Happy Release + 6 Star Review + Giveaway + 2015 Favorite : Slow Burn by K. Bromberg – The Driven Series – Book 5

Posted on 02/24/2015 by shellbellereads

Slow Burn

The Driven Series – Book 5

By K. Bromberg

Synopsis

From the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the Driven series.

ONE NIGHT. THAT’S ALL IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE.

Reeling from the sudden loss of her sister, Haddie Montgomery has sworn off relationships. All she wanted from Beckett Daniels was a sexy distraction to help her escape her pain for just a little while….There weren’t supposed to be any strings attached—so why can’t she shake the memory of that unforgettable night from her thoughts? Or the taste of his kiss from her lips?

No matter how hard Haddie tries to forget about him, Becks relentlessly tries to prove that she should start living for today. But she is determined to avoid romantic commitment, and she can always use her ex-boyfriend’s reappearance to help snuff out the slow burn within her that Becks has sparked….

Or will fate force her to realize that this kind of connection doesn’t come along very often and a chance at love is worth the risk?

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Excerpt

“Yeah. That’s one way to put it. Is there something else you called for besides trying to stick your nose in where it doesn’t belong?”

I open my mouth and then shut it, unsure how calling him because I just needed to hear his voice has devolved so quickly into this. Into me scrambling for words I can’t find to fix shit that doesn’t need fixing.

Because I don’t want this. Don’t want him.

“Well then, if you want to actually talk instead of pull this ridiculous bullshit, I’m here for you…but Had…? Whatever this is here…this passive aggressive crap? I don’t do too well with that. We had our one night. You made it quite clear you didn’t want anything more than that so you don’t get to call me up and question what I might or might not be doing with anybody else. You want no strings? Then cut the ties…but frankly I don’t think you know what the fuck you want so until you figure your shit out, I think it’s best that we say good night before we make a bad situation even worse.”

“Wait!” Desperation rings in my voice in the single word. And I hate myself for sounding like this but I’m so lonely, so scared and just want the comfort I know he can bring me right now.

I wait for the sound of the dial tone to assault my ears. Wait for the incessant beep that reaffirms why I have barbed wire wrapped around my heart – painful but necessary. But there is nothing for a few moments until I hear the phone scrape against the stubble on his face.

And I wait…my throat burning with the tears I want to shed but am so sick of. The ones that no longer bring me comfort.

“I’m here, Haddie. I’m not going anywhere, okay?” The timbre of his voice carries his concern and sympathy to me through the line.

The incoherent sound I make is all I can offer in thank you to him for not hanging up on me. For not giving up on me.

Kelley’s Review

Wow! K. Bromberg brings readers a scorching hot romance filled with love, loss, and healing. Get your tissues ready because you will need them for this emotional ride.

Haddie is so lost after losing her sister to breast cancer. Lexi was her other half. They were inseparable as kids and when the opportunity to open their own business together presented itself it was too good to be true. Lexi was diagnosed with a rare form of genetic breast cancer and she was taken from Haddie in the blink of an eye. Haddie has been living in the darkness ever since and has been pushing everyone away….that is until Becks comes along. He slowly and stubbornly creeps his way into Haddie’s heart. Will Haddie be able to let her walls down long enough to let him in? or when times get really tough will she shut him out? Becks is a determined man but there is only so much a man can take.

This book had me turned inside out. I could not put it down. Kristy weaves an emotionally gripping story about a selfless woman who will do anything to keep those that she loves from being hurt. This story resonates with me because my grandmother died of breast cancer. She died because she tried to hide it from everyone and by the time it was found out it was too late. I admire Kristy for writing such a strong character that is willing to go to drastic measures in order to survive. I went through and entire box of tissues. When we go through tough times in life we have so much more of a fighting chance if we are surrounded by people who love us.

I wish I may, I wish I might, have this wish I wish tonight…I wish I could have a love as strong as Haddie and Becks.

About K. Bromberg

New York Times and USA Today Bestselling author K. Bromberg is that reserved woman sitting in the corner who has you all fooled about the wild child inside of her—the one she lets out every time her fingertips touch the computer keyboard.

K. lives in Southern California with her husband and three children. When she needs a break from the daily chaos of her life, you can most likely find her on the treadmill or with Kindle in hand, devouring the pages of a good, saucy book.

On a whim, K. Bromberg decided to try her hand at this writing thing. Her debut novels, Driven, Fueled, and Crashed of The Driven Trilogy were well received and went on to become multi-platform bestsellers as well as landing on the New York Times and USA Today lists. Her other works include a short story, UnRaveled, and a companion piece to The Driven Trilogy titled Raced. She is currently working on three stand alone Driven novels, Slow Burn, Sweet Ache, and Hard Beat. She also plans to release a novel addressing the 10 year gap at the ending of Crashed in late fall 2015

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Happy Release + Giveaway : Innocent Ride by Chelsea Camaron – The Hellions Series – Book 4

Posted on 02/24/2015 by shellbellereads

Innocent Ride

The Hellions Series – Book 4

By Chelsea Camaron

Synopsis

***Although best read in order, each book of the Hellions Ride series can be read as a stand alone novel.***

She is a corporate accountant. Her life is full of structure, routine, and organization. Settled, comfortable, and content, Caroline Milton loves knowing what to expect every minute of every day. More importantly, she loves knowing her life is what she pictures it to be and not what she came from.

He is the Catawba Hellions VP and a wild one, refusing to be tamed. His motto—’hit it, get it, and go; no repeats’ where women are concerned—guarantees a new woman in his bed nightly. His life, though, suddenly tilts on its axis when his wild days come barreling back with a major responsibility. Suddenly, Drexel ‘Rex’ Crews finds he has a real reason to settle down.

When a situation quickly spins out of control at work for Caroline, she reaches out to the one group she least expected to find herself dependent upon—the Hellions Motorcycle Club. Asked as a personal favor from Doll to protect her best friend, Rex can’t refuse.
Protecting Caroline was supposed to be an innocent task. However, the attraction from their first meeting is a fire burning strong inside of them both. Neither can deny the pull, despite the fact that they come from different worlds.

Can Rex show Caroline the safety and security of the MC? Can Caroline tame the wild beast inside of Rex? Can their innocent ride become a journey to long lasting love?
*Intended for mature audiences only*
This series contains strong language, strong sexual situations, and violence. Please do not buy if any of this offends you.

This is not meant to be a true or exact depiction of a motorcycle club, rather a work of fiction meant to entertain.

Buy: Amazon / Barnes and Noble / ITunes

Excerpt

~Rex~

As the wind whips around me, she dances violently, slapping the leather of my cut harshly against my T-shirt covered chest. A storm is brewing in the air around me as another one rages on inside my darkened soul.

The road before me is curvy. They call it Dead Man’s Trail. Riding a ledge is what it feels like. With the fine line of one wrong move, life and death are in the balance as the road winds through a mountain.

I am hours from home, and I still can’t bring myself to turn around and go back. I am not on a transport or on a run for the club. I am out alone, just me, my Harley, and the open night sky.

Not a star shines tonight as the humidity rises and the wind swirls through the thick air. A summer storm is in the midst. My mind races as the pipes on my bike scream out under the pressure of my speed.

“Be a man to be proud of. Carry your name—our name—with pride,” Pop’s voice echoes in my head.

A name. My name. Our name.

Tessie gave my boy—her son, my son, our son—my name. My fucking name.

Axel Devon Crews. Mini-me. One look and I fucking knew he was mine. My gut twists. Mine. My blood. My responsibility. My name. My fucking mirror image.

Throttle down, I push on faster, harder, needing to feel something slice through me besides the disappointments running through my mind. My life is officially at a crossroads, every mistake of my past now shoved in the forefront of my mind.

How did I get so lost? How have I become so consumed in things that don’t matter? When did I become so self-absorbed?

I would lay down my life to protect the very cut moving across my back right now. Yet, the woman who freely lay beneath me, giving her body, heart, and soul to me, I left without a glance back. She ripped her body—literally—to give life to my seed, and I did nothing more than wink, smile, and move on to the next woman. I was so focused on myself I missed the signs. I should have known. Hell, I should have been there.

Then, when the opportunity came for me to step up for her, did I do it? No. Shooter stepped in like I knew he would. He is a far better man than I am. Tessie deserves a man like him, not the mess that is me. No matter what life throws at them, he will be there to have her back, to be her security. He will be her strength and her calm within the storm. He will be her best friend and her lover. Everything that Tessie needs, wants, and damn sure deserves is found in the man I now proudly call my brother.

Sure, there was a time I wanted to rip him limb from limb. He went after what could have been mine. No, he didn’t go after her, not really, not if I keep it real with myself. I pushed him there. I sent him to her. I gave him what could have been my future. The only person to blame here is me. She needed me, and I tossed her off to him. My mistakes. My losses. I know, if I am ever given a chance to have something good again, I am not going to waste my opportunity.

When the clouds open up, the hot rain comes down, pelting me in the face, on my arms, and all my exposed skin. The road beneath me gets slick as I push on. Soft gravel gives way, and my back tire shifts under me. I don’t correct the movement. The delicate balance keeping me upright drops as does my bike, and my body hits the pavement hard. Gravel digs in even through the denim of my pants as the material rips. I feel my arms shred as my bike is no longer under my now broken body, only the unforgiving road.

Broken, shredded, a bloody mess of a man—that is what I am.

Pops’ voice is the last thing to sound through my head as I succumb to the blackness consuming me.

“The past is the past; the future is before you. Change is a power we all hold. Learning from your mistakes is growth, and it’s a necessary change. How you pick yourself up when you hit rock bottom will tell what kind of man you really are.”

The Hellions Ride Series

One Ride- Book 1

Content with living in the bubble of safety the Haywood’s Hellions Motorcycle Club has always provided, Delilah ‘Doll’ Reklinger never gave a second thought to any danger surrounding her.

She’s never imagined her life without the club. She also never thought the day would come a man would come along and prove himself worthy enough to her father, Roundman, Hellions Club President. Life was easy going and carefree.

Roundman has kept the chaos surrounding the Hellions contained for the last thirty years. When the dangerous side to their business comes knocking on his only child’s doorstep, he realizes his precious Doll isn’t safe anymore.

The Hellions code may be control the chaos, but one thing Roundman quickly learns there is always the wild card to stir up trouble. For the Hellions, women and children may be off limits in any altercation or dispute, but that doesn’t mean their enemies follow the same moral compass.

With Doll in danger from the association she has with him and his club, Roundman makes the only decision he feels he can- send her away. Calling on the one charter club president he trusts, he sets up a ride to keep her safe, all in hopes the trouble won’t follow.

One Ride. One simple ride across the country.

Talon ‘Tripp’ Crews has been ordered to take Doll on one ride away from the danger while the club handles the threat. She’s off limits. His head knows this, but his body can’t deny the attraction. She’s feisty, fierce, and fearless. He’s never been one to be tied down. He lives for the next ride.

Constantly in close confines together, can they deny the chemistry? Will they give in to the desire?

Can one ride turn lust into love?

This book contains strong language, strong sexual situations, violence and is not suitable for readers under the age of 18. Please do not buy if any of this offends you. This is a work of fiction and is not meant to be a true or exact depiction of a motorcycle club but rather a book meant to entertain.
Although part of a series this book can be read as a stand alone novel. This is a full length novel with a HEA, no cliffhanger.

Buy: Amazon / Barnes and Noble / ITunes

Forever Ride -Book 2

Often times the people who come across as the strongest can be the weakest underneath it all.

Events happen in life that can awaken our truest and deepest desires. They also show us our greatest fears. Sometimes we are forced to face those fears, other times we build walls that can’t be climbed or broken to protect ourselves.

A profound connection these two once shared, a strong friendship once formed is now shattered. Fate has stepped in and shaken both their worlds.

The danger, the wild, the chaos, and the lifestyle of the Hellions world has become far too much for Savannah ‘Sass’ Perchton. Swearing off bikers and attempting a ‘normal life’, she has settled. She pushes away her old life, her old self. She is trying to fit into a mold, to be everything she never was.

Things aren’t always what they seem. Wrap an empty box in pretty paper, tie it off with a bow- it may look amazing, but it’s still just a hollow shell.

He is a playboy. A different chick in his bed, off on a different ride, and always chasing something new. Frank ‘Tank’ Oleander, Haywood’s Hellions Road Chief will give anything for his club, including his life.

Throttle down, ride it out.

The fast pace of the Hellions life catches up to him. At a crossroads he is forced to face some life changing thoughts or succumb to the darkness of death. Teetering on the brink of giving in, her voice is all he is holding onto. The coma he can’t come out of is full of the memories he can’t let go of. She’s the light in the darkness.

She has left behind everything she has ever known chasing stability. His life literally hangs in the balance. Can she see beyond the chaos to the man behind the cut? Can he pull through?

Will they find their Forever Ride?

Although part of a series this book can be read as a stand alone novel. This is a full length novel with a HEA, no cliffhanger.

Buy: Amazon / Barnes and Noble / ITunes

Merciless Ride – Book 3

***Although this book is part of a series it can be read without reading books one and two.***

Mercy is no friend of mine. Karma, she has yet to show kindness to me.

The hits just keep on coming for Tessie Marie Harlow. She has never had an easy life. Her mom disabled, her dad long gone, and a single mom raising a rambunctious little boy, that’s Tessie’s world.

Her childhood aspirations to be a nurse long since disappeared after a college spring fling both blessed and burdened her with a baby boy. Dropping out of school, she returns to her hometown and begins to settle in. Getting the only job she could as a bartender she spends her days caring for her son and nights serving the Hellions Motorcycle Club and their affiliates.

Tired of waiting for Rex to grow up, she’s faced with the bane existence of her life until one night changes everything. In the darkest hour of her merciless ride through life, she’s saved by a quiet, laid back Hellion.

Andy ‘Shooter’ Jenkins has always been around. Too wrapped in Rex she has never really noticed him before. He has never been loud or known to have the girls hanging all over him. He is a mystery. A chance encounter brings him to her rescue not once but twice.

The Desert Ghosts Motorcycle Club are in town and bring their own brand of chaos right to Tessie’s door. Forced into her day to day life, Shooter is doing everything he can to shelter and protect her as lines are crossed and a war between two clubs begins.

Secrets revealed putting two brothers in the Hellions Motorcycle Club at a serious crossroads in their lives.

This is not a ride for pleasure. This is not a ride for safety. This is not a ride for love. This is a ride for endurance. Mercy has never once shined her grace down for these two, but in the midst of the danger and lies can they learn to rely on one another and ride it out together?

*Intended for mature audiences only* 18 and older
This series contains strong language, strong sexual situations, and violence. Please do not buy if any of this offends you. This is not meant to be a true or exact depiction of a motorcycle club rather a work of fiction meant to entertain.

Although part of a series this book can be read as a stand alone novel. This is a full length novel with a HEA, no cliffhanger.

Buy: Amazon / Barnes and Noble / ITunes

Author Bio

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

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Happy Release + Review + Giveaway: Killian by Brenda Rothert – On The Line Series – Book 1

Posted on 02/24/2015 by shellbellereads

Happy Release Day to Brenda Rothert and her new book KILLIAN! Read a sneak peek into the book below and make sure to enter the giveaway! Good luck!

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Killian Bosch knows he’s his own worst enemy – he just doesn’t give a damn. The star forward of a minor league hockey team, he’s unstoppable on the ice. His reckless behavior, devil-may-care attitude and complete disregard for consequences have made him a major source of headaches for the Fenway Flyers’ brass.
But the new Flyers owner is more steel than brass. Sidney Stahl is a disciplined woman who parlayed earnings from a college job into a real estate empire. She’s determined to transform the Flyers from marketing nightmare to hockey powerhouse. Once she gets Killian in line, she knows the rest of the team will follow his lead.

The seduction of his sexy new team owner is a challenge too forbidden for Killian to resist. Sidney plays into his attraction as a means of controlling him, but soon finds that she’s the one surrendering. It’s all on the line as Killian and Sidney are forced to choose – business or pleasure?

My mind was jerked back to the present when I became aware the coach had moved on from his teaching lesson. “The new owner’s upstairs watching practice,” Orion announced, giving us the evil eye. We all looked up in the direction of the owner’s box, but I couldn’t see anyone standing inside.

Orion turned to Bruce, the Flyers assistant coach, and spoke in a voice loud enough that no one could miss what he was saying, “Bruce, did we not have a meeting with the new owner before practice this morning?”

Bruce nodded his agreement.

“Tell me if I remember this right, Bruce.” Orion continued. “Did she tell us this team will be undergoing some major changes? That we’ll be making cuts and bringing in new talent?”

“That’s right, Coach,” Bruce said in an even tone.

Sighs and shuffling from around me indicated nervousness. I had nothing to worry about. I was the captain of the team and probably the best player here, though Bennett was a very close second. But the idea of cutting the dead weight got my attention. I was as disgusted as Orion with the record of our team. It was fucking embarrassing. He’d been brought in by the new ownership to turn things around and it sounded like that was about to happen.

“I’ve been here two weeks,” he said. “I’ve given all of you a chance to show me you want to be on this team. Starting today, there’ll be one on one meetings between some of you and the new owner. Later on, Bruce and I will talk to each of you individually to let you know who’s staying and who’s going. Now back to the fucking play, boys.”

As we turned to get back in line, Orion called Liam’s name. “You’re up first with the owner,” he said. “You know where her office is?”

My head swiveled to look at Orion. Her? The new owner was a woman? Fucking hell. A woman wouldn’t be able to make the tough decisions this team needed to recover from its place at the bottom of the league.

And what about Liam? He was a quiet, solid player on the first line. What the hell did the new ownership want with him? I wanted to go with him to that meeting, but that was never going to happen.

Liam skated over to the bench and I glanced back up at the owner’s box, glowering. Anybody who fucked with Liam was also fucking with me. I had nothing to lose, and a man with nothing to lose was never someone you wanted to fuck with. Especially not by some woman who thought she could overhaul this team and turn things around. Others had tried and failed. She would be no different.

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Tracey’s Review

As the new owner of the Fenway Flyers, businesswoman Sidney Stahl has got her work cut out for her. Her only goal is to get her hockey team in fighting form, and to convince team captain Killian Bosch to set a good example for his teammates. Killian is anything but sedate. Working and playing hard, the last thing he’s looking for is to settle down and tow the line, but saying no to Sidney might not be as easy as he thinks.

KILLIAN is the first in a new series by author Brenda Rothert. Brenda is no stranger to delivering stories about hot hockey players. Her Fire On Ice series features some of the hottest pro players out there, and Killian and his friends are right in line to continue the trend. Killian is passionate, dedicated to the game and to his brothers on the team. Inspired to play his best by his new coach, Orion Caldwell, he finds himself drawn to Sidney, the new owner of the Flyers. Sidney knows that she should stay away from Killian, that getting involved with him is not the professional thing to do, but the heart wants what it wants, and these two definitely want each other.

I very much enjoyed reading KILLIAN. As always, Brenda has written a love story between characters with a lot of heart, but which is also absolutely full of passion and heat. Sidney and Killian are great foils for each other, each inspiring the other to evolve into better versions of themselves. Although their story is mostly wrapped up in this book, I look forward to seeing more of them in future books in the On the Line series, and to reading both Liam’s and Bennett’s stories.

Author Bio:

Brenda Rothert lives in Central Illinois with her husband and three sons. She was a daily print journalist for nine years, during which time she enjoyed writing a wide range of stories.

These days Brenda writes New Adult Romance in the Contemporary and Dystopian genres. She loves to hear from readers by email at bjrothert@sbcglobal.net.

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Happy Release + Review + Giveaway: When Joss Met Matt by Ellie Cahill

Posted on 02/24/2015 by shellbellereads

When Joss Met Matt

By Ellie Cahill

Synopsis

In the tradition of New Adult superstar Jessica Sorensen, Ellie Cahill’s debut novel is a charming friends-with-benefits story . . . with a twist!

What if after every bad breakup, there was someone to help “cleanse your palate”—someone who wouldn’t judge you, who was great in bed, someone you were sure not to fall in love with? “Sorbet sex” could solve everything—as long as it never got too sweet.

Joss and Matt have been friends since freshman year of college, meeting one night after Joss is dumped by her boyfriend. After a few drinks, Matt humors her with a proposition: that he’ll become her go-to guy whenever she needs to heal a broken heart. In return, she’ll do the same for him. The #1 Rule: They’ll never fall in love with each other. People scoff at the arrangement. But six years later, Joss and Matt are still the best of friends . . . with benefits.

Through a string of boyfriends and girlfriends—some almost perfect, some downright wrong—Joss and Matt are always there for each other when the going gets tough. No strings. No attachments. Piece of cake. No problem. After all, since they wrote the rules, surely they can play by them. Or can they?

Buy: Amazon / Barnes and Noble / ITunes

Advance praise for When Joss Met Matt:

“Hands down, one of my favorite New Adult reads . . . Ellie Cahill is definitely one to watch!”—New York Times bestselling author Cora Carmack

“This is one of those books that make you forget everything around you. Prepare to be consumed by this story.”—Sophie Jordan, New York Times bestselling author of Wild

“Fun, sexy, and full of amazing chemistry, When Joss Met Matt is an entertaining escape that will leave you smiling with every turn of the page.”—Cassie Mae, author of The Real Thing

Tina’s Review

Alternating timelines, clearly defined and spanning seven years. First person (Joss’s) POV.
They met as freshmen in college and fast became friends. After Joss suffers the breakup of a long-tern relationship, Joss and Matt agree that what is really needed is a “palate cleanser” aka Sorbet Sex, to get over the lingering “taste” of the cheating ex. From there, they build an impromptu “contract” of “DO’s and DON’T for Sorbet Sex” and kind of mutually agree to be each other’s unconventional Sorbet Sex partner of choice. The characters are very well portrayed as new adults, suffering from growing pains and new-found independence. They are witty and smart yet flawed and still learning. The secondary characters add fun, enjoyable layers with both their positive and negative contributions to the story. Some of their dates made me cringe & others (T.J.) had me laughing ’til I cried. Priceless stuff, that was! It was easy to buy into the dialogue and character interaction as the plot progressed smoothly, back and forth, from the past to the present unlike many books have been capable of doing. Kudos to Ms. Cahill for creating such seamless transitions. The conflict was subtly hidden in the background of the “NOW” while you read through short moments of the present and catching up with lengthier snippets of the past seven years. There was some minor predictability, as would be given for most feel-good rom-coms. The conclusion was strong and solid. If you are looking for a fun, romantic comedy that has the quality of “the big screen”, this is one to look at. I truly enjoyed this book, the characters and all the antics in between.

Author Bio

Ellie Cahill is a freelance writer and also writes books for young adults under the name Liz Czukas. She lives outside Milwaukee, Wisconsin, with her husband, son, and the world’s loudest cat.

Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Goodreads

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Happy Release: Losing At Love by Jennifer Iacopelli – Outer Banks Tennis Academy Series – Book 2

Posted on 02/24/2015 by shellbellereads

It’s release day for Jennifer Iacopelli’s Losing at Love. This is the second book in Jennifer’s Outer Banks Tennis Academy series, and I am so excited to be sharing it with you!! Check out all the fantastic release day info, and be sure to enter Jennifer’s giveaway!!

Exclusive Excerpt:

La Metropolian Hotel

Paris, France

Indiana Gaffney gasped, her eyes flying open and locking on the glistening object across the hotel room. It reflected the muted television behind her, the French Open final, the red of the court, blurry in the polished silver. A large, round plate, innocuous to the untrained eye, with the sizeable laser carved logo of Roland Garros at the center, was braced against the mirror hanging on the hotel room wall. The mirror reflected the match clearly, the broad steps and fierce rallies of two men battling it out for the French Open Men’s title. But those men were mere afterthoughts as her eye caught a set of shoulders stretching the material of his t-shirt thin, not a mere image from the television, but broad and warm and real. Strong hands slid down her back, fingers twining into the ends of her long blonde hair, tugging on it gently, drawing her gaze away from the mirror and back to the green eyes of the man in her bed.

He kissed her soundly, sending shivers down her spine and making her hips rock against his and her legs tighten around his waist. “It’s not gonna disappear if you take your eyes off it,” Jack Harrison muttered into the skin of her neck, nipping at it lightly with his teeth.

“Feels like it will,” she whispered back, tilting her head to give him better access. Most of her mind was focused on what he was doing with his hands and mouth, but that plate, the one that declared in no uncertain terms that she was the new French Open junior champion, would not be ignored. Not even for the guy who made her heart pound like no one else ever had before, the guy who, up until a few days ago, could barely look at her without his shoulders slumping with guilt. Their age gap hadn’t shrunk in the days full of soft kisses and nights far more intense — though perhaps not as intense as she’d like — but he wasn’t fighting their attraction anymore. She hadn’t chased him, not really, but he’d known she wanted him, almost from the moment they first met. Then he’d found out how old she was and he started treating her like a flashing red SEVENTEEN was stamped across her forehead, every year between them creating an accompanying foot of distance. In the end, the attraction had been too much, even for someone as painfully good as Jack Harrison.

“Hey, Champ, you in there?” Jack’s voice brought her back, his lips spelling out the words against her shoulder.

“Champ?” Indy hummed and smiled. “I like the sound of that.” In fact, she liked the sound of it so much she planned on winning again the next chance she got, on the grass courts at Wimbledon.

“I bet you do. Get used to it, baby,” Jack said, his whole face lighting up as he shifted his weight forward, tilting her back onto the bed. A shriek bubbled up through her throat and the giggles followed as he leaned over her, bracing himself on his elbows and then smothering her laughter with the press of his mouth. As his tongue slid against hers, she turned herself over to it, letting herself revel in the dreams of future victories and the celebrations that would follow.

Losing At Love Synopsis:

Grass courts, tennis whites and the fiercest competition in the world. Wimbledon. After two crazy weeks in Paris, the girls of the Outer Banks Tennis Academy are headed to London with just one thing on their minds: winning.

Indiana Gaffney is fresh off a surprise win at the French Open junior tournament. Sponsors are clamoring for her attention, but what she wants more than anything—aside from a wild card to Wimbledon—is to be with Jack Harrison, but international fame and a secret relationship rarely mix well.

When Penny Harrison dreamed of playing at Wimbledon she never imagined agonizing pain shooting through her ankle with every step. With just a month until the tournament and the whole world expecting her to win, she’s determined to play, with or without the support of her coach or the love of her life, Alex Russell.

For the first time ever, no one expects anything from Jasmine Randazzo. After a crushing first-round defeat in the French Open juniors, the tennis world has given up on her, but worse than that, so have her parents, her best friend Teddy and maybe even her coach. With everyone writing her off, can she find it within herself to go after her dreams?

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Catch up on the series now with Game. Set. Match:

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About Jennifer Iacopelli:

Jennifer Iacopelli was born in New York and has no plans to leave…ever. Growing up, she read everything she could get her hands on, but her favorite authors were Laura Ingalls Wilder, L.M. Montgomery and Frances Hodgson Burnett all of whom wrote about kick-ass girls before it was cool for girls to be kick-ass. She got a Bachelor’s degree in Adolescence Education and English Literature quickly followed up by a Master’s in Library Science, which lets her frolic all day with her books and computers, leaving plenty of time in the evenings to write and yell at the Yankees, Giants and her favorite tennis players through the TV.

Enter Jennifer’s Giveaway!!!
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Sneak Peek + Giveaway – Very Twisted Things by Ilsa Madden- Mills

Posted on 02/23/2015 by shellbellereads

Very Twisted Things

A Standalone Briarcrest Academy Novel – Book 3

By Ilsa Madden-Mills

Release Date: March 1, 2015

This is a standalone New Adult novel with graphic sex and language.

Introductory price of $2.99 on release day for 24 hours only!

Synopsis

Vital Rejects front guy Sebastian Tate never imagined his YouTube music video would go viral, sky-rocketing him to acting success in Hollywood. Okay, maybe he did. After all, he’s a cocky dude who knows he’s hot-as-hell, and it was only a matter of time before his stars aligned.

But life in Tinseltown is never what it seems.

After being cheated on by his ex-lover, his only rule to falling in love is simple: Keep Calm and Don’t Do It. So, spying on his mysterious new neighbor with binoculars seems innocent enough, but quickly escalates into an erotic game between two very unlikely people.

Twenty-year-old Violet St. Lyons is a world-renowned violinist who’s lost her mojo on stage. She hides away in a Hollywood mansion, trying to find her way through her twisted past in order to make her future.

He’s the life of the party with girls chasing him down for his autograph. She’s the introvert with a potty mouth who doesn’t even know who he is.

When they meet, stars collide, sparks fly, and clothes come off. Yet, giving his heart to a girl isn’t Sebastian’s plan; falling for a guy who craves attention isn’t Violet’s.

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

This book is a standalone even though it’s part of a series. Everything you need to know is in this book. Genre: 18+ Hot New Adult Romance.

Prologue

Violet

“Fairy dust is not real. This I know.” —from the journal of Violet St. Lyons

Boom!

I, Violet St. Lyons, who once believed herself the luckiest girl in the world, was born on the same day that the Violette–Sells comet was discovered. My parents, two avid stargazers, said it was a sign of how special I was and promptly named me Violet. They claimed my life had been blessed with fairy dust.

At the very least, comet residue.

I’d foolishly believed it for eighteen years, until the moment of my death.

Which was now.

Boom! Another explosion rocked the plane and metal ripped away as a section of the aircraft to my right vanished. Luggage flew through the air. People disappeared. The mom with the baby who’d sat in the aisle across from us—gone. The redheaded flight attendant who’d been collecting trash—gone. Disembodied screams echoed from the surrounding passengers as my own scream took up most of the space in my head. Air sucked at us viciously from the outside as a tornado of people banged around the space and one by one got pulled out into the swirling abyss.

I watched, helplessly transfixed, as I sat between my parents, gripping each of their hands as the plane we’d boarded six hours earlier for Dublin spiraled toward the Atlantic Ocean. I was going to die. My mother was already dead, a twisted piece of shrapnel sticking grotesquely from her chest as her head lolled around her neck. Blood had already soaked her shirt, yet I refused to let go of her hand. She’d be okay. We were always okay. We were the St. Lyons family of Manhattan, an icon of old money wealth with deep political ties. Page six of the New York Times featured pictures of us on a monthly basis. We couldn’t die on a plane.

Reality dawned as we plummeted. The yellow breathing apparatus dropped and dangled in my face, taunting me with its pointlessness. Fire and black smoke boiled in front of us where the cockpit had been, and my mind recognized that the pilots had to be dead. Just a few minutes ago, they’d come over the intercom and announced that the plane was making its descent into Dublin Airport exactly on schedule.

Then the first explosion had gone off.

Bits of debris flew around, narrowly missing me. My elderly father grabbed my hand and squeezed, his face drawn back in a horrible grimace. Fear and then horror flickered across his face as he saw Mother, but there was no time to comfort him.

Paralyzed in my seat, we spun like a drunken top, and a part of my brain noticed the sun was rising, its pink tinge lending a soft glow, catching the reflection of clouds and making them silver-lined. The rocky coast of Ireland glittered in the distance. Mocking me. We’d been headed there to celebrate my eighteenth birthday.

Just then my violin case flew past my head from the overhead compartment and crashed against the wall of the plane. Shards flew. I shuddered and wanted to vomit. God, help us. We were here because of me. Our deaths were my fault. I spared a glance at the diamond promise ring Geoff had given me before we’d left. Would the Mayor of New York’s son go on without me?

The air was turbulent yet thin, and my chest tightened as dizziness pulled at me. I resisted. Had to stay awake. Had to be with my dad. I was younger, stronger, faster. My eyes went to the gaping hole in the plane. Had to think ahead. Plan. Water would fill up the plane on impact, ensuring we’d sink rapidly.

My fear escalated as the ocean rushed at us, its surface choppy and ominous. I took in a giant breath and braced myself. We hit at an angle, the plane a torpedo as it sliced into the sea. Daddy disappeared, ejected by the impact, and I yanked on my seat belt, unclicking it to go after him. Heart thundering, I sent a final look at my mother. I wanted to take her with me, but she was gone.

Water everywhere, bubbling and gurgling as it filled up the plane. Salt water stung my eyes. People floated by, some alive as they floundered for the opening. I kept my gaze off the dead ones. Focus. Get out. Only seconds left.

I swam from my seat and fought my way out of the large hole in the plane, lungs exploding. Burning. I’d been under too long.

Daddy! I caught a glimpse of his red shirt above me and kicked harder.

Up, up, up. Must get up. My arms moved. My legs kicked. Excruciating pain. Ignore it. Almost there. So close that I could see the daylight breaking through the water.

The hottest fire I’ve ever known lit in my chest. Scorching.

Air. Just want to breathe. Just get to the top. Please.

My body rebelled and I inhaled and swallowed water, the burn racing down my throat making it spasm as I tried to cough it out. I struggled but took in more and more, the cold liquid filling my lungs.

Dark spots filled my eyes. This was drowning.

Exhausted.

Done.

My body twitched. I grew disoriented.

I let go of the fight. My hands floated in front of me.

Oblivion.

Darkness.

No bright lights, no tunnel.

No heaven, no mother, no father.

No comets.

No fairy dust.

Chapter 1

Sebastian

Two years later

“She was music with skin.” —Sebastian Tate

I tapped my foot.

What was taking her so long?

From my backyard patio in the Hollywood Hills, I watched the odd girl next door with a pair of high-powered binoculars. She flicked on her porch lights, and a low whistle came out of me at the sexy red-as-sin robe she wore, its silky material flashing around her long legs as she moved around her patio. Her hair was down, too.

This was new. Where were the usual yoga pants? The ponytail?

She looked like she knew someone watched, but that was impossible since our outside lights were off. Even the light from the moon hit our house at such an angle that she shouldn’t be able to see us just by glancing over. She’d need a high-powered lens to know I was here.

Usually she played facing her rose garden, but this time she walked to the right side of her patio, which faced us. Weird. But she didn’t play. She just stood there without moving. Staring toward our house. Uneasiness went over me.

What was she doing?

Could she see me?

As if it were a fragile bird, she positioned the violin under her chin and began playing, arms bent and wrist poised, making the most exquisite sounds. And I don’t mean classical like Beethoven or Mozart; I mean body-thrashing, blood-thumping, hard-as-hell music that had me rooted to the ground, like she’d slapped iron chains on me.

Dark and seductive notes rose up in the air, and I got jacked up, recognizing a Led Zeppelin song, only she’d ripped its guts out and twisted it into something electric. She pushed the bow hard, upping the tempo abruptly, her movements controlled yet wild. My pulse kicked up and my eyes lingered, taking in the slightly parted toned legs and the way her breasts bounced as she jerked her arms to manipulate the strings.

Her body arched forward in a curve, seeming as if she might break into a million pieces before she finished the piece or climaxed first. Then, her robe slipped off her right shoulder, exposing part of her breast. Creamy and full, it quivered, vibrating as she moved her arms. Her rosy nipple teased me, slipping in and out of the folds of the material, erect from the cool mountain air and deliciously bitable. I pictured my mouth there, sucking, my fingers plucking, strumming her like my guitar until she begged me to—

Stop, I told myself just as an appreciative groan came out. Whoever Violin Girl was, she didn’t deserve me lusting after her while she was pouring her heart out with music.

I zoomed in as far as the binoculars would go, watching her surrender to the music as she bent and swayed from side to side with her eyes closed, black lashes like fans on her cheeks. Every molecule in my body focused on her, hanging on to each note she pulled from her instrument.

She finished and kept her head bowed for the longest time, perhaps letting the emotion wash over her like it had me. Then, she bowed to the banana trees and gnomes in her garden, waving her hands in a flourish as she rose.

The entire event was surreal, yet poignant as fucking poetry.

I let out a deep breath I didn’t even realize I’d been holding.

Who the hell plays Stairway to Heaven with a violin? She did.

Bam! She snapped her head up, her eyes lasering in on mine, making every hair on my body stand at attention.

And then …

Standing there in the moonlight, she untied her robe and spread apart the sides ever so slightly, her movements seeming almost hesitant, as if she’d had to work herself up. Unfamiliar jealousy hit me and I panned out and checked the rest of the patio, expecting to see a lover. Whoever it was, I wanted to rip him apart piece by piece.

And didn’t that thought surprise me.

My gaze searched her patio, the backyard, her upstairs balcony. Nothing. No one.

She flicked her dark hair back and stroked the lapels of the robe, her fingers lingering over the lacy material. Suddenly the evening smacked of something more than just music. Her arms moved back and forth across the front, opening the robe halfway and then closing it as if she couldn’t make up her mind.

My eyes went up, trying to read her face. Still as a statue, the only movement was her mouth as it trembled, her full upper lip resting against the pouty lower one. Tears ran down her face, but they seemed more of a defiant act, her jaw tightly set, her shoulders hunched inward as if she’d held it in too long and was giving in, but not without a fight.

Violin Girl was trapped in a cage of darkness.

It still didn’t stop me from holding my breath, silently begging her to bare herself to me. She’d already laid bare her music. Part of me needed the rest of her.

She jerked the robe closed, making me groan in disappointment.

And then she did something completely crazy.

The lonely girl next door flipped me the bird.

© Ilsa Madden-Mills 2015 Very Twisted Things

Author Bio

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

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

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

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

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Happy Release + Review + Giveaway: Confessions of a Reformed Tom Cat by Daisy Prescott – Modern Love Stories Series – Book 4

Posted on 02/23/2015 by shellbellereads

We’re so excited to host the release day launch for Daisy Prescott’s Confessions of a Reformed Tom Cat!! Daisy is sharing an excerpt with us, and a fantastic giveaway, so be sure to read all the way down to check out all the release day excitement!!

Confessions of A Reformed Tom Cat

Modern Love Stories – Book 4

By Daisy Prescott

Synopsis

I, Thomas Clifford Donnely, am a manwhore.

I’ve been told I’m irresistible to women. Like catnip for a different type of pussy-cat. I guess you could call me a Tom Cat.

This is the story about how I lost my wingman, broke all my own rules, and found myself falling in love.

Tom Donnelly isn’t the marrying kind, or the dating kind. Even after losing his #1 wingman to love, he doesn’t see the point in relationships. When his sister’s best friend returns to Whidbey Island and propositions Donnelly for a one-night stand, he breaks one of his biggest rules—no fooling around with his sisters’ friends. It’s just sex, nothing more. That’s what Tom does and does well.

What happens when “just sex” isn’t enough?

Hailey King is more than a match for Tom’s flirtations. She’s known him most of her life and has heard the rumors about his “skills” for years. When her perfectly planned future falls apart, will the last man she should ever fall for turn out to be more than a one-night stand?

Buy: Amazon / Barnes and Noble / ITunes

Michel’s Review

This is the first book I have read by Daisy Prescott. I absolutely loved her writing style, witty dialogue, and sense of humor. The Confessions of A Reformed Tom Cat was entertaining, fun, charming, sexy, and romantic. I loved that the book was written from Tom’s POV and each chapter was a confession. He is a fun guy that doesn’t take himself too seriously and recognizes his faults as well as strengths. He loves his family, he’s hard working, he’s honest, and he’s true. Watching this man whore fall was fun and swoon worthy.

Hailey is one of those heroines that is easy to love. She has known Tom since childhood. He is her best friend’s older brother. She’s got his number, she knows that he is a manwhore with a revolving door. She still can’t help falling for him. When it becomes clear that she is the perfect woman for him, she gives him a few lessons that will capture his attention and heart.

This book was a fun, witty, and sexy read. I highly recommend it.

Daisy Prescott Bio:

Before writing bestselling contemporary adult romances, I dreamed of being an author while doing a lot of other things. Antiques dealer, baker, blue ribbon pie-maker, fangirl, freelance writer, gardener, pet mom and wife are a few of the other titles I’ve acquired over the years.

Born and raised in San Diego, I currently lives in a real life Stars Hollow in the Boston suburbs with my husband, our dog Hubbell, and an imaginary house goat.

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Happy Release + Giveaway : Surf & Surrender by Riley Edgewood – Summer Love Series – Book 2

Posted on 02/23/2015 by shellbellereads

Surf & Surrender

A Summer Love Series – Book 2

By Riley Edgewood

Synopsis

She wants to forget he ever existed. He’d never give up her memory.

Quinn Westwood is completely over Sawyer Carson. He broke her heart years ago and disappeared from her life without a word. So yeah. She’s over him. Never even thinks of him. In fact, she’s spending her college summer break surfing and lifeguarding in the Outer Banks, while nursing a bruised heart from a different relationship gone wrong. She doesn’t have room in her mind or heart for Sawyer–until she runs into him at a beach bonfire and the sparks that fly between them are way hotter than the flames heating the sand.

Sawyer never got over Quinn. The only thing stronger than the way he feels for her is the secret keeping them apart, but sharing it would destroy more than just his life–it’d ruin hers, as well. Still, he can’t seem to keep away from her, can’t seem to keep his hands off of her soft, tempting skin. Especially since she has even less self-control when it comes to reigniting the physical side of what made them perfect together.

But secrets have a way of slipping out, and when Sawyer’s is revealed, it threatens to shatter everyone involved. He’ll have to face walking away a second time, and Quinn will have to decide if fighting for him is worth it when the fallout could affect more than just her heart, but also those of the people she loves most.

Surf & Surrender is the second book in Riley Edgewood’s Summer Love series, but can be read as a standalone.

Buy: Amazon / Barnes and Noble / ITunes

Excerpt

SAWYER

“Lay off me.” My brother fights my grip, but I’ve got two inches and thirty pounds on him. Plus, I’m sober. And pissed.

I push his face closer to the stuff that’s already permeating through my entire car. “What did I tell you about throwing up in here?”

He’s really grappling against me now. And I’m really not budging.

“Let me go and I’ll tell you about Quinn.”

This—the shock jolting my system—loosens my grip more than anything else could. “What?”

He turns his face sideways to look up at me. I give him that much leeway. Because I’m still not sure I heard him right. Then he says, “I saw Quinn.”

Fragments of memories barrel through my mind so fast I almost lose my breath.

Long, slender fingers tracing hearts against my callused palms. A white daisy tucked into hair that’s brown like autumn and windblown and trailing down her back for miles.

The somehow both sweet and rough scents of salt water and sand. Laughter like sea glass wind chimes spinning in the breeze.

I want to ask where? How? When?

I want to crack his skull open and climb into his memory to see her again.

I rub my face with my free hand to wipe it all away. “Goddamn it, Jess. She’s the one person I told you we couldn’t see if we came back.”

“Two,” he slurs, squirming on his knees. “Two people.”

It’s true. But she’s the only one who matters. The only one who ever has.

Quinn.

Jesus. Just her name in my brain is enough to make my gut jump.

So I let go of Jess’s neck.

He face-plants into his own puke and comes up spitting, swearing. I shrug and try not to laugh at the horror in his expression. It’s hard. Which means I’m out of the grip of the past. “You wanted me to let you go, so I did.”

“You’re such a dick.”

I can’t deny it. Instead, I grab a beach towel from the backseat and let him use it to wipe off his face—and then my car. He gags the entire time, and nothing could bring me more pleasure.

“How’d she look?” I ask a few minutes and miles later. I don’t expect an answer. The kid’s eyes are closed so hard they look swollen.

“Skinny,” he slurs. “Stupid.”

“You sure you weren’t just looking in a mirror?”

He mumbles something I’m pretty sure is, “Fuck you,” but I let it slide because I’m remembering in more than just splinters of snapshots. More than a hand or a laugh. Quinn.

Skinny? Maybe. She’s always been slight.

Stupid? Not a chance in hell.

One of us would’ve run into her sooner or later. The Outer Banks is a big area, but the spots locals prefer are few. I’m surprised it’s taken the two months it has.

Thing is, though, if it happened to Jess, then statistically my chances seem smaller now. “Goddamn it, Jess.”

But he’s snoring. And I shouldn’t be asking about her anyhow.

I spend the rest of the ride trying to figure out how to get the smell out of my car—and quick, because I have a fucking date tonight.

Author Bio:

Riley lives in the DC area and spends most of her time with her characters, playing with her toddler and husband, and pretending she knows how to be an adult. Former dancer. Current writer. Lifelong lover of accessories, books, and the beach. And cats. Can’t forget the kitties. Of which she has two.

Website – Facebook ~ Twitter ~Goodreads

Giveaway

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Happy Release + Giveaway: Her Fallen Protector by Nichole Severn

Posted on 02/23/2015 by shellbellereads

When a trio of demons kidnap Vdarra Jansen, her normal life is ripped away. Her abductors claim she is the “lost heiress” of the Underworld, and the commander of the mighty Army of Duemos. They don’t seem to care that she knows nothing about the Underworld, or that she only remembers the last ten years of her life…

Former archangel Jacob will do anything to bring back his lost love’s memories. But if he succeeds, it could mean the end of the world. Torn between love and duty, Jacob will do whatever it takes to save her.

Jacob and Vdarra must learn to trust each other, and push aside old hurts to find their way. They are in a race to find the one thing that will decide Vdarra’s, and the world’s, fate – the lost Seal of Solomon. It will mean choosing between innocent lives …and their hearts.

Amazon | Barnes and Noble | iBookstore | Kobo

Nichole Severn Bio:

Originally from Las Vegas, Nevada where she spent most days at her grandmother’s house watching X-Men, Married with Children and The Simpsons, Nichole Severn migrated to the Salt Lake City valley to live life as scandalous romance author.

She graduated with a degree in psychology from Utah Valley University and resides with her very supportive and patient husband, as well as her terrorist of a toddler, in Sandy, Utah. When she’s not writing, she’s constantly injuring herself running, rock climbing, practicing yoga, and snowboarding.

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Happy Release + 5 Star Review + Giveaway: Ember by Rachel Van Dyken – Eagle Elite Series – Book 5

Posted on 02/19/2015 by shellbellereads

Ember

The Eagle Elite Series

Release Date: February 19, 2015

By Rachel Van Dyken

Synopsis

I am a Killer. A Rapist. A Monster.

I know only pain and survival.

That is until the Cappo’s sister walked into my life.

And changed everything.

She’s a light who makes my darkness darker, her smile makes my heart turn to ice, and I can’t escape the fear her seductive looks instill–knowing it’s only a matter of time before I fail–again, and take her for myself.

This is the story of my redemption.

But it’s not pretty…I died, and now I’m alive, but not living, breathing but not surviving. I am Phoenix De Lange, son to a murdered mob boss, estranged brother, horrible friend, monster in the making, newest leader to one of the most powerful families in the Cosa Nostra.

And I will have my vengeance.

Or die trying.

I am Phoenix De Lange.

Death is all I know.

Until she offers me a piece of life–I can’t resist taking.

Buy: Amazon / Barnes and Noble / ITunes / Kobo

Excerpt

Once we were on the road, Phoenix chose the correct music for our drive. I say correct because, according to him, one didn’t start the day listening to hip-hop or anything remotely fun. No. Mr. Rogers had me listening to classical music.

Classical.

Mozart, to be exact.

Not that I wasn’t a fan of the arts, but really? It just seemed so against what you would expect from him. He was the bad boy personified; like, if you put his name in the dictionary, right next to it would be “And mothers warned their daughters to stay away, but the heart wants what the heart wants, and that heart wants that body… bad.”

He was all lean muscle and tight abs.

And I could have sworn he had a dimple, but I’d never actually seen it. Phoenix’s dimple was like Bigfoot; I’d seen glimpses in pictures and via rumors, but I had never actually seen it for myself.

One day.

One day I’d catch it and take a mental picture or five. Maybe ten. Needless to say, I knew that if I had one of his smiles, it would be a magical thing.

His hands gripped the steering wheel so hard I had a brief moment of panic thinking he was actually going to rip the thing from the dash and have a breakdown. Sad part? I half-expected it. He wasn’t acting normal… well, he was always moody, but this morning he seemed downright suicidal.

“So…” I tried to zone out the instruments assaulting my sanity. “You went to Eagle Elite, right?”

He was quiet for a minute then gave a swift nod.

“Wow, don’t talk so fast. I almost didn’t get all that.”

And crickets. Again.

I cleared my throat. “You graduate?”

“Sort of.”

“How do you sort of graduate?”

“Did you bring lunch money?” He asked in a tight voice.

I gaped. “Did you just ask me if I brought lunch money?”

He shrugged.

“You’re driving me to school, forcing Mozart on my poor sensitive morning ears, and just asked me if I had money for milk.”

“I’m concerned about you eating. Sue me.”

“Pretty sure the Nicolasi boss can afford to spare me a few dollars for a sandwich and a can of pop.”

“No pop.”

“Who died and made you my grandpa? Seriously. I want to know so I can steal your gun and point it at them.”

“Nobody touches my gun.”

“Which one?” I smirked, hoping he’d find the humor in my sexual innuendo, but who was I kidding? It was Phoenix. He simply grunted, rolled his eyes, and kept driving.

In a moment of pure rebellion, I undid the first two buttons of my white, collared shirt.

“What the hell do you think you’re doing?” he asked, his voice calm, his eyes still on the road.

“Wow, you really are like a parent. You can see me even when you aren’t looking.”

“Button that shit to your chin before I pull this car over.”

“Put on Jay-Z, and we’ll talk.”

More cursing.

I undid another button.

“Son of a bitch, you’re annoying.”

“Is this our first lovers’ spat?”

“Were there drugs in your toast?” He finally glanced at me, his blue eyes chilling me to the bone. “Be serious. I don’t want to get called into the dean’s office because you’re high.”

“Do I look like I’m on drugs?”

“Is this a trick question?”

Michel’s Review

HOLY EVER LOVING CRAP! Ember, the fifth book in the Eagle Elite series was INTENSE!

Ember is Phoenix De Lange’s book. This man is a killer, a rapist, an abuser, a ghost, an enforcer, and a MONSTER. He has betrayed the family. He has betrayed himself. A death sentence is too easy and too painless for Phoenix De Lange. Redemption is impossible. Or is it?

Phoenix De Lange never stood a chance in life or in the family. He was a monster by birth. His father made him a horrific human being. His actions betrayed the family. He almost killed Nixon Abandonato’s ( the head leader of the families in the United States) woman, Trace Rooks (granddaughter of the Alfero family). His betrayal brought the Luca Nicolosi, leader of the original Sicilian family to the States to decide the fate of all five families. This should of been his death sentence. Luca Nicolosi issued a verdict worse than death. He made Phoenix De Lange a ghost, an enforcer, a protector, and a leader. He saw that there was redemption in Phoenix De Lange’s soul. He saw the man that was buried deep beneath the hideous surface. He saw a man with that craved absolution. He gave him a second chance.

Phoenix De Lange may still be physically alive and breathing but in his heart he is a dead man. He cannot forgive himself for his past. He will put his life on the line every time a family member is threatened. He will sacrifice himself before he allows any harm to come to his family and friends. He does not expect his family to forgive or forget. He continually punishes himself for his past. He is a haunted man without any hope. He does not understand why Luca chose him to lead the Nicolosi family. He does not understand why Luca gave him the key to all of the family secrets. He does not understand why Luca gave him Bee Campisi ( the Cappo’s, Tex Campsisi, little sister) to protect. He hates that he wants her. She is sunshine and rainbows. She is everything good. She is everything he does not deserve… and she loves him. Can he stay away from her and keep her untainted from his ugliness? Or will she be the final nail in his coffin?

There is a storm brewing within the family. The Russian’s are on the horizon. They are threatening the family. The FBI is knocking on their door. The Family is about to be destroyed. Someone in the family is betraying them all. Phoenix knows who it is, after all he knows all the family secrets. Can he save the family? Can he keep Bee from be touched by the war that is coming. Will he have to kill a man that is one of his brothers? Will he walk out with his heart as cold as it was or will he succumb to his true feelings for Bee?

Luca saw redemption within Phoenix’s soul. Now it is up to Phoenix to rise from the ashes and soar.

The war is coming. The Russians are at the door. One man will be sacrificed for his betrayal. One man will pay the price. Welcome to the family…blood in…no out.

The Eagle Elite series is a complex and intricately woven series. There are plots within plots. Each book features a different family and the individual members. They are tightly connected to all the characters throughout the series. The grand plot grows throughout each book. Ember cannot be read as a stand alone book. Phoenix De Lange’s story began in Elite and has progressed throughout the first four books in the series.

Phoenix De Lange is a character that has been quite a force throughout this series. In the beginning he was a monster that deserved to be hated. He proved that there many layers in his persona. He has evolved from being the devil himself to a broken man. My heart broke for him. I wanted him to find a slice of happiness that could be his and only his. Rachel gave him a life worth living and a future to look forward to.

Ember set up the next book in the Eagle Elite Series. The next book is Elude, will release in July 2015. It is going to be a shocker.

EAGLE ELITE SERIES

Elite- Book 1

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Elect- Book 2

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Entice- Book 3

Buy: Amazon / Barnes and Noble / ITunes

Elicit -Book 4

Buy: Amazon / Barnes and Noble / ITunes

Bang Bang- Novella

Buy: Amazon / Barnes and Noble / ITunes

Enforce – Book 1.5

Buy: Amazon / Barnes and Noble / ITunes

Enchant – Book 0.5

Buy: Amazon / Barnes and Noble / ITunes

Ember – Book 5

Buy: Amazon / Barnes and Noble / ITunes

About Rachel Van Dyken:

Rachel Van Dyken is the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today Bestselling author of regency and contemporary romances. When she’s not writing you can find her drinking coffee at Starbucks and plotting her next book while watching The Bachelor.

She keeps her home in Idaho with her Husband and their snoring Boxer, Sir Winston Churchill. She loves to hear from readers! You can follow her writing journey at www.rachelvandykenauthor.com

Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Goodreads

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Category Archives: Giveaway

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Happy Release + Giveaway: Her Fallen Protector by Nichole Severn

Happy Release + 5 Star Review + Giveaway: Ember by Rachel Van Dyken – Eagle Elite Series – Book 5

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