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Excerpt: Knowing Nichelle, by Tinsley Sellers
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Excerpt: Knowing Nichelle, by Tinsley Sellers

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Knowing Nichelle
Tinsley Sellers
Publication date: August 16th 2019
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

She’s just met the man of her dreams…but he’s not who he said he was. Neither is she. Until they get a second chance to make a first impression.

Is he a sophisticated big-city lawyer, or an easygoing small-town woodworker? And if she’s not a career-driven high-powered attorney, then who is she? Hiding behind their masks is second nature until circumstances force them to see beneath the surface and realize just how alike—and in love—they really are.

He’s only got one rule: no lawyers. She’s a lawyer.

Burned by experience, Buck’s got a rule for a reason. After walking away from a lucrative legal position, he found his peace in Beckley. Life on the farm is simple, and his woodworking business is thriving. He’s not interested in trading his work boots for wingtips and rejoining the rat race. So what if she’s the most compelling woman he’s ever met?

She’s only got one requirement: no a**holes. He’s an a**hole.

After a disastrous encounter in a trendy bar, Nichelle’s convinced that he’s an over-muscled a**hole. She’s got a sleek car, luxurious condo, and elegant designer clothes. Family comes first, and her legal career is on the fastest track. She’s never met a problem she couldn’t solve on her own. So what if he can see beneath her carefully constructed façade?

They’re perfect together. They just don’t know it yet.

Welcome back to Beckley, Michigan! Autumn is in the air and as the days get shorter, the air gets cooler and the calm lakes reflect the blue skies and red-gold trees for a double-dose of fall color. The people are just as warm, friendly, smart, funny, and real as you remember. When you need a place to call home, Beckley welcomes you—and sometimes the family you choose is as strong as the bonds you’re born with.

If you like small-town romance, you’ll like Beckley. If you like smart heroines who balance demanding professional careers with a commitment to family, friends, and finding love, then you’ll definitely like it here. If you like strong, sexy, hard-working heroes who have not-so-secret soft spots for kids, dogs, and classic cars, you may find that you never want to leave!

Knowing Nichelle is the third in the Beckley’s Daughters Romance series. It can be read as a stand-alone story, but continuing readers will recognize many of the characters and locations. This series is recommended for adult readers and contains explicit language and intimate situations.

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EXCERPT

Buck

“Welcome to the Alpha Quadrant!” the bartender shouted as he poured two whiskies and set them on the bar before us. I finally took a good look around the space; it had been decorated by someone with a serious Star Trek fixa…oh. Got it. This was definitely her home turf.

Nichelle spun on her stool and waved to the karaoke DJ, set up next to a small stage on the wall opposite the bar. His face lit up and he punched the air enthusiastically. When the couple on stage finished their duet, the DJ spoke into his microphone.

“It’s been awhile, Starfleet cadets, but Uhura is in the house!” Someone whooped, and heads began turning towards Nichelle. “Get your fine ass up on this stage, Lieutenant!”

She grinned and shouted over the crowd, “Pick me a song, Harcourt Fenton Mudd!” I stared with disbelief as she picked her way to the stage. Harry Mudd typed a few keystrokes on his laptop as she stepped onstage and took up her mic. I recognized the No Doubt song; Jess had listened to it compulsively—without headphones—when it was first released.

“Funny how I…find myself…in love with you,” Nichelle’s silken voice stopped most of the conversation in the room. Bones poured me another drink without asking.

“I ask myself, how much do you…commit yourself?”

Thank god I was already sitting. Thank god the place was poorly lit and all eyes were on the stage. The bar was suddenly too hot; I pulled off my suit jacket and draped it over the back of my stool. I yanked my tie loose and popped the collar button that threatened to cut off my airway.

“Funny how I…blind myself…I never knew,” she sang more softly, and I caught the wave of pain that rolled off her. I flinched, but she raised her gaze, finding my eyes in the dim light. Her voice grew stronger, and bam! she was playing the crowd like a pro.

It’s just a song, I repeated to myself. Swallowed some whisky. Just a song. She didn’t pick it. Goddamn it, it’s not a message. Maybe it was. This thing between us… Why was she blinding herself to the possibility? Why was she focusing all her effort on proving that it couldn’t work? I didn’t know how to convince her to give it a shot, but I had to try. She deserved so much. I had to give her this.

“It’s my life,” she belted out. “Don’t you forget.”

It was her life, but I wasn’t about to let her shut me out of it. Not without a fight.

The bartender nudged my elbow, and I swiveled away from the stage to face him. “You got a response to that?” He jutted his chin towards the stage.

He stepped away, set up a round of tequila shots on a tray for the waitress, and returned as the song was ending. “You got a response to that?” he asked again with a knowing look.

“I might,” I admitted.

 

 

Author Bio:

Tinsley Sellers grew up in Chicago, spending her summers with her grandparents in a tiny town a lot like Beckley, Michigan. Life took her to Arizona, Washington, and Idaho before she finally found her home in Arkansas. She is married to an amazing, supportive (and handsome!) man, with whom she has rescued three dogs and two cats. When she’s not writing, she teaches physics and engineering at the local university. When she’s not writing or teaching, she’s probably trying new recipes. She enjoys fast cars, loud music, fine whisky, and big books. In no particular order.

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Sunny Shelly’s Review: Love Block, by S.M. West
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Sunny Shelly’s Review: Love Block, by S.M. West

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Title: Love Block

Series: Love Lock Duet #1

Author: S.M. West
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release Date: August 22, 2019
Blurb
I’m screwed.
Pippa just showed up
uninvited with plans of staying the weekend.
I can hardly handle
an hour with her, let alone two days.
Despite more than a
year of dodging her, nothing has changed.
She’s the only woman
I want.
Smart and sexy and
bold.
My best friend’s
little sister.
Forbidden.
Denying my desire
for her is torture.
And she doesn’t make
it easy; she wants me too.
The thing is, making
her mine means ruining my best friend.
Love
Block is the first book in the Love Lock Duet. 

 

Purchase Links
AMAZON US / UK / CA / AU
B&N / KOBO / APPLE BOOKS
Sunny Shelly’s Review: 4 Stars
Pippa and Drew are a delight! This is a somewhat angsty brother’s best friend romance that is a slow burn with a delicious payoff.

She’s the little sister of his best friend, who long ago declared that Pippa was off-limits. She’s also friends with his little sister, so there is a double sneaking around for a while. But nothing is keeping these two apart.

It is part 2 in a duet, and though it is a cliffhanger, I didn’t feel disappointed at the end. Pippa and Drew are in a good place, and the anticipation for what happens next for them is high!

I received an advanced copy and voluntarily left a review.

Coming Soon
Releasing September 5, 2019

 

Author Bio
S.M. West writes
contemporary romance, romantic suspense, erotica and whatever her heart
desires. She spends most of her time juggling a day job, being a mom, wife, and
writing. She’s a self-professed junkie of many things, including a voracious
fan of music, a born wanderer, a wine aficionado and chocolate connoisseur.

 

Author Links

 

Sunny Shelly’s Review: Game On, by Joanne Rock
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Sunny Shelly’s Review: Game On, by Joanne Rock

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Title: Game On
Series: Texas Playmakers #2
Author: Joanne Rock

Publisher: Tule Publishing

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Release Date: August 8, 2019

 

Blurb
He’s home to recover …and
rekindle a romance with his first love.
After a hitting
streak propels him onto a major league roster, Nate Ramsey lands on the injured list. The one bright spot in a
frustrating summer is returning home to Last Stand, Texas– until he’s tasked
with confronting Keely Harper, an
old flame whose business is running roughshod over his grandfather’s farm. Nate
accepted it when she ended things five years ago, but he won’t overlook a
slight to the rest of the Ramseys. What game is she playing?
Keely has always
carried the weight of responsibility for her dysfunctional family, so she can’t
regret the way she ended things with Nate. Cutting him loose to pursue his
dreams was the kindest thing she could have done for a man with talent to take
him far beyond Last Stand. Except now he’s back, and the fireworks between them
haven’t faded a bit. If she gives into the temptation of a kiss, will she be
able to let him go again once his injury heals and baseball wants him back?

 

Purchase Links

AMAZON US / UK / CA / AU

KOBO / APPLE BOOKS

Excerpt

“My grandfather asked me to talk to you,” Nate admitted,
looking out the delivery van window to take in the changes around Last Stand in
the year since he’d driven through the small downtown. There were some new businesses,
but the vats from Outlaw Tequila were still there. The park was still trimmed
and pruned, empty now but ready for use when the weather cooled.
“How is Everett?” she asked, glancing his way as she stopped
at a crosswalk. They waited for a mother pushing a stroller with one hand and
holding a preschooler’s hand with the other. “Everyone was worried about him
after the accident this spring.”
The collision had devastated the town, killing the youngest
Delaney, Rose, and her boyfriend. Rose had been just nineteen years old. When
he’d heard the news, he’d tried calling his own youngest sister, Lara, who’d
left home at around the same age and hadn’t looked back. The number he had for
her didn’t work anymore, reminding him how thoroughly she’d cut ties with the
family. He shook off those memories and focused on Keely.
“Thank you. He’s doing better,” Nate assured her,
appreciating her concern. “Feisty as ever, so I’m sure that’s a good sign.”
“He’s the one who sent you to talk to me?” Her voice sounded
genuinely curious.
“He says you’re growing wildflowers on Ramsey land,” he told
her bluntly.
Straightening her shoulders, she reared back in surprise.
“Excuse me?”
“He claims he wanted to prep the ground in the east field to
start his fall tomato crop, but that the plot is being used for sunflowers—and
not by him.” Nate had stopped by the farm stand this morning, hoping the field
manager would tell him something different—that Everett was confused, or
there’d been a misunderstanding. But Grant Wilkins had told him the same thing.
“What east field?” Keely shrugged her shoulders. “We both
know Harper lands border the Ramsey property. Does he think I’m farming too far
on his side? Because I have a survey map of our lands and I double-check it
before I work any new grounds for Windy Meadows.”
“I’m sure you do—”
“And I’m very respectful of all the borders,” she insisted,
clearly offended. Or irritated. “I think highly of your grandfather, Nate, but
he couldn’t be more wrong about this.”
“Should we drive out there?” He hated to inconvenience her,
but his grandfather was up in arms about the land poaching. “Maybe if we look
at the map together, we can take some photos and get it all sorted.”
“I don’t need to drive out there.” She shook her head,
ponytail swinging as she huffed out a frustrated sigh. “I’ve got a hundred and
one things to do today, and none of them involve spending time with you to
appease your grandfather.”
“Okay then.” He turned his attention to the road ahead and
ground his teeth, seeing he had wasted his time. “I’ll drive out there myself
and see if I can figure it out.”
She said nothing, but she drummed her short nails on the
steering wheel as if there were thoughts brewing.
“What?” he asked, wishing she’d just spit it out.
She drummed for another moment as they turned at the faded
old sign for Harper Ranch, a relic from four decades past.
“How will you know what fields are freshly planted, let
alone which are tomatoes and which are bluebonnets?” she shot back, her words
barbed with the other things she didn’t say.
Like how much she resented him being here.
Or how much she resented him, period.
“I’m sure I’ll think of something,” he told her mildly,
unwilling to engage.
He’d ticked her off, but he’d be damned if he’d let her get
under his skin. He needed to focus on recovering as fast as humanly possible if
he wanted any hope of salvaging his career. That meant he couldn’t get tangled
up in a drama with Keely, even though she still enticed him like no woman
before or since.
Some relationships weren’t meant to be.
“Is that so?” She tipped her head to one side, as if she
needed to see him from another angle.
As if she didn’t believe him.
“Yes. You told me you don’t want to help me sort through it,
so I’ll manage on my own.” He was grateful when the old barn came into view,
his truck parked between it and the ramshackle farmhouse where she’d grown up.
“Right. But if I recall correctly, that just means you’ll
say whatever you think someone wants to hear while going ahead with what you
had planned in the first place.” She braked to a fast halt and jammed the van
into park before sending him a withering look. “At least these days, I know
what to expect from you.”
Levering the driver’s side door open, she hopped down to the
dusty gravel and walked away as fast as her boots would take her. Had he
thought she was non-confrontational? Damn.
Time had changed her, apparently.
Nate watched her go a moment too long for him to convince
himself that it didn’t matter, his surgical scar throbbing in painful time to
the beat of her retreating footsteps.
He’d known that his grandfather was sending him on a fool’s
errand, so it hardly came as a shock that Keely hadn’t given him a warm
welcome. But since he wasn’t about to let his grandfather set the lawyers on a
woman who once meant everything to Nate, he would find a way to smooth things
over between them.
Exiting the delivery van, Nate headed toward his truck,
reminding himself that no hitter worth his salt let himself get down about the
first strike.
He was prepared to go deep in the count. He just needed to
dig in.

Sunny Shelly’s Review: 3.5 Stars

Game On is the first book I’ve read by Joanne Rock, so I wasn’t sure what to expect. What I got was an enjoyable, albeit rather predictable, second chance/sports romance.

Nate left Keely behind years ago when he was drafted to play major league baseball, and he’s now back home in their small town to recover from an injury. His ex girlfriend has taken over her family business, and it’s causing lots of problems for his family’s farm. When Nate is forced to confront Keely about her business matters, it brings up lots of old memories and truths and things that have gone unsaid for far too long.

With lots of time on his hands, Nate sets out to win back the one that got away, but is there too much hurt between them for Keely to forgive him?

This was an okay read. It’s part of a series but reads fine as a standalone. I had some trouble connecting with the characters, and found Keely to be irritating at times. I liked Nate as a character much more. This book has a lot of potential, but I just wanted something more out of it. I found myself more interested in the secondary characters Ty (his teammate) and Alexia (her sister). I’ll definitely be checking out their story, coming next!

I received an advanced copy and voluntarily left a review.

Also Available

 

 

Author Bio
Four-time RITA
nominee Joanne Rock has never met a romance sub-genre she didn’t like. The author
of over eighty books enjoys writing a wide range of stories, most recently
focusing on sexy contemporaries and small town family sagas. An optimist by
nature and perpetual seeker of silver linings, Joanne finds romance fits her
life outlook perfectly–love is worth fighting for. A frequent speaker at
regional and national writing conferences she enjoys giving back to the writing
community that nurtured and inspired her early career. She has a Masters degree
in Literature from the University of Louisville but credits her fiction writing
skills to her intensive study with friend and fellow author Catherine Mann.
When she’s not writing, Joanne enjoys travel, especially to see her favorite
sports teams play with her former sports editor husband and three athletic-minded
sons.
 
Author Links

 

Sunny Shelly’s Review: Saved By Him, by Kristie Leigh
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Sunny Shelly’s Review: Saved By Him, by Kristie Leigh

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Title: Saved by Him
Series: Like a Hurricane Duet #2

Author: Kristie Leigh

Genre: NA Contemporary Romance
Release Date: August 21, 2019

 

Blurb
I’m always running, hiding to avoid
the reality that has become my life. Hunter didn’t deserve the destruction I
left in my wake—I just hope it’s repairable.
Because I need him.
I need him to love
me like he used to, to make me whole again. To remind me that my reality
doesn’t have to be like this.
Most importantly…I
need him to save me.

 

 

ADD TO GOODREADS

Purchase Links

AMAZON US / UK / CA / AU

 

Free in Kindle Unlimited

 

Sunny Shelly’s Review: 4 Stars

Part 2 of the Hurricane duet, Saved By Him is the conclusion to Hunter and Jules’ story. Questions were answered about why Jules left Hunter all those years ago, and I felt more satisfied with the story after reading the second part. I don’t think that Jules’ reasons for ghosting Hunter were vailid; they could have worked something out. But aside from that, this was a good debut from Kristie Leigh.

Hunter is a saint. He hung in there even when he had every reason to turn and walk and leave Jules the way she’d left him. He is amazing with little Callum, and there’s nothing better than a hot guy with a little kid!

I received an advanced copy and voluntarily left a review.

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Playlist

 

Also Available

AMAZON US / UK / CA / AU

Free in Kindle Unlimited

Author Bio
I’m a feisty redheaded Canadian/American who fell in love
with romance novels when my friend Phil bought me a Kindle that hasn’t left my
side since.
My favorite books to read are anything taboo and super sick
and twisted. I’m not sure I will ever write anything dark, but I would love to
give it a shot one day.
I live in South Florida with my high school sweetheart and
three kids.
I grew up in Burlington, ON, Canada but made the move to
South Florida in 2013 and definitely don’t miss the snow.
I’m not sure where this writing journey will take me but
either way, I know it will be a fun new adventure, and I’m super excited about
it.
Author Links

 

 

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Sunny Shelly’s Review: I Hate You, by Ilsa Madden-Mills

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Title: I Hate You
Author: Ilsa Madden-Mills
Genre: Enemies-to-Lovers Football Romance
Release Date: August 19, 2019
Blaze Townsend: I hate you.
Charisma Rossi: I hate you more. 
She’s been expecting this ever since their latest showdown. She had good reason.
Hottest guy she’s ever seen.
Former fling.
Dumped her in front of her friends.
At her own party.
So no, she’s not about to forgive and forget just because he sits next to her in class.
He thinks all he has to do is turn on those baby blues, and she’ll melt right back into his arms. Please. She’d be crazy to let this cocky player affect her again. (Tell that to her body.)
Charisma Rossi.
Nerd girl with a dash of bad.
The one who got under his skin.
The one he cut loose.
Blaze knows she’s the riskiest prospect at Waylon University, but none of the interchangeable girls he hooks up with have ever made him feel the way she did. There’s absolutely no way he can have the girl and the game.
So why can’t he stop trying to win her back?
 
Can this wide receiver score the girl or will he make the biggest fumble of his life?

 
Signed Paperback Giveaway click here
“Need some help?”

I’m on my tiptoes when the question comes, trying to reach a book on the top shelf in the bookstore at the student center. 

My heart does a nosedive off a cliff as that familiar gruff voice washes over me, his accent a smooth drawl that’s reminiscent of hot summer nights and slow kisses—kisses we never had…well, except for that one time freshman year. 

I ignore him and try to grab the book.

“You’re too short. Let me,” Blaze says, this time closer, his voice soft.

I ease back on my feet and whip around, internally wishing I’d worn something more I hate you and don’t you wish you still had me, but sadly, I’m not in my kickass shoes and itchy dress. Today it’s flat-soled red Converse, black joggers, and a Yankees sweatshirt. I blow at a piece of hair in my face. Shit.

Of course, he looks magnificent in a tight long-sleeved black shirt that clings to his broad chest and tapered jeans molded to those leg muscles. His face is unshaven, the darkness on his jawline adding a broody look.

Curse him and his hotness. 

I stare at him a little too long, until I snap out of it.

“I don’t need help,” My voice is strangled as I move to brush past him—forget the textbooks—but he reaches out and takes my elbow.

“Charisma—”

His fingers are a hot brand on my skin—it’s the first time we’ve touched in three months—and I pull away. A tremble starts in my legs. How dare he? It was one thing to see him in a social setting and pretend I was fine, but when we’re face to face without people watching… “Don’t put your hands on me. I’m not your hookup anymore, football player.”

His face reddens, and he drops his arms. “I didn’t mean—” he stops, not finishing as he studies my face.

I wonder what he sees. You know what he sees, Charisma—someone who wasn’t up to his usual standards.

Everything I didn’t say last night rushes out. “Didn’t mean to what? Dump me in the middle of my own sorority’s party in front of all my friends and half of campus? And you know, that’s totally fine. We both knew I wasn’t enough to keep your attention.” 

His jaw clenches and he frowns, his brow furrowing. “I didn’t plan for things to happen that way.”

“How did you want to break up with me? Over candlelight? A text would have worked just fine,” I bite out.

The silence builds between us, and he watches me intently, as if trying to figure me out. He starts at my hair and works his way down to my feet, then comes back to my face. Just when I think I might combust from the intensity of his eyes, he looks away. 

“What?” I cock my hip. “You look like you want to say something.”

He taps his hand against his leg. Ice-blue eyes, ones I used to stare into and get butterflies from, glitter down at me. “You just can’t handle that I ended things, sweetheart.”

“Not your sweetheart.” 

“Never were.”

Shit…shit…my heart feels like an anvil just landed on it, heavy and hard, and I can’t breathe for a second at his words, part of me pissed, the other part devastated. I wanted to be his sweetheart, I did, but he…

You’re not my type. 

“Thanks for the reminder,” I say quietly, my anger folding away piece by piece and slipping into that horrible self-pity I despise. 

He closes his eyes and scrubs his face with those talented hands, strong and big and capable, skillful with a football. 

He steps in front of me, much like he did last night, and I tilt my head back to take him in. At my height of five feet, three inches, it’s hard to glare at a guy who towers over you and not look ridiculous, but I manage—until his eyes flicker with lingering emotion. 

I dart my eyes around the store, searching for a way out, but I’m stuck between him and a bookshelf. “You’re blocking my path.” I focus on his legs. No sexiness there—well, except for the tight muscles under that denim. 

“This is what I know,” he says in a low voice, ignoring my statement. “You told me we were just messing around. You set all the rules. Isn’t that how you operate? So why does me ending things with you even matter?”

“You never asked for more. You could have.” The revealing words fall around us, tinged with hurt, and I want to pull them back. 

The silence between us crackles, yet I’m aware of other people around us. There are a few girls on another aisle, and I glance over as one of them pulls out her phone. No doubt she’s taking a picture of him. Part of me retreats, anxious she’ll get me in that photo—a girl who clearly doesn’t belong. He doesn’t notice. Everyone knows who he is, and they’re probably wondering why he’s talking to me. 

“No, I didn’t,” he finally says, the words taut as if pulled from him unwillingly. He taps his leg, his tell that he’s anxious or angry. We weren’t together long, but every moment we spent together, I studied him like a wine connoisseur given a glass of rare cabernet. I know what makes him laugh, usually random things that make no sense. I know that groan he makes deep in this throat when he slides inside me, like he’s home. I know the feel of his hand when he cups my face and stares at me, a hesitant expression on his face—

“You can’t even look at me anymore. I wonder why,” he says, his voice a challenge. 

Steeling myself, I face those baby blues. “You know why. I wish we’d never met up last fall. I wish you’d never flirted with me. I wish I’d never fucked you that first time in the library—”

“Same page. Same fucking page, Charisma.” And then he’s walking away, broad shoulders swaying as he stalks down the aisle…

Sunny Shelly’s Review: 4 Stars

Another great story in this series of standalones from Ilsa Madden-Mills!

After hooking up for three weeks, football star Blaze dumped Charisma because she “wasn’t his type.” It cut her deep, but she didn’t know that Blaze was hurting as well. It’s now a few months later, the start of a new semester, and Charm is determined to not let him affect her anymore. But when they are partnered in a class, she can’t escape the guy who broke her heart.

Blaze is so terribly broken as a result of his childhood, and everything he does is tainted by thoughts that he doesn’t deserve good things, isn’t worthy of happiness. Football is the only constant in his life, the only thing that hasn’t let him down. But as the NFL draft approaches, Blaze begins to doubt everything about his future.

I loved how real Charm is. She’s a northern, Italian spitfire in the Deep South, and she’s not afraid to speak her mind. Like when she calls Blaze our for being a coward. There’s a lot of growth on his part over the course of this story, and Charm remains a constant in his life, proving to him that he is worthy of being cared for and loved.

IM-M has created a wonderful universe with this series of books, and I loved the journey that this couple took from hating one another (but not really!) to the HEA they get in the epilogue.

I received an advanced copy and voluntarily left a review.

Wall Street Journal, New York Times, and USA Today best-selling author Ilsa Madden-Mills is best known for her angsty new adult romances and romantic comedies.
Eight of her eleven novels have placed in the Amazon Top 10 Best-seller List: Dirty English #1; Fake Fiancée and I Dare You #2; I Bet You, Filthy English, and Very Bad Things #6; Boyfriend Bargain #8; The Last Guy, her collaboration with Tia Louise, #4. 
 
A former high school English teacher, she adores all things Pride and Prejudice, and of course, Mr. Darcy is her ultimate hero. 
 
She’s addicted to frothy coffee beverages, cheesy magnets, and any book featuring unicorns and sword-wielding females. Feel free to stalk her online.
➜ Sign up for phone alert for book releases (only sent three times a year) Text ROMANCE to 21000
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Sunny Shelly Reviews Just Breathe Again, by C.A. Harms
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Sunny Shelly Reviews Just Breathe Again, by C.A. Harms

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Breathe Again bannerJust Breathe Again by bestselling author CA Harms is LIVE!

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I had it all. Truly, I had the perfect life. One filled with happiness and love where the bright smiles of my gorgeous wife and my beautiful daughter greeted me every day. I was a lucky man…

Until I lost it all.

Sometimes, when I close my eyes, I can still see them. My two angels still shining with their never-ending beauty. But those visions always lead me to darkness…

The moment when I find myself alone again. The pain is real and the emptiness inside me only grows with each passing day.

Time will heal me, they say. But they’ve never lived through the loss I have. They’ve never felt the excruciating pain of what it means to have your heart shattered into a million pieces.

They don’t know the guilt I carry.

Sometimes I wonder why I even bother waking up every morning. But if I let go, I let go of them. And their memory is all I have left.

I know I need to move on. I know it’s time to Just Breathe Again…

The problem is I don’t know where to start.

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Sunny Shelly’s Review: 4 Stars

If you want an moody, broody hero who is a tortured soul and doesn’t think he deserves to be happy due to a tragic incident in his past, then Aaron from Just Breathe Again is your guy!

Four years after the tragic death of his young daughter, Aaron is still grieving her death. He’s stuck and not living, just existing. He’s afraid to be happy and move on, fearing that he’ll forget the life that he lost. So Aaron is so confused and tormented when he meets Faith and starts to feel things that he’s long since forgotten about. But how many times can Aaron push Faith away before she walks away for good?
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These two have a great connection. CA Harms does a great job of describing how tortured Aaron is, and how desperate Faith is to have him let her in. There is a lot of push and pull between them before Faith breaks through to Aaron and gets him to see that he is worthy of love, is worthy of a relationship and that moving on does not mean leaving his daughter behind. Just Breathe Again is a wonderful story of self-forgiveness and salvation.

I received an advanced copy and voluntarily left a review.

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MEET THE AUTHOR:

C.A. Harms is an avid romance and mystery reader. She’s always had a love for books, getting lost in writing and storytelling even as a young girl. She enjoys happy endings and HEA love stories.

She lives in Illinois and enjoys spending time with her husband and two children. She holds an addiction for Starbucks White Chocolate Mocha’s and KitKat when she should really be focusing on water and maybe a fruit or two to make herself feel less guilty, but that feeling quickly passes…thankfully.

She is easy going, fun, and although she may seem like one of the quiet ones at first, you just wait until she gets to know you better…that quietness changes, fast.

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Sunny Shelly Reviews Fed Up, by Kathleen Duhamel
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Sunny Shelly Reviews Fed Up, by Kathleen Duhamel

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Title: Fed Up
Author: Kathleen Duhamel
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release Date: August 13, 2019

Together, they sizzled like butter hitting a hot skillet, but will their passion incinerate what’s left of her shattered heart?
 
Chef Shelby Faith Durand, 54, is struggling to make sense of her life following the untimely death of her husband/business partner. She’s sold the successful restaurant they co-owned in a small Virginia town and has been living off insurance proceeds while drowning in grief and worrying about an uncertain future. When a former colleague asks her to fill in on a short-term personal chef job, she reluctantly agrees at the urging of her bossy and concerned adult daughter.
Ian James is troubled, moody, and much too handsome for his own good. An Englishman who’s relocated to the United States, Ian is a 51-year-old television actor whose believes his best years are behind him. He’s been cast in a “wretched” antebellum drama about a family of ghost chasers, shooting on location during a steamy summer in the Shenandoah Valley. He’s worried about his sagging career and failing looks, a teenage daughter who cuts herself, and the fallout from a messy divorce. Isolated and disillusioned, Ian takes consolation in being overfed at night by his new French-trained personal chef.
Neither Shelby nor Ian is looking for romance, yet their mutual attraction is undeniable. While Ian longs for a quiet life away from public scrutiny, Shelby struggles with guilt and regret over losing her husband, while wondering if she can trust a charming man who makes his living pretending to be someone else. Is their tenuous relationship based only on mutual loneliness and lust? And is Ian really the changed man he claims to be?

Sunny Shelly’s Review: 4 Stars

Fed Up was absolutely delightful! I love that these characters are over 40! The fact that Shelby and Ian are in their 50s was incredibly refreshing, as there are so few romances out there that feature more mature characters. I have not read anything by Kathleen Duhamel before, and I was pleasantly surprised!

Not only are these characters robust and rich, but the attention the author gives to all of the recipes was quite impressive! The food becomes another character in this tale, and I have no doubt that Shelby’s creations would be a best-selling cookbook!

The chemistry between Shelby and Ian sizzles from the start, but they are both carrying some major baggage that prevents them from jumping into anything. It’s an amazing slow burn between these two!

I received an advanced copy and voluntarily left a review.

“I don’t particularly like the rain,” she said absently, squeezing my fingers. “But I do love the way the air smells before a storm, don’t you?” I nodded in agreement, enjoying the normality of sitting near her, watching as heavy rain overfilled the storm sewers and began to puddle in the street. Not another living soul was visible, leaving the two of us alone in a watery landscape, its colors muted by overcast skies. 
“Jean-Pierre never got used to all the moisture,” she murmured. “Especially the times when the restaurant’s outdoor oyster bar was rained out. ‘This is bullsheet!’ he used to complain. ‘C’est des conneries!’” 
“You haven’t said too much about him,” I ventured, hoping I hadn’t steered our talk in an unsettling direction. 
“I didn’t know…” Her hesitant voice faded away before she turned to me. “I thought it might make you uncomfortable.” 
“Why would you think that? I’ve told you about my exes.” 
“Yes, but you’ve also had a lot more to talk about.” 
She looked a bit distressed, and I thought for a moment she might change the subject to something less painful. Instead, she sipped her tea, looked out onto the sopping streetscape, and said, “I didn’t only lose my husband on that terrible night. I also lost my business partner and best friend.” 
Moisture welled in her eyes, but she brushed it away with the back of her hand. “I didn’t realize how much I relied on Jean-Pierre until he was gone. I always thought of myself as an independent person, but after he died, I felt so…incompetent. I remember bursting into tears because I didn’t know our trash pick-up schedule. One day for recycled material, another day for household trash, and still another time for lawn clippings. He took care of all that, like he took care of the cats, and so many other things.” 
The Frenchman, it seemed, had left some sizable shoes to fill. 
“You know the worst thing about losing a loved one?” I asked, not really knowing what I’d say next. Her eyes found mine and she blinked back another tear. “All the things you longed to say but always held back, not willing to risk your feelings. Now there’s no more time, and the words in your heart will go unsaid.” 
“That’s beautiful,” she said, pausing to study her lap. She swallowed hard before asking, “Ian, do you ever see your old lover? The married woman who broke your heart?” 
“Only in dreams,” I replied, as my chest constricted. “She died in a car accident several years ago.” 
Our eyes met again for a second or two, and as her expression shifted to one of lustful contemplation, I read her unspoken invitation without the slightest difficulty. Without saying another word, she rose from her chair and clasped my hand, leading me upstairs. Not to my doom, as I once predicted, but to the pleasures of her bed where, on my final night in rain-soaked Virginia, Shelby took me home.
Kathleen wrote and illustrated her first short story at the age of eight and has considered herself a storyteller ever since. After growing up in a small Texas town, she earned a master’s degree in communications from Texas Tech University. Her love of the written word continued throughout her varied career as a newspaper journalist and editor, public relations executive, freelance travel writer, and owner/operator of two small businesses before becoming a published author in 2015.
She is the author of the contemporary romance novels Deep Blue. Deeper, and Deep End, along with a companion novella, At Home with Andre. Kathleen’s stories feature vibrant, smart, and attractive older women—a vastly underrepresented segment of the romance market—who experience love and satisfying sex, despite the various pitfalls that accompany later-in-life relationships. Her newest release, Fed Up, features two troubled Gen-Xers who meet and fall in love at precisely the wrong time.
Kathleen has spent most of her adult life in Colorado, where she lives in the Denver area with her husband, an enormous standard poodle, and a big, friendly cat.
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Sunny Shelly’s Review: Then There Was You Anthology

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THEN THERE WAS YOU is LIVE!

One-Click today for just $.99 http://books2read.com/thentherewasyou

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A Single Parent Collection

14 Authors. 14 Stories.

Sexy Single Dads. Strong Single Moms.

Whispered Prayers of a Girl by Alex Grayson
A lonely man, a widowed woman, a carefree boy, and a broken girl… Can the four come together and help heal each other?

Boss of Me by Angel Devlin
Single dad Jude’s icy exterior keeps women at a safe distance; but fiery Pippa could be about to start a thaw…

Heartbreaker by Anna Brooks
She was never supposed to happen, and her baby girl sure as hell wasn’t part of my plans.

Back to Life by Dani René
Both having been heartbroken in very different ways, Kayla and Caleb find themselves in a very unlikely situation where they can’t deny the electricity coursing between them. Can love really bring them back to life?

Chester by Esther E. Schmidt
Some issues cut deep; they are hard to face and even harder to find a solution for.

Ripple Effect by Evan Grace
One night changed everything.

When Hope Ends (life begins) by Freya Barker
It’s the best day of his life–the worst of hers–when one moment in time leaves their paths unavoidably connected by the single heart beating between them.

Just Because of You by Gianna Gabriela
He broke me. I left. He stayed. Now I’m back.

Fighting For Us by Heather Lyn
She rescued me when I didn’t even know I needed saving. But now lives are on the line, and we might lose our forever, before we even get the chance to start.

Resisting Rayne by HL Nighbor
Their worlds collide and an unlikely friendship forms, but will they continue to fight the pull for something more or give into the pull and take a chance at love?

Tempt Me by Kally Ash
Temptation comes in many forms. Can Gianna or Max resist?

Riddick by Kathy Coopmans
Do you believe in heaven on earth? I did until one day, she vanished.

Wicked Truths by L.A. Cotton
The truth won’t fix anything… it’ll only hurt more. Won’t it?

Hunter by Lauren Dawes
A mate’s death. A rogue wolf. A new life.

THEN THERE WAS YOU features single parents who weren’t looking–didn’t need anyone–until the right someone came along. Experience the highs and lows of parenthood, love lost and gained, and new beginnings with this collection of stories. They’re sure to leave you with a full heart and a smile on your face.

AVAILABLE FOR A LIMITED TIME

One-Click today for just $.99! http://books2read.com/thentherewasyou

Proceeds will be donated to Family Promise, a non-profit organization which addresses family homelessness.

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Sunny Shelly’s Review: 4 Stars

There is something for everyone in this anthology of single-parent romances. Second chances, suspense, friends to lovers, enemies to lovers…. The whole lot!

In Fighting For Us by Heather Lynn, we get the adorable story of nurse Emerson, who takes care of sweet little Lily one day and ends up falling in love with the tyke’s hunky tattoo artist dad, Levi. All is hunky-dory in their lives, until Lily is nearly kidnapped and a few weeks later, Emmy is taken from their home. Who from Levi’s past is out to destroy his future? Will Emmy make it back to him in one piece, or are their dreams forever shattered? This was a page-turner!

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Gianna Gabriela’s story, Just Because Of You, is setting up a future duet in her catalog, and I totally got hooked into the cliffhanger ending between single dad Christian and his high school love, who is back in town after six years away. Will she ever find out why he broke her heart? Will their proximity as high school football coach and elementary school principal cause issues in them rekindling their romance? I need to know!

I received an advanced copy and voluntarily left a review.
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GIVEAWAY!

To enter the giveaway of a HARDBACK version of the collection click HERE!

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Sunny Shelly’s Review: Truly Mine, by Kennedy Fox

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This is a friends-to-lovers roommate romance filled with drama, suspense, and, of course, plenty of angsty slow burn goodness you’ve come to expect in a Kennedy Fox book!

Truly Mine, Book 1

The night we met in the dimly lit bar, she looked like a brunette bombshell, and I wanted to learn her deepest secrets. With sun-kissed skin and soulful bedroom eyes, she was pure temptation, and I was mesmerized. 
 
As one drink led to two, I craved more of her playful banter and taunting lips. Resisting her wasn’t an option, and we quickly became a desperate mess of tangled limbs and hot kisses. She tasted like the sweetest sin, and I was no saint.
 
Once we caught our breaths, and it became obvious that meeting her wasn’t a coincidence, everything changed. Now I must deny her at all costs. 
 

 

Friends. It’s all we can ever be.

 

 
After years of lying to myself and keeping her at a distance, I want to pull her close. Sophie’s on my mind more than ever as my instincts to protect her take over. Regardless of my attempts to help, she pushes me away and makes it clear she doesn’t need me. 
 
I’ll do whatever it takes to keep her safe, to show her I’m the good guy, but one night takes a tragic turn for the worse when her boyfriend and I start throwing punches. 
 
And ends when I’m arrested for his murder.
 
 

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Sunny Shelly’s Review: 5 Stars

Part ONE of a duet! Ends on a cliffhanger!

I love these duets from Kennedy Fox!! Truly Mine picks up at the wedding reception where Hunter and Lennon’s story, Baby Ours, left off: Mason has been arrested for the murder of Sophie’s boyfriend, Weston.

The story is then told through flashbacks three years ago, when Mason and Sophie met for the first time before being introduced by her sister and then-boyfriend, Brandon. They had a hot fling in a bar bathroom, but after Mason realized who Sophie is, he knew it couldn’t go any further. The boy has baggage, and he didn’t want to bring her into his mess. They try to be friends, but Mason feels insanely protective of Sophie and ends up kind of treating her like crap over the next few years. This story runs concurrent with the Lennox/Brandon/Hunter triangle, so we see a lot of the same events happen through Sophie’s POV.

When Sophie starts dating Weston, it’s Mason who realizes what a jerk the guy is and that he’s abusing Sophie. He truly is her knight in shining armor as he saves her from a certain death. They eventually admit their feelings to one another and Mason confesses to her about the demons he battles concerning his ex-girlfriend, and they agree to give a relationship a real chance. But then this story ends on a helluva cliffhanger!

It’s a slow burn for Mason and Sophie, and this story is fully of angsty goodness. September 10 can’t come soon enough! I need the conclusion!

I received an advanced copy and voluntarily left a review.

 
Truly Yours, Book 2

Releasing: September 10th

 
I knew within moments of meeting Mason Holt that he would change my life forever.

I just didn’t realize how much.

As my world spirals out of control, he continues to stay by my side, protecting and taking care of me. 

Being just friends is all he’s been able to offer, that is until both of our lives are threatened. Now that our relationship is blossoming into something more, I can’t be what he needs even if I wished I could.

Bad timing strikes again.

When I think we can finally be together, someone threatens to tear us apart. I’m not the same girl Mason met three years ago, but I’m determined to fight for what I’ve always wanted…him.

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Meet Kennedy Fox: 



Brooke Cumberland and Lyra Parish are a duo of romance authors who teamed up under the USA Today pseudonym, Kennedy Fox. They share a love of Hallmark movies & overpriced coffee. When they aren’t bonding over romantic comedies, they like to brainstorm new book ideas. One day, they decided to collaborate under a pseudonym and have some fun creating new characters that’ll make you blush and your heart melt. If you enjoy romance stories with sexy, tattooed alpha males and smart, quirky, independent women, then a Kennedy Fox book is for you! They’re looking forward to bringing you many more stories to fall in love with!
 
Keep up with all their social media platforms for updates & info!

 

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Sunny Shelly’s Review: Filthy Rich, by Julie Kriss

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🔥 FILTHY RICH by Julie Kriss is LIVE 🔥

A billionaire. His assistant. And a game that could cost both their hearts

Aidan Winters. Gorgeous, brilliant, ruthless, and filthy rich. He’s known as the Man in Black, because New York’s most sought-after bachelor is icy perfection in an all-black suit.

As his executive assistant, I know his suit size, the security code to his penthouse, and the number to his private line. The only thing I don’t know is what would make him fall to his knees for a woman.

And then, one night, I discover Aidan’s sexy secret. And he discovers mine.

Now we play a very dirty game. By day, we’re all business. But by night… he’s not Aidan and I’m not me.

No emotions. No lies. Except for one.

If you think this is a story about a girl who hates her boss, think again.

 

START READING FILTHY RICH TODAY!

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He tasted like man. Like bourbon. Like pleasure. Finally. Finally. I slid my hands under his jacket and let him open my mouth. Incredibly, with the desire that was drenching both of us, he teased me, running his tongue along the inside of my lip, letting his teeth scrape my skin. His fingers pushed into my hair, his thumbs pressing just below my ears, the heat of his body radiating to mine. I ran my hands down his chest, his perfect stomach. God, he was so gorgeous.

He broke away, not moving far from my mouth. “You didn’t say yes,” he said.

I moved my hand further down, slid my fingers beneath his belt. “Yes,” I said.

His body tensed under my touch, his muscles flexing in surprise. I paused my hand. “You’re very forward,” he said.

“Do you object?”

In answer he leaned down and kissed the side of my neck, letting his teeth scrape the sensitive skin. I let out a breath and my eyes closed in bliss. Every nerve ending in my body was on fire.

“I think I can make you a little more obedient,” he said in my ear.

 

 

Sunny Shelly’s Review: 4 Stars

I’ve been a Julie Kriss fan for a while, and have read quite a few books/series of hers. Filthy Rich is a fantastic start to a new series of CEO billionaires, and this story was a bit darker and dirtier than some of her other books that I’ve read.

Aiden keeps to himself, no one knows how this CEO spends his alone time. He’s insanely attracted to his assistant, Samantha, and she’s one of the best he’s ever had. When their attraction gets to the point of having to give in or walk away, they decide to play a sexy game of “pretend” where they are strangers picking the other up. The pretend only lasts so long however before real feelings get involved and lines are crossed. When Aiden decides that he’s the one who wants more, it causes Samantha to run… will Aiden be able to save the biggest deal of his personal life?

I enjoyed this story. It’s sexy and playful, and a new twist on the workplace trope. I wish that we would have seen more from Aiden and Samantha as a legit couple however, and how they navigate that change in their relationship. But overall, this is a sexy indulgence, and I look forward to the other stories in this series.

I received an advanced copy and voluntarily left a review:

Julie loves reading and writing hot, sexy romances with awesome alpha heroes. Her favorite things are books, coffee, her perfect cat, and her husband, not necessarily in that order. She’s a writing addict who is always hard at work on her next steamy romance.
The author is giving away a $50 Amazon GC on her FB page. Stop by to enter for a chance to win. https://www.facebook.com/juliekrissauthor/