Spotlight – Home is Where You Are
30 Tuesday Sep 2014
Posted in Blog Tour
Monthly Archives: September 2014
Guest Post – All Bets Are On
30 Tuesday Sep 2014
Posted in Blog Tour
Hopefully you read my review of All Bets Are On but if not now is your chance to check it out and get to know author Cynthia Cooke a little bit better 🙂
Say Hi to Cynthia everyone!
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*What do you like best about writing romances?
Disappearing into another world, and getting to know the characters. Watching what they do, and helping them find their happily ever after. No matter how hard or bad their lives get, it always works out well in the end.
*What is your favorite romantic story (movie/book, fact/fiction)?
There are so many, it’s hard to choose. I love Nora Roberts, I love Susan Elizabeth Phillips. I love Lisa Gardner and Iris Johansen.
*If you could be any romantic character, who would it be and why?
Off the top of my head, Sookie Stackhouse. She is so funny and she takes things in stride, and most of all, she has a lot of people who care about her.
*Which of your characters/books was the most fun to write?
They are all hard. Some of my favorite stories though were Shiver and Black Magic Lover. They both took place in Louisiana, and I love how different it is there. How moody and atmospheric. I also loved my wolf shifter books, Running With Wolves and Lying With Wolves because the mythology behind the wolf Colony was so creative. All Bets are On was just a fun kick in the pants. It’s my first book that has a lot of humor in it, and being able to pull that off was very gratifying.
*If you weren’t a writer and could be anything you want, what would it be?
I would love to learn how to paint. Hopefully life will free up a bit in the next few years and I can start taking some lessons.
*****
All Bets Are On
by Cynthia Cooke
Release Date: 09/22/14
Genre: Paranormal
Blurb:
A paranormal category romance from Entangled’s Covet imprint…
His wicked games…
The Prince of Hell needs to get laid. Well, according to his minions, anyway. Now Derek Wescott, ruler of the Eighth Level of Hell, has been set up on an online date. And worse still, his minions are placing bets that Derek won’t be able to entice the sweet yet plain Jaclyn Reynolds into bed before midnight. But Derek has no intention of losing the bet. Not now. Not ever.
Jaclyn, on the other hand, is in danger of losing everything. The charity she runs is in trouble, and she is desperate for cash. The moment she sees her absolutely gorgeous—and insanely wealthy—date, she knows she’s in way over her head. She also knows his type all too well, and it will be a cold day in Hell before she ever gets into his bed. Yet Derek offers her a friendly wager: he’ll give $10,000 to her charity if she can resist him.
The wagers have been set. The game has begun. And Derek will do just about anything to ensure that Jaclyn is completely—and infernally—his…
Goodreads Book Link: http://bit.ly/AllBetsOnGR
Amazon Buy Link: http://bit.ly/AllBetsOnAM
Barnes & Noble Buy Link: http://bit.ly/AllBetsOnBN
Entangled Page: http://bit.ly/AllBetsOnEP
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Author Info:
Cynthia Cooke is an award-winning author who has published thirteen books with Harlequin/Silhouette, Steeple Hill, and Entangled Publishing. She has co-written two books, EDGE OF SHADOWS, a thriller with CJ Lyons, and a TASTE OF GREEK, a sexy paranormal with Tina Folsom, Cynthia has a deep affection for romance, thrillers and all things that go bump in the night. So if you choose to delve into one of her stories, don’t forget to turn on the lights. Cynthia Cooke’s books aren’t sweet and they aren’t for the faint of heart.
Embrace the Seduction.
Author Website:cynthiacooke.com
Author Twitter: @cynthiacooke5
Author Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cynthia.cooke
Author Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/513015.Cynthia_Cooke
Spotlight – Indecent Proposal
30 Tuesday Sep 2014
Y’all might remember that we’ve looked at the Boys of Bishop series before with Wild Child, Never Been Kissed, and Between the Sheets. Now we get Book 4!
*****
Indecent Proposal
Boys of Bishop, Book #4
by Molly O’Keefe
Blurb:
Perfect for readers of Susan Mallery and Rachel Gibson, Molly O’Keefe’s gritty and sensual tale of passion and politics features the brother of the heroine from the author’s beloved novel, Never Been Kissed. He’s a driven man who refuses to be distracted—until he meets a beautiful bartender who just may change his life.
With his chiseled jaw and his thick blond hair, Harrison Montgomery was born to lead. Four generations of Montgomery men have served the state of Georgia and now he’s next in line. Harrison, though, is driven to right wrongs: namely to clean up the political mess left by his father’s greed and corruption. But Harrison must first win his congressional bid, and nothing can get in his way—not even an angel who served him whiskey and gave him a shoulder to lean on and a body to love for a night. Problem is, she’s pregnant. Scandal is brewing and there is only one solution: marriage.
Damage control? Ryan Kaminski can’t believe that a cold, calculating political animal now inhabits the body of the emotionally vulnerable stranger who’d given her the most unforgettable night of her life. Really, she doesn’t want anything from Harrison, except to be left alone to have her baby in peace. But Ryan is broke, jobless, and essentially blackmailed by Harrison’s desperate family to accept this crazy marriage deal. For two years, she will have to act the role of caring, supportive wife. But what is Ryan supposed to do when she realizes that, deep in her heart, she’s falling in love.
Goodreads Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23160749-indecent-proposal
Get INDECENT PROPOSAL at Amazon & Barnes & Noble
Purchase the third book in the series – BETWEEN THE SHEETS
at Amazon & Barnes and Noble
Purchase the second book in the series – NEVER BEEN KISSED
at Amazon & Barnes and Noble
Purchase the first book in the series – WILD CHILD at Amazon & Barnes and Noble
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Author Info:
Molly O’Keefe is the RITA Award winning author of over 25 books and novellas. She lives in Toronto, Canada with her husband, two kids and the largest heap of dirty laundry in North America.
Site – http://www.molly-okeefe.com/
Twitter – https://twitter.com/MollyOKwrites
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/MollyOKeefeBooks
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/223845.Molly_O_Keefe
*****
Giveaway:
Enter to win a $50 Gift Card.
http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/726d2572204/
*****
Spotlight – Love on the Boardwalk
29 Monday Sep 2014
Posted in Blog Tour, Sneak Peek
You guys have GOT to check out the first chapter of this book – I’m ready to read the rest of it now!
*****
Love on the Boardwalk
by Christi Barth
Blurb:
Atlantic City is the perfect place for detective Bradley Hudson to nurse his broken heart. A week of beer and strippers is sure to erase his former fiancée from his memory for good. What he didn’t count on was running into a sassy redhead from his past. Maybe a rebound romp is an even better plan…
Trina Trimble, private eye in training, is thrilled to be reunited with the hottie she almost hooked up with last summer. She’s undercover on her first solo case, but there’s always time to lock lips with a sexy cop. Besides, a fun fling with Brad doesn’t have to last beyond his week in town.
Brad and Trina are supposed to be just flirting, not forging a new forever. Brad’s still healing, and although Trina changes careers the way other women change shoes, she has finally found her calling in her new life of disguises and stakeouts. But when an irresistible job offer threatens to lure her away, Brad will need to decide to let her go or bet it all on love and risk his heart again.
Purchase at Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Google Play | iBooks
*****
Excerpt:
Chapter One
Worst honeymoon ever. Not that Bradley Hudson had experienced much in way of comparison. But he knew it was missing some key ingredients. First clue? He was not sitting on a sunny Caribbean beach, sucking on a rum punch. Second clue? No sex. And the third, most telling piece of evidence?
No wife.
He took a sip of something brown and tasteless that was as weak as it was pricey. Oh, well. Not as if he’d come here to get blitzed. Brad could drink for free when he hit the casinos. At a strip club, the draw was the eye candy. What he could see of it past all the fake greenery.
The strip clubs here weren’t just your basic stage and a pole like the ones he’d raided as a beat cop back home in Baltimore. No, in Atlantic City everything had to have a theme. Here at Club Eden, each of the stools at the edge of the stage was shaped like the ass end of a different animal, complete with tails hanging from the back. A spiky green plant poked at the top of Brad’s head. More surrounded him, giving his fake grass-covered banquette in the corner the feeling of a private cabana. A very green, very tacky cabana.
So his view was limited to straight ahead. Only about a third of the stage. Since Brad only gave a third of a rat’s ass about seeing the gravity-defying racks on the dancers, it didn’t matter. After all, he hadn’t even wanted to come. But his dad—of all people—made him promise to engage in the age-old custom of staring at fake boobs at least once, just to stick it to the memory of his ex-fiancée. And everyone at his Maryland State Police barracks had pitched in to give him a wad of singles to stuff…somewhere.
What he did enjoy was the view of the waitress who was to-and-fro-ing it in front of him. She wore a green bikini top with a few strategically placed twining vines. A grass skirt was too long by the width of a single blade of grass for him to arrest her for indecent exposure. Her butt twitched the grass with every step in a hypnotic swish that pulled him far more than the gyrations on stage. As did the cascade of deep red curls that skimmed the top of it.
Not that it mattered. Not that Brad intended to do anything more than just look. ’Cause if you dug a hole straight through to the opposite side of the earth, you still wouldn’t get low enough to rank women on his priority list. Right now, for him, they just made good scenery. Like the backdrops he’d painted the summer he pitched in with the school musical to catch the eye of Kerri…no, Cammie? Some hot blonde a year ahead of him who’d kissed him across an enormous canvas covered with wheat fields and haystacks. The night the backdrop got stuck up in the fly system, the show still rolled on. The music and story came out just as well without the backdrop. And for now Brad’s life rolled on, better than ever without the complication, heartache and headache of a woman in it.
The music switched from Eurotrash pop to a technobeat that buzzed in his molars. Brad shifted to pull his phone out of his pocket. He wanted to take a picture of his cheesy fake grass-covered seat and shoot it to Coop. Chances were his cousin wouldn’t believe the description without photographic evidence. Distrust for what he couldn’t see was part of what made Coop such a good detective. Not quite as good as Brad, of course, but close.
As soon as the flash went off, little Miss Grass Skirt barreled over, long hair almost covering her face. “No photos in here, hon. You’re lucky the bouncer didn’t see you, or you’d be losing an arm along with your phone.” She held out a hand.
“Sorry. I didn’t think.” Brad passed over the phone. “Look for yourself—there aren’t any people in this photo.”
She took it. Snorted. “Talk about pointless. Did your butt form a deep, sentimental attachment with the fake grass beneath it? Wanna remember it forever?”
Wow. Bet she didn’t get many tips with that kind of an attitude in this place. But it did tease a grin out of him. “I don’t have to explain my spank bank to you.”
“Funny. Or really sick and twisted, if you’re not kidding.” She flipped the hair out of her eyes. Gasped. “Brad?”
He looked at her. Really looked, past the glitter caked on top of green eye shadow. Past the fake lashes and scarlet lips to the face beneath the painted-on mask. The delicate, almost elfin features. Eyes the same green as the beer bottles on her tray. And realized he’d ogled this particular face and figure before. Four months ago, to be exact. On the beach. Where she and her best friend Darcy stumbled across a counterfeit green-card scam. Since Brad’s cousin Coop was falling ass over heels for Darcy at the time, he and Brad got dragged into their investigation. They got the bad guy, and Coop got the girl.
“Trina Trimble?”
A dimple formed at the corner of her smile. “You remember. Even my last name. I’m impressed. Here I thought you detective types had to consult your pocket notebooks to remember anything.”
“Two minutes, and two insults. You haven’t changed a bit, Trina.” Knowing it was her now, and not just some random set of great legs, Brad gave her a slow head-to-toe. The view from the front was just as good as the one from the back. Tan, freckled legs were bare all the way down to feet jammed into clear, well, he had to call them hooker shoes. No other way to describe the Lucite stilts she wobbled on, with toenails peeping out the same glittery green as her eye shadow.
“Why fix what’s not broken?” she sassed back.
“Good point.”
Trina set his phone on the table. “What’s a nice boy like you doing in a skeezy place like this?”
“Seriously?” Brad huffed out a laugh. “Good or bad, young or old, most men come to a strip club at least a couple times in their lives. You really think you need to dig deep to discover my motivation?”
“Most men like you don’t come alone and drink in a corner. Unless…” She slammed down her tray, bottles rattling. Leaned forward far enough he could see the emerald satin edge of her bra. Made him wonder if her panties were the same color. “Are you here on a stakeout?”
This was the Trina he remembered. The one who jumped to conclusions faster than a kangaroo on speed. “Hope not. Since you just yelled that loud enough for everyone within ten tables to hear.”
The sparkle of excitement in her eyes snuffed right out. “Sorry. I got excited. Thought I’d get to see some action in here.”
Her choice of words cracked him up. “I’ll bet you get to see all sorts of action in here most nights.”
Trina grimaced. “Not the kind of action I want to see. Or even think about. I sort of want to bleach my memory bank after every shift.”
Exactly the feeling Brad had after some of his shifts. As a homicide detective, he saw things all too often that he didn’t want popping up in his dreams. Which they invariably did. It was a hazard of the job. Worth it, though, to catch the scum who perpetrated the crimes and make sure they never repeated themselves.
“I don’t want to get your hopes up, so no, I’m definitely not on a stakeout.”
“Bummer. Of course, if you’re not on official business, then I get to do this.” Trina slid in next to him. Leaned over for a hug. Even with the plastic vines attached to her top poking at his chest through the open collar of his white polo shirt, it was one hell of a hug.
In the short time he’d known her, Brad had noticed that Trina threw herself into everything she did with whole-hearted enthusiasm. This hug was no exception. Most people did a polite squeeze and release. In and out as fast as the flu shot the department made him get every year. But Trina clung tight. Which was fine with him, as it pressed those perky breasts right up against him. Her face burrowed into the hollow of his neck. Brad could swear her lips rested on the pulse point that hadn’t picked up its pace over a woman in six long months. All of a sudden, blood pounded through him, on a much swifter course due south, away from one head straight down to his other.
Oh yeah. This hug was chock-full of potential. And the night suddenly looked a hundred times brighter.
*****
Author Info:
Christi Barth earned a Masters degree in vocal performance and embarked upon a career on the stage. A love of romance then drew her to wedding planning. Ultimately she succumbed to her lifelong love of books and now writes award-winning contemporary romance. Christi is President of the Maryland Romance Writers and lives in Maryland with her husband.
Website | Blog | Pinterest | Twitter | Goodreads | Amazon Author Page | Facebook
Spotlight – Stronger
26 Friday Sep 2014
Posted in Blog Tour, Contest, Sneak Peek
Y’all, I’m so excited – I love a good military suspense romance and this one looks like a doozy!
*****
Stronger
The Unit Series Book Two
by Sarah Greyson
Genre: Military Erotic Romantic Suspense
Publisher: Sarah G. Greyson LLC
Date of Publication: 9-26-14
Number of pages: 288
Cover Artist: Cover Me Darling
Blurb:
They always wanted to fix him. Didn’t they realize there was no fixing his kind of broke?
Haunted by the loss of his beloved fiancée a year and a half ago at the hands of a terrorist cell, ex-Green Beret Rob Fabik doesn’t know how to let go. The sounds and sights of her death replay in his mind, and he tortures himself with the guilt he feels over not being able to save her life, distracting himself with alcohol and women.
Attending Harvard University, Lola Sardeson is a down-to-earth, rich girl who is tired of living under her father’s thumb. One night out with friends quickly turns into a nightmare as she is kidnapped from a busy Boston nightclub. Her nightmare intensifies as she learns that the Ortiz Cartel sells young, innocent girls into the sex-slave trade.
The Unit’s mission is to rescue Lola from the nefarious clutches of the Ortiz Cartel. From the instant Rob sees Lola, she touches something deep inside him, drawing out his protective nature. These feelings only serve to intensify the guilt he feels over losing his dead fiancée.
Forced by circumstance under the same roof, Lola inspires Rob to grow stronger. Can he suppress his feelings for Lola, or will guilt consume him alive? Can he forgive himself for not saving his fiancée? Can Rob save Lola and protect her from the greedy hands of the Ortiz Cartel?
Book trailer: http://youtu.be/C6dMea1q7zY
Stronger is available at Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Smashwords | KOBO
For a limited time, Stronger is available for just 99 cents …. AND you can get Closer, Book 1 in the series, for 99 cents!
Closer can be found at Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Smashwords | KOBO
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Author Info:
Sarah Greyson is an Amazon Best Selling author. She lives in Virginia with her husband, two children, and four spoiled animals. She earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Communications with a concentration in Professional Writing and her Master’s Degree in Education.
When she is not writing or spending time with her family, she loves reading sizzling romantic suspense novels that make her blush. She loves a glass of pinot grigio, back-yard barbecues with friends and family, and helping her kids with their homework (in that order).
Her interests span all genres: from Catcher in the Rye by J. D. Salinger to Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury to Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen to Slave by Shari Hayes to The Art of Happiness by Dalai Lama XIV. Sarah’s favorite genres are contemporary romantic suspense and erotic suspense; the types of novels she crafts. While the concepts are familiar and comfortable, she brings her own unique story and personality to everything she writes. She loves the feeling of crafting a spicy, action-packed novel. Writing is her passion. She wants to leave her readers breathless after experiencing the intense ride that is her novel.
Website: https://www.sarahgreyson.com
Blog: www.blog.sarahgreyson.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Sarah-Greyson/724202254267061
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Sarah_G_Greyson
Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B00L99CNY2
Google +: https://plus.google.com/u/0/111179255301244655648/posts
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8186443.Sarah_Greyson
*****
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Giveaway:
10 prize packs featuring:
Signed copy of print book and swag bag
open to US Shipping
http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/ba112ffc782/
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Tour Schedule:
Guest blog
Fang-tastic Books
Interview
Shut Up & Read
Interview
The Creatively Green Write at Home Mom
Spotlight
Roxanne’s Realm
Spotlight
Lisa’s World of Books
Spotlight
Deal Sharing Aunt
Spotlight
Books & Tales
Review
Cheekypee reads and reviews
Spotlight
SBM Book Obsession
Spotlight
Share My Destiny
Spotlight
Aly’s Miscellany
Spotlight
Sizzling Book Blog
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Spotlight – Encore
25 Thursday Sep 2014
Posted in Blog Tour, Sneak Peek
Tags
Now we are going to take a look at Jamie Salisbury’s Encore! … which just might make you rethink your mental image of a sexy musician.
*****
Encore!
by Jamie Salisbury
Blurb:
Mary Stuart and Daniel Kennedy have not seen each other since attending a prestigious performing arts school.
Now a world renowned violinist, and married to his career, Daniel stumbles across Mary through her images at a London gallery. He is in need of a photographer with vision – she is a photographer in need of clients.
Mary has all but given up the stage – or has she? Her photographs pay the bills far more than her fancy musical education. But Mary has secrets. . .secrets she dare not share with even the roguish Mr. Kennedy.
A roving paparazzi lens changes all that for them. . .
Can Daniel forgive Mary for hiding her past – and her present? Will their relationship break like a violin string – or will their love endure the chaos?
Amazon | B&N | IBooks | Smashwords
*****
Excerpt:
So here I am – going over images from a photo shoot the day before when I hear the front door bell chime. Looking up I see the most perfect man, hell the most beautiful man I had laid eyes on in – oh hell I don’t know – years perhaps. Oh h-e-l-l! It was him!
“Mary Stuart?” He asked as the door shut behind him. The sunlight caught his light brown hair as he stepped inside. His hair was long, though pulled up in some sort of knot in the back. The rest was pulled away from his face, showing off just how handsome he really was. He had the most expressive brown eyes I think I’d ever seen on a man, and that smile would melt your heart.
“That’d be me,” I cockily replied. “Mary Stuart at your service. And you would be?”
“Daniel. Daniel Kennedy.” His brown eyes bore through me, but somehow didn’t make me uncomfortable. “Forgive me for staring, but you look familiar.”
“I was just about to say the same thing. Why don’t you tell me what I can do for you and perhaps it’ll come to one of us.” Yeah I could think of a few things I’d like to do with this man and none of it had to do with taking his picture either.
“I saw some of your work at a gallery and thought you do amazing work. I’m looking for someone to shoot new images for me, and I think you may be that person.”
His voice was soft. The cadence in the manner in which he spoke entranced me. He had a hint of an underlying accent, which I’d always found sexy. His voice, his mannerisms…
“Could I get you something to drink, Daniel? A coffee or some tea? I even have water if you’d like. We can sit down and you can tell me exactly what you’re looking for.” I pointed to a small floral sofa and chair in a corner of the studio.
“Water would be fine.”
“I’ll be right back. Feel free to look around.”
I turned and walked towards the back room where we kept the refrigerator. I opened the door and pulled out two waters and returned to the gallery. Suck it up! He has no idea it was you he’s seen at the clubs. Just act as though you’re both trying to figure out where you know each other from.
Daniel, mister tall, dark and definitely handsome, not to mention trouble, was standing in front of a grouping of photos I had taken of an elderly duchess on her eightieth birthday.
Hearing my footsteps, he turned and proceeded towards the sofa. I paused in front of him and handed him the bottle of cold water before proceeding to the sofa where I sat across from him. “Tell me something about yourself Daniel. What you do for a living, that sort of thing.” I lied.
As I waited for his reply I couldn’t help but make note of the heavy silver rings he wore. I instantly recognized one as a skull. He certainly didn’t look the part of a Goth. He was dressed nicely enough in a pair of form fitting black jeans, some sort of graphic t-shirt underneath a dark grey pin stripe jacket. He popped the cap off the bottle and took a long swig before closing it again and setting the bottle on the floor.
“I am a violinist…” he began.
*****
Author Info:
Since Jamie Salisbury began publishing her Romance stories, she has seen her books soar to #1 on Amazon. Her novella Tudor Rubato was a finalist in the 2012 RONE (Reward of Novel Excellence) award, and the cover won for Best Contemporary Cover. Now in 2014, her novel Life and Lies was been nominated for a RONE in the Erotica category. She has expanded her audience to include several now published by Secret Cravings Publishing.
Her previous career in public relations in and around the entertainment field has afforded her with a treasure trove of endless story ideas.
Blog | Website | Facebook | Romance Novel Center
Twitter: @JamieRSalisbury
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Check out the exclusive Encore! Book Trailer YouTube Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=olZmp28VbXQ&feature=youtu.be
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Cover Reveal – The Trouble with Faking
25 Thursday Sep 2014
Posted in Blog Tour
Let’s start the morning with taking a look at a NA Contemporary romance releasing later this year from Rachel Morgan. It looks like it could be a can’t miss!
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After a stupid miscommunication, everyone in Andi’s new res thinks she’s secretly dating Damien, boyfriend of resident queen bee Charlotte. Since the rumor’s already out there and refuses to be squashed, Andi and Damien decide to keep up the facade in the hopes of snagging the attention of the people they really want to be with. What could possibly go wrong?
Guest Post – Fat Girl
24 Wednesday Sep 2014
Posted in Blog Tour, Contest, Sneak Peek
Tags
I’m so thrilled to welcome Leigh Carron as she shares some ideas on how to keep the sizzle going at home … and then gives us a special look at her new book. Enjoy!
*****
Keep the Romantic Fire Burning by Leigh Carron
As a romance enthusiast, I love all things sensual, sexy and romantic. That’s why I chose to write romance over any other genre. For the anticipation…the excitement…the smoking hot passion. The things we associate with falling in love.
But what about when the rollercoaster of emotions and intensity in a relationship give way to ease and comfort? To me, that’s the best part. A slowing down, a steadiness, a rightness in your world. The trick is not to get staid. Rather to enjoy the calmer ride and still keep the romance on track, through years of dating, marriage and even children. Not always easy. Though so worth the effort.
Thought I’d share six of my favorite romantic things that have worked for my husband and me.
A touch a day, keeps the humdrum away
Don’t underestimate the impact of a spontaneous hug, touch on the arm, holding hands on a walk, curling up during a movie, or the simplicity of a soft peck on the lips. Try not to let a day go by without some form of physical connection. It reminds you of how much you mean to each other.
Stack up the self-esteem
Feeling good about yourselves allows you to feel better about each other and your relationship. Acknowledging how special you are and how much you have to offer helps. Much like the character in my novel, Fat Girl, I have battled negative body image most of my life. My husband gets that. And what we found works for us is to build each other’s confidence through mutual praise and compliments.
The way to a man’s heart…
Is probably a strip tease, and I advocate that for those confident enough to do it. But since I’m not there yet, we indulge our desire to cook. Choose a favorite meal and either prepare it together—that can be very sensual when peppered with feeding each other tastes and sexy kisses—or cook for one another; setting the mood with candles, flowers and love songs.
❤
In this day of instant messaging, text your partner a spontaneous “I love you.” Or build the excitement with a sex-text: “Can’t wait to get you naked tonight.” It breaks up the monotony of the day and lets the other person know you’re thinking about them in loving and desirous ways.
Talk isn’t Cheap
Carve out time to share your days; the good, the bad and the ugly. When I’m bothered, what I mostly need is just for him to listen. While he wants his problem solved. We require different things and that’s okay. Connecting, understanding, knowing the other person is there is what matters. And is a great builder of trust and intimacy.
Make bedtime sexy
Sure, I wear flannel PJs to bed many nights; they’re comfy. But I’ll sometimes surprise him by spicing it up with black lacy underwear beneath. Even something as simple as lighting a candle or offering up a massage can turn sleep time into sexy play time.
These are merely a handful of ideas. Please feel free to add to the list by sharing ways to keep romance burning. Connect with me at https://www.facebook.com/leighcarronebooks or @LeighCarron.
*****
Fat Girl
by Leigh Carron
Genre: Romance (Contemporary, Steamy, Adult Content)
Blurb:
Years after fleeing small-town Springvale, Illinois, Deanna Chase has picked up the pieces of her shattered heart and built a new life for herself as a child advocacy lawyer. Her food addiction is quasi under control, her secrets are buried, and she has even made a tenuous peace with her plus-size body. Until…
Micah Peters—the very sexy and now famous man she fled— walks through her office door and sends Dee reeling. His demand that she help a young boy caught in a custody battle will reunite her with the past she left behind.
Torn between duty and self-preservation, Dee isn’t easy to convince. But when obligation wins, the former lovers get more than they bargained for—a searing passion that burns hotter than ever and startling revelations about what really happened the fateful night she left.
Will the truth set Dee free to love again? Or will past hurts and lingering insecurities destine her to walk away from her heart again, this time for good?
Fat Girl is the first book in this provocative two-part series about love and self-acceptance.
Amazon | Kobo | Smashwords
*****
Excerpt:
There’s a good musical groove going on inside the packed Glam Bar. The three of us are standing around a black-and-chrome pub table, sipping our drinks. Well, my friends are sipping their drinks. I’m pretty much chugging mine. The bass percussion of the techno music resounds in my chest and vibrates beneath my feet. Having downed enough cranberry martinis to loosen me up, I move to the rhythm and soak up more alcohol.
After nearly two years of therapy, I know better than to trade one binge for another. But by the time our server with the Angelina Jolie lips delivers my fourth drink, I’m past rational thought. But not numb.
I still want numb.
Lexie and Jordyn urge me on to the crowded dance floor. And for the next hour, I paste on a smile, I drink, I pretend to laugh, I drink, I dance, I drink. Before long, my smile and laugh aren’t fake anymore. The alcohol surging through my bloodstream makes me feel bold and confident, even in my fat-hugging jeans. I find myself flirting back with men I don’t know. That’s not my usual MO. I’m guarded. I was guarded even with the small handful of lovers I’ve had since Mick. But tonight the attention feels good…better than good. It feels fanfuckingtastic. But once I stop dodging grabby hands, Jordyn plucks the glass from my fingers and separates me from Ted or Ed.
“Let’s go,” she says, placing an arm around my waist and leading my wobbly form to a cab. “Your chariot awaits, Princess.”
“No…no…no…” I wave my finger at her. “DontsyoucallsmePrincess.”
“Ookay.” She’s humoring me.
But I know what I mean.
The cab drops me off first, and Lexie and Jordyn watch from the vehicle until I get inside. I stumble to my bedroom. I’ve got just enough wherewithal to change into a T-shirt and crawl into bed. Blissfully numb, I’m dozing off when the shrill ring of the phone pierces my partial slumber. I debate letting it go to voice mail. But if it’s one of my friends calling to check up on me, she’ll be worried.
I get out of bed and sway. Whoa. With no idea where I’ve left the cordless, I attempt to steady myself by bracing my hands on the walls as I follow the incessant sound through the darkened house.
The flashing light in between the potted plants catches my bleary gaze, and I stagger over to the ledge that divides the living room from the kitchen nook. Without checking Caller ID, I jab my index finger at the speaker button, apparently with a little too much gusto, and send it crashing to the floor.
“Damn it!” I kneel down and pat the hardwood until my hand closes around the upended plastic. Fully expecting to hear Jordyn’s or Lexie’s voice on the other end, I climb shakily to my feet and answer, “Don’t worry, that wasn’t me. I’m still standing.”
“Dee?”
My head spins. But it’s not from the alcohol. I grab the ledge for support. “How did you get my number? I’m not listed.”
“I have my ways.”
Of course, he does. Being rich and powerful would get him any information he wanted, which brings me to the more important question: “What do you want, Mick?”
He doesn’t answer immediately. Makes me wonder if he’s pondering that question himself. Then he says, “I wanted to thank you.”
“Oh, I suppose I scored some brownie points for taking the case,” I reply, the liquor freeing my tongue. “Well, before you go applauding yourself for my reform, just know you weren’t a factor in my decision.”
“Whatever your reason, Dee, I’m still grateful.”
“No, you’re nots,” I say, slurring the last word. “You’re an arrogant ass.”
“And you’re drunk.”
His tone rubs me the wrong way. I’m tired of Mick flip-flopping between insults and apology, between thanks and judgment. I’m just tired.
“So what?” I retort. “I needed to unwind from a miserable couple of days.” Let Mick read into that anything he chooses.
“Have I made you miserable?”
I say nothing. I’ve already given him more than enough ammunition.
“Have I made you face things you hoped to run away from? Have I made you think about us? About our nights at the lake?”
I gasp, startled by his reference to our sexual past. And yet the memory incites an erotic need in me that won’t stand down. But I dismiss his taunt: “That’s ancient history.”
“History has a way of repeating itself.”
“Not this time.”
“Oh, we’re going to happen again, Dee.” His silky rasp licks across my skin. “And soon.”
“See? Arrogant! You assume because you’re Micah Peters, I’ll fall into bed with you on command.”
“I don’t assume it. I know it. And not because of my fame—that wouldn’t matter to you. I know you will because of how your body has always responded to mine.”
My thighs squeeze together against an achy wetness. “You’re delusional.”
“I’m right and my memory’s long,” he counters in a low, sexy timbre. “I haven’t forgotten I was the first man to touch you. The first man to be buried deep inside you. The first man to make you come.”
A moan snakes up my throat.
“And you haven’t forgotten either. Sleep well, Dee.”
*****
Author Info:
An American living in Canada. Chocolate snob. Recovering yo-yo dieter. Devoted mom and wife, blessed with a brilliantly witty daughter and unintentionally humorous husband. My wacky family feed my creativity and fuel my passion. Most nights, you will find me either curled up with a great book or, more often, sitting at my computer, tapping out the countless visions in my head.
To me, there is nothing better in a narrative than perfectly flawed but strong characters and intense romance that is sexy, deep, and sensual. Mm…I liken such stories to a box of Godiva. Decadent and delicious! You can’t stop at just one. In fact, I’m now hard at work on my next novel—A Naked Beauty, the conclusion to Fat Girl.
Website | Facebook | @LeighCarron
*****
Giveaway:
An ecopy of Fat Girl at each stop, and four tour prizes: 1) A signed paperback copy of Fat Girl , bookmark, and $20 Visa gift card, 2) a $15 Amazon gift card, 3) $10 Body Shop gift card, and 4) $10 Starbucks gift card.
http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/e561a37435/
*****
Click on the banner below to check out the rest of the tour
Book Review – All Bets Are On
23 Tuesday Sep 2014
Posted in Book Review
His wicked games…
The Prince of Hell needs to get laid. Well, according to his minions, anyway. Now Derek Wescott, ruler of the Eighth Level of Hell, has been set up on an online date. And worse still, his minions are placing bets that Derek won’t be able to entice the sweet yet plain Jaclyn Reynolds into bed before midnight. But Derek has no intention of losing the bet. Not now. Not ever.
Jaclyn, on the other hand, is in danger of losing everything. The charity she runs is in trouble, and she is desperate for cash. The moment she sees her absolutely gorgeous—and insanely wealthy—date, she knows she’s in way over her head. She also knows his type all too well, and it will be a cold day in Hell before she ever gets into his bed. Yet Derek offers her a friendly wager: he’ll give $10,000 to her charity if she can resist him.
The wagers have been set. The game has begun. And Derek will do just about anything to ensure that Jaclyn is completely— and infernally—his…
Part of me enjoyed this one and part of me didn’t. I liked Jaclyn, mostly. She cares about those that need help and dedicates her life to helping kids. She’s had some bad history that has caused her to have issues with trust and she’s a more solitary type so Derek is definitely outside her comfort zone. I’m just not sure I ever quite grasped her back and forth attitude on him. She doesn’t know if she can trust him, doesn’t think his interest or feelings is genuine, and the truth about him really sets her world spinning. But the next thing you know they are back in bed.
The story is fun though and Derek definitely makes up for any of my misgivings on Jaclyn’s feelings. Derek makes a fantastic Prince of Hell, one with scruples and who does his best to only punish the ones who deserve it. He’s suave and charming and full of himself but with a ton of style and good humor. He doesn’t take himself too seriously and he truly cares about those that need help. And seeing him flirt and clash with Jaclyn is highly entertaining.
The sex is definitely sizzling and will get you a little hot under the collar. And as much thought as she puts into the bedroom scenes, Cooke also has a good time making up unique rules for Derek’s world. It is always fun to see the creativity authors put into these paranormal stories and she does it very well. It all fits logically together (at least as much as thing kind of thing can be) and I didn’t notice any weird holes or out of left field plot points.
If you like your romances sexy and supernatural, All Bets Are On is definitely worth a go. Good at giving us a yummy hero and an intriguing world, I’m looking forward to seeing what else Cooke can deliver.
Spotlight – Aim for Love
22 Monday Sep 2014
Posted in Blog Tour, Contest, Sneak Peek
Now, for those who love a good sports romance, we’ve got the newest in Pamela Aares fantastic Tavonesi series.
*****
Aim For Love
by Pamela Aares
Publication Date: September 10, 2014
Genres: Contemporary, Romance, Sports
Blurb:
In AIM FOR LOVE, author Pamela Aares continues The Tavonesi Series. Get ready for All-Star alpha males and the strong women they come to love! When love’s the game, you can’t play it safe…
A role in an indie movie has turned heiress Sabrina Tavonesi into an overnight Hollywood sensation. She should be thrilled, but the troubled woman she played in the film has come alive in her dreams, turning Sabrina’s life into a nightmare. Assaulted and injured at the film’s premiere, she has only has three weeks to rehab her shoulder – and overcome her secret nightmares – before shooting the sequel.
When her All-Star brother insists that his teammate, pitching phenom Kaz Tokugawa, can get her ready in time, Sabrina is desperate enough to try anything…even some mysterious samurai practice. As the handsome young pitcher charms Sabrina with his amazing skills, he heals more than her shoulder–he begins to make her believe in love.
Kaz can’t afford any distractions. He’s fighting to save his family’s failing peach farm and secure a contract with the Major League team of his dreams. Falling for his teammate’s sister isn’t part of his plan. But even his focused samurai training can’t keep the troubled beauty from stealing into his heart.
When Kaz is accused of murdering a drug lord threatening his family, Sabrina is his only alibi…or is she? Can they learn to trust one another before their secrets destroy their lives as well as their love?
Kindle: http://amzn.to/1nJUco0
Nook: http://bit.ly/1nJUfjJ
Kobo: http://bit.ly/1CPeGW8
iBooks: http://bit.ly/1pMYla9
*****
Excerpt:
She took the sword from him. It wasn’t as heavy as it looked, maybe three pounds.
“The sword is said to hold the soul of the samurai who wields it. Put your soul into it, Sabrina.”
She raised the sword with both hands and whirled. The sword, though not heavy, drew her full circle, as if it had a life of its own. But more astonishing, she realized she’d raised her injured arm. Used her injured arm.
Giddy with joy, she lowered the sword and hugged Kaz. “Alex was right: you are a wizard.” She tilted her face to look up at him, felt his heart beating against her chest.
He didn’t pull away. His heartbeat raced, matching her own. What had begun as a joyous, spontaneous hug had quickly changed. His eyes searched hers.
She rose to her tiptoes, wrapped her free arm around his neck and drew his head toward hers.
And relived the kiss from her dream.
*****
Author Info:
Pamela Aares is an award-winning, internationally bestselling author of contemporary and historical romance novels and also writes about fictional romance in sports with her new Tavonesi Series. Get ready for Alpha male All-Stars and the strong women they come to love!
Her popularity as a romance writer continues to grow with each new book release, so much so, that the Bay area author has drawn comparisons by readers and reviewers to Nora Roberts.
Pamela Aares writes romance books that she loves reading, particularly those that entertain, transport and inspire dreams while captivating and tugging at the heart. She takes her readers on a journey with complex characters in both contemporary and historical settings who are thrown in situations that tempt love, adventure and self-discovery.
Before becoming a romance author, Aares wrote and produced award-winning films including Your Water, Your Life, featuring actress Susan Sarandon and NPR series New Voices, The Powers of the Universe and The Earth’s Imagination. She holds a Master’s degree from Harvard and currently resides in the wine country of Northern California with her husband, a former MLB All-Star and two curious cats.
If not behind her computer, you can probably find her reading a romance novel, hiking the beach or savoring life with friends. You can visit Pamela on the web at http://www.PamelaAares.com
Website • Blog • Twitter • Facebook • Goodreads
*****
Also in the Series
While each book in the Tavonesi Series can be read as a standalone, you may enjoy the other book in the series! The first five books are available and include: Love Bats Last (#1), Thrown by Love (#2), Fielder’s Choice (#3), Love on the Line (#4) and this book, Aim for Love (#5).
Learn more about The Tavonesi Series: http://www.pamelaaares.com/available-books/
*****
Giveaway:
http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/5440a354161/
*****
Tour Schedule:
September 15 – Words Turn Me On, Excerpt
September 16 – I Dare You To Read, Review
September 16 – Gwyneiira’s Book Blog, Spotlight
September 16 – Confessions of a Y.A. and N.A. Book Addict, Review / Excerpt
September 17 – deal sharing aunt, Excerpt / Spotlight
September 17 – Books and Bindings, Excerpt
September 17 – Fictional Rendezvous Book Blog, Excerpt
September 18 – There’s This Book, Review
September 18 – This girl loves books, Excerpt
September 19 – Watz books and Teasers, Review / Excerpt
September 19 – A Book Addict’s Delight, Excerpt / Spotlight
September 22 – Romantic Reads and Such, Excerpt / Spotlight
September 22 – G & the Book Divas Blog, Spotlight
September 23 – I Heart Books, Review / Excerpt
September 23 – Eskimo Princess Book Reviews, Review / Excerpt
September 24 – Best Book Boyfriends, Review / Excerpt
September 24 – Romance Novel Giveaways, Excerpt
September 25 – Our Book Boyfriends, Review / Excerpt
September 25 – Cruising Susan Book Reviews, Review
September 26 – Sweet N Sassy Book A Holics, Review / Excerpt
September 26 – Book Geek, Review / Excerpt
September 26 – Short and Sassy Book Blurbs, Review
Romantic Reads and Such 