Release Blitz + 5 Star Review: Drunk Dial by Penelope Ward

Posted on 08/21/2017 by shellbellereads

Drunk Dial

By Penelope Ward

Release Date: August 21, 2017

Buy: Amazon / B & N / IBooks / Kobo / Audio / Paperback

From New York Times bestselling author Penelope Ward, comes a new, sexy standalone novel.

It seemed like a good idea at the time. Look up Landon Roderick, that boy from childhood whom I’d never been able to forget—even though he so easily forgot about me—and call him.

Then again, anything sounds like a good idea when you’ve had a little too much wine before bed, right? It was supposed to be just a quick, meaningless, prank call. Instead, I went off on him—unloading thirteen years of pent-up emotions.

I didn’t think he’d call me back.

I certainly could never have anticipated the weeks of sexually tense phone conversations that followed as I got to know the man he’d become.

Turned out, Landon had never really forgotten me, either. That special connection we had was still there. I opened up to him, but there were also things about me he didn’t know. And he had his own secrets.

Over the countless hours we talked on the phone, I wondered what would happen if we actually saw each other. One night, I did something impulsive again. Only this time, I went to the airport and booked a ticket to California. We were about to find out if one phone call could bring two lost souls together or if my drunk dial really was all just a big mistake.

A complete STANDALONE.

Excerpt

By Penelope Ward

After that evening, I hadn’t heard back from him for a few days.

Then, one night, a text came in from the same phone number I recognized as Landon’s. It was the first time he’d texted me.

I looked down to find he’d sent a photo.

I gasped.

It was a heavily tatted man set against the backdrop of the ocean at sunset. Oh, my. It was him—a selfie.

Fuck. Me. He was beautiful.

I wouldn’t have even known it was Landon were it not for the blue eyes I recognized instantly. The shaggy, caramel hair I remembered from the past was now a darker shade of brown and shorter, cropped closer to his head. His arms and his chest were inked, his body so perfect that if I squinted, it almost resembled carved stone.

I couldn’t stop looking at him. My eyes wanted nothing more than to explore the ridges and valleys of his stunning body.

Was this a cruel joke?

This was not Landon!

But, it was.

With my thumb and middle finger, I kept zooming in and out, examining the details of the ink across his chest and on his arms. There was really nothing sexier than a guy with perfect arms and a full sleeve tattoo.

Even though his lips seemed fuller than I recalled, they still curved into a familiar grin that oozed confidence. The eyes and that smile were the only traces of the boy I remembered. I wished I could’ve leapt through the screen to smell him, touch him.

“Hi, Landon,” I whispered, for a brief moment talking to the boy inside, not the man in front of me.

This Landon was the polar opposite of the Ivy League yuppie image previously in my head. The only thing the man pictured might have majored in was badassery. He looked like a rockstar, a rule breaker, displaying a sense of arousing danger—someone who must have had women from all walks of life drooling over him for the sheer fact that either they couldn’t have him or shouldn’t have him. It suddenly became clear why, as he’d alluded to, a woman might have been begging him for sex. That made me wonder if he had any secret tattoos in spots I wasn’t allowed to see.

God.

A fire was burning inside of me, and I knew it was my crush exploding into a full-blown obsession.

A self-conscious feeling came over me. If I was scared to show him a picture of myself before, now I was really hesitant.

The message that went along with the photo simply read:

Now show me you.

_________________________________________

Michel’s Review

Expect the unexpected in Drunk Dial by Penelope Ward. It’s not the usual second chance romance or a friends to lovers romance. It’s a story of self redemption and forgiveness that finds itself in the middle of a love story.

Rana Banana Saloomi has a moment of drunken inspiration or should I say insanity and drunk dials a childhood friend who meant the world to her when her world was anything from perfect. She hung onto those wonderful childhood moments, as well as all the hurt that came along with it. She’s harbored some resentments and misconceptions of the truth and in a drunken moment she decides to confront her past. What started as a drunken conversation with her childhood friend, Landon Roderick, quickly escalates into a meaningful long distance friendship/ possible romance. Those late night conversations and little confessions are something all together different when they finally meet face to face after thirteen years.

Growing up has been a painful experience for them both in very different ways. Both are carrying scars and harboring secrets that could crush their budding adult relationship. They are both holding back because they are fearful of facing the realities of their past lives. They are fearful of losing each other. The one thing neither of them realized is the friendship they formed as kids was strong enough to withstand them as adults. After all they are still the same people … just a little altered and scarred from life.

I won’t say more because of spoilers but I will say Penelope Ward once again delivered an unforgettable romance that touches the heart in so many ways. Drunk Dial is more than a phone call that went out of control, it’s Rana and Landon’s chance to become complete and comfortable with the life they are living now.

I absolutely loved this book!

____________________________________________

Penelope Ward is a New York Times, USA Today, and #1 Wall Street Journal Bestselling author of thirteen novels. With over a million books sold, her titles have placed on the New York Times Bestseller list sixteen times. She is the proud mother of a beautiful 12-year-old girl with autism (the inspiration for the character Callie in Gemini) and a 10-year-old boy. Penelope, her husband, and kids reside in Rhode Island.

Connect with Penelope Ward

Facebook Fan Group | Facebook | Website |Twitter | Instagram

*****

Additional Books by Penelope Ward

Mack Daddy

Amazon | iBooks | Nook | Kobo

Neighbor Dearest

Amazon / Amazon UK / B & N / IBooks / Kobo

Roomhate

Amazon / B & N / ITunes / Kobo

Sevin

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

Stepbrother Dearest

Amazon / B & N / ITunes / Kobo

My Skylar

Amazon / B & N / ITunes / Kobo

Gemini

Amazon / B & N / ITunes / Kobo

Jake Undone

Amazon / B & N / ITunes / Kobo

Jake Understood

Amazon / B & N / ITunes / Kobo

*****

Release Blitz + 5 Star Review: Mercy by Debra Anastasia

Posted on 08/21/2017 by shellbellereads

Title: Mercy

Author: Debra Anastasia

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Release Date: August 21, 2017

Blurb

He taught me to kill. Murder is in my blood now. It runs
through my veins and though I hide the monster I see in the mirror with ink, it
doesn’t keep him from coming out.

My street name is Mercy, but I never show any. Except
for her. I watch Becca, though she doesn’t know. She saved
me a long time ago; the day my father killed my mother. Her bravery turned her
into a target.

My father holds a grudge and knife with the same
proficiency, and Becca is the focus of his hatred. And I’m the only monster who
can save her.

ADD TO GOODREADS

Purchase Links

$2.99 for a limited time

AMAZON US / UK / CA / AU

B&N / KOBO / iBOOKS

Trailer

Michel’s Review

It doesn’t matter if you are a long time fan of Debra Anastasia or new to her novels, read her author bio first. The first sentence of her bio states she writes from her heart, her soul, or her butt. The genres she dabbles in are examples of that. This bio clearly illustrates who Debra Anastasia is. She is an author who follows her heart, explores new venues, and never writes the same kind of novel. She’s known for her originality, humor, emotional renderings, and compassionate humanity. Each novel stands on it’s own merit and cannot be compared to her previous novels. Her writing voice changes with each novel like her storylines and characters. The only thing her novels have in common is excellent writing, creative storytelling that is compassionate and showcases matters of the heart. She taps into the basic values on which humanity thrives and lets those values explode within the pages. This makes her characters within each story become extraordinary. It doesn’t matter if they are a homeless man, an avenger mommy, a late night show host, a heavenly angel, a heroic ghost, or a criminal, they all have one thing in common, they are beautifully imperfect beings striving to become a better version of themselves. They love with true hearts but also make mistakes along the way which makes them endearing to the readers hearts.

Mercy by Debra Anastasia is unlike any other novel I have read. Mercy is a damaged soul who is in a sense a very unbalanced individual. His concepts of right and wrong are molded from his childhood experiences. Those horrific experiences have left him seriously twisted and flawed but at the same time naïve and vulnerable. A simple act of kindness, a childhood incident that went from good to bad within moments has left a lasting lifetime impression. Everything he has done in his life evolved from that one moment in time. He molded himself into a terror to protect an innocent girl from his father. He knew his father would seek revenge and he’s ready to deliver his own brand of justice. He’s been watching Rebecca Stiles all his life. He has loved her since the moment she stood up to his father. He will make sure his father never darkens her beautiful soul. He is Mercy and he’s not going to show any to his enemies.

OMG… I can’t even begin to say anything more about this exceptional novel except be ready to ride an emotional rollercoaster that has a whole lot of crazy and a whole lot of pure sanity in an obscure way. Not only is this an intense novel loaded with emotions, it is also a thriller that will keep the reader on the edge of their seats.

I cannot praise Debra Anastasia enough with her delivery of this novel. It is a unique love story that touches the heart in many ways!

Author Bio

Debra Anastasia likes to write from her heart, her soul or
her butt. The genres she dabbles in are examples of that. There are two
paranormal romances in the Seraphim Series and now four contemporary romances
in the Poughkeepsie Brotherhood Series and a stand alone in the same genre,
Mercy. Fire Down Below and Fire in the Hole, Booty Camp Dating Service and
Beast complete her comedy repertoire. The Revenger, a dark paranormal romance,
is finally in the light, and the last, a novella called Late Night with Andres,
is special because 100% of the proceeds go to breast cancer research.

Debra lives in Maryland with her two kids, husband of twenty
years and two dogs. The king of the house is clearly the tuxedo cat that is the
size of a small donkey. Find about her latest adventures on DebraAnastasia.com

Author Links

WEBSITE

TWITTER

FACEBOOK
INSTAGRAM

AMAZON

GOODREADS

New Release + Blog Tour + 4-Star Review: Toying With Her by Prescott Lane

Posted on 08/18/2017 by cafemamanc7

Toying with Her by Prescott Lane
Release Date: August 17th
Genre: Contemporary Romance

Toying with Her, an all-new standalone from Prescott Lane is coming LIVE!!!

No one said finding love was easy, but when you invented the world’s best selling vibrator, it’s near impossible. Yep, that’s right. That little toy hidden in your bedside table is my brain child. It’s aptly named Woman on Top. And you know what they say . . . it’s lonely at the top.

So I’m headed home to my Southern roots. It’s supposed to be an extended Summer vacation — nothing more. But Rorke Weston has other plans for me. Plans that not only involve me being on top, but also underneath him.

It’s been said you never forget your first. For me, that’s definitely true. No night has ever lived up to the one I spent with Rorke.

He’s turned into quite a man. Tan from the Southern sun, and stubborn as the day is long. And there’s nothing sweeter than the swipe of his tongue.

Rorke wants his chance. The one we never had. But that was a long time ago. When I still believed in Prince Charming and Happily Ever Afters. Even ten years later, I feel a pull. And it’s not simply Rorke yanking down my panties.

Do second chances really happen? Or is my heart simply toying with me?

Read Today!

(only 99¢ for a Limited Time)

Amazon US: http://amzn.to/2v2f1oJ

Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/2v1qV1N

Amazon CA: http://amzn.to/2i6kf18

Add to GoodReads: https://goo.gl/G7qAFh

Tracey’s Review

Having read and really enjoyed THE SEX BUCKET LIST by Prescott Lane, I was definitely interested in getting my hands on TOYING WITH HER, Prescott’s newest release. The things that I liked best about the former are also in play here: a strong woman that’s making it on her own, firmly rooted family relationships, and a steamy, sizzly love story that rounds everything out. The reassurance that you can go home again also adds to the appeal, and makes this book an even more emotional read.

Second-chance romances are some of my favorites, and TOYING WITH HER is a very enjoyable one. The relationship between Sterling and Rorke is generally easy and comfortable, with plenty of barely tapped passion. There were moments where I wanted to pull a Moonstruck moment ala Cher and tell Rorke to snap out of it already and get over his macho mindset, but, all in all, this is a couple that I got a kick out of reading about.

TOYING WITH HER is a solid 4-stars for me. I look forward to reading more from Prescott, and I would absolutely recommend it for fans of small town romance with a lot of heart.

About the Author:

Prescott Lane is the Amazon best-selling author of Stripped Raw. She’s got seven other books under her belt including: First Position, Perfectly Broken, Quiet Angel, Wrapped in Lace, Layers of Her, The Reason for Me, and The Sex Bucket List. She is originally from Little Rock, Arkansas, and holds a degree in sociology and a MSW from Tulane University. She married her college sweetheart, and they currently live in New Orleans with their two children and two crazy dogs. Prescott started writing at the age of five, and sold her first story about a talking turtle to her father for a quarter. She later turned to writing romance novels because there aren’t enough happily ever afters in real life.

Connect with the Author:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PrescottLane1

Twitter: @prescottlane1

Amazon: http://amzn.to/2lfhlrh

Instagram: instagram.com/prescottlane1

http://www.authorprescottlane.com

Release Blitz + Excerpt + 5 Star Review: Crazy Girl by B N Toler

Posted on 08/16/2017 by shellbellereads

Crazy Girl

By B N Toler

Buy: Amazon / Amazon UK / B & N / ITunes / Kobo / Smashwords

BLURB

Romance author Hannah Bircham had made it. She was living the dream; a successful writing career, a loving husband, and dream home. Life couldn’t get better.
But it could get worse.
And it did.
The dream ended. And life as she knew it took a turn into Destitute City, party of one. Divorced, lost, and worst of all, a neurotic anxiety-ridden mess, Hannah’s focus and admirations disappeared. Feeling down on her luck, Hannah lost her mojo, her gift of writing.
How did one write about love when they’d stopped believing in it?
Hannah could either make up the perfect muse, or make it her mission to meet him. She just needed a little push. With encouragement from her best friend, Hannah decided to join a dating app, convinced she wouldn’t find Mr. Forever, but maybe, at the very least, she’d find her inspiration.
A muse.
Enter Wren Marner.
The complicated, sexy alpha veteran with his trunk of accomplishments and adventures walked, talked, and looked as if he’d just stepped out of a sultry romance novel. He was every woman’s fantasy and at the same time, the man one knew they should stay away from.
Filled with equal parts fear and fascination, Hannah threw caution to the wind, but what she experienced terrified her like never before.
Still, she forged forward.
But with all the wonder of Wren also came a reality Hannah didn’t know how to handle. She told herself he was merely work, but the truth was she was falling for him. And that couldn’t happen. But walking away from him wasn’t possible either, when he was her muse.
With her future on the line, she had to decide: As she entered the next chapter in her life, did she delve deeper with Wren in hopes of saving her career, or run in hopes of saving her heart?

EXCERPT

Sipping my coffee, I grinned as Wren and Kegs debated about which female superhero would win if they faced off, She-Ra or Wonder Woman. They seemed to like the same kind of things, but not when it came down to the specifics.
“Wonder Woman can fly,” Kegs argued.
“She-Ra has the sword of protection and He-Man is her brother.” Wren shook his head, his face twisted as he raised a hand in confusion—like how could Kegs not see how obvious it was? “Dude, it’s a no-brainer,” he added.
Kegs scoffed, making me chuckle. They were really into this debate. Raising his hand, Kegs began ticking off a list of Wonder Woman’s advantages, “Bro, Wonder Woman is skilled in hand-to-hand combat, she has longevity, and super-human strength.” He flopped back in his seat as if he’d just put the whole thing to rest, but then popped back up, widening his eyes. “The lasso of truth, dude. Boom!” He laughed and pretended like he was dropping a mic on the ground. Wren chuckled as he stared down at his phone, his thumb moving over the screen appearing to be texting. Dropping his phone in his lap, he turned his head and looked at Kegs who was grinning, waiting for Wren to admit defeat.
“She-Ra was the alter ego of Princess Adora, which means she had multiple personalities, which means she was crazy,” Wren pointed out with an air of profoundness. “Crazy is a superpower.” Kegs laughed as Wren cut his gaze to me, a smirk on his face. I glared at him, pretending to be insulted by his comment since he constantly told me I was crazy, even though I thought he was somewhat amusing.
“You have a point, man,” Kegs agreed. I rolled my eyes. Men.
I opened my mouth to say something snarky when my phone vibrated. Taking it out, I was surprised to see I had a text from Wren.
Wren: You look gorgeous today.

I couldn’t stop the grin that exploded across my face after reading it. Ugh, what was wrong with me? I was such a girl. I was being one of those women…the ones that acted like little school girls when a boy said something nice to them. Tucking my phone back in my purse, I glanced up at him, the same dumb grin still on my face because it just wouldn’t go away, no matter how hard I tried to make it.
His gaze was fixed on mine. I rolled my eyes at him. Eye rolling was my forte.
He tilted his head, smirking. Don’t roll your eyes at me, woman.
I bit my lip, trying to stop myself from laughing. I shimmied my head in a talk-to-the-hand way. Don’t tell me what to do. We had a conversation without saying a word.
Kegs was oblivious to all of this because he admitted defeat in the She-Ra vs. Wonder Woman debate. “Okay, man. She-Ra might have the slightest advantage.”
We couldn’t help it. Wren and I chuckled because he had completely missed the moment that transpired between us.

_______________________________________

Michel’s Review

B N Toler has a knack for bringing something different to the romance world. Her main characters are mature with some life experience under their belts. They’ve had a chance to establish careers and begin molding their futures. Along the way they have had successes and failures, made mistakes and forged forward. They’ve had obstacles as well as open doors. But something happens in their lives to throw them off course causing them to question everything about their lives. They start molding new perspectives, reaching for new goals, and learn that love is more than what you read in romance novels. Crazy Girl is the perfect example of this kind of back.

Hannah Bircham is a woman down on her luck and stalled in her current life situation. Rather than embracing her successes and forging forward she has allowed her mistakes and failures to mire her down. She thinks she’s lost her creativity and is experiencing writers block until she meets Wren Marner. Wren Marner is an alpha male confident in his life style and isn’t one to waste time or effort on the trivial things. It doesn’t hurt that he is drop dead sexy and charming in his own way. Hannah’s time with Wren inspires her to start writing again. She thinks he has become her muse. Everything is perfect until it isn’t. Life once again rears it’s ugly head but opens Hannah’s eyes. Wren wasn’t her muse after all, he was something altogether more.

I won’t say much more except this book was fantastic. B N Toler once again delivered a novel that can stand in a class by itself.

______________________________________

Author

Words.
Books.
Reading.
Writing.

These are a few of my favorite things.

You can find me under B N Toler or
Author B N Toler most places.

Thank You

Blog Tour + Excerpt + Trailer + Giveaway: The Lucky Heart by Devney Perry

Posted on 08/16/2017 by cafemamanc7

**Today we have the release day blitz for The Lucky Heart by Devney Perry! Be sure to grab your copy now!**

Title: The Lucky Heart

Author: Devney Perry

Genre: Contemporary Romance

About The Lucky Heart:
Life on his ranch could be their future. If they can overcome their past.

Felicity’s life story reads like the script to a bad soap opera. Girl’s high-school boyfriend becomes a drug addict. Girl falls for boyfriend’s best friend. Girl leaves them both behind only to return home years later for murdered ex-boyfriend’s funeral. Now she’s back home in Montana, ready to start fresh. She’s got a long list of amends to make and relationships to rebuild, including one with the man who has owned her heart for sixteen years.

Silas doesn’t need much. He’s got a great horse, close friends and the Lucky Heart ranch, but something has always been missing. He’s not an idiot. He knows the missing piece is Felicity. And now that she’s returned to Prescott, he’s got a second chance to win her heart. This time, the only thing standing in his way is history. Drudging up the past is going to be about as painful as playing tug of war with barbed wire. But if they can heal old wounds, he’ll get the girl he should have had all along.

Grab Your Copy Today!

Amazon | iBooks | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Paperback

Exclusive Excerpt:

“Seems like all we’ve done these last two years is fuck and fight. We’ve got to figure out a way to be around each other now that you’re back. I don’t want to bump into you on the street and watch you run in the other direction.”

I couldn’t agree more. “We used to be friends once. Maybe we could get back to that.”

“Friends would be good.”

Silas pulled off his faded brown baseball hat and combed his fingers through his hair. It was getting a bit long and could probably use a trim, not that I’d advocate for one. When he was on top of me, my hands loved to wander through those soft strands and grip them tight. That and his sculpted ass.

Oh, lordy. Control yourself, Felicity! We had just agreed to be friends. I had made a rule. No sex with Silas. What was wrong with me?

“Are you okay?” Silas asked.

My cheeks were flushed and I was starting to sweat. “Great. This shrimp is just really spicy,” I lied.

He dug back into his food as the awkward silence descended again. While I chewed, my eyes wandered around the room so I wouldn’t stare at the man in my guest chair.

The Fan Mountain Inn had impeccably clean and stylish rooms. I had plenty of space for my abundant luggage, and the wide desk provided a more than adequate workspace. But right now, this room was much, much too small.

Silas sat by the door while I swiveled nervously at my desk chair. Between us was the bed. The same bed where we’d had sex just a week ago. Seeing him next to it wasn’t helping me push thoughts of sex aside.

“You were jealous, weren’t you? The other day when you saw me talking to Maisy in the office.”

“What?” I said, pretending to be surprised. “I wasn’t jealous.” My declaration came out in a high-pitched squeak.

Silas smirked, trying to fight back a smile, but it was pointless. He burst out laughing, filling the room with sound as his head tipped back and he let loose.

Even though I was embarrassed he’d busted me on the jealousy thing, I couldn’t keep the corners of my mouth down. Silas’s laughter was a deep rumble, a hearty sound that could warm the coldest of souls. I hadn’t heard it nearly enough lately.

The last time I remembered hearing him laugh had been at Jess and Gigi’s wedding. We’d both had too much to drink and had found ourselves in the backseat of his truck. He’d discovered the Spanx that my satin dress required and had laughed his ass off as he tried to yank them off. That seemed like eons ago.

Silas got control of his laughter and bent forward, resting his elbows on his thighs. He shook his head a few times and then lifted his eyes to mine as he smiled.

Breathtaking. He was breathtaking.

Silas’s smile transformed his face. Dimples broke across his cheeks. His eyes warmed and crinkled. Those soft lips parted, revealing his flawless white teeth.

I was a sucker for that smile and smolder. All he had to do was snap his fingers and I’d leap over the bed and crawl into his lap.

“You’re blushing, Felicity. Are you going to lie and blame it on the shrimp again?”

Check out the trailer:

About the Author:

Devney lives in Montana with her husband and two children. After working in the technology industry for nearly a decade, she abandoned conference calls and project schedules to enjoy a slower pace at home with her kids. She loves reading and, after consuming hundreds of books, decided to share her own stories.

Website | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter

Enter Devney’s Giveaway:

A Rafflecopter giveaway

New Release: Thousands by Pepper Winters – The Dollar Series – Book 4

Posted on 08/16/2017 by shellbellereads

SBPRBanner-THOUSANDS-BT

Thousands, Book Four in the Dollar Series by Pepper Winters, is available NOW!!

magic size

Thousands by Pepper Winters
Publication Date: August 15th, 2017
Genre: Contemporary Romance

“Love had been stolen from me for reasons entirely my fault. But then a miracle happened, and Pim gave me something I thought was lost forever. She gave me a love I’d earned. Love that ruined me. Love that made me hopelessly hers…”

Once upon a time, I didn’t think I’d ever be normal.

Now, I’m talking and trusting, and it’s all thanks to Elder.

He gave me my life back, and I gave him my heart, but love stories like ours are never simple.

I did something to protect him.

He did something to survive me.

We screwed up.

And now, it’s no longer just about us.

It’s about safety, sanctuary, and sin.

1000s-AN