Happy Release + 5 Star Review : Last Hit: Reloaded by Jessica Clare and Jen Frederick -Hitman Series – Book 2.5

Posted on 01/20/2015 by shellbellereads

Last Hit: Reloaded

Hitman Series – Book 2.5

By Jessica Clare and Jen Frederick

Synopsis

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.

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Whatever it was, the women in my classes steer clear of me.

I can’t blame Nick. He wants to keep me safe, and I love him for it. After my kidnapping last year by Yuri and Vasily, I don’t mind his hovering. It makes me feel secure, even if it chases away any chance of friendship with “regular” people.

As I swipe my iPad and open the text to the class’s lesson, I tell myself that these things don’t matter. That the approval of my peers does not matter to me. I have Nick, and that should be everything.

But in some ways, not having any girlfriends to chat with makes me feel as if I am still that isolated young woman living in a boarded-up house with my father. I had no friends then, either. And funnily enough, I thought that friends and life would come easily once I escaped his house. And while Nick blazed his way into my life like a comet and paved a path for me, I still struggle with everyday things.

Like small talk. I never realized how much of a favor my friend Regan did me when she took me under her wing. But now Regan’s in Texas and I’m having to figure things out on my own.

Michel’s Review

The Hitman Series by Jessica Clare and Jen Frederick is one not to miss! The first two books in the series were solid 5 + Star Books. The intensity of The Hitman Series had me on the edge of my seat. The Hitman series is not only an intense and highly action packed series, it is also seductive and alluring. The passionate romance between the jaded assassins and the guileless innocent women will have the readers squirming and swooning. Their stories are unforgettable. Their passion is explosive. Their world is unpredictable and will never be completely safe.

Last Hit: Reloaded is a continuation of Nick and Daisy’s passionate story. It should not be read as a stand alone novel. Read the book Last Hit, book one in the series, before reading Last Hit: Reloaded.

Nick and Daisy have found a love they never could of possibly dreamed of experiencing in their lifetime. It is an all consuming and passionate relationship. They are striving to have a normal life. Neither Nick or Daisy know what normal is.

Nick has been an assassin since he was a boy. He has learned from his experience in the Russian Mafia to stay unattached. He has lived his life as a loner until he met Daisy. He is still constantly looking over his shoulder. He trusts no one. He is trying to become a part of society and find a new place for himself in the world. He is attending college, pursuing his art, and becoming a jack of all trades. He wants to make a good life for Daisy. He will do whatever he can to make her happy. He will even allow new people in their lives so that Daisy feels like she is normal.

Daisy walked away from an abusive and sheltered home life. She has never attended school, been exposed to the outside world, and certainly never had a social life. Her world was censored and filtered. She has no concept of life in the real world. She is attending college, exploring new hobbies, and trying to be the perfect woman for Nick. She is also desperate for the things that normal life entails. One of those things is the desire for friendships and companionship outside her relationship with Nick.

These two socially inept people will struggle with life outside of their home and outside of their relationship. They will both have to make changes within themselves as well as in the life they have started to build. It will be a whole new eye opening experience for both of them. Can they hold onto their passionate relationship and blend in the real world? It is worth their best efforts.

They will meet some questionable people. They will make some tremendous mistakes that prove how socially inept they are. They will find that the past they have fought so hard to leave behind is knocking on their door. Will they find the perfect balance they need in their lives? Daisy is too trusting. Nick does not trust enough. Both are right and both are wrong.

This is a must read series! Nick and Daisy will capture your heart. Their story is intense.

Last Breath is the second book in this series. It features Nick’s only confidant and Daisy’s only friend. It has to be read after Last Hit because of the circumstances of their story.

Jessica Clare and Jen Frederick have created an extraordinary action packed series. The chemistry, sexual tension, and passion between the characters is riveting. The Hitman Series is explosive!

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 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…

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.

Pre-Order: Amazon / Barnes and Noble / IBooks

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.

Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Pinterest
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

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Giveaway

$100 American Express Gift Card

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ARC Review: Fragmented by Stephanie Tyler- Section 8 Series – Book 3

Posted on 01/16/2015 by shellbellereads

Fragmented

Section 8 Series – Book 3

By Stephanie Tyler

Synopsis

WHEN THE RISKS ARE THIS GREAT…

When Dr. Drea Timmons was kidnapped during Section 8’s last mission, Jem did everything in his power to rescue the woman he’d fallen for—a woman unwillingly recruited for one of S8’s most personal and dangerous covert operations. Drea survived, but at a price. The trauma of her capture has rendered her without a single memory of her ordeal—or any recollection of how violently unpredictable her ex-boyfriend, Danny, an Outlaw Angel, had become, or why she had left him.

IS TRUST EVEN AN OPTION?

When Danny threatens to turn Drea over to the feds, she is forced to go on the run and confront a past that is as deadly as her future. As trouble closes in on both ends, Drea has no choice but to trust Jem, the only man who can help her, the only man whose electrifying touch brings back memories—piece by piece—too stirring to forget.

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Michel’s Review

Fragmented by Stephanie Tyler is the third book in the Section 8 series. It picks up. Where the second book left off with a huge cliffhanger.

Fragmented is Drea and Jem’s story. Drea is beginning to regain some of her memories from Section 8 and the team. She is beginning to remember fragments of her ex boyfriend Danny. Danny is the enemy and much more dangerous than she can remember. She has to rely heavily on her trust in Jem and the team. Afterall it was Jem that brought her in and has protected her from Danny, the FBI, and other agencies in the bureaucracy.

The Section 8 team will band together to help her and continue to do their covert rescue operations.

What follows is the Section 8 team trying to save a young girl that has been kidnapped, take Danny and his MC members down, fight the government agencies that are backing Danny, and continue to rescue operations. In the midst of all this action Drea and Jem’s relationship is developing into a deep bond that goes beyond the team. They are falling in a deep abiding love.

Fragmented is fast paced, action packed, suspenseful, sensual, and romantic. The characters are intense. Their story is riveting. The overall plot for this series is gripping and exciting. The entire cast in this series is charismatic and compelling. Their stories will have the reader on the edge of their seats hoping they get resolution and the love they deserve.

The Section 8 Series is fantastic. Fragmented was a great addition. Fragmented can be read as a stand alone book because there is enough back story for a reader new to this series to understand. I would recommend reading all the books in this series, in reading order. It will not disappoint.

_____________________________________

New York Times Bestselling author Stephanie Tyler writes what she loves to read – romantic suspense with military heroes for Bantam Dell. She lives in New York with her husband, her daughter and her weimaraner. She also writes paranormal erotic romance for Bantam Dell under the pen-name Sydney Croft.

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Happy Release + 5 Star Review: Held Against You by Season Vining

Posted on 01/13/2015 by shellbellereads

Held Against You

New Adult / Romantic Suspense

By Season Vining

Synopsis

A gorgeous bounty hunter. A wanted woman. A passion they can’t deny.
Accused of a horrific crime and on the run, Kat has been rejected by everyone she loves. She’s a fugitive from her past, flitting from town to town with nothing but the clothes on her back—until she meets a man who literally stops her in her tracks.
A notorious bounty hunter with powerful instincts, he never fails to capture his prey. But there’s something about Kat that gets under his skin–and it’s not just the naked innocence he sees in her pretty eyes. Behind his ice cold demeanor, he has his own darkness… and now his lively, vulnerable mark is about to crack him wide open.
As they travel across the country together, both captor and captive are unable to deny the spark of attraction between them. Will their journey bring them together…or will their dangerous secrets tear them apart?

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Michel’s Review

I am always on the look out for new authors to read. Held Against You by Season Vining was brought to Smut Book Junkie Reviews attention through publisher/ publicist outreach months before the actual book was released. When I read the synopsis I was intrigued. It was a combination of two of my favorite genres, New Adult and Romantic Suspense. I took this generous offer to read the ARC copy for review.

I LOVED Held Against You! It was witty, entertaining, adventurous, gritty, and a very sexy read. The characters were larger than life. They had personality in spades. The dialogue was creative, snarky, and intuitive. The pacing of the story was perfect. The suspense and high octane was consistent throughout the story and had readers guessing the outcome to the very end. It had the right amount of sexual tension, emotional passages, and passionate moments. This book was a little less graphic in the bedroom scenes but was not lacking in projecting the red hot passion and chemistry between the characters. The entire plot to this story was unique and fresh. When I finished this book I was amazed at how much I enjoyed it. It was a page turner that kept my attention to the very last page.

Held Against You was not your typical angsty New Adult book. It may have been classified in this genre because of the characters age and general life experience, but they were not tormented angsty souls. They had a very defined situation that they had to deal with. They dealt with this situation to the best of personal abilities ( I say this loosely, because both characters fall in opposite sides of the spectrum, therefore they dealt with things to their individual ability). Somehow, even though they had opposing roles in their situation, they were able to merge and find a solution that worked for both of them.

Held Against You is not your typical romantic suspense either. There are several players in the story and at times the reader is not sure who the bad guy is. The danger and fear does escalate to an explosive ending, but the journey getting there is full high octane explosions that have the reader wondering where this is leading. It was not predictable.

Held Against You starts out with a fast paced heart racing moment. The reader gets to meet Kat. She is on the run. She committed murder and is trying to get to the Canadian border. She is penniless and without means for survival. Through sheer wit she manages to elude the authorities. Little does she know that a bounty hunter has been sent to collect her. Her determination and wit has kept her out of his grasp for over a month. He is tired, cranky, and pissed off that one little woman could elude him in the flash of an eye. But luck is on his side and he finally is able to capture her. Bringing her back is going to turn out to be an even bigger nuisance than capturing her was. It is going to be the road trip from hell. Kat is more than a murderer, she is a snarky pain in the butt. She doesn’t know when to shut up and she doesn’t know how to obey. What seems like easy money is going to make him earn every penny. It may make him grow a conscience and change his profession, or it may make him change his profession for peace and quiet.

All is not what it seems. As the story unfolds it becomes quite clear that there really isn’t a right and wrong, black and white. Kat’s life is every shade of grey. Is her head worth the money it is going to bring? Or is there a sinister motive for the hunt?

Read this book! It will not disappoint! I loved every word!

I was so impressed with Season Vining’s writing. I had to go and download her previous book, Beautiful Addictions. I think that she is going to make her mark in the book lovers world.

Author Bio:

SEASON VINING is an author, a designer, a philanthropist, a bookworm, a cook, inked, and a night owl. She loves John Hughes films, tattooed boys, and celebrating anniversaries of her 29th birthday. She lives in Louisiana, where she likes to spend time with her corgi, Chap.

Season is a graphic designer by trade and adores all form of art. She’s a fan of live music, vintage cars, and people who know the difference between their, there, and they’re.

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Sale Blitz + 5 Star Review + Giveaway: TAG by Shari J. Ryan

Posted on 01/10/2015 by shellbellereads

TAG

By Shari J. Ryan

Genre: New Adult Romantic Suspense

Synopsis

What if your family had a big secret . . . a life changing secret. My dad, the bigwig CIA agent, was always on the run, whether he was being chased or doing the chasing. I missed him. Then my mom passed away, and my sister was murdered. I turned my solitude to strength because the alternative was too bleak.

But my luck seemed to turn: I met Tango. And while I want him more than I’ve ever wanted anything in my twenty-two years, danger lurks around every corner and I simply can’t take the chance of it finding me. But his tattoos, his smell, his darkness, and his body— that marine has taken over my every thought. But, what if he too isn’t what I think? A ticking time bomb isn’t going to leave me much time to waver. Even the bravest person can be in need of a miracle.

Before she was gone, my mom warned me to know everyone and trust no one. But what was I supposed to do when I found out I am the one not to be trusted? Turns out, I was always the bait in this conspiracy.

In author Shari J. Ryan’s gripping novel, TAG, the canyons hold secrets, the waterfalls provide safety, and romance has a pesky way of showing up when you are sweaty and dirty and least expect it.

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Exceprt

I’ve been seated among the dozens of other passengers for the past two hours, watching the gate times change a number of times before I see the plane actually arrive. Just as I’m powering my phone down, preparing to board, an awful stench burns my nose from a few inches away. A middle-aged man with greasy black hair and a thick lip-covering mustache who smells exactly like the inside of a port-a-potty has found a reason to sit directly beside me in a row of empty seats. When my eyes unfortunately meet his, he takes the opportunity to speak to me. “Heading to Boston?” he asks. I raise my eyebrows and force a tightlipped smile. I simply follow that with a nod and give him a no shit look. “I heard winter’s coming early this year,” he continues.

“Cool,” I mumble with a sigh. I pull a magazine out of my bag and open it in front of my face, hoping to block my vision of the man’s blackened-stained grin. But it’s only seconds before I’m taken back when his finger sweeps down the bare skin of my collarbone.

“What does that mean?” he asks, pointing to my tattoo.

With a smooth motion, I lay my magazine down onto my lap and place my hand over his, giving him the false notion that I’m a gentle person. I take the opportunity to offer him a slight smile before I twist his forefinger backwards as far as it will go before the expectant snap. “I’m sorry,” I say sweetly. “Did I tell you it was okay to touch me?” I pull down a little harder, and he smiles in response to the pain. But as I hold my hand there, I see the smile begin to fade.

“It’s a free country, chicky,” he sputters as his tongue knocks around between his bare gums.

“Why would you think it’s okay to touch me?” I ask again, keeping my voice calm, yet stern. He licks his lips and looks me up and down, responding with only a look. “Do you go around touching girls half your age because you feel it’s okay?”

He clears his throat and looks around to see who’s watching or listening, but I don’t move my eyes from his. “Why not?” he says, shrugging his bony shoulders. “Besides, you’re definitely asking for it.”

He thinks I’m asking for it? I’m wearing a fucking scoop neck, black long sleeve shirt, jeans, and combat boots. “The only reason it’s okay, is because no one has ever probably told you no. But it occurs to me that after I snap your finger off your hand, you won’t be able to touch people inappropriately anymore, will you?”

He hoots with laughter, dragging in attention he probably shouldn’t want. “You think you could break my finger, little chicklette?”

I pull his finger a little further, and his smile grows. “Ow, stop. You’re hurting me,” he puckers his lips and winks at me.

“Oh, look, it’s your right hand. You a righty?” I turn his hand over and see deep callouses bubbling on his palm. “Yes, you are. So, if I rip this thing off, you wouldn’t miss it, right?” I turn his hand back over and glare into his beady eyes. He’s questioning my words. He’s unsure of my capabilities. And that’s fine. “Sound okay to you? Or are you going to leave and stop touching people?” His smile fades and his eyes widen. I release his hand and offer him a smart-ass smile. “Oh, and the tattoo means death. It’s a Maori Warrior symbol. They used to eat their enemies once they slaughtered them. Cool, huh?”

I see his Adam’s apple struggle to move. He lifts his bag from the ground and nearly trips over his own feet, darting away.

I reopen my magazine to the page I was reading and refocus my attention on an article as I hear a soft chuckle coming from the other side of me. I turn to see who was enjoying the free entertainment and I’m faced with a man who looks to be either a wrestler or in the military–black shaven hair, stiff jaw and bulging muscles on every inch of his arms. His eyes are currently focused on a book, and I suppose he could have been laughing at that, rather than me. But as I question it, his large shamrock green eyes lift and look right at me. A slight grin tugs on the corner of his lips, and he winks so quickly I’m questioning whether it was me who might have blinked. Before I can react, he stands up and walks away.

I swallow hard and refocus my attention on the magazine once more. Stupid attractive man causing a moment of feebleness. I didn’t react, though. He winked at me. I think. And I didn’t make a snide comment or scowl. Weakness.

I let out a few short breaths, regaining my composure. He’s gone. It’s fine.

Michel’s Review

TAG is the first book that I have read by Shari J. Ryan. I was given an ARC to review for this sale promotion. I was intrigued by the synopsis and by the fact that it combined two of my favorite genres to read.

TAG starts off on a pulsing fast pace. The very first chapter has your heart racing and mind intrigued. From there the reader is completely engaged in the story. It has an original plot, strong characters, sexual tension, climatic moments, and emotional passages that have the reader close to tears. The plight of these two people are on very different paths that merge together and lead them down the same road. For each of the them the outcome could be very different. For each the them it could be life changing. For each of them it is their only chance of survival. What they find along the way are some very rare gifts that neither thought they would ever have. They find the love that only happens once in a lifetime. They also find the one thing neither of them has in their lives. They find hope.

TAG is a very moving story. The intense storyline, the fast paced action, and emotional elements will have your adrenaline high and heart racing.

Shari J. Ryan’s writing is crisp, fresh, and engaging. She created charismatic characters and gave them life. Their story grabs the reader’s attention and their personalities grab the readers hearts.

I highly recommend TAG. It is a story that you will not forget.

Author Bio:

Bestselling author, Shari J. Ryan, hails from Central Massachusetts where she lives with her hubby and two lively little boys. Ryan has published the 3-book Schasm Series for Romantic Suspense/Thriller fans. TAG is her first book written solely for the Romantic Suspense audience, and she is hard at work on Red Nights, a standalone coming this spring. To learn more, visit her at: http://www.sharijryan.com

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Giveaway

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Cover Reveal + Giveaway: When Fates Collide and When Fate Isn’t Enough by Isabelle Richards

Posted on 01/02/2015 by shellbellereads

Today we have the a double cover reveal, for Isabelle Richard’s When Fates Collide and When Fate Isn’t Enough. I absolutely love this series, and I’m so excited to share the covers with you today!!

Title: When Fates Collide and When Fate isn’t Enough.

Author: Isabelle Richards

Release Day: When Fates Collide—January 28^th. When Fate Isn’t Enough—February 25^th.

Genre: Romantic Suspense

About When Fates Collide

Life can change in the blink of an eye. One moment, Lily is trapped in a loveless marriage. In a split second she is free, but at what cost? Her mundane life is set into a freefall of tragedy and terror. Her husband may be out of her life, but he left a storm of collateral damage behind and the burden is on Lily to sort it out.

Fate connects Lily with Gavin, a charmingly handsome British gentleman that has been drawn into her tangled circumstance. Gavin is everything Lily’s husband wasn’t and gives her hope that love really does exist. Gavin wants nothing more than to sweep Lily up and carry her off into the sunset, far away from the devastation left behind by her husband. Gavin has been the first breath of fresh air in her life, but she isn’t looking to be saved. She needs to clean up her husband’s mess and find a way to save herself in the process.

Does she throw caution to the wind and open her heart? Or listen to her head that tells her and go it alone until she’s found herself again?

Goodreads

About When Fate Isn’t Enough

Can a romance that was written in the stars survive real life? Lily Clark and Gavin Edwards met when their lives collided in a crazy twist of fate. Their relationship started amidst chaos, fraught with lust, passion, and love. Building a life together will take more than destiny, especially when ghosts from their past try to tear them apart.
Needing a fresh start, Lily decides to escape her life in Washington, DC to join Gavin in London. Trust and faith have never come easily to Lily. She’ll be put to the test now that she and Gavin are living under the same roof.

To make matters worse, trouble finds Lily wherever she goes. She thought she’d rid herself of her late husband’s demons, but she soon learns that when you make a deal with the devil, he often comes back to up the ante. Can she learn to let Gavin in or will she continue to fight her battles alone? Find out what happens When Fate Isn’t Enough.

Goodreads

About the Author:

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.

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Happy Release: The Photographer Trilogy Box Set by Sarah Robinson

Posted on 01/02/2015 by shellbellereads

◆◇◆◇ New Box Set Release! ◆◇◆◇

The Photographer Trilogy by Sarah Robinson

NOW LIVE!

SYNOPSIS:

He takes a picture of every woman he kills.

She takes nothing from anyone.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Monsters are only uglier in the light of day.

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

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

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◆◇◆◇ Purchase Links! ◆◇◆◇

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

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

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All About Sarah Robinson

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

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

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

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Other Books by Sarah Robinson

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Stalk Sarah on Social Media

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Happy Release + Review: The DeLuca Family Collection by Susan Rae

Posted on 12/12/2014 by shellbellereads

The Deluca Family Collection

Genre: Romantic Suspense

Heartbeats – Book 1

Ice Blue – Book 2

True Blue – Book 3

Synopsis

DeLuca Family Collection A Suspenseful Romance CollectionComing December 12th 2014 from Musa Publishinghttps://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23678047-deluca-family-collectionSynopsisLove makes your heart race, but passion can kill.Three strong, captivating women. Three intense, driven men. One family devoted to justice. Come journey with the DeLuca Family from the tumultuous streets of Chicago to the majestic peaks of Glacier National Park in these three intriguing full-length novels loaded with passion, suspense…and danger.

Buy Links Coming Soon

Excerpt From Book 1 Heartbeats

She knew it was crazy that her hands should tremble on this occasion, considering she could thread a catheter to the heart as precisely and steadily now as the best in her field, but Dr. Elizabeth Iverson never felt comfortable in the limelight.

“I know many of you share my story in one way or another,” Elizabeth said, her gaze moving from table to table, guest to guest, as she scanned the seven hundred or so university alumni seated in the Grand Ballroom of Chicago’s Palmer House Hilton, “or know someone who has benefited from the fund.

I grew up on a farm about forty-five miles northwest of here. When I was little girl, I always dreamed of becoming a doctor. My Barbie dolls didn’t wear clothes; they wore bandages and tourniquets, and I was always pretending to try the latest medical procedure on some poor, unsuspecting farm animal — with some very interesting results, as you can imagine.” Now well into her speech, she raised a playful eyebrow and was rewarded with mild laughter.

“Back then, though, college seemed financially out of the question. That’s why what we’re doing here tonight is so important. We’re helping to fuel dreams. For me, it’s not about the glamour of being a doctor. As a cardiologist, it’s about looking into a patient’s eyes and seeing that spark of hope shine back when she’s just learned she has another lease on life. To me, that’s priceless.”

Her attention moved to the guests at the back of the room. “With our silent auction tonight, we’ll help more students turn their dreams into realities. With the money you’ll so generously donate, I know —

” Elizabeth’s lips froze in mid-sentence. Her words caught in her throat as her heart did a major flip-flop. She recognized him instantly. There was no mistaking the identity of the man who stood in the entrance to the ballroom, nametag in hand, as if he had just arrived. She stood, motionless, staring, unaware of the murmurs of uneasiness arising from the gathering. She watched, mesmerized, as his lips curved into that slow, Mona Lisa smile of his and his chin lifted in acknowledgment of her awareness of him. Although quite a distance away, Elizabeth could easily make out the slight cleft in his chin, the sexy, firm line of his jaw — and those deep-set eyes, which she knew were the most amazing shade of midnight blue.

“Dr. Iverson, are you all right?” the alumni president asked at her side.

Suddenly the awkward coughing of the guests, the clinking of glasses, the shuffling of chairs reached her senses. Embarrassed and frustrated by her reaction to him, she broke contact with those eyes and grabbed for her water glass as if reaching for a lifeline. When she looked up again, he was gone. The twinge of disappointment she felt at that surprised her, but she forced it to the back of her mind as she turned her attention once more to the gathering.

“I’m sorry, where was I? Yes, the dreams…”

Tina’s Series Review

DeLuca Family Collection by Susan Rae
Released: December 12, 2014

** Provided by Author in Exchange for an Honest Review. **

Heartbeats (#1)
Originally released: November 1, 2005
As cardiologist Elizabeth Iverson delivers her speech at a University Alumni dinner, a man from her past walks into the room. It’s been six years since they’d parted ways, but she’d recognize him anywhere. FBI Special Agent Drake McGuire spent a spectacular weekend with Elizabeth six years ago and never managed to rid his system of her. Their encounter at the dinner did not go as planned so he goes to her house after. But things quickly become chaotic. On the eve of their brief, ill-worded reunion, she returns home to the scene of a murder. Drake makes it his business to figure out if the victim was the intended or if Elizabeth was the target.
An intriguing murder mystery mixed with a reunion romance. Add to that one bright and adventurous little girl, and you’ve got an exciting read! While the main characters are well-written and very likable, it’s a couple of the supporting characters that the series is named for. Supporting cast is strong. The dialogue and interaction are mostly believable and the plot is dynamic and dramatic, creating a smooth flowing story that compels the reader to keep turning pages. Never mind sleep, just keep reading! It was moderately predictable, but it did not take away from the overall story. The conclusion was solid and neatly tied up. No cliffhangers here. I’d recommend this to anyone who likes action, mystery and intrigue mixed with some hot sexual tension.

ICE Blue (#2)
Originally released: March 29, 2013
Angela is the youngest of six siblings in the DeLuca family. Where most became cops, she became a paramedic. Troy Deavers is the southern boy, the son of a corrupt politician. He purposely removed himself from that to become an ICE agent in Chicago. An abandoned newborn in a box is left on Angela’s back porch, kicking in her maternal and protective instincts. CPD is determined to find and charge the mother. Troy is convinced the baby is tied to illegal immigration. Is there any winning solution to be found? Being a paramedic and a leading supporter in the new neighborhood health clinic, she is seen as capable, caring and compassionate. Having lost a baby of her own, she’s also protective and vulnerable where the baby is concerned, especially since he is suffering from a heart defect. Troy does not tolerate rule breakers well and he’s sure the cute and feisty paramedic knows more than she’s saying.
The main characters are strong, smart and smoldering. Secondary character are solid and supportive. We have the opportunity to catch up with previous characters and meet new ones. The dialogue and interaction is believable, providing a good foundation for a full plot that flows smoothly. There was plenty of conflict throughout the story, all finding satisfactory resolution. I was a little disheartened with my ability to predict several key elements long before the reveal, but I still enjoyed reading the scenes as they unfolded. The conclusion was tight, leaving no cliffhangers. Another fantastic suspense-filled read!

TRUE Blue (#3)
Originally released: May 16, 2014
Things are feeling off-balance for CPD detective Lt. Joey DeLuca. One of his detectives was just killed, he’s up for a promotion soon, and his marriage to Andi is feeling a bit strained. Now, just when his guard is at it’s weakest, his teen crush resurfaces after twenty-four years. All those years ago, Meghan McConnell’s father served on the CPD alongside Joey’s dad and was gunned down late one night. The murder was never solved. Fearful, her mother packed them up and the moved to Arizona never to return and demanded they never speak of the incident again. Now with her mother passed on, Meghan is determined to solve her father’s murder. She is certain there’s more to the case than what they’ve released to her. She does the only thing she can think to do, contact and plead her case to her dear old friend Joey… only, she swears him to secrecy. Meanwhile, Andi’s own detective’s instincts are lighting up like a Fourth of July fireworks display. She sees her husband’s evasiveness and feels he’s distancing himself emotionally. What will happen when past and present collide?
This installment of the DeLuca Family features less of the family as in ICE blue. It can stand alone. The conflict flowed as a constant undercurrent throughout most of the story and was maturely resolved in the end. I’m extremely pleased to learn that any of my suspicions were wrong and there was virtually no predictability. The conclusion felt a little rushed and there were some minor strings left untied, but there were no serious cliffhangers. Once again, Susan Rae delivers a riveting, suspenseful romantic drama with strong, smart characters, dynamic interaction and plot elements and a pace that flows quite smoothly. I did not particularly like some of the decisions made by the characters, but that’s only my opinion and does not effect the overall book rating. This series is written in such a way that the reader quickly become cynical and trusts no one. Everyone is suspect & it’s exciting to be on the edge of your seat, not knowing the “who” of it all.

Overall, this series is riveting. The plots are intriguing, action-packed, and exciting. Even with the higher predictability of ICE blue, the DeLuca Family series was a fantastic read. I feel this is a series that can easily please both genders of reader.

Author Bio:

Susan Rae Susan grew up in the suburbs of Chicago and received her Bachelor of Arts Degree from Columbia College, Missouri with an emphasis in creative writing.She penned her first melodrama in fifth grade for a Girl Scout Drama badge. Complete with hero, heroine, and dastardly villain, it wasn’t so very different, really, than the romantic suspense she writes now. “I love writing romantic suspense because it allows me to combine a sexy, passionate love story with a gritty suspense tale—in my opinion, the best of both worlds.It also allows me to express my appreciation for the outdoors in the setting that I recreate on the page.” When she is not sketching characters, you might find Susan on the golf course working on her handicap, or traveling around the country seeking out new settings for her novels with her husband and empty nest puppies, Ginger and Nikute.

Website ~ Facebook ~ Goodreads

Happy Release Day + Giveaway: Ice ~Regulators MC by Chelsea Camaron and Jessie Lane

Posted on 12/08/2014 by shellbellereads

Ice

Regulators MC Series- Book 1

Release Date: November 8, 2014

By: Chelsea Camaron & Jessie Lane

Synopsis

She’s an investment banker.

He’s an outlaw biker.

A little bit of heaven is about to meet a whole lot of hell.

Morgan Powell was raised to be perfect, to set an example for her sisters to follow. Her life has been dedicated to making something of her career, so she wouldn’t know what to do with a man even if you gave her an instruction manual.

Brett ‘Ice’ Grady spends his days trying to keep up with his teenage daughter, his nights consumed in Regulators’ MC business. He has no time for anything more than a casual hookup.

Two worlds collide when the dangers of his life crash into the calm of hers.

Can she go beyond her own boundaries and chip her way through to the man known to be as cold as ice?

Loosely attached to Chelsea Camaron’s Hellions Series and Jessie Lane’s Ex Ops Series.

Buy: Amazon / Barnes and Noble / Smashwords / All Romance Ebooks

Guest Post

It Started Like This

By Jessie Lane

(A Chelsea Camaron approved message)

Chelsea Camaron and I do a lot of plotting together. In fact, she’s the person I call to help me through my writer’s blocks. For me, the Regulators MC was an idea I thought up shortly after writing Secret Maneuvers. In depth, the Regulators MC is quite a bit different from what I’ve seen concept wise. However, I was intimidated by the idea of stepping into the biker romance arena. So, I put the idea on the back burner although CC said she thought it would totally kick ass.

Time passed, and then I started writing Stripping Her Defenses. This was where I knew the Regulators MC would make an entrance into my writing world. They were always involved in Riley Sullivan’s story line and how he finds his ex-wife after their divorce. But the more I thought about them, the more I loved the idea of them. Still, I didn’t think I could do it on my own. I, admittedly, am not the expert at that sort of alpha man.

Then it hit me. I needed my best friend. She writes an alpha man like nobody’s business!

So I called CC and I laid it all out for her, positively sure I was going to have to beg. And I would have too. I would have begged and pleaded and even shed crocodile tears to talk her into the Regulators MC project. Luckily, she didn’t make me do all that. She immediately started spouting ideas for the series and I asked her if she would marry me and have little author babies with me.

She told me our husband’s probably wouldn’t like that idea but we could totally write those books.

So, I gave up the idea of running away and marrying my bestie and settled for writing the Regulators MC instead. I’m SO glad she said yes. She’s breathed this amazing, unbelievable life into characters in a way I never could have accomplished. I’m a lucky, lucky woman to have a friend who balances me so beautifully. She’s my ying to her yang.

In closing, I can’t wait for everyone to read Ice. It already blows me away and it’s not even done yet. These characters… AHHH I love these characters. I can honestly say I couldn’t have done it without the fabulous, incredible, marvelous (I’m kissing my best friend’s ass here, bear with me) stunning, phenomenal friend. Hopefully, after you read Ice, you’ll love it as much as we both do.

Thanks for having me here today! Happy reading everyone!

Excerpt

~Morgan~

Looking at my phone screen, I smile at the text in front of me.

I’m off 2nite. Movie @ ur house or mine?

Texting back, I tell my best friend I will be at her house after work with takeout. Working in a bank, I have every weekend off. Casey’s career path is far different than mine, though, and it is one that requires weekend time; as a result, this is the first Friday she has had off in a while.

My day drags on as I review current investment portfolios and market changes. I have the best job ever. I get paid to spend other people’s money as an investment broker here in South Beach. My life is sun, sand, and dollar bills.

Before going to Casey’s, I stop by my condo and change clothes. The down side to my job is the stuffy suits I have to wear: reasonable, past knee-length skirts, reasonable women’s dress pants, and reasonable button up shirts. I might hate them; yet, in a sad way, the dress code fits my life—reasonable.

It is not long into girl’s night before the difference in our lifestyle’s show.

“Damn, we’re not even halfway through the first movie, and you’re ready for bed? What the hell? Grandparents stay up later than you,” My best friend wakes me out of my doze.

“Sorry, some of us keep normal business hours.”

“Yeah, your hours scream forty-two, not twenty-four, as does everything else in your life.”

“I’m not that bad,” I protest half-heartedly. However, that voice of doubt says “maybe I am.” Maybe my stiff upbringing has rubbed off on me more than I care to admit.

My parents raised me to be an example. As the oldest of three, I had to be the light to guide my younger sisters, Madyson and Mallory. Everything with my parents was about fitting the mold, keeping up appearances. Their brainwashing worked to some degree. Going away to college did nothing for me in my attempt to escape my overbearing parents, either. No, they live in my head, every rule engraved into my brain matter. Too bad no one warned me there is no cure and no escape once they get those rules engrained into my very being.

Morgan Ann Powell: pathetic, stiff, borderline pseudo-old lady, and a college educated, suit wearing, have my shit together prude—that is me. I am, quite possibly, the only woman in her twenties who can count on one hand how many guys she has kissed. I am also a twenty-four-year-old virgin. I wouldn’t know what to do with a penis if it was given to me gift wrapped in Christmas paper and topped with a bow. I am not cut out for parties, guys, or any wild times, either. My destiny is to be the old lady who lives alone, feeding all the stray cats in the neighborhood.

Author Bios

Chelsea Camaron

Chelsea Camaron was born and raised in Coastal North Carolina. She currently resides in Southern Louisiana with her husband and two children but her heart is always Carolina day dreaming.

Chelsea always wanted to be a writer, but like most of us, let fear of the unknown grab a hold of her dream; she realized that if she was going to tell her daughter to go for her dreams, that it was time to follow her own advice.

Chelsea grew up turning wrenches alongside her father, and from that grew her love for old muscle cars and Harley Davidson motorcycles, which just so happened to inspired her ‘Daddy’s Girls’ series. Her love for reading has sparked a new love for writing and she currently has a few more projects in the works.

When she is not spending her days writing you can find her playing with her kids, attending car shows, going on motorcycle rides on the back of her husband’s Harley, snuggling down with her new favorite book or watching any movie that Vin Diesel might happen to be in.

She hates being serious and is still a big kid at heart. She is a small town country girl enjoying life and, Chelsea hopes that her readers remember not to take life too seriously and to embrace your inner five year old, because five year olds know how to enjoy the simple things in life and how to always have fun.

Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Goodreads

Jessie Lane

Jessie Lane is the best selling author of The Star Series, Big Bad Bite Series and the Ex Ops Series.

She lives in Kentucky with her two little Rock Chicks in the making and her over protective alpha husband. She has a passionate love for reading and writing naughty romance, cliff hanging suspense, and out-of-this-world characters that demand your attention, or threaten to slap you around until you do pay attention to them.

Jessie writes Adult Paranormal and Contemporary Romance & Upper YA Fantasy/Paranormal Romance.

Website ~Newsletter~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Goodreads

Giveaway

Signed paperbacks & swag of Ex Ops Series (Secret Maneuvers & Stripping Her Defenses) and the Hellions Series (One Ride, Forever Ride & Merciless Ride)

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Spotlight + Review + Excerpt + Giveaway: In His Shadows by Tiffany Snow

Posted on 12/07/2014 by shellbellereads

In His Shadow

The Tangled Ivy Trilogy- Book 1

By Tiffany Snow

Release Date: December 16, 2014

Genre: Romantic Suspense

Synopsis

Ivy Mason is hiding—from her past, from herself, and from anyone who could love her. The only kind of love she’s ever known hurts, leaving scars on her body and soul. Now, her world may be boring and predictable, but that’s exactly what she wants. Until Devon Clay walks into her life.

A lonely man in a deadly profession, Devon works as an agent for an underground British agency known only as the Shadow. Nothing about him is safe or ordinary. The danger that consumes his life turns into an addiction Ivy can’t resist…even if it proves fatal.

As Ivy’s past begins to catch up with her, she wonders if love really is the twisted thing she’s always thought it was. Maybe it could be more with this man, who’s shown her that she doesn’t need to protect herself from everyone. Is what she feels for Devon worth the risk? He may save her heart or break it, if she manages to stay alive.

Pre-Order

Guest Post: Getting To Know An International Man of Mystery by Tiffany Snow

Devon Clay, from my romance novel In His Shadow, is a British spy, and the only thing Ivy Mason knows about spies is what James Bond taught her. Ivy’s past gives her an acute ability to read people, and she can read from a mile away the danger emanating from Devon. She doesn’t like him, doesn’t want to get to know him, but Devon doesn’t give her much of a choice.

Ivy’s past has left her with issues no one’s been able to touch…until Devon. Perhaps it takes two damaged souls to recognize the other because he’s able to break through the barriers she’s built around herself.

At heart, Devon is a protector and a warrior, clothed in twenty-first century civility and sophistication. Attracted to Ivy because of her beauty, he becomes intrigued by who she is the more he learns about her. Add to it his innate desire to protect, and Ivy becomes someone his heart can’t resist, even though his head tells him their destiny is bound to be separate.

Secrecy is what keeps Devon alive. Experience has taught him that anyone he loves can become not only a liability, but being involved with him puts them in grave danger. Can he have both? A woman to love, but who he can also keep secret and safe?

Devon turns into an addiction, an obsession, for Ivy. The first man to really show her the depth of feeling and intimacy between a man and a woman, she can’t say no to him despite the multitude of reasons why she should. Could you give up the one thing that makes you feel alive? Neither can she. Is obsession love? Or is it ultimately a selfish emotion? Ivy finds out when circumstances force her to choose between betraying Devon, or sacrificing herself.

In the Tangled Ivy Trilogy, Ivy and Devon grow as characters as their relationship moves from lust, to sex, to obsession, and finally into love. But their love story comes at a price and the stakes for their happily ever after will affect millions.

Excerpt

“Come you need to rest.”

Taking my hand, Devon pulled me to my feet and led me down the hall to the bedroom. He flipped on the switch and a lamp illuminated the room. Although spacious, the huge bed dominated the space and my eyes were drawn inexorably to it.

“You can sleep in here,” he said. “I’ll take the sofa.” The way he said it, almost with a wry smile, had me glancing at him.

“You don’t have to give up your bed for me,” I protested. “I mean, it’s not like you’re a gentleman.” I didn’t know why I added the dig, maybe I wanted to push him and see how far he’d go.

But his lips only twisted further. “I can pretend as well as the next man,” he said.

Devon moved closer until we were nearly touching. I stood my ground though I wanted desperately to take a step back.

“What are you doing?” I asked, immediately hating the throaty sound in my voice.

Devon didn’t answer me. His gaze dropped to my mouth and my pulse leapt. Leaning down, his lips brushed mine in a feather-light touch. His lips were soft and warm, teasing gently and coaxing a response from me as his tongue swiped my bottom lip

It was electric and I moaned softly, opening my mouth so he could deepen the kiss. He tasted of strawberries, his tongue sliding along mine as his hand palmed the back of my head. Devon kissed me as though he had all the time in the world, until I was breathless and clutching his shoulders, my body pressed against his.

“You’re body was made for me, “ he murmured, his lips sliding along my jaw to leave my skin burning. “That’s why you’re not afraid. It knows me. It wants me between your legs, buried inside you.”

The words curled in my ear like the sweet, silky promise of a viper. I stiffened but before I could push him away again, Devon pulled back.

“Good night, sweet Ivy.” Then he was gone, the door closing softly behind him.

How the hell was I suppose to sleep after that?

Michel’s Review

It is no secret that I am a huge fan of the Romantic Suspense genre. I love the thrill of danger and suspense that place the hot alpha male hero and brave heroine in a world of peril. Tiffany Snow is a master of writing romantic suspense books. Her books are loaded with high octane action, page turning peril, and sizzling hot loves scenes that leave the readers hearts racing.

In His Shadow is the first book in the Tangled Ivy Trilogy. It was a page turner that I couldn’t put down. The first page gives the reader a sense of the dangerous undertones that Devon Clay possesses. It also gives the reader a strong sense of Ivy Mason’s sharp intelligence, quick sense, and a strong intuition of dangerous threats.

As the story begins to unfold Tiffany Snow keeps the reader guessing at why Ivy is being involved in the world to shadows that Devon rules. She is put in perilous situations. She witnesses several murders. She is attracted to man she knows nothing about. She is giving up her innocence and her instincts of self protection all for a man that only brings death and danger to her door. Little does she know is that she was involved before Devon even came on the scene. One innocent moment with a lonely old man placed her on the radar to a world of espionage and mass destruction.

The chemistry between Devon and Ivy is sizzling hot. Devon will make your panties melt off with his sexy English accent and mysterious persona. He brings Ivy to her knees with one look, one touch, and one suggestion. He is a man that knows his way around a woman’s body. When he seduces Ivy he is also seducing the reader.

Ivy is one of my favorite kind of heroines. She is intelligent and compassionate. She has a strong sense of self and does not let Devon walk all over her. She makes her own decisions and accepts the good with the bad. She has an ugly past that would scar anyone for life. She does not let the past rule her present. She has learned from all she endured and has become a strong woman.

In His Shadow kept me on the edge of my seat. I loved the chemistry between Ivy and Devon. I loved the pacing of the story. I loved the intricate plot. The book had a satisfactory ending even though it was not the conclusion to Ivy and Devon’s story. It has me anticipating the next book.

I highly recommend In His Shadow by Tiffany Snow. It is a thrilling reading experience.

About Tiffany Snow

I love to stick with characters over a series of books when I read, which is the same way I write. My first series – THE KATHLEEN TURNER SERIES – includes five books, two companion novels, and features a love triangle. My new series, coming from Montlake Romance December 16, 2014, is the TANGLED IVY TRILOGY, beginning with IN HIS SHADOW.
As for me, I’ve been reading romance novels since I was way too young to read such things, have an unhealthy obsession for all things Doctor Who, prefer Pepsi to Coke and Absolut to both, think men who drink girly cocktails are wusses, have learned to never stop believing in my beloved St. Louis Cardinals, and can recite the entire scripts of When Harry Met Sally and Apollo 13. George Washington is cool, Bon Jovi still rocks the house, and Bruce Willis is the ultimate alpha-male hero. Most of all, romance never, ever gets old.

Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Goodreads

Giveaway

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ARC Review: Full Throttle by Julie Ann Walker- Black Knights, Inc. Series- Book 7

Posted on 12/02/2014 by shellbellereads

Full Throttle

Black Knight, Inc. Series- Book 7

By Julie Ann Walker

Synopsis

She Needs a Hero…

Abby Thompson didn’t sign up to be the daughter of the President of the United States. The position was forced on her by the small matter of her birth. Preferring a quiet life of study, she’s content to leave the politics and the international intrigue to her father. Unfortunately, the most powerful man on the planet is sure to make enemies. When a group of armed thugs takes her hostage half a world away, demanding the U.S. government release prisoners in exchange for her safe return, she fears her father’s policy of “not negotiating with terrorists” means she’ll never see the shores of the Potomac again. Luckily, there’s one glimmer of hope. His name is Carlos Soto. And though she abruptly ended things with him years ago, she knows now he’s the only man who can save her…

Black Knights, Inc. to the Rescue…

Carlos “Steady” Soto has taken part in his fair share of dangerous missions working at the covert government defense firm of Black Knights Inc. But nothing prepared him for the emotional rollercoaster he faces when he’s tasked with rescuing the only woman he ever loved—who also broke his heart. Racing against time and outmaneuvering a group of trained terrorists will take everything he’s got. Plus there’s the heat simmering between them which is threatening to ignite into an inferno. While ruthless enemies stalk them, they must learn to trust each other again. Even if they do make it out alive, will Abby turn her back on him…for the second time?

Buy: Amazon / Barnes and Noble / ITunes

Tina’s Review

*** ARC provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. ***

Abby Thompson was the youngest daughter of the POTUS front-runner eight years ago and a student at Georgetown, studying pre-med when an explosion on campus rocked everything and everyone near to her and subsequently she ended up having to give up pre-med and took up botany instead. Currently, as the President’s daughter, she is protected more heavily than even before, especially when she leaves the country and there’s inconclusive buzz and murmurs of kidnapping one of the President’s daughters.
Carlos “Steady ” Sotos was studying to become a General Surgeon in college, claiming he enjoyed the thrill and challenge of not knowing what would come through the ER doors next. But, that was then… before that tragic day eight years ago. After that day, he signed up and joined the military. Now he’s a member of Black Knights, Inc., a covert government defense firm that operates under the cover of being a custom motorcycle shop, and finds himself on Abby’s supplemental BKI security detail in Malaysia.

As a fan of Ms. Walker’s BKI series, I was very grateful and appreciative to have been approved to receive an ARC of this book. My fandom will not reflect in the ratings or review, as you will see.
The Prologue starts you out eight years ago when Abby was in college with Carlos and his twin, Rosa, all of which were studying medicine in one form or another. Then, tragedy strikes and forever changes their lives. Chapter One flashes you forward to present day. Carlos is, hands-down, front and center from page one. He is an extremely Hot Alpha Male. Muy Caliente! I feel that most of the focus of the book was on him, overshadowing Abby. I could not connect with her as much as I’d have liked to. The secondary characters, both good and bad, were very well-written. I had to wonder if, in Ms. Walker’s extensive travels, she’d ever been to Malaysia. The descriptions of the sights and sounds transported me to that Hotel with them. Perfectly executed. There’s a secondary relationship building between Dan and Penni that I am guessing we’ll see further develop in a later book. The plot itself was excellent, I really enjoyed the story line. It was a silky, smooth read with great character interaction and dialogue. There was a lot of conflict that carried on throughout the entire book that was not fully confronted and resolved until the very end. There was very little predictability. The conclusion felt a bit rough; it seemed rushed and there were questions left. Where do they go from here, with her in D.C. and him in Chicago? If it would have had an Epilogue with a more solid ending, this would have definitely been a five-star book. As is, it was VERY close.

Michel’s Review

I am a huge fan of the Black Knights, Inc. series by Julie Ann Walker. This is one of the best romantic suspense series out there. Add the biker element and special ops background to the characters of this series to make the formula even more enticing.

Full Throttle is the seventh book in the series. It was a steamy and suspenseful book. The characters captured the readers attention. Carlos Soto is one hot alpha man that had me swooning. Abby was a strong woman with a personality that made readers empathize with her. The plot, the use of words, the flow of the story, and suspenseful plot were masterfully executed.

I highly recommend reading Full Throttle. It can be read as a stand alone book or in series order.

Author Bio:

Julie Ann Walker is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of award-winning romantic suspense. She has won the Book Buyers Best Award, been nominated for the National Readers Choice Award, the Australian Romance Reader Awards, and the Romance Writers of America’s prestigious RITA award. Her latest release was named a Top Ten Romance of 2014 by Booklist. Her books have been described as “alpha, edgy, and downright hot.” Most days you can find her on her bicycle along the lake shore in Chicago or blasting away at her keyboard, trying to wrangle her capricious imagination into submission.

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Saucy Southern Readers

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ARC Review: Full Throttle by Julie Ann Walker- Black Knights, Inc. Series- Book 7

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◆◇◆◇ New Box Set Release! ◆◇◆◇

The Photographer Trilogy by Sarah Robinson

NOW LIVE!

◆◇◆◇ Purchase Links! ◆◇◆◇

All About Sarah Robinson

Other Books by Sarah Robinson

Stalk Sarah on Social Media

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