GIVEAWAY and REVIEW: Selling Scarlett by Ella James

June 26, 2013 Julie Uncategorized 4

SELLING SCARLETT
BY ELLA JAMES
NA CONTEMPORARY ROMANCE

ABOUT THE BOOK

Elizabeth DeVille doesn’t belong at a party like this—one where the gowns cost more than her Camry and cigars run higher than her grad school utility bills. Dragged out of seclusion by her best friend Suri, Elizabeth is merely playing dress-up, rubbing elbows with a crowd that banished her troubled family years ago.

Hunter West is tired. Tired of parties, tired of pretending, and tired of trying to right a wrong that haunts him every day. Bourbon heir and professional poker player by day, by night Hunter is gambling with his life in a high-stakes game of crime and blackmail.

When Elizabeth stumbles into Hunter’s den of vices, she’s a light in the darkness, a flame in the void. And, just like everything he touches, Hunter mars her in a record time. To rectify the damage done, Elizabeth needs money she doesn’t have, and she’s come up with a foolproof way to get it.

Follow Elizabeth—code-named Scarlett—to the lush Nevada brothel where she’ll auction her virginity and risk the only thing that’s not for sale: her heart. The highest bidder is a familiar face, with wicked hands and the devil’s mouth. And a secret so dark that it could cost her life.

***RECOMMENDED FOR READERS 17+ DUE TO SEXUALITY AND MATURE LANGUAGE.***

REVIEW

Ella James is one of the “original indies”. She burst onto the scene with her best-selling paranormal romance series, STAINED back in 2011 and she never looked back. My first Ella James book was HERE, a fantastic young adult science fiction novel that captivated my attention because of her one hundred percent original plot. That’s what I remember most about Ella, how original her plots are. HERE was a five star read for me, and Selling Scarlett is no different.

The Selling Scarlett premise sounds simple at first. If you just read the blurb you get a few things – Elizabeth DeVille needs money. She’s a virgin. She auctions off her virginity. That’s not even close to what this book is really about. This plot is thick, filled with action, sex, violence, politics, friendship, and above all—romance.

I loved all the main characters, at least those who were meant to be loved. Elizabeth DeVille is complex, original, and deep. We get to see her change from the insecure grad student in the beginning of the book—the girl who never had a boyfriend, who was a little bit on the pudgy side, and who lacked confidence. To the totally ravishing, confident, and much more experienced “Scarlett” at the end. I enjoyed her journey.

Hunter West is not what he first appears either. Oh, sure, he’s a playboy. He deserves every bit of his semi-tarnished reputation. But he’s not a killer. And this book is really about him just as much as it’s about Elizabeth. Hunter West is the last person to spend time with a high-class prostitute names Sarabelle and now Sarabelle is missing.

This just barely scratches the surface of what’s going on in Selling Scarlett. There’s a whole other plot back in Elizabeth’s “real” life with her best friend Suri, and California Governor’s son, Cross. In fact, Cross is the whole reason Elizabeth needs to do what she’s doing in the first place. I loved this storyline between Cross, Elizabeth, and her best friend Suri. It’s so great. And Cross is getting his own book! YES! The second book in the Love, Inc. series is all about Cross. (Chasing Cross).

This book is not fluff, not at all. It’s a murder mystery, it’s a story about friendship, it’s a smexy romance, and it’s one hundred percent fun. Five start for Selling Scarlett.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

I’m a 20-something sci-fi nerd with a journalism degree and a serious York Peppermint Pattie addiction. I spend my days baby-wrangling and dog-chasing and my nights tapping on my laptop and hanging out with my writer/editor husband. A fun day for me involves lots of writing, running, and researching topped off with some quality Kindle time. My life’s goal is to find an empty cottage in an enchanted forest, install a solar panel for my laptop, and move in – never to be seen again, except in sweatpants.