Release Blitz + Excerpt + 5 Star Review + Giveaway: The Lies Between Us by M. N. Forgy – The Devil’s Dust MC Series – Book 4

Posted on 09/22/2015 by shellbellereads

The Lies Between Us

Devil’s Dust MC Series- Book 4

By M. N. Forgy

Release Date: September 22, 2015

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

Synopsis:

Cherry’s life growing up was nothing short of a nightmare. Having an abusive father forced her to fend for herself from an early age. Bruised and emotionally broken, she finally escaped, running straight into the comfort that Lip’s arms brought. In the beginning, everything seemed to fall into place perfectly. He made her forget the messed-up ways of her life. But secrets can’t stay neglected. They have a habit of revealing themselves regardless of the consequences. Terrified, Cherry can’t speak a word or she’ll lose it all.

Lip is no stranger to the criminal life. Growing up among convicts, he wanted nothing more than to show his worth. He’ll do anything for the club without question, including serving six years in prison. But nobody could have predicted life’s plan. Rugged, tattooed, and wanting nothing more than to have Cherry, Lip is no longer the man whom Cherry remembers. After his release, he came out a beast with more secrets and lies than his cage could hold.

Excerpt

After he leaves, I open his wallet, reading his name, address, weight. All of it.

“Phillip DeLuca.” I taste his name running off my lips as I trace my finger over his picture. He’s so handsome. He’s the kind of guy most people would be afraid of, but not me. I want to get to know him. Lost in a daydream, my car door is yanked open.

“Where the fuck is it, bitch?”

“What?” I shriek as I’m pulled out of the car and slammed forward onto the hot hood. “I don’t have anything!” I scream, trying to pull free. He shoves me back down on the hood. His hand tangled in my hair.

“Don’t think about moving,” he spits, his tone harsh. I roll my eyes and continue leaning over the hood. My heart slams against my chest in pure panic, and my hands shake. He pulls away and leans in to the car. Within seconds, he finds his wallet. Shit.

He peers at me with a fierce energy in his eyes. The intensity has me pulling off the hood, scared out of my mind.

“You have some balls,” he mutters, shoving his wallet back in his pocket. His tone is soft and tender suddenly. I turn my head and eye him angrily.

“Fuck you.” I cross my arms and lean my hip against the car. My choice of words more confident than I’m feeling.

He steps up to me and grabs my hips hard with both hands. My skin burns, and my mouth parts with desire. His brown eyes find mine, and his hands yank my body closer to his. I feel like all the air is sucked from my lungs as I search his dark eyes. Placing my hands on his solid chest to steady myself, my palms buzz with excitement.

“You’d like that, wouldn’t you?” He looks me up and down and leans in close. “You’d like it if I pushed you over the hood of this car and fucked you ‘til your legs gave out.” His words feather against my lips, he’s so close. I hold my breath, willing my body to pull away, but I don’t move. Just when I think he’s going to kiss me, he grabs my hand and pulls it upward. I furrow my brows and watch as he pulls a pen from his back pocket, pulling the cap off with his teeth. He writes his number and the word ‘Lip’ on my hand.

“Call me. Don’t make me come find you, Cherry.”

“Cherry?” I ask out loud.

“Your swimsuit,” he yells over his shoulder before starting his bike. I look down at my white shirt noticing my cherry bikini peeking out from the bust line. A smile creeps across my face. I know I shouldn’t like him, but I kind of do. Driving past me, he winks and I swear I sigh like a damn fool.

Michel’s Review

The Lies Between Us by M. N. Forgy is my favorite book in the The Devil’s Dust MC Series. I loved Cherry and Lip’s story! I could not put this book down!

Cherry is the feisty red headed, old lady that befriended Dani in the previous books. We all know that her old man Lip was serving time. Now the readers are going to get her story and witness how she became a valuable member of the Devil’s Dust family.

Cherry has not had an easy life. She grew up in a run down trailer park. She’s had an abusive father and very rough life. She has been bullied, abused, and used. She’s learned to be tough. She’s a survivor.

One drunken mistake sends her life into a tailspin. A drunken hook up with the wrong person leads to a surprise pregnancy. Things couldn’t get worse… but they do. She loses custody of her baby and witnesses the corruption of the legal system. She’s pissed off some very powerful people and now she has a mark on her head. She makes a vow that she is going to get justice and get her baby back.

She is forced into running and living on the streets. She’s living in her car and pulling scams to survive. When a sexy biker falls prey to her scams, not only is she caught, but she has also caught Phillip “Lip” DeLuca’s eye. He wants Cherry.

What starts out as a helping hand evolves into a complicated relationship. A relationship built on lies and secrets. A relationship that is nothing but a smoke screen to cover the real truths behind their passions.

Cherry is hiding her past. She is protecting her secrets until she can get vengeance. Lip’s first priority is the Devil’s Dust MC. He’s willing to do whatever needs to be done. He will go to prison for the club. He will take on an old lady for the club. He will keep Cherry under wraps. What he didn’t count on was Cherry. She is everything he could possibly want in a woman. She has a way of touching the soft side he had long lost. He could really keep her as his old lady but she doesn’t know who he really is. She hasn’t seen his true colors.

Six years of lies and deceipt. Six years of passion and heartache. Six years may not be enough for Cherry and Lip.

After so many lies can they finally open up to each other and prove that through it all they were meant for each other ?

Danger is coming at the club from all directions. Cherry’s past has caught up with her. Lip’s dangerous past is threatening the club. Someone is going to die. The club has gained too many powerful enemies.

This book was fantastic. The story kept me on the edge of my seat guessing to what would come next. There were quite a few surprises. I can honestly say that Cherry & Lip’s story has been my favorite.

M. N. Forgy has grown as a writer. Her stories have become more complex. The build up and delivery are well paced and keeps the reader glued to the pages. The passion is sizzling. The characters come to life and grab your attention.

I can’t wait to see what comes next!

The Devil’s Dust Series

What Doesn’t Destroy Us – Book One

When Dani’s sheltered life is turned upside down by her mother’s secrets, she finds protection with her estranged outlaw father. Against all warnings, she falls for bad boy biker, Shadow. He is beast and beauty sealed in a leather cut with a gun holster. Can Dani learn to live within the Club rules? Is she more like her father than she could imagine?

Shadow has grown up among drug addicts, whores and murderers. The only family he’s ever trusted has been the Devil’s Dust motorcycle club. He will do anything for a brother; even kill. In fact, killing is so easy, he’s made a career of it. His one regret is not being able to kill his own worthless mother. When Dani shows up with her provocative temper and innocent charm, Shadow begins to question his violent lifestyle. But can he trust her with his demons?
Sex.
Blood.
Betrayal.
Will Dani and Shadow let family ties destroy them?
***WARNING***
This novel contains explicit language, sex, drugs, violence, and sexual situations that some might find offensive. This book is intended for adults 18+ years of age.

Buy: Amazon / Barnes and Noble / ITunes

The Scars That Define Us – Book 2

The Devil’s Dust MC has a list of new threats to the club’s lifestyle. Dani, to prove her loyalty, is trying to embrace a part of herself that she never knew existed until now. A sinful beast lurking beneath her surface has been awakened and is ready to eliminate anyone that stands in its way. Looking at her stained hands, she rinses the blood from them. She resigns herself to innocence lost and welcomes her thirst for more blood.

After a breathtaking turn of events, Shadow is looking at life in a different perspective. Not knowing who he can trust or who he can forgive has left him feeling desolate and alone. As Shadow is laying behind his rifle, he wonders if he can pull the trigger to eliminate the threat. He takes a deep breath and squeezes the trigger, the rifle recoil ignites the fuel that drives him.

Retaliations will be required.

Boundaries will be shattered.

Redemption will be lost.

Betrayal so deep, yet they still yearn for one another. Can Shadow overlook Dani’s transgressions? Can Dani overlook the mistrust that Shadow has placed upon her?

Buy: Amazon / Barnes and Noble / ITunes

The Broken Piece Of Us – Book 2.5

***WARNING – This is not your typical happily ever after.

Babs is no stranger to the MC world. As an ol’ lady, she takes the hell that comes with it and dishes it out times two. When things take a turn for the worst, it leaves her questioning just how equipped she is for the hell she lives. She thought her marriage with Locks was it; that she had it all. But the past has a way of sneaking up and tearing life apart. Finding herself trapped as Locks’ ol’ lady, with the threat she will be his till the grave, her world spirals out of control. The only person risking it all to save her is the last person she thought would care: Bull.

The president of the Devil’s Dust MC, Bull, is good at running women off and is even better at pissing off his brothers. When he sees the way his vice-president is treating his ol’ lady, he tries to keep his thoughts to himself. The one thing Bull insists on in his club is respect and loyalty: respect for the patch, respect for your brother, and loyalty to the club. However, after finding Babs in a harsh predicament after a run in with Locks, he can’t help but step in.
Crossing lines and hurdling around life’s unpredictability, will they find refuge in each other or will they have to endure what life gives them?

Buy: Amazon / Barnes and Noble / ITunes

Love That Defies Us – Novella

Dani has taken the role of a mother easily, and is loving the title ‘wife to be.’ But with that happiness, comes complications. Having children, and a fiancé involved in a motorcycle club, has her and Shadow becoming distant, and missing their sexy escapades. A spark that was once a vibrant flame is now a suppressing ember.

Shadow knows he has not been there for Dani, not like he should be. Doing the dirty work of the club, and taking on the responsibilities of Vice President of The Devil’s Dust, he’s had his hands full.

With violent murders unfolding around the club, it has thrown town locals into a panic. What they didn’t expect was for them to get caught up in the carnage.

Can Dani and Shadow survive the distance that has been wedged between them, or will it have them questioning their imminent marriage?

Buy: Amazon / Barnes and Noble / ITunes

The Fear That Divides Us – Book 3

Road Captain of the Devil’s Dust Motorcycle Club, Bobby has the scars to prove just how dangerous his life is. He gives the world he knows hell and loves every moment of it. Wearing a panty-dropping grin along the way, his fierce life has never been a problem for him, until her. Jessica is the only female who has him distracted in his game. After taking him to bed, she’s the only woman to tell him to take a hike. Waking with her gone, he can’t resist her pull. He’s seen the marks on her body, ones which tell the horrors she’s lived through. He’s also seen the fear in her eyes when she lets herself become weak to his advances. Bobby has a decision to make. Can he help Jessica, or will it mean giving up his carefree life?

Jessica, also known as Doc, lives life in fear. Years back, she ran to the Devil’s Dust for protection, seeking the demise of her abusive, dominant husband. Her mind and soul tortured by her past, she can’t allow herself to move forward. The only thing in her sight is her daughter’s safety. Even if she has the attention of one particular tattooed biker, she can’t succumb to his charm and drag her daughter back into a world of danger, no matter how much he thinks he can save her.

Mistakes will be made.

Fears will be faced.

Pain will be remembered.

Can Bobby and Jessica survive the dangers they bring upon themselves?

Buy: Amazon / Barnes and Noble / ITunes

_______________________________________________________

About M. N. Forgy

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

Stalk Her: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

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Swag pack, including a signed paperback of What Doesn’t Destroy Us, & $50 Amazon gift card.

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Release Blitz + Excerpt + 5 Star Review + Giveaway: Blow by Kim Karr – The Tainted Love Duet – Book 1

Posted on 09/21/2015 by shellbellereads

One Couple…

Two New Books…

A Story of Tainted Love…

Blow – September 21, 2015 – Book 1

Buy: Amazon / Amazon UK

**************************************

Crush – November 16, 2015 – Book 2

Pre Order: Amazon

****

Blow

By Kim Karr

Release Date: September 21, 2015

Synopsis

2 fatal sides.

1 epic love.

7 days to survive.

They met in the face of danger. They weren’t looking for love. They both knew better. But they couldn’t stay away, and they fell hard.

He is heart-stopping handsome, fearless—and haunted by deadly ties.

She is breathtakingly beautiful, determined—and in harm’s way.

They should have parted. They didn’t. They never should have fucked. They did. And now time is running out. One hundred sixty eight hours. That’s all that remains. While Logan McPherson fights to save them, Elle Sterling is forced to make a choice that could change everything.

When torn between right and wrong, tainted love doesn’t have a chance…or does it? ‪#‎taintedlove ‪#‎weshouldhaveknownbetter

Buy: Amazon / Amazon UK

Excerpt

Prologue

Four Months Before

Logan

Mile after mile, I ran. Faster, feet pounding against the broken asphalt, breath crystalizing in the air. I’d been fleeing along the edge of the road for what seemed like eternity. Trucks zoomed past me, taillights fading in the distance, and still there were no sirens.

The moon slipped behind a cloud and left me moving blindly. Finally, a whistle filled the darkness. It was what I’d been waiting for.

Let’s see how bad they want this.

I spun in the opposite direction and spotted the familiar red and blue lights. With a quick jump, I vaulted over the damaged guardrail and found myself tumbling down a steep ravine.

Landing on my stomach, blood dripped from my nose, and the taste of rust flooded my mouth. I didn’t take the time to wipe it away. I had to keep moving. I’d started this game and I was going to finish it.

Quickly, I leapt to my feet and began to run again. When a sharp burning and throbbing pulsated in my right ankle, I knew my speed would be impaired. I must have twisted it in the fall. With everything I had, I tried to ignore the pain.

Adrenaline pumped through my bloodstream, making my heart race and giving me the strength I needed. I was no longer on the pavement and my terrain was harder to navigate. Trees, broken branches, and the sickening smell of the stagnant river surrounded me. I pushed onward.

It could have been worse—at least there wasn’t any ice.

Still, it was fucking freezing out here. Snow fell around me. Chilled to the bone, I tugged my hat farther down over my ears.

I didn’t stop, though—I had to keep going.

When my eyes were streaming from the cold and my leg muscles began to seize up, I knew my body needed a break. I’d find cover and play the wait-and-see game.

The dilapidated abandoned warehouse a few yards away seemed like my best choice. The hinges were rusted and appeared broken, but when I yanked on the door, it wouldn’t open.

With a sigh, I stomped my salt-stained shoes in the slush I was standing in and looked around.

No sign of them, yet.

They’d be here soon enough.

My lungs burned as I bent over with my hands on my thighs in an attempt to catch my breath.

Poised to move in any direction, I thought about my decision to bait them.

Smart?

Stupid?

I couldn’t believe the game of cat and mouse I had entered into—with the Boston Police Department nonetheless.

But I’d had enough. They’d been following me around for almost a week. Their more-than-obvious tail was bordering on harassment. Pushed to the limit, today I’d decided it was time to find out what it was all about. I was going to force their move. I left my vehicle and took off. They were tracking me, but what they were waiting for to approach me, I had no idea. At this point I had two choices—approach them or keep going. Since I didn’t want to make it easy, I kept running.

Time seemed to be at a standstill as I looked around again. I knew they were close. Yet, as I searched my surroundings, there were no signs of life; everything around me was dark except for the golden glow from the cables of the Zakim Bridge.

The bridge.

I couldn’t believe I’d ended up on the West End. That was more than a slight hike from the tip of the South End, where I’d started all this.

What time was it anyway?

Before I could look at my watch—the one my grandfather had given me, the one worth more than most of the houses in the surrounding area, the pretentious Patek Philippe with an authentic enamel dial and custom-made rubber watchband, the one almost a match for his own—a yellow beam of light shined down on me.

I guess the BPD finally decided to make their move.

A heavily Boston-accented voice carried through the wind. “Put your hands in the air where we can see them.”

“Fuck me. Really? You’re going to arrest me? For what?” My gaze scoured the area until they came into sight.

There were three of them and one of me. I didn’t plan to keep running. I didn’t need to, but even if I wanted to, there was nowhere to go. The riverbank was on one side and they were on the other. The trio moved closer and drew their weapons. I responded with equanimity and raised my palms. Still, not a single one of them lowered a gun. Step by step, they moved toward me. When they were about five feet away, I decided to help them out and face them, but before I could, the tallest figure lunged for me.

He pinned me to the wall. “I just wanted to talk. I wasn’t going to arrest you until you assaulted me. But thanks for giving me a reason.”

“I was putting my hands behind my back, asshole,” I grunted.

“Right,” he snickered.

Nostrils flaring, the fatter one grabbed me by my collar and yanked me to him. “Stop resisting.”

What the fuck?

A quick punch to the gut and a kick to my leg had me belly down in a matter of seconds.

Most men would have been scared shitless, but not me. I grew up living in two very different worlds, the only similarity being power and greed. To look at me, you wouldn’t believe I was capable of doing the things I had done. Born with a silver spoon in my mouth, I was the grandson of one of the wealthiest men in New York City.

It wasn’t my trust fund background that anyone had to worry about, though. I was also the grandson of the former head of Boston’s Blue Hill Gang—a piece of me I had tried to renounce. That I wanted to escape. But my family ties kept me bound. The Irish Mob might have changed since my father’s father ran things, but there were some things that never changed.

I’d been raised in both worlds and these cops knew it. They were counting on the Blue Hill Gang part of me to greet them.

Well fuck them very much—but that’s not what they were going to get.

Michel’s Review

Wow! Blow by Kim Karr was fantastic! I could not put this new contemporary romantic suspense down. Blow is the first book in The Tainted Love Duet.

Blow is an intricately woven story that involves the Irish Mob in Boston. There is the added mystery of a missing woman, missing drugs, and the different factions- two powerful gangs in the mob playing against one another. Add the DEA and law enforcement to the mix and the story gets more intense. Caught in the middle of the mess is an innocent woman and baby. They both may end up being casualties before all is said and done.

After fifteen years of not hearing from her sister, Elle gets a call out of the blue. Her sister Elizabeth asks her to take care of her young daughter Clementine if anything should happen to her. When Elizabeth goes missing, Elle moves to Boston to help her sister’s husband Michael O’Shea, take care of the baby and help find Elizabeth. It is not just a matter of a restless housewife leaving home. There are millions of dollars and missing drugs that belong to the Irish Mob. It is believed that Elizabeth O’Shea is involved. Her husband and child are being threatened. Now that Elle is in the picture, her life is in danger as well.

Logan McPherson has been dividing his time between his families in New York and Boston. One side of the family is powerful old money. The other side of the family has powerful Irish Mob ties. Logan is not a part of the family illegal business and is an attorney in New York. But the mess in Boston has drawn him back. His family is in danger. His family may be involved. Now an innocent woman and baby are drawn into the mess.

It will be up to Logan to figure out what is going on and who is behind it. Logan is falling for Elle which could make her situation even worse. Any woman he loves is a target.

As the danger escalates to an all time high so does the passion between Logan and Elle. Just when they think they figured out how to get out of this mess alive, new players make their moves. Their situation goes from dangerous to absolutely deadly.

Blow ended on a suspenseful cliffhanger. I can’t wait for Crush to release in November.

Kim Karr has woven an intricate story that is passionate and unpredictable. I am hooked!

****

I live in Florida with my husband and four kids. I’ve always had a love for reading books and writing. Being an English major in college, I wanted to teach at the college level but that was not to be. I went on to receive an MBA and became a project manager until quitting to raise my family. I currently work part-time with my husband and full-time embracing one of my biggest passions—writing.

Stalk Her: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

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Release Blitz + Excerpt + Giveaway: The Billionaire’s Passionate Revenge by Jennifer St. George

Posted on 09/17/2015 by shellbellereads

Enter to Win a

Gifted Ebook Copy of

THE BILLIONAIRE’S PURSUIT OF LOVE (Book #1)

THE BILLIONAIRE’S PASSIONATE REVENGE

Billionaire Romance #3

Jennifer St. George

Releasing Sept 15th, 2015

Penguin Books Australia

Heiress
Lady Zara Ravensdale and Xavier Hunt, the gardener’s son, were once
inseparable. But before their romance had a chance to bloom, it was crushed by
scandal and betrayal.Xavier is now an international celebrity and sexier than sin while Zara is deep
in debt, running Ravensdale Manor as an upmarket hotel to make ends meet.
Unable to forget the past, Xavier returns to the manor, determined to exact his
revenge on the Ravensdale family – once and for all.Together again, passions reignite and the old chemistry becomes impossible to
ignore. But Xavier and Zara are both keeping secrets and neither can forget
their troubled history. Will they be able to uncover the truth of that night or
will Xavier’s need for revenge tear them apart forever?

The Billionaire’s Passionate Revenge is the third book in the Billionaire
series by bestselling romance author, Jennifer St George. If you love
billionaire romance, don’t miss this passionate read!

BUY NOW

Amazon | iTunes | Kobo

THE BILLIONAIRE ROMANCE SERIES

The Billionaire’s Pursuit of Love

Tempted by the Billionaire Tycoon

The Billionaire’s Passionate Revenge

Excerpt

She opened the French doors and walked across the lawn. The closer she came, the wider her eyes grew. The garden bed looked as if it could win gold in the Chelsea Flower Show. The tangle of weeds was now a mass of reds, yellows, creams and oranges, bordered by tiny blue flowers. Gorgeous. No wonder wealthy Americans flocked to Xavier’s landscape design business.

Her eyes strayed from Xavier’s handiwork to his muscled shoulders flexing under a white cotton shirt. She paused. The sweat-stained fabric gave extra definition to the glory that lay beneath. She grazed her teeth over her bottom lip. All that physical labour and an outdoor lifestyle had given Xavier the body of a god. Sculpted, tanned and hot. So unbelievably hot.

‘You just going to stand there, or come over for a proper look?’ Xavier called without looking up.

Her pulse spiked. God. Had he caught her gawking?

She strode forward as though she hadn’t been sprung ogling. ‘Xavier, this is incredible,’ she breathed.

He rocked back on his heels and threw her a killer smile. Her belly performed a little fluttery dance.

‘Not too bad for a couple of hours’ effort,’ he said, casting a critical eye over his work.

She moved to the far end of the garden to appreciate the splendour from another angle.

‘How did you do this?’ she asked.

‘Nothing a quick run to the local nursery couldn’t fix.’ Xavier’s brow creased. ‘But it’s not finished yet.’

‘What are you talking about?’ She bent down and smelled a gorgeous scarlet flower. ‘What else do you need to do? It’s perfect.’

‘Needs to be watered in and mulched. I’ll do it after lunch.’

He stood and pulled off his gardening gloves and dropped them on the grass. Stripping off his shirt, he wiped it across his sweat-glistening chest. She sucked in a quick breath. The physical nature of his job was evident in his perfectly defined muscles and golden skin.

‘I . . . I can water it,’ she said, trying to focus on the floral display and not his delicious body and the effect it was having on her own. ‘You’re supposed to be writing your book.’

‘You!’ he exclaimed, drawing his arm across his brow, giving her a beautiful view of taut muscle. She ran her tongue across her dry lips.

‘I want the garden to live,’ he quipped. ‘If you step any closer, these flowers will wilt with fright.’

She thrust her hands on her hips. ‘I’m not that bad.’

‘Oh no,’ he said with a laugh wrapped up with irony. ‘You just have that magic touch for turning everything green into a nice shade of brown.’

He flicked his finger down her nose. A teasing gesture from their childhood. His simple, intimate touch sent a quiver of delight through her veins. God, she’d missed him. Missed this. Having someone who knew her so well. Someone who knew her inadequacies and found them endearing. Someone who knew the dull pain of grief that never left.

‘Just because I couldn’t grow anything then doesn’t mean I’m a rubbish gardener now.’

‘Oh yes.’ He grinned. ‘I can see how well the place has fared under your gentle touch,’ he said, sweeping his hand around to encompass the almost derelict garden.

‘Hey.’ She slapped his arm. ‘I only took over managing this place six months ago when Dad had to go into care. It takes time and love to build something special.’

A spark of merriment flashed in his eyes. ‘Read that somewhere, did you?’

She swallowed. Oh God. She had. In his latest gardening volume. She couldn’t believe she’d quoted his lines back to him.

‘Ah . . .’

‘Chapter one, page ten of my latest book,’ he said, rubbing his temple in an exaggerated fashion. ‘If I’m not mistaken.’

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Jennifer St George is a best-selling romance author whose sexy stories feature courageous, career-minded heroines and strong heroes in glamorous international settings. She has six books published with Penguin Book’s digital-first imprint, Destiny Romance. Jennifer spent the first 25 years of her career in the corporate world travelling the globe. Many of the exotic locations she’s visited feature in her stories. Jennifer now lives in gorgeous Byron Bay, Australia and writes to the sound of the waves with a view of the beach.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | GoodReads

Release Blitz + Excerpt + Review + Giveaway: Bad Romance by Jen McLaughlin

Posted on 09/16/2015 by shellbellereads

Enter to Win a

Select Loveswept Ebook Bundle

BAD ROMANCE

A Stepbrother Novel

Jen McLaughlin

Releasing Sept 15th, 2015

In this explosive novel from bestselling author Jen McLaughlin, a good girl falls for the ultimate bad boy: her stepbrother. Perfect for fans of Sabrina Paige, Caitlin Daire, and Krista Lakes, Bad Romance proves that passion can be so wrong it’s right.

Seven years in the army will change a guy. But after a shoulder wound ends his career as a sniper, Jackson Worthington finds himself back home, fighting a battle that’s all too familiar: keeping his hands off Lily Hastings. She’s still her rich daddy’s little angel, innocent, impossibly lovely, as squeaky-clean as Jackson is dirty. And she’s still his stepsister—forbidden but not forgotten, not after the soul-melting kiss that got him kicked out of the house at eighteen. He couldn’t resist her then. How the hell can he resist her now?

Lily is about to marry a man she doesn’t love, and commit to a high-stress job she hates, all to please the father who controls every waking moment of her life. On top of everything, her teenage crush is back, with a sleek, chiseled body and a trace of the rebellious boy whose lips sealed her fate. Jackson’s timing couldn’t be worse . . . or better. Because Lily’s all grown up, too. She’s aching for another taste. And for the first time, she’s ready to be a bad girl.

Buy Now

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& N |
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Excerpt

Walt, my stepfather, frowned at the letter in his hand. “Yale said they would take him, despite his bad grades. I have to buy his way in, but I will.”

“They did?” Mother gasped, smiling.

“‘He’s’ right here,” I said drily. “And doesn’t want to go to Yale.”

Neither of them noticed.

“At least he can amount to something, unlike his father.”

Mother smiled even wider. “Thanks to you, Walter.”

“You’ll go at the end of the month,” Walt said, not even looking at me, even though he clearly spoke to me. “You’re dismissed.”

The hell I was. “I don’t want to go to Yale. I’m joining the army.”

Walt laughed. “Not in my house.”

This was bullshit. Everything about it was. Mother was married for the millionth time, and this time to a man who quite clearly didn’t want the extra kid that came along with her. No big shocker, there. His new wife didn’t exactly want me, either.

She never tried to hide that fact from me.

Had told me, straight up to my face.

But to have some pompous prick all up in my business, telling me what I had to do with the rest of my life as if I needed to listen to him, was the last straw. I was eighteen years old. I didn’t have to listen to Walter Hastings. Or to his wife.

Screw them all.

They’d only been married a few months, and he wasn’t my damn stepfather, no matter what he thought. I mean, he was. Legally. But I didn’t need him.

I didn’t need anyone.

So I stood up, fisting my hands at my sides. “I don’t want to be a lawyer. I already told you that.”

Walt laughed. “And I told you that, under my roof, you do what I tell you to do, and that’s that. You’ll do it, and you’ll like it. I won’t budge.”

“Neither will I, Walt.”

“Don’t call me that,” Walt said, his voice low and seething. His name was Walter, and he hated it when I called him Walt . . . which was why I did it. “My name is Walter, or Mr. Hastings, or sir. No one calls me Walt. Learn some respect, boy.”

I didn’t answer. Just smirked.

Walt could kiss my ass.

“Jackson, dear . . .” Mother fidgeted. “It’s a good career. You’ll be lucky if you live to see the other side of twenty if you join the army. Listen to your father. He knows what’s best for you.”

I stiffened. I might not know my father, but I knew one thing. Walt wasn’t him. “He knows shit, and he sure as hell doesn’t know me because he’s not my father. He has no idea what’s best for me, or who I am. Or what I want. I want to—”

“Watch your mouth, young man, and how you speak to your mother. You’re going to law school, to Yale. That’s final, so get it into your head. End of discussion.” Walter picked up his newspaper, addressing his wife. “And if he wants to continue living here, he will stop annoying me.”

I gritted my teeth, because he was a tight-suited asshole. “Then I’ll leave this house. Go out on my own. Make my own way.”

“Over my dead body. You’re part of this family now, and while you are, you’ll live up to the Hastings name. And that’s all that will be said on this matter. You may go,” Walter said dismissively, flicking a hand my way. “I’m finished with you.”

There was so much I wanted to say, but why bother? I knew it was a waste of my time, so I walked away from them both. He wouldn’t listen, and, really, it didn’t matter even if he did. Officially, I was an adult now, so I didn’t need their approval to sign up for duty, no matter what they seemed to think. End of discussion. What the fuck was that, anyway? The discussion was over when both parties decided it was. Not one.

Pompous prick.

As I left, I heard Walt sigh. “Honestly, Nancy, I don’t know what to do with that boy. Are you sure his father won’t take him off our hands? He’s nothing like my Lilly.”

Ah . . . Lilly Hastings. Fifteen. Rich. Smart. Sweet as hell. And gorgeous, to boot. Walter didn’t deserve her, and it boggled my mind that she was the old man’s daughter, because she was nothing like him. Everything she got, she must’ve gotten from her deceased mother. That was the only thing I could figure.

I initially tried to hate her on principle, but the thing was, I couldn’t. From my first day here, when she brought me chocolate chip cookies because they were my favorite, till today, she’d been nothing but kind to me. She was the only person who made life in the Hastings household bearable. And because Lilly was the total opposite of her father, no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t hate her.

And believe me, I tried.

Michel’s Review

Bad Romance is the perfect title for Jen McLaughlin’s latest release. This new adult romance gives a new meaning to forbidden love.

Jackson and Lily have everything working against their love, including Lily herself. They are step siblings that were separated years before due to extreme family issues that ended up in an explosive separation. Jackson joined the military and spent years working towards his career. Lily grew up and became the woman her father wanted her to be. She surrendered herself.

When Jackson returns to town and runs into Lily, she is reminded of the girl she once was. She also feels just as deeply for Jackson as she did the day he left. But life has changed her and she is on a new path.

An arranged marriage, a violent fiance, hostile parents, PTSD, and a failing corporation are only some of the road blocks standing between Jackson and Lily. It will be up to them how they choose to go forward. One thing for certain, it is a bad romance that feels so good.

Jen McLaughlin wrote an angsty romance that fans of new adult romance are going to embrace whole heartedly. I found the book a bit predictable and had a hard time connecting with the characters and their relationship. I had a bit of a hard time buying to overall situation that was holding Lily back because this is the new millennium. There are too many solutions to her plight.

Overall Bad Romance was entertaining.

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Jen McLaughlin is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of sexy books with Penguin and Random House. Under her pen name Diane Alberts, she is also an USA Today bestselling author of Contemporary Romance with Entangled Publishing. Her first release as Jen McLaughlin, Out of Line, released September 6 2013, and hit the New York Times, USA Today and Wall Street Journal lists. She was mentioned in Forbes alongside E. L. James as one of the breakout independent authors to dominate the bestselling lists. She is represented by Louise Fury at The Bent Agency.

Though she lives in the mountains, she really wishes she was surrounded by a hot, sunny beach with crystal-clear water. She lives in Northeast Pennsylvania with her four kids, a husband, a schnauzer mutt, and three cats. Her goal is to write so many well-crafted romance books that even a non-romance reader will know her name.

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Teaser & Excerpt: She Writes Love by Sandi Lynn

Posted on 09/14/2015 by shellbellereads

Today we are revealing some teasers for SHE WRITES LOVE by Sandi Lynn. This book was released earlier this year. A review tour for this title kicks off on Monday. Check out the blurb and teasers for the title below.

BOOK BLURB:

I’d never lost anyone before. I’d never experienced death. I felt like God was playing a cruel joke on me. How could he bring her into my life and then take her away so young. Even the best laid plans in life get altered. Mine did. Everyone kept telling me that time would heal all wounds, but this was a wound that would never fully be healed. Trying to get back to the normalcy of life was exhausting, so I didn’t try anymore. My name is Ben Preston and this is my story.

Excerpt

The circle of life. It’s something we all know about but are never truly prepared for the unexpected. The unexpected that comes out of nowhere. No warning, no heads up, nothing. Just God giving us pure bliss and happiness and then taking it away in the blink of an eye. When you think of people dying, you think of the old who have fully lived their lives. You don’t think about the younger people who have just begun to build their futures, nor do you think about the children that have just begun to live. It’s cruel and it’s unwanted. It leaves us devastated and to the point where we feel we can’t go on. It leaves a hole, an empty space in our hearts that stays with us until we heal. We all heal eventually, right? As the days go on and the years pass by, we never forget the ones we lost and we never forget the pain they left behind. But we do manage to feel somewhat normal again – maybe not completely – but we have no choice. For me, losing my husband to a massive heart attack on our one-year wedding anniversary, and at the age of twenty-seven, was something I didn’t think I could ever heal from. The emptiness, the loneliness, the numbness, and the need just to get through the day was overwhelming. My name is Paisley Logan and this is my story.

PURCHASE LINKS

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CLICK HERE TO ADD SHE WRITES LOVE TO GOODREADS.

AUTHOR INFORMATION:

Sandi Lynn, A New York Times, USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author, spends her days writing full-time to provide her readers romance novels that will whisk them away to another world. She has a severe coffee addiction and can usually be found hanging out at the local Starbucks with her laptop, sipping lattes, and writing her books.

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Release Blitz + Excerpt + 5 Star Review: The End Game by Kate McCarthy

Posted on 09/08/2015 by shellbellereads

The End Game

A New Adult Sports Romance

By Kate McCarthy

Synopsis

“Professional athletes are pillars of their respective communities. They are heroes in the eyes of boys and girls and are expected to conduct themselves in a manner that positively represents their community.”

The public loves a good scandal. Seeing someone fall from the pinnacle of success makes a great headline. No one knows that better than I do. What started out as a promising career in college football, spiralled into scandal and shame.

But being a hero is easier said then done. Especially when there are those who expected to see the great Brody Madden fail. I craved nothing except being the best—willing to do anything to prove them wrong. But I went too far, and I tried too hard, and it broke me.

“At the time of going to print, Jordan Elliott was unavailable for comment.”

I met Brody Madden in my senior year of college. An Australian native on an international scholarship, I was the female soccer sensation with stars in her eyes and no room for a hotshot wide receiver with a chip on his shoulder.

But a heart bursting with ambition and a driving fire to succeed isn’t made of stone. I became his strength, his obsession, and the greatest love of his life. Only I wasn’t there when he needed me most.

This is a story about love and a game that takes everything. Where the path to glory is paved with sacrifice. Where pressure makes you, or breaks you, and triumph is born in the ashes of failure. Where two people’s end game will change everything.

*** 18+ recommended. Contains adult language and adult themes.

Buy: Amazon / B & N / ITunes / Kobo

Excerpt

Shutting the door, I walk up the slight incline behind Brody. He sits down at the top of the crest and pats the grassy spot beside him.

“You didn’t mention this part when you explained our date.”

“I can’t give away all my secrets now, can I?”

The grass is a thick blanket on the ground and when I stretch out flat, the rich, earthy scent of soil sweeps over me. My eyes lift to the sky and that’s when I get it. It’s perfectly clear and millions of stars are scattered diamonds twinkling above us—bright and magical.

“Besides,” Brody adds as he lies down beside me and sweeps out his arm, encompassing all of it. “How do you explain that?”

He’s right. You can’t. “It’s beautiful.”

“Is this what the stars are like for you back home?”

“No. Back home it’s different.”

“Different how?”

Homesickness swamps me. As beautiful as Texas is, it’s not Australia. Somehow the stars are always brighter where you belong. “Because there’s no place like home.”

“You’re wrong.”

I turn my head and stare at Brody. He’s not looking at me. His head is tilted toward the sky, eyes riveted on the beauty above him. My gaze follows the line of his profile. From the curl of his hair to the perfect line of his nose, down to the mouth I want kissing me right this very instant.

“Home’s not a place where you live. It’s a feeling.” His hand nudges my own. An invitation. I twine my fingers with his and he squeezes them lightly. “Whether it’s where you are, like the football field, or who you’re with.” Brody turns his head, looking at me when he says that. It’s comforting because it unites us somehow, like it’s slowly becoming us against the world. “You can be anywhere, Jordan. Home will follow you if you follow your heart.”

My breath hitches from the beautiful simplicity of his words. Before I can talk myself out of it, I roll over and straddle him. My knees hug his hips, and he stares up at me from my seated position. My pulse pounds a heavy beat in the silence. Thump, thump, thump. It’s so loud in my ears I’m sure he can hear it.

“Show me,” I breathe. A gleam lights his dark eyes, and he sucks his lower lip inside his mouth. He knows what I’m asking, but I spell it out anyway. “Show me one of those wicked things.”

In a move that steals the air from my lungs, he takes both my hands and pulls me down against the broad width of his chest. I’m rolled over and underneath him before I can blink. The squirm in my hips is instinctive, the ache between my thighs relentless.

“Careful what you ask for,” Brody says roughly, every exquisite inch of his body pressing down on mine.

“Why?”

His lips curve. “Because when I give it to you, it won’t be enough.”

My fingers trail down the side of his face, grazing the firm jaw, cupping his cheek in my palm. Foreboding swamps me. I’m falling hard into uncharted territory, and all I see is a broken mess at the end. How is this going to end well for either of us?

“You’re an arrogant man, Brody Madden,” I whisper.

He brings his face to mine, so close I see the brilliant gold in his eyes, like flecks of light in the dark. “And you, Jordan Elliott, will be the woman who brings me to my knees,” he whispers against my lips.

“Show me,” I beg on a shaky breath.

Brody’s lashes lower and he presses a kiss to the corner of my mouth. I tilt my chin upwards, inviting more. Rather than take my lips like I ache for him to do, he shifts sideways and begins nipping at my jaw. His breath is a rasp when he reaches my earlobe, taking it between his teeth. A sharp pinch from his bite forces a whimper from my throat.

“More?” he asks, drawing back to look at me.

“Is that even a real question?”

Brody chuckles as I slide my hand up and around his nape, dragging his mouth down to mine. He groans and kisses me gently, once, and then twice.

“Brody,” I whisper, and he kisses me again, forcing my mouth open hard like he can’t hold himself in check anymore. My hair is loose and he fists chunks of it in both hands while his tongue rubs against mine, hot and aggressive. It’s almost too much, and when I jerk away I’m left gasping.

Brody doesn’t pause. He ducks his head to my neck, his tongue tasting its way down. He finds my pulse point and sucks. It’s fierce and my back arches involuntarily. His mouth shifts further down, moving on before he leaves a mark.

Sitting up, he takes the neckline of my dress in both hands. Five dainty buttons hold it together. A single wrench will rip the flimsy fabric in two. He pauses and looks at me, inhaling raggedly. “Jordan … I don’t want to ruin it.”

My brow furrows. I glance to the hands poised on my dress. They’re tense, veins straining under his skin. My head is lost in a fog when my gaze returns to his face. “Ruin my dress?”

Brody groans, a deep sound of regret and frustration. “Us.”

“You don’t want to ruin us?”

He draws his hands away from the neckline of my dress. “No.”

“How would you do that?”

“I don’t know. I just get this feeling I’m going to.” He shifts away, moving off me and rolling to his back. I turn my head. Brody’s gaze is back on the stars. I watch his throat work as he swallows, the pulse in his neck pounding visibly. “All I’ve ever wanted is to be the best. Whatever it takes. I’ll do anything. That’s how I’ll ruin us, Jordan. How can something so sweet survive a sentiment so dark?”

I roll to my side, holding my head in my hand. Cupping his face with the other, I nudge gently until he’s looking at me. “I won’t let you.”

Brody’s voice is urgent, his eyes fierce. “Promise me.”

I can’t shake the apprehension. It’s set in my bones and when I speak it feels like a lie. “I promise.”

Michel’s Review

The End Game by Kate McCarthy is an outstanding New Adult Sports Romance. It has the perfect combination of athletics, angst, and romance. It touches upon some very difficult subject matters that are very real issues people face everyday. It also adds a bit of an international romance with an Australian Soccer Player and American Football star. The End Game has everything that readers want in a book.

Brody Madden is the superstar on his college football team. Not only is he a talented athlete, he is also rich, good looking, and highly in demand with the ladies. He’s struggling to keep up his grades so that he can remain on the team’s play roster . When he is assigned a new tutor it may be his chance to improve or it could be the same old bull as before. Brody has secrets. He doesn’t want his tutor getting too close to discover what he is hiding, especially when that tutor ends up being a beautiful soccer player.

Jordan has come to America on an international exchange student scholarship for soccer. She barely has enough time to keep up with her own academics let alone tutor a football player. She had no idea who Brody Madden was. She may not know who he is but once she met him, she knew what he was hiding. She knows exactly the kind of help he needs if he will open up and let her in. But there is a lot more to Brody that even she can’t help. His secrets may destroy him. The only thing she can do is love him and hope that this is enough.

I am not going to say too much more about the meat of this story. It would spoil the unfolding of the plot in The End Game. I must say that Kate McCarthy did a fantastic job tackling the issues in this story. My heart broke for both Brody and Jordan. In the end they are both facing something that is bigger than any game they will ever play. The are facing the game of life. How they choose the next play will make or break their destiny.

I would highly recommend The End Game by Kate McCarthy.

________________________________________

Author Bio:

Kate McCarthy grew up in a small town outside of Port Macquarie, Australia. Raised in a house just a short walk to the beach, Kate enjoyed the peaceful, relaxed atmosphere and friendships that come from being raised in a friendly, small town area.
She now resides in Brisbane, Australia, a city in the state of Queensland where she works as an accountant, along with a sideline wedding cake business and her writing.
She is married with two children, has two dogs and house in the suburbs, and a pile of friends and family dotted all over the country that help keep her sane.
When she’s not busy running after naughty kids, filthy dogs, crunching numbers, piping buttercream and writing books, you can find her curled up in bed in the early hours of the morning reading new books and re-reading old favourites. Her favourite books are the Black Dagger Brotherhood series by J.R. Ward in which she longs to eventually join the brotherhood and change her name to Phierce Mutha.
Please feel free to friend request Kate on Goodreads :

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Release Blitz + Excerpt + 5 Star Review + Giveaway: Ryker by Sawyer Bennett – Carolina Cold Fury Hockey Series – Book 4

Posted on 09/08/2015 by shellbellereads

Enter to Win a

Select Loveswept Ebook Bundle

RYKER

Cold Fury #4

Sawyer Bennett

Releasing Sept 8th, 2015

The rugged men of the Carolina Cold Fury hockey team are winning hearts once again
in another scorching novel from New York Times bestselling
author Sawyer Bennett.

The stakes have never been higher for Carolina Cold Fury goalie Ryker Evans. With
his contract running out, he’s got a year left to prove he’s still at the top
of his game. And since his wife left him, Ryker has been balancing life as a
pro-hockey star and a single parent to two daughters. Management is waiting for
him to screw up. The fans are ready to pounce. Everybody’s taking dirty
shots—except for the fiery redhead whose faith in Ryker
gives him a fresh start.

As the league’s only female general manager, Gray Brannon has learned not to mix
business with pleasure. And yet even this tough, talented career woman can’t
help breaking her own rules as she gives Ryker everything she’s got. She hopes
their hot streak will last forever, but with Ryker’s conniving ex plotting to
reclaim her man, the pressure is on Gray to step up and save a tender new love
before it’s too late.

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Excerpt

“D-a-a-a-d,” Ruby shrieks from upstairs.

It’s a sound that once used to cause all the hair to stand up on my arms and on more than one occasion caused me to go tearing after the call of my youngest daughter thinking she was being murdered by an intruder. I’ve since come to recognize that particular shrill cry as one of excitement and wonder, and I can’t help but grin over what Ruby is possibly into now. At almost five years old, she refuses to accept the concept of a well-mannered, indoor voice and goes balls to the wall in everything she does.

“Is the house on fire, Rubes?” I call out.

Her little voice shouts back to me in a squawk. “No.”

“Have aliens landed?” I keep my voice just loud enough to carry up the stairs but still

decibels below her own.

“No,” she yells, and there . . . right there . . . that’s a little giggle from her.

“Did Timmy fall down the well?”

“No, Dad . . . but you have to come here,” she yells, and, to give her credit, it’s toned down just a bit. When I don’t answer her right away, she calls down in a sweet voice that makes my heart pitter-patter. “Please, Dad.”

Brilliant, little brat. Throwing in some manners to throw me off my game.

“I’ll be right there,” I tell her as I finish the last of Violet’s braid and manage to efficiently bind it with a hair elastic. Leaning over, I place a kiss on her head. “All done, dreamy dwarf.”

Violet leans her head back and gives me an upside-down grin. I love the sprinkle of freckles on her nose and it compels me to kiss her again.

“Do me a favor,” I tell her as I turn toward the living room. “Get the cereal and milk out for me while I go see what your sister needs?”

I don’t bother waiting to see what she does, because Violet has become my metaphorical right hand over the last few months. While she still loves for me to braid her hair and help with her homework, she’s also relished taking on a bit of a caretaker role since the girls moved in with me permanently this past summer.

They’ve been here almost six months and I actually feel like I know what the hell I’m doing now. It wasn’t always like that, and thank God for Kate’s help or I would have gone insane in those first few months of becoming a single parent of two little girls. Kate patiently helped me establish a routine and taught me how to braid hair, distinguish excited shrieks from cries of pain, and most important . . . how to conduct the perfect princess tea party.

I skirt my way through the living room, bending over to pick up one of Ruby’s dolls from the floor, and bound up the stairs taking two at a time. I find Ruby in the bathroom that she and Violet share, bent over the toilet and peering at something.

She shares the same dark hair and gray eyes as Violet, except her locks spring out everywhere in a mass of tiny curls. I have no idea where that came from, but assume it’s a rogue strand of ancestral DNA from either me or my soon-to-be ex-wife, Hensley. Both of us, as well as Violet, have fairly straight hair, so Ruby is definitely dipping into the family gene pool with her wild curls, but damn . . . they totally fit with her personality.

“What’s up?” I ask as I walk over to the toilet.

She straightens up, shoots me a grin, and points. “Look . . . a spider.”

I cautiously take a step forward and lean over, grimacing as I look into the bowl.

And holy shit . . . a spider the size of a T rex is floating on the surface, all eight legs spread out, bent and poised to look as if it’s ready to leap out and attach itself to my face. I suppress a full spinal shudder and reach a tentative hand toward the handle to flush it.

Two things happen almost simultaneously that take at least three years off my life.

The spider somehow manages to skitter across the water, the beast so large it actually creates waves, and Ruby shrieks at me, “No! Don’t kill it, Dad!”

It is with a major blow to my pride—as a man, as a dad, as a six-foot, six-inch professional hockey player nicknamed the Brick because I’m as big and tough as a brick wall—that I jump backward at least two feet from the monster-infested toilet and banshee-crying sprite, causing my hip to slam into the corner of the sink.

“Shit,” I curse loudly, and Ruby’s eyes go round, followed by her lips.

“Oh, Dad . . . that’s a bad word.”

No shit.

I smile at her as I rub my hip. That’s definitely going to leave a bruise. “Sorry, Rubes. I’ll put a dollar in the swear jar.”

She merely nods her acceptance of my apology and turns worried eyes back to the toilet.

“You have to save it,” she implores.

Yeah . . . that’s not going to happen. Not now. Not ever.

“Sure, baby,” I tell her as I take her by the shoulder and turn her toward the bathroom door. I swear the spider glares at me with a million red, evil eyes. “Go on down and get breakfast. Violet’s fixing your cereal. I’ll get the spider out.”

“Okay,” Ruby says as she pulls away from me, but continues to give me instructions. “But let it out the front door and I’ll bring it some food later.”

“Sounds like a plan,” I assure her as she disappears down the stairs. When I hear her feet hit the bottom landing, I turn toward the toilet, intent on a quick flush to put me out of my misery.

Except when I look in the bowl, the fucking thing is gone.

I’ll just go ahead and admit it. Spiders scare the living hell out of me. I have no clue why, and while I would battle the biggest, baddest monster to the death for my daughters, I’d much rather flush a little spider down the toilet.

I immediately scramble backward out of the bathroom, grabbing the doorknob and shutting it quickly behind me. My heart is racing a million miles an hour, the thought of that furry hell beast now loose in my house.

Just one more thing on the list of things I still need to do today.

Get the girls dressed and ready for school.

Take the girls to school.

Clean up the spilled laundry detergent.

Finish the laundry.

Arm myself with a can of hairspray and a lighter to torch the rogue spider in the bathroom.

Pick up my dry cleaning.

Work out.

Team practice.

Pick up the girls from Kate and Zack’s house.

Dinner.

Baths.

Story time and cuddling.

Go to bed because I’ll be exhausted.

Easy as fucking pie, and I’ll get up and do it all over again the next day with a smile on my face. I’m finding life as a single parent isn’t as daunting as I thought it would be and I’ve finally found my groove.

Michel’s Review

Every time I think I have a favorite hero from one of Sawyer Bennett’s books she goes and releases a new book. I instantly fall head over heels for the new hero she created. I don’t know how she does it but her men just keep getting better.

Ryker is the fourth book in the Cold Fury Hockey series. Ryker Evans is the new goalie for the Cold Fury Team. Although he is new to the team, he is a seasoned veteran that is closer to retirement than making a big name for himself. He has a solid reputation as a goalie although he blew the winning goal last season. His teammates may not believe in him but his general manager, Gray Bannon, does. She knows he has what it takes to take the Cold Fury to the Stanley Cup playoffs.

Ryker is a busy man. He’s playing the best hockey he has ever played. He is also raising his two young daughters and providing a stable home for them. He doesn’t have time for hookups or one night stands. He wants a committed relationship that has room to grow. He wants Gray Bannon. He knows she is the last person he should be pursuing but her sharp mind, compassionate spirit, and sexy body has him thoroughly entranced.

Gray Bannon is a certified genius. She is the first female general manager for a professional hockey team and it’s not because her father owns the team. She has a scientific formula for building a winning team. Some may not understand the statistics but she is certain it is going to work. Ryker Evans gets it. He gets her. He is the sexiest man she has ever met. He is off limits.

Ryker and Gray engage in a sizzling hot affair that can either burn them both or become a warm up to a happily ever after. Gray may lose her job and damage future hope for women in professional hockey. Ryker may have to retire before he is ready, especially since he is having his best professional season.

Throw in some hostile team members, an arrogant assistant general manager, a clueless ex wife, and two adorable little girls and you have a fantastic book. Ryker Evans is beyond sexy and Gray Bannon knows how to handle his sexy.

Sawyer Bennett has once again delivered an exciting page turner. Read Ryker! It can be read as a stand alone novel or in series order. I would highly recommend The Cold Fury Hockey series. These dynamic players know how to play more than a great game of hockey. They know how to play your heart and win!

USA Today and New York Times Best-Selling Author, Sawyer Bennett is a snarky southern woman and reformed trial lawyer who decided to finally start putting on paper all of the stories that were floating in her head. Her husband works for a Fortune 100 company which lets him fly all over the world while she stays at home with their daughter and three big, furry dogs who hog the bed. Sawyer would like to report she doesn’t have many weaknesses but can be bribed with a nominal amount of milk chocolate.

Sawyer is the author of several contemporary romances including the popular Off Series, the Legal Affairs Series and the Last Call Series. She will be releasing her third book in the Cold Fury Hockey Series with Random House Loveswept, June 2015.

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Grab the other Cold Fury Romances

ALEX

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GARRETT

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ZACK

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Excerpt Reveal + Giveaway: Finding You by Kelly Elliott

Posted on 09/08/2015 by shellbellereads

If Grace Johnson knew one thing at all, it was that all men were dirtbags.

All men … except Noah Bennet.

“I was lost in his eyes. Lost in his tears. My goal was to pull him out of the darkness … even if it dragged me in as well.”

If Noah Bennet knew one thing at all, it was he needed Grace Johnson.

Needed her … desperately.

“My pain was pulling me under … she was my only saving grace.”

Grace is willing to put everything on the line to help bring back the man she is hopelessly in love with. Even if it costs her the future she’s been longing for.

“If finding you means losing a part of me … I’ll do it.”

Pre Order : Amazon

EXCERPT

“Why are you both home so soon? I thought it was dinner and a movie?”
Alex chewed on her lip as Will lifted his eyebrows and pushed his hand through his hair. “Yeah, I don’t think we’re going to be allowed back into Joey’s Pizza anytime soon,” Will said as Alex glared at him.
“Why?” Grace asked as she leaned her body into me. God, I loved the feeling of being with her. It allowed me to forget everything else going on in my life.
“Do you want to tell them, Will? Or should I?” Alex asked, hands snapping to her hips as she narrowed her eyes at Will.
Will walked to the kitchen as he lifted his hand and said, “You go right ahead, I’m getting a beer. Noah, want one?”
As much as I wanted one, I had given up drinking after I went on the drunken binge a few months back.
“No thanks, I don’t drink anymore.”
Grace looked up at me and gave me the sweetest smile.
Alex made her way over to the chair and sat as Grace took my hand in hers and led us to the sofa. Sitting, she motioned for Alex to begin with her story.
Alex cleared her throat and took a quick peek at Will. “Well, I’ve been having morning sickness, but it seems to come and go. It came tonight at Joey’s Pizza. I was feeling nauseous. Will here, he decides it’s funny seeing me gag when I see this guy … picking his—”
Alex covered her mouth and made a gagging sound as Will attempted to hold in a laugh as he walked up.
Dropping her hand, Alex yelled, “Stop it, Will!”
Holding up his hands, he shook his head. “I’m sorry! I can’t help it.”
Letting out a frustrated sigh, Alex continued on. “Anyway, Will here kept talking about it, even when I begged him to stop. We were standing in the buffet line and Will told me to look at the guy. I did.”
“Oh holy hell,” Grace whispered, “you didn’t?”
Slowly nodding her head, Alex whispered back, “I did.”
“Then Will gagged, because he looked at the guy who was… oh God … it’s hitting me again.”
Grace and I both leaned away from Alex.
Alex jumped up and ran into the half bath down the hall as Grace and I watched her and then turned back to Will. He was lifting his beer to his lips as he took a long drink and smiled.
“Long story short, she threw up all over the buffet. Twice.”
“Gross,” Grace and I said.
Letting out a chuckle, Will said, “That’s not the worst of it.”
Shaking her head, Grace asked, “How could it be any worse?”
“Other people throwing up.”Copyright Kelly
Elliott 2015

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Kelly Elliott is married to a wonderful Texas cowboy who has
a knack for making her laugh almost daily and supports her crazy ideas and
dreams for some unknown reason…he claims it’s because he loves her!

She’s also a mom to an amazing daughter who is constantly
asking for something to eat while her fingers move like mad on her cell phone
sending out what is sure to be another very important text message.

In her spare time she loves to sit in her small corner
overlooking the Texas hill country and write.

One of her favorite things to do is go for hikes around her
property with Gus….her chocolate lab and the other man in her life, and Rose,
her golden retriever. When Kelly is not outside helping the hubby haul brush,
move rocks or whatever fun chore he has in store for her that day, you’ll find
her inside reading, writing or watching HGTV.

FACEBOOK TWITTER WEBSITE GOODREADS AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE

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Release Blitz: Gypsy Brothers Box Set with new novella Alternate… by Lili St. Germain

Posted on 09/07/2015 by shellbellereads

ALL 7 books in the COMPLETE Gypsy Brothers series are now in ONE SET! This dark, adrenaline-induced, revenge BIKER series is ONLY $0.99 for one week.

DO NOT miss this epic sale!

If you are already a fan of the series — Lili has INCLUDED BONUS EXCLUSIVE NOVELLA!

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

The Gypsy Brothers

*LIMITED EDITION ON SALE FOR ONE WEEK ONLY – INCLUDES BONUS EXCLUSIVE NOVELLA*

Lili’s USA Today Bestselling series, together in one edition for the first time!

Contains ALTERNATE – A Gypsy Brothers novella featuring chapters told from Jase, Elliot and Dornan’s points of view.

My father was most certainly NOT an innocent man. As the leader of the Gypsy Brothers Motorcycle Club, he was guilty of many things. But he died for a crime that he didn’t commit, framed by an enemy within who then stole his club and everything he had ever worked to protect.

Including my innocence.

When Dornan Ross framed my father, he set into motion a series of events that could never be undone. My father was murdered by Dornan Ross and his sons when I was fifteen years old.

Before my father died, Dornan Ross and his sons stole my innocence, branded my skin and in doing so, ensured that their lives would be prematurely cut short. That they would suffer.

I’ve just turned twenty-one, and I’m out for blood. I’m out for revenge.

But I didn’t expect to fall for Jase, the youngest brother in the club.

I didn’t expect that he would turn my world upside down, yank my heart out of my chest and ride away into the sunset with it.

Now, I’m faced with an impossible choice – Jase, or avenging my fathers death?

This bundle contains all books in the Gypsy Brothers series plus a bonus exclusive novella. The reading order for the series is:
SEVEN SONS
SIX BROTHERS
FIVE MILES
FOUR SCORE
THREE YEARS
TWO ROADS
ONE LOVE
&
ALTERNATE

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

***************

**This bundle contains all books in the Gypsy Brothers series plus a bonus exclusive novella.**

Excerpts

Confucius said, “Before embarking upon a journey of revenge, dig two graves.”

I planned to dig seven.

Sometimes I don’t think about it for hours at a time. Sometimes, a whole day will pass, and it’ll be there, under the surface, burning my insides with the brutality of its truth. My truth.

And I’ll get home from my dead-end job in this dead-end fucking town in the asshole of Nebraska, and I’ll have almost made it through a whole day of not thinking about it, about my father and Dornan Ross and his sons.

But then I’ll do something without thinking, like undress to go to bed, or slide under the covers of my bed. And I’ll see the marks they branded on my right hip – seven horizontal lines, each stacked on top of each other, made by casting the blunt edge of a butcher’s knife into fire and then pressing it into my flesh. A line for Dornan Ross and a line for each of his six older sons. Notches on a bedpost. Scarred for a lifetime so that I can never forget. Some are thicker than others, some short and others long, but each one a devastating reminder of everything they took from me that night.

Even if I stay in my stale clothes to avoid seeing my scars, I still can’t escape them. I never sleep well. I toss and turn, fitful and drenched in sweat, awakening from nightmares where they find me and turn the knife to the sharp side. Where they don’t just brand me – they cut me until I am dead, so I won’t talk to the police. I know things, see. I know things that the police don’t, about purchased alibis and body disposal spots, about too many girls who went missing and too many men who kept too many secrets.

I used to wish every day and every night to forget about my fathers murderer and what he did to us. Not anymore. Now I want to remember every tiny detail so that I can exact my revenge.

Tomorrow is different. Tomorrow is my twenty-first birthday, the day I gain access to my secret inheritance. The several hundred thousand that my father managed to hide before Dornan framed him for the murder of a policeman and his family, a crime that Dornan and his eldest son committed as retribution for a drug bust that almost wiped the club out. It might be dirty money – my father wasn’t above money laundering and drug manufacturing – but it was his money. Dornan managed to seize control of the rest when he enacted his devastating betrayal.

Tomorrow is truly my birthday, for I will become another person. Today my name is Juliette Portland, but tomorrow I will wake up as someone else entirely.

Someone who will bring Dornan Ross and the Gypsy Brothers Motorcycle Club to their knees.

DORNAN

I see the panic in her eyes, and it makes my cock throb.

Yes. It’s my turn now, you silly little girl.

I’m going to twist her diabolical fucking soul until she’s completely at my mercy, knees on the ground and mouth on my cock, sucking and begging for forgiveness all at the same time. There’s going to be so much more blood in our future, and it’s going to be beautiful.

“I know you think this is going to be bad,” I say, pleasure and rage sizzling in my veins, “but however bad you think this is going to be, it’s going to be So.Much.Worse.”

JASE

There’s something to be said about a person who’s been put in hell and doesn’t lose themselves.

But what if you find yourself there instead?

“Say it,” Chad said, sliding one finger inside Rails so that she flinched. Even with the drugs, the rough way he was poking and prodding at her must have hurt. “Say you’re no better than us. Say you’re one of us and I’ll let her go.” I looked to Rails, but she wasn’t even there. Whatever drug was in her bloodstream, it looked effective.

“I’m no better than you.” I ground out.

“And?” Chad prompted, snaking his tongue out to lick Raelene’s earlobe.

I shuddered.

“And I’m one of you.”

“One of what?”

“A fucking Gypsy Brother!” I screamed.

Normal men don’t want to hurt the women they love.

Normal men don’t have a darkness inside them.

But I’m not normal. I never was. I might’ve been patched in by force, but it doesn’t change the fact that I’ve got GYPSY BROTHERS forever etched into my skin, and their blood running through my veins.

I might look like a good person on the surface, but it doesn’t change the fact that I’m Dornan Ross’s son.

ELLIOT

Why’d we have to meet the way we did, in a goddamn nightmare? She was so beautiful and passionate in the moments her demons weren’t dragging her beneath the murky waters and drowning her. Selfishly, I wished she would try harder to be that girl who laughed and said funny things, dazzling me with her smile, instead of the girl who held my gun in her lap and willed herself not to eat it.

“It’s okay, Elliot,” Juliette said, trailing her hand over my cheek. “I’d leave me too, if I could.” I swallowed back all the words I’d never be able to say to her.

____________________________________________________________

Michel’s Review

Alternate

I didn’t think that Lili St. Germain could deliver any more surprises as far as the Gypsy Brothers were concerned. The Ross men were beyond the normal definition of psychotic and twisted. They had their own brand of violence and retribution. Jase was the only member of the family that had any redeeming qualities.

Alternate tells a completely different story. This short novella gets inside the heads of Dornan, Jase, and Elliot. It gives the readers insight to their insanity, their motivations, and conscience. I thought I knew these men but Lili St. Germain threw in a truckload of shockers. I walked away shocked by the revelations. Jase has a whole other dimension to his personality that proves what kind of blood runs through his veins. These revelations are going to make Zero Hour the most intense book in the Gypsy Brothers series. I can’t wait!

Lili writes dark romance, suspense and paranormal stories. Her serial novel, Seven Sons, was released in early 2014, with the following books in the series to be released in quick succession. Lili quit corporate life to focus on writing and so far is loving every minute of it. Her other loves in life include her gorgeous husband and beautiful daughter, good coffee, Tarantino movies and spending hours on Pinterest.

She loves to read almost as much as she loves to write.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | Pinterest

Release Blitz + Excerpt + 5 Star Review + Giveaway : Roustabout by Jane Harvey-Berrick – The Traveling Series – Book 3

Posted on 09/07/2015 by shellbellereads

Roustabout

Traveling Series – Book 3

By Jane Harvey-Berrick

Release Date: September 9, 2015

Buy : Amazon / Amazon UK / B & N

Synopsis

Twelve years ago Tucker McCoy walked away from the hell that was his family with not much more than the shirt on his back. No regrets. Never once looking back.

Living his life as a roustabout turned stunt rider with a traveling carnival keeps a smile on his face. His new family are the people he’s chosen to be in his life, the people who travel his road. Kes, Zach and Zef don’t share his blood, but they share his hopes and dreams. Understand his fears and know what makes him tick. They’re his brothers, his real family.

If you keep moving, no one can catch you—it’s a simple rule. So when Tucker crosses paths with Tera Hawkins, he knows he should move on. There’s no woman that’s ever been worth breaking his rules for. Besides, she’s off limits, untouchable. He knows stronger men would walk away, but dammit, he’s always been weak.

All he can offer her is a night she’ll never forget, but will that one taste be enough?

Buy : Amazon / Amazon UK / B & N

Excerpt

The motorcycles circled the stadium like gladiators, or maybe like men jousting on horseback in days gone by: charging at each other, daring each other, until eventually they were ringed around the outer fence, each preparing for their first jump.

Zef went first, blasting off the ramp, followed a split second later by Tucker in the opposite direction, and I was so certain they were going to crash in the middle, I screamed and closed my eyes.

Aimee squeezed my hand hard, causing me to wince. I opened my eyes just in time to see Kes leaping through a circle of fire, the flames glancing off his helmet.

On and on it went, higher, faster, closer. Sweat trickled down my body, pooling under my armpits, leaving me drenched and weak.

The engines revved and hummed, and then they all charged together, a flying tower of men, with Kestrel cartwheeling over the top of them.

The crowd screamed and clapped and cheered, and Aimee and I stood up, shrieking with them.

“Oh my God!” I yelled over the noise. “I nearly had a heart attack!”

Aimee laughed and wiped her eyes.

“Every time,” she whispered, her voice shaky. “Every time.”

I followed her back to the RV where the guys were peeling off their sweat-soaked leathers, standing in their underwear, huge smiles plastered across their faces.

Tucker scooped me up in a sweaty hug, his hot skin slick to the touch.

“You are amazing!” I said honestly, a relieved laugh breaking out of me. “Stinky, but amazing!”

He laughed loudly, his head thrown back, his eyes crinkling with happiness, and then he kissed me, deeply.

Michel’s Review

Ladies and Gentlemen, Children of all ages… Welcome to the Greatest Show on Earth! You are about to witness the most exciting … death defying show of the century! Are you ready for the Donohue Daredevils? Let the show begin!

Roustabout by Jane Harvey- Berrick is the third book in the exciting Traveling Series. The Traveling Series is based upon the lives of carnies and their families. Their lifestyles and free spirits are captivating. Their sense of honor and code that they live by is just as unique as each individual that is a part of their world. Their world is quite different from the normal lifestyles that most people live. They march to their own beat. Those who are part of their world are loved fiercely. Jane Harvey-Berrick created a series that will capture the readers hearts, imagination, and awe. She has brought that special magic to our hearts.

The Traveling Series features the electrifying daredevil stunt riders that tour the country with the carnival. Roustabout can be read as a stand alone romance or in series order. I would highly recommend reading this book in series order because each and every book in this series is sensational.

Tucker McCoy is the fun loving, easy going, manwhore of the daredevil riders. He has a different lady in every town. He’s just as famous for his bedroom endeavors as he is for his death defying stunts. His only purpose in life is to ride his bike and please the ladies. He doesn’t believe in love, commitments, or relationships. The only thing he is committed to is his daredevil team and his carnie family. When he meets Tera Hawkins, the half sister to his teammate, rules may be broken. He may be tempted to break the rules and hook up with his teammate’s sister. She may be out of his league but she is perfect for his bed.

Tera Hawkins is not a part of the carnie world. She has been brought up as a privileged princess. Her father is a powerful Senator with a sketchy past. Part of his sketchy past includes two brothers she never knew she had. She is determined to become a part of her brother’s lives and embrace the family her prestigious family doesn’t want to acknowlege. Getting to know her brother Kes opens a whole new world for Tera. She is getting to know his world and the people that are important to him. She didn’t count on Tucker McCoy, the charming daredevil rider.

Their lives may be worlds apart but the heart wants what the heart wants. You can’t pick who you fall in love with. The only thing you can do is find a way to make the impossible work. Tera and Tucker have a hard road to travel but the journey is worth every loving moment.

Once again Jane Harvey-Berrick wrote an emotional and exciting story. I was glued to the pages and experiencing the magic until the very end.

I highly recommend Roustabout and The Traveling Series.

The Traveling Series has made the 2015 Favorites List.

______________________________________

The Traveling Series

Traveling Man

The Traveling Duet Series – Book 1

By Jane Harvey-Berrick

Synopsis

I was ordinary. Nice.

He was extraordinary. And he wasn’t always nice.

Moody and difficult, brilliant and beautiful, Kes scared me and he protected me. He could be incredibly hurtful and incredibly thoughtful. He wasn’t perfect, but he was perfect for me. He challenged me, he took me out of my safe little box and showed me the world could be magnificent. He was everything I wasn’t.”

* * * *

Aimee Anderson is ten when the traveling carnival first comes to her nice little town. She doesn’t expect her world to change so completely. But meeting Kestrel Donohue puts her life on a different path.

Even though she only sees him for the two weeks of the year when he passes through her home town, his friendship is the most important of her life. As a child’s friendship grows to adult love, the choices become harder, and both Kes and Aimee realize that two weeks a year will never be enough…

Buy: Amazon / Barnes and Noble / ITunes

The Traveling Woman

The Traveling Series – Book 2

By Jane Harvey-Berrick

Release Date: April 7, 2015

Synopsis

THE CONCLUDING STORY of Aimee and Kestrel, begun in THE TRAVELING MAN
♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

How many times do you gamble on love? When love has knocked you down, should you give it another chance? When does optimism become stupidity?

And what happens when the man you’re in love with is never still, always moving, always traveling? Do you say goodbye, or do you leave behind everything that you’ve worked for, everything that you’ve ever known? Can a traveling carnival be my home?

Oh. You thought I had the answers. No, sorry. No answers, just a lot of questions—and a heart that wants to rule my head.

Can one person be my home?

Buy: Amazon / B & N / ITunes

Roustabout

Traveling Series – Book 3

By Jane Harvey-Berrick

Release Date: September 9, 2015

Synopsis

Twelve years ago Tucker McCoy walked away from the hell that was his family with not much more than the shirt on his back. No regrets. Never once looking back.

All he can offer her is a night she’ll never forget, but will that one taste be enough?

Buy : Amazon / Amazon UK / B & N

___________________________________________________

About Jane Harvey- Berrick

I lived in London for over 10 years and have a love affair with New York. It’s only since I have moved to the countryside, that the words have really begun to flow.

I live in a small village by the ocean and walk my little dog, Pip, every day. It’s on those beachside walks that I have all my best ideas.

Writing has become a way of life – and one that I love to share.

Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Goodreads

**********

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Tag Archives: Excerpt

Release Blitz + Excerpt + 5 Star Review + Giveaway: The Lies Between Us by M. N. Forgy – The Devil’s Dust MC Series – Book 4

Release Blitz + Excerpt + 5 Star Review + Giveaway: Blow by Kim Karr – The Tainted Love Duet – Book 1

Release Blitz + Excerpt + Giveaway: The Billionaire’s Passionate Revenge by Jennifer St. George

Release Blitz + Excerpt + Review + Giveaway: Bad Romance by Jen McLaughlin

Teaser & Excerpt: She Writes Love by Sandi Lynn

Today we are revealing some teasers for SHE WRITES LOVE by Sandi Lynn. This book was released earlier this year. A review tour for this title kicks off on Monday. Check out the blurb and teasers for the title below.

BOOK BLURB:

Excerpt

PURCHASE LINKS

Amazon US | Amazon UK | Barnes & Noble | iBooks | Kobo

CLICK HERE TO ADD SHE WRITES LOVE TO GOODREADS.

AUTHOR INFORMATION:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Google+ | Instagram

Release Blitz + Excerpt + 5 Star Review: The End Game by Kate McCarthy

Release Blitz + Excerpt + 5 Star Review + Giveaway: Ryker by Sawyer Bennett – Carolina Cold Fury Hockey Series – Book 4

Release Blitz: Gypsy Brothers Box Set with new novella Alternate… by Lili St. Germain

Release Blitz + Excerpt + 5 Star Review + Giveaway : Roustabout by Jane Harvey-Berrick – The Traveling Series – Book 3

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Today we are revealing some teasers for SHE WRITES LOVE by Sandi Lynn. This book was released earlier this year. A review tour for this title kicks off on Monday. Check out the blurb and teasers for the title below.

BOOK BLURB:

Excerpt

PURCHASE LINKS

Amazon US | Amazon UK | Barnes & Noble | iBooks | Kobo

CLICK HERE TO ADD SHE WRITES LOVE TO GOODREADS.

AUTHOR INFORMATION:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Google+ | Instagram

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