Happy Release + 5 Star Review : Hard To Fight by Bella Jewel – Alpha’s Heart Series – Book 1

Posted on 08/11/2015 by shellbellereads

Hard To Fight

Alpha’s Heart Series – Book 1

By Bella Jewel

Synopsis

Grace is a bounty hunter who wants to be taken seriously, but her boss refuses to believe that a woman can bring down a dangerous criminal. She finally gets a chance to prove herself when she’s given the case of a lifetime: capture Raide Knox and bring him to justice.

Raide is a dangerous fugitive on the run…and the sexiest man Grace has ever met. Catching Raide won’t be easy. He’s not the kind of man to go down without a fight. Raide is more intense and frustrating than any man she’s ever had to deal with, and the instantaneous attraction that sparks between them is undeniable. One thing is for sure…it’s going to be a case they will never forget.
**Hard To Fight is a full-length standalone romance with a HEA**

Buy: Amazon / B & N / ITunes / Kobo

Michel’s Review

Wow! Hard To Fight by Bella Jewel had me mesmerized. I could not put this book down and devoured it in one sitting. The story was fresh, unique, sexy, and was loaded with mystery and intrigue. The characters were dynamic. They came to life and jumped off of the pages. Their plight was enthralling and kept me guessing on which direction this story would go.

Grace has been a bounty hunter for over five years. In those five years she has been given the fluff jobs or the ones that deal with the flat out crazies. She wants a real case, one that makes her career credible. After a huge hissy fit and a drunken night her boss finally gives her a case that she has been waiting for the past five years. This case will prove that she can work along with the big boys and do the job just as well. It doesn’t matter that she is a woman or small in stature. She can get the job done with wits, guile, and worse case scenario, seduction.

She has been given two months to bring in Raide Knox. This case will bring in $30,000. He’s wanted for murder and assault. He did not show up for his trial date and has been on the run since his arrest. Grace plans to bring him in. Luckily for her, she met him briefly before she knew he was a felon on the run. She has an idea of where he hangs and with whom he does.

She has decided to use the seduction route to bring her man in. He is too big, too ruthless, and too cunning to use the normal take down techniques.

What starts out as a quest becomes a stalking. From a stalking to a friendship. A friendship to a romantic relationship. Raide and Grace will go from lovers to enemies. Their love will be the perfect unity that ends in the ultimate betrayal.

Raide Knox is man full of surprises. He may or may not be guilty of the crimes in which he was accused. He is capable of them all. There is always two sides to a story. There are always shades of gray. The world is not black and white. He is seeking his own definition of justice. He is a man on a mission. He will not rest until he commits the final murder. What he didn’t count on is falling in love with his hunter. There is more than freedom on the line, his heart is on the line too.

I could not put this book down. The writing was superb. I was reeled in and hooked in the first few pages. I became a part of this cat and mouse chase. I fell in love right along with Grace and Raide. Their romance had me swooning. My heart broke right along with theirs. In the end I celebrated their the ending of their story. I can’t wait for more in this series.

I highly recommend Hard To Fight by Bella Jewel!

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Coming Soon…

Hard To Break – Book 2

Release Date: October 13, 2015

Quinn has spent her whole life working in her dad’s garage, leaving her more comfortable with a carburetor than a curling iron. Her world is turned upside down when her beloved garage is bought by none other than world famous, sexy as sin, custom car builder, Tazen Watts. He’s the one man she can’t stand…even though he makes her hotter than a high performance engine in top gear.

Tazen has no use for Quinn, at least not professionally, and he’s making sure she knows it. But there’s a spark between them that she’s finding hard to ignore. She’s determined to prove her talent is as impressive as her sassy mouth. When she finds out Tazen is hiding a secret that could bring down his career and everyone involved in it, she wonders: is falling for him is going to be work the risk?

**Hard To Break is a full-length standalone romance with a HEA**

Pre Order: Amazon / Barnes and Noble / ITunes / Kobo

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Hard To Forget – Book 3

Release Date: December 15, 2015

Delaney, a professional bodyguard, has spent years trying to prove herself in a male dominated industry. Now she’s facing her greatest challenge yet.
Bad boy billionaire Jax Shields has made plenty of enemies on his climb to the top, but being in the wrong place at the wrong time has put his life at risk. Now he’s putting his life in the hands of Delaney and her team. He demands the best in everything, and he doesn’t think she has what it takes to protect him. He’s also made it clear he’d rather have her on her back then covering his. Will Delaney be able to prove herself to the most arrogant—and devastatingly handsome—man she’s ever met?

**Hard To Forget is a full-length standalone romance with a HEA**

Pre Oder: Amazon / Barnes and Noble / ITunes / Kobo

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Author Bio:

Bella Jewel is represented by Kimberly Brower from Rebecca Friedman Literary Agency. Email – kimberly@rfliterary.com – Website http://www.rfliterary.com

Bella Jewel is a self published, USA Today bestselling author. She’s been publishing since 2013. Her first release was a contemporary romance, Hell’s Knights which topped the charts upon release. Since that time, she has published over ten novels, gaining a bestseller status on numerous platforms. She lives in North Queensland and is currently studying editing and proofreading to further expand her career. Bella has been writing since she was just shy of fifteen years old. In Summer 2013 she was offered an ebook deal through Montlake Romance for her bestselling modern day pirate series, Enslaved By The Ocean. In 2015 she signed a three book worldwide deal with St Martin’s Press – and happily joined the Macmillan team to produce some scorching, sexy, amazing stories that will be presented to the world from August 2015 onwards.

She plans to expand her writing career, planning many new releases for the future.

Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Goodreads

Pre Release Blitz + Excerpt + 5 Star ARC Review: Laid Out by Sidney Halston – Worth The Fight Series – Book 4

Posted on 08/10/2015 by shellbellereads

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Loveswept & FLIRT Mugs and

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LAID OUT

Worth the Fight #4

Sidney Halston

Releasing August 18th, 2015

Loveswept

Perfect
for fans of Monica Murphy and Cecy Robson, Sidney Halston’s scorching new MMA
romance proves there are no holds barred when it comes to seduction.

Growing
up an Army brat, Violet Channing could never meet her dad’s high expectations.
But in the eyes of her best friend, she could do no wrong. He even insisted
that he should be her first kiss. Now Cain Sorensen is all grown up, hardened
by years in special ops and always looking for a good fight. Tall, with
striking blue eyes and impossibly blond hair, he’s a modern-day Viking warrior.
Of course, Violet’s all grown up, too, and she’s ready to surrender to his
every command.

Cain
knows he’s bad for Violet. His work is dangerous, and his hobbies are downright
deadly. As a private mercenary and a mixed martial arts fighter, he could never
let such an innocent soul into his world. And yet his most grueling combat
training is no match for Violet’s killer curves, hot touch, and suggestive
glances. Now all of Cain’s most explosive fantasies are coming true—but once
they cross the line between friends and lovers, there’s no turning back.

BUY NOW

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& N | iTunes | Kobo

a Rafflecopter giveaway

She was kicking a rock out of the way when Cain grabbed her hand and pulled her to a nearby tree, causing her to yelp as she struggled to keep her balance. At nineteen, Cain was thin and lanky—all limbs. She was still short and stumpy. He turned her around brusquely and pressed her back against a tree, the bark digging into her. She looked up at him and saw an intensity in his eyes she’d never seen before. His cheeks were flushed and the vein by his neck pulsed. Suddenly she became nervous. He’d never looked at her this way—the way the cute guys looked at the pretty girls.

Lately she’d felt flustered when Jeremy was nearby, with his mess of curly dark brown hair and dimpled smile. Feelings that hadn’t been there before were now creeping in. In fact, she could’ve sworn Jeremy had been flirting with her lately—complimenting her clothes and hair, brushing against her “accidentally,” inviting her to the movies without Cain around. But these brief flirtatious moments were with Jeremy. Not with Cain. Never with Cain. Cain was just her friend. A little gangly, a little quiet, a lot overprotective.

That was until now.

Suddenly there was an awareness that had never been there before.

When he licked his lips, her pulse sped up. A foreign feeling—desire—began to take root. He reached toward her hair, and she flinched a little before he tucked a stray strand behind her ear. The tender action surprised her. For the first time, she noticed how clear his blue eyes were, how his hair was so blond it almost looked white. All of a sudden, he didn’t seem like just this boy who was always around. Unfamiliar feelings began to erupt throughout her body. She felt her cheeks flame and her heart race.

When he finally spoke, his voice shook a little. “I’m your friend because I want to be your friend. Not because of your parents or your dumb threats. I don’t like it when you call yourself fat. You’re not fat.”

She nodded and murmured, “Okay.” She drew her lower lip into her mouth and nibbled as her wide eyes gazed at his. Cain reached over and pulled her lip out of her mouth. “You’re nervous.” It wasn’t a question. He knew her well enough to be aware of her tells.

“I . . . uh . . . what are you doing, Cain?”

“I don’t want you to kiss just anyone to get it outta the way.”

Words failed her, so she just nodded again. There was a moment where neither spoke. He just looked at her as if trying to decide on his next move.

“I should be the first person you kiss,” he finally said as his tongue flicked out a little and wet his lips.

She gasped and looked up into his eyes nervously. His eyes never left hers, but his reddened ears and neck showed that he was also nervous. She too knew him well.

Like a fool, she bobbed her head up and down mostly because the words were stuck in her throat. It felt like he stared at her lips for an eternity until he finally leaned forward, causing her to press herself further back against the tree, her hands gripping the bark. He tilted his head to the side and she imitated the action.

Should I open my mouth? Leave it closed? What about my tongue? What should it be doing?

Softly, almost feather light, his lips brushed against hers. Her eyes instinctively closed tight, and she stopped breathing. It was less than ten seconds but it was forever. In that moment she fell into the category of girls who’d had their first kiss. She kept her eyes closed for far too long, and when she opened them he was standing upright, his face even more flushed. Her own tongue snuck out of her mouth to taste her lips. She swallowed and looked at him, her eyes as wide as saucers. What just happened?

Then, with the same intensity in his expression, he leaned back down, but this time he pressed harder against her lips causing her lips to part slightly. His body moved closer to hers, and then she felt his hands grip her waist and his tongue touch her lips before it moved into her mouth and brushed hers for a brief second, his fingers digging into her skin at her waist. She instinctively melded into him, her body seeking him out.

Again he moved away and looked at her. His expression never changed, and neither did hers. Her eyes were wide; she touched her lips, as if to determine whether the kiss had really happened. They just looked at each other, neither saying anything, her heart beating so loudly she was sure he could hear it. Finally she spoke and said the only thing that came to mind. “Wow, my cup runneth over,” she whispered. It was a phrase he teased her about constantly, but it was exactly how she felt: she could barely contain her happiness.

He chuckled, and the smile did her in: she threw her arms around his neck and kissed him. Hard. He wrapped his arms around her waist and walked them the half step back against the tree again. Their noses bumped. It was awkward, but as first kisses went . . . it was perfect.

“Happy Valentine’s Day, Vi.” It was the last thing he said to her before leaving for war.

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

Michel’s Review

5 Stars

I am a huge fan of the Worth The Fight Series by Sidney Halston. The WtF members, their better halves, and wacky animals are taking over Tarpon Springs, a small town in Florida. This series has captured my heart. Each and every character, whether it be human or animal has a story to tell.

Readers have come to know Cain Sorensen as the mysterious, silent fighter at WtF. He is part of the gym’s backbone. His fighting expertise and quiet nature has intrigued the readers. His mysterious job that takes him away from the gym adds to the intrigue. When he is around, he is completely focused on his training and support of the other fighters at WtF. His quiet self assured presence has earned him the respect of the other fighters. When he does talk, it’s with purpose, wisdom, and quite profound. But when Violet Channing shows up in Tarpon Springs, the WtF crew is going to see Cain Sorensen lose his cool and self assured confidence for the first time. They sense there is a history there. They are extremely curious ( in other words- downright nosey) about Violet and Cain’s past. They are more than ready to welcome Violet into the exclusive WtF family.

Violet and Cain grew up together. They were military brats and raised in very regimented families. Their fathers served together throughout their military careers. They were the best of friends. They also had another best friend, Jeremy, that shared their childhood and history. The three of them were inseparable until Violet turned sixteen . Cain and Jeremy shipped out to war. Violet was left behind to finish high school on her own. That moment in time changed all three of their lives forever.

Twelve years later Cain and Violet are reunited once again. Both of them has changed drastically. Cain became closed off and even more reserved. Violet has become independent and strong. No matter how much both of them have changed, their deep friendship is still the most important thing to both of them.

Violet is ready to move on in life and settle down. She feels awkward in the dating field. Cain has promised to help her out. But what happens when the friendship starts turning into something more? What do they do with this desire they have for one another? It can never work. Violet is too good for Cain. Cain has too many secrets. They no longer have Jeremy as a buffer between them? Will they find their lives together or once again torn apart?

Laid Out was quite different from the previous books in this series. The story revolves around their past in Texas. Rather than revolving around the gym, the WtF crew, and Tarpon Springs this story takes the reader into Violet and Cain’s anguished past. When they go back to Texas to face their past it will open the doors for their new beginning in Tarpon Springs. Rather than having the crazy alpha Chihuahua Drogo scaring the crap out of all the men in this series or fluffy little kittens owning some allergic fighters hearts, we meet a cursing Parrot named Bird. As in Bird’s own words…well I just can’t repeat them!

Laid Out was more than a friends to lover romance, it was a coming of age story blended with a story of forgiveness and acceptance. I absolutely loved this book! It touched my heart in many ways. Sidney Halston can write a book!

Read Laid Out! It can be read in series order or as a stand alone novel.

__________________________________________

Sidney Halston lives her life by one
simple rule: “Just do it.” And that’s exactly what she did. At the age of
thirty, having never written anything other than a legal brief, she picked up a
pen for the first time to pursue her dream of becoming an author. That first
stroke sealed the deal, and she fell in love with writing. Halston lives in
South Florida with her husband and children.

Facebook | Twitter | Website | GoodReads

Happy Release + Review + Giveaway: Overtime by Toni Aleo – Assassins Series – Book 7

Posted on 08/10/2015 by shellbellereads

Happy Release Day!!

Overtime by Toni Aleo

Series: Assassins Series #7

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Down and out with an injury keeping him away from the game, Assassins’ defenseman Jordie Thomas lives for the blades of his skates on the ice and the feeling of oblivion off it. With no choice but to heal, he’s forced away from the sport that runs through his veins. With everything at stake and darkness setting in, he quickly finds himself spiraling even further out of control. As his life begins to come crashing down around him and his contract with the Nashville Assassins on the line, he’s given an ultimatum. Ready or not, Jordie is forced to face his past, the fears that consume him, and the one woman he let walk away.

Kacey King had her professional dreams come true, yet her heart was battered and broken. With an Olympic gold medal around her neck, she’s ready to look forward to the future but without the one man she wanted in it. She’s missing the key pieces of her heart she left months ago with the only person who was capable of destroying it, causing her to falter in all her plans to move on.

>In the game of life, there are winners and losers, and neither Jordie nor Kacey want to be on the losing bench. If only Jordie could convince Kacey he’s a changed man and that he wants her right by his side as his MVP for the biggest and best parts of a life they build together. With emotions running high and the game on the line, can two proud people find happiness with each other, or will their hearts and souls be left in the cold? Will they see that sometimes having someone by your side who knows the good, bad, and broken is better than going it alone and losing everything through the back of the net? They are out of time on the game clock and fighting for the win of their lives.

But overtime was made for an Assassin like Jordie.

PURCHASE ON AMAZON

___________________________________________________________

Excerpt

Jordie Thomas knew he was screwed.

There were two things that he didn’t want, ever, in his life.

Herpes, and to be called into Elli Adler’s office.

Everyone knew that it wasn’t good to be called into the office of the owner of the professional hockey team he played for, the Nashville Assassins. If it was something good, usually she just called to chitchat, as she called it, and dote on her players. But when she called them into her office, ten out of ten times, they were screwed.

And today, Jordie must be screwed.

As his good leg bounced from the nerves, Jordie waited for the door to open to Elli’s office. His shoulders were taut, his other knee ached, and his heart was pounding. Ever since he got the call that she wanted him to fly from Colorado to Nashville for a meeting, he had been replaying every single scenario in his head. He hadn’t been making the greatest decisions lately, and he was pretty damn sure this had to do with his spur-of-the-moment vacation to Louisiana.

He should have just stayed home.

That whole trip was a clusterfuck. That’s the only way he could describe it. He hadn’t acted like himself, he kept trying to forget a certain someone, and he really should have just stayed home and healed. Not only had it pushed him back a week in PT but now he was worried that something he did there may be back to haunt him. As he replayed the weekend, which consisted of a lot of alcohol, a lot of women, and a good long visit in the ER that resulted in even more great sex, he couldn’t find anything out of the ordinary that could have brought him here. Then again, Elli didn’t like when her players’ whore-like tendencies hung out, but still, she usually called and warned them to clean it up.

Hell, he had gotten that call plenty of times. Maybe that’s why he was here? She was done with his ways? Damn it. Hopefully, that wasn’t it though. He was on the road to recovery after a really nasty hit into the boards last year, and nothing was going to keep him off the ice.

Well, except Elli Adler, that is.

__________________________________________________________

Michel’s Review

I am a huge fan of the Assassin Series by Toni Aleo. This series features a professional hockey team with charismatic players that touch your heart. Overtime is the seventh book in this series and it is another record breaking goal.

I have to say that Overtime was a hard book for me. It deals with alcoholism. Having come from a home affected by this disease I could easily relate to the recovery process and the ongoing battles.Jordie Thomas has been out of the season due to an injury. Hockey is his entire life or so he thinks. Jordie uses his sport as a way of coping with his messed up life. He came from a pretty horrific abusive background. He was grossly neglected. He has a lot of demons that haunt him. Another way Jordie has learned to cope is with liquor, partying, and sex. But this time around his drinking and partying has gotten out of control. His position on the team is at risk unless he gets help. He is forced to go to rehab. He is forced to face his demons. He is forced to face himself. He is forced to admit that he is an alcoholic. He has to make amends and admit he is in deeply love with a woman that he carelessly hurt.

Jordie has realized what he lost when he carelessly let Kacey King go. He convinced himself that he should not be messing around with his best friend’s little sister. He has convinced himself that he isn’t good enough for Kacey. Deep down he loves her with his entire heart and soul.

Once Jordie goes through rehab and faced his demons he realizes that he needs to get Kacey back in his life. He wants to be a better man for her. He wants to love her with his entire being. He wants her to be his future. He will have to prove he is worthy of this woman.

The meat of this story is Jordie’s journey. Admitting to being an alcoholic is the hardest step. Learning to forgive himself and accept his mistakes is hard. As we all know there are 12 Steps to becoming sober. It was heartbreaking and uplifting witnessing Jordie go through this journey. He had a very solid support system along the way. His sincerity was commendable.

Kacey on the other hand was a hard pill to swallow. She came across as a needy, immature, and self centered woman. She was so wrapped up in how Jordie hurt her that she forgot what made her fall in love with him. Once she found out Jordie was on the road to recovery she was not as supportive as she should of been. She was very insecure and insanely jealous. That is the last thing a recovering alcoholic needs. I felt like she needed therapy herself. She definitely needed to be in the Al-anon program in order to support Jordie the way he needed to.

I wish we could of seen more of their previous relationship to understand their deep love for one another. I had a hard time grasping their love. This book was very focused on the issues and I felt the couple lost some of their magical chemistry we look for in romance. The deal breaker that kept me from giving this a five star review was Kacey. She was just too much.

Toni Aleo tackled a very difficult subject and made it real in this book. I have to commend her with delivery of this story.

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About the Author

Toni Aleo is the author of the Nasvhille Assassins series: Taking Shots, Trying to Score, Empty Net, Falling for the Backup, and Blue Lines.

When not rooting for her beloved Nashville Predators, she’s probably going to her husband’s and son’s hockey games and her daughter’s dance competitions, taking pictures, scrapbooking, or reading the latest romance novel.

She lives in the Nashville area with her husband, two children, and a bulldog. Read more about Toni here.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | GoodReads

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Giveaway

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Release Blitz + 5 Star Review : Omega by Jasinda Wilder – Alpha Series – Book 3

Posted on 08/04/2015 by shellbellereads

Omega

Alpha Series – Book 3

By Jasinda Wilder

Synopsis

When you make an enemy of a man like Vitaly Karahalios, there is nowhere on earth you can go to escape his wrath. He’ll find you. He found me, he found Roth. He found Layla.

He found us, and now the unthinkable has happened. Someone I love has been kidnapped.

Again.

This isn’t a fairy tale.

Not everyone will get a happily ever after.

Sometimes we can’t just walk away from the past.

Love doesn’t always save the day.

The beast won’t always get his beauty.

But maybe, just maybe we can get our happy ending.

Buy: Amazon / B & N / ITunes / Kobo

Michel’s Review

Omega cannot be read as a stand alone romance. It must be read in series order.

I couldn’t wait to get my hands on Omega by Jasinda Wilder. Omega is the third book in the Alpha series. This series is a combination of erotica, sensual romance, romantic suspense, and dark thrillers. Each book has changed the direction of the series and added multiple layers of intrigue and suspense while maintaining the sensual erotic relationship between Kyrie and Roth. The third book, Omega, added another layer and another sensual romance between Harris and Layla while still giving Kyrie and Roth their happily ever after. Omega is my favorite book in this series!

In the previous books, Alpha and Beta, Roth and Kyrie’s world went from erotic intrigue to an action packed dark thriller. Due to Roth’s past dealings as an arms dealer on the black market he made some powerful enemies. When they killed Vitaly’s , the most powerful player, psychotic daughter; they started a war. A war they could not win. Vitaly has more power, more men, and more resources. He has a reputation to protect. The only way to keep his throne in the underworld is to destroy Roth, Kyrie, and anyone that has any connections to them. Roth and Kyrie are on the run. It will be up to Harris to save them all. Harris is the man for the job. He is the true Alpha in this series. Every Alpha needs a mate and Kyrie’s wild and crazy best friend Layla is the perfect woman to tame Nicolas Harris, Alpha extraordinaire.

Harris is in for an adventure that his special ops training never prepared him for. Layla is going to capture his heart and claim his soul. She is the perfect partner to stand by his side when facing the most brutal enemy. She will kick ass, take names, and rock Harris’s world at the same time.

Layla is my favorite heroine that Jasinda Wilder has created. I think I have a major girl crush on this woman. She’s strong, resourceful, intelligent, fun, and downright sexy. Harris is one of the sexiest heroes to grace Jasinda’s pages. This strong silent man doesn’t have to say more than three words before your panties are dropping.

And finally, Kyrie and Roth are just as hot for each other as they have been in the previous books. They are finally going to get their happily ever after.

I loved Omega. It was the perfect ending to this exceptional series!

Read the Alpha series by Jasinda Wilder.

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The Alpha Series

Alpha – Book 1

The first time it happened, it seemed like an impossible miracle. Bills were piling up, adding up to more money than I could ever make. Mom’s hospital bills. My baby brother’s tuition. My tuition. Rent. Electricity. All of it on my shoulders. And I had just lost my job. There was no hope, no money in my account, no work to be found. And then, just when I thought all hope was lost, I found an envelope in the mail. No return address. My name on the front, my address. Inside was a check, made out to me, in the amount of ten thousand dollars. Enough to pay the bills and leave me some left over to live on until I found a job. Enough to let me focus on classes. There was no name on the check, just “VRI Inc.,” and a post office box address for somewhere in the city. No hint of identity or reason for the check or anything. No mention of repayment, interest, nothing…except a single word, on the notes line: “You.” Just those three letters.

If you receive a mysterious check, for enough money to erase all your worries, would you cash it?

I did.

The next month, I received another check, again from VRI Incorporated. It too contained a single word: “belong.”

A third check, the next month. This time, two words. Four letters. “To me.”

The checks kept coming. The notes stopped. Ten thousand dollars, every month. A girl gets used to that, real quick. It let me pay the bills without going into debt. Let me keep my baby brother in school and Mom’s hospice care paid for. How do you turn down what seems like free money, when you’re desperate? You don’t. I didn’t.

And then, after a year, there was a knock on my door. A sleek black limousine sat on the curb in front of my house. A driver stood in front of me, and he spoke six words: “It’s time to pay your debt.”

Would you have gotten in?

I did.

It turns out $120,000 doesn’t come free.

Buy: Amazon / B & N / ITunes / Kobo

Beta – Book 2

Roth and I are on an open-ended tour of the world. Roth being Roth, this means missionary in Morocco, reverse cowgirl in Calcutta, bent over the bow of a houseboat in Hanoi, slow and sleepy on St. John. Anywhere and everywhere, in every conceivable position, and some I didn’t know were possible.

Life was pretty incredible.

Until I woke up in his chateau in France, alone. On the bed next to me was a note. There were only four words:

He belongs to me.

Buy: Amazon / B & N / ITunes / Kobo

Omega – Book 3

When you make an enemy of a man like Vitaly Karahalios, there is nowhere on earth you can go to escape his wrath. He’ll find you. He found me, he found Roth. He found Layla.

He found us, and now the unthinkable has happened. Someone I love has been kidnapped.

Again.

This isn’t a fairy tale.

Not everyone will get a happily ever after.

Sometimes we can’t just walk away from the past.

Love doesn’t always save the day.

The beast won’t always get his beauty.

But maybe, just maybe we can get our happy ending.

Buy: Amazon / B & N / ITunes / Kobo

________________________________________

Author Bio:

NEW YORK TIMES, USA TODAY, WALL STREET JOURNAL and international bestselling author Jasinda Wilder is a Michigan native with a penchant for titillating tales about sexy men and strong women. Her bestselling titles include ALPHA, STRIPPED, WOUNDED, and the #1 Amazon and international bestseller FALLING INTO YOU. You can find her on her farm in Northern Michigan with her husband, author Jack Wilder, her five children and menagerie of animals.

Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Goodreads

Happy Release + 5 Star Review: All Wound Up by Jaci Burton – Play by Play Series – Book 10

Posted on 08/04/2015 by shellbellereads

All Wound Up

Play by Play Series – Book 10

By Jaci Burton

Synopsis

In the latest Play-by-Play novel from the New York Times bestselling author of Quarterback Draw, a sexy baseball player is done striking out…

Tucker Cassidy is going through a slump—both with his curveball and in his dating life. After having a painful altercation involving his ex-girlfriend’s knee, the professional baseball player is convinced things couldn’t get worse…until a gorgeous doctor comes to the rescue at his most embarrassing moment.

As the daughter of the owner of the St. Louis Rivers major league baseball team, Dr. Aubry Ross has been around jocks all her life. She knows the ins and outs of all their games, and she isn’t interested in playing.

When Tucker repeatedly lands in the hospital where she’s working, Aubry starts to think he’s getting injured just to see her. Tucker is both funny and sexy, and Aubry is pleasantly surprised to discover he actually respects her job.

But when her father disapproves of their relationship, will Tucker let threats of a trade get in the way of a game-changing love?

Buy: Amazon / B & N / ITunes / Kobo

Michel’s Review

All Wound Up is the tenth book in the Play by Play series by Jaci Burton. This is one of my favorite sports romance series and it never fails to disappoint. Jaci Burton has this special magic that brings her characters to life. The added bonus that features a professional athlete makes this series score high.

Tucker Cassidy is the sexy pitcher for the Rivers. While he is fantastic on the mound he is not so successful in the romance field. It becomes quite obvious when he tries to let his ex girlfriend down at a party and ends up with a knee to the groin. Rather than making a quick exit, he is singing soprano. A man’s worst nightmare and greatest pain. When the lovely doctor checks him out and declares his bat & balls are in order, he is smitten. The only problem is Aubrey is the team owner’s daughter. Between her father and her career, she seems like the impossible catch.

Aubrey is very focused on her career. She’s really not interested in dating. She is determined and very smart. To top it off, she’s quick witted and knows how to handle a player. When her friends encourage her to give Tucker a chance, she reluctantly does. She is in for a whole new game and her focus is going somewhere unexpected.

Aubrey and Tucker had a magical chemistry. Between their hilarious banter and red hot chemistry the reader is counting every play. Both are dedicated to their careers but need something more. They need each other for completion.

I fell head over heels in love with Tucker. He had a quirky sense of humor and creative dating skills. A guy who is willing to take a girl to a cooking class on a date because they are both cooking impaired is truly one of a kind.

This book has the right amount of humor, sexual tension, relationship tension, and steamy romance. Jaci Burton has a way of bringing her characters to life. They jump off the pages into the readers hearts.

I can’t wait to see who’s on deck in the next Play by Play book.

I highly recommend All Wound Up by Jaci Burton. It can be read as a stand alone novel.

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Author Bio:

Jaci Burton is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling, award-winning author of over 60 books. She lives in Oklahoma and when she isn’t on deadline, she can usually be found trying to convince her husband to remodel some room or another in their house (she blames HGTV for this). She loves gardening, sports, casinos and getting lost in a great book. She’s a total romantic and longs for the happily ever after in every story, which you’ll find in all her books.

Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Goodreads

Happy Release + Review + Giveaway: Overtime by Toni Aleo – Assassins Series – Book 7

Posted on 08/03/2015 by shellbellereads

Overtime by Toni Aleo

Series: Assassins Series #7

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Down and out with an injury keeping him away from the game, Assassins’ defenseman Jordie Thomas lives for the blades of his skates on the ice and the feeling of oblivion off it. With no choice but to heal, he’s forced away from the sport that runs through his veins. With everything at stake and darkness setting in, he quickly finds himself spiraling even further out of control. As his life begins to come crashing down around him and his contract with the Nashville Assassins on the line, he’s given an ultimatum. Ready or not, Jordie is forced to face his past, the fears that consume him, and the one woman he let walk away.

Kacey King had her professional dreams come true, yet her heart was battered and broken. With an Olympic gold medal around her neck, she’s ready to look forward to the future but without the one man she wanted in it. She’s missing the key pieces of her heart she left months ago with the only person who was capable of destroying it, causing her to falter in all her plans to move on.

>In the game of life, there are winners and losers, and neither Jordie nor Kacey want to be on the losing bench. If only Jordie could convince Kacey he’s a changed man and that he wants her right by his side as his MVP for the biggest and best parts of a life they build together. With emotions running high and the game on the line, can two proud people find happiness with each other, or will their hearts and souls be left in the cold? Will they see that sometimes having someone by your side who knows the good, bad, and broken is better than going it alone and losing everything through the back of the net? They are out of time on the game clock and fighting for the win of their lives.

But overtime was made for an Assassin like Jordie.

PURCHASE ON AMAZON

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About the Author

Toni Aleo is the author of the Nasvhille Assassins series: Taking Shots, Trying to Score, Empty Net, Falling for the Backup, and Blue Lines.

When not rooting for her beloved Nashville Predators, she’s probably going to her husband’s and son’s hockey games and her daughter’s dance competitions, taking pictures, scrapbooking, or reading the latest romance novel.

She lives in the Nashville area with her husband, two children, and a bulldog. Read more about Toni here.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | GoodReads

___________________________________________________________

Giveaway

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Michel’s Review

I have to say that Overtime was a hard book for me. It deals with alcoholism. Having come from a home affected by this disease I could easily relate to the recovery process and the ongoing battles.

Jordie Thomas has been out of the season due to an injury. Hockey is his entire life or so he thinks. Jordie uses his sport as a way of coping with his messed up life. He came from a pretty horrific abusive background. He was grossly neglected. He has a lot of demons that haunt him. Another way Jordie has learned to cope is with liquor, partying, and sex. But this time around his drinking and partying has gotten out of control. His position on the team is at risk unless he gets help. He is forced to go to rehab. He is forced to face his demons. He is forced to face himself. He is forced to admit that he is an alcoholic. He has to make amends and admit he is in deeply love with a woman that he carelessly hurt.

Toni Aleo tackled a very difficult subject and made it real in this book. I have to commend her with delivery of this story.

Happy Release + Review: The Hotter You Burn by Gena Showalter – The Original Heartbreakers Series – Book 2

Posted on 07/29/2015 by shellbellereads

The Hotter You Burn

The Original Heartbreakers Series – Book 2

By Gena Showalter

Synopsis

New York Times bestselling author Gena Showalter is back with a sizzling Original Heartbreakers story featuring a troubled playboy and the woman he can’t resist…

Beck O’ckley is ruthless in the boardroom…and the bedroom. He’s never been with the same woman twice, and vows he never will. With a past as twisted as his, meaningless sex keeps the demons at bay. His motto: One and done. No harm, no foul.

Harlow Glass is the most hated girl in town. The beautiful artist is penniless, jobless and homeless. When she sneaks into Beck’s home—her ancestral estate—for food, she’s shocked by his early return…and her immediate, sizzling and intense attraction to him.

For the first time in Beck’s life, he can’t get a woman out of his mind. All too soon, friendship blooms into obsession and he’ll have to break her heart…or surrender his own.

Buy: Amazon / B & N / ITunes / Kobo

Excerpt

“I’d like to hire you to paint my portrait.”

Harlow almost bounced out of her seat, but caught herself with a single thought. Can’t appear too hasty. “Okay,” she said, playing with the edge of a piece of paper. “If you insist. And if the price is right.” She’d drawn countless images of Beck, but the thought of painting him to scale and seeing him in full color intoxicated her. She could play with different shades of gold, brown and bronze, and even a wealth of greens to get the emerald flecks hidden so deeply in his eyes just right.

Maybe Kimberly had nailed it. Maybe Harlow had stared at Beck for reasons that had nothing to do with the job.

“Name a figure.” He slowly, leisurely, walked back to the couch and eased down, the whiskey in hand. “Whatever it is, lollipop, I’ll pay it.”

The new endearment startled her, considering he hadn’t used one these past three weeks. The fact that he’d gone with lollipop, something sweet and edible he’d never called the others…

I’m special to him.

Oh, no, no, no. Red alert! Red alert! That was the true danger of him. Somehow, he made everyone feel special.

“That’s a daring thing to say,” she stated quietly.

“But true nonetheless.”

She placed her elbows on the desk and leaned forward. “Very well. The price is…” Inspiration struck, and she smiled evilly. “You can’t have sex for a week.”

His eyes narrowed to tiny slits, but he appeared far from angry. “Why do you care about my sex life?”

“I care about you, and I think abstinence will help build character.”

He didn’t miss a beat. “You care? Very well, I accept.” No time to celebrate. “With two caveats,” he added. “The week won’t start until the painting is done.” He smiled now, and it was a wicked one. “Also, I want the painting to be a nude.”

Her breath caught in her throat, only to exit on a gust. “I…you…excuse me?”

“A nude. Meaning I won’t be wearing any clothing. If you want to strip down, that’ll be okay too.”

This was punishment for daring to impede his sex life, wasn’t it? “I’ve never actually painted or even drawn what you’re suggesting, and I’m not sure I have the skill.” Or if she would survive.

“I have complete faith in your ability. And as an artist, a professional, I’ll expect you to view me strictly through objective eyes. You can do that, can’t you?”

“Of course,” she said. She could absolutely, one hundred percent view him through objective eyes…if he wore a cloak of invisibility. But even then it would be iffy. “Why do you want a nude?” she demanded, hoping to shame him into retracting his request.

“Maybe I enjoy the thought of disrobing for you.” His voice had gone low and husky, a caress of unfettered temptation, making her shiver. “Maybe I like the thought of your eyes on my bare skin and your hands forming the shapes of my body.”

She gulped. Having only ever dealt with boys, never with men, she had no idea how to respond to so blatant a statement.

“Or,” he said, his voice returning to its normal fun, flirty tone. “Maybe I’m narcissistic and want to immortalize every inch of myself. How is one to know?”

How indeed. “When would you like to start?”

“Tonight.”

I’m going to hate myself for reminding him of this, but… “What about your date? I can’t—won’t—hurt Kimberly.”

“I think we both know she was about to cancel on me. Which makes me wonder what the two of you were discussing.”

Shifting uncomfortably, she said, “I will never betray a confidence.”

“I could change your mind, but I won’t. I admire your mindset.” His gaze dropped to the pulse fluttering in her neck. “I’ll arrive at seven, and I’ll bring dinner.”

“Yes. I’d like that.” A lot. And it wasn’t the thought of food that made her heart race, but the thought of having him in her space. Alone…naked. Within reach.

She sucked in a breath. Oh…crap. The worst had happened, hadn’t it?

Kimberly had figured it out, but Harlow had done her best to deny it until the truth practically vibrated in her bones. How had she ever fooled herself into thinking she could fall for West…when she’d already fallen for Beck?

“What’s wrong, dove?” he asked gently. He came around the desk and sat at the edge, turning her chair to trap her between his legs. “You were twinkles one moment, sullen the next.”

He always read her so well, while she always struggled to make sense of his moods. Life wasn’t fair. “It’s nothing I want to discuss right now,” she said, refusing to lie to him. But she had to talk to someone about this.

Who? She had no confidants, and any secrets she revealed to others could be used as a weapon against her. A game of “humiliate Harlow for sport.”

“What will it take to get you to trust me, hmm?”

Was he serious? “Beck, for the past three weeks you’ve treated me like I’m a carrier of cholera. Why do you want my trust?”

“You’re my friend.”

But I want to be more. “Yes,” she said, and cleared her throat. “You’re right. I am.”

“So talk to me like a friend. Share your past with me. Tell me what changed you in high school.”

Her mouth went dry. Always they circled back to this. “Forget I agreed to be your friend. We’re enemies.”

“You’ll tell me what’s easy, but nothing that’s hard.”

“I don’t like to think about what changed me. It hurts.”

“Pain fades. Rip off the bandage and give the wound a chance to heal.”

“No.” If she told him, she’d have to show him. If she showed him, he’d never want her again. And right now he wanted her. He had to. The way he was looking at her…

He leaned down until his nose almost brushed against hers. “One day, Harlow, you’ll open up to me.”

“One day,” she whispered. “Maybe. But probably not.”

He cupped her nape, the heat of him making her gasp. “Definitely. And in more ways than one. I’ll make sure of it.”

Michel’s Review

The Hotter You Burn by Gena Showalter is the second book in the sizzling hot contempory series, The Original Heartbreakers. These bad boys are going to burn up the pages and smolder your heart.

Beck Ockley is the womanizer of their family. He goes through women like water. His only rules are one night only and no repeats. He’s not interested in relationships. He just wants to have a little fun. His womanizing ways are a deflection of what is really below the surface of Beck Ockley. Being a product of the foster care system has left a negative effect on his heart. He has a jaded view of love. When he catches Harlow Glass, the town pariah, he is in for a change of heart. Can he handle it?

Harlow Glass is the true definition of “mean girl”. Her heartless antics and cruel behaviors in her youth have made her the town pariah. She was truly a horrible person, that is until something happened when she was a teenager. Since that time she has become a recluse. She withdrew from high school and was not seen again by the townsfolk. In the past ten years her mother has died, she lost her beloved home, and has become a homeless recluse. She can’t get a job in town because of her past behaviors. She is the most hated person in the area. She is now homeless and close to starving. When she is caught stealing a pie from her former home by Beck Oakley it is a blessing and curse at the same time.

Beck is touched by Harlow. He understands what it feels like to be down and out. He understands that mistakes can haunt a person for their entire life. He respects the fact that Harlow owns her mistakes and misdeeds. He admires her strengths as well as her vulnerabilities. What he doesn’t realize is that he has fallen head over heels for Harlow Glass.

Harlow is grateful for Beck’s help. She is grateful for her new job. She is grateful for new home. She strives to make amends to all those she has hurt. She has regrets. She also has dreams. She wants to be truly loved. She wants a solid relationship that leads to commitment and family. Beck’s flirtations and advances are thrilling but not enough. He can’t give her what she wants most.

Both are falling in love and changing. What is it going to take for Beck to surrender his heart completely? Will it take a terrible life threatening event to wake Beck up?

This book was loaded with angst and passion. I absolutely loved Harlow. She owned her past and never tried to flinch away from it. Beck was a bit wishy washy when it came to matters of the heart but after what he went through as a child it was valid.

I love this series and am looking forward to the final book. These heartbreakers have stolen my heart.

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About Gena Showalter

Gena Showalter is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of over thirty books in paranormal and contemporary romances, as well as young adult novels. Her series include White Rabbit Chronicles, Angels of the Dark, Otherworld Assassins, Lords of the Underworld, Alien Huntress and Intertwined.

Her novels have appeared in Cosmopolitan Magazine, and Seventeen Magazine, and have been translated all over the world. The critics have called her books “sizzling page-turners” and “utterly spellbinding stories”, while Showalter herself has been called “a star on the rise”.

Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Goodreads

Release Blitz + 5 Star Review + Giveaway: Forever Bound: A Not Yet Rock Star by Deanna Roy – The Forever Series – Book 4

Posted on 07/28/2015 by shellbellereads

Forever Bound: A Not Yet Rock Star

Forever Series – Book 4

By Deanna Roy

Synopsis

Jenny is a girlfriend-for-hire, the platonic kind.

While under contract with her movie director boyfriend, glamour has ruled. Designer gowns. Red-carpet premieres. And, of course, seeing her face in the tabloids.

She loves tabloids.

But her reign has come to an end. Her sugar daddy has fallen in love — with someone else. Her contract is over and tonight she has to end it publicly by making sure the paparazzi “catches” her with another man.

She just has to find the man.

Chance has been hitchhiking across the US, playing and singing for tips. This is the life he’s always imagined, and the farther he gets from his disastrous family in Tennessee, the better he feels.

An unexpected invitation to sing with an indie blues group at a movie premiere party gives him a sweet taste of fame. As a bonus, a beautiful girl with pink dreadlocks only has eyes for him.

But the collision between Jenny and Chance is more emotional and intense than either of them expected. When the scandal hits the news, Chance’s family finds him, pushing him to come home and face his demons.

The night has even more consequences for Jenny. She needs to find Chance, but nobody knows anything about him, not even his last name.

Her journey takes her across the country and into the disaster Chance is running from. But she can’t give up on him, because what neither of them realized is that sometimes a single night can be the beginning of forever.

–Full length standalone HEA.
–Includes characters from Forever Innocent and Forever Sheltered and even *surprise* — singer Dylan Wolf from JJ Knight’s Revenge and Blue Shoes series.
–May require tissues.

Buy: Amazon / B & N / ITunes / Kobo

Michel’s Review

Forever Bound by Deanna Roy is the fourth book in the Forever series. The Forever series is one of the most emotional and touching series that I have read. Each of the characters in this series is unique, charming, and faced some harsh realities in life. Their strength and perseverance has been admiral. Their dedication their friends and those they love is commendable. I have thoroughly enjoyed this series. Forever Bound came as a complete surprise to me. It was unpredictable and quite unexpected.

Jenny has been a key secondary character throughout the Forever series. She has come across as a delightful free spirit that loves her friends fiercely. She helps them through all their ups and downs and is their biggest cheerleader. On the surface she comes across as an easy going yet colorful spirit. Beneath the surface, she has her own insecurities and a past she hides behind with her rainbows. Jenny is a positive person despite her past.

When she has to stage a public scene/ break up with her fake boyfriend, a famous Hollywood director, she is feeling a loss. Even though he was a fake boyfriend, he was her security blanket and close friend.

When she meets the sexy singer of the band at the party where her break up is to be staged, he is the perfect candidate. With his good looks and sex appeal, it is going to be a pleasure staging the scene. What she didn’t count on was the intense attraction to Chance. What starts as a staged scene turns into a sizzling hot one night stand. Sex on the beach takes on a whole new definition.

That one hot encounter will take on a whole new life once the paparazzi exposes her escapades on the beach. Her life is turned upside down.

Chance is a drifter. He moves from town to town, playing his music, and making enough money to move on. His one night stand with Jenny on the beach has left a lasting impression he can’t forget. It also exposed him. He walked away from his family in Chattanooga, TN. He’s left behind the mess of his life and refuses to return home.

That one night stand will change both Jenny and Chance’s life. It will make them both face their pasts. It will bring something they never knew they wanted or needed. It will bound them together forever.

Not only was Forever Bound a touching, emotional romance; it literally hit close to home for me. I was amazed at the accuracy of the locations throughout the book. Everything about Chattanooga was pin point accurate. I live in this area. The descriptions, names of various places, and street locations was dead on. She captured the feel of the town. She captured the Bible Belt mentality.

Another thing I liked about Forever Bound was the musical references. Dylan Wolf, a rock star character, from the Blue Shoes series by JJ Knight (aka Deanna Roy) made some strong cameo appearances. It was great to see these two series tied together.

Forever Bound can be read as a stand alone romance or in series order. I highly recommend this book. It will touch your heart.

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The Forever Series Box Set

Books 1-3

By Deanna Roy

Buy: Amazon / B & N / ITunes / Kobo

Steamy. Emotional. And now, all in one boxed set.

The fist three standalone novels in the USA Today bestselling Forever series is available in one volume!
“One of my favorite love stories, ever.” — Brittany and Biana Blab Books
“A love you wish everyone could experience.” — Book Drunk Blog

BOOK 1: FOREVER INNOCENT
A Top 100 Book on Amazon

“Our baby died on prom night, and nothing was ever the same again.”

Corabelle doesn’t feel like any of the other college girls. On what should have been one of the happiest nights of her life, she and her boyfriend Gavin watched a nurse disconnect the ventilator from their seven-day-old baby. During the funeral two days later, Gavin walked out and never returned.

Since then, her life has been a spiral of disasters. The only thing that has helped is her ability to black out whenever the pain gets too hard to bear, a habit that has become an addiction.

When Gavin shows up in her astronomy class four years later, he is hell-bent on getting her back, insisting she forgive him. Corabelle knows she can’t resist the touch that fills the empty ache that has haunted her since he left. But if he learns what she has done, if he follows the trail back through her past, her secrets will destroy their love completely. And once again, she’ll lose the only person who always believed she was innocent.

BOOK 2: FOREVER LOVED

“Delivered with sensitivity, brutal honesty, emotional scenes, and an everlasting hope that love can conquer all.” — Hesperia Loves Books
“Did I cry? Oh yeah, but not for the same reasons as before. Will this book stay on my shelf for years to come! You betcha!” — 2 Bookaholics

After four long years of separation, Gavin has finally reunited with his childhood love Corabelle. She’s forgiven him for leaving her during the funeral of their seven-day-old baby.

But a message from Rosa, a prostitute he met during their time apart, brings his life to a crashing halt. She claims Gavin has fathered a son. He doesn’t know if he can trust Rosa, or if his delicate reconciliation with Corabelle can withstand the shock if it is true.

Corabelle believes their future together is the right thing despite their past. But when she learns of this other child, the one thing she lost long ago and might never have again with Gavin, Corabelle’s faith that her life will ever follow her old dream is shattered. To make things right for Gavin and his son, she just might have to let go of the only person she always believed would be her forever love.

BOOK 3: FOREVER SHELTERED

“Hooked me from Chapter 1.” — Fire and Ice Book Reviews
“Put this on your TBR list and bump it to the top.” — Eat Sleep Read Blog

Tina would rather sew up her girl parts with dental floss than go on a second date with a man. She’s been dumped enough to know not to get attached.

But when Dr. Darion Marks comes into her art therapy room to ask a favor for a special patient, Tina recognizes the haunted look he buries beneath his stoic professionalism. So rather than be forced to ditch the handsome doctor after a single night, she decides not to date him at all.

So how exactly DO they end up half-naked in Surgical Suite B?

Dr. Darion has a lot to hide. His baby sister is the only family he has left, and he’s not leaving her treatment to some incompetent hack.

But now he’s breaking every hospital rule imaginable. He lied about his sister so he can manage her care, and now he’s banging the art therapy teacher between patient rounds like a fraternity boy at a keg party.

Nobody believes this can end well, but Dr. Darion and Tina have one thing going for them – a fierce passion for each other that just might solve all their problems.

THREE COMPLETE FULL-LENGTH NOVELS.
Catch up on the series for one discounted price.
There will be five books in the series.
Book Four, FOREVER BOUND, is now available.

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Author Bio:

Deanna Roy is the USA Today bestselling author of contemporary romance and women’s fiction.

She is a passionate advocate for women who have lost babies. She has several books on the subject, including her bestseller FOREVER INNOCENT, a romance about a couple whose baby is taken off life support at seven days old.

She has run the website PregnancyLoss.Info for fifteen years, including many large spin-off support groups both online and in person.

Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Goodreads

Giveaway

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Happy Release + Review: The Bourbon Kings by J. R. Ward

Posted on 07/28/2015 by shellbellereads

The Bourbon Kings

New Contemporary Series: The Bourbon Kings

Release Date: July 28, 2015

Buy: Amazon / Barnes and Noble / ITunes / Kobo

Synopsis

The #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Black Dagger Brotherhood delivers the first novel in an enthralling new series set amid the shifting dynamics of a Southern family defined by wealth and privilege—and compromised by secrets, deceit, and scandal….

For generations, the Bradford family has worn the mantle of kings of the bourbon capital of the world. Their sustained wealth has afforded them prestige and privilege—as well as a hard-won division of class on their sprawling estate, Easterly. Upstairs, a dynasty that by all appearances plays by the rules of good fortune and good taste. Downstairs, the staff who work tirelessly to maintain the impeccable Bradford facade. And never the twain shall meet.

For Lizzie King, Easterly’s head gardener, crossing that divide nearly ruined her life. Falling in love with Tulane, the prodigal son of the bourbon dynasty, was nothing that she intended or wanted—and their bitter breakup only served to prove her instincts were right. Now, after two years of staying away, Tulane is finally coming home again, and he is bringing the past with him. No one will be left unmarked: not Tulane’s beautiful and ruthless wife; not his older brother, whose bitterness and bad blood know no bounds; and especially not the ironfisted Bradford patriarch, a man with few morals, fewer scruples, and many, many terrible secrets.

As family tensions—professional and intimately private—ignite, Easterly and all its inhabitants are thrown into the grips of an irrevocable transformation, and only the cunning will survive.

Michel’s Review

Fans of J. R. Ward are in for a treat with the release of her new contemporary series , The Bourbon Kings. This new series has been optioned for television.

The Bourbon Kings series is quite different from the previous series by J. R. Ward. The writing and tone is in a class by itself that follows along the lines of contemporary fiction rather than romance fiction. It does not have the fast paced, intense action that readers are used to in the Black Dagger Brotherhood or Fallen Angels series. The characters are not the hard core alphas with loads of attitude to back them up. This series is based upon a prestigious family and their elite world. The characters are elitist that have been raised with entitlement and vast wealth.

The first half of the book revolves around world building and character introductions. It is very wordy and overly descriptive. The pacing is slow and tedious. I found myself getting bored and quickly losing interest and then the J. R. Ward magic happened. The second half of the book was enthralling. I could not put the book down. The characters came to life. The family dynamics became complex and mystifying. The plot clearly started to unfold and set their world into play. The mystery and intrigue as well as the inner workings of the family kept me captivated. In the end there was a cliffhanger that had me interested in what was going to come next. The cliffhanger was not angsty or a do or die moment but an integral part of the story that is beginning to unfold.

After I finished the book and tried to formulate my thoughts I could clearly see how this is written for television. I think that this series is going to be a very entertaining television series that will have the same kind of effect on viewers that Dallas and Dynasty had.

I can’t wait to see what happens next in The Bourbon Kings series.

# # #

Jessica Rowley Pell Bird was born on 1969 in Massachusetts, USA. She is the daughter of Maxine F. and W. Gillette Bird, Jr. She began writing as a child, penning her thoughts in diaries as well as inventing short stories. She read her first Harlequin Presents novel in a rose garden when she was in her teens. She was hooked immediately. By the time she went to college, she had boxes and boxes of Harlequins and Silhouettes. Every year, her mother would ask why all those books had to live in the house and Jess would reply that if even one of them disappeared she would know. (She’d catalogued them.)

Jess finished her first romance manuscript the summer before her freshman year of college. She attended Smith College and graduated with a double major in history and art history. She then received a law degree from Albany Law School. Shortly after that, she began working in the healthcare industry in Boston. She spent many years as one of the premier medical center’s Chief of Staff. While working as a lawyer in Boston, she completed two novels more and started a number of partials. In 2001, Bird married John Neville Blakemore III. Both her mother and her new husband kept telling her to send something in to an agent, a publisher, the Tooth Fairy, anyone. She thought they were nuts, but eventually got her nerve up and bought a lot of stamps. Since getting published, she has written contemporary romances as Jessica Bird and paranormal romances as J. R. Ward. She has been a Rita Award finalist, received two Romantic Times Reviewer’s Choice nominations and has been a HOLT medallion finalist.

New England born and bred, Jess is surprised to find herself living south of the Mason Dixon line. (But that’s what happens when you marry a Southern gentleman.) She and her husband live with their golden retriever, who oversees her writing in a supervisory role.

Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Goodreads

Release Blitz + Review + Giveaway: Frisk Me by Lauren Layne – New York’s Finest Series – Book 1

Posted on 07/28/2015 by shellbellereads

Enter to Win a

$50.00 Amazon eGift Card

FRISK ME

New York’s Finest #1

Lauren Layne

Releasing July 28th,2015

Forever Romance

After a photograph of Luc Moretti saving a tourist hits social media, he instantly becomes New York’s most famous and beloved cop. When a major network decides to run a special on the “American Hero,” Luc’s boss gives him no choice but to cooperate in the name of good exposure for the department. Luc doesn’t mind the celebrity status-what he does mind is the gorgeous brunette journalist who’s been assigned to follow his every move. Especially since she also happens to be the same knockout that rejected him rather publicly the week before.

Ava Sims is a woman who gets what she wants. And what she wants is to be CBC’s lead anchor-but to get there, she’ll need to nail the fluff piece on the playboy cop. Luc Moretti is everything Ava knows to stay away from: a stubborn charmer with a hero-complex. But the more Ava gets to know Luc and his oddball family, the more she realizes that beneath the swagger and the blue uniform is a complex man who makes her heart beat too fast. Soon, Ava’s doing the unthinkable, and falling for the best of New York’s finest …

BUY NOW

Amazon | B & N | iTunes | Kobo

Michel’s Review

Frisk Me by Lauren Layne is the first book in the New York’s Finest series. This series features the Moretti family. The Moretti’s are New York law enforcement royalty. Their family has a law enforcement legacy serving the citizens of New York City.

Luc Moretti is the youngest of the Moretti clan. Like his father and brothers, he knew his destiny was in law enforcement. He takes his job seriously. He strives to be the best police officer he can be. At the same time he is also frustrated with having to go by the book and follow step by step procedures. By doing so, he has had to deal with an incident that will haunt him for the rest of his life.

When Luc performs a heroic deed that ends up on social media it puts him on the radar of a television network. He is forced to work with Ava Sims, an annoying reporter. He is on guard and livid that he has to deal with her while trying to do his job. Dealing with her on a daily basis is even worse.

Ava Sims is an ambitious reporter. Her segment on Luc Moretti , An American Hero, is the story that is going to land her the lead anchor position on her network. She won’t let anything stand in her way. What she didn’t count on was falling for Luc Moretti. She didn’t count on the American Hero, Luc Moretti having dark secrets. Secrets he holds close to his heart. Exposing his secrets will land her the job. Exposing his secrets will surely make her lose his love. The ball is in her court. Her choices could destroy them both.

I enjoyed the Moretti family dynamics. I loved Luc Moretti. He was a sincere man that valued the law. I did not like Ava Sims at all. She was a bit too harsh and self centered even when she finally surrendered to her feelings for Luc. She never came across as sincere.

Overall Frisk Me was a good book. I am looking forward to the next books in this series featuring the other Moretti brothers. They are a dynamic family.

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Lauren
Layne is the USA Today Bestselling author of contemporary romance.

Prior
to becoming an author, Lauren worked in e-commerce and web-marketing. In 2011,
she and her husband moved from Seattle to New York City, where Lauren decided
to pursue a full-time writing career. It took six months to get her first book
deal (despite ardent assurances to her husband that it would only take three).
Since then, Lauren’s gone on to publish ten books, including the bestselling
Stiletto series, with several more on the way in 2015.

Lauren
currently lives in Chicago with her husband and spoiled Pomeranian. When not
writing, you’ll find her at happy hour, running at a doggedly slow pace, or
trying to straighten her naturally curly hair.

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