Release Blitz and 5+ Star Review: Good Boy by Sarina Bowen and Elle Kennedy – The WAGS Series- Book 1

Posted on 01/31/2017 by shellbellereads

Good Boy

Wags Series – Book 1

By Sarina Bowen & Elle Kennedy

Release Date: January 31,2017

Buy: Amazon

Synopsis

Hosting her brother’s wedding for an MVP guest list is the challenge of Jess Canning’s life. Already the family screw-up, she can’t afford to fail. And nobody (nobody!) can learn of the colossal mistake she made with the best man during a weak moment last spring. It was wrong, and there will not be a repeat. Absolutely not. Even if he is the sexiest thing on two legs.

Blake Riley sees the wedding as fate’s gift to him. Jess is the maid of honor and he’s the best man? Let the games begin. So what if he’s facing a little (fine, a lot) of resistance? He just needs to convince the stubborn blonde that he’s really a good boy with a bad rap. Luckily, every professional hockey player knows that you’ve got to make an effort if you want to score.

But Jess has more pressing issues to deal with than sexy-times with a giant man-child. Such as: Will the ceremony start on time, even though someone got grandma drunk? Does glitter ever belong at a wedding? And is it wrong to murder the best man?

Warning: Do not read while sipping hot liquids. Or cold ones. Or while sitting anywhere laughter would be inappropriate. Contains hot but hilarious hockey players, puppies and a snarky pair of underwear.

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Michel’s Review

Good Boy by Sarina Bowen and Elle Kennedy is a must read if you have read Him and Us. If you haven’t read these books it’s okay because Good Boy can be read as a stand alone novel and is the beginning of the new Wags series. If you are a sports romance fan or a fan of books that include our furry little friends, Good Boy is the perfect book.

It all begins at Jamie and Wes’ wedding. Jamie’s sister, Jess Canning, has planned the perfect wedding for her brother. The stress of planning the wedding and making sure everything goes as planned has opened her eyes and made her realize she may have chosen the wrong career path. She doesn’t enjoy being an event planner. This wedding is her last gig and she feels like she is letting her family down. To top it off the best man, Blake Riley, Wes’ NHL teammate, is doing a better job coordinating different aspects of the event than she is. This crass NHL player with no filters has charmed the guests, made miracles happen, and is offering his help to alleviate the stress. The last thing she needs is him helping her destress. That would mean she’s losing her panties and distressing in a very sexy way.

After the big event, Jess finds the courage to start pursuing the career she knows she was meant to do. It means she has to go back to college to become a nurse. Her parents have shelled out enough money for her previous education and career choices. She’s going to do this on her own. She’s landed a scholarship in Toronto. She will be close to Jamie and Wes, as well as Blake Riley, their neighbor and teammate.

Blake offers Jess the support and friendship she needs while trying to fit back into college life and meet the demands of the nursing program. He’s a fun guy to hang out with and has huge shoulders to cry on when things get rough. He also has a huge heart made of gold. There’s more to this guy than sex, fun, and hockey. He’s dedicated to his family and protective of those he cares about. He is even protective of his manipulating ex where his family is concerned. Rather than expose her lies and hurt his family, he keeps his mouth shut. In a desperate effort to deflect the attention, Blake brings Jess home to meet his family. He introduces her as his girlfriend with the hopes that his family will let his past relationship go. Mamma Riley has a big heart and knows her boy is up to something.

After meeting Blake’s family, Jess sees a very different side of Wes. She’s realizing that he is a man with honor. His morals may be spotty, his brand of craziness may be annoying, but his pure heart is completely lovable. Add his love for the furry friends to the mix and his pure dedication and you have the perfect Good Boy.

The moment I opened this book I could not put it down. Blake Riley is larger than life and had me falling hopelessly in love with him. When his family was introduced to the mix I wanted marry him. When he showed all his true colors I wanted to keep him forever. Sarina and Elle have another Stanley Cup winner on their roster. I can’t wait for the next book in the WAGS series. Matt Eriksson has sparked my imagination.

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******

Stay

Wags Series – Book 2

By Sarina Bowen & Elle Kennedy

Release Date: June 20, 2017

Pre Order: Amazon

The next standalone WAGs novel!

Featuring sexy hockey forward Matt Eriksson. Will he find happiness after all? More info soon!

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About The Authors

Sarina Bowen

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

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

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

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

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

Sign up for Sarina’s Mailing List

Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter~ Goodreads ~Amazon Author Page

*****

Elle Kennedy

A USA Today bestselling author, Elle Kennedy grew up in the suburbs of Toronto, Ontario, and holds a BA in English from York University. From an early age, she knew she wanted to be a writer and actively began pursuing that dream when she was a teenager. She loves strong heroines and sexy alpha heroes, and just enough heat and danger to keep things interesting!

Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Goodreads ~ Newsletter

5+ Star Review: Next To Never by Penelope Douglas – The Fall Away Series – Book 4.5

Posted on 01/27/2017 by shellbellereads

Next To Never

The Fall Away Series – Book 4.5

By Penelope Douglas

Release Date: January 17, 2017

Buy: Amazon

Synopsis

New York Times bestseller Penelope Douglas introduces Quinn, younger sister to Jared, Madoc, and Jaxon, in the latest novella in the series that began with Jared and Tate in Bully….
Quinn Caruthers has several problems.

Her father, Jason, and her three older brothers, Jared, Madoc, and Jaxon.

Under the close watch of the men in her family, Quinn has found it nearly impossible to spread her wings–or even date–without them jumping in to hover. And when a family friend–several years older–from her childhood captures her heart, she knows they’re going to be a problem. Lucas Morrow is a man–experienced, sophisticated, and important. And knowing her brothers, he may as well be forbidden.

But Lucas left town years ago and shows no signs of returning. Quinn knows she shouldn’t wait for him anymore.

But then a package turns up on her doorstep with no return address and its contents reveal family secrets that threaten to turn Quinn’s world upside down. She’s never asked about the tumultuous path of her parents’ romantic history, but she soon learns their happy marriage had a very rocky and passionate start.

As she begins to see things around her with new eyes, Quinn will have to make tough choices about whether she’ll keep waiting…or finally go after what she really wants.
*Next to Never is a 60,000 word novella from Quinn’s point-of-view. It is NOT her love story. That will be a full-length novel eventually. This story deals with some family history, introduces the new generation, and catches up with the original couples.

Michel’s Review

The Fall Away Series by Penelope Douglas has been one of my all time favorites. When I saw Next To Never release, not only was I surprised but also thrilled. I thought the series was over until the next generation was ready to take over the pages. Next To Never brings the series full circle and also introduces the readers to the next generation, who are screaming for their place on the pages.

It all begins with Quinn Caruthers. Quinn is about to begin senior year of high school and hasn’t really committed herself to one thing. She has always done what she’s been told, kept busy in all the extra curricular activities, and was basically a ” yes ” girl. She is questioning her life and the choices coming in the future. Her mother and father want her to attend a certain college and are encouraging her to go the extra mile to get in. It’s not that she doesn’t want to go but she never thought about what other options she has. What else is out there? What does she really want to do? One thing always seems to stand out when she thinks about it. An abandoned garage on Main St. This empty building has so much potential and needs to come alive once again. Maybe she can change it’s future when she finally finishes hers. Her life is full of questions and her dreams are unrealized. Her future is mapped out for her until something unexpected happens. She receives an anonymous novel in the mail. There is no return address. The only clue she has is the postmark is from Canada. Once she opens the book it’s going to change her course in life and her perspective on everything she thought she knew.

What begins as an intriguing forbidden romance novel evolves into something more. The characters begin to take on a life themselves. They begin to become more and more familiar to her. By the time she finishes the novel she realizes she has known these people all her lives. Their story is not what she believed it to be. This novel not only changes her perspective on those she loves, it also inspires her to reach for the stars and build her own dreams. It is the defining moment for her life.

As the story unfolds, the readers get a true introduction of the next generation of Trents and Caruthers. Each of these dynamic teenagers have their own strong personalities and paths to follow in life. They are going to face their own struggles just as their parents had to. They are screaming to get on the pages.

Penelope Douglas has her work cut out for her. I can’t wait to see what comes next.

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The Fall Away Series

Bully – Book 1

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Penelope Douglas delivers an unforgettable New Adult romance that toes the fine line between love and hate….

My name is Tate.

He doesn’t call me that, though. He’ll barely refer to me at all, and he’ll hardly ever speak to me.

But he still won’t leave me alone.

We were best friends once. Then he turned on me and made it his mission to ruin my life. I’ve been humiliated, shut out, and gossiped about all through high school. His pranks and rumors got worse as time wore on. I even went to Europe for a year, just to avoid him.

But I’m done hiding from him now, and there’s no way I’ll allow him to ruin another year. He might not have changed, but I have.

It’s time to fight back.

When one brave young woman stands up to her best friend Jared, now tormenter, the consequences go beyond anything either of them ever would have imagined….

Buy: Amazon

***

Until You – Book 1.5

From New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Penelope Douglas comes a companion novel to Bully.
This is Jared’s story.
Have you ever been so angry that hitting things felt good? Or numb to all emotions? The past few years have been like that for me. Traveling between fury and indifference with no stops in between. Some people hate me for it, while others are scared of me. But none of them can hurt me, because I don’t care about anything or anyone.

Except Tatum.

I love her so much that I hate her. I hate that I can’t let her go. We used to be friends, but I found out that I couldn’t trust her—or anyone else. So I hurt her. I pushed her away. But I still need her. She centers me. Engaging her, challenging her, pushing her—it’s the one last part of me that feels anything anymore.

But then she went and screwed everything up. She left for a year and came back a different girl. Now, when I push, she pushes back…and I’m not sure either one of us will ever be the same.

Buy: Amazon

***

Rival – Book 2

Madoc and Fallon. Two estranged teenagers playing games that push the boundaries between love and war…

She’s back.

For the two years she’s been away at boarding school, there was no word from her. Back when we lived in the same house, she used to cut me down during the day and then leave her door open for me at night.

I was stupid then, but now I’m ready to beat her at her own game…

I’m back.

Two years and I can tell he still wants me, even if he acts like he’s better than me.

But I won’t be scared away. Or pushed down. I’ll call his bluff and fight back. That’s what he wants, right? As long as I keep my guard up, he’ll never know how much he affects me….

Buy: Amazon

***

Falling Away – Book 3

From the New Adult sensation and New York Times bestselling author of Rival

Jaxon is the guy she’s supposed to avoid. K.C. is the girl he won’t let get away….

K. C. Carter has always followed the rules—until this year, when a mistake leaves her the talk of her college campus and her carefully arranged life comes crashing to a halt. Now she’s stuck in her small hometown for the summer to complete her court-ordered community service, and to make matters worse, trouble is living right next door.

Jaxon Trent is the worst kind of temptation and exactly what K.C. was supposed to stay away from in high school. But he never forgot her. She was the one girl who wouldn’t give him the time of day and the only one to ever say no. Fate has brought K.C. back into his life—except what he thought was a great twist of luck turns out to be too close for comfort. As they grow closer, he discovers that convincing K.C. to get out from her mother’s shadow is hard, but revealing the darkest parts of his soul is nearly impossible.…

Buy: Amazon

***

Aflame – Book 4

From the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of Bully, Until You, Rival, and Falling Away comes the sizzling conclusion to the Fall Away series.

The tables have turned. Now I have the power—and it’s his turn to beg…

Everyone wants to be me.

Maybe it’s the sway of my skirt or the way I flip my hair, but I don’t care. Even though their attention is the last thing I crave, I just can’t stop. I dominate the track, the speed rattles my bones, and the wind and the crowd screams my name.

I’m her. The girl driver. The queen of the race. And I’m surviving—something he thought I’d never do.

They all talk about him. Did you see Jared Trent on T.V? What did you think of his last race, Tate? When is he coming back to town, Tate?

But I refuse to care too much. Because when Jared does come home, I won’t be here.

Tatum Brandt is gone. I’m someone new.

Buy: Amazon

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About Penelope Douglas

Penelope Douglas is a writer living in Las Vegas. Born in Dubuque, Iowa, she is the oldest of five children. Penelope attended the University of Northern Iowa, earning a Bachelor’s degree in Public Administration, because her father told her to “just get the damn degree!” She then earned a Masters of Science in Education at Loyola University in New Orleans, because she HATED public administration. One night, she got tipsy and told the bouncer at the bar where she worked that his son was hot, and three years later she was married. To the son, not the bouncer. They have spawn, but just one. A daughter named Aydan. Penelope loves sweets, The Originals, and she shops at Target almost daily.

Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Goodreads

5+ Star Review: Love In Lingerie by Alessandra Torre

Posted on 01/27/2017 by shellbellereads

Love In Lingerie

By Alessandra Torre

Release Date: January 16, 2017

Buy: Amazon / B & N / IBooks

Synopsis

I hired her to fix my company, to bring Marks Lingerie back to life. I didn’t expect her to become my friend. I didn’t expect to fall in love with her.

The first rule of business is to never touch your employees. I think there is another rule about not falling for your best friend—a rule against imagining the curves of her body, or the way her breathing would change if I pulled down her panties and unzipped my pants.

Now, I can’t wait any longer. I’m tossing out the rules.

Damn the company.

Damn our friendship.

Damn my fears.

Michel’ Review

Love In Lingerie is my favorite book Alessandra Torre has written. From the moment I opened this book I was mesmerized by the story that began to unfold. It’s not the typical office romance nor is it a erotica romance. It’s a story of two people building an evolving relationship in a period of three years. It’s about learning to trust, following inner instincts, working as a team, and building a strong friendship that will stand the tests of time.

Trey Marks company is in trouble. He needs to hire a new creative director before his Marks Lingerie goes bankrupt. During his interview with Kate Martin he realizes the company needs to go in a new direction. Although he doesn’t completely agree with her views or business ideas, his instincts tell him she’s exactly what he needs to save his company.

In the course of three years Kate and Trey bump heads, hold each other’s hands, and create a stronger company. They also get to know one another inside out. They both are denying their true desires because they can clearly see that they would be completely wrong for one another. There is also the no fraternization policy within the company. Trey likes the kinkier side of sex and doesn’t do committed relationships. Kate likes the straight and narrow road and believes in commitment. They clearly want different things in life. When the reality of what they want clashes with their hearts desire, it’s a no brainer. They were meant to be together.

Alessandra Torre’s writing was brilliant. The pacing was perfect. The slow simmering build to the explosive moment was delivered with perfection. The witty dialogue, the strong dynamic characters, and captivating scenes kept me glued to the pages. This book was downright delightful and fun.

I highly recommend Love In Lingerie by Alessandra Torre.

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Author Bio:
Alessandra Torre is an award-winning New York Times bestselling author of thirteen novels. Her books focus on romance and suspense, all with a strong undercurrent of sexuality. Torre has been featured in such publications as Elle and Elle UK, co-hosted Dirty Sexy Funny with Jenny McCarthy, as well as guest blogged for the Huffington Post and RT Book Reviews. She is also the Bedroom Blogger for Cosmopolitan.com.

You can learn more about Alessandra on her website at http://www.alessandratorre.com, or you can find her on Twitter (@ReadAlessandra) or Facebook.

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You can learn more about Alessandra on her website at www.alessandratorre.com, or you can find her on Twitter (@ReadAlessandra) or Facebook.

***

5 Star Review: Retreat by Jay Crownover

Posted on 01/26/2017 by shellbellereads

Retreat

The Getaway Series – Book 1

By Jay Crownover

Buy: Amazon

Synopsis

Every once in a while, you need to get away from it all.

I was a woman on the edge, shaken and shattered after a breakup that felt like it tore my entire world apart.
My best friend, sick of watching me drown in misery and melancholy, harassed me until I agreed to go with her on a week-long wilderness retreat.

She promised days spent bonding and getting in touch with our inner bad-asses. It was supposed to be all about the two of us roughing it and making do with the bare minimum. She assured me we were going to be pushed to our limits in ways that were unimaginable. Neither one of us could have ever guessed just how right she was.

Nowhere in the glossy brochure did it say anything about the fact I was going to have to battle the insufferable but deliciously rugged and sexy trail guide instead of the elements. The brochure also forgot to mention the part that warned when you left civilization behind, there was no place to pack your inhibitions and fears.

I was told that I would be facing a week where the only thing I should expect was the unexpected. However, no one mentioned that I was going to have to fight for my life…and my heart as soon as I ventured into the unknown.

I was a pro at hiding from my feelings but when it came time to face a real threat, one that could change everything, I learned I was more of a no surrender, no retreat kind of girl.

Retreat is a standalone novel, the first in the Getaway series which centers on the hardheaded and brokenhearted Warner brothers and the women that dare to love them.
These boys are very good at putting the wild in wilderness.

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Michel’s Review

Wow! Jay Crownover stepped out of her element and delivered a fantastic romantic suspense layered with emotional passages. This book was not only a romantic suspense, it was also a journey for a woman who is questioning everything about herself. She’s angry, hurt, guarded, and fearful. She has emotionally boxed herself into her little self absorbed world and sealed the lid. She’s lost herself.

Leo’s best friend convinced her to come to Wyoming for a wilderness retreat. One week spent on the trails, living off the land, and becoming one with nature. This is not Leo’s idea of a good time but she’s willing to suck it up because she has been a miserable selfish friend and it’s time to turn that around.

Leo thought she knew what she was getting into. In her mind she pictured the typical cowboys guiding their group and bonding around the campfire at the end of the day. She envisioned easy riding trails and scenic views. Her expectations were way off base. The trail guides are not the typical cowboys. The Warner Brothers are in a class by themselves. One is grumpy and looks more like a model biker, one is friendly but reserved, and the other is sullen and quiet. They are there to do their jobs and make sure their clients have the best experience communing with nature.

The entire trip starts off balance. One of the brothers has to stay behind because of a family emergency. The grumpy brother, Cy Warner has to take over the expedition until his brother can rejoin them later in the week. The trail group is not the greatest group of people to be spending a week with on the trails. An entitled dysfunctional family from New York City that includes two smart mouthed teenagers, two city women that aren’t used to nature, two oddball men who are completely stand offish to the entire group, and two guides that are pushing their limits. It ends up that was the easy part of the trip. What happens while they are on the trail is something no one could of foreseen, not even their experienced guides. The peaceful retreat has turned into a dangerous endeavor forcing them to fight for survival.

Through all of this Leo finally faces herself, she conquers her fears, and gains new strengths she never knew she had. She also finds what she thought was love was only an illusion. Cy Warner has taught her to reach for more and give more of herself.

This book literally blew me away. It was unlike anything Jay Crownover has written. I was on the edge of my seat when the danger kicked up full throttle. What made it even more intense was the reality of the situation. This situation is something that could happen anywhere. Jay’s vivid descriptions made the story come alive.

Leo was not my favorite character in the beginning. As the book began to progress and Leo’s layers started peeling away, I began to see a completely different individual. I enjoyed witnessing her growth as an individual. Her prickly personality masked the vulnerable woman hiding behind her fears.

The chemistry between Cy and Leo was sizzling. Their verbal sparring and heated moments added the fire in this book. There was the right amount of romance mixed within the events evolving throughout the story.

I am looking forward to reading more books in the Getaway series. There are two Warner brothers screaming for their own stories. They both deserve it after what happened in Retreat.

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About Jay Crownover:

Jay Crownover is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the Marked Men, The Point, and the Saints of Denver series. Like her characters, she is a big fan of tattoos. She loves music and wishes she could be a rock star, but since she has no aptitude for singing or instrument playing, she’ll settle for writing stories with interesting characters that make the reader feel something. She lives in Colorado with her three dogs.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

Release Blitz + Excerpt + 5 Star Review: Broken Pieces by Toni Aleo – The Patchwork Series – Book 2

Posted on 01/26/2017 by shellbellereads

Broken Pieces

The Patchwork Series – Book 2

Genre: Paranormal

By Toni Aleo

Release Date: January 24, 2017

Buy: Amazon US

iBooks

Kobo

Nook

Synopsis

The rules of The Works have remained unchanged for centuries. There is to be no romantic mixing between any of the five supernatural clans.

But from the moment Oceanus von Stein, second-in-command to the Patchwork family, caught sight of Taegan Conner, daughter of the leader of the Wolves, he knew he would never love anyone else.

Only now, Taegan has been promised in marriage to another, an arrangement to strengthen her family’s alliances—and she gets no say in the matter.

Neither does Oceanus.

While they both know they have their places and responsibilities in their clans, their love is too strong. How can they let go of what they have? Though it is forbidden, Oceanus and Taegan won’t stop until they can have each other. The only problem is that the world is against them, and Oceanus has a threat to his sister’s life to vanquish.

Can they find a way to be together, or will they both always be two Broken Pieces?

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Excerpt

As I watch my father sit, he doesn’t do so smoothly. His movements are jerky before he folds his old, leathery hands together and his eyes scan the room. The scars are very prominent on his face and hands. All the experiments he did on himself are visible, along with the scar tissue that is ancient and freakish on him. While his eyes are bright, from the new pair he just obtained, he looks like death. And tired. Very tired.
Clearing his throat, he lets his gaze fall on me, and I meet it head on.
“I had a meeting with Kurt Conner.”
Kurt Conner.
The pack leader of the wolves.
My love’s father.
Clearing my throat, I sit up straighter as my forearms lay against the cool top of the old oak table. Before I can comment, though, he is going on. “He needed a loan for the wedding of Taegan.”
What?
My world stops.
I feel all eyes on me. My father is staring at me, waiting for a response, but I don’t have one.
Because what the actual fuck is going on?
Did I hear him wrong?
“A wedding?”
“Yeah, she is marrying some other pack leader’s son—you know how those wolves are. Wanting to unite families with arranged marriage and all that wolfish nonsense, I don’t know. But I didn’t give him the money until—”
“Until?” I gasp, my heart in my throat, my stomach on the ground, and every piece of me feeling as if I am falling into the fiery depths of hell because surely I am hearing my father wrong.
Taegan is to marry me.
“He offered up some information on Frank Kelley—”
“He hasn’t died yet?” Jonas asks, and I know it’s to give me time. To let me think, to let me process, but I can’t. Taegan is to marry someone else? She didn’t even tell me. We were together last night! Had she known? Was she playing me? Damn it, what the hell? How could she allow me to find out this way? I mean, I knew my time was running out, but hell, did she keep this from me? I’ve never experienced heartache or true heartbreak, but I’m pretty sure this feeling of my chest caving in and blowing up is just that.
She’s marrying someone else?
She isn’t waiting for me?
Gasping for breath as I try to push the bile back down my throat, I watch as my father shakes his head. “Not yet. And apparently, they are wanting to attack us in one more attempt to get the formula for him. They think they can kidnap Rebekah and use her as leverage.”
I feel Rebekah move as she squeaks. “Me?”
“You. So we are on high alert. Keep your eyes open, and, Rebekah, I don’t want you working at the bar until this is taken care of. I have a meeting with Frank Kelley on Friday.”
“Father, I’m fine at the bar. It’s owned by our family, most of our family is there, along with JJ. The Kelleys don’t even come that much.”
“Yes, but other families come to the bar, and that makes me uncomfortable.”
“I’m fine, I can take care of myself.”
He leans on his desk, and I don’t care about their melodrama. I can’t. Even though I know I should intervene, calm both sides—because my father is right, we need to keep Rebekah underground while this goes on—I can’t help but think of the fact that my love is marrying another. Someone other than me. How in the world is this fair? Why didn’t she fight them? She told me she was mine, and I was hers. Why didn’t she wait for me?
And then it’s like I’m being slapped back into reality.
She didn’t wait for me because we can’t.
We can’t be selfish and love each other because we have commitments to our families. Yes, we love each other. Yes, she is my world, and I’ll love only her. But just like I have to, she has to protect her family. I’m sure there is something more to this, and while I wish she had told me, I know I can’t be upset. I have to respect the process of our families.
Being the eldest, we have no choice.
We don’t get to be greedy.
Wow, I don’t even believe I’m trying to convince myself.
How could she?

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Michel’s Review

Are you afraid of things that go bump in the night? Are monsters really real? In our world deep within the darkness is another world where monsters exist in their own world known as The Works. A society full of different species of monsters and things that really go bump in the night. The Works consist of shifters, wolves, vampires, witches, and pieced together immortals known as the Patchworks. The creator of the Patchworks, the Von Stein family ( decedents of Dr. Frankenstein), are the absolute rulers of The Works. They hold the secret to immortality. Obey their rules or experience death. There isn’t any room for compromise or shades of gray. The rules are in place for a reason, for the survival of all the species within The Works. Intermarriage and intermixing of genetics is strictly forbidden.

Oceanus von Stein is next in line to rule The Works. He is vying his time to take over his father’s supreme rule. He has plans to bring the Works out of the last century into a more progressive society. The archaic laws are no longer working in today’s world. His biggest motivation is his love for Taegan Conner, the first princess of The Wolves Clan. Their love is forbidden and he has plans to change that. Taegan will be his queen. His father has different plans for Oceanus, which do not include Taegan Conner.

Taegan has been promised in marriage to the son of another prominent wolf clan. She is being forced to marry a man she doesn’t love. She is begging Oceanus to run away with her but Oceanus is too dedicated to his family and the legacy he will inherit. He is trying to buy them time but the clock is running out.

While Oceanus and Taegan are trying to find a way to have a life together other things are going on in the Works. The shifters are up to no good. An imposter has infiltrated the Works. His sister Rebekah is in grave danger. She has secrets that cannot be exposed to the Works. Other Patchwork clans are negotiating unreasonable alliances which could not only change Rebekah’s life but Oceanus’s life as well. His father refuses to relinquish his position and The Works is in very real trouble. The burden is on Oceanus’s shoulders. He may have to sacrifice the only thing that matters in his life. He may have to sacrifice his love. In a world full of monsters, the scariest one is his father, the man who gave him life.

Broken Pieces runs parallel to the first book, Pieces. I would strongly recommend reading that book first. It is the same story but from a different perspective and point of view. Another new forbidden romance is added to the mix. There are new situations and factors that are added to the overall story that could affect every single person within the Works. By the time the book reaches the last quarter Toni begins to take the overall story in a different direction which ends on a massive CLIFFHANGER.

Toni Aleo has written an authentic paranormal series with an original plot that has left me reeling.

The complex world of the Works was intriguing, frightening, and interesting. The characters were strong and dynamic in their own individual ways. I am looking forward to what happens next in this unique paranormal series. The monsters are on the prowl and the von Steins days may be numbered.

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PIECES

Pieces

The Patchwork Series – Book 1

***

In New York City, an underground society of supernatural beings exists, hidden among everyday humans. They don’t know of our activities or any of our secrets.

The districts of the Works are made up of vampires, wolves, shifters, witches, and I’m in the fifth and arguably most important district, the Patchwork. My father is the leader of our group, and he oversees all of the other factions.

As his only daughter, that makes me the princess of it all. Cool, right? Actually…no. Sure, I live in a mansion and money isn’t an object, but that doesn’t matter because I can’t leave. I have a guard who follows me around 24/7. My father and three older brothers treat me like I’m a fragile piece of glass, never allowed to take an independent step or make any decisions on my own.

It’s beyond frustrating—especially since my father essentially runs my life. He says what I do, when I do it, how I do it, and all that jazz. He tests his formulas and new techniques on me. I’m a walking science experiment.

I hate it.

I hate my life here.

But then he comes along: Killian.

He’s just some vampire…or so I thought.

But you’ll have to read my story to find out what I mean. To know my secrets. Until then, though, allow me to introduce myself.

My name is Rebecca von Stein.

And I’m a descendant of Dr. Frankenstein.

Welcome to the Works.

*****

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______________________________________________

About the Author

My name is Toni Aleo and I’m a total dork.
I am a wife, mother of two and a bulldog, and also a hopeless romantic.
I am the biggest Shea Weber fan ever, and can be found during hockey season with my nose pressed against the Bridgestone Arena’s glass, watching my Nashville Predators play!
When my nose isn’t pressed against the glass, I enjoy going to my husband and son’s hockey games, my daughter’s dance competition, hanging with my best friends, taking pictures, scrapbooking, and reading the latest romance novel.
I have a slight Disney and Harry Potter obsession, I love things that sparkle, I love the color pink, I might have been a Disney Princess in a past life… probably Belle.
… and did I mention I love hockey?

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Release Boost + New Excerpt + 5 Star Review + Giveaway: Taking Turns by J A Huss

Posted on 01/26/2017 by shellbellereads

Title: Taking Turns

Series: Turning #1

Author: JA Huss

Genre: Dark Erotic Suspense

Release Date: January 18, 2017

Blurb

Chella plays the game of Taking Turns with three men as she comes to terms with her sexuality.

I’ve never been afraid of the dark…but that doesn’t mean I wanted to live in it. And maybe everyone wants what they can’t have, but I should’ve thought it over before I accepted the key and unlocked the door to their forbidden world.

Number One is mostly silent. He watches me with them very carefully. His gaze never wanders. His interest never wanes.

Number Two is mostly gentle. But it’s the other side of him I like best. The wild side.

Number Three is mostly reserved. He refuses to cross the line. Even when I beg.

It was carnal, it was sensual, and it was erotic. That’s it. That’s all it was supposed to be. A trip into the dark. A peek into the forbidden.

I just didn’t expect to like them.

ADD TO GOODREADS

Purchase Links

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Trailer

Excerpt

SMITH:

I flick the light on and she closes her eyes, hiding her face to shield herself from the sudden brightness.

She’s… pretty. Dark hair, long and straight, kind of like Rochelle’s, but nothing at all like Rochelle’s at the same time. Her skin is fair, which isn’t surprising since it’s winter and the sun seems to have gone missing in Denver for the past month. Her hands are tied behind her back, so I can’t see them. And she’s sitting up, knees to chest, completely naked, and I can see her pussy.

I stare for a moment longer than I should and then I finally look at her face—a sweet face. Wide blue eyes looking up at me, the remnants of her make-up streaked down her cheeks like she’s been crying.

But she isn’t crying now.

Her nose is small and her plump lips are wrapped around the ball of the gag. Drool is dripping out of her mouth. One long strand hangs just above her left breast, ready to fall.

“Well,” I say, far beyond curious at this point, “I can’t wait to hear what you’ve got to say about this.”

I crouch down in front of her legs and catch her scent. The flowers. Or citrus, whichever it is. I inhale deeply and can’t help but take in the smell of sex.

I look her in the eyes as I reach behind her head and unstrap the gag. It falls forward, dropping into her lap as I watch her adjust, swallow down the drool, and then take a deep breath.

She says nothing.

Hmmm.

Just stares at me.

My hand is between her legs. My finger slipping inside her pussy. She is wet. So fucking wet. She doesn’t close her eyes or moan. In fact, her eyes never leave mine. Not once.

She likes it.

I remove my slick fingers from her pussy and bring them to her mouth.

She opens, sucks them.

My God.

Still, she stares into my eyes.

I envision her mouth on my cock and grow hard at the thought.

And then I close my eyes.

But only for a moment. Barely a blink. I’m back in control. I reach for her upper arm and pull her to her feet. She complies willingly. And then I spin her around and begin untying her wrists.

The rope is tight. Tighter than it should be. Quin knows how to tie a girl up, I’ve seen him do it enough times to be sure of that. But he was probably panicking, so I don’t judge.

When I get the rope off there is a deep red burn ringing her wrists.

She brings her hands in front of her to get a look at her wrists. I take them, looking closely at her wounds. “I have something for that. But first, let’s make progress on your clothes.”

“I have clothes,” she says, her voice not weak, not small, but firm and strong. “On the chair.”

I walk over to the chair and pick them up. Jeans. Nondescript sweater. Winter shearling boots. Some semi-nice lingerie and thick cotton socks.

“Well, that won’t do,” I say, walking back to the closets. I open the one across the short hallway from the one I share with Bric and Quin. Rochelle’s closet.

I don’t know what I expected, but I’m kinda taken aback that everything Rochelle owns is still in there. Her many, many, many pairs of thrift-store shoes, and skirts, and those horrible long dresses. Even her purses are still here. She never shopped for purses at the thrift stores. They are all designer. Even the fringy ones. They live in soft cloth bags that come inside the purse when you purchase it, and they are lined up on the top shelf like little surprises wrapped in velvet.

I only know this because I bought her a few purses myself that first year. A Prada, a Gucci, and some other brand she asked for that I had never heard of, but which set me back almost three thousand dollars.

If Rochelle ever tells someone the story of us, she better not call me cheap.

I sigh and divert my attention to the limited number of classy, five-star-restaurant-worthy dresses hanging on the far end of a rack. I look back at the new girl for a moment, then choose a red one. To set off her hair.

“Here,” I say, holding the hanger out to her. “Put this on, please.”

“What?” the girl asks, taking the hanger from me.

“I didn’t stutter. Put on the dress. I have to walk you out, obviously. You can’t walk out in jeans, for fuck’s sake. This is Turning Point Club. We have a dress code.”

“Why can’t I go out the back?”

I stop looking for shoes to match the dress and turn to stare at her. “Is that how you got in?”

She nods. “The freight elevator.”

“Figures. Fucking Rochelle hated the dress code. Well, the freight elevator isn’t going to work for me, I’m afraid. I don’t leave by way of the freight elevator. I walk in. Everybody sees me. I walk out. Everybody sees me. And since I have to walk you out, you’re going to look the part. Now put on the fucking dress.”

I turn back to the shoes.

“I need my bra and underwear,” she says.

“Not for that dress, you don’t.”

_____________________________

Michel’s Review

Spoiler Free Review

***

The Game

3 Men

1 Woman

4 Players

Very Detailed and Specific Rules

Specific Time Guidelines for each player

No Winner

No Loser

One Prize For All – Carnal Delight

End of Game

JA Huss is one of those authors that completely takes me by surprise with every new novel or new series she unleashes into the reading world. Expect the unexpected. Be prepared for twists and turns that add layers upon layers before reaching a concise conclusion or ending to a story. The ending may just be the beginning or an unexpected revelation. Be prepared to journey into the dark sensual world that not only fulfills the erotic fantasy but also delves into the minds of very unique individuals in the darkness. With JA Huss there is no black or white, light or dark, right or wrong, or good and bad. It’s a combination of it all melding together to make one outstanding and thought provoking story. The story holds the reader captive and leaves them wanting more.

After reading Taking Turns by JA Huss, I was completely floored by what I had just read. It was not the typical erotic romance novel that revolves around the darker side of sex or menage scenes that scorch the pages. It had those elements but also included so much more. This book is about four characters driven by a dark need. Taking Turns is told through each characters POV with a very clear understanding of who is who in each passage. Each character stands uniquely on their own merits with distinct and very likable personalities. While their motivations are questionable, the reader gets a sense of who they are until JA Huss throws another layer to their persona. What makes this book stand out was not the sex itself, it was how the sex scenes came into play, how each individual approached the situation, and what they gave to reach each situation.

In most cases, erotic romance walks a fine line in definition. The romance tends to get lost or overpowered by the erotic elements. I went into this book expecting that to happen. Throughout most of the book the erotic elements were the forefront of the story unfolding. It was questionable if a romance would develop and who would be the ones involved in the romance. As each man’s personality materialized I found myself hoping he was the one. As the sexual heat intensified between the four, one man began to surface to the top. It is at that point the reader realizes that this story has had the romance all along but it was cleverly disguised as something else. This is pure JA Huss brilliance at it’s best.

I can honestly say that I am still processing what I read in Taking Turns. I have many questions that I know will be answered by the end of the series. I have no doubt that JA Huss is going to throw some new kinks into the mix. She’s going to take the readers on a mind boggling journey before The Turning Series ends.

What started out as a game with no losers or winners has turned into a game of consequences. I can’t wait to see what comes next in The Turning Series. Turning Back will release on April 12, 2017.

Pre Order: Amazon

_______________________________

Coming Soon

Title: Turning Back

Series: Turning #2

Author: JA Huss

Genre: Dark Erotic Suspense

Release Date: April 12, 2017

Blurb

I lived in the dark for three years. My whole world revolved around the whims and happiness of three men. It was just a trip into the forbidden. A way out of a bad situation and forward into nothingness.

Quin, with his easy smile and charming good looks. He was always there for me… Until he wasn’t.

Smith, and his dispassionate attention. He was never there for me and he never regretted it.

Bric, the one who listened, but only to himself. Self-absorbed, self-obsessed, and self-serving. He was never the one I wanted.

And now he might be the only one I have left.

It was good while it lasted, I guess. But it could’ve been so much more. It could’ve been so much better.

And that’s why I’m turning back.

Pre-order Links

AMAZON US / UK / CA / AU
B&N / KOBO / iBOOKS

Author Bio

JA Huss is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of more than twenty romances. She likes stories about family, loyalty, and extraordinary characters who struggle with basic human emotions while dealing with bigger than life problems. JA loves writing heroes who make you swoon, heroines who makes you jealous, and the perfect Happily Ever After ending.

Author Links

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Release Blitz + Excerpt + 2017 Favorite + 5 Star Review: Preppy: Part 2 – The Life & Death of Samuel Clearwater – The King Series – Book 6

Posted on 01/25/2017 by shellbellereads

Preppy : Part Two

The Life & Death of Samuel Clearwater

By T. M. Frazier

Buy: Amazon / Amazon UK / B & N / IBooks / Kobo

Full Blurb

Preppy finds himself back in a world he once loved, but no longer recognizes. His dim smile can’t hide his inner turmoil and the people he views as family all suddenly feel like polite strangers.

Except for one person. A girl with dark eyes and even darker hair.

A girl who isn’t even an option.

At least, not anymore.

Dre can’t decide who she’s going to listen to. Her heart, her head, or her body. Because two out of those three things have her heading right back to Logan’s Beach. Closure is what she tells herself she’s seeking, but when she unlocks doors that were never meant to be opened she soon discovers that when it comes to Samuel Clearwater, closure might NEVER be an option.

This is book six in the King Series and the second part of Preppy and Dre’s story.

Excerpt

“Oh yeah?” Preppy asked, taking a step forward, crowding me in, staring deep into my eyes with an intensity that had me biting down hard on my lower lip. “Do YOU like a clean look, Doc? Or do you like it dirty? Beards. Tattoos…scars?”

Yes, I like it dirty. So dirty.

I was stunned into silence. Preppy’s proximity was fucking with my brain, and I was afraid I was going to blurt out something that would dig me a deeper hole than I’d already dug for myself. I opened my mouth to answer, but I couldn’t get the words out. Not like I needed to. Preppy answered for me. “If I remember correctly, you like it dirty. Real fucking dirty.”

He took another step. “Remember that first time? In the field? By the train tracks? Remember how I pulled your hair while I fucked you from behind and stretched you open? Remember how it felt to have me moving inside of you? How it felt when you came and screamed in my fucking ear? I do. I remember. Thought of that scream every fucking day since. It was deafening.” He chuckled and pressed his teeth against his bottom lip. He groaned, the sound shot straight to my pussy. “I can still fucking hear it now.”

So can I.

The hair on the back of my neck stood on end. “What are you doing?” I asked, trying to step around him, but he pressed his hands against the wall, caging me in. The warmth of his chest radiated onto mine. I tried to look anywhere but into his eyes, afraid of what I might see, but there wasn’t anywhere else to look. He moved even closer.

Preppy pressed his knee between my thighs, parting my legs. “Me?” he asked, with mock innocence. “I’m just reminiscing with an old friend.”

“This doesn’t feel like just reminiscing.”

He stared intensely into my eyes. “No, not YET it doesn’t.” He grinned. “But it fucking will. Soon.”

Michel’s Review

As readers we all have our favorite type of books that capture our hearts and imaginations. The King series by T. M. Frazier is one of those series that readers have embraced whole heartedly. There is one particular character in this series who is not only the glue that holds them all together but is also larger than life. A character that every reader of this series adores because of his personality, his quirks, and his ability to put life in a perspective that is uniquely his own but also inspires those around him. He’s not perfect at all. He has a dark side that is just as strong as his light side. His bad is on an even playing field with his good. He doesn’t make excuses nor does he try to change who he is. He is just going to be himself whether you like it or not. He is Samuel Clearwater, also known as Preppy. Like his personality, Preppy has a story that is larger than life. His story has monsters,dungeons, castles, kings, princesses, knights in tarnished armor, and a kingdom where night is day and day is night. It’s all in the perspective and how he lives his life as a part of this kingdom. He is the missing royal prince of Logan Beach and he’s back in all his glory. Preppy is taking back his throne, his place in Logan Beach but first he has to wake up to claim his throne.

After reading the first book in Preppy’s story, the readers got to see what Preppy was up to during the missing years of King’s story. While King was sitting in prison Preppy was busy minding his kingdom and working effortlessly to get King’s daughter back. He met a junkie that would become a means to his end. She was the key to getting King’s daughter back. First he had to get her off the drugs and agree to help him. Things didn’t go quite as planned. He fell for the junkie and knew he had to let her go. He wasn’t what she needed in her life. She needed a clean break with people that could love and support her rehabilitation. Four years later life has taken a different path for them both.

Dre has returned to Logan Beach to sell her grandmother’s home. She also came back for closure. After the devastating news of Preppy’s death she knew she needed to say her final goodbyes and let go of their past. She would of never imagined that he was still alive but still unreachable. Finding Preppy alive and in a coma was a shock. Finding out she was legally married to Preppy was even more shocking. The most shocking thing of all was when Preppy finally became conscious and on the road to recovery, he was a complete stranger. He wasn’t the man she fell in love with. He wasn’t the man any of them knew. Preppy was still lost to them all.

After being tortured and mentally dead for quite some time, it’s impossible to grasp freedom. He lost himself to the darkness. Now he has his life back but he’s not the same man who owned that life. He’s lost in the darkness. Finding his way back to the light seems impossible even though he is awake and free from his captor. Life went on without him and now he is in a world that is different and doesn’t make sense to him. He still loves his family and friends with all his heart but doesn’t feel like he knows them any longer. He doesn’t feel like they know who he is either. The only thing that seems to be the same is his feelings for Dre. He never told her how he felt about her. He let her go when he should of held onto her. He swore if he got another chance he would come clean. How can he tell her how he feels when he is so broken. How can he love her when he doesn’t even know how to love himself? He’s not the man he once was. He doesn’t know if he will ever be that man again. Preppy was lost a long time ago. Samuel Clearwater died the day he became Preppy. Who is the man in the shell of a broken body and a tormented mind?

Dre, King, Ray, Bear, Ti, and the Logan Beach crew (including Rage) are thankful for the miracle of Preppy’s resurrection. When they lost him they lost a part of themselves. The man that came back from the dead is not Preppy. He is a lost broken soul in the body of the man they love. They will do anything to help him find himself again. It’s going to take patience, understanding, and at times hard love. Preppy is worth it all. The only thing they can do is offer a hand and love in his journey back from hell.

Preppy: Part Two is Preppy’s journey back to the living. The journey is not easy. At times it is heartbreaking and other times it is filled with hope. In the end, only Preppy can travel the road. Dre is his rainbow at the end of the road. She is his home.

Preppy found his way home and now he’s grabbing onto the life he has fought for. Nothing in Preppy’s life has been easy. He has had to work for his happiness. He’s earned it and he’s reaping the rewards. Just when he’s taken his life back, life throws another monster in his path. This time it could break them all. What does that mean…CLIFFHANGER!

T. M. Frazier has done it again… she has left us wanting more of Preppy.

____________________________________

Haven’t read this series yet?

Meet King & Pup in King (Book One)

The King

By T. M. Frazier

Buy : Amazon / Amazon UK/ ITunes / B & N

Synopsis

*****

Tyrant

King Series – Book 2

Conclusion to King

Amazon / Amazon UK

*****

Lawless

King Series – Book 3

Buy: Amazon / Amazon UK / B & N / ITunes

*****

Soulless

Lawless Part 2

King Series – Book 4

By T.M. Frazier

Buy : Amazon / Amazon UK / B & N / ITunes

*****

All The Rage

Connected to the King Series

By T. M. Frazier

Release Date: June 7, 2016

Buy: Amazon / Amazon UK / B & N / ITunes / Kobo

*****

Preppy : Part 1

The Life & Death of Samuel Clearwater

By T. M. Frazier

Buy: Amazon / Amazon Uk / B & N / ITunes / Kobo

Synopsis

Samuel Clearwater, A.K.A Preppy, likes bowties, pancakes, suspenders, good friends, good times, good drugs, and a good f*ck.

He’s worked his way out from beneath a hellish childhood and is living the life he’s always imagined for himself. When he meets a girl, a junkie on the verge of ending it all, he’s torn between his feelings for her and the crippling fear that she could be the one to end the life he loves.

Andrea ‘Dre’ Capulet is strung out and tired.

Tired of living for her next fix. Tired of doing things that make her stomach turn. Tired of looking in the mirror at the reflection of the person she’s become. Just when she decides to end it all, she meets a man who will change the course of both their lives forever.

And their deaths.

For most people, death is the end of their story.
For Preppy and Dre, death was only the beginning.

This is the fifth book in the King Series and it’s meant to be read after Soulless.

_________________________________________________

Author Bio:

T.M. (Tracey Marie) Frazier resides in sunny Southwest Florida with her husband and three feisty fur kids.

She attended Florida Gulf Coast University where she specialized in public speaking. After years working in real estate and new home construction, she decided it was finally time to stop pushing her dreams to the back burner and pursue writing seriously.

In the third grade she wrote her very first story about a lost hamster. It earned rave reviews from both her teacher and her parents.

It only took her twenty years to start the next one.

It will not be about hamsters.

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

_____________________________

Release Blitz + Excerpt + 5 Star Review: Casanova by Emma Hart

Posted on 01/25/2017 by shellbellereads

Casanova

By Emma Hart

Release Date: January 24, 2017

Buy: Amazon

I loved him more than life.

He broke me and he didn’t even know it.

I ran from him.

He didn’t chase me.

He never needed to, because he knew I’d come back.

He was right.

Death brought me home to him.

Brett Walker.

Drop dead gorgeous and filthy-mouthed with a smile that turns saints to sinners.

A casanova to his core.

My ex-best friend.

And the bad boy whose reputation precedes him—the same reputation I’m tasked with turning to gold… Or so they think.

ADD TO GOODREADS

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Excerpt

It was that or she was laughing at me…

“I have no idea why I’m laughing,” she breathed. Every other word was broken by a terrible attempt at keeping her laughter inside. “But thank you. Whatever you did, I needed that.”

“Happy to be of service.”

“I’m sure you are.”

Slowly, I raised my eyebrows. “Was that an innuendo?”

She ran her hand through her hair, pushing it right back from her face, and rested her hand behind her neck. “No, but of course you took it like that.”

“If it sounds like an innuendo…”

“It’s proof that you have a dirty mind, Brett Walker. Nothing else.”

“I don’t need the innuendo to prove that.”

“As evidenced by your obsession with my boots.”

“Ah,” I smiled, “The fuck me boots.”

Her jaw dropped, but she was kind of smiling too. “Fuck me boots? You call my boots the fuck me boots?”

“Shit. Did I say that out loud?”

She nodded, desperately fighting a smile, which only made me smile wider. “Loud and clear, I’m afraid.”

“Look,” I said, lighting pulling on a bit of her hair. “If you wear boots that go up to your knees with heels, I can only assume you’re inviting me to fuck you, okay? That’s why they’re fuck me boots.”

“Okay, now this makes sense.” She dropped her hand to her lap and blinked at me. “I wore those boots to our disastrous first meeting. Is that why you’re bugging me with the dirty stuff? My boots invited you to fuck me?”

“No. I’m ‘bugging’ you ‘with the dirty stuff’ because I want to fuck you. The boots are a bonus.”

“You…want to fuck me.”

I stared at her flatly. “Yes, Lani. I want to fuck you, and you have no idea how many ways I’ve imagined it.”

“Imagined it,” she echoed.

“You’re much less sassy when you’re tired. I’m not sure I like it. This conversation would be way more fun if you were tearing me a new one.”

That snapped her out of what I could only describe as a daze. “All right. Fine. I’m going to bed. Alone,” she added as she stood. “Thank you for your sweater. I’ll add that to my list of Brett’s Gentlemanly Things.”

I got up and took the sweater from her. “Look, I’ll even open the door for you.” I stepped around her and clasped the door handle. I slowly turned it and opened the door.

“Nice.” She’d apparently found her sass again, because the word was injected with a cocky sarcasm. “Goodnight, Brett.”

“Lani?”

She stopped when she was one step inside the door. “Yeah?”

I swept my arm around her and spun her against the open front door. My grip on it kept it firmly in place as her back collided with the wood, and she inhaled at the exact same moment. Lust burned through my veins, and I took one step in front of her, pinning her to the door.

“What are you doing?” Her voice was breathy, and as I dropped my gaze to her chest, the quickness of her breathing was impossible to miss. Her chest was rising and falling like crazy.

I dipped my head so my lips ghosted over her cheek on their way to her ear. “In case you were wondering,” I murmured against her earlobe. “Against the door is one of the ways I’ve imagined fucking you. With your legs around my waist, your nails in my shoulders, and your wet pussy hugging my cock.”

She exhaled on a shudder. “Asshole,” she whispered.

I placed my fingertips on her heaving chest, right above her heart. The quick dum-dum-dum of its racing beat told me everything I needed to know–she wanted me as much as she hated me.

I stepped back with a smirk curving my lips. “Sweet dreams, kitten.”

__________________________________________________________

Tracey’s Review

Mistakes. We all make them…Some people are more prone to mistakes than others. The reasons why are nobody’s business but the people who make the mistakes, but there is one thing almost all of these people believe: A person is not defined by their mistakes.

When Lani Montana returns to Key Whiskey, FL, for her grandmother’s funeral, the last thing that she’s expecting is to stay. Because eight years and thousands of miles’ distance has shown her that she wants to be any place but there. Reason? Brett Walker, Lani’s one-time best friend and the guy that broke her heart. But Lani’s soon finding that Brett, local heir apparent, and ladies’ man extraordinaire, needs some help, because his reputation and image could use some saving.

Author Emma Hart is a go-to for me. Her books are always right at the top of my TBR, and I know that her signature sass, snark, and laugh-out-loud reads are never going to disappoint. CASANOVA, Emma’s latest endeavor, does not disappoint.

Lani left Whiskey Key right after high school, heart broken, and without a word to anyone. Since then, she’s made quite a name for herself as a journalist, with plenty of accolades to back up her reputation. When a trip home for a funeral turns into a longer stay than anticipated, Lani is pressed into service doing the last thing that she’d have expected: spinning gold out of straw to save the reputation of Brett, once the town darling, and now doing a really good job of going down in flames. One thing she knows, though, is that she is completely immune to Brett and his lady-killing ways. Yep, no way will her heart or her head be turned this time.

Brett is pretty easy to dislike right off the bat. He’s surly, seems really entitled, and is all about the good times. When his family lowers the boom, Brett has no choice but to work with Lani to help polish his tarnished image. But as the story unfolds, sides of Brett emerge that show that you can’t judge a book by its cover, and that there is way more to this sexy guy than meets the eye.

The chemistry that was never allowed to flourish back when they were kids is in full force once Lani and Brett are together again. CASANOVA has all the makings of a second-chance romance with an edge. The heat between Lani and Brett fairly reaches off the page, and, my favorite part? There’s plenty of humor, too, which these two need in order to really start communicating and cut through all of the misconceptions that they’ve had about each other.

Emma has once again written a book that I thoroughly enjoyed. Everything from the slower build-up and unfolding of events, to the sassy repartée, to Emma’s uncanny ability to write families with just the right amount of crazy yet loveable, make CASANOVA an easy 5-stars for me. Getting to know Lani, Brett, and the Whiskey Key crew is a favor that you want to do for yourself.

***ARC generously provided for an honest review.***

____________________________________________________________

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.

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New Release + Excerpt + 5 Star Review: Stay by A. L. Jackson – A Bleeding Stars Novel

Posted on 01/25/2017 by shellbellereads

Stay

Bleeding Stars Novel

By A. L. Jackson

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Synopsis

From NYT & USA Today Bestselling Author A.L. Jackson comes the next sexy, gripping Bleeding Stars Stand-Alone Novel…

I’m Ash Evans.
The life of the party.
Hot. Rich. Charismatic.
A tattooed rock star with the world at my feet.
I burn through women faster than the strike of a match.

I’ve embraced my lifestyle and live it to the fullest.
Until the day my lifestyle caught up to me.

Willow Langston found me at my lowest.
Literally.
Facedown in a puddle of my own blood.

I owe her my life and I have three months to repay that debt.
What I never should have done was touch her. Kiss her. Take her to my bed.

Love wasn’t supposed to be a part of the equation.
I gave up that nasty complication a long damned time ago.
Now I want her more than my next breath.
But she doesn’t know what I know.

Do I leave to protect her? Or can I face my demons and ask her to Stay?

Excerpt

She stared back at me with big chocolate eyes.

Molten.

Her gaze washed over me like lava.

Burning up everything in its path.

“You are so beautiful,” she said, voice hoarse.

“Peaches,” I whispered as a warning. Wasn’t sure I trusted myself with her right then.

“You are. Did you know…did you know the first time I saw you…when you were lying covered in blood and you opened your eyes and looked at me, that I saw it? Something so beautiful and raw and powerful. Even when you’d been broken. The way you looked at me shook me straight to my bones. And then tonight…what you did for me…I don’t…”

I roughed a hand through my thrashing hair, a perfect mirror to my thrashing heart. “Peaches.”

Another warning.

I didn’t deserve the way she was looking at me. Like I was good and right when I was no better than the bastard we’d left lying back there on the floor.

So slowly, she reached out, shaking fingers gentle as she traced them along the scar that marked that night beneath my eye.

A tremble took me whole.

Energy pulsed and shivered and shook.

Shit.

I gripped her by the wrist and pressed the underside to my nose. “You’re killing me, darlin’.”

“And you’re saving me.”

A hard frown hit me. “It was you who did all the saving.”

Sitting back a fraction, she shook her head. “If it weren’t for you, I’d be home tonight, hiding in the dark.” Her tongue darted out to sweep across her lips. “I never would have been brave enough to go there or to stand up to him. To say those things.”

“But that’s where I think you’re wrong, darlin’.” This time it was my turn to reach out and touch her. I cupped the side of her face, glancing between her and the road. “I think you’re so much braver than you’ve been giving yourself credit for. I see it there. Feel it every time I look at you. You’re incredible, Willow. Every time you walk through my door, I know it. So good that I know I shouldn’t be doing whatever the fuck it is I think I’m doin’ with you.”

She was still panting those breathy pants, and she leaned into my touch.

“I…” she attempted before she looked down, averted her gaze. Even with her head downturned, there was no missing the blush creeping to her cheeks. She hesitated before she spoke. “When you kiss me…it doesn’t feel like pretending. It feels like the best thing I’ve ever felt.”

I swallowed hard, crossing a line. Pushing into the boundaries that should have been firmly set in place. “That’s because when I kiss you? It’s not pretend. When I tell you you’re gorgeous—the best thing I’ve ever seen? I mean it. And when I look at you…”

I touched the center of my chest, feeling ripped open wide. Exposed. Maybe telling her the truth when it wouldn’t do either of us any good was wrong. But there was no hiding when this girl was looking at me that way. “I feel it right here. We might be pretending, but you can’t fake this.”

Like she didn’t trust herself, she pressed farther against the door. “You make me want things…things I know I shouldn’t want.”

“And what is it you want, Peaches?” I prodded low, knowing full well I was pointing us in the direction of no return. “Told you when I came into your store that I’d give you anything.”

“I want…” She tucked her bottom lip between her teeth, nervous or unsure whether to give me the truth.

Blood pounded mercilessly through my veins. Thickened with lust. All of it clouded my judgment, knocking loose my center of gravity.

Because I knew the look on her face. Desire was written across her like a musical score.

The way her body rocked and trembled and silently pled.

Desperate to be played.

I knew I should close my mouth. Shut this down. Drop her at home. Instead, I let the words slide free. “Tell me, Peaches.”

The needy rasp fell from between her lips. “I want you to touch me.”

Tracey’s Review

What if you hurt me? What if I fall in love with you? What if I want you to stay?

Oh, my heart. A.L. Jackson and her beautiful, angsty boys of Sunder have done me in again, like they do every single time. I love all of these men, these men that work hard, play hard, and, when they fall, fall hard and far. STAY is Ash Evans’ story, and I loved it with every single part of me.

While each of the members of Sunder have a place in my heart, I have been waiting for Ash’s story for a very long time. Cocky, arrogant, sexy, life of the party and larger than life, Ash is living the rock and roll dream. He certainly isn’t interested in settling down like his bandmates have done, even though Savannah, his ‘away from it all’ place seems more like home every time he’s there. When near-tragedy occurs, Ash’s guardian angel appears in the person of local girl Willow Langston, a woman that has endured so much loss, but refuses to give up.

“One thing you should never do is mistake broken for weak.”

Willow is awesome. She’s got the kind of inner strength, the resilience, the faith, that I want to have when I grow up. And she’s good, down to the very core, and her goodness, her resilience, her faith, all of these things call out to Ash, because, despite the game face that he presents to the rest of the world, has lost his faith somewhere along the way.

These two are magnetic, drawn together in a way that I don’t think that they fully understand. Willow makes Ash feel things that he hasn’t felt in a long time, things that he hasn’t wanted to feel, and he, in turn, gives her the freedom and encouragement to let go and chase the life that she’s been waiting to live. Even with all of their differences, they just click, two parts of a whole that they aren’t fully ready to accept.

Even wild hearts need a place to rest. And she’d become mine.

This book made me feel all of the feels, ripped my heart out, then pieced it back together again, page after page. Amy Jackson is the queen of the angsty read, and even though I know that I’ll be wiped out every time I read one of her books, I can’t stay away. STAY is 5+ messy, beautiful, perfect stars, and right up at the top of my 2017 favorite books. I can’t recommend this book, or the rest of the BLEEDING STARS series, highly enough, and can’t wait to finally see Zee get his story in STAND.

***ARC generously provided for an honest review.***

_______________________________________________________________

A.L. Jackson is the New York Times & USA Today Bestselling author of contemporary romance. She writes emotional, sexy, heart-filled stories about boys who usually like to be a little bit bad.

Her bestselling series include THE REGRET SERIES, CLOSER TO YOU, as well as the newest BLEEDING STARS novels. Watch for the next installments, WAIT and STAY, coming in 2016.

If she’s not writing, you can find her hanging out by the pool with her family, sipping cocktails with her friends, or of course with her nose buried in a book.

Be sure not to miss new releases and sales from A.L. Jackson – Sign up to receive her newsletter http://bit.ly/NewsFromALJackson or text “jackson” to 96000 to receive short but sweet updates on all the important news.

Connect with A.L. Jackson online:www.aljacksonauthor.com

Snapchat: aljacksonauthor

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Release Blitz + Excerpt + 5 Star Review + Giveaway: Taking Turns by J A Huss – The Turning Series – Book 1

Posted on 01/23/2017 by shellbellereads

Title: Taking Turns

Series: Turning #1

Author: JA Huss

Genre: Dark Erotic Suspense

Release Date: January 18, 2017

Blurb

Chella plays the game of Taking Turns with three men as she comes to terms with her sexuality.

Number One is mostly silent. He watches me with them very carefully. His gaze never wanders. His interest never wanes.

Number Two is mostly gentle. But it’s the other side of him I like best. The wild side.

Number Three is mostly reserved. He refuses to cross the line. Even when I beg.

It was carnal, it was sensual, and it was erotic. That’s it. That’s all it was supposed to be. A trip into the dark. A peek into the forbidden.

I just didn’t expect to like them.

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Trailer

Excerpt

QUIN

“You want it hard tonight?” I ask. “You want me to fuck you hard?” I grab her hair and pull, making her upper body lift up off the mattress. My other hand is digging into the flesh just below her hip.

I scoot back and reach under her thighs, drawing them up so she’s on her knees, and press her face into the pillow as I pound her from behind.

“Yeah,” I say, half speaking, half moaning. “You like it like this, don’t you? You let Bric fuck you like this all the time, don’t you?”

I reach around and smack her tit, which makes her yelp. A high-pitched yelp I’m not familiar with. For a second I think I’ve hurt her, and I slow down. But she backs up into me, covering my dick again. Burying it deep inside her. Everything is already so wet. She feels so goddamned good tonight.

“You fucking whore,” I say, letting go of her hair so she falls face-first back into the pillow. “You let Bric fuck you like this, Rochelle? You like the way he slaps you around? Hmm?”

Hell, I like the way Bric slaps her around. And as soon as that thought enters my head I laugh.

“Maybe we’ll do it rough next weekend. You want that? You want us to fuck you hard? Stick our dicks inside you at the same time?”

Another unfamiliar moan.

“I’ll take that as a yes,” I say, still kinda laughing. But then I let it go and just… fuck her. I grab onto her ass and do it hard. Pounding her with so much force, her head is inching closer and closer to the headboard of the bed.

I don’t stop when it finally makes it there. I just keep thrusting until the pounding is compounded by the headboard crashing into the wall.

She’s moaning. Close. So fucking close to coming. I reach underneath her body and strum her clit to the rhythm we’re making. She goes wild. Wild like I’ve never seen her before. Writhing, and moaning, and gasping for air.

I draw back, grab her hips, and flip her over, one hand pushing her head aside so her cheek is pressing into the pillow, the other one still playing with her pussy. I watch my dick as it slips in and out, just barely able to make it out in the dim, filtered light from outside.

I grab her hair, so fucking ready to come, and yank her head so she has to look at me. Her eyes are closed, but I don’t care. I press my hand over her mouth and close my eyes too. And then I spill inside her. Throwing my head back to let out a groan of relief.

Her legs are trembling from the exertion. Little spasms as she gasps for breath. I laugh a little as I roll off to the side and wrap my arms around her. “What’s wrong, baby? Too much for you tonight?”

No answer.

I bury my head into her neck and smell her hair.

“Did you get a new shampoo?” I ask. “You smell so different.”

No answer.

“You want a date with Bric on Sunday? Hmm? We can skip Smith if you want.” I kiss her neck and then pull back and open my eyes. Trying to get an idea if she’s up for this kind of fun. It’s been a while so I—

I blink my eyes. Three times, fast.

“Rochelle—”

“I’m sorry,” she says. “I’m sorry—”

But I’m up and out of the bed, fisting her hair and pulling her with me. She drops to the floor, whimpering.

“I’m sorry,” she says again.

“Who the fuck are you?” I ask. “Where the fuck is Rochelle?”

“I’m sorry,” she says. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry.”

_____________________________

Michel’s Review

Spoiler Free Review

***

The Game

3 Men

1 Woman

4 Players

Very Detailed and Specific Rules

Specific Time Guidelines for each player

No Winner

No Loser

One Prize For All – Carnal Delight

End of Game

What started out as a game with no losers or winners has turned into a game of consequences. I can’t wait to see what comes next in The Turning Series. Turning Back will release on April 12, 2017.

Pre Order: Amazon

_______________________________

Coming Soon

Title: Turning Back

Series: Turning #2

Author: JA Huss

Genre: Dark Erotic Suspense

Release Date: April 12, 2017

Blurb

Quin, with his easy smile and charming good looks. He was always there for me… Until he wasn’t.

Smith, and his dispassionate attention. He was never there for me and he never regretted it.

Bric, the one who listened, but only to himself. Self-absorbed, self-obsessed, and self-serving. He was never the one I wanted.

And now he might be the only one I have left.

It was good while it lasted, I guess. But it could’ve been so much more. It could’ve been so much better.

And that’s why I’m turning back.

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Release Blitz + Excerpt + 5 Star Review + Giveaway: Taking Turns by J A Huss – The Turning Series – Book 1

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