.

Now Beckett and Kat must set aside their differences to work together, because the only thing sweeter than justice is finding love and never letting go.

Pre-order before or on June 29, fill out the form, and get a Hard Ink Short Story!

And don’t miss the other Hard Ink books, now available!

Hard As It Gets

Hard As You Can

Hard to Hold On To

Hard to Come By

Hard to Be Good

Praise for Hard to Let Go:

“Kaye wraps up her bestselling series with this action-packed story, highlighting her talent for alpha military heroes, hot romance, and an ensemble cast of characters who are unique and engaging. A supersexy, high-octane romantic suspense novel that concludes the popular Hard Ink series in a completely satisfying way.” ~Kirkus Reviews

About Laura Kaye:

Laura is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of over twenty books in contemporary and paranormal romance and romantic suspense. Growing up, Laura’s large extended family believed in the supernatural, and family lore involving angels, ghosts, and evil-eye curses cemented in Laura a life-long fascination with storytelling and all things paranormal. She lives in Maryland with her husband, two daughters, and cute-but-bad dog, and appreciates her view of the Chesapeake Bay every day.

Website | Facebook |Twitter | Newsletter SignUp

Happy Release + 5 Star Review + 2015 Favorite : Pucked by Helena Hunting

Posted on 05/06/2015 by shellbellereads

Pucked

By Helena Hunting

Release Date: May 3, 2015

Buy: Amazon / B & N / ITunes

Synopsis

With a famous NHL player for a stepbrother, Violet Hall is well acquainted with the playboy reputation of many a hockey star. So of course she isn’t interested in legendary team captain Alex Waters or his pretty, beat-up face and rock-hard six-pack abs. When Alex inadvertently obliterates Violet’s misapprehension regarding the inferior intellect of hockey players, he becomes much more than just a hot body with the face to match.

Suffering from a complete lapse in judgment, Violet discovers just how good Alex is with the hockey stick in his pants. Violet believes her night of orgasmic magic with Alex is just that: one night. But Alex starts to call. And text. And email and send extravagant—and quirky—gifts. Suddenly, he’s too difficult to ignore, and nearly impossible not to like.

The problem is, the media portrays Alex as a total player, and Violet doesn’t want to be part of the game.

Michel’s Review

I want to get PUCKED! I absolutely loved Helena Hunting’s latest release PUCKED. It was a truly pleasurable reading experience that had me laughing my a## off. It was a scorcher! Alex Waters is the new upcoming Super Hero ( when you read the book you will understand what I mean). He has super powers that will make women swoon, drench their panties, and sets their Beaver’s on fire! He is even willing to date the tata’s. He will worship them, give them equal opportunity, and send them gift cards. Oh and did I forget to mention that Alex is smart? The man knows his literature, he’s an expert of the English language, and he wrote the textbook on How To Talk Dirty.

Violet Hall is her own very unique individual. She has quick witt, a dirty mind, and a very vivid imagination. Even though she doesn’t date hockey players she is going to make the exception for Alex Waters. After all the man can read. What starts out as a fun interlude turns into a full blown out PUCK fest that leads to a more committed pucking relationship. But is Alex Waters ready for Violet Hall and her smart mouth. Is he ready to lay down his stick and become a one pucking kind of guy?

Both Violet and Alex are going to SCORE big. They are PUCKED!

Read the book. It is humerotica at it’s finest!

Helena Hunting …. you rock!

Author Bio:

Helena Hunting lives on the outskirts of Toronto with her incredibly tolerant family and two moderately intolerant cats. She’s putting her English degree to good use by writing popular fiction. She is the author of Clipped Wings, her debut novel, and Inked Armor.

Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Goodreads

Release Blitz + Giveaway: When Fates Align by Isabelle Richards – When Fates Collide Series – Book 3

Posted on 05/06/2015 by shellbellereads

We’re having a release day launch for When Fates Align, the stunning conclusion to Isabelle Richards’ When Fates Collide Trilogy. To celebrate her release, she has the entire trilogy on sale, and she’s sharing a great excerpt with us!! Check it out!!

When Fates Align

When Fates Collide Series – Book 3

By Isabelle Richards

Synopsis

Why would fate bring them together only to tear them apart?
Lily and Gavin were brought together in a clash of tragedy and chaos. Amid the ashes of lives gone wrong, they thought they found a second chance at love. With trouble from their previous lives lurking around every corner, they quickly learned that love from a star-crossed romance isn’t enough to survive.
Lily has slipped through Gavin’s fingers, and he feels as though he’s been sentenced to an eternity in hell. But if he’s going to perish in the ninth circle, everyone responsible for coming between him and Lily will go down with him.
Perhaps their love was never meant to be. But, if he’s learned anything from his time with Lily, it’s that sometimes everything has to crash and burn before life can begin again.

Buy: Amazon

Exclusive Excerpt

There’s a romantic notion that if the person you love dies, you’ll somehow feel it. You’ll feel the connection sever as the other half of your soul is ripped from you. But I didn’t feel anything when Lily died. Nothing. I should have felt something, shouldn’t I? Like the tether she holds around my heart snapping or a surge of electrical current when the connection between us was lost? Something. But there was no warning. As I drove to my flat, there was no sign of the devastation waiting for me. Nothing to prepare me for the reality that my heart was about to be irrevocably shattered. Even if I had felt something, it couldn’t have prepared me for this.

It all seems unreal. Lily can’t be dead. Despite the numerous times I lectured her about the danger she was in, I never truly believed I’d lose her. I thought as long as she was with me, she’d be safe. What a fool I was.

Time’s come to a standstill. I’m frozen whilst people move all around me. A constant squawk of radios echoes in the hall. Police officers and firemen hustle in and out of my flat, moving with such purpose. Tasks to complete. Because this is just a job to them. Just another murder scene. One of many. They take notes, collect samples, snap pictures. When it’s over, they’ll go home, or to the pub, and the horrors they saw here will eventually fade away.

Not for me. My anguish from this day will never fade. It will fester inside me, trapping me in eternal misery. Since I’m perishing in hell, I’m going to make sure the bastards who did this to her perish right along with me. I’m certain vengeance crosses the minds of most people who have lost someone to such senseless acts of violence, but I know this isn’t just a passing stage of grief that will wane with time. Cartels like Morelia survive because they know how to work the system. Blackmail, extortion, and bribery make them untouchable by authorities. The only way I’ll get justice for Lily is if I annihilate them myself, and unlike most people, I have the resources and connections to make it happen.

When Fate Isn’t Enough: Book 2

Kindle | Kindle UK | Kindle Australia

When Fates Collide: Book 1

Kindle | Kindle UK | Kindle Australia

Isabelle Richards Bio:

Isabelle Richards spent years as a speech writer before tackling fiction. An avid reader of all genres, Isabelle is drawn to romance novels as they provide an escape from daily life. Through her complex cast of characters, Isabelle creates a sanctuary for readers to dive into for a break from reality.

When she is not writing, Isabelle works as an advocate for persons with disabilities in Washington, DC. Her two yellow labs are her writing partners, although they frequently sleep on the job.

Links:

Facebook | Twitter | Mailing List | Author Goodreads

Enter Isabelle’s Giveaway!!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Happy Release: Under The Spotlight by Angie Stanton- The Jamieson Brothers Series- Book 3

Posted on 05/06/2015 by shellbellereads

We’re having a release day launch for Angie Stanton’s Under the Spotlight! I am so excited about this young adult romance!! Angie is sharing an excerpt and fantastic giveaway with us, so be sure to check out all the festivities!

Exclusive Excerpt:

Garrett’s head pounded, and not from the hangover that would greet him with the sunrise, but from being slammed against the wall. Or maybe it was from the few punches that came later when he crashed to the floor of Ye Ole Boston Brew Pub and knocked his head on the beer-stained tile.

He rubbed his unshaven face, and dried blood flaked into his hand. Great. He needed a shower and an aspirin, but the Boston city jail offered neither. Where the hell was Peter? It had been over an hour.

The sharp edge of the narrow bench he lay on cut into his back, making his already battered body even more sore. He only hoped the other guy felt worse. The jerk had the audacity to call him washed up. For Christ’s sake, he was only twenty-two. He’d accomplished more in the last five years than that asshole would in a lifetime.

Reaching for his phone, he remembered the cops had taken it, along with his wallet and keys. Damn it.

“Garrett Jamieson,” a bored cop with thinning hair announced, unlocking the cell. “You’re free to go.”

“About damn time,” Garrett huffed, rising slowly. He tugged his shirt into place, smoothed back his hair, and followed the officer down a long corridor past several cells with other perps. He couldn’t wait to get away from this hellhole. The officer opened a solid metal security door, and Garrett walked through, relieved to be free.

In the far corner of the waiting room, studying the Most Wanted posters, his brother waited, wearing faded jeans and a gray T-shirt.

“Hey Peter,” he called. “See anyone you know?”

Peter turned with a smirk on his face and his hair still ruffled from bed. “Just checking to make sure your ugly mug isn’t up here.”

Garrett sneered. “It wasn’t my fault.”

“Never is.” Peter sighed. “You realize this is becoming an annoying habit. You’re lucky your Jag is still in the shop from your crash last week, otherwise you might have added drunk driving to your record.”

“Stop acting like an old woman.”

“You have more to worry about than me. Dad isn’t going to be happy about this.”

“No reason Dad needs to hear about it.”

“You’re kidding yourself if you think you can keep this under wraps. A couple of photographers are outside. You’re busted. Again.”

Garrett stepped to the counter and signed his discharge papers.

“At least I know how to live a little. You’re tied down to a ball and chain.”

His brother grinned with a smile that melted millions of young girls’ hearts. “Well, I happen to have the hottest ball and chain on the planet.”

Under the Spotlight Synopsis:

After an embarrassing stint on a reality-TV music competition years ago, Riley vowed never to sing again. Now she’s behind the scenes, working at the prestigious Sound Sync recording studio, and life is looking up. But then Garrett Jamieson, the oldest brother in the famous Jamieson brothers band, crashes into her world.

Garrett has hit rock bottom, and he is desperate to reinvent himself. After calling in a few favors, he ends up working at Sound Sync to learn the ropes of record producing from the industry’s best. And he can’t believe his luck when he discovers that Riley has been keeping a secret—she is an amazing singer. By producing her album, he’s sure to top the record charts again. But Garrett is forced to use every trick in his arsenal to persuade the sassy girl to record.

Riley refuses to sing—or even entertain the thought of it—and sparks fly as Garrett finally meets his match. But in the heat of the moment, one stolen kiss changes everything. Will Riley be the first person to finally rein Garrett in, or will Garrett succeed in getting Riley back under the spotlight?

Buy Links:

Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Under the Spotlight Goodreads

Michel’s Review

Under The Spotlight by Angie Stanton is the third book in the very popular YA series The Jamieson Brothers. Although this is YA/ New Adult I found the book leaning more towards the YA genre. It is a sweet romance with very little angst, very little romance, very little sexual tension, and no sex at all. The first kiss does not happen until the reader has reached 70% of the book. From that point the romance does not progress much until the very end.

I found the characters very charismatic. The general plot of the book was well executed and very entertaining. I loved how the author focused on the procedures in the music industry. It was very enlightening.

Over all Under The Spotlight is a good book. I would recommend this book and series to mature teenage girls that are between tween and new adult. It is a clean romance that will capture the younger teen woman’s heart.

Angie Stanton Bio:

Angie Stanton never planned on writing books—she wanted to be a Rockette. However, growing up in rural America with her brothers’ 4-H pigs as pets, she found that dance didn’t quite work out. Instead, she became an avid daydreamer. After years of perfecting stories in her head, she began to write them down, and the rest is history. When not writing, she loves watching natural disaster movies, going to Broadway musicals, and dipping French fries in chocolate shakes.

Links:

Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Author Goodreads | Instagram

Enter Angie’s Giveaway!!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Happy Release + 6 Star Review: After The War by Jessica Scott – The Homefront Series – Book 2

Posted on 05/05/2015 by shellbellereads

Jessica Scott

After the War

Homefront Series – Book 2

5/5/2015

Blurb:

The second book in the emotional new Homefront series from USA Today Bestselling author Jessica Scott

A terrible loss…

Captain Sarah Anders lost her husband to the Iraq war and has nearly lost the career she loves. Sent to Fort Hood, she only wants to do her job and take care of the daughter she’s raising on her own. She never counted on running straight into a memory she’d tried to forget.

A love he never forgot…

Captain Sean Nichols never got over Sarah. He simply tried to forget her amidst the war and the chaos of combat. But when she’s assigned to investigate his unit, he comes face to face with the woman no war or any amount of time could make him forget.

A dark secret…

As Sarah gets closer to the truth, Sean must accept that actions he took during the war may end the tentative love building between them. And even if Sarah can forgive him, Sean may never be able to forgive himself.

Buy:

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | iTunes/iBooks | Google Play

Excerpt:

“I’m sorry you have to go through this alone.”

“Thank you for saying that.” She blinked quickly, and she heard a rustle of blankets. Her mind detoured into a very unprofessional space. “Did you just get into bed?”

He laughed quietly. “Yeah. Are you?”

“Yeah.” There was something illicit in that simple agreement. Illicit and enticing all at once.

“So we’re in bed together?”

“Ha ha ha.” She cleared her throat, though, as a fresh heat traced over her skin, warm and needy. “Tell me more about Kearney.”

“Damn, and here I thought you were going to ask me what I was wearing to bed.”

She hesitated. Only for a moment, not giving herself time to talk herself out of her next words. “What are you wearing to bed?”

A silence that let her mind wander. “Sweats.” He paused. When he spoke, his voice was husky and thick. “Tell me what you’re wearing.”

“Yoga pants and a T-shirt,” she said softly, her cheeks turning hot. Was she really having this conversation?

“Sarah?”

“Yeah?”

“This doesn’t feel wrong to me. I just wanted you to know that.”

Michel’s Review

After The War by Jessica Scott is the second book in her new Homefront Series.

After The War is Jessica Scott’s best book to date. It was a powerful and emotional book that was obviously a very personal look into the person Jessica Scott is. Jessica poured a lot of herself into this novel and gave the readers a real look at the hardships of being a female officer, a mother, and a woman. The difficulties of combining a military career and family life are hard enough but add being a single parent to a pre schooler adds more to an already full plate. She also showed that even though one can be a soldier prepared for war that you are never prepared for the loss personally. The fears are very real. The devastation is even harder because no matter how the pieces fall you still have to soldier on. You still have to be a parent to your child.

Captain Sarah Anders has struggled and had adversity since she began her military career. She lost one man she loved because of her career. He could not accept her choice of being a soldier. He wanted a wife and children at home while he was pursuing his own career as a soldier. She lost her husband, the only man that accepted her choices and career, to the casualties of war. She gave birth to her daughter alone. She has spent the last five years trying to combine her career and be the best parent to her ability.

When she is fired from one position and sent to Fort Hood it is like a slap in the face for her endeavors in the Army. She is assigned to a senior officer that believes no single parent , especially a woman, should be in the Army. Her superior officer (although being a woman herself) is much harder on her female officers than she is on her male officers. Sarah is assigned to investigate a case of the arrests of two soldiers fighting in a local bar. It should be a cut and dry case but as the investigation begins to unfold there is much more buried below the surface. One the main problems is dealing with the soldiers commanding officer. That officer is the same man that could not accept her career choices and walked away. Now nine years later they are forced to work together.

A lot of changes can take place over nine years. Sarah is living proof of that. She is a mother and widow. She is an officer walking a fine line in her career because of Army politics and her home life.

Captain Sean Nichols has also changed. He was once an idealistic naive young soldier that thought he could change the world. He thought going to war would make a difference. War has a way of changing a man’s perspective on life and his view of the world. He may be a career warrior but he is also a compassionate man. He understands the nightmares and devastation that stays within a man’s soul after the war. He is trying to keep his men sane, focused, and prepared. Two of his soldiers are falling off course. It is more than homefront problems affecting these men. Something happened while they were on the front that is causing these men conflicts.

Sean never dreamed he would see Sarah again. He is shocked to find out she married soon after they broke it off. He was even more shocked that she was a mother. Then when he found out who her husband was, he was devastated. He witnessed her husband’s death. Now he wants a second chance to get to know Sarah once more. He has changed and respects her career. He also admires her sense of dedication to her young daughter. He wants another chance with Sarah.

Can Sarah put aside her fears, mistrusts, and resentments and give Sean another chance? Will she be able to hold onto her career and have a personal life? Can she still be a good parent and a good soldier at the same time? She thought she knew how to do it. Coming to Fort Hood has changed everything. It could be for the worse or it could be for the better. Sarah has tough choices to make. The one thing that seems most important is taking a second chance at love.

After The War was a powerful story of a strong woman surviving her losses, her career choices, and being the best person she can be.

I admire Jessica Scott for writing this story.

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About Jessica Scott:

USA Today Bestselling author Jessica Scott is a career army officer, mother of two daughters, three cats and three dogs, wife to a career NCO and wrangler of all things stuffed and fluffy. She is a terrible cook and even worse housekeeper, but she’s a pretty good shot with her assigned weapon and someone liked some of the stuff she wrote. Somehow, her children are pretty well adjusted and her husband still loves her, despite burned water and a messy house.

She’s also written for the New York Times At War Blog, PBS Point of View Regarding War, and IAVA. She deployed to Iraq in 2009 as part of OIF/New Dawn and has had the honor of serving as a company commander at Fort Hood, Texas twice.

She’s pursuing a graduate degree in Sociology in her spare time and most recently, she’s been featured as one of Esquire Magazine’s Americans of the Year for 2012.

Find Jessica Online:

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Happy Release: Last Kiss by Jessica Clare and Jen Frederick – The Hitman Series – Book 3

Posted on 05/05/2015 by shellbellereads

Last Kiss

The Hitman Series – Book 3

By Jessica Clare and Jen Frederick

Synopsis

From the bestselling authors of Last Hit and Last Breath comes the next dark and sensual tale in the Hitman series that crosses the line between danger and desire…

Naomi: When I was kidnapped I thought only of survival. I don’t thrive well in chaos. That’s why I gave my captors exactly what they wanted: my skill with computers. Making millions for a crime lord who kept me imprisoned in his basement compound kept my family safe. When he was taken out, I thought my ticket to freedom had arrived. Wrong. I traded one keeper for another. This time I’m in the hands of a scarred, dark, demanding Russian who happens to be the head of the Bratva, a Russian crime organization. He wants my brain and my body. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t intrigued, but I can’t be a prisoner forever…no matter how good he makes me feel.

Vasily: At a young age, I was taught that a man without power is a puppet for all. I’ve clawed—and killed—my way to the top so that it is my heel on their necks. But to unify the fractured organization into an undefeatable machine, I need a technological genius to help me steal one particular artifact. That she is breathtaking, determined, and vulnerable is making her more dangerous than all of my enemies combined. But only I can keep her safe from the world that she now inhabits. Soon, I must choose between Naomi and Bratva law. But with every day that passes, this becomes a more impossible choice.

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Last Hit

Book 1

From two bestselling authors—the first in a deliciously bold new series that takes readers to the most dangerous edge of desire . . .

Nikolai: I have been a contract killer since I was a boy. For years I savored the fear caused by my name, the trembling at the sight of my tattoos. The stars on my knees, the marks on my fingers, the dagger in my neck, all spoke of danger. If you saw my eyes, it was the last vision you’d have. I have ever been the hunter, never the prey. With her, I am the mark and I am ready to lie down and let her capture me. Opening my small, scarred heart to her brings out my enemies. I will carry out one last hit, but if they hurt her, I will bring the world down around their ears.

Daisy: I’ve been sheltered from the outside world all my life. Home-schooled and farm-raised, I’m so naive that my best friend calls me Pollyanna. I like to believe the best about people. Nikolai is part of this new life, and he’s terrifying to me. Not because his eyes are cold or my friend warns me away from him, but because he’s the only man who has ever seen the real me beneath the awkwardness. With him, my heart is at risk . . . and also, my life.

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Last Breath

Book 2

From the bestselling authors of Last Hit comes the next in the steamy series that explores the exquisite power of our darkest passions . . .

Regan: I never really knew what misery was until the day I was kidnapped and sold for being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Two months later, I’m at a brothel in Rio when I meet Daniel Hays. He says he’s here to save me, but can I trust him? All I know of him are his sarcastic retorts and his tendency to solve every dispute with his gun. He’s also the only safe thing in my world, and I know it’s wrong to fall in love with him, but I can’t seem to help myself. He says he’ll protect me until his last breath, but I don’t know if I should believe him or even if I can.

Daniel: For the last eighteen months, one goal has dictated every action I’ve taken. I’ve left the Army, turned paid hit man, and befriended criminals all across the globe to find my kidnapped sister. In every brothel I raid and every human trafficking truck I stop, I hope the next face I find is my sister’s. In a hidden brothel in Rio, I find Regan Porter, bruised but not broken, and still sane despite her weeks in captivity. I should leave her behind or send her home, because the last thing either of us needs right now is to get involved. But with every passing minute, I find I’m less able to let her go.

MATURE AUDIENCE

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Last Hit Reloaded

A Hitman Novella

Release Date: January 20, 2015

With their explosively sexy novels, the bestselling authors of Last Breath, Last Kiss, and Last Hit have proven themselves “a force to be reckoned with.”* Now comes an all-new to-die-for novella in their acclaimed Hitman series…
There was a time when Nick loved the fear he instilled in his enemies. His tattoos alone promised danger, but it was the look in his eyes that delivered on it. A contract killer since he was just a boy, Nick has now forged a new life—and a new identity—with the woman who followed him, captured him, and changed him.
He terrified Daisy. Once. But she couldn’t resist, and she ignored every warning. It paid off. Now she’s part of a new beginning, a fresh start in America helping him to leave behind a reckless and violent past as a professional killer. But the past is never easy to outrun, especially when so much of it thrives on revenge.
A new threat has emerged from the shadows, and now Nick and Daisy have no choice but to rely on Nick’s killer skills to protect them from everything they’ve tried so hard to escape.

Includes a bonus excerpt from Last Kiss.

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Last Kiss

Book 3

Release Date: May 5, 2015

From the bestselling authors of Last Hit and Last Breath comes the next dark and sensual tale in the Hitman series that crosses the line between danger and desire…

Buy: Amazon / Barnes and Noble / IBooks / Kobo

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About The Authors

Jessica Clare is a New York Times and USA Today Bestselling author who writes under three different names. As Jill Myles, she writes a little bit of everything, from sexy, comedic urban fantasy to zombie fairy tales. As Jessica Clare, she writes erotic contemporary romance.

She also has a third pen name (because why stop at two?). As Jessica Sims, she writes fun, sexy shifter paranormals. She lives in Texas with her husband, cats, and too many dust-bunnies. Jill spends her time writing, reading, writing, playing video games, and doing even more writing.

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Jen Frederick lives with her husband, child, and one rambunctious dog. She’s been reading stories all her life but never imagined writing one of her own. Jen loves to hear from readers so drop her a line at jensfrederick@gmail.com

Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Goodreads

Happy Release: Tessa Ever After by Brighton Walsh – Caged In Winter Series – Book 2

Posted on 05/05/2015 by shellbellereads

Tessa Ever After

Caged In Winter Series – Book 2

By Brighton Walsh

Synopsis

In this grippingly emotional New Adult novel from the author of Caged in Winter, what you want isn’t always what you need…

Jason’s been living (and loving) the rich playboy lifestyle for five years, but now his parents are pressuring him to get involved in the family business. The last thing he wants is another obligation, but when his best friend moves out of state and asks Jason to look after his sister, he can’t just say no.

Tessa had to grow up way too soon. After dealing with the aftermath of her parents’ deaths, then becoming a teenage mom, she knows the meaning of responsibility. Which is why, at twenty-two, she’s looking for so much more than a party boy. She’s looking for someone who can stand by her and her daughter…forever.

A relationship between them is doomed from the start, but who says they can’t have a little fun? But as Jason gets closer to Tessa—and her daughter—fun starts to turn into something else… Something Jason’s not sure he’s ready for.

Buy: Amazon / B & N / ITunes / Kobo

The Caged In Winter Series

Caged In Winter – Book 1

In this emotional and sexy New Adult debut from Brighton Walsh, the only thing more frightening than commitment is hope…

Aspiring chef Cade Maxwell is immediately, viscerally attracted to Winter Jacobson. But it’s not her mouthwatering curves he’s drawn to–it’s the strange emptiness in her eyes. When Cade saves her from a drunken customer with grabby hands, he’s shocked at her response…

Winter doesn’t need Cade’s help. After a lifetime of getting by on her own, she’s happy to rely on herself. She’s exactly seventy-six days away from graduating college, and if she can hold it together that long, she’ll finally be able to rise above the crappy hand she was dealt.

But now, every time she turns around, Cade is there, ready to push her, smile at her, distract her from her plans. Winter knows she can’t afford to open up–especially to a man she’s terrified to actually want…

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Author Bio:

Brighton Walsh spent nearly a decade as a professional photographer before deciding to take her storytelling in a different direction and reconnect with writing. She lives in the Midwest with her husband and two children.

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Saucy Southern Readers

professional, honest, and timely book reviews

Category Archives: Genre

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Release Blitz + Giveaway: When Fates Align by Isabelle Richards – When Fates Collide Series – Book 3

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Happy Release + 6 Star Review: After The War by Jessica Scott – The Homefront Series – Book 2

Happy Release: Last Kiss by Jessica Clare and Jen Frederick – The Hitman Series – Book 3

Happy Release: Tessa Ever After by Brighton Walsh – Caged In Winter Series – Book 2

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