New Release… The Lie by Karina Halle… It’s Live

Posted on 02/15/2016 by shellbellereads

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The Lie

By Karina Halle

Buy : Amazon / B & N / ITunes / Kobo

Synopsis

Their love led to a lie
Their truth led to the end

Brigs McGregor is crawling out from the ashes. After losing his wife and son in a car accident and his job from his subsequent downward spiral, he’s finally moving forward, getting a prestigious teaching position at the University of London and a new life in the city. Slowly, but surely, he’s pushing past the guilt and putting his tragic past behind him.

Until he sees her.

Natasha Trudeau once loved a man so much she thought she’d die without him. But their love was wrong, doomed from the start, and when their world crashed around them, Natasha was nearly buried in the rubble. It took years of moving on to forget him, and now that she’s in London, she’s ready to start again.

Until she sees him.

Because some loves are too dangerous to ever indulge.
And some loves are far too powerful to ignore.
Their love just might be the life and the death of them.

WARNING: This book contains sexually explicit scenes, harsh language and emotional triggers such as death of a child and infidelity. Reader discretion is strongly advised.

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With her USA Today Bestselling The Artists Trilogy published by Grand Central Publishing, numerous foreign publication deals, and self-publishing success with her Experiment in Terror series, Vancouver-born Karina Halle is a true example of the term “Hybrid Author.” Though her books showcase her love of all things dark, sexy and edgy, she’s a closet romantic at heart and strives to give her characters a HEA…whenever possible.

Karina holds a screenwriting degree from Vancouver Film School and a Bachelor of Journalism from TRU. Her travel writing, music reviews/interviews and photography have appeared in publications such as Consequence of Sound, Mxdwn and GoNomad Travel Guides. She currently lives on an island on the coast of British Columbia where she’s preparing for the zombie apocalypse with her fiancé and rescue pup.

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Cover Reveal: The Lie by Karina Halle

Posted on 12/30/2015 by Saucy Southern Readers

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The Lie AMAZON

The Lie: Book 3

Their love led to a lie.

Their truth led to the end.

Scottish enigma Brigs McGregor is crawling out from the ashes. After losing his wife and son in a car accident – and, subsequently, his job – he’s finally moving forward with his life, securing a prestigious teaching position at the University of London and starting a new chapter in the city. Slowly, but surely, he’s pushing past the guilt and putting his tragic past behind him.

Until he sees her.

Until she sees him.

Because some loves are too dangerous to ever rekindle.

And some loves are too powerful to ignore.

Can you ever have a second chance at a love that ruined you?

The Lie is a second-chance romance with a dark, forbidden twist.

iBooks pre-order – geo.itunes.apple.com/us/book/the-lie/id1061522210?mt=11

seriesbanner

Other books in this series:

The Pact: Book 1

Buy: Amazon

It all started with a pinky swear…

Linden McGregor is tall, rugged, and gunslinger handsome; a helicopter pilot with a Scottish brogue and charm to spare. He’s also one of Stephanie Robson’s best friends and has fit into that box for as long as she’s known him.

Beautiful, funny and an ambitious businesswoman (with one hell of an ass), Stephanie Robson is one of Linden McGregor’s best friends and has fit into that box for as long as he’s known her.

But some relationships can’t be boxed, can’t be classified, can’t be tamed.

Back in their mid-twenties and tired of the competitive hit-or-miss dating scene of San Francisco, Steph and Linden made a pact to marry each other if neither one of them were in a serious relationship by the time they hit thirty.

It sounded like fun and games at the time but as the years to thirty tick past and lovers come and go out of their lives, the pact becomes larger than life.

Sex is inevitable. Friendships are tested. Hearts are on the line.

The pact is about to change everything.

Note: due to the dirty talk and sexy times, The Pact is not meant for anyone under the age of 18. All characters in THE PACT are in their thirties, therefore this is NOT a new adult book…even though love can mess you up at any age.

The Offer KINDLE

The Offer: Book 2

Buy: Amazon

She thinks he’s an arrogant playboy.

He thinks she’s an uptight prude.

But he’s about to make her an offer she can’t refuse.

Nicola Price used to have it all – a great career, the perfect boyfriend, an excessive shoe collection and an apartment in one of San Francisco’s best neighborhoods. But when she gets knocked up and her asshat boyfriend leaves her high and dry, Nicola’s perfectly crafted world comes tumbling down. And stays that way.

Now, Nicola is the proud single mom to a five-year old daughter and living a giant lie. She can barely afford their ghetto apartment and all the men she dates run when they hear she comes with a child. She’s struggling and scared – and nowhere near where she thought she’d be at age thirty-one.

Her saving grace comes in the form of a tall, handsome and wealthy Scotsman Bram McGregor, the older brother of her friend Linden. Bram understands a thing or two about pride, so when tragic circumstances place Nicola at rock bottom, he offers them a place to live in the apartment complex he owns. It’s pretty much the perfect deal, so as long as she doesn’t mind living beside Bram, a man that, despite his generosity, seems to antagonize her at every turn.

But nothing in life is free and as Nicola gets her feet back on the ground, she discovers that the enigmatic playboy may end up costing her more than she thought.

She might just lose her heart.

Those McGregor brothers are nothing but trouble…

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The Play: Book 3 (only $.99 cents this week only)

Buy: AMAZON / AMAZON UK / AMAZON AU / B&N / iTunes

A troubled Scottish rugby player who doesn’t play by the rules.
A vivacious man-eater who’s given up on love.
When it comes to Lachlan and Kayla, opposites don’t just attract – they explode.

Kayla Moore has always been comfortable with her feisty, maneating reputation. At least it was fine until she hit her thirties and saw her best friends Stephanie and Nicola settle down with Linden and Bram McGregor, leaving Kayla to be the odd one out. Tired of being the third wheel with nothing but one-night stands and dead-end dates in San Francisco, Kayla decides to take a vow of celibacy and put men on the backburner.

That is until she lays her eyes on Linden and Bram’s cousin, hot Scot Lachlan McGregor. Lachlan is her sexual fantasy come to life – tall, tatted, and built like a Mack truck. With a steely gaze and successful rugby career back in Edinburgh, he’s the kind of man that makes her want to throw her vow right out the window. But Lachlan’s quiet and intense demeanor makes him a hard man to get to know, let alone get close to.

It isn’t until the two of them are thrown together one long, unforgettable night that Kayla realizes there is so much more to this brooding macho man than what meets the eye. But even with sparks flying between the two, Lachlan can’t stay in America forever. Now, Kayla has to decide whether to uproot her whole life and chance it all on someone she barely knows or risk getting burned once again.
Sometimes love is a game that just needs to be played.

Author Bio

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The Lie AMAZON

Release Blitz: The Play by Karina Halle

Posted on 11/03/2015 by shellbellereads

A troubled Scottish rugby player who doesn’t play by the rules.
A vivacious man-eater who’s given up on love.
When it comes to Lachlan and Kayla, opposites don’t just attract – they explode.

AMAZON *** AMAZON UK *** AMAZON AU *** B&N *** iTunes

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Cover Reveal: The Play by Karina Halle

Posted on 09/24/2015 by shellbellereads

A troubled Scottish rugby player who doesn’t play by the rules.
A vivacious man-eater who’s given up on love.
When it comes to Lachlan and Kayla, opposites don’t just attract – they explode.

ADD TO GOODREADS

AMAZON *** AMAZON UK *** AMAZON AU

Karina Halle is a former travel writer and music journalist
and The New York Times, Wall Street Journal and USA Today Bestselling author of
Where Sea Meets Sky, Racing the Sun, The Pact, Love, in English, The Artists
Trilogy, Dirty Angels and over 20 other wild and romantic reads. She lives on
an island off the coast of British Columbia with her husband and her rescue
pup, where she drinks a lot of wine, hikes a lot of trails and devours a lot of
books.

Halle is represented by the Waxman Leavell Agency and is
both self-published and published by Atria Books/Simon & Schuster and
Hachette in North America and in the UK.

Hit her up on Instagram at @authorHalle , on Twitter at
@MetalBlonde and on Facebook. You can also visit www.authorkarinahalle.com and sign up for the newsletter for news,
excerpts, previews, private book signing sales and more.

FACEBOOK TWITTER GOODREADS AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE

Release Day Blitz: Dirty Promises by Karina Halle – The Dirty Angels Series – Book 3

Posted on 09/15/2015 by shellbellereads

Dirty Promises

Dirty Angels Series – Book 3

By Karina Halle

Release Date : September 15, 2015

Synopsis

Dirty Promises is the final book in The Dirty Angels Trilogy. While the first two books can be read as standalones, Dirty Promises can not. Reading Dirty Angels and Dirty Deeds beforehand is HIGHLY recommended.

Also, people sensitive to violence and immoral characters who make questionable decisions should refrain from reading this book. The real cartel life is not pretty, not easy and certainly NOT romantic and that is more than reflected in Dirty Promises.
Blood. Sex. Revenge.
It ain’t easy being king.
Drug lord Javier Bernal has sliced and diced his way to the top of the Mexican drug trade, presiding over the country’s largest cartel. But his rise to power comes at a brutal price: the death of his sister, Alana. Devastated and wracked with guilt, he turns away from his new wife, Luisa, forcing their marriage into a steady decline. But it isn’t until she’s pushed into the waiting arms of Esteban Mendoza, his right-hand man, that Javier realizes everything he’s lost.
And it isn’t until he learns the truth about Alana, that he realizes everything there is to gain.
Blood will spill.
Cities will burn.
Heads will roll.
Because Javier will stop at nothing until he gets what he wants.
And what he wants is raw, ruthless revenge.
The most dangerous man is the one with nothing left to lose.

Buy: Amazon / B & N / ITunes / Kobo

EXCERPT

My gun began to feel heavy in my hands. I needed to use it, and soon.

Light was seeping in underneath the door, so I pushed my goggles up on my head and slowly pushed it open.

The kitchen was empty, and the only light came from above the stove. The fridge hummed and the house was silent except for muffled laughter coming from down the hall.

A terrible scream splintered the room.

A man’s scream.

Had the ambush already begun?

I exchanged a worried glance with Diego as we heard doors further down the hall being flung open. Footsteps.

People ran past the kitchen, heading up the stairs toward the scream, not bothering to look our way.

All of them except for Juanito, that was.

He stopped dead in his tracks at the archway, staring at us like we were ghosts. I couldn’t help but grin.

He snapped out of it, reaching for his gun, but mine was already aimed at him. I shot him in the kneecaps, both of them, just as his gun fired, bullets cracking the ceiling.

Then, as if on cue, all of the outside erupted in gunfire. The sound shook the walls, and through the rattling windows bursts of light filled the sky. My army was here.

I ran over to Juanito who was screaming in pain, and picked him up by the collar, shaking him.

“All right you little fuckface,” I sneered at him, trying to fight the urge to strangle the fucking life out of him. “Tell me where Esteban is and I’ll make your death painless. Don’t tell me and I’ll break your bones with a hammer. Which one is it?”

His screaming wouldn’t stop. I shook him again. “You can’t protect him now. You’ll never fucking walk again and he sure as hell won’t give two fucks about a pathetic piece of garbage like you. So talk.”

But before he could, Diego was calling out my name. I let go of Juanito, rolling over him just in time as the air above me burned with bullets. Diego fired back at the assailants, and I kept rolling until I was behind the kitchen island. I quickly reached for the grenade which I knew could take out enough of them without damaging the structural integrity of the house, and tossed it out of the kitchen. It rolled down the hallway.

They yelled at each other to move but it was too late. I pressed my hands over my ears as the blast went off.

“Jesus, Javi,” Diego swore as pieces of plaster rained down on him. “You haven’t even moved back in yet.”

I didn’t care if it was sloppier than my usual methods — it was efficient. I scrambled to my feet and stared at the wreckage. There was a ragged hole in the wall, smoke and flames licking the edge.

I shrugged. “I wanted to open up that room anyway.”

Miraculously, or something of that nature, Juanito was still alive, holding on to his bleeding and blasted knees as he writhed on the floor.

He was missing half his face though, so it wasn’t like he escaped the explosion unscathed. He was very scathed and crawling for freedom.

I covered my nose and mouth with the crook of my elbow and walked into the smoke, letting it wash over me. Juanito looked up at me with what was left of him, begging for mercy with an outstretched hand.

I stepped on his hand instead, crunching the bones beneath my boot.

“That was for my sister,” I seethed. “I know you intercepted her call when she was calling me for help.”

“Javier, we have to go,” Diego said, coughing and coming over to stop me. A war was raging around me, but none of it mattered. All that mattered was an eye for an eye.

This time I stomped on Juanito’s arm, driving it in with all my might, like I was squashing a cockroach, until I felt it break beneath me.

He screamed.

I smiled.

But I was the furthest thing from happy.

And Juanito couldn’t even speak at this point. His mouth was a flap of burning skin, covering a gaping hole. He was useless.

I slid the hunter’s knife out of its sheath, and with one swift motion, stabbed it downward into the top of his skull.

The screaming stopped.

Robin’s Review

So…..I just finished reading Dirty Promises by Karina Halle. Dirty Promises is absolutely phenomenal, but this story is not going to be for everyone. If you’re expecting a new adult or contemporary romance similar to Where Sea Meets Sky or Racing the Sun or Love, in English, you are going to be surprised! You need to have a strong threshold for reading about torture, rape and many other depraved acts. If you are sensitive to these types of violence, please thoughtfully consider whether or not to move forward with reading this story. Now on to the good stuff!

Although each novel of the Dirty Angels series can be read as a standalone, I recommend these books be read in order. In fact, I will take this statement one step further and recommend that you read Sins & Needles, Shooting Scars and Bold Tricks before beginning the Dirty Angels series. The events that take place in The Artists Trilogy occur before the Dirty Angels series and many of the characters cross over into Dirty Angels, Dirty Deeds and Dirty Promises. It’s not absolutely necessary, but I think if you read The Artists Trilogy first, it may improve your reading experience. I consider both of these series to be dark romantic suspense, with a key emphasis on the word dark.

The plot of Dirty Promises centers on a Mexican cartel, with the main characters being drug lord Javier Bernal, his queen Luisa Bernal, and their second-in-command, Esteban Mendoza. Javier and Luisa are having marital problems. Esteban is jealous of Javier and power hungry. He seeks to exploit any weakness that Javier may have. What plays out is a chess match – players maneuvering to see who will come out on top. I don’t want to give too much away, but as you can imagine, the cartel lifestyle is brutal. It’s every man for himself, and as you probably know, drug lords rule by fear.

Esteban Mendoza. Javier Bernal. Esteban is sexually depraved. Javier, our antihero, likes to inflict pain. Actually, both of these men like to inflict pain, but at least Javier has the capability of feeling remorse. Esteban is pure evil. Both of these men are fueled by hatred and rage, while Luisa spirals downward into an exceedingly black frame of mind. Dirty Promises is told from the perspective of each of these characters. Karina Halle pushes the boundaries of dark writing in this novel. It’s creativity at the darkest level. Reading their thoughts put me in a very dark place. In fact, there were moments when this novel was almost too intense for me to read.

The true strength of Dirty Promises lies in the writing. Karina Halle has written more than twenty-five books which span over several genres. With this being said, I believe Dirty Promises may be Halle’s best book yet. She shows the true extent of her talent and creativity, and her artistic and storytelling skills. Her descriptive writing appeals to the senses of those who read her novels, even the most seasoned readers, and the effect is truly astounding. Her descriptive writing gives you the feeling of witnessing a scene firsthand, kind of like the movies, with the benefit of knowing what the characters are thinking. I’m going to be honest with you. If you love dark novels, if you think you can handle the violence, I highly recommend Dirty Promises! Karina Halle gets a 6-star rating from me, and I will definitely be including this novel on my list of 2015 favorites!

Michel’s Review

Dirty Promises by Karina Halle is the grand finale in the Dirty Angels Series. The ending was epic! Karina Halle pulled out a handful of surprises, gruesome shockers, and realistic scenes that make this story credible. She allowed these characters to fail and hit rock bottom . When they found the strength to pick themselves up and fight back, it was not a classic fairytale battle where Prince Charming conquers, wins the princess, and they live happily ever after. It’s a dirty dark story. It’s a dirty fight. Some would say that Javier conquered his world and won. He may have came out the last man standing but it was not without paying a very heavy price.

Javier Bernal is the King. He’s become the leader of one of the most powerful cartels in Mexico. He rules his kingdom with a heavy hand. He’s ruthless, at times heartless, and would not hesitate to kill if you cross him. He lives by his own code of honor and has stayed true to it throughout the years. But one incident changes him and his kingdom begins to crumble. His marriage begins to fail. His power is waning. His right hand man, Esteban Mendoza, is stepping in and taking his kingdom, including his queen, Luisa Bernal.

Javier has sunk to deepest depths of hell. He has become the devil himself. He has lost his sense of honor. He has become the man he never wanted to be. Power was too seductive. It cost him his wife and family. It cost him his cartel and power.

Javier will have to reach deep to find himself. He has some powerful tricks up his sleeve. He will never surrender, even if it means his queen must die.

Luisa Bernal is caught in Javier’s path to hell. She is a pawn between two men seeking absolute power. Her love for Javier has destroyed her. Her love for Javier will be her death. She may not have chose this life but she will choose to die with her dignity. Even Javier cannot take that away from her.

A brutal bloodbath that takes many lives will prove who will come out on top. No one is going to be the same.

This book was very realistic portraying the violence in the Mexican Cartels. It is gruesome, violent, abusive, and degrading. At the same time there are valuable life lessons learned. Choices that will either define them as humans or monsters. In the end Javier Bernal is going to face his sins. It will be up to him to choose what kind of man he wants to be.

Karina Halle did not hold back in this story. She gave the reader an action packed, edge of the seat ,dark romantic suspense book. Her writing was incredible. As a reader you are drawn into their world and witnessing this dark story as it unfolds.

I highly recommend The Dirty Angels series. These books need to be read in series order. I would also recommend reading the Artist Trilogy along with the novella, On Every Street. The Artist Trilogy introduces the readers to Javier Bernal as a young man on his quest for power. The reader gets a true sense of the man he is and how he evolved into what some would call the devil himself.

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The Dirty Angels Trilogy

Dirty Angels

Dirty Angels Trilogy – Book 1

From the USA Today Bestselling author of Love, in English and The Artists Trilogy, comes a dark romance about a good girl and a very, very bad man. It’s a deliciously twisted take on forbidden love, set among the drug cartels of hot, steamy Mexico and is not for the faint of heart. It contains explicit sex, violence, abuse, drug use, bad language and sexy Mexicans. You have been warned…

For Luisa Chavez, a twenty-three year old former beauty queen, a better life has always been just out of her reach. Sure, she’s had men at her feet since she was a young teenager but she’s never had the one thing she’s craved – security. Having grown up in near poverty, her waitressing job in Cabo San Lucas can barely let her take care of herself, let alone her ailing parents. Every day is another unwanted advance, every day is a struggle to survive.

When Salvador Reyes, the depraved leader of a major Mexican cartel, takes an interest in her, Luisa is presented with an opportunity she can’t afford to pass up. She’ll become Salvador’s wife and exchange her freedom and body for a life of riches – riches she can bestow upon her deserving parents. But Luisa quickly finds out that even the finest wines and jewels can’t undo the ugliness in her marriage, nor the never-ending violence that threatens her every move.

Soon, Luisa is looking for an escape, a way out of the carefully controlled life she’s leading. She finally gets her wish in the worst way possible.

As it is, being the wife of Salvador makes her an ideal target for rival cartels and there’s one particular man who needs Luisa as part of his cartel’s expansion. One particular man whose quest for power has destroyed lives, slit throats and gotten him out of an American prison. One particular man who will stop at nothing until he gets what he wants.

That man is Javier Bernal. And he wants Luisa. He wants to take her, keep her, ruin her.

Unless she ruins him first.

Some men were born to create empires, some women were meant to be queen.

**Dirty Angels is the first standalone novel in the Dirty Angels Trilogy, in which all books feature or involve different characters. The character of Javier Bernal is from The Artists Trilogy, and while reading TAT is recommended if you want additional insight into this twisted character, it is not required.**

Buy: Amazon / Barnes and Noble / ITunes

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Dirty Deeds

Dirty Angels Trilogy – Book 2

By Karina Halle

Synopsis

From The New York Times, Wall Street Journal and USA Today best-selling author of The Pact and Sins & Needles, comes the next standalone novel in the darkly romantic suspense Dirty Angels Trilogy – DIRTY DEEDS.

As a flight attendant, Alana Bernal has had her share of suitors. She’s also had more than her fair share of tragedy within her messed-up family. But what she hasn’t had is love. Real, rip-your-heart-out, tear-your-clothes-off, all-consuming love.

At least that was the case until she met an American tourist, Derek Conway, a ripped ex-soldier with steely eyes and a commanding presence.

What started as a chance encounter between the two in Puerto Vallarta, a weekend full of hot sex and mindless passion, has led to something more.

Something deadly.

Because Derek isn’t the type of man to fall in love. He’s not a man who sticks around.

And he’s definitely not in Mexico on vacation.

Derek is a mercenary, a killer-for-hire, a man who does the ugly jobs for the highest bidder.

Unfortunately for Alana and Derek, the highest bidder has the power to destroy whatever worlds they have created for themselves.

The highest bidder can destroy everything.

NOTE: this book follows Dirty Angels but can be read as a standalone. It has scenes of violence, harsh language and sexual situations. Not intended for those under 18.

Buy: Amazon

Dirty Promise

Book 3

Buy: Amazon / B & N / ITunes / Kobo
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Karina Halle is a former travel writer and music journalist and The New York Times, Wall Street Journal and USA Today Bestselling author of Where Sea Meets Sky, Racing the Sun, The Pact, Love, in English, The Artists Trilogy, Dirty Angels and over 20 other wild and romantic reads. She lives on an island off the coast of British Columbia with her husband and her rescue pup, where she drinks a lot of wine, hikes a lot of trails and devours a lot of books.

Halle is represented by the Waxman Leavell Agency and is both self-published and published by Atria Books/Simon & Schuster and Hachette in North America and in the UK.

Hit her up on Instagram at @authorHalle , on Twitter at @MetalBlonde and on Facebook. You can also visit www.authorkarinahalle.com and sign up for the newsletter for news, excerpts, previews, private book signing sales and more.

FACEBOOK TWITTER GOODREADS AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE

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Limited Time…Dirty Angels…FREE…Dirty Deeds on Sale…Dirty Angels Trilogy by Karina Halle

Posted on 09/09/2015 by shellbellereads

Dirty Promises

Dirty Angels Series – Book 3

By Karina Halle

Release Date : September 15, 2015

Synopsis

_________________________________________________

The Dirty Angels Trilogy

Dirty Angels

Dirty Angels Trilogy – Book 1

Soon, Luisa is looking for an escape, a way out of the carefully controlled life she’s leading. She finally gets her wish in the worst way possible.

That man is Javier Bernal. And he wants Luisa. He wants to take her, keep her, ruin her.

Unless she ruins him first.

Some men were born to create empires, some women were meant to be queen.

Buy: Amazon / Barnes and Noble / ITunes

________________________________________________

Michel’s Review

It is no secret that The Artist Trilogy by Karina Halle is one of my all time favorite series. I absolutely loved all the characters. I admit that I was definitely team Camden. But on the other hand I was darkly fascinated with Javier Bernal. He was one of those characters that you hated to love and you loved to hate. He was ruthless, a bit psychotic, cruel, dark, and oozing with sex appeal. His character was unforgettable.

After his demise in the final book of the Artist Trilogy, readers were left wondering how the hell he was going to get out the situation he was in. Ahhh….Javier is a very crafty and calculating man. He did not become the leader of one of the largest drug cartels by accident. It was sheer ruthlessness, precise calculation, and diabolical patience that made him the king of one of the most barbaric drug cartels.

Dirty Angels by Karina Halle is Javier Bernal’s ominous kingdom and his quest for his queen. It is not a fairy tale that is roses and rainbows. It is your worst nightmare. It is a love story based on despicable deeds and monstrous behaviors. But it is the only kind of love story Javier can have. His world is violent, diabolical, and gruesome. There are no second chances. Life is expendable. Even for those you love.

What starts as a power play ends up being a blood bath. The bargaining chip is the very beautiful wife of the leader of a rival drug cartel. Her value will change all the rules. Her innocence will bring Javier to his knees. Her sinister acceptance will escalate Javier’s passion. Her dark beauty will mark his soul.

Javier is on a very dark road. His actions will be henious. His reactions will be shocking. His code of honor will be admired as well as abhorred.

Luisa will win the reader’s hearts. Her bravery and fate will have the reader reeling. Her evolution into the darkness will prove that she is a Queen to be reckoned with.

Dirty Angels is a hard edged, gritty, gruesome, and sensual book. Karina Halle did not pull any punches with this book. Her portrayal of the underworld of the Mexican drug cartels is brutally honest. This is a novel with high octane, violent suspense that will keep the readers glued to the pages. Readers will love to love Javier, they will hate to love Javier, and they will love to hate Javier. They will embrace Luisa and commend her for evolving into the Dark Queen.

Karina Halle has wrote another superb story! Dirty Angels will definitely go on my 2014 Favorite Reads List!

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Dirty Deeds

Dirty Angels Trilogy – Book 2

By Karina Halle

Synopsis

At least that was the case until she met an American tourist, Derek Conway, a ripped ex-soldier with steely eyes and a commanding presence.

What started as a chance encounter between the two in Puerto Vallarta, a weekend full of hot sex and mindless passion, has led to something more.

Something deadly.

Because Derek isn’t the type of man to fall in love. He’s not a man who sticks around.

And he’s definitely not in Mexico on vacation.

Derek is a mercenary, a killer-for-hire, a man who does the ugly jobs for the highest bidder.

Unfortunately for Alana and Derek, the highest bidder has the power to destroy whatever worlds they have created for themselves.

The highest bidder can destroy everything.

NOTE: this book follows Dirty Angels but can be read as a standalone. It has scenes of violence, harsh language and sexual situations. Not intended for those under 18.

Buy: Amazon

Robin’s Review

If you loved the non-stop action of The Artists Trilogy by author Karina Halle, I feel confident that you will enjoy the Dirty Angels series! Although each of the novels in the Dirty Angels series can be read as a standalone, I highly recommend they be read in order. In fact, I’ll take it one step further and recommend that you read The Artists Trilogy before reading Dirty Angels, Dirty Deeds, and Dirty Promises. There is a significant amount of backstory you will learn about many of the characters, and I think this will improve your overall reading experience.

Dirty Deeds is the second novel of the Dirty Angels series. It’s a dark, romantic suspense novel that focuses on mercenary-for-hire Derek Conway and Alana Bernal, the sister of drug lord Javier Bernal. This story is sexy, exciting, dangerous and full of twists as Derek and Alana fall in love.

I had forgotten just how much I thrived on Karina Halle’s brand of suspense. She is absolutely fantastic at writing a dramatic, thrilling scene involving fights and deadly pursuits! There are moments in Dirty Deeds where Halle’s descriptive writing feels so realistic that you can envision or smell or taste what she is describing! If you have already read and enjoyed her new adult and contemporary romances, be sure to read one of her romantic suspense novels – this is where Karina Halle shines! I enjoyed Dirty Deeds. This 4-star novel was a quick read and left me chomping at the bit for Dirty Promises!

Dirty Promise

Book 3

Coming …September 15,2015

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Author Bio:

Halle is represented by the Waxman Leavell Agency and is both self-published and published by Atria Books/Simon & Schuster and Hachette in North America and in the UK.

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Cover Reveal: Dirty Promises by Karina Halle

Posted on 08/06/2015 by shellbellereads

Blood. Sex. Revenge.

Being king comes at a brutal price.

Drug lord Javier Bernal has sliced and diced his way to the top of the Mexican drug trade, presiding over the country’s largest cartel. But his rise to power comes at a brutal price: the death of his sister, Alana. Devastated and wracked with guilt, he turns away from his new wife, Luisa, forcing their marriage into a steady decline. But it isn’t until she’s pushed into the waiting arms of Esteban Mendoza, his right-hand man, that Javier realizes everything he’s lost.

And it isn’t until he learns the truth about Alana, that he realizes everything there is to gain.

Blood will spill.

Cities will burn.

Heads will roll.

Because Javier will stop at nothing until he gets what he wants.

And what he wants is raw, ruthless revenge.

Dirty Promises is the third and final book in the Dirty Angels Trilogy. While the other two books – Dirty Angels and Dirty Deeds – can be read as standalones, it is recommended you read at least Dirty Angels before reading Dirty Promises.

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EXCERPT

All my life, I thought I could operate under my own code of
morals and ideals. It was no different than most, I supposed. The cop who has
to shoot someone in self-defense. The soldiers that go to war and raid villages
in the name of freedom. Everyone makes excuses for what they do, because they
believe in it. Because they believe they are in the right.

I had always thought of myself as a somewhat civilized,
almost classy, narco. I at least wanted to bring purpose and grace to what I
did. I didn’t believe in killing mercilessly. I believed in mercy, in
forgiveness, in giving people second chances. I believed in letting people go
after I got what I wanted from them.

I believed that to snitch was an outrage, that even though
we were dealing and fighting and killing to be in a billion dollar industry. I
believed that religious celebrations were to be respected. I believed that
family came first. I believed that women and children would not be harmed.

For a moment, I thought that perhaps I had lost my mind.
Never mind the needless, senseless deaths that were already at my hands over
the last few months. Never mind that I had broken promises to others, to
myself. Dirty, filthy promises. It was then and only then that I knew I had
lost who I was. That every moral fibre that I based myself on was threadbare
and I was close, oh so close, to losing all sense of myself forever.

It scared me. I watched Luisa leave the room and though I
was reeling from her own words, the callous ones that reached deep inside me
and left a scar, I knew I might have damaged her beyond repair. I could heal
myself in time, but could she? Would we?

I didn’t think so.

Soon, Luisa is looking for an escape, a way out of the carefully controlled life she’s leading. She finally gets her wish in the worst way possible.

That man is Javier Bernal. And he wants Luisa. He wants to take her, keep her, ruin her.

Unless she ruins him first.

Some men were born to create empires, some women were meant to be queen.

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Halle is represented by the Waxman Leavell Agency and is both self-published and published by Atria Books/Simon & Schuster and Hachette in North America and in the UK.

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Release Blitz + Reviews: Racing The Sun by Karina Halle

Posted on 07/28/2015 by shellbellereads

From the New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author of Where Sea Meets Sky comes a new adult novel about a young woman who becomes a nanny in Capri and falls for her charges’ bad-boy brother.

When I’m traveling, I feel like the secret to my life, to myself, to really becoming, is one step ahead. It’s in the next destination, the next town I get lost in, the next stranger I talk to. It’s always next but never here . . .

After six months of backpacking and soul-searching across the world, Amber MacLean is flat broke. There are worse places for a twentysomething to be stuck than the Amalfi Coast, but the only way she can earn enough money for a plane ticket home to California is to teach English to two of the brattiest children she has ever met.

It doesn’t help that the children are under the care of their brooding older brother, ex-motorcycle racer Desiderio Larosa. Darkly handsome and oh-so-mysterious, the young master of the crumbling villa tests Amber’s patience and will at every turn—not to mention her hormones.

When her position turns into a full-time nanny gig, Amber grows dangerously closer to the enigmatic recluse. But can she give up the certainty of home for someone whose closely guarded heart feels a world apart from her own?

Robin’s Review

Racing the Sun is set on the Amalfi Coast of Italy, and most of the story takes place on the Island of Capri. Karina Halle toured these locations just before she wrote this novel, so she wrote from experience. I did internet searches of many of the locations named in Racing the Sun. Her descriptions are accurate. Landscapes. Sounds. Colors. Foliage. Ruins. Halle did an amazing job translating her experiences to page. Racing the Sun was a pleasure to read. Just as she did with Where Sea Meets Sky, Halle carried me away from real life to an adventure in a land far away.

Racing the Sun is a new adult/contemporary romance featuring twenty-four-year-old Amber MacLean from San Jose, California. Halle first introduces us to Amber as a secondary character in Where Sea Meet Sky, a story in which she backpacks around New Zealand with Josh Miles and Gemma Henare as part of her worldwide travels. After six months of backpacking through New Zealand, Australia, Southeast Asia and Europe, Amber has now come to the end of the line in Positano, Italy. She has enough money to stay at a hostel for a week and only two months until her visa runs out. It’s time for Amber to get a job and save money, so she can buy a plane ticket to return to the United States. It’s time for Amber to quit running and face her fears.

Twenty-nine-year-old Desiderio Larosa hasn’t left the Island of Capri since his accident. The retired motorcycle racing great lives a solitary life. He’s confined to the island by his fears, left only with memories of how his life used to be. Derio is the guardian to his seven-year-old brother and sister, Alfonso and Annabella. He resides in the crumbling family villa, The House of Sad Lemons, with the twins and their nanny. Derio hires Amber, an American with an English degree, to work two hours every evening teaching the children English.

It takes some time to reach the meat of this story with the world-building, but Halle does a fantastic job of countering this with her descriptions of Positano, the Amalfi coast and Capri. Nobody drops you down into a scene like Karina Halle. Nobody. It felt like I had been transported to Italy. The attention to detail, down to the description of a typical Italian breakfast of cheese, bread and cold cuts, and how Italians drink their espresso, is spot on. The writing feels impressively authentic, and not just with her descriptions of places. When Amber feels panic, Halle conveys this anxiety through her words. I felt a whole gamut of emotions while reading this novel. It was very realistic.

Racing the Sun feels more like a grand adventure to me than a romance. Please don’t misunderstand. The romance is there, but I never quite felt an undeniable attraction between Derio and Amber – the push-pull you should feel between two characters who are falling in love. More specifically, with the standoffish, dark and brooding Derio. It also felt like the pacing of their romance is a bit delayed, but when they finally declare their love for each other, I found it to be very heartfelt and full of emotion! Overall, Racing the Sun is a wonderful story, a great summer read, and Karina Halle should be very proud of this 4-star novel!

Michel’s Review

Wow…Racing The Sun by Karina Halle is one of the most descriptive novels I have read. It took me on an adventure beyond my imagination. I became a part of this book. I was experiencing the Amalfi Coast and Capri for the first time right along with Amber MacLean. I could feel the salt in the air, smell the citrusy scents, taste the distinct flavors of the food, and feel the kick of expresso in my blood. I literally became a part of this book.

Amber MacLean has spent the past few months backpacking across Europe, Asia, and New Zealand. She is escaping her reality and life at home in California. She is searching for her destiny and place in life. She is avoiding her reality and expectations of her family. She is at personal crossroads in her life. Although she has had a grand adventure and experienced many international customs, her journey is coming to an end. She is out of money and her parents are no longer willing to finance her adventure. The problem is she is so broke that she can’t even purchase a plane ticket home. Her visa is running out, her wallet is empty, and she still hasn’t found what she was been searching for. When a job opportunity arises to teach English to the children of a prominent family in Capri , she jumps at the chance. She can experience the Amalfi Coast, make the money she needs to go home, and it buys her a bit more time abroad. What she didn’t expect was a life changing experience.

Desiderio Larosa is the guardian of his young twin siblings. Their parents were killed in boating accident. Desiderio was the only survivor. Since the accident his life has taken a very dark path. He has survivors guilt, PTSD, and has lost his confidence in life. He has let his fears take over his life and his grief rule his heart. He has become a prisoner of his life and has not left the island in over a year. His self imposed isolation and self disgust has made him impossible to be around. His younger siblings are also suffering the loss. Their behaviors are out of control, their grief is hard for them to deal with because of their young age, and the nurturing they once had is no longer there. The Larosa family is falling apart. Their home is gloom and doom. Amber has walked into a living nightmare.

Eventually you have to wake up and face your nightmares. Amber is the one that will wake up the Larosa family and teach them how to dream once again. She will also learn about herself and what her place is in the world. She will learn that she is made of more than what she ever dreamed she could be. She will find the love she never anticipated having. It is not going to be an easy journey for any of them. They will all have to face their fears and let the sun shine in their souls once again.

Racing The Sun was a profound book on so many levels. I loved the self discovery and facing what life throws at you. What I didn’t feel was the intense romance on many levels. The relationship lacked the intense chemistry that romance readers have come to expect. I also struggled with the sibling relationships and hoped they would become more personal once the story began to unfold.

RacingThe Sun felt more like life journey rather than a romance. It felt like a life adventure. That is okay because Racing The Sun was still a brilliant novel and an enriching reading experience. I would highly recommend this book.

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Review : The Offer by Karina Halle

Posted on 06/19/2015 by shellbellereads

The Offer

By Karina Halle

Synopsis

She thinks he’s an arrogant playboy.

He thinks she’s an uptight prude.

But he’s about to make her an offer she can’t refuse.

But nothing in life is free and as Nicola gets her feet back on the ground, she discovers that the enigmatic playboy may end up costing her more than she thought.

She might just lose her heart.

Those McGregor brothers are nothing but trouble…

Buy: Amazon / B & N / ITunes / Kobo

EXCERPT

When reality starts to fade in a bit, I find myself being walked to the door of my apartment building, my arms draped over both Kayla and Steph. We go up the stairs and now I’m standing in front of my door, wobbling back and forth, trying my hardest to look as sober as possible.Steph goes to knock on the door but it’s already open. I guess we are being loud, giggling, in the hallway.Bram looks at the three of us and my God is he a sight for sore eyes.“We brought her home,” Steph says, motioning with her hand for Bram to get out of the way, “your shift is over.”“No,” I tell them as they shuffle me inside. “He can stay.”

I know the three of them are exchanging a look over my head.

“I’ll make sure she goes to bed,” Bram explains. “No funny business, I swear.”

“Pinky swear?” Steph says and I turn to see her holding out her pinky to him. “You know I don’t break those.”

Ugh, Steph and her damn pinky swears. She wouldn’t even be married to Linden if it weren’t for one.

But Bram does a pinky swear with her.

“No funny business,” Steph warns him.

“Good thing I’m not funny!” I yell as I flop down on the couch. The room is beginning to spin.

“Nic, that was, like, five minutes ago,” Steph says. She reaches over the couch and pats my head. “Do you want us to undress you because Bram’s not allowed.”

“No one undresses me but me!” I yell, throwing my fist up into the air.

“Have fun with her,” Steph says to Bram. “And remember, she’s untouchable. Don’t make me make your brother punch you in the junk or something.”

Bram makes a scoffing noise. “Last time he tried to do that, I got him back good. You just ask him what happened on January 16th, 2005 and why he’ll never eat pudding again.”

“I mean it,” Steph threatens and I hear her and Kayla leave and the door closing.

I close my eyes too. Drift away for a moment. The spinning has stopped and there’s a beautifully cool breeze wafting over my skin.

“I’m not supposed to touch you,” Bram’s gruff voice says and when I open my eyes, he’s crouched in front of me, a lock of dark hair over his forehead. His face is shadowy in the dark, the only light now being from my bedroom behind him.

“That’s okay,” I mumble into the couch. “You can touch me. I say it’s fine.”

“How about I bring you something to sleep in? Do you have a favorite nightshirt? I always see you in that top that your nipples try and poke right through.”

“No, not the nipple shirt.”

He goes to get up. With a lazy hand, I grip his shirt. “Don’t leave. I’m fine here.”

“I can’t imagine you being comfortable.”

“I’m drunk. Everything is comfortable. Except I wish I had a cheeseburger. I would eat it and use it as a pillow. Or maybe use it as a pillow and then eat it.”

“I see.”

I raise my brow at him. “You just want to go through my underwear.”

“Oh, I’ve already gone through your underwear.”

“Lies.”

“I wore them on my head and danced around your apartment.”

“Did you really?” I ask, totally serious.

“Come on,” he says grabbing my forearms. “If you want to sleep in your clothes, that’s fine. But I’m bringing you to your own bed and taking off your shoes.”

“Can you brush my teeth too? I need clean teeth.” I let him pull me to my feet and I pitch to the left, heading right for the coffee table. But I’m in his arms, his capable arms, and he’s holding me to him.

“You have capable arms.”

“You have an exquisite arse,” he responds and half leads me, half drags me out of the living area and into the bedroom.

“I like the way you say arse,” I say with a giggle, exaggerating his accent. “I like the way you say everything.”

“I’m glad, because I foresee a lot of arse talk in the future.”

“Yeah, yeah.” I try and swat him away. “All talk and no arse pinching.”

Robin’s Review

No regrets. This is a theme of The Offer written by Karina Halle, and one I believe we should all strive to live by. It’s apparent Halle has been living by this motto for the last couple of years. Where she used to write exclusively in the horror and romantic suspense genres, she has now embraced writing in the new adult and contemporary romance genres, and her career has really taken off!

If you’re looking for a great summer read, look no further than The Offer. It’s a spinoff of the wildly popular novel titled The Pact, but this story can definitely be read as a standalone. The Offer is a sexy, contemporary romance filled with lots of humor, endearing characters and blazing chemistry. It’s also a story I found very easy to read. Halle introduced us to Linden McGregor and Stephanie Robson in The Pact. In The Offer, she shifts her focus to Linden’s brother and Stephanie’s best friend.

Our main characters are Bram McGregor and Nicola Price. Bram is handsome, wealthy and arrogant. He’s a Scottish playboy, and as far as Nicola is concerned, Bram is the devil in disguise. She’s more than aware of his reputation. He’s trouble, and she wants nothing to do with him. Nicola is a struggling, single mom trying to keep her head above water. Her car needs repairs, and the rent for her crummy apartment just went up. Her five-year-old daughter has not been feeling well, and just one week short of receiving a pay raise and health insurance, Nicola loses her job.

Bram steps in to offer Nicola and her daughter a rent-free apartment at the apartment complex he owns. They can live there until she gets a good job and is back on her feet. There’s only one problem with his proposal. The apartment Bram offers her is right next door to his own apartment, which means she has to put up with his grey eyes and dimples, his arrogance and playboy ways.

While I did personally struggle to connect with Nicola’s character, I agree Halle did a phenomenal job of developing her primary characters in this story. Nicola is uptight. She needs to loosen up and live a little, and Bram antagonizes her plenty about this. All Nicola sees in Bram is his playboy image – he’s a man who enjoys one-night stands, someone who just wants sex and would never consider being in a relationship.

Bram and Nicola are both very stubborn individuals. However, there really is a lot more depth to these characters, and as readers, we are able to see them gradually open their eyes and hearts to each other and fall in love. Their banter made the build-up of their relationship exciting. As I said earlier in my review, the chemistry between Bram and Nicola is really hot. Once they connect, Bram can’t seem to get enough of Nicola – just you wait!

Halle has written about children in her previous novels, but it seems like they were always minor characters – ghost children in the Experiment in Terror series or Camden’s child in The Artists Trilogy. I really don’t remember a time when a child character was so important to the story. Kudos to Karina Halle for Ava Price! She is adorable and funny, and she also has a health issue which requires a whole lot of research to write about. Before I conclude, there are a couple of items I really need to mention. There is an interesting twist to this story that completely caught me by surprise! And the epilogue – who is this Lachlan McGregor? I’m keeping my fingers crossed that we get another spinoff to The Pact! The Offer receives a solid 4-star rating!

With
her USA Today Bestselling The Artists Trilogy published by Grand Central
Publishing, numerous foreign publication deals, and self-publishing success
with her Experiment in Terror series, Vancouver-born Karina Halle is a true
example of the term “Hybrid Author.” Though her books showcase her
love of all things dark, sexy and edgy, she’s a closet romantic at heart and
strives to give her characters a HEA…whenever possible.

Karina holds a screenwriting degree from Vancouver Film School and a Bachelor
of Journalism from TRU. Her travel writing, music reviews/interviews and
photography have appeared in publications such as Consequence of Sound, Mxdwn
and GoNomad Travel Guides. She currently lives on an island on the coast of
British Columbia where she’s preparing for the zombie apocalypse with her
fiancé and rescue pup.

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Release Blitz + Excerpt : The Offer by Karina Halle

Posted on 06/14/2015 by shellbellereads

The Offer

By Karina Halle

Synopsis

She thinks he’s an arrogant playboy.

He thinks she’s an uptight prude.

But he’s about to make her an offer she can’t refuse.

But nothing in life is free and as Nicola gets her feet back on the ground, she discovers that the enigmatic playboy may end up costing her more than she thought.

She might just lose her heart.

Those McGregor brothers are nothing but trouble…

Buy: Amazon / B & N / ITunes / Kobo

(Other Buy Links Coming Soon….)

EXCERPT

“No,” I tell them as they shuffle me inside. “He can stay.”