Cover Reveal : The Offer by Karina Halle…. Coming June 2015

Posted on 05/06/2015 by shellbellereads

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…

ADD TO GOODREADS

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 husband and rescue pup.

Happy Release: Love, in Duology: The Love, in English & Love, in Spanish Bundle by Karina Halle

Posted on 04/10/2015 by shellbellereads

Love In Duology: The Love, in English & Love, in Spanish Bundle

By Karina Halle

Buy: Amazon

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Love, in English:

He’s thirty-eight. I’m twenty-three.

He speaks Spanish. I speak English.

He lives in Spain. I live in Canada.

He dresses in thousand-dollar suits. I’m covered in tattoos.

He’s married and has a five-year old daughter.

I’m single and can’t commit to anyone or anything.

Until now. Because when they say you can’t choose who you fall in love with, boy ain’t that the f*#king truth.

***

To a restless dreamer like Vera Miles, it sounded like the experience of a lifetime. Instead of spending her summer interning for her astronomy major, she would fly to Spain where she’d spend a few weeks teaching conversational English to businessmen and women, all while enjoying free room and board at an isolated resort. But while Vera expected to get a tan, meet new people and stuff herself with wine and paella, she never expected to fall in love.

Mateo Casalles is unlike anyone Vera has ever known, let alone anyone she’s usually attracted to. While Vera is a pierced and tatted free spirit with a love for music and freedom, Mateo is a successful businessman from Madrid, all sharp suits and cocky Latino charm. Yet, as the weeks go on, the two grow increasingly close and their relationship changes from purely platonic to something…more.

Something that makes Vera feel alive for the first time.

Something that can never, ever be.

Or so she thinks

Love, in Spanish:

“She sat beside me on the bus – and she changed my whole life.”

Successful, wealthy and absurdly handsome – Spanish ex-football player Mateo Casalles seemed like he had it all. A high-society wife, an adorable little girl, and flashy apartments in Madrid and Barcelona only sweetened the deal. But there was more to Mateo than met the eye – a life of uncertainty and regret that colored his black and white world.

That was until Vera Miles came into his life like a shooting star. Tattooed, wild and young, Vera seemed like Mateo’s polar opposite at first. But you can’t choose who you fall in love with and the two lost souls did everything they could to be together, all while suffering the grave consequences.

Now with Mateo divorced and living in Madrid with Vera, there is a whole new set of challenges and setbacks facing the couple and rocking the foundation of their star-crossed relationship.

Unfortunately for them, the brighter the star, the faster they burn.

Buy: Amazon

LINKS:

Happy Release + Two 5 Star Reviews + 2015 Favorite : Where Sea Meets Sky by Karina Halle

Posted on 03/31/2015 by shellbellereads

Where Sea Meets Sky

By Karina Halle

Release Date: March 31, 2015

Publisher: Atria Books

Genre: New Adult

Buy: Amazon / Barnes and Noble / ITunes

Synopsis

A new adult novel that perfectly captures the existential angst of your early twenties with raw wit, fresh insight, and true feeling from a critically adored USA TODAY bestselling author.

Joshua Miles has spent his early twenties spinning his wheels. Working dead-end jobs and living at home has left him exhausted and uninspired, with little energy to pursue his passion for graphic art. Until he meets Gemma Henare, a vivacious out-of-towner from New Zealand. What begins as a one-night stand soon becomes a turning point for Josh. He can’t get Gemma out of his head, even after she has left for home, and finds himself throwing caution to the wind for the first time in his life.

It’s not long before Josh is headed to New Zealand with only a backpack, some cash, and Gemma’s name to go on. But when he finally tracks her down, he finds his adventure is only just beginning. Equally infatuated, Gemma leads him on a whirlwind tour across the beautiful country, opening Josh up to life, lust, love, and all the messy heartache in between. Because, when love drags you somewhere, it might never let go—even when you know you have to say goodbye.

Excerpt

“Gemma,” I whisper softly. Before I know what I’m doing, I’m raising her palm to my lips and kissing along her scar. She smells so good, feels even better.

She lets me do it for a moment then she awkwardly clears her throat.

Don’t make me let go, I think. Please don’t make me let go.

The rustle in the bushes is back again. Gemma jerks her hand away, as if we’re about to be caught by Nick the Peeping Tom, as if we’re doing something wrong.

Are we doing something wrong?

Suddenly the air around us fills with squeals, and the rustling increases. The nearest bush to us at the base of the yard, near the fence, starts to move back and forth.

I stand up out of my chair to get a better look and see what looks to be little creatures waddling out of the bushes and heading for the side of the house. Once they hit a patch of light coming from the house, I can see what they are.

Little blue penguins.

“What the fuck?” I say softly, feeling like my mind has just imploded. “What the hell are those?”

“Little blue penguins,” she says proudly.

I turn to her in disbelief. “Are you serious?” I thought I was making that up. In my head.

She nods. “Yup. Little blue penguins.”

And she’s right. They’re about a foot high, miniature versions of the ones I’ve seen on TV, and they’re entirely blue in color. I thought it was just the darkness playing tricks on me but no, once they hit the light, you can see the color on their oily feathers.

“I don’t get it,” I say, watching as the last of their group quickly scampers out of sight. That might have been the cutest and weirdest thing I have ever seen.

“You never head of them?” she asks. “They probably have a burrow under the house. It’s actually quite common for beach houses.”

“Look, I wasn’t lying when I said I didn’t do a whole lot of research about the country.”

“I can see that,” she says. “Well, how about that, then.”

“How about that,” I say, sitting back down. The penguins’ magical appearance has somehow taken Gemma’s heartbreaking story to another place, and she’s quick to jump on the transition. She tells me all about the interesting birdlife in New Zealand, from yellow-eyed penguins on the Otago Peninsula down south, to the Kea—cheeky green parrots that live in the snow-covered Alps. She’s animated as she tells me all she knows, and I absorb it like a sponge.

I drink my beer and she goes back to drinking hers, and before Nick, Amber, and the Irish show up all sloshed, she’s painted a beautiful picture of what’s to come. I can only hope I’ll continue to be part of the picture.

Robin’s Review

I would like to express my appreciation to NetGalley and Atria Books for the opportunity to read and review Where Sea Meets Sky.

I am thrilled to be able to share with you about the latest novel from author Karina Halle. It’s called Where Sea Meets Sky, and it’s her first foray into the New Adult genre. Before I even begin discussing the plot or characters, I need discuss the writing. Imagine taking a tour around the country of New Zealand in an orange Volkswagen Bus. Picture the gorgeous Southern Alps and volcanos. Clear blue lakes and white beaches. Glaciers. Unique foliage and wildlife. The sights. Sounds. Smells. Maori culture and language. Where Sea Meets Sky is one of the finest examples of descriptive writing I have ever had the pleasure of reading!

The narrative. This is where Halle blends a beautiful story about two people on the journey of their life with her descriptive style of writing. Halle is unusually creative when she develops a story. Her imagination seems boundless. Whether it be a paranormal horror romance or contemporary romance or romantic suspense, Halle knows how to blend the perfect amount of drama and tension with her trademark descriptive writing which makes her stories so vivid and authentic.

Where Sea Meets Sky is told in first person opposing points of view. Josh Miles is in his twenties. He’s been living with his mother in Vancouver and working dead-end jobs. Josh lacks motivation or energy, and he longs for something he doesn’t understand. Gemma Henare is at the end of a backpacking tour that has taken her across Canada and the United States. She is invited to attend a traditional Halloween party in Vancouver where she meets Josh. Josh and Gemma are naturally comfortable around each other. They have an instant connection when they meet, but Gemma has to return to her native New Zealand following their one-night stand.

After Gemma returns to New Zealand, Josh can’t seem to get her out of his head. She is exotic and full of life. Josh is an aspiring graphic artist. He learns he has been accepted to the art school where he applied, but Josh is also deeply intrigued by the adventure and freedom Gemma experienced on her backpacking trip. Weighing the circumstances of his life, Josh makes an impulsive decision. He quits his job and catches a plane for New Zealand to seek adventure, to search for Gemma, armed with a backpack of his belongings, cash and Gemma’s first name.

This isn’t your typical romance novel. Josh and Gemma are both in the midst of self-discovery as they tour the North and South Islands of New Zealand. Gemma has experienced great loss in her life, and her sense of self-worth is low. She has very low expectations of the people in her life. Josh is completely uninspired until he meets Gemma. He sees something very special in her, so he decides to place his heart in her hands, even when he knows Gemma could destroy him. Where Sea Meets Sky is about taking risks. Self-discovery. Putting your heart on the line.

New Zealand is such an unusual setting for a romance novel. It’s different from the typical settings of Europe or the United States. When I finished reading Where Sea Meets Sky, I was left with a longing to travel to New Zealand. I want to zip-line into the mouth of Waitomo Caves and ride inner tubes on the underground river. I want to hike the Routeburn Track in the Southern Alps. Dive with dolphins. See Franz Josef glacier. Witness the first sunrise of the world at the remote East Cape. If you pick up a copy of Where Sea Meets Sky and begin reading, I can promise you will embark on a journey which will not only appeal to your senses, but will take you far away from the reality of your life. I have read at least twenty-four novels written by Karina Halle, and Where Sea Meets Sky is decidedly one of my favorites. The writing is impeccable, and I absolutely loved this 5-star novel!

Michel’s Review

It is no secret that Karina Halle is one of my favorite authors. She is one of my go to authors and I never miss a book. She is known for her edgy characters, her graphic descriptions that bring her stories to life, her unique plots, perfect sense of timing & delivery, adrenalized action scenes, and red hot romance. Her characters and their stories come to life and jump off the pages. Each and every novel is fresh and unpredictable.The reader lives and breaths the story right along with the characters. It is an incredible gift for a writer to evoke this kind of reading experience. The reader always walks away from a Karina Halle novel with a sense of overwhelming satisfaction. My expectations for Where Sea Meets Sky were very high. I was anxious to see how Karina would deliver a New Adult genre novel when she was well known for romantic suspense and paranormal/ horror romance. I may have set my expectations and hopes too low. Where Sea Meets Sky blew me away. It is Karina’s best writing to date. She reached deep within herself and tapped into an emotional vault that had me floored. She took two ordinary people that had very ordinary issues that they would face at their age and made their story epic. I think every reader will be able to identify with each of these characters on some level that makes it very personal.

We have all reached that path in the road where we question what we are doing with our lives. Is this direction we want to go or is there something else? We have questioned our choices, reflected on our actions, changed our dreams, and struggled along the way. There comes a point where we have to stop the path we are on and look for something different. We have to face our realities, dig deep for our true desires, and then have the courage to change. This is something that every person will experience. It is a natural part of life. It is the one gift as humans that we have. We have the power of choice. We have the opportunity to learn from mistakes. We have the power to change. We have the power to grow mentally and emotionally.

This is where Joshua Miles and Gemma Henare’s story begins. An accidental meeting and one night hook up will lead both of these people down a new road in life. Gemma has been touring the United States and Canada, living moment to moment, searching for the next path to take in her life. She meets Joshua the night before she is going home to New Zealand. Even though they have an incredible night together they both accept the reality of their meeting. For Joshua it is the moment that makes him start to take inventory of his life. He admires Gemma’s bravery to step outside of her life and do something that is just for her. He has never done that. He has always just muddled along and accepted what came his way. He never reached out for something he wanted or had the courage to change the life he was living. This meeting was the kick start to Josh’s road of self discovery. He quits his job, drains his savings account, buys a plane ticket, and heads for New Zealand. He isn’t really looking for Gemma, he is looking for himself. He knows this trip is going to be the defining factor that changes his life.

When Gemma returned to New Zealand she fell into the same rut she was in before she left. She didn’t allow her new experiences to shape and mold her into something different. She doesn’t have the guts to let go of the familiar and grab onto something new. Part of it is her self esteem and the other is the fear of the unknown. When she runs into the sexy Canadian she spent her last night abroad with, a yearning is kick started once again. But what exactly is she yearning?

A road trip through New Zealand in an old VW bus with Josh, her American cousin, Amber, and convient boyfriend Nick will be an adventure of a lifetime and eye opening experience for them all. They will discover their true colors. They will tap into hidden dreams and desires. They will get to know the people that they are. And they will get to experience the natural and beauty of New Zealand.

At the end of the trip, each of these people will be affected in some way. For some it will be life changing, for others it will be the stepping stone, and for some it will be clarification.

I will say that Where Sea Meets Sky is a passionate love story. Although there is a bit of a love triangle, it does not have a sense of betrayal or cheating. It is a discovery of the heart.

Karina’s writing was phenomenal. I felt like I was in the VW bus right along with all the characters. I experienced the beauty of New Zealand in my mind. The emotional journey that this book took touched my soul. I could easily empathize with the characters. I felt the passion and sense of wonder at discovering what true love really is. I laughed, cried , and fretted right along with Josh and Gemma. I sympathized with Amber’s plight.

Where Sea Meets Sky was a rich reading experience. I highly recommend this book.

I am looking forward to Amber’s next fork in the road. Racing The Sun is Amber’s story. It will release on July 28, 2015.

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Racing The Sun

Release Date: July 28, 2015

From the 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.

It’s time for twenty-four-year-old Amber MacLean to face the music. After a frivolous six months of backpacking through New Zealand, Australia, and Southeast Asia, she finds herself broke on the Mediterranean without enough money for a plane ticket home to California. There are worse places to be stuck than the gorgeous coastline of southern Italy, but the only job she manages to secure involves teaching English to two of the brattiest children she’s ever met.

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

But when her position as teacher turns into one as full-time nanny at the crumbling old villa, Amber finds herself growing closer to the enigmatic recluse and soon has to choose between the safety of her life back in the States and the uncertainty of Derio’s closely guarded heart.

Pre Order: Amazon / B & N / ITunes

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Author Bio:

Karina Halle is the New York Times bestselling author of Where Sea Meets Sky, The Pact,Love in English, and other wild and romantic reads. A former travel writer and music journalist, 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.
Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Goodreads

Cover Reveal + Excerpt : Racing The Sun by Karina Halle

Posted on 03/20/2015 by shellbellereads

HOT NEWS FROM ATRIA BOOKS: KARINA HALLE’S RACING THE SUN HAS A COVER!

Racing The Sun

Release Date: July 28, 2015

By Karina Halle

Pre Order: Amazon / B & N / ITunes

Synopsis

From the 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.

Pre Order: Amazon / B & N / ITunes

Excerpt

Read on for a sneak peek at the next novel by Karina Halle, Racing the Sun
Available as an Atria Paperback and eBook in July 2015
I think we’ve all thought about how we’re going to die. My friend Angela Kemp, whom I’ve known since we were playing in saggy diapers together, is convinced she’s going to choke to death on something. Every time we go out to eat, she searches the restaurant for the person most likely to know the Heimlich maneuver and tries to sit by them. It doesn’t seem to matter that I know the Heimlich maneuver; she just wants to know that she’ll be safe if it happens.
Personally, I’ve always thought I’d fall to my death. I think it all started when I was seven or eight years old and had dreams of my house turning over and me falling from the floor to the ceiling, dodging couches and tables. After that my dreams turned into me falling off of balconies, getting stuck in plummeting elevators, and finally, being in horrific plane crashes. Actually, it was never the crash that killed me, nor was it the scariest part of the dream; it was that I was always sucked out of the airplane before then and fell to my death in a horrible rush of cold air and mortality.
It shouldn’t surprise me then that I currently think I’m about to die, and by falling, no less.
In fact, I’m sure there’s no way I can possibly survive this. It’s not that I’m in a taxi that seems to be coughing black fumes out of its tail pipe every two seconds, or the fact that the driver—with a mustache so big he looks like a land walrus—is looking more at me and the two other backpackers in the backseat instead of on the road, but that as we round the corners of the “highway” toward the famously postcard-worthy town of Positano, we’re going full speed and there’s nothing but a sheer cliff face on my side of the vehicle.
“Shit,” I swear, trying to hold onto something—anything—that will keep me in the car and not fall to my death, as my sordid dreams have foretold. I look over at Ana and Hendrik, my Danish traveling compadres for this leg of southern Italy, and they don’t seem all that concerned. I’m especially not going to grab onto big, blonde Hendrik since Ana has a problem with random girls touching him.
Not that I’m random at this point. I met up with the couple in Rome and spent a few days with them there before we took the train down south. I know they have plans to keep going all the way to Sicily and hunker down on some beach hut with a bunch of goats (I don’t know, but whenever Hendrik talks about their plans, goats are involved somehow) but I’m starting to believe that Positano is the end of the line for me.
And it’s not just because I’m certain I’m going to die on the way there. It’s because I am flat fucking broke. We all knew this day would come (and by we, I mean my parents and I.) After all, I’ve been traveling for six months around the world, and even though I’ve been trying to spend as little as possible, the world isn’t as cheap as you’d think.
It probably doesn’t help that I went a little overboard in Europe and went on a mini shopping spree in every city I was in. But I like to think of my new shawls and sandals and jewelry as souvenirs, not just clothes. I mean, do you get to wear your postcards or ceramic doodads or tiny calendars with pictures of the Eiffel tower on them? No. But you can wear a scarf you picked up from a market in Berlin.
But of course, in hindsight, maybe I should have managed my money a bit better. I just thought that my savings were enough. And then when my parents started bailing me out, I thought I could coast by on that. Just for a little while. Until I found out they sold my shitty 1982 Mustang convertible to help pay for this trip. And then after that, they just stopped putting money in my account.
I’ve now eaten into the money that’s supposed to pay for my return ticket home, a ticket I didn’t think I’d have to buy until I got down to Morocco, or even Turkey.
So, Positano, Italy, on the Amalfi Coast, might just be the end for me.
Or this cab ride. As we round another bend, I can see crazy people parked on the road and selling flowers—not the side of the road, but parked on the actual road. So now people are swerving and going around them, but when Italians swerve they don’t slow down—they actually speed up.
I decide to close my eyes for the rest of the journey and hope I end up in one piece.
Even though the journey from Sorrento to Positano doesn’t translate into many miles, it still feels like it takes forever for us to finally get there.
The walrus-mustached cab driver pulls to a sudden stop, abruptly enough that I fling forward, my curly blonde hair flying all over the place as my seatbelt barely restrains me.
“Amber,” Ana says in her deep accent. “We’re here.”
“I gathered that,” I say, and do the very awkward act of pretending to search through my messenger bag for euros. I don’t really have any euros to spare. Thankfully Ana thrusts some bills into the driver’s hand as we clamber out of the cab.
And so here is Positano. I’d been so busy closing my eyes and praying, I hadn’t really gotten a good look at the town on the way over.
It’s fucking charming. I mean, it’s beautiful and stunning and photogenic as all hell, but its charm is the first thing that comes to mind. The cab dropped us off at the top of the hill and you can see just how packed the town is. Building after colorful building crammed below cliffs, staggered down the hillsides, tucked into every nook and cranny. It makes you wonder what crazy person decided to put a town here, of all places.
The one-way road leading down to the beach is narrow, with cars and pedestrians and patio seating vying for space, and lined with stores that beckon you to come inside. Actually, knowing Italy, the minute you walk past, some shopkeeper will come out and literally beckon you to come inside because, like, you can’t say no (maybe that’s how I’ve ended up with so much stuff). In the distance, the Mediterranean Sea sparkles from the sunlight, glittering on the water, and hydrofoil ferries glide through the waves with ease.
“Wow,” I say softly, trying to take it all in. “This is like the movies.”
“Yes, it’s very nice,” Hendrik says blankly. He’s never really impressed with anything. When we saw the Coliseum, he said he thought it would be bigger. Well, I thought it would be bigger, too, but that didn’t stop me from being overwhelmed by the structure and history of it all. “Luckily the hostel is at the top of the hill.”
That is lucky, considering if it was at the bottom of the hill on this one-way road I’d have to lug my overflowing backpack and duffel bag up to catch a cab or bus when it’s time to leave. Then again…I have a feeling I’m going to be here a while. I have enough money to stay at this hostel for a week and then I’m officially fucked.
I try not to dwell on that as I follow the Danes down the road for a few minutes as cars and motorcycles—ubiquitous here—zoom past, narrowly missing me by an inch. Even being on foot and at your own pace, there is still something so dizzying about this place. All these houses, burnt orange and pastel yellow and faded rose, looking down on each other. When I turn around and look behind me, the steep, rocky hills rise up into the sky.
It feels like the whole entire town could topple over at any minute.
This could be a metaphor for my life at the moment.
After we’ve settled into a rather pleasant looking dorm room (pleasant compared to the fleabag we stayed at in Rome), Ana and Hendrik invite me to go with them down to the beach. I really do want to go and explore, but I have a feeling they’ll want to eat at some restaurant, and that would be more euros than I can afford. As much as I hate it, I have to stick to my weird Italian granola bars and fruit for as long as I can. Besides, I’m sure the lovebirds would rather stroll on the Positano beach with each other and not have some broke, frazzle-haired American girl tagging along.
So they leave and I take my time exploring the hostel. It’s small but even though it’s the only one in town, it’s not as packed as I thought it would be. It’s the beginning of June so I thought all college kids and post-college kids (like myself) would be flocking to this area but I guess not.
That’s fine with me. After living out of a backpack for months on end and never really getting any time for myself, strolling around a quaint but quiet hostel is a pleasure.
I end up back at the reception desk where a girl with shiny, poker-straight, chocolate brown hair is sipping some lemon drink. I get major hair envy over anyone with straight strands.
“Buongiorno,” the girl says with a smile—and an American accent—once she notices I’m there. Then she recognizes me from check-in earlier. “I mean, hello. Amber, right? From San Francisco?”
“San Jose,” I correct her, finding her easy to talk to already. I’ve always been a fairly quiet girl but that changed real quick once I started traveling by myself. “Listen, I was just wondering…well, I mean, I know you work here, right?”
She nods. “I hope so, otherwise I’ll be in a lot of trouble.”
“Right. I was just wondering, how did that happen?”
“Oh,” she says and leans back in her stool. I notice how sun-browned her skin is and gather she must have been in Italy, or at least some place warm, for a long time. She breaks into a wide smile. “It’s kind of a long story.”
I lean against the counter. “I’ve got time.”
And so the girl – Amanda – launches into the story of her current life. She only came here on a whim with a friend of hers but fell in love with Positano so badly that she didn’t want to leave. Her friend ended up going back home and she asked the owners of the hostel if there was any way she could work for them. They told her she could work the front desk full time in exchange for room, board, and little bit of extra money. She jumped at the chance, doing this all under the table, of course.
“So how long are you staying here for?” I ask her.
“I leave in a month. My three months is up.”
I make a frowny face. “That sucks.”
She shoots me an impish smile. “But I’ll be back. Alfonso is making sure of that?”
“Who is Alfonso?”
“The man I’m going to marry.”
And then she launches into another story, this one far more exciting than the last one. On her second week of working here, she ended up running into a local cop. He was hot. It was love at first sight. Now, with her having to leave the country (Americans can only be here for three months at a time), Alfonso is building a case to bring her back in seven months. If they can prove they are serious about each other and intend to marry one day, she can get a permit to work here for longer.
“Wow,” I tell her when she’s finished. “I was just saying this town was like a movie town and now this is like movie love.”
She blushes. “I know it’s rather fast. No one takes our relationship seriously, not even his mother. But I do love him, and he loves me, and I know this is the right thing to do. So why not take the chance, you know? If it doesn’t work out, at least I’ll have a hell of a story.”
“You already do have a hell of a story.” I’ll admit that even though I think it’s sweet and romantic, the jaded and cynical side of me thinks it’s a bit ridiculous that she’s doing all of this for a man, that you could even fall in love that fast. But that’s probably because I’ve been screwed over by men a few times already on my travels.
“See,” she says, pulling out her phone and showing me a picture. “This is Alfonso. You’d stay for him, wouldn’t you?”
I let out a low whistle. Alfonso is hot. Dark-skinned with piercing light-colored eyes. And he’s tall, too. Not that it’s too out of the ordinary—everyone warned me that Italian men are short and hairy, but so far that’s not the case at all.
“Nice,” I say to her. “Well, I wish you both the best and hope it all works out.”
She shrugs. “Life works out the way it wants to.”
“Uh-huh.” And then I remember the real reason why I came to talk to her. “Listen, I’m having some financial difficulties at the moment. You know, overdid it a bit in London and all that. Anyway, I was wondering if you knew if there was any work available for someone like me.”
Her eyes narrow slightly. “Well, there’s no work here.”
Relax, I think. I’m not after your job.
“Oh, I don’t mean here, per se. I just meant in town. Or in the area. Even Sorrento or Salerno.”
She purses her lips and thinks. “Well, there would be jobs in Salerno, but you don’t want to work there. Have you tried the English cafe down the street? Sometimes they need English speakers. There’s also a work-notice board they put up for foreigners. Usually the jobs posted are one-offs for guys, like a day spent painting a house or something like that. But sometimes you can get lucky.”
This sounds promising. “And it’s just down the street? It’s a long street…”
Amanda smiles and pulls out the hostel map and proceeds to draws on it. “Follow the road all the way to here and then take these stairs here. You’ll come to Bar Darkhouse. Beside it, kind of tucked in the back, is Panna Café. That’s the one.”
“Thank you,” I tell her, folding the map before shoving it into my bag.
I walk down the streets with an extra spring in my step. The air is fresh (when you’re not inhaling diesel fumes) and the sun is warm, baking my bare arms. I’m feeling a bit optimistic about the whole money problem now. If Amanda can find work here, I can too.
That should also go to say that if Amanda can find love here, I can too. But thankfully, that is the last thing I’m looking for. I’ve had enough fun and heartbreak during this trip, falling for boys who either have their hearts set on someone else (like Josh in New Zealand) or who love you and have to leave you (like the Icelandic boy, Kel, whom I spent a sex-filled week with in Prague). No, the next guy I was going to fall for would be a Nor Cal boy when I returned home to San Jose. No drama, no heartache, no tragic goodbyes.
No fun either, I think to myself, but I quickly push that thought away.
The café is easy enough to find but it takes me awhile to get there. The town is just so pretty and tightly packed that I want to linger in every single store. Eventually I find it and order an espresso at the bar. Unlike most cafes in Italy, this one actually has tables and chairs where you can sit down and sip your drink, obviously catering to tourists. But at this point I’ve gotten used to doing quick shots of coffee while standing up. It’s at least more efficient.
After I ask the British barista whether they are hiring and find out it’s a big fat no, she points me to the corner of the cafe where the notice board is. Though most of the postings are actual flyers for parties or advertisements for ceramic sales, there are a few work notices.
One of them looks fresh—none of the phone number/email strips on the notice have been taken.
It reads:

Need help. Want English speaking woman. Two children. Must be good to young children and help with language. Fluency needed. Italian is helpful to have. Please email Felisa. Locate to Capri.

I quickly take the notice off of the board before anyone else notices. Like hell I’m going to compete for this job. Even though I’m not really sure what it entails, other than possibly teaching English to two kids, or what it pays or if it includes room and board, I’m not going to give the opportunity up. If it doesn’t work out, then I’ll just put the ad back.
I immediately connect to the cafe’s Wi-Fi on my cell phone and shoot an email off to Felisa. I make myself sound as good as possible: Graduated from college with an English degree. Worked as a receptionist for a prestigious company (before I was fired). Great with children (I think I baby sat once when I was fifteen). Willing to work in Capri, provided help with housing is included. Have spent a great deal of time building up life skills while traversing Southeast Asia. Knows how to bake a mean tiramisu.
That last part is a lie but I thought they might find it endearing.
I press send and then wait.
And wait.
And when I realize I’m not going to get a response right away, I head to the bar next door, taking the work notice with me.

Author Bio:

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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Happy Release: Dirty Deeds by Karina Halle – Dirty Angels Trilogy – Book 2

Posted on 02/17/2015 by shellbellereads

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.

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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.**

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ARC Review + 2014 Favorite : The Pact by Karina Halle

Posted on 12/29/2014 by shellbellereads

The Pact

Contemporary Romance

By Karina Halle

Synopsis

***SPECIAL HOLIDAY PRICING – $0.99 UNTIL JANUARY 1st***

*The Pact is a FULL-LENGTH
*STANDALONE (not part of a series)
*”FRIENDS-TO-LOVERS” CONTEMPORARY ADULT ROMANCE

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.

Buy: Amazon

Robin’s Review

In her acknowledgements, Karina Halle mentioned she had no plans to write The Pact. She had other novels planned – novels that had been planned for some time. But inspiration can strike at the oddest times, and this time it struck when Halle was reading a magazine as she was waiting to board a plane to whisk her away to Hawaii. In just three short weeks – on her vacation, no less! – Karina Halle wrote The Pact. She wrote every single day while she was in Hawaii, sharing “….it all came so easily, I just couldn’t stop. It was a hell of a lot of fun.” Sometimes you just have to take an idea and run with it.

Stephanie Robson calls him Cowboy. Linden McGregor calls her Baby Blue. Linden has a Scottish brogue accent and beard. Steph has newly dyed jet-black hair and blue eyes. Linden is self-assured, handsome, ambitious and intense. He has a BA in business and is close to getting his helicopter pilot’s license. Steph is beautiful and smart. She runs a clothing store in San Francisco, but aspires to open her own clothing boutique. Linden has hair the color of mahogany and dark blue eyes. He’s a womanizer and self-centered. Together Linden and Steph are best friends.

Linden has a proposition for Stephanie. It’s her birthday, and they are both perched on barstools at The Burgundy Lion in San Francisco. Both of them are now in their twenty-fifth year. They have each struggled with dead-end relationships for years. Linden tells Steph they are good for each other. Compatible. They make sense together. He proposes that the two of them should agree to marry each other if neither are in a serious relationship by the time they turn thirty. Certain that Linden is joking around, Steph agrees to his proposal with a pinky swear and the pact is born!

We were told The Pact would be a different type of novel for Karina Halle. Her usual repertoire consists of gritty, dark romance, horror romance, and new adult contemporary romance. The Pact is classified as adult contemporary romance and is narrated from dual points of view. It’s sexy and fun and has a lighter feel to it. Many of you who follow my reviews know that I absolutely love reading stories about friends who become lovers. There was the perfect amount of sweetness and angst in The Pact. All of these features combined to put a huge smile on my face after finishing the story!

Before I end this review, I need to mention the writing. I truly appreciate and respect the talented writing of this author. How many authors are capable of writing an unplanned full-length novel in three weeks? Of this quality? During their spare time while on vacation? And it’s not just the story, itself. It’s the attention to detail. Pay close attention to the adjectives, adverbs, and descriptions Halle weaves into her writing. She appeals to the senses of her readers. Her attention to detail results in bringing the scenes she is writing to life. Karina Halle is very diverse in her writing. It’s true. The Pact is unlike any of her previous novels, and I think this 5-star novel will appeal to many new readers who love the adult contemporary romance genre!
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Release Day Blitz + Review: Love In Spanish by Karina Halle- Sequel to Love In English

Posted on 11/11/2014 by shellbellereads

Love In Spanish

Sequel to Love In English

By Karina Halle

Release Date: November 11, 2014

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Synopsis:

“She sat beside me on the bus – and she changed my whole life.”

Now with Mateo divorced and living in Madrid with Vera, there is a whole new set of challenges and setbacks facing the couple and rocking the foundation of their star-crossed relationship.

Unfortunately for them, the brighter the star, the faster they burn.

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Excerpt:

“Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned.”

I turn in my chair and give Vera a curious look. Yet another English saying that I don’t know. “I’m afraid I don’t understand.”

She gives me a soft but tired smile and sits down on the arm rest. I immediately wrap my arm around her waist and pull her down into my lap, where she comes to a rest with a giggle, her hair obscuring the impish smile on her face. No matter where she is, I can never stop touching her and now more than ever I need her to relax, to feel safe, to know I’m going to get us out of this.

“Explain,” I demand. “Or I will punish you with kisses.”

She raises her brow. “Followed by punishment by penis?”

I shrug. “That can be arranged. Now, tell me my Estrella.”

She sighs and buries her lips into my neck. I can’t help the small moan that escapes from me, nor my hardness building beneath her plump, round ass. I close my eyes and fight the urge to pick her up and take her to the bedroom, the only other way I know how to make her feel safe and sated, the only way I know how to escape.

“Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned,” she says against my throat, “is a saying. I don’t know where it’s from but it means, well, nothing is scarier than a pissed off bitch.” She pauses, sucking in her breath and I know she fears she’s said the wrong thing. “Sorry,” she quickly adds and I feel her body tense up beneath my fingers. “I didn’t mean that Isabel is a bitch.”

She is still so skittish over her words, the way she blurts things out, but it’s one of the reasons why I love her. I cup the back of her head with my hand and let the softness of her hair sink over me. “I know you didn’t,” I assure her. “And, well, she is being a bitch.”

“Can you blame her though?” she asks, her voice rising a pitch and when she pulls away from me, her eyes are wet. It breaks my heart. I’m getting tired of my heart breaking and I know that this isn’t going to change anytime soon. Every day there is another weight on us, another crack appears.

“No,” I tell her honestly. “I cannot blame her.”

A silence lapses over us, heavy like a wool cloak. It does this sometimes. What we’ve done, it coats us.

Finally she clears her throat. “She’s going to hurt for a long time,” she says. “She’s going to be angry. This isn’t going away. I thought everything was behind us now, that she’d move on. You’ve been divorced for a year, if she’s still this mad a year out…”

“She is mad because I am going back to Atletico,” I tell her. “She is mad because of the paparazzi, the way they are hounding us again. She is mad because she feels she is being made to look like a fool. If I had just stayed with my head down, she wouldn’t be doing this.”

“But you can’t live your life in fear, Mateo,” she tells me.

I smile at her and brush her sunset hair from her face. “And neither can you.”

She settles back against my body, sinks, conforms, melds. She is second skin. She is a part of myself I can’t bear to separate from. I pray I never have to. I pray we can survive whatever is coming our way.

And I can feel it coming, that tension, that storm rolling in the weeks and days.

I pick her up in my arms and for all her pillowy curves, she weighs nothing more than a feather. I take her down the hall to the bedroom, throw her on the bed. She glows in the afternoon sun that streams in through our window and it isn’t long before we are both naked and I am climbing over her, pinning her arms above her head and drinking in her body like the most beautiful, decadent wine.

I will devour her until all of this is gone.

I will consume her until we are all that’s left.

I push inside her and let my hunger take over.

Robin’s Review

My sincere appreciation goes out to author Karina Halle for providing an advanced reader copy of Love, in Spanish. I am once again honored to provide my honest review.

Love, in Spanish is the new companion novel to the contemporary romance Love, in English. It’s a brand new story from author Karina Halle that offers a glimpse of characters Mateo Casalles and Vera Miles approximately one year after the events of Love, in English.

Karina Halle has created some impressive male characters, and she is exceptionally talented when writing from a man’s point of view. Dex Foray. Javier Bernal. Sage Knightley. Camden McQueen. And now, Mateo Casalles. Mateo is mature, responsible, a father who dearly loves his daughter. He wants to provide for those that he loves. Mateo is proud. Loving. Sexy. Territorial. Mateo claims Vera as his own. He sees Vera in his future. If you have read Love, in English you know this.

But circumstances have not been perfect for Mateo and Vera. They face problems which seem to be compounded by Mateo being a high-profile public figure. They are citizens of two different countries, struggling to overcome language and cultural barriers. Their fifteen-year age difference seems to be insurmountable. Mateo has a bitter ex-wife, the paparazzi is unrelenting, and they both have work-related issues.

If anything can go wrong, it simply does. For this reason, the tone of Love, in Spanish felt somewhat discouraging to me. But I also found it believable that a couple with this many differences is going to struggle with problems. It was how Mateo and Vera responded to these problems that felt real, emotional and true. This author’s words have a tendency to pull at reader emotions. I clearly felt the desperation and sadness of these characters through the writing. Karina Halle is a gifted writer. She has the capability of bringing a scene to life by combining random details with sensory descriptive words. The overall effect is extraordinary. Love, in Spanish is full of the same top-notch writing that her fans have come to expect. The writing just flows beautifully. For Love, in Spanish, Halle has earned a solid 4-star rating!

Michel’s Review

It’s interesting how two people can read the same book at the same time and walk away with different impressions and thoughts. Robin and I both had the privilege of receiving ARC copies of Love In Spanish.

Love In Spanish is the sequel to Love In English by Karina Halle. Love In English had mixed reactions from readers of the romance genre. It’s subject matter, a forbidden love between an older married man and young free spirited woman rocked the norms expected in a romance novel. This book did not condone adultery. It was a story of two people that found their once in a lifetime soulmate at the wrong time. While Love In English was a beautiful love story, it was also brutally honest about the repercussions of an illicit affair. It portrayed the ugliness of betraying a marriage, hurting all those that you love, losing the respect of your friends, piers, and general population. It portrayed the death of a relationship and the grieving of that loss. It was a story of picking up the pieces and moving on in life. Moving onto the life that was meant to be lived and celebrated. It was not an easy road and the characters wore their battle wounds with pride and regret.

Love In Spanish occurs one year after Love In English. Mateo Casalles and Vera Miles have survived the initial shock that their forbidden relationship has rendered. They are building a life together after tearing apart the lives they once lived. The road is not easy for this couple. They have a lot of obstacles to overcome before their relationship can be a true success. These obstacles could destroy the beautiful bright shining love they have found with one another.

Mateo Casalles is a high profile individual. He was a former soccer star and married into a very affluent family. He was also a highly successful businessman. When he left his wife for a younger Canadian woman it created a scandal that the paparazzi is exploiting. Not only is his relationship with Vera being exploited, they are exploiting his relationship with his young daughter, feeding fuel to his ex wife’s grievances, and exploiting his new career.

If that isn’t enough to destroy his and Vera’s relationship, they have other things working against them. They are from different countries and citizenship issues may pull them apart. There is also the fact that their nationalities create a vast difference in their cultural upbringings and beliefs.

There is also the issue of their age difference and maturity levels. Mateo is at the age where he is more settled, confident in his maturity, and has a firm grasp of what he wants in life. Vera is still quite young. She has not finished her degree and settled into a career, she has not thought about what she wants out of a lasting relationship, in fact she has never been in a serious relationship. She is insecure with her inexperience. Mateo is insecure with his age.

Vera and Mateo have a lot of obstacles to overcome. They will have to learn what works best in their relationship. They will have to choose how to handle all the negative press that is destroying their lives. They will have to choose to fight for their love or let their relationship burn out. Neither one is willing to let this happen.

Love In Spanish is a beautiful continuation of a difficult love story. There is never a question of Mateo’s and Vera’s love for one another. It is beautiful how they cling to one another when the world is tearing them down.

Karina Halle wrote an emotional love story that is brutally honest. She did not skim around the ugly issues that comes in the aftermath of divorce. She allowed these characters to suffer the ramifications of their affair. This made their love more credible. It also made their relationship stronger. Both Mateo and Vera grew as human beings. They also learned that love is worth fighting for.

I highly recommend Love In Spanish.

Love In English

By Karina Halle

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He’s thirty-eight. I’m twenty-three.

He speaks Spanish. I speak English.

He lives in Spain. I live in Canada.

He dresses in thousand-dollar suits. I’m covered in tattoos.

He’s married and has a five-year old daughter.

I’m single and can’t commit to anyone or anything.

Until now.Because when they say you can’t choose who you fall in love with, boy ain’t that the damn truth.

***

Mateo Casalles is unlike anyone Vera has ever known, let alone anyone she’s usually attracted to. While Vera is a pierced and tatted free spirit with a love for music and freedom, Mateo is a successful businessman from Madrid, all sharp suits and cocky Spanish charm. Yet, as the weeks go on, the two grow increasingly close and their relationship changes from purely platonic to something…more.

Something that makes Vera feel alive for the first time.

Something that can never, ever be.

Or so she thinks.

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Cover Reveal: Where Sea Meets Sky by Karina Halle

Posted on 10/17/2014 by shellbellereads

Where Sea Meets Sky

By Karina Halle

Release Date: March 31, 2015

Publisher: Atria Books

Genre: New Adult

Pre-Order: Amazon / Barnes and Noble / ITunes

Synopsis

A new adult novel that perfectly captures the existential angst of your early twenties with raw wit, fresh insight, and true feeling from a critically adored USA TODAY bestselling author.

Excerpt

Vancouver

Josh

I get an erection the moment I first lay eyes on her. She looks like no one I’ve ever seen before. Tall, curvy, with thick superhero thighs and a round ass, showcased in black Lycra that hugs every slope. Her big, high breasts and small waist are accentuated by her white tank top. Her body has just enough meat for me to grab a good hold of, and I imagine running my hands over her hills and valleys. I want to imagine more than that, but I’m horny as hell as it is and my erection is already inappropriate, considering I’m in public and all.

She finally looks my way, aware that I’ve been staring like an idiot. She catches my gaze, her eyes twinkling a vibrant yellow, her pupils large and wet. She smirks at me, causing a shower of glitter to rain from her cheeks, and brushes her purple hair over her shoulder before she bends over to slide a gun out from the harness strapped to her boot.

I try not to stare into the blinding sun of her tanned cleavage. I try to think of something clever to say to her. Something along the lines of, “I think I know who you are, but shouldn’t you have one eyeball instead of two?”

But it’s she who comes over to me, gun comfortably in her hand, and stops only a foot away. When she smiles at me, I see fangs.

Now I’m really confused. At least I know what to say now.

“Who are you?” I ask her, happy that my voice is hard and deep. I hope it makes her think of sex.

She raises a perfect brow and up close I’m struck by how bronzed her skin tone is. I don’t think it’s makeup. Not many people in Vancouver manage to keep their tan into the fall.

“You don’t know?” she asks. She has an accent. I immediately want to say she’s from England but that’s not it. It’s not Australia either.

“I thought I did,” I say. “But your eyes and fangs are throwing me all off.”

“I’m vampire Leela, from Futurama.”

I grin at her, happy that I was half-right. “Shouldn’t you just have one eyeball then?”

She reaches into her other boot and effortlessly pulls out an eye mask. It’s painted white, with a black pupil in the middle. She waves it at me. “I put it on for photos but I can barely see out of it. I walked into a wall, twice.” She raises two fingers for emphasis. “I figured I’ll just be a vampire the rest of the time.”

I can seriously listen to her talk all day. “I don’t remember any episode where Leela turned into a vampire.” Maybe it hinted at my secret nerd-boy status, but I watched the cartoon Futurama religiously.

She wets her lips for a moment and I try my hardest not to adjust my boxer briefs underneath my costume. “I like to think she’ll become a vampire in future episodes. Or maybe she was one once and Matt Groening scrapped the idea. I believe characters have more to their lives than the lives we are shown.”

“Kind of like people,” I say, hoping I come across as somewhat profound.

She gives me a slight nod – indicating I’m not as profound as I thought – and looks me up and down. “I just had to come over here to tell you you’re the best-dressed guy here. I mean, that must have taken some effort.”

I grin at her. “Game of Thrones, fan?” I ask.

Another sly nod. “Of course. But who doesn’t love Khal Drogo?”

“Last year I dressed up as the author George R.R. Martin,” I tell her. “People kept mistaking me for Ernest Hemingway, even though I was carrying a bucket of fried chicken around with me and had a pillow stuffed down my shirt.”

“So you went for something sexier…” she says as she lets her eyes trail over my body, which automatically makes me stand up straighter. I haven’t left much to the imagination. Jesus sandals, weird billowy pants that I think some granola dude dropped off at the thrift store, plus a leather corset over my abs and leather cuffs on my forearms. My upper body is bare and covered with bronzer and streaks of blue paint and I found a black wig with a long braid down the back. It kind of works. I guess if you don’t know the show, I look like some sparkling warrior who wears too much eye-makeup.

“Hey, girls can’t be the only ones to slut it up at Halloween.”

She raises her brow.

And once again, my foot goes in my mouth. “I mean, not that you’re dressed slutty or anything, I just mean–”

She laughs. “Don’t worry about it,” she says with a wave of her hand. “Everyone here is dressed slutty. That’s what the holiday is all about, isn’t it? Pretending to be someone else? This is actually my first Halloween, so I’m feeling a little overdressed. Or super nerdy.” She looks around her at the drunk girls—referees and fairies and nurses in wonderfully indecent outfits—and shrugs.

“I wholeheartedly disagree,” I say, trying not to ogle her all over again. I pause. “Wait, your first Halloween?”

“First proper Halloween. The North American kind. We don’t really celebrate it the way you guys do.”

I cross my arms, insanely curious now. “And who is we?”

“New Zealand,” she says. “I’m from Auckland.”

“Nice,” I say, “I was going to ask if you were from New Zealand.”

Her lips twitch and she gives me a shake of her head. “No you weren’t.”

“Well, I definitely wasn’t going to ask if you were from Australia. I know how you feel about that.”

For a moment her features look strained, then it passes. “Kind of like if I asked if you were American.”

“Exactly.”

“So,” she muses and steps closer. She lays her hand on my bicep and I suck in my breath. “Are the tattoos real?” She removes her hand and peers at her palm which is streaked with bronze shimmer shit. “Because your tan sure isn’t.”

Damn, I hope I’m not blushing. I clear my throat. “The tattoos are real, I assure you. I needed a bit of, um, help to get that Dothraki tan going on.”

“And this?” She reaches for my face and I am frozen in place while she gently fingers my goatee and beard. She grabs the end of it, which I had attempted to braid, and gives it a little tug.

“Ouch,” I say, though it doesn’t really hurt. It turns me on instead. Big surprise.

“So it is real,” she says. She sounds impressed.

I shrug. “I had a month to grow it in. I say, it’s all or nothing. But tomorrow everything is getting shaved off.”

She frowns and lets go. “Pity. I love a scruffy guy.”

I can’t help but smile. “Lucky for you, I’m scruffy for at least twelve more hours.”

Her mouth twists into a wry smile. I realize I’m being kind of forward with her, but at the same time, she just felt my bicep and fondled my man hair. Then again, I’ve never been very good at reading women. Half of them seem to love my tats and black hair and piercings; the other half seem to think I’m a delinquent from Skid row.

I’m wondering what she thinks about me when I realize I don’t know her name.

“I’m Josh, by the way,” I say to her, holding out my hand.

She gives me a surprisingly firm shake in return. “Gemma.”

“That’s a beautiful name,” I tell her. Even though I’m sincere, I’m aware that it’s very much a pick-up line.

Gemma snorts and it’s absolutely adorable. “Right. Well, in New Zealand, Gemmas are everywhere.”

“But I bet they don’t look like you.” Okay, so now I’m totally swerving into pick-up line territory. I push it further. “Can I buy you a drink?”

And there the question sits, floating between us, along with the haze of pot smoke that hangs in the air. The rejection might come fast, or if I’m lucky, not at all. But it’s Halloween, I have a three-beer buzz going on, and I’m feeling pretty good.

Still, when she nods and says, “Sure” I feel my whole body lift with relief.

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Cover Reveal: Love In Spanish by Karina Halle- Sequel Novella to Love In English

Posted on 09/17/2014 by shellbellereads

Love In Spanish

Sequel to Love In English

By Karina Halle

Release Date: November 11, 2014

Pre – Order: Amazon

Synopsis:

“She sat beside me on the bus – and she changed my whole life.”

Now with Mateo divorced and living in Madrid with Vera, there is a whole new set of challenges and setbacks facing the couple and rocking the foundation of their star-crossed relationship.

Unfortunately for them, the brighter the star, the faster they burn.

Pre-Order: Amazon

Excerpt:

“Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned.”

I turn in my chair and give Vera a curious look. Yet another English saying that I don’t know. “I’m afraid I don’t understand.”

“Explain,” I demand. “Or I will punish you with kisses.”

She raises her brow. “Followed by punishment by penis?”

I shrug. “That can be arranged. Now, tell me my Estrella.”

“No,” I tell her honestly. “I cannot blame her.”

A silence lapses over us, heavy like a wool cloak. It does this sometimes. What we’ve done, it coats us.

“But you can’t live your life in fear, Mateo,” she tells me.

I smile at her and brush her sunset hair from her face. “And neither can you.”

And I can feel it coming, that tension, that storm rolling in the weeks and days.

I will devour her until all of this is gone.

I will consume her until we are all that’s left.

I push inside her and let my hunger take over.

Love In English

By Karina Halle

Buy: Amazon / Barnes and Noble / ITunes

He’s thirty-eight. I’m twenty-three.

He speaks Spanish. I speak English.

He lives in Spain. I live in Canada.

He dresses in thousand-dollar suits. I’m covered in tattoos.

He’s married and has a five-year old daughter.

I’m single and can’t commit to anyone or anything.

Until now.Because when they say you can’t choose who you fall in love with, boy ain’t that the damn truth.

***

Mateo Casalles is unlike anyone Vera has ever known, let alone anyone she’s usually attracted to. While Vera is a pierced and tatted free spirit with a love for music and freedom, Mateo is a successful businessman from Madrid, all sharp suits and cocky Spanish charm. Yet, as the weeks go on, the two grow increasingly close and their relationship changes from purely platonic to something…more.

Something that makes Vera feel alive for the first time.

Something that can never, ever be.

Or so she thinks.

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Release Day Blitz + Review- Dust To Dust by Karina Halle- The Experiment In Terror Series-Book 9- 6 Stars

Posted on 08/11/2014 by shellbellereads

Dust To Dust

Experiment In Terror Series- Book 9

By Karina Halle

Synopsis:

The dramatic conclusion to the Experiment in Terror Series.

Perry Palomino and Dex Foray.

On their own, they’re uniquely brilliant. Together, they’re an unstoppable team.

Until now.

Because after everything the duo has encountered, they haven’t come across an evil quite like this. An evil that has been years in the making, an evil that will stop at nothing until they, and everyone they care for, are destroyed.

Dex and Perry’s love has survived a multitude of sins.

But can it survive the end?

Buy: Amazon / Barnes and Noble / ITunes

The Experiment In Terror Series

1. Darkhouse – Amazon / Barnes and Noble / ITunes

2. Red Fox – Amazon / Barnes and Noble / ITunes

2.5. The Benson – Amazon / Barnes and Noble / ITunes

3. Dead Sky Morning– Amazon / Barnes and Noble / ITunes

4. Lying Season– Amazon / Barnes and Noble / ITunes

5. On Demon Wings– Amazon / Barnes and Noble / ITunes

5.5. Old Blood– Amazon / Barnes and Noble / ITunes

5.7. The Dex Files– Amazon / Barnes and Noble / ITunes

6. Into The Hollow– Amazon / Barnes and Noble / ITunes

6.5. And With Madness Comes The Light– Amazon / Barnes and Noble / ITunes

7. Come Alive– Amazon / Barnes and Noble / ITunes

8. Ashes To Ashes– Amazon / Barnes and Noble / ITunes

9. Dust To Dust– Amazon / Barnes and Noble / ITunes

Michel’s Review

At long last the highly anticipated grand finale in The Experiment In Terror series is released!

Dust To Dust by Karina Halle is brilliant! It is the perfect ending for the enthralling, bone chilling, hair raising, frightful Experiment In Terror series. This series has taken the readers on an unforgettable journey. The adventures and perils that Dex Foray and Perry Polomino have faced, battled, and survived have astounded every reader. Not only have Dex and Perry faced off every kind of evil and supernatural being, they have made self discoveries, acknowledged their weaknesses, faced their fears, become stronger individuals, accepted their gifts, and valued every moment, good and bad. Their adventure has made them both better people.

We have witnessed Perry Palomino go from an introverted, self doubting, somewhat delusional girl to a strong woman willing to fight for those she loves. She has become a powerhouse within herself.

We have watched Dex Foray change from a crass, thoughtless, self serving jerk into an honorable man. He has accepted his gifts, opened his heart, let go of his past, and learned to love deeply.

The Experiment In Terror series is not just a series in the horror genre. It is a romance series.
We have witnessed Dex and Perry go from strangers to reluctant partners that led to a strong friendship with mutual respect. Along the way they found a deep love that will exist in life and death. No one can tear them apart, not even the supernatural.

Dex and Perry have survived evil in many forms. They have traveled many miles. They thought they had faced the worst kind of terror and made their peace. But like everything in life, their fortitude will be tested once again. They will have to go full circle, back to the beginning where everything began.

Dust To Dust brings Dex and Perry to New York City. This is where it all began for Dex. This is where the Palomino women became connected with the O’Shea clan. This is where the ultimate evil has touched all of their lives. They will have to face off this ultimate evil. It is war.

Every war has casualties. Every war has fatalities. Every war leaves wounds and scars that remain long after the battle is fought. But for the ones that survive the war , they will carry these scars and the memories very close to the heart.

Dust To Dust is a frightful battle for life and love.

I am very sad to see The Experiment In Terror series end but am also very satisfied on how the ending played out.

Karina Halle is a brilliant writer. Her stories draw the reader into the characters world. We experience every adventure, every physical feeling, every emotional reaction, and every moment. Our sensory system goes into overload while reading these books. Our emotional side sympathizes with each of the characters emotions. The reader truly becomes completely involved. I can easily see The Experiment In Terror being made into a mini TV series like American Horror Story or Supernatural. It would stand out among these types of shows because of the powerful romance between Dex Foray and Perry Palomino.

Karina Halle I applaud you for the excellent delivery of The Experiment In Terror series. It is one of my all time favorite series.

Dex and Perry will haunt my dreams and everyday life. They will live on long after the final eulogy in Dust To Dust.

*** The Experiment In Terror Series is a 6 STAR Series***

Robin’s Review

The ninth and final novel of the Experiment in Terror series is Dust to Dust. It’s been a long and crazy ride for author Karina Halle. She has done a remarkable job keeping this lengthy series fresh and exciting when many authors would have struggled to do the same. Halle is wonderfully creative when it comes to writing in the horror romance genre. She has one hell of a vivid imagination and crazy talent for putting her horror scenes to paper. Ghosts. Demons. Haunted houses. Spooky sanatoriums. Zombies. Halle has written about all of these, but nothing can prepare readers for what she has planned in Dust to Dust. If you are a fan of the Experiment in Terror series, you are in for a real treat!

Throughout this series, Halle has taken readers to an abundance of haunted locations. Dex Foray and Perry Palomino have paired up to film episodes for their internet show Experiment in Terror at the following locations: a lighthouse on the Pacific coast of Oregon; the deserts of Red Fox, New Mexico; deserted D’Arcy Island, located just off the coast of Vancouver, British Columbia; Seattle, Washington; Portland, Oregon; the wilds of the Canadian Rockies; the haunted French Quarter of New Orleans, Louisiana; and the creepy Sea Crest Sanatorium in Gary, Oregon. In Dust to Dust, Halle brings her series to a conclusion where it all began for Dex Foray – in a brownstone townhouse located in New York City.

Dex and Perry have been in many frightening and dangerous situations, always managing to escape by the skin of their teeth. Everything they have experienced since meeting each other in that lighthouse has lead up to the dramatic conclusion of this series. In Dust to Dust, they each find themselves racing against time, fighting the ultimate evil in the battle of their lives. Dex’s long, lost brother Michael has been very busy planning to exploit their weaknesses, and this time the stakes are much higher with Maximus Jacobs and the entire Palomino family directly involved. Evil is found in many forms in this series, but expect the worst in Dust to Dust.

If you follow the writing of Karina Halle and think you may have seen it all, just wait until you see what she has in store for you in Dust to Dust. Expect gnawing worry. Tears of sadness. Interesting revelations. Unimaginable monsters. Heart palpitations. Fear and shock. Devastation. Repaired relationships. Love and tenderness. Expect the unexpected! And look for plenty of new “Dexisms” – hilarious, laugh out loud quotes which could only come from the mouth of Dex Foray!

In summary, I found this concluding novel informative, frightening, sad, but full of love. I found myself glued to the pages as I learned more about Dex Foray and his family history. Karina Halle lays the truth out for her readers, so be sure to pay attention. And frightening? Two things had me full of anxiety: a cloven-hoof demon with a busy agenda and the brownstone townhouse where Dex lived as a child. I wouldn’t want to spoil the fun for readers with anything more than that. I was full of sadness at times while reading Dust to Dust, and not just because this is the final novel of this beloved series. There are moments you will feel sadness, too. And there is so much love between Dex and Perry that it will fill your heart with happiness – just wait until you read the epilogue.

In short, Karina Halle has wonderfully brought her series full-circle with this concluding novel. Her writing is sensational and full of descriptive details which make you feel as if you are participating in the story. If you have never read, or even heard of, the Experiment in Terror series, please do yourself a favor and consider reading Darkhouse. This series is strangely addictive, and the novels only get better as the series progresses. As for Dust to Dust? Karina Halle has earned my 5-star rating!

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Saucy Southern Readers

professional, honest, and timely book reviews

Tag Archives: Karina Halle

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Release Day Blitz + Review: Love In Spanish by Karina Halle- Sequel to Love In English

Cover Reveal: Where Sea Meets Sky by Karina Halle

Cover Reveal: Love In Spanish by Karina Halle- Sequel Novella to Love In English

Release Day Blitz + Review- Dust To Dust by Karina Halle- The Experiment In Terror Series-Book 9- 6 Stars

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