New Release + 6 Star Review + 2016 Favorite: Deception by Aleatha Romig – Infidelity Series – Book 3

Posted on 05/09/2016 by shellbellereads

DECEPTION, book THREE of FIVE in Aleatha Romig’s INFIDELITY series.

“Infidelity – it isn’t what you think”

It all began in Del Mar, a chance meeting with a single rule–one week only.

Or did it?

Lennox ‘Nox’ Demetri and Alexandria ‘Charli’ Collins had every intention of following it but rules are made to be broken. In CUNNING they are reunited with Nox setting down new rules for the game and Charli having no choice but to follow them.

Now, once again, the game has changed. Nox and Charli’s hot sensual encounter has grown into something more but it is threatened with secrets and regrets. Is it their love and intense sexual chemistry that’s pushing them together or something darker, a puppetmaster behind the scenes pulling the strings on their love affair?

Shadowy villains lurk around each corner and everyone is suspect as Nox’s and Charli’s pasts collide with the present and threaten to compel them back to their predestined fates.

Can deals brokered in the past be negated by something as pure as love and as steamy as the attraction shared by Nox and Charli? Or was it all a deception—starting with that very first meeting?

From New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Aleatha Romig comes a sexy, new dominant hero who knows what he wants and a strong-willed heroine who has plans of her own. With classic Aleatha Romig twists and turns, the depth of this epic romantic suspense continues to reach new levels as past and present intertwine. The Infidelity series will have readers swooning one minute and screaming the next.

Have you been Aleatha’d?

DECEPTION is a full-length novel, over 300 pages, and the third of five books in the INFIDELITY series – It isn’t what you think!

(This series is not about nor does it advocate or condone cheating)

Add to Goodreads

Amazon US | Amazon UK | iBooks

Pat leaned back against the couch. “I had a good feeling seeing you with Lennox. Besides, you have that whole one-week history…” He fingered the rim of his wine glass, and I tried to ignore how it reminded me of my martini glass only hours before. “I’m sure you can work through this.”
“He has my number.”
“If these were normal circumstances, I’d tell you to forget all about him. I mean, who needs someone like Lennox Demetri? I can only imagine it’d be awful to have a boyfriend who redecorates a room for you, practically weeks after you move in. One who cares enough about your dreams to pay for your education and buy you whatever you want or need, one who gives you the ability to tell Uncle Alton and Aunt Adelaide to stick their conditions up their tight asses. And girl, his looks. Damn, nobody wants to put up with those sexy blue eyes. I mean the way they light up when you walk into a room and he looks at you like he’d eat you whole. I can see how that would get old fast.” He took a drink of his wine. “Honestly, I’m not sure how you managed to stay for this long.” He shrugged. “There’s always good ole Bryce.”
I sat forward, put my wine glass on the coffee table, and after placing my elbows on my knees, cradled my head. “I don’t need Bryce. Why do I need a man?”
“If you don’t know the answer to that question, my opinion of Lennox Demetri has just plummeted. I mean, I’m sure you have a vibrator.”

_____________________________

Robin’s Review

Aleatha Romig is one of the best at writing romantic suspense, mystery and thrillers. She took the Indie world by storm with her Consequences series, and now, she’s doing it again. In my opinion, her Infidelity series is her best writing yet, and I can’t express enough how much I LOVE it! Please don’t judge this series by its name: “The Infidelity series does not advocate or glorify cheating. This series is about the inner struggle of compromising your beliefs for your heart. It is about cheating on yourself, not someone else.”

Using a metaphor, I’ve come to compare the reading of the Infidelity series to the act of peeling of an onion. Everyone knows onions are made up of several layers. Betrayal, the first novel of this series, only skims the surface of the onion. Readers are introduced to Lennox Demetri and Alexandria Charles Montague Collins as they spend a week in Del Mar – a chance meeting where they experience an instant connection. In Betrayal, Romig makes it so easy to fall in love with these characters.

Romig breaks the surface of the story in Cunning – she begins to peel back the outer layers of the onion. Nox and Charli are reunited, and we begin to suspect there’s a whole lot more to this story than two people randomly meeting in Del Mar. We are given more background information about several key players. Overall, the Infidelity series begins to feel more like a mystery.

Deception, the third book of the Infidelity series, picks right up where Cunning ended, and it’s full of drama from the start! Deception is where we really start getting into the meat of this story. Nox and Charli’s past and present begin to collide in Deception, and you begin to wonder just who, or how many, might be pulling the strings. Did their meeting in Del Mar really happen by chance?

With each chapter of Deception, we are given new possibilities to consider. Infidelity is a series that WILL make you think. Every detail of Romig’s story has been written with purpose. Layers of truth are continually uncovered in the dialogue. Clues are hidden in the text. Even characters introduce their own theories! All of these things had me questioning what I thought I already knew. One thing is certain: the novels of the Infidelity series will challenge you to get to the bottom of things.

More often than not, spoilers are not much fun to read. Because of the nature of the Infidelity series, I’m not going to go into much detail about what Aleatha Romig reveals in Deception. Generally speaking, Romig delves into the backgrounds of the Demetri and Montague families in this novel. I found the background of the Demetri family particularly fascinating. You should expect several “aha!” moments when you read Deception. In true Romig fashion, you’ll begin to see connections form between characters and in the plot. Are these connections merely coincidence, or is something more sinister taking place?

I was able to note real character growth in Nox and Charli. Because of their backgrounds, trust is a very important issue to both of these characters. Their relationship evolves in Deception. They both seem to be growing as individuals – opening up about their pasts, learning to trust one another and extend love freely. Mixed in with background information and plot reveals, you should expect romantic and steamy moments between our main characters.

I can’t give anything less than 6 stars for this novel. For entertainment value alone, Deception earns a 6-star rating, but Aleatha Romig’s writing is crisp, creative, and the story flows incredibly well. Look out for the KILLER cliffhanger of this 2016 favorite!

_____________________________

One week. No future. No past. No more.

Alexandria Collins has one week to live carefree—no ghosts of her past or pressures of her future haunting her. Reinventing herself as “Charli,” she is knocked off her feet by a sexy, mysterious man who brings her pleasure like she never imagined. With her heart at stake, she forgets that decisions made in the dark of night reappear in the bright light of day.

“Some of my tastes are unique. They aren’t for everyone. I understand that.”

Lennox “Nox” Demetri is wealthy, confident, and decisive—he knows what he wants. From the first time he sees Charli at an exclusive resort, he knows he wants her. Although he is usually the one to make the rules, together they agree on one:

One week. No more.

When betrayal comes from those closest to Alexandria, she must decide how far she is willing to go to survive. Choices are not always easy, especially when they involve the heart, body, and soul. After all, Infidelity is a business, and some rules are meant to be broken.

“Is it really cheating if you’re doing it to yourself?”

From New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Aleatha Romig comes a sexy, new dominant hero who knows what he wants, and a strong-willed heroine who has plans of her own. With classic Aleatha Romig twists, turns, deceptions, and devotions, this new epic dark romance will have readers swooning one minute and screaming the next. Have you been Aleatha’d?

BETRAYAL is a full-length novel and the first of five in the INFIDELITY series.

Amazon | Amazon UK | B&N | iBooks |Kobo

“He owns you. Whatever he tells you to do you do”.

One year. No future. A past that won’t go away.

Lennox “Nox” Demetri broke his own rule by making a deal. It may not have been directly with the devil, but that doesn’t mean Satan himself isn’t watching. Was it fate that brought Charli into his life and his bed? What will happen when rules are broken and secrets are revealed?

“New rules…my rules.”

Alex “Charli” Collins found pleasure with Nox like she’d never known. That was before she knew his last name. Now that Infidelity is involved and the rules have changed, what will result when real life and fantasy collide?

Is it really cheating if you’re doing it to yourself?

From New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Aleatha Romig comes a sexy, new dominant hero who knows what he wants and a strong-willed heroine who has plans of her own. With classic Aleatha Romig twists, turns, deceptions, and devotions, the depth of this new, epic dark romance reaches new levels and will have readers swooning one minute and screaming the next.

Have you been Aleatha’d?

CUNNING is a full-length novel, 360 pages, and the second of five books in the INFIDELITY series.

Infidelity – it isn’t what you think.

iBooks | Amazon | B & N | Kobo

Aleatha Romig is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author who lives in Indiana. She grew up in Mishawaka, graduated from Indiana University, and is currently living south of Indianapolis. Aleatha has raised three children with her high school sweetheart and husband of nearly thirty years. Before she became a full-time author, she worked days as a dental hygienist and spent her nights writing. Now, when she’s not imagining mind-blowing twists and turns, she likes to spend her time with her family and friends. Her other pastimes include reading and creating heroes/anti-heroes who haunt your dreams!

Aleatha released her first novel, CONSEQUENCES, in August of 2011. CONSEQUENCES became a bestselling series with five novels and two companions released from 2011 through 2015. The compelling and epic story of Anthony and Claire Rawlings has graced more than half a million e-readers. Aleatha released the first of her series TALES FROM THE DARK SIDE, INSIDIOUS, in the fall of 2014. These standalone thrillers continue Aleatha’s twisted style with an increase in heat. In the fall of 2015, Aleatha will move head first into the world of dark romance with the release of BETRAYAL, the first of her five novel INFIDELITY series.

Aleatha is a “Published Author’s Network” member of the Romance Writers of America and represented by Danielle Egan-Miller of Browne & Miller Literary Associates.

New Release + 6 Star Review + 2016 Favorite: The Empty Jar by M. Leighton

Posted on 05/09/2016 by shellbellereads

Title: The Empty Jar

Author: M. Leighton

Release: May 8, 2016

Today is cover reveal day for M. Leighton’s upcoming new release entitled The Empty Jar. She wanted to say a little something about the cover before she revealed it and the description, so here she is.

First of all, a huge, heartfelt thank you to every single one of you amazing women who is helping me reveal this cover today.
I appreciate everything you do for me, for authors and readers in general and for this community.

Secondly…

OMG
IT’S FINALLY TIME FOR THE EMPTY JAR COVER REVEAL!!!

I feel like I’ve been waiting AGES to share this with you!

This cover… GAH! Y’all, it took me forEVER to get it just right. There was a certain “feel” that I wanted to achieve with it and I wasn’t happy until I felt that it jumped right out when I looked at it. I wanted the cover to speak of the book, wanted it to show the highs and lows, the sweet and the poignant, the depth of it, if you will. And finally…finally, I feel like it does:)

You might not realize just how much NOW, but once you read it, you’ll be like, “Yeah. It’s perfect for this book!”

When I got the paperback proof in the other day, I held it in my hands and I just stared at it. Not only is this story extremely special to me, but this is probably my favorite cover of all my books. Ever.

When I look at it, I see so much more than just a picture. I see all the things that I find in life as well as what I put into the story that is The Empty Jar. It’s a blend of happy pinks and brooding blues. It’s light and it’s dark. There are highs and there are lows. There is morning and there is night. But if you notice the sky on this cover, there are little flickers of brightness in the bodies of the lightning bugs. Life is that way, too. Even in the darkest part of the night, there is a spark of hope.

There is beauty. There is the romantic glow of a full moon, the silvery face of your mate, the delicate twinkle of fireflies. It’s all there if we look hard enough—that balance of beauty and tragedy.

And love.

Always love.

Below is a little more about the book. It’s hard to tell you much without spoiling anything, but I think you can get a feel for it. It’s such a special story. So raw, so real.

I honestly can’t wait for y’all to read it! I hope you love IT and the cover as much as I do:)

The Empty Jar

By M. Leighton

Release Date: May 6, 2016

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

Three months touring Europe. Romantic. Dazzling. Unforgettable. The trip of a lifetime.

But some lifetimes are shorter.

We couldn’t have known it would work out this way.
No one could. No one could’ve guessed that something so beautiful could be so tragic.

But it is tragic.

Yet so, so beautiful.

That’s what sacrifice is—beauty and tragedy.

It’s pain and suffering for something or someone you love.

And this is the ultimate sacrifice. One stunning act of true love.

This is our story.

Our true love story.

Add to Goodreads

Add this book on Goodreads

Tracey’s Review

We share the kind of love that picks you up when you stumble, the kind of love that catches you when you fall, the kind of love that rescues you when you need saving.
The real kind of love.

Nate is my “in sickness and in health.”

Nate is my “until death do us part.”

Nate is the staying kind.

Lena and Nate Grant are true soulmates, a team, the yin to each others’ yang. When life takes a series of unexpected turns, their commitment and love will be the things that leave them able to navigate the landscape of a life that neither could have anticipated.

Michelle Leighton has left me breathless, bereft, a sobbing mess, and, finally, uplifted, with THE EMPTY JAR. Although I had an idea of the story that I would be reading, nothing could have prepared me for the flawlessly beautiful book that Michelle has crafted. THE EMPTY JAR is a story of the many faces of love, the love of a spouse, of a friend, of a mother, of a father. Rich with emotion and rife with unexpected turns, I could not put this book down.

I do not want to ruin this experience by giving too much of the story away. Suffice to say that this is a book that I give my highest marks too, and one that I will tell everyone to read, because I love it so very much. Michelle has shown us a part of herself that we have not seen in her other books (all of which I LOVE, by the way), an intimacy that comes through in every word of THE EMPTY JAR. 6 stars, and a recommendation that everyone read it. Thank you, Michelle Leighton, for sharing yourself with us, and giving us such a wonderful book. You are most definitely in my jar.

***ARC generously provided for an honest review.***
3

____________________________

Author Bio

New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author, M. Leighton, is a native of Ohio. She relocated to the warmer climates of the South, where she can be near the water all summer and miss the snow all winter. Possessed of an overactive imagination from early in her childhood, M. Leighton finally found an acceptable outlet for her fantastical visions: literary fiction. Having written over a dozen novels, these days M. Leighton enjoys letting her mind wander to more romantic settings with sexy Southern guys, much like the one she married and the ones you’ll find in her latest books. When her thoughts aren’t roaming in that direction, she’ll be riding horses, swimming in ponds and experiencing life on a ranch, all without leaving the cozy comfort of her office.

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

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

Release Blitz + Excerpt + 6 Star Review + 2016 Favorite: Deception by Aleatha Romig – Infidelity Series – Book 3

Posted on 05/03/2016 by shellbellereads

DECEPTION, book THREE of FIVE in Aleatha Romig’s INFIDELITY series.

“Infidelity – it isn’t what you think”

It all began in Del Mar, a chance meeting with a single rule–one week only.

Or did it?

Shadowy villains lurk around each corner and everyone is suspect as Nox’s and Charli’s pasts collide with the present and threaten to compel them back to their predestined fates.

Can deals brokered in the past be negated by something as pure as love and as steamy as the attraction shared by Nox and Charli? Or was it all a deception—starting with that very first meeting?

Have you been Aleatha’d?

DECEPTION is a full-length novel, over 300 pages, and the third of five books in the INFIDELITY series – It isn’t what you think!

(This series is not about nor does it advocate or condone cheating)

Add to Goodreads

Amazon US | Amazon UK | iBooks

Pat leaned back against the couch. “I had a good feeling seeing you with Lennox. Besides, you have that whole one-week history…” He fingered the rim of his wine glass, and I tried to ignore how it reminded me of my martini glass only hours before. “I’m sure you can work through this.”
“He has my number.”
“If these were normal circumstances, I’d tell you to forget all about him. I mean, who needs someone like Lennox Demetri? I can only imagine it’d be awful to have a boyfriend who redecorates a room for you, practically weeks after you move in. One who cares enough about your dreams to pay for your education and buy you whatever you want or need, one who gives you the ability to tell Uncle Alton and Aunt Adelaide to stick their conditions up their tight asses. And girl, his looks. Damn, nobody wants to put up with those sexy blue eyes. I mean the way they light up when you walk into a room and he looks at you like he’d eat you whole. I can see how that would get old fast.” He took a drink of his wine. “Honestly, I’m not sure how you managed to stay for this long.” He shrugged. “There’s always good ole Bryce.”
I sat forward, put my wine glass on the coffee table, and after placing my elbows on my knees, cradled my head. “I don’t need Bryce. Why do I need a man?”
“If you don’t know the answer to that question, my opinion of Lennox Demetri has just plummeted. I mean, I’m sure you have a vibrator.”

_____________________________

Robin’s Review

_____________________________

One week. No future. No past. No more.

“Some of my tastes are unique. They aren’t for everyone. I understand that.”

One week. No more.

“Is it really cheating if you’re doing it to yourself?”

BETRAYAL is a full-length novel and the first of five in the INFIDELITY series.

Amazon | Amazon UK | B&N | iBooks |Kobo

“He owns you. Whatever he tells you to do you do”.

One year. No future. A past that won’t go away.

“New rules…my rules.”

Is it really cheating if you’re doing it to yourself?

From New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Aleatha Romig comes a sexy, new dominant hero who knows what he wants and a strong-willed heroine who has plans of her own. With classic Aleatha Romig twists, turns, deceptions, and devotions, the depth of this new, epic dark romance reaches new levels and will have readers swooning one minute and screaming the next.

Have you been Aleatha’d?

CUNNING is a full-length novel, 360 pages, and the second of five books in the INFIDELITY series.

Infidelity – it isn’t what you think.

iBooks | Amazon | B & N | Kobo

Aleatha is a “Published Author’s Network” member of the Romance Writers of America and represented by Danielle Egan-Miller of Browne & Miller Literary Associates.

Release Blitz + 6 Star Review + 2016 Favorite : The Beast by J. R. Ward – The Black Dagger Brotherhood – Book 14

Posted on 04/05/2016 by shellbellereads

The Beast

The Black Dagger Brotherhood – Book 14

By J. R. Ward

Buy: Amazon / B & N / ITunes / Kobo

Available in Hardcover Edition and Ebook Edition

Synopsis

Rhage and Mary return in a new novel of the Black Dagger Brotherhood, a series “so popular, I don’t think there’s a reader today who hasn’t at least heard of [it]” (USA Today).

Nothing is as it used to be for the Black Dagger Brotherhood. After avoiding war with the Shadows, alliances have shifted and lines have been drawn. The slayers of the Lessening Society are stronger than ever, preying on human weakness to acquire more money, more weapons, more power. But as the Brotherhood readies for an all-out attack on them, one of their own fights a battle within himself…

For Rhage, the Brother with the biggest appetites, but also the biggest heart, life was supposed to be perfect—or at the very least, perfectly enjoyable. Mary, his beloved shellan, is by his side and his King and his brothers are thriving. But Rhage can’t understand—or control—the panic and insecurity that plague him…

And that terrifies him—as well as distances him from his mate. After suffering mortal injury in battle, Rhage must reassess his priorities—and the answer, when it comes to him, rocks his world…and Mary’s. But Mary is on a journey of her own, one that will either bring them closer together or cause a split that neither will recover from…

Michel’s Review

Spoiler Free Review

I have been a Black Dagger Brotherhood fan since the first book, Dark Lover, released in 2005. I anxiously count down the months, days, and hours for each new release in this series. I have been on pins and needles waiting for The Beast to release because Rhage has always been my favorite brother.

Readers met Rhage in the second book, Lover Eternal. He’s the brother that carries a curse on his back. He chose to keep his curse when the Scribe Virgin allowed his mate, Mary, to receive the gift of immortality. Rage and Mary were granted a life of love, happiness, and prosperity but there was one thing they would never have. They would never be able to have their own children. At the time it was more than enough for both of them. Their love and commitment to one another fulfilled their needs and wants.

Ten books and several years later, Rhage and Mary’s relationship has evolved into strong allegiance. They’re happy within their marriage and their communication with one another is honest and open. Although they have a formed a very healthy relationship, they have also grown as individuals because of that relationship. Every relationship evolves and as it evolves it takes the individuals to a new level with new expectations, desires, and needs. It doesn’t change the main element of the relationship, it makes it grow stronger. Rhage and Mary have reached this point and like most people they are a bit oblivious to the changes until it smacks them in the face and the realities begin to surface.

The Beast is Rhage and Mary’s next road in their life journey. Their need to take the next step and change their inner family dynamics.

****

The Beast opens with an action packed scene that places the Brotherhood into an epic battle with the lessers. The outcome of this battle changes the path the Brotherhood is on. It is the game changer in Rhage and Mary’s relationship. It is also the beginning of a new direction for the Vampire race. New alliances will be made. The face of the enemy will evolve into several different faces. The dynamics in the mansion will change. It all begins at the abandoned Brownswick School for Girls in an epic battle with the lessers. The Beast has emerged and is destroying everything in sight. It could cost more than the lessers lives, it could cost the brothers some of their own. The one paying the highest price could be Rhage himself…

***

” I’ve seen this night.”

“I want you to go home. Now.”

***

The battle is a game changer for Rhage and Mary…

***

“I’ve missed you too,” he said in a low tone. “We’ve been….kind of parallel lately. Not apart, but parallel.”

I tried to kill myself last night, he said to her in his head. And I have no idea why.

Yup, it was official.

He’d lost his mind.

***

“You don’t have anything to worry about. Not now and not ever—- at least not about me. I love you til forever and back, and nothing else matters as long as that is true.”

***

“I’m serious Mary. Now that I’m thinking about it… now that I’m running the math in my head? No, Life without you is a tragedy. Life without our young? That’s …well, it’s just a different path.”

***

Life didn’t have to be perfect…for true love to exist in it.

***

When Mary glanced at Rhage, he cleared his throat. “ I eat people, I mean… the beast. It eats things. That shouldn’t, you know, be eaten.”

He was reminding her that the future was unknown and unknowable.

So if you had the chance…even if there was no music and no ballgown, no tuxedo or gala… when your true love asked you to dance?

It was important to say yes.

Like all of the previous books, The Beast has a lot of meat to it. Rhage and Mary are not the only individuals going through changes. The Vampire world has been exposed to the humans. The enemies are increasing. Revelations are brought to the surface that creates new scenarios in the Brotherhoods lives.

***

She stood up by herself and brushed her slacks off. “ Is it just me or does this feel like a grown up episode of Scooby Doo?”

***

Six new characters are introduced into the Black Dagger Brotherhood world. I think each of these new characters is going to have quite an impact in the future books.

There are some bombs dropped within The Beast that will leave the readers shocked and may change the direction of the series. The only person who knows is the author herself.

V and Assail had quite a bit of page play in the Beast. The mysterious Assail is beginning to unravel. It will be interesting to see it all unfold.

The Beast was magnificent! The series has come full circle and taken on a new life. Rhage and Mary have found a new happily ever after that trumps their beautiful beginning. I fell even more deeply in love with my favorite brother, Rhage.

J. R. Ward brought her A-Game to the table. The writing was flawless. The meticulous scene descriptions brought the world to life. The evolution of all of the characters made them even more dynamic. She added layers to their souls. The thing that made this book shine the most was the beautiful portrayal of how love grows, evolves, and completes an individual.

The Beast was an emotional journey for Mary and Rhage. The Beast also delivered a defining moment in the Vampire world. This series is evolving and could go in many directions. Only J. R. Ward’s brilliance could create an intricate world that has so many threads of life woven into the layers. As I finished The Beast, I could not predict what was to come next or who would be the next star in the next book. I can’t wait to see what comes next.

***

It was…. magic.
It was …. family.
It was.. absolutely, positively, everything that mattered and was important.
__________________________________________

Jessica Rowley Pell Bird was born on 1969 in Massachusetts, USA. She is the daughter of Maxine F. and W. Gillette Bird, Jr. She began writing as a child, penning her thoughts in diaries as well as inventing short stories. She read her first Harlequin Presents novel in a rose garden when she was in her teens. She was hooked immediately. By the time she went to college, she had boxes and boxes of Harlequins and Silhouettes. Every year, her mother would ask why all those books had to live in the house and Jess would reply that if even one of them disappeared she would know. (She’d catalogued them.)

Jess finished her first romance manuscript the summer before her freshman year of college. She attended Smith College and graduated with a double major in history and art history. She then received a law degree from Albany Law School. Shortly after that, she began working in the healthcare industry in Boston. She spent many years as one of the premier medical center’s Chief of Staff. While working as a lawyer in Boston, she completed two novels more and started a number of partials. In 2001, Bird married John Neville Blakemore III. Both her mother and her new husband kept telling her to send something in to an agent, a publisher, the Tooth Fairy, anyone. She thought they were nuts, but eventually got her nerve up and bought a lot of stamps. Since getting published, she has written contemporary romances as Jessica Bird and paranormal romances as J. R. Ward. She has been a Rita Award finalist, received two Romantic Times Reviewer’s Choice nominations and has been a HOLT medallion finalist.

New England born and bred, Jess is surprised to find herself living south of the Mason Dixon line. (But that’s what happens when you marry a Southern gentleman.) She and her husband live with their golden retriever, who oversees her writing in a supervisory role.

Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Goodreads

Release Blitz and 6 Star Review + 2016 Favorite : Paper Princess by Erin Watt – The Royals Series – Book 1

Posted on 04/04/2016 by shellbellereads

Paper Princess

The Royals – Book One

Mature YA / New Adult

Recommended for ages 17 and up…

By Erin Watt ( aka Elle Kennedy & Jen Frederick

Buy : Amazon / B & N / ITunes

Synopsis

From strip clubs and truck stops to southern coast mansions and prep schools, one girl tries to stay true to herself.

These Royals will ruin you…

Ella Harper is a survivor—a pragmatic optimist. She’s spent her whole life moving from town to town with her flighty mother, struggling to make ends meet and believing that someday she’ll climb out of the gutter. After her mother’s death, Ella is truly alone.

Until Callum Royal appears, plucking Ella out of poverty and tossing her into his posh mansion among his five sons who all hate her. Each Royal boy is more magnetic than the last, but none as captivating as Reed Royal, the boy who is determined to send her back to the slums she came from.

Reed doesn’t want her. He says she doesn’t belong with the Royals.

He might be right.

Wealth. Excess. Deception. It’s like nothing Ella has ever experienced, and if she’s going to survive her time in the Royal palace, she’ll need to learn to issue her own Royal decrees.

Michel’s Review

When the offer to review Paper Princess came across my desk I was intrigued. What intrigued me was the secrecy behind this book. There was a brief description, not a full synopsis. The author’s name was withheld. The only thing revealed was that it was two New York Times and USA Today best selling authors collaborating to write this book. I was intrigued. When I found out the collaborating authors were Elle Kennedy and Jen Fredrick, I was ecstatic!

Although Paper Princess may be listed as Mature YA, it will easily appeal to readers of all ages and romance genres. I was drawn into the Royals world and held captive. I could not put this book done and read it in one sitting. After I finished the book I was dying for the next book in the Royals series.

Elle Harper was not the typical high school junior. She’s had to learn to survive after her mother fell ill. She became responsible for the household bills and medical bills. After her mother passed away, she fled Seattle because she didn’t want to go in the foster care system. She’s smart, responsible, and capable of taking care of herself. She carefully planned her life. She chose an area in Tennessee with good schools and employment opportunities. It doesn’t matter that she has to work as a stripper by night, waitressing and retail by day. She has one goal in mind, to finish high school and go onto college. Her education is more important than her social life and teenage dreams. When a complete stranger shows up at her new school claiming to be her legal guardian, she is once again planning to run. Callum Royal has Elle’s number and foils her escape. He intends to honor her father and take care of Elle as his own. Elle is skeptical because she never knew her father. The only way Callum can get her to agree is with the promise of money and educational opportunities.

Elle moves from a life of poverty into the world of posh indulgence. A world much more cruel than her previous world. Callum Royal has five spoiled, egotistical teenage sons that are determined to keep the trash, Elle, out of their world. Their cruel treatment and vicious actions would send any person running for the hills. The only person welcoming Elle into her new life is Callum Royal, a man that knows nothing about being a parent. His relationship with his sons is nonexistent. The Royal home is a house full of hate and animosity . Each Royal sibling has ulterior motives and their own execution of cruelty.

Elle Harper thought she was a survivor but she’s going to quickly learn she has been thrust into a much more vindictive world. She may be street smart but she is not prepared for the opulent world of the entitled. She’s the lamb in the Royals world. These lions are going to eat her up, spit her out, and stomp on her remains.

Reed Royal has decreed that Elle Harper does not belong in his world. The Royal king has declared Elle a Royal princess. The Royal princes have gathered their kingdom to remove the peasant and overthrow the king.

Elle Harper is beginning to agree with Reed Royal. She doesn’t want to be a princess. She doesn’t want the kingdom. She is not a Royal. There isn’t enough money or wealth that could make her want to be one of them. The longer she remains in the Royal mansion is more destructive than the day before. At the same time she begins to see a very broken family and five lost little boys. She sees a father just as lost as his sons. Each boy has a dynamic personality hiding beneath surface. Is that enough to make her stay? Just when she thinks she has it figured out the Royals once again show their true colors.

This book ends on a major cliffhanger that has the reader begging for more! The dynamics between all of the characters is riveting. Their compelling story is addictive.

As I said before, I could not put this book down. Elle Kennedy and Jen Fredrick have delivered a charismatic world that captivates the reader. I can’t wait for the next book, Broken Prince, to release in July 2016.

______________________________________________

About Erin Watt

About 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

Jen Frederick lives with her husband, child, and one rambunctious dog. She’s been reading stories all her life but never imagined writing one of her own. Jen loves to hear from readers so drop her a line at jensfrederick@gmail.com

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6 Star Review + 2016 Favorite: Target On Our Backs by J.M. Darhower – Monster In His Eyes Series – Book 3

Posted on 03/28/2016 by shellbellereads

Target on Our Backs

Monster In His Eyes Series – Book 3

By J.M. Darhower

Buy : Amazon / B & N / ITunes / Kobo

BLURB

The best way to keep your word is never
to give it.

Not long ago, in a chapel in Vegas, I swore to love Karissa
for the rest of my days. But nobody’s promised an infinite number of tomorrows.
Nobody’s promised forever. Sometimes, all we have left is today.

Carpe Diem

Seize the day.

It should’ve been over, we should’ve been happy, but people
are making it hard for me to live in peace. I’ve got so much blood on my hands
they’ll never be clean, and somebody out there seems to want me to pay for it. Happily Ever After always comes at a
cost, one any real man would be willing to pay. But that doesn’t mean I’m just
going to roll over and accept these consequences.

Because when it comes to the woman I love? The life I’ve
fought for?

Nobody is safe.

___________________________________

Robin’s Review

Every time author J.M. Darhower publishes a new novel, I can be sure of this: I’ll be swept away into a world of suspenseful action courtesy of a brilliant imagination and excellent writing. Darhower has a forte for writing stories about the Mafia. She has a gift for sweeping readers away into a world of violence, action and romance. Her antiheroes are dark, they face demons, they are not afraid of taking a life; and yet, readers still find themselves pulling for these men to find peace with the woman of their dreams.

It’s been approximately sixteen months since I read Torture to Her Soul, the 6-star follow-up to Monster in His Eyes. At that time, I believed the Monster in His Eyes series was to be a duology, and therefore complete. I thought both books were outstanding, so imagine my surprise when Darhower recently surprised us with Target on Our Backs! If you’re anything like me, you may struggle to remember what took place in the previous two novels of this series. Well, worry not! Darhower sprinkles a recap of events from Monster in His Eyes and Torture to Her Soul, here and there, within the first few chapters of Target on Our Backs. By the time you have read several chapters of the novel, your memory should be refreshed.

I thought the synopsis of Target on Our Backs seemed vague, but once I was able to read the prologue – once I was able to combine the words of the synopsis with the metaphor written into the prologue, the plot became much clearer to me. Ignazio Vitale contemplates how a power vacuum can occur when a king of a pride of lions is killed. In the absence of the lion king, there is a real struggle for power. Cubs of the dead lion king essentially become targets to lions who seek to become the new king. And with this comes the realization that Naz and his new wife, Karissa, are essentially targets for somebody who is taking advantage of the power vacuum in the Mafia.

Told from the alternating first person points of view of Naz and Karissa, Darhower wastes no time in capturing the attention of her readers, pulling them into this story. The writing is so crisp in Target on Our Backs, and it’s pure Mafia! Anxiety builds with each new chapter while the danger surrounding Naz and Karissa continues to increase. Each time I began a chapter, adrenaline hummed in my blood! I was nervous about what I would be reading next, yet my curiosity and the excellent storytelling drove me onward. Darhower has such powerful writing – I truly have missed it!

Naz showed real character growth in Target on Our Backs. I enjoyed learning more about his background, about his childhood and tempestuous relationship with his father, Giuseppe Vitale. The scenes involving Naz, Giuseppe and Karissa were some of my favorites of this novel. I felt the pacing, the rhythm of this novel, was right on point. It moved quickly, as I stated earlier, with pure anxiety holding me to the pages. We meet an important new character in Target on Our Backs. It’s hard to discern if Lorenzo Gambini is friend or foe, or some of both, but I do know this: I loved his character. Lorenzo is dangerous, intriguing, entertaining and clever on his feet, and I would absolutely love to read more about him!

I’ve taken some time to consider my thoughts about Target on Our Backs, but I’m quite sure it’s deserving of 6 stars! Congratulations to author J.M. Darhower for another fantastic novel! Target on Our Backs has been added to my list of 2016 favorites!

___________________________________

Monster In His Eyes Series

Monster In His Eyes – Book 1

Ignazio Vitale is not a good man.

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

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

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

I want to hate him.

Sometimes, I do.

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

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

Buy: Amazon / Barnes and Noble / ITunes

****

__________________________________

Torture Her Soul

Monster In His Eyes- Book 2

Don’t say it unless you mean it…

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

Somebody like me.

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

Karissa.

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

Not even close…

God help me, I love her.

I do.

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

Buy: Amazon / Barnes and Noble / ITunes

____________________________________

Author Bio:

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

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Release Blitz + Excerpt + 6 Star Review + 2016 Favorite + Giveaway: When Lightening Strikes by A. L. Jackson – Bleeding Stars Series – Book 3

Posted on 03/22/2016 by shellbellereads

Where Lightening Strikes

Bleeding Stars Series – Book 3

By A. L. Jackson

Buy : Amazon / B & N / ITunes / Kobo

Do you know what it feels like right before lightning strikes? How you can feel the current running through your veins? The trembles of warning that ripple through the air? It was a thrill Tamar King chased all her life until it became the very thing she had to escape.

For the last four years, Tamar King has hidden herself in an isolated world she created. She was safe. No one could touch her. Until Lyrik West walked through her door.

He’s the lead guitarist for Sunder and everything she can never have. The dark and beautiful rock star becomes everything she craves.

Lyrik’s life has been devoted to his band and that success has cost him. Bitter, hard, and filled with regret, he refuses to lose himself again, but from the moment he sees her, he wants one night with Tamar King.

The gorgeous bartender is more than he bargained for. Their attraction is consuming. Their desire overpowering. With one touch, they ignite.

But is it worth the cost of getting burned?

She’s a gorgeous nightmare and he’s a wicked dream…

WHERE LIGHTNING STRIKES, a Bleeding Stars Stand-Alone Novel

Exclusive Pre-Order on iBooks

ADD TO GOODREADS

Excerpt

My smile faded when I looked back again to where he lingered near the door. My head drifted to the side to take him in as his expression shifted through a thousand emotions.

Regret. Sorrow. Lust.

And a longing that nearly brought me to my knees.

Desire trembled through my body.

I wanted to crawl inside him.

To discover every secret.

Even though I got the crushing feeling knowing him would be the end of me.

Cautiously, he edged forward.

Tall.

Beautiful.

Strong.

The air filled up with him. So thick I wasn’t sure I could breathe.

Gently he wound his fingers through my hair. Not so gently he tugged my head back and pinned me with that stare. Slowly he dipped down, my stomach in a thousand blissful knots as he left a dizzying trail of kisses down my neck.

Soft, silken lips.

Little flicks of tongue.

Tingles spread in a wildfire of sensation.

Then his voice was at my ear. Whispering belief. “Blue.”

Blue. Blue. Blue.

She was so scared and unsure and innocently brave. Because she wanted all the things I’d learned the hard way the world didn’t have to give. But she wanted me to fight for them anyway.

Callused fingertips trailed down my sides, and I trembled when they edged under the hem of my shirt. Skin to skin.

“Is this okay?” he asked, his voice like gravel.

My answer scraped from my throat. “Yes.”

Lyrik pulled my tee over my head, slow but sure.

A cool rush of air sent a rush of chills skating free across the flames. My chest heaved as Lyrik stared down at me in my jeans and bra. Eating me up with that irresistible intensity.

I knew my eyes were wild as I looked up at him. My pulse hammered and my spirit thrashed.

“Blue,” he murmured again as he went down onto his knees. He peeked up at me every few seconds as he worked the bandage free from my side. My belly shook as he peeled the bandage away and exposed the statement that had been etched into my side over my ribs, from my hip bone to just under my arm pit on the left side. And I knew the area needed to be cleaned. But somehow right then, I didn’t care.

I just wanted him to see.

The four simple letters were written in a big, scrolling font, and swirls and flowers extended from the first and last letters.

Rise.

Lightly, he drummed his fingertips over the design, not quite touching the raw skin.

His unyielding gaze latched onto mine. “I think you already have.”

Black and white image of young couple lovers embracing half naked

Tracey’s Review

The man was a bundle of mayhem, pushing and pulling and confounding. Yet in his arms, everything became so clear.

Lyrik West. Rocker, bad boy, a beautiful man with the face of a fallen angel and a heart full of buried pain. As part of the band Sunder, he has invaded the world that Tamar King has created for herself and brought a storm in his wake.

“Temptation. That’s what you are. An angel wrapped up in a demon’s body. Heaven and hell. A gift and my greatest demise.”

Tamar King. Bold, sassy, pin-up beautiful, with a take no prisoners attitude, she’s gotten under Lyrik’s skin like no one in a very long time. The feeling is mutual, and it scares the hell out of both of them.

Lyrik and Tamar, two beautifully broken people, engaged in a dance that will take them to places that they can’t even imagine.

Lyrik sees Tamar as a prize to be attained, the girl that keeps saying ‘No’ to his constant pursuit. But, the more that he gets to know her, the closer that they become, Lyrik senses that there is much more to her than she allows, or wants, the world to see. Since meeting when Sunder arrived in Savannah months before, the two have circled each other in a moody and emotional push and pull. Lyrik and Tamar, as different as they are, have more in common than they think. Both have pasts that they are trying to outrun, memories that bring nothing but pain, ghosts that keep them from truly living.

“…For a year, you’ve been chasing a runner. All I’ve done is hide while pretending I was strong…But that’s not me, Lyrik. All of this…” I waved my hand over my body, “it’s just a show.”
He pushed to his feet. His body moved in a slight sway. Mine followed. That magnet I couldn’t escape.
I was helpless to this fascinating man.
He placed his palm on my neck, and his thumb traced along my collarbone. “No.”
Obsidian eyes flashed, and he leaned in closer. “This girl…this bold, brave girl. She’s a part of you. I see her. She’s real. Red,” he murmured on a sigh, brushing his lips against mine.
He pulled back to look at my face. “But maybe…maybe you’re just outgrowing that season of your life. Maybe you don’t need her as bad as you used to and now Blue is bleeding through. Maybe she wants to be heard, too. To have a voice in your life.”

There is not a single book by A.L. Jackson that I do not love, but I have to say that WHERE THE LIGHTNING STRIKES is one of my favorite books of hers yet, and one of my favorites of 2016. Amy’s words are lyrical and evocative, lending a beauty to her books that make them impossible to put down. I was completely drawn into this story, so much in love with Lyrik, Tamar, and their journey that is, by turn, heartbreaking and uplifting. WHERE THE LIGHTNING STRIKES is one of those books that I will revisit and remember for a very long time, and that, to me, is the reason that I read. Thank you, Amy, for giving Lyrik and Tamar their story, and for allowing us to experience it. 6 beautiful, passionate stars for this book about a couple that, together, are a force of nature, and joy to behold.

Once I’d thought her the worst kind of temptation. Destruction and blinding light. The kind of girl who could wreck every last thing I believed.
Blue…
Guess she was.
Temptation.
She’d tempted me to live…
Could feel her racing through my veins.
Fire.
This girl was a bundle of fireworks.
Waiting for a match…
She touched my face just as sure as she touched my heart.
She was every hue of color, reds and blues, the darkest black and blinding white.
Energy and life.
Boom.

_________________________________________

A.L. Jackson is the New York Times bestselling author of contemporary and new adult romance.

She first found a love for writing during her days as a young mother and college student. She filled the journals she carried with short stories and poems used as an emotional outlet for the difficulties and joys she found in day-to-day life.

Years later, she shared a short story she’d been working on with her two closest friends and, with their encouragement, this story became her first full length novel. A.L. now spends her days writing in Southern Arizona where she lives with her husband and three children.

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

To stay up to date with important news on A.L. Jackson, including new releases, sales, and exclusive specials and excerpts, text “jackson” to 96000 to subscribe!

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Release Blitz + Excerpt + 6 Star Review + 2016 Favorite: Collared by Nicole Williams

Posted on 03/22/2016 by shellbellereads

Collared

By Nicole Williams

Release Date: March 22, 2016

Buy the Book

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Synopsis

From New York Times Bestselling Author, Nicole Williams:
When a seventeen-year-old girl vanishes,
A community is shaken.
Parents turn desperate.
Friends hold vigils.
And the boy who loves her searches.

When a year goes by,
The community is recovering.
Parents feel hopeless.
Friends feel helpless.
And the boy who loves her continues his search.

When ten years go by,
The community has forgotten.
Parents cling to the past.
Friends move toward the future.
And the boy who loves her . . .

Brings her home.

Jade Childs spent ten years in captivity, but now that she’s back, the real battle for survival begins. The media shadows her. Flashbacks haunt her. Her old life evades her. Her so-called new life rejects her. She spent too many years in the dark to recognize the light. She spent too long repressing her feelings to remember how to express them. She spent a decade abandoning hope and cannot dare letting it back into her life. Jade’s not just defined by what happened to her—she’s collared to it.

When the twenty-seven-year-old woman is found,
A community wants to know the story,
Parents want to forget the story,
Friends want to be a part of the story,
And the man who still loves her faces the greatest challenge yet: letting her go.

I feel something swirl at my ankle, then it grabs me. I’m sucked under instantly as the undercurrent slams me to the ocean bottom and tumbles me around. It’s happened before, so I don’t panic. I know that once it’s done with me, it will let me go. Once it’s twirled me around a few times, it will leave me alone.

I can feel it starting to lose momentum when two arms brace around me and break me free. When we pop through the surface, Torrin spins me around, terror drawing up his expression.

“Are you okay?” He holds me with one hand, inspecting me with the other like he’s going to find an elbow or organ missing.

I’m totally wet. I feel ocean water draining out of my ears and nose. My hair feels like a cyclone just had its way with it, and I know my skin’s red and blotchy from the sand exfoliation treatment I just received free of charge.

I laugh. This is what alive feels like. I remember.

It’s adrenaline pulsing so hard in my veins they feel about to burst. It’s feelings that twist my stomach into knots. It’s feeling so cold my body goes numb and so attracted to someone my body feels the opposite of numb.

This is it. Living. I can almost feel the blood warm in my veins as it starts to run again.

“Why are you laughing?” Torrin’s face flashes with relief when he sees I’m okay, but he doesn’t let go of me.

On the beach, my parents slowly make their way back to the beach blankets once they’ve seen I’m okay.

“That was fun.” I rub my stomach because it hurts. From the laughter. I’d forgotten stomachs could hurt from laughing.

“Fun? Not my idea of fun.”

I wipe the water from my face and find just as much sand pasted to it. “What’s your idea of fun then?”

Torrin’s still shaking his head when he suddenly shouts, “This!”

He pulls me under the water with him. He lets me go right away, but I don’t want him to. I don’t want him to ever let go.

I splash him when he resurfaces a few feet away. “Did you just dunk me?”

He splashes back. “I just did.”

“You’ve heard of payback, right?” I move a little closer, ignoring the way I can feel my parents watching us from the beach.

“I’ve heard of it. Not really a big fan though.”

When I lunge at him and try to knock him under, he’s clearly bracing for it because all I do is smash into him. My wet body against his, our arms tangled together, our faces too close to not be aware of where each other’s mouths are . . .

“What’s this payback thing again?” He’s practically gloating, so I come at it from a different angle.

My eyes drop to his mouth and stay there until his lips part from his breaths coming faster. When my hand curves against the side of his face, sweeping down the line of his jaw, I feel his chest moving hard against mine. His arms tangle tighter behind me because I’m slipping through them. When that doesn’t work, he hoists me higher, and his arms form a net beneath my backside.

I need to clear my head before I can’t remember what I’m doing.

My eyes lift to his and hold there. When he blinks, a drop of water rolls off his eyelashes. My hand slides lower until my thumb is touching the corner of his mouth.

“Torrin?” I whisper, my mouth lowering.

“Yeah?” His voice is rough, coming from low in his throat.

I move my mouth just outside his ear. “This . . . is . . .”—I burst free of his hold and slide his legs out from beneath him with my foot—“payback!”

He goes down with a surprised shout and an explosive splash. I’m laughing again, and so is he when he pops his head above the water.

“Well played, Childs.”

“Thank you very much,” I say with a bow, hoping he can’t see right through me the way I feel he can sometimes.

If he does, he’ll know. He’ll know I would have rather kissed him. I would rather still be kissing him. He’ll know that while I’m content to put most of the past behind me, there’s one part I want to pack and bring with me to the future.

Him.

I think he might see it though, because I think I might see it in him too.

The sun catches his eyes just right when he looks at me. “You always had a way of taking the ground right out from beneath me.”

Michel’s Review

Wow! Collared by Nicole Williams is a must read! It’s one of those books that stands out among New Adult and Contemporary Romance books. It’s a realistic view of how life would be after experiencing the horrid circumstances that shaped these characters lives.

When I first saw the title “Collared” my mind immediately categorized this book as a BDSM type of book. Then I read the synopsis and realized this may be something different. After reading the book I realized that Collared has many definitions and not all of them imply ownership.

Take a trip down memory lane and think about your senior year in high school. Your world revolves around friends, boyfriends, school, and family. Although you are in your final year of high school, you are still a kid. You are still under your parents supervision. You aren’t thinking about bills, responsibilities, and adult life. Your views of the world are naive and innocent. Your only thoughts of the future are the next social activity,next date, next test, or what college you should apply to. Your wish list consists of what you can do once you are eighteen and can make your own decisions without your parents consent. But in the back of your mind you still know your parents are going to be a big influence on most of your decisions. We’ve all been there, it’s the normal passage in life. Now imagine that you are yanked out of that life in a horrific way and you’ve become frozen in time. Ten years later you are back in a world that moved on while you were still that same person you were when you were a senior in high school. It’s a downright scary thought. It would be downright scary to experience, especially on top of the horrific existence of the past ten years.

Jade Childs led a charmed life. She came from a good family and lived in the perfect small town. She was in love with her first boyfriend, Torrin Costigan, the boy next door. Together they were learning the meaning of love and passion. Until one night ripped their world apart. Jade was taken from her front yard after being at Torrin’s house. It changed both of their lives in a very drastic way. She spent ten years chained and collared. He spent ten years living with the repercussions of that night.

When Jade went missing, Torrin became the number one suspect. After several years of being a person of interest, Torrin is finally able to move forward in his own life. He has never given up looking for Jade because in his heart he knows she is still alive. After ten years of searching, praying, and never giving up hope, Jade is finally found. She’s not the same girl that went missing but beneath the surface the girl he once loved is still there. She just has to find herself and her place in life. The only difference is that he is no longer the boy she left behind. He has moved on and made a lifetime commitment. Now he has to choose between his present life and commitments or choose the girl he loved fiercely in the past. It’s a choice that not only affects his heart but also his faith and integrity. The only thing he can do is live by the mantra he has lived by for the past ten years.

Try again. Fail again. Fail Better.

Jade is thrust into a life that moved forward. Her siblings are grown and have their own lives. Her friends have made new adult lives and are starting families. Torrin is not the same boy she left behind. He is out of her reach. In many ways she is still chained and collared. She no longer knows the girl she once was or the woman she wants to be. The only thing she can do is…

Try again. Fail again. Fail Better.

Nicole Williams wrote a powerful, emotional story. I could not put this book down. It pulled on all of my emotions and left me heartbroken from their experiences. The ending was exactly the only way it could end at this point in their lives. I am hoping that Nicole Williams will revisit Jade and Torrin’s lives in the next ten years. Their journey has just begun and I think these two will find the futures they were meant to have.

Nicole Williams is the New York Times and USATODAY bestselling author of contemporary and young adult romance, including the Crash and Lost & Found series. Her books have been published by HarperTeen and Simon & Schuster in both domestic and foreign markets, while she continues to self-publish additional titles. She is working on a new YA series with Crown Books (a division of Random House) as well. She loves romance, from the sweet to the steamy, and writes stories about characters in search of their happily even after. She grew up surrounded by books and plans on writing until the day she dies, even if it’s just for her own personal enjoyment. She still buys paperbacks because she’s all nostalgic like that, but her kindle never goes neglected for too long. When not writing, she spends her time with her husband and daughter, and whatever time’s left over she’s forced to fit too many hobbies into too little time.

Nicole is represented by Jane Dystel, of Dystel and Goderich Literary Agency.

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Blog Tour + Excerpt + 6 Star Review + 2016 Favorite: Slave To Rhythm by Jane Harvey-Berrick – The Rhythm Series – Book 1

Posted on 03/09/2016 by shellbellereads

Slave To Rhythm

By Jane Harvey- Berrick

Release Date: March 8th, 2016

Buy : Amazon / Amazon UK / Amazon CA / Nook / Kobo

Synopsis

Dance. Guns.

Music. Bullets.

Rhythm. Pain.

Music in my head, dance in my body, the rhythm of my heart.

How far can you fall in just one month? How quickly can the human spirit be broken? Where does evil hide in plain sight?

Ash wants to dance. Needs it. To leave behind a life of expectation and duty, to set his soul free.

But life is never that simple. Every step is a journey on a new road.

For every action, there is a reaction.

Every choice has a consequence.

And when you meet the wrong person, all bets are off.

Laney tolerates her limitations, pushing quietly at boundaries. But when Ash crashes into her world through rage and violence, it sets off a chain reaction that neither of them expected.

♫♪ ♫♪ ♫♪ ♫ ♫ ♪ ♫ ♫ ♪♫♪

Excerpt

Laney POV

I tiptoed into the living room to get a couple of cookies from the kitchen. I noticed that Ash had left the drapes open and it gave me a chance to study his beautiful face, younger and softer in sleep.

But he wasn’t asleep, and I froze.

He was stretched out on the couch, his bare chest almost luminous in the glow of the street lamps.

One hand rested on his chest, but the other…

The thin sheet was pushed down to his thighs and he was stroking himself. His long fingers that had massaged me so thoroughly earlier in the evening were firmly grasping his hard dick and working it up and down, his thumb sweeping over the wide head. His eyes were closed, his mouth slightly open, and his breaths were quick and shallow.

I knew I should turn around and go, leaving him alone in this very private moment, not watching like some creepy voyeur. But I couldn’t. I was mesmerized by the sight of him pleasuring himself, his hand moving faster, his firm chest rising and falling rapidly.

He muttered something in his own language, and I could tell by the tightness in his face that he was close. And God, if it wasn’t the hottest thing I’d ever seen.

♫♪ ♫♪ ♫♪ ♫ ♫ ♪ ♫ ♫ ♪♫♪

Michel’s Review

Readers can always count on Jane Harvey-Berrick to deliver an original, emotional, and entertaining novel that stands out in a flooded market of romance novels. In 2015 she took readers on an adventure with the Traveling Series that featured the life of carnies. Now in 2016 she’s stepped off the midway and leaped into the spotlight with her new Rhythm Series, featuring professional dancers. The added bonus to this new series is that it goes beyond a romance series and steps into the world of suspense that turns it into a dark thriller.

The very first paragraph drew me into this story and I could not put it down until I finished the last word. I was drawn into the bright lights of the stage and experienced the dreams of stardom right along with all the dancers looking for their big break. Rather than becoming shining stars, their hopes and dreams were shattered the moment they stepped off the plane in Las Vegas. They are thrust into a dark, violent, and hopeless world where the mere thought of surviving seems bigger than all their dreams put together. They have become victims in a heinous world. A world in which there is no return. A world where slavery is the only means of survival.

Aljaz Novak, other wise known as Ash, has trained as a ballroom dancer all his life. Dancing is more than a passion, it is his life force. Having the opportunity to come to Las Vegas as a stage dancer is beyond his dreams. When he steps off the plane and is thrust into his new world, it is beyond his dreams, it’s the ultimate nightmare. He has been duped along with other European dancers. There is no show, no theater, and no starring roles. He’s been brought to America to become a sex slave by the Russian Brava. The girls that were brought over with him are disappearing. He has captured the eye of a sick monster that wants to make him his personal slave boy. Every means of escape are impossible. They have taken his passport, clothes, money, work visa, and phone. His only hope is to die with dignity.

Help comes from an unexpected girl. A girl in a wheelchair that happens to intrude on a violent, abusive rape situation. The escape takes them to Chicago, where her family resides.

Laney has become more than a savior. She has become his best friend. She has the determination and hope to help him regain his life back. She wants him to regain his self esteem, his passion for dance, and the justice he deserves. Along the way she becomes more than a friend and savior. She becomes his reason for living. She has become his personal ray of sunshine.

Laney has battled her disease all her life. When she met Ash, he treated her as a regular woman rather than a cripple. He accepted her for who she was. He didn’t want to fix her, he only wants to help her realize her own dreams.

Together Laney and Ash should not make sense, but together they are perfection. And just when they think they have put the nightmare behind them, the nightmare shows up center stage.

Slave To Rhythm was an emotional story that shows that hope and redemption come in very different ways. The thing that makes it credible is the capacity to love with the whole heart.

This book was amazing. I could not put it down. I can’t wait to see who’s next in the spotlight of the stage in the Rhthym Series.

Jane Harvey-Berrick should receive a standing ovation for this book.

__________________________________________________

For as long as I can remember, I wanted to write. Perhaps it was growing up in a village well known for its mystery and folklore, which sparked my imagination as a child.

I enjoy writing in several different genres, and I’ve just published my first romcom, ‘Dazzled’.

All my books have a little me in them, and I’m inspired by the personal stories of those around me. It’s often from a simple discussion overheard in the train (‘Exposure’), in a café, or in the street, where ideas for characters or scenes come to me.

I fell in love with both Sam (‘The New Samurai’) and the eponymous Sebastian in ‘The Education of Sebastian’ and the sequel ‘The Education of Caroline’, and missed them desperately once I’d finished their stories. I love writing dialogue and always try to include touches of humour in the most poignant stories.

Whether you like adult romance novels, new or young adult writing, thrillers, or fantasy, I hope you’ll enjoy the journey through my stories.

Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Goodreads

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Release Blitz + 6 Star Review + 2016 Favorite: JOCKBLOCKED by Jen Frederick – Gridiron Series – Book 2

Posted on 02/10/2016 by shellbellereads

Jockblocked

Gridiron Series – Book 2

By Jen Frederick

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BLURB

She’s always played it safe…

College junior Lucy Washington abides by one rule—avoid risk at all costs. She’s cautious in every aspect of her life, from her health, to her mock trial team, to the boring guys she dates. When a brash, gorgeous jock walks into the campus coffeeshop and turns his flirt on, Lucy is stunned by the force of attraction. For the first time ever, she’s willing to step out of her comfort zone, but can she really trust the guy who’s determined to sweep her off her feet?

He’s always played around…

Entering his last year of college eligibility, linebacker Matthew “Matty” Iverson has the team captaincy in his sights. And it’s his for the taking, if he can convince his quarterback Ace Anderson to give up the starting position. Luckily, Matty already has an edge—the hottie he’s lusting over just happens to be Ace’s childhood best friend. Getting Lucy on his side and in his bed? Hell yeah. Matty is more than confident he can have both, but when he falls hard for Lucy, it’s time for a new game plan: convince the woman of his dreams that she’s not sleeping with the enemy.

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Excerpt

I grab her foot and pull it into my lap. “Let’s do a risk/reward test.”

“Let’s not.” But her foot doesn’t move.

I massage her foot beneath the sock, pressing hard against the ball and then digging into the arch. She releases a tiny moan and her head falls back in a dick-hardening sexy motion. Fuuuuck. If this is how I feel from just touching this girl’s hand and foot, what would it be like to be between her legs, to suck on her tits, to feel her pussy pulse around my dick? Light-headed and incredibly aroused, I almost fall off the chair.

I gotta focus here. If I’m ever going to get past the foot and hand, I need to convince her that the reward with me would be off-the-charts amazing.

Clearing my throat, I keep rubbing her foot. “Having your foot in my lap, that’s a risk right? But you’re enjoying the rubdown. That’s a risk worth the reward.”

“Keep rubbing and stop talking,” she orders. Her eyes are closed.

Okay, but I’m not touching some other guy’s sock, particularly the guy whose bed she’s sleeping in. I don’t know if I fully buy into her “just friends” explanation for Ace. He has her picture in his locker. She’s wearing his socks. For all that, he’s at the Gas Station dry humping a Kappa and Lucy’s home alone. I pull off the sock and toss it aside and stare at her toes.

“Your nail polish is blue.” Since when did I think toes were sexy?

She wriggles them. “Yes, on both feet. You’re very observant. Haven’t you ever seen a girl’s toes before?”

“I’m sure I have.” I just don’t remember them. I have this strange feeling I’ll remember hers, though.

I run a light caress over the anklebone, down the spine of the Achilles tendon, and around the edge of her instep.

Her breathing hitches, so quiet and so soft, I might have imagined it.

“What’re you doing?” Her words are a husky whisper and my body responds accordingly.

My balls tighten and my dick’s so hard I’m worried it’ll snap in half, but I can’t reach into my jeans to readjust or I’ll scare her away.

“We’re testing your risk assessment.” And driving myself crazy.

“You should stop.”

“I can’t.” I move my hand up her ankle to cup the slender calf. “Feel good? Worth the risk?”

“I’m not sure.”

That’s an invitation if I ever heard one.

Is it possible to come from just rubbing a girl’s leg? I might test out that theory. “And now?” My fingers find the tender hollow behind her knee. Her pulse beats rapidly against my palm. She’s as turned on as I am and I haven’t even gotten to the good parts.

“It feels riskier,” she croaks.

Yeah, because pretty soon my hand is going to be on your thigh and I don’t know how I’m going to stop there.

Her fingers are turning white as she grips the sides of her chair. Is she holding herself back? Or keeping herself there?

Fuck, I want to kiss her so bad. I want to kiss her lips but I’d settle for her toes or her knee or‑shit, if all she’ll allow is for me to touch the tips of her fingers, I’d be okay with that. I need a taste of her. I’m dying for a taste of her.

nbsp;

Michel’s Review

As an avid reader and blogger I am always looking for that next great book that is going to push all of my buttons. With over a thousand blog reviews and thousands of books under my belt there isn’t much that surprises me. I have learned from my reading experiences that there are only so many plots, subject matters, and character personalities to cover. It’s very hard to find new and fresh story ideas. In a sense that doesn’t really matter because the most important thing is how an author delivers the story and brings their characters to life. It’s their job to engage the readers and get them invested in their characters lives. It’s all about the writing. When I open a new book I am looking to be entertained, engaged, and emotionally invested. I want to escape into their world and become a part of it. I’ve learned to put aside preconceived assumptions, not to be influenced by previous books in series (unless it is a continuation of a previous cliffhanger), and put aside my personal likes or dislikes for subject matter. We all have genres and types of stories we like better than others. We all have our own personal triggers. I try to step outside of my personal preferences and delve into a book with an open mind. I want to judge a book on it’s own merit and not lean on previous experiences. I’ve learned to finely tune the formula I use for reviewing books. I look at the overall picture, the plot, the subplot, the character development, the secondary characters and their involvement, the pacing, the dialogue, word usage in the text, story format , delivery technique such as first, second, or third person POV, editing, and emotional involvement. I then factor in my personal reactions and emotional engagement. With that said… I can honestly justify my 6 Star review of Jockblocked by Jen Frederick.

Jockblocked by Jen Frederick is a 6 Star Book.

Jockblocked has everything that readers want in a book and more! The writing is superb! The story line was fresh, unique, and had a combination of different subplots feeding into the main plot that kept me glued to the pages. It had a swoon worthy romance and an unusual love triangle. In the midst of the romance there are other things going on that test both of the main characters in different ways as individuals. It also redefines their place in their world as members of their individual teams. It tests their code of ethics, team obligations, and makes them question their future ambitions. The story gets more complex when the author adds a coach with a devious agenda, serious medical issues, and a team of headstrong, testosterone fueled football players becoming divided. The tensions are high and makes the romance all the more difficult. I read this book in one sitting and walked away completely satisfied but wanting more of these college gridiron heroes. The book ended with so many possibilities for this series. This series could easily branch off in several different directions.

It all begins in the second semester after the championship. The team is still on a high from winning the National Championship. They are in the partying mode and not at all dedicated to their academic responsibilities. Matthew “ Matty” Iverson is high on life. He had a great season and is next in line to becoming the Defense Team Captain. Life is good. The partying is getting a bit boring and Matty is beginning to want something more than hookups, random chicks, and loose living. He finds himself in the local coffee house rather than at the bar with his teammates. There he meets Lucy Washington. Lucy is different from the girls he’s been around most of his college career. She’s not into jocks. She’s smart, witty, and off limits. That makes Matty all the more determined to get to know her. The more he comes around , the more he strikes out with Lucy. That is until he runs into her again at one of his teammates house. He rescues her from a potential bad situation and this begins their complex relationship that will be tested over and over again.

Matty has his sights on winning the girl, becoming the Defense Captain, and hopefully moving onto the NFL. But when the coach dangles the carrot, the position of Defense Captain, over his head it puts Matty in a precarious position. A position that will divide the team, makes him question his ethics, and lastly could affect his relationship with Lucy. It’s too much pressure. Matty has to make choices and depend upon his gut instincts.

Lucy Washington is not the average coed. She’s a determined student with high goals. She is a member of the mock trial team and depends on these experiences for her law school applications. She doesn’t have time for a social life let alone a fulltime boyfriend. She doesn’t want to date and especially a jock. She knows what jocks are like. Her best friend, Ace Anderson, is a prime example. They also made an unwritten pact not to date people from each other’s social network. It’s an understanding they both stand by. But her opinion begins to waver when she meets the sexy defense football player, Matty Iverson. She begins to question the unwritten rule. This guy is more than just a jock. He’s smart, witty, and an overall good guy. It’s easy to be around him and enjoy their time together. He respects her aspirations, goals, and dedication to her team. Maybe it’s time to take a chance and let go of the “friend” code.

Ace Anderson is the winning quarterback for the team. He’s riding high on his championship win and life is good. Or it was good until his best friend, Lucy Washington, starts dating a guy from the defense team. Matty Iverson is a player like himself, and we’re not talking about football. Matty Iverson is poaching on his personal territory, he’s poaching his forever girl. Things couldn’t get any worse but somehow they always do. Coach has enlisted Matty to convince him to step down as quarterback so that he can bring in a star high school quarterback. Ace knows the coach’s agenda is more than for the good of the team. It’s personal. The war is on. Ace is going to win the girl and keep his quarterback position. His future is depending on it.

As this story unfolds it’s more than Matty and Lucy’s relationship on the line. The football team has become divided. The offense and defense have become separate teams. They are pitted against one another and no longer have team unity. Lucy is put in the position of choosing between friendship and love. At the same time she’s dealing with her mock trial team falling apart. Matty is forced to do things he would never do and it goes against his obligation to the team. At the same time he’s trying to hang onto his relationship with Lucy. Ace is going to bring his A game to get what he wants.

Both Lucy and Matty’s teams are falling apart. The lines have been drawn, sides have been declared, and the tensions are high. All of their futures are on the line.

This is just a brief summery of what is going on in Jockblocked. There are so many other things happening and each player has an integral part in the story. The emotions were so high in this book. They bleed off the pages. The main characters are on an emotional rollercoaster and they are not the only ones. The secondary characters are right along for the ride. The way the book ended gave Lucy and Matty their happy ending but also left playing field wide open. Who’s up next in this series? It could be anyone of these gridiron jocks.

Jen Frederick delivered a book that is worthy of a championship title. Jockblocked is a 6 Star Champion!

Read Jockblocked by Jen Frederick. It can be read as a stand alone romance or in series order.

The Gridiron Series

Sacked – Book 1

What he wants he gets…

Knox Masters is a quarterback’s worst nightmare. Warrior. Champion. And…virgin. Knox knows what he wants–and he gets it. All American Football player? Check. NFL pros scouting him? Check. Now, he’s set his sight on two things. The national title. And Ellie Campbell. Sure, she’s the sister of his fellow teammate, but that’s not going to stop him. Especially not when he’s convinced Ellie is the one.

…but he’s never met her before.

But Ellie isn’t as sure. She’s trying to start a new life and she’s not interested in a relationship…with anyone. Beside it’s not just her cardinal rule of never dating her brother’s teammates that keeps her away, but Ellie has a dark secret that would jeopardize everything Knox is pursuing.

Knox has no intention of losing. Ellie has no intention of giving in.

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****

Jockblocked – Book 2

She’s always played it safe…

He’s always played around…

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___________________________________________

Author Bio:

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Saucy Southern Readers

professional, honest, and timely book reviews

Tag Archives: 6 Star Review

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Release Blitz + Excerpt + 6 Star Review + 2016 Favorite: Collared by Nicole Williams

Blog Tour + Excerpt + 6 Star Review + 2016 Favorite: Slave To Rhythm by Jane Harvey-Berrick – The Rhythm Series – Book 1

Release Blitz + 6 Star Review + 2016 Favorite: JOCKBLOCKED by Jen Frederick – Gridiron Series – Book 2

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