Release Day Blitz + Giveaway: All Things Pretty by M. Leighton

Posted on 09/30/2014 by shellbellereads

We are so stoked to bring you the Release Day Launch for M. Leighton’s ALL THINGS PRETTY! ALL THINGS PRETTY is a Contemporary Adult Romance and the third novel in M. Leighton’s Pretty Series. Sig’s book is here!

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Excerpt:

Her lips are still curved when she turns her attention back to me. Something about the moment hits me like a punch to the gut. I think for a second that I could stand here and stare at her, just enjoy her smile and her happiness for hours. Days, maybe. But I can’t. We can’t. So, instead, I brush a clump of mud from the end of her nose. “Have fun?”

“I did. Thank you. This was so good for him.”

“And you.”

“And me,” she concedes.

“You can be the real you around me anytime. I won’t tell a soul.”

“So you prefer this?”

“Oh, hell yeah! I don’t need glamorous. Or proper.”

“I’m not proper.”

“You forget that I heard your…expressiveness that day on the side of the road. And it didn’t consist of ‘darn’ or ‘golly gee’. But I haven’t heard anything like that come out of your mouth since then.”

“Ladies aren’t supposed to talk that way, according to Lance.”

“I don’t want a lady. I want a woman. One who knows her own mind. One who wears what she’s comfortable in, one who says what she’s thinking.” I take a step closer. I can’t help myself. Her scent draws me in. Even covered in mud, she smells like sexy sunshine. “I want the woman who kisses like she’s on fire and makes me feel like I’m the only one who can put her out.”

“Sig,” she begins.

I break in to cut her off. I know her objections. And I know how much I don’t want to hear them. “I’m just being honest. I’m not even touching you.”

Her eyes are glued to mine, a damn near irresistible gravity pulling us together. “It’s not like you can anyway. I mean, we’re in public. With my little brother. What could you possibly touch?”

I reach down and smear my hand in mud. With her eyes locked on mine, I reach between us and flatten my palm on her chest, right over her heart. “This. I’d touch this.”

ALL THINGS PRETTY Synopsis:

Pretending to be something they’re not, afraid to trust anyone completely, destined to tear each other apart– this is the story of unlikely love and unbearable consequences.

Sig Locke is a cop. He was raised by a cop and all his brothers are cops. He bleeds blue, believes in right and wrong, and sees in black and white, never in shades of gray.

But that was before he met Tommi.

Tommi, with her long legs and bright green eyes, she captured Sig’s interest from the moment he saw her. Even after he discovered who she was–the girlfriend of a drug dealer, the beauty behind a criminal–he still found her utterly irresistible. What Sig doesn’t know, however, is that she has a secret even a cop can’t uncover.

Tommi Lawrence hasn’t had an easy life, and it only got more complicated the day she met Sig. She learned long ago that she can’t trust anyone. Her gut tells her that Sig is no exception, her heart tells her that he is. But that was before she found out his real identity.

Can love be forged in a fire of lies? Or will the truth destroy them both?

Author Bio

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, M. Leighton finally found an acceptable outlet for her fantastical visions: literary fiction. Having written over a dozen novels, these days M. Leighton 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.

A note from M. Leighton: I love coffee and chocolate, even more so when they are combined. I’m convinced that one day they could be the basis for world peace. I also love the color red and am seriously considering dying my hair.

Twitter | Author Goodreads | Website | ALL THINGS PRETTYGoodreads | Facebook

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Release Day Blitz + Review : Stepbrother Dearest by Penelope Ward

Posted on 09/29/2014 by shellbellereads

Stepbrother Dearest

By Penelope Ward

Synopsis

You’re not supposed to want the one who torments you.

When my stepbrother, Elec, came to live with us my senior year, I wasn’t prepared for how much of a jerk he’d be.

I hated that he took it out on me because he didn’t want to be here.

I hated that he brought girls from our high school back to his room.

But what I hated the most was the unwanted way my body reacted to him.

At first, I thought all he had going for him were his rock-hard tattooed abs and chiseled face. Then, things started changing between us, and it all came to a head one night.

Just as quickly as he’d come into my life, he was gone back to California.

It had been years since I’d seen Elec.

When tragedy struck our family, I’d have to face him again.

And holy hell, the teenager who made me crazy was now a man that drove me insane.

I had a feeling my heart was about to get broken again.

Stepbrother Dearest is a standalone novel.

**Contains graphic sexual content and harsh language. It is only appropriate for adult readers age 18+

Buy: Amazon / Barnes and Noble / ITunes

Stepbrother Dearest by Penelope Ward will be on sale for $2.99 Release Day Only

Michel’s Review

Wow! Stepbrother Dearest is one of those books that held me prisoner from the very first word to the end. I was captivated by the story and felt like I knew Greta and Elec personally. Their story seemed very real and touched my heart.

We meet Greta and Elec when they are both teenagers. Greta’s mother married Elec’s father. Do to circumstances in Elec’s home life, he is forced to go stay with his father. He’s an angry young man with a chip that is larger than a boulder on his shoulder. He’s prepared to be hostile and belligerent. He’s prepared to share his misery with every member in the family, including his stepsister Greta. On the surface we see a very angry young man, but under the nasty exterior, there is a boy that is hurting very deeply.

Greta is a happy, go lucky, naïve teenage girl. She’s excited to finally have a sibling to share her life with. What she gets instead of a brother is a bully. A brother that fully intends on making her life miserable. She has a hard time understanding Elec’s monstrous behavior. That is until she looks beneath the surface. Once she begins to see the real Elec, her opinion changes drastically. Once he knows he can trust Greta, Elec begins to show her the real Elec that hides beneath the sneers and smart mouthed punk.

Greta and Elec become close. They realize they have feelings that go beyond brotherly sisterly love. One forbidden night will change their lives forever. One forbidden night will never be forgotten. One forbidden night is the end of their time together.

As the years go by, neither Greta or Elec has forgotten that forbidden love. Life has taken them in different directions. Both have moved on in their lives. They are pursuing careers and building lives of their own. All seems well until there is a family tragedy that brings them together once again. Now they are adults that can make their own destinies. They will have to chose between the new lives they have built for themselves or chose to pursue their forbidden love.

I can’t say too much more about this book without giving spoilers. I will say Penelope Ward wrote a powerful story of love and redemption. The story was written from duo POV’s and was easy to get inside the characters minds. She portrayed the characters maturity and emotional levels with perfection. The teenage Elec and Greta were exactly as teenagers should be. The adult Elec and Greta had matured gracefully and became strong individuals with a great sense of self. They had become the children most parents want their kids to become in their adult lives. How they handled their reunion was with the utmost care and consideration for those in their lives. The love they shared was a powerful once in a lifetime love that time could not take away.

Penelope Ward is a talented writer. She creates characters that are very real and memorable. Their stories are emotional with a strong dose of reality. Stepbrother Dearest deserves a 6 Star Review!

I highly recommend this book.

Tracey’s Review

Greta is seventeen when her stepbrother, Elec, comes to live with her family for the year.Not quite sure what to expect, Greta is hopeful that Elec will be the brother she never had.

‘I had a stepbrother.

That was a weird thought. I hoped we would get along. As an only child, I had always wanted a sibling. I laughed at how stupid this was, fantasizing that this was going to be some kind of fairytale relationship overnight, like friggin’ Donny and Marie Osmond or Jake and Maggie Gyllenhaal.’

But paradise it isn’t. Elec’s arrival is less than friendly, and he is very clear about not wanting to have any kind of relationship with Greta or her parents.

‘He wouldn’t look at me, so I used the opportunity to continue examining him as he dumped his bag on the floor.

Thud.

Was that my heart or the bag?’

With his dark good looks and bad boy demeanor, Elec inspires thoughts that are anything but sisterly in Greta. Sibling rivalry just got a lot sexier.

I was absolutely hooked from the first page of Stepbrother Dearest. There was no way that I was going to be able to put this book down without finding out exactly what was going to transpire between Greta and Elec. There was some serious sexual tension going on; the smolder between these two had me fanning myself, and waiting for the moment when the spark became full-on combustion. But this is not just a hot and sexy read. There is so much more to Elec than is apparent at first glance. His painful past has shaped him completely, and there are secrets that he refuses to share, even as he and Greta grow closer. When events arise that cause Elec and Greta to go their separate ways, Greta knows that she will never be the same. And, when the find themselves together again, it’s clear that she is not alone in her feelings.

I am personally a fan of stories where we, as readers, get to see the perspective of each of the main characters, so I was not disappointed that there was dual POV in Stepbrother Dearest. Reading about how Elec felt, in his own words, allowed us to see the issues that had driven him from the first time he met Greta, and gave him much more depth. And, even seven years later, the chemistry between Greta and Elec was off the charts hot, and seeing how both of them felt made it a much more satisfying read for me.

Penelope Ward has done another fantastic job with Stepbrother Dearest. I absolutely cannot recommend this book enough, and give it 5.5 deeply satisfying stars.

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.

She is currently working on her fifth novel, Jake Understood. She is the author of Gemini, Jake Undone, My Skylar and Stepbrother Dearest.

Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Goodreads

Be sure to connect with Penelope Ward on Facebook During Stepbrother Dearest release week for prizes and more….

ARC Review: Tempting The CEO by Angela Claire-Sleeping With The Enemy-Book 1

Posted on 09/29/2014 by shellbellereads

Tempting The CEO

Sleeping With The Enemy – Book 1

By Angela Claire

Synopsis:

A sexy category romance from Entangled’s Brazen imprint…

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

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

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

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

Buy: Amazon / Barnes and Noble / ITunes

Tina’s Review

Angie O’Hare is a Detroit lawyer and is in New York for her client. After a long day of conference meetings, she finally checked into her room after midnight & all she wanted was to take a long, hot bubble bath. She’s been kindly upgraded to a penthouse suite but when she leaves the room to get ice, her key card decided to no longer work, leaving her stranded in the hallway wearing nothing but her towel and mortification. Her decidedly bad day only got worse when her neighbor, Mr Gorgeous Guy, spotted her locked out. To her embarrassment and amazement, he came to her rescue & offered more…

Jed Worth is the CEO of Worth Industries. He took his grandfather’s flailing inheritance and began to build it into a conglomeration of mostly computer based business, buying out smaller companies. When he’s called into an acquisitions meeting because the opposing lawyer is being a picky little bitch, the last person he expects to see is the woman who sneaked out of his bed earlier that morning.

My Thoughts:

First thought: Heh, ain’t that some twisted irony?

You have to appreciate the sardonic nature of walking into a conference meeting, expecting to go head-to-head with your opposition only to learn that you were more than head-to-head with the opposition’s client just a few, short hours ago.

This is a VERY short story that literally revolves around 2-3 days then flashes forward to a day six months later. This would make a good build-up prequel novella, but as a complete novella I felt it was lacking some plot substance and the ending was a little weak and vague.

The characters, primary and secondary, were enjoyable. The interaction between Angie and Bob was fun. The chemistry between Jed and Angie was nice, not overpowering. While there really was not a lot of dimension to this novella, it was well-written and flowed smoothly.

Final thought: The ending felt rushed and incomplete. I would have liked to seen the story wrap up a little tighter.

Author Bio:

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

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Release Day Blitz + Review: Torture To Her Soul by J.M. Darhower-Monster In His Eyes- Book 2

Posted on 09/29/2014 by shellbellereads

Torture Her Soul

Monster In His Eyes- Book 2

By J. M. Darhower

Synopsis

Don’t say it unless you mean it…

It’s a simple concept, one I’ve said time and again, but something people don’t seem to comprehend. You should choose every syllable carefully, because you never know when somebody will hold you to your word.

Somebody like me.

I’m not a good man. I’m not. I know. I have enough darkness inside of me to rid the world of every stitch of light. But there’s one I could never harm, one light I couldn’t bring myself to snuff out.

Karissa.

She thinks I’m a monster, and maybe I am. I taunt her with my touch, get a thrill out of torturing her soul. But I’m not the only one. The world is full of monsters, and I’m not the most dangerous one out there.

Not even close…

God help me, I love her.

I do.

And God help anyone who tries to take her from me.

Buy: Amazon / Barnes and Noble / ITunes

Robin’s Review

Sometimes a story is so noteworthy, so very exceptional, that I can hardly wait to begin writing my review! I am excited to share my thoughts about the novel Torture to Her Soul, but my enthusiasm actually extends to the entire series written by author J.M. Darhower. Monster in His Eyes is a two-part series that includes Monster in His Eyes and Torture to Her Soul. If you love romantic suspense, action, drama, and dark characters, take note of this series.

Ignazio Vitale is not a good man. He admits that. Karissa Reed knows this. Even knowing this, Karissa fell right into his web. Monster in His Eyes is told from Karissa’s point of view, so we really don’t know how deep his scars run. Nor do we know what Naz is ruminating on while he lays awake at night, or what he is doing when he gets out of bed and leaves the house at 2:00 in the morning. What are his motivations? We learn all of this in Torture to Her Soul.

Powerful. Intense. Thought provoking. Dramatic. Torture to Her Soul is all of these things, but so much more. Darhower seems very familiar with the ways of criminal organizations such as the mafia and mob and uses this knowledge to her advantage. The drama is extremely realistic. The writing is crisp, creative and completely in character. This description of danger is only a small sample of the writing that left me astounded while I was reading:

“The biggest dangers have smiles on their faces and sweet words on their lips. They don’t threaten or coerce…..they entice. They have the power to make you believe whatever they want you to believe, and they do it with manipulation, through seduction.”

In my opinion, the most profound writing in Torture to Her Soul is found at the beginning of chapter 10, while Ignazio is lying in bed, reflecting on death. The introspection here was extremely dark. Darhower was so in character while writing this scene, she had me convinced I was in the head of a man who kills. Just imagining the thought process behind writing this passage has me floored. It was truly amazing writing, so be sure to watch for it if you decide to read this novel.

Character development is a strength for Darhower. I was most impressed by the character development found with Naz and Karissa, especially in the progression of their relationship and feelings towards each other. Just in this novel alone, Karissa underwent a huge transformation from beginning to the end. And the character development between Naz and many of the secondary characters was instrumental in how the events of this story played out. The schemes Darhower came up with were perfect for the mob, perfect for a killer.

As usual with novels written by J.M. Darhower, the building of suspense leading up to the conclusion is super intense! I found myself wondering how things could possibly work out between Karissa and Naz. I feel like there is so much more that I could share about Torture to Her Soul, but much of what can be shared just needs to be experienced. If you haven’t read Monster in His Eyes, I highly recommend it! And when you have finished Monster in His Eyes, be sure to read the exciting conclusion of the series, Torture to Her Soul. One of my favorites for 2014, I am giving Torture to Her Soul a rare 6-star rating!

Monster In His Eyes Series

Monster In His Eyes – Book 1

Ignazio Vitale is not a good man.

I suspect it, the first time I see him, sense the air of danger that surrounds the man. He has a way of commanding attention, of taking control, of knowing what I’m thinking before I even do.

It’s alarming and alluring. It’s dark and deadly. It’s everything I’ve ever wanted but the last thing I truly need. Obsession.

It doesn’t take him long to draw me into his web, charming me into his bed and trapping me in his life, a life I know nothing about until it’s too late. He has secrets, secrets I can’t fathom, secrets that make it so I can’t walk away, no matter how much I beg him to let me go. I see it sometimes in his eyes, a darkness that’s both terrifying and thrilling. He’s a monster, wrapped up in a pretty package, and what I find when I unmask him changes everything.

I want to hate him.

Sometimes, I do.

But it doesn’t stop me from loving him, too.

AUTHOR’S NOTE: This book is intended for a mature audience only, due to some dark and erotic content.

Buy: Amazon / Barnes and Noble / ITunes

Author Bio:

JM Darhower is the author of countless stories and poems, most of which only she has ever read. She lives in a tiny town in rural North Carolina, where she churns out more words than will ever see the light of day. She has a deep passion for politics and speaking out against human trafficking, and when she isn’t writing she’s usually ranting about those things. Chronic crimper with a vulgar mouth, she admits to having a Twitter addiction. You can find her there.

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Release Day Blitz: Understatement Of The Year by Sarina Bowen- The Ivy Years-Book 3

Posted on 09/29/2014 by shellbellereads

The Understatement of the Year

The Ivy Years Series- Book 3

Release Date: September 29, 2014

By Sarina Bowen

Synopsis:

What happened in high school stayed in high school. Until now.

Five years ago, Michael Graham betrayed the only person who ever really knew him. Since then, he’s made an art of hiding his sexual preference from everyone. Including himself.

So it’s a shock when his past strolls right into the Harkness College locker room, sporting a bag of hockey gear and the same slow smile that had always rendered Graham defenseless. For Graham, there is only one possible reaction: total, debilitating panic. With one loose word, the team’s new left wing could destroy Graham’s life as he knows it.

John Rikker is stuck being the new guy. Again. And it’s worse than usual, because the media has latched onto the story of the only “out” player in Division One hockey. As the satellite trucks line the sidewalk outside the rink, his new teammates are not amused.

And one player in particular looks sick every time he enters the room.

Rikker didn’t exactly expect a warm welcome from Graham. But the guy won’t even meet his eyes. From the looks of it, his former… best friend / boyfriend / whatever isn’t doing so well. He drinks too much and can’t focus during practice.

Either the two loneliest guys on the team will self destruct from all the new pressures in their lives, or they can navigate the pain to find a way back to one another. To say that it won’t be easy is the Understatement of the Year.

Warning: unlike the other books in this series, this heartbreaking love story is about two guys. Contains sexual situations, dance music, snarky t-shirts and a poker-playing grandmother.

Buy: Amazon/ Kobo

Michel’s Review

The Ivy Years series by Sarina Bowen has been phenomenal. Each book has addressed some very different and difficult subject matters. They were written with compassion and great care. The characters are larger than life and jump off the pages. The reader’s completely connect with their stories, their emotions, and their lives. The Understatement Of The Year has followed in the same excellent standard that the previous books in the Ivy Years has set.

The Understatement Of The Year approaches the very difficult subject of homosexuality in the world of sports. Not only did it lay out the difficulties of a college athlete being gay, it also showed the difficulties of “coming out of the closet”.

John Rikker was kicked out of his former college and kicked off the hockey team because his homosexuality was exposed. Harkness College, known for being a liberal school, accepted John Rikker in the middle of hockey season. Not only is John a very gifted athlete, he is the first athlete to be outed in college hockey. This has put him on the media’s radar. It has also put in him a position where he has to prove himself as an all-star athlete to his teammates. It’s hard enough being the new guy on the team, add being gay and it makes the welcoming committee very sparse. To add ugly to ugly, Michael Graham is on his new team.

Michael and John have a history. They were best friends in middle school and high school. They also discovered their sexuality together. A very bad incident separated the two of them. John was sent away to live with his grandmother. There he was able to become open about his sexuality. For Michael Graham it was quite a different story. He denied his homosexuality to himself and all those around him. Now he’s threatened that John is going to expose his secret.

This book not only focused on the discrimination of being gay, it also showed a very emotional side side of being a homosexual. The emotions from hiding your secrets, denying yourself love, and fighting the very person you are is gut wrenching. Also the emotions that go along with being the odd man out, having your life on display, and having to go far and beyond to prove your worth as a player, friend, and human being will tear the reader up. Add a secret affair, an emotional romance, and self discovery and you have the perfect book.

The Understatement Of The Year is one of those “must read” books. I absolutely loved this book and can honestly say is my favorite in The Ivy Years series.

Sarina Bowen is a gifted writer. Her writing is not only romantic, it is highly emotional. Each story reflects the glory of the human spirit. She tackles some very difficult and unique subject matter and gives her characters a life that jumps off the pages. Her delivery of an emotional romance is phenomenal.

Author Bio:

Sarina Bowen writes steamy, angsty Contemporary Romance and New Adult fiction from the wilds of Vermont.

The Year We Fell Down, Book #1 in The Ivy Years series, began breaking hearts in March 2014. Book #2, The Year We Hid Away, is brand new.

For Harlequin-E, Sarina writes the Gravity series. Coming in From the Cold features an angsty downhill ski racer and one of the most unique plot conflicts in contemporary romance today.

Sarina enjoys skiing, coffee products and a nice glass of wine. She lives with her family, eight chickens and more ski gear and hockey equipment than seems necessary.

She would be honored to connect with you at http://www.sarinabowen.com.

Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter~ Goodreads

Release Day Blitz- Close To The Fire by Suzanne Ferrell- The Westen Series – Book 3

Posted on 09/29/2014 by shellbellereads

Close To The Fire

The Westen Series- Book 3

By Suzanne Ferrell

Synopsis

They once were lovers:

After ten years of keeping his distance to the one woman he’s always loved, Fire Chief Deke Reynolds is finally ready to set aside his grief and confess his guilt to Elizabeth “Libby” Wilson about his part in her brother’s death. Libby’s own guilty secret has kept her from sharing her life with the man who stole her heart as a teen and awakened her body as a young woman.

Danger has forced them together again:

A fire and their odd connection to a new teenager at the local half-way house have this couple finally sharing their secrets with each other. With an arsonist on the loose, threatening the town of Westen and its citizens, have Libby and Deke waited too long to find their love again?

Buy: Amazon / Barnes and Noble

The Westen Series

Close To Home- Amazon / Barnes and Noble

Westen, Ohio, where small town romance meets an edge of suspense…

“Welcome to Westen. I’m Lorna Doone. Yep, spelled just like the cookie and just as sweet. I own the Peaches ‘N Cream Café, the center of all social get-togethers and gossip here in our small town. You might think nothing much happens in a small mid-western town, but as my friend Harriett says, things aren’t always what they appear. Romance and suspense can happen almost anywhere and to anyone. Take our girl Emma for example…”

Emma Lewis has a lot on her plate. As a single mother trying to raise two precocious twin boys, she works two jobs to make ends meet while also caring for an aging mother who is having trouble getting through each day. Having faced one scandal nearly seven years ago, the last thing Emma needs is adventure, romance or a man in her life, especially a wickedly sexy doctor. Been there, done that, got the tee-shirt.

So when the small town’s only doctor goes on vacation and his handsome nephew takes over, Emma is shocked to not only find the man she once had a teenage crush on standing in her bedroom, but suddenly he’s accusing her of being a neglectful parent. Despite what the arrogant man may think, she’ll do anything to protect her sons, even from his so-called good intentions.

Doctor Clint Preston came to his small town home of Westen for the year to fill in as the town doc while his uncle took a long needed vacation. Burned out by long shifts in an urban hospital’s ER and the tragic loss of a boy who was the victim of neglect, Clint also needs a sense of peace and calm to try to find his passion for his medical career once more.

In his first week back in town, he’s angered to find two boys in his clinic with broken wrists and no accompanying parent, he is determined to confront their mother to prevent further injuries to his young patients. However, the feisty redhead he meets quickly dispels his belief that she’s a neglectful mother. Despite her bravado and stubbornness, Clint can see her situation is more critical than she wishes to face. Before he can think better of it, he finds himself volunteering to help care for her sons, face the devastating news about her mother’s health and oversee the remodeling of her home.

Slowly, Emma and Clint give into their mutual attraction and begin to build a relationship with the help of the slightly off-beat characters that inhabit Westen. Then a menace from Emma’s past terrorizes her and the life she’s forged with her sons. When a murder for hire scheme threatens Emma’s life, Clint realizes how much she and her family have come to mean to him. He will do anything to protect them.

Can Clint and Emma come together to prevent losing either or both of her sons? Can their new found love survive the danger threatening them all?

Close To The Edge- Book 2- Amazon / Barnes and Noble

Westen Series #2, where small-town romance meets an edge of suspense.

After facing death as an undercover narcotics cop, Gage Justice has come home to heal. His recuperation is cut short by his father’s unexpected diagnosis of cancer and subsequent death. Now he’s honoring one of his father’s last wishes by taking over as the sheriff of his boyhood home, Westen, Ohio. Biding time until his father’s term is finished, he fights boredom more than crime in the sleepy little town—that is until one sexy little teacher-turned-Private-Investigator literally falls into his arms.

Bobby Roberts is looking for adventure. After giving up her own dreams to raise her two sisters after the death of their parents, she’s been trapped in a schoolroom for nearly two decades. The suffocating claustrophobia of the classroom has set her on a new career path. She arrives in Westen, complete with brand-spanking-new PI license, a handgun and a simple case—investigate a lien on property of a dead man.

Little does she realize her “simple little case” will lead her into the world of one sexy sheriff and the path of a murderer intent on keeping them both from discovering his secrets or stopping his plans that could destroy Westen.

Author Bio:

Suzanne discovered romance novels in her aunt’s hidden stash one summer as a teenager. From that moment on she knew two things: she loved romance stories and someday she’d be writing her own. Her love for romances has only grown over the years. It took her a number of years and a secondary career as a nurse to finally start writing her own stories. Suzanne’s sexy stories, whether they be her on the edge of your seat romantic suspense or the small town romantic suspense stories they’ll keep you thinking about her characters long after their Happy Ever After is achieved.

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Release Blitz and Review + Giveaway: Unclaimed by Laurie Wetzel

Posted on 09/29/2014 by shellbellereads

By Laurie Wetzel

Synopsis

Abandoned by her birth parents and ignored by her adoptive family, Maddy Page believes she is unlovable. She only allows herself to dream of falling in love. That changes when she meets MJ; handsome and kind, MJ penetrates Maddy’s defenses. Maddy soon finds herself confiding in MJ like she has with no one else, revealing secrets even her closest friends don’t know. He makes her feel safe–a feeling she’s never experienced except in her dreams.

When Maddy witnesses MJ disappear and reappear in thin air, she realizes she might have been wrong about him. He could be dangerous–maybe even a killer. Determined to uncover the truth of who–or what–MJ is, Maddy ignores her instinct to run. But she soon realizes that getting close to MJ could cost more than a broken heart–it could cost Maddy her soul.

Buy Links : Amazon / Barnes and Noble / ITunes

Excerpt

My entire body pulses in the wake of his touch. His words “if you were mine” keep circling around in my head, and with each rotation, something inside me grows. He makes me feel happy and less broken. I feel I could take on the world as long as he’s beside me. Whatever he is, I don’t care. I’ve never felt anything like this, and I’ll go to Hell and back to keep it. Regardless of what happens to me, I have to protect him. I have to keep him safe, always.

He grins and squeezes my hand again. My body responds with such intensity, I almost feel as if I were floating. I don’t want it to ever stop. I want to stay strong. I want to be brave. I want to feel safe. He gives me all of that. I want to hold him forever, even if it’s only his hand.
“Tomorrow,” he says, pulling me from my thoughts. “I’ll find a way to see you.”
“Promise?”

Tracey’s Review

Since the day that she found out that she was adopted, Maddy Page refuses to feel. Anything. Thoughts that she is somehow second-best, like she is less important to her family and friends, plague her, keeping her from accepting any affection, afraid that it will unexpectedly be taken away from her. But Maddy is special. Since her childhood, she has been gifted, able to do things more easily and better than other people. And, for as long as she can remember, she has been able to see Dream Girl and the Dark Prince, Damian, when she sleeps at night.

Maddy is unaware of just how many things set her apart from others. But there are those that recognize how special she is, and are eager to get their hands on her. Because Maddy is unclaimed, somehow marked by neither Heaven nor Hell, making her fair game for whichever side can bind her to them. And neither side will stop until she belongs to them.

UNCLAIMED is the first book in the UNCLAIMED series by Laurie Wetzel. As a new book in the YA paranormal genre, it is a fine addition, with a plot that is original, and that has characters that are interesting and multi-dimensional. There were times when I was reading it, though, that I found myself distracted and a bit confused by the way that the story jumped around. As I read, it seemed as though there should have been a bit more backstory towards the beginning of the book. Instead, it was rolled out bit by bit as the book progressed, and this made it a little more difficult for me to follow. Overall, I did enjoy UNCLAIMED, and I would definitely like to read future books in the series to find out how things are wrapped up.
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Author bio

Laurie Wetzel has always had a passion for writing, but it wasn’t until a New Years Resolution in 2011 that she finally shared her lifelong dream of being an author with her husband. He read the very first draft of Unclaimed and gave her the words she needed to hear, “This is what you need to be doing.” Three years later the first book in the Unclaimed series was published with the second book expected to be out in 2015. Laurie lives in Mankato, MN, with her husband and two young sons. When she’s not writing, working, or spending time with her family, she’s either reading, running, or catching up on her favorite shows on Netflix. For updates on the Unclaimed series as well as other works in progress, feel free to check her out online!

Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Goodreads

GIVEAWAY!!

There is a huge giveaway happening with the blog tour for signed paperback of Unclaimed, Pens,Bookmarks, Posters!

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Release Day Blitz + Giveaway: Holiday Treasure by Melody Anne- Billionaire Bachelors – Book 10

Posted on 09/29/2014 by shellbellereads

Holiday Treasure

Billionaire Bachelors – Book 10

By Melody Anne

Synopsis

Mega wealthy Tanner Storm has it all – great looks, wealth, and nothing holding him down. Then, his father decides to play games with him and his siblings, handing him an apartment complex in downtown Seattle that
Tanner wants nothing to do with. When the conditions of his father’s terms ensure that he do something with this building or lose his inheritance, he at first thinks, so what. But, then it becomes a challenge that he has to accept, because he’s never before backed down. He decides to tear down the building and start fresh with something far more appealing that will add to his already fat wallet.

The only problem is that the residents don’t want to leave, and under the contract with his father, he can’t force them out. When he ends up before Judge Kragle from all the complaints made against him, the judge decides the best punishment for him will be two weeks of living in the very apartment complex he despises and two weeks of community service, playing Santa Claus at the mall. Perfect! This is not the Christmas of his dream.

The plot thickens when he meets his neighbor, Kyla and falls into instant lust. Will this turn out to be Tanner’s secret angel, or will he forget all about her the minute he leaves?

Enjoy this Anderson Christmas Novel from NYT Best Selling Author Melody Anne who wishes you all a very Merry Christmas and an even happier New Year.

Author Bio

Melody Anne is the author of the popular series, Billionaire Bachelors, and Baby for the Billionaire. She also has a Young Adult Series out; Midnight Fire and Midnight Moon – Rise of the Dark Angel. She’s been writing for years and published in 2011. She hold a bachelors degree in business, so she loves to write about strong, powerful, businessmen.

When Melody isn’t writing, she enjoys spending time with her family, friends, and pets. She lives in a small town that she loves, and is involved in many community projects.

See Melody’s Website at: www.melodyanne.com. She makes it a point to respond to all her fans. You can also join her on facebook at: www.facebook.com/authormelodyanne, or at twitter: @authmelodyanne.

Giveaway

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Release Day Blitz: Locke by Harper Sloan- The Corps Security Series – Book 5

Posted on 09/29/2014 by shellbellereads

Locke

The Corps Security Series- Book 6

By Harper Sloan

Synopsis

Darkness is the only thing I see. Ever since the day my life changed. The day that everything and everyone I held close to me ceased to exist. The day I lost it all and the demons of my past consumed my every waking moment.

I tried to keep others at arm’s length. Tried not to let my darkness taint them. Ruin them. Harm them. And whether I want to admit it or not, as much as I wish I could keep them locked out, they refuse to leave. Refuse to let me suffer alone.

If I hadn’t been so focused on keeping those demons from flying free, I wouldn’t have missed how one perfect angel was able to sneak her way under my skin—refusing to let go. Making me want things I don’t deserve.

She consumes me. Her beauty knows no end. The love she promises tempts me every time she’s near. But that pure heart that makes her MY Emmy is the one thing I’m convinced I’ll destroy if I ever let her close.

I’m a broken man. A broken man with too much darkness in his soul to ever let her light shine upon me. But even that doesn’t stop me from craving her with every single breath in my body.

**This is the final book in the Corps Security series. This book is not suitable for younger readers. There is strong language, adult situations, and some violence.*

Buy: Amazon / Barnes and Noble

A Portion of the proceeds from Locke Sale will be donated to the Semper Fi Fund.

The Corps Security Series

Axel

Amazon / Barnes and Noble

Cage

Amazon / Barnes and Noble

Beck

Amazon / Barnes and Noble

Uncaged

Amazon / Barnes and Noble

Cooper

Amazon / Barnes and Noble

Author Bio

Harper lives in small town Georgia just a short drive from her hometown of Peachtree City. She (and her 3 daughters) enjoy ruling the house they dubbed ‘Estrogen Ocean’, much to her husbands chagrin. Harper has a borderline unhealthy obsession with books; you can almost ALWAYS find her with her eReader attached. She enjoys bad reality TV and cheesy romantic flicks. Her favorite kind of hero–the super alpha kind!

Harper started using writing as a way to unwind when the house went to sleep at night; and with a house full of crazy it was the perfect way to just relax. It didn’t take long before a head full of very demanding alphas would stop at nothing to have their story told.

told.Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Goodreads

Giveaway

$50 Gift Card (1 Winner)

Signed Copy of Locke (5 Winners)

Corps Security Bookmarks (10 Winners)

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Release Day Blitz: My Fair Duchess by Julie Johnstone

Posted on 09/29/2014 by Saucy Southern Readers

Amazon ~ Barnes & Noble ~ iBooks

Synopsis

After years of playing the rake to hide a dark family secret, the Duke of Aversley feels tainted beyond redemption and cynical beyond repair. Never does he imagine hope will come in the form of a quirky, quick-witted lady determined to win the heart of another gentleman.

Thanks to a painfully awkward past, Lady Amelia De Vere long ago relinquished the notion she was a flower that had yet to blossom. But when her family faces financial ruin and the man she has always loved is on the verge of marrying another, she’ll try anything to transform herself to capture her childhood love and save her family―including agreeing to participate in a bet between her brother and the notorious, dangerously handsome Duke Of Aversley.

Bound by the bet, Amelia and Aversley discover unexpected understanding and passion beyond their wildest dreams, if only they can let go of their pride, put trust in each other and chance losing their hearts.

Amazon ~ Barnes & Noble ~ iBooks

Excerpt

Colin rose, walked over to Amelia and grasped her by the elbow to lead her to the looking glass. “You do not properly see yourself, Amelia,” he said staring at her.

She furrowed her brow. “I see perfectly fine and what I see is tall, gangly and graceless.

He wanted to run the pad of his thumb over her skin and remove the lines of worry. Instead, he took a deep breath and continued. “The color of the gown does not make you beautiful nor in truth the opulence of the material. It is correct both can enhance beauty, but unless beauty is there it cannot be revealed.” He gripped her shoulders and turned her until she faced the looking glass. ”You already possess beauty. It’s here.” He brushed his finger down the silken skin near her shining eyes. “Real joy comes from your eyes. I also see beauty here.” He ran a finger perilously close to her full lips. “When you smile it’s genuine.” The tremor that coursed through her made him want to spin her around, tilt her head back and claim her delectable mouth for a kiss that would make her forget who the devil Worthington was. The problem was the kiss might make him forget who the devil he was.

Appalled at the desire she inspired in him, he forced himself under control, inch by painful inch, until the detachment that had always been a part of his life when it came to women descended over him like a fog blanketing the countryside. He forced his fingers to release her arms and break the contact that made him feel tethered to this woman who was supposed to mean nothing to him. Yet words that needed to be spoken still burned his throat. “Never forget that a dress cannot make you beautiful, because you are already heartbreakingly so.”

About the Author

Julie Johnstone is a best-selling author of Regency Romance and the author of a new urban fantasy/paranormal romance book. She’s been a voracious reader of books since she was a young girl. Her mother would tell you that as a child Julie had a rich fantasy life made up of many different make believe friends. As an adult, Julie is one of the lucky few who can say she is living the dream by working with her passion of creating worlds from her imagination. When Julie is not writing she is chasing her two precocious children around, cooking, reading or exercising. Julie loves to hear from her readers. You can send her an email at juliejohnstoneauthor@gmail.com or find her at www.juliejohnstoneauthor.com, or on Facebook at authorjuliejohnstone and juliejohnstoneauthor or at twitter @juliejohnstone.

Giveaway

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We are so stoked to bring you the Release Day Launch for M. Leighton’s ALL THINGS PRETTY! ALL THINGS PRETTY is a Contemporary Adult Romance and the third novel in M. Leighton’s Pretty Series. Sig’s book is here!

Amazon ** Barnes & Noble ** iBooks

Twitter | Author Goodreads | Website | ALL THINGS PRETTYGoodreads | Facebook

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