Holiday Review: Holiday On Ice by Jaci Burton- Play By Play Series-Book 8.5

Posted on 11/19/2014 by shellbellereads

Holiday On Ice

Play By Play Series- Book 8.5

By Jaci Burton

Synopsis

In this original holiday novella in the Play-By-Play series, New York Times bestselling author Jaci Burton gives readers the gift of “plenty of romance, sexy men, hot steamy loving, and humor.” (Smexy Books)

Superstar hockey player Patrick “Trick” Niemeyer and dancer Stella Slovinski have picked up where they left off a year ago, resuming their hot, uncomplicated affair. Stella refuses to call it dating, or a relationship. But lately, Trick is looking for more…

Stella’s been burned before—in a relationship she never talks about—not with her family, not with her friends, and definitely not with Trick. But now it’s the holiday season and Trick is determined to give Stella his heart wrapped up in a bow. He knows Stella is the right woman for him, but he’ll have to melt the ice surrounding her heart to keep her from walking away.

Includes a preview of Jaci Burton’s QUARTERBACK DRAW and LOVE AFTER ALL.

Buy: Amazon / Barnes and Noble / ITunes

Tina’s Review

ARC copy provided by publisher, via NetGalley, for a fair and honest review.

Patrick “Trick” Niemeyer plays professional hockey for the Travelers. Stella Slovinski is a professional dancer and best friends with Carolina Preston. They met, originally, about a year ago through Carolina and Drew and had an off/on relationship for a few months. Now, she’s scored a lead on Broadway and he’s still concentrating game to game to make it to the finals, their schedules are even busier than ever. The magnetic attraction is still there between them and Trick wants to try again, but Stella is afraid to commit to a relationship.
———————————————-
A longer novella, this book is falls short of being a full-length novel. The only previous Play-by-Play characters that make an appearance in HOLIDAY ON ICE are the Travelers and new characters are even introduced. Trick and Stella are solid, likable characters. Stella is completely commitment-shy due to a bad experience in her past (quite a while back) while Trick is ready to settle down. The dialogue and interaction feel a little stiff, and almost too proper, in several places. The flow of the story is smooth, however it’s sometimes difficult to pack a lot of dimension into it when the book is so short. The plot was not flat, but could have benefited from a little more dynamics. There was a minor conflict which was fairly easy to resolve, extremely minor predictability, and a rock-solid conclusion.
Overall, it was a short and sweet Holiday Novella that fans of Ms. Burton and her Play-by-Play series should enjoy.

Michel’s Review

ARC copy provided by publisher, via NetGalley, for a fair and honest review.

Holiday On Ice was a great addition to the outstanding Play By Play series. Jaci Burton has created a series that features sports romances that are emotional and erotic. Each and every book has charismatic characters, red hot romance, and a thrilling escape in the world of professional sports.

Trick and Stella have had an on again off again relationship for the past year. It is a casual relationship without commitment . Trick has realized he wants more than a fling with Stella. He has to convince to take a chance on him. Stella pulls back every time he starts breaking down her walls. Trick shows his devotion throughout this story.

Stella has had a bad experience in matters of love. She does not want to go down that road again. Somewhere along the way her casual relationship with Trick is taking a new direction. Can she let go of the pain and let someone love her again. Can she open up and give Trick the love she has buried away.

What better time to find the true meaning of love than the holidays. The magic between Trick and Stella will warm your heart.

I highly recommend Holiday On Ice by Jaci Burton. It can be read as a stand alone novel or in series order. Holiday On Ice will warm up your holidays.

Author Bio:

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

Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Goodreads

Holiday Review: Oh, Naughty Night by Leslie Kelly

Posted on 11/16/2014 by shellbellereads

Oh, Naughty Night

A Holiday Romance

By Leslie Kelly

Synopsis

Hot for the holidays!

Every Halloween party has its share of eye candy, and journalist Chaz Browning has just spotted a treat he can’t resist—a deliciously wicked witch with sparkly red hair and deep, dark eyes that promise all kinds of sexy tricks. She wants no names. No strings. Just a night of lust-filled magic.

The witch’s mask may hide her face, but Lulu Vandenberg knows exactly who Chaz is. They spent most of their childhoods tormenting each other. So the moment Chaz touches her and everything turns to lust, Lulu knows she can never reveal her identity. But desire has a memory of its own, and Chaz has vowed to find his fantasy woman before the holidays end…

Buy: Amazon / Barnes and Noble / ITunes

Tina’s Review

*** ARC provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. ***

Lucille is looking for a little fun at the Annual Halloween costume bash she and her two best friends are attending. She recently moved to Washington D.C. after interning in Rwanda and taking a job with the local NGO. Chaz Browning is a photojournalist. He’s fresh back from an assignment from Pakistan and, at the last minute, decides he needs a little American holiday traditions.
They spot each other from across the room. She knows almost immediately who he is, even after nine years, but Chaz does not recognize her through her costume. Lucille is glad that he does not recognize her as the girl from next door that teased and tormented him all through childhood up to graduation.
~
Although the recognition was one-sided, the instant attraction was mutual. After an hour or so of give-and-take at the bar, they decided to go back to his place. She’d been adamant about not revealing her identity and only staying for a few hours of fun. He’d been determined to change her mind, wanting to keep her for as long as possible. Several hurtles were thrown in their path and eventually, his mystery girl slipped through his grasp. Like in Cinderella fashion, he’d lost the girl and could not find her anywhere.
Living only a few doors apart, Chaz and Lulu found themselves bumping into one another at a fairly regular rate. The sparks of attraction kept amplifying.
—–
Ms Kelly writes some very dynamic characters, it’s not hard to become emotionally invested in them. The main characters are very enjoyable, as are the secondary characters. The story flowed smoothly with excellent dialogue and interaction. The plot had enough dimension to keep it from feeling stationary. Overall, it was a sweet romance about childhood neighbors / frenemies that meet years later and discover that their adult selves recognize the deep-seated emotions from childhood may have been “more”. Second chances and forgiveness play a large role in the plot. A slight conflict was presented with wonderful resolve and good closure.

Author Bio:

New York Times Bestselling author, Leslie Kelly writes sexy romances and dark romantic thrillers. A four-time RWA RITA Award nominee, eleven-time Romantic Times Award nominee and 2006 RT Award winner, Leslie has become known for her delightful characters, sparkling dialogue, and outrageous humor in her romances, and for the dark grittiness of her thrillers. Since the publication of her first book in 1999, Leslie has gone on to pen more than forty sassy, sexy romances for Harlequin Temptation, Blaze, and HQN.

In 2009, Leslie began tapping into her love for dark suspense by penning several books under the pseudonym Leslie Parrish. The Black CATs and Extrasensory Agents series quickly put Leslie on the must-read list of romantic-suspense fans.

Tired of writing under various names, Leslie decided to go into her next genre–futuristic thrillers with a suspense element–under her real name. Look for her dark, gritty Veronica Sloan books and watch her website, http://www.lesliekelly.com, to see what she will be writing next.

Leslie lives in Maryland with her husband Bruce–her real-life romance hero–their three daughters, two spoiled-rotten dogs, a cute hedgehog and an icky rat that is adored by her animal-loving daughters.

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Series Review: Senses Series by Xavier Neal:Blind- Book 1, Deaf- Book 2 and Numb- Book 3

Posted on 11/13/2014 by shellbellereads

Blind

Senses Series-Book 1

By Xavier Neal

Buy: Amazon / Barnes and Noble

Synopsis

Aside from being blind to the fact his best friend, Maxx Hughes, is madly in love with him, Logan ‘Unbreakable’ Kellar has it made. He’s the best amateur fighter at TKO, has a buffet line of women desperate to be taken by him, and three friends that are his family. However, when Maxx crosses over from Logan’s blind spot on the side lines to the dead center of his vision, he realizes that he can’t stay blind to the fact this girl, is the girl.

Senses Series Book 1

*Warning: contains strong language & sexual situations.*

Tina’s Review

Maxx Hughes is cajoled by her best friend, Erin, into being a ring side girl for a match one night in the hopes of obtaining a position as an event coordinator. She needs the job and feels the need to contribute to the bills and groceries as she lives with Erin; Erin’s brother, Luke; and their friend, Logan. She’s had a crush on Logan since childhood, but was denied and firmly placed in the “friend zone” years ago. She wishes he’d just see her as a desirable woman, not the frumpy friend.
Logan “Unbreakable” Kellar fights in these semi-legal events. He’s taken by surprise that his yoga pant-wearing, nerdy friend, Maxx, could transform into the sexiest siren of a ring girl that he’d ever seen. He’s always thought her curvy nerd look was on the sexy side, but kept her at a distance. She’s is calm in the storm, his rock, his anchor… but given his upbringing, he does not feel he can give her what she needs – what she deserves.

I’d been wanting to read BLIND and DEAF for a while now and then I won BLIND from Love Affair with Fiction in a giveaway! So here we go:

These are not full-length novels. They average less than 150 pages.
In an increasingly popular format, this story is written in the alternating first-person POV. There are a lot of mental asides that are sometimes directed to the reader, other times are just mental ramblings or inner thoughts. Her thoughts are more snark and insecurity and his are more volatile and self-depreciating. It’s a bit odd, a bit difficult to adjust to, and sort of makes Maxx and Logan seem a bit… mentally unstable. It’s kind of uncomfortable, the way it’s written, as if they are telepathically talking to you, the reader, while holding a verbal conversation and interacting with the others. The plot is solid, with great secondary characters that are truly enjoyable. There really was not any predictability, so I am pleased there, however the continual conflict was never resolved and the story does not conclude; it is left completely unfinished – which seriously bums me out.

Deaf

Senses Series- Book 2

By Xavier Neal

Buy: Amazon / Barnes and Noble

Synopsis

While the pleas of Logan Kellar’s best friends typically fall on deaf ears, there’s one voice he can’t ignore so easily. His own. And when Maxx, his beautiful best friend, says something that shakes his existence, he finds himself suddenly desperate to be heard.

CAUTION: Contains Adult Content, Language, and Themes! 18+ ONLY

Senses Series #2

Tina’s Review

The mental tirades of Maxx and Logan continue in this second installment of SENSES. It’s still a bit off-putting, but in the interest of “getting over it”, I’m going to do my best to ignore the chosen format and judge more on the characters and plot itself.
Best line? “Just because you lick it, doesn’t make it yours, Logan.” Loved it, such a current phrase thrown in with unexpected sass. The characters are well-written. Mostly enjoyable, but human. There are flawed personality traits and they don’t always do/say the right thing or make the best choices. Dean is a wonderful addition, especially in the way that he adds more dimension to Logan’s personality. I wish the shadowed back stories of C.J. and Erin as well as the kindling of Luke and Stuart would be highlighted just a little more. The flow of the book progresses smoothly and has enough dynamics to not feel stagnant; not an easy thing to do when you are reading novella-length books. Although, to be fair, these books do NOT individually have closure like a regular book would, it’s more of a serial: “to be continued”. Thankfully, there’s really no predictability. DEAF is just as open-ended as BLIND was; do NOT expect closure or resolve, you WON’T find it here.

Numb

Senses Series- Book 3

By Xavier Neal

Buy: Amazon / Barnes and Noble

Synopsis

Just when Logan Kellar was finally ready to make some changes in his life, his entire world was flipped upside down. Now the pain he is used to burying is fighting back. Refusing to let him slip into his old ways, refusing to let him hide from his mistakes, and refusing to let him become numb.

Senses Series Book 3

Tina’s Review

After a colossal misunderstanding and some serious lack of communication, Logan and Maxx are once again ranting to the readers while trudging though the muck that is their misery. I have to say, the best line that made me laugh -out loud & uncontrollably – was “I don’t know what demons are eating you up inside, but I can tell by the way your Botox induced face is trying to wrinkle, they are something nasty.” Wow, that was fantastic snark, loved it! The side stories of C.J. and Erin as well as further developments with Dean continue in the background as Logan and Maxx still struggle to find their way through their trials and mishaps. Logan is more likable this time. While the plot flowed smoothly and was great, and some of the conflicts found resolve, there are still gaping holes left unconcluded… Once again, it’s to be continued in HUSH, coming out in December.

HUSH, which is part four, is due to release in December and so is SAVOR (a prequel). VITAL is the final part to the series and is expected to release in January. Since each book here is a continuation of itself, I am breaking from my normal format of writing independent reviews for each. It’s hard to create character introductions to characters you should have read by now. If you haven’t, you will be 100 percent, completely, no-doubt-about-it lost. And, given the length of these novellas, it would almost feel like an incomplete review if I were to do this any other way.

Come back in January 2015 for the second 3-in-1 review for this series!

Author Bio:

Xavier Neal lives in Texas where she spends her time getting lost in writing, reading, or fandoms she recently discovered. (At the top of that list is Supernatural and BBC Sherlock) Whether she is enjoying books or movies, she continues finding inspiration at every turn to bring more exciting stories to life.

Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Goodreads

ARC Review: Life Next Door by J. D. Hollyfield – Love Not Included Series- Book 2

Posted on 11/12/2014 by shellbellereads

Life Next Door

Love Not Included Series – Book 2

By J. D. Hollyfield

Synopsis

There is only one thing in life that professional pastry Chef Priscilla Westcott values more than baking and wine, and that’s honesty. A quality she soon learns that her marriage lacks when her husband runs off with their next door neighbor.

Divorced and alone, Priscilla is determined to make changes in her life. She decides to approach her new goals like one of her beloved recipes. Surely with a little time, a dash of patience, and measured planning she can whip herself—and her life—back into shape.

However, when a new—and utterly delicious—neighbor takes up residence in the house that ruined her marriage, Pricilla fears that her careful world will fold faster than a deflated soufflé.

Trent Walker knows what he wants and his sweet, sassy neighbor is at the top of the list. He’s certain that the chemistry between them would be explosive, but Priscilla fears that an affair with him, however hot, could be a recipe for disaster.

Buy: Amazon / Barnes and Noble

Tina’s Review

*** ARC Provided by Author in Exchange for an Honest Review. ***

Recently divorced from her high school sweetheart, who was having an affair with the younger neighbor, all professional pastry Chef Priscilla “CeCe” Westcott wants is to get herself and her life back on track, but that’s not easy to do when she’s the poster child for “hot mess”.

A job transfer brings Trent Walker to town and he’s just rented the house next door, the same house that her ex moved into when he left her for the slutty neighbor. To say their initial meeting got off on the wrong foot would be a gross understatement.

First person POV from CeCe that, at first, feels clinical and too much like step-by-step, scripted narrative (much like in a play) but it loosens and warms quickly enough. There is humor and a quirk that makes you smile easily and laugh often. CeCe is a 24/7 Murphy’s Law victim that turns to alcohol when things go wrong. For being 31, she suffers from immaturity, too. Trent is devilish, he has a wicked humor and he’s not afraid to charm you given half the chance. The secondary characters are lively, vibrant and a joy to read. Ms. Hollyfield truly captures the essence of the small-town, busybody nosy old neighbor perfectly; I could not help but laugh, picturing my own mother as Mrs. Humphries. The plot is pretty full and takes some unexpected turns now and again, which is great. The predictability of the cause of major conflict between CeCe and Trent was predictable, but still climactic enough to keep me interested in how things would be resolved. The EXTERNAL conflict was completely unforeseeable, well done! The conclusion is well-covered and solid, leaving no holes or cliffhangers. Overall, I’d say it’s a fresh and fun read with good twists.

The Love Not Included Series

Life In A Rut, Love Not Included-Book 1

Having it all isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.

When Sarah Sullivan’s perfect life blows up in front of her, she finds herself crawling back to the one place she never saw herself returning: Home.

At thirty-one, Sarah had it all. Perfect job, perfect boyfriend, perfect life. When all that is taken away from her, she is left heartbroken and angry and desperate enough to let her life swallow her whole…for a while.

Fending off love and the pursuit of happiness completely, Sarah vows to pick up the pieces of her shattered life. She creates a list of goals for herself—starting with a much needed shower—and constructs a plan to dig herself out of her rut. What she doesn’t plan for is meeting the arrogant new employee her parents have hired to work on an addition to their home. Enter Jack Calloway, the handsome, charming, lickable foreman with an insatiable effect on Sarah’s girly parts.

Jack accepts the job, but gets more than he bargained for. Unable to ignore his racing hormones—and calm his temper—over the obnoxious woman who clouds his judgment, Jack pulls her in and steals her heart until she finally surrenders. But is he up for the challenge of picking up the pieces of Sarah’s broken heart? Can he carry her out of her rut?

Buy: Amazon / Barnes and Noble

Author Bio:

Creative designer, mother, wife, writer, part time supehero…

J.D. Hollyfield is a creative designer by day and superhero by night. When she is not trying to save the world one happy ending at a time, she enjoys the snuggles of her husband, son and three doxies. With her love for romance, and head full of book boyfriends, she was inspired to test her creative abilities and bring her own story to life.

Life in a Rut, Love not Included is her Debut Novel. J.D. Hollyfield lives in the Midwest, and is currently at work on blowing the minds of readers, with the additions to the Love not Included series, along with her charm, humor and HEA’s.

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ARC Review: Julie’s Butterfly by Greta Milan

Posted on 11/04/2014 by shellbellereads

Julie’s Butterfly

By Greta Milan

Synopsis

When beautiful Julietta meets aloof, handsome photographer Bastian, she immediately feels butterflies in her stomach.

But Bastian has a secret: Since birth, he has suffered from a very rare skin disorder that makes him exceptionally prone to injury. His life is riddled with pain and rejection; his thoughts are dominated by self-doubt and mistrust.

Julie wants to help him shake loose his inhibitions and open up to her, but can she reach deep enough to truly understand his suffering?

Buy Links: Amazon / Google Play

Tina’s Review

*** Provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. ***

*** DEBUT NOVEL ***

Julie first meets Bastien when she attends a gallery opening for her best friend, at which he’s the exclusive photographer. She’s immediately drawn to his aloof, brooding manner and he’s a little wary of the way she makes him feel. Fate seems to throw them together again where she ultimately challenges him. Bastien accepts the challenge only to allow fear to overcome him after and causes him to hightail it away from her again. Together they learn the obstacles and challenges of being in a relationship; trusting someone completely is a foreign concept for Bastien after a lifetime of bullying and shunning.

—————————-

They are called Butterfly Children.

Epidermolysis Bullosa (EB) is an inherited connective tissue disease causing blisters in the skin and mucosal membranes, with an incidence of 1/50,000. It is a result of a defect in anchoring between the epidermis and dermis, resulting in friction and skin fragility. Its severity ranges from mild to lethal. (according to Wikipedia)

The lead male and his best friend suffer from this challenging and painful disease, but in varied degrees.The characters, primary and otherwise, are written very well and most are extremely likable. It’s hard NOT to become emotionally attached to some of these characters. Their interaction and dialogue is completely believable. Ms Milan’s writing flows so smoothly, the pages just seem to fly by. There are many struggles and conflicts to overcome in this book, some easily conquered while others are more complicated. It had a maturity and realness that often is not found in stories today. The conclusion is fairly solid, but the big question remains unanswered, perhaps to emphasize that it should not matter.

Overall, this book is emotional. It is thought-provoking. It makes you want to learn more about EB. Mission accomplished, Ms Milan. Well done.

Author Bio:

Inspired by her real-life love for a “Butterfly Child” and moved by the reactions of other people, Greta Milán wanted to find an unconventional way to raise awareness of the rare hereditary skin disorder epidermolysis bullosa. In her debut novel, Julie’s Butterfly, she deals with prejudice, describes the experience of EB sufferers, and gives rich and varied insight into life with EB. Greta Milán is married and lives near Frankfurt, Germany.

Goodreads

ARC Review: Unlucky For Some by Carla Caruso

Posted on 11/01/2014 by shellbellereads

Unlucky For Some

By Carla Caruso

Synopsis

Raffy Fortuna knows all about luck, and she’s not interested in pushing it. But sometimes luck pushes you to the places you least expect.

Sassy Italian-Australian newspaper reporter Raffy has been ultra-superstitious ever since her ex-fiance saw her in her bridal gown before they got hitched – and left her at the altar. But as luck would have it, one of her new assignments at Press Publishing is a feature series challenging some of the most common superstitions in the lead-up to Friday the thirteenth. It’s her worst nightmare – not helped by the grumpy, yet annoyingly handsome cameraman accompanying her to film the daily online videos for the newspaper’s site.

Buy : Amazon / Barnes and Noble / ITunes

Tina’s Review

*** Provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. ***

Raffaella Fortuna has the right to be superstitious. When your name literally translates to “Rough Luck”, you’d be, too. She works as a lifestyle reporter at Press Publishing in Adelaide (Australia). Growing up in an Italian family, superstitions run her life. Tass Bence also works for Press Publishing, but in the Video department and had the displeasure of meeting Raffy earlier that morning when her umbrella disposed of his fresh iced latte, causing her to wear half of it. Now she’s showing up in his office stating her boss specifically requested him to film her series of articles in which she has to conquer one superstition a day, leading up to Friday the Thirteenth.

Keep in mind that this is written by an Australian author and the book takes place in Australia. Some of the wording and terminology differs slightly from American. That said, the main characters are easily enjoyable. There are not a lot of secondary characters. The plot moves along smoothly and for being such a short novella, it packs plenty of content. The story is sweet. Cute ending. Overall, it ‘s a nice quick & light read.

Author Bio:

Carla Caruso was born in Adelaide, grew up amid a boisterous extended Italian family – yet somehow managed to become a bookworm…  Carla always wanted to be a novelist, annoying the kindergarten teachers by dictating long, detailed stories to them. It just took her a while to realise her childhood dream – journalism seemed a more practical course. Her media career has included stints as a newspaper and magazine journalist, government PR and fashion stylist. These days, she works as a freelance journalist and copywriter. She began seriously writing fiction three years ago when she went freelance full-time.  The romance genre appeals as she is a sucker for rom-coms (especially if Channing Tatum is in the mix) and likes to think her Italian ancestry means she lives with passion. Hobbies include watching trashy TV shows, fashion (her mum named her after Carla Zampatti!), astrology and running. She lives in Adelaide.

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ARC Reviews: Flaming Hot and Smokin’ Hot by Lynn LaFleur- Firefighters of Lanville, TX Series- Book 1 and Book 2

Posted on 10/28/2014 by shellbellereads

Smokin’ Hot

Firefighters of Lanville, TX Series- Book 1

By Lynn LaFleur

Synopsis

Singe

After breaking up with her longtime boyfriend, Julia Woods is ready to start fresh in a new town, a new state. She doesn’t want to get involved with another man, and especially not with an adrenalin junkie.

The instant attraction she feels when she meets Stephen McGettis frightens her. She’s never experienced something so strong, yet she worries about starting a relationship with him. With his motorcycle racing, whitewater rafting, and skydiving, he’s as much of an adrenalin junkie as her former lover.

Stephen loves Julia and doesn’t want to lose her because of her concern over what she considers his dangerous pastimes. He has to prove to her he’s not a daredevil, and that love is the greatest adventure of all.

Smolder

In town to visit her grandmother in the hospital, Rayna Holt never expected to run into her ex-husband, Marcus. Seeing him reminds her of all the pain and loss she’d experienced five years ago that led to their divorce.

Marcus is still angry and hurt over Rayna destroying their marriage. They’re forced to spend time together while the construction company he works for repairs her grandmother’s house due to a fire. Old desires smolder beneath the surface, but Marcus is leery of giving in to them. Rayna broke his heart when she left him. He can’t live through that kind of pain again.

Both Rayna and Marcus have to let go of the past before they can forgive each other and fall in love again.

Spark

Talia King has loved Dylan Westfield ever since the day she met him two years ago, but he treats her as nothing but a friend. Every attempt she’s made to date him or spend more time with him has been shot down by Dylan.

Dylan loves Talia as much as she loves him, but his painful past won’t let him surrender to that love. Fear of physically hurting her keeps him alone and aching for a life with her…a life he knows he cannot have.

A night of passion convinces Talia that she and Dylan are perfect together. Dylan admits his love to Talia, but tells her it doesn’t matter since they can never be together.

Talia hatches a plan to convince Dylan that she knows he would never hurt her. It might backfire, but she believes it’s worth the risk to be with the man she loves.

Buy: Amazon / Barnes and Noble / ITunes

Tina’s Review

Each novella is only about 100 pages. Although short, they are full of enough content to make each one a satisfying story. Each seems to focus on one or both persons seeking an escape from a past hurt by starting a new life in a small town and/or second chances. The town’s characters are very well written and introduced throughout the books where you begin to feel as though you know everyone in town without being overwhelmed. The dialogue and interaction between them is wonderful. SMOLDER was fairly predictable in several key areas, but was still a good read. SPARK was mildly predictable. Each had a decent conclusion, if not a little quick to end.
** Warning: Sexual content may be considered distasteful to some readers.

~SINGE~
When Julia leaves her job and ex, Cole, behind in California after an injury makes her reevaluate things, she decides to take her mother’s old college friend’s offer to come stay with her in Lanville, TX hoping for a fresh start. Never did she expect smokin’ hot roofer -slash- volunteer firefighter, Stephen McGettis, to walk into her life almost immediately. Their attraction is instant and their chemistry is combustible. Yes, he has a rockin’ hot bod’, the manners of a southern gentleman and the sex may be amazing but she can’t help feeling that the similarities Stephen shares with Cole may be too much for her to deal with.

———–
~SMOLDER~
Marcus Holt became one of the chiefs at the volunteer fire department and is foreman at Coleman Construction since moving to Lanville from the DFW area after tragedy struck on 4th of July, 5 years ago and his wife left him as a result. Rayna Holt flies back to Lanville from San Francisco when she learns that her grandmother’s health suffered some complications. While in the hospital, a brush fire breaks out that damages Grace’s home and Marcus is injured. They were looking for a fresh start, but this may have been the spark needed to heal old hurts and rekindle their once searing relationship.

———
~SPARK~
Talia King has been hot for Dylan Westfield since the first day she laid eyes on him. Both serve on the Lanville Volunteer Fire Department, but after two years, she still could not get Dylan to see her as anything other that a fellow firefighter and friend. Or so she thought. But sometimes even the deepest feelings can be suppressed by personal demons. Talia must find a way to get Dylan to open up to her, then prove that he can rise above his past.
Flaming Hot

Firefighters of Lanville, TX Series- Book 2

Release Date: October 28, 2014

By Lynn LaFleur

Synopsis

Big and bold, strong and sexy, the firefighters of the Lanville, Texas, Volunteer Fire Department know how to turn up the heat…

Fiery

Sparks fly the moment Eve and Quade meet. Fear of heartbreak makes them wary but neither can deny the scorching waves of desire that leave them wanting so much more…

Flare

Paige wonders about Cort’s past but she can’t ignore the heat she feels inside every time he touches her. And things only get hotter when this sexy firefighter takes her to the heights of extreme carnal pleasure…

Flash

For years Kirk has kept a secret that not even his twin knows. But the arrival in town of a sexy newcomer turns up the heat and keeps the flames of passion burning all night long…

Buy: Amazon / Barnes and Noble / ITunes

Tina’s Review

The novellas in this book are also about 100 pages each. I would suggest reading SMOKIN’ HOT prior to this. The characters’ stories continue from the last trilogy & further expand. The characters are still as warm and wonderful to get to know as in the first trilogy book. The plots are pleasantly full for being so short. But, as often the case with novellas, the conflict/resolution feels to simple and easy and the endings can feel a little rushed. Enjoyable short stories where many of the characters arrive in Lanville looking for a fresh start in life or a second chance at love.
** Warning: Sexual content may contain scenes that are offensive to some readers.

~ FIERY ~
After the death of her mother, graduation in Amsterdam, and two failed engagements, Eve Van Den Bergh took her college friend, Rhea, up on moving to Lanville and working for her at the craft shop. As attracted to Quade as she is, she feels like she’s faulty and cannot get into a relationship because of it. Quade’s tired of meaningless sex and wants a “forever” woman. Problem is she won’t even go out on a single date with him! As a volunteer fire fighter and high school counselor, he figures something happened to cause her wariness but can almost guarantee it was not abuse. Now, if he could only get to the heart of it and break down those walls…

———-
~ FLARE ~
Paige Denslow works at Spencer’s, a convenient store with gas station and mechanic bays that Clay, the volunteer fire department’s Chief, owns. Daydreaming of a man of her own, one with very specific attributes, she never expected Cort Brennaman to appear as if conjured by her fantasies. He’s arrived in Lanville seeking the open Chef position at Cafe’ Crystal as part of his cover.

———–
~ FLASH ~
Kirk Wilcox: Kory’s twin, son/employee of Wilcox Lumber’s owner, construction worker for Coleman and Lanville Volunteer Fire Fighter… and “closeted” gay. Joshua Stafford left his life of privileged in Dallas after passing the bar exam. He disappointed his father by declining the offer to work in his law firm, cited the need to drive and travel a little before deciding where to lay his roots.

Author Bio

I was born and raised in a small town in Texas close to the Dallas/Fort Worth area. Writing has been in my blood since I was eight years old and wrote my first story for an English assignment. The baby of four children, I was spoiled rotten and still am.

I can’t imagine ever writing anything but romances. I enjoy writing about two people (or sometimes more than two) falling in love. If you like the story enough to smile in places, shed a tear at times, or get a warm and fuzzy feeling, that is my greatest reward.

Besides writing at every opportunity, I love reading, traveling, scrapbooking, photography, and learning new things on the computer. I’m a software junky and like trying out new programs, especially anything to do with graphics.

I moved back to Texas after living on the West Coast for 21 years, to a small town 17 miles from where I grew up. I live close to my only surviving sister.

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ARC Review: Someday Maybe by Ophelia London- Definitely Maybe- Book 2

Posted on 10/20/2014 by shellbellereads

Someday Maybe

Definitely Maybe Series- Book 2

By Ophelia London

Synopsis

A new adult title from Entangled’s Embrace imprint…

Some guys are impossible to forget.

Rachel Daughtry has a 10-year plan that leaves no room for mistakes. Or not-so-serious boys–including Oliver Wentworth, the freshman boyfriend she’s never forgotten. Now she’s back in San Francisco with an awesome-slash-scary new job. Unfortunately, The Plan doesn’t cover things like meeting her best friend’s new “secret” guy…Oliver.

Fortunately, no one knows that Rachel and Oliver were ever together, and endless bikini wax torture couldn’t make Rachel hurt her friend. But it’s killing Rachel. She’s not over him. Not even a little. And as her 10-year-plan crumbles around her, Rachel realizes that maybe–just maybe–Oliver feels the same way.

Now Rachel is on the verge of losing all control. And her best friend. And the love of her life…

Buy: Amazon / Barnes and Noble / ITunes

Tina’s Review

Rachel Daughtry is serious about her goals, she has a plan. A 10-year plan. But before that, she has one last day to have a “normal teenager” experience before she begins her college education at University of San Francisco.
Oliver Wentworth happens upon Rachel the day before school starts and they form an instant bond and have a mutual attraction. He wants more but she’s always hiding from her brother, who just so happens to be the president of the student body.
Six years later, they meet again but things are… complicated.

This story can be read as a stand-alone book.
The story opens up on the day before Freshman year at USF. Chapter Two jumps ahead to “Six Years Later…”. For a while, it sort of teeter-totters from past to present as the story unfolds making it a little difficult to connect to the characters. When it finally settles into present day formatting, the main characters are college graduates with careers or pending careers, mid/upper-twenties and relatively spot-on maturity-wise, except for Megan. But, I guess every group of friends has to have one that’s more flighty, immature and slightly annoying. Sarah was more mature. Rachel is a decent heroine, but her fears and insecurities have to be battled. Oliver is a strong, stable hero. The plot moves along at a steady pace & flows more smoothly after the flashing back is over with. There’s minimal conflict with satisfactory resolve. Minor predictability. Overall, a nice story about love, second chances and forgiveness. Finding your place in the world doesn’t always go according to plan.

Author Bio:

USA Today bestselling author Ophelia London was born and raised among the redwood trees in beautiful northern California. Once she was fully educated, she decided to settle in Florida, but her car broke down in Texas and she’s lived in Dallas ever since. A cupcake and treadmill aficionado (obviously those things are connected), she spends her time watching arthouse movies and impossibly trashy TV, while living vicariously through the characters in the books she writes. Ophelia is the author of SOMEDAY MAYBE; DEFINITELY, MAYBE IN LOVE; ABBY ROAD; the Perfect Kisses series including: FALLING FOR HER SOLDIER, PLAYING AT LOVE, SPEAKING OF LOVE, and MAKING WAVES; and the upcoming Sugar City series for Entangled’s Bliss line. Visit her at ophelialondon.com. But don’t call when The Vampire Diaries (or Dawson’s Creek) is on.

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Review: Walk Me Down by HJ Bellus

Posted on 10/19/2014 by shellbellereads

Walk Me Down

By HJ Bellus

Synopsis

Graduation night was the worst night of my life.
My heart was shattered, lives were lost, and permanent wounds formed.

I hate the color red. I hate my old shallow self. I hate life.

Stuck in my sister’s town over the first summer since tragedy struck, I only have my crazy best friend to make life as normal as it can be.

Until…
One broken tooth
One hot stranger, Finn.
Makes me hate less and hope for more. This summer has the potential to save me, but only if I find the courage to let it. My name’s Tess and this is my story.

Buy: Amazon

Tina’s Review

The story opens introducing you to Tess and Rhett.
Tessa is the valedictorian of her graduation class. She’s the youngest child. She’s momma’s spoiled-rotten little pageant queen. Her boyfriend is the top high school quarterback in the nation and just received a full scholarship to Boise State. Together, they’ve been the Homecoming King & Queen every year. They’ve been each other’s firsts in many things & they plan on leaving Tennessee in the morning for Idaho.
Tess comes off originally as a narcissistic skank. Prom and pageant queen extraordinaire with fake D cup implants. How she made valedictorian is beyond me. You can’t help but be mildly disgusted by the personality traits she displays.
But then, in the blink of an eye, everything changes. Ev-er-y thing.
The quintessential jock wastes no time with his most expedient cut-and-run routine. Fast forward four-plus years later; it’s summer. Tess just graduated from nursing school and is living in Iowa with her sister and brother-in-law, Tommie and Will, until she figures things out. Her best friend, Scarlett has come with and is interning as a CPA while Tess is working at Tommie’s veterinary clinic.
An emergency trip to the dentists puts her in closer proximity with a gorgeous man than she’s been in over four years. She’s no longer that spoiled label-whore. Nowadays, she’s insecure and more reclusive. It’s here you begin to become emotionally invested in her.
Finn’s dad may be the dentist, but that does not stop his impulsive behavior. He’s not exactly what his dad envisioned. Refusing to go to college and take up one of the family owned businesses in town, he opted to work on his Granddaddy’s farm. He also dowsed the illusions of an arranged marriage ever happening, preventing the two power house families from merging.
The 20-something year old Tessa and the rest of the cast are well-written. You’ve got a wide-spectrum of character personalities that create multifaceted entertainment. The plot is decent and moves along at a good pace. There’s plenty of conflict, not all of which gets resolved. Minor plot points are predictable, but nothing so telling that it ruins the story.
** WARNING: **
This novella leaves off unfinished and with a sizable cliffhanger.

Author Bio:

I am an independent author excited about releasing my first novel very soon. A big dream coming true!!! I’m all country…the kinda country where green grass grows and corn pops up in rows….love Miranda and her bad ass music!!! Just a simple country girl getting one story out of her head at a time…I always fall hard for a trucker style hat…especially if it’s a John Deere hat….loves me a good ol’ farm boy!!!!!!

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ARC Review: Stormy by Tina Gayle

Posted on 10/15/2014 by shellbellereads

Stormy

By Tina Gayle

Synopsis

Blurb – A widower, a divorcee, co-workers, lovers…a future together…marriage?

Consoling each other for years over each other’s misfortune, Karen and Daniel turn a friendship into a weekend of unbridled red-hot passion. The heat between them leads to thoughts of a future together. That is…

Until children, an ex-husband, an unexpected heart-attack, a conniving trophy-wife, guilt, and personal choices come between them. Will the heat of their passion let them break from the past and move into the future?

Hot read for mature adults – a second chance at love.

Buy: Amazon

Tina’s Review

*** Provided by NetGalley in exchange for an HONEST review. ***

The car accident that took Sharon’s life left Daniel Slater a widow with no kids and no close family. Devastated and heartbroken, he sought friendship and platonic solace and comfort in Karen. After two years, he finally screwed up enough courage to invite her to his cabin for a weekend getaway.

Married for over twenty years within the high-society circle and now divorced from the cheating bastard, Karen just wanted a new life, free of all the fancy trappings and social leaches. She accepts the invitation from Daniel to get out of Dallas for a weekend at his cabin only to receive a phone call the following morning that sends her back to the city.

—–

In this novella, you meet an older couple than what most are written about lately. Age is never confirmed except in that she’s been married for over twenty years then divorced for another two and has two adult children.

Karen and Daniel have more than a decade of history together from being co-workers, friends, confidantes, supporters of one another while she divorced and he grieved. Their sexual chemistry is stable, with only the slightest hint of some more erotic play. The secondary characters are well-written. The plot is a bit flat, but okay. The story really is too short to build a more solid base for characters and plot; instead, relying heavily on the past which is referred to briefly now and again. The whole story takes place over a weekend. The characters are faced with a minor conflict which resolves in a satisfactory manner. They get their HEA, but the other characters are left in a sort-of limbo. You are left wondering about Carl’s recovery and addition as well as Jillian’s upcoming wedding.

—–

Author Bio:

Growing up, I didn’t know what I wanted to be. Once when someone asked me about my dream job, I said I wanted to be a pretender.

That’s why writing is the perfect job for me, because it allows me the flexablity to become a new person in every book. In truth, I went through a number of different jobs, before I decided to be a writer. I enjoy incorporating the heartaches, headaches and fun of being a mother and woman into my books.

Currently, I’m working on a series about four executive wives. They combine elements of women fiction with the passion of romance. The first three books are available, Marketing Exec’s Widow, IT Exec’s Baby, and CFO’s Affair. The last book CEO Widow’s Decision will be out by the end of 2015.

Also, I have two books out in my Family Tree series…Summer’s Growth and Fallen Leaves. (Paranormal Romantic Suspense) The last two Winter Wonders and Spring Rebirth will come in the coming years.

When not writing, I enjoy spending time with my family and traveling around the country. I haven’t hit every state yet, but hoping to some day. You can also catch me out on the golf course. I have a travel blog where I share my travel and golf pictures.

If you’d like to connect with me send me an email at tinagayle@roadrunner.com. I love hearing from my readers. What elements you liked and what you didn’t care for in the story.

Also, you can read the first chapter of any of my books by visiting my website. http://www.tinagayle.net

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Saucy Southern Readers

professional, honest, and timely book reviews

Category Archives: Tina

Holiday Review: Holiday On Ice by Jaci Burton- Play By Play Series-Book 8.5

Holiday Review: Oh, Naughty Night by Leslie Kelly

Series Review: Senses Series by Xavier Neal:Blind- Book 1, Deaf- Book 2 and Numb- Book 3

ARC Review: Life Next Door by J. D. Hollyfield – Love Not Included Series- Book 2

ARC Review: Julie’s Butterfly by Greta Milan

ARC Review: Unlucky For Some by Carla Caruso

ARC Reviews: Flaming Hot and Smokin’ Hot by Lynn LaFleur- Firefighters of Lanville, TX Series- Book 1 and Book 2

ARC Review: Someday Maybe by Ophelia London- Definitely Maybe- Book 2

Review: Walk Me Down by HJ Bellus

ARC Review: Stormy by Tina Gayle

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