Happy Release + 5 Star Review : Only For Him by Cristin Harber – Only Series – Book 1

Posted on 02/24/2015 by shellbellereads

Only For Him

Only Series – Book 1

Genre – New Adult

By Cristin Harber

Synopsis

Grayson Ford and Emma Kinglsey–close since they were kids, opposites in every way. He’s the stuff high school crushes are made of, Mister Popular, and captain of every team. She’s artsy, cute, and not in his league, though fully aware of Summerland’s “I Dream of Dating Grayson Ford” support group.

I can’t say no. The girl’s had my heart since before I knew it went missing.

He hides a life of hell. His father hates him, his mother’s gone. Emma is his only savior, yet she doesn’t know her power over him. She’s the only girl he wants, the only one he could ever tell–though he won’t.

I’m stronger, bigger, more of a man than he’ll ever be, but because I ruined his life, I’ve taken his crap, his attacks, the vulgar nature of his existence.

Until she discovers Gray’s embarrassment, his humiliation. Emma fights for him and for a chance. Theirs is a Cinderella story that she believes impossible. But as the layers peel back, it’s just a guy who needs a girl in order to keep breathing.

My mind is already doodling Mrs. Grayson Ford in imaginary notebooks. He has no clue where my head is at… But, given that I didn’t see what just happened coming, maybe I have no clue where his head is at either.

Only for Him. Only series, Volume One.
All novellas will release Spring 2015.

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Michel’s Review

Only For Him by Cristin Harber is the first book I have read by this author. Although this was a novella, it packed a punch. I didn’t feel like the story was rushed or the plot was abbreviated. The characters were very well developed and easy to relate to. The emotional impact this book delivered pulled on all of my heart strings. The friendship between the characters was endearing. There was never a question of the bond between them. When their friendship began to evolve in something more it was quite clear that it was not going to be easy. The love between the two is full of heartbreak, turmoil, happiness, and hopes of a forever kind of love. The obstacles and impossibilities that keep these two from developing a real relationship is valid. The girl is pushing for more and the boy is holding back.

Emma and Grayson are very close friends. It would seem like this friendship would be impossible because Grayson is the golden boy and Emma is the artsy nerd. These differences are what makes their friendship work.

Grayson is the boy girls fantasize about. On the surface he is perfection. Beneath the surface he is hiding a lot of insecurities, hurt, and horrific secrets. His home life is abusive. The only moments of serenity he gets is when he is with Emma. She is his safe place. She doesn’t know the secrets he is hiding.

Emma wants more than a friendship with Grayson. She has always loved him. She knows that she is not the type of girl that Gray is attracted to. She hides her feelings well and settles for friendship. When she discovers some of the secrets Grayson has been hiding she no longer wants to settle. She is going to fight for Gray. She is going to prove that her love is worth the it all. She is going to prove that he is worthy of love.

This book’s emotional journey escalates as the secrets begin to surface. As the secrets surface it is clear that their world may implode.

The ending was a cliffhanger that has readers anxiously awaiting for the next book.

Cristin Harber is an amazing writer. The book is well written. The emotions portrayed throughout the story touch your soul. The characters are full of life and come across as very real people. The pacing of this story blew me away. This novella felt like a full length novel.

I highly recommend Only For Him.

ABOUT CRISTIN HARBER

Cristin Harber is a USA Today bestselling romantic suspense and military romance author. Fans voted her onto Amazon’s Top Picks for Debut Romance Authors in 2013, and her debut Titan series was #1 romantic suspense, #1 military romance, and a USA Today Top 100 bestseller.

She lives outside Washington, DC with her family and English Bulldog.

Website | Newsletter | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

Happy Release + Giveaway : Innocent Ride by Chelsea Camaron – The Hellions Series – Book 4

Posted on 02/24/2015 by shellbellereads

Innocent Ride

The Hellions Series – Book 4

By Chelsea Camaron

Synopsis

***Although best read in order, each book of the Hellions Ride series can be read as a stand alone novel.***

She is a corporate accountant. Her life is full of structure, routine, and organization. Settled, comfortable, and content, Caroline Milton loves knowing what to expect every minute of every day. More importantly, she loves knowing her life is what she pictures it to be and not what she came from.

He is the Catawba Hellions VP and a wild one, refusing to be tamed. His motto—’hit it, get it, and go; no repeats’ where women are concerned—guarantees a new woman in his bed nightly. His life, though, suddenly tilts on its axis when his wild days come barreling back with a major responsibility. Suddenly, Drexel ‘Rex’ Crews finds he has a real reason to settle down.

When a situation quickly spins out of control at work for Caroline, she reaches out to the one group she least expected to find herself dependent upon—the Hellions Motorcycle Club. Asked as a personal favor from Doll to protect her best friend, Rex can’t refuse.
Protecting Caroline was supposed to be an innocent task. However, the attraction from their first meeting is a fire burning strong inside of them both. Neither can deny the pull, despite the fact that they come from different worlds.

Can Rex show Caroline the safety and security of the MC? Can Caroline tame the wild beast inside of Rex? Can their innocent ride become a journey to long lasting love?
*Intended for mature audiences only*
This series contains strong language, strong sexual situations, and violence. Please do not buy if any of this offends you.

This is not meant to be a true or exact depiction of a motorcycle club, rather a work of fiction meant to entertain.

Buy: Amazon / Barnes and Noble / ITunes

Excerpt

~Rex~

As the wind whips around me, she dances violently, slapping the leather of my cut harshly against my T-shirt covered chest. A storm is brewing in the air around me as another one rages on inside my darkened soul.

The road before me is curvy. They call it Dead Man’s Trail. Riding a ledge is what it feels like. With the fine line of one wrong move, life and death are in the balance as the road winds through a mountain.

I am hours from home, and I still can’t bring myself to turn around and go back. I am not on a transport or on a run for the club. I am out alone, just me, my Harley, and the open night sky.

Not a star shines tonight as the humidity rises and the wind swirls through the thick air. A summer storm is in the midst. My mind races as the pipes on my bike scream out under the pressure of my speed.

“Be a man to be proud of. Carry your name—our name—with pride,” Pop’s voice echoes in my head.

A name. My name. Our name.

Tessie gave my boy—her son, my son, our son—my name. My fucking name.

Axel Devon Crews. Mini-me. One look and I fucking knew he was mine. My gut twists. Mine. My blood. My responsibility. My name. My fucking mirror image.

Throttle down, I push on faster, harder, needing to feel something slice through me besides the disappointments running through my mind. My life is officially at a crossroads, every mistake of my past now shoved in the forefront of my mind.

How did I get so lost? How have I become so consumed in things that don’t matter? When did I become so self-absorbed?

I would lay down my life to protect the very cut moving across my back right now. Yet, the woman who freely lay beneath me, giving her body, heart, and soul to me, I left without a glance back. She ripped her body—literally—to give life to my seed, and I did nothing more than wink, smile, and move on to the next woman. I was so focused on myself I missed the signs. I should have known. Hell, I should have been there.

Then, when the opportunity came for me to step up for her, did I do it? No. Shooter stepped in like I knew he would. He is a far better man than I am. Tessie deserves a man like him, not the mess that is me. No matter what life throws at them, he will be there to have her back, to be her security. He will be her strength and her calm within the storm. He will be her best friend and her lover. Everything that Tessie needs, wants, and damn sure deserves is found in the man I now proudly call my brother.

Sure, there was a time I wanted to rip him limb from limb. He went after what could have been mine. No, he didn’t go after her, not really, not if I keep it real with myself. I pushed him there. I sent him to her. I gave him what could have been my future. The only person to blame here is me. She needed me, and I tossed her off to him. My mistakes. My losses. I know, if I am ever given a chance to have something good again, I am not going to waste my opportunity.

When the clouds open up, the hot rain comes down, pelting me in the face, on my arms, and all my exposed skin. The road beneath me gets slick as I push on. Soft gravel gives way, and my back tire shifts under me. I don’t correct the movement. The delicate balance keeping me upright drops as does my bike, and my body hits the pavement hard. Gravel digs in even through the denim of my pants as the material rips. I feel my arms shred as my bike is no longer under my now broken body, only the unforgiving road.

Broken, shredded, a bloody mess of a man—that is what I am.

Pops’ voice is the last thing to sound through my head as I succumb to the blackness consuming me.

“The past is the past; the future is before you. Change is a power we all hold. Learning from your mistakes is growth, and it’s a necessary change. How you pick yourself up when you hit rock bottom will tell what kind of man you really are.”

The Hellions Ride Series

One Ride- Book 1

Content with living in the bubble of safety the Haywood’s Hellions Motorcycle Club has always provided, Delilah ‘Doll’ Reklinger never gave a second thought to any danger surrounding her.

She’s never imagined her life without the club. She also never thought the day would come a man would come along and prove himself worthy enough to her father, Roundman, Hellions Club President. Life was easy going and carefree.

Roundman has kept the chaos surrounding the Hellions contained for the last thirty years. When the dangerous side to their business comes knocking on his only child’s doorstep, he realizes his precious Doll isn’t safe anymore.

The Hellions code may be control the chaos, but one thing Roundman quickly learns there is always the wild card to stir up trouble. For the Hellions, women and children may be off limits in any altercation or dispute, but that doesn’t mean their enemies follow the same moral compass.

With Doll in danger from the association she has with him and his club, Roundman makes the only decision he feels he can- send her away. Calling on the one charter club president he trusts, he sets up a ride to keep her safe, all in hopes the trouble won’t follow.

One Ride. One simple ride across the country.

Talon ‘Tripp’ Crews has been ordered to take Doll on one ride away from the danger while the club handles the threat. She’s off limits. His head knows this, but his body can’t deny the attraction. She’s feisty, fierce, and fearless. He’s never been one to be tied down. He lives for the next ride.

Constantly in close confines together, can they deny the chemistry? Will they give in to the desire?

Can one ride turn lust into love?

This book contains strong language, strong sexual situations, violence and is not suitable for readers under the age of 18. Please do not buy if any of this offends you. This is a work of fiction and is not meant to be a true or exact depiction of a motorcycle club but rather a book meant to entertain.
Although part of a series this book can be read as a stand alone novel. This is a full length novel with a HEA, no cliffhanger.

Buy: Amazon / Barnes and Noble / ITunes

Forever Ride -Book 2

Often times the people who come across as the strongest can be the weakest underneath it all.

Events happen in life that can awaken our truest and deepest desires. They also show us our greatest fears. Sometimes we are forced to face those fears, other times we build walls that can’t be climbed or broken to protect ourselves.

A profound connection these two once shared, a strong friendship once formed is now shattered. Fate has stepped in and shaken both their worlds.

The danger, the wild, the chaos, and the lifestyle of the Hellions world has become far too much for Savannah ‘Sass’ Perchton. Swearing off bikers and attempting a ‘normal life’, she has settled. She pushes away her old life, her old self. She is trying to fit into a mold, to be everything she never was.

Things aren’t always what they seem. Wrap an empty box in pretty paper, tie it off with a bow- it may look amazing, but it’s still just a hollow shell.

He is a playboy. A different chick in his bed, off on a different ride, and always chasing something new. Frank ‘Tank’ Oleander, Haywood’s Hellions Road Chief will give anything for his club, including his life.

Throttle down, ride it out.

The fast pace of the Hellions life catches up to him. At a crossroads he is forced to face some life changing thoughts or succumb to the darkness of death. Teetering on the brink of giving in, her voice is all he is holding onto. The coma he can’t come out of is full of the memories he can’t let go of. She’s the light in the darkness.

She has left behind everything she has ever known chasing stability. His life literally hangs in the balance. Can she see beyond the chaos to the man behind the cut? Can he pull through?

Will they find their Forever Ride?

Although part of a series this book can be read as a stand alone novel. This is a full length novel with a HEA, no cliffhanger.

Buy: Amazon / Barnes and Noble / ITunes

Merciless Ride – Book 3

***Although this book is part of a series it can be read without reading books one and two.***

Mercy is no friend of mine. Karma, she has yet to show kindness to me.

The hits just keep on coming for Tessie Marie Harlow. She has never had an easy life. Her mom disabled, her dad long gone, and a single mom raising a rambunctious little boy, that’s Tessie’s world.

Her childhood aspirations to be a nurse long since disappeared after a college spring fling both blessed and burdened her with a baby boy. Dropping out of school, she returns to her hometown and begins to settle in. Getting the only job she could as a bartender she spends her days caring for her son and nights serving the Hellions Motorcycle Club and their affiliates.

Tired of waiting for Rex to grow up, she’s faced with the bane existence of her life until one night changes everything. In the darkest hour of her merciless ride through life, she’s saved by a quiet, laid back Hellion.

Andy ‘Shooter’ Jenkins has always been around. Too wrapped in Rex she has never really noticed him before. He has never been loud or known to have the girls hanging all over him. He is a mystery. A chance encounter brings him to her rescue not once but twice.

The Desert Ghosts Motorcycle Club are in town and bring their own brand of chaos right to Tessie’s door. Forced into her day to day life, Shooter is doing everything he can to shelter and protect her as lines are crossed and a war between two clubs begins.

Secrets revealed putting two brothers in the Hellions Motorcycle Club at a serious crossroads in their lives.

This is not a ride for pleasure. This is not a ride for safety. This is not a ride for love. This is a ride for endurance. Mercy has never once shined her grace down for these two, but in the midst of the danger and lies can they learn to rely on one another and ride it out together?

*Intended for mature audiences only* 18 and older
This series contains strong language, strong sexual situations, and violence. Please do not buy if any of this offends you. This is not meant to be a true or exact depiction of a motorcycle club rather a work of fiction meant to entertain.

Although part of a series this book can be read as a stand alone novel. This is a full length novel with a HEA, no cliffhanger.

Buy: Amazon / Barnes and Noble / ITunes

Author Bio

Chelsea Camaron was born and raised in Coastal North Carolina. She currently resides in Southern Louisiana with her husband and two children but her heart is always Carolina day dreaming.

Chelsea always wanted to be a writer, but like most of us, let fear of the unknown grab a hold of her dream; she realized that if she was going to tell her daughter to go for her dreams, that it was time to follow her own advice.

Chelsea grew up turning wrenches alongside her father, and from that grew her love for old muscle cars and Harley Davidson motorcycles, which just so happened to inspired her ‘Daddy’s Girls’ series. Her love for reading has sparked a new love for writing and she currently has a few more projects in the works.

When she is not spending her days writing you can find her playing with her kids, attending car shows, going on motorcycle rides on the back of her husband’s Harley, snuggling down with her new favorite book or watching any movie that Vin Diesel might happen to be in.

She hates being serious and is still a big kid at heart. She is a small town country girl enjoying life and, Chelsea hopes that her readers remember not to take life too seriously and to embrace your inner five year old, because five year olds know how to enjoy the simple things in life and how to always have fun.

Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Goodreads

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Happy Release + Review + Exclusive Interview : Broken Honor by Tonya Burrows – Hornet Series – Book 3

Posted on 02/24/2015 by shellbellereads

Broken Honor

Hornet Series – Book 3

By Tonya Burrows

Synopsis

Ice-cold and unbreakable, Travis Quinn is the HORNET team’s hard-ass. No weaknesses. Except, of course, for the accident that not only destroyed his career as a Navy SEAL, but left terrifying blanks in his memory. But Travis remembers everything about Mara Escareno–the curve of her lips, the feel of her body…and how he walked out on her suddenly six weeks ago.
Mara could never resist the dangerously sexy Travis, which is probably how she ended up pregnant and disowned by her family. But before Travis can fully process the news, Mara is kidnapped by his enemies and plunged into the violent, merciless world of human trafficking. They want Travis–and the information locked within his damaged memory–no matter the cost. And now Travis’s enemies have discovered his only weakness…Mara.

Buy: Amazon / Barnes and Noble / ITunes

The Hornet Series

Seal of Honor – Book 1

It’s a good thing Gabe Bristow lives and breathes the Navy SEAL credo, “the only easy day was yesterday,” because today, his life is unrecognizable. When his prestigious career comes to a crashing halt, he’s left with a bum leg and few prospects for employment that don’t include a desk.

That is, until he’s offered the chance to command a private hostage rescue team and free a wealthy American businessman from Colombian paramilitary rebels. It seems like a good deal—until he meets his new team: a drunk Cajun linguist, a boy-genius CIA threat analyst, an FBI negotiator with mob ties, a cowboy medic, and an EOD expert as volatile as the bombs he defuses. Oh, and who could forget the sexy, frustratingly impulsive Audrey Van Amee? She’s determined to help rescue her brother—or drive Gabe crazy. Whichever comes first.

As the death toll rises, Gabe’s team of delinquents must figure out how to work together long enough to save the day. Or, at least, not get themselves killed. Because Gabe’s finally found something worth living for, and God help him if he can’t bring her brother back alive.

Buy Amazon / Barnes and Noble / ITunes

Honor Reclaimed – Book 2

Former Marine sniper Seth Harlan is determined to prove that he can still do his job despite his ongoing battle with PTSD. When an old friend contacts HORNET to rescue a black ops soldier, Seth’s stability is strained. He knows all too well what it’s like to rot inside an enemy camp, praying for rescue and waiting for death. And he’s not about to leave a man behind.

Photojournalist Phoebe Leighton just stumbled into the middle of an arms deal. Teaming up with a ragtag team of mercenaries is the last thing she wants to do–especially when she realizes Seth Harlan is assigned to the mission. He may ignite a passion in her she thought long dead, but Phoebe’s hiding a secret that could destroy him.

With a bomb in the mix, HORNET’s mission is suddenly about a lot more than an abandoned soldier. Racing against the clock, Seth, Phoebe, and the rest of the team struggle to stop a ruthless warlord bent on power, revenge…and death.

Buy: Amazon / Barnes and Noble / ITunes

Tina’s Review

The men of HORNET are back! Although Ms. Burrows does a wonderful job at writing this so it may stand on it’s own, I feel it would be most beneficial and enjoyable if the reader reads SEAL of Honor and Honor Reclaimed prior to this to appreciate the supporting characters to their fullest value. I’m always nervous to review a book by one of my favorite authors. I worry it won’t live up to my lofty expectations and I also worry that the author may not like my review… because, regardless of who the author is, I took a vow to read and review each book fairly and honestly.
That said, here I go… although Quinn has been an important member of HORNET, his character never left a strong, positive impression with me. He knew he was suffering side effects from the brain injury, but kept playing it off as no big deal. It’s irresponsible, reckless and selfish to do, especially as the commanding officer of the team. But, this book redeems him. Mara’s kind of a more obscure character, meaning though they have history and she’s been introduced in a previous storyline, she played more of a cameo than a minor role. Her character is quite enjoyable and I find her blend of vulnerability and feistiness to be refreshing. The dialogue and interaction between characters can easily be envisioned playing out in front of you, it’s very believable and feels feel. The plot is darker than the others of this series, it is dynamic and exciting, providing thrills and laughs and tears all while flowing with the smoothness of a decadent chocolate fountain. I’ll never be able to look at a Whac-a-Mole game again without thinking of Jean-Luc… priceless! There were plenty of conflicts being tossed at them from many different directions, all of which seem to have been resolved quite neatly. I had some speculations early on about “Captain Cold” and was oh-so close to being right, but I was just wrong enough for it to still be have that “whoa” factor upon the big reveal. Glad Tank made it back from London, he had me worried for a bit. The conclusion was solid and there’s just enough of a slight tease to whet the appetite for what might be the next book in the series. I really enjoy this series. If you like Maya Banks’ KGI series, you will love Tonya Burrows’ HORNET series.

Interview With Tonya Burrows

The third book in the HORNET series, BROKEN HONOR, by Tonya Burrows is about to release. Congratulations & Happy Release! She was kind enough to take time out of her super busy schedule to sit down with me long enough to conduct a short Q & A session.
Thank you, Tonya.

Tina:
Hi, Tonya. Thank you for taking time out to answer a few question for me.
Let’s start at the beginning… When did you know you wanted to become a professional writer/author and who were your influences and role models at that time? And now, what author(s) do you admire most?
Tonya:
Hi, Tina! Glad to be here!
I’ve always known I wanted to be an author. I remember telling my first grade teacher I would be an author someday, but it wasn’t until I was in 8th grade that the idea really took hold. I have my literature teacher to thank for that. She read everything I wrote, no matter how horrible it was, and encouraged me to keep writing. And I did.
There are two big-name authors I admire. Nora Roberts because she always manages to suck me into her stories, and J.R. Ward because her Black Dagger Brotherhood series inspires such a huge fandom. Those are two things I aspire to with my books.

Tina:
Your heroes are all kick-ass, uber-macho Alpha men. Is there any correlation between the fictional heroes and a real, live Alpha muse or muses?
Tonya:
Nope. I wish, but my heroes are complete fantasies.

Tina:
For those who follow the HORNET series, we have come to expect some pretty controversial plot locations. SEAL of Honor taking place in Columbia, Honor Reclaimed set in Afghanistan, and now Broken Honor is in… Transnistria? Can you tell us how you FOUND and decided on this obscure location?
Tonya:
Well, I knew I wanted Broken Honor to take place in a country that has problems with human trafficking, so that’s where I started with my research. When I came across Transnistria, a small breakaway republic of Moldova, I found the idea of an unrecognized country so interesting, I knew I had to set the book there.

Tina:
It sounds like Quinn’s story will be a little darker and/or edgier than the others with having to take on Human Traffickers in some unrecognized Eastern European country. How difficult was getting his story put into written words? It all sounds pretty foreign and complex; how deep did you need to research the topics and location for this book?
Tonya:
I do so much more research than what makes it into the actual book. Human trafficking is a very dark topic and I wanted to make sure I did it justice and had my facts right. Same with the setting—I read and watched everything I could find about Transnistria and Moldova because I wanted to make sure to do the countries justice. No place is all bad and I really try to show some of the good with the bad in these books.

Tina:
I understand that you are planning to donate a portion of your first month’s proceeds. NOT FOR SALE (notforsalecampaign.org)’s goal is to protect people and communities around the world from Human Trafficking. What was it about this cause and this organization that made you choose it over so many other charities?
Tonya:
After researching Broken Honor, I felt like I had to do something to help combat human trafficking, so when it was mentioned in passing that I could donate a portion of my proceeds, I jumped on the idea. I researched several organizations and decided I wanted to donate to a smaller, more “grassroots” effort. Not for Sale appealed to me for many reasons, but I made sure to get a second opinion by posing the question to my street team.

Tina:
You have two other series ongoing, WILDE SECURITY and D.I.E. SQUADRON. Can you tell us what’s happening with those? Any more New Releases we should be watching for in the near future?
Tonya:
Yes, I hope to finish the Wilde Security series this year. I don’t have release dates for any of them yet, but I hope to soon!
As for D.I.E. Squadron, I’m going to have to put that series on hold. Vision of Darkness was my first self-published effort and unfortunately, it didn’t sell well. So as much as I want to tell D.I.E. Squadron’s stories, I can’t justify spending the time or money to continue it at the moment. Hopefully I’ll be able to do it sometime in the future!

Tina:
With writing books for three series at a time, how do you keep all of your characters and plots organized and/or separated?
Tonya:
I have notebooks, my “bibles” for each book, but as I get farther into the series, I’m starting to realize that isn’t working anymore. I really need to take the time to put all the information into one binder for each series. And, I’m not gonna lie, the character profiles on my website have saved me from giving the characters the wrong colored eyes more than once.

Tina:
Finish these sentences:
“I’m going to celebrate my New Release by___” … work. I don’t usually do anything fun on release days. I’ll having marketing stuff to do and I’ll be working on the 4th Wilde Security book. I might indulge in a margarita that night, though.
“My ideal way to chill and relax is to ______” … veg out with Netflix. I’ll fully admit to being addicted to TV.

Tina: Could you describe a typical day in the life of Tonya Burrows? What do you enjoy doing when you’re not trying to meet deadlines?
Tonya:
My days are pretty uneventful. I walk my dogs, then have my coffee and catch up on emails, social media, and other online stuff. That usually takes me until lunchtime. I walk the dogs again, catch up on my TV shows while I eat and if I have any errands to do, I’ll do them in the afternoon. I do almost all of my writing in the evenings and at night. I’m a night owl. When I’m not writing, I like to spend time outside with my dogs at the park or beach. And, like I said, I’m addicted to TV so Netflix usually plays a big part in my days off. 🙂

Tina:
Lastly, I’d love to learn a little more about YOUR reading preferences.
What book did you just finish reading? What are you currently reading? What 2015 New Release are you looking most forward to?
Tonya:
I am most looking forward to J.R. Ward’s new releases. The Shadows, The Bourbon Kings, and the first book in the new series she just announced. I’m also looking forward to the next book in Cindy Gerard’s One-Eyed Jacks series and the next J.D. Robb book.
Right now, I’m listening to Rebecca Zanetti’s Blind Faith on audio, but I can’t share with you what I’m reading because I’m currently judging books for the RITA awards.

Tina:
Again, I’d like to thank you for taking the time out of your schedule to sit down and answer my questions. I enjoyed it. Best wishes on BROKEN HONOR!
Tonya:
You’re welcome! Thanks for having me!

Author Bio:

Tonya Burrows wrote her first romance in 8th grade and hasn’t put down her pen since. Originally from a small town in Western New York, she’s currently soaking up the sun as a Florida girl. She suffers from a bad case of wanderlust and usually ends up moving someplace new every few years. Luckily, her two dogs and ginormous cat are excellent travel buddies.

When she’s not writing about hunky military heroes, Tonya can usually be found at a bookstore or the dog park. She also enjoys painting, watching movies, and her daily barre workouts. A geek at heart, she pledges her TV fandom to Supernatural and Dr. Who.

Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Goodreads

Happy Release + Review + Giveaway: Killian by Brenda Rothert – On The Line Series – Book 1

Posted on 02/24/2015 by shellbellereads

Happy Release Day to Brenda Rothert and her new book KILLIAN! Read a sneak peek into the book below and make sure to enter the giveaway! Good luck!

♥ BUY THE BOOK ♥

Amazon | B&N | iBooks | Kobo

Killian Bosch knows he’s his own worst enemy – he just doesn’t give a damn. The star forward of a minor league hockey team, he’s unstoppable on the ice. His reckless behavior, devil-may-care attitude and complete disregard for consequences have made him a major source of headaches for the Fenway Flyers’ brass.
But the new Flyers owner is more steel than brass. Sidney Stahl is a disciplined woman who parlayed earnings from a college job into a real estate empire. She’s determined to transform the Flyers from marketing nightmare to hockey powerhouse. Once she gets Killian in line, she knows the rest of the team will follow his lead.

The seduction of his sexy new team owner is a challenge too forbidden for Killian to resist. Sidney plays into his attraction as a means of controlling him, but soon finds that she’s the one surrendering. It’s all on the line as Killian and Sidney are forced to choose – business or pleasure?

My mind was jerked back to the present when I became aware the coach had moved on from his teaching lesson. “The new owner’s upstairs watching practice,” Orion announced, giving us the evil eye. We all looked up in the direction of the owner’s box, but I couldn’t see anyone standing inside.

Orion turned to Bruce, the Flyers assistant coach, and spoke in a voice loud enough that no one could miss what he was saying, “Bruce, did we not have a meeting with the new owner before practice this morning?”

Bruce nodded his agreement.

“Tell me if I remember this right, Bruce.” Orion continued. “Did she tell us this team will be undergoing some major changes? That we’ll be making cuts and bringing in new talent?”

“That’s right, Coach,” Bruce said in an even tone.

Sighs and shuffling from around me indicated nervousness. I had nothing to worry about. I was the captain of the team and probably the best player here, though Bennett was a very close second. But the idea of cutting the dead weight got my attention. I was as disgusted as Orion with the record of our team. It was fucking embarrassing. He’d been brought in by the new ownership to turn things around and it sounded like that was about to happen.

“I’ve been here two weeks,” he said. “I’ve given all of you a chance to show me you want to be on this team. Starting today, there’ll be one on one meetings between some of you and the new owner. Later on, Bruce and I will talk to each of you individually to let you know who’s staying and who’s going. Now back to the fucking play, boys.”

As we turned to get back in line, Orion called Liam’s name. “You’re up first with the owner,” he said. “You know where her office is?”

My head swiveled to look at Orion. Her? The new owner was a woman? Fucking hell. A woman wouldn’t be able to make the tough decisions this team needed to recover from its place at the bottom of the league.

And what about Liam? He was a quiet, solid player on the first line. What the hell did the new ownership want with him? I wanted to go with him to that meeting, but that was never going to happen.

Liam skated over to the bench and I glanced back up at the owner’s box, glowering. Anybody who fucked with Liam was also fucking with me. I had nothing to lose, and a man with nothing to lose was never someone you wanted to fuck with. Especially not by some woman who thought she could overhaul this team and turn things around. Others had tried and failed. She would be no different.

______________________________________

Tracey’s Review

As the new owner of the Fenway Flyers, businesswoman Sidney Stahl has got her work cut out for her. Her only goal is to get her hockey team in fighting form, and to convince team captain Killian Bosch to set a good example for his teammates. Killian is anything but sedate. Working and playing hard, the last thing he’s looking for is to settle down and tow the line, but saying no to Sidney might not be as easy as he thinks.

KILLIAN is the first in a new series by author Brenda Rothert. Brenda is no stranger to delivering stories about hot hockey players. Her Fire On Ice series features some of the hottest pro players out there, and Killian and his friends are right in line to continue the trend. Killian is passionate, dedicated to the game and to his brothers on the team. Inspired to play his best by his new coach, Orion Caldwell, he finds himself drawn to Sidney, the new owner of the Flyers. Sidney knows that she should stay away from Killian, that getting involved with him is not the professional thing to do, but the heart wants what it wants, and these two definitely want each other.

I very much enjoyed reading KILLIAN. As always, Brenda has written a love story between characters with a lot of heart, but which is also absolutely full of passion and heat. Sidney and Killian are great foils for each other, each inspiring the other to evolve into better versions of themselves. Although their story is mostly wrapped up in this book, I look forward to seeing more of them in future books in the On the Line series, and to reading both Liam’s and Bennett’s stories.

Author Bio:

Brenda Rothert lives in Central Illinois with her husband and three sons. She was a daily print journalist for nine years, during which time she enjoyed writing a wide range of stories.

These days Brenda writes New Adult Romance in the Contemporary and Dystopian genres. She loves to hear from readers by email at bjrothert@sbcglobal.net.

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Happy Release + 5 Star Review – 2015 Favorite : Thoughtful by S. C. Stephens- A Thoughtless Series Novel

Posted on 02/24/2015 by shellbellereads

Thoughtful

Thoughtless Series – Book 4

By S. C. Stephens

Synopsis

In Thoughtless, Kiera told her story. Now it’s time to hear from the sexy rock star who captivated us all . . .

THOUGHTFUL

The only place Kellan Kyle has ever felt at home is onstage. Gripping his guitar in a darkened bar, he can forget his painful past. These days his life revolves around three things: music, his bandmates, and hot hookups. Until one woman changes everything . . .

Kiera is the kind of girl Kellan has no business wanting-smart, sweet, and dating his best friend. Certain he could never be worthy of her love, he hides his growing attraction . . . until Kiera’s own tormented heart hints that his feelings might not be one-sided. Now, no matter the consequences, Kellan is sure of one thing-he won’t let Kiera go without a fight.

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Michel’s Review

Our favorite rock star is back! Kellan Kyle stole our hearts in the Thoughtless trilogy. The latest release, Thoughtful is Kellan’s POV from Thoughtless, the book that began it all.

I have to admit I was a bit nervous about this book. I was fearful it was going to be the exact same book as Thoughtless with the same character motivations. I was also fearful that Kellan’s voice was going to come across more like a female POV. Many writers have attempted to retell a story from a different character’s POV and had epic fails. S. C. Stephens knocked Thoughtful out of the park. This book made me fall in love with Kellan Kyle’s character all over again. It actually endeared him to my heart more so than he already was. I closed this book with a happy heart and a satisfied mind.

S. C. Stephens has grown as a writer and mastered her craft. It is quite evident when you compare Thoughtless to Thoughtful. The writing has matured. This book clearly showcased the characters personalities with more depth and realism.

Thoughtful begins when Kellan first meets Kiera. His reaction to her was more than we were led to believe. It was beyond a physical reaction. I felt the intensity of his emotions and his deep need for her. I felt the longing he had deep in his soul.

As Kiera’s and Kellan’s relationship begins to progress the reader gets a better understanding of Kellan’s obsession for his best friend’s girl. Her rejections hurt more than his male pride and ego. They added more wounds to his deeply scarred soul. Her indecisiveness broke his heart. He wanted her to find him worthy of her love. He wanted to be her “one” that captured her heart.

Thoughtful gives the reader more insight to Kellan’s abusive childhood and a better understanding of his adult behaviors. The reader got to see where his insecurities developed and drove him to his manwhore obsessions. It validated the behaviors that led to Kellan being a manwhore. He was never shown love or affection. He never had any kind of healthy relationship whether it be a platonic , romantic, or family.

The reader got to experience all the swoon worthy love scenes, forbidden moments, and sneaking around in a whole new light. These moments affected Kellan just as deeply as they did Kiera if not more so. It seemed Kellan had more at stake because he allowed himself to become vulnerable. He never allowed himself hope.

The best part of Thoughtful was how it portrayed Kellan and Kiera’s love for each other. This book validated every action they were driven to take. They did it all for the possibility of a love that would last a lifetime. They did it because it was what their hearts needed to survive.

The moments of love, heartbreak, betrayal, and hope made this book a solid 5 Star book and 2015 Favorite. It made Kellan Kyle the man we love so dearly.

Kellan Kyle owns me!

The Thoughtless Series

Thoughtless – Book 1

For almost two years now, Kiera’s boyfriend, Denny, has been everything she’s ever wanted: loving, tender, and endlessly devoted to her. When they head off to a new city to start their lives together—Denny at his dream job and Kiera at a top-notch university—everything seems perfect. Then an unforeseen obligation forces the happy couple apart. Feeling lonely, confused, and in need of comfort, Kiera turns to an unexpected source—a local rock star named Kellan Kyle. At first, he’s purely a friend she can lean on, but as her loneliness grows, so does their relationship. And then one night everything changes…and none of them will ever be the same.

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Effortless – Book 2

After being caught in the middle of a love triangle that led to a devastating betrayal, Kiera pledged to learn from the mistakes she’d made. She was determined to never again inflict that kind of pain on anyone, especially the soulful, talented man who held her heart. But life offers new challenges for every relationship, and when Kiera’s love is put to the ultimate test, will it survive? Love is easy…trust is hard.

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Reckless – Book 3

Can love survive when life gets Reckless?

When the band hits it big, Kiera and Kellan must ask themselves: Can their love for each other withstand the constant pressures of superstardom? The friendships they’ve formed, the new family they’ve found, and the history they’ve forged will all play a part in helping them navigate the turbulent waters of the band’s exploding popularity. A greedy executive hell-bent on success, a declining pop star looking for an edge, and a media circus that twists lies into truths are just some of the obstacles the lovers will have to overcome if they are going to remain together. Fame comes with a price—but will it cost Kiera and Kellan everything?

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Thoughtful – Book 4

In Thoughtless, Kiera told her story. Now it’s time to hear from the sexy rock star who captivated us all . . .

Buy: Amazon / Barnes and Noble / ITunes

About S. C. Stephens

S.C. Stephens is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author who enjoys spending every free moment she has creating stories that are packed with emotion and heavy on romance.

Her debut novel, Thoughtless, an angst-filled love triangle charged with insurmountable passion and the unforgettable Kellan Kyle, took the literary world by storm. Amazed and surprised by the response to the release of Thoughtless in 2009, more stories were quick to follow. Stephens has been writing nonstop ever since.

In addition to writing, Stephens enjoys spending lazy afternoons in the sun reading fabulous novels, loading up her iPod with writer’s block reducing music, heading out to the movies, and spending quality time with her friends and family. She currently resides in the beautiful Pacific Northwest with her two equally beautiful children.

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Happy Release Day: I Loved A Rogue by Katharine Ashe

Posted on 02/24/2015 by Saucy Southern Readers

Synopsis

In the third in Katharine Ashe’s Prince Catchers series, the eldest of three very different sisters must fulfill a prophecy to discover their birthright. But if Eleanor is destined to marry a prince, why can’t she resist the scoundrel who seduced her?

She can pour tea, manage a household, and sew a modest gown. In short, Eleanor Caulfield is the perfect vicar’s daughter. Yet there was a time when she’d risked everything for a black-eyed gypsy who left her brokenhearted. Now he stands before her—dark, virile, and ready to escort her on a journey to find the truth about her heritage.

Leaving eleven years ago should have given Taliesin freedom. Instead he’s returned to Eleanor, determined to have her all to himself, tempting her with kisses and promising her a passion she’s so long denied herself. But if he was infatuated before, he’s utterly unprepared for what will happen when Eleanor decides to abandon convention—and truly live . . .

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Excerpt

Eleanor held the porcelain cup to her lips and inhaled until she felt it in her toes.

Mrs. Hodges plunked her hands on her hips. “Well, aren’t you going to drink it?”

“I am reveling.” Her lips could nearly taste it. Nearly. Temptation. The waiting teased. Deliciously.

“You’re an odd duck, aren’t you, miss?”

“Not usually.” She tilted the cup upward. “Usually I am entirely predictable. Reserved. Modest.” Her words were muffled by the rich liquid so close, heating her flesh. Heady sensation. “Usually I am very”—she let the chocolate wash against her lips—“very”—and a ripple of pleasure went through her—“good.” It stole around her tongue. Decadent. Sinful.

She sighed.

Taliesin appeared in the kitchen door.

She choked.

“Well now, sir,” Mrs. Hodges said, wiping her hands on her apron. “Miss was just teaching me here how to make chocolate like they do at all the big houses.”

He leaned a shoulder into the doorpost and crossed his arms. His shadowy eyes scanned her from toe tips to brow, finally coming to rest on her lips. “Was she?”

A thick droplet of chocolate clung to her bottom lip. Eleanor felt it there like a beacon. She should wipe it with her kerchief.

The tip of her tongue stole between her lips and licked up the droplet. Another shiver wiggled through her.

What was she doing?

“Now then, miss,” Mrs. Hodges said, “you’d best go and leave the kitchen to me, and I’ll fix up a nice dinner for you.”

Clutching the cup in both palms, Eleanor went to the door. Taliesin stepped back but with so little space she had to shift sideways to move past him. She darted a glance upward.

Immobility. His. Hers. She could see every line, every whisker that had not been on his face eleven years ago. Not the same boy she’d known. A man now. Her pulse fluttered. Then it fluttered harder as his scent mingled with the flavor of chocolate upon her tongue. Horse. Leather. Him. The same. It tangled in her nose, in her head, a memory barreling through her, while he watched her eyes from inches away.

She slipped past him.

The taproom was empty now. Mr. Treadwell was probably in the stable seeing to his Arthurian characters and Betsy must be in their room seeing to mundane tasks Eleanor was accustomed to seeing to herself.

“Chocolate?” the incubus behind her said. “Missing the luxuries of the ducal mansion so soon, are you?”

She swung around to him and the chocolate sloshed in the cup. “Is that what you think? That I have grown spoiled by my sisters’ good fortune?”

“No.” His black eyes hooded.

“No? Is that all you can say?” Her tongue, it seemed, was an unbridled thing. Too much prison. Too much feeling to swallow again and again. “We’ve not seen each other in eleven years, and now for four days you have said nothing to me.”

Again he leaned his shoulder against the doorpost in an attitude of sublime nonchalance. “You made it clear you did not wish my escort. I am respecting that.”

She didn’t believe it. He had never respected her. He had teased her endlessly. “You could at least speak to me.”

“What would you have me say?”

“Anything. How do you go along these days, Eleanor? How is the parish? Is it still the same as eleven years ago when I departed so precipitously, without warning, without word?”

His face grew still, planes of dark beauty like hewn marble. “Ah,” he said in a low voice. “You wish for empty pleasantries. Or perhaps an apology? I regret that neither is in my lexicon.”

“I don’t wish for pleasantries or apologies. I don’t care why you left as you did. But you hurt Papa. Do you even know how deeply you hurt him?”

His lips were an unbreakable line.

“He wouldn’t even speak of you.” Locked behind bars for years, Eleanor’s words now tumbled forth. “He said nothing except when Ravenna mentioned you. She did not understand why you left either, but she accepted it in her way. She always thought you would return. But Papa didn’t. And it wounded him.”

“I wrote to him,” he said after a moment.

“Rarely. So few letters that the pages grew thin from folding and unfolding. He never said a word about them or read a line to us, but do you know where he kept them? In his Bible, tucked in Luke, chapter fifteen. The story of the prodigal son.”

His eyes had become hard obsidian. But he remained silent.

Her hands clenched around the cup. “Why won’t you speak?” she exclaimed.

“Seems like you’re speaking enough for the both of us.” His perfect lips barely moved.

“Can’t you even be civil? Or did you leave those lessons behind too when you left St. Petroc?”

“Listen to you. As righteous as you always were.”

She threw the chocolate at him.

She didn’t know quite how it happened. One moment strange, frantic panic coursed through her, straight from her heels to her throat. The next moment a demon possessed her, seizing her arm and forcing it to jut forward and disgorge the contents of her cup at him. Chocolate spattered everywhere—on the wall, the doorpost, and on the dark, handsome man from her past for whom she had wept months of tears.

“What in the—” But he didn’t finish. Instead he came at her. Her foot dropped back but he grabbed her wrist and jerked her hand with the cup up between them. “What do you think you’re doing?” Chocolate dripped down her wrist and along his cheeks and lips. He stared down at her in astonishment.

“Wasting my chocolate.” She tugged. His grip tightened. Arm to arm, he held her close, and he did not look into her eyes. He looked at her lips. The shadows in his eyes were deeper, but now limned with fever brightness, so bright that she could see the flecks of brown there that she had discovered as a girl.

“How do you go along these days, Eleanor?” His voice was rough.

“Wh-what?”

“How is the parish?” His gaze never left her lips, his fingers strong around her wrist. “Is it still the same as eleven years ago when I departed?”

“Precipitously,” she whispered. “Without warning. Without word.” The syllables trailed into the silence of her raucous heartbeat.

“Precipitously. Without warning.”

Through his hand she felt him. Her skin, her bones, her blood felt him.

“You are poking fun at me,” she said. “Don’t.”

“What will it be, Eleanor? You demanded my attention. You have it now. Do you want it or not?”

She wanted to taste the chocolate on his lips. She wanted to remember the danger and delirium she’d felt the last time she had been entirely alive. …

Author Bio

Katharine Ashe is the award-winning author of historical romances that reviewers call “intensely lush” and “sensationally intelligent,” including How to Be a Proper Lady, an Amazon Editors’ Choice for the 10 Best Romances of the Year, and How to Marry a Highlander, a 2014 RITA® Award finalist. She lives in the wonderfully warm southeast with her beloved husband, son, dog and a garden she likes to call romantic rather than unkempt. A professor of History, she writes romance because she thinks modern readers deserve grand adventures and breathtaking sensuality too. Please write to her at PO Box 51702, Durham, NC 27717-1702 or visit www.katharineashe.com

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Happy Release + Review + Giveaway: When Joss Met Matt by Ellie Cahill

Posted on 02/24/2015 by shellbellereads

When Joss Met Matt

By Ellie Cahill

Synopsis

In the tradition of New Adult superstar Jessica Sorensen, Ellie Cahill’s debut novel is a charming friends-with-benefits story . . . with a twist!

What if after every bad breakup, there was someone to help “cleanse your palate”—someone who wouldn’t judge you, who was great in bed, someone you were sure not to fall in love with? “Sorbet sex” could solve everything—as long as it never got too sweet.

Joss and Matt have been friends since freshman year of college, meeting one night after Joss is dumped by her boyfriend. After a few drinks, Matt humors her with a proposition: that he’ll become her go-to guy whenever she needs to heal a broken heart. In return, she’ll do the same for him. The #1 Rule: They’ll never fall in love with each other. People scoff at the arrangement. But six years later, Joss and Matt are still the best of friends . . . with benefits.

Through a string of boyfriends and girlfriends—some almost perfect, some downright wrong—Joss and Matt are always there for each other when the going gets tough. No strings. No attachments. Piece of cake. No problem. After all, since they wrote the rules, surely they can play by them. Or can they?

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Advance praise for When Joss Met Matt:

“Hands down, one of my favorite New Adult reads . . . Ellie Cahill is definitely one to watch!”—New York Times bestselling author Cora Carmack

“This is one of those books that make you forget everything around you. Prepare to be consumed by this story.”—Sophie Jordan, New York Times bestselling author of Wild

“Fun, sexy, and full of amazing chemistry, When Joss Met Matt is an entertaining escape that will leave you smiling with every turn of the page.”—Cassie Mae, author of The Real Thing

Tina’s Review

Alternating timelines, clearly defined and spanning seven years. First person (Joss’s) POV.
They met as freshmen in college and fast became friends. After Joss suffers the breakup of a long-tern relationship, Joss and Matt agree that what is really needed is a “palate cleanser” aka Sorbet Sex, to get over the lingering “taste” of the cheating ex. From there, they build an impromptu “contract” of “DO’s and DON’T for Sorbet Sex” and kind of mutually agree to be each other’s unconventional Sorbet Sex partner of choice. The characters are very well portrayed as new adults, suffering from growing pains and new-found independence. They are witty and smart yet flawed and still learning. The secondary characters add fun, enjoyable layers with both their positive and negative contributions to the story. Some of their dates made me cringe & others (T.J.) had me laughing ’til I cried. Priceless stuff, that was! It was easy to buy into the dialogue and character interaction as the plot progressed smoothly, back and forth, from the past to the present unlike many books have been capable of doing. Kudos to Ms. Cahill for creating such seamless transitions. The conflict was subtly hidden in the background of the “NOW” while you read through short moments of the present and catching up with lengthier snippets of the past seven years. There was some minor predictability, as would be given for most feel-good rom-coms. The conclusion was strong and solid. If you are looking for a fun, romantic comedy that has the quality of “the big screen”, this is one to look at. I truly enjoyed this book, the characters and all the antics in between.

Author Bio

Ellie Cahill is a freelance writer and also writes books for young adults under the name Liz Czukas. She lives outside Milwaukee, Wisconsin, with her husband, son, and the world’s loudest cat.

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_____________________________________________________________________________

Giveaway

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Cover Reveal : Revved by Samantha Towle

Posted on 02/24/2015 by shellbellereads

Samantha Towle has been working on a secret project and we are SO excited to be sharing the cover with you! Revved is releasing on March 24th! Make sure to add it to your TBR. Check out a sneak peek excerpt below.

Race car mechanic Andressa “Andi” Amaro has one rule—no dating drivers. With a good reason behind the rule, she has no plans on breaking it.

Carrick Ryan is the bad boy of Formula One. With a face and body that melts panties on sight, and an Irish lilt that leaves women on their knees, begging for more. He races hard and parties harder. The youngest driver to ever sign with F1, he’s still at the top of his game five years later, breaking hearts on and off the tracks.

When Andi is offered her dream job working in the glamorous world of F1, she leaves her home in Brazil, positive she can handle working for Carrick. But she’s not prepared for the off-the-chart sparks that fly the moment they meet.

Now, Andi has a crush on the one man she can’t have, and her resolve is about to be put to the test, because Carrick has decided he wants Andi, and he plans on testing her to the very limit…

Cover Designed by: Najla Qamber Designs

“Come on…just one piece of bacon.”
“No.” I move my plate toward me, and away from him.
“Aww, come on, baby. You know you wanna give me some.”
Baby?
I feel that word wash through me like an erotic cleansing.
Pressing my thighs and lips together, I shake my head. “Nope. Your smooth Irish charm won’t work on me.”
Grinning, he gives me a look straight from the sex devil. “Aww, Andressa. Baby. If you give me some…I’ll make it worth your while. It can be our little secret. I won’t tell anyone, I promise.”
“How do you manage to make a conversation about bacon sound dirty?”
“I’d say it’s a talent…but maybe it’s not me that’s dirty and it’s you. After all, you are the one interpreting it that way.”

New York Times, USA Today, Wall Street Journal and international bestselling author Samantha Towle began her first novel in 2008 while on maternity leave. She completed the manuscript five months later and hasn’t stopped writing since.

She has written contemporary romances, THE MIGHTY STORM, WETHERING THE STORM, TAMING THE STORM and TROUBLE.

She has also written paranormal romances, THE BRINGER and the ALEXANDRA JONES SERIES, all penned to tunes of The Killers, Kings of Leon, Adele, The Doors, Oasis, Fleetwood Mac, and more of her favourite musicians.

A native of Hull and a graduate of Salford University, she lives with her husband, Craig, in East Yorkshire with their son and daughter.

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Happy Release: Losing At Love by Jennifer Iacopelli – Outer Banks Tennis Academy Series – Book 2

Posted on 02/24/2015 by shellbellereads

It’s release day for Jennifer Iacopelli’s Losing at Love. This is the second book in Jennifer’s Outer Banks Tennis Academy series, and I am so excited to be sharing it with you!! Check out all the fantastic release day info, and be sure to enter Jennifer’s giveaway!!

Exclusive Excerpt:

La Metropolian Hotel

Paris, France

Indiana Gaffney gasped, her eyes flying open and locking on the glistening object across the hotel room. It reflected the muted television behind her, the French Open final, the red of the court, blurry in the polished silver. A large, round plate, innocuous to the untrained eye, with the sizeable laser carved logo of Roland Garros at the center, was braced against the mirror hanging on the hotel room wall. The mirror reflected the match clearly, the broad steps and fierce rallies of two men battling it out for the French Open Men’s title. But those men were mere afterthoughts as her eye caught a set of shoulders stretching the material of his t-shirt thin, not a mere image from the television, but broad and warm and real. Strong hands slid down her back, fingers twining into the ends of her long blonde hair, tugging on it gently, drawing her gaze away from the mirror and back to the green eyes of the man in her bed.

He kissed her soundly, sending shivers down her spine and making her hips rock against his and her legs tighten around his waist. “It’s not gonna disappear if you take your eyes off it,” Jack Harrison muttered into the skin of her neck, nipping at it lightly with his teeth.

“Feels like it will,” she whispered back, tilting her head to give him better access. Most of her mind was focused on what he was doing with his hands and mouth, but that plate, the one that declared in no uncertain terms that she was the new French Open junior champion, would not be ignored. Not even for the guy who made her heart pound like no one else ever had before, the guy who, up until a few days ago, could barely look at her without his shoulders slumping with guilt. Their age gap hadn’t shrunk in the days full of soft kisses and nights far more intense — though perhaps not as intense as she’d like — but he wasn’t fighting their attraction anymore. She hadn’t chased him, not really, but he’d known she wanted him, almost from the moment they first met. Then he’d found out how old she was and he started treating her like a flashing red SEVENTEEN was stamped across her forehead, every year between them creating an accompanying foot of distance. In the end, the attraction had been too much, even for someone as painfully good as Jack Harrison.

“Hey, Champ, you in there?” Jack’s voice brought her back, his lips spelling out the words against her shoulder.

“Champ?” Indy hummed and smiled. “I like the sound of that.” In fact, she liked the sound of it so much she planned on winning again the next chance she got, on the grass courts at Wimbledon.

“I bet you do. Get used to it, baby,” Jack said, his whole face lighting up as he shifted his weight forward, tilting her back onto the bed. A shriek bubbled up through her throat and the giggles followed as he leaned over her, bracing himself on his elbows and then smothering her laughter with the press of his mouth. As his tongue slid against hers, she turned herself over to it, letting herself revel in the dreams of future victories and the celebrations that would follow.

Losing At Love Synopsis:

Grass courts, tennis whites and the fiercest competition in the world. Wimbledon. After two crazy weeks in Paris, the girls of the Outer Banks Tennis Academy are headed to London with just one thing on their minds: winning.

Indiana Gaffney is fresh off a surprise win at the French Open junior tournament. Sponsors are clamoring for her attention, but what she wants more than anything—aside from a wild card to Wimbledon—is to be with Jack Harrison, but international fame and a secret relationship rarely mix well.

When Penny Harrison dreamed of playing at Wimbledon she never imagined agonizing pain shooting through her ankle with every step. With just a month until the tournament and the whole world expecting her to win, she’s determined to play, with or without the support of her coach or the love of her life, Alex Russell.

For the first time ever, no one expects anything from Jasmine Randazzo. After a crushing first-round defeat in the French Open juniors, the tennis world has given up on her, but worse than that, so have her parents, her best friend Teddy and maybe even her coach. With everyone writing her off, can she find it within herself to go after her dreams?

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Catch up on the series now with Game. Set. Match:

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About Jennifer Iacopelli:

Jennifer Iacopelli was born in New York and has no plans to leave…ever. Growing up, she read everything she could get her hands on, but her favorite authors were Laura Ingalls Wilder, L.M. Montgomery and Frances Hodgson Burnett all of whom wrote about kick-ass girls before it was cool for girls to be kick-ass. She got a Bachelor’s degree in Adolescence Education and English Literature quickly followed up by a Master’s in Library Science, which lets her frolic all day with her books and computers, leaving plenty of time in the evenings to write and yell at the Yankees, Giants and her favorite tennis players through the TV.

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5 Star Review : Try With Me by Elyssa Patrick – With Me Series – Book 3

Posted on 02/23/2015 by shellbellereads

Try With Me

With Me Series – Book 3

By Elyssa Patrick

Synopsis

There is nothing happily ever after about my life. My mom is dying of breast cancer. I work four jobs just to keep us going.

What I don’t need to deal with?

Jamie McAlister.

Yeah. Him. Blond, tall, gorgeous. I had a crush on him throughout high school, but he never knew I existed. I don’t even think he knows my name. I was too shy to say a word to him. It seems that everywhere I go, he’s there. And now? He’s kissed me–a lot. And those hot kisses have led to even hotter nights.

I’m falling for him, head over heels. But I don’t know how to fit Jamie into my life. I only know I need him. Which means I have to try for something I never thought was possible. I have to fight for him and a forever kind of love.

THE WITH ME SERIES IN ORDER:
Stay With Me ~ available now (Hailey & Caleb)
Go With Me ~ available now (Daphne & Nick)
Try With Me ~ available now (Zelda & Jamie)
Dream With Me ~ Fall 2015 (Esmé & Griff)

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Michel’s Review

I first stumbled across Elyssa Patrick when I saw a post by Maya Banks on Facebook praising her first book. I figured if Maya Banks was singing her praises that this new author had to good. I downloaded that first book and have become a devout Elyssa Patrick fan. Every single book she has published has been a 5 Star Book. She has ventured from the New Adult genre to Contemporary Romance and Erotic Romance. Each and every book has a fresh voice and a gripping romance. Her characters come to life. The sexual tension, romantic tension, and character tension is a slow build that becomes explosive. The emotional and romantic moments pull at the heart strings. Each and every book has a lively cast of secondary characters that not only supports the leading characters but also finds a place in the reader’s heart. By the end of the book, the reader is not only happy with the outcome of the story, they are also hoping that one of these secondary characters will get their own moment to shine in a future book.

Try With Me is the third book in the With Me series. This series revolves around four sexy college roommates and the women that become a part of their “family”. Try With Me features the Jamie McAlister. Out of the four guys , Jamie is the jokester and easy going one of the group. Not only is he drop dead gorgeous, he is also smart, hard working, loyal, and dependable. It would seem he has everything going for him. He wants to have a steady relationship like his two other roommates have. There is only one girl he wants to have that relationship with. A girl he knew in high school. A girl that was out of his league. He wants Zelda.

Zelda’s life didn’t go as she planned after she graduated high school. She didn’t go to Harvard. In fact she didn’t go to college at all. Her mother was diagnosed with breast cancer. She has spent the last three years taking care of her mother, searching for new treatments to help her mother, and working four jobs to make ends meet. She does’t have time for a social life. She doesn’t have time for herself. Her mother has reached the end of her treatments and has about six weeks to live. Zelda wants to bring her home and spend the rest of her time with her. Zelda’s life is in complete chaos. When she runs into Jamie McAlister, the one boy she had a crush on in high school, she doesn’t have time for love. How can she resist the one man she has always wanted?

Zelda and Jamie will find the love they always wanted but never thought they could have. Zelda will gain a new group of friends that will be there when she needs them the most. Zelda will learn life to live life to the fullest. She will be able to go on after a devastating loss.

Try With Me was my favorite book in this series. It was emotional, heartbreaking, uplifting, and humorous. It portrayed real life. I loved Jamie. His quirky humor and steadfast personality made it easy to fall in love with him.

Read Try With Me by Elyssa Patrick. Read the With Me Series.

With Me Series

Stay With Me – Book 1

‘ve been famous since I can remember. Singing, acting, dancing–I’ve done it all. The tabloids cover my every move, but I don’t want that anymore. I want to be normal, whatever that is.

When I leave Hollywood for college in Vermont, I’m on my own for the first time in my life. This is my chance to figure out who I am and what I want in life.

But it’s a lot harder than I expected. I can’t escape my image. Classes are difficult, and I’m struggling. And then there’s Caleb Fox.

Sexy, intriguing Caleb Fox.

Caleb is the one man who doesn’t want to use me. He breaks down my walls. He challenges me. He wants me. And I just don’t know if I can give him the same–or if he’ll stick around when he finds out my shameful secret that the tabloids haven’t managed to uncover.

Dating him is risky enough, but loving him could break me.

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Go With Me – Book 2

I, Daphne Fox, have a few things to confess:

1. I hate Nick Brady. Loathe. Abhor. Can’t stand him 95% of the time.
2. That other 5%? I’m not talking about that at all.
3. People think I’m lucky for surviving the car crash. I disagree.
4. Nick is the only guy who makes my nightmares go away.
5. I won’t love him, though. Love is not worth the pain.

I, Nick Brady, have a few confessions of my own:

1. I don’t hate Daphne Fox. At all.
2. I find her scar sexy. Just like the rest of her.
3. I may be her older brother’s best friend, but that’s not going to stop me.
4. I love her.
5. And I’m going to do everything I can to have her.

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About Elyssa Patrick

Elyssa Patrick is a former high school English teacher who left the classroom to write sexy, funny, emotional contemporary romances. She is currently hard at work on her next novel.

She loves to hear from her readers!

Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Goodreads

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