REVIVE & OFF THE RECORD 1-4 by Madelynne Ellis-review tour

REVIVE & OFF THE RECORD 1-4 by Madelynne Ellis-review tour

REFLEX
OFF THE RECORD #1
by Madelynne Ellis
Release Date: December 10, 2019
Genre: adult, contemporary, erotic, rock, romance

FREE ebook: Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / B&N / KOBO / Google Play / Chapters Indigo /

When burying your heart and being alone forever is less terrifying than letting your demons out.

Rock guitarist Spook Mortensen wants nothing to do with sex, love, or intimacy. Having had his heart brutally destroyed by the explosive ending of his first real relationship, he’s content to remain celibate forever. Better that than being a monster.

Sound engineer Allegra Hutton can’t forget the mad chemistry that sparked between her and Spook the previous times their paths crossed. They’ve been text buddies for a year.

When their paths collide on the Riviera, the reckless energy that burns between them rekindles and reaches new heights. But Spook has no intention of letting his guard down or Alle in. Good thing Alle’s a born fighter. She’s determined to get her man, and she’s not giving up, even if that means digging into Spook’s past to break through the barriers he erects. Unfortunately, she’s not the only one out to expose him…

•••••

REVIEW:REFLEX is the first instalment in Madelynne Ellis’ contemporary, adult OFF THE RECORD erotic, romance series set in the author’s BLACK HALO world. This is Jan ‘Spook’ Mortensen, and Allegra ‘Alle’ Hutton’s story line. REFLEX can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty but I recommend reading the original Black Halo instalments for back story and history.

NOTE: Due to the nature of the story line premise, there WILL be triggers for more sensitive readers.

Told from three omniscient third person perspectives ( Spook, Alle, and Xane) REFLEX follows the building but struggling relationship between Black Halo guitarist Jan ‘Spook’ Mortensen and sound engineer Allegra ‘Alle’ Hutton. For approximately one year, Alle has tried everything to persuade Spook Mortensen to take a chance but Spook has sworn a personal vow of celibacy in the wake of betrayal and pain years before. Alle is desperate to learn the truth about what causes Spook to back away but as bits and pieces of information are revealed, Alle finds herself falling in love with a man so broken, he doesn’t trust himself or anyone else but all is not well when Spook continues to be the target of aggressive paparazzi, a target that is about to pay for the sins of the past. What ensues is the building romance and relationship between Spook and Alle, and the fall-out as Spook, once again, finds himself at the mercy of someone else.

The world building continues to focus on the rock band Black Halo, but more importantly on the embattled guitarist Jan ‘Spook’ Mortensen.Spook’s past is dangerous and dark; a past that continues to haunt our hero both day and night but a past that is threatening any future with our story line heroine.

The relationship between Spook and Alle begins acrimoniously as Spook continues to push away our story line heroine. Alle doesn’t understand Spook’s need to reject but the heart wrenching truth is about to break Alle’s heart. The $ex scenes are intimate and erotic with some scenes of bondage and spanking.

There is a large ensemble cast of colorful, familiar and often intrusive secondary and supporting characters including all of the members of the band Ginny and Ash (Black Halo 1-3); Xane, Luthor & Dani (Rock Hard 1-3); Paul ‘Rock Giant’ Reed (Reckless Beat), as well as the contentious and virulent paparazzi, and Alle’s brothers Marshall and Ewan.

REFLEX is a thought provoking story of power and control, betrayal and manipulation, love and understanding. The dramatic premise is raw, gritty and haunting; the characters are broken, tragic and struggling; the romance is limited to our couple’s struggle to get beyond what was, and what will be. REFLEX ends on a cliff hanger-you have been warned.

Own a copy

______

REPLAY
OFF THE RECORD #2
by Madelynne Ellis
Release Date: February 24, 2020
Genre: adult, contemporary, erotic, rock, romance

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / B&N / KOBO / Google Play / Chapters Indigo /

When the heart-rending mistakes of your past are stuck on repeat, you’re destined to replay every painful beat.

Rock guitarist Spook Mortensen never had trouble keeping his desires in check until Alle Hutton gate-crashed his life and reignited his libido. Now his life’s careening out of control.

With Black Halo about to embark on their first official cruise and Alle along for the trip, Spook knows that not succumbing to temptation will require constant vigilance and ingenuity.

Alle’s determined to prove to Spook—and everyone else—that his deviant desires don’t make him a monster, and she’s willing to put her heart on the line to prove it. But being in love doesn’t mean she’s blind to reality. She knows Spook’s keeping secrets and that coaxing them out of him will be as, if not more, challenging than enticing him to explore their sizzling chemistry. Luckily, she’s always up for a challenge.

When the return of a figure from Spook’s past leaves him emotionally untethered, Spook and Alle’s burgeoning relationship is put to the ultimate test. When trust is compromised, only the truth will suffice. But can their relationship survive the revelation?

••••

REVIEW: REPLAY is the second instalment in Madelynne Ellis’ contemporary, adult OFF THE RECORD dark, erotic, rock romance series -a part of the Black Halo world. This is the continuing story of rock guitarist Jan ‘Spook’ Mortensen, and sound engineer Allegra ‘Alle’ Hutton. REPLAY should not be read as a stand alone as it picks up after the events and cliff hanger of book one REFLEX.

NOTE: Due to the nature of the story line premise there WILL BE triggers for more sensitive readers including BDMS and same $ex scenarios.

Told from several omniscient third person perspectives including Spook and Alle REPLAY picks up after the events of book one. Black Halo has opted for a smaller tour as several members of the band are either on leave, have quit or are struggling within their personal lives but none more so than guitarist Spook Mortensen. Along with his ‘girlfriend’ Alle Hutton, Spook battles his demons that refuse to let go but as their journey through Europe brings Spook closer to home, the demons he has yet to address, take hold, and threaten Spook’s tenuous hold of his fragile psyche. Lines will be blurred then crossed, heart will be broken and crushed, secrets will reveal the true extent as to Spook’s shattered and splintered existence.

The world building continues to focus on Spook and Alle’s building relationship but also Spook’s friendship and dependency with Xane Geist. The world is about to be shown a monster they never knew existed but a monster that was created by someone else.

All of the previous story line secondary and supporting characters return. Alle’s brothers are about to destroy the man with whom she has fallen in love; and Spook’s past is about to reveal a fictionalized account of what happened in the past.

REPLAY is a story of secrets and lies, betrayal and vengeance, abuse and hatred, power and control. The character driven premise is heart breaking, dramatic and haunting-the complexity of Spook’s demons is dangerous and dark; the romance struggles in the face of secrets; the characters are broken, perhaps beyond repair.

HEED MY WARNING-this is NOT a story for everyone. There are issues that will trigger some readers; there are scenes both in the present and memories from the past that are graphic and heart wrenching. REPLAY ends on a cliff hanger-you have been warned.

_______

REFRAIN
OFF THE RECORD #3
by Madelynne Ellis
Release Date: July 25, 2023
Genre: adult, contemporary, erotic, rock, romance

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / B&N / KOBO / Google Play / Apple / Chapters Indigo /

When your past collides with your present, and you wind up broken, so you walk away, lest you break everyone else.

Rock guitarist Spook Mortensen has spent a decade hiding from his traumatic past. Now everyone knows his secrets, and their judgement leaves him broken inside and out. To avoid destroying everything that matters to him, Spook leaves both Black Halo and the woman he loves.

But there’s no running from the demons that lurk in the darkest corners of your soul, because they hitch a ride with you wherever you run.

There doesn’t seem to be a path out of the darkness, until the band’s irresistible, sex addicted, bad boy frontman swoops in determined to stage an intervention.

Xane’s prepared to do whatever it takes, no matter the sacrifice, to mend the hole in Spook’s heart and ensure he returns to where he belongs – Allegra Hutton’s arms and the Black Halo line-up. What neither of them expects is how intense the bond between them will become.

••••••

REVIEW: REFRAIN is the third instalment in Madelynne Ellis’ contemporary, adult OFF THE RECORD dark, erotic, rock romance series focusing on rock guitarist Jan ‘Spook’ Mortensen, Allegra ‘Alle’ Hutton and Xane Geist.. REFRAIN should not be read as a stand alone as it picks up after the events and cliff hanger of book two REPLAY.

NOTE: Due to the nature of the story line premise, there may be triggers for more sensitive readers including same $ex, multiple partners scenarios.

Told from several omniscient third person perspectives including Spook and Xane, REFRAIN focuses on the aftermath of Spook Mortensen’s latest spiral. The demons from his past have been revealed for all of the world to read; the ghosts refuse to die; and Spook finds himself on the outside looking in as his band Black Halo implodes. His savior comes in the form of bandmate Xane Geist, the man whose own life is precarious at best. Keeping his distance means doing dark from the people he knows and loves but staying dark means rejecting the woman with whom he had fallen in love.

The world building focuses on Spook’s continuing spiral, and the friends who are struggling to keep him alive. Five months will pass, as the band struggles to continue without their friend, five months in which Alle will lose the only man she has ever loved.

Most of the previous story line secondary and supporting characters return, some now figure prominently in leading roles. Spook’s love for Alle is questionable, as his affections are now turned toward someone else.

REFRAIN is another emotional, dark, gritty, heart breaking and haunting instalment in Madelynne Ellis’ BLACK HALO rock romance series. The line between love and hate is blurred; there is no definitive relationship between Spook and Alle, Spook’s mental frailty is dependant upon someone else. REFRAIN ends on a cliff hanger-you have been warned.

________

REVIVE
OFF THE RECORD #4
by Madelynne Ellis
Release Date: August 8, 2023
Genre: adult, contemporary, erotic, rock, romance

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / B&N / KOBO / Google Play / Chapters Indigo /

When you hit rock bottom, the only option left is to rise.

When damaged, elusive rock guitarist Spook Mortensen reunites with his former band to record a new album, it sets him on an unavoidable collision course with his former girlfriend, feisty temptress, producer, Allegra Hutton.

Alle has never given up on her man. Their chemistry remains off the charts, as undeniable now after months apart as the first time they met. Moreover, she sees through Spook’s pain and self-recriminations to the damaged soul beneath.

Only by winning his trust, can Alle hope to mend his heart and secure their future. That means exposing herself to the deviant desires he’s kept in check most of his adult life. Desires her family and the world are still judging him for. Desires that mean, she’ll have to beg him to make her his, while pretending she doesn’t want him to.

•••••••

REVIEW:REVIVE is the fourth instalment in Madelynne Ellis’ contemporary, adult OFF THE RECORD dark, erotic, rock romance focusing on rock guitarist Jan ‘Spook’ Mortensen, and sound engineer Allegra ‘Alle’ Hutton. REVIVE should not be read as a stand alone as it pick up after the events and cliff hanger of book three REFRAIN.

NOTE: Due to the nature of the story line premise, there may be triggers for more sensitive readers.

Told from dual omniscient third person perspectives (Alle and Spook) REVIVE is the culmination of the previous three instalments in which Spook Mortensen’s life had spiralled out of control. With his past controlling his present, Spook Mortensen had gone into hiding, five months without his band, or the woman he loved but five months meant time to ruminate and battle the demons alone. Reuniting with the band forced Spook to reconsider his life going forward but he struggled to face the woman who held his heart. Betrayal and vengeance, mistrust and misunderstanding threatened Jan Mortensen every day of his life; using his friend as his anchor meant admitting the truth about his fears and his need for the people he trusted the most.

Throughout the series Alle Hutton had an uphill battle focusing on the man that she loved but there were people in Alle’s life that thought they knew better, never anticipating the fall-out or cost of their betrayal. Alle’s pain was magnified by Spook’s inability to trust, to trust the woman who was one part of the whole that would save his life.

REVIVE is a story of loss and survival; forgiveness and trust; family and friendships, relationships and love. The premise is heart breaking and emotional; the romance continues to struggle with issues of trust and communication; the characters remain broken yet struggling to heal. REVIVE ends on a happily ever after-for now. Like several members of Black Halo, forever is never a guarantee, sometimes perceived betrayal comes at a cost.

Reviewed by Sandy

Madelynne is a New York Times & USA Today bestselling author. She wrote her first novel after discovering Black Lace Books in the 1990s. Having escaped the Hotel California, she dived into storytelling full-time. Her books are filled with bisexual bad boys who like to get down and dirty, and stories so angst-filled you know they’re going to hurt.

She lives in the UK near the Welsh border, where you can find her surrounded by books, drinking rapidly cooling decaf coffee, and listening to loud music. Her family still haven’t grasped that noise-cancelling headphones really do mean she can’t hear them.

AUTHOR LINKS

Website: https://www.madelynne-ellis.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MadelynneEllis1

Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/Madelynne.ellis.readers

Goodreadshttps://www.goodreads.com/author/show/271150.Madelynne_Ellis

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/madelynne-ellis

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Flickering Heart / Revive by Tricia T LaRochelle-review tour

Flickering Heart / Revive (Sara Browne 1 & 2) by Tricia T LaRochelle-review  & excerpt tour

 

FLICKERING HEART
Sara Browne 1
by Tricia T Larochelle
Release Date: June 2022
Genre: new adult, contemporary, romantic, suspense

FREE ebook-> Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / Amazon.uk / Amazon.au /

Don’t own a Kindle? Download the FREE Amazon Kindle App for your mobile device or pc

Eighteen-year-old Sara Browne is about to step off a cliff. She is taking a giant leap into the world of college—a normal transition for most—but not for Sara. A car accident that scarred her body and soul—and left her orphaned—has dictated six years of isolation, but that was all in her past. She is ready to leave those dark days behind. Her new goals: make a friend, behave irresponsibly (if she’ll allow herself), and go on an actual date.

The last thing Sara is looking for is a complication, but that is exactly what she finds in the hot, six-foot-three blond named Scott Williams, who she meets at the beginning of the school year. Sara is drawn to Scott in a way that she cannot explain, and he seems just as into her. She wants to trust her heart, but Scott’s promiscuous past keeps creeping into their lives. Jealous ex-girlfriends are one thing, but the stranger who defaces her car, sabotages her laptop, and who sends Sara threatening letters is far worse. Someone is determined to destroy her relationship with Scott and the life Sara is trying so hard to rebuild.

By the time Sara finds out who is behind all the trouble, her life is in shambles and she must fight with every ounce of strength and courage to save herself and the man she loves.

••••••••••

REVIEW: Flickering Heart is book one in the Sara Browne series by Tricia T. Larochelle.

Eighteen year old Sara Browne has just started college at Commonwealth University in Charlottesville, Virginia.

This is a huge leap of faith for her as her body, mind and soul is scarred from losing both of her parents to a car accident at a young age. Sara has spent the last six years after becoming orphaned at the private school, away from everything and everyone she knows. As excited as she is for college she is also very scared as this is her first time navigating life as an adult. Luckily she has made a friend in Amy, her new suite-mate.

Stepping out of her comfort zone Amy and her head to their first tailgate, where things don’t go quite as planned. Having never partied before, Sara gets grabbed from behind and spills her beer on Rachael and her Versace outfit. As Rachael loses her mind on Sara, a six three god – Scott comes to her rescue – telling Rachael to calm down. Sara was pretty sure Scott and Rachael were a thing with the way she saw Rachael touching him earlier. But that wasn’t the case. Not at all.

Scott and Sara start hanging out, and despite all of everyone’s warnings of Scott being a “player”, Sara is interested. They spend more time together and the girls from Scott’s past are not happy about it. Sara starts to receive threatening letters, Vandalized messages on her car and someone poured water on her laptop. Sara begins to realize that someone does not like that she is getting closer to Scott. In a whirlwind of romance, Sara falls quickly for Scott and vice versa. But outside conflicts continue to plague their relationship. Someone really isn’t happy that Sara cares for Scott.

When Sara trusts the wrong person, her life gets turned upside down. She has been drugged and raped. When Scott finds out he wants to kill the person that has done this to his Sara. Scott beats the perpetrator within in an inch of his life. Sara must figure out a way to save Scott from ruining his life and going to jail. She knows exactly what she must do.

But can Sara convince the right people that Scott was only protecting her? And what will happen when to Scott. Will his life be ruined by a rash decision to hurt the person that harmed Sara?

This book was a whirlwind of a first relationship for Sara. With everyone telling her that Scott was a “player” and not to be trusted – she has a hard time trusting his word. When Scott keeps information from Sara it only makes matters worse. But will Sara be able to forgive Scott and move past what has happened to her?

Highly recommend – fast read, twists and turns of a first time relationship. The budding relationship of Sara and Scott was heartwarming. You want nothing but the best for Sara, who has had a rough life.

Looking forward to book two in this series.

(Would add a trigger warning for sexual assault.)

 

___________

REVIVE
Sara Browne 2
by Tricia T Larochelle
Release Date: September 29, 2022
Genre: new adult, contemporary, romantic, suspense

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / Amazon.uk / Amazon.au /

Add to Goodreads!

Goodreads https://bit.ly/3Qyv1sU

Traumatic events follow in the footsteps of Sara Browne’s life. On a wobbly foundation, she attempts a new start, with Scott by her side. Trying to navigate a relationship and college life, Sara struggles, looking for ways to heal. She latches onto a story about a student named Carrie Stevens who went missing the year before. As a diversion from her own problems, Sara obsesses over Carrie and what happened to her. She digs deeper, unleashing a terrible secret that rocks her to the core.

••••••••

REVIEW: Revive is book two in the Sara Browne series by Tricia T. Larochelle.

This book centers on Sara’s recovery from her sexual assault. It also caters to Sara and Scott’s relationship and rebuilding trust. The onset begins with Sara having nightmares; Scott is there to help her through each one. Scott becomes the most patient and understanding man ever after experiencing the trauma with Sara.

Absolutely loved their relationship!

Sara spends a lot of time contemplating and thinking while trying to recover.   Sara becomes obsessed with a student that went missing last year – Carrie Stevens.  She picks up bits of information here and there and the more she finds out the more she needs to know.   Carrie disappeared without a trace. With soft encouragement from Amy, Sara seeks out counseling for not only the trauma of her sexual assault, but unresolved issues stemming from her parents passing.   (One session left me a crying, blubbering mess – because what a lesson!!)

Each session of counseling helps Sara take steps forward in the right direction. Sara also decides to join a self-defense class to be able to always protect herself.

 A press conference from the parents of Carrie Stevens for the one year anniversary of being missing, lends more to Sara’s curiosity.  Sara questions Scott if he knew Carrie and he was quick to answer that he only knew her from the posters that were up around the school.  He also gets upset and tells Sara to let it go and stop pursuing information, which was weird to Sara.  Just when Sara starts to get some answers into what happened to Carrie, her best friend Amy goes missing.

Sara begins to track down the people that she had doubts about with Carrie’s disappearance.   Coming too close to the perpetrator,  Sara finds herself kidnapped also and in a shocking twist it is revealed who has kidnapped them.

Sara does everything in her power to save herself and Amy.  She has lost so much in her life, she wasn’t about to lose her best friend also.  Will she be able to save them both?   And what will Scott do when he finds out Sara is missing.

I read this entire book in one sitting.  It was an amazing second book in an equally wonderful series. Looking forward to the next installment. 

Copies supplied for review

Reviews by Erin K

 

 

Copyright 2022 Tricia T. LaRochelleI pried my laptop from my backpack, powered it up, and typed the words, “Carrie Stevens, Commonwealth University.” Within seconds, several article headlines flashed onto the screen, along with some random pictures below them. None of the women in the photos looked anything like Carrie, so I clicked on an Instagram link instead, where I found a treasure trove of images. The first thing I noticed was Carrie’s short, blue hair and thick makeup. This girl wasn’t the all-American-poster girl I had seen at the press conference at the Student Union Building earlier, although there were similarities: her eye color was the same and her facial structure. I scrolled through a picture of Carrie kissing a guy with greasy, long black hair—a wild party exploding in the background. I found another pic of Carrie holding a shot glass in the air, her eyes bloodshot. The last one I saw included Carrie smoking a tightly wrapped cigarette. I peered closer, maybe not a cigarette.
At that moment, Amy entered through the door. When I didn’t look up, she stopped short.
“What are you doing?” She leaned over my shoulder.
“That’s Carrie Stevens.” I glanced over at Amy. “She looks much different, doesn’t she?”
Amy furrowed her brow. “Who? Oh, you mean the girl who went missing? The one from the press conference?”
I nodded. “Yeah, weird, huh?” I pointed haphazardly over the screen. “It looks like she’s changed a lot since her high school graduation photo was taken. She could be your sister, Amy.”
“Why, because she dyed her hair and put on some makeup?” Amy shrugged, before crossing my room and plopping down on my bed. “She looks better if you ask me.”
“Well … yeah. It’s not a bad look. It’s just different. Do you think they questioned Henry—you know when Carrie went missing?” I turned to look at her.
Amy squinted at me. “Who?”
Oh my God, Amy, how could you forget HIM?
I raised both hands in the air, exasperated. “You know. Henry—the man you were just screaming at.”
Amy’s face opened, showing clarity. She nodded. “Oooooh, you mean, Norman Bates. Yes, I’m sure they did. Why?”


 

Since she was a little girl, Tricia T. LaRochelle has been obsessed with tragic love stories. No
beach reads for her. Bring on the grit with a double side of turmoil. She likes to feel the character’s anguish as they fight to overcome obstacles to be together. Growing up in central
Vermont, she has seen her share of tragedy but remains a hopeful romantic. She now lives in
central Virginia where she continues to foster the possibilities of how love can conquer all.

Flickering Heart is the first book in the Sara Browne Series. Stay tuned for updates and announcements on Instagram, Twitter, or sign up for her email list at TriciaLaRochelle.com.

 

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