Review: Presently Perfect by Alison G. Bailey

Posted on 12/09/2014 by shellbellereads

Presently Perfect

The Perfect Series- Book 3

By Alison G. Bailey

Synopsis

Tweet was my heart, my soul, and my purpose.
She was my…everything.
Neither of us were perfect. We both made mistakes. Looking back, that was okay, because every choice brought us to where we needed to be at the time we needed to be there.
The one constant… our love and friendship.
There are two sides to every story and I wouldn’t trade our sides for anything in the world.

Buy: Amazon

Robin’s Review

***If you have not read Present Perfect, this review will contain spoilers. ***

Back in August of 2013, I read Present Perfect after noticing it available for purchase on Amazon. This debut novel from Alison G. Bailey was so special for me that I named it one of my two favorite stand-alone novels of 2013. At the time, I was unaware the author would be expanding this novel into a series. Present Perfect is full of angst. It’s a friends to lovers story about Amanda Kelly (Tweet) and Noah Stewart. Bailey followed up Present Perfect with Past Imperfect, a novel about Brad Johnson, a secondary character from Present Perfect. Much to my surprise, earlier this year, I discovered Bailey was writing an alternate point of view novel about Noah and Tweet to finish out her Perfect series!

Present Perfect is told from Amanda’s point of view. In Present Perfect, we learn Amanda is consumed by feelings of worthlessness. Because she is obsessed with being perfect, she struggles to control every aspect of her life. Although Amanda is constantly plagued by insecurity and self-doubt, the one thing she is absolutely sure of is her love for Noah. Noah has always been a part of her life. He is her best friend, and she can’t imagine a life without him. But her feelings for Noah are changing. If she begins a romantic relationship with Noah, she fears that she will lose him. What if it ends badly? She questions how they could possibly remain in each other’s lives.

With Presently Perfect, we are now able to experience their story from Noah’s point of view. Presently Perfect is the ideal blend of new written material and scenes from Present Perfect that have now been written from an alternate point of view. Although we essentially have the same story, the content of this new novel adds so much depth to Tweet’s perception of events.

I remember when I read Present Perfect. I struggled to understand Noah’s motivations for his actions. What was he thinking when Tweet was pushing him away? Did he truly understand her struggle? Why did Noah make the choices that he did in Present Perfect? Was Noah considering Tweet’s feelings while he was dating other girls? I found it very interesting to learn the truth behind his relationships with Brittani in high school and Brooke in college.

The very best part of Presently Perfect is the new material found towards the end of the novel. There is now so much more to Noah and Tweet’s story. I cried tears while I was reading what happens between Noah and Tweet (beyond the end of the first novel). And I think Alison Bailey wrote the perfect epilogue for her series! I love this couple’s story. I really do. I have anticipated the release of Presently Perfect for several months, and I am excited to say this novel met my expectations! I am giving Presently Perfect a 4.5 star rating!

Author Bio:

Alison was born and raised in Charleston, SC. She attended Winthrop University and graduated with a major in Theater. While at school she began writing one-act plays, which she later produced. Her debut novel, Present Perfect, landed on Amazon’s Best Seller List and appeared on many “Best Reads of 2013” Book Blogs. The novel won Best Book at the 2014 Indie Romance Convention Awards. The second book from The Perfect series, Past Imperfect, was published in February of 2014 and hit many Top 100 category lists on Amazon

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Review: Dirty Secret by Emma Hart – The Burke Brothers Series- Book 1

Posted on 12/08/2014 by shellbellereads

Dirty Secret

The Burke Brothers Series – Book 1

By Emma Hart

Synopsis

Conner Burke never expected Sofie Callahan to come back.

Where she’s been for the last two and half years is a mystery, and so is the reason she left in the first place. Now, though, she’s back in their hometown of Shelton Bay, South Carolina, at the same time Conner’s band Dirty B is home on a tour break.

Sofie Callahan has spent the months since her father’s death avoiding anything to do with her home town. But with her brother in Afghanistan, she has no choice but to return and sort out her father’s house, even if it means facing the boy she fell in love with and revealing the reason she left.

Conner has questions, and when his broken heart and her guilty one collide, Sofie has to start answering them. Their present is rocky, their future unknown. Only one thing is certain:

Sofie’s daughter will change everything.

Buy: Amazon / Barnes and Noble / ITunes

Excerpt

That kid that could be mine.

I get up and let the empty bottle drop to the floor. The woods are eerily quiet, as if it can sense my anger. As if it knows the bitterness that lingers in my veins, as if it knows the burn of not knowing anything.

Like the woods, I’m left in the dark. Completely.

Branches and twigs crunch under my feet as I increase my pace to a gentle jog. And again, to a slow run. Then to a sprint.

The need to know increases with every footstep, as evenly paced as the ticking of the clock. It doesn’t matter that I’ve probably drunk too much beer to be here or that we’ve only been back for a matter of days.

I can’t be in this shithole full of memories without knowing. I can’t move on until I know. I can’t forgive her for a single fucking thing until I know—and even then, maybe I won’t be able to.

Maybe she’s unforgivable.

Instead of knocking on the back door like I did yesterday, I round the side of the house to the front door. The front room light glows softly through the curtains, but the rest of the house is dark.

My chest heaves with the exertion of my run here and I grab the doorframe to balance myself. I’m definitely too fucking drunk for this conversation, but what the hell.

I bang on the door, once, twice, again and again and again. “Sofie! Open the fuckin’ door!”

“Shut up!” she hisses, yanking it open. “The hell’re you doing here?”

I smirk, leaning against the wall. “Shouldn’t I be askin’ you that, princess?”

“Are you drunk?” Her voice rises a little at the end, and her eyes widen.

Those eyes. Fuck, those baby blues that have always undone me.

“Drunk? No. If I was drunk I’d be sitting at home like a miserable bastard and not here facing the cause of my misery.”

“You’re being an asshole. I don’t have to listen to this.”

She pushes on the door, but I wedge my foot in front of it. I let go of the wall and grab the edge of the door.

“Actually, you do.”

She can’t overpower me, and she knows it, because she lets up and the door swings open. “Why are you here, Conner?”

“You have a kid.”

She smacks her lips together. “Yep.”

“When? When did you have her?”

Sofie takes a deep breath in and presses her hands to her stomach. They’re shaking, even as she links her fingers to hide it. I can see that fucking tremble.

She whispers something but I’m too pre-occupied by her hands to hear it.

“What?”

“August last year,” she repeats, still a whisper.

August. Last year. My stomach clenches as I meet her eyes. “When? When in fuckin’ August, Sofie?”

“August fifteenth.” Her voice hitches halfway through the ‘fifteenth.’

Almost seven months to the day she walked out on me and the rest of Shelton Bay.

Adrenaline hums through my body, and I stare at her. At the tears building in her eyes, the quiver of her lips, the bob of her throat as she swallows harshly.

It’s no different from the burn in my chest, the twisting of my stomach.

“Is she mine?”

She shudders and a tear drips from her eye.

“Sofie. Is. She. Mine?!”

Michel’s Review

Wow! What a great start to a new series. The Burke Brothers Series has a little bit of every type of sub genre romance readers desperately crave. First and foremost, the series is about the four Burke Brothers and their family. Not only are these brothers sizzling hot, they are sizzling hot rockstars in the chart topping band Dirty B. They are the tattooed heart throbs every woman wants rocking their world. This series also has a small town romance feel to it. The Burke’s are from a small South Carolina coastal town that is still their home although they are big stars. They come home on every tour break to spend time with family and friends. The first book, Dirty Secret is a second chance romance. This book not only has the second chance romance it also has two very distinct genres blending together. Those genres would be New Adult and Erotic Romance. The passionate love scenes will leave the readers fanning themselves.

Dirty Secret featured the youngest brother and lead singer, Connor Burke. Sophie Callahan was Conner’s childhood sweetheart and once in a lifetime love. She walked away from him without an explanation or single clue as to why. They had the perfect relationship. His band was on the brink of making it big. Everything they had worked and sacrificed for was finally becoming a reality for them. So why would Sophie walk away when he is finally becoming a true success?

Sophie Callahan found out she was pregnant just as Conner’s band was about to make it big. She left Connor without a word. She never told him about the baby. She disappeared without a trace. Two years later she is back in the small town she grew up in. She is ready to face the music. She is ready for Conner to know his little girl. She knows her decisions are unforgivable. She doesn’t expect Conner to forgive her or repair their relationship. She knows she made mistakes and she owns the responsibility of her choices. She just wants Conner to be a part of Mila’s life. They need each other.

There are other reasons she left Conner. She will have to face n the truth she has been hiding from herself and Conner. Is it too late for them? She seems to think so. Conner has a different opinion.

They will have to deal with their past. The will have to deal with the fame. They will have to learn to be parents together. They will have to reach deep within their hearts to find out what is the most important thing for their daughter and themselves.

The chemistry between Conner and Sophie is steamy. They have a passion that will last until the end of time.

I loved all the characters in this book. I felt like I knew them personally. I can’t wait for the next book in the Burke Brothers Series.

Author Bio:

By day, New York Times and USA Today bestselling New Adult author Emma Hart dons a cape and calls herself Super Mum to two beautiful little monsters. By night, she drops the cape, pours a glass of whatever she fancies – usually wine – and writes books.

Emma is working on Top Secret projects she will share with her followers and fans at every available opportunity. Naturally, all Top Secret projects involve a dashingly hot guy who likes to forget to wear a shirt, a sprinkling (or several) of hold-onto-your-panties hot scenes, and a whole lotta love.

She likes to be busy – unless busy involves doing the dishes, but that seems to be when all the ideas come to life.

Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Goodreads

Holiday Review: Home For Christmas by Fiona Greene

Posted on 12/03/2014 by shellbellereads

Home For Christmas

By Fiona Greene

Synopsis

What began as an impersonal-but-cheerful holiday gift for a soldier far from home becomes so much more…

Sergeant Tate McAuliffe, stationed in Afghanistan, opens his Christmas care package from Australia and is stunned by both its contents and the sender.

Fun-loving Christmas tree designer Layla Preston is a breath of fresh air for loner Tate. Although they’ve never met, their email friendship quickly develops and their feelings for each other deepen.

But Layla knows the heartache that loving a soldier can bring and when Tate is injured, her deep-seated fear drives them apart. With their relationship in tatters, can Layla and Tate work through their differences, so Layla can welcome Tate home for Christmas?

Buy: Amazon / Barnes and Noble / ITunes

Tina’s Review

*** Provided by Netgalley in exchange for an Honest Review. ***

To say Sergeant Tate McAuliffe has had some crappy Christmases in his past would be an understatement and why should this year be any different? Stationed in Afghanistan, he’s taken by surprise by the gift he receives from a stranger.
Layla Preston lives in Australia and follows the troops’ mission in Afghanistan. She comes from a military family, but they are all gone now. Inherited from her dad, she has Bonsai Christmas, a tree farm her father purchased after retiring from the military.

This IS an Australian novella, some terminology translations may be helpful:
Ute= Utility Vehicle, Thong= flip flops, Esky= cooler, RSL= Returned and Services League (support organization for the ADF (Australian Defence Force)), doona= quilt or blanket

Short Holiday novella: under 100 pages. Stands alone.
Tate really is portrays as a broken spirit when it comes to family and holiday reunions, preferring his fellow soldiers to blood family. Layla is like an angel in spirit. She breathes life and vitality to all with her kindness and generosity. There’s a nice blend of secondary characters that help support the story. Believable dialogue and interaction enable the dynamic and dramatic plot to flow smoothly and swiftly. There was enough push and pull in the story line to create some conflict, although it was nothing of epic proportions, and a pleasant enough resolve was found. Predictability was blissfully low. The conclusion was solid and without cliffhangers. Overall, this was a very enjoyable read.

Author Bio:

I love books.

As a child we didn’t live near a library until one opened when I was nine. I was in heaven, then we moved and I traded my library card for one for a mobile library that visited the local shops. Ten months later, we moved again. This time to an older house on stilts with a dark and scary ground floor. Exploring the depths, I discovered a cupboard and stored inside were boxes and boxes of romance novels.

My early love of category romance morphed into a passion for historicals, romantic suspense and futuristic romance. In an attempt to widen my reading preferences, I still visit the library regularly, but choose all my books by the spine, without reading the back cover. Sometimes it works out, sometimes it doesn’t.

My books and short stories range from journeys across time and space – futuristic and sci-fi romances to contemporary romance. After all, what’s not to love about a strong military leader with a spacecraft? Unless its a sexy farmer with a Ute?

A lot of my pre-writing is done while I’m pounding the pavement – either running or walking the family’s two large dogs. I’m always up for a challenge, so I split my time between my home town of Brisbane and an owner-builder project on a rural property in Queensland’s Southern Downs, where the air is crisp and clear and the view of the night sky is to die for.

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ARC Review: Full Throttle by Julie Ann Walker- Black Knights, Inc. Series- Book 7

Posted on 12/02/2014 by shellbellereads

Full Throttle

Black Knight, Inc. Series- Book 7

By Julie Ann Walker

Synopsis

She Needs a Hero…

Abby Thompson didn’t sign up to be the daughter of the President of the United States. The position was forced on her by the small matter of her birth. Preferring a quiet life of study, she’s content to leave the politics and the international intrigue to her father. Unfortunately, the most powerful man on the planet is sure to make enemies. When a group of armed thugs takes her hostage half a world away, demanding the U.S. government release prisoners in exchange for her safe return, she fears her father’s policy of “not negotiating with terrorists” means she’ll never see the shores of the Potomac again. Luckily, there’s one glimmer of hope. His name is Carlos Soto. And though she abruptly ended things with him years ago, she knows now he’s the only man who can save her…

Black Knights, Inc. to the Rescue…

Carlos “Steady” Soto has taken part in his fair share of dangerous missions working at the covert government defense firm of Black Knights Inc. But nothing prepared him for the emotional rollercoaster he faces when he’s tasked with rescuing the only woman he ever loved—who also broke his heart. Racing against time and outmaneuvering a group of trained terrorists will take everything he’s got. Plus there’s the heat simmering between them which is threatening to ignite into an inferno. While ruthless enemies stalk them, they must learn to trust each other again. Even if they do make it out alive, will Abby turn her back on him…for the second time?

Buy: Amazon / Barnes and Noble / ITunes

Tina’s Review

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

Abby Thompson was the youngest daughter of the POTUS front-runner eight years ago and a student at Georgetown, studying pre-med when an explosion on campus rocked everything and everyone near to her and subsequently she ended up having to give up pre-med and took up botany instead. Currently, as the President’s daughter, she is protected more heavily than even before, especially when she leaves the country and there’s inconclusive buzz and murmurs of kidnapping one of the President’s daughters.
Carlos “Steady ” Sotos was studying to become a General Surgeon in college, claiming he enjoyed the thrill and challenge of not knowing what would come through the ER doors next. But, that was then… before that tragic day eight years ago. After that day, he signed up and joined the military. Now he’s a member of Black Knights, Inc., a covert government defense firm that operates under the cover of being a custom motorcycle shop, and finds himself on Abby’s supplemental BKI security detail in Malaysia.

As a fan of Ms. Walker’s BKI series, I was very grateful and appreciative to have been approved to receive an ARC of this book. My fandom will not reflect in the ratings or review, as you will see.
The Prologue starts you out eight years ago when Abby was in college with Carlos and his twin, Rosa, all of which were studying medicine in one form or another. Then, tragedy strikes and forever changes their lives. Chapter One flashes you forward to present day. Carlos is, hands-down, front and center from page one. He is an extremely Hot Alpha Male. Muy Caliente! I feel that most of the focus of the book was on him, overshadowing Abby. I could not connect with her as much as I’d have liked to. The secondary characters, both good and bad, were very well-written. I had to wonder if, in Ms. Walker’s extensive travels, she’d ever been to Malaysia. The descriptions of the sights and sounds transported me to that Hotel with them. Perfectly executed. There’s a secondary relationship building between Dan and Penni that I am guessing we’ll see further develop in a later book. The plot itself was excellent, I really enjoyed the story line. It was a silky, smooth read with great character interaction and dialogue. There was a lot of conflict that carried on throughout the entire book that was not fully confronted and resolved until the very end. There was very little predictability. The conclusion felt a bit rough; it seemed rushed and there were questions left. Where do they go from here, with her in D.C. and him in Chicago? If it would have had an Epilogue with a more solid ending, this would have definitely been a five-star book. As is, it was VERY close.

Michel’s Review

I am a huge fan of the Black Knights, Inc. series by Julie Ann Walker. This is one of the best romantic suspense series out there. Add the biker element and special ops background to the characters of this series to make the formula even more enticing.

Full Throttle is the seventh book in the series. It was a steamy and suspenseful book. The characters captured the readers attention. Carlos Soto is one hot alpha man that had me swooning. Abby was a strong woman with a personality that made readers empathize with her. The plot, the use of words, the flow of the story, and suspenseful plot were masterfully executed.

I highly recommend reading Full Throttle. It can be read as a stand alone book or in series order.

Author Bio:

Julie Ann Walker is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of award-winning romantic suspense. She has won the Book Buyers Best Award, been nominated for the National Readers Choice Award, the Australian Romance Reader Awards, and the Romance Writers of America’s prestigious RITA award. Her latest release was named a Top Ten Romance of 2014 by Booklist. Her books have been described as “alpha, edgy, and downright hot.” Most days you can find her on her bicycle along the lake shore in Chicago or blasting away at her keyboard, trying to wrangle her capricious imagination into submission.

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Release Blitz + Review: Elect by Rachel Van Dyken- Eagle Elite Series- Book 2

Posted on 12/02/2014 by shellbellereads

Elect

Eagle Elite Series – Book 2

By Rachel Van Dyken

Synopsis

Would you die for the one you love?
Nixon Abandonato made his choice. And now he has to pay the price. Tracey is the love of his life, but being with him has made her a target of his family’s enemies. The only way to keep Trace alive is convince the world she means nothing to him.

Trace Rooks has fallen irrevocably in love with the son of her family’s sworn rival, and she knows in her bones nothing can tear them apart. Until Nix suddenly pushes her away and into the arms of his best friend… But Trace isn’t ready to give up on a future with Nix–and if he won’t fight for them, she will.
In the end, a sacrifice must be made. A life for a life. For what better way to cover a multitude of sins than with the blood of a sinner . . .

Buy: Amazon / Barnes and Noble / ITunes

Excerpt

“Let’s make a pact.” Chase put his hand on my shoulder.

“A pact?” I sniffled and turned to him. “What kind of pact?”

“One that’s forever. One that protects people rather than hurts them.”

“How do we do that?” I was suddenly interested. What if I could make all the hurt go away? What if I could save everyone!

“We do this.” Chase pulled out his pocketknife and cut open his hand, then nodded to me to do the same thing. Without pausing I cut open my hand and handed back the knife. “Blood brothers. We’re never gonna hurt each other and we’re gonna save those like your ma, Nixon. Ones who can’t save themselves. We’re going to protect them.”

“How?” I watched as the blood dripped from my open palm.

“Rules.” Chase shrugged. “They keep people safe, right? At least that’s what my mom says.” He smiled. “We make rules and we start our own club. That way, we don’t have to listen to anyone but us.”

I liked it. I chewed on my lower lip. “What do we call ourselves?”

“The chosen?” Chase offered.

“No, that sounds lame. We have to sound… more powerful than that.”

My eyes flickered to the road, and a sign poked into the ground. It said election. “Elect.” I pointed. “Let’s call ourselves The Elect.” It made sense; after all, the president was elected, wasn’t he? We weren’t exactly chosen, but we were making the choice, we were electing ourselves protectors. That’s what we were.

“Who else can join?” Chase asked.

“Tex and Phoenix. They’ll want to.” A weight suddenly felt like it was being lifted off my twelve-year-old shoulders. “Should we shake on it?”

“Yeah.” Chase smashed his hand against mine as our blood mixed. “No going back, Nixon.”

“No.” I shook my head. “No going back.”

I pressed my fingers to my temples and watched, replaying that moment over and over again in my head as the outline of Chase and Tracey flickered in the moonlight. Would he really do this to me? After all the shit we’d been through?

I gauged her reaction, hoping that I would be wrong. Praying to God that Trace would just this once listen to me. Her eyes flickered with interest for a few brief seconds before she looked down at the ground.

“Shit.” I waited in the shadows. A part of me knew this would happen. The part that told me to damn my feelings to hell and ignore all the warning signs that I’d been seeing. But now it seemed like it was too late. I stayed, planted where I was, watching, waiting.

“Chase, you can’t…” Trace shook her head. “You can’t be like this. We can’t do this!”

“We aren’t doing anything,” Chase said in low tones, reaching for Trace’s hand. “Don’t you?” He looked directly at me, although all he saw was a shadow. I knew I was well hidden. “Don’t you feel the same way?”

Trace jerked her hand away from Chase’s. “It doesn’t matter what I feel. It’s not about me, Chase.”

“But it is.” Chase reached for her again. This time her hand grasped his in such an intimate embrace I thought I was going to vomit all over the ground. The outside air was cold as hell as little pieces of ice tried to find their way into my wool coat.

“It isn’t.” Trace sighed. “It never was.”

Chase jerked her toward him. She fell against his chest and looked up into his eyes. “What are you doing?”

Chase sighed. “What I should have done a long time ago.” He grabbed the back of her head and pulled her in for a kiss. Their lips touched.

I had to look away.

The only sound in the night was that of my soft footsteps as I walked away… leaving my heart in broken pieces where I’d last stood. She was lost to me; it wasn’t even the Sicilians that had taken her, but my best friend.

A gunshot rang out loud and clear in the night air. I turned back around just in time to see Trace collapse into Chase’s arms.

Michel’s Review

The Eagle Elite series by Rachel Van Dyken is one of the most intense and riveting series I have read. This series portrays the life in the Mafia hierarchy. The new generation is taking over. They are determined to carry on the family legacy but also change the way things are done. It is their time to rule. Their legacy is about Family. Family always comes first no matter what. This new generation will pay the costs, sacrifice their own happiness, and turn their backs on the possibility of that once in a lifetime love. Family comes first.

Elect is the sequel to Elite. It is not a stand alone novel. I can guarantee once you have read Elite you will be opening Elect to find out what happens next. This intense story of Nixon Abandonato’s rise to power. He has taken over the Abandonato’s leadership over the five families. He has inherited his father’s enemies. He has made enemies of his own. He has fallen in love with his family’s number one rival. The granddaughter on one of the most powerful families.

Nixon inherited an old family rivalry that somehow does not add up. He has fallen in love with the enemy’s golden princess, Tracey Rooks. The corruption and struggle for power among the families has made Tracey a target. He will have to sacrifice their relationship to appease his enemies and keep her safe. He willingly hands her over to his most trusted confidant, his best friend and cousin. He trusts Chase Winters to keep Tracey safe and take care of her as he would. He wants him to pretend to be in a romantic relationship with her. He purposely pushes Tracey into Chase’s arms.

Chase Winters has been secretly in love with Tracey since the moment he met her. When Nixon hands her over on a silver platter he tries to honor Nixon’s feelings. Chase has always made sacrifices for his family. He has always been second in the family. Now that he has Tracey in his care, he may take this opportunity to finally be the one who comes first. He may betray the man he loves like a brother for the woman that makes him feel alive.

Nixon plans to get to the bottom of this treachery and punish his enemies. It may cost him his life. It has already cost him the woman he loves. It’s the price he will have to pay because family comes first. He will destroy his enemies but he may make some new ones in the process. He may lose his most trusted friend. He may lose the woman he loves. He may have to kill them both.

Elect is steamy, heart wrenching, and intense. It keeps the reader’s on the edge of their seats. The Eagle Elite series is one of my all time favorite series. How can one not like men who have guns with their Wheaties, women that can throw a knife as fast as they can find a sale in Nordstroms, and love with an intensity that is just as gentle as it is fierce ? This series is hot and I highly recommend these books.

EAGLE ELITE SERIES

Elite

Buy: Amazon / Barnes and Noble / ITunes

Elect

Buy: Amazon / Barnes and Noble / ITunes

Entice

Buy: Amazon / Barnes and Noble / ITunes

Elicit

Buy: Amazon / Barnes and Noble / ITunes

Bang Bang

Buy: Amazon / Barnes and Noble / ITunes

About Rachel Van Dyken:

Rachel Van Dyken is the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today Bestselling author of regency and contemporary romances. When she’s not writing you can find her drinking coffee at Starbucks and plotting her next book while watching The Bachelor.

She keeps her home in Idaho with her Husband and their snoring Boxer, Sir Winston Churchill. She loves to hear from readers! You can follow her writing journey at www.rachelvandykenauthor.com

Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Goodreads

Holiday Review: Cowboys For Christmas by Liz Talley, Kim Law, and Terri Osburn

Posted on 12/01/2014 by shellbellereads

Cowboys For Christmas

A Holiday Romance Anthology

By Liz Talley, Terri Osburn, Kim Law

Synopsis

3 cowboys…2 weeks…1 wedding!
Three all-new stories by Kim Law, Terri Osburn, and Liz Talley
Claire, Georgia, and Mary Catherine couldn’t be more different, but they promised they would be there for one another no matter what. And when they all gather in Holly Hills, Texas, for Mary Catherine’s Christmas wedding, they’ll find they have one thing in common: hearts that are about to be branded—by unforgettable cowboys.
In “Love Me, Cowboy” by Terri Osburn, wallflower Claire would be more excited about the wedding if it didn’t mean running into Mary Catherine’s brother—the bull rider she once had a scorching one-night stand with…
Ivy League volleyball coach Georgia never wanted to see Holly Hills—or another cowboy—again. But a sexy veterinarian is making her rethink her vow to never marry a Texas man in “Kiss Me, Cowboy” by Liz Talley.
Claire and Georgia both think that Mary Catherine is getting hitched to the wrong man, despite how perfect he is. And in “Marry Me, Cowboy” by Kim Law, a local rancher with a wild reputation gives Mary Catherine a glimpse of what might have been—and what could still be…

Buy: Amazon / Barnes and Noble / ITunes

Michel’s Review

Cowboys For Christmas was a fantastic anthology. The authors did a wonderful job of tying their individual story with those of the other authors. The plotting was precise throughout the three stories. The individual plots of each story focused on one of the leading female characters and their personal trials and tribulations. Each of these stories not only gave the readers insight to their individual leading character but also stayed very true to other characters and the personalities the other co authors created. Throughout each book there are some of the same scenes, with the same tone, but delivered from their characters perspective of that moment. The flow of each story was in perfect timing with the other two stories and made the overall story seem effortless. To deliver this kind of book with three different stories, the same characters, and the same overall plot takes a lot of work and collaboration between the authors. This was done with supreme care and made this anthology an excellent read.

We meet three women that have been friends since childhood. They grew up in Holly Hills, Texas. Holly Hills, Texas is a small ranching community that is basically defined by two prominent families. The Holly Family and the Campbell Family.

Love Me, Cowboy by Terri Osburn

Claire Campbell was the fat girl that was ruled by her mother’s commands. Her mother cared more about the family’s social status and position in Holly Hills. Claire was always insecure and fed her emotions. Now at twenty eight, she has returned to Holly Hills to teach elementary school. She is no longer the “fat” girl and “weak” girl that her mother once controlled. She has started to develop a backbone. The one thing that haunts her from her past is Tyler Holly. Tyler Holly is the younger brother of her best friend and the one boy she always had a crush on. A high school one night stand that didn’t turn out so well has always haunted her.

Tyler has returned to Holly Hills as well after a serious rodeo injury. He is looking to recuperate and get back on the rodeo circuit. With his sister’s upcoming wedding, he is bound to run into the one woman that could hold him in Holly Hills. Claire Campbell has always been the girl his heart has wanted.

Can these two find happiness together with their futures going in different directions?

Kiss Me, Cowboy by Liz Talley

Georgia Hightower left Holly Hills, Texas as soon as she could. She was the poor trailer trash of the community. The only people that saw the girl that hid beneath the surface were her best friends, Claire Campbell and Mary Catherine Holly. She vowed to never return to Holly Hills unless she was successful and had money to prove her self worth.

She is dreading returning to Holly Hills. She is dreading attending Mary Catherine’s wedding. She feels Mary Catherine is selling herself short. But because she is a loyal friend she returns to the one place that has horrible memories for her. Not only is she dreading the return to Holly Hills, she is also dealing with some problems in her life she has established in Boston.

When she meets Reed McCormick, the new vet in town, Holly Hills doesn’t look so bad. She will see the town through new eyes and come to appreciate everything the sexy vet can show her.

As her problems come to a head in Boston, she will have to choose a lonely successful life or a life filled with love in Holly Hills? Is Reed McCormick enough to make Georgia stay in Holly Hills.

Marry Me, Cowboy by Kim Law

Mary Catherine Holly has come home to Holly Hills to get married on Christmas Eve. She is marrying the town’s golden boy who is now a successful doctor in Dallas. The two were high school sweethearts until Mary Catherine exhibited an independent wild streak.

Her wild streak included dating a boy from the wrong side of town. Jax Tipton was the very definition of trouble and wild. The two had a wild teenage affair that ended badly.

Now she is a mature adult woman. She has a successful career and good social standing in the community. She would prefer to be married in Dallas but because of her family’s social status in Holly Hills she is getting married there.

Her step mother is planning the entire wedding. The wedding must be perfect and meet the expectations of their social status. Mary Catherine is fine with her step mother taking over all the wedding planning. She is fine with someone else choosing her dress, choosing her bridesmaid dresses, and choosing the venue. She just wants to get the wedding over with and get out of town before she runs into Jax Tipton.

Betweem the bridezilla step monster and a sexy boyfriend from the past, Mary Catherine’s world is spiraling out of control. Her friends know she isn’t happy. Jax Tipton knows she isn’t happy. Will Mary Catherine recognize it before it’s too late? Is Jax the man that can put a smile back on her face?

I absolutely loved this anthology. I would of given this book a 5 Star Rating but there was one thing that held me back. This book was supposed to be a Holiday Romance. It was not. There was very little mention of the holidays. The few scenes that revolved around some kind of holiday event where more focused on the upcoming wedding rather than the upcoming holiday. I never felt the holiday spirit. This book focused more on the wedding theme rather than the holiday theme. This was a great disappointment to me.

I would highly recommend Cowboys For Christmas. It is well written, highly entertaining, and loaded with small town romance.

About the Authors:

Terri Osburn is the Wall Street Journal bestselling author of the Anchor Island series. She makes her home along the coast of Virginia with an eye-rolling teenager, three fat tabbies, and a hyper yorkiepoo.
Liz Talley is a former English teacher who lives in North Louisiana with her high school sweetheart, two rough and tumble boys, and a gaggle of pets.
RITA-nominated and Golden Heart winner Kim Law is a former computer programmer, now spending her days writing happily ever afters. A native of Kentucky, she lives with her husband and a passel of animals in Middle Tennessee.

ARC Review: Julie’s Butterfly by Greta Milan

Posted on 11/04/2014 by shellbellereads

Julie’s Butterfly

By Greta Milan

Synopsis

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

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

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

Buy Links: Amazon / Google Play

Tina’s Review

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

*** DEBUT NOVEL ***

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

—————————-

They are called Butterfly Children.

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

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

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

Author Bio:

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

Goodreads

Review: Making Headlines by Erin Brown

Posted on 10/13/2014 by shellbellereads

When a one-night stand turns into an online photo scandal, Sophie Tucker and Luke McGraw become campus celebrities overnight for all the wrong reasons.

Sophie Tucker can’t wait to start her freshman year of college—she has a full scholarship to her dream school and her sights set on landing a coveted staff writer position on the college newspaper. But when a scandalous photo from a one night stand she barely remembers is posted on The Score List, a new tabloid-style gossip site the campus is buzzing about, Sophie realizes her freshman year isn’t going to be what she imagined. As more photos are posted, Sophie decides to use her journalistic prowess to take down the anonymous person behind the site.

Luke McGraw is that guy—the vice president of his fraternity, the online editor of the school newspaper, and the one every girl wants to date. When a photo of Sophie, the girl he hooked up with the night before classes started and can’t get out of his head, shows up on The Score List, he knows that he has to find out who is behind the site—both to avenge Sophie, and to save the reputation of his fraternity.

When Sophie and Luke realize they’re both investigating, they decide to team up. But focusing on the investigation instead of each other proves difficult, especially when neither of them are sure the other can be trusted.

In a story full of the scandal, mystery, intrigue, friendship, and cheeky, sexy romance, Making Headlines channels Veronica Mars and Greek, in the companion novel to Taking Flight.

Buy Links:

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iBook Store | Smashwords

Michel’s Review

Making Headlines by Erin Brown took me by complete surprise. I was expecting an angsty new adult romance that was predictable. This book was everything I was not expecting. The characters were larger than life, smart, and entertaining. The plot was unique. The story flow was fast paced with the right amount of romantic scenes and the right amount of action scenes. The action scenes are more of the intellectual type of scenes that fully engage the reader.

Sophie Tucker’s first college party turns into a disaster. She has been photographed and labeled the as the first girl on the famous Score List. The Score List website has gone viral. She is famous before she finishes her first day of classes.

Sophie is a tough girl that thinks logically. Rather than distressing about the Score List, she decides to investigate it’s origin. Her investigative reporter instincts tell her this is more than a legendary college prank. Together Sophie and Luke follow the trail that not only leads to the source behind the Score List. It also leads to a committed and loving relationship.

This book is a sexy read that keeps the reader guessing. I absolutely enjoyed this book and highly recommend it!

About Erica Brown:

Erin Brown is a writer, Whedonite, Whovian, yogi, HGTV addict, and connoisseur of The CW’s TV line-up. She was born and raised in Arkansas, lived in New York City for five years, and recently moved to Singapore, where she lives on the beach, which is completely wasted on her because she is a ginger and the sun is not her friend. She is the author of Taking Flight and Making Headlines: A Taking Flight Novel. You can follow her on Twitter @erinbrownwrites.

Review: Hopeful by Louise Bay

Posted on 07/26/2014 by shellbellereads

Expected publication: July 15th 2014

***Not suitable for younger readers due to sexual content and language.***

Guys like Joel Wentworth weren’t supposed to fall in love with girls like me. He could have had his pick of the girls on campus, but somehow the laws of nature were defied and we fell crazy in love.

For a short time, I thought it would be for infinity.

On July 10, 2006, immediately after graduation, Joel left for New York. And, despite him wanting me to go with him, I’d refused, unwilling to disappoint my parents and risk the judgment of my friends. I hadn’t seen him again. Never even spoke to him.

I’ve spent the last eight years working hard to put my career front and center in my life, dodging any personal complications. I have a strict no-dating policy. I’ve managed to piece together a reality that works for me.

Until now.

Now, Joel’s coming back to London.

And I need to get over him before he gets over here.

Buy: Amazon / Barnes and Noble

Tracey’s Review

Ava Elliot has a pretty good life. A law student at university, she’s smart and studious, and has a tightly-knit group of friends that are like family. Joel Wentworth is the whole package. Not only intelligent, he is handsome, nice, and funny. Girls love him and guys want to be like him. Ava would never have thought that they had anything in common, let alone that they could fall in love with each other.

‘Hopeful’ is one of those ‘happy accident’ books for me, one that I knew absolutely nothing about, but which I enjoyed completely. Louise Bay has written a very well-crafted story, full of characters that I would absolutely love to spend time with. I loved watching Ava and Joel get to know each other. Louise really took the time to show their relationship developing, so that it seemed much more realistic when thy realized their feelings for each other had grown from friendship to love. And the passion was definitely there, too. Their growing attraction to each other was palpable, so that by the time that they acted on it, it was inevitable, and not only sweet, but very steamy, as well.

‘Hopeful’ was not all sunshine and happy times. Some of the best stories are those that involve a hefty dose of angst, and that is definitely present here. It allowed, I think, for further character development, especially Ava’s, which was necessary for the book to end the way that it did. I am looking forward to reading more from Louise, and really hope that Jules and Adam get their own books. A definite 4.5 – 5 star read.

Author Bio:

I write sexy, romantic, contemporary romance novels: the kind I like to read.

Ideas for my first novel started to filter into my imagination when my reading coincided with a re-encounter with an old love and soon after I began what became ‘Faithful’, my first novel, published in April 2014.

Ruined by romantic mini-series of the seventies and eighties, I love all things romantic. There’s not enough of it in real life so I’ll settle for books and films.  I love the rain, the West Wing, London, days when you don’t have to wear make-up, being alone, being with friends, elephants and champagne.

Website ~ Facebook ~Goodreads

Saucy Southern Readers

professional, honest, and timely book reviews

Tag Archives: 4.5 Star Review

Review: Presently Perfect by Alison G. Bailey

Review: Dirty Secret by Emma Hart – The Burke Brothers Series- Book 1

Holiday Review: Home For Christmas by Fiona Greene

ARC Review: Full Throttle by Julie Ann Walker- Black Knights, Inc. Series- Book 7

Release Blitz + Review: Elect by Rachel Van Dyken- Eagle Elite Series- Book 2

Holiday Review: Cowboys For Christmas by Liz Talley, Kim Law, and Terri Osburn

ARC Review: Julie’s Butterfly by Greta Milan

Review: Making Headlines by Erin Brown

Review: Hopeful by Louise Bay

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