Book Tour + 5 Star Review + Giveaway : 9 Letters by Blake Austin

Posted on 02/24/2016 by shellbellereads

9 Letters

By Blake Austin

Synopsis

Luke Cawley is a broken man. After his wife’s tragic death, he lost everything that mattered in the world. Now, his life is filled with hard days, harder nights, and a steady stream of alcohol and the wrong kind of women. Nothing helps.

Until the letters arrive on Luke’s doorstep.

Nine envelopes. Nine messages. Nine chances to find his way back.

Rae Goode is looking for the real thing. After fighting her way out of a string of bad relationships, she’s ready for something different–something true.

She meets Luke while piecing her life together, and right away she can tell that he’s different. Drawn together by fate and the desire to heal, Rae and Luke discover new ways to mend their broken hearts–one letter at a time.

Discover Blake Austin’s debut novel of loss, redemption, and ever-enduring love.

Excerpt

I was about twenty minutes early for my shift, but I got up to the bar, grabbed a rag, started wiping it down, bussing some dishes.

“Damn, Luke,” Jake said, watching me work. “You win the lotto or something? Royals win the pennant last night and I forgot to watch?”

“I’m just in a good mood, that’s all,” I said.

I thought about it a moment longer, decided I should tell him more. Impart some wisdom learned from my not-particularly-advanced years.

“When everything’s dark for so damn long and your eyes get used to it,” I said, “just a little glimmer of sunshine lights up the whole world.”

He nodded, then grabbed a bus bin and headed back into the kitchen.

Warren though, Warren wasn’t impressed. He was sitting by one of the daytime barflies, but he’d stopped talking and was just watching me. I was on thin ice, and I knew it. I couldn’t afford to lose my job. A heartbroken, drunk, angry widower is probably as unemployable as the average ex-con.

I came on at the end of the day shift. Warren liked tending bar during the day, because it meant just shooting the shit with the regulars. That day I had a smile for every customer, sparse words of wisdom like day drunks want to hear. Tending bar wasn’t my dream. But to hell with letting that make me lazy. I kept the place clean, I poured drinks like I cared.

I was getting into the swing of it when happy hour kicked in and a few more people filtered through the door. Couple of middle-aged bikers, a retired couple that parked their RV out front.

The door swung open again, letting in a little bit of that early-evening cold, and I glanced up to see a crowd of three women, with two men. One of the women was a reddish blonde, radiant. Sort of stole the light out of the room. It was Rae. Our eyes met and her smile gave the room back its light.

She’d been in jeans at the shelter, but she was in a blue dress now and she looked damn fine in either. Took my mind right off Maggie, faster than I thought it would be possible. I met her eyes, and she gave out a little gasp and giggle. I was probably smiling in surprise myself.

The crowd came over to the bar. I’d thought the other four were two couples, but I realized pretty quick that the black girl with the afro was dating the quiet white guy in a beard and glasses and tattoos, and that the other guy was trying to impress Rae. He had a John Deere hat, but his clothes were way too clean for me to buy it that he worked on a farm. I hated him, right off. I probably would have hated him if he was the best guy in the world, though. The other girl, she was tall, latina, and for some indiscernible reason was interested in the poser farmer.

Most of the time, I’m awful at reading people. But for some reason, at work I can tell you everything about everyone who walks in the door. About who’s into who, about who had a bad day at work. Who wants to get drunk and miserable, who wants to get drunk and happy, who wants to get drunk and start trouble. Maybe it’s some magic of the job, maybe it’s just how people carry themselves at a bar. Helps with tips, that’s for certain. You wingman right, and the money flows in.

Warren, he likes to upsell them drinks when he’s doing that. Get them excited about the top shelf. Not me.

“Hey, Rae,” I said.

“Luke,” she said.

John Deere looked at me like I was the scum of the earth. And maybe I was, but if I was the scum then he was… I don’t know, something worse than scum. Wannabe scum.

She introduced me to her friends. Nicole had the afro, her boyfriend was Eric. The girl with bad taste was Irina, and John Deere had some name but honestly it went in one ear and out the other. He was John Deere to me. Yeah, maybe I’m an asshole.

“So, how do you know this guy?” Deere asked, tossing me a look that said I clearly wasn’t good enough to be friend with someone like Rae.

“Oh, he came in just the other day. Adopted the sweetest dog, a bloodhound.” She turned to me, flashing that dimple high on her cheek. “How is he? You guys call a truce yet?”

“King’s great,” I said. “I mean, he’s probably at home right now, eating everything I’ve ever owned, but I figure I was due for a purge anyway, right?”

It was a lame attempt at humor, but Rae laughed.

“What can I get you all? Friend of Rae’s is a friend of mine.”

Michel’s Review

Imagine finding the love of your life when you’re in high school. A love so pure and whole. Taking the next step is only natural. Marriage, careers, and maybe kids. But what happens when fate steps in and takes it all away before it could blossom to it’s full potential. It’s pure devastation, heartbreak, and loss. Not only have you lost the one person that means the most to you, you have lost the other half of your self. You are left to navigate through life without purpose or hope.

One year after Emily’s death, Luke is still reeling from the loss. He has pulled away from his family, friends, and business. He’s barely surviving his grief. The loss, guilt, and loneliness are just a few of the side effects he’s feeling. Then one day a package is on his doorstep. The package contains nine letters from his wife Emily. These letters has specific tasks and instructions that he must follow before opening the next letter.

Opening the first letter is like ripping his heart out. He’s shocked when he reads the instructions. Get A Dog. Thus begins Luke’s journey to becoming the man he was meant to be. Each letter is more than a task, it is a revelation.

Blake Austin delivered an emotional story that is more than an epic love story. It was a story of hope and redemption. I could not put this book down and blew through an entire box of tissues while reading 9 Letters.

Follow Blake Austin…

Facebook ~ Goodreads

GIVEAWAY
$20 Winner’s Choice Book Retailer Gift Card & Signed Paperback (1 Winner)

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New Release + 5 Star Review + 2016 Favorite: Hidden Bodies by Caroline Kepnes … A Dark Thriller

Posted on 02/23/2016 by shellbellereads

Hidden Bodies

By Caroline Kepnes

A Dark Thriller

Sequel to You

Buy : Amazon / B & N / ITunes

Synopsis

In the compulsively readable follow-up to her widely acclaimed debut novel, You, Caroline Kepnes weaves a tale that Booklist calls “the love child of Holden Caulfield and Patrick Bateman.”

Hidden Bodies marks the return of a voice that Stephen King described as original and hypnotic, and through the divisive and charmingly sociopathic character of Joe Goldberg, Kepnes satirizes and dissects our culture, blending suspense with scathing wit.

Joe Goldberg is no stranger to hiding bodies. In the past ten years, this thirty-something has buried four of them, collateral damage in his quest for love. Now he’s heading west to Los Angeles, the city of second chances, determined to put his past behind him.

In Hollywood, Joe blends in effortlessly with the other young upstarts. He eats guac, works in a bookstore, and flirts with a journalist neighbor. But while others seem fixated on their own reflections, Joe can’t stop looking over his shoulder. The problem with hidden bodies is that they don’t always stay that way. They re-emerge, like dark thoughts, multiplying and threatening to destroy what Joe wants most: truelove. And when he finds it in a darkened room in Soho House, he’s more desperate than ever to keep his secrets buried. He doesn’t want to hurt his new girlfriend—he wants to be with her forever. But if she ever finds out what he’s done, he may not have a choice…

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Robin’s Review

We first meet Joe Goldberg in You, the debut novel from author Caroline Kepnes. An irresistible page-turner, You has been compared to some of the great dark thrillers and has even received praise from author Stephen King. Joe is clever, humorous and quite sociopathic in his quest to find love. He’s a stalker and a murderer, but Joe is also a strangely loveable character. His character has even acquired a dedicated following. Now the adventures of Joe Goldberg resume in the latest novel from Kepnes titled Hidden Bodies.

As the synopsis says, “Joe Goldberg is no stranger to hiding bodies. In the past ten years, this thirty-something has buried four of them, collateral damage in his quest for love.” Joe heads west in Hidden Bodies, from New York to Los Angeles, in search of his most recent girlfriend. Although Joe arrives in Los Angeles with an agenda, his plans are soon derailed when he meets Love Quinn and her brother, Forty. Joe is witty and smart, and he quickly blends in with the Hollywood crowd. Love is the perfect woman for Joe, and he is desperate to make her his forever girl. But Joe is haunted by hidden bodies and a mugofurine, and they threaten to derail his plans for a future with Love.

Caroline Kepnes must be one clever author to develop a character such as Joe Goldberg. He is one of the most interesting characters I have EVER come across. Since Hidden Bodies is written in Joe’s point of view, we are given a glimpse into his motivations. Joe is brilliant and quick on his feet when making decisions, but he still becomes entangled in web of lies and deceit as he searches for Amy Adam. He becomes more sidetracked by each new person that he meets. When Joe gets out of one jam, he finds himself in another. It’s controlled chaos.

Kepnes has a special sense of humor embedded in her writing. Hidden Bodies is a dark thriller about a serial killer! You might be thinking to yourself, how could this possibly be funny? There is more irony than I can express in Hidden Bodies. Imagine a serial killer/stalker complaining about people who are mentally ill, violent and crazy! Or grumbling about the lack of safety in the world! Joe is paranoid, as he should be. He attempts to continue a charade of normalcy with Love, while at the same time, he’s stressing out about hidden bodies from his past and plotting another murder!

Hidden Bodies is entertaining, addictive, and at times, had me laughing out loud! Joe is a strangely likeable character, and just as I did when I read You, I couldn’t help pulling for Joe to get the girl. If you haven’t had a chance to read You, I highly recommend it! You will definitely want to read You before you begin reading Hidden Bodies. Both books are excellent choices. I am so excited to share that I’m giving a 5-star rating to Hidden Bodies, and I have added it to my list of 2016 favorites!

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You

By Caroline Kepnes

A Dark Thriller

Buy : Amazon / B & N / ITunes

Synopsis

From debut author Caroline Kepnes comes You, one of Suspense Magazine’s Best Books of 2014, and a brilliant and terrifying novel for the social media age.

When a beautiful, aspiring writer strides into the East Village bookstore where Joe Goldberg works, he does what anyone would do: he Googles the name on her credit card.

There is only one Guinevere Beck in New York City. She has a public Facebook account and Tweets incessantly, telling Joe everything he needs to know: she is simply Beck to her friends, she went to Brown University, she lives on Bank Street, and she’ll be at a bar in Brooklyn tonight—the perfect place for a “chance” meeting.

As Joe invisibly and obsessively takes control of Beck’s life, he orchestrates a series of events to ensure Beck finds herself in his waiting arms. Moving from stalker to boyfriend, Joe transforms himself into Beck’s perfect man, all while quietly removing the obstacles that stand in their way—even if it means murder.

A terrifying exploration of how vulnerable we all are to stalking and manipulation, debut author Caroline Kepnes delivers a razor-sharp novel for our hyper-connected digital age. You is a compulsively readable page-turner that’s being compared to Gone Girl, American Psycho, and Stephen King’s Misery.

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Author Bio

Caroline Kepnes is the author of You and Hidden Bodies. She splits her time between Los Angeles, California and Cape Cod, Massachusetts.

She would love to hear from you over on Facebook.

Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Goodreads

Release Blitz + 5 Star Review : Soulless by T. M. Frazier – The King Series – Book 4

Posted on 02/23/2016 by shellbellereads

Soulless

Lawless Part 2

King Series – Book 4

By T.M. Frazier

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

Synopsis

The finale to Bear and Thia’s epic love story.

Excerpt

“I’ll deal with you when we get back to the house,” Bear snapped, his words loaded with so many different meanings I trembled with both fear and anticipation.

“You’re going to deal with me?” I asked. “How are you going to deal with me?” My attitude and confidence faded with each word until the last was merely a whisper.

“Yes, DEAL with you,” Bear warned, suddenly pausing to take in my appearance. Slowly, from top to bottom, like he’d only just realized I was standing there. His eyelids hung heavy over his sapphire blues as he licked my body with his eyes, drinking me in like he was thirsty.

No, not thirsty.

Hungry.

When he licked his lips I could have sworn he was about to eat me alive. I tingled all over. The awareness of him in such close proximity after so long washed over me. Angry or not, my body didn’t care. I didn’t care. I wanted to reach out and touch his face, reassure him that he had no reason to be angry, but part of me liked that I could draw that kind of reaction from him. He came alive when he was pissed, and something inside me loved that he became this primal possessive beast out to remind me who it was I belonged to.

Bear clenched his jaw and the muscles in his neck tensed and strained. He looked as if he were ready to either kill or fuck. All I knew was that, one way or another, I was about to de devoured.

I pressed my thighs together, trying to manage the pulsing between my legs, but the contact only ignited it further. Bear chuckled and glanced down to where my ankles were crossed. He closed the gap between us in two short strides, taking me off guard. I stumbled backward, tripping over a lose rock in the road. he reached out and roughly grabbed my arm before I could fall, pulling me flush into his hard chest. His warm skin radiated through my thin dress. I bit my lip, suppressing a moan. My legs grew weaker and weaker as he lowered his head, inching closer and closer, until I was sure his lips were going to meet mine, when without warning he released my arm and spun away. “Get in the fucking truck, Ti,” he called back to me.

I stood there, unable to move, and trying to catch my breath while he headed over to King’s truck like that moment never passed between us. When he noticed I wasn’t behind him he growled and stalked back over to me. He grabbed me by the waist, his fingers digging into my skin. He lifted me up, my short dress bunching up over my butt cheeks and slung me over his shoulder like I was a rolled up rug.

Wack.

He slapped my ass with his open palm. Hard. The bite of the smack stung where I was sure he’d left his mark. He tossed me into the truck with a caveman grunt and slammed the door behind me.

I was confused as all hell.

I was so angry.

I was also elated.

I was in lust so hard that I was in physical pain.

I was really fucking angry.

I was head over heels in love.

Motherfucker.

__________________________

Michel’s Review

Lawless ended on a huge cliffhanger. I could not wait for Soulless by T. M. Frazier to release. I needed to read the rest of Bear and Thia’s story. I had high hopes and developed some theories as to what would happen next. I could of never predicted the riveting story that unfolded. There were many new directions, new revelations, and one hell of surprise ending that left me hungering for more.

Bear will do anything to keep Thia safe, including going to prison for her crimes. He has a better chance of surviving inside than she does. His enemies are powerful and his father is a raving lunatic using his power as the Beach Bastards MC president. He’s turned the club on his only son, the heir to the gavel. He’s changed the club from a brotherhood to band of soulless murderers. The question is why? Even Bear doesn’t understand his father’s actions.

As the story unfolds in Lawless, the readers get insight to Bear’s background. His father brutally murdered his mother right in front of him. From that day forward Bear became a soldier rather than a son. As the years progress, his father’s hatred towards him grows to the point of ordering his execution in prison. Bear manages to survive his execution and prison sentence. He has some powerful people on his side to help him with the legal semantics. Now he’s gunning for his father. It’s time for a confrontation and time to end this once and for all. Bear is declaring war on his father.

Bear and Thia have declared their love. They are now declaring war so that they can live their lives as they choose.

I won’t say too much more because it would spoil the heart of the story. It’s not just a war or an epic love story that unfolds in this book. It’s a story that defines the true meaning of family.

The ending left me without words other than…OMG…OMG…OMG!!! Another epic story is coming!

I cannot express how much I love T. M. Frazier’s King Series. I am invested in the characters, their lives, and their stories. They are living on the darker side of life but finding their own slice of happiness in their violent world.

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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

Homeless. Hungry. Desperate.

Doe has no memories of who she is or where she comes from.

A notorious career criminal just released from prison, King is someone you don’t want to cross unless you’re prepared to pay him back in blood, sweat, sex or a combination of all three.

King’s future hangs in the balance. Doe’s is written in her past. When they come crashing together, they will have to learn that sometimes in order to hold on, you have to first let go.

King is the first book in a two part series. Tyrant is the name of the second book due out August 2015.

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

*****
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Tyrant

King Series – Book 2

Conclusion to King

Amazon / Amazon UK

Synopsis

I.Remember. Everything.

Only now I wish I didn’t.

When the fog is sucked away from my mind like smoke through a vacuum, the truth that has been beyond my reach for months finally reveals itself.

But the relief I thought I would feel never comes, and I’m more afraid now than I was the morning I woke up handcuffed in King’s bed.

Because with the truth comes dark secrets I was never meant to know.

I will put the lives of those I love most at risk if I let on that my memory has returned, or if I seek help from the heavily tattooed felon who owns me body and soul.

I don’t know if I’m strong enough to resist the magnetic pull toward King that grows stronger every day.

He’s already saved me in more ways than one. Now it’s my turn to do whatever it takes to save him.

Even if that means marrying someone else

Lawless

King Series – Book 3

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

Blurb

Thia is prim and proper.
Bear is leather and lawless.
It will never work between them.
It’s a lie they almost believe.

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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 + 5 Star Review: Out Of Focus by L. B. Simmons – Chosen Paths Series – Book 2

Posted on 02/19/2016 by shellbellereads

Out of Focus

Chosen Paths Series – Book 2

By L. B. Simmons

*** Upper New Adult Spinoff Standalone to the USA Today Bestselling Novel, Under the Influence***

“Shhhh, Cassandra, it’s our little secret.”

Secrets are stubborn things when they refuse to remain hidden. They tear through your soul, clawing and lashing until the pain becomes so unbearable, you’re left no choice but to silently scream your agony. No one hears you, of course. You smile on the outside and drift through life as though your mind is at peace, but all the while, you remain your own tortured prisoner. Sealed inside the darkened, soundproof room of your conscience, deafening cries echo as you plead for someone to unlock the door and release you from your nightmares. And eventually, when no one comes, you find ways to cope. To dull the suffering the only way you know how.

But what happens when you’ve become so numb, when everything around you has become so blurred, that you begin to lose focus on the saving grace standing directly in front of you? When you’ve anesthetized yourself to the point of losing consciousness, forced to watch as his once solid image fades away, lost to your reach in the haze as it smothers you?

What do you do then?

You fight. You heal. Then you bring him back.

Well, my name is Cassie Cooper, and it’s time.

No more secrets.

This is my story.

***WARNING – The subject matter of this novel centers around the psychological effects due to sexual abuse experienced during childhood. For this reason, as well as sexual situations, language, and adult themes, suggested reading age is 17+.***

AMAZON US **** AMAZON UK

Only twenty-three years old, and I’m so goddamn tired.

I used to be so much stronger. I somehow kept the voices at bay, the memories locked away safely, contained within the confines of my mind. But with each passing day, I feel the glow of my once-luminous strength fading. Darkness encases me now, bowing the walls of protection I put into place years ago. My past is an ever-present nightmare, repeatedly tapping, slowly fracturing the window of my sanity.

I have no doubt that it’s only a matter of time before the glass finally breaks. Blackness will eventually seep through its cracks and deliver me from the safety of my façade into a reality that will destroy me.

My reality.

I’ve done my part. I’ve kept the secrets thrust upon me with dedicated believability. My portrayal of who I am has become a blurred, hazy version of the once very distinct Cassie Cooper.

I read an ungodly amount of trashy romance novels.

I’m the overtly sexual and foul-mouthed friend who will say anything to get a laugh.

And I have exactly zero fucks to give to what anyone else thinks about my actions.

But the reality, the actuality, is this:

I read obsessively to escape my own world. To live the dreams of others when, for so long, the reoccurrence of my nightmares has been my reality. I read to fall in love and find a happily ever after, even if it is purely imagined. With each story I read, I’m able to live and love vicariously through the characters in my books. It’s the only plausible way for me to survive.

I threw away my virginity at the age of thirteen just to prove something. And when I found that proof, that vindication I was looking for, I sought it every chance I could. Sex is about control for me. Nothing more. The act will never be about making love, like it is for the heroines in my books. I will never be granted the beauty of that gift.

I use humor as a form of avoidance. I draw upon laughter to block the pain. And I smile to mask the agony of the eight-year-old soul who weeps within me.

And the fucks . . . well, that’s not entirely accurate either.

I have given two to be exact: One to my best friend of seventeen years. She knows nothing of my past, and although she so willingly disclosed the horrors of hers, mine remains hidden for no other reason than to avoid the pity she would undoubtedly cast my way if I were to ever tell her. I don’t want her pity. I would sooner die than have her look at me in any other way than with pride.

The other died with the person to whom it was given. Anthony “Rat” Marchione. He was my one allowance of naïveté. The one person I actually wanted to touch me, to hold me, to love me. He was going to rescue me from my brokenness as though I were a character in one of my books. Young and senseless, I thought he was to be my eventual happily ever after, but tragically, he was murdered five years ago.

Black coldness waits in vain to leech the void where his once beautiful existence filled the pieces of my irrevocably shattered heart. Where he temporarily healed the hurt of the innocent child and quieted the voices that tormented her.

He’s gone now. I’ve accepted that. And in turn, I have relinquished all dreams associated with finding the light at the end of this miserable tunnel.

I will keep trudging through this life . . . this sentence handed to me for someone else’s crime, my payment shackled by secrets and weighted with lies. I will continue to do so with the same fraudulent smile on my lips and play the part of the strong heroine so convincingly, that even I believe it.

It’s only a matter of time before my fictional strength wears out—when I’m no longer hidden safely inside my protective blur—and I have to face the very real and lucid image of my past.

But until that time comes, I’ll do all I can do.

All I have ever done.

I will pretend.

Michel’s Review

I was quite surprised when L. B. Simmons announced the upcoming release of Out of Focus. After reading Under The Influence, I was under the impression it was a stand alone novel. Cassie Cooper was Spencer’s crazy BFF. She was wild, loose, and free spirited. The perfect supporting character in Spencer’s story. I never thought twice about her. But like most people, Cassie has a story. Her story is dark and unexpected.

Cassie has always had a secret to hide. A secret that has tormented her since she was a young girl. A secret that has molded her into the woman she is today. Most people look at Cassie as the life of the party. An easy lay. And she is all that but beneath the surface is a very frightened little girl that can’t face herself in the mirror.

When she joins Spencer in a Krav Maga self defense class, it ends up opening the door for her self awareness. Grady Bennett, the sexy instructor, sees beyond Cassie’s facade. He sees the little girl hiding behind the harlot. His main goal is to make Cassie smile for herself not for others. He wants her to see the dynamic woman she is beneath the facade. He wants that little girl that got imprisoned in Cassie’s mind to be set free.

Cassie has a hard road ahead of her. She wants to have a relationship with Grady but before she can do that she has to learn how to fall and let someone catch her. She has to learn to love the image she sees in the mirror. She has to let go of the past and run towards the future. She needs to be whole.

Cassie’s story is heartbreaking. She experienced horrific abuse as a child. The kind of abuse that no one ever really walks away from. With the support of Grady, she may be able to face her demons. But first she has to be ready to open the door and let them out.

L. B. Simmons wrote an emotional story about a very damaged women. It’s not pretty and it’s not an easy fix. She allowed Cassie to reach rock bottom before she could climb back up. Along the way she was lucky enough to find the kind of love that will always be there for her.

I highly recommend reading Out of Focus by L. B. Simmons

________________________________________________

L.B. Simmons is a graduate of Texas A&M University and
holds a degree in Biomedical Science.
She has been a practicing Chemist for the last 11 years. She lives with her husband and three
daughters in Texas and writes every chance she gets.

Join her newsletter here

FACEBOOK TWITTER WEBSITE GOODREADS AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE

Release Blitz + 5 Star Review: Forever Family by Deanna Roy – The Forever Series – Book 5

Posted on 02/19/2016 by shellbellereads

Forever Family

The Forever Series – Book 5

By Deanna Roy

Buy : Amazon / B & N / ITunes / Kobo

Synopsis

Happily Ever After isn’t a destination.
It’s a journey.

The FINAL book in the emotional USA Today bestselling Forever series.

CORABELLE
Most days, I’m fine. I’m married to a hunk. Seriously. He rides a motorcycle, works in a garage, then studies for college on the side. And makes my toes curl, well, you know how.

But a long time ago, when we were young, something really bad happened to us. Bad enough to break us up.

I thought marriage would make things right. And it’s been happy. But something’s missing. The one thing we always wanted, but lost.

And my best friend just got it.

JENNY
I know everybody envies my life. I’m a little wild. I hang with celebrities. I got married in the back of an ambulance by a rock star. And the baby girl who arrived at the end of that lights-and-siren ride is definitely a bundle of joy.

But my life isn’t as easy as it looks. With my husband about to hit big with his first album, and every two-bit floozy in the music industry hanging on him, I really need my best friends. I can’t get through this without them.

TINA
There is entirely too much misery in the world to manage the sparkly pink explosion that is Jenny and her baby. I’ve got so much on my hands already with my art mentor so close to the end. And Darion expecting our wedding to actually, well…happen.

I know the stories tell you that happily ever after is what comes when he pops the question and you say yes.

But life is really messy. And sometimes your horse-drawn pumpkin takes off at full gallop for a cliff.

That’s where I am. And that’s why I had to leave. Because before I can get to the big finish, I have something else I have to do. A bit of business I should have taken care of long ago, but I was only a teenager then.

I can only hope that by the time I get it done, I haven’t lost everyone I care about. Because when you’ve spent your whole life running, you forget that what really matters is your family.

FOREVER FAMILY can be read as a standalone novel, although it is best after learning the history of the girls in the other four books of the Forever series.

Michel’s Review

Wow! Forever Family was an epic ending to the Forever Series. The Forever Series looks at real life with an honest view. Deanna Roy allowed all of the characters to take the next step in their journey to complete fulfillment. She allowed them to stumble along the way, face their fears, evolve into stronger people, and fully appreciate all the gifts in life.

Forever Family should not be read as a stand alone romance. This book picks up where the fourth book left off. Three couples are moving forward in very different ways. Through it all their friendship makes them family.

Without giving away too many spoilers, I will say that this book felt real. The emotions that each of these women experienced hit very close to home. How they dealt with their lives was admirable, frustrating, and at times heartbreaking. They each had to come full circle to find their happiness.

The birth of a baby.

The heartbreak of losing parental visitation rights.

The fear of being a mother.

The fear of never being a mother.

Financial Issues.

A funeral for a friend.

Two weddings.

Facing those they left behind.

The courage of letting go of the past.

The courage to move forward in life.

Accepting the gift of life.

Forever Family was a beautiful ending to an epic series.

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The Forever Series

The Forever Series Box Set

Books 1-3

By Deanna Roy

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Steamy. Emotional. And now, all in one boxed set.

The fist three standalone novels in the USA Today bestselling Forever series is available in one volume!
“One of my favorite love stories, ever.” — Brittany and Biana Blab Books
“A love you wish everyone could experience.” — Book Drunk Blog

BOOK 1: FOREVER INNOCENT
A Top 100 Book on Amazon

“Our baby died on prom night, and nothing was ever the same again.”

Corabelle doesn’t feel like any of the other college girls. On what should have been one of the happiest nights of her life, she and her boyfriend Gavin watched a nurse disconnect the ventilator from their seven-day-old baby. During the funeral two days later, Gavin walked out and never returned.

Since then, her life has been a spiral of disasters. The only thing that has helped is her ability to black out whenever the pain gets too hard to bear, a habit that has become an addiction.

When Gavin shows up in her astronomy class four years later, he is hell-bent on getting her back, insisting she forgive him. Corabelle knows she can’t resist the touch that fills the empty ache that has haunted her since he left. But if he learns what she has done, if he follows the trail back through her past, her secrets will destroy their love completely. And once again, she’ll lose the only person who always believed she was innocent.

BOOK 2: FOREVER LOVED

“Delivered with sensitivity, brutal honesty, emotional scenes, and an everlasting hope that love can conquer all.” — Hesperia Loves Books
“Did I cry? Oh yeah, but not for the same reasons as before. Will this book stay on my shelf for years to come! You betcha!” — 2 Bookaholics

After four long years of separation, Gavin has finally reunited with his childhood love Corabelle. She’s forgiven him for leaving her during the funeral of their seven-day-old baby.

But a message from Rosa, a prostitute he met during their time apart, brings his life to a crashing halt. She claims Gavin has fathered a son. He doesn’t know if he can trust Rosa, or if his delicate reconciliation with Corabelle can withstand the shock if it is true.

Corabelle believes their future together is the right thing despite their past. But when she learns of this other child, the one thing she lost long ago and might never have again with Gavin, Corabelle’s faith that her life will ever follow her old dream is shattered. To make things right for Gavin and his son, she just might have to let go of the only person she always believed would be her forever love.

BOOK 3: FOREVER SHELTERED

“Hooked me from Chapter 1.” — Fire and Ice Book Reviews
“Put this on your TBR list and bump it to the top.” — Eat Sleep Read Blog

Tina would rather sew up her girl parts with dental floss than go on a second date with a man. She’s been dumped enough to know not to get attached.

But when Dr. Darion Marks comes into her art therapy room to ask a favor for a special patient, Tina recognizes the haunted look he buries beneath his stoic professionalism. So rather than be forced to ditch the handsome doctor after a single night, she decides not to date him at all.

So how exactly DO they end up half-naked in Surgical Suite B?

Dr. Darion has a lot to hide. His baby sister is the only family he has left, and he’s not leaving her treatment to some incompetent hack.

But now he’s breaking every hospital rule imaginable. He lied about his sister so he can manage her care, and now he’s banging the art therapy teacher between patient rounds like a fraternity boy at a keg party.

Nobody believes this can end well, but Dr. Darion and Tina have one thing going for them – a fierce passion for each other that just might solve all their problems.

THREE COMPLETE FULL-LENGTH NOVELS.
Catch up on the series for one discounted price.
There will be five books in the series.
Book Four, FOREVER BOUND, is now available.

Forever Bound: A Not Yet Rock Star

Forever Series – Book 4

By Deanna Roy

Synopsis

Jenny is a girlfriend-for-hire, the platonic kind.

While under contract with her movie director boyfriend, glamour has ruled. Designer gowns. Red-carpet premieres. And, of course, seeing her face in the tabloids.

She loves tabloids.

But her reign has come to an end. Her sugar daddy has fallen in love — with someone else. Her contract is over and tonight she has to end it publicly by making sure the paparazzi “catches” her with another man.

She just has to find the man.

Chance has been hitchhiking across the US, playing and singing for tips. This is the life he’s always imagined, and the farther he gets from his disastrous family in Tennessee, the better he feels.

An unexpected invitation to sing with an indie blues group at a movie premiere party gives him a sweet taste of fame. As a bonus, a beautiful girl with pink dreadlocks only has eyes for him.

But the collision between Jenny and Chance is more emotional and intense than either of them expected. When the scandal hits the news, Chance’s family finds him, pushing him to come home and face his demons.

The night has even more consequences for Jenny. She needs to find Chance, but nobody knows anything about him, not even his last name.

Her journey takes her across the country and into the disaster Chance is running from. But she can’t give up on him, because what neither of them realized is that sometimes a single night can be the beginning of forever.

–Full length standalone HEA.
–Includes characters from Forever Innocent and Forever Sheltered and even *surprise* — singer Dylan Wolf from JJ Knight’s Revenge and Blue Shoes series.
–May require tissues.

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Forever Family

The Forever Series – Book 5

By Deanna Roy

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Synopsis

Happily Ever After isn’t a destination.
It’s a journey.

The FINAL book in the emotional USA Today bestselling Forever series.

CORABELLE
Most days, I’m fine. I’m married to a hunk. Seriously. He rides a motorcycle, works in a garage, then studies for college on the side. And makes my toes curl, well, you know how.

But a long time ago, when we were young, something really bad happened to us. Bad enough to break us up.

I thought marriage would make things right. And it’s been happy. But something’s missing. The one thing we always wanted, but lost.

And my best friend just got it.

I know the stories tell you that happily ever after is what comes when he pops the question and you say yes.

But life is really messy. And sometimes your horse-drawn pumpkin takes off at full gallop for a cliff.

I can only hope that by the time I get it done, I haven’t lost everyone I care about. Because when you’ve spent your whole life running, you forget that what really matters is your family.

FOREVER FAMILY can be read as a standalone novel, although it is best after learning the history of the girls in the other four books of the Forever series.

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Author Bio:

Deanna Roy is the USA Today bestselling author of contemporary romance and women’s fiction.

She is a passionate advocate for women who have lost babies. She has several books on the subject, including her bestseller FOREVER INNOCENT, a romance about a couple whose baby is taken off life support at seven days old.

She has run the website PregnancyLoss.Info for fifteen years, including many large spin-off support groups both online and in person.

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5 Star Review: Craving Molly by Nicole Jacquelyn – The Aces Sons Series – Book 2

Posted on 02/17/2016 by shellbellereads

Craving Molly

The Aces Sons Series – Book 2

A Spinoff of the Aces MC Series

By Nicole Jacquelyn

Buy : Amazon

Synopsis

Will Hawthorne has been running since the day his baby brother was killed.

He takes the jobs no one else wants, pitches in when he’s needed and never complains, all in an effort to win back the trust of his brothers at the Aces and Eights Motorcycle Club.
Then he catches sight of Molly Duncan across a crowded bar.

He’d grown up with her, known her when she had lopsided pigtails and buck teeth, and had watched uninterested as she’d caught the eye of their high school football star.

She’d also been his nurse on the worst night of his life.

He wants her and he gets her… and it’s better than he could have ever imagined.

But Molly isn’t interested in his life at the MC. She’s got her own life as a nurse and a single mom to her little girl.

As Molly and Will grow closer, Will is pulled in two different directions.

Life with the Aces or life with Molly and her daughter.

When he leaves Molly without a word, his decision is clear.

He knows immediately that it was the wrong one.

Unfortunately for Will, a strong woman like Molly doesn’t forgive easily.

Michel’s Review

Craving Molly by Nicole Jacquelyn was one of those surprise releases. As a die hard Aces MC fan, I try very hard to keep up with Nicole Jacquelyn’s releases. Imagine my surprise when I got a FB notification that Craving Molly had released. I was instantly on Amazon purchasing this book. Of course I had several review commitments that I had to do before I cracked this book. The wait was killing me because I wanted to dive into this book after what happened in Craving Trix. T

he Aces world had been tilted upside down. The tragedies they were dealt was devastating. The healing process was going to be hard for all of them. The one that took it the hardest was Will Hawthorne. Will Hawthorne is Grease and Callie’s oldest son. He felt responsible for the death of his younger brother. He felt like he brought the devastation to their front door. For the past few years he has been living with the guilt. While the others moved forward with life, he was stalled. The only thing he could commit to was the Aces MC club itself. He became one of their most employed soldiers. His only mission was to protect the club.

When he runs into Molly Duncan he finds his interest is once again engaged in something other than club business. Molly was the shy, untouchable girl from high school. She was the nurse that took care of him while he was in the hospital. Now she’s the woman he wants in his bed. He knows she’s different from the women he is used to. She’s never been around club life and he is okay with that. She’s something that he can have for himself, that is separate from his obligations. Something that isn’t a reminder of the horrific day that killed his younger brother.

Molly Duncan is different from the folks from the Aces MC. She has led a pretty sheltered life that was laced with her own personal tragedies. Her high school sweetheart and father of her daughter died unexpectedly when she was pregnant. Her young daughter is a special needs child. Her only focus is taking care of her daughter to the best of her ability. But when she runs into Will Hawthorne, she also realizes she is a woman with her own personal needs. The question is can she take a risk on fulfilling her needs? How is it going to affect her daughter? Will being a member of the Aces is another problem. Her father is their attorney and he has laid the law down where they are concerned.

Will and Molly start a beautiful friendship that becomes something more. He’s fallen in love with her and her daughter. When they try to blend their worlds it becomes clear that they might not mix. Rather than trying to make it work, Will does what he does best, he chooses the club.

Months later Molly’s world and Will’s world collide in a very violent and horrific way. This time Will is choosing Molly. He will protect her at any cost. This time around he is playing for keeps. But can he protect Molly and the Aces.

As the story unfolds it becomes clear that The Aces Sons Series is heading towards one explosive plot. Rather than each book having it’s own story that fits into the Aces world, the new series has an individual love story that is thrown into the fire of the Aces world. Each book is building up to an explosive ending. The ongoing plot is getting more treacherous and dangerous for all of the Aces.

Once again Nicole Jacquelyn wrote a compelling and passionate story. This time around she added something special. She gave the Aces a beautiful special little girl to take into their fold.

I loved Craving Molly!

I must say that this is not a stand alone book. It’s better to read the Aces MC series and the first book in the Aces Sons series. The characters, the club dynamics, and build up to this book are laid out as the series progresses.

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The Complete Aces MC Series

Over 400,000 words.

Four complete novels.

Four never before seen bonus scenes.

Four protective men.

Four strong women.

Four stories that will break your heart and then piece it back together again.

Craving Constellations- Dragon and Brenna
Craving Redemption- Callie and Grease
Craving Absolution- Casper and Farrah
Craving Resurrection- Poet and Amy

Come meet the Aces MC, the loyal men who carry its banner and the women who love them.

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Craving Trix

Ace’s Sons Series – Book 1

Spinoff of Aces MC Series

By Nicole Jacquelyn

Release Date : July 13, 2015

Synopsis

Bellatrix White had loved Cameron Harrison for as long as she could remember. He was her best friend and her closest confidant, and she knew one day he’d be her forever.

Then he broke her heart.

After five years of complete silence between them, the motorcycle club they grew up in comes under attack, giving Cam the opportunity he needs to work his way back into Trix’s life.

Because while Trix was nursing her broken heart, Cam was realizing exactly what he’d given up.

They fall into a relationship easily, but when new tragedies mix with old memories, neither of the lovers are prepared for the fallout.

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Craving Molly

The Aces Sons Series – Book 2

A Spinoff of the Aces MC Series

By Nicole Jacquelyn

Buy : Amazon

Synopsis

Will Hawthorne has been running since the day his baby brother was killed.

He’d grown up with her, known her when she had lopsided pigtails and buck teeth, and had watched uninterested as she’d caught the eye of their high school football star.

She’d also been his nurse on the worst night of his life.

He wants her and he gets her… and it’s better than he could have ever imagined.

But Molly isn’t interested in his life at the MC. She’s got her own life as a nurse and a single mom to her little girl.

As Molly and Will grow closer, Will is pulled in two different directions.

Life with the Aces or life with Molly and her daughter.

When he leaves Molly without a word, his decision is clear.

He knows immediately that it was the wrong one.

Unfortunately for Will, a strong woman like Molly doesn’t forgive easily.

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About Nicole Jacquelyn

Nicole Jacquelyn is the mom of two little girls and a full time college student. She hasn’t watched television in well over a year, she still does things that drive her mother crazy, and she loves to read. At eight years old, when asked what she wanted to be when she grew up, she told people she wanted to be a mom. When she was twelve her answer changed- to author. By the time she was eighteen, when people asked her what she wanted to do with her life, she told them she really wanted to be a writer- but the odds of that happening were so slim that she’d get her business degree “just to be safe”. Her dreams stayed constant. First she became a mom, then she went to college, and during her senior year- with one daughter in first grade and the other in preschool, she sat down and wrote a story.

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5 Star Review: Appealed by Emma Chase – Legal Briefs Series – Book 3

Posted on 02/16/2016 by shellbellereads

Appealed

Legal Briefs Series – Book 3

By Emma Chase

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Synopsis:

When Brent Mason looks at Kennedy Randolph, he doesn’t see the awkward, sweet girl who grew up next door. He sees a self-assured, stunning woman…who wants to crush the most intimate–and prized–parts of his anatomy beneath the heels of her Louboutins.

When Kennedy looks at Brent, all she sees is the selfish, Abercrombie & Fitch catalogue-worthy teenager who humiliated her in high school in order to join the popular crowd. A crowd that made those years a living hell for her.

But she’s not a lovesick social outcast anymore–she’s a Washington, DC, prosecutor with a long winning streak. Brent is the opposing attorney in her next case, and Kennedy thinks it’s time to put him through a little hell of his own.

But things aren’t exactly working out the way she planned. Brent has his sights set on Kennedy, and every fiery exchange only makes him want her more–and makes her wonder if he’s as passionate in the bedroom as he is in the courtroom. In the end, they may just find themselves in love…or in contempt of court.

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Michel’s Review

The court is in session. The case has been tried.

The verdict…

Appealed by Emma Chase is a 5 Star Book!

The new year has started out with quite a bang. Each week has seen over twenty five new releases in the romance genre. It’s hard for readers to keep up. We are loading our kindles and draining our bank accounts because we are passionate about our vice. Our to be read list is growing. Luckily it is winter. The colder weather tends to keep us inside and snuggled up with a good book. The snow days are an extra bonus for readers. It gives us a little more time to engage in our passion. One of my chosen snow day books was Appealed by Emma Chase.

Appealed by Emma Chase is a second chance romance that will leave the readers with a warm and fuzzy feeling.

Brent Mason is the final partner to take the plunge in the romantic pool. He is probably the most well adjusted, self assured, and easy going partner in the firm. Although he was born rich, he doesn’t believe he is entitled. He has a strong work ethic and sense of justice. He’s able to see both sides of the coin. His clients may be guilty but he looks beyond the criminal infractions to the criminal himself. He looks at the motivating factors, the past experiences, and the potential for reform. Not every client is going to make the list but the ones that do, he gives 200%.

The case he’s working on now is a case that involves a seventeen year old boy hacking into banking records. He is clearly guilty but he is also redeemable. Brent is trying to find the best solutions that will give this kid more than a criminal record. He wants to give this kid a second chance. The case looks like an easy win until the DA trying the case is changed to a new DA. This new DA is going for the maximum sentencing.

When the case finally goes to court Brent is in for another big surprise. The prosecutor is none other than his former best friend, his former almost girlfriend, and the girl who broke his young heart. Kennedy Randolph is back in town. She has a whole new look and a whole new attitude. She’s tougher than nails and unbendable. What happened to the sweet girl he played with in his backyard? What happened to the beautiful young girl that stole his heart? It’s clearly evident this icy, hard woman is not the same person. He’s still intrigued.

As the story unfolds, Brent is going to get a run for his money. His cool, self assured manner is going to be tested. His psychiatrist is going to be working overtime. Brent is determined to win the case and win Kennedy’s heart.

Kennedy Randolf has changed and for good reason. She doesn’t need a spoiled rich boy that betrayed her to remind of the stupid girl she once was. But that spoiled rich boy was more than she thought. She knew he had a good heart but just used it stupidly. Now that rich boy is a sexy lawyer pleading his case. Can she find it in her heart to give him a second chance.

Appealed lives up to the previous books in this series. It is loaded with humor, snarky dialogue, downright fun moments, and a touching romance. I could not put this book down.

Emma Chase has delivered another fantastic book!

The Legal Briefs Series

Overruled – Book 1

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A Washington, DC, defense attorney, Stanton Shaw keeps his head cool, his questions sharp, and his arguments irrefutable. They don’t call him the Jury Charmer for nothing—with his southern drawl, disarming smile, and captivating green eyes, he’s a hard man to say no to. Men want to be him, and women want to be thoroughly cross examined by him.

Stanton’s a man with a plan. And for a while, life was going according to that plan.

Until the day he receives an invitation to the wedding of his high school sweetheart, the mother of his beloved ten-year-old daughter. Jenny is getting married—to someone who isn’t him.

That’s definitely not part of the plan.

***

Sofia Santos is a city-raised, no-nonsense litigator who plans to become the most revered criminal defense attorney in the country. She doesn’t have time for relationships or distractions.

But when Stanton, her “friend with mind-blowing benefits,” begs her for help, she finds herself out of her element, out of her depth, and obviously out of her mind. Because she agrees to go with him to The-Middle-Of-Nowhere, Mississippi, to do all she can to help Stanton win back the woman he loves. Her head tells her she’s crazy…and her heart says something else entirely.

What happens when you mix a one-stop-light town, two professional arguers, a homecoming queen, four big brothers, some Jimmy Dean sausage, and a gun-toting Nana?

The Bourbon flows, passions rise, and even the best-laid plans get overruled by the desires of the heart.

Sustained – Book Two

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A knight in tarnished armor is still a knight.

When you’re a defense attorney in Washington, DC, you see firsthand how hard life can be, and that sometimes the only way to survive is to be harder. I, Jake Becker, have a reputation for being cold, callous, and intimidating—and that suits me just fine. In fact, it’s necessary when I’m breaking down a witness on the stand.

Complications don’t work for me—I’m a “need-to-know” type of man. If you’re my client, tell me the basic facts. If you’re my date, stick to what will get you off. I’m not a therapist or Prince Charming—and I don’t pretend to be.

Then Chelsea McQuaid and her six orphaned nieces and nephews came along and complicated the ever-loving hell out of my life. Now I’m going to Mommy & Me classes, One Direction concerts, the emergency room, and am knee deep in a damn compost pit.

Chelsea’s too sweet, too innocent, and too gorgeous for her own good. She tries to be tough, but she’s not. She needs someone to help her, and defend her…and the kids.

And that—that, I know how to do.

Appealed – Book Three

Buy : Amazon / B & N / Kobo

When Brent Mason looks at Kennedy Randolph, he doesn’t see the awkward, sweet girl who grew up next door. He sees a self-assured, stunning woman…who wants to crush the most intimate—and prized—parts of his anatomy beneath the heels of her Louboutins.

When Kennedy looks at Brent, all she sees is the selfish, Abercrombie & Fitch catalogue–worthy teenager who humiliated her in high school in order to join the popular crowd. A crowd that made those years a living hell for her.

But she’s not a lovesick social outcast anymore—she’s a Washington, DC, prosecutor with a long winning streak. Brent is the opposing attorney in her next case, and Kennedy thinks it’s time to put him through a little hell of his own.

But things aren’t exactly working out the way she planned. Brent has his sights set on Kennedy, and every fiery exchange only makes him want her more—and makes her wonder if he’s as passionate in the bedroom as he is in the courtroom. In the end, they may just find themselves in love…or in contempt of court.

Author Bio:

By day, Emma Chase is a devoted wife and mother who resides in a small, rural town in New Jersey. By night she toils away the hours bringing her colorful characters and their endless antics to life. She has a long standing love/hate relationship with caffeine.

Emma is an avid reader. Before her children were born she was known to consume whole books in a single day. Writing has also always been a passion and with the 2013 release of her debut romantic comedy, Tangled, the ability to now call herself an author is nothing less than a dream come true.

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Release Blitz + Excerpt + 5 Star Review + Giveaway: Break My Fall by Jessica Scott – Falling Series – Book 2

Posted on 02/15/2016 by shellbellereads

Break My Fall

Falling Series – Book 2

Genre: New Adult

By Jessica Scott

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Synopsis

Violence.
I’m addicted to it. It’s how I feel alive. It’s the only thing that’s real any more.
And now I have to sit around and discuss it like it’s physics or calculus. I can’t do it. I can’t pretend that it’s some sterile academic topic. Violence isn’t sterile. It isn’t calm. It’s pulsing. It’s alive.
It’s my drug.
Until I met Abby, I never wanted anything beyond the next fight. Never considered that I might finally find a way back to the land of the living.
Now? Now I find myself dreaming of a woman with golden eyes.
But I can never be with her. Because I am not whole. And I never will be again.
But I cannot stay away.
And loving her might finally be what breaks me.

Books in the Falling Series
Book 1: Before I Fall
Book 2: Break My Fall
Book 3: If I Fall (Forthcoming)

Excerpt

He’s watching me. I want to step closer to him but I can’t. I won’t.

Because I’m not blind to the darkness in Mr. Douglas. It’s there, just below the surface. Like a pot of water just before it boils.

The tension is back, now. A slow burning anger I should be getting as far away from as I possibly can.

“What?” I finally ask, needing something to break the spell between us.

“Why do you care why I got angry in class? You don’t even know my name.”

I narrow my eyes at him and open my mouth, then snap it closed, mirroring his earlier action. I didn’t expect the question and I have no idea how to answer.

Because in reality, I don’t have an answer for why I’m standing here at the moment.

Damn it.

My brain finally latches onto the first thing I come up with

“Wookie life debt. Payback for you helping me the other night.”

I try to leave then. Hoping that he’ll let me go and put all my curiosity away. For good.

“Hey.” His voice tugs at me to stop.

I won’t look at him now. Because I’m ashamed of what he’ll see if he looks into my eyes.

And I can’t stand the thought of him seeing the needful loneliness that has become my constant companion since Robert ripped my heart out and left it bleeding on the cobblestone sidewalk.

“What’s your name?” His voice is low and quiet. Steady now. Almost calm.

I turn, unable to avoid looking at him now.

It dawns on me that no, I don’t know his name.

I stand there for a moment, hesitant. The last time this happened, I fell too far, too fast.

This time will be different. Because I’m not going to make the same mistake twice.

It’s like standing too close to an electrical current.

The simplicity of the question is deceptively benign.

I’m drawn to him in a way that is unhealthy and dangerous. He’s already consuming my thoughts, drawing my attention away from the matter at hand and luring me down a dark corridor where only dark thoughts and whispered need twist together.

I hold up one hand, needing to break the spell or whatever is going on between us. My hand collides with his chest, and I am flush against the stark reminder of this man’s strength and power and capability to do violence.

There’s a small cut over his left eye, from the other night. Before the rational part of my brain kicks in, I brush my fingertips gently over the bruised and damaged skin.

He goes still beneath my touch. That full bottom lip opens a little. A tiny space, but I can feel the heat of his breath on my wrist.

His eyes are locked on mine. I’m trapped, unable to move. I’m not sure I want to. I’m furious for him but I’m frozen, burning where my fingers touch his skin.

I cannot move. Cannot look away.

“I’m Josh,” he whispers. An answer to an unasked question.

Michel’s Review

Break My Fall by Jessica Scott is the second book in the dynamic new adult, Falling Series. Unlike most new adult series, the Falling series features a unique cast of characters. These characters have experienced the trauma of war and are now trying to fit into society. They can’t relate to their college peers, they no longer fit in their former life in the army, and are holding on by a thread. The only thing that keeps them glued together is their rag tag group that hangs together at the bar owned by a former officer and soldier. The armed forces has used them up, spit them out, and offers very little to help them acclimate back into normal life. While most of their college peers are thinking about what frat party to attend or what paper is due next, they are running from their nightmares, trying to hold themselves together, and barely getting by. Each guy has their own means of coping and while it may be a quick fix, it is not the glue that is going to hold them together.

Josh Douglas is struggling with his new life. He’s attending one of the most elite colleges and yet he can’t escape his time in the army. He has seen and experienced the ugly side of war. He has watched his brothers die and or return home broken souls. He’s a broken soul himself. He no longer sleeps and thrives off of the thrill of fighting. The violence pumps up his adrenaline and makes him feel alive. The rest of the time he feels like he is a shell of a man he used to be. He’s lost his ability to connect with others. He’s lost his ability to function as a normal healthy red-blooded male. When he meets Abby Hilliard, he sees more than a quiet coed. He sees a woman that guards herself much like he does. On the surface she’s a beautiful and smart lady but beneath the surface she has her own demons. Demons that are just as threatening as his own.

Josh and Abby begin a guarded relationship that turns into one that opens up their souls. A relationship that gives them courage to open up. To allow themselves to feel the pain as well as feel the glories of love. Together they both find the hope they need to heal.

Jessica Scott writes a brutally honest love story. Her characters are the ordinary men and women we meet daily. What she does is gives the reader a view of what makes them special, the good and the bad. Her experience as an a career officer dealing with men and women suffering from PTSD and other life issues, makes each of her novels much more personal and dynamic. I truly sympathized with both Josh and Abby. Their ups and downs, the small victories and baby steps were very realistic. As I finished the Break My Fall I knew that they couldn’t be completely fixed but that they were going to be okay because they allowed the door to their souls to open.

The writing was engaging, emotional, and honest. Jessica Scott has once again touched my heart.

Read Break My Fall by Jessica Scott. It can be read as a stand alone novel or in series order.

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The Falling Series

Before I Fall

Falling Series – Book 1

Synopsis

Stay focused. Get a job. Save her father’s life.

Beth Lamont knows far too much about the harsh realities of life her gilded classmates have only read about in class. She’ll do whatever it takes to take care of her father, even if that means tutoring a guy like Noah – a guy who represents everything she hates about the war, soldiers and what the Army has done to her family.

Noah Warren doesn’t know how to be a student. All he knows is war. But he’s going to college now to fulfill a promise and he doesn’t break his promises. Except he doesn’t count on his tutor being drop dead gorgeous and distracting as hell. One look at Beth threatens to unravel the careful lies Noah has constructed around him.

A simple arrangement turns into something neither of them can deny. And a war that neither of them can forget could destroy them both.

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Break My Fall

Falling Series – Book 2

Buy : Amazon / B & N / ITunes / Kobo

Synopsis

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About Jessica Scott

USA Today Bestselling author Jessica Scott is a career army officer, mother of two daughters, three cats and three dogs, wife to a career NCO and wrangler of all things stuffed and fluffy. She is a terrible cook and even worse housekeeper, but she’s a pretty good shot with her assigned weapon and someone liked some of the stuff she wrote. Somehow, her children are pretty well adjusted and her husband still loves her, despite burned water and a messy house.

She’s also written for the New York Times At War Blog, PBS Point of View Regarding War, and IAVA. She deployed to Iraq in 2009 as part of OIF/New Dawn and has had the honor of serving as a company commander at Fort Hood, Texas twice.

Most recently, she’s been featured as one of Esquire Magazine’s Americans of the Year for 2012. Learn More at http://www.jessicascott.net

Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Goodreads

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2016 Favorite + 5 Star Review: Sebring by Kristen Ashley – Unfinished Heroes Series – Book 5

Posted on 02/11/2016 by shellbellereads

Sebring

Unfinished Heroes Series – Book 5

By Kristen Ashley

Buy: Amazon / B & N / ITunes / Kobo

Synopsis

Nick Sebring has issues. Born feeling like an outsider in his own family, growing up under the shadow of a brother who could do anything, Nick isn’t that great of a guy. But when this culminates with Nick lashing out to hurt his brother through the woman he loves, Nick turns inward and makes some decisions about the man he intends to be.

And as he does this, he falls in love and truly learns the man that he’s grown to be.

When his love is murdered right before Nick’s eyes, Nick knows he has to avenge her. He knows how he’s going to avenge her. And he has no qualms using Olivia Shade to exact that vengeance.

Olivia Shade has grown up on the outside of her family too. Her problem is that they don’t want her outside. They want her all the way in, right under their thumbs. She pays the price for seeking escape and learns her lesson—she’ll never see a dawn where she wakes up free.

Then she meets Nick Sebring, and even as she fights it, the hope that died years ago starts to blossom. She can find love. She can have a man of her own. She can be happy. She can be free.

Olivia hopes while Nick schemes.

However, as Nick peels back the layers of all that is Olivia Shade, he finds something surprising. He understands its fragility. He falls in love with its beauty. He seeks to protect it.

But he forgets to protect his Livvie from one thing: Nick Sebring.

Michel’s Review

The Unfinished Heroes Series by Kristen Ashley is one of my all time favorite series. The heroes of this series are not the typical knight in shining armor type of guys . They are a bit lawless and bend society’s rules to fit their own personal code of ethics. They have created a life that may fringe on the more sinister side of what society deems respectable. The difference is they make their darker side fit with their code of honor. Their actions are dictated by their own sense of justice, morality, and integrity. They are men of action rather than men of words. Each man in this series has a story and purpose. They are unfinished heroes.

Sebring is not the kind of novel you expect from Kristen Ashley. It is not a fun, lighthearted romance. It leans towards the darker side. It dives into the darker side of life and leaves the reader swimming in an emotional pool.

Readers were introduced to Nick Sebring in Knight, the first book of the Unfinished Heroes series. He is the younger brother of Knight Sebring. Unlike his brother, Nick’s childhood was good. By the time he was born his mother had finally found a good life, a good husband, and a stable home. He always lived in his older brother’s shadow and resented his strength and sense of honor. When his brother became a successful businessman, owning a popular nightclub and running a stable of prostitutes it added more fuel to Nick’s fire. Being a young man with a sense of entitlement, deep resentment, and general immaturity caused him to betray his brother. Nick Sebring was all kinds of trouble. The readers walked away with a very low opinion of this young man.

Time has a way of changing people. For Nick Sebring it was for the better. He finally grew up, learned that respect is earned, and actions define what kind of man you are. He has been working along side of the FBI as an informant in the violent underworld of organized crime in Denver. They are trying to take down the organizations that are responsible for Human Trafficking. Nick has infiltrated this violent world and has paid the ultimate price. He watched the woman he loved lose her life trying to bring down the Shade Family organization. He has invested years on this case and it’s time to bring it to an end. What he didn’t count on was falling in love with one of the members of the Shade family. Olivia Shade was his way in. Olivia Shade is his redemption. Olivia Shade is owns his heart.

Olivia Shade was born a princess in the ruthless, violent world of organized crime. She is a princess in an ugly, abusive, and deadly world. Between the psychotic father, the indifferent mother, and ambitious sister, Olivia doesn’t fit into the family’s depraved mold. She’s a prisoner in her ugly life and will never escape her violent world. She’s learned to stay within her family’s boundaries because stepping out of line comes at a deadly cost. She’s forced to work within the family business. The family business is not thriving. They have lost their leverage in their violent world. They are losing ground in the drug trade. New players are taking over their territory. Their father has lost all of the key territories due to his psychotic actions and archaic ways. Their soldiers are abandoning their jobs and moving on to new organizations. The only thing Olivia can do is try to protect the soldiers that are still in their fold, protect the money they have left, and find a new solution to make the organization profitable once again. Her sister plans to take the reigns once their father steps down. She’s as ruthless as their father but not as psychotic.

Nick and Olivia begin a purely sexual relationship that resulted from meeting at an exclusive sex club. What starts out as a way to fulfill their sexual needs turns into something more. Nick begins to see Olivia as an individual and a woman being held prisoner by her blood. She is no longer a means to an end. She is the woman he needs to save.

The price for freedom comes at a high cost. Nick and Olivia made not be able to pay the price.

Sebring is by far the best book in the Unfinished Heroes Series. I am so happy that Kristen Ashley waited to bring his book out. She gave Nick Sebring time to mature and become a man worthy of this series. It also gave her time to grow as a writer. And she has grown leaps and bounds. Rather than a lighthearted romance that was fun, she dug deep and created a story that was complex and added multiple layers to all of the characters. She delivered a very emotional story. She also began to intertwine the Unfinished Heroes Series and the Chaos Series in the same direction. Both of these series are heading into one plot that is gaining momentum. This plot is very complex and will take an army to deliver. It’s a good thing that she added some of her other dynamic alpha characters from the Mystery Men series and Rock Chick series as part of the cast that will be in the final showdown. The war is coming. The lines have been drawn. The final battle is going to be epic! As each series releases new titles the readers will see that each book is building a slow burning fire that is blazing towards an explosive ending.

Sebring by Kristen Ashley is her best book yet!

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Author Bio:

Kristen Ashley was born in Gary, Indiana, USA and nearly killed her mother and herself making it into the world, seeing as she had the umbilical cord wrapped around her neck (already attempting to accessorise and she hadn’t taken her first breath!). Her mother said they took Kristen away, put her Mom back in her room, her mother looked out the window, and Gary was on fire (Dr. King had been assassinated four days before). Kristen’s Mom remembered thinking it was the end of the world. Quite the dramatic beginning.

Nothing’s changed.

Kristen grew up in Brownsburg, Indiana and has lived in Denver, Colorado and the West Country of England. Thus, she’s blessed to have friends and family around the globe. Her family was (is) loopy (to say the least) but loopy is good when you want to write. They all lived together on a very small farm in a small farm town in the heartland. She grew up with Glenn Miller, The Everly Brothers, REO Speedwagon and Whitesnake (and the wardrobes that matched).

Needless to say, growing up in a house full of music, clothes and love was a good way to grow up.

And as she keeps growing, it keeps getting better.

Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Goodreads

Release Blitz + 5 Star Review: Indigo Nights by Louise Bay

Posted on 02/11/2016 by shellbellereads

Indigo Nights

By Louise Bay

Release Date: February 9, 2015

Buy:

Amazon / Amazon UK / Amazon CA / Amazon AU / Kobo / ITunes

Synopsis

The only thing better than cake is cake with a side of orgasms.

Dylan James has no expectations when it comes to relationships. He uses women for sex and they use him for his money and power. It’s quid pro quo and he’s good with that. It works.

Beth Harrison has been burned. She’s tired of the lies and the game playing that men bring and has buried herself in her passion—baking which keeps her out of the reach of heartbreak. As she begins her career as a TV baker, a new world opens up to her.

Dylan and Beth both know that casual sex is all about giving what you need to get what you want.

Except that sometimes you give more than you need to and get everything you ever wanted.

Excerpt

Beth

“As I deliberated over his age, his body, his mouth, Mr. 8A turned his head in my direction and caught me staring. I smiled, trying to cover the fact that I was thinking about him naked and between my thighs, not to mention wondering if every part of him was as solid as it seemed.”

Dylan

“I understood the dynamic between men and women. I got to sleep with hot women, and in exchange they got to fuck a rich guy in the hope that they’d become beneficiaries of my cash. I might be handsome, but I knew from bitter experience that if a richer guy came along, I’d be left in the taillights of the women I slept with. It just happened that now, there weren’t many richer men, which gave me a certain satisfaction. I’d made peace with the transactional nature of relationships between men and women and had no expectations. At some point in my past I’d thought that love was possible. Not anymore. It was all about giving to get.”

Tracey’s Review

Although life hasn’t always been easy for Beth Harrison, her life is finally in a place that she’s happy with. Clean and sober, surrounded by family that loves her, and about to hit the big time with her baking show, Beth is settled. Until that man, that serious sexy man in seat 8A…

A longtime fan of Louise Bay, I was so excited to see that Beth was finally getting her story. As part of the cast of characters in Louise’s LIGHTNING and CALLING series, readers got to know her as one of a group of friends that I just love. While her brother and friends paired up and found their HEAs, Beth was the constant, having finally found her way to a life that was free of the drama and pain of her past.

Having found solace and freedom in baking as a way back to her sobriety, Beth is somewhat of a YouTube sensation with her cooking show. On her way to discuss the possibility of moving to television, Beth meets Dylan James, business mogul, lady-killer, and sexy-as-heck fellow traveler. Let me tell you, the chemistry is instant and off-the-charts hot between these two. What starts out as nothing but a one night stand sort of thing quickly turns into something much more.

Louise has brought all of the her usual steaminess, and, being a master at the friends, or friends with benefits, to lover read, has given us another book that, while hot and sexy, is also romantic and heartwarming. I love seeing Beth finally in a place that she can put all of the pain of her past behind her. Dylan seamlessly joins the ranks of Louise’s sexy alpha men, with his intelligence, his strength, and his utter dedication to Beth. I enjoyed seeing the gang from the previous books, as well as Dylan’s partner, Raf. Louise, if you’re seeing this, I would LOVE to see Raf’s story, because there is definitely one there! In the meantime, 5+ steamy, sexy, ‘I love this story’ stars for INDIGO NIGHTS. If you’re a fan, you won’t want to miss this one.

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

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Author Bio:

USA Today bestselling author, Louise Bay writes sexy, contemporary romance novels – the kind she likes to read. Her books include the novels Faithful and Hopeful and the novella series’ The Empire State Series, What the Lightning Sees and Calling Me. The novels and together each series are stand-alone although there are some overlapping characters.

Ruined by romantic mini-series of the eighties, Louise loves all things romantic. There’s not enough of it in real life so she disappears into the fictional worlds in books and films.

Louise loves the rain, the West Wing, London, days when she doesn’t have to wear make-up, being on her own, being with friends, elephants and champagne.

She loves to hear from readers so get in touch!

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

Saucy Southern Readers

professional, honest, and timely book reviews

Tag Archives: 5 Star Review

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Release Blitz + 5 Star Review: Indigo Nights by Louise Bay

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AMAZON US **** AMAZON UK

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