Sunshine and Bullets

The Bullets #1

by Coralee June

Sunshine.

It’s a nickname I haven’t heard since I lived on Woodbury Lane, where the houses were pretty but the secrets? Deadly. It was a pet name known only to the Bullets. Rough, violent, and ruthless, they laid claim to the town — and my heart.

I wasn't supposed to fall for a boy from the wrong side of the tracks—especially not four of them. But they were the only ones who understood that sometimes hell hides in plain sight.

I was the girl with all the conveniences a privileged upbringing could provide. The world only saw two loving parents and a pristine home life, but I knew the truth. And it was going to get me killed. So, I disappeared, from everyone and everything I’d ever known. I changed my name and my appearance, but the scars I carry, they’re still the same.

The Bullets are all grown up now, too — a crime boss, a pro fighter, a bounty hunter, and a federal agent. Life took them in different directions, but they once shared the bonds of a brotherhood forged under the harshest conditions. Together they were fearless. Brutal. Unstoppable.

I'm praying they can find that unity again. If I'm going to survive this, it'll take everything they have. Because that's the thing about running from the past.

Eventually, it catches up to you.

Genres: Romance, Dark, Dark Romance, Contemporary, Why Choose, New Adult, Friends To Lovers

410 pages, ebook

First published August 16, 2018

About the author

Author Coralee June has always been passionate about storytelling and impressed by the influence it has on people and the decisions they make in life. She loves engaging with the projects she works on, diving headfirst into developing real, raw, and relatable characters that are equally flawed and beautiful. Coralee lives in Dallas, Tx with her husband and two daughters. She's been known to frequently indulge in boxed red wine and day-old pizza. When she's not writing, June is reading or substitute teaching at the local middle school.

Reviews

[Marguerite (M)]

Rating: TBA

To be honest, I have no idea how I am going to rate this book. It was a great book but I hated it more than I was engrossed in the story.

To begin with, I am not very into dark contemporary romances. I like dark themes but I don’t like the angst, I don't like submissive heroines, I don’t like asshole of male leads and I don’t like domination in the bedroom. I don't believe it makes me uncomfortable, it just annoys me and I hate seeing the power taken away from women when it feels like it's not necessarily what they want/need.
I love when dominance clashes against dominance, I love angry sex, I enjoy some BDSM and voyeurism but I still can't appreciate the submissive trope.
I'm working on it.

Sunshine and Bullets is all of that and I could not get on board with the Bullets. I hated them, and I felt guilty about hating them. But the book was written by Coralee June and as much as I hated it, it was a fucking impressive read.

Sunshine and Bullets is a story about massively broken characters. About four boys that lost their heart and about a girl that left a soul behind. About these five characters brought back together five years later and about their hate, their love, their desire and their blame. It is an emotional punch that left your heart in your throat and made you suffer with the protagonists.

But all this blame made my blood boil.
I understood Gavriel, Ryker, Blaise and Callum’s pain, I really did. Their only love, their Sunshine, left them without so much as a goodbye; she was there and then she wasn’t and they spent five years wondering if she was alive or dead.
They didn’t know what had happened -they couldn’t have known- and they had all the rights to be angry at her, at themselves and at the world. But it became soon too clear how broken Sunshine was; even without her story and the truth, her pain was too obvious to them and us readers to keep blaming her at every corner. But they did and between the men and Sunshine's self-guilt, she felt that it was the only thing she deserved.
They all suffered and they broke my heart. I just wanted them to love her blindly as if they were staring in a sexy reboot of My Little Pony but also to disappear and let our girl breathe again.

In the end, Sunshine and Bullets made me feel mostly angry. Angry at the characters, angry for what they were all going through, angry that Sunshine thought she deserved punishment, and most of all, angry to want Sunshine to be a victim and have the Bullets start blaming themselves again. This overload of negative emotions felt as messed up as their relationship but I must say, Coralee June is one hell of a story-teller.

[Jessica · Rating 3 out of 5]

The idea behind this book was so cool, but it didn't live up to what I wanted it to be. Summer ran away five years ago and is terrified of ever being discovered by anyone in her past, especially The Bullets. The four guys she grew close to in high school. The four guys whose hearts she broke. Now, they finally track her down and are determined to figure out what drew her away. The entire time I was reading the book, I was wondering, what is the point? Summer goes back with the guys, but she's just passively there and going around wherever they want her to. What is the point? I just didn't understand the purpose of the current day chapters other than to her get physically reacquainted with the guys. Then, she waits until the literal end of the novel to tell them what happened in the past that drove her away, and it makes me annoyed that she just didn't confide in all four of them when she discovered what she did in the past. She could have told them and they could have all helped each other. Instead, she runs away...for what? To be on the run the rest of her life? It just didn't logically make that much sense to me. I feel like this was more of a prequel for us to get to the actual plot of them dealing with what happened to Summer in the past (which I assume will happen in the next book). I did enjoy the dynamic between the guys in the present and how the past slowly revealed her growing relationship with each guy. I just wanted a lot more from the present chapters.

[B.E.Love]

DNF for me, I wish this book had been more clear in its description and for some reason I only saw three reviews on Goodreads but I started getting suspicious pretty quickly and I’m just not a fan of these types of books, I know reverse Harlem’s are huge right now but I’m a one man one woman kind of girl.

[Book Addict · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow...this book absolutely took my breath away! I am slightly unsure what to write as I don’t want to give away the story...but this book was so intense and captivating, there were moments in the book that were a bit difficult to read but what this book is full of is emotion. There is to much emotion and feeling between Sunshine, Gav, Callum, Blaise and Ryker and the way they are all together is very powerful. All I can really say is that Coralee June is very talented and had me fully invested in the characters from the very first page...I had tears and heart stoppages throughout and I am absolutely dying to see what happens next! Highly recommended...but be warned Gav is very exceptional and extreme!!

[Leo · Rating 3 out of 5]

It had an interesting concept but like some parts more then others. I felt like the big twist was dragged out to long and while I dud suspect it going that turn. I didn't really like the end. Not sure I want to continue it as I didn't feel as much chemistry between them. Sometimes there's a lot and other times not.

[Bec · Rating 1 out of 5]

First thought is "what did I just read"... The heroine is a complete doormat, the guys in this book are mostly horrible and there is really little difference because the bad guy and what is supposed to be the heroes. Sunshine comes from an abusive family and her adult relationships just repattern that with no indication that is going to change. Not going to read the next book.

[Miftahul · Rating 2 out of 5]

Okay so i really enjoyed reading this book, especially the reunion part and how the guys were so desperate to find Summer. So, this story is about a girl named Summer Bright who was born with a silver spoon in her mouth. For the outside world her life is perfect with perfect parents but she knows how bad it is. Her parents dont get along and they force her to be their shiny good girl who is the best but then she meets the bullets who are from the wrong side of the track, and then there is callum, the cop who works with Summer’s father. Graviel who is the leader of the bullets, he is possessive and dominating, then there is Ryker who is the confident type of guy who doesnt care what anyone thinks of them and then there is Blaise the flirt. Summer and the bullets quickly become friends and on the other hand she starts to develop feelings for Callum too but he is much older than all of them. They all loved each other but remained friends but one day Summer runs away from her town without letting anyone know and 5 years later Bullets along with Callum finds her.

The plot was really interesting and i was not expecting the real reason why Summer ran away, it was kinda suspenseful but worth it. I loveee Graviel and the other guys were okay- ish. There was really no chemistry between the other guys and Summer especially with Callum, he didnt just belong with them. Summer and Callum’s relationship with more like brother and sister, i seriously didnt find chemistry between the two. Then there is Blaise, he is more like a supportive bestfriend and i dont like see the relationship kinda love between them. Ryker with Summer is okay, they have a bit chemistry but Graviel and Summer together are hot! I love them two and he is so protective of her. Ugh i wish it not a RH and only Graviel and Summer because her relationship with the other guys really seem unnecessary. Summer did annoy me a lot, idk why they call her strong cuz all she does is cry and calls Graviel “sir”. Anyway, it was fun reading it and i hope the other book is better than this one.

[Namera [The Literary Invertebrate] · Rating 3 out of 5]

ONE LINE SUMMARY

Crazy hot sex scenes, quite a large OW presence, greatly defined characters, way too short.

Gavriel wanted to control me.
Blaise wanted to see me.
Callum wanted to save me.
Ryker wanted to punish me.

[Blog]

[Jeanny · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wasn’t expecting much out of this book but it was Absolutely epic. Book 2 can’t be published fast enough. (Schedule dec)

This book counts towards my RHR Bingo book challenge: scary/grumpy hero with a soft core.

[Siri · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ahhhh it was so good, i really like those dark broken characters. I don't know why but they are so deep and i just love it!
Btw: Ryker is mine and Blaise😈
I want moore!!!

[S.R. Harris · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was completely shocked by this book.

I have read books by this author before and this is nothing like her other series except it is RH.

I was trying to figure out why she ran and nothing prepared me for what the actual reason was.

I liked her guys because they are all so completely different from each other.

I am intrigued to see what happens next.

I would recommend this to RH lovers.

[Al *the semi serial series skipper* · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked and hated this book. I find RH without any paranormal activity a bit hard to believe, I just can never understand why 4+ guys would want just one girl at the same time except there was some magic involved.

This book did not have that problem, the RH was sold. I could believe these boys wanted her and were willing to do it together. They all had a weird codependency thing shimmering under the surface.

What I didn't like however was Summers capitulation to Gavriel's demands. I mean yes he's hot but you haven't seen him in five years and you are already bending over backwards ( being throat fucked with a gun. I felt the entire sex scenes were rushed and that a little reluctance from her would have sold it. Especially since she was on the run for her life and had to be paranoid about everyone. Nonetheless, I'm curious to see how this goes.

[celeste · Rating 2 out of 5]

this one was kinda disappointing, my main issue with this book was how one-dimensional the h was, literally her only personality trait was being horny and thirsty over the four dudes, that's it, that was her whole characterization. and the mystery as to what happened in the past to make her run away from home was kinda predictable. i'll continue with the trilogy because i'm a hoe for reverse harem and wanna see how the dynamic between the 5 of them develops but i'm not holding out much hope.

[Vee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well hello there, where has this book been ??? I found it on a whim and have spent the last 5 hours pretty engrossed in it. I have shocked myself

This is honestly such a surprising read because I initially thought I was going to hate it. Time jumps are never my favourite and each chapter leaps from the past (5 years ago) to the the present. However after 2 chapters I found myself looking forward to the time jumps and needing to know how the past influenced the future. Especially when the present characters are constantly dropping breadcrumbs about the past.

I’m not gonna lie the dad reveal was obvious. As soon a they mentioned his profession and his special interest in that case, you know what was going on. I feel like the author could have played down the character a bit more and then I may have actually been surprised, but straight-off she described him as pretty much a sociopath. He ignores right and wrong, doesn’t care about other emotions and is highly manipulative to gain power. He also often described as showing no emotions. Of course the big twist wasn’t shocking, this man is a creeper.

I honestly like all the guys in the harem as well…. well maybe not Callum. I did end up liking him though. The other guys - MMA fighter, a bounty Hunter and a crime lord. Callum was a fbi agent … 🤨. He was in no way a bad boy like the other and he was also 5 years older then them (27), so I felt like he was a lot more mature. Again I like him in the end though, he is just quite vanilla.

This is how the book describes the dudes and it’s pretty spot on. (I think this is close to the original quote, I can’t find it again in the book.)

Blaise wanted to see me
Ryker wanted to protect me
Gavril wants to control me
Callum wanted to save me.

It was half insta-love and half not, which is a ratio I can deal with.

FMC was honestly 🔥 and the character development, ahhh just so good .Her present self was so much strong, compared to the past. She did have moments where she struggled (panic attacks/ptsd), but she wasn’t made into a damsel. She leans on the guys when needed, but they weren’t her ‘be all and end all’. It was really refreshing to read a character like this.

Do I wish the cliffhanger moment was a little less obvious, 100%. But despite this, I was engaged throughout and I honestly haven’t been like this with a rh in forever.

The next book here I come 🦸‍♀️

[Marzipop · Rating 1 out of 5]

Honestly, all I saw was danger red flags of domestic violence when it came to the main char and Gavriel. There's not really anything hot about deep throat fucking a gun, molesting you in front of a friend, and just in general controlling someone's existence and life. Then flipping around, pretending to be sweet, and demanding he have absolute control over the MC. What's worse, is that the 'relationship' of what she has with Gavriel is near carbon copy of the terrible one her parents had.
1. Mother is a door mat
2. Father is power hungry and thinks he can have whatever cuz he's powerful and is out to get back at the MC for whatever it was that happened.

1.Sunshine is a doormat.
2. Gavriel is a crime lord drunk on power and gets off on possessing her and having her whole life dangling at his finger tips. He wants to get back at the MC for leaving him.

This isn't sexy to me. This is abusive and horrifying. I was really looking forward to it, cuz the whole thing had a feeling of noir, The Godfather, and the mystery built up around her childhood. But damn it all to hell I don't want to read about a horrible abusive relationship that's being passed on as 'hot'. That just hits way too close to home.

[Cassie Guest · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars

If I could rate this it would probably be 2.5 stars but I'll just round up. Okay one thing that drove me mad was that the heroine kept saying she changed or she wasn't summer anymore but I honestly saw no difference. She still remained the weak and whiny chick that apparently could not think of a better solution than running and hiding. Well actually let me rephrase that it's alright that she ran, but she should have dedicated everything into stopping HIM. She found a Badass hacker and she is telling me that they couldn't find any kind of dirt?? The heroine should have planned ways to take him down instead of just letting him do what he wants. She also should have kept up to date with her boys since they are all men who have resources. So what in the actual fuck was she doing??? She is supposedly smart but all I saw was a girl who let everyone control her and submit to their decisions. The sex scenes were a little lacking also. I felt no chemistry at all but that could just be me.

[Iretsia · Rating 2 out of 5]

Dnf at 40% because of an annoying MC and patriarchal bull shit. Full review to come.

[Lauren · Rating 3 out of 5]

Disappointed

I'm not sure how I felt about this book, was it ok, yeah sure, but with all the top reviews I thought I was going to be rocked in a sense, well I was definitely disappointed. This is a RH read that felt cheap, and what I mean is that the interactions with the men all made sunshine look very cheap, like a whore who deserved to be degraded, I hated it, there was no real care I coming off these men, and the way she craved them although they were cruel left a bad taste in my mouth. It was also ridiculous how she goes on and on about how different she is, how strong she had to become and I read nothing of the case. She was a hot ass mess, breakdowns and panic attacks. I liked how one of the guys told her to stop having pity parties, I was in the same boat. I get she was hidding from some messed up stuff, but I wanted a bad*ss, I wanted a strong sunshine who was tired of the blows life was giving her, instead I got a crybaby who when going through s*** only begged she needed one of the guys who then banged her to make her feel better.

[Gillian Dowell · Rating 5 out of 5]

The speed at which I read this is a testament to just how addictive this story is. I DEVOURED this in a day, and that hasn’t happened for me in, I don’t know, YEARS???

If you’re on the lookout for a ridiculously terrific RH romance with dark twists, this one is for you.

These characters are PERFECT. The dynamics of the relationship(s) and watching them each attempt to navigate it is SUCH a treat.

Even having read it before, the turn this story took was still surprising. SO dark, but harmonious with how heavy the lives/situations of the characters are.

This re-read was so delightful that I’ll pencil in another into my calendar for four years from now 🤷🏻‍♀️

[Christy R · Rating 2 out of 5]

I rate this book poorly because the description is so far off. This book isn’t remotely relatable. If you don’t want to read about a stereotypically cheesy mob boss and the other unrealistic men he “owns” who pass around a doormat for a female for sex, this book isn’t for you. Have a fantasy about sleeping with 4 different men every day at the expense of your freedom and their happiness? This is it.

Look, if someone is into kink and control, more power to you and this book will get your rocks off. But the description of this book doesn’t indicate that this would be the topic on every single page. The dynamic here is one that leads people, especially vulnerable women, down a path to justifying cruelty and control. Gavriel, who is idolized, edges into the realm of sexual enslavement. Consent and comfort are blurry, while threats and manipulation leverage “ownership” and sex. Not a good plot to call “relatable”. And one that glorifies mob murder and institutionalized crime because it’s “hot”? How ignorant.

The main character is insufferable. The sexual encounters (which are all of the encounters actually) are so repetitive and predictable that they’ve become boring and skippable. Her handling of finding out her father is a serial killer is absurd (this entire pinnacle was awarded about 3 percent of the story). The book indicates that I’m supposed to see her as a fighter in her monologues, but she’s only ever weak. The author so flippantly glosses over her 5 years of intermittent homelessness and struggle, there’s just no evidence of strength behind her character. The author similarly writes off Gavriel’s life of crime as if it’s a side hobby, making his character laughable and unreal. There isn’t enough back story on what Summer has ever done for these guys to adore her as they do. She constantly hurts them. I wanted her to fight the gross extent of Gavriels control but she doesn’t. They all just roll over.

Why two stars? Because I hate what this book insinuates and think that it’s a dangerous trap for those who may believe it’s actually relatable and a standard for women/men like the description states it is. But I kept reading! The authors writing style reads very well. It is an interesting plot, albeit far fetched. I just wish it wouldn’t be sold as a basic romance, and that the ownership piece and manipulation of consent would be toned down (Callum in The Rose scene. Awful). Again, the control act would be okay if it wasn’t so obvious that most of the “owned” characters are miserable and put in a situation that bends their will. So I have conflict with how I feel about this book, a type of conflict that I secretly enjoy. It’s guilty, interesting, maddening, dangerous, and curious at the same time. Perhaps that’s success.

Note though: I sincerely hope impressionable young women/men don’t read this book. For details like the control, but also for asserting that they can have back to back unprotected sex when not knowing where the group has been and relying on Summers IUD. Yikes.

[Alysha Rathbun · Rating 5 out of 5]

" I was painfully predictable. Five years wasn't enough time to change a heart. I'd always follow him."

" We're the same, you and I. The world broke us, and the only way we'll ever feel whole again is with each other."
- Gavriel

Meet Sunshine, she's on the run. Five years later The Bullets find her....
@the.gillian.dowell recommend this to me and I'm so glad she did!... I don't know where The Bullets have been my whole life, but they were worth the wait- I'M SO IN LOVE...never been one for RH but what girl wouldn't want a Gavriel, Ryker, Blaise & Callum. Oh and Sunshine, their Girl.🖤 Babe is a badass... I wasn't very far into the first one when I ordered book two 🤷‍♀️
This one is TOP shelf. This one will forever be a favorite.

"A thousand words would never be enough, and I prayed our bodies said all the things I was too cowardly to say."
- Sunshine


" You're sunshine, baby. You're light. Warmth. Pure Life illuminating those lucky enough to know you."

Sunshine and bullets by @authorcoraleejune

[⊹ Gabriela | Asternyx ⊹ · Rating 2 out of 5]

⇢ DNF 40%

I found out what all the fuss was about and I wasn't surprised because it was among the reasons I suspected she ran away. I also didn't like any of the guys, so I didn't see a reason to finish it...

⇢ What to expect:
∘ Dark Contemporary
∘ Romance
∘ Reverse-Harem
∘ Friends to Lovers
⇢ Trigger Warnings: abuse, violence, rape

[Jessica *The Lovely Books* · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yes!!
This was AMAZING.

[Butthisbook]

DNF at 37%
It started off good but then I slowly started to get bored.
I lost interest in the characters and the story.

[Bianca Souza · Rating 4 out of 5]

I try to only start reading a series if it has at least two books out since I read a lot and it's easy to get lost with all the plots and characters. I've been seeing a lot of good reviews with this one and since book two is out I decided to give it a try.
I always tread carefully with dark romance books because I don't like the ones that treat the MFC like she is nothing and should only be used. We already see a lot of crappy things in our lives to have to deal with this in our leasure times.
I stayed reading this book till 4am so I've only slept this night for four hours but I don't regret it. This book gave me all the feels!
I just wasn't a five stars for me because of the back and forth of the narrative.
If you haven't read this one yet run fast and grab your copy!

[LolliMolly ⫷fiction addiction⫸ · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars for being entertaining.
I have some issues with the plot, but I try to suspend my inner critic with this kind of book lol.

There's this BIG MYSTERY about why she left town, but I really don't understand how the guys don't realize why. I mean they obviously wouldn't know the details (sorry for the vagueness, I'm trying to avoid spoilers lol) but they should easily pick up on who she's running from. It's really obvious, especially since one of them is a federal agent looking into it, but he still doesn't get it?

Whatever lol. I was sufficiently entertained and I'm starting the next one.

[Jasmine Hoisington · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great start to a hopefully great series

I have a love for dark reverse harem series and this one so far has not disappointed me! The characters, the love story, the dark stuff kept me so involved with this book that I did nothing for 4.5 hours but read!

[Talltree]

From what I can tell, the H's were with other girls while they loved the h.

Not for me.

[Stephanie Kemler · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best Why Choose series I’ve ever read. Organic, engaging, well-written, and impossible to put down.

[J · Rating 3 out of 5]

So, I'm having a bit of mixed feelings about this book. It started like a really good and promising story but it didn't succeed in holding my attention all the way. I did enjoy the story and the Reverse harem. This book took my RH virginity. I can see why they are so popular. RH are every woman's fantasy, I mean, there are several hot looking dudes that have only one thing in their minds, the utter pleasure, safety and making the woman in their life feel fulfilled in every aspect. Why choose, right?

I always appreciate a dual timeline because it gives depth to a story but in this case I tended to enjoy the past more. I liked how the author wrote the story in the past and the characters were recognizable. I enjoyed reading about how the past revealed Summers relationship with each guy. When the story shifted to the present the lacking in character development was to obvious to me. I didn't feel like Summer was presented as a strong woman. She wasn't as feisty and independent as the author tried to portrait her or as the other characters saw her. Being a RH book, I wanted her to be more passionate, more bold and more fierce.

I didn't understand Summer's and Gavriel's relationship (or Gavriel's and the other guys relationship, for that matter). It was portraited like Gavriel owned them all. Their mind, soul and body. I don't buy that. They are all grownups. No one has that power over anyone else. You always have a choice. So, exorting power and control over someone isn't hot in my opinion. Not the way that it was portraited. If there's safety and trust, well that's another story, but I didn't feel it in this one. The characters that I liked the most were Blaise and Ryker.

Some things about the plot just didn't make sense to me. I just couldn't grasp my mind around why the MC ran away?Maybe if it was explained a bit more I could accept it but otherwise....why? Then we have to wait until the end to know why she escaped. If they were her best friends as she claimed. She should have stayed and trusted them enough to tell them the truth. I also found the build up to the big secret to be a bit anticlimactic. It feels like this book is a prequel to the real story that is book 2.

It was a fun read and it stirred up a lot of questions. I should have probably buddy read this one with a friend. I felt like I needed to discuss some things along the way.