Happy Release + Review: Ropes and Revenge by Jessie Evans-Lonesome Point,Texas Series – Book 6

Posted on 04/14/2015 by shellbellereads

Ropes and Revenge

Lonesome Point, Texas Series- Book 6

By Jessie Evans

Synopsis

Two broken hearts, one chance to make something beautiful with the pieces…

Eight months ago, John Lawson lost his wife and best friend in a tragic accident on his family’s ranch. In the time since, he’s devoted himself to two things–taking care of his two newly motherless sons and proving that Lily’s accident was no accident. Now, he finally has hard evidence that his wife was murdered and he won’t rest until he has the killer’s blood on his hands. He doesn’t have time for anything but vengeance, especially not a crazy ghost hunter wanting to poke around the old spring on his family’s ranch.

Persephone Styles–Percy to her friends–learned about ghosts the hard way, when she was orphaned by a violent crime at the age of seven. Ever since, she’s seen spirits and been obsessed with studying souls beyond the grave. She’s in Lonesome Point to document the town’s spectral activity, but finds herself powerfully drawn to widower John Lawson and empathizing with his grieving children. For the first time in years, Percy is as riveted by the living as she’s always been by the dead and longs to be a part of John’s life.

But when one night of passion becomes something more, Percy realizes John is as haunted as she is and that the man she’s coming to love is walking a dangerous road that may end with him becoming a murderer’s next victim.

Buy: Amazon

Tracey’s Review

John Lawson is a broken man. Having lost the love of his life, he’s having a hard time putting the pieces of his life back together. Although Lonesome Point law enforcement has ruled Lily’s death an accident, John is sure that there is more to the story, and lives for the moments that he meets Lily in the in-between, the space between waking and sleeping.

Persephone ‘Percy’ Styles has a gift. Able to communicate with the spirit world, and having spent all of her time with those no longer here, she’s ready to focus on the living, and to bring comfort to a man she doesn’t even know. After encountering a psychic exchange between John and Lily, Percy feels called to visit Lonesome Point and to help John heal, and Lily to pass over to the next world.

The Lonesome Point, TX, series by Jessie Evans has been a favorite of mine since the first book. Small-town life, quirky and loveable characters, mystery and intrigue, and, oh, yes, absolutely swoony cowboys and the ladies that are lucky enough to capture their hearts, make for a winning combination at every level.

I have loved each and every book in this series, but the Lawson brothers hold a special place in my heart. Loving, loyal, and completely committed to family, these three men are truly something. John, the eldest, is the rock of the family, the man that had stepped in when his father died, who has always been there for his mother and brothers, and who had found happiness with his true love only to have it ripped away. Losing Lily has thrown him into a tailspin, and the feeling that her death was no accident has kept him from being able to move on. When Percy shows up, he wants nothing to do with her particular brand of ‘help,’ figuring her for a nutcase, and pushes her away.

“I understand that’s not part of your belief system,” she said. “And I can respect that, but I have reason to believe there are spirits here who need my help and I’d like to stay until they feel safe enough to make contact.”

“Safe enough to make contact,” he echoed, his next breath emerging with a huff. “What are they going to do, come whisper in your ear?”

“Something like that,” she said, lifting her chin.

Percy quickly shows that she is what she says, and John, eager for answers, and intrigued by Percy and her gifts, finds himself working with her to unravel the mystery of Lily’s death.

This wouldn’t be a Jessie Evans book without a sweet, sexy, and heart-melting romance, and she does not disappoint. Almost from the beginning, John finds himself drawn to Percy, not only as someone to help him in his quest, but as a woman. She is unlike no one he’s known before, but his guilt over being attracted to her is a major stumbling block. Percy, for her part, has never felt the way she does about John for anyone else, and is determined to show him that his place is in the here and now, with her.

“…You deserve better than a man who doesn’t know if he’ll ever be able to love someone else again.”

“Maybe I don’t want better…And I know I don’t want to leave. I want to stay until you get your answers.”

“I care about you, Percy,” he said, his chest aching as his heart stretched in two different directions. “I don’t want to see you hurt, and I especially don’t want to be the one doing the hurting.”

“If you ask me to leave again, you will hurt me,” she said. “I need to see this through. Not just for you, but for me too. I need to see where this goes. Not just the investigation, but this. Us.”

Ropes and Revenge is the last book in the Lonesome Point series, and, although I am sad to see this series end, I am completely satisfied with the way that everything is wrapped up. I’m excited to be able to say that I will get to revisit the characters and place that I have come to love, as Jessie will be writing an off-shoot series based on the children of Lonesome Point. What could be better than a whole new generation of people to love? As ever, 5+ ‘happily ever after, what a fantastic story’ stars for Jessie Evans and Lonesome Point, TX.

Lonesome Point, Texas SeriesLeather and Lace

Amazon / B &N / ITunes / Kobo / Google Play

Saddlles and Sin

Amazon / B & N / ITunes / Kobo / Google Play

Diamonds and Dust

Amazon / B & N / ITunes / Kobo

12 Dates of Christmas

Amazon / B & N / ITunes/ Google Play

Glitter and Grit

Amazon / B & N / ITunes / Google Play

Sunny with a Chance of True Love: The Ballad of Ugly Ross

Amazon / B & N / ITunes / Kobo

Chaps and Chance

Amazon/ B & N / ITunes / Kobo / Google Play

Ropes and Revenge

Release Date: April 14, 2015

Buy: Amazon

About Jessie Evans

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author, Jessie Evans, gave up a career as an international woman of mystery to write the sexy, contemporary Southern romances she loves to read.

She’s married to the man of her dreams, and together they’re raising a few adorable, mischievous children in a cottage in the jungle. She grew up in rural Arkansas, spending summers running wild, being chewed by chiggers, and now appreciates her home in a chigger-free part of the world even more.

When she’s not writing, Jessie enjoys playing her dulcimer (badly), sewing the worlds ugliest quilts to give to her friends, going for bike rides with her house full of boys, and drifting in and out on the waves, feeling thankful for sun, surf, and lovely people to share them with.

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Happy Release + 5 Star Review + Giveaway: Still The One by Jill Shalvis- Animal Magnetism Series- Book 6

Posted on 04/07/2015 by shellbellereads

Still The One

Animal Magnetism Series- Book 6

By Jill Shalvis

Synopsis

Darcy Stone is game for anything—except sexy Navy vet and physical therapist AJ Colten, the guy who’d rejected her when she’d needed him most. Now the shoe is on the other foot and he needs her to play nice and help him secure grants for his patients. Unfortunately Darcy can’t refuse. She needs the money to fund her passion project: rescuing S&R dogs and placing them with emotionally wounded soldiers.

AJ admits it—Darcy is irresistible. But he’s already been battle-scarred by a strong-willed, vivacious, adventurous woman like Darcy, and he’s not making the same mistake twice—until he and Darcy are forced to fake a relationship. Growing closer than they’d ever imagined possible, Darcy and AJ have to ask themselves: how much between them is pretend? What’s the real thing? And where does it go from here?

Buy: Amazon / B & N / ITunes / Kobo

Excerpt

AJ held the door open for Darcy, doing his best to keep his tongue in his mouth, but he wasn’t sure he quite managed.

“Thanks,” she said, brushing up against his arm and shoulder as she stepped into the elevator.

His free hand came out to stabilize her, a purely instinctual move. He didn’t give a thought to the fact that she hated to be helped because he couldn’t give a thought to anything.

Holy. Shit. Hotness.

Her little black dress—emphasis on little—just about killed him.. The bodice was short, snug, and, at first glance, modest.

Second glance, not so much.

She bent over and fiddled with her heels, which had a strap around her ankle and screamed SEX. So did the way the hem of her dress rose up on her thighs, high enough that his eyes nearly popped right out of his head. “What are you doing?” he managed.

“Nothing.” Still bent at the waist, she shifted to her other heel, during which time he pressed his fingers into his eye sockets to keep his eyes in his head.

She was all leg and silken skin and crazy gorgeous hair, and he attempted to steel himself against her but he failed. He’d been wrong, oh so very wrong when he said he’d be able to handle her. He couldn’t, not in her yoga pants, not in a sexy little black dress, not at work, not in his truck, not in an elevator, not in anything anywhere—he couldn’t do it, Sam I Am.

She straightened and sent him a searching look. She’d piled all that long curly hair on top of her head but several silky strands had escaped, brushing her temples and shoulders, giving her a just-got-laid look. Her lips were siren red and he knew it made him a pig, but all he could think about was her mouth and how her lips would looked stretched around his—

“We’re on time still, right?” she asked.

He had to clear his throat to answer. “Yeah.” Jesus.

The door slid shut and silence filled the elevator while they stared at each other. To keep his hands to himself, he backed to the wall.

“So,” she said, looking like she was mentally cracking her knuckles. “What are the rules here? Kiss ass? Sit, shake, and roll over on command? Tell everyone how you saved my life? Obey your every order?”

Her sarcasm helped him roll his tongue back into his mouth. “I will ask you to kiss someone’s ass never,” he said. “Same for sit and shake and roll over. And you know damn well I didn’t save your life. But as for the obeying me? That. Lots of that would be great.”

Tracey’s Review

Darcy Stone is what some might refer to as ‘prickly.’ Having made a long and difficult recovery from a horrific accident, she’s just beginning to accept her current life as the new normal. Once a globe-trotting journalist, Darcy is back home in Sunshine, ID, splitting her time between saving retired rescue animals and working as a receptionist at the Sunshine Wellness Center. Well, that and trying to avoid AJ Colten, physical therapist and bane of Darcy’s existence. Because AJ has known Darcy and her family for a very long time, and can call her on her stuff like no one else. Add to that the fact that just his being nearby makes Darcy’s hormones go haywire, and it makes perfect sense that he’s her Public Enemy Number One and one of the three things topping her list of ‘never evers.’

It takes a very special author to write a romance series that readers are invested in, that keep them coming back, eager for the next book. Jill Shalvis continually creates stories and characters that do just this. In Still the One, the six book in her Animal Magnetism series, Jill has given us characters that are real, who are dealing with all the curveballs life throws at them and making their way through. I love AJ and Darcy, both separately and as a couple. Having dealt with pain and loss in their pasts, they are afraid to let love in, to surrender control. They both possess such strength, though, and bring out the best in each other, and watching them work their way around the obstacles is by turn poignant and amusing. The snarky back-and-forth and sizzling chemistry add to their appeal, and make for an absolutely heartwarming read. Throw in the hominess of small-town community and old friends from earlier books, and you’ve got a thoroughly enjoyable read, easily earning 5 sassy, swoony stars that will keep you reading until the very end.

_______________________________

Author Bio

New York Times Bestselling author Jill Shalvis wrote RESCUE MY HEART and FOREVER AND A DAY, along with many other romance novels including her acclaimed Lucky Harbor series. The Rita winner and 3-time National Readers Choice winner makes her home near Lake Tahoe. Visit her website at http://www.jillshalvis.com for a complete book list and daily blog, and http://www.facebook.com/jillshalvis for other news.

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Release Blitz + 6 Star Review + 2015 Favorite: Come To Me Recklessly by A. L. Jackson

Posted on 04/07/2015 by shellbellereads

Come To Me Recklessly

The Closer To You Series – Book 3

By A. L. Jackson

AMAZON / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo

His heart was turned off…

Until she turned him on…

Christopher Moore gave up on the idea of love years ago. Now, his life is an endless string of parties and an even longer string of girls. Enjoying the physical perks with none of the emotional mess, hes convinced everyone that hes satisfied—everyone but himself.

Samantha Schultz has moved on with her life. Finishing her student teaching and living with her boyfriend, shes deluded herself into believing shes content. But there is one boy she never forgot—her first love—and she keeps the memory of him locked up tight. She will never allow any man to break her the way Christopher did.

When Christopher’s sister and her family move into a new neighborhood, Christopher is completely unprepared to find Samantha living at the end of the street. Memories and unspent desires send them on collision course of sex, lies, and lust. But when guilt and fear send Samantha running, Christopher will have to fight for what has always been his.

She lowered herself, gave a little shove, and slid down. I stopped her
descent at the bottom, her back pressed into the metal. I grasped the sides,
holding myself up, my nose an inch from hers as I hovered in her space. Her
eyes were doing that wild thing again, a raging sea that churned with all that
shyness, but flamed with bold strikes of courage, a storm that didn’t know which way to turn.

“Anyone ever kiss you before, Samantha?”I murmured low,
letting my nose do a little exploring along her jaw.

She shook her head no.

“Didn’t think so,”I whispered, before
I took a chance I was pretty damned sure was worth taking, and brushed my mouth
against hers. And was I ever right. She tasted like sugar and all things sweet,
like a spoonful of pure honey. A remedy.

Her kiss was every kind of timid, cautious in her inexperience, but it
didn’t take a whole lot to convince me that this kind of kiss was my
favorite.

_____________________

Tracey’s Review

“From the moment we met, he always had the power to bring me to my knees. I should have known his control over me would never diminish or dim. I should have known it would only intensify. Maybe I should have run. But somewhere inside, I knew he’d never let me get far.”Samantha Schultz, the daughter of a pastor, and Christopher Moore, wild child and bad boy, were never supposed to be together. When he rescued Samantha from the girls that were making her life a living hell in high school, neither one of them could have know what they were setting in motion.”He was gorgeous. Beautiful. And a little bit terrifying. He was trouble with a capital T. And I didn’t do trouble.””You don’t even know me.”
“I know your name is Samantha Schultz. I know you sit one row over and two seats in front of me in English Literature because I can’t stop watching you.”Once sure that they would be together forever, life as they knew it had changed, seemingly overnight, ripping Christopher and Samantha apart, and sending them on separate paths in life. Still reeling from those events of the past, Christopher has chosen to numb his pain by losing himself in meaningless hook-ups, going through the motions of life, refusing to allow himself to love again. Having been completely broken by Christopher, Samantha now finds herself in a safe but passionless relationship. A chance encounter with Christopher’s sister Aly, now married to Christopher’s best friend Jared, brings the past flooding back, and Samantha can no longer deny that she is settling for something less than she wants.Good Lord, the things that I felt while reading this story. A.L. Jackson is a master of writing the kind of book that evokes every possible emotion. Joy, sorrow, anger, edge-of-your seat, nail-biting angst, I experienced every one of these while reading Come To Me Recklessly.I absolutely love this story. Samantha and Christopher are inextricably bound together, unable to move on from their intense first love, even over the intervening years. Their love is truly like a force of nature. Tragedy, broken trust, distance, none of these has dimmed the power that each of them holds over the other, try as they may to forget.

“God, how many times had I imagined this? Seeing him again. What it would feel like, if it’d feel the same or less or more, if I’d burn up with desire or if I’d realize the years had only exaggerated the memories of him, building him up into something he was not. What I never imagined was he would crush me anew. As much as I wanted to look away, my gaze was locked on the boy who held every piece of my heart.”

I really appreciated having the past interspersed with the present and the alternating POVs between Samantha and Christopher. It brought their story full circle, while filling in the gaps, and allowed me to understand all of the circumstances that have brought them to their current place. Come To Me Recklessly is a book that I cannot recommend enough, and unequivocally give it and A.L. Jackson 5+ stars. If I could rate this read any higher, I would. Add this one to your TBR, because it is an absolute must-read, and you will not be sorry.

“What is this?” I forced out, the words shaky.
He grasped both sides of my face, bringing us nose to nose. “This is unstoppable.”

A.L. Jackson is the New York Times bestselling author of Take This Regret and Lost to You, as well as other contemporary romance titles, including Come to Me Quietly, Come to Me Softly, Pulled, When We Collide, and If Forever Comes.

She first found a love for writing during her days as a young mother and college student. She filled the journals she carried with short stories and poems used as an emotional outlet for the difficulties and joys she found in day-to-day life.

Years later, she shared a short story she’d been working on with her two closest friends and, with their encouragement, this story became her first full length novel. A.L. now spends her days writing in Southern Arizona where she lives with her husband and three children. Her favorite pastime is spending time with the ones she loves.

To stay up to date with important news on A.L. Jackson, including new releases, sales, and exclusive specials and excerpts, text “jackson” to 96000 to subscribe!

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Release Blitz + 5 Star Review: What The Lightening Sees : Part One by Louise Bay- What The Lightening Sees Series- Book 1

Posted on 03/31/2015 by shellbellereads

What The Lightening Sees

Adult Contemporary Novella Series- Part One

By Louise Bay

Buy: Amazon

Synopsis

Jake Harrison is everything that Haven Daniels hates about men: over-confident, born into money and too handsome for his own good. Haven finds it difficult to keep her opinions to herself and can’t help but tell Jake exactly what she thinks of him, again and again.

Haven Daniels is uptight, smart and a bit of a bitch – the perfect challenge for Jake. It doesn’t hurt that she’s movie star beautiful and has no idea.

Forced to work together, verbal sparring turns into sexual chemistry but men like Jake are trouble and Haven has had enough trouble to last her a lifetime.

Will Haven give into Jake’s charms? Can Jake peel off Haven’s prickly mask, revealing the woman he knows lies beneath?

Buy: Amazon / Barnes and Noble / ITunes

Part Two : April 27, 2015

Part Three: May 25, 2015

______________________________________

Tracey’s Review

Haven Daniels is all work and no-nonsense, dedicated to proving that she has what it takes to be the next deputy editor at Rallegra, the high end magazine where she works. When Jake ‘Harry’ Harrison arrives on the scene, Haven believes that he is an entitled rich boy, and is less than thrilled to have him on the team. Jake is a self-made man, full-time entrepreneur and part-time photographer. Coming to Rallegra to help an old friend, he is certainly not expecting to meet someone like Haven.

When I heard that Louise Bay was writing a new serial trilogy, I could not have been more excited. As a long-time fan of Louise, I have read and loved her books. What the Lightning Sees: Part One did not disappoint. Haven is quirky and unique; she’s got an offbeat sense of humor, and is almost socially awkward at times. Jake is self-assured and smooth, so it takes a little bit of time for them to appreciate each other. When they do, though, it’s classic Louise Bay sizzle, and it couldn’t be sexier or more entertaining.

Louise’s ability to create great characters, people that you’d really like to spend time with, is a hallmark of her writing. With Haven, Jake, Luke, Ash, and Beth she’s given us a whole new group of friends to enjoy, and I look forward to seeing more of them in the next books. This book does end on a cliffhanger, but this only makes me more eager to get my hands on Part 2. 5 sexy and entertaining, hurry up with the next book stars for What the Lightning Sees: Part One. Get it, read it, fall in love with it. You will not be sorry!

_________________________________

Author Bio:

I write sexy, contemporary romance novels – the kind I like to read. My books Faithful and Hopeful are stand-alone novels although there are some overlapping characters. The Empire State Series of novellas starts with A Week in New York.

Ruined by romantic mini-series of the eighties, I love all things romantic. There’s not enough of it in real life so I’ll settle for books and films.

I love the rain, the West Wing, London, days when you don’t have to wear make-up, being alone, being with friends, elephants and champagne.

Hearing from readers is the best thing in the world so get in touch!
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Happy Release + 5 Star Review + Giveaway : Jake Understood by Penelope Ward

Posted on 03/30/2015 by shellbellereads

Jake Understood

Companion & Sequel to Jake Undone

By Penelope Ward

**ONLY SALE OF 2015. $2.99 RELEASE DAY ONLY!**

Synopsis

From the New York Times bestselling author of Jake Undone, comes a full-length standalone companion novel and sequel.

A different side to the story: Jake’s side.

“We’re getting a new roommate,” they said.

I thought nothing of it…until she walked in the door. Her hand trembled in mine as she looked at me with fearful eyes. My entire world spun on its axis.

Nina…

It was a mismatch made in heaven: innocent girl from the boonies moves in with tattooed, pierced, badboy engineer.

I came up with a bet, a plan to tutor her in math and coach her through her phobias. What I wasn’t betting on was becoming addicted to her.

But I was living a double life on weekends, and once she found out about it, she’d be gone.

I had to protect myself and that meant one thing: I couldn’t fall in love.

In Jake Understood, pivotal scenes from Jake Undone are retold from Jake’s point of view combined with ALL-NEW material from both the past and present time where Jake Undone left off. It can stand alone but if both books are read, should follow Jake Undone. Contains graphic sexual content and harsh language. It is only appropriate for adult readers age 18+.

Buy: Amazon / Barnes and Noble / ITunes / Kobo

Tracey’s Review

In Jake Undone, Penelope Ward gave us the story of Jake and Nina as told from Nina’s point of view. Jake Understood, the companion novella to the first book, follows the same timeline, but is from Jake’s point of view. Unlike some other series, though, this is not just a retelling of the same events in a ‘he said, she said’ kind of way. With Jake Understood, Penelope shows us the whole picture of who Jake is, what motivates him, and leaves us with a deeper understanding of his character. And, if I loved Jake in the first book, then I can say that I absolutely adore him in this second one.

“I think sometimes people come into our lives at a certain time for a reason.”

Penelope is a master at writing the angsty read. Her characters are real, having known real heartache and managed to rise above it. Both Jake and Nina have been shaped by painful pasts. I think, though, that it is their pasts that draw them together, that make them perfect for each other. Jake is the strength that Nina needs to overcome her fears, and Nina is the hope to his hopelessness.

“Adversity only strengthens the kind of love we have. When you’re with the person you’re meant to be with, that’s what happens.”

As a counterpoint to all of the trials that they encounter, there is such humor and love in the way that Jake and Nina relate to each other. I found myself smiling at Jake’s internal dialogue, at the poems that he wrote, and those that he didn’t, in the origami bats, and at his ingenuity and tenacity when helping Nina overcome her phobias.

“So, Nina, what’s been your favorite part about today so far?”
“Hmm…let’s see. There were lots,” she said facetiously. “But I think number one goes to…p**ssing my pants a little when you popped the cork, causing me to actually believe for a moment that the elevator had exploded into a ball of fire. Thanks for that.”
“That’s what I’m here for, Kodak moments like that.”

I thoroughly enjoyed reading Jake Understood, and seeing things through Jake’s eyes. I also appreciated the way that Penelope brought closure to all of the things not quite answered in Jake Undone. And, having regular appearances by Jake’s sister and brother-in-law and my other favorites, Skylar and Mitch, made this an even more endearing read. Five heartfelt stars for Jake Understood, one of my favorites of 2015, and a must-read addition to your bookshelf.

Don’t Miss Out….

RARE LIMITED TIME .99 SALE! (Reg. $3.99)

Jake Undone

From the New York Times Bestselling author of Stepbrother Dearest…

Nina Kennedy was alive…but not living…until she met him.

Planes, trains, heights…you name it, Nina was afraid of it and led a sheltered life ruled by irrational fears and phobias. When she moves to Brooklyn for nursing school, that life is turned upside down, as she develops an intense but unwanted attraction to her gorgeous roommate, who’s pierced, tattooed and just happens to be the smartest person she’s ever met.

Behind Jake Green’s rough exterior and devilish smile, lies a heart of gold. He makes it his mission to change Nina’s outlook on life. When he agrees to tutor her, they forge a bet and the stakes are high as Jake forces Nina to face her demons. He just wasn’t expecting to fall hard for her in the process.

What Nina doesn’t realize, is that Jake has been living his own private hell. Once he drops a bombshell, will their love survive it?

Told in two parts from both Nina and Jake’s points of view, Jake Undone is a STANDALONE story and a companion to the novels Jake Understood, My Skylar and Gemini.

***Author’s note: Due to strong language and sexual content, this book is not intended for readers under the age of 18.

Buy: Amazon / Barnes and Noble / ITunes / Kobo

Author Bio:

Penelope Ward is a USA Today Bestselling author.

She grew up in Boston with five older brothers. She spent most of her twenties as a television news anchor, before switching to a more family-friendly career.

Penelope lives for reading books in the new adult genre, coffee and hanging out with her friends and family on weekends.

She is the proud mother of a beautiful 10-year-old girl with autism (the inspiration for the character Callie in Gemini) and a 8-year-old boy, both of whom are the lights of her life.

Penelope, her husband and kids reside in Rhode Island.

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Review: Night Shift Anthology-Dirty Things Happen In The Dark- Kindle Alexander, Toni Aleo, Sawyer Bennett, Brenda Rathert, Chelle Bliss, and Eden Butler

Posted on 03/28/2015 by shellbellereads

Night Shift Antholgy

Dirty Things Happen After Dark

Six New Novellas by Toni Aleo, Sawyer Bennett, Chelle Bliss, Kindle Alexander,Brenda Rather, and Eden Butler

Buy: Amazon / ITunes

Synopsis

Summer in the Big Easy is hot.

Inside Tulane Medical Center the temperature is on the rise.

Six never before released stories that will leave you breathless.

Dirty things happen in the dark.

Off Duty
Sawyer Bennett

A member of the New York Fire Department, single father Tim Davis is about as tough as they come. But underneath the muscles and tattoos, he still nurses a bruised heart handed to him courtesy of his first love. While on vacation with his son in New Orleans, Tim runs into the very woman that taught him about love before pulling it all away.
Holly Reynolds is rebuilding her life as an orthopedic doctor, far away from her home in New York City and her controlling father – the man responsible for tearing her and Tim apart. While she knows the hurt she caused Tim could never be forgiven, she can’t help the overwhelming feelings she still has for her first and deepest love.
Truths are revealed as lies are exposed.

Rebound
Chelle Bliss

After losing the love of his life to another man, Flash is heartbroken and lost.
Wanting to forget, he heads to New Orleans. He finds the unexpected.
A chance encounter could alter his fate or will she become his rebound?

Wanting to Forget
Toni Aleo

Jordie Thomas is looking for something to take his mind off of the woman he let go—or rather, pushed away—and the terrifying prospect of what will happen if his broken leg doesn’t heal. He’s ready to get back to his family and fellow teammates on the Nashville Assassins and get back onto the ice. However, with his injured leg in the way and his mind clouded by a certain woman, he needs a break to clear his head and his heart. With New Orleans in his sights, can this player find a way to get back to the crazy and reckless life he used to live? Find out as author Toni Also takes readers on a wild journey in this Assassins novella.

Closet Confession
Kindle Alexander

Dr. Derek Babineaux is intelligent, dedicated, and one of the best ER physicians in the fast-paced world of critical care at TMC. Always on top of his game, he’s thrown off balance when the newest staff member unleashes his hidden desires.

Justin Delacroix’s job at the inner city’s busiest hospital might be just what he needs to ease back into civilian life. There’s only one problem, his attraction for one sexy ER doctor is off the charts, but he has reasons for not returning Dr. Baby’s advances. Or maybe he doesn’t.
.
Healing Touch
Brenda Rothert

She spends her nights treating patients, but Dr. Jocelyn Drake’s own wounds are unfixable. A fierce determination to continue her research project and a shred of remaining pride keep Joss from transferring out of the Big Easy.
Carson Stephens recently returned from a tour of duty in the Middle East, and now his closest companion is loneliness. His night-shift work supervising the electrical and mechanical systems at the hospital is a perfect fit – it’s solitary work putting broken things back together. If Carson has his way, his hands will work their magic on more than the wiring, and he’ll show Joss a night of passion that restores her shattered confidence.

Swimming in Shadows
Eden Butler

Neil Ryan was a good Navy SEAL. He was an even better detective, but when an unmarked envelope lands on Ryan’s desk, long-buried secrets are resurrected and Ryan questions everything he thought he knew about justice, including who killed his mother.
Now he’s chasing a ghost, swimming in the shadows of the past, searching for answers. Ryan lands in America’s wildest, sexiest city tangling with a redhead, chasing down a dead woman, and trying to get his best friend to stop hounding him about a business he wants no part of. When a set up sends him straight to Tulane Medical, and into the care of the girl he never forgot, Ryan finds the strength and healing to unravel the mysteries of the past.

Tracey’s Review

#loveislove

What do you get when you put together six of my favorite romance authors, hot little stories set in the Big Easy, and a book that is giving 100% of sales to worthwhile charities? A great big win, that’s what. NIGHT SHIFT: DIRTY THINGS HAPPEN IN THE DARK is a collection of six novellas, all set in New Orleans, at Tulane Medical Center. Each author has written a story guaranteed to raise the temperature and up the sexy quotient. NIGHT SHIFT is the perfect way to get a feel for each of the author’s styles, and I enjoyed seeing how they complemented each other.

One of the things that I like most about this collaboration is that the authors have not only given us their creativity, with stories that absolutely bring the sizzle, but have also done all of this to bring awareness to the very real issue of mental health and to help deserving charities. Do yourself a favor and grab your copy, because, after all, love is love, and Kindle, Toni, Sawyer, Brenda, Chelle, and Eden have done a great job of showing us just that.

Blog Tour + Review: Driven By Destiny by Eve Carter- Destiny Series – Book 2

Posted on 03/23/2015 by shellbellereads

I’ve been burned! Again! I should know better than to let down my guard when it comes to matters of the heart, especially with regards to Lauren Mitchell.

A night in jail left Aedyn Cumberland feeling dejected, bitter and used by Lauren Mitchell. The only way forward is to return to Chicago and the impossible task of tearing Lauren out of his heart, for the second time in his life.

Meanwhile, in Granger, Lauren stands up for herself and makes a dangerous decision to take control of her destiny, clearing the way for a relationship with Aedyn. She only hopes it’s not too late.

Just when everything seems to be moving forward for Lauren, disaster strikes. No one realizes exactly how far, Chip Harrison, her former boyfriend is willing to go to save his own reputation.

Don’t miss the thrilling continuation to Flirting With Destiny by New York Times Best selling author, Eve Carter

* AMAZON * BARNES & NOBLE * iBOOKS * KOBO *

** DESTINY SERIES **

* AMAZON US * AMAZON UK * KOBO * iBOOKS * BARNES & NOBLE *

Tracey’s Review

A night in jail has left Aedyn Cumberland angry and determined to leave Granger, Iowa, and all the memories of his past in his rear-view mirror. But as he tries to forget home and the betrayal by Lauren Mitchell, Aedyn finds himself unable to stop thinking about the woman that he loves.

Driven By Destiny is the second book in the AEDYN series by Eve Carter. I had not read the first book, and felt like I was missing out on the backstory with Aedyn and Lauren, so I do suggest that you read them in order. That being said, I enjoyed this story. It is fast-paced and full of action, not to mention some seriously hot scenes between Aedyn and Lauren. I was glad to see Lauren finally stand up to her bully of an ex and be strong enough to leave her old life behind to pursue her dreams with Aedyn.

There is more to Aedyn’s and Lauren’s story beyond the ending of Driven By Destiny, so this book ends on a cliff-hanger. It was well done, though, and left me wishing that I had Saved By Destiny (Book 3) ready to dive into. As it stands, I give Aedyn and Lauren 4 steamy stars, and look forward to the speedy of arrival of the ending to their story.B

I am a true romantic at heart and with a modern contemporary erotic twist to my romance novels, you had better fasten your seat belt, as the ride is always fun, exciting and fiery.
Living in Southern California, but a mid-westerner at heart, I find plenty of inspiration for my books in my own exciting life. I have always loved the arts and as a young girl, I took dance classes and spent the summers reading books from the local library. Fascinated with the written word and its power to guide the imagination, I started writing short stories and later took Creative Writing classes in college. I graduated from The University of Iowa with a B.A. in Journalism and an M.A. in Higher Education. I also have a Teaching Credential from Chapman University in Southern California.

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Blog Tour + 5 Star Review + Giveaway: Part Time Cowboy by Maisey Yates – Copper Ridge Series – Book 1

Posted on 03/20/2015 by shellbellereads

Part Time Cowboy

Copper Ridge Series – Book 1

By Maisey Yates

Synopsis

A onetime bad girl comes home to small-town Oregon in the first in a sexy, heartfelt new series from USA TODAY bestselling author Maisey Yates

Sadie Miller isn’t expecting any welcome-home parades on her return to Copper Ridge. Least of all from part-time rancher, full-time lawman Eli Garrett. The straitlaced, impossibly hot deputy sheriff glares at her as if she’s the same teenage hoodlum who fled town ten years ago. But running from her demons has brought Sadie full circle, ready to make a commitment at last. Not to a man, but to a bed-and-breakfast. On Garrett land. Okay, so her plan has a tiny flaw…

Eli works too hard to let a blonde ball of trouble mess up his town. But keeping an eye on Sadie makes it tough to keep his hands off her. And if she’s so wrong for him, why does being with her feel so right?

Buy: Amazon / B & N / ITunes

Tracey’s Review

Sadie Miller has come home to Copper Ridge, Oregon, to put a past of running away far behind her. A decade of moving from one place to the next has left her rootless and without any real sense of self. By coming back to the place that she’s always seen as the start of all of her problems, she hopes that she will finally be able to lay old ghosts to rest. Eli Garrett is the poster boy for stability. As both deputy sheriff and part owner of the family ranch, he’s been the glue that holds his family together, following one tragedy after another. He likes order and rules, and is not ready for the changes that Sadie brings with her.

I am a big fan of the Copper Ridge series by Maisey Yates. The small-town community, the richly drawn characters, and the absolutely wonderful dialogue all come together to make these books immensely readable. I fell in love with Eli from the minute he stepped into the story, with his stoicism and order. It was just a matter of time before Sadie, with her quirkiness and her ideas for change snapped him right out of any sense of complacency and rocked his world. These two could not be more different, and have little in common other than a white-hot desire for each other. Until, that is, they begin to spend time together, and to reveal pieces of themselves that show that they are more than they appear to be. Both have very real shadows coloring their pasts, things that have molded them into the people that they are. It is being with each other that allows them to face their demons and evolve into stronger people, both separately and together.

While Maisey covers some serious subject matter, there are also plenty of laugh-out-loud moments. Maisey has a real gift for writing dialogue, both internal and between her characters, and I spent much of the book giggling to myself. And sexy time, Maisey has that down. The heat between Eli and Sadie is palpable, and their growing emotional connection heartfelt. And Connor, Kate, Liss, Jack, and all of the citizens of Copper Ridge make this a cast of folks worth getting to know. 5 stars for Part Time Cowboy, a book that shows that you really can go home again.

Author Bio:
USA Today Bestselling romance writer with a penchant for coffee, sugared cereal, and alpha males. Three children, one husband, and too many dresses for my closet.

Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Goodreads

Giveaway

One Grand Prize: An eBook of Shoulda Been a Cowboy by Maisey Yates and an Amazon Gift Card for $25

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2015 Favorite…6 Star Review…Pocketful Of Sand by M. Leighton

Posted on 03/20/2015 by shellbellereads

A story of heartbreak, loss, redemption and second chances: Pocketful of Sand from New York Times bestselling author M. Leighton

Get it on Amazon | iBooks | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Google Play

Add it on Goodreads

ìSheís beauty for my ashes. And Iím hope for her heartache.îóCole Danzer

I donít know what makes a great love story. Is it that instant attraction when boy meets girl? The passionate kisses and the fairy-tale ending? Or is it a lifetime of tragedy, paid in advance, for a few stolen moments of pure bliss? The pain and the suffering that, in the end, you can say are worth it for having found the missing piece of your soul?

The answer is: I donít know. I donít know what makes a great love story. I only know what makes my love story. I only know that finding Cole when I did, when Emmy and I were running from a nightmare, was the only thing that saved me. That saved us. He was more broken than I was, but somehow we took each otherís shattered pieces and made a whole. If that is what makes a great love story, if that is what makes an epic romance, then mineÖours is the greatest of them all.

Contains material that some may find disturbing. Not intended for readers under the age of 18.

Get it on Amazon | iBooks | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Google Play

Add it on Goodreads

Tracey’s Review

There are books that just absolutely sweep you away, that touch you so completely that you have to sit with it once you’re done and just be. To say that I think this book is amazing would be an understatement. There are not enough ways for me to express just how much this book affected me, and how wonderful I think it is.

I have long been an avid fan of Michelle Leighton. Her stories are always full: love, joy, angst, and, yes, pain, Michelle writes all of these emotions so very well. Her characters most often have pasts that have left them not quite whole.

“Sometimes I think broken people gravitate toward one another, like our shattered pieces connect on a level that unscarred people never know.”

Both Eden and Cole have faced things in their pasts that would have leveled lesser people. That they are able to find in each other, brokenness and all, a connection and a safe place is a testament to love and healing. This is not a simple love story, though, and Cole’s and Eden’s journey to each other is not without challenges. I think that this is part of what makes Pocketful of Sand so powerful, because the characters and their story are more real.

“I’ve been alone a long time, and not once have I ever felt lonely. Bereft, yes. Angry, hell yes. Bitter, remorseful, hopeless, yes, but never lonely. Not until you. You changed everything…And I wasn’t prepared for that. I wasn’t prepared for you…

I hear him shift and then I feel the feather-light brush of his lips on my forehead, the tip of my nose, the curve of my cheek.

‘I know you’re awake. And I love you,’ he says quietly, his mouth near my ear.”

Michelle has captivated me with Cole, with his anguish, his self-imposed solitude, and with his heart. And Eden, fighter that she is, overcomer that she is, along with little Emmy, deserve every single bit of happiness that comes their way.

I can’t say enough times that Pocketful of Sand should be on your must-read list. It is certainly one of my favorites of 2015, and if I could give it more than 5 stars, I would. Thank you, Michelle Leighton, for this heartbreakingly beautiful book.

About M. Leighton

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author M. Leighton is a native of Ohio. She relocated to the warmer climates of the South, where she can be near the water all summer and miss the snow all winter. Possessed of an overactive imagination from early in her childhood, Michelle finally found an acceptable outlet for her fantastical visions: literary fiction. Having written over a dozen novels, these days Michelle enjoys letting her mind wander to more romantic settings with sexy Southern guys, much like the one she married and the ones you’ll find in her latest books. When her thoughts aren’t roaming in that direction, she’ll be riding horses, swimming in ponds and experiencing life on a ranch, all without leaving the cozy comfort of her office.

Happy Release + Review: Naughty King by Michelle A. Valentine – A Sexy Manhattan Fairytale – Part One

Posted on 03/19/2015 by shellbellereads

Naughty King

A Sexy Manhatten Fairytale : Part One

By Michelle A. Valentine

Synopsis

The King Always Gets His Way.

Women, business, pleasure: When I want it, I get it.
I’m never denied.
Including her.
I will break her.
I will show her who the king of this city really is.
The Feisty Princess of Manhattan will learn I am not a man that can be tempted.
No matter how damn bad I want her in my bed.

Book one in a three part erotic romance series from NY Times and USA Today bestselling author Michelle A. Valentine (Rock the Heart, Phenomenal X, Wicked White, Demon at My Door).

Naughty King (A Sexy Manhattan Fairytale: Part One)
Feisty Princess (A Sexy Manhattan Fairytale: Part Two) — Coming Soon
Dirty Royals (A Sexy Manhattan Fairylate: Part Three) — Coming Soon

Buy: Amazon / B & N / Kobo / Google Play

____________________________________

Tracey’s Review

Alexander King is one super-fine hot alpha male, a force to be reckoned with, both in the boardroom and the bedroom. Used to taking what he wants, Alexander has set his sights on a hostile takeover of Dan Buchanan’s business. Dan’s daughter Margo has been sent to work for Alexander as part of the deal, and to spy on him. Things are about to get very interesting, because Margo is not at all what King is used to dealing with, and he won’t give up without a fight.

I have been waiting for Naughty King since I read the first blurb about it, and I was not disappointed. Michelle Valentine has written a sassy sexy read that is the perfect introduction to her Sexy Manhattan Fairytale series. Alexander may come across as a jerk, but he’s hiding a sensitive side behind his hot-as-heck swagger. And Margo, well, she can more than keep up with him. Seeing the two of them go at it is sexy as all get-out, and the steamy scenes, well, I am still fanning myself. These two are the perfect foil for each other, and I look forward to seeing where their story goes. I also absolutely loved Yamada; he had me laughing out loud, and Michelle nailed him, without making him seem like a caricature. He definitely lends some comic relief, while also helping Margo hold her own.

Naughty King is short, but totally hot, and well worth a read. And, while it ends on a cliffy, it’s the perfect set-up for the second book, Feisty Princess (Margo’s nickname), so grab this 4-star read and enjoy!

About Michelle

Michelle A. Valentine is a Central Ohio nurse turned New York Times & USA Today bestselling author of erotic and New Adult romance. Her love of hard-rock music, tattoos, and sexy musicians inspired her erotic BLACK FALCON series.

Find Her Online

Saucy Southern Readers

professional, honest, and timely book reviews

Category Archives: Tracey

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Release Blitz + 6 Star Review + 2015 Favorite: Come To Me Recklessly by A. L. Jackson

Release Blitz + 5 Star Review: What The Lightening Sees : Part One by Louise Bay- What The Lightening Sees Series- Book 1

Happy Release + 5 Star Review + Giveaway : Jake Understood by Penelope Ward

Review: Night Shift Anthology-Dirty Things Happen In The Dark- Kindle Alexander, Toni Aleo, Sawyer Bennett, Brenda Rathert, Chelle Bliss, and Eden Butler

Blog Tour + Review: Driven By Destiny by Eve Carter- Destiny Series – Book 2

Blog Tour + 5 Star Review + Giveaway: Part Time Cowboy by Maisey Yates – Copper Ridge Series – Book 1

2015 Favorite…6 Star Review…Pocketful Of Sand by M. Leighton

Get it on Amazon | iBooks | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Google Play

Add it on Goodreads

Get it on Amazon | iBooks | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Google Play

Happy Release + Review: Naughty King by Michelle A. Valentine – A Sexy Manhattan Fairytale – Part One

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