Review: Take Me For Granted by K. A. Linde- Take Me Series- Book 1

Posted on 01/08/2015 by shellbellereads

Take Me For Granted

Take Me Series – Book 1

By K.A. Linde

Synopsis

Grant
Manwhore. Adrenaline junkie. Lead singer of ContraBand. What you see is what you get. I make no apologies for my actions, and by now no one expects any from me. I live my life the way I want and as long as it pushes the demons back, then I’m solid. I’ve never needed a chick for more than a good lay. Why would I need just one when I can have a different one every night?

Until she walks into my world.

Aribel

Mouthy. Perfectionist. Princeton student. Chemistry major. Yes, that pretty much describes me. Oh, and virgin. But I’m only nineteen, and have more important things to concern myself with. What really matters is finishing my degree and getting a good job. I’ve worked hard for what I want, and do what’s expected of me. I don’t need anyone to get in my way.

Until he opens up my world.

But if I give you my world, whatever you do…don’t take me for granted.

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One of my goals for 2015 was to read books that I had purchased in 2014 but did not have time to get to. Take Me For Granted by K.A. Linde was one of those books. With the upcoming release of Take Me With You coming out on January 27, 2015, I made this book a priority to read.

I absolutely love bad boy rock star books. Take Me For Granted is one of those books that shines in this category. Grant McDermott is the front man for the popular rising band Contriband. Their band is one of the favorites among the Princeton community. Grant is your typical bad boy manwhore. He takes full advantage of his popularity among the Princeton ladies. Women are easy come, easy go until he meets the one girl that is not taken by his bad boy charms. Her snarky personality and sass has him intrigued. Her rejection has him on the chase for the first time in his life. Her intelligence tests his wits. She is the one girl he is not going to let get away. What starts out as a quest to get Aribel into his bed turns into a whole different kind of challenge. Grant has finally met a girl that he wants to be in a relationship with. Can he give up his bad boy ways and become a better man, a man that is worthy of Aribel or will he blow the one thing that can really make his life better?

Aribel is a young woman that has her goals in life set. Her education and academic career is the most important agenda. She doesn’t have time for dating and frivolous college life. Her goals have held her back and made her socially inept . When her roommates force her to go out for a fun night on the town , her life is changed. She meets the kind of guy she absolutely despises. She meets the lead singer of the local band that has all the girls from school vying to get into his bed. She is not immune to Grant’s charismatic personality. She is not as unaffected as she wants to be.

Grant and Aribel both have challenges in their relationship. Neither of them has ever been in a successful relationship. They both are polar opposites with very different goals in life. Somehow the two of them recognize that what they have is more than a college fling, it is something that could last a lifetime. They will have to get past their own personal obstacles , get past their friends expectations, and find a way to blend their very different lives together.

Just as everything is finally rolling along on a smooth path in their relationship, Grant’s band is gaining recognition. They are on the brink of signing a recording contract. Can their relationship survive the fame and the rockstar lifestyle?

This book ends on a cliffhanger and has the reader biting at the bits for the upcoming book, Take Me With You.

The characters and their story was highly entertaining. K.A. Linde delivered the sexy and thrilling romance she has come to be known for. This book had the right amount of angst and the right amount of fluff.

I highly recommend this book and series.

Coming January 27, 2015

Take Me With You

Grant
All of my demons are coming to head.
I thought Ari could push them back.
I thought I could conquer my vices with her at my side.

I thought wrong.

Aribel
Fear is my new constant.
I thought I could conceal it, contain it, control it.
I thought that now that I had Grant the worst was over.

I thought wrong.

But if we’re going to survive, wherever you go…take me with you.

Find out what happens with Grant and Aribel in book 2 in the Take Me series!
About The Author

USA Today bestselling author K.A. Linde has written the Avoiding series and the Record series as well as the new adult novels Following Me and Take Me for Granted. She grew up as a military brat traveling the United States and Australia. While studying political science and philosophy at the University of Georgia, she founded the Georgia Dance Team, which she still coaches. Post-graduation, she served as the campus campaign director for the 2012 presidential campaign at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. An avid traveler, reader, and bargain hunter, K.A. lives in Athens, Georgia, with her fiancé and two puppies, Riker and Lucy.

Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Goodreads

Happy Release and ARC Review: Falling Away by Jasinda Wilder- Falling Into You Series- Book 4

Posted on 01/06/2015 by shellbellereads

Falling Away

Falling Into You Series- Book 4

By Jasinda Wilder

Synopsis

My name is Benjamin Dorsey. You know my mom and dad’s story. You know Kylie’s parents’ story. You even know Kylie’s story.

You don’t know mine, yet.

You don’t know what a broken heart is until you’ve loved someone your whole life, only to have her slip through your fingers because you waited too long. That’s heartbreak. That’s regret. And how do you live with that? How do you go through the motions when she’s there as a reminder of what you lost, of what you could have had but were too damn chicken to go after? I couldn’t. So I left.

That’s right, I ran away. I found myself across the continent, playing minor league football. I mean, at least I still had football, right?

Nope. That got taken away from me too. A career-ending injury left me down-and-out, scraping the bottom of the barrel, hating myself and hating life. And then I met Cheyenne Leveaux, my physical therapist, who became my one and only friend, the one bright light in the darkness of my messed up life.

But of course nothing is ever simple, or easy.

Tragedy struck, and the rug was swept out from under me yet again, and this time the guilt, the doubt, the secrets, and the old heartbreak may threaten my one chance at true happiness, my one shot at my own happily ever after.

Reading Order: Falling Into You, Falling Into Us, Falling Under, Falling Away

Buy: Amazon / Barnes and Noble / ITunes

Michel’s Review

Falling Away is the epic ending to the Falling Into You series by Jasinda Wilder. It was a bittersweet moment opening this book and knowing that it was the last in one of my all time favorite series. The characters in this series have lived in my heart and are unforgettable.

After reading the last book, Falling Under, I was devastated for Ben. He was a great kid that had his heart shattered. He showed the ugly and uncontrollable side of his personality. He acted out in the worst possible way. His soul was wounded and he was reacting the only way he knew how. He had carried so many pent up emotions that when the door opened it was a floodgate of pain, betrayal, regret, and anger. I ached for this boy. I felt his deep pain. I wanted him to find the peace and love he so richly deserved. Ben found more than that. He found himself. He found a man that had honor, compassion, and hope.

The book starts a year after Ben left Nashville trying to run from his heartbreak and despair. What Ben didn’t realize at the time is that he was running from himself. It took many miles, odd jobs, new experiences, and new heartbreaks to open his heart once again. He finds his passion for football once again. He finds a place he may want to call home for a spell. He finds that he can be attracted to another woman other than Kylie. He finds a true friend that understands his heartbreaking journey. Just as things are looking bright in Ben’s life he is thrown into despair once again. He loses his only passion and he loses his only true friend. This time around Ben has grown emotionally and matured. He hasn’t come completely into himself but is much stronger than he was a year ago. He also recognizes that a new door is opening and that this time he doesn’t want to slam it shut. He’s not quite ready to welcome the new people & experiences at the door, but he isn’t turning them away. He is opening that door.

Ben meets Echo through a very tragic circumstance. She is unlike any girl or woman he has ever met. He sees a very beautiful woman that has a very wounded soul. Although he doesn’t understand all of her pain, he knows without a doubt he wants to ease it and help her cope. What starts out as a pain easing hookup turns into a soul searching friendship to a passionate love affair that stands the test of time. But first Echo and Ben have to face their pain and allow others into their soul.

Echo is a very troubled young woman. Her life experiences have led her to a self destructive and abusive path. She has trust issues, self worth issues, and loads of regret. Her escape is through music. When music isn’t enough to ease the pain she will have to face herself or destroy herself. Ben shows her a different look at life. He shows her that healing doesn’t erase the person you are, it makes you stronger and better.

Ben and Echo both have their journeys to travel but destiny has thrown their paths together. Now they have to learn to open their hearts and travel that path together.

I loved this book. The reader got to experience Ben’s transition from a wounded boy into a strong and steady man. A man with a bright and shiny future. He was given something better than he ever could of dreamed of having with Kylie. He was given himself as well as a love of a lifetime.

There were a few things in this book that I struggled with but did not affect my overall reaction to the story. There was an excessive amount of references to songs, the performers, and musicians. While I understand the importance of music in this series, I found it distracting in many passages. Another thing I found I disliked quite a bit was that Ben’s parents, Becca and Jason (from Falling Into Us- book 2 ), played a very small role in the overall picture. Jasinda emphasized Colt and Nell’s presence throughout the second part of the book. I understand that they are the foundation of the series but quite honestly I felt like Jason and Becca importance was slighted. They were both powerful characters that overcame advisory in a very positive manner. They experienced pain, heartbreak, abuse, and the hard knocks life had to offer. They overcame their plights and became very strong admirable adults. I feel like they had so much more to offer their son Ben than Jasinda allowed them to.

I am happy that Ben became the man he is today. I am happy that he found the peace in his life. I am happy that he found Echo.

I am very sad that this series has ended but am looking forward to the spin off series coming in the future.

I have nothing but pure praise for Jasinda Wilder. She writes a powerful and emotional reading experience that stays in your heart long after the book is finished.

Read this book. Read this series!

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.

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6 Star Review: Nine Minutes by Beth Flynn

Posted on 12/29/2014 by shellbellereads

Nine Minutes

By Beth Flynn

Synopsis

On May 15, 1975, fifteen-year-old Ginny Lemon is abducted from a convenience store in Fort Lauderdale by a member of one of the most notorious and brutal motorcycle gangs in South Florida.

From that moment on, her life is forever changed. She gets a new name, a new identity and a new life in the midst of the gang’s base on the edge of the Florida Everglades—a frightening, rough and violent world much like the swamps themselves, where everyone has an alias and loyalty is tantamount to survival.

And at the center of it all is the gang’s leader, Grizz: massive, ruggedly handsome, terrifying and somehow, when it comes to Ginny, tender. She becomes his obsession and the one true love of his life.

So begins a tale of emotional obsession and manipulation, of a young woman ripped from everything she knows and forced to lean on the one person who provides attention, affection and care: her captor. Precocious and intelligent, but still very much a teenager, Ginny struggles to adapt to her existence, initially fighting and then coming to terms with her captivity.

Will she be rescued? Will she escape? Will she get out alive—or get out at all? Part psychological thriller, part coming-of-age novel, filled with mystery, romance and unexpected turns, Nine Minutes takes readers into the world of one motorcycle gang and inside the heart of a young girl, whose abduction brought about its fall.

Buy: Amazon / Barnes and Noble

Michel’s Review

Nine Minutes is one of the books that stunned my senses and left me with a major book hangover. I read this book over a month and half ago. After I finished the book I had to gift this book to several of my friends because it is the kind of book you “have” to read. Each and every friend that has read this book had the same kind of reactions that I had to it.

This more than a typical biker romance. It is a story that renders a very real look into a lawless lifestyle. Although many of the characters are hardened criminals with ethics that are horrendous, they are also very human. Their emotions and feelings are just as valid as anyone else emotions. Their methods of dealing with their emotions are just as valid as how anyone else deals with their own. We all have insecurities, we all have hopes and dreams, we all want the ones we love to have the best we can give, and we all have our own ways of protecting our deepest emotions.

The background for this story is so true to it’s portrayal. I grew up in that area of south Florida in that exact timeframe. I am very close to the same age as the heroine in this story. The existence of this kind of MC club was in fact present in that area at that time. As I was reading this book I had chills from the in depth descriptions. I felt like I was walking back in time to my younger years and looking at it through different eyes. It is was mind blowing. When my mother, who has lived in south Florida for over fifty years, and raised her family there, read this book she was just as stunned as I was.

The story itself was captivating. It is a story of a lawless life, a story of a stolen life, and a story of unconditional love. Although Grizz lived in a very violent world and delivered his own kind brand of justice, he also had a sense of honor and heart of gold. For those he loved, he gave his all. For those that betrayed his love and trust, he dealt with in a very gruesome violent manner. In the end he paid for his love. In the end he paid for his sins. He did it with honor for those he loved. He accepted the punishments for the crimes he committed. He protected his family from suffering the repercussions of his crimes. He gave those he loved the ultimate gift. He gave them the gift of love and happiness.

Ginny was a young teenage girl when she was abducted. She was just beginning her journey into womanhood. Although she was taken, manipulated, and molded into a different kind of person, she was also given the gift of unconditional love. Her life may have turned out very differently had she not been abducted. Would she have had a better life? Most likely not. Her childhood was not sunshine and roses. Her life was not full of love. She was forced to grow up at an early age. She was forced to become responsible and self reliant. She was a survivor. She used her intelligence to guide her. I think that is one of the reasons she was abducted. One person saw the uniqueness and inner strength she possessed. One person saw her value as a human being. One person loved her for everything she was. One person valued her enough to steal her away. In the end that one person almost destroyed her life. Through it all that one person also gave her more than his love, he gave her a love that would last a lifetime and always be there for her. He gave her a new love story to live.

Nine Minutes is not a forever love story. Nine Minutes is breathtaking story of unconditional love and strength of the human spirit. Nine Minutes is two beautiful love stories that intwine one woman into a person of strength, compassion, and beauty. Two love stories that show her how by just being herself is more valuable than anything else in this world.

Nine Minutes is a powerful story. Although Nine Minutes ends with a cliffhanger, it is not one that will have readers in an emotional uproar. Nine Minutes has a resolution to that part of Ginny’s story. It ended the only way it could. The cliffhanger is more about the secrets that will be revealed. It is about the other love story in the book. It is the path to Ginny’s forever love story.

Read Nine Minutes! It is exceptional!

Author Bio:

Beth Flynn is a fiction writer who lives and works in Sapphire, North Carolina, deep within the southern Blue Ridge Mountains. Raised in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, Beth and her husband, Jim, have spent the last 16 years in Sapphire, where they own a construction company. They have been married 30 years and have two daughters (the youngest in high school) and two dogs. In her spare time, Beth enjoys writing, reading, gardening, church and motorcycles, especially taking rides on the back of her husband’s Harley. She is a four-year breast cancer survivor.

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Review: The Charlotte Chronicles by Jen Frederick- The Jackson Boys Series- Book 1

Posted on 12/19/2014 by shellbellereads

The Charlotte Chronicles

The Jackson Boys Series- Book 1

Spinoff of Woodlands Series

By Jen Frederick

Synopsis

Charlotte and Nathan were supposed to be forever. They grew up together. Their families were intertwined. Charlotte was Nathan’s first love. Nathan was Charlotte’s first everything.

Until they weren’t.

How do you hold on to the person you know in your heart you are supposed to be with when everything and everyone in the universe is telling you it’s over?

How many times does a heart break?

When is enough…..enough?

How long is forever?

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Excerpt

But when I close my eyes, I can see him—and me. I can see me pressed up against the mirror in the bathroom, my hands making starfish prints as I brace myself against his thrusts. I can hear his harsh breathing, his commands to come, come now, Charlotte. There was that passage of time that felt endless when he was between my legs, licking me softly and leisurely as if there wasn’t anything in this world that gave him more pleasure than helping me find my own. I touch myself, but it’s useless. My body wants one thing: Nathan Jackson.

I’m on fire and the ache of want is so acute it’s like a knife in my chest. I’ve had multiple surgeries, chemo treatments, radiation but that’s nothing compared to what I feel now.

Time and distance had dulled my pain and that my desire and love for Nathan had actually started to ease only to be stoked into high, hot flames by his reappearance in my life.

He is the poison and the antidote.

Michel’s Review

I was really excited for The Charlotte Chronicles to release. I have been a huge fan of the Woodland Series by Jen Frederick. The Charlotte Chronicles features the children from the characters in The Woodland series.

It is very hard for an author to go beyond a series that has characters that captured the readers hearts. Somehow readers seem to shy away from “the happily ever afters” to the real lives. The Charlotte Chronicles proves that the Woodland characters kept their happily ever after and matured into an unbreakable relationship. They built a strong family unit and strengthened life time friendships. They can be very proud parents because their children are the best of them plus have their own unique identities. Now it is time for these children to shine!

Charlotte, Nathan , and Nick have grown up together. They know everything about one another. As they begin to mature and start making their own lives in high school feelings begin to change. For Charlotte and Nick it is a deeper bond of friendship. For Charlotte and Nathan it is the blossoming of love. Just as they are discovering their love for one another and trying to figure out how to make their new found relationship work, life intercedes and throws them into a devastating tail spin. This time it isn’t something that their parents can fix, it isn’t something they can control, and it is something that will separate them permanently.

Nine long years of separation can change people, especially teenagers maturing into adulthood. Charlotte and Nathan have both grown as individuals and started their adult lives. They both have established careers that are on opposite sides of the spectrum in the professional fields. The lives are on very different paths. The one thing that has always stayed the same is their love for one another. Even though their lives have changed, they no longer are in contact, and it seems as if they have moved on, the hearts still belong to one another.

This book is an emotional journey in so many ways. The reader gets to experience Nathan and Charlottes lives from the beginning. They get to experience the growing pains, the highs and lows in life, the insecurities that go along with maturing, the wonders of first love, the heartbreak of losing love, the fear of dying, the joy of finding the once in a lifetime love, and finding the courage to make the ultimate commitments in life. They were lucky to find one another again after all the heartbreak and devastation.

Nathan and Charlotte did not have an easy road to travel. They were lucky they had wonderful families and friends to support their journey.

Nathan and Charlotte earned every tear, every smile, and every sigh. They captured my heart.

I hope that Nick Jackson will find his road to follow. I can’t wait for his book!

The Woodland Series

Undeclared

Amazon / Barnes and Noble / ITunes

Undressed

Novella

Amazon / Barnes and Noble / ITunes

Unspoken

Amazon / Barnes and Noble / ITunes

Unraveled

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Author Bio:

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

Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Goodreads

Happy Release + Review + Giveaway: Before Ryan Was Mine by Kahlen Aymes- A Prequel to the Remembrance Trilogy

Posted on 12/16/2014 by shellbellereads

Before Ryan Was Mine

Prequel to The Remembrance Trilogy

By Kahlen Aymes

Release Date: December 16, 2014

Synopsis

When Ryan Matthews meets Julia Abbott for the first time at Stanford University, he immediately knows she will change his life. They have an instant, unbreakable connection that goes beyond partying and palpable attraction. Although his intelligence and good looks land him any girl he wants, Ryan hesitates to cross that line with Julia because she quickly becomes the best friend he’s ever had.

Both secretly in love, Ryan and Julia are terrified to take the chance that could mean the loss of the very person they don’t want to lose. As the bond between them grows stronger, they are both miserable as they are forced to watch as they each date other people. But will Ryan’s all-consuming jealousy and Julia’s deeply broken heart torment them enough to make one or both walk away?

Join Ryan and Julia on the beginning of the journey that has made Kahlen Aymes’ Remembrance Trilogy an international bestselling favorite among her readers. This book was written after The Trilogy was finished due to an abundance of reader requests for more of Ryan and Julia’s story.

And so…

The Mad, Mad Love Begins…

Buy: Amazon /Barnes and Noble / ITunes / Kobo

Excerpt

~Ryan

The biggest moment of my life found me unexpectedly. It crept up softly, and settled around me like a fuzzy blanket. A mere whisper; it hit me like a sledgehammer. At the time, I knew it was significant, but I didn’t realize just how those few seconds would change absolutely everything: how one brief glance could leave such an indelible stamp on the remainder of my life. It would become a contradiction; an unstoppable force that would send me reeling out of my control, churning and shredding my emotions, but create the most incredible contentment I’d ever feel. Contentment that could wrap me up in a warm, safe place or devastate me to the core and leave my heart in shambles. It would become years of want and pain, lust and love… It would hurt like the deepest hell, but become the most euphoric and precious ecstasy I’d ever know. I’d never forget that day, that moment; that glance.

It would wreck me. It would make me.

Michel’s Review

Before Ryan Was Mine is the prequel to the Remembrance Trilogy. To those who have read the Remembrance Trilogy, this book is special treat. To those who have not read the Remembrance Trilogy, it is a delicious appetizer of what is to come.

The Remembrance Trilogy is an epic love story that spans over a decade. The love that Ryan and Julia share will touch your heart in so many ways. They will experience friendship, passion, heartbreak, confusion, trauma, and an unending dedication to one another. The highs and lows in their lives are what makes them a strong couple. The title of this series, The Remembrance Trilogy, is perfect because Ryan and Julia’s love story is unforgettable.

The prequel was published after the series released. It is a great way for fans of the series to experience Ryan and Julia meeting and building a friendship. For newbies to this series, it will get them hooked because of the friendship that Ryan and Julia share.

Kahlen Aymes reached deep when she created these characters. Their story is beautifully written.

This series is a must read. It is unforgettable. Ryan and Julia will capture your heart.

The Remembrance Trilogy

The Future Of Our Past

Amazon / Barnes and Noble / ITunes

Don’t Forget To Remember Me

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A Love Like This

Amazon / Barnes and Noble / ITunes

The Remembrance Trilogy -Books 1-3

Barnes and Noble / ITunes

Author Bio:

I’m a single mother of one daughter, Olivia. She’s amazing in every way.

I was born in the Midwestern United States and educated at a private university where I received a Bachelor’s degree in Marketing and Business Administration.

I’ve always been creative with art, music, theater and writing. I decided to write a story as a way to build a network for a business venture. The reader support of my stories and my overwhelming desire to find out where my characters would take me, soon had the writing morphing the business. No one was more shocked than I. When readers began nominating my work for online awards, it took my breath away and only made me love it more. It soon became clear that writing was, and should be, my focus.

Stalk Her: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

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Review: Justified by Aurora Rose Reynolds- Alfha Series- Book 1

Posted on 12/15/2014 by shellbellereads

Justified

Alfha Series – Book 1

By Aurora Rose Reynolds

Synopsis

After the first sighting, he’s fascinated.

After the first smile, he’s infatuated.

By the first kiss, he’s obsessed.

Nolan sees Chloe through a window of a bakery in downtown Manhattan. At first sight, something about her calls to a piece of him he thought was lost. Without thinking, he begins watching her, and when the moment presents itself, he strikes, claiming Chloe for himself.

Buy: Amazon / Barnes and Noble / ITunes

Michel’s Review

Looking for a quick read during this busy time of year? Looking for a hot alpha and a sweet woman that can wrap the hot alpha around her little finger? Looking for a steamy romance with scorching love scenes? Look no more! Justified by Aurora Rose Reynolds has all this and more!

Do you believe in love at first sight? Nolan didn’t until he saw Chloe working in the bakery. One look and he knew he had to have her. He was determined to dominate Chloe no matter what. Lucky for him that Chloe’s feelings were mutual.

From this point on the sizzling hot chemistry and scorching love scenes will burn up your ereader.

Justified is the perfect short book to read during this busy season. Warning… this book may make you combust!

Aurora Rose Reynolds never disappoints!

About Aurora Rose Reynolds

Aurora Rose Reynolds is a navy brat who’s husband served in the United States Navy. She has lived all over the country but now resides in New York City with her Husband and pet fish. She’s married to an alpha male that loves her as much as the men in her books love their women. He gives her over the top inspiration everyday. In her free time she reads, writes and enjoys going to the movies with her husband and cookie. She also enjoys taking mini weekend vacations to nowhere, or spends time at home with friends and family. Last but not least she appreciates everyday and admires it’s beauty.

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Review: Razed by Shiloh Walker – Barnes Brothers Series- Book 2

Posted on 12/12/2014 by shellbellereads

Razed

Barnes Brothers Series- Book 2

By Shiloh Walker

Synopsis

Tattoo artist Keelie Jessup can handle that someone else has claimed the man of her dreams. She’s just not pleased with her remaining options…

Keelie doesn’t believe in the “perfect man.” But the men who are worth the trouble are usually taken—like her business partner Zach Barnes. After a string of bad luck and the lost chance with Zach, Keelie decides that maybe flying solo—and living with suppressed desires—is the key to happiness.

As a photographer, Zane Barnes has an eye for the human form, and his eyes can’t get enough of Keelie’s curves. Unfortunately, Keelie is like most women—always fawning over his little brother, Zach. Zane is about ready to give up, but then a few stolen moments at his brother’s wedding have him thinking maybe there’s a chance there after all. Now he just has to prove that the perfect man does exist…for her.

Buy: Amazon / Barnes and Noble / ITunes

Michel’s Review

What a great book. Razed is the second book in the Barnes Brothers series by Shiloh Walker.

Razed picks up where Wrecked left off. It starts at Zack and Abigail’s wedding. Keelie is Zack’s partner at the tattoo shop. She thought she had some serious feelings for Zack until she kissed him. She quickly recognized that her feelings were misplaced. Still she is feeling off at the wedding. She is left wondering if she is ever going to find the “one” that she can call her own.

Zack’s brother Zane has always had a thing for Keelie. He takes the opportunity to make his move at his brother’s wedding. One dance with Keelie leads to an explosive kiss that has them both seeing stars. But that one kiss clearly proves Keelie isn’t ready to deal with all the emotions that being involved in a committed relationship requires.

Keelie avoids Zane for months. She’s going from one bad date to another. Throwing herself into the dating pool. When one bad date goes horribly wrong, Zane is there to help her through it. She says she could of handled it by herself but in all reality Keelie is one hot mess.

Zane realizes that Keelie has a truckload of issues. Rather than jumping into a physical relationship because the chemistry between the two is explosive, he wants to take his time. He wants to woo Keelie. He wants to court her. He wants her to know he is in it for the long haul. He wants her to know that she can depend on him and he will cherish her.

Zane and Keelie begin their courtship. It is a slow build that captivates them both. There are plenty of surprises along the way. Keelie has to work through all her issues. Zane has to show Keelie what real love is. Their relationship is intense and passionate. Together they find a love meant just for them.

The character development was exceptional. I liked both of the leading characters. The book is well written and keeps readers glued to the pages. Readers quickly become invested in the Barnes family. The love scenes are sizzling hot. The sexual tension and passion is steamy and bold.

I really enjoyed this book. It can be read as a stand alone novel or in series order. The first book in the Barnes Brothers series is Wrecked. It features Zack and Abigail’s story.

I highly recommend this book and this series.

The Barnes Brothers Series

Wrecked – Book 1

“Friends make the best lovers and soul mates in WRECKED. A beautiful look into true and enduring love…” Carly Phillips, NYT Bestselling Author

In the nineties, Abigale Applegate and Zach Barnes were the most beloved sitcom child stars in the world. Then they grew up and left Hollywood behind…

Whatever happened to Abigale Applegate?

She’s been wondering the same thing.

With her Hollywood dreams long gone, Abigale now has a nice, neat, uncomplicated life–until the day her perfect fiancé needs to talk. Dumped, a little more than shattered, and totally confused, Abigale turns to Zach, her best friend since forever, to help her pick up the pieces. He does it with a gift–a copy of Wreck This Journal. She can vent her frustrations, and sketch out a new plan. Zach just hopes he’s part of it. Because he’s been in love with Abigale his entire life.

When the journal falls into Zach’s hands, he discovers Abigale wants a new man. And fast. Nothing more than a hot distraction. Zach has a strategy, too. He’s going to be that man. It’s his last chance. Abigale might be out to shake up her life, but Zach’s out to reinvent it. Now, all he has to do is convince Abigale that life can go as planned.

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Author Bio:

Shiloh Walker has been writing since she was a kid. She fell in love with vampires with the book Bunnicula and has worked her way up to the more…ah…serious vampire stories. She loves reading and writing anything paranormal, anything fantasy, and nearly every kind of romance. Once upon a time she worked as a nurse, but now she writes full time and lives with her family in the Midwest.

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Review + Giveaway : Easy Virtue by Mia Asher

Posted on 12/12/2014 by shellbellereads

Easy Virtue

Release Date: December 3, 2014

By Mia Asher

Synopsis

Love is selfish…

My name is Blaire.

I’m the bad girl.

The other woman.

The one who never gets the guy in the end.

I’m the gold digger.

The bitch.

The one no one roots for.

The one you love to hate.

I hate myself too.

Everyone has a story. Are you ready for mine?

Buy: Amazon / Barnes and Noble

Michel’s Review

What can I say about Easy Virtue by Mia Asher? I am stunned speechless! I am not quite sure what to think or how to feel. This story is only taste of what’s to come. I am dying to find out where this is going to lead.

Easy Virtue is not an easy story to read. It is the life story of an unloved girl that turns from a vulnerable person into a heartless gold digger. She makes no apologies for who she is and what she wants out of men. She has vowed to never be vulnerable again. She wants an extravagant life with all the opulent things money can buy. She will give her body for those things. As a reader you want to hate this girl. It is impossible to do so because the author makes it very clear that this young woman has suffered in her life.

Blaire is becoming every thing she intended to be when she left home at the age of eighteen. She has been with some rich and powerful men. She has the finer things every woman dreams of having. She is content until she meets a little boy in the park. Along with that little boy is his gorgeous Uncle Ronan.

Blaire and Ronan experience a beautiful relationship that is simple and heart warming. Blaire is easily falling for Ronan. That is something she cannot do. She has vowed to never to get involved or fall in love. But her heart wants more. Just as she is about to surrender to her feelings a very powerful rich man offers Blaire everything that Ronan can’t ever give her. Blaire will make a choice that stuns the readers.

After the choice has been made, Blaire will have to live with her decisions. Two men want her. One wants her heart, the other wants her body. Both are addicted to her beauty. Both have traits she admires and wants. It is going to be a twist and turn journey before Blaire learns the most important lesson about love. She has to learn to love herself.

This book was very well written and I could not put it down. The cliffhanger left me biting my nails wondering how Blaire is going to get out of the mess she has made in her life.

I highly recommend Easy Virtue.

Author Bio:

My name is Mia Asher.

I’m a writer, a hopeless romantic, a wanderer, a dreamer, a cynic, and a believer. And, oh yes…I might be a bit crazy – but who isn’t?

Stalk Her: Facebook | Twitter | Website | Goodreads | Pinterest

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Holiday Review: Holding Holly by Julie Brannagh- Love and Football Series- Book 4.5- A Holiday Novella

Posted on 12/11/2014 by shellbellereads

Holding Holly

A Holiday Novella

Love and Football Series- Book 4.5

By Julie Brannaugh

Synopsis

Julie Brannagh’s delightful Love and Football series returns in time for Christmas …

Holly Reynolds has a secret. Make that two. The first involves upholding her grandmother’s hobby of answering Dear Santa letters from dozens of local schoolchildren. The second … well, he just came strolling in the door.

For the last two years, Holly has not been able to stop thinking about gorgeous Seattle Shark Derrick Collins. His on-field exploits induce nightmares in quarterbacks across the NFL, but she knows he has a heart of gold.

Derrick has never known a woman he wanted to bring home to meet his family, mostly because he keeps picking the wrong ones—until he runs into sweet, shy Holly Reynolds. Different from anyone he’s ever known, Derrick realizes she might just be everything he needs.

When he discovers her holiday letter writing, he is determined to play Santa too. And as the pair team up to bring joy to one little boy very much in need, they discover the most precious Christmas gift of all: love.

Buy: Amazon / Barnes and Noble / ITunes

Michel’s Review

*** Arc Copy provided by publisher, via Edelweiss, for a fair and honest review. ***

Back in November Smut Book Junkie Reviewers were searching for Holiday Themed Romances to feature throughout the month of December. I came across this book and it sounded very intriguing. First of all, I am a huge fan of Sports Romances. I love a good romance that engages a professional athlete in the game of love. Secondly, I love Holiday Romances. These kind of books always get me in the holiday spirit. The combination is bright and merry and leaves the reader with an uplifted spirit.

Holding Holly was everything I hoped for. It had the magic of Christmas, the spirit of giving, a heartwarming romance, and exceptional characters. This book was highly entertaining even though it was on the milder side of the romance heat index. It didn’t matter because the story itself was captivating.

When Derrick Collins takes his mother and grandmother out for some holiday shopping in the small town of Noel, he stumbles upon more than a town full of holiday cheer. He runs into Holly Reynolds. He has secretly had a crush on Holly from the previous summer football camp. She is a shy, kind , and beautiful woman that intrigues his interest.

When Derrick asks Holly on a date, little do either of them know that this date will change both of them. Trapped in a snow storm with Holly’s grandmother will give them another reason to be together. Holly’s grandmother has had a 30 year Christmas project that she needs help with. She enlists Derrick, Holly, and the Sharks to give one family in Noel a very special Christmas. This project will give Derrick and Holly the gift of love in many ways.

I absolutely loved this magical holiday romance. Little did I know that this book was a novella in the Love and Football series. I liked Julie Brannagh’s style of writing. Her characters are larger than life and full of personality. Her writing flows with ease. I had to look up the other books in this series and get them on my ereader. Like I said, I am a sucker for Sports Romance. I am now a fan of Julie Brannagh’s writing. I highly recommend Holding Holly. It will make your holiday season merrier.

Love and Football Series

Blitzing Emily – Book 1

All’s fair in Love and Football . . .

Emily Hamilton doesn’t trust men. She’s much more comfortable playing the romantic lead in front of a packed house onstage than in her own life. So when NFL star and alluring ladies’ man Brandon McKenna acts as her personal white knight, she has no illusions that he’ll stick around. However, a misunderstanding with the press throws them together in a fake engagement that yields unexpected (and breathtaking) benefits.

Every time Brandon calls her “Sugar,” Emily almost believes he’s playing for keeps—not just to score. Can she let down her defenses and get her own happily ever after?

Amazon ~ Barnes and Noble ~ ITunes

Rushing Amy – Book 2

For Amy Hamilton, only three Fs matter: Family, Football, and Flowers. It might be nice to find someone to share Forever with, too, but right now she’s working double overtime while she gets her flower shop off the ground. The last thing she needs or wants is a distraction … or help, for that matter. Especially in the form of gorgeous and aggravatingly arrogant ex-NFL star Matt Stephens.

Matt lives by a playbook—his playbook. He never thought his toughest opponent would come in the form of a stunning florist with a stubborn streak to match his own. Since meeting her in the bar after her sister’s wedding, he’s known there’s something between them. After she refuses—again and again—to go out with him, Matt will do anything to win her heart … But will Amy, who has everything to lose, let the clock run out on the one-yard line?

Amazon ~ Barnes and Noble ~ ITunes

Catching Cameron – Book 3

Star sports reporter Cameron Ondine has one firm rule: she does not date football players. Ever. She tangled with one years ago, and it did not end well. Been there, done that.

But when Cameron comes face-to-face with the very man who shattered her heart—on camera, no less—her world is upended for a second time by recklessly handsome Seattle Shark Zach Anderson.

Zach has never been able to forget the gorgeous blonde who stole his breath away when he was still just a rookie. They’ve managed to give each other a wide berth for years, but when their jobs suddenly bring them together again and again, he knows he has to face his past once and for all.

Because as they spend more time together, he becomes less focused on the action on the field and more concerned with catching Cameron.

Amazon ~ Barnes and Noble ~ ITunes

Covering Kendall – Book 4

Kendall Tracy, General Manager of the San Francisco Miners, is not one for rash decisions or one-night stands. But when she finds herself alone in a hotel room with a heart-stoppingly gorgeous man—who looks oddly familiar—Kendall throws her own rules out the window … and they blow right back into her face.

Drew McCoy should look familiar; he’s a star player for her team’s archrival, the Seattle Sharks. Which would basically make Drew and Kendall the Romeo and Juliet of professional football … well, without all the dying.

Not that it’s an issue. They agree to pretend their encounter never happened. Nothing good can come of it anyway, right?

Drew’s not so sure. Kendall may be all wrong for him, but he can’t stop thinking about her, and he finds that some risks are worth taking. Because the stakes are always highest when you’re playing for keeps.

Amazon ~ Barnes and Noble ~ ITunes

Author Bio:

Julie Brannagh has been writing since she could hold a pencil. She lives in a small town near Seattle, where she once served as a city council member and owned a yarn shop. She shares her home with a wonderful husband, two uncivilized Maine Coons and a rambunctious chocolate Lab.

When she’s not writing, she’s reading–or armchair-quarterbacking her favorite NFL team from the comfort of the family room couch. Julie is a Golden Heart finalist and the author of contemporary sports romances.

Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Goodreads

Review: Schooled by Lorelei James – The Mastered Series – Book 3

Posted on 12/10/2014 by shellbellereads

Schooled

The Mastered Series- Novella- Book 3

By Lorelei James

Synopsis

From the New York Times bestselling “master of erotic romance”* and author of Unraveled, Bound and Unwound comes the all-new novella in the Mastered series.
When Amery Hardwick first met martial arts master Ronin Black, she wasn’t ready for the primal urges his sensual rope artistry released in her. As it turned out Amery and Ronin were made for each other. But when they head to Japan for a delayed honeymoon and Ronin’s annual training with his sensei, Amery struggles to adapt to the foreign customs as well as running her burgeoning business from afar. But culture shock is the least of her worries when faced with the changes in Ronin—it feels as if she’s married a stranger. Caught between his sensei’s demands and pleasing his wife, Ronin is at war with himself over choosing advancement in his jujitsu training, or staying at home with the woman who owns his heart and soul. As the limits of their relationship are tested once again, Ronin and Amery discover that they both have a lot to learn about each other….and what it takes to build a love that’ll pass all life’s little tests.
Includes a preview of the new Mastered series novel, Unraveled.

Buy: Amazon / Barnes and Noble / ITunes

Michel’s Review

Schooled was the perfect addition to the Mastered Series. This novella picks up months after Unwound takes place. Ronin and Amery are now married. Due to his previous injuries and new endeavors at the Dojo, they did not get to take a honeymoon.

Ronin is going to Japan for his yearly training with his sensei. He has decided to incorporate his honeymoon with Amery into his training schedule. Amery will also have a chance to meet his grandfather and get a chance to see his family background.

Once they get to Japan, Ronin and Amery will experience many different lessons. This trip will strengthen their already strong relationship. It will give them a better understanding of each other as individuals as well as a couple. Both of them will learn new lesson’s from Ronin’s sensei training. They will also earn the respect from Ronin’s family.

Ronin and Amery have been schooled. They have learned their lessons well. Now they can truly become masters of their lives.

I absolutely loved this novella as much as I loved the two full length novels in the Mastered Series. Lorelei James is a very talented writer that brings her couples to life. She isn’t afraid to take them past their initial happily ever after. She makes them work to keep their hearts pure towards one another. She allows them to grow as individuals and as a couple. She makes the reader love the couple even more.

I highly recommend the Mastered Series. I would not recommend reading Schooled as a stand alone book. Amery and Ronin have experienced too much to have their relationship summed up in one novella. Their experience will capture the heart.

The Mastered Series

Bound

In the new Mastered series by New York Times bestselling author Lorelei James, a woman’s desire to shatter her inhibitions leaves her unprepared for where that erotic journey will take her….

Former small-town girl Amery Hardwick is living her dream as a graphic designer in Denver, Colorado. She’s focused on building her business, which leaves little time for dating—not that she needs a romantic entanglement to fulfill her. When her friend signs up for a self-defense class as part of her recovery after an attack, Amery joins her for support. That’s where she meets him.

Ronin Black, owner of the dojo, is so drawn to Amery that he takes over her training—in public and in private. The enigmatic Ronin pushes Amery’s boundaries from the start, and with each new tryst, Amery becomes addicted to the pleasure and to him. But when Amery senses Ronin is hiding something, she questions her total trust in him, despite the undeniable thrill of his possession….

Amazon / Barnes and Noble / ITunes

Unwound

n the continuation to the Mastered series by New York Times bestselling author Lorelei James, a man’s need for control is tested by the one woman he’ll risk everything for…

When sensei Ronin Black first encounters Amery Hardwick, the fire in her eyes ignites a sexual spark a thousand times better than the primal rush he used to get from mixed martial arts matches. She accepts his darker edges and admits to him that her desires aren’t as wholesome as he believed. And before long Ronin is grappling with emotions he’s never felt before….

Yet despite demanding Amery bare her body and soul to him, Ronin holds a part of himself back. When she learns Ronin’s secret and walks out, his life begins to unravel. To regain her trust he must let go of his pride and prove to her that it’s more than passion binding them together.

Amazon / Barnes and Noble / ITunes

Author Bio:

Lorelei James is the NY Times and USA Today Bestselling author of erotic westerns: the Rough Riders series, the Blacktop Cowboys series, and the erotic romances in the Mastered series. Lorelei lives in western South Dakota.

Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Goodreads

Giveaway

A Martial Arts Pack

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Saucy Southern Readers

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Category Archives: Michel

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Happy Release + Review + Giveaway: Before Ryan Was Mine by Kahlen Aymes- A Prequel to the Remembrance Trilogy

Review: Justified by Aurora Rose Reynolds- Alfha Series- Book 1

Review: Razed by Shiloh Walker – Barnes Brothers Series- Book 2

Review + Giveaway : Easy Virtue by Mia Asher

Holiday Review: Holding Holly by Julie Brannagh- Love and Football Series- Book 4.5- A Holiday Novella

Review: Schooled by Lorelei James – The Mastered Series – Book 3

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