BLOG TOUR + REVIEW + GIVEAWAY…. RELINQUISH BY M. N. FORGY

Posted on 06/22/2015 by shellbellereads

Relinquish

By M. N. Forgy

Release Date: June 17, 2015

Relinquish by M.N Forgy released on June 17th!

The story where a girl follows the only route to survive, the path of prostitution. What she didn’t know was that road led to her worst nightmare.

Synopsis

In my world, there is no such thing as love. It is just a lie we whisper into our client’s ear. Love is foreign and hazardous. What I did not expect was to bare my soul to a man who is as egotistical as he is dangerous.

His name is Landon. Despite his blackened soul, he tried to save me, but what he didn’t expect was my torturous fate to catch up with me.

To your father, I’m the escort.

To your mother, I’m the whore.

To the legal system, I’m the prostitute.

In the end, I’m just the other woman.

I have no idea if I will continue to survive, if I will ever find my path aside from the gritty streets I know so well. There is a good chance I will wind up in the ditch like most women in my position. Surrendering to my fate is the only choice I have. I must relinquish it all.

ALSO AVAILABLE AT : B & N / ITUNES

EXCERPT

Following Jayden across the way, I skim the crowd at the café and land on a pair of handsome eyes. So handsome, I stop walking.

Sitting at a table full of sexy men is a short, blond-haired guy, his face hard and chiseled. My God, his arms are pumped with muscle as his hands flex around a brown football. My core blossoms with incredible need as I eye his toned arms, and what I assume is a matching hard chest beneath his jersey.

“Charlie, let’s go!”Jayden yells, making me realize I’ve been standing here like an idiot, staring at a sexy stranger in a café. The guy smirks at me and tosses the football in the air, breaking eye contact.

I tuck my hair behind my ear, giving a small smile in return before walking forward. I suddenly crash into something, the impact throwing me back on my ass hard.

“Shit!”I shout with pain.

“Fuck!”roars a male voice standing above me. My eyes jolt upward to find a broad-shouldered man in a black suit, holding a broken plastic cup in one hand with coffee spilled all down his front. My stomach tangles into a bundle of tight knots, and my hands tremble from the strength and power this man radiates. Oh, shit.

“I am so sorry!”I stand up and start frantically brushing at the man’s very expensive-looking suit. My God, it’s like rubbing a rock. His body is so toned and strong beneath my palms, which isn’t helping me get a grip on myself. My eyes skirt up his arms, finding the fabric stretched tight around his biceps and causing me to swallow the lump forming in my throat. The knots in my stomach crawl into a fit of butterflies, and my heart races. He’s handsome—intimidating, really. The way his toned body and squared shoulders take up the space takes my breath away. His jaw is chiseled to perfection with scruff claiming it perfectly. I bite my bottom lip to keep from moaning.

“It’s fine, really,”he states, his voice deep as he grabs my wrists to stop me from slapping at his stained shirt pathetically. My body sparks with electricity where he grips me firmly. My mouth parts and my breathing shallows as I slowly trail my eyes from his hold on my wrist to his eyes. They’re green with little brown flecks thrown around them. They’re captivating. His jawline is strong and defined, his nose broad, and his dark hair is smoothed back with just a trail hanging loosely out of place on the front of his forehead from our sudden run-in. He’s fucking gorgeous, and I can’t look away.

“Are you all right?”he questions, raising an eyebrow. His voice is low and rough, making my eyes focus on his mouth.

“I-”I stutter, completely lost in the thought of his luscious lips on mine. These lips are not like any belonging to the guys at my high school, that’s for sure. When you look at them, his lips look like they’re made to make love to a woman’s body. The thoughts of the glorious pleasure they could bring make my cheeks warm, my chest ache.

“Charlie, let’s go!”Jayden hollers, catching mine and Sexy Man In a Suit’s attention.

“That your friend?”he asks, his lips that hold the perfect cupid’s bow turn into a slight smirk.

I open my mouth to speak but a wild hiccup noise escapes instead, caused from the wild beat of my heart against my chest. I close my eyes, humiliated.

He chuckles, releasing his hold of my wrists. The way he laughs causes my skin to rise with goose bumps.

“I gotta go,”I whisper nervously. I look down and stride quickly toward Jayden, praying I don’t bump into any more hot men on the way.

“Lord, give me strength. Vegas is already becoming a bad influence,”I mutter, catching up with Jayden.

MICHEL’S REVIEW

When I first read the blurb for Relinquish by M. N. Forgy, i was intrigued. This book sounded unique and on the cutting edge. I absolutely love a book with grit, darkness, and complicated characters. I did enjoy reading Relinquish but it did not quite reach my expectations I had built up in my mind.

Readers are first introduced to Charlie as a young child and then brought to present day. Charlie experienced a violent life changing event as a child which led her to spending the rest of her youth in the foster care system. Charlie has blocked the traumatic experience and has moved forward in her life one day at a time. She hasn’t known much kindness or caring. At the same time she hasn’t suffered from too much cruelty. Life in the foster care system is what it is. On her eighteenth birthday she is ready to leave her last and final foster care home. She has no intentions on looking back. As she is leaving, one of the other girls in the foster home, a year younger than Charlie, decides to go with her. In a sense they are on the run but nobody is really looking for them. They end up in Vegas.

Both girls are young and a bit naive . They may have had a tough life but they have not really lived life in the streets. What starts out as an adventure in starting their new lives quickly turns into a mess. With very little money they are struggling to survive. When Charlie’s new boyfriend starts giving her money she doesn’t realize he is giving her payment for services rendered. Once the realization hits and Charlie is put in a predicament that she didn’t see coming, she is at the start of her new profession.

Landon rescues Charlie from the dangerous predicament that she found herself in. He is not necessarily a good guy. He has his agenda where Charlie is concerned. He is also harboring some dangerous secrets. What starts as a business relationship between Charlie and Landon turns into something more.

Secrets will be revealed that will connect Landon and Charlie in the past as well as the present. It will be shocking and will keep the reader glued to the pages.

The plot was great and the pacing of the story was good. I would of liked to of seen a little more grit and darkness to the story that I know M. N. Forgy is capable of delivering.

I highly recommend Relinquish by M. N. Forgy.

_______________________________________________________________

About M. N. Forgy

M.N. Forgy was raised in Missouri where she still lives with her family. She’s a soccer mom by day and a saucy writer by night. M.N. Forgy started writing at a young age but never took it seriously until years later, as a stay-at-home mom, she opened her laptop and started writing again. As a role model for her children, she felt she couldn’t live with the “what if” anymore and finally took a chance on her character’s story. So, with her glass of wine in hand and a stray Barbie sharing her seat, she continues to create and please her fans.

Stalk Her: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

GIVEAWAY
KINDLE

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Blog Tour + Review + Giveaway: Red Nights by Shari J. Ryan

Posted on 06/22/2015 by shellbellereads

I’m Felicity Stone, a twenty-five-year-old with my whole life ahead of me. Well, until recently.

I didn’t do it. Why would they think I did? Why would I want my twin brother dead? Why is everyone looking at me like I’m a criminal?

Well, everyone except him… Hayes Peyton, the charmingly beautiful stranger I met in the park at midnight—a totally legitimate place to meet the man of my dreams. Plus, he knows I’m innocent.

Believing him is easy. So very easy. Maybe too easy?

But when you hear things like: ‘All good is laced with some bad, and everything you think is the truth—is nothing more than a blatant lie,’ it makes you question reality.

In Shari J. Ryan’s latest Romantic Suspense, Red Nights, you wonder how dark your world can get before all you see is red.

“Great night for a walk.” I can hardly hear him over the rain, but his words don’t quite matter. I’ve been waiting to kiss him since the moment I saw him sitting in a booth at the restaurant tonight.

First kisses are always nerve-wracking and full of surprise, but second kisses are full of anticipation thanks to what I already know, what I’ve already had a taste of. “I really like you,” he says, loud enough to drown out the heavy rainfall.

I can’t invite him in…is that why he’s stalling? I point upstairs. “Aspen, my friend I’m crashing with, would ask you a million questions if you came up. I—”

“Oh, no. No. I wasn’t waiting for an invitation. I have a ‘seven date’ rule anyway.” I can see him fighting the urge to smile, but he’s losing that battle.

“’Seven date’ rule?” I laugh.

“Yeah, it’s dumb.” He runs a palm down the side of his face. “Because I’m trying to figure out how I’m going to make it that long.” He leans in, stealing a quick kiss. But I feel cheated. I want more.

“How do you know we’ll last seven dates?” I ask.

“Good point. I probably won’t be able to put up with you for that long.” I know he’s teasing. But ugh. Damn him and that smile.

I throw my arms around his neck and crash my lips into his. His body tightens, maybe from surprise, but it takes less than a second for him to relax. He strips me of my control, pushing me up against the brick wall, his body heavy against mine. Even with the rain sloshing between us, his hands find my cheeks. His tongue sweeps across my lips.

I’ve changed my mind.

I’ll bring him upstairs.

I don’t give a shit what Aspen does. I want him. I need him to keep making me forget.

“Come up,” I say in almost nothing but a breathless whisper.

He bites down on his bottom lip, appears to think about my offer, then shakes his head in this seductive slow motion, making this moment painfully enjoyable. “Not tonight,” he says, placing a small kiss on the tip of my nose. His hand is clutched around my waist and everything within me hurts and aches for him. “Good-night, Blondie-locks.” He turns and leaves in the rain, and I watch him go.

It has been a good night. A very good night, actually.

And it all ends when I get upstairs…

MICHEL’S REVIEW

Red Nights by Shari J. Ryan was one of those kind of books that draws the reader in immediately. By the third or fourth page the reader is hooked. I read this book in one sitting and thoroughly enjoyed it. It had intrigue, mystery , suspense, and romance. This book was not particularly explicit. The romance was more on the milder side. The mystery and intrigue was more of the focus of the story. Shari delivered a book that kept me on the edge of my seat. Some parts gave me chills and creeped me out.

Felicity Stone’s life is a mess. Her life literally went up in flames. One moment she was living a charmed life, the next moment she was mourning the death of her brother. A death that was meant for her. She feels like she caused the fire that took her brother’s life and is having difficulties moving past it.

As she tries to move forward revelations are made that make her take two steps back. When she meets a sexy stranger at the park in the middle of the night things begin to change. She is starting to find a reason to move forward.

Heyes Peyton is not all that he seems to be. He has his own demons that have forced him to resign as a detective. He is now working the private sector. When he becomes involved with Felicity it becomes clear that there is more to the story than a tragic accident. It could be more than a case of arson. It could be premeditated murder.

As the case unravels and revelations are made it is becoming clear that Felicity is in deep danger. Heyes may not be able to protect her.

Red Nights is a thrilling suspense that I highly recommend.

______________________________________________________________

Shari J. Ryan is an Amazon Top 100 Bestselling author, a Barnes & Noble Top 10 Bestselling author, and an iBookstore #1 Bestselling author. She hails from Central Massachusetts where she lives with her husband and two lively little boys. Shari has always had an active imagination and enjoys losing herself in the fictional worlds she creates. When Shari isn’t writing, she can usually be found cleaning toys up off the floor.

To learn more, visit her at, www.sharijryan.com.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Blog Tour + Review: The Art of Deception: Undoing Time by Alyssa Richards

Posted on 06/19/2015 by shellbellereads

The Fine Art of Deception

Undoing Time

A Paranormal Romance Mystery

By Alyssa Richards

Synopsis

Art appraiser Adeline Montgomery just wants a normal life. One where she can ignore the vicious ghosts who follow her. One where she’s free from her “gift” of touching an object and seeing the owner’s deepest secrets. And one where she can fall in love without having all of the above get in the way.

But when tall, dark, and dangerous gallery owner Blake Greenwood enters her life, normal is the last thing she’s feeling. The man has more secrets than the priceless art he sells, giving Adeline’s quest for normal no chance. That, and he may just hold the key to uncovering the truth behind her father’s unexplained disappearance.

Despite her paranormal gifts warning her to stay away, she feels an inexplicable, captivating fascination for him, something that goes deeper than attraction. There’s something between them that’s older than time, and if she can learn to give him her trust, it may just save her life.

Buy: Amazon

Michel’s Review

The Fine Art of Deception : Undoing Time by Alyssa Richards was a fantastic debut. This book had mystery, suspense, crime, the paranormal- physic element, romance, and red hot passion. It was well written. The plot was well executed and the book flowed flawlessly. I was hooked in the first chapter.

Addie has gone to work in her father’s art company. As an appraiser, she is looking to incorporate her “gift” with her passion for art. She is hoping that through the artwork can she not only get the value of the piece but also the artist perspective and vision through her “gift”.

When her father and grandfather have disappeared from the firm while working on a business deal. Addie’s gift may be able to help her solve the mystery of their disappearance. When she meets the mysterious art dealer, she is hoping that her gift can help connect him to their disappearance. The problem is that her gift does not work on him at all. Soon they are both caught in a web of deception, lies, and danger. They must work together to uncover the truth.

Revelations will be made. Addie will have to decide if she can trust Blake or if he is the real culprit behind their disappearances.

This book was loaded with mystery and suspense. The plot was well executed and kept me on the edge of my seat. The sizzling passionate scenes between Addie and Blake were red hot.

The Art of Deception by Alyssa Richards was the perfect blend of several genres in one book. I highly recommend this book.

________________________________

Author Bio:

Alyssa Richards is new to the fiction genre and has just finished her first provocative fiction novel. She’s passionate about reading, writing, meditating, magnolias, and nurturing her herb and rose garden. She loves to travel, whenever she gets the rare and precious opportunity. She also loves animals and holds the world record for taking two adorable pups from homeless to pampered. She lives in the South with her husband, two great kids and the three very spoiled, rescue dogs who run the house.

Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Goodreads

Giveaway

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Happy Release + Review : The Current Between Us by Kindle Alexander

Posted on 06/16/2015 by shellbellereads

The Current Between Us

By Kindle Alexander

Synopsis

Gage Synclair, international, hard-hitting investigative photojournalist, is preparing for the final special report of his career…a story of deception and murder six long years in the making. And after ten years in some of the worst parts of the world, he’s ready to settle life down and open an art gallery in his hometown of Chicago. The only thing getting in his way, he needs to find a competent electrician to finish the job before his grand opening.
Trent Cooper, electrical contractor, is surprised by the last minute request for a fast-paced electrical remodel, wanting nothing more than to get his foot in the door with Layne Construction. Being gay in the construction industry isn’t easy, nor is being father to his two young adopted children. Trent keeps his life in separate zones to avoid a short circuit. But when the gallery owner propositions him on the first day, Trent can’t help but think his worlds are a little too close for comfort.
Will their high-voltage passion spark everlasting love or will their lives break the circuit between them forever?

Buy: Amazon / B & N

Tina’s Review

Judging a Book by it’s Cover:
Initial reaction to cover was blah. Nearly monochromatic cover does little to catch and keep the eye. After reading a quick and somewhat vague synopsis, I was left wondering why an investigative photojournalist would run around shirtless… I know, but that was my thoughts. The only reason I picked the book up is because I’ve yet to read any books by this author, but I’d met her in Vegas and just adored her as a person. I really wanted a chance to read her work.
Looking Deeper:
Third-person POV. Both Gage and Trent are likable characters, as are the secondaries. Their interaction and dialogue progress naturally. The plot fell a little flat in places that had potential to be more exciting, but it flowed smoothly and was well-written. There were a few conflicts that were resolved in various manners. The conclusion was solid, but I had to wonder what Abdullah’s end game is/was. I enjoyed the ending, but can’t help but wonder what will become of Rhonny as well.

_________________________________________

Author Bio:

Best Selling and award winning Author Kindle Alexander is an innovative writer who writes classic fantasy, romance, suspense, and erotica in the gay fiction genre. It’s always a surprise to see what’s coming next!

Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Goodreads

Review: Amber To Ashes by Gail McHugh – Torn Hearts Series – Book 1

Posted on 06/11/2015 by shellbellereads

Amber To Ashes

Torn Hearts Series – Book 1

Release Date: June 9, 2015

By Gail McHugh

Pre-Order: Amazon / B & N / ITunes / Kobo

Synopsis

From the New York Times bestselling author of Collide and Pulse comes a gritty new novel about a shattered young woman who unexpectedly falls for two best friends.

They were a storm I never saw coming, an unforeseen heartbreak on the edge of a dangerous cliff.

Amber Moretti’s life changes in the span of minutes. An orphaned outsider, she is desperate to start fresh the moment she walks onto campus. In the time it takes to cross the university’s dining hall, she meets two men who bring color, air, and light to her darkened world.

They became my addiction, each a needle to my next hit, my high.

Brock Cunningham’s appeal is dizzying, a potent force Amber can’t deny. A green-eyed smooth talker, he instantly attracts Amber. It doesn’t take long for him to consume her every thought, her every breath.

Ryder Ashcroft, a blue-eyed, tattooed, and pierced bad boy, turns Amber off immediately—that is, until he kisses her, stealing a piece of her heart, her soul.

They were as opposite as fire and ice, yet I ached for them equally.

Never knowing she could be broken down in so many unexpectedly beautiful yet petrifying ways, Amber finds herself falling for both men.

Immoral? Maybe. I say undeniable. Uncontained.

But one devastating event changes everything, shattering each of their lives…and Amber isn’t sure she can recover from it.

Buy: Amazon / B & N / ITunes / Kobo

Excerpt

“What are you, Casey?” Ryder asks over his shoulder as he scrubs his hands with antibacterial soap.

“Your little cancer warrior,” she answers with a small smile.

“That’s right.” He dries his hands and turns, a proud grin cracking his mouth. “The bravest one ever.”

I grab Casey’s hand and hold it tight, knowing nothing I’ve ever seen, heard, or felt compares to what she’s facing. This child’s living with a fear I can’t comprehend. One that’d slay all of my fears put together.

“Ready?” Ryder asks, his tone soft and caring, everything it should be.

Casey nods, clenching my hand. My heart swells, anxiety building thick in my throat as Ryder slips on a pair of medical gloves and cleans the area around her port with Betadine swabs.

Casey looks at me, the cool blue of her eyes misting over. “Are you scared of needles?”

“No,” I say, running my free hand along the back of her neck. “Are you?”

“I used to be.” She sighs, a single tear slipping down her face. “But not so much anymore.”

It takes everything in me not to drag her little body off the table and run out of the apartment with her. I wipe the tear from her cheek, my need to hide her away, sheltering her from the sinister storm she’s in the middle of, growing with each unsteady breath.

“A little cold,” Ryder warns before spraying the anesthetic on her skin.

“Hurry, Ry,” Casey pleads, her voice weak yet panicked. “It doesn’t last that long.”

“I have to make sure you’re numb, Case.” Ryder ducks his head and stares into her eyes, trying to keep her focused on the silly faces he’s making.

His tactic works.

Casey’s tiny giggles bounce around the kitchen, their musical notes blocking out the sound of Ryder popping the cap off a weird-looking needle. With a small, clear tube like a tail—and plastic wings stretched out on either side—it reminds me of a dragonfly. Ryder presses his gloved finger against Casey’s port a few times, his attention honed in on her face as he says, “Knock, knock.”

“Who’s there?” Casey smiles at me, completely unaware that Ryder’s pricked her skin with the needle.

“Aardvark.” Ryder pushes the medicine through the syringe, his attention cutting between Casey’s face and the needle.

“Aardvark who?” she manages, a thin sheen of sweat dotting her upper lip.

“Aardvark a hundred miles for one of your pretty smiles.” Ryder pulls the needle from her chest, and before she can blink, he rests his lips against her forehead, kissing away her remaining fear.

Close to immobile, my heart tugs, the magnitude of what this man means to this little girl—what they mean to each other—scraping tears up my dry throat. I swallow the sound before it can leave me, warmth pinching my stomach into a beautiful knot as I observe them.

“It’s over?” Casey asks, uncertainty flashing in her eyes.

“Yeah, kiddo. It’s over,” Ryder answers, his voice heavy with relief as he applies a small piece of gauze over her port. “You’re all set, warrior. Go get cleaned up, and we’ll get ready to leave.”

With Ryder’s aid, Casey slides off the table and heads for the bathroom, the bounce in her step less tangible as she slips around the corner. Quiet reigns, the events from the last few minutes whispering across my mind as Ryder looks at me with exhausted eyes. Stress lines cut across his forehead, wariness drowning his beautiful features. Overcome, I watch him swipe a tired hand over his face and turn, resting his palms against the counter. As though having no control over my body—a magnet pulling in my gut—I stand and move toward him, each tentative step I take carried out with shallow, quick breaths. I come up behind him, lift a shaky hand and tap his shoulder, my pulse lurching as he turns and meets my gaze. Our connection strikes, a bolt of emotions paralyzing us as we stare at each other.

I touch my fingers to his stubbled cheek, my conscience crying out that my actions are wrong, so very wrong, but my heart mutes the warning as I move my palm to the back of his neck.

His muscles go taut, restraint lighting the fiery blue of his eyes. “Amber, don’t.” The words come out not as a rough warning but a soft plea. “Don’t do this.”

“I have to,” I whisper, trembling. “You’re . . . amazing, Ryder. What you did for her, everything you do for her . . . I just . . .” I drop my eyes to his chest, my heart galloping as I register his hands gripping my waist. Their heat sears through me, a thrill jumping from cell to cell. “You’re tender, cocky, gentle, and an asshole all at the same time. You’re kind, giving, nurturing. You’re . . . everything.”

My lips find his, testing, teasing, barely touching. Our breathing comes faster, harder as I pull him down, our foreheads pressed together as we stare into each other’s eyes. “Please . . . I just . . . Just once more. That’s all I need.”

I think . . . hope.

With hunger demolishing all traces of restraint from his gaze, Ryder buries his hands in my wavy curls and looks at me a beat before capturing my lips in a slow, passionate kiss. I sigh into his mouth, my senses drowning in his familiar flavor as I fall in step with his calculated strokes. On a deep groan, he draws me closer, his tongue dipping in and out, out and in. Still, nothing about his touch is rough, yet everything in it screams that he needs me in this moment.

In this wicked space and time of his life.

Every lick and nip is a soft caress, like he’s trying to burn the sensation of my lips into his memory. My pulse hammers in staccato mode as I melt the full weight of my body into his. With my blood swimming through my veins, and sinking further into everything that is Ryder, I feel the emptiness of his soul slice through me. A dull ache pinches my heart, spreading its misery through my muscles as he cups my cheeks and deepens the kiss with a gentleness I never knew he possessed. My breath catches, wiped from my lungs as he glides his lips along my jaw, down the base of my throat. The cadence of his exotic growl slips through my ears, dizzying my head in the sweetest way.

“Christ, I fucking want you so bad,” Ryder whispers hoarsely. He drags his lips back to mine, his kiss urgent, greedy. However, he brings it down a notch, his movements revisiting slow, sensual, worshipping this moment for everything it is. Worshipping me for all I am. “So badly, peach. More than I’ve ever wanted anything or anyone. You drive me crazy. Your smell, skin, eyes.” He sucks my lip between his teeth, a groan punching from his chest as he runs his fingertips along my bare arms.

Goose bumps pop, deliciously pricking my skin as I tighten my grip in his hair.

“Your little giggles, pouts, personality. Every single fucked-up scar you own in and out. All of it. All of you.” He licks into my mouth, his tongue exploring mine with precision as his hands find my nape, their hold possessive. “Fuck. It should’ve been me. Not him. Me.”

And just like that, our moral compasses spring due north, Brock the center of its attention—our attention. We slowly break the kiss, our breathing choppy from the loss.

Michel’s Review

Wow… what a great book for Summer 2015. Amber To Ashes by Gail McHugh is the first book in the Torn Heart Series. This book has all the right ingredients to make your reading experience wickedly scorching. This book is not your ordinary love triangle. It is more of a dark erotic thriller. When you reach the end of this book you will be left with chills. The suspense will leave you hanging on the edge of your seat. You will begin to formulate many different scenarios and theories on what is going to happen next and how the story is going to finally play out.

Gail McHugh crafted a very complex story. The characters are not what they seem to be. At the beginning of the story you get very distinct impressions on both Brock and Ryder’s personalities. As the story unfolds the reader begins to see subtle changes and by the end of the book both guys are completely different from the early impressions. Neither one is really good or really bad. The one thing they both have in common is their feelings for Amber. Both are at the point that they will do anything to make her completely theirs. The choice may be taken out of all of their hands. Brock and Ryder’s illegal activities may cost them all their lives.

Amber is a very damaged girl. Her childhood experiences have left her scarred and emotionally damaged. She has never had a successful relationship whether it be romantic or platonic. She has kept herself emotionally closed off. Now that she has met both Brock and Ryder, she is wanting more out of life. The problem is that she doesn’t know what or who she wants.

Like I said this love triangle is unusual. It does not have the predictable angst like readers have experienced in other New Adult books. The interactions between the these three characters has an unusual element that keeps the readers bouncing back and forth.

The dark elements in this story come from outside the love triangle relationship. Brock and Ryder have been living a duel life that is catching up to them. This duel life is deadly. This element is what really fuels this book more so than the love triangle.

Both Brock and Ryder wanted Amber to be completely happy. I think one wanted to be the one to fix her. I got the impression that the other one wanted Amber to fix herself by giving her love and support.

It’s hard to say whether I am team Brock or team Ryder. Both guys were easy to love. They were both good and bad. They both had redeeming qualities. I wouldn’t want to be in Amber’s shoes.

I would love to give this book 5 Stars but there were a few things that kept me from giving that rating.

*** Brock’s motivations were never very clear. We were told why but the explanation was so brief that it really didn’t convince me.

***Brock and Ryder were supposedly best friends since childhood. I never felt that deep bond that they supposedly had. The book lacked interaction between Brock and Ryder that would convince the reader of this friendship. There were very few interactions with the two of them together. The friendship was more of a suggestion from each character when dealing with Amber.

*** Amber’s problems with Hailey kind of popped out of the blue. When I reached the scene where Amber and Hailey have a confrontation in Starbuck’s I was totally confused. I went back several chapters to see if I missed something, which I did not.

*** Lastly, I found it hard to connect with Amber’s character completely. We only got to see one facet of Amber’s true personality. We only saw what damaged her and left her emotionally scarred. Every once in a while we would get a glimpse of something else like her love for writing. Most of the time her personality came off as an insecure girl rather than a young woman that was strong enough to survive the crap hand life dealt her.

Overall Amber To Ashes was a fantastic book and I cannot wait for the sequel!

__________________________________

A self-proclaimed chocoholic, married mother of three, and a lover of writing for as far back as she can remember, Gail McHugh is the author of two New York Times bestselling novels. The COLLIDE series (which includes COLLIDE and PULSE), was acquired by Atria Books on September 17th, 2013.

“The first of two sexy contemporary romances about a woman torn between her seemingly perfect boyfriend and a dark, mysterious stranger who will stop at nothing to have her.” – Publishers Weekly on COLLIDE, a Top 10 Romance pick!

You can follow Gail on the below social media sites:

Stalk Her: Website, Facebook, Twitter, Amazon, and Goodreads.

Review : My Mind’s Eye by Gillian Jones

Posted on 06/10/2015 by shellbellereads

My Mind’s Eye

By Gillian Jones

Synopsis

Ryker
She is the epitome of the girl next door, but with a feistiness that makes my dick throb.
I’m drawn to her like no other. She stirs things in me I have no desire to feel, makes me long for things I shouldn’t.
This is my game. I choose the players, and I never play for keeps.
I don’t believe in fate. I make my own destiny. I work hard and play harder. Luck is for pussies, karma for idiots. Me, I make shit happen.
Meeting her fucked up my plan. Threw me off my game.
I’m now face to face with my karma. Her name is Kat Rollins.
Kat
Ryker Eddison is the epitome of a player. You know the type: Mr. Get In and Get Out.
He’s all about the chase, wanting just one night. Everyone knows this—I know this. Still, I find myself craving him, my greedy body betraying what my heart and mind already know: he will only bring me pain.
He’s the guy who girls like me should avoid. I’m smart; I know better. But when I’m with him, I feel things I’ve never felt before. Things I never knew I wanted.
I can’t deny it … I like the chase. The high is explosive, but I’m afraid if I give in, I may end up losing more than I can handle: my heart.

Buy: Amazon / B & N / Kobo

Tina’s Review

Judging a Book by it’s Cover:
Eye-catching cover, nice coloration. Very visually appealing. Synopsis sounds like the usual angst-y New Adult drama, but with a splash of humor and fun.
Looking Deeper:
Alternating first-person POV, clearly defined and easy to follow. Love the Cassia Brightmore “Malevolent” name-drop. Sweet. There were surprise LOL moments (particularly the first Friday night that Kat covers for Claire) that I honestly enjoyed. Ryker kind of comes off as a jerk to Kat, but his mental monologues are endearing. Kat is a bit insecure, she’s a stressor and panicker, but trying to work through it. Their interactions make for a fun ride, whereas the conversations I was not a huge fan of. When holding a conversation, it’s just not normal and natural to continually use their name, addressing them, each time. The only time this is widely used is if it’s in a large group setting and you need to indicate who you are addressing or you are trying to catch their individual attention. It may be a minor pet peeve of mine, but it did trigger a low-level yellow flag for me. But, as stated, the mental asides are great and manage to capture each character’s unique personality and essence much more effectively. While the plot progresses smoothly and the interactions are laden with sexual tension, it’s nice to see that the buildup to them hooking up takes over 2/3 the story before the deed is finally done. It’s a refreshing change of pace while still packed with some fun heat prior to that pivotal point. The conflicts are often minor and resolved in manners that are typical of real college-aged people. Predictability was fairly low, I mean, we all knew “he” would show up eventually but not the when and where. The conclusion following the apex was a little longer than most, but it was solid and strong. I’d love to know what became of Claire and some of the other secondary characters, however. Overall, this was a very enjoyable read once I looked past the constant addressing during dialogue issue. I really did love Ryker’s inability to act like a normal human being when in the same building as Kat, it made me smile always and laugh often.

_______________________________________

I’m a wife, and mother. My Mind’s Eye is my first book writing adventure! Eeeeek! I’m Canadian so I might spell things a little odd once in a while wink emoticon I love red wine, adore my friends and I’m so completely in love with my hubby and little boy. I’m addicted to shoe shopping! But my biggest addiction however is reading. That shit runs deep in my veins, I’m a lover of alpha males, hot sex, with a side of angst all topped off with the happy ever after. I’m a new indie author and I can’t wait to start this journey.

Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Goodreads

Release Day Blitz + Review + Giveaway: Strike by Heather C. Leigh – Sphere of Irony Series – Dax: Book 2

Posted on 06/08/2015 by shellbellereads

Strike

A Sphere of Irony Series – Book 2

Release Date: June 7, 2015

By Heather C. Leigh

Synopsis

Dax Davies has one job to fulfill in the Davies household. Earn money at the family business. The problem is that the family business was illegal underground fighting.

From a young age, Dax and his brothers are groomed to become money earners in their father’s club. Broken bones and bruises are commonplace. Their father pits the brothers against each other to ‘toughen them up’ for the ring, using his rules to bend his sons to his will. His future is in the cage, not on stage where he dreams of making music.

Kate Campbell loves one thing in life. Well, two. Soccer and Dax Davies. Growing up in the poorest part of London, soccer is her personal escape from reality and from the fact that Dax doesn’t seem to know she exists. She figures if she can be good enough at soccer, maybe she can get away from Hackney, and leave the poverty behind.

Kate doesn’t plan on ever getting to know Dax as more than a passing acquaintance. In fact, she isn’t meant to go with her friend to Dax’s father’s business, but that one night changes everything.

***This is book 2 in the Sphere of Irony Series. It can be read as a standalone. This is a spin-off of the Famous Series***

Buy: Amazon / B & N / ITunes / Kobo

Excerpt

Before I can blink, Dax’s huge, calloused hands are framing my face and his mouth brushes across mine. At first it’s just a whisper, a tease, the contact barely there. Then, I hear him inhale sharply and his lips press down forcefully, melding with mine, urging me to open up with quick flicks of his tongue. I melt against his solid body as he dominates the kiss, completely under his spell to do with as he wishes. It seems to go on and on—a small slice of paradise in this blighted spot of East London.

When he finally pulls back, greedily stealing a few more nips at my mouth, he closes his eyes and moans. “I knew you’d taste like heaven. You’re an angel, I just knew it.” His voice is so quiet I wonder if he meant to say it out loud.

Naturally, I stand there like an idiot, saying nothing… doing nothing. I’ve been kissed into complete stupidity.

Dax swipes the pad of his thumb over my damp lips. “See you at school tomorrow.” Without giving me a single hint of what he’s thinking, he turns and leaves. I touch my mouth, running a finger over the same spot Dax touched. My heart leaps into my throat, fluttering so fast I fear it may explode.

Great. I’m ruined. My first kiss and it was nothing less than brilliant. Dax Davies just ruined me for every other man from now until the day I die.

Michel’s Review

The Sphere of Irony series by Heather C. Leigh is a unique rock star series. This series features two British members and two American members. The first two books in the series cover the British members. Their stories span from their youth in the ghetto’s of London to the glamourous life in LA. Both of the British members could not wait to escape their lives in England but paid a high price to do so. They left behind the most important things in their lives. They left the women that owned their hearts. Both Dax and Adam have completely different circumstances and situations that led them to their present lives in the Sphere of Irony. Their friendship is the only thing that keeps them going and connected to their pasts. Strike is Dax Davies story.

Dax was raised with very strict rules.

The Rules

1. Family First

2. Never Let Your Emotions Show

3. No fucking, shagging, wanking, sucking, or getting off for seven days leading up to a fight. You win, you get your reward.

4. Women who act like slags can be treated like slags, but never disrespect a proper lady.

5. Defend what’s yours.

Those rules dictated every moment of his young life. He was forced into the world of underground fighting by his father. The fights were more important than school, social life, and personal life. His only solace is his music. He and his best friend Adam have formed a band and are performing in local pubs when he has a night off from the fighting.

When Dax begins falling for his classmate Kate Campbell, it’s very hard to stray from the rules and get to know the girl that has captured his attention. When Dax finally gives in to his desires rather than following the rules it ends in disaster. His father and family is going to make sure that family comes first.

Dax finally escapes his family and the band heads to LA, Dax finally is feeling free. He is finally free to pursue Kate.

Kate Campbell has come to LA on a soccer scholarship. It is her ticket out of the ghetto and into a successful life. After Dax crushed her young heart, she wants nothing to do with him here in America.

The disappearance and reappearance of their friend Ellie will bring Dax and Kate together once again. They are finally going to explore the feelings they have for one another. They are building a life lasting relationship. But life has a way of butting it’s ugly head. Fame, stalkers, athletic careers, and “the rules” will tear them apart once again.

Dax will have to learn to let go of “the rules” and learn to show his real emotions. He will have to put “the rules” into a new perspective. He will find a whole new meaning to “Defend what’s yours”.

Heather C. Leigh wrote another fantastic book in the Sphere of Irony series. I liked that the book was connected to the first book Incite but was also completely different. The connections kept the Sphere of Irony intertwined without giving spoilers to the first book. Each of the characters in the Sphere of Irony are completely different and each one has an interesting story. I really liked Dax’s story. He had life lessons that he had to learn to deal with and make his own. The one thing readers would never question is his love for Kate.

I highly recommend Strike and Incite, the first book in the Sphere of Irony series.

A Sphere Of Irony Series

Incite – Book 1

Privilege, poverty, death, and self-loathing; these are the backgrounds of the men of the internationally famous rock band, Sphere of Irony.

Adam Reynolds is an impoverished teen raised by neglectful parents in one of London’s most dangerous boroughs. He turns to his love of music and countless girls to escape his sad reality.

Beautiful and naïve Ellie Palmer comes from a well-off family that suddenly finds themselves living in one of the poorest neighborhoods in London. Alone in a frightening new place, Ellie is afraid to leave the safety of her home, only going out to walk to school and back.

When Adam prevents Ellie from becoming the victim of a horrific sexual assault, they discover something that two teenagers never thought they would find in such a depressing place. Each other.

After tragedy, lies, and distance tear their future away from them; they each wander through life empty and hopeless no matter who or what they use to replace the feelings of loss.

From the crime-ridden streets of London’s East End to the over-the-top display of wealth in L.A. Can two broken souls must conquer their demons in order to find true happiness?

*This is book 1 in a 4 part series. It is a spin-off of the Famous Series. These can be read as standalones.*

Buy: Amazon / B & N / ITunes / Kobo

About Heather C. Leigh

I’m the author of the Amazon best selling Famous series. I like to write about the ‘dark’ side of fame. The part that the public doesn’t get to see, how difficult it is to live in a fishbowl and how that affects relationships.

I was born and raised in New England and currently live outside Atlanta, GA.

I love the Red Sox, the Patriots, and anything made of chocolate (but not white chocolate, that doesn’t count).

My favorite authors are Dan Wells, Tina Reber, Ken Follett, and Stephen King. Happy reading!

Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Goodreads

GIVEAWAY
Strike Swag Pack (Includes a signed paperback)
Open internationally!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Happy Release + Review + Giveaway: Falling Hard by Helenkay Dimon- Bad Boys Undercover Series – Book 2

Posted on 05/29/2015 by shellbellereads

Falling Hard

Bad Boys Undercover – Book 2

By Helenkay Dimon

Synopsis

After a grueling assignment with the black ops force known as the Alliance, Weston Brown is craving downtime. Instead, he’s pulled into his deadliest operation, in the one place he never wanted to see again. No-nonsense and so damn hot, Lexi Turner lied to get him to her mountain clinic in Pakistan. But the threat is terrifyingly real.

Lexi has been asking too many questions, drawing the wrong kind of attention. As soon as she lays eyes on West, she can tell he’s quiet—yet tough—and has a rescue complex which will come in handy for going up against the world’s most ruthless gunrunners.

Cut off from the rest of the Alliance, Lexi and West navigate the brutal terrain and a primal sexual attraction. Sticking around has never been West’s way, but now he’ll use every resource to keep Lexi by his side, safe from a killer who leaves no loose ends behind.

Buy: Amazon / Barnes and Noble / ITunes / Kobo

Excerpt

Breathing in, forcing the adrenaline buzzing through him to slow, West eased his grip on his gun.

The whole attack probably took less than two minutes, but it dragged in West’s head. He lived every second in slow motion. Always did.

Suddenly he was facing down the barrel of a nasty assault weapon. An AK-103 or something similarly problematic in the hands of someone aiming it at his head. To add to the fun, this one had a grenade launcher attached to it. Which was just fucking fabulous.

West’s gaze traveled over the shaking arms to the white-knuckle grip on the plastic. Then to her face. A brunette of the shockingly hot variety. Not that he cared about that on a job.

He didn’t like shooting women, but he would. He had. An enemy was an enemy, and he waited to see if that’s the tack the victim-turned-potential-attacker took.

“Two roads diverged.” She spit out the not-so-random sentence, and the dark energy spinning around the room eased.

“Well, damn,” West whispered, stunned to hear the code from her.

Josiah lowered his gun as he finished the agreed-upon signal. The one the doctor provided and insisted on, citing faulty short-term memory and a love or Robert Frost. “Sorry I could not travel both.”

She blew out a long breath as the stiffness across her shoulders eased. “Thank God you’re here.”

West tagged her as American but definitely not male, which made little sense under the circumstances. But she wasn’t firing at random, so he considered that a bit of good luck.

Still, a potential novice with a weapon was an invitation to get his nuts blown off, and he sure as hell didn’t agree to that when he signed Alliance’s employment contract. “Ma’am, I need to you put that gun down.”

She blinked a few times before her gaze went to her hands. It was as if she forgot she took it off the dead guy when he dropped it. “Why?”

West chalked the confusion up to the chaos of the last few minutes. Still, shock and bullets rarely mixed well. “I don’t want to be shot.”

Her chin came up as she nodded at him. “That makes two of us, so you lower your weapon first.”

Okay, chaos or not, her attempt to order him around was pretty fucking hot. Kind of brave, too. “No.”

Not dropping his guard, West took a second to study her. Long hair, half in and half out of a ponytail, huge whiskey brown eyes, and the sexiest pouty mouth he’d ever seen. He couldn’t make out her frame under the olive pants and oversized long-sleeve tee but he guessed curvy.

Not just pretty but lose-the-ability-to-spell sexy. Of course that could be the gun. Something about a woman holding a weapon turned him on, sick twist that he was.

“I’m not really giving you a choice,” he said, more to stall than anything else.

Josiah moved in, step by small step, as if not to scare or rattle her. Pretty soon two trained men would almost be on top of her, and then it was just a matter of time until one of them wrestled the weapon away from her.

And that’s how it would end because there was no way West was heading back home after this and listening to the shit he would get from Bravo if he let a hot brunette get the jump on him and take a shot. He had a badass shoot-anything reputation to uphold.

“At this distance I can blow your balls off,” she said,

looking ready to do just that.

Then again . . . “Okay, that’s a solid argument.”

Michel’s Review

Wow… what a great release for summer. Falling Hard by Helenkay Dimon is sizzling! This book is packed full of action, adventure, suspense, and romance. It can be read as a stand alone novel or in series order. I would highly recommend reading the previous books because this series is exciting.

Weston Brown swore he would never go back to Skardu, Pakistan after his stint over there in the Marines. He experienced one of the worst missions in his career. Now he is forced to go back on a voluntary mission to rescue a valuable asset. He is supposed to get in, obtain asset, get out, and debrief asset. It should be a simple mission. Nothing is simple when it comes to Skardu, Pakistan. The asset he is sent for is not what he expected. It is a woman. This woman is the assets daughter and has used his code for rescue.

Lexi Turner stumbled upon an illegal weapons ring while working in her father’s clinic in the mountains of Pakistan. She uses her father’s codes to contact US intelligence. Lexi has set a very deadly game in motion that could cost more than her life.

Weston and Lexi will be on the run and trying to get out of Skardu in one piece. There is a master plot with deadly actions in place. They need to find the mastermind behind this evil game before he makes his final move. The game has never been more dangerous.

Falling Hard will keep the reader on the edge of their seats. The non stop action and hair raising suspense will keep the readers glued to the pages. The romance is an added bonus that will make the readers swoon and become more invested in both of the characters.

Helenkay Dimon has once again wrote another thrilling book! Read Falling Hard.

______________________________

Bad Boys Undercover Series

Running Hot – Intro Novella

HelenKay Dimon kicks off her hot new romantic suspense series, Bad Boys Undercover, featuring the fierce men of Alliance— and the only women capable of taming their hearts

Camped out at a resort bar in Fiji, CIA operative Ward Bennett may look like he’s on vacation but he’s really deep undercover, hunting a dictator on the run. Ward may be on the job, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t time for the sexy female bartender. That is, until she drugs him.

When Tasha Gregory discovers the hottie on the barstool isn’t who he pretends to be, her MI6 training kicks into gear, and she has no choice but to take him out. Problem is, Ward’s not an easy man to put down for long. More than once, his interference almost blows her surveillance operation—and her ability to keep her heart to herself.

As the situation heats up, these two must decide whether they can trust one another—and quick. Working together might just make everyone safer, but getting close enough for comfort … might just get them killed.

Buy: Amazon / B & N / ITunes / Kobo

Playing Dirty – Book 1

As an elite Alliance agent—the joint undercover operation of MI6, the British Secret Intelligence Service, and the CIA—Ford Decker lives for the adrenaline. But when he befriends sexy property manager Shay Alexander in hopes of finding her cousin, a known national security threat, Ford crosses the line, getting to know her better . . . in bed.

After being burned by her last relationship, Shay wants to take things slow. Yet she can’t keep her hands off the drop-dead gorgeous hottie who’s moved into her apartment building. So when Ford’s identity as an undercover agent is exposed, his betrayal cuts deep. Shay never wants to see him again, but Ford can’t let her go, not when her life is still in danger. He will sacrifice everything to protect her, then be prepared to walk away from the only woman he’s ever loved, even if it breaks him.

Buy: Amazon / B & N / ITunes / Kobo

Falling Hard – Book 2

Buy: Amazon / B & N / ITunes / Kobo

__________________________________

About Helenkay Dimon

HelenKay Dimon is a former divorce attorney turned full-time romance author. Odd transition, right? She has sold over thirty novels, novellas and shorts to numerous publishers, including Kensington, Harlequin and Penguin, Samhain, Carina Press, and HarperCollins. Her nationally bestselling and award-winning books have been showcased in numerous venues and her books have twice been named “Red-Hot Reads” and excerpted in Cosmopolitan magazine. But the best part of the job is never having to wear pantyhose.

Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Goodreads

Giveaway

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Happy Release + Review : Under The Lights by Shannon Stacey – Boys of Fall Series – Book 1

Posted on 05/27/2015 by shellbellereads

Under The Lights

Boys of Fall Series- Book 1

By Shannon Stacey

Synopsis

From the New York Times bestselling author of the Kowalski Family novels, a sweet, sexy new series about taking hits, making second chances, and finding love…

They were the golden boys of fall: Stewart Mills High School’s legendary championship winning football team. Fourteen years later, they’re back to relive their glory, save the team—and find themselves again…

Chase Sanders’s life has taken a lot of crazy turns lately. But returning to his hometown to help his old coach keep his high school football team afloat might be the craziest thing to happen to him yet. That is, until he starts falling for the last person he should—Coach’s gorgeous daughter…

Kelly McDonnell learned the hard way that cocky, charming men are nothing but trouble, so she knows Chase is bad news. Still, she can’t resist his smile—or the rest of him. But when his loyalty to her father conflicts with their growing attraction, any hope for a relationship might be blocked before it can even begin…

Buy: Amazon / B & N / ITunes / Kobo

Michel’s Review

Shannon Stacey has a new series out that blends the magic of small town romance she is well known for writing. In her new series Boys of Fall, she is featuring guys that played for the high school champion team fourteen years prior. They were legends in their home town. Like most small town youth, these guys moved on to bigger and better things after high school. They moved as far away as they could. Fourteen years later they are brought back home to help out their coach raise money so that the high school can keep their football team.

Chase Sanders was the running back for the champion Stuart Mills High School team. He is now in the construction business in New Jersey. His life is falling apart. His girlfriend has cheated on him and dumped him. His business partner has ran off with all his company’s money. He is losing jobs and his good reputation. He broke and broken.

One phone call gives him a reprieve from the disaster his life has become. He is summoned back to Stuart Mills to help raise money for the high school football team. His old coach was his mentor and gave him more in life than his family did. He would do anything to help him.

When he gets to Stuart Mills his life will change drastically. He forgot how small town life was. People were invested in one another for all the right reasons. Sure they may know each others business but it is still a far cry from city life.

Chase will once again get acquainted with his coaches daughter Kelly. Kelly has become a strong beautiful woman with a sense of integrity, compassion, and strength. He is attracted to her. He can only let the attraction go as far as a vacation affair. He has nothing to offer Kelly with his life being in shambles.

After reconnecting with his old football buddies, the town members, the high school ball players, his coach’s family, and Kelly; Chase will begin to see things in a different light. Kelly may be the new beginning he needs. Stuart Mills may be the place he can once again call home.

I enjoyed the first book in the Boys of Fall series. All of the characters and town members came to life. Shannon Stacey weaves magic in small town romance. I look forward to the next books in this series.

__________________________________

Shannon Stacey married her Prince Charming in 1993 and is the proud mother of two incredible sons. She lives in New England, where her two favorite activities are trying to stay warm and writing stories of happily ever after. Her two cats refuse to curl up on her lap and keep it warm while she writes, but her Shih Tzu is never far away.

When she’s not writing, she’s indulging in her other passion—four wheeling! From May to November, the Stacey family spends their weekends on their ATVs, making loads of muddy laundry to keep Shannon busy when she’s not at her computer.

Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Goodreads

Happy Release: Back To You by Lauren Dane – Hurley Boys Series – Book 3

Posted on 05/27/2015 by shellbellereads

Back To You

Hurley Boys Series – Book 3

By Lauren Dane

Synopsis

What won’t he do for a second chance?

Former model Kelly Hurley has finally put the ashes of the past behind her. After a passionate but turbulent marriage to rock star Vaughan Hurley that ended in heartbreak and divorce, Kelly rebuilt her life in Portland, where she settled so their two young daughters could be close to their father. Just not so close Kelly couldn’t truly make her own way without interference from the man who shattered her heart. Now Kelly’s finally ready to move on, and she’s planning to marry another man.

But not if Vaughan has anything to say about it.

Vaughan knows he was a fool all those years ago. A young, selfish—and prideful—fool. Even as he buried himself in the fast, decadent rock-star lifestyle, he could never drown out the memory of Kelly’s beauty and love. Or the sweet, searing heat whenever they touched. For years, he’s had to deal with the pain of seeing her only because of their daughters, but it was never enough. Now Vaughan must prove that he’s the only man Kelly needs, before he loses her for good. And there’s only one way to do it…

Buy: Amazon / B & N / ITunes / Kobo

Michel’s Review

Back To You by Lauren Dane is the third book in the Hurley Boys series. It is a second chance romance. It is also a romance that shows the importance of family dynamics. It can be read as a stand alone novel or in series order.

Vaughan Hurley has been a spoiled rockstar until he gets a wake up call that makes him re evaluate his life and previous actions. His ex wife has announced that she is getting remarried after eight years of being single. Eight years ago he didn’t value the love and relationship he had with her. He always figured that she would always be around when he was finally ready to settle down. It was never a question of loving her. It was about his freedom and pursuit of his rock n roll career. Now he is singing a different tune and it may be too late.

When their oldest daughter is admitted to the hospital for emergency surgery, Vaughn is determined to be around for his daughters. He’s determined to be a better parent. He’s determined to be partner with Kelley where his daughters are concerned. He’s going to prove that he has grown up and changed. He’s ready to put his family first.

Vaughan will have to prove himself over and over before Kelley begins to trust him once again. After all she caught him cheating on her when she was pregnant with their second child. He let her take the blame for their failed marriage. He allowed his family to treat her badly for years. Through it all Kelley persevered. She put her daughters first. She gave them a stable home and dependable parent. She allowed them to have a relationship with Vaughan and his family without clouding her children’s judgement of them. She wants Vaughn to be more in their lives but is she willing to risk her heart once again?

Kelley and Vaughan will have a tough journey in front of them. They will have to learn to live together as a family. Vaughn will have to learn the skills of daily parenting. They will have to learn to communicate as lovers as well as parents.

I have to say I admired Kelley’s strength of character. She never once allowed Vaughn to walk all over her. She recognized her weaknesses and strengths. I admired how she was able to move past the terrible treatment she has endured from Vaughan’s family for years. She never allowed her personal feelings interfere with her childrens relationship with Vaughan’s family

Lauren Dane has a gift with expressing family dynamics in her books. She shows the importance of these relationships while adding a beautiful romance.

I would highly recommend reading Back To You by Lauren Dane.

______________

The Hurley Boys Series

She has complete control…and he’s determined to take it away

A librarian in the small town of Hood River, Natalie Clayton’s world is very nearly perfect. After a turbulent childhood and her once-wild ways, life is now under control. But trouble has a way of turning up unexpectedly—especially in the tall, charismatically sexy form of Paddy Hurley….

And Paddy is the kind of trouble that Natalie has a taste for.

Even after years of the rock-and-roll lifestyle, Paddy never forgot the two wickedly hot weeks he once shared with Natalie. Now he wants more…even if it means tempting Natalie and her iron-grip control. But there’s a fine line between well-behaved and misbehaved—and the only compromise is between the sheets!

Buy: Amazon / B & N / ITunes / Kobo

Broken Open – Book 2

Beyond passion. And beyond their control…

Five years ago, Tuesday Eastwood’s life collapsed and left her devastated. After an empty, nomadic existence, she’s finally pieced her life back together in the small Oregon town of Hood River. Now Tuesday has everything sorted out. Just so long as men are kept for sex, and only sex…

Then she met him.

Musician and rancher Ezra Hurley isn’t the man of Tuesday’s dreams. He’s a verboten fantasy—a man tortured by past addictions whose dark charisma and long, lean body promise delicious carnality. But this craving goes far beyond chemistry. It’s primal. It’s insatiable. And it won’t be satisfied until they’re both consumed, body and soul…

Buy: Amazon / B & N / ITunes / Kobo

Back To You – Book 3

What won’t he do for a second chance?

But not if Vaughan has anything to say about it.

Buy: Amazon / B & N / ITunes / Kobo

______________________

About Lauren Dane

Lauren Dane has been writing stories since she was able to use a pencil, and before that she used to tell them to people. Of course, she still talks nonstop, and through wonderful fate and good fortune, she’s now able to share what she writes with others. It’s a wonderful life!

The basics: Lauren is a mom, a partner, a best friend and a daughter. Living in the rainy but beautiful Pacific Northwest, she spends her late evenings writing like a fiend when she finally wrestles all of her kids to bed.

Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Goodreads

Saucy Southern Readers

professional, honest, and timely book reviews

Tag Archives: 4 Star Review

BLOG TOUR + REVIEW + GIVEAWAY…. RELINQUISH BY M. N. FORGY

Blog Tour + Review + Giveaway: Red Nights by Shari J. Ryan

Blog Tour + Review: The Art of Deception: Undoing Time by Alyssa Richards

Happy Release + Review : The Current Between Us by Kindle Alexander

Review: Amber To Ashes by Gail McHugh – Torn Hearts Series – Book 1

Review : My Mind’s Eye by Gillian Jones

Release Day Blitz + Review + Giveaway: Strike by Heather C. Leigh – Sphere of Irony Series – Dax: Book 2

Happy Release + Review + Giveaway: Falling Hard by Helenkay Dimon- Bad Boys Undercover Series – Book 2

Happy Release + Review : Under The Lights by Shannon Stacey – Boys of Fall Series – Book 1

Happy Release: Back To You by Lauren Dane – Hurley Boys Series – Book 3

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this: