New Release + Excerpt + 5 Star Review: Neighbor Dearest by Penelope Ward

Posted on 08/16/2016 by shellbellereads

A Contemporary Romance Novel

New York Times, USA Today and #1 Wall Street Journal Bestselling Author

Penelope Ward

Release Date: August 14, 2016

Buy: Amazon / Amazon UK / B & N / IBooks / Kobo

Neighbor Dearest is LIVE and on limited-time release sale for $3.99 (Changing to $4.99 after release. This will be the ONLY sale.) A sexy STANDALONE friends-to-lovers story that does NOT have to be read in conjunction with any other book.

Synopsis

From New York Times bestselling author, Penelope Ward, comes a sexy new STANDALONE novel.

After getting dumped, the last thing I needed was to move next door to someone who reminded me of my ex-boyfriend, Elec.

Damien was a hotter version of my ex.

The neighbor I’d dubbed “Angry Artist” also had two massive dogs that kept me up with their barking.

He wanted nothing to do with me. Or so I thought until one night I heard laughter coming through an apparent hole in my bedroom wall.

Damien had been listening to all of my phone sessions with my therapist.

The sexy artist next door now knew all of my deepest secrets and insecurities.

We got to talking.

He set me straight with tips to get over my breakup.

He became a good friend, but Damien made it clear that he couldn’t be anything more.

Problem was, I was falling hard for him anyway. And as much as he pushed me away, I knew he felt the same…because his heartbeat didn’t lie.

I thought my heart had been broken by Elec, but it was alive and beating harder than ever for Damien.

I just hoped he wouldn’t shatter it for good.

Author’s note – Neighbor Dearest is a full-length standalone novel. Due to strong language and sexual content, this book is not intended for readers under the age of 18.

Excerpt

Penelope Ward

Looking tense, he placed his hands slowly into his pockets as he looked at me. “What exactly happened last night?”

“What are you talking about?”

Nice try dodging the question.

He moved in closer to me. “What am I talking about? You leaving me with a giant fucking basket of muffins and running off before I could even say anything? Ring a bell?”

“I thought you’d be alone. It caught me off guard.”

His eyes softened. “You were upset…”

“No, I wasn’t.”

“You’re a terrible liar, Chelsea. Fucking horrible at it. You don’t hide your feelings very well.”

“You think you know just about everything there is to know about me, don’t you?”

“Not everything. But it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to read you. It’s one of the things I like about you, though. You’re one of the least fake people I’ve ever met.”

“Then, tell me. Why do you think I was upset?”

“Honestly? I think you’re confused about me.”

“Confused…”

“Yes. I think you’re wondering why I opted not to have dinner with you and instead ended up with a woman I’d literally just met, someone who isn’t as sweet as you and sure as fuck isn’t as pretty as you. So, you’re wondering what the hell I was thinking. Am I right?”

That’s exactly what I was thinking.

He continued, “I know we haven’t known each other for very long, but I do feel a connection with you, okay? If you’ve sensed something, you’re not imagining it.”

“Well, if I wasn’t confused before…now I definitely am.”

“I feel like I need to say this now, because I can’t stand the thought of you thinking that I somehow find you undesirable when it’s exactly the opposite.”

I crossed my arms. “Again. Not following you.”

He closed his eyes as if to try to find the right words. “It’s just that I know for sure that I can’t ever be what someone like you needs in a boyfriend, in a partner. It’s not that we wouldn’t have fun or be great together at first. I’m just not good for you in the long-term—not marriage material. And the reasons are too complex to get into, except to say that it has nothing to do with you and everything to do with me. I can’t, in good conscience, start something with a girl like you.”

“A girl like me…”

“Yes. You’re not the kind of girl a guy takes home for a quick fuck. You’re the girl he keeps.”

Right. Just like Elec did.

Michel’s Review

I’ve quickly come to realize that anything by Penelope Ward is going to be an exceptional read. I have loved her previous books and the novels she has co authored with Vi Keeland. The one thing that keeps drawing me back for more is her creation of unforgettable characters and a love story that is not a cookie cutter romance. A story that dances on the edge of the rules in romance 101 with the absolute no no’s. She boldly adds taboo elements such as cheating boyfriends, sibling (step sibling) relationships, vindictive enemies, and douchebag personalities and makes the reader clearly see there are two sides to any story. Things are not always as they appear on the surface and matters of the heart are a different story altogether. Dearest Neighbor is the other side of the story briefly told in Stepbrother Dearest. It turns the tables on our “beloved” Elec from Stepbrother Dearest. The guy readers fell hopelessly in love with doesn’t look so great from other points of view. And that’s okay because it’s time for a new hero, Damien Hennessey to takeover and dominate our hearts. Only a writer like Penelope Ward could deliver up a new tasty dish making us forget about the delicious appetizer that came before hand.

Chelsea is still reeling from the devastating heartbreak that Elec delivered a year ago when he broke off their engagement to reunite with his stepsister. She thought they had the perfect relationship. She thought he loved her. She can’t figure out what she did wrong that made him dump her for Greta. She just can’t seem to get over him.

The first step in the process of getting over Elec is to move. Second step is therapy. Third step is to start dating again.

When she meets her new neighbor, moving on is going to be a lot different than she thought. Her new neighbor is a real douche. He’s grouchy, antagonistic, and has the noisiest dogs in the building. Dealing with a jerk is one thing, but losing sleep because of a dog is another. When she confronts him about the dogs, the sparks fly. When he overhears her therapy session and adds his two cents, well that is just rude. When she accidentally tries to burn down the building, the last thing she expects is pizza for dinner with her neighbor and a new dating coach. One that sets her up on an online dating site and protective measures. She didn’t expect to find a new best friend. She also didn’t expect to fall in love with her new best friend. She also would of never thought she could get her heart broken worse than before. Her previous life was nothing compared to her life with her Neighbor Dearest.

Damien is what he is. He’s not looking for a relationship. He values his friendship with Chelsea. She has become the most important person in his life. He wants her to have all the happiness she deserves. He just can’t be the one who gives her the happily ever after. He has a history that can’t be changed and nothing can change his future. His head says no but his heart says yes. His heart is broken and not just by his choices.

Chelsea and Damien have to mend their broken hearts and find their new beginning.

Penelope Ward outdid herself with Neighbor Dearest. I loved every moment. I also loved that she tied her three stand alone books together through her dynamic characters. There’s still another broken heart out there, Chelsea’s sister Jade. Jade’s man dumped her for his roommate. Maybe Damien’s brother Ty can step up to the plate.

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Penelope Ward is a USA Today Bestselling author.

She grew up in Boston with five older brothers. She spent most of her twenties as a television news anchor, before switching to a more family-friendly career.

Penelope lives for reading books in the new adult genre, coffee and hanging out with her friends and family on weekends.

She is the proud mother of a beautiful 10-year-old girl with autism (the inspiration for the character Callie in Gemini) and a 8-year-old boy, both of whom are the lights of her life.

Penelope, her husband and kids reside in Rhode Island.

Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Goodreads

Additional Books by Penelope Ward

Roomhate – Amazon / B & N / ITunes / Kobo

Sevin- Amazon / Amazon UK / ITunes / B & N / Kobo/

Cocky Bastard– Amazon / B & N / ITunes / Kobo

Stepbrother Dearest – Amazon / B & N / ITunes / Kobo

My Skylar – Amazon / B & N / ITunes / Kobo

Gemini –Amazon / B & N / ITunes / Kobo

Jake Undone –Amazon / B & N / ITunes / Kobo

Jake Understood –Amazon / B & N / ITunes / Kobo

New Release + 5 Star Review + Giveaway: Reaper’s Fire by Joanna Wylde – Reaper’s Motorcycle Club Series – Book 6

Posted on 08/12/2016 by shellbellereads

Are you ready for Gage and Tinker’s story?

*******

Reaper’s Fire

Reapers Motorcycle Club – Book 6

By Joanna Wylde

Release Date : August 9, 2016

*****

Buy: Amazon / B & N / ITunes / Kobo

Synopsis

New York Times bestselling author Joanna Wylde returns to the “wild and raw”* world of the Reapers MC with the story of Gage and Tinker…

The club comes first.

I’ve lived by those words my whole life—assumed I’d die by them, too, and I never had a problem with that. My Reaper brothers took my back and I took theirs and it was enough. Then I met her. Tinker Garrett. She’s beautiful, she’s loyal, and she works so damned hard it scares me sometimes . . . She deserves a good man—one better than me. I can’t take her yet because the club still needs me. There’s another woman, another job, another fight just ahead.

Now she’ll learn I’ve been lying to her all along. None of it’s real. Not my name, not my job, not even the clothes I wear. She thinks I’m nice. She pretends we’re just friends, that I’ve still got a soul . . . Mine’s been dead for years. Now I’m on fire for this woman, and a man can only burn for so long before he destroys everything around him.

I’m coming for you, Tinker.

Soon.

Excerpt

“I can’t believe how late it is,” Tinker said, yawning, and I realized the movie had ended. Now she stretched upward, the blanket falling to her waist as her boobs pushed forward.

God, how much should a man be expected to take?

I should’ve stayed away from her completely—that’d been the plan—but something had snapped when I’d seen her out in the courtyard. Couldn’t remember the last time I’d met a woman like Tinker. She was smart and sexy and funny, and she worked damned hard to take care of her family and business. Sure, I wanted to fuck her—you’d have to be gay not to—but I respected her, too.

“I should probably get going,” she said, offering me a smile so sweet I wanted to bite her lips. “I like to check on Dad before going to sleep, and I’ve got to be up early in the morning. I’ve got to package orders for the courier tomorrow—if they aren’t ready by two p.m., I’m screwed.”

I considered rolling over on top of her. Pushing her down into the couch cushions, shoving my leg between hers, and showing her what a real man feels like.

“Cooper?” she asked, looking confused. I blinked a couple times, forcing myself to focus on her face.

“I’m going to watch another one,” I told her, because I’m a goddamn masochist. “You sure you’re ready to head out?”

She frowned, and I could almost read her thoughts. Yes, she should leave. But she wanted me as much as I wanted her. And yeah, I realize that makes me sound like an egotistical ass, but this wasn’t my first rodeo. I saw the lust in her eyes, and the way she licked her lips and stared at my mouth. This wasn’t a one-way street, not even close.

“I guess I could stay a little longer,” she whispered. Christ, she was so sweet and soft. I wanted to bite her even more now. Suck that pouty lower lip into my mouth and shove a finger up her ass.

Break her.

You’re one sick fuck.

Why yes. Yes, I am. Thanks for noticing.

I managed to control the urge, catching her hand instead, giving it a friendly squeeze like some kind of pathetic tool. Her fingers tightened on mine, then she pulled away and snuggled back down under the blanket, raising her feet to rest on the coffee table. I grabbed the remote and clicked through the menu.

Tomorrow I’d do my job. I’d fuck Talia and spy on Marsh and look for any kind of weakness that might end this situation, the faster the better. Tonight, though . . . Tonight I’d pretend this wasn’t a waste of time.

Goddamn, but my dick hurt.

The next hour was torture.

Tinker sat next to me, all cute and classy and absolutely refusing to make any kind of eye contact. I don’t know how she felt, but to me the sexual tension hanging in the air was thick and heavy. I kept thinking about her hand in mine—small, but strong. The hand of someone who knew how to work hard. So far as I knew, Talia had never held down a job, let alone supported herself.

The couch shifted, and I glanced over to find Tinker sliding deeper into the cushions, drawing the blanket up to her chin. Our legs were maybe six inches apart. She shifted again, and then her hand bumped mine under the blanket. She jerked it back quickly, and I caught the hint of a flush on her cheeks. That was another thing I liked about her—her skin was so pale that I could see every hint of arousal.

Grabbing her hand, I pulled it over to rest on my thigh. This was a really bad idea, so I pointedly refused to think it through. Her hand tensed at first, then relaxed into my strength. My cock swelled against the fabric of my jeans, just inches from her fingers—it’d be so easy to push her hand toward it, wrap it around my painfully swollen dick, and just go to town.

Tinker’s fingers gave a quick squeeze—almost more of a spasm—and I bit back a groan.

Yeah, okay. Really, really bad idea. I should get off the couch and shut this shit down right now, because I couldn’t afford to blow things with Talia just yet. Instead I found myself leaning toward Tinker, bumping shoulders.

God.

I’d grown a pussy. No other explanation, because I couldn’t figure out why the hell else an adult man would sit holding hands under a damned blanket like a kid.

Michel’s Review

It’s hard to believe that Reaper’s Fire by Joanna Wylde is the sixth book in the Reaper’s Motorcycle Club series. I still can’t get enough of this series. I remember reading the first book, Reaper’s Property, over three years ago when it was first published by a smaller ebook publishing company. I was mesmerized by the biker community and their lawless life style. I remember going to one of the first big book signings, Book Bash 2013 in Orlando, and standing in a long line to meet Joanna Wylde. At that time there wasn’t a print book available for her to sign. Fans were getting book marks, t-shirts, and other items signed. The one thing we all had in common was how desperate we were to meet the author that created a biker named Horse that stole our hearts. Joanna Wylde is an author that paved the path for Biker / MC romance series. Readers wanted a authentic bad boy that commanded the world on his terms. The Reaper’s MC is still out in front of the pack and dominating the MC romance world.

The latest release, Reaper’s Fire is another page turner. In many ways Reaper’s Fire runs parallel to Reaper’s Fall (book 5). The timeline and several of the climatic events that take place in both books are from different characters perspectives and roles in these events.

Gage and Painter were sent to Hallies Falls by their club, Reaper’s MC, to determine what was going on with the Nighthawks MC, one of their alliances in their territory. The Nighthawks have been neglecting their duties to the Reaper’s. They are stealing money, skimming product, and taking on too many new recruits. They are building an army to take over the territory. Pic, the Reaper’s president, has sent Gage and Painter undercover to find out what’s going on. Gage is ordered to go undercover and infiltrate the Nighthawks MC. He has to create a new identity that doesn’t tie him to the Reaper’s.

Gage becomes Cooper, a recently divorced trucker laying low until all the papers are signed. He takes on a job as a handyman in exchange for rent. The owner of the apartments, Tinker, is one of the sexiest women he has met. He has to put his own desires aside, he is on the job. The easiest way to infiltrate the Nighthawks is through their president’s pyscho sister, Talia Jackson.

Tinker moved back to Hallies Falls after a tragic event that led to her separation from her husband. She needs to take care of her father who suffers from dementia. He is getting worse since her mother passed away. She is struggling to keep her mother’s gift store open, her own candy business thriving, take care of the apartments, and handle the care of her father. Her life is beyond stressed. When she hires the sexy newcomer in town as a handyman, she is in for a whole new kind of stress. He’s taken and his girlfriend is downright scary.

While Gage is trying to keep Talia under control and get a handle on what’s going on inside the Nighthawks clubhouse, he’s also battling his attraction to Tinker. This job can’t be over soon enough. He’s going to claim Tinker as his own.

Things are much worse than Gage or the Reaper’s anticipated. Cleaning up the Nighthawks is going to take more than shutting them down. Somebody will have to stay behind to control the chaos. Gage is willing to stay because he wants Tinker.

Tinker and Gage had to work for their relationship. There were a ton of obstacles in their way. Both are mature adults that have been around the block. They understand the best things in life are the hardest to acquire . It takes two to make this work. First they have to handle the chaos in their lives.

So many things happened in this book that tied this series together. It was intense, sexy, and emotional. The characters were larger than life and made a great impact on the Reaper’s series. The one thing I loved most was that Gage was a lot like Horse. He was a complete alpha male claiming his woman on his own terms.

I can’t wait to see what comes next for the Reaper’s MC. Joanna Wylde has created a legacy in the Biker Romance world. To this day I would still spend hours standing in a long line to meet Joanna Wylde and get my Reaper’s MC books signed.

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Have you heard?

Reaper’s Property by Joanna Wylde has a NEW COVER!

Meet Horse & Marie for ONLY $3.99 (normally $7.99)

Author’s Note: This book was originally released through a small publisher in 2013. This independent edition has been lightly edited, and contains a bonus short, “Sticky Sweet” (originally published on the author’s website) and a Q&A with the author.

******

Reaper’s Property

Reaper’s MC – Book 1

By Joanna Wylde

Buy: Amazon / B & N / ITunes / Kobo

Synopsis

Marie doesn’t need a complication like Horse. The massive, tattooed badass biker who shows up at her brother’s house one afternoon doesn’t agree. He wants Marie on his bike and in his bed. Now.

But Marie just left her abusive jerk of an ex-husband and she’s not looking for a new man. Especially one like Horse. She doesn’t know his real name or where he lives. She’s ninety percent certain he’s a criminal and that the “business” he talked with her brother wasn’t website design. She needs him out of her life, which would be a snap if he wasn’t so damned sexy.

Horse is part of the Reapers Motorcycle Club, and when he wants something, he takes it. What is he wants is Marie, but she’s not interested in becoming some biker’s property.

Then her brother steals from the club. Now Marie can save him by giving Horse what he wants—at home, in public, on his bike… and if she’s a very, very good girl, he’ll let her brother live.

___________________________________________________

About Joanna Wylde

Joanna is a freelance writer living in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. She started writing fiction in 2002, then took a long hiatus to explore other writing opportunities. She returned to fiction in January 2013 with ‘Reaper’s Property’, the first book in the Reapers Motorcycle Club series, and has recently released ‘Reapers Legacy’, the second of the series.

Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Goodreads

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Signed copy of Reaper’s Fire

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New Release + Review: Jonquils For Jax by Katy Regnery – The Blueberry Lane Series – The Rousseau’s – Book 1

Posted on 08/05/2016 by shellbellereads

Jonquils for Jax, The Rousseaus #1 by Katy Regnery

Date of Publication: August 5, 2016

Did you fall in love with The English Brothers? Were you hot for the Winslows? Katy Regnery’s New York Times bestselling Blueberry Lane series continues with The Rousseau siblings in Summer 2016!

Jacqueline “Jax” Rousseau is vivacious, rich, smart and beautiful…but that doesn’t mean she’s lucky in love: she’s dated doctors, lawyers, actors and politicians who’ve all managed to end up disappointing her. In fact, she’s on a self-imposed hiatus from love when she has an unpleasant run-in with her neighbor’s gorgeous new landscaper, Gardener Thibodeaux. Jax is not accustomed to gruff, ill-mannered men that can’t be charmed, but when he saves her skin, she realizes that something about Gard intrigues her…and if she can find her way through the armor that surrounds his heart, she might finally find a love that won’t let her down.

Amazon (Kindle)
B&N Nook
iBooks
Kobo

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Michel’s Review

It’s time to take another trip down Blueberry Lane. This time the destination is the Rousseau estate. Readers have met some of the Rousseau siblings in the previous books of the series featuring the English siblings, the Winslow siblings, and the Story sisters. These dynamic wealthy families are entwined with each others lives. They have grown up together and are making their own marks on the world.

***

Jacquelyn Rousseau has returned home to Blueberry Lane after spending the last few years in California. With an Oscar under her belt, she’s learned that being a famous filmmaker is not all it was cracked up to be. Once the paparazzi discovered her family connections, it made her life even worse. She’s returned home to Philadelphia to lick her wounds and try to figure out her next step in life. She has also returned home for her older brother’s wedding.

***

Although she has some very close friends in the wealthy world she came from, she also has some acquaintances she’d rather forget. Escaping one of those handsy acquaintances at her brother’s wedding leads her to meeting the English family’s new gardener. This new gardener comes to rescue and sends her world into a tailspin.

***

Gardener Thibodeaux is not your ordinary gardener. His past is quite unique. He’s a retired police detective with roots from Louisiana. He’s legally blind and sexy as sin. He’s still learning to navigate in his sightless world when he meets the duchess, Jax Rousseau.

***

What starts as a tentative friendship leads to the perfect future for both Jax and Gard. Their relationship is not going to be easy because something this good takes dedication and determination. Their talents complement one another. Their passion completes one another.

***

Once again Katy Regnery has written a delightful romance. I loved the dialogue and sexy french phrases. I love the world of Blueberry Lane.

***

Get to know the families of Blueberry Lane!

*All books in The Blueberry Lane Series can be enjoyed as standalone novels.*

THE BLUEBERRY LANE SERIES:

THE ENGLISH BROTHERS
(Blueberry Lane Books #1-6 & 11)

Breaking Up with Barrett
Falling for Fitz
Anyone but Alex
Seduced by Stratton
Wild about Weston
Kiss Me Kate
Marrying Mr. English

THE WINSLOW BROTHERS
(Blueberry Lane Books #7-10)

Bidding on Brooks
Proposing to Preston
Crazy about Cameron
Campaigning for Christopher

THE ROUSSEAUS – Coming soon!
(Blueberry Lane Books #12-14)

Jonquils for Jax
Marry Me Mad
J.C. and the Bijoux Jolis

(Note: All sub-series – The English Brothers, The Winslow Brothers, The Rousseaus, The Story Sisters and the Amblers – can be read as standalone series. Eg; You do not need to read The seven English Brothers books to enjoy the three Rousseau books.)

About Katy Regnery

Katy Regnery, award-winning and Amazon bestselling author, started her writing career by enrolling in a short story class in January 2012. One year later, she signed her first contract for a winter romance entitled By Proxy.

Now a hybrid author who publishes both independently and traditionally, Katy claims authorship of the six-book Heart of Montana series, the six-book English Brothers series, and a Kindle Worlds novella entitled “Four Weddings and a Fiasco: The Wedding Date,” in addition to the standalone novels, Playing for Love at Deep Haven and Amazon bestseller, The Vixen and the Vet.

The Vixen and the Vet is included in the charity anthology Hometown Heroes: Hotter Ever After, and Katy’s novella “Frosted” appeared in the Jan ’15 anthology, Snowy Days Steamy Nights. Additionally, Katy’s short story, “The Long Way Home” appeared in the first RWA anthology (Feb ’15), Premiere.

Katy lives in the relative wilds of northern Fairfield County, Connecticut, where her writing room looks out at the woods, and her husband, two young children, and two dogs create just enough cheerful chaos to remind her that the very best love stories begin at home.

Find Katy Regnery Online

Website Mailing List Goodreads Amazon Facebook Twitter Pinterest

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New Release + 5 Star Review: Veiled by Karina Halle – An Ada Palomino Story

Posted on 08/03/2016 by shellbellereads

Veiled

An Ada Palomino Story – Book 1

By Karina Halle

Buy: Amazon

From the New York Times bestselling author of The Lie and The Pact comes a new romance that will test your limits and leave you breathless.

Death.

It’s something that Ada Palomino has always known so well, having grown up in a house of horrors, surrounded by a family plagued by ghosts and demons and things that go bump in the night.

But after the sudden and tragic death of her mother two years ago, death has never felt so personal.

Or so close.

Now eighteen, Ada is trying to move on with her life and the last month of summer holds nothing but sunshine and promises with her first year at a Portland design school just around the bend.

That is until her increasingly violent and realistic dreams, dreams of other worlds, of portals and veils where her mother is tortured and souls bleed for mercy, start to blend into reality. Ada has to lean on her older sister, Perry, to try and make sense of it all but even then, she’s never felt more alone.

Then there’s Jay. Tall, handsome and deeply mysterious, Jay would be just another stranger, a familiar face on the bus, if it wasn’t for the fact that Ada has met him before.

Every night.

In every single dream.

And the more that Ada is drawn to him in both worlds, the more she’s in danger of losing everything.

Including her heart.

And her very soul.

Excerpt

Then, out of nowhere:

“You looked beautiful tonight, by the way.”

Oh jeez. Be still my fucking heart.

I try and swallow, his words, the sincerity in his voice rocking my world off-balance. “Which part? When the power went out or when Jacob went upstairs to fight a demon?” I joke. But I joke because I’m feeling this a little too much.

“All of it. You know why I call you Princess?” he asks, his tone graver than before, like he’s letting me in on a very deep secret.

“Because I’m a spoiled brat?”

“Because you’re beautiful.”

Well that shut me up. The sentence hangs in the air, larger than life.

He clears his throat and goes on and I have to fight against the urge to roll over and face him. “You have this way about you. You don’t see it. But I do. Like you’re born royalty. The way you hold yourself. Your walk. The face of an angel.”

Butterflies take flight in my gut, spreading through my veins until my whole body feels like its floating. “Why are you being so nice to me? Am I going to die?”

He laughs softly. “I don’t know why I’m saying these things. Just seemed like the things to say. You’re destined for something great, Ada, I know this. And it’s an honor to help see you through it.”

His words cascade down on me like ashes from a fire. Where they land, I’m ignited.

Jay thinks I’m beautiful.

And more than that, he believes in me.

Silence settles over us, stealing time. I hear him breathing in the dark, steady as a heartbeat. He might even be sleeping.

But I can’t even begin to shut down. My entire body, from the top of my scalp, down to my toes, is buzzing with heat and electricity. It’s like everything I felt for him before, everything I try to ignore, is coming out in full force, responding to his words, to his body so close to mine. I can feel the warmth at my back, sinking into my spine, just from his presence only.

I’m starting to have feelings for him. Not just in a he’s a giant hulking beast who’s here to protect me from the underworld way. But real feelings, slowly creeping into my heart, day by day.

The thought is terrifying in the same way that demons are terrifying.

They both might take possession of me.

They both might ruin me.

And I’m not sure how much of me I’ll have left.

______________________________

Michel’s Review

I am a huge Karina Halle fan. I started with her Experiment In Terror series several years ago. I anxiously awaited for each new release. It was very hard to see this series end. The EIT series ended exactly the way it should have and left readers satisfied that Dex and Perry were going to live their happily ever after. It also left a character hanging in the background screaming for her own story. Little Fifteen, otherwise known as Ada Palomino, was coming into her own. It was clear she had inherited the gift that had been passed down through the generations of women in her family. Little Fifteen was a bit too young to be dealing the other side. She needed time to be a teenager, grow up, and become a woman in her own right. She needed time to heal from the aftermath of her mother’s death. Her family needed time to become “normal”. Clearly to say I have been waiting for Ada to grow up is an understatement. It’s been two years since the last EIT book released. Two years for Ada to grasp her gift. Ada is now eighteen, ready to begin college, and more importantly ready for her gift. Veiled is just the beginning for Ada Palomino.

For the newer fans of Karina Halle, this book is going to be quite different from her new adult and contemporary romances. If you are not a huge fan of the paranormal genre, that’s okay. Veiled has a romantic element to it that has only just begun. Veiled can easily stand on it’s own merit as a paranormal romance or new adult romance ( with a touch of horror). I think this book is going to take the newer readers by great surprise. It’s going to open a new door in their Karina Halle world. I can almost guarantee that many will be downloading the Experiment In Terror series ( a great paranormal / horror romance series) and The Devil’s Metal Duology ( rock star paranormal / horror romance). For the EIT fans, Veiled is a long awaited gift.

Getting to the meat of the story, Veiled is chilling, hair raising turn in Ada Palomino’s life. Her sister Perry has moved out and married Dex ( Experiment In Terror series). For the past two years she and her father are trying to cope with their grief and loss of her mother. They are trying to forge a new normal in their lives after the horrors that plagued Perry’s world took their toll. Ada is beginning to experience some bone chilling dreams that have her scared out of her wits. These dreams are horrifically real. Her sister Perry is also sensing Ada’s predicament. When new neighbors move in ( Dawn and Sage from Devil’s Metal series), Ada’s world becomes more frightening. Part of their entourage is J.J. Abrams, the ridiculously hot guy Ada keeps seeing, and Jacob, a older middle aged man with a bad fashion sense. There is something peculiar about her new neighbors. Her new neighbors were sent because she is coming into her own, her gift is becoming stronger. They were sent for protection, guidance, and mentoring.

Jay Abrams is Ada’s Jacob. His mission is to protect her at all costs. He is neither bad nor good. He is her immortal protector with very human qualities. His assignment is to guide her and help develop her strengths. The depths of hell are reaching out for Ada. They are holding her mother’s soul in prison. She is the only one who can go through the Veil and into hell to save her mother. She just needs to learn to use her powers before it’s too late for her mother.

Jay is a unique Jacob. He still remembers his human life before he became a Jacob. That life is a story onto itself that makes him even more intriguing. He has a very strong pull to Ada that reaches beyond the normal scope of Jacob duties. His soul is drawn to her pure beauty within. He must deny this attraction, it could get Ada killed or damn her soul to hell. Denying this attraction is impossible.

Ada and Jay begin an illicit forbidden relationship that nearly destroys them both. The relationship gives evil a powerful edge. When they are walking through hell it takes a toll on them both. They may not survive. If they do, they may not return the same people they were before they entered the realm.

As for the rest…and the true love story… read the book.

Karina once again did a magnificent job writing this book. Her detailed descriptions bring the story to life. The reader experiences the journey right along with Ada and Jay. The detailed descriptions heighten all of the five senses and it seems like you are right there in the moment. The love story has a life of it’s own that makes this book shine. It leaves the readers wanting more from Ada and Jay.

At the end of the book Karina writes a very in depth view into her mind and writing world. Reach out and let her know how Ada and Jay’s story touched you. Hopefully their story will live on and take a new journey.

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QUESTIONS ABOUT VEILED

Q: Is this YA?

A: No. The main character is 18 and there is sex, crude language and violence in the book. It is recommended for mature teens or 18 and up.

Q: Is there a cliffhanger?

A: Nope! There’s also no cheating and no love triangle (think I’ve covered the bases there!)

Q: Do I need to read the series (Experiment in Terror) that Veiled is a spinoff of first?

A: Absolutely not. Veiled stands alone. You do not need to have read the EIT series beforehand as this follows a different character (Ada Palomino) and a different storyline. However for those who have read EIT, all your favorites are in the book!

Q: Is it horror? Your other series was and I don’t handle scary very well…

A: No, it’s paranormal romance (though I promise you there are no vampires or werewolves), and while there are creepy elements to the story, it wouldn’t be classified as horror. If you can read KMM’s Fever Series or ANY urban fantasy, you’ll be fine.

Karina Halle is a former travel writer and music journalist and The New York Times, Wall Street Journal and USA Today Bestselling author of The Pact, Racing the Sun, Sins & Needles and over 25 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 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 http://www.authorkarinahalle.com and sign up for the newsletter for news, excerpts, previews, private book signing sales and more.

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New Release + Review: Burning Moon by Jo Watson

Posted on 08/03/2016 by shellbellereads

Burning Moon

A Destination Love Novel

By Jo Watson

Buy: Amazon / B & N / ITunes / Kobo

Synopsis

There’s a very fine line between blushing bride and mascara-streaked sobbing mess. #beenthere

Lily Swanson has been planning her perfect life since she was twelve years old: Meet Mr. Right, have the big white wedding, buy a house in the ‘burbs and raise 2.5 picture-perfect kids. However, when her fiancé bails, leaving Lily alone at the altar to face 500 gossipy guests, her dream turns into a nightmare. But then Lily makes an impulsive decision—she ditches the dress, grabs her passport, and heads off to Thailand to spend her honeymoon alone.

Or so she thinks…

Because Lilly quickly learns that everything in Thailand is very hot-the weather, the merchandise, and especially Damien—the sexy, spontaneous man she meets before her feet even hit the sand. Now with no plan, and nothing holding her back, Lily lets Damien lead her on a wild, unpredictable ride to the world’s most exclusive party, Burning Moon. But after a week of letting go, indulging her every impulse and desire, Lily must go back to the girl she used to be. Or can Damien convince her that their party doesn’t have to end?

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Excerpt

Michael Edwards—fiancé of one year, perfect boyfriend of two—had left me, Lilly Swanson, just ten minutes before I was scheduled to walk down the aisle. The bottle of perfume that he’d wanted me to wear today, insisted I wear, because “it was his favorite,” mocked me from the dressing table. So I picked it up and threw it against the wall, watching it shatter into a million pieces, just like my life. I was hit by the sickly sweet smell of jasmine and felt sick to my stomach.

What was I going to tell the five-hundred guests who were sitting in the church waiting for me? Some had even flown here to South Africa all the way from Australia.

Hi everyone. Thanks for coming. Guess what? SURPRISE! No wedding!

A wedding that my father had spent a small fortune on.

A wedding that was going to be perfect.

Perfect, dammit. Perfect!

I’d made sure of that. I had painstakingly handled every single tiny detail. It had taken months and months of meticulous planning to create this day, and now what?

Things went very blurry all of a sudden. I vaguely remember my brother James bursting into the room, screaming insults and then vowing to kill him. He even punched the best man when he claimed to have no knowledge of Michael’s whereabouts. My rational, logical father tried to find a legitimate motive for Michael’s behavior, insisting we speak to him before jumping to any rash conclusions. Hundreds of phone calls followed: where was he? Who had seen him? Where did he go?

At some stage the guests were told, and the rumor mill went into full swing…

He’d had an affair.

He’d eloped with someone else.

He was a criminal on the run.

He was gay.

He’d been beamed up by aliens and was being experimented on. (Hopefully it was painful.)

People threw around bad words like bastard, asshole and liar. They also threw around words like shame, sorry and pity. They wondered whether they should take their wedding gifts back, or leave them. What was the correct protocol in a situation like this?

While the world around me was going mad, I felt a strange calm descend. Nothing seemed real anymore, and I began to feel like a voyeur looking at my life from a distance. I didn’t care that I was sitting on the floor in my bra and panties. I didn’t care that my mascara and lipstick were so smudged I looked like Batman’s Joker. I just didn’t care.

Some minutes later my other brother Adam, the doctor, burst in and insisted I drink a Coke and swallow the little white pill he was forcing down my throat. It would calm me, he said.

Shortly after that, my overly dramatic, theater-actress mother rushed in to give the performance of her life.

“Why, why, why?” She placed her hand across her heart.

“What is this, a madness most discreet? A stench most foul?” She held her head and cried out, “Whyyy?!”

“For heaven’s sake, Ida, this isn’t some Shakespearean bloody play.” I could hear the anger in my father’s voice. Even after 18 years of divorce, they still couldn’t be civil to each other.

“Lest I remind you that all the world is a stage.” My mother shouted back, the deep timbre in her voice quivering for added dramatic tension as she tilted her head upward and clenched her jaw.

“There you go again with your crap! Clearly you still haven’t learned to separate fantasy from reality!”

“Well, I managed to do that with our marriage!”

My brother jumped between them. “Stop it. This isn’t the time!”

And then all pandemonium broke out.

The priest came around to offer some kind of spiritual guidance but exited quickly, and very red-faced, when he saw my state of undress. Some inquisitive relatives stuck their heads through the door, painted with sad, sorry puppy-dog looks, but they, too, left when they saw me spread-eagled on the floor.

An enormous ruckus ensued when the photographer burst in and started talking photos of me—no one had told him. The ruckus became a total freak show when my favorite cousin Annie, who had designed my dress for free as a wedding gift, saw the state of her “best creation” lying crumpled and torn on the floor. She looked like she was about to cry.

Then everything went very blurry and the noises around me combined into one strange drone.

I closed my eyes and everything went black.

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Tracey’s Review

Lily Swanson has had a vision of her perfect life for, like, ever, and she thought she’d found it with her fiancé, Michael. But when all of Lily’s dreams go up in flames, she does what any woman on the verge of a nervous breakdown would do: she packs her bags, hops a plane, and goes on her honeymoon. To Thailand. By herself. And so Lily’s new life begins…

When I take a chance on a book or an author that I’ve never heard of, there’s always a fifty-fifty chance that things will not go well. Will I like the plot, will the characters engage me, will it make me laugh, will it make me cry, the list goes on and on. So, I had the chance to read BURNING MOON by Wattpad phenom Jo Watson, and I figured, sure, sounds interesting, why not? Let me just say that I am SO glad that I said yes to this book, because I could not have enjoyed it more.

Lily’s inner monologue and outer dialogue had me laughing out loud. This is a woman that has literally had the rug pulled out from under her, and, after a few days of feeling sorry for herself and wallowing in her despair, is just going for it. It’s one thing after another for her, and, just when things look dire, there comes some relief in the person of Damien Bishop. Enigmatic, live on the edge, take life by the horns Damien, who helps Lily see just what it’s like to let go and to live.

I think that one of the things that I liked best about BURNING MOON is Lily’s realization in the end that she doesn’t need saving. She has everything she needs right within herself to be the person that she’s meant to be, even if she has had to wade through some hard times and heartbreak to get there. I love her sass, her spunk, her tendency to jump to conclusions, and her overactive imagination. These things all come together to create a character that I would happily read more about any time.

BURNING MOON was easily a 4.5-star read for me. Humor, a little bit of heat, world travel, and romance that takes a while to come together make for a great introduction to this author. Add this one to your TBR, because it is a treat of a book, and I highly recommend it.

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

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Jo Watson is an award-winning writer of romantic comedies. Burning Moon won a Watty Award in 2014. Jo is an Adidas addict and a Depeche Mode devotee. She lives in South Africa with her family.

New Release + Review: Kicked by Celia Aaron

Posted on 08/01/2016 by shellbellereads

Kicked

By Celia Aaron

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Trent Carrington.

Trent Mr. Perfect-Has-Everyone-Fooled Carrington.

He’s the star quarterback, university scholar, and happens to be the sexiest man I’ve ever seen. He shines at any angle, and especially under the Saturday night stadium lights where I watch him from the sidelines. But I know the real him, the one who broke my heart and pretended I didn’t exist for the past two years.

I’m the third-string kicker, the only woman on the team and nothing better than a mascot. Until I’m not. Until I get my chance to earn a full scholarship and join the team as first-string. The only way I’ll make the cut is to accept help from the one man I swore to never trust again. The problem is, with each stolen glance and lingering touch, I begin to realizing that trusting Trent isn’t the problem. It’s that I can’t trust myself when I’m around him.

This is a full-length, standalone American football romance novel with hot guys in tight pants who really know how to handle their balls.

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A movie started playing on the back of each seat, but I focused on Cordy. Her polo was unbuttoned, and I could see the swell of her breast. My cock went from fight mode to fuck mode in the time it took me to shift more toward Cordy.

“Are we…” She nibbled her lip.

I grabbed her chin and turned her to face me. “What?”

“Are we like, together?” She stumbled over her next words, as if she couldn’t get them out fast enough. “I know it’s too early to DTR—”

“DTR?” I grinned.

“Define the relationship.” She furrowed her brow.

“Right. Well, I define it as you’re mine and I’m yours. How’s that?”

Her gaze brightened. My phone buzzed again, but I ignored it.

“Someone’s calling you.” She glanced to my pants.

“It’s my mother.”

“Oh.”

I’d told Cordy about the difficulties I had with my mom, but I didn’t go into the details of how much acrimony our relationship would stir up. Mom had no doubt seen the press conference. She would know. Mom always knew. She was waiting for me to pick up the phone so she could load me down with Carlotta’s tears, my family’s legacy, and the bright future she thought I was throwing away. I’d deal with it. Later.

I leaned close to Cordy’s ear. “Put your jacket on your lap.”

She turned to me, a wary look on her heart-shaped face. “Why?”

“It’s cold.”

“Not really.”

“You’re trembling.”

She arched a brow. “Not because I’m cold.”

“Then why?”

“Because you—” She seemed to rethink her answer and, instead of responding, pulled her jacket into her lap as I’d requested.

“Good. My hands are cold.” I slid my palm along her thigh beneath the jacket.

She jumped and looked at me with a scandalized expression. “Trent!” She hissed through clenched teeth.

“What?” I pressed my fingers higher until I reached the apex of her thighs, then I eased my hand between her legs.

“We can’t do this here.” She glanced around, but no one could see us in the dark, and if anyone was looking, all they’d see was us sitting together and Cordy’s jacket in her lap.

I rubbed my index finger along the seam of her jeans over her clit. “We can.”

She gripped my wrist, but I didn’t stop. Her breathing grew faster as I stroked her. My cock demanded reciprocity, but it would have to wait. I wanted to pleasure her more than anything. When her lips parted, I knew I had her.

I pressed my lips to her ear. “Unbutton your jeans, and unzip them.”

She tilted her hips forward and did as I’d said.

“You’ll have to be quiet.” I ran my fingers along her quivering stomach and she let out a small sound.

Michel’s Review

I have to give kudos to Celia Aaron, she brought college football to life. I was impressed with the fact that her “football star” was a female. Celia Aaron’s knowledge of the game,tenacious research of the kicker position, and blow by blow descriptive plays made the book come alive. The relationship between Cordie and Trent was the perfect push and pull kind of relationship readers look for in a new adult romance.

Cordie and Trent have a history. They were skirting on a relationship two years prior to becoming teammates on the football team. It was the typical rich boy and poor girl issues that kept them apart. Cordie and Trent both walked away broken hearted.

Cordie is the first female kicker in college history. She became the third string kicker to appease the equal opportunity regulation in college sports. Her first love is soccer but personal finances have forced her to accept a partial scholarship in football. It doesn’t matter because she is the MAV (Mascot With A Vagina ) rather than a valued player. Fate has a way of stepping in and changing the rules of the game. The first string kicker is injured and out for the season. The first string kicker position is open and the team is holding walk on try outs. This is an opportunity for Cordie to show her stuff and get a full time scholarship. Trent volunteers to help her win this position. He is going to train her and make her the strongest contender in the try outs.

Trent has ulterior motives. It’s his second chance with Cordie. He knows he screwed up two years ago. He wants to make things right and make Cordie his own.

Cordie and Trent not only have to deal with the demands of the football team but also have to deal with every obstacle blocking their relationship. There are so many obstacles coming in so many different directions. They are going to have to fight for their love.

Kicked was very entertaining and put me in the mood for football season. Celia Aaron did a stellar job writing this book.

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Celia Aaron is the self-publishing pseudonym of a published romance and erotica author. She loves to write stories with hot heroes and heroines that are twisty and often dark. Thanks for reading.

Author Links

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New Release + Review: Melody Of Truth by Nicole Simone – Love of a Rockstar Series – Book 3

Posted on 07/28/2016 by shellbellereads

Melody Of Truth

Love Of A Rockstar Series – Book 3

By Nicole Simone

Buy: Amazon / B & N / ITunes / Kobo

Synopsis

MELODY
The sexy as sin Marco, a man I never thought would be mine, asked me Melody Carmichael to marry him.

Two months before I became a Mrs., a job opportunity to film a documentary about rock n roller, Matthew Lee and his band, presented itself. My swirling doubts compelled me to pack a bag and spend two months on a tour bus. While I expected it to be a wild ride, I had no idea, my life, as I knew it, would never be the same.

SEAN
I had lost everything, my wife, my dog and my house within a blink of an eye. Without my career as a drummer for solo artist/best friend, Matthew Lee, I would have been adrift in the rocky seas, drowning underneath mounds of legal work and divorce proceedings.

Our upcoming tour was my opportunity to regain my focus but that was before, I found out documentary filmmaker, Melody Carmichael, would be capturing our every move. With her fire engine colored lips, raven black hair and a figure reminiscent of a 1950’s pin-up model she evoked dirty daydreams with a single glance.

As the professional lines between us blur, I make it my mission to prove to Melody the putting your heart on the line is the greatest risk worth taking.

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Michel’s Review

Melody Of Truth is the first book I have read by Nicole Simone. I thoroughly enjoyed the book and was impressed with the originality in a rock star romance. Not only was the rockstar, Sean Dallis, quite different from most rockers, his love interest, Melody Carmichael was a strong, capable woman forging her own path.

Melody is an award winning documentary filmmaker. She has seen the underbelly of the world and witnessed horrific injustices within the world. Her career choice was a result of her mother’s death when she was a teenager. The camera was her therapy and the need to “do something” that will help others or change lives was a healing component. She’s getting married soon and ready to slow down her career. She’s taking a leave of absence after she finishes this final documentary on the Matthew Lee Band. She didn’t count on Sean Dallis being a down to earth, caring individual who lives by his code. She didn’t count on falling head over heels in love. She has set her path, her fiancé needs her and a small child is counting on her to save his life.

Sean Dallis is getting over a difficult divorce. He’s not ready for any relationship. When he meets Melody Carmichael, he’s singing a new tune.

Melody and Sean were meant for each other. It may not be in their stars but destiny has a way of interfering.

I thoroughly enjoyed Melody Of Truth. I look forward to reading more from Nicole Simone.

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Nicole Simone works in digital media by day and at night, pen’s character driven romance novels that will make your mama blush. She lives in Seattle, WA with her fat bulldog named Humphrey.

She loves hearing from her readers and can be reached at authornicolesimone@gmail.com

Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Goodreads

New Release + Review: Anything But Love by Daisy Prescott – Wingman Series – Book 3

Posted on 07/27/2016 by shellbellereads

**ANYTHING BUT LOVE (Wingmen, #3) by Daisy Prescott**
Now Available!

PURCHASE NOW!

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ADD ANYTHING BUT LOVE TO GOODREADS

BOOK BLURB:

Another wingman bites the dust in this enemies to lovers story…

For the past year, I’ve been working my butt off to start my own coffee company on Whidbey.

A weekend in Cabo with sun, tiny bikinis, and vacation hook-ups is exactly the kind of tension relief I need.

What I don’t need is a bruised jaw, having to bribe my way out of jail, a hellion set on ruining my life, and my mother seeing a picture of my assets on “The Twitter.”

Caribou Caldwell is my worst nightmare.

Unfortunately, she’s also the star of my sexiest dreams.

What happens when a small town guy becomes the focus of a million fantasies? As Erik Kelso navigates his sudden notoriety, will his feelings for Cari turn out to be anything but love?

Anything but Love is the third book in the Wingmen series, a spin off of Modern Love Stories. Like all Wingmen books, it can be read as a standalone romantic comedy.

——–

PURCHASE NOW!

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____________________________________

Tracey’s Review

One unguarded moment. That’s all it takes for Erik Kelso to become an overnight media sensation. Faster than he can say ‘Cheese!’ Erik’s backside is plastered across social media outlets, bringing him and the good people of Whidbey Island into the spotlight in a way that he could never have anticipated. What’s worse? The person, erm, behind it all is the sassy woman currently starring in Erik’s less-than-innocent dreams…

What makes a book a winning read for me? Laugh-out-loud moments, snark and wit, characters that I can see wanting to spend time with, and a story line that doesn’t quit. I can say, without a doubt, that Daisy Prescott delivers on every single one of these things with ANYTHING BUT LOVE, the latest book in her Wingmen series.

Daisy has done an excellent job of capturing the current state of instant fame, where hashtags rule and Snapchat can be your friend…or not. The characters in ANYTHING BUT LOVE are typical, everyday kind of folks, living life in the 21st century. Regardless of age or gender, everyone is swept up in the furor that erupts when Erik’s fanny becomes the most sought-after unicorn of the moment. I spent a good amount of my time literally laughing out loud at the situations that Erik found himself in as a result of his momentary lack of judgment. That it takes place amidst the small-town atmosphere of Whidbey Island, Washington, with all of the usual suspects from Daisy’s prior books, makes it an even more heartwarming and entertaining read.

I really appreciate that, between crazy chase scenes and some uber-steamy moments, Daisy takes the time to remind us that even characters in books have to deal with the same issues that we do. Family secrets, money problems, poor health, unrequited love, these are part of everyday life for everybody, and seeing that Erik, Cari, and the rest of the crew have to deal with them just made me appreciate this book, and Daisy’s writing, even more. ANYTHING BUT LOVE is an easy 4.5-star read for me, and I can’t wait for the next book in the Wingmen series. Add Erik and his story to your TBR, because it is one that you do not want to miss.

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

__________________________________

PREVIOUS BOOKS IN THE SERIES

Get READY TO FALL (Wingmen #1) for FREE!

Amazon | iBooks | Kobo | B&N

CONFESSIONS OF A REFORMED TOM CAT (Wingmen, #2)

Amazon | iBooks | Kobo | B&N

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AUTHOR INFORMATION:

USA Today Bestselling author Daisy Prescott lives in a real life Stars Hollow in the Boston suburbs with her husband and an indeterminate number of imaginary housegoats. When not writing about people falling in love, she can be found traveling, gardening, baking, and reading a good book. Her novels include the Modern Love Stories series, the Wingmen series, and several short stories. She’s also working on expanding the world of Bewitched this fall.

AUTHOR LINKS:
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New Release + 5 Star Review: The Year Of Second Chances by Jessica Sorensen – Sunnyvale Series – Book 3

Posted on 07/25/2016 by shellbellereads

The Year Of Second Chances

Sunnyvale Series – Book 3

By Jessica Sorensen

Buy: Amazon

Synopsis

Isabella Anders isn’t ready to accept that her mother is guilty of murder, and with the help of Kai, she might be able to find out the truth.

Over the last month, Kai’s feelings for Isa have grown. He knows he’s in love with her and will do just about anything to protect her. But by helping Isa, he’s putting his own life at risk.

Kai isn’t the only one in danger, though.

Isa is being stalked by someone who knows what really happened the day her mother was accused of murder, and they’ll do just about anything to keep her from discovering the truth.

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Michel’s Review

Yay! The final book in The Sunnyvale Series by Jessica Sorensen has released. It was well worth the wait and just as riveting as the first two books in the series.

The Year Of Second Chances by Jessica Sorensen is the third book in the Sunnyvale series. It should not be read as a stand alone novel. It needs to be read in series order.

The title is perfect for this book. Isabella Anders has spent this past year living second chances. A trip to Europe with her grandmother and cousin changes her life. For once she is a somebody. She’s not being ignored. She’s experiencing a loving family rather than being the black sheep nobody wants to acknowledge. She has transformed into a confident young woman embracing her beauty rather than hiding it. When she returns home she catches the attention of the Meyers brothers. One has been her friend and the other has been her lifetime crush. Now they are both noticing her as a woman. At the same time her family is protesting against her changes. They want to keep her down. Isabella finally has the courage to leave her home and move in with her grandmother. That’s just the tip of the iceberg in Isabella’s life. She is finally asking questions about her real mother who she thought was dead. Her mother is in prison for murder.

The Year Of Second Chances is the powerful conclusion to the secrets that are ruling Isabella’s life. It is also an eye opener for Isabella. The Meyer boys are showing their true colors and she’s finally seeing that there wasn’t a choice for her to make at all. The answer has been right in front of her all this time. Her heart knows which one it loves.

As Isabella uncovers a bit of information on her mom and secrets are beginning to reveal themselves ,the danger begins to escalate. A stalker, a kidnapper, and a murderer are on her tail.

Once again Jessica Sorensen wrote a riveting story. From oppression to independence, from hate to love, and from despair to joy, Isabella Anders has come into her own. I thoroughly enjoyed this series.

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The Sunnyvale Series

The Year I Became Isabella Anders

Sunnyvale Series – Book 1

Buy: Amazon

Synopsis

Isabella Anders has always been the girl that never fit in. Most days she feels invisible, especially when she’s around her older sister, Hannah, who catches the eye of everyone, including Kai and Kyler, the boys who live next door.

Isabella has had a crush on Kyler for years, but knows he’ll never see her as anything more than Hannah’s little sister, unless she finds a way to standout.

When Isabella gets an offer from her grandmother to travel overseas for the summer, she seizes the opportunity, hoping she’ll discover more about herself. And she does, but not in the way that she expected.

Three months later, Isabella returns home an entirely new person. The change is enough to catch both Kyler and Kai’s attention. But Isabella is still struggling with what she discovered over the summer and until she deals with the truth, she’ll never truly be herself.

******

The Year of Falling In Love

Sunnyvale Series – Book 2

By Jessica Sorensen

Buy : Amazon

Book 2 in Sunnyvale Series.

Synopsis:

Isabella Anders just found out Lynn and her dad want to send her to a reform school. But with the help of Grandma Stephy, Isa’s dad agrees to let her move in with her grandma.

Isa is more than relieved to be moving out. And after going on an unofficial date with Kyler, she wonders if maybe her life is starting to turn around. But then she discovers the truth about what really happened to her mother.

Not ready to fully accept that her mother is a murderer, Isa turns to Kai for help. Kai is more than willing to help, but to protect Isa, he keeps some of the more brutal details about her mother’s case to himself until he can find out more.

But when a mysterious blue car starts showing up everywhere, and Isa receives a threatening text message from an unknown caller, Kai realizes someone is dead set on destroying Isa. And he might not be able to protect her.

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Jessica Sorensen is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author from the snowy mountains of Wyoming. When she’s not writing, she spends her time reading and hanging out with her family.

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New Release + 6 Star Review + 2016 Favorite: A Gift Of Time by Beth Flynn – Nine Minutes Trilogy – Book 3

Posted on 07/25/2016 by shellbellereads

A GIFT OF TIME is the HIGHLY ANTICIPATED conclusion to the NINE MINUTES trilogy where Grizz, Kit & Grunt’s gritty tale continues! You aren’t going to want to miss this!

NOW AVAILABLE

*******

A Gift Of Time

Nine Minutes Trilogy – Book 3

By Beth Flynn

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Synopsis

RECOMMENDED FOR READERS 18 AND OLDER DUE TO STRONG LANGUAGE, SEXUAL SITUATIONS AND VIOLENCE.

Book 3 of 3 in the Nine Minutes Trilogy.

A Gift of Time is the third installment in the Nine Minutes Trilogy. It is not intended to be a stand-alone novel, but could be read as one. Still, I highly recommend that you read my first two novels, Nine Minutes and Out of Time, to be able to understand the background stories of the main characters. There are many twists and turns in both books that can best be connected if read consecutively.

Are some secrets meant to stay buried?

Three months have passed since Jason “Grizz” Talbot was put to death by lethal injection for crimes he committed. His former wife, Ginny, whom he had abducted from a convenience store when she was a teenager and became the love obsession of his life, has spent more than the last decade trying to carve out a life of normalcy in the bustling suburbs of Fort Lauderdale—including a thriving and happy marriage to Tommy “Grunt” Dillon, a former member of Grizz’s gang.

Tired of the secrets and the lies, Ginny and Tommy thought the final piece of their past could be left behind forever with Grizz’s execution. However, the past comes crashing around Ginny and Tommy when a newly discovered secret threatens to destroy their marriage.

When tragedy strikes, Ginny is forced to reach into her heart and decide, once and for all, what she really wants.

In this third book in the Nine Minutes trilogy, A Gift of Time takes readers from the busy tropical metropolis of South Florida into the serenity of the North Carolina Blue Ridge mountains as Ginny chases down the answers she needs.

Will she have the strength to confront the secrets of her past…and her heart?

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Michel’s Review

*** Spoiler Free Review ***

A Gift Of Time is one of the most anticipated and most dreaded books I have waited for. I was so connected with all of the characters lives and what was to come next. For the past two years Beth Flynn has taken the book world by storm with her epic Nine Minutes trilogy. The readers became extremely passionate about the characters and who would win Ginny’s heart in the end. Social Media has blown up with strong opinions, passionate theories, and die hard fans. A model’s career was made because he was the spitting image of one of the main characters (the cover model). I have seen some crazy things about this series on social media. The one thing that stood out was how much this series touched every reader’s heart. To say the Nine Minutes trilogy was epic is an understatement.

With all the hype and crazy frenzy, I was concerned for Beth Flynn. She is a kind, gracious, compassionate person that connects with her readers on a very personal level. I was afraid of whatever the outcome of this epic story was, that it would make her a target for the haters. Quite honestly, I don’t think that is going to happen because this final book reflects the very essence of who Beth is. She stayed true to her heart and handled the outcome with grace, compassion, and unconditional love. Every character got their happy ending even if it wasn’t what we expected. For some it was justice for their actions and others it was their redemption.

Throughout this trilogy, each book highlighted one character who’s life was the “shining star”. Nine Minutes introduced the readers to Grizz, a biker and hardened criminal. Out Of Time gave the readers an in depth look at Tommy Dillion, also known as Grunt. Gift of Time is Ginny’s book, she is finally taking control of her life without the allowing either of these dynamic men influence her decisions in her life. She has always been a strong person but now she is exerting her strengths.

The Nine Minutes Trilogy spans over a twenty five year period. It’s a story of three peoples lives that are connected by fate and God. Throughout the years they have experienced friendship,love,loss,and rebirth. They have experienced horrendous crimes and monumental life changing moments. They have lost loved ones along the way and experienced the miracle of life with the birth of their children. In the end it was fate, life experiences, and love that determined the outcome. All three of these dynamic people ended with peace in their hearts. They were whole people that cherished the Gift of Time in a very personal way.

Every question was answered. Beth was very conscientious of every detail and time frame of the story. She graciously gave each character validation. She stayed true to the story she conceived in her mind and put it into eloquent words that have captivated the readers hearts. The best part was she gave the readers a piece of herself.

I want to say thank you to Beth Flynn for this exceptional reading experience. The Nine Minutes Trilogy may be finished, but like the people we love in our lives, Ginny, Grizz, and Grunt will live forever in our hearts.

Book 1

Nine Minutes

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Book 2

Out Of Time

Buy: Amazon /B & N / ITunes / Kobo

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Beth Flynn is a fiction writer who lives and works in Sapphire, North Carolina, deep within the southern Blue Ridge Mountains. Raised in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, Beth and her husband, Jim, have spent the last 17 years in Sapphire, where they own a construction company. They have been married 31 years and have two daughters and two dogs. In her spare time, Beth enjoys writing, reading, gardening, church and motorcycles, especially taking rides on the back of her husband’s Harley. She is a five-year breast cancer survivor.

STALK HER: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | Rock Star Page

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Jonquils for Jax, The Rousseaus #1 by Katy Regnery

About Katy Regnery

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QUESTIONS ABOUT VEILED

Q: Is this YA?

A: No. The main character is 18 and there is sex, crude language and violence in the book. It is recommended for mature teens or 18 and up.

Q: Is there a cliffhanger?

A: Nope! There’s also no cheating and no love triangle (think I’ve covered the bases there!)

Q: Do I need to read the series (Experiment in Terror) that Veiled is a spinoff of first?

A: Absolutely not. Veiled stands alone. You do not need to have read the EIT series beforehand as this follows a different character (Ada Palomino) and a different storyline. However for those who have read EIT, all your favorites are in the book!

Q: Is it horror? Your other series was and I don’t handle scary very well…

A: No, it’s paranormal romance (though I promise you there are no vampires or werewolves), and while there are creepy elements to the story, it wouldn’t be classified as horror. If you can read KMM’s Fever Series or ANY urban fantasy, you’ll be fine.

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ANYTHING BUT LOVE (Wingmen, #3) by Daisy Prescott Now Available!

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ADD ANYTHING BUT LOVE TO GOODREADS

BOOK BLURB:

Another wingman bites the dust in this enemies to lovers story…

For the past year, I’ve been working my butt off to start my own coffee company on Whidbey.

A weekend in Cabo with sun, tiny bikinis, and vacation hook-ups is exactly the kind of tension relief I need.

What I don’t need is a bruised jaw, having to bribe my way out of jail, a hellion set on ruining my life, and my mother seeing a picture of my assets on “The Twitter.”

Caribou Caldwell is my worst nightmare.

Unfortunately, she’s also the star of my sexiest dreams.

What happens when a small town guy becomes the focus of a million fantasies? As Erik Kelso navigates his sudden notoriety, will his feelings for Cari turn out to be anything but love?

Anything but Love is the third book in the Wingmen series, a spin off of Modern Love Stories. Like all Wingmen books, it can be read as a standalone romantic comedy.

——–

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PREVIOUS BOOKS IN THE SERIES

Get READY TO FALL (Wingmen #1) for FREE!

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CONFESSIONS OF A REFORMED TOM CAT (Wingmen, #2)

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AUTHOR INFORMATION:

AUTHOR LINKS: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Amazon | Newsletter

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**ANYTHING BUT LOVE (Wingmen, #3) by Daisy Prescott**
Now Available!

AUTHOR LINKS:
Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Amazon | Newsletter