DECEIVE ME (SOUTHERN NIGHTS #4)

Elliot Smith has trained hard to live alone and work alone, even when it comes to her job as a security specialist for JCL Security. No relationships, no ties, except the one to the man who kidnapped and murdered her mother. She’ll do anything to kill Martin Diako, the untouchable South African pirate king. When Deacon Walsh walks into her office, she finally sees a chance to do just that.

Deacon went from soldier to mercenary warrior to stay-at-home dad, and now his past is back to haunt him. Martin Diako, the father of the terrorist Deacon killed two years ago, is coming for revenge, and he has his sight set on Deacon’s daughter. An heir for an heir. Deacon will do anything to protect her, even if it means asking for help. But the security team he’s hired comes with an added complication: the only woman to interest him since his wife died.

Deacon always leads his team, and Elliot protects hers. They might have one chance at their enemy—if they can work together. Will their hunger for each other pull them together, or push them apart?

Release Date: March 14, 2017

Southern Nights series book #4

Romantic Suspense

Review copy provided by the publisher

Nikki's Reveiw: 

I stumbled upon Ella Sheridan when I saw a post on Facebook about her first book in the Southern Nights series. I’m always cautious trying new to me authors. I'm pretty specific in what I like when it comes to romance. From that very first book I read, I have been hooked! I'm so happy that I gave her books a try! 

I've always thought Ms. Sheridan was a talented writer. She writes characters that draw me in and they make me care about them. I always want more when the book is finished. Not because the story isn't solid or complete, it's because I fall hard for the hero and heroine. I want to stay in their world a little longer. I fully anticipated enjoying this latest addition to a fantastic series. But I wasn't prepared to be so overwhelmed with emotion and heart racing excitement. Deceive Me is something special. 

The writing, as always, is phenomenal. The scenes are detailed, but not so much that I find myself skimming and wishing the author would just get on with it. The characters feel real. I always get a good sense of what Ella's characters are feeling, even when they're not saying anything. Maybe it's the way she so easily describes their body language or facial expressions. 

Elliot is a kick ass heroine! The scene where she firsts meets Deacon Walsh had me laughing out loud! She puts him in his place so completely that he's left in utter shock! It was amazing! There's a lot going on in her head and heart that help to soften her up a bit. But what you see on the outside is a woman determined to obliterate the man that haunts her nightmares. 

Deacon has spent almost two years picking up the pieces of his life after the death of his wife. I really liked being able to see all his vulnerability under his warrior exterior. He's all alpha male, but I got a really good sense of his struggles to keep it all together and protect his daughter from an enemy. 

There's a ton of chemistry between these two. Right from the get go...even when Elliot puts Deacon on his ass. That just made him want her more. There's so much sexual tension in this book. Every time I thought we'd get to the hot sweaty sexy times, they'd pull back! I was all like...No!! Just have naked times already! But they needed to have the slow burn. And when they finally did get to the sheet yoga...sweet baby Jesus! It was so damn good!

There are secrets between Elliot and Deacon. They could very well destroy any chance they have to be together. Elliot doesn't trust easy, and ripping open the wounds on her heart to let Deacon in is utterly agonizing. She's been hired to help him protect his daughter. He needs to have full faith and trust in her to always tell him everything. When all of this comes to a head it left me breathless. The emotion in this book is like nothing Ella has written before, at least in my opinion. I snot and bawled like a toddler. My heart hurt for Elliot. The way she punishes herself after Deacon finds out her secret is soul shredding. 

There's so much that makes this book great. There's action, romance, lumpy throat emotion, sexy times, and laughs. The camaraderie between the team mates makes this series feel like a family saga. And they are family, not by blood, but by choice and circumstance. Elliot has a band of over protective brothers in her team mates. They are all up in her business. They don't try and smother her independence or strength, they just have her back...always.

I wish I could tell you all the specific things that I adored about this book, but then I'd be robbing you of the experience to see for yourself. I truly think that, Deceive Me is Ella Sheridan's best book yet! I was gobsmacked by how much I loved it. I know I shouldn't be surprised since I've loved everything else she's put out. But she really outdid herself with this one! 

Rating: 5 Stars (A+)

TAKE ME (SOUTHERN NIGHTS #3)

A nightmare coming to an end…

Peyton Harrison came to Claywater to bring her kidnapped son home. The last thing she expects is to run into Gabe Harrison, the man who abandoned her before her son was born. Her body might want to take up where they left off, but her heart remembers Gabe’s betrayal all too well—and everything she’d risk for momentary pleasure.

A past catching up to them…

Gabe always knew he’d share the love of his life with his twin brother, Sam, except he’d found that love far too young. He did the honorable thing and walked away, but now an adult Peyton is in his hometown and keeping secrets behind her world-weary eyes.

Sam is knee-deep in a drug investigation threatening the town he loves. Peyton’s arrival is a distraction he doesn’t need; still, he can’t deny her pull. He and Gabe have always stood together, but now the one woman they both want may be the one thing that divides them.

A future threatened…

When violence shatters their world, the past and present intertwine in ways none of them expected. Anticipating their enemy’s next move is the only way to keep their son safe, but what about their hearts?

Release Date: June 29, 2015

Southern Nights Book 3

Copy provided by the author for an honest review

Nikki's Review

I stumbled upon Ella Sheridan’s books a few months back. I purchased book 1 in The Southern Nights and was hooked! Man, what a fabulous writer! Solid plots, easy flowing dialogue between the characters and really yummy alpha males! That right there is the recipe for an awesome romance novel!

I’m not sure there is anything worse in the world, than the loss of a child. Except maybe losing a child and never knowing what happened to them. Peyton Harrison has never given up hope in finding her baby boy Micah. He was taken so cruelly from her 6 years before by someone she knew and trusted. After getting a lead on where her son is, she puts in motion a plan to get him back. Her journey lands her in the town of Claywater, and back into the arms of the man who broke her heart years before, Gabe Harrison. Gabe thought he was doing the noble thing by leaving Peyton in the middle of the night after their first and only intimate encounter. He was older than her and wanted things that he thought a 17 year old Peyton wouldn’t be able to handle. He wanted to share his lady with his twin brother, Sam. Little did he know that he was also leaving behind an unborn son.

As a mom myself, I could so clearly feel Peyton’s grief over her sons kidnapping. At times my breath would catch because I would put my sons face in place of Micah's. The anguish that Ms. Sheridan wrote was palpable. It’s the never knowing that’s killed Peyton a little more everyday. Never knowing if her boy was alive or dead. I can imagine, but hope to never know those emotions that were laid out in a such a realistic way.

I really liked Peyton. She was completely broken but refused to give up hope. She always managed to pull up her big girl panties and get stuff done. She had just enough of that feminine vulnerability that I love in a heroine and a kick ass attitude that made her unwilling to be someones doormat. When she and Gabe are finally reunited, there is some serious chemistry shooting off the page! Man, she is righteous in her anger and with every right. Gabe abandoned her. And she refuses to let his gorgeous lopsided smirk make her panties melt. At least thats what she keeps telling herself! Add in a twin? Wowza! Double the hotness and tingly girlie bits.

Gabe has never forgotten Peyton or how much he loved her. He wants her back and he wants to share her with his twin, Sam. I drooled over this double assault of hot smokin’ alpha male, gonna have my female attitude. I’ll never look at twin hotties the same way again! From the get go, Sam and Gabe want to be there for Peyton, and once the truth about why she’s really in town comes out, there’s no way those two are going anywhere. And what’s a girl to do but open her heart to two men who only want to worship her and be fathers to her son? These three characters turn up the heat a thousand notches when they come together. Why, Ms. Sheridan, you may have made me feel all flushed! I think I actually had butterflies in tummy. Seriously, the love scenes are swoon worthy and totally delicious!

The action in this book was well done. I never felt like it was taking away from the romance aspect that I crave. It was a fantastic supporting plot that kept things flowing and absolutely interesting outside of the bedroom! The bad guy is a smooth, suave douche bag who I wanted to throat punch once or twice, but that’s the sign of a well written jerk right?! I enjoyed the task force meetings between the lawmen. The way it was written, I felt like I was sitting in the room with these policemen. The conversation moved along quickly but I didn’t feel like I needed a background in law enforcement to follow along. 

Aside from the kidnapping scenario, there were other sniff worthy moments in this book. Sam and Gabe felt real to me. They had real reactions and emotions when a friend was killed. When Sam cried, I could’ve fallen to my knees. It tore my heart out. Not everything that made me all lumpy throated was horrible though. When Peyton is finally reunited with her son, I felt like I could take a deep breath again. Again, I think it’s the mom in me that could so relate. I could feel myself hugging my babies. It was a good feeling.

Though this is the third book in the series, you don’t need to read the previous books to follow along well. Do yourself a favor though…READ THEM ALL! They are so worth the time and money. Ella Sheridan has written a series that drew me in from the beginning and made me beg (harass?) her for more!