Kelli writes hot and steamy romances with delicious alpha males who will not stop until they get the women they crave exactly where they want them. Kelli’s heroes are tough as nails, hot as sin, and underneath the rough exterior is a heart of gold begging to be unleashed. If you think you can tame them, you’re probably right, but it won’t be an easy journey. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If you look up the term “alphahole” on Urban Dictionary, it will tell you that it is an “alpha male who is also an a$$hole.” What you should find with that dictionary entry is a picture of L.J. Shen as she is the queen of writing this type of character. Her newest offering, The Kiss Thief, keeps that crown firmly placed on Shen’s head.

“With Wolfe, I felt as if I was on fire. As though he could end me at any given moment, and all I could do was hope for his mercy. I felt safe, but not secure. Desired, but unwanted. Admired, but unloved.”

When you look at her Facebook fan group, the comments rave over Wolfe Keaton, the male protagonist of this newest book. Many have said he is their favorite Shen “alphahole.” And there is credence in that. However, as far as I can see, he is similar to Celian in Dirty Headlines or Vicious in Vicious, the leader of the “Hotholes.” They are men with intent, willing to do anything to get what they want. If it means verbally and emotionally abusing their heroines because they have built emotional walls erected through personal trauma, then they do it. They will bulldoze over anyone to any end. And we love them for it (it turns us on). There is something dirty and romantic about these men because we know, we trust, they will be redeemed, usually by an unassuming woman. Sometimes, this redemption will be great, changing their entire demeanor. Other times, as is the case with Vicious, it shows only in his relationship with his heroine. We love to hate L.J. Shen’s alphaholes; it is what I will call the Shen Effect. Once again, with this book, we love her newest alphahole, Wolfe Keane. He is handsome, brash, arrogant, prideful, self-controlled to a fault, and gives zero “f@*ks” about anyone. Until he meets Francesca, his Nemesis.

What oftentimes gets overlooked (at least in her FB groups) in L.J. Shen’s books is the women. The men dominate the story, but they are only allowed to do so because the women allow them. These are not weak women. No, they are created solely for the alphahole of their story as a way to insert change, bring about retribution, and redirect the hero’s direction. This is no different in The Kiss Thief. By all accounts, Francesca is a caged bird, created solely for marriage and partnership in The Outfit: “I was born into a gilded cage.” From the outside, she appears spoiled and naive. At least, this is Wolfe’s initial impression of her.  However, Francesca is power. She is Nemesis, her identity and costume for the gala in which she meets Wolfe for the first time. Through her story, she inhabits Nemesis, the goddess of retribution, the goddess who brings balance to those whom pride drives motivation. Wolfe becomes her Narcissus, needing to be brought low. With her spirit, her garden, and her sacrifice, Nemesis eventually defeats her Narcissus and wins her HEA. This image, woven through Shen’s book, is powerful. She frames her entire book with it, and we need to pay attention to Francesca’s power even when she seems powerless (in fact, my favorite moment of this book comes midway through, and it shows Francesca’s power over Wolfe in a way that will gut you. It made me cry full tears). She is my favorite part of this book.

“Wolfe Keaton was a kiss thief, but it wasn’t only a kiss that he stole. He stole my heart, too. Ripped it from my chest and put it in his pocket.”

Many of my L.J. Shen peers are saying this is Shen’s best book. I’m not sure about that because I am a personal fan of her Hotholes. However, I do think this book is a top 3 or top 5. It will be one of the best books you will read this year, for sure, and Wolfe and Francesca will stay with you for days. It took me over a week to put this review together because I have struggled to find the words to write about the impression of this book. Ultimately, The Kiss Thief is redemption and acceptance and a reminder to keep hubris at bay, especially in the realm of love.

“We were co-dependent, and we had to co-exist. One without the other was a dormant being. To be alive and not really living was a terrible curse.”

Overall:⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️++

In love and romance,

Professor A

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

THE KISS THIEF BY L.J. SHEN

Release Date: January 7th/9th

Cover Designer: Letitia Hasser at RBA Designs.

 

 

Add to Goodreads:
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/41450662-tk

Blurb
They say your first kiss should be earned.

Mine was stolen by a devil in a masquerade mask under the black Chicago sky.

They say the vows you take on your wedding day are sacred.

Mine were broken before we left the church.

They say your heart only beats for one man.

Mine split and bled for two rivals who fought for it until the bitter end.

I was promised to Angelo Bandini, the heir to one of the most powerful families in the Chicago Outfit.

Then taken by Senator Wolfe Keaton, who held my father’s sins over his head to force me into marriage.

They say that all great love stories have a happy ending.

I, Francesca Rossi, found myself erasing and rewriting mine until the very last chapter.

One kiss.

Two men.

Three lives.

Entwined together.

And somewhere between these two men, I had to find my forever.

 

Excerpt
“Are you sure you’re on my card?” I turned to the man with a polite yet distant smile. I was still disoriented from the exchange with Angelo when the stranger pulled me against his hard body and pressed a possessive hand lower than socially acceptable on my back, a second from groping my butt.

“Answer me,” I hissed.

“My bid on your card was the highest,” he replied dryly.

“The bids are undisclosed. You don’t know how much other people have paid,” I kept my lips pursed to keep myself from yelling.

“I know it’s nowhere near the realm of what this dance is worth.”

Un-freaking-believable.

We began to waltz around the room as other couples were not only spinning and mingling but also stealing envious glances at us. Naked, raw ogles that told me that whomever the blonde he’d come to the masquerade with was, she wasn’t his wife. And that I might have been all the rage in The Outfit, but the rude man was in high demand, too.

I was stiff and cold in his arms, but he didn’t seem to notice—or mind. He knew how to waltz better than most men, but he was technical and lacked warmth and Angelo’s playfulness.

“Nemesis.” He took me by surprise, his rapacious gaze stripping me bare. “Distributing glee and dealing misery. Seems at odds with the submissive girl who entertained Bishop and his horsey wife at the table.”

I choked on my own saliva. Did he just call the governor’s wife horsey? And me submissive? I looked away, ignoring the addictive scent of his cologne, and the way his marble body felt against mine.

“Nemesis is my spirit animal. She was the one to lure Narcissus to a pool where he saw his own reflection and died of vanity. Pride is a terrible illness.” I flashed him a taunting smirk.

“Some of us could use catching it.” He bared his straight white teeth.

“Arrogance is a disease. Compassion is the cure. Most gods didn’t like Nemesis, but that’s because she had a backbone.”

“Do you?” He arched a dark eyebrow.

“Do I…?” I blinked, the courteous grin on my face crumpling. He was even ruder when we were alone.

“Have a backbone,” he provided. He stared at me so boldly and intimately, it felt like he breathed fire into my soul. I wanted to step out of his touch and jump into a pool full of ice.

“Of course, I do,” I responded, my spine stiffening. “What’s with the manners? Were you raised by wild coyotes?”

“Give me an example,” he said, ignoring my quip. I was beginning to draw away from him, but he jerked me back into his arms. The glitzy ballroom distorted into a backdrop, and even though I was starting to notice that the man behind the demi-mask was unusually beautiful, the ugliness of his behavior was the only thing that stood out.

I am a warrior and a lady…and a sane person who can deal with this horrid man.

“I really like Angelo Bandini.” I dropped my voice, slicing my gaze from his eyes and toward the table where Angelo’s family had been seated. My father was sitting a few seats away, staring at us coldly, surrounded by Made Men who chatted away.

“And see, in my family, we have a tradition dating back ten generations. Prior to her wedding, a Rossi bride is to open a wooden chest—carved and made by a witch who lived in my ancestors’ Italian village—and read three notes written to her by the last Rossi girl to marry. It’s kind of a good luck charm mixed with a talisman and a bit of fortunetelling. I stole the chest tonight and opened one of the notes, all so I could rush fate. It said that tonight I was going to be kissed by the love of my life, and well…” I drew my lower lip into my mouth and sucked it, peering under my eyelashes at Angelo’s empty seat. The man stared at me stoically, as though I was a foreign film he couldn’t understand. “I’m going to kiss him tonight.”

“That’s your backbone?”

“When I have an ambition, I go for it.”

A conceited frown crinkled his mask, as if to say I was a complete and utter moron. I looked him straight in the eye. My father taught me that the best way to deal with men like him was to confront, not run. Because, this man? He’d chase.

 

 

About the Author
L.J. Shen is an International #1 best-selling author of Contemporary Romance and New Adult novels. She lives in Northern California with her husband, young son and chubby cat.

Before she’d settled down, L.J. (who thinks referring to herself in the third person is really silly, by the way) traveled the world and collected friends from all across the globe. Friends who’d be happy to report that she is a rubbish companion, always forgets peoples’ birthdays, and never sends Christmas cards.

She enjoys the simple things in life, like spending time with her family and friends, reading, HBO, Netflix, and internet-stalking Stephen James. She reads between three to five books a week and firmly believes Crocs shoes and mullets should be outlawed.

Connect with L.J. Shen
Website: http://www.authorljshen.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authorljshen/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/lj_shen
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/authorljshen/
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/authorljshen/
Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/l-j-shen
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/13531492.L_J_Shen
Amazon: https://amzn.to/2KSFkad

 

 

Read my review for A Place Without You here.

A Place Without You, an all-new emotional New Adult romance from Jewel E. Ann, is available now!

The Law of Henna and Bodhi:

When love breaks, fall inward, fall together, and fall hard. Then let time pick up the pieces.

Everything feels temporary when you’ve experienced tragedy—until Henna Lane meets Bodhi at a music festival.

Young and spontaneous, they have a lust for seizing the moment, falling hard and fast.

When Bodhi is forced to leave without a goodbye, Henna thinks she’ll never get over him. But then she meets Mr. Malone, her sexy, new guidance counselor.

They are reckless.

They are forbidden.

When their secret is discovered, Henna has to choose between finishing school—banned from seeing Mr. Malone—or dropping out to follow her nomad dreams.

Henna chooses her dreams.

Over time, she learns that life is not a destination or a journey, some things are more than temporary, and the forbidden can never be ignored. But if she returns for him, will he still be hers?

A Place Without You is an emotional story of young love, shattered dreams, and impossible decisions.

Download your copy today or read FREE in Kindle Unlimited!

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2ApZXGR

Amazon Worldwide: http://mybook.to/APlaceWithoutYou

Add to GoodReads: http://bit.ly/2AHhTNT

Excerpt:

“Let’s eat before we leave. I’m sure there’s quite the spread downstairs.”

“Rich people breakfast?” I ask.

She furrows a brow for a few seconds. “Yes. I suppose so.” Rolling away, she swings her legs around and stands up, stretching like a cat.

“Do you eat rich people breakfast every morning?” My curiosity has been piqued.

After a long yawn, she cocks her head to the side, lips slightly twisted. “Shredded Wheat with cut-up banana and almond milk. Is that a rich person’s breakfast?”

I sit up, doing a bit of my own stretching, loving the way her gaze roams along my bare chest, her lips parting ever so slightly. “No. I think that’s a solid middle-class breakfast.”

“Middle. That’s average. Average is good, right?”

“There’s nothing average about you, Henna.” I stand, following her into the bedroom.

“I’m going to shower quickly, and by quickly I mean I need an hour. Do you have an hour?”

“To shower with you?” I try to play it cool, like I’m serious.

I’m a little serious.

The color leaves her face. “Oh, um …” She twists her fingers together, drawing her shoulders inward.

“I’m kidding.”

A little kidding.

Henna’s posture relaxes as her cheeks pink up again. “We could.” Her gaze darts around the room before landing on mine for two seconds only to wander around the room again.

“My clothes are at my hotel. I’ll shower there. I need to get going.”

A slow sigh deflates her chest as she tries on a smile that misses the confident mark by a few centimeters. “Okay.”

“But thanks for the offer.” I wink.

More color paints her cheeks, and it looks stunning on her. “I kinda sorta thought we’d have sex last night, but we didn’t, and that’s fine, but now I don’t know what comes next.”

Does that make me the world’s biggest idiot for not taking what she was planning on offering? Or does that make me a gentleman? I’ve already fucked her a hundred different ways in my head, so I’m going to shy away from the gentleman label.

“How about you put my number in your phone and I’ll call you later today? That feels like a good next, don’t you think?”

Henna nods and turns, walking toward the bedroom door. Digging through her purse, she retrieves her phone. When she pulls it out, a string of three condoms comes out with it. “Oh jeez.” Quickly snatching them off the floor, she shoves them back into her purse.

I don’t respond because I’m not sure what the correct response should be.

“I was conceived at Coachella.” She hands me her phone with the contact screen open, ready for my information.

Taking her phone, I give her an expectant look, but she withholds all elaboration.

“And by conceived, you mean physical conception, not merely an idea kind of conception?” I hand her phone back and give her mine.

“In the shadows behind a stage. I know more details than most people should actually know about the moment they were conceived.” She lifts a shoulder in a small shrug. “But Juni is my best friend. She’s the absolute coolest mom ever, and the story of how she met my dad is my favorite story ever.”

I nod as she keeps her chin tipped toward the screen to my phone. “Why is that?” I take my phone back when she holds it out to me.

“Yin Yang. Opposites. Laws of the universe.” She wears a satisfied smile. “My parents were temporary. I was permanent.” Holding out her arms, she inspects her henna tattoos as if seeing them for the first time. “My mom had henna tattoos on her body when she met my dad. Henna grows in intensity over a few days before fading to nothing. It’s magical and beautiful and then it’s gone. My parents say that about their love for each other. It grew quickly into something deep and intense, but over time it faded. Their love—like most everything in life—was temporary.”

“We’re temporary.”

Her empty stare shifts to meet my gaze and she nods. “Don’t sweat it. Everything is temporary. But today…” she walks into my chest, and my arms wrap around her as she looks up at me “…we should be at our brightest, our most intense.”

About Jewel:

Jewel is a free-spirited romance junkie with a quirky sense of humor.

With 10 years of flossing lectures under her belt, she took early retirement from her dental hygiene career to stay home with her three awesome boys and manage the family business.

After her best friend of nearly 30 years suggested a few books from the Contemporary Romance genre, Jewel was hooked. Devouring two and three books a week but still craving more, she decided to practice sustainable reading, AKA writing.

When she’s not donning her cape and saving the planet one tree at a time, she enjoys yoga with friends, good food with family, rock climbing with her kids, watching How I Met Your Mother reruns, and of course…heart-wrenching, tear-jerking, panty-scorching novels.

Connect with Jewel:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authorjeweleann/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/JewelE_Ann

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/authorjeweleann/

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/jewel-e-ann

Stay up to date with Jewel by joining her mailing list:

http://www.jeweleann.com/free-booksubscribe/

http://www.jeweleann.com

 

 

 

COVER REVEAL

A Standalone Contemporary Romance Novel

NY Times, USA Today, and #1 Wall Street Journal Bestselling Author Penelope Ward

RELEASE DATE: February 25, 2019

Synopsis:

What do you do when a sexy, older man moves into your family’s summer rental?

Well, apparently, you make a fool of yourself—over and over. Things didn’t exactly get off on the right foot with Noah Cavallari. Our first encounter was embarrassing, to say the least.

But despite that, I found myself waking up every day with a new-found energy. Nothing exciting ever happened on the lake—not until Noah moved into the small boathouse on our property. He’d booked it for the entire summer…and I was still trying to figure out why.

When my mother became ill, I inherited the responsibility of making sure our guests were well taken care of. I should have been in college. Instead, I was living my best life…as a maid.

Dark, handsome, and mysterious, everything about Noah screamed forbidden.

I knew he was just passing through town for the summer.

I knew he was probably too old for me.

Yet, I was drawn to him.

Not to mention, he tried to save my life when he mistakenly thought I was drowning.

I wanted him and made no secret of it.

His own attempts to warn me away soon gave way to late-night moonlight chats by the lake. We were slowly easing into a friendship that was gearing up to explode into something I might not recover from.

Because he’s leaving at the end of the summer.

And I have no idea what I’ll do when August ends.

Photo/Cover Details:

Cover designer: Letitia Hasser, RBA designs

Cover Model: Joseph Cannata

Cover Photography: Adam Zivo

**Watch out for a special sneak peek excerpt of

When August Ends on February 20th!**

LINKS TO WHEN AUGUST ENDS:

Apple Books ➜ https://apple.co/2Tj776z

Amazon Print ➜https://amzn.to/2RqwLJs

Add to Goodreads ➜ https://bit.ly/2VjWx13

Sign up to be alerted when it goes live on Amazon here: http://eepurl.com/MnXoH

**No Amazon e-book preorder. Will go live on/around release day.

About the Author:

Penelope Ward is a New York Times, USA Today and #1 Wall Street Journal bestsel-ling author of contemporary romance.

She grew up in Boston with five older brothers and spent most of her twenties as a television news anchor. Penelope resides in Rhode Island with her husband, son, and beautiful daughter with autism.

With over one-point-five million books sold, she is a twenty-time New York Times bestseller and the author of over twenty novels.

Sign up for Penelope’s mailing list: http://eepurl.com/MnXoH

Find Penelope here:

Website: http://www.penelopewardauthor.com

Gmail: penelopewardauthor@gmail.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/penelopewardauthor

Facebook Fan Group (Penelope’s Peeps): https://www.facebook.com/groups/PenelopesPeeps/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/PenelopeAuthor

Instagram: @penelopewardauthor http://instagram.com/PenelopeWardAuthor/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7105545.Penelope_Ward?from_search=true

Other books from Penelope Ward

Standalone Novels

Love Online:

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2obQRa2

Apple Books: https://apple.co/2LzO4om

B&N: http://bit.ly/2wfHUQO

Kobo: http://bit.ly/2MYBexz

Google Play: http://bit.ly/2ORdVWT

Audio: https://adbl.co/2KAWnMq

Gentleman Nine

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2KoRJC5

iBooks: http://bit.ly/2D7K7Qi

Nook: http://bit.ly/2EPuDCn

Kobo: http://bit.ly/2nMeoP3

Google Play: http://bit.ly/2C9ESTm

Drunk Dial

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2rcBbVl

iBooks: http://apple.co/2tq7dRz

Nook: http://bit.ly/2xeEH2H

Kobo: http://bit.ly/2ihXnMD

Google Play: http://bit.ly/2LzQ2Fg

Mack Daddy

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2regybn

iTunes: http://apple.co/2iNrIPj

B&N: http://hyperurl.co/aiypfj

Kobo: http://hyperurl.co/r3hv19

Google Play: http://bit.ly/2LhHZxB

RoomHate

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2rficJw

iTunes: http://apple.co/1PgsvE7

B&N: http://bit.ly/1PLGnSL

kobo: http://bit.ly/1POvSnW

Google Play: http://bit.ly/2JMo306

Stepbrother Dearest

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2FBxe1G

ITunes: http://bit.ly/YER0mT

B&N: http://bit.ly/1taMFjG

kobo: http://bit.ly/1fJaaBs

Google Play: http://bit.ly/2JJV90V

Neighbor Dearest

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2JJQPz2

iTunes: http://apple.co/29mC6L8

B&N: http://bit.ly/2akQ2aq

Kobo: http://bit.ly/2axt1SY

Google Play: http://bit.ly/2LFzZTn

Jaded and Tyed (A novelette)

Amazon Print only: https://amzn.to/2JLzTYJ

Audio: https://adbl.co/2LVET1V

Sins of Sevin

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2I6i3T6

iTunes: http://apple.co/1K8mzGg

B&N: http://bit.ly/1hTKAKE

kobo: http://bit.ly/1OaGY3D

Google Play: http://bit.ly/2LImsup

Jake Undone

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2KoQnYd

iTunes: http://apple.co/1fJayQ8

B&N: http://bit.ly/1obAwJ6

kobo: http://bit.ly/1SPKl0M

Google Play: http://bit.ly/2uU45v3

Jake Understood (Jake #2)

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2rbAlZQ

iTunes: http://apple.co/1DQQwgC

B&N: http://bit.ly/1FwJC0z

kobo: http://bit.ly/1LQ7Fvk

Google Play: http://bit.ly/2JHWUM0

My Skylar

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2Fwe78V

iTunes: http://bit.ly/SLNOTR

B&N: http://bit.ly/SLO1qi

kobo: http://bit.ly/1kNrtAB

Google Play: http://bit.ly/2mzqkmn

Gemini

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2rggfwv

iTunes: http://apple.co/1QTaONj

B&N: http://bit.ly/1KfmLHD

kobo: http://bit.ly/1BGJ2wu

Google Play: http://bit.ly/2zYoXXP

BOOKS BY PENELO-PE WARD & VI KEELAND:

Hate Notes:

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2RrY8iw

Amazon UK: https://amzn.to/2qxG2R2

Audio: https://amzn.to/2zR81AE

The Rush Series (2 Book Series)

Rebel Heir

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2JHynHe

iBooks: https://goo.gl/iG6fmD

B&N: http://smarturl.it/ubjd6b

Kobo: https://goo.gl/iU76VK

Rebel Heart

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2KuY8Me

iBooks: https://apple.co/2oleXyJ

B&N: http://smarturl.it/ew2ggj

Kobo: http://bit.ly/2H7FRCm

Cocky Bastard

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2JIy7HT

iTunes: http://apple.co/1PffE2J

B&N: http://bit.ly/1EjxNpY

Kobo: http://bit.ly/1UxCSUO

Stuck-Up Suit

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2KvRMfE

iBooks: http://apple.co/1Qbwy57

B&N: http://bit.ly/29vrQhV

Kobo: http:// bit.ly/1RJdUif

Playboy Pilot

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2HFAtec

iBooks: http://apple.co/1Wb06Cf

B&N: bit.ly/2caXPEK

Kobo: http://bit.ly/2cJDXO1

Mister Moneybags

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2HFgHzm

iBooks: http://smarturl.it/3y1tuq

B&N: http://smarturl.it/kx7h8m

Kobo http://smarturl.it/qqf5ho

British Bedmate:

Amazon: http://amzn.to/2sGyJbZ

Apple Books: http://smarturl.it/y4x3xi

B&N: http://smarturl.it/o780mb

Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/dear-bridget-i-want-you

Google Play: http://bit.ly/2LANW8s

WHEN AUGUST ENDS – RELEASING FEBRUARY 25, 2019

Apple Books ➜ https://apple.co/2Tj776z

Amazon Print ➜https://amzn.to/2RqwLJs

Add to Goodreads ➜ https://bit.ly/2VjWx13

Sign up to be alerted when it goes live on Amazon here: http://eepurl.com/MnXoH

**No Amazon e-book preorder. Will go live on/around release day.

KEEP AN EYE OUT FOR A SPECIAL SNEAK PEEK EXCERPT OF

WHEN AUGUST ENDS ON FEBRUARY 20th!