Review: The Truth About Jack by Jody Gehrman

Posted on 04/16/2015 by shellbellereads

The Truth About Jack

By Jody Gehrman

Mature YA

Synopsis

This Entangled Teen Crush book contains references to missed connections, mistaken identities, and lots of misbehavior. It may give you all the swoony feels.
Can the write guy be the right guy?
Dakota McCloud has just been accepted into a prestigious art school. Soon she’ll leave behind the artists’ colony where she grew up-hippie dad, tofu since birth, yurt-and join her boyfriend and best friend on the East Coast. It was the plan…until Dakota finds out her boyfriend and best friend hooked up behind her back.
Hurt and viciously betrayed, Dakota pours out her heart on a piece of paper, places it in a bottle, and hurls it into the ocean. But it doesn’t quite go where she expects…Jack Sauvage finds the bottle washed up on the shore and responds to Dakota’s letter. Except what if his straight-laced life doesn’t jive with the free-spirited girl he’s only seen from afar? As Jack creates a persona he believes she’ll love, they slowly fall for each other with each new letter. Now Jack is trying to find a way to make this delicate, on-paper romance happen in real life…without revealing his deception.

Buy: Amazon / B & N / ITunes

Tina’s Review

Judging a Book by it’s Cover:
Cute cover with a light-hearted feel. Synopsis reads like a typical YA/NA feel-good drama.
And Beyond:
First-person alternating POV in present tense. Dakota grew up in a hippie community. She’s vibrant, caring and not as naive as one would imagine her to be. Jack comes from money. His mother shelters and represses him due to a past tragedy she’d never gotten over. Both characters are young, barely old enough to start college in the fall, but he’s already lost his best friend to suicide and she’s suffered the ultimate betrayal from her boyfriend and best friend.
Dakota composes a message in a bottle and tosses into the ocean, only unbeknownst to her, it is found only moments later by Jack. Jack first caught sight of Dakota earlier that day and was immediately drawn to her. When he spots her bottle churning in the tide, he takes it as fate. However, he replies to her message under false pretenses and begins a pen pal-ship that is based only on half-truths. Now he needs to figure out how to transition from his pen pal character to the real Jack without ruining everything.
The characters are young. They both have some maturing and learning to do, especially Jack – but I blame a lot of that on his mother, too. There are several secondary characters in this story, all which seem to benefit the plot in one way or another without threatening to steal the spotlight. There’s a natural and easy way about the dialogue and interaction that was nice, even the intentional awkwardness was conveyed well. While the plot progresses slow and steady, the writing style is fluid and easy to read. There were a handful of conflicts that were resolved in timely and age-appropriate manners. Predictability was low. The conclusion included a solid epilogue that added to the story nicely. Overall, a it was a fun, light read catering more to the teen and young adult crowd.

Author Bio:

Jody Gehrman is a native of Northern California, where she can be found writing, teaching, reading, or obsessing over her three cats most days. She is also the author of ten novels and numerous award-winning plays. Her Young Adult novels include The Truth About Jack, Audrey’s Guide to Black Magic, Audrey’s Guide to Witchcraft, Babe in Boyland, Confessions of a Triple Shot Betty, and Triple Shot Bettys in Love. Babe in Boyland was optioned by the Disney Channel and won the International Reading Association’s Teen Choice Award. Her adult novels are Bombshell, Notes from the Backseat, Tart, and Summer in the Land of Skin. Her plays have been produced in Ashland, New York, San Francisco, Chicago and L.A. She and her partner David Wolf won the New Generation Playwrights Award for their one-act, Jake Savage, Jungle P.I. She is a professor of English and Communication Studies at Mendocino College.

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Review: Force of Attraction by D. D. Ayres- K-9 Rescue Series – Book 2

Posted on 04/10/2015 by shellbellereads

Force of Attraction

K – 9 Rescue Series – Book 2

By D. D. Ayres

Synopsis

The only thing more powerful than fear is desire…

A seasoned K-9 officer with the police in Maryland, Cole Jamison has left her old life behind her. With a new home and a new partner–a protective canine named Hugo–Cole is ready for fresh challenges. A crucial position on an important drug task force is exactly what she wants…until she discovers her gorgeous, infuriating ex-husband will be the DEA agent in charge.
FORCE OF ATTRACTION

Agent Scott Lucca may be a pro when it comes to undercover assignments, but this job is daunting even for him. Posing as a happy couple on the dog competition circuit means he and Cole need to get a lot closer than they’ve been in years. Playing a live-in couple should seem like a walk in the park compared to tracking a brutal criminal, but suddenly nothing could be more dangerous than the passionate fire they’ve rekindled…

Buy: Amazon / B & N / ITunes / Kobo

Tina’s Review

Cover thoughts: No Shirt, Wield Shield, Will Service? It’s kind of an awkward cover that does not accurately represent the story inside. He should have looked more like a motorcycle mechanic or something… but this, it’s just gratuitous man-flesh. 😉 Synopsis is pretty on-point.
Technically, this is the third book to the series, but each stands alone. The force of attraction between Scott and Nikki was like magnet to steel, leading to a whirlwind marriage and a few good years. Then their marriage fell victim to his two-year UC persona, ultimately resulting in divorce. Now, circumstances bring them together to work on a joint task force determined to put an end to drug smugglers that are using the AKC competitive world as their smokescreen while gruesome, inhumane acts are being carried out behind-the-scenes. Nikki, now going by Cole, takes the position claiming she needs this “for closure” when the truth is, she’s just as effected by Scott as she was the day she met him. Scott knows he screwed up and he doesn’t deserve her, but damn if he doesn’t want her with a viciousness! This is the Love/Hate relationship for the ages and their unresolved issues are epic.
The characters are well-written and enjoyable. The secondaries are supportive and beneficial to the story. Hugo and Izzy truly come to life and convey such emotion and personality. I love the natural interaction and dialogue between characters. The fluidity of the story has a smooth progression and even when it only puts you through the mundane, it is still a pleasure to read. The plot does have plenty of action and throughout it all, it keeps you excited to see how things would unfold. I had my suspicions early on about who the “bad guy(s)” is/are and was right about the main one & somewhat right about the lesser players. There were plenty of conflicts which, in the beginning, were denied and avoided or compounded by mis- or non-communication, as the story progressed, the conflicts were resolved much more maturely and cohesively. The conclusion is solid and wraps up all loose ends in a manner that was not rushed or drawn out.

The K – 9 Rescue Series

Necessary Force- Novella

It was supposed to be a sexy calendar shoot to raise money for K-9 service dogs. Photographer Georgie Flynn never expected to break all her personal rules and jump into bed with one of the hunky men posing. And after their steamy night together, she certainly never expected to see him again…despite their powerful connection.
When she’s targeted by a stalker and possible bomber, Georgie finds that her gorgeous one-night stand is the only one who can help.
Brad Lawson, an FBI operative, and his K-9 bomb sniffing partner are assigned to protect the pretty photographer–and this time, he’s determined to keep things professional. He just didn’t count on their explosive connection rekindling. But with a deadly threat on the horizon, will he be able to keep his body’s demands in check and complete his mission?

Buy: Amazon / B & N / ITunes / Kobo

Irresistible Force

When adrenaline runs high, so does the force of desire…

For Shay Appleton, it’s love at first sight when a gorgeous stray dog is brought into the animal shelter where she works. She just knows he’ll make a terrific watch dog–and with an abusive ex who won’t let go, she needs all the protection she can get. But Shay never suspected that her new pet is actually a trained police K-9 named Bogart–until Bogart’s even more gorgeous, human partner shows up on her doorstep.

IRRESISTIBLE FORCE by D.D. Ayres
Officer James Cannon is one tall, strong alpha male who’s convinced that Shay stole his dog. But once he gets closer to the suspect, he realizes that this stubborn, independent woman not only needs a guard dog, she needs James as well. It seems that someone from her past is stalking her, and threatening her life. When danger meets desire, will James risk his career and his best friend…to protect the woman who’s stolen his heart?

Buy: Amazon / B & N / ITunes / Kobo

Author Bio:

A veteran author of romance and women’s fiction, D.D. Ayres is new to Romantic Suspense. She believes the lure of romance is always the human connection. Put that connection in physical jeopardy, and and we learn a bit more about who we really are.
With her K-9 Rescue series, D.D. hopes you will enjoy her sexy, suspenseful portrayals of K-9 teams at their best.
D.D. lives in Texas with her husband and a soft-coated Wheaten terrier named Zoe.

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Happy Release + 5 Star Review + Giveaway: Holding Strong by Lori Foster – Ultimate Series – Book 2

Posted on 03/31/2015 by shellbellereads

Holding Strong

Ultimate Series – Book 2

By Lori Foster

Synopsis

An up-and-coming MMA fighter wants more than just one night from a woman fleeing her past in New York Times bestselling author Lori Foster’s irresistible new novel

Heavyweight fighter Denver Lewis plays real nice, but he doesn’t share. That’s why he’s been avoiding top-notch flirt Cherry Peyton. But a man can only resist those lush curves for so long. Their encounter surpasses all his fantasies, bringing out protective urges that Cherry’s about to need more than she knows…

Denver’s combination of pure muscle and unexpected tenderness has been driving Cherry wild. Yet no sooner does she get what she’s been craving than old troubles show up on her doorstep. And this time, Cherry can’t hide behind a carefree facade. Because the man by her side is one who’ll fight like hell to keep her safe…if only she’ll trust him enough to let him…

Buy: Amazon / Barnes and Noble / ITunes / Kobo

Tina’s Review

Five Smoldering, Sexy but Sensitive Stars!
What’s better than being roommates with Cannon Colter’s sister, Merissa? Maybe being friends with all the hot, uber alpha males at the rec center because of it. Wait… no, it’s those protective males banding together when trouble comes looking for Cherry – and Denver is leading the pack! Denver is, without a doubt, a total Alpha male. There’s kind of a role-reversal here at the beginning… Cherry’s the life of the party and Denver does not want a casual one-nighter with her, he wants her for the long-term. That’s incredible hot.
He growled, “Don’t fool yourself, girl. I could never ignore you, no matter how hard I tried.” He lightly bit her shoulder, then smoothed the spot with his hot tongue. “Anytime you were around, I knew it. I *felt* it. Clear down to my bones.”
I love Denver and Cherry’s characters, individually and as a couple. The standard fair of secondary characters (all the rec fighters, plus a few cameo cross-overs from Love Undercover and SBC) made an appearance. Dialogue and interaction was natural, realistic and believable. The plot is full and dynamic. My only complaint is that it was a little TOO full. Pamela… ugh! There were undercurrents for Armie and Rissy, leading me to believe they’ll be getting their book sooner than expected. Stack and Vanity obviously are next in the line up. There were a few spots that I worried that they were trying to take over the book. Ms. Foster managed to rein them in, but just barely. The flow of the book is exactly what you’d expect of Ms. Foster. This one did, however, feel more emotionally focused than suspense and action seeded. I’m okay with that, but there may be some out there that anticipated more action than was given. There are plenty of conflicts, but calm and controlled Denver always manages to resolve them in a quick and efficient manner (while apologizing profusely when he’s being a bonehead). Predictability was very low. The climax of the story is fast-paced and exciting, leading into a conclusion which is solid. There’s even a Cannon Colter Bonus scene further hinting at what’s to come. This was a truly enjoyable read and I look forward to TOUGH LOVE, due out August 2015.

Michel’s Review

What’s better than an MMA Fighter romance? I will tell you what is better….when Lori Foster adds her magic touch! The results is one swoon worthy hot Alpha fighter that will take you down in flames.

Put one Alpha fighter, one party girl, and pack of other fighters willing to protect said party girl. Add a whole lot of trouble, a whole lot of chemistry, and one bone tingling romance and you get the perfect book, Holding Strong by Lori Foster.

I absolutely loved Denver and Cherry. Both were strong, yet vulnerable characters, that had depth. As a couple and as individuals, they pulled at the readers heartstrings. Their story is packed full of emotion.

I could not put this book down. It had every element I look for in a book. The characters came to life, the romance curled my toes, and the overall story kept me entertained to the very last word.

Lori Foster has another winner by unanimous decision in Holding Strong!

The Ultimate Series

Hard Knocks- Prequel Novella

In the stunning prequel novella to her new mixed martial arts series, New York Times bestselling author Lori Foster brings together an elite fighter and the woman he’s determined to win.

Power. Brute strength. Unforgettable moves. It’s no wonder Harper Gates hasn’t been able to get her fling with Gage “Savage” Ringer out of her head. Months have passed since she laid eyes—or any other body parts—on him. Months without a word of contact…until, sidelined by injury, he comes back to town.

Staying focused on his training seemed like a smart move to Gage, even if he thought about Harper every day. Seeing her again only makes it clear how much is at stake. He’s got one night to earn back her trust. One night to show her that behind his breathtaking skill and ripped body is a man who’ll give her everything she needs.

Don’t miss No Limits, the first novel in Lori Foster’s Ultimate series.

Buy: Amazon / Barnes and Noble / ITunes / Kobo

No Limits- Book 1

A surprise inheritance reunites a mixed martial arts fighter with the woman he’s never forgotten in the first in a smoldering new series from New York Times bestselling author Lori Foster

Cannon Colter is quintessential hero material: chiseled jawline, shredded body—the works. He’s also the guy who rescued Yvette Sweeny from kidnappers, only to put an end to her romantic dreams. These days, she’s older, smarter, determined to face whatever life throws her way. Even the prospect of sharing a house and business with Cannon.

Cannon knew Yvette wanted him three years ago. But she was young—and some things are worth waiting for. Thrown together by her grandfather’s legacy, he realizes how deep Yvette’s scars really go, and how much danger lurks in their quiet town. As pent-up desire explodes between them, protecting her becomes the only fight that matters. And he’ll break all the rules to do it….

Buy: Amazon/ Barnes and Noble / ITunes / Kobo

Holding Strong- Book 2

An up-and-coming MMA fighter wants more than just one night from a woman fleeing her past in New York Times bestselling author Lori Foster’s irresistible new novel

Amazon / Barnes and Noble / ITunes / Kobo

About Lori Foster

Since first publishing in January 1996, Lori Foster has become a USA Today, Publisher’s Weekly and New York Times bestselling author. Lori has published through a variety of houses, including Kensington, St. Martin’s, Berkley, Silhouette and Samhain. She is currently with Harlequin.
Lori believes it’s important to give back to the community as much as possible, and for that reason she ran special contests in conjunction with a publisher, facilitating many first sales for new authors. She routinely organizes events among authors and readers to gather donations for various organizations.
Lori hosts a very special annual “Reader & Author” event in West Chester, Ohio. Proceeds from the event have benefited many worthy causes, including the Hamilton County YWCA Battered Women’s Shelter, the Animal Adoption Foundation, The Conductive Learning Center for children with spina bifida and cerebral palsy, and The One Way Farm, Children’s Home.

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— #GIVEAWAY —
(3) swag packs, including: a set of Ultimate magnets, a Holding Strong keychain, and various Lori Foster bookmarks, etc.
http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/775aa83b6/

Happy Release: Katie In Love by Chloe Thurlow

Posted on 03/21/2015 by shellbellereads

Katie In Love

An Erotic Romance

By Chloe Thurlow

Synopsis

atie Boyd has nothing in common with Tom Bridge, the volunteer doctor she meets at a party – except in bed she finds a passion to match her own. Tom is intense, puzzling, a man who cares about others and compels Katie to question her own life drifting through the hip clubs and London party scene.

When Tom returns to his post in a Sri Lanka orphanage, Katie isn’t sure if their passion was lit by its brevity, or if love, unexpected and not entirely wanted, has edged its way into her life. Should she go back to being who she always was? Or follow Tom into the unknown?

Katie in Love is a compelling erotic-romance that will grip readers as they follow Katie’s journey to an ending they may have expected – but not in the way they expected it.

Brilliantly written and coolly self-aware, Chloe Thurlow was described by KM Dylan on Amazon as “…the Anaïs Nin of our times.” With Katie in Love – her sixth novel – Thurlow reveals a writer at the height of her powers.

Buy: Amazon / B & N

Tina’s Review

First-person female POV. Warning: The journey through Katie’s thoughts can be chaotic and unfiltered. 😉
Ms. Thurlow has an erratically whimsical writing style that is abundantly descriptive. The characters are well-written, each with their own very distinctive personalities and quirks. The dialogue is believable, the interaction is good. There are only a few places where things feel a bit disjointed and awkward, but it’s difficult to tell if perhaps it weren’t intentional. The plot holds the reader’s interest and flows smoothly most of the time. On occasion, I found myself re-reading parts due to the overly-descriptive style but it was not so much that it detracts from the story’s quality. In fact, I find that many books by Nora Roberts effect me in the same manner. The conflicts throughout the books are maturely resolved with little to no predictability. The conclusion is solid and welcoming, with no cliffhangers.

Author Bio:

After uni, I started working in PR and got bored to tears. It was more fun being a waitress and writing in the dark silent hours from 2am to 6. I managed to complete a novel I called “Being A Girl” and fell over in the street after Nexus published it and the editor gave me a bottle of champagne I drank too quickly. Now, here we are, penning away night and day, five novels and three naughty-shorties on the shelf with a study of EL James called “The Fifty Shades of Grey Phenomena” just out.

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Review: Throttle by Sassie Lewis

Posted on 03/19/2015 by shellbellereads

Throttle

By Sassie Lewis

Synopsis

No Surrender…

Sin is a man who lives by his own rules. Large and in charge, he takes what he wants and makes no apologies about it. Running his custom bike shop and raising his son are the only things he’s ever cared about. That is, until a full-bodied goddess crosses his path.

No Regrets…

Georgia’s the forbidden fruit custom built for temptation. He knew she was off limits, for more than one reason, but there’s only so long he can fight his desires. When he ignores the rules and claims her, what price will he pay for that one taste of perfection?

Buy: Amazon

Tina’s Review

Novella: about 100 pages. A RARE first-person (MALE) POV.
The cover is mildly misleading, allows you to believe this may be a MC book. Not really. He’s a gear head… owns THROTTLE (garage/shop) and builds, rebuilds, customizes, and fixes bikes. He’s got an “in” with the bikers, but it’s NOT a MC book. Synopsis: Again, a little misleading. You’d think his son is a young child as opposed to a college graduate.
Cynfor (Sin) was a little hellion growing up; always in trouble and pushing the limits. That is, until a newborn is dropped at his parents’ doorstep when he’s only 17 years old. From then, his son, Tyson, had been his sole focus. Now, as a 38-yr old single dad, he finds his son’s college graduate status delivers mixed emotions. He’s hot for the girl on Ty’s arm. Georgia lives a pretty solitary existence with no parents or siblings and only an elderly unwell foster mother. She works numerous jobs to make ends meet and wears baggy second-hand clothes that Sin manages to easily see past which is good because she’s seriously attracted to Sin, despite the fact that he’s Ty’s dad and 14 yrs her senior.
The characters were well created and enjoyable. Dialogue was good, interaction felt natural. The plot flowed well, but was not as full and dynamic as it could have been if it were a full novel length. There’s plenty of sex, mostly Neanderthal worthy. Ms. Lewis is rather descriptive and often remarks on the audible elements of the deed, other than that, it was not overly graphic nor clinical. There were a few issues that were resolved in very human fashion. The characters were allowed to make mistakes, learn from them, and try to earn a second chance. I had Tyson figured out almost immediately, but that did not – in any way – detract from the story. The conclusion was solid, with no cliffhangers. There’s just enough going on at the end of this story that if there were another novel(la) written to follow this one, I’d not be surprised.
Only one spelling error noted, but it was easily over-looked. Overall, it was an enjoyable, quick read.

Author Bio

Sassie Lewis is a born and bred Australian. She lives on the outskirts of Brisbane Queensland, with her husband, two daughters, one son and a dog that hates having a bath.
She swears like a sailor, and blames her ability to over share personal matters – matters that fall into that TMI category – on a faulty brain to mouth filter, that forgets to tell her “This isn’t appropriate dinner conversation”.
An avid reader since childhood. Sassie came across erotic romance in her mid-twenties, falling deeply, madly in lust with the genre instantly. And has had wet panties ever since.
With her somewhat skewed and unique view of the world, along with a little encouragement from her father, she thought what the heck! and she penned her first erotic romance.
She hopes to drag you into the world she’s created, and leave you as breathless and wanting, for her fictional friends, as she became, while writing them.

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Happy Release + Review: Addy and The Smart Guy by Carter Ashby- Big Girl Panties Series – Book 3

Posted on 03/11/2015 by shellbellereads

Addy And The Smart Guy

Big Girl Panties Series- Book 3

By Carter Ashby

Synopsis

If it weren’t for her best friends, Zoey and Maya, Addy Hart would be a prudish, uptight Barbie doll. Thankfully, through love and persistence, they’ve helped introduce her to her wild side. Unfortunately, even her wild side doesn’t have the courage to go after the one thing she wants more than life itself.

Dr. Greyson McDaniel has resisted his lovely teaching assistant for three years, now. He has no intentions of endangering his job or her reputation. But as spring break approaches, he’s seized with a wicked impulse. He invites her to his mountain retreat for a week. Just one week of intense escape.

What they both discover after their affair is that a week isn’t nearly enough. But as much as they long to be together, there are obstacles in their way, and the ethics of student-teacher relationships are the least of their problems. When she realizes how deeply rooted Grey’s commitment issues are, Addy begins to despair of ever having a happy ending with him. But Addy’s love might be just what’s needed to free him of his past.

Buy: Amazon

Tina’s Review

The synopsis is strong. The cover is not as impressive to me; the couple do not seem to capture the essence of Addy and Grey as they are describe and I’ve imagined. But aside from that, we’ve got the story itself. It’s the third in the series and includes the previous couples as secondary characters. While this can be read as a stand-alone novel, the reader would gain the most out of it if it were read in order of the series.
Addy’s been crushing on her college professor for years and even becomes his TA to be closer to him. She’s a 23-yr old virgin who’s saved herself for the man she thinks she can never have. He’s 12 years older and afraid of commitment and fears putting his career on the line for his young student-turned-assistant. Even though he knows he can’t have her, he’s just caveman jealous enough to want no guy to have her. <- I’m not sold on that whole storyline, the series was great without trying to add all of the taboo and obsession elements. There are moments that I really like Addy and others that I really, REALLY don’t. Same with Grey. Most of the time, I really truly liked him… but every now and again he’d screw it up by acting like an idiot. The cast of secondary characters, both new and old, were beneficial and supportive to the plot. Dialogue was believable, interaction felt mostly natural. His using “kiddo” as a nickname for her was a little off-putting. The plot certainly contained enough drama and plenty dynamics and writing style flows very smoothly. The conflicts were mostly resolved, but there really was no clear-cut resolution to the Gwen issue. Predictability was low. The conclusion was mostly wrapped up. It had the HEA, but I felt it could have benefited from an epilogue covering all three couples if this is meant to be the end of the series. Overall, I was a huge fan of the series and liked this book, but I hate to say this… I liked the other two books better.

_______________________________________________________________

Author Bio:

When I got my first email from the man who would one day be my husband, it was very clear that he did not want to email me. Friends had set us up and he was obviously bowing to their pressure. His email consisted of a numerical list of facts about himself that he clearly meant to be the end of our correspondence.

My snarky response was a numerical list of facts about myself, and for some reason, he liked it. So that’s what I’m going to do here, since I’m not so good at writing about myself.

Carter is not my real name. Imagine how you would feel if your strictly right-wing religious family and friends found out you wrote stuff with sex and bad words in it.
I’ve been married 11 years and have three kids and two dogs.
I like to garden but I DO NOT like to talk about gardening. So please, let’s not talk about gardening.
I’m deeply introspective and welcome anyone who wants to bitch-slap me back into reality, should I float away a little too far into my own thoughts.
I think fiction is a basic and essential element of our existence as humans. I think it’s part of what makes us human. And I think we relate better to each other through stories than we do through fact–bitch slap me now, I’m getting introspective.
I’m a little flighty about hobbies. Reading, writing, and bread baking are the only ones that have stood the test of time. Current hobbies include mixing drinks, making mead, gardening, fermenting stuff from the garden…I think that’s all at the moment.
I’ll read anything. Most of my loved ones stick to their favorite genre, so I will go read what they’re reading so we can have stuff to talk about at the dinner table.
I homeschool my children. Not because of religious reasons. Not because I hate the system (although I’m not overly fond of it). But because I just want to be with them. And playing school is fun. Remember that? Playing teacher and making your younger sister do a bunch of homework? Was that just me?
Last one: The first time I dropped out of college was because I was having one of those existential crises teenagers are so fond of having. When I went home, I found stacks and stacks of notebooks in my closet full of unfinished (and god-awful) stories. I didn’t even remember writing them. But that’s when I realized that I was a writer. Because I have to do it. It’s who I am. The publishing thing is virgin territory, but I have always, and always will, write. Because I have to.

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Happy Release + Review: Unwritten by Melody Grace – Beachwood Bay Series – Book 7

Posted on 03/10/2015 by shellbellereads

Unwritten

Beachwood Bay Series – Book 7

By Melody Grace

Buy: Amazon / Barnes and Noble / ITunes

He’s my best friend’s brother – and the only boy I’ve ever loved. Movie star, manwhore, and totally off-limits.

Until now.

I told myself it was time to move on, until one epic night changed everything. Now there’s no denying the way I feel when he touches me, or the reckless desire in his eyes.

Once we cross that line, there’s no going back. But can I risk it all for him when he’s still hiding secrets of his own?

Some love stories are destiny. Ours is still unwritten.

Tracey’s Review

Zoey Barnes has been in love with Blake Callahan for as long as she can remember. Her knight in shining armor, Blake helped Zoey to believe that she was important, that things would get better, that she could make her life whatever she wanted it to be. To Blake, though, Zoey is just his sister Tegan’s best friend, another little sister and part of his family. Convincing him that she’s so much more will be Zoey’s biggest challenge yet.

Visiting the community of Beachwood Bay and its residents is always a lovely experience for me. From the small-town closeness of Beachwood Bay to the extended and intertwined cast of characters, I know that I will love each story, and Unwritten is no different. I was excited to read this book, having previously been introduced to Zoey and Blake. Zoey is absolutely adorable. She speaks to a part of each of us, that part that is unsure, that is trying to find our place in the world, that wants something so badly that she will do whatever it takes to get it. Seeing her step out in faith to go after Blake is sometimes painfully awkward, but I couldn’t help but root for her. And Blake, Blake has had to be the consummate actor for a very long time, the Callahan that smooths out all the edges, that makes everyone feel better, even when he’s falling apart himself. In Melody Grace’s usual fashion, she has brought together two people that have suffered more than their fair share in their young lives, but whose resilience allows them to rise above their pasts. Separately, Zoey and Blake are getting through life just fine, but together they make each other shine, and be the best that they can be.

I love that Melody continues to give updates on everyone, so that it really seems as though we’re a part of their stories. That she is able to flow effortlessly from one book to the other, and not lose any of the depth of character, or punch of emotion, is a testament to her success as one of the currently reigning voices in contemporary romance. I am looking very forward to reading UNFORGETTABLE, Ash’s story, and give Unwritten 5 emotional and sexy stars.

Tina’s Review

Quick fore-notes: Although this is the seventh book in the series, I’ve not read any of the previous ones, nor have I ever read anything my Melody Grace until now. While I am NOT a fan of the awkward looking cover, I was intrigued by the minimalistic approach to the synopsis.
The story is written in a first-person POV, most often being Zoey’s but later it alternates more between her and Blake. All switches are clearly defined and the transitions are made smoothly. The prologue begins on New Year’s Eve, but then picks up months later. Throughout, there are flashbacks over the past six years. The timeline is clearly marked and easy to keep track of.
Zoey’s had a secret crush on her best friend Tegan’s older brother, Blake, for years. But being four years younger than him, she was always seen more like another kid sister. Now, both adults, she’s home from a stint in Paris and she’s determined to make him see her for the woman she is. A New Year’s Resolution, hers, coupled by a steamy kiss is the only validation she needs to pursue her attraction to him. All of the characters, whether good, bad or ugly, are well-written with diverse personas creating a rich, full cast. The dialogue and interaction between them is believable and feels fairly natural. There is enough dynamics and drama to keep the plot from feeling flat or listless and plenty of conflicts that needed to be worked through, some more maturely that others – but that is to be expected when the characters are early- to mid- 20-year olds. There was not a lot of predictability. The conclusion was solid and felt complete.
A final word: You know how you have a favorite snack, like a can of chips or a pint of ice cream? It’s a yummy treat that you enjoy devouring, but then you look down and it’s gone? You kind of feel guilty because you consumed it in one sitting and now there’s none left to savor and enjoy? That is how I felt with this book. Ms. Grace has a fluidity to her writing that made it entirely too possible to devour the book in a binge read.

Melody Grace is the New York Times bestselling author of the Beachwood Bay series. A small-town girl turned SoCal beach lover, after spending her life with her nose in a book, she decided it was time she wrote one herself. She loves steamy romance novels, happily-ever-afters, and lusting after fictional menfolk. She lives in LA with her two kittens, Bucky Barnes and Steve Rogers.

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Review: Heartbreak Cove by Lily Everett -Sanctuary Island Series – Book 3

Posted on 03/05/2015 by shellbellereads

Heartbreak Cove

Sanctuary Island Series – Book 3

By Lily Everett

Synopsis

Welcome to a place where love is in the air, fate is in the stars, and home is just a heartbeat away…
Sheriff Andie Shepard may be new to Sanctuary Island but, like everyone else who comes here, she’s already fallen under its healing spell. Andie is determined to leave her mistakes behind her and make this scenic haven her home. But she just might have to change her plans–as well as open her heart–when an unexpected visitor shows up on her doorstep…
Heartbreak CoveCaitlin is the ten-year-old niece Andie never knew she had. Silent, wary, and shy as can be, Caitlin only responds to the horses that run wild across the island. Andie has no idea how to deal with Caitlin–until Sam Brennan enters the picture. A tall, handsome loner who rehabilitates abused horses, Sam is able to help Caitlin break out of her shell. But that’s not all: He finds a way to touch something deep in Andie’s heart, opening her up to the healing power of love. Together, these three lost souls must face the darkness in their past to build a brighter future. Because here, on Sanctuary Island, anything is possible…

Buy: Amazon / B & N / ITunes / Kobo

Tina’s Review

Sam’s returned to Sanctuary Island, looking to Jo Ellen to house a racehorse in desperate need of TLC; one that he may just have rescued in less-than-legal ways. Andie believes in a black and white letter of the law. She does not believe there is a grey area to it at all. Caitlin’s the surprise 8-yr old niece that is delivered to Andie. She only has minutes to prepare after receiving a phone call from Owen, her military brother that she’s not heard from in years. She’s distrustful of adult females and seems to have taken a liking to Sam and the horses of Jo’s rehab center. It’s a treacherous line they’ll walk to find a healthy balance.
Sam’s past makes him a bit more impulsive when protection is needed. It also makes him more perceptive to like souls. Andie’s past has made he stronger and more independent that she’s almost unreachable in some things. Although these two were less enjoyable and a little more difficult to connect with, for me, they were still well written. The introduction of a few new characters along with many of the past round out the cast to the story. As usual, the dialogue and interactions are believable and natural feeling. The plot has just enough “uh-oh” drama to keep you on the edge of your seat and enough sub-plot to keep hoping for more. Plenty depth and dynamics in a smooth-flowing, full plot. There were several conflicts layered and interwoven throughout the story, all of which are resolved in a timely manner with very little predictability. The conclusion was sold, wrapping up all of loose ends of the main story and the sub-plot while the epilogue gave the readers an exciting glimpse into what to expect from the next book.
Once again, Ms. Everett has provided the readers a fantastic story about second chances, renewed hope and finding love and trust.

Author Bio:

Lily Everett grew up in a small town in central Virginia, in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Although she’s lived many other places since, from college in Philadelphia to her first publishing job in New York City and her current home in Austin, Texas, she never forgot the beauty and warmth of her little hometown. She is thrilled to be writing the Sanctuary Island series full time because it allows her to combine her longstanding love of romance with the memories of her childhood home.

Lily’s alter ego is Louisa Edwards. Under that name, she is the author of the Recipe for Love series, sexy contemporary romances with hot chef heroes set in the high-stakes, fast-paced world of professional restaurants.

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Review: Tempting The Corporate Spy by Angela Claire – Sleeping With The Enemy Series – Book 2

Posted on 03/04/2015 by shellbellereads

Tempting The Corporate Spy

Sleeping With The Enemy Series – Book 2

By Angela Claire

Synopsis

He’s stealing more than her heart…

Whiz kid Liv Altman is working on Internet anti-piracy software that could be huge. It could also be dangerous. And someone wants it badly enough to blackmail only the very best hacker—the infamous and reclusive Jonathon Crestwell—into stealing it…

Liv usually has no trouble ignoring the computer geeks she works with every day, but her new corporate consultant is definitely not easy to ignore. He’s tall and dead hot, with deep blue eyes that make Liv think the naughtiest of HR-violating thoughts. When she finds him unexpectedly in her office one evening, things take a turn for the sexier. But come morning, Liv will discover the truth about her new employee…and what he really wants.

Buy: Amazon / Barnes and Noble / ITunes

Tina’s Review

She’s developing an anti-piracy program that they want. He’s being blackmailed into integrating himself within her company so he can take it from her for them. Liv and Jon are both well-written characters and are complemented by a strong secondary cast of likable and not-so likable characters, as the author intended. The dialogue and interaction is believable and natural. The story is a little short, but still packs in a pretty full plot and enough dynamics to keep it from falling flat. There was a smooth, easy flow to the writing that made for easy readability. There are a few conflicts interwoven throughout the plot which could have been resolved so much quicker if they’d had better communication, but what fun would the story be then, right? So, the conflicts are resolved in the end with little predictability. The conclusion was solid although I was still a bit unsure of who Rudy was working with. Of Ms. Claire’s books that I’ve read, I must say this one was my favorite so far.

Sleeping With The Enemy Series

Tempting The CEO

Sleeping With The Enemy – Book 1

By Angela Claire

Synopsis:

A sexy category romance from Entangled’s Brazen imprint…

Never mix business with one night of playful, sizzling pleasure…

If lawyer Angie O’Hare needed another reason to hate New York City, this would be it. Locked out of her room and stranded in the hallway. Wearing only a towel. Lovely. But then, rescue arrives—in the form of the wickedly hot, funny guy in the penthouse next door. Angie is so relieved that she ignores her usual buzz-kill tendencies, and agrees to have a drink with Mr. Sexy Salvation…

But things don’t stop at just a drink. Or even a hot make-out session.

Cue one night of hot, ultra-x-rated sexy time. No names. No personal information. And the next morning, Angie sneaks out, returning to her prim-and-proper life, every hair in place. But New York City isn’t done with Angie yet. Because her meeting that morning is with CEO Jed Worth… whose bed she did everything but sleep in last night! And Jed isn’t the sort of man to take “conflict of interest” as an answer…

Buy: Amazon / Barnes and Noble / ITunes

Author Bio:

Angela Claire’s first love was romance novels, but she resolved to give them up temporarily for law books (which were considerably less fun). In a quest for a ‘responsible’ career, she headed off to law school, obtained her diploma and settled into a corporate law practice in New York city… which she hated! After staying in the rat race long enough to pay back her massive student loans, Angela returned to her roots in the Midwest to raise her two sons and worked as a lawyer at a more leisurely pace than big city law firm life would allow. She writes in her spare time and finds romance in real life with her husband of 28 years.

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Happy Release + Review: Served Hot by Annabeth Albert – Portland Heat Series – Book 1

Posted on 03/03/2015 by shellbellereads

Served Hot

Portland Heat Series – Book 1

Genre: GLBT, M/M, Gay

By Annabeth Albert

Synopsis

In Portland, Oregon, the only thing hotter than the coffee shops, restaurants, and bakeries are the hard-working men who serve it up—hot, fresh, and ready to go—with no reservations…

Robby is a self-employed barista with a busy coffee cart, a warm smile, and a major crush on one of his customers. David is a handsome finance director who works nearby, eats lunch by himself, and expects nothing but “the usual”—small vanilla latte—from the cute guy in the cart. But when David shows up for his first Portland Pride festival, Robby works up the nerve to take their slow-brewing relationship to the next level. David, however, is newly out and single, still grieving the loss of his longtime lover, and unsure if he’s ready to date again. Yet with every fresh latte, sweet exchange—and near hook-up—David and Robby go from simmering to steaming to piping hot. The question is: Will someone get burned?

First in the new Portland Heat series!

Buy: Amazon / Barnes and Noble / ITunes / Kobo

Tina’s Review

Novella length, about 100 pages. The synopsis provided really does capture the essence of the book quite nicely. Well-written, very likable character each individually charming and with their own flaws. There are very few secondary characters & even then, they only minute supporting roles. The dialogue and interaction is believable in it’s initial awkwardness and progression as the relationship progresses. My heart breaks a little for these two guys here and there, throughout the book, because of the doubts and insecurities brought on my poor past experiences. There’s enough emotion conveyed to connect you to the story and it’s characters and the sexy scenes were sweet and hot. Plot is a hard element to score on novellas, they often lack the depth and dimension of a full-length novel. This one makes a valid attempt, but lacks the fullness I’d prefer to see. That said, it is still a nice story that flows very well, it just fell a little dynamically flat is all. There are conflicts throughout that are resolved in mostly-mature and timely manners. Predictability was pleasantly low. The conclusion is solid and nicely wrapped up. Overall, I’d say this was a quick, but enjoyable read.

Author Bio:

Frequent tweeter, professional grammar nerd, and obsessive reader, Annabeth Albert is also a Pacific Northwest romance writer in a variety of subgenres.

Emotionally complex, sexy, and funny stories are her favorites both to read and to write. In between searching out dark heroes to redeem, she works a rewarding day job and wrangles two toddlers.

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Saucy Southern Readers

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Category Archives: Tina

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Happy Release + Review: Unwritten by Melody Grace – Beachwood Bay Series – Book 7

Review: Heartbreak Cove by Lily Everett -Sanctuary Island Series – Book 3

Review: Tempting The Corporate Spy by Angela Claire – Sleeping With The Enemy Series – Book 2

Happy Release + Review: Served Hot by Annabeth Albert – Portland Heat Series – Book 1

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