Prepare yourself because Shelly Bell’s At His Mercy is hot, hot, hot. This erotic romance has tons of heat but also has a heartfelt love story ensuring the reader will be captivated from beginning to end.

Isabella was a young woman when her abusive high school boyfriend attempted to kill her. She’s recovered and stronger than ever and exploring her sexuality, including dominance and submission. She studies the lifestyle and wants to experience it before moving away to college, and she goes to a play party expecting one night and one night only.

She meets Tristan there, and the two have intense chemistry. He’s an experienced dom, and he wants to provide Isabella’s first experience. He breaks several of his dom rules during their one night together, because he cannot help but be drawn to her and want more than just one night. She leaves the next morning before he can say goodbye or get her real name.

Isabella moves and starts classes only to come face to face with Tristan - he’s her professor and her work study boss. Both are overwhelmed to see each other again, but their connection is just as intense, although both realize that dating is forbidden by the university. The pull between them—sexually and emotionally—is too strong to deny, and they decide to ignore all the rules.

While their relationship is complicated already, mysterious incidents begin happening that threaten Isabella. She and Tristan have an interesting dynamic and sizzling chemistry, and their relationship develops at the perfect pace. The sex is hot; the love story is sweet; and the intrigue is fascinating. At His Mercy has it all.

ARC provided, but this review was voluntarily and honestly written.

First I have to say that this book is Erotica/BDSM and I am very picky when it comes to this kind of books because I have found a lot of these kinds of books bore me. You know, like they are all the same. Anyway, I did enjoy this book also had some suspense so it added a little more but unfortunately I did feel like the story was a little rushed.

I loved this read! This story held my interest throughout, plenty of drama and suspense. I really liked the characters, Tristen and Isabella have great chemistry and the sex is steamy. A very entertaining read!

Title: At His Mercy
Author: Shelly Bell

5 amazing stars

When I started this book, it didn't take long to figure out that sleep would come very, very late that night. And that's exactly what happened. I went to bed much later than I usually do but it was totally worth it (and anyways, sleep is over rated, right?!?). This is the second book I've read by Shelly Bell and each time I pick a new book from her, I fall in love more and more with her writing style and stories. At His Mercy was nothing like I expected ~ of course I expected the teacher/student taboo romance, but I hadn't expected all the suspense, the mystery, the roller coaster of emotions I went through as I read Isabella and Tristan's story, nor the BDSM aspect of their relationship.


4.5 sexy dreams


I was thrilled by this story. By the ups and downs. By the fact that so much happened to them and yet, it made sense. It's rare that I find myself reading a long story such as this one in one sitting and in less than 6 hours, even forgoing on some sleep (still totally worth it), just so I can find out what happens to the characters and their relationship. I had to know who in Isabella's past was coming back and how that would play out. I had to find out just how far Tristan's Ex would go to get what she wants. Most of all, I wanted to know if Tristan can give Isabella exactly what she craves and needs. This was the kind of book that made me smile, made me sigh and made me want to read more from Shelly Bell yesterday, son needless to say that I'll be looking forward to reading more from this series in the future.


*ARC provided by Author in exchange for an honest review. Reviewed by Kathleen, The Small Girl from A small girl, her man and her books

at his mercy kicks off a new series by shelly bell, all about forbidden lovers. this first novel brings us isabella, a gorgeous grad student with submissive leanings and her dominant grad school professor, tristan.

isabella brings a lot of baggage to intimate relationships, she's got a crazy stalker, abusive ex-boyfriend who tried to kill her. she bears scars on her wrists that look like suicide but were not self-inflicted. it's heavy stuff. it's been two years and she's tired of everyone treating her with kid gloves. she knows that she doesn't want that. but she is also burdened with an innocence she doesn't want either. so when her cousin, who is into the bdsm lifestyle, brings her to a play party she is all in.

she's done her research, and she's pretty sure that what she needs in order to be comfortable with her sexuality is to surrender control to someone else. tristan is on his way out of town to start a new job, he's antsy but nothing interests him. except on his way out of the party he catches a glimpse of isabella and knows that she is his. everything about her drives him crazy with want, with need. and the night that they spend together stays with him even as he moves out of town.

the last thing isabella and tristan expect is to encounter one another in the classroom. even worse is the realization that isabella has been assigned to tristan as his graduate assistant. but their chemistry is crazy off the charts, so you know that there is no way they are going to keep their hands off each other. when isabella starts getting threatening letters and worries that her ex-boyfriend, who was eligible for parole, is stalking her again, tristan and isabella get even closer.

tristan has his own problems too, when his ex-wife shows up out of nowhere demanding more money. she's been threatening him with abuse charges when she decided that their previously consensual bdsm relationship wasn't for her. when she shows up dead, tristan is the prime suspect. and everything seems poised to break isabella and tristan apart.

but their connection is stronger than that. this is a romantic, sexy thriller. isabella and tristan face threats from all corners of their pasts and they have to be strong enough together to withstand them. watching them figure out how to trust each other fully is totally worth it.

Trying to get her life back on the path that she controls, she embraces her fears and owns her sexuality despite what her past has given her.
Tristan has given up on having a life long relationship in the life style he wants. A partner that will embrace all of him, kinks and all.
They weren't supposed to meet. It was meant to be one night. A night they couldn't forget.
Fighting the inevitable.
This book is not only sexy, it was suspenseful, and passionate. A book that you could curl up with an lose yourself into. An amazing read that breaks your heart and then build it up again making it new and shiny. Shelly brings Tristan and Isabella to life breathing romance and passion like you never knew.

Isabella and Tristan both have demons in their past but are moving on in their lives but first they meet at a party. The chemistry is off the charts and unexpected. What will happen when they meet again? Will the insta-chemistry turn into more? READ THE BOOK! I'm not telling anything about this one because you have to read it (you will enjoy it)!!!!

I definitely recommend this one.

**Received an ARC copy from the publisher via NetGalley**

Wow!  This was HOT!  

Isabella and Tristan both had pasts that made them leery of getting involved with another person, but they spent a hot night together as strangers never thinking they'd see each other again.  Imagine their surprise when they each haven't been able to stop thinking about their night together and they run into each other in a college classroom...with Tristan as the professor and Isabella as the student!  It's hard for them to stay away from each other and their pasts come barging in making it even harder.

I'd classify this as a romantic suspsense with some hot BDSM and taboo relationship stuff going on.  It was awesome!  The huge twist in here caught me off guard.  Totally did not expect that!

I hope Ryder finds his Cinderella in the next book :)

*thanks to the publisher for sharing a copy with me*

Angel in his arms . . . Devil at her heels

One last, no-strings night of indulgence. That's all Tristan wants before he begins a much-needed new chapter in his life. Instead he finds an innocent angel in pink who brings him to his knees.

Isabella is done hiding from the world . . . and her haunting memories. Discovering courage in the arms of a perfect stranger, she finally lets go and sheds her inhibitions.

To Isabella's shock, she soon learns that Tristan is more than her mystery man-he's her professor. But Tristan isn't the only person who's found Isabella on campus. A dark figure from her past has come back for her. Now Tristan will risk anything to protect Isabella . . . even if it costs him his life.





Review:




This is my first time reading this Author and picked up this book because it sounded very intriguing. The writing style of this Author makes me want to seek out more of her books. I really like the premise of the story and the plot. After reading the prologue I thought the book was going to be more of a romantic suspense and it is, to me it was much more romance with a little suspense thrown in. I really liked how the whole stalker/killer of Isabella plays out, and no I am not giving it away. Another couple of things I really enjoyed about the story was the BDSM aspect and the teacher/student taboo. Isabella and Tristan are extremely likable, though I wanted to slap some sense into Tristan a couple of times, I was rooting for them. The one thing that I would say might bother some is that it seems to change themes/genres often in the book. I think sticking with one or two of the genres would have made a more cohesive book. Again, I liked the book. I am a little curious how this is going to turn into a series, so I guess I will have to wait and find out.




4Stars

*I voluntarily read an advance reader copy of this book provided by the publisher.*

Shelly Bell writes BDSM books as well or better than anyone else I read. This one is no exception. The chemistry between Tristan and Isabella is off the charts. Throw in the forbidden love factor, a couple of crazy exes, one huge unexpected twist, and you have a book that takes you on a wild ride. Great book! Five stars!

**ARC rec'd in exchange for an honest review.

Full on erotica with a great story laced through. Isabella and Tristan burn up the pages quick in this forbidden love story. They have instant chemistry that they can't deny no matter what even after they learn who they are. I was completely throw off by the twist at the end. I thought I had it figured out but I was wrong. Fast paced erotica with sizzling romance and suspense! Loved it.

ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.

***ARC Provided by the Forever (Grand Central Publishing) via NetGalley***

3.5 Stars

This is my first title by Shelly Bell, and I enjoyed it.

I am not sure what I was execting, but it took a slightly different turn than I thought it was going to, which was both interesting and, at times, a little overdone. I liked it, but at the same time, there was a plot twist that I thought was a little too close to the end of the book to allow it to fully be worked through by the characters.

Other than the small issue with the pacing, I enjoyed this. I was intrigued by Isabella and Tristan. I liked their first meeting and I liked the idea that they thought it was a one time thing between them, allowing both of them to be more open with the other than they possibly would have otherwise.

I loved that he was her teacher, which is in the blurb so not a spoiler, and I thought the evolution of the draw they had that was initially being forbidden in one way and moving to forbidden in another was interesting.

I am definitely interested in reading other titles by this author and I do recommend this title.

This book was awesome! Hot steamy goodness! If you've ever read Shelly Nell before, you'll love this! It has a hot Dom and tons of hot sex scenes! I ate this up and now I want more! I love this author and I hope she never stops writing.

I'm am SO thrilled to be diving into another marvelous creation by Shelly Bell, as to me, she is the Queen of Erotic thrillers!

In this new series, we meet Isabella, whom has survived more than most 19 year old girls...after "the incident" that nearly ended her short life. But Isabella had regained her health, although she still bares the scars. But now she is taking a step into regaining her being! To trust herself, and others around her. But when an accidental book discovery at her cousins home leads her into the world of BDSM and D/s relationships, Isabella finally feels at peace.

To embarking on that newly found knowledge, and a BDSM for beginners course, she now finds herself going to a play party...but she never expected to find Tristian, a Dom that would give her the experience of a lifetime!

Even when Isabella and Tristian find themselves back in each other's lives, though in different roles! They never knew they could have such a connection! But will the monsters from their pasts, destroy what they have?

Shelly Bell is such an amazing author! She has the ability to keep you on the edge of your seat, not only through the intense, but delicious sex scenes, but she somehow manages to have your heart in you throat, through most of the other chapters too! The character's in this book is truly wonderful, and you can't help but fall for Isabella's cheeky sense of humor, but also the delicious dominate side of Tristian too! This author is truly THE only reason I have started to read any form of thriller!

I give At His Mercy 5 stars!!

3.9 Stars

Isabella just barely survived an attack by her ex boyfriend 18 months ago. Now she's finally about to leave for college. Just one more thing to do before she goes: she wants to lose her virginity at this BDSM play party her cousin invited her to. She started being intrested in BDSM when she found some books at her cousin's place. And she feels that this is exactly what she's been missing in her life.
Enter Tristan. He's about to leave town too. And he's also about to leave the party - nobody there interested him .... that's when he sees Isabella.
Instant attraction on both sides!
And after an amazingly sexy night together they think they'll never see each other again.
Wrong!
Isabella will be one of his students at his new job as a business professor! ☺
And if that wasn't bad enough - we have horribly mean and mentally ill exes that will definitely make this story very exciting! ☺

WHAT WILL HAPPEN WITH ISABELLA & TRISTAN?
WILL WE GET AN HEA??
READ THE BOOK TO FIND OUT ☺

This was an interesting book.
I don't really know what to think of it.
It starts as this kidnap and murder-suicide story and then it immediately turns into a BDSM story and then it turns into a forbidden professor/student romance - with BDSM. And then the kidnap murderer and more idiot people show up again.
So, I don't really know what to call this book. Erotic suspense? It was a bit weird. It was all a bit much. Maybe if the book had been 150 pages longer! Then it could've been perfect. Room enough for lots of excitement, suspense, sex, fun!

I love sex in my books but this starts off with a huge BDSM scene - before we could even fall in love with the characters. We meet them, they meet each other and insta attraction. But the reader wants/needs a tiny little foreplay too. Ugh, I don't know. I liked Tristan and Isabella ....but I couldn't connect with them somehow. I'm not a fan of BDSM. Well, it's more that I don't care for it - all that flogging and domineering stuff is not for me. When Christian Grey did it it was ok. It was a sweet fairy tale. It had nothing really to do with BDSM. But suddenly every book needs BDSM. Why?
I can totally understand Isabella's thoughts about it. With her kidnapping and almost dying, she wants to control who controls her. I totally get her. But I just don't like it much. This would've been a better story with only the kidnap-murder thing and the student/teacher romance.
BUT - it wasn't bad!!! I liked it. I liked reading it. But it was weird. It took me forever to finish a page, there were so many words, and I didn't love those words somehow. I know I'm weird.
Maybe I was just in a weird mood. I also have to say that I'm writing this now that I'm only 30% into the book ... but I have to already love a book by that time ... I might come back later and add to my review!
Back now! Finished it last night, and it really got better. Well, maybe not better, but more interesting. Which is also not good, because there was just way too much excitement in the last third of the book! It's like the author thought - oooh I'll pick THIS and THAT and THIS too and put it all in the end of my book!


It was a bit much and it wasn't all needed. And then it was all too rushed at the end. Ugh. I know I'm very complainy here, but I really liked the book too. And will definitely read the next book too! Don't let me scare you away. The book really has lots of interesting parts! Just a tiny little bit too many for my tastes.☺

JAN - 3.5 STARS

Hmm, where to start with this book? I wasn't sure what to expect when I chose it, but there was something in the blurb that intrigued me.

Now firstly, I will say that I liked it, however I did have my problems with it. Nothing to do with the BDSM subject matter, more to do with the fact there was too many other tropes in there as well.

It started out suspensey with Isabella's past, then it flew straight into BDSM - hope you have lube as there is no reader foreplay involved, then we flip over into a teacher/student taboo-ish relationship.

And to throw something more into the ring, every character had some kind of big issue to fight through, not just one (which would have been enough IMO)

But enough of that - it makes me sound like I didn't like it, however that it not the case at all. It was just a bit (lot) too much in the one book!

I did enjoy Isabella and Tristan's story, I could understand her interest in the BDSM lifestyle and why she threw herself right in the deep end.

There were so many times I just wanted the characters to just be able to move forward without all the hullabaloo that was going on around them. There was enough with just her past and the teacher/student thing that at times I just couldn't help but roll my eyes at all the extras, that felt a bit OTT.

But again, this could just be me.

I did like the arc that Isabella and Tristan's story took, however with so much thrown in there, something had to give. And for me, it was the ending. It felt extremely rushed, and I was sure I had to have missed a chapter or two in there.

Sometimes less is more, and in the case of At His Mercy, I feel that this would have been the case.

I will read the next book in the series though.


BIANCA
This was an interesting book.

I don't really know what to think of it.

It starts as this kidnap and murder-suicide story and then it turns into a BDSM story and then it turns into a professor/student romance - with BDSM. And then the kidnap murderer and more idiot people show up again.

So, I don't really know what to call this book. Erotic suspense? It was a bit weird. It was all a bit much. Maybe if the book had been 150 pages longer! Then it could've been perfect. Room enough for lots of excitement, suspense, sex, fun!


I love sex in my books but this starts off with a huge BDSM scene - before we could even fall in love with the characters. We meet them, they meet each other and insta attraction. But the reader wants a tiny little foreplay too. Ugh, I don't know. I liked Tristan and Isabella ....but I couldn't connect with them somehow. I'm not a fan of BDSM. Well, it's more that I don't care for it - all that flogging and domineering stuff is not for me. When Christian Grey did it it was ok. It was a sweet fairy tale. It had nothing really to do with BDSM. But suddenly every book needs BDSM. Why?

I can totally understand Isabella's thoughts about it. With her kidnapping and almost dying, she wants to control who controls her. I totally get her. But I just don't like it much. This would've been a better story with only the kidnap-murder thing and the student/teacher romance.

BUT - it wasn't bad!!! I liked it. I liked reading it. But it was weird. It took me forever to finish a page, there were so many words, and I didn't love those words somehow. I know I'm weird.

Maybe I was just in a weird mood. I also have to say that I'm writing this now that I'm only 30% into the book ... but I have to already love a book by that time ... I might come back later and add to my review! Back now! Finished it last night, and it really got better. Well, maybe not better, but more interesting. Which is also not good, because there was just way too much excitement in the last third of the book! It's like the author thought - oooh I'll pick THIS and THAT and THIS too and put it all in the end of my book! It was a bit much and it wasn't all needed. And then it was all too rushed at the end. Ugh. I know I'm very complainy here, but I really liked the book too. And will definitely read the next book too!

**will go live on blog and Amazon etc next week**

Shelly Bell’s At his Mercy was both a hit and a miss for me.

Isabella finds solace in submitting. It’s at her first play party that she meets Dominant, Tristan. She develops a connection with him only for her to leave for college the next day. She doesn’t expect to see him at her college campus 12 hours away. Or that he’s her professor.

I’m a sucker for a forbidden romance, but I’ve found the professor/student side of it sometimes works for me, and at others, it doesn’t. This did both. The beginning was rocky. Considering Isabella’s past, it was too insta-love for me, and I simply didn’t believe it.

The middle remedied all that however and really fulfilled my wish for more from the characters. The sex scenes were simply blazing. There was some serious chemistry, and the forbidden aspect was out in full force! It’s more mild on the bdsm aspect, but still deliciously sensual and intimate. The plot also expands, secrets are revealed, and there’s an inevitable feeling that kept me turning the pages.

Unfortunately, the ending didn’t leave me satisfied. While I appreciate the plot twists that come about, it felt like some were thrown in just for added obstacles. The language also threw me off. Cliches were sprinkled throughout and decreased the overall impact of the story.

Overall, At His Mercy is a good start to the Forbidden Lovers series. Anyone looking for a suspenseful and sexy story will find it here.

3 stars!

Definitely romantic suspense in the erotic category. *fans self* This was the first book I have read by Shelly Bell, so I was looking forward to discovering a new author. The author delivers with a great story that will keep you on the edge of your seat, when you are not fanning yourself during their explicit scenes ;)

I love Isabella and Tristan as a couple. He is a bit older than Isabella, but nothing unusual in the romance category. It took a bit of a turn when it turned more into a student/professor relationship (no spoiler since it's in the book description), but it was tastefully done. They were keeping it a secret, but readers will know they met each other at a play party before the university thing happens.

Isabella thought she was going to die by the hands of her boyfriend and after physical recovery, therapy and a new outlook on life, she is ready to start over as a university student. If you live in Michigan, you will appreciate the Michigan references. That may have influenced how much I loved the story, but then the characters were really complex and the story was full of unexpected twists and turns. The story may set you on the path to emotional overload, but the expected HEA will keep you reading. The author does not disappoint and I think I may have found someone new to fan girl over.

Tristan is hot, smart, rich and a Dom. He is getting over a failed marriage and has a few hurdles to overcome. He is working hard to get his business off the ground with his partner and friend, Ryder. The semester he is spending as a professor is a bit of a reset button for him as well. If you are on the hunt for some well written, explicit, romantic and suspenseful stories, this book is for you.

5 Merciful Stars
Isabella is a young girl who has lived through some though moments in her life and is determined not to let that define her and before she’s off to college and bury herself in school her cousin is taking her to her very first BDSM play party. Tristan is a Dom that is never into anything more than one night stand with women and at this particular party no one has caught his attention… Not until he is about to walk out when Isabella comes in and he falls like a brick.
They decide to share one night of passion and never see each other again. But faith had different plans and both of their lives are about to get so much more complicated that any of them could ever imagine.
WOW….WOW….WOW!!!!
I am really lost for words after reading this book but my emotions are so vivid and won’t leave me alone before I get them out. This book is my first read by Shelly Bell but it most definite won’t be the last. I love her writing, how she compels the reader and has it turning pages faster than mind can keep up with. It’s like she peeked into my soul and saw what I love in an AMAZING book and put it down on paper and here it is.
This book both starts and ends with a BANG BANG BANG!!!!!
After a few pages I was shocked and couldn’t understand how the book would go on after those events at the beginning. Slowly but surely the author guides us into this eventful story full of perfect romance, hot and steamy scenes with a great dose of suspense and mystery into the mix.
For me this was such a great read and I enjoyed it so much that I kept telling my friend how much I loved it during the read. I couldn’t wait to get off work and read those last 10% that has me keeping my breath in suspense of what would have next.
Tristan and Isabella will probably be one of my favorite couples ever. They sure deserve their spot at the top right along with Shelly Bell who wrote this magnificent story. I loved everything about it, from the beautiful and elegant cover to the sexy and captivating story behind it.
Recommended 110%!!!!!