From the Ashes by Julie Coulter Bellon

 Posted by  Book Reviews
Jan 052015
 

23520395From the Ashes (Hostage Negotiation Team 2.5)

Author: Julie Coulter Bellon

Publisher: self

Published: November 8th, 2o14

ASIN: B00PEHD376

ebook: 85 pages

FTC FYI: Received a review copy from the author in exchange for an honest review.

Reviewed by Mindy

Goodreads Summary

**This novella is a continuation of Colby and Sophia’s story from Ashes Ashes (Hostage Negotiation Team #2)**

As a suspect in Senator DeMarco’s murder, Sophia Naziri worked hard to bring the true killer to justice and prove her innocence. But she pays a high personal price trying to clear her name when she’s held hostage and nearly killed—and Sophia can’t put it behind her just yet.

Matters get even more complicated when classified information regarding the murder is leaked. Sophia is besieged by the press and trapped even further by the memories that won’t let her move on. In order to escape the situation, Sophia heads to a secluded cabin with Detective Colby Black so they can lay low and figure out who the leak is. But can Sophia find the peace she craves? Or will the circumstances that brought her and Colby together now drive them apart?

My Review

I really enjoyed this novella after-story for Colby and Sophia.  I love how we are able to see what happened to them after their first adventure in Ashes Ashes.  While reading, I was able to recall events from Ashes Ashes and was reliving all that these poor characters endured.  Julie does a fantastic job of building suspense and raising suspicions.  One character in particular was not so forgiving.  I enjoyed how Julie built the suspense and threw me off track to who was causing the trouble.  The pages turn quick in this engaging story and I hope that Julie will give us more after-their-story novellas from her other Hostage Negotiation books.

Author Links

Goodreads / Website / Twitter / Facebook

Purchase Links

Amazon / Barnes and Noble

Pocket Full of Posies by Julie Coulter Bellon – Countdown to Christmas 2013

 Posted by  Countdown to Christmas
Dec 162013
 

CD2C-2013x250

9 days until Christmas

 

juliebellon2Julie is married with eight children and ten published books. She loves to travel and her favorite cities are probably Athens, Paris, Ottawa, and London. She would love to visit Hawaii, Australia, Ireland, and Scotland someday. She loves to read, write, teach, watch Castle, The Blacklist, and Hawaii Five-O, and eat Canadian chocolate. Not necessarily in that order.

Please take a minute to visit Julie at one of the links below:

WEBSITE | BLOG | TWITTER | FACEBOOK | GOOGLE+ | PINTEREST

* * * * *

LDSWBR: What is your favorite Christmas song/hymn? Does it have special meaning to you?

JULIE: My favorite song is Silent Night. There’s just something so reverent about it. My second favorite is I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day. I love the message in that one.

LDSWBR: Do you get together with friends/family to play board games on Christmas or New Year’s? What games do you like to play? Do you have a favorite game from your childhood?

JULIE: We do board games on New Year’s. Our favorite games are Disney Scene It, Survive, and Risk. We also have a Bellon family Air Hockey Tournament. I might have to relinquish my crown this year!

LDSWBR: If you could recommend only one book from those you read this year, what would it be and why?

JULIE: I would probably recommend Longing For Home by Sarah Eden. I love the depth of her characters and the emotion in her stories. Love all her books!

LDSWBR: Thanks, Julie!

* * * * *

Pocket Full of Posies

AMAZON | KINDLE | NOOK | SMASHWORDS

PocketFullofPosies

They say to keep your friends close and your enemies closer . . .

Hostage Negotiation Team member Bart Gutierrez is shocked to find Lucy Aguayo, a girl he knew as a teenager, working for the deadly Castillo drug cartel. This revelation uncovers a secret in Bart’s family so big it forces him to accept a dangerous offer: infiltrate the cartel to keep his family safe. Once inside the cartel’s headquarters he discovers that a large-scale attack on America is imminent and the only way to prevent it is to bring Lucy in on his plans—and hope she doesn’t betray him.

Lucy Aguayo has become a key player in the Castillo cartel, but not for money or power—she’s on a mission of vengeance for her father’s murder. Just when she gets a chance to bring down the cartel leader responsible, Bart Gutierrez appears, stirring up buried feelings and disrupting all her plans. But as the enemy closes in from all sides, Lucy must choose between being free from her past or finding justice for it. Can she give up everything she’s ever worked for and reach for something more?

 I *love* air hockey. A family tournament would be a blast. Who would be Air Hockey Champion in your family tournament?

* * * * *

**To enter the LDSWBR Countdown to Christmas 2013, leave a thoughtful comment below.**

Because this is a raffle-style drawing, commenting on each Countdown to Christmas 2013 post will give you more chances to win. Please click through to the website as only comments submitted directly on this post will be accepted.

Prizes include a $50 Amazon gift card and the author-donated books listed below. This is raffle-style drawing where all entries throughout the contest period are entered into the same “hat” for all prizes. US only. 18 years and older please. See all contest rules and restrictions below.

Following LDSWBR is not required but you may want to consider doing so during the contest so you don’t miss any posts or chances to enter the drawing. You can follow us through email, Twitter, Facebook, Google+, Instagram, and Pinterest (links in our sidebar.)

If one of our LDSWBR reviews has ever helped you find a book you enjoyed, please consider helping us spread the word about the LDSWBR Countdown to Christmas 2013. A link posted to your friends and family either in email or on your favorite social network would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

By leaving a comment and entering the Countdown to Christmas 2013, you agree to the contest rules below:

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY; entrants must be 18 years or older; open to residents of continental US only; giveaway begins December 3, 2013 and all entries must be received by 12:00 Midnight December 23, 2013 Mountain Time; to enter, complete the required entry on each post and any additional entries of your choice if listed; LDS Women’s Book Review reserves the right to determine what is considered a thoughtful comment as per each post’s required entry; giveaway prizes include a $50 Amazon gift card and a variety of book prizes donated by featured authors; the number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning; LDS Women’s Book Review is not liable for technical problems which may affect entry into the giveaway; winner identity will be verified by email address; winner will be selected December 28, 2013 by use of a sequence generator on random.org; winner will have until January 4, 2014 to claim their prize; if any prize winner forfeits or does not claim prize, prize will be re-awarded to next winner in sequence; all prizes will be awarded; limit of two prizes per entrant; this contest/giveaway is not associated with Facebook, Twitter or any other entity unless otherwise specified; by entering the giveaway you give LDS Women’s Book Review the right to publicize your name on the LDS Women’s Book Review blog; winner agrees to release LDS Women’s Book Review from any liability as a result of winning; email comments and questions to LDS Women’s Book Review – ldswbr (at) gmail (dot) com; giveaway subject to Utah regulations; VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

**Book Prizes (as of 12/16/13 – more to be added to this list!)**

  • Rocky Road by Josi S. Kilpack (personalized copy)
  • Shannon’s Hope by Josi S. Kilpack (personalized copy)
  • The House at Rose Creek by Jenny Proctor (signed copy)
  • Penumbras by Braden Bell (signed copy)
  • The Reluctant Blogger by Ryan Rapier (personalized copy)
  • Just Ella by Annette K. Larsen (personalized paperback)
  • Longing For Home by Sarah M. Eden (signed copy)
  • Mile 21 by Sarah Dunster (ebook or signed paperback)
  • Blackmoore by Julianne Donaldson (audio CD)
  • Finding Sheba or Ruby’s Secret by H.B. Moore (winner’s choice; format of choice)
  • Pocket Full of Posies by Julie Coulter Bellon (or other Hostage Negotiation novel of choice in either paperback or Kindle)
 Previous Countdown to Christmas 2013 posts:

Ashes Ashes (Hostage Negotiation Team series #2) by Julie Coulter Bellon-Blog Tour Review and Giveaway

 Posted by  Blog Tours, Book Reviews, Sheila's Reviews
Jul 122013
 

 


Product Description

  •  Title:Ashes Ashes (Hostage Negotiation Team series #2)
  • Author: Julie Coulter Bellon
  • Paperback: 218 pages
  • Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform (May 7, 2013)
  • Genre: Romantic Thriller
  • ISBN-10: 1484886402
  • FTC FYI: I received a review e-copy in exchange for an honest review.

 

Book Description
Are you ever really innocent until proven guilty?

Sophia Naziri is wanted for questioning in the murder of a U.S. senator. She’s worried the police will show up on her doorstep any moment, but when Detective Colby Black appears, it’s to help her put out a kitchen fire, not take her in. Yet. His easy smile and persistence in getting to know her pushes all her troubles to the back of her mind, until a hit man tracks her down. Getting arrested becomes the least of her worries and the handsome detective could be her only way out—if she tells him the truth.

Colby Black’s sniper skills have been a blessing and a curse to him. As a member of a Hostage Negotiation Team, he can use them to save people, but sometimes he can’t protect the innocent despite his best efforts. When a hostage situation goes bad, he tries to put it behind him by helping out his mysterious next-door neighbor, Sophia Naziri. But she pulls Colby into a web of lies and conspiracy that will force him to use every skill he has in order to survive. Faced with the moment of truth, can he trust anyone around him—including the woman at the center of it all?

  Excerpt from Chapter One…

“The suspect isn’t making demands, he’s not talking, and he’s already shot four people today.  He’s a convicted felon and isn’t going to come quietly.  Negotiation isn’t an option, so we’re going with the entry team.  Colby, if you get the shot, take it because he won’t hesitate to take our guys down and kill the hostages.”

 

Adrenaline ran through Colby at his captain’s words.  No matter how long he’d been in the business, he never liked hearing that.  But if it could save an innocent life, he would do what he could.  He got ready and he didn’t have to wait long.  The man was holding out his arm, pointing the gun at the woman.  “Suspect is holding gun on hostage, he looks ready to shoot.”

 

He heard the flash bang at the back of the house.  Colby knew it was coming and he drew in a deep breath, then expelled it in increments until his lungs were nearly empty.  With the wife still held in front of him, the only shot Colby could take would be a head shot and that was always risky, but he didn’t have a choice.  He could hear the yelling as the entry team came in and, as expected, the hostage-taker opened fire on them. “I have the shot,” he said with his last breath.  He held his empty lungs and everything stopped.  There was no sound, nothing to take away his focus, until he felt the trigger on the rifle release.

 

In the half a second it took to squeeze the trigger, the suspect moved his head forward and Colby knew instinctively that he hadn’t killed the man, only wounded him.  “Suspect is wounded but not down.”

 

His words seemed drowned out by the gunshots from inside the house.  One resonated with Colby.  It’d come from a semi-automatic .40 caliber handgun¾he would bet his life on it. Another one followed soon after, but then all he could hear was the team yelling for him to put it down.  Closing his eyes for a millisecond, he steeled himself for what he would see when he opened them and looked through the scope.

 

 

 

My Review
 This is the second book in the Hostage Negotiation Team series. I reviewed the first book, All Fall Down, and loved it! Here’s what I said about that book, “All Fall Down is packed with fast-paced action, tense moments that will raise your blood pressure, and a little bit of sweet romance.”

You always wonder, can the next book even compare with the first in the series? I’m happy to say Yes! Ashes Ashes does it’s job and creates a fast paced thriller that is hard to put down. I took my kids to see a movie, but I brought along my ipad. Yes, I was sitting there, before the movie started, reading as much as I could before the lights went down.It was so tempting to pull out the ipad during the movie because I really,really wanted to see what was happening in the story. 

Colby Black is the hero in this story.He is a man I would like to take home.Colby cleans, bakes, is loyal, brave and kind. Sophia, who is on the run from the bad guys, is lucky to end up with him on her side. The attraction between the two characters is there from the start. But Julie knows how to perfectly blend the action, mystery and romance. Everything happens at a good pace and never feels forced. Once again there is a heart stopping finish. This happens every time I read one of Julie Bellon’s books. The action and suspense is so intense I can’t read fast enough to make sure things end like I want them to. I’m literally shaking when I think things have ended and everything is OK, then something/someone else pops up. Yipes!!

With a great plot, wonderful characters, (the good and the bad guys) explosive action,and just the right touch of romance, Ashes Ashes will leave you wanting to read more from this talented author. 

Purchase here: 

Ashes Ashes
Ashes Ashes by Julie Coulter Bellon (Paperback – May 7, 2013)
$13.99 $12.22 Prime
In Stock
Also $6.99 on Kindle
Add to cart Add to wishlist

 ABOUT THE AUTHOR

 

Julie Coulter Bellon loves to write international romantic suspense novels because she gets to travel to distant lands to research and add an authentic feel to all of her books. Her favorite cities so far are Athens, Paris, Ottawa, and London. She taught journalism at BYU for fourteen years and that kept her on the cutting edge of current events and world news—which is where she gets her story ideas.

Julie offers writing and publishing tips, as well as her take on life on her blog http://ldswritermom.blogspot.com You can also find out about all her upcoming projects at her website www.juliebellon.com or you can follow her on Twitter @juliebellon   

  Giveaway Details 
$25 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash Ends 7/24/13
a Rafflecopter giveaway

All Fall Down by Julie Coulter Bellon – Countdown to Christmas 2012

 Posted by  Countdown to Christmas, Special Features
Dec 192012
 

 6 days until Christmas

 

Julie Coulter Bellon loves to write international romantic suspense novels because she gets to travel to distant lands to research and add an authentic feel to all of her books. Her favorite cities so far are Athens, Paris, Ottawa, and London. She’s the mother of eight children and the author of eight books and isn’t sure what that really says about her. Julie graduated from college with an English teaching degree from Brigham Young University and taught journalism for 14 years. Her habit of reading multiple newspapers daily is where she gets a lot of story ideas – ripped from the headlines and twisted a bit. When she’s not writing or being a mom, you will find her snuggled in a blanket reading a book.

Visit Julie:  WEBSITE | BLOG | TWITTER | FACEBOOK | GOODREADS

* * * * *

LDSWBR: Do you top your Christmas tree with a star, angel, or something else? Does it have special meaning to you?

JULIE: We top ours with a star we got the first year we were married. Multi-colored and very pretty.

LDSWBR: What is your favorite Christmas movie? Why is it your favorite?

JULIE: My favorite Christmas movie is Elf because it’s so quotable and funny, yet still has a good message. Some of my favorite quotes are, “he’s an angry elf,” “The best way to spread Christmas cheer is singing loud for all to hear” “Does someone need a hug?”

LDSWBR: What Christmas gift have you been most excited to give?

JULIE: When one of my boys was four he wanted a Dustbuster so bad. It was all he talked about and was so thrilled when he opened it Christmas morning. From that moment on our house was constantly being vacuumed. He loved it!

LDSWBR: How cute! He got a Dustbuster, you got clean floors. Nice! Thanks, Julie!

* * * * *

Purchase All Fall Down: 

AMAZON | KINDLE | BARNES & NOBLE | SMASHWORDS

Ring around the rosy, a pocket full of posies, ashes, ashes we all fall down . . . That simple rhyme turns negotiator Claire Michaels’ current hostage situation into an international incident. Claire just wants to help get everyone out safely, but as the crisis escalates she realizes she’s dealing with an al-Qaeda operative who has the means to become another bin Laden—with the potential to attack America. Claire has her own personal reasons for wanting to stop al-Qaeda, but time is slipping away as negotiations break down. Can she overcome her scars of the past in order to get the hostage out alive and possibly stop an assault on U.S. national security? Navy SEAL Rafe Kelly is on leave to recover from a knee injury he suffered during his tour in Afghanistan and he doesn’t expect to be fighting terrorists on his home turf. But when he is taken hostage and his brother is kidnapped, Rafe teams up with a hostage negotiator in order to stay alive and get his brother back. The terrorist is always one step ahead of them, however, and the situation quickly turns from desperate to deadly. Will Rafe be able to save himself and his country without anyone he loves getting caught in the crossfire?

What is the most unusual item your child or another loved one has added to their Christmas wish list?

* * * * *

To enter the LDSWBR Countdown to Christmas 2012, leave a thoughtful comment below.

Be sure to comment on each Countdown to Christmas 2012 post for more chances to win. Please click through to the website as only comments submitted directly on this post will be accepted.

Prizes include a $50 Amazon gift card and the author-donated books listed below. This is raffle-style drawing where all entries throughout the contest period are entered into the same “hat” for all prizes. US only. 18 years and older please. See all contest rules and restrictions below.

If you don’t already follow LDSWBR through email, Facebook or Twitter (those cute little book buttons on the sidebar) you may want to consider doing so during the contest so you don’t miss any posts or chances to enter the drawing. Following LDSWBR is not required but it is nice to know that our book reviews are useful to other readers. :)

If one of our LDSWBR reviews has ever helped you find a book you enjoyed, perhaps you would consider helping us spread the word about the LDSWBR Countdown to Christmas 2012. A link posted to your friends and family either in email or on your favorite social network would be so greatly appreciated. Thanks!

By leaving a comment and entering the Countdown to Christmas 2012, you agree to the contest rules below:

**NOTE: Deadline for commenting and entering has been extended to Midnight December 25, 2012 Mountain Time.**

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY; entrants must be 18 years or older; open to residents of continental US only; giveaway begins December 3, 2012 and all entries must be received by 12:00 Midnight December 25, 2012 Mountain Time; to enter, complete the required entry on each post and any additional entries of your choice if listed; LDS Women’s Book Review reserves the right to determine what is considered a thoughtful comment as per each posts required entry; giveaway prizes include a $50 Amazon gift card and a variety of book prizes donated by featured authors; the number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning; LDS Women’s Book Review is not liable for technical problems which may affect entry into the giveaway; winner identity will be verified by email address; winner will be selected December 27, 2012 by use of a sequence generator on random.org; winner will have until January 3, 2013 to claim their prize; if any prize winner forfeits or does not claim prize, prize will be re-awarded to next winner in sequence; all prizes will be awarded; limit of two prizes per entrant; this contest/giveaway is not associated with Facebook, Twitter or any other entity unless otherwise specified; by entering the giveaway you give LDS Women’s Book Review the right to publicize your name on the LDS Women’s Book Review blog; winner agrees to release LDS Women’s Book Review from any liability as a result of winning; email comments & questions to LDS Women’s Book Review – ldswbr (at) gmail (dot) com; giveaway subject to Utah regulations; VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

Book Prizes (as of December 19, 2012 – more to be added to this list!)

  • Tres Leches Cupcakes by Josi S. Kilpack (signed paperback copy)
  • Not Your Average Fairy Tale by Chantele Sedgwick (paperback or ebook)
  • Deadly Undertakings by Gregg Luke (personalized paperback)
  • Turning Pages by Tristi Pinkston (personalized paperback)
  • Athena by Heather B. Moore (autographed paperback)
  • The Kindling by Braden Bell (paperback, signed if desired)
  • Sudden Darkness by Margot Hovley (personalized paperback)
  • Code Word by Traci Hunter Abramson (paperback)
  • The Reluctant Bachelorette by Rachael Anderson (ebook)
  • The Ugly Stepsister Strikes Back by Sariah Wilson (ebook- PDF/.mobi)
  • Lady Outlaw by Stacy Henrie (signed paperback)
  • A Note Worth Taking by Lu Ann Staheli (Kindle)
  • When Hearts Conjoin by Lu Ann Staheli (paperback)
  • Paige by Annette Lyon (signed paperback)
  • All Fall Down by Julie Coulter Bellon (personalized paperback)

Previous Countdown to Christmas 2012 posts:

 

All Fall Down by Julie Coulter Bellon – Blog Tour – Combined Review

 Posted by  Blog Tours, Book Reviews, Mindy's Reviews, Shanda's Reviews
Nov 152012
 

All Fall Down

Author: Julie Coulter Bellon

Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing

Published: September 2012

Paperback/Kindle; 225 pages

ISBN13: 9781479264858

Genre: Romantic Suspense/International Intrigue

FTC FYI: Received a PDF copy in exchange for an honest review

Reviewed by: Mindy and Shanda

***Julie is holding a giveaway with several different prizes. See details below on how to enter!***

Backcover Summary: 

Ring around the rosy, a pocket full of posies, ashes, ashes we all fall down . . .

That simple rhyme turns negotiator Claire Michaels’ current hostage situation into an international incident. Claire just wants to help get everyone out safely, but as the crisis escalates she realizes she’s dealing with an al-Qaeda operative who has the means to become another bin Laden—with the potential to attack America. Claire has her own personal reasons for wanting to stop al-Qaeda, but time is slipping away as negotiations break down. Can she overcome her scars of the past in order to get the hostage out alive and possibly stop an assault on U.S. national security?

Navy SEAL Rafe Kelly is on leave to recover from a knee injury he suffered during his tour in Afghanistan and he doesn’t expect to be fighting terrorists on his home turf. But when he is taken hostage and his brother is kidnapped, Rafe teams up with a hostage negotiator in order to stay alive and get his brother back. The terrorist is always one step ahead of them, however, and the situation quickly turns from desperate to deadly. Will Rafe be able to save himself and his country without anyone he loves getting caught in the crossfire?

Mindy’s Review

Julie Bellon has written an awesome book with the perfect amount of suspense, mixed with romantic tension and great chemistry between the main characters. I was taken immediately into the story, and only out of sheer fatigue would I stop reading. I read this really fast, so luckily I only had to wait one night in between.  I loved the point of view changes. Chapters would end with such great cliffhangers, but the next chapter was a different character. I really enjoy that “author trick” as I call it, and it kept me reading, and reading, and reading …

I really liked the main characters. I love a strong female lead, with a touch of vulnerability. Claire was perfect for that role. She was smart and knew her job well, but when it came to Rafe, she developed a soft spot. Rafe was great too. By the end of this book, he is put through the ringer. I kept thinking, what else can happen to this poor guy. They both were great characters and written well.

4 out of 5 stars. From now on, I will be forever creeped out by the nursery rhyme, “Ring Around the Rosy.”  

Shanda’s Review

All Fall Down is a quick moving story with suspense, betrayal, action and a bit of romance. Julie doesn’t wait to throw the reader right into the action.

The opening hostage scene on the roof was intense. For me it was the most suspenseful part of the story. I really liked both Claire and Rafe. They go through so much and I wondered if they were ever going to catch a break. I saw one twist coming, but I wasn’t sure how it would play out. One of my favorite parts was the first time Rafe meets Clair’s father.

Those who like clean and suspenseful international intrigue, especially fans of Julie Bellon’s other books, will enjoy All Fall Down.

During the blog tour, Julie is offering both the paperback and Kindle versions of All Fall Down at a discounted price.

Giveaway Details (from blog tour host The Book Bug)

Julie is generously offering 7, yes 7 awesome giveaways for the tour!! (I want to win them myself!) That means you have 7 chances at winning! (Pretty good odds, huh?!)

The prizes include:

(2) “Book Lovers'” baskets which include a copy of All Fall Down, a hand tied lap blanket, Julie’s favorite hot chocolate mix, and a copy of Janice Sperry’s Christmas novella, The Candy Cane Queen

(3) Print copies of All Fall Down

(2) Ebook copies of All Fall Down

To enter to win these prizes, simply fill out the Rafflecopter form provided. (Each tour stop will have the same Rafflecopter form).

Open from November 12 to December 7. Must be 13+ years of age to enter. US mailing addresses only.

Earn entries by doing any/all of the following:

-Leaving a blog post comment

-Liking Julie’s Facebook page

-Following Julie on Twitter

-Becoming a fan of Julie on Goodreads

-Tweeting about the giveaway (once per day)

-Subscribing to Julie’s blog

Author Links

Website / Blog / Facebook / Twitter / Goodreads

Purchase Links

Amazon / Barnes and Noble / Smashwords

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Review of, All Fall Down, by Julie Coulter Bellon and Author Interview

 Posted by  Book Reviews, Sheila's Reviews
Oct 052012
 

Product Details:

  • Title: All Fall Down
  • Author: Julie Coulter Bellon
  • Paperback: 224 pages
  • Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform (September 20, 2012)
  • Genre: Mystery/Suspense
  • ISBN-10: 1479264857
  • ISBN-13: 978-1479264858
  • FTC FYI: I was given a review e-copy of All Fall Down
  • in exchange for an honest review.

 

Book Description:

Publication Date: September 20, 2012
Ring around the rosy, a pocket full of posies, ashes,
ashes we all fall down . . . That simple rhyme turns negotiator Claire
Michaels’ current hostage situation into an international incident.
Claire just wants to help get everyone out safely, but as the crisis
escalates she realizes she’s dealing with an al-Qaeda operative who has
the means to become another bin Laden—with the potential to attack
America. Claire has her own personal reasons for wanting to stop
al-Qaeda, but time is slipping away as negotiations break down. Can she
overcome her scars of the past in order to get the hostage out alive
and possibly stop an assault on U.S. national security? Navy SEAL Rafe
Kelly is on leave to recover from a knee injury he suffered during his
tour in Afghanistan and he doesn’t expect to be fighting terrorists on
his home turf. But when he is taken hostage and his brother is
kidnapped, Rafe teams up with a hostage negotiator in order to stay
alive and get his brother back. The terrorist is always one step ahead
of them, however, and the situation quickly turns from desperate to
deadly. Will Rafe be able to save himself and his country without
anyone he loves getting caught in the crossfire?

My Review: 

My first thought as I reviewed this book is that there was no time to breath. The storyline starts with a huge action scene, and then goes to the next big scene.Then something more exciting happens. Here is how the book starts. This is the beginning of chapter one…

Chapter One
Something was wrong.  Rafe could feel it.  He’d opened the door to the building that housed his family’s business, but hesitated before going in.  The hairs on the back of his neck stood straight up.  With a cursory glance into the lobby of the building, he couldn’t see anything wrong.  Chalking it up to being in Afghanistan too long, where he relied on his senses to stay alive, Rafe went in, tugging on his collar.  Maybe that was it.  He was reacting to the civilian uniform of a shirt and tie when he’d rather be in his Navy SEAL gear.  It’s not like I could have shown up in desert cammies and boots, he thought.  But it might have been worth it to see the look on his brother’s face if he’d walked into the meeting dressed like that.  Vince was always a little obsessive about appearances.
Glancing up at the second floor landing where people could enjoy the atrium, Rafe swept the area for anything out of the ordinary and saw a man intently watching him.  Stepping forward to get a closer look, the man noticed his interest and turned, disappearing.  Rafe went to the elevators, all of his senses on alert now.  Should I go to the second floor?  Am I over-reacting?
With a grimace, he tried to loosen his tie, just a little.  It felt harder to think when he was buttoned down with a tie, but as he quickly mulled it over, he decided it was an over-reaction.  Some guy watching him didn’t mean anything was wrong.  It could simply be his subconscious urging him not to go in because he’d been battling himself all morning about coming.  Ever since Vince had been made acting-president, he’d been making demands on everyone and Rafe planned to say no to anything Vince asked him.  Their father would be on his feet soon and Rafe would be back in the field as soon as his knee healed.  There was no point in starting anything with Dad’s business.  Rafe wasn’t planning on being here longer than he had to be.  He pulled on his tie again, definitely regretting the choice of attire.
He took a deep breath and ran an impatient hand through his longer-than-normal hair.  The air was humid, and from the looks of the pewter gray sky on his way in, Rafe knew they’d have rain before the afternoon was out. And rain will make my knee ache, he thought with an inward groan.
 Realizing how much his injury had taken over his thoughts, his actions¾his life¾he made a promise not to dwell on it any more today. Men wearing shirts and ties just like him strode through the lobby, getting to their jobs where they belonged.  Will that ever be me?  Could I be happy working inside all day?  With how ugly the last mission in Afghanistan had been and how slow his knee was healing, he knew he might have to think about that in the near future.  But not today.
He got into the elevator, the hairs on the back of his neck prickling again.  Stop it. Nothing is wrong.  He looked around the elevator, just to reassure himself.  Two men in suits and a woman in the corner, watching him.  Nothing dangerous.  Rafe gave her a smile and turned back around.  Everything is fine.  I’m going to meet my baby brother and get the you-could-help-me-around-here routine.  I’m going to say no.  Then I’m going to visit Gary.  There’s nothing to worry about. 
Can you see why you get hooked right from the very first lines? “Something was
wrong.  Rafe could feel it.” Brilliant!

Once again Julie has written characters that you like and care about right from the beginning. This doesn’t mean that her characters are without flaws, but she gives many reasons to care about them. Rafe and Claire have real chemistry from the start. With everything that is happening in the story, kidnappings, terrorist activity etc. there is no time for courtship found in a typical romance, but they still manage to start caring about each other deeply.

With everything happening in the world today, this story hits so close to home. It is very chilling to read, especially as they head to Afghanistan on a rescue operation. This is one thing I always love about Julie’s stories, she does great research and writes about current events. Her books are always romantic/suspense at it’s best!  The action at the end will leave you holding your breath. Just when you think everything is OK…it really isn’t!

All Fall Down is packed with fast-paced action, tense moments that will raise your blood pressure, and a little bit of sweet romance. You won’t be disappointed in this new novel from Julie Coulter Bellon!
Author Interview With Julie Coulter Bellon:

I was very happy that Julie made the time for an interview with me. She gave some great insight into why she wrote All Fall Down. 

Why did you write All Fall Down?

I was watching the Discovery Channel one
night and it was on SEAL Team Six and what they went through to
penetrate the compound in Pakistan where bin Laden had been hiding.
They talked about the computers they confiscated and how those files
were turned over to the Department of Defense for decrypting. My mind
started turning because my husband used to work for a computer forensics
company and I thought, what if the DoD couldn’t decrypt one of those
files that would have important information on it. And what if they
gave it to a civilian company and al-Qaeda got wind of it? And the
story went from there.
How long did it take you to write it?

Well, this book went through two major rewrites so it took me almost a
year to write it. (And I had a small baby and a toddler to take care of
so my writing time was very limited.)

What book are you writing next?

I have had such a hard time with this. I have a story idea for Colby
(a character in All Fall Down) that I’m dying to write, but I’ve been
working on the sequel to Ribbon of Darkness. It’s such a hard choice
and I don’t know if I can do two book at one time!

Do you write every day?

No. I have to be really flexible with my writing time because I have a
large family of eight children that includes a one year old and a four
year old. I sketch out a lot of scenes in my head while we play in the
sandbox, and I carry a notebook around with me in the car for when I’m
doing carpool or waiting for dance class or whatever. When I finally
get to the computer, I can get right into it because of the prep work
I’ve done in my head and in my notebook.

Thanks for the interview, Sheila. I enjoyed talking with you!

I want to put my vote in for her to write the sequel to Ribbon of Darkness! Thanks so much for the interview Julie!Go here to purchase All Fall Down:

About the Author:

Julie Coulter Bellon loves to write international romantic
suspense novels because she gets to travel to distant lands to research
and add an authentic feel to all of her books. Her favorite cities so
far are Athens, Paris, Ottawa, and London. She taught journalism at BYU
for fourteen years and that kept her on the cutting edge of current
events and world news—which is where she gets her story ideas. Julie
offers writing and publishing tips as well as her take on life on her
blog http://ldswritermom.blogspot.com You can also find out about all
her upcoming projects at her website www.juliebellon.com.

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