Who doesn't love a man who can protect his woman from all sides? I can't wait to read this book. It's got the sizzle and the suspense! Woot!! And a man with a large gun! Check out the blurb, cover and excerpt! Or just skip to the buy link! Murphy’s Law Contemporary Romantic Suspense Tagline: He lost his family. She gave them back to him. Blurb: Home is the last place Jon Murphy can go. After being held captive in Azbakastan, he returns to the States only to find he can’t face his mom and sisters with what he did while he was a prisoner, so he retreats to the mountains. Widow Sara Sheldon has made a lifetime of mistakes and is now running scared from her husband’s powerful family, who are determined to take her daughter away from her. When her little girl goes missing in the Rockies, Sara enlists the only help she can find: a gruff recluse with tracking skills to admire and a body to covet. A storm strands Sara and her daughter at Murphy’s cabin, leaving her no choice but to hope her in-laws don’t catch up while she plans where to run next. Murphy resents the invasion of his privacy, but can’t seem to keep his mind--or his hands--off Sara. How can she stand to look at him, with all his scars? He’s not nearly as honorable as she might think…only enough to make sure she’s safe, and then he’ll go back to being alone, the way he should be. CONTENT WARNING: Sexual content Murphy’s Law: Previously published by Lyrical Press in 2013 **Murphy’s Law was a 2006 Golden Heart Finalist** Excerpt: Copyright © 2014, Jennifer Lowery Murphy sat at the kitchen table, half in the shadows created by the soft light glowing above the stove, hair tousled from sleep. Naked to the waist. A bottle of amber liquid sat in front of him, an empty glass in his hand. Her gaze landed on his muscled shoulders and trailed across his tanned chest. So much for getting him out of her mind. Now she had the real thing to dream about. Looking at the dark hairs that veed down his chest and disappeared behind the table, she decided he’d been right. He was a dangerous man. She tore her gaze away from temptation and looked at the granite lines of his face. Beneath the hardness of his expression, something haunting lingered. Drawn, she circled the table to the opposite end. Murphy met her eyes with coldness that should have sent her running for the safety of her room, but she remained standing in place. He wanted to chase her away. This time she wasn’t running. “Mind if I join you?” She grabbed a glass and from the cupboard and reached over his shoulder for the bottle. His hand snaked out and wrapped around hers, preventing her from pouring a drink. “I mind,” he growled. “Well, get over it. I need a drink.” Scowling, he let go of her hand and allowed her to pour a glass for herself. She refilled his glass next, set the bottle on the table, moved to the chair beside him and sat, lifting her glass. “Cheers.” She brought the glass to her lips. His gaze as she drained the glass made her fight the urge to cough as the fiery liquid burned its way down her throat. Seconds later she felt the familiar warming sensation as it numbed her insides. Her eyes filled with tears. She blinked them away and reached for the bottle. Murphy held it away from her. “What are you doing?” “Having a drink. I’m not in the mood for warm milk tonight.” His eyes darkened and narrowed. “You don’t strike me as the drinking type.” She wasn’t, but tonight it sounded good. Maybe it would soothe away her problems and make her forget how screwed-up her life was. Talking about Kent earlier had brought back painful memories. She didn’t want to feel that misery anymore. “Maybe you don’t know my type,” she said. He studied her closely for a moment before rubbing a hand over his face. “Go back to bed, Sara. Sleep it off.” “I don’t want to sleep it off. I’m tired of thinking about it.” Maybe it was the whisky, or his naked chest, or the part of her that had been dormant for six years coming back to life. More than anything she wanted to discover it with Murphy, her strong, scarred hero. She rose to her feet. He watched warily as she stepped in front of him and positioned herself between him and the table. He leaned back in his chair and sent her a thunderous look. “You and I are alike in many ways, Murphy,” she said softly. “We’ve both lost pieces of ourselves we can’t ever get back and it has forced us into a life of loneliness and solitude. I don’t know about you, but I’m tired of being alone.” He pinned her with a hard glare. “I’m not what you want. Go back to your room before I do something we’ll both regret in the morning.” His harshly spoken words sent little electrical shocks through her body. “I’m tired of people telling me what I want.” This is what people are saying about Murphy’s Law: I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys Cindy Gerard, Tara Janzen, or Cherry Adair series. Each of these writers have the same flavor with a secret ingredient in their stories as does Jennifer Lowery. Great story! - hmhibbit, Open Book Society on Murphy's Law Author Bio: Jennifer Lowery grew up reading romance novels in the back of her math book and on the bus to school, and never wanted to be anything but a writer. Her summers were spent sitting at the kitchen table with her sisters spinning tales of romance and intrigue and always with a tall glass of ice tea at their side. Today, Jennifer is living that dream and she couldn’t be happier to share her passion with her readers. She loves everything there is about romance. Her stories feature alpha heroes who meet their match with strong, independent heroines. She believes that happily ever after is only the beginning of her stories. And the road to that happy ending is paved with action, adventure, and romance. As her characters find out when they face danger, overcome fears, and are forced to look deep within themselves to discover love. Jennifer lives in Michigan with her husband and two children. When she isn’t writing she enjoys reading and spending time with her family. Find Jennifer: Author Website Facebook Twitter Romance Recipes ~~~~~~~ Buy Murphy’s Law: Amazon Re-Released for the low price of $3.99!!! Who's ever been in a wedding will know that there's so much going on, from the ugly dresses to the obligations like the shower and reception. Good food isn't on the radar unless you are someone who lives for food. I love stories that feature yummy food and Her Sister's Wedding is certainly that!! Check it out!!! Oh and don't forget to enter the giveaway. Her Sister’s Wedding By Jane Ainslie A Sweet Contemporary Foodie Romance (Chicklit) BLURB FOR HER SISTER’S WEDDING: What happens when you meet the right person at the wrong time? Melbourne-based food journalist Mandy Evans has Paris firmly in her sights. She’s got a chance at her life-long dream of studying art in the City of Love, but not before she has to be a ring-in bridesmaid at her sister’s wedding. After setting up his latest restaurant in Melbourne, renowned American chef Jake Pearson is leaving for his next project in Miami. He’s the hottest ticket in anyone’s town, with a burning ambition to conquer the world, but not before he’s best man at his friend’s wedding. When Mandy and Jake meet, the attraction is instant. He loves her sassy, natural style, and her appetite for great food. She thinks he’s the best thing since sliced bread, or even martinis. Fate gives them a chance at love when they are partners at the same wedding, but can either of them compromise their ambitions to let love grow? AUTHOR BIO: Jane Ainslie adores martinis, is a keen but hopeless gardener, and an avid reader of cookbooks. She currently resides in Adelaide, Australia, with her beloved husband and her four unruly pet ferrets. Her blog can be found at www.janeainslie.com and she can be found on Facebook at Jane Ainslie Books. BUY LINKS: Amazon USA: http://www.amazon.com/Her-Sisters-Wedding-Jane-Ainslie-ebook/dp/B00H018XVU/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1392656738&sr=8-1&keywords=Her+Sister%27s+Wedding Decadent Publishing: http://www.decadentpublishing.com/product_info.php?products_id=874&osCsid=mjir0fnpfn50qccl5hu8odjcp2 Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/her-sisters-wedding-jane-ainslie/1117539110?ean=2940148811299 Smashwords: http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/383769 Giveaway Jane Ainslie is giving away… 1 ecopy of HER SISTER’S WEDDING If you love historical romance with compelling characters, you'll love Allison Merritt's latest release. The Convict and the Cattleman is sure to leave you wanting more of Allison's works. Check out the excerpt below. The Convict and the Cattleman by Allison Merritt His love is the key to her release. Sentenced to seven years of servitude in the penal colony of New South Wales, Bridgit Madden is thrust into a world unlike anything she's known, dangers she never imagined and enemies with their own interests at heart. Certain that the conviction has ruined her chances of ever having a real family, she is fearful of her future. Despite his reluctance to take in a convict, Jonah Andrus, a grazier and pioneer cattleman, needs a servant to care for his orphaned niece. When presented with Bridgit, who is far too beautiful and distracting, he initially tries to refuse. However, with a busy cattle station to oversee, he needs help right away. Upon her first meeting with Jonah's niece, Bridgit immediately falls in love with the girl and becomes entwined the mystery surrounding her birth. As she gets to know her employer better, Bridgit makes it her mission to remind him that family is priceless. When it seems as though she might have found the place she truly belongs, their love is threatened by lies and deceit, and both of them might lose everything they hold dear for a second time. Excerpt: “There, there. Bridgit will be along any second. She knows how to take care of you. Uncle Jonah will drop you. You’re too small.” Surprised by his own admission, he stared helplessly at Olivia. When was the last time he’d paid her any attention? She’d grown and he hadn’t noticed. Babies did; he knew well enough from watching his calves during the summer. The baby he remembered was tiny, wrinkled and didn’t look like anyone. Charlotte, exhausted, but elated, had smiled proudly. “Isn’t she beautiful, Jonah?” Recalling her voice made his heart pound. The silly girl didn’t have a sense of shame. She’d been nervous when she admitted her tryst and the subsequent pregnancy, but she had defended her child. Not unlike one of his cows. They protected their young fiercely. He hadn’t found the words to answer her question. All he saw was Rob Langnecker’s face. The desire to kill him had blotted out everything else. Langnecker had ruined his sister, left her alone with a bastard child and went off chasing other skirts. She’d died in the room where Bridgit slept, believing he’d come back for them. If I ever catch him. Jonah ran his hand down his face. “Is something wrong?” Bridgit’s warm hand closed around his. Pity shined in her eyes. “The chores are waiting.” Clammy sweat dampened his shirt. She tugged his hand. “You need to stay. You’ll regret it if you don’t. Go sit down.” He didn’t understand why he obeyed, but he sat in the rocking chair by the window. His father had crafted it for his mother years before Jonah was born. Bridgit lifted Olivia, nestling her into his arms. The cries eased to a whimper. “Hold your arms like this. You’ve got to support her head.” “I know.” Charlotte had insisted he hold Olivia hours after her birth. He remembered it clear as day. Accepting the chubby baby, he was surprised at her weight. She’d been so small. “She’s healthy.” It was more a question than a statement. Olivia gazed at him, eyes wide. Her fingers toyed with one of his buttons. “Aye. Growing like a weed. She’s learning to roll over.” At his confused look, she explained, “That’s good. She’ll be crawling before long. She talks to me and follow things with her eyes. Everything she’s supposed to do.” “Good. Charlotte would be glad.” His voice sounded choked and he cleared his throat, hoping Bridgit hadn’t noticed. She lifted the bottle. “Here. Feed her. Tip it up, so the air gets in the bottle.” He let her show him what to do, surprised again when Olivia grasped the bottle with her tiny hands. Her features were clearer now. Charlotte’s nose and chin. Those couldn’t be his ears, could they? Dark blue eyes stared up at him, then drifted shut as she suckled greedily. Her eyes were the only resemblance he could find to her father. Bridgit kneeled beside the rocking chair and swept dark locks from the baby’s face. Her hand settled on his knee. “There. She’s happy now.” A wistful smile played across her face. A jolt ran through him. With Olivia snuggled against his chest and Bridgit beside him, the moment belonged to a family man. Buy Links: Amazon Watch the Trailer: YouTube Link About the Author
A love of reading turned Allison Merritt into an author who writes historical, paranormal and fantasy romances, often combining the sub-genres. She graduated college with a B.A. in mass communications that's gathering dust after it was determined that she's better at writing fluff than hard news. She lives in a small town in the Ozark Mountains with her husband and dogs. When she's not writing or reading, she hikes in national parks and conservation areas. Author Links: Blog Facebook Twitter Goodreads I'm so excited to be a part of Constance's blog tour. This is her first book and she's a member of the Mid Michigan RWA chapter. I've been able to meet her and can't wait to read this book! Don't you love the cover?? Make sure to share some love! Delayed Justice by Constance Bretes Can two former lovers set aside their differences and work together to bring a criminal to justice? Five years ago, Sami Parker's life was changed forever when she was injured in a bombing incident which left another young woman dead—a woman who happened to be the fiancée of Sheriff Makeeta Robertson, Sami's former lover. Initially, Sami was a suspect in the crime, but the sheriff was forced to release her due to a lack of evidence. The town, convinced that she got away with murder, turned against her. At last an arrest has been made and the sheriff needs Sami's help to get a conviction, but can she trust him? Although wary and cautious, she wants to see this man brought to justice and wants to clear her own name once and for all. But the awakening feelings she has for Makeeta bring yet another problem. Then there's the secret she's kept for the last five years—one she may not be able to keep any longer, and one that may change the outcome of the trial. Content Warning: contains some sexual content Excerpt: Sami got in her truck at about ten in the evening to head to Milne City to get her mail. She pulled up in front of the post office, parking parallel to the building, and walked inside to her mailbox. When she returned to her truck, a sheriff cruiser pulled up beside her. She walked between the cruiser and her truck and Makeeta got out of the cruiser. "Sami, what are you doing out here this late at night?" he asked. "What does it look like I'm doing?" she uttered sarcastically. "Why do you get your mail so late?" "To avoid people like you," she retorted curtly and continued to her truck and opened the door. She fumbled with her mail and some dropped to the ground. Makeeta bent over to pick it up at the same time she did. He grabbed the mail first and handed it to her. "I was going to call you next week. I need you to come down to the sheriff's office and see if you can pick out the perpetrator in a lineup," Makeeta said. She climbed into her truck and he leaned slightly on her truck door, preventing her from closing it. "I already picked him out at the district attorney's office. You know that—you were there." "Yes, but for added security, if you can identify him in a lineup, that would leave the jury with absolutely no doubt about the identity. We want to seal the case up and close any gaps or loopholes that the defense might grab on to." Sami let out a sigh. "I don't know if I'm comfortable coming down to the sheriff's office to do this. How do I know you won't arrest me?" Makeeta looked at her questioningly. "Why would I do that?" "Gee, I don't know, maybe because you think I helped create the damn bomb that went off?" "I thought we were past this, Sami. I cleared you of any suspicion of involvement in the case." "Yeah, well, what I don't understand is why if you didn't believe me five years ago, you would believe me now," Sami said, holding her raw emotion in check. "I don't recall ever saying I didn't believe you, but I had an investigation going on and I needed to rule everyone out." Makeeta's voice hardened. "You didn't rule me out…you brought me into the station the minute I was released from the hospital. I had intense pain, needed my medication, and you kept me there for hours. Did you conveniently forget about that?" Sami asked, looking him up and down from her side vision. He still had a beautifully proportioned body. He wore a blue jean shirt, with his badge pinned to his pocket, and tight-fitting jeans. His face was ruggedly handsome, with shoulder-length black hair. "You should have sent one of your deputies out to talk to me two weeks ago, you should have known that I wouldn't be interested in talking to you about anything." She wanted to get this conversation over with so she could leave. "I thought it would be easier for you if it was just you and me," he said quietly. "After what you put me through, you thought it would be easier for me? What planet did you come from?" she asked incredulously. "Besides, you weren't alone, you brought the district attorney and another deputy with you." "Okay, maybe I made a bad judgment call there," he confessed. "But I'm here now to ask you to come to the station and see if you can identify the perpetrator." "When do you want me to come down?" "As soon as you can," he answered crisply. "All right, may as well get it over with. I'll be there tomorrow at ten, is that okay with you?" she asked sharply. "Tomorrow at ten would be just fine." Makeeta smiled thinly at her. "Okay, now if you'll excuse me, I want to get out of here." Buy Links: Beachwalk Press Amazon Barnes & Noble About the Author: Constance Bretes is an author of contemporary romance and suspense. Her romance books are often set in different parts of the country, but her favorite site is Montana. She's married to her best friend and resides in Michigan with him and a houseful of cats. When she's not at her regular 8-to-5 job, she can be found writing, researching, and spending time with her husband. Author Links: Site Facebook Twitter I love sharing new releases with my friends. Dariel Raye's written a prequel to her hot Dark Sentinel's series. You are going to want to read this!! Don't forget to enter her giveaway below! Prequel – Amazon Sable – Amazon Torin – Amazon Paperback – Amazon Prequel – B&N Sable – B&N Torin – B&N New Release Bash: “Dark Sentinels Prequel” by Dariel Raye In response to readers' questions and requests, there's a new addition to Dariel Raye's award-winning "Dark Sentinels" series! "Dark Sentinels Prequel" is LIVE. Here's the cover and blurb for the new release as well as information about other available books in the series. “Dark Sentinels Prequel” Sometimes a girl has to go the extra mile to capture the man she loves, especially when she’s a sentinel wolf shifter from Washington state with no possible mates for miles. Orphaned in childhood, Dr. Syreena Adler learned at an early age to depend on her twin brother, Sable, and herself, but phone conversations with a Georgia sentinel she’s never seen spark unexpected desire. Southern red wolf sentinel Cord Velasquez has spent his life atoning for the death of his entire family. He wants a life with Syreena, but when she surprises him with an impromptu visit, the realization of his greatest fear seems inevitable. Amazon Barnes and Noble Dark Sentinels Book One: Sable Sable, a sentinel wolf shifter, is captured and locked in his wolf form until Akila, a veterinarian, tries to tame him and unleashes a 6'5" baby blue-eyed surprise. Dr. Akila Marshall is a veterinarian with a calling – save as many stray animals as possible. The only child of wealthy, yet distant parents, she’s convinced that love is not for her. Until… Sable’s search for his twin sister leads him to Akila. Born into a rare species of wolf shifters whose main purpose is protecting others, he has always been forced to fend for himself, but Akila’s loving, protective nature draws him – and not a moment too soon. Together, they must learn to trust each other enough to overcome a new, deadly enemy. “Dark Sentinels Book Two: Torin” When greedy land developers set their sights on Dark Sentinel land, Torin turns to attorney Stephanie Bates for help, but she’ll need his protection to stay alive long enough to save his land. Real estate lawyer, Stephanie Bates, has risen to the top of her field through meticulous sacrifice and goal setting. She has no time for distractions – and that includes pets, messy relationships, and loose ends. Torin DuMont is a forensic scientist who chose the profession to avoid dealing with people as much as possible. Raised by a stepfather who hated him, he’s been forced to live a life of solitude, fueled by anger and distrust. When wolves and shifters start turning up dead, Torin must battle an enemy bent on destroying those he was born to protect. His greatest challenge, however, is Attorney Bates and the surprising effect she has on his heart. Jordan’s Wings – Amazon Jordan’s Wings – BandN Here, Kitty Kitty anthology- Amazon Here, Kitty Kitty anthology – BandN Here, Kitty Kitty Paperback UH: Kaden’s Reprieve-Amazon UH: Kaden’s Reprieve-BandN On the Web Dariel’s Blog Dariel’s Website Dariel’s Newsletter Dariel on Twitter Facebook Page Dariel’s Amazon Author Page Dariel on Goodreads The Romance Troupe About the Author Dariel loves books, animals, and all things paranormal. Dariel has written articles for The News Item of Mobile, and Black Health Magazine of Atlanta. A classically trained pianist and vocalist with a degree in piano and vocal performance and a master’s in counseling psychology, she completed studies for a Ph.D. with the exception of her dissertation. She is presently writing a shifter romance series, “Dark Sentinels,” two Nephilim series with vamp-like heroes, “The Alerians” and “Children of Cain,” several erotic paranormal/fantasy romances inspired by blog flashes, and an erotic fantasy newsletter serial. Lives with a very spoiled Dobie/Coonhound and a passel of black cats. To learn more about Dariel and her books, visit her blog and join her newsletter. Rafflecopter Starts 2/13/2014 – check my blogger site for tour hosts! My friend and fellow Michigander, Annette Briggs asked me to join in a blog tour to share with others about our writing process. Many of our fellow Mid Michigan RWA members are jumping in too. I'm going to share my process below but wanted you to check out Annette- the person who roped me in. *tee hee* Her upcoming novel appears to be a winner! Annette's bio: Like so many other writers, I had the urge to create stories from the very beginning. I probably left scratches in my mother’s womb that resembled cave drawings. As a child, telling stories in comic strip form was a natural for me. Then I created stories to perform while bringing to life the pretend console “radio” my sister and I concocted from a large cardboard box. That was a l-o-n-g time ago. No soap operas or even Sergeant Preston of the Yukon on radio any more. By the time I was a fourteen, I’d sold my first article to my hometown newspaper. Along the way, I’ve sold short stories, interviews, and articles to magazines and newspapers. Check out Annette's website and blog for more information: http://annettebriggs.com/ ~~~~~~~ The Blog Tour asks that you only answer three questions and then tag more people to follow along. Here's my answers to the questions. However, I never did dig up any victims. So I'm asking some friends to jump on the bandwagon and share their writing processes in the coming weeks... Let's see who gives it a try!! 1) What am I working on? Currently I'm working on edits for Protecting His Wolfe. I received the rights back to this story and have changed it around a bit and hope to have it back on Amazon, All Romance Ebooks, and B&N before the end of spring. 2) How does my work differ from others of its genre? My stories are novella length which means they can be enjoyed in one sitting or in a shorter period of time. I love getting caught up in a story but hate putting it down to return to the "real world". My stories also feature small town Americana where everyone knows everyone else and watch out for their neighbors. Luckily, I grew up with that and made a home in a small Michigan town so that my own children had that experience as well. 3) Why do I write what I do? I'm a diehard romantic, flowers, poetry and gentle caresses. I believed in princes and fairy tales and sought that out when I grew up. Realizing that the "real world" is very different than what we are told, I've found a love for sharing my stories with others. I want other readers to experience the bliss of first romance and the blush of that first kiss. I want to build an escape for them from the daily grind of life. Happiness doesn't rely on a Prince Charming but sometimes a strong cowboy or the next-door neighbor. 4) How does my writing process work? Usually the characters come to me. They speak to me or I get an idea of what they are like. I'm a pantser which means that I don't sit down and create an outline. However, I do begin with the bones of the story- the characters, the conflict, and the happily ever after. Since I have a full time job as an elementary teacher, I fit my writing (and reading) in during spare moments. I begin at the beginning and work my way through my stories chapter by chapter as if I'm seeing a movie. But when I have to return to a previous piece, I do go back and re-read the story from the beginning to return to the flow and reconnect with the characters. This allows me to edit and write, write and revise, edit, revise and write. Once the story is complete, I edit again and then submit to a publishing house or send it off to another editor for their insights. Now I'm sharing with you a chance to jump on the wagon with me and share about your writing process. After all, each author, no matter what they write, has a unique voice which brings alive their characters and stories! I hope you'll join in and share your own writing with others! I love Decadent Publishing's books. They are always winners in my mind. I'm so glad to share one of their releases from The Edge series. On the Rocks is a hot book! Check out the cover, blurb and excerpt for yourself! On the Rocks by Elizabeth Morgan The Edge Series On the Rocks is the hottest club on South Padre Island, and Meghan’s new workplace. If the warped mermaid uniform isn’t enough, the fact that she can’t stop thinking about the club’s singer, Zenzie, is. Everything about the female gets Meghan hot, but when she finally gets her shot with the temptress, it turns out Zenzie isn’t as perfect, or as human, as Meghan thought. Excerpt: Her warm breath skated down my neck causing a shiver to curl around my spine. She straightened then slid her hands through my hair. My eyelids fluttered at the feel of her fingertips stroking over my temples and along my hairline. “I saw you watching us.” I stared at her. “Excuse me?” “Do you like watching?” She retrieved a few items from the vanity table, twisted two sections of my hair, and pushed the hair clips into place. “It’s all right. You can tell me, Meghan.” My body tightened at the husky way she said my name. The knot between my legs pulsed under her piercing stare. I had no idea how, or even why she managed to get under my skin, but God, I wanted her. “I’m not a pervert or anything.” “I know you’re not.” She slid a chain of small red flowers into the black mass of my hair. “I just heard a noise. I guess my curiosity got the best of me.” I shifted on my seat. “I’m sorry—” “Don’t be. I liked you watching.” My nails dug into my knees as her hands moved down my throat. Her skin like satin—her touch, soft. She ran her fingertips over the top of my breasts. “I would have asked you to join us, if you hadn’t run.” Her gaze caught mine again while she slid her hand inside my skin-tone bra. “Will you run now, or will you do what we both know you want to do?” Buy Links: Decadent Publishing Amazon US Amazon UK All Romance Ebooks About the Author: Elizabeth lives in a small country village in Cheshire, England, with two cats. You will always find her on the computer, blasting music and writing away. She started life wanting to be an actress because she loved performing. She enjoyed nothing more than being able to make people laugh, to distract them from reality for a few hours. She studied Musical Theatre in college, but during her second year, her mind started to overflow with ideas for scripts and she began writing plays. Slowly over the following three years, she was writing more and more, channeling her imagination into more detailed manuscripts... Here she is, years later, hiding away like a hermit, writing like crazy and loving every minute of it. Author Links: Website Blog Twitter Goodreads Amazon Smut by the Sea 14th June 2014. When you think of Scarborough, many good things jump to mind. From the beach and many arcades to fish, chips and ice cream but I don’t suppose erotica is automatically one of those things. Well on the 14th June this year for the second time Smut by the Sea will take place at Scarborough library and it’s going to get really smutty. What is it? Good question. It’s a gathering of authors and readers of erotica and erotic romance. There will be talks on Inspiration from Victoria Blisse, Writing Better Erotica from KD Grace and Social Media and promotion with Lucy Felthouse. There’s also an afternoon stuffed full of sexy snippets read by the authors themselves, a free lunch and the unique and much loved Erotic Tombola and book stall, to feed your need for smut! If you ask nicely you can get your favourite authors to sign the books for you. It’s a fun gathering of like-minded folk and if you want to attend you can pick up your tickets here. It’s £20 for all day and that includes your buffet lunch. A complete bargain. All the details you need can be found at http://smutbythesea.co.uk . There is still room in the reading slam, so if you’re interested in joining in with a 5 min reading (not a moment more or you get spanked!) then drop Victoria a line. Victoria @victoriablisse.co. uk (no spaces) and she’ll pencil you in! If you live in a far flung corner of the world and can’t make it to Scarborough you can check out the advertising options so you can be with us in spirit. We’re also still looking for sponsors, if you or someone you know wants some fabulous, focused promotion then check out the Sponsor options. The smutters look forward to seeing you there! The Long Road to Love by Liza O'Connor #worstweekever #ohstupidheart #bookreview #disasterromance2/16/2014
I love being able to share books that I've read and enjoyed. I couldn't stop snickering when I read these books and am excited to see what happens next! Worst Week Ever By Liza O’Connor Blurb: What do you get when you put a hardworking, can-do middle-class young woman together with a egotistical, outrageous, billionaire boss, then throw in the worst week of disasters imaginable? Book 1 of the 3 book series A Long Road to Love, named Worst Week Ever. Trent Lancaster spends one month without his Executive Assistant (or as his drivers refers to Carrie: 'Trent's brain, left hand, and right hand'. He's had a miserable month without her at his side and to ensure it never happens again, he intends to marry this brilliant beauty. Only given all the times he's threatened to fire her, he's not sure she even likes him. However, the future of his company and his happiness depend upon him succeeding, so Trent begins a slow one week seduction, that happens to coincide with Carrie Hanson's Worst Week Ever when everything that can go wrong does so in hilarious form. (Hilarious to the reader, Carrie is not having much fun this week.) Review: Carrie is a likeable character who puts up with a lot because she sees the best in everyone. She’s kind, caring and unpretentious. Her sweet nature draws others to want to help her or fall for her. Trent is pretentious and full of himself. He’s an uncaring playboy who finds out that he can’t run his company without Carrie. But when he begins to finally see her as who she is, he falls for her. Can he become the man for her? The secondary characters steal the show! I love Joey, Mars and Sam. They all deserve their own stories! Each of them have a soft spot for Carrie (after all she’s hard not to love) and want to help her. Yet, they all get caught up in her Worst Week! Ms. O’Connor writes a hilarious tale of misadventures that seem outrageous yet are real-life. She pulls readers into Carrie’s life and has them cheering for Trent to change. As the first book in the series, A Long Road to Love, I’m dying to see what happens next! I recommend this read to anyone who loves a story filled with misadventures and comedic relief. A disaster story that features memorable characters that will have you cheering for them to succeed! Oh Stupid Heart By Liza O’Connor Blurb: Carrie Hanson is in love with a different species: Trent, a pampered, uber-rich socialite who’s also her boss. Everyone keeps telling her it’s a train wreck looking to happen, but her heart wants what it wants. So despite the billion and one reasons not to, Carrie commits to this inter-species relationship. But while she's off being trained for her new job responsibilities, a beautiful ex fiancée is working hard to get Trent back and Carrie fired. My Review: Carrie and Trent have finally admitted their feelings but the road to love is never smooth. Jealousy and insecurities are a part of any relationship but when couples are as different as Trent and Carrie, it’s bound to happen. Not to mention, it seems like the world is out to get them…or at least Trent’s ex-fiance! Oh Stupid Heart is the second book in the Long Road to Love series and continues the wacky relationship that began in Worst Week Ever. I loved how caring and sweet Carrie is. She is more than willing to put up with just about anything, yet remains true to her moral compass. Trent has improved a bunch since the first book but still has a way to go. He doesn’t have a filter when he’s angry. Ms. O’Connor writes a fun story that engages the reader and keeps them laughing with the wacky events that happen. I like how Trent has changed but I still worry that Carrie is putting more into this relationship than he is. Although I love how she’s developing a backbone with Trent and not letting him or others run her over. I'm looking forward to the rest of this series! I'm so excited to share with you the new Stewart Realty Anthology. I've read and loved this series. Liz's characters have people choosing sides. I'm a Team Rob and Blake person (not a Team Jack or Team Craig), so I'm so excited to share with you an EXCLUSIVE short scene of Rob and Blake. *Swoon*. You'll fall in love with these two. <3 Liz is having a great giveaway below so be sure to comment and leave your email address. Also if you want to pick up an e-book of her amazing final book in this series- Good Faith. It will be on sale for only $0.99! For a limited time!!! Buy Links: Amazon and B&N. GOOD FAITH, Liz's final, epic, mainstream fiction novel of the Stewart Realty series continues to enthrall readers and reviewers. As part of the re-release of the first 3 books of the series that focus on Jack and Sara's early years, her publisher is offering GOOD FAITH for just $0.99 on Amazon and Barnes and Noble for the month-long duration the tour. You do not have to "know" these characters to appreciate Good Faith. But a great way to get to know them is to start with re-released anthology and then read Good Faith. It's not every day you can get a long, juicy, well-crafted novel for just a buck. But thanks to this tour, you can, for just 4 weeks. Liz has also said that she's prepared to give readers a sequel to Good Faith (in other words, a book on the second generation and possibly answering those important questions)...BUT... And it's a big BUT...Only If Liz can sell 1000 copies total (combined ebooks and print across all platforms) by....her birthday this year (December 17) she will release the Good Faith Sequel. Working Title: "Settlement Statement" in early 2015. Here's a link to the rest of the tour, if you want to read more exclusive content: http://www.brewingpassion.com/2014/02/come-away-with-me-and-jack-gordon.html And now without further ado.... Here's Blind Date...... Blind Date A Stewart Realty New Scene Coming soon to ESSENCE OF TIME Re-releasing May 11, 2014 By Liz Crowe All Rights Reserved—Tri Destiny Publishing “Hurry up. You’re such a woman.” Blake frowned at himself in the mirror, ignoring Rob’s angry voice floating down the hallway. He took a breath and continued staring into his own green eyes, pondering the concept of tonight’s looming event. The date. The big date. Not exactly a blind date since they’d met and had lunch with the woman in question, along with Blake’s sister Sara, his niece Katie and her friend Maddie. Running a hand across his rough jaw, Blake contemplated a shave. But they were going to be late if he didn’t get a move on. The problem at hand—Blake was not sure he wanted this…date. To admit that they needed to “hurry” and that once this particular deed was done it would mean Rob…was…he could… Blake looked away from the mirror, clenching his jaw in frustration. He wanted to fix the god damned thing, this sickness that made his lover’s face thin and his eyes more sunken every day. The continued fact of his inability to do that kept him awake at night, leaving him even more sleep deprived than usual. This whole plan—the find a woman, pay her some money and knock her up one—suddenly reeked of desperate wrong-headedness. The very sight of himself, eyes wild and red rimmed, jaw raggedy, hair not combed and barely even dried from the shower didn’t say much for his commitment to this step—to “the date.” He blew out a breath, ran the towel over his hair once more then finger-combed it into place. “I don’t have time to shave,” he called out, not taking his gaze from the wrecked looking vision in the mirror. Silence answered him back. Which meant Rob sat, clutching his glass of water, pissed at Blake for dragging his feet. Fucking passive-aggressive shit head that he was. “Do whatever,” the implication underneath the quiet. He grabbed a razor, then put it down. Picked it up, and put it back with a loud curse. The whole stupid set up had him as jumpy as a virgin on prom night. He stalked into the bedroom and pulled on a pair of khakis and a crisp, blue dress shirt. He never dressed like this but the “date” called for it, he’d been informed. A giant wave of sadness hit him square in the chest, almost forcing him to his knees. He sat on the large, clothing-draped lounge chair instead. A woman would not “complete” them as he and Rob had declared, after their first meeting with the quiet, petite, and darkly attractive Lila. After Blake had been cornered by her in the damn bathroom, after he’d acted like such a stupid kid at the lunch table, he’d been ready. But for what? He wanted her, sure, could admit he sometimes missed the softness of a woman’s body—her long, smooth neck; firm, full breasts, rounded ass and the sweetness of being inside her, so different from being with a man yet equally satisfying. He loved Rob and would happily never have sex with anyone but Rob for the rest of … however long they had left. But he still tasted her lips, felt her curves under his hands, albeit briefly. She wanted him too, in that quick bathroom clinch, he could tell. But it had lead to an epic argument, a near physical fight between the two men afterward. They’d almost sworn off it then, knowing themselves and attempting to be realistic about how adding a female to their distinctly male mix would be a Bad Idea—capital B and I. But Blake couldn’t get the memory of her out of his head, or off his lips. When Rob had said they were taking her out on a “real date,” he’d leapt at the concept. But now… “If you don’t want to go, why don’t you just tell me?” Blake looked up. Rob stood in the doorway, his tall frame encased in his own date uniform: khakis and a white shirt tucked in, belt buckled, dark brown shoes shining. His hair, which had been thinning thanks to the poisonous chemicals he took to try and stay alive, been cut short, just today. For the date. Blake sat as he spoke. “We need this. We agreed. It’s what I want and…” Rob interrupted him, keeping his distance, his voice low and calm. “Blake I don’t want to do anything that will make you unhappy. It’s all I do anymore it seems. I know, I know, me being sick doesn’t make you unhappy it makes you mad. Whatever. Listen,” Rob said, taking the few steps between them and pulling Blake to his feet. “You look like you’re about to walk in front of a firing squad. Fuck it. Let’s call it off.” “No.” Blake let himself be held a moment, listened to the sound of his lover’s beating heart, his arms wrapped around the man’s too-thin waist. “It’s okay. She’s…I mean, I think it will be fine.” Rob tilted his chin up. Blake studied Rob’s face, stared into his brown eyes, memorized it, for later. They both smiled. Blake pressed a quick kiss to Rob’s lips, then began to disentangle himself. They needed to get on with it. Lila would be sitting and waiting by now. It would be rude to…But Rob held onto him, his grip strong. The lips he pressed to Blake’s, parting them with his tongue were firm and had a familiar urgency. Blake broke the kiss first, held onto Rob’s face. “Keep that up and the poor girl will have to pay her own expensive dinner bill. Come on, let’s go. I’m tired of waiting on you.” He brushed a hand across Rob’s chest, and lower, grinning. “Save this. I’ll take some later.” The ride downtown shimmered with anxious energy. Rob hummed, a clear sign of his nervousness. Blake tapped his fingers on the armrest, fiddled with the window, the HVAC, the radio. “God damn it.” Rob smacked his hand away from the controls. “Cut it out. You aren’t making either of us feel any better.” Blake blew out a long breath. “It’s not like I know how to act here. I mean, what the hell are we supposed talk about? The bank transfer of the money? The process? Who gets her first? If she wants it in both…” “Stop it.” Rob’s voice was strained, his jaw clenched. “I don’t know either but I damn sure am not gonna ask her if she wants a DP. At least not on the first date.” Blake laughed so loud he snorted. Rob shot him a sideways look as he pulled the F-150 into a parking spot behind Connor O’Neils and put it into park. They both sat, frozen with indecision and anxiety. “Do you remember Paris?” Blake put a hand on Rob’s thigh. The other man’s muscles twitched under his palm. “That girl, from the nightclub? Our first vacation?” “Yeah.” Rob kept his hands on the steering wheel, eyes trained straight ahead. “What about it?” Blake sighed. Rob’s body language, his clenched teeth and white knuckled grip only ramped up his own stress. But he needed them to get past this. They had to go into the restaurant, meet with Lila, eat, drink some wine then…possibly…go home and…He shook his head. He ran fingers through Rob’s hair, the silkiness of the new growth brought a smile to his face. “That was pretty easy. I mean, you know, my first time as three.” Rob turned to him, anguish suffusing every pore of his handsome face and filling his eyes. He gripped Blake’s hand, yanked him across the console and kissed him hard. When he broke away, Blake touched his face. “You’re the expert here. Not me. The ladies love your tall, blond, Germanic hotness. I’m along for the ride. I’ll…watch and learn.” “Don’t be an idiot.” Rob leaned his head back, hand over his eyes. “Jesus, this is…about as fucked up as it gets.” “No, it’s not. Even if you weren’t sick we would be doing it. You know that. We wanted a baby.” “You wanted a baby. I’m perfectly fine without…” “You told me a thousand times you weren’t doing this to humor me. Were you lying then, or are you lying now?” Blake’s ears got hot and his chest tightened. “All we have to do is figure out how to share. That is one thing we know we both need to….practice. I don’t want her to think we’re a couple of barely evolved Neanderthals.” Rob turned to him, his eyes still bright with unshed tears. “Even though we sort of are?” Blake shrugged, unable to resist a smile. Rob sighed and climbed out, meeting Blake at the back bumper. He grabbed his arm. “I love you Blake Thornton. God knows I do. So, let’s get on with this, shall we? Not quite the impromptu heat of a Paris nightclub but…we’ll make do with the Chop House.” The men walked around the corner and up to the restaurant in silence each deep in the mire of his own misery. They spotted her, seated at a table in the front window, before she saw them. Blake took a breath and leaned into his lover’s ear. “Don’t stand there and tell me that she is not beautiful. That she doesn’t do anything for you.” He put a hand on Rob’s back, as they walked towards her. She looked up and smiled. Blake felt Rob shiver under his palm. “The mother of our child, Rob. The child we both want,” he whispered, then stepped aside so Rob could give Lila a quick hug before he did the same. *** The dinner progressed as most first dates do—awkwardness, mixed with humor, some strained silences interspersed with good food, great wine and finally dessert. Rob did all the ordering which Blake was more than content to let him do. Lila exclaimed over every course. Blake knew the wine had gotten to him when he found himself completely mesmerized by her full lips as she ate the rich chocolate dessert. “Oh, huh?” he asked, when Rob elbowed him hard. “She asked us a question, Blake.” Rob’s jaw was clenched again. A charming flush crept up Lila’s neck and cheeks. Blake had a sudden urge to touch her face. So he did. He could sense Rob tensing up next to him so he put his other hand on the man’s leg under the table, squeezed his thigh as he kept light fingertips on Lila’s porcelain skin. “Sorry,” he said. “I didn’t hear your question.” “I was wondering if…um…you guys had ever…ah…” She gave a nervous giggle. Blake felt Rob’s hand on his, holding him in place under the table. “Lila was wondering if we had ever done this before. Been together, with a woman.” Rob’s voice had taken on a softer quality. Blake glanced at him and saw that he too, was staring at the lovely vision across from them. He shifted his hand higher. Rob moved his hand, putting it on Blake’s khaki-covered thigh. “I think you should tell her about Paris.” Lila blinked, then leaned back, the deep V of her little black dress deepening. Blake tried not to lick his lips. He could practically feel the curve and heft of her breasts in his hands. He shifted, as Rob’s hand climbed higher, grazing boner he’d been sporting since the salad course. “I guess,” Lila said, her voice low and unbearably sexy as she picked up her coffee cup and put her lips to the edge of it. Blake very much wanted to be that cup. “I’m more interested in the actual…uh…mechanics of such an … ah… act.” She smiled at him, then at Rob. “It sort of depends. On what you are comfortable with, I mean.” Blake moved closer to his lover and let his own fingers do some walking up the inside of Rob’s thigh. Rob cleared his throat, then leaned on his elbow and gazed at Blake expectantly. “So, there are ways we can work together, with you between us in varying…configurations.” He stopped, watching as Lila trailed a red-nailed fingertip along the spaghetti strap of her dress and lower. Her lips were slightly parted. He went on, moving his napkin up his lap so as not to let the staff see that Rob was close to unzipping him. “I like to be on top, of you I mean, once we have made sure you’re satisfied. I like to be in between you and Rob...maybe.” He felt his face flush. Lila blinked, pondering this then ran that same fingertip around the edge of the lucky coffee cup, making Blake want to groan and snatch her out of here, toss her in the back of the truck and fuck her senseless. He surprised himself with that. She released his inner raw, teenager, horn dog—the craven urge to possess beauty that lurked in all men. Rob leaned into his ear, whispering a few words that made Blake smile and Lila raise a dark eyebrow at them. “Rob has a great idea. He thinks we should take this conversation home. To our home. We can have coffee there. And talk some more. We don’t have to do anything more or less. You set the pace.” Unable to resist, he reached across the small table, cupped her chin and brushed his thumb over her full lower lip. “But I do want to kiss you.” She smiled and nodded. Both men scrambled to their feet and Rob pulled out her chair while Blake draped her wrap around her shoulders, pausing to let his fingers graze her neck. She turned to him, their faces nearly touching. Her dark eyes shone and Blake’s brain began fuzzing over in a familiar, need-to-get-laid-now, way. Holding out one of her hands, she took Rob’s and pulled him closer. “I want to watch you,” she whispered to Blake. “Make love to him,” she leaned over and pressed a kiss to Rob’s flushed cheek. “Then, we can talk.” Blake blinked. Rob cleared his throat. The concept of that, of being with Rob while Lila watched, made him want to suggest they skip the ride home and find an empty storeroom. Rob spoke first. “That sounds like a lovely icebreaker. After you both.” He held out a long arm, indicating they should precede him to the front door. He stopped Lila as she headed in the opposite direction from them. “Ride with us,” Rob said, holding onto her hand. She shook her head. “No. I have to be able to go, if I want to.” A troubled look flashed across her beautiful, open face for a split second. “Okay,” Rob said, letting go of her and putting an arm around Blake’s shoulders. “You know where we live.” Blake shook with a combination of anticipation, lust and tickle of fear by the time they got home. They lit the few candles they could find, turned on some low music, and opened a good bottle of red wine. Then they sat, staring at the door. “What if she doesn’t…” he started to say when the doorbell rang. Rob rose and opened the door. Blake felt drugged, woozy with horniness. He sat, like a dolt, frozen in place while Rob gathered the small woman in his arms and kissed her with an intensity that took Blake’s breath away. He watched them, his man and the woman they wanted to carry their child as they broke the kiss and looked at each other. Blake stood. His body frozen still, his feet encased in concrete. Rob escorted Lila to him, brushed her knuckles with his lips, and left her there. She felt just like she had that first afternoon, soft yet firm in a wholly female way he’d forgotten he’d missed. Her lips tasted like the minty chocolate mousse they’d shared for dessert with a ghost of wine and coffee. She gripped his hair, the small sound that escaped her throat when he cupped one of her breasts, bringing her nipple to a peak under his thumb made Blake ached all over with a longing he hadn’t felt in a long time. Then she stopped, caressed his cheek, took his hand and led him back to Rob, who stood, wineglass in hand, leaning on the bookshelf and watching them. “Does this couch make a bed,” she whispered, going up on tiptoes to kiss first Rob’s and then Blake’s cheeks. Blake nodded, but at that moment could not take his eyes off Rob. His man held his gaze, reassuring him with his smile as he set the wine glass down and took Blake in his arms, kissing, undressing, unzipping and leaving the both of them naked, together, unaware of anything or anyone else, just each other. “Oh god, Rob…” Blake gasped as Rob eased him down onto the large couch. “Please don’t leave me…please don’t…” But Rob silenced him with a kiss full of unspoken meaning. So Blake stopped his babbling and focused on the very pleasant here and now. As bi-sexual men, neither Blake or Rob had a hard and fast preference about who did what to whom. They liked to fuck. They liked to be fucked. It varied, which kept things interesting for them. Rob usually lead, by unspoken agreement. “What do you want tonight?” Blake whispered, his hands all over Rob’s body. “Want to fuck me? Want me to suck you off?” Rob groaned as Blake dropped to his knees and did that for a while. But he stopped and licked his way up Rob’s torso to his lips. “I need…more.” Rob’s voice was hoarse. He gripped Blake’s neck and yanked him down for a hard kiss. Their jaws rasped against each other’s. Rob shifted, spread his legs and Blake grabbed lube from the drawer next to the couch, using it on himself and on Rob. He glanced up then, hazy and horny and ready to blow before he even got inside his lover’s body. Lila had shed her dress and her skin appeared to glow in the candlelit room as she watched them, close but with a distance Blake didn’t want. He held out a hand, guided her down to Rob’s cock as he slid in slowly, inch by glorious inch. He watched her hand, stroking Rob’s flesh. “Kiss him,” he croaked out, gripping Rob’s hips and going deep. She reached up and kissed Blake first but he stopped her. “No. I’m gonna…oh god…let me watch you kissing him.” He insisted and she leaned down to do as he told her. Rob’s hands threaded in her dark hair and Blake went nearly blind and deaf with pleasure, roaring into the room, coming fast and reveling in it. He smelled it when Rob came too, all over Lila’s sweet hand. He stopped, shivering with the force of his orgasm. Then pulled out and stumbled into the kitchen to clean up. He stood after he’d washed off with soap and water, leaning over the huge farmhouse style sink catching his breath then drank some water and wandered back into the living room. Rob and Lila were wrapped around each other, kissing, their bare skin glowing in the candle light. Rob moved down to suck her nipples, then caught Blake’s eye. He motioned for him, pulling him down between them. “It’s her turn.” Blake grinned and dropped between her legs, kissing and nibbling and finally sucking and moaning into her flesh as she cried out, yanking his hair, her legs draped over his shoulders. “Nice,” he said, wiping his lips and working his way back up her body. He looked over at Rob, who nodded at him. Then he whispered “you okay?” to Lila She smiled and held out her hand to Rob, as if she had read Blake’s mind. He moved away, leaning on his elbow, caressing Rob’s face with the other hand. “My turn to watch,” he whispered. Rob blinked, then looked at Lila. Blake saw the tears in her eyes, and was about to ask if she wanted to stop. But she was reaching for Rob, wrapping her legs around his waist, whispering to him. They both sighed when she tilted her hips and took him inside her. Watching Rob make love to Lila that first time was one of the most incredible things Blake had ever experienced. “I love you,” he whispered to Rob when he leaned into kiss him just as he came, the bittersweet erotic perfection of this moment making his eyes burn. “I know,” Rob whispered back. Then he slipped out of her, sat and gathered her in his lap, brushing back her hair and soothing her shakes and hiccupping sobs. “It’s all right. Everything will be all right.” Blake dropped into the chair across from the pull out, watching them, wondering how that could possibly be the case, but happier at that split second than he had been since figuring out that he loved Rob. They all slept, piled on each other like puppies and tangled up in the sheets on the pull out couch that night. Blake woke to the smell of bacon and pancakes. He stretched, relishing soreness in all the right places he inventoried, then rolled over to grab a few more minutes of precious morning sleep. He grunted, when he ran into Rob’s broad back. “What the hell?” He sat up, rubbing his eyes. “If you’re still here, who is cooking?” Rob rolled over and stretched pulling Blake onto his chest. They watched Lila emerge, dressed in one of their shirts and her panties, bearing a plate of food and a carafe of coffee that she set on the dining room table. “Come on boys. We need our energy. There’s a baby to be made.” She grinned and sat, pouring herself a cup of coffee. Blake and Rob looked at each other, smiled, and scrambled up to find underwear before sitting and sharing breakfast together. Stewart Realty Anthology: The Jack and Sara Trilogy Official Synopsis Stewart Realty: Life in the House Lane Love is an easy word to use, a hard one to demonstrate, and sometimes impossible to trust. The Stewart Realty series is a sweeping epic, encompassing many years in the lives of two people who know how to love with their bodies, how to please and get pleasure, to control and be controlled. When it comes to the deeper meaning of the one word they both need, backgrounds and personalities get in the way. While their physical connection sizzles they somehow manage to continuously disappoint one another on an emotional level. Jack Gordon has it all—money, success, a string of women—but also a deep longing for something more. When he thinks he finds it with Sara Jane Thornton, his world is never the same again. Sara releases a side of himself he considered buried out of frustration and unhappiness. Sara soon learns that she must trust him implicitly, something she cannot do, no matter how many times she tries...and he fails. With a rich cast of secondary characters, including a young man who presents a near-perfect foil to Jack's intensity, and who falls hard for Sara, The Stewart Realty series is a saga with an emphasis on contemporary life with a healthy dose of realistic eroticism. A tale of modern, busy, driven people seeking the ever-elusive and highly coveted combination—a friend, lover and trusted companion who will be there for the long haul. Start at the beginning, with the Jack and Sara Trilogy, now for the first time ever in a print anthology. The Stewart Realty series is a best seller in family saga and urban fiction categories. See for yourself what the buzz is all about. BUY LINKS: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/stewart-realty-anthology-liz-crowe/1118623384?ean=9780956966988 http://www.amazon.com/Stewart-Realty-Anthology-Liz-Crowe/dp/0956966985/ref=sr_1_9?ie=UTF8&qid=1392221960&sr=8-9&keywords=stewart+realty+liz+crowe ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Excerpt from Floor Time Excerpt (Stewart Realty Series (Book 1): Sara put her palms against the ice-cold glass of the floor-to-ceiling windows. She smiled, observing the entire downtown of Ann Arbor spread out below her like a child's carpet map. The heat rose visibly from the pavement as the crowds scurried in and out of restaurants and shops. Adam's arms around her waist startled her. As she turned, a niggling voice at the back of her brain made her hesitate before brushing his lips with hers. They'd been in the vacant condo way too long. Now that he'd teased a satisfactory orgasm from her neglected body, an antsy, nervous sensation wormed through her psyche. She sighed and disentangled herself from his embrace. When the doorbell echoed through the cavernous space, she broke out in a cold sweat. Fumbling with blouse buttons, she pushed past Adam on her way through the kitchen and to the door, cursing under her breath. She looked back to make sure he was pulled together – not a tough thing since neither of them got completely out of their clothes – and scowled as he gave her a knowing smile. Shit. You should not have done this. You don't even really like him. But it had been so long and he was pretty good looking. Jesus, slut much Sara? Sara let guilty thoughts clang around her head long enough to hear the doorbell ring once more before yanking it open, her perfect pleased-to-see-you sales smile fixed in place, keys clutched in one hand. Jack had a hot date, one that was going to yield him a kick-ass listing, but due to the unwarranted dawdling of the condo-shopping couple he had been dragging around, he'd be lucky to make it in time. The empty lock box on the door of the penthouse unit provided the real icing on the cake. He leaned on the doorbell, hoping they could skip this one and stop wasting his time while mouthing platitudes to his clients. He had hoped that the relocating, executive couple like the ones he was courting at that moment wouldn't spend so much of his valuable time arguing over granite colors and the relative benefits of central vacuum cleaners. God, he hated this job sometimes. He smiled, and turned, hearing the click of the deadbolt. Finally. When the heavy door swung open, the vision standing there froze him mid-sentence. Sara Thornton, one of the newer, and more successful, realtors at Stewart Realty, stared at him, eyes blazing in a strange combination of aggravation and satisfaction. Jack clenched his jaw at the sight of her smoking hot body encased in skintight short black skirt, creamy silk blouse and four-inch stilettos. As one of the few chosen to populate the downtown storefront office, based upon her good looks and the ability to rope in new buyers and sellers off the streets of Ann Arbor, Sara had serious sales skills. He'd studied the branch's numbers, as part of a management decision-making process, to ultimately turning down the offer to handle that stable of prima donnas. But at that moment Jack couldn't believe he'd never noticed her before – really noticed her. Where had she been hiding? And what was that amazing sexy aura that permeated the air? Jack's heart jumped in his chest. "Um, hi Jack." Her voice was hoarse, making him blink. He made a conscious effort to wipe the idiotic look off his face, aware of the annoying clients still standing at his elbow. He held out a hand, needing to confirm that her skin felt as hot as it looked. Surprised no one else saw the sparks pass between them, he couldn't suppress a grin at the look on her flustered face. So, she sensed it too. This could get interesting. "Sara." He heard his own voice, sounding a hell of a lot more confident than he felt at that moment. And he did not rattle easily. "Sorry to barge in but…” He was struck dumb once again by the sight of Adam Donovan, mortgage broker tool, at Sara's shoulder. Jack gave himself a mental shake. The sudden realization of what had undoubtedly happened, in the same condo he was about to show, made his head pound. Reluctant admiration mixed with something resembling jealousy fogged his brain. He raised his eyebrows at the tall blond man whom he could have sworn was engaged to someone else. "Jack." Adam moved around the beautiful woman who still blocked the doorway. "Good to see you." Jack shook the guy's hand, never taking his gaze from Sara, reserving his smile for her. His brain engaged, focus locked on Sara Thornton, and the world shifted under his expensively clad feet. Sara had never been more embarrassed. No, that was too weak of a word – mortified was better. Jack Gordon, king of the Ann Arbor real estate universe, wanted to show the condo where she'd just let Adam Donovan mercy fuck her. As she tried not to drown in Jack's deep blue gaze, Sara clenched her thighs, already imagining how he might have done it differently, and likely better. "Um, hi Jack," she croaked out. Her face flooded with heat; even more so when she put the keys in his outstretched hand, and yanked herself back at the intensity of their instant connection. Tall, ruggedly handsome with coal-black hair and a shimmering blue gaze, the man boasted a personality that bested all other males within a fifty-mile radius. Sara only knew of him, of course. They'd never actually met. However, she'd swear right then he seemed happy to see her. The realization made her zing from scalp to toes. She watched his full lips form words but remained deafened by the roaring in her ears. His gaze never left hers, even when Adam nudged her aside and shook his hand. Her whole universe suddenly shrank to two people. Looking back, she'd pinpoint that as the instant she fell hopelessly in love with an impossible man. Excerpt from Sweat Equity Excerpt (Stewart Realty Series (Book 2): Sara smiled at the man lying next to her. He'd taken her world and yanked it into his orbit so hard and fast her head still spun some days. God help her she did love him despite her inner turmoil. She put a hand on his sweat-slicked chest and draped a leg over his. She propped up on her elbow and touched his check. "Hmm?" his sleepy voice reminded her how much they both needed more shut eye having passed out rather than actually rested last night. He pulled her close. "I'm sorry," he muttered into her hair. "It's just." She nodded into his shoulder. "Shit week, you know. All this wedding talk is not my thing or something. I don't know. I do know I don't deserve you." "Yeah, that is true. Look, we still have dinner with my parents tonight. My dad is a know-it-all doctor. I dread having the two of you in the same room, frankly, but we have to do it. They're my family and they want to meet you." She felt him tense beneath her. "That's fine. I'll be on my best behavior. But I don't want him paying for any of this," he swept a hand towards the small table where she'd piled up magazines and spreadsheets of wedding planning paraphernalia. "I'm doing it. You're grown, not some little girl needing daddy's money anymore." She bit her lip. "If he wants to I'm not going to stop him. It's his prerogative. Can't you just go with it?" She sat up, swung her legs to the floor. He sang the same song, different verse, every time. They'd fight, he'd make up by making love to her. She'd let him. They wouldn't talk about it. Again. Sighing she stood, stretched her sated and tingling body, her mind on the massive list of shit to do today. Glancing over her shoulder, she allowed herself a long look at the man who would be her husband. His six-foot five-inch frame firm, legs and arms covered with a light dusting of black hair; torso mostly bare, but for a line of jet-black hair beneath his navel leading down to the part of his body that he had, apparently, shared with so many. Her eyes trailed up, to his firm, square jaw, in need of a shave. Her palm itched to reach out, feel the sandpapery rasp of it, keeping him real. How completely unreal this still seemed, even now after he'd given her yet another mind-boggling set of back-to-back orgasms. That should've been solid evidence he was there, with her, "hers" even. But he wasn't. That small voice in her head, the "Old Sara," with its nagging and worry, poked her psyche once again. You're too alike. It will never work. Jack's eyes opened, at the sound of his own light snore. His sleepy grin made her smile in spite of her heavy heart. She was no sap. Her own parent's relationship had made her a cynic to the extreme when it came to men. She knew it. She fully acknowledged her own emotional constipation. Yet, she let the man who currently held her heart in his large, talented hands tug her down onto the bed, into the circle of his arms. His skin, smell, and feel eased her as always. She closed her eyes just for a few minutes. Excerpt from Closing Costs (Stewart Realty Series Book 3): The place was a zoo by the time he pulled up. He parked, hopped out, following Sara's instructions about going to the main office and presenting his identification since he'd never picked her up before. Little kids swarmed through the huge hallway, screeching, and flinging themselves into their parents' arms. The place reeked of pee and old lunch boxes. By the time the annoying paperwork was completed, it had more or less cleared out. He stood, like a chastened schoolboy, in front of the director's desk as she called Sara to confirm that he, one Mr. Jack Gordon, said with a long appraising look at him and his drivers' license, had been authorized to retrieve one Miss Katherine Elizabeth Thornton. He adjusted his tie, suddenly nervous about having her in his car, about installing the car seat he'd retrieved from Sara's new Mercedes SUV, and about a whole host of shit he couldn't even begin to name, but mainly coming face-to-face with Katie again. He hadn't seen her in months. Would she recognize him at all? He looked around, still waiting for them to copy his ID and, if the time commitment was any indication, apparently to do a full, police-style, background check on him. Anger started to replace anxiety as his patience waned. He tapped his foot. "Look, I'm good, okay. I'm her…" He stopped dead. The woman at the desk looked up expectantly. "Uncle." His voice faded. "Katie certainly has a lot of those," the annoying person chirped before handing his ID back and pointing to a side door. She gave him a different sort of look. This one he recognized. He smiled at her. She was sort of good looking, actually. "You gay like her other uncles?" Jack laughed. "Nope." "Well then." Her eyes flicked up and down his suit-clad form. He made a point to take his hands out of his pockets to display his ring-less state, ignoring the anxiety that had reasserted itself. He fell into flirt mode as self-defense mechanism. "So, this is your place?" He gestured around. "Yes, I own it." She leaned back and crossed her long legs. He took a step closer. "You have kids then?" "Older ones." Her eyes swept up and down him. He chuckled. "You realize you are checking me out, right?" "Yeah, I do." She slid a business card across her desk at him. "Go ahead through there. She's waiting." The place practically echoed, all of the commotion having died down. Now there was only an eerie silence. He didn't see a soul. About to start back through the door to the office and rip somebody a new one for sending him on a wild goose chase, a small voice stopped him in his tracks. "Who are you?" He gulped and stepped closer, letting the light hit his face. "I'm your Uncle Jack. Where are you anyway?" He still couldn't see her. "Oh. Where's Uncle Blake?" He peered around a bookshelf, and saw her, sitting at a small table, lunchbox and small backpack clutched to her chest. Her bright white, high-top tennis-shoe-clad feet swung back and forth. Jack took in the hot pink tutu, purple tights and orange t-shirt adorned with what looked like a sponge, with a face. "He's on vacation. Nice outfit." He held back, hands in pockets. Her huge green eyes appraised him with a worldliness that startled him. Her dark blonde hair was gathered in braids, more or less but tufts of it had escaped, haloing her face. He sucked in a breath at the resemblance to her mother, all the way down to the attitude she wore like a glove. "Thanks. It's my favorite. Are you stranger danger? You have on a nice suit for a kidlapper." She didn't move from her perch, just kept staring at him, her gaze open and innocent. A weird feeling settled in Jack's chest. She kept swinging her feet. Jack took a seat next to her. "Thanks. It's my favorite." He grinned. Something about her made him immediately comfortable. The proverbial four-going-on-forty he supposed. The maturity seemed natural, but tinged with her mother's neediness. He winced at himself. "I'm not a stranger. Or a kidnapper. I've been to your house. For, um, birthdays. Stuff like that. I'm taking you home." "Oh, okay. Hang on." He watched incredulous as she pulled a sparkling pink phone from her bag and put it to her ear. He cocked an eyebrow at her, listening as she called Sara, getting confirmation that Uncle Jack did not represent "Stranger Danger." "Your mother gave you a phone?" He smiled when she jumped down and stuck her hand out. He took it. "Pretty advanced for a four-year-old wouldn't you say?" "Yes, but I can only call, not text or use internets or anything. No games either." She pouted a second. "Mommy says it makes me inpedendant," Jack suppressed a grin. "Pleased to meet you Uncle Jack. Can we get Washtenaw Dairy on the way home?" He kept her small, warm hand in his and led her out. "Won't that ruin your dinner?" "If Mommy's late then you have to feed me dinner anyway. Uncle Blake makes me homemade mac and cheese. Can you make that?" Jack shook his head. The girl's face brightened. "I know! Let's have ice cream for dinner." "You are more like your mommy than you realize." He fastened her into the complex seat with her help and then really looked at her a minute. "I get that a lot." Jack laughed, loving the sound when she joined him. "How old are you anyway? Twenty? Thirty?" "No silly. I'm four and three quarters. How old are you? A hundred?" "Ha! Only at night." "Huh?" "Never mind. I haven't had ice cream for dinner in a while. Let's make it happen." He put the car in gear and drove towards the venerable Ann Arbor ice cream spot nestled in the residential Old West Side. He snuck glances at her in the rearview mirror as she kept up a stream of consciousness monologue about the relative merits of Sponge Bob Square Pants versus Phineas and Ferb. He smiled, realizing his life would never be the same again. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Here's what people are saying about the Stewart Realty Series...... Reviews for Floor Time (Stewart Realty Series Book 1) “Sara and Jack’s banter and absolute need for one another when they were together was positively combustible, and it had me switching from angry to aroused every other minute!” ~ Just Erotic Romance Reviews “The sizzling power of attraction and the sexiness of a take charge Alpha male attitude is incredibly written by this talented author. From passion to inner turmoil, to falling in love, these characters take the reader on a whirlwind of rides!” ~ Romancing the Book “When it comes to a book with a little BDSM, Liz Crowe’s “Floor Time” is absolutely a must read! Crowe brought out the personal inner struggles of a former Master who lost his way, and a newly introduced submissive who is battling within herself between keeping the control or giving up said control willingly…if you’re looking for a way to enjoy a known fantasy or maybe you’d like to consider a little rough play, I say pick up this book for some inspiration. You will not regret it!” ~ Bitten by Love Reviews Reviews for Sweat Equity (Stewart Realty Series Book 2) “Gut-wrenching and heartbreaking, Sweat Equity is a roller coaster ride of emotions, taking you through a colossal train wreck of a relationship…then has you begging to go again.” ~ Just Erotic Romance Reviews “This book blew me away. Liz Crowe’s second Stewart Realty novel has filled me with gut wrenching emotion, inner turmoil and amazing need to read more of her Stewart Realty series. … I loved every gut wrenching moment, many of which truly brought me to tears for this conflicted couple! This series is by far my absolute favorite series, written with the perfect amount of sexiness, sizzling hot passion, dominating men and stubborn women!” ~ Romancing the Book “Sweat Equity continues the story of Jack and Sara and their quest to discover what they seek from each other. It’s another sizzling and emotional rollercoaster ride the whole way through the book. Liz Crowe has delivered another wonderful and sexy story that gives all the sexy scenes we have grown to love and expect in each of her novels as well and a superbly written storyline!” ~ Bitten by Love Reviews Reviews for Closing Costs (Stewart Realty Series Book 3) “Closing Costs is a fitting closure to Sara and Jack’s stormy story, ripe with anger, tears, love and loss. Amazing job, Ms. Crowe, for an incredibly realistic and dramatic story line that grabs you by the heart and mind and refuses to let go!” ~ Just Erotic Romance Reviews “It has everything you are looking for; angst, passion and lots of sexual tension. If you thought Sara and Jack’s relationship was complicated in the previous two installments, it’s nothing to how complex everything is now. At times through this book, I wondered whether either of them had learnt anything over their lives about each other and life in general but I guess that what makes this book so good in the way it can enchant you and brings to life the main characters so well!” ~ Bitten By Love Reviews “Never have I met more obstinate, pain in the butt characters than realtors Jack and Sara, and I mean that with the utmost love and respect for Liz Crowe. The obstacles that these two have gone through have truly proven her talent as a writer. All of their hardships were self-inflicted, yet they appeared incapable of breaking the cycle. This dramatic tale has a strong storyline that truly grips the reader as their love comes full circle. Amazing character development has kept this reader interested and attached to Jack and Sara.” ~ Reader’s Roundtable after Dark Liz Crowe’s Bio: Amazon best-selling author, beer blogger and beer marketing expert, mom of three, and soccer fan, Liz lives in the great Midwest, in a major college town. She has decades of experience in sales and fund raising, plus an eight-year stint as a three-continent, ex-pat trailing spouse. While working as a successful Realtor, Liz made the leap into writing novels about the same time she agreed to take on marketing and sales for the Wolverine State Brewing Company. Most days find her sweating inventory and sales figures for the brewery, unless she’s writing, editing or sweating promotional efforts for her latest publications. Her early forays into the publishing world led to a groundbreaking fiction subgenre, “Romance for Real Life,” which has gained thousands of fans and followers interested less in the “HEA” and more in the “WHA” (“What Happens After?”). More recently she is garnering even more fans across genres with her latest novels, which are more character-driven fiction, while remaining very much “real life.” With stories set in the not-so-common worlds of breweries, on the soccer pitch, in successful real estate offices and many times in exotic locales like Istanbul, Turkey, her books are unique and told with a fresh voice. The Liz Crowe backlist has something for any reader seeking complex storylines with humor and complete casts of characters that will delight, frustrate, and linger in the imagination long after the book is finished. If you are in the Ann Arbor area, be sure and stop into the Wolverine State Brewing Co. Tap Room—but don’t ask her for anything “like” a Bud Light, or risk serious injury. Find Liz online at the following places: Website: www.lizcrowe.com Writing Blog: www.brewingpasssion.com Beer Blog: www.a2beerwench.com Twitter: www.twitter.com/beerwencha2 FB Author Page: www.facebook.com/lizcroweauthor FB Fan Page: www.facebook.com/groups/Lizcrowefans/ Jack Gordon’s FB Page: www.facebook.com/jackgordonrealtor Giveaway!!!LIZ WILL CHOOSE FROM AMONG COMMENTERS ACROSS THE ENTIRE TOUR AND AWARD THE FOLLOWING PRIZES IN MID-MARCH:
2 signed copies of the new Stewart Realty “Jack & Sara Trilogy” print anthology (U.S. ONLY) Audible.com downloads for each of the first 3 books in the series (available internationally) Here is link to the Liz Page on Audible.com: http://www.audible.com/search/ref=a_mn_at_ano_tseft__galileo?advsearchKeywords=liz+corwe&x=-1050&y=-41 1 signed print copy OR 1 eBook copy of GOOD FAITH, the critically acclaimed final novel of the Stewart Realty series (e-book available internationally, print is U.S. only) 1 Stewart Realty SWAG PACK complete with “I heart Ann Arbor mug” (U.S. only) and more! Today I'm excited to share an interview with Angela Fiddler. I'll just fluff the pillows and get the house ready. *ding dong* She's here. Hello Angela and thank you for visiting today. Come in and make yourself at home. Tell us a little about yourself. I write about snarky power-imbalances where the good guys almost always win in the end. Thanks! It sounds like you have an interesting life. *wonders how I can get a super power* Now on to some personal questions. If you could go back in time to when you were seven years old, what wisdom or advice would you pass on to yourself? Oh, god. At seven? That was a dark time for me. I started writing at eleven just to do something with all the chaos that was my home life. I would tell her it’s going to take a long time to get from where you are to where you want to be, but every single obstacle that seems to be knocking you off your feet is really just a course correction to put you back on the right path. Learn from everything. For what are you grateful? I’m grateful to have had writing as a pressure valve in my life. The more crazy real life got, the more I could withdraw into my imagination. I’m grateful for my wife, who met me at the end of the craziness and provided a safe harbor for me to get my legs back under me. I’m grateful for my friends who support me and my cat who sits with me when I write. If a zombie virus took over the world, how many days do you think you could last before you were infected? And what would you do to postpone the inevitable? I have a two story house, and ax and a ladder. The zombie handbook suggests chopping the staircase to your second floor and keep your backyard highly defensable. I think I could survive a small outbreak, but any large world ending zombie event wouldn’t be something I’d want to survive. I have no desire to watch humanity’s downfall from a front row seat. What television sitcom is most like your family? Why? Early seasons of the Big Bang Theory. The first thing I asked my wife this morning was “Do you know how the Trojan War started? It’s a trick question.” What’s your favorite thing to do to relax? I write. Writing to me is my job, passion and hobby, all rolled into one. I would just write though, no rewriting, no promotion, no paperwork, just straight creation. Let’s find out a little bit about you as an author. Did you always want to be an author? Ever since I learned where books came from I wanted to write. I wrote my first fantasy trilogy in the seventh grade. The story I wrote in grade six made me realize that you had to write books about people because horse stories where the horse is the POV is limiting. What authors had an impact on you growing up and as an adult? As a child, Mercedes Lackey’s The Last Herald Mage changed my life. I didn’t know point of view characters could be gay until I picked up Magic Price. It is horribly purple and schlocky, but I loved every word. S. M. Stirling wrote the first female POV that felt real to me. As an adult, I love Neil Gaiman, James Lee Burke and Sharyn McCrumb. Do you have any “must haves” with you while you’re writing? I write in a big comfy chair with my laptop balanced on my legs and my cat curled up in my arms. I like sucking on hard candies while I write. Other than that, I could write anywhere. How did you decide to write a paranormal story? (Do you feel passionate about that age?) Real life is certainly interesting enough with all the forces that can work against two people trying to make a life for themselves, but I love escapism. Giving the world a special secret that only select few know about gives so many more challenges two people who just want to love each other have to overcome in order to be together. What have you learned the most from being in the writing business? Work pays off and no one can do it for you. I used to write a book, clean it up as best I could without making any structural changes in order to preserve the first draft. Then I realized that by the time I get to the end of the book, the beginning of the book is out of focus and not as driven as the second half. Going back and rewriting the book from the beginning so that the end of the story is the end goal from the first page is the difference between a book that has promise and a book that works. It’s not something you can ever learn from getting critiqued and workshopped, since no one knows your world better than you. You know what’s needed and what’s filler. If you don’t put that work in to make each story the very best it can be, no one will. The only person you are competing with in your career is yourself. Tell us about your latest release: (blurb, excerpt, cover) Keeping a sex demon happy and well fucked is always the safest option, even if you have your own relationship issues. When saving the world on a regular basis, a happy home is very important. Cy’s job as an apocalypse stopper isn’t an easy one at the best of times, but with the help of his weird family, he survives. Sure, he sneaks out every once and a while to watch August his sex demon feed, but he loves and is committed to Patrick, his fae prince lover, even if it means giving up the anal penetrative sex he loves and Patrick has issues with. All adult relationships are based on compromise. It's just that most don’t require fucking a sex demon to keep him alive and non-murder-y at the same time as you're trying to quit your job to save the world on your own time. August slipped into the pressed plastic bench and immediately spruced up the joint. People around him sat up straighter, and the food off the grill started looking like the pictures of the items on the menu board. “Pancakes? What is this, some desperate cry for help?” “I see your confusion. That call this morning was a desperate cry for help. These are just simple carb abominations,” I said. I stabbed my plastic fork into the pancake again. “I told you, my--” “You’ve always taken my calls before, regardless of where you were tied up. I changed my ringtone for you.” “I would have come if I could.” “Is that another sexual reference?” I asked. “No. I really would have gone.” “You picked a shitty day not to come when your hands were tied,” I said bitterly. “You always make do.” August picked up the white coffee cup and sniffed the lid, but then made a long face and put it back. “You didn’t tell me you got dosed.” “I hadn’t been when we talked,” I said. “Who dosed you, Boss?” August asked in a tone that suggested he knew but didn’t want to say. “That isn’t important.” “If someone dosed me with a charm without my permission, it would be important.” August’s eyes were burning red from the inside. He hadn’t glowed in a while. I took the white cup and gave him the McCrappy one that had come with my meal. “Step down. I just have to spend a day being honest with myself. There’s no actual torture involved.” “Patrick dosed you,” August said and then looked down. His lips pulled back in a snarl, but he covered it with his hand. “If you had picked me up when I asked, none of this would have happened.” “I would have just bought you another day. You haven’t been alone with him for more than twenty minutes, and he’s worried about the two of you.” August had a way of saying he and him that left no doubt as to whom he was speaking about, though he didn’t often use Patrick’s name. I stood up, brought my tray to the garbage, and tossed everything but the dosed coffee away. “What did he get you with?” “Truth serum. I knew he did something. Couldn’t just accuse him straight up.” “Why not?” “It would have shown a lack of trust.” “But he did something to it!” “I wasn’t supposed to know about it!” “You’re a crazy fucker if you’d rather drink something dosed to prove a point you didn’t believe to begin with.” “He didn’t know I didn’t believe in it.” “So what are you going to do?” “Go home, try to get some sleep. Be in before noon to debrief.” “I meant about him.” “Patrick? Why would I do anything about Patrick? He has permission to feed me noxious substances. That’s what being in a relationship is all about. Letting someone do something to you that you wouldn’t let anyone else do.” August stopped. “I’m no expert in human mating rituals that go beyond the actual mating rituals themselves, but I think you need a better working definition of a relationship, Boss.” “I don’t want a better working definition.” “No, you don’t want a better relationship. You want your picket-fence future with a guy you picked up in a game of chicken with your boss.” “I tell you too many things about my life,” I said, going outside. My boyfriend drove a red two-seater, and my sex demon a dark blue one. Both of the cars were in the six digits, but Patrick’s started in the mid-300s while August had more of an entry-level ridiculously expensive automobile. I was the only one with a job I had to pay taxes on. My car was twenty years old and could seat five. Well, could have if it hadn’t been melted. “You can’t help it,” August said, unlocking the door a moment before my hand came down on the handle. “You’re a masochist.” “And you’re a control freak,” I snapped back. August smiled. It was his sex-demon smile that made his eyes burn red and fire spark from the shadows of his face. The sun had risen an hour ago. There should be no way he could turn half his face dark, but he could. “You control my sublease. If you want me to be a control freak, what does that say about you?” How did you decide on your story plot? I plot organically. I put a character with a need or want that is not being met in an interesting world with an interesting problem on page one, and then I decide each day that I write what the scene I’m working on is supposed to do to fit into the plot as a whole. I have a vague idea of how the story is going to end, but leave myself open for the wisdom of the shower or a long walk to adjust the plan as needed. How did you choose your characters names and location for your story? I’m character driven, so before I begin the story, I usually have a very good idea of what this character wants. When you start a book, you’re making a promise to your reader that the main character is going to be worth sticking around to the end. I work exclusively with wounded protagonists that are damaged in some way, but they’re damaged to the point where they want to start getting better. Their internal journey usually echoes the external problem in some way. And I try to set my stories in cities I know well. Right now, everything I write is based out of either Calgary or Victoria. Do you have a favorite scene? Why? As much as the book is about overthrowing an unfair system and the main character’s cunning plan to free his best friend, I love the quiet moments between the characters where they get to be themselves. Cy may stop apocolypses as his job, he has a real life that is just as important beyond his duties. It’s the quiet moments he has with the people he loves that I enjoy. Cy doesn’t have a lot of power in a world full of fae princes, but no one can lie to him. When his lover turns the tables and makes it so Cy can’t lie when they sit down and have The Talk About Where This Relationship Is Going, Cy’s mental gymnastics to keep what he wants private private while still following the letter of the law of the potion he swallowed is adorable. He honestly loves his lover and wants the relationship to grow, but he has a lot of baggage about his job and what he thinks he deserves. Do you have a character that you identify with? Who and why? I identify with both Cy. He had a crappy life before he met his partner but didn’t know to how to want more out of living. Let our readers know how they can get a hold of you… I blog about stuff at www.angelafiddler.com and can be reached on twitter @Angela_Fiddler Is there anything else that you want to share… feel free!! The Care and Feeding of Sex Demons is a standalone book that is the first book in a series, but if you want to know how Cy gets the sex demon in the first place, you can pick up Cy Gets a Sex Demon. I was quite surprised that no one changed the working title of these books into something more presentable. That’s usually the first thing the publishers do. Both books are available on Amazon. Thanks for stopping by! Please come back again! *walks Angela to the door* All of you should check out her book below!! Title: The Care and Feeding of Sex Demons Author: Angela Fiddler Publisher: Loose Id Pages: 180 Language: English Genre: Paranormal Erotica Format: eBook Purchase at AMAZON Keeping a sex demon happy and sexually satisfied is always the safest option, even if Cy has his own relationship issues. When saving the world on a regular basis, a happy home is important, especially when mixing human, fae princes and a starving sex demon. Book Excerpt: When rotten fish and bile smell of the ambergris met… well, you know what sulfur smells like, the whole sky lit as fragrantly as it did brightly. Just like the old days. Evil came in different flavors but it all smelled badly. I was ready for whatever came out of that cloud. But the only threat was a different kind of bad smell. My agents replaced three quarters of the whale vomit with earwax at the source to cut costs. We didn’t know it would also save the world. My boyfriend, Patrick, had insisted the bad guys would now the difference and that I was risking my life to make the switch, but the person picking up the ambergris from my agent hadn’t known what it was supposed to look or smell like either. I wasn’t even supposed to be here. My brilliant planning was supposed to have helped out my team, not me, personally. After the sky fizzled out, the warlock had exploded in a billion, billion...billion? I had no idea. I wasn't a physicist, I was an apocalypse stopper. Calculating how many photons contained within whatever warlock the Internet coughed up this week wasn’t in my job description. No scientist would ever read my paperwork. I was retired from active duty. I was only supposed to administrate the real apocalypse stoppers. I'd been out scouting for possible altar locations when the world-ending had started early. The exploded warlock had been as surprised as I was until he had been unmade. And he took my company car with him. When the apocalypse had started, my first thought had been oh, good. Patrick was going to kill me. The cow walking along side me looked as though nature has squared off her body. If cartoon physics were correct her cross-sections would look like T-bone steaks. The highway I walked beside stretched on ribbons, rolling over the endless hills in the high country. The cow had been following me for a while just on the other side of the barbed wire fence. Three hours of constant adrenaline had left my fine-reasoning skills somewhat stripped, but I was fairly sure it wasn’t a threat. It reached the end of the fenced in field and regurgitated some cud. I wanted breakfast, too. My back hurt, my shins ached, and the dried mud on the legs of my suit added twenty pounds to each step. My boss had even forced me to wear dress shoes to the stupid meet-and-greet that had turned into a scream-and-run. Another red car appeared in the distance, but I didn’t get my hopes up. Because the high powers above loved to mock my life choices, the last three cars that appeared in the past hour had all been small, two-seaters, and red. It bobbed up and down on the ribbons. I had a blister on the back of my foot. I wanted to stop walking, but that would almost guarantee the car wasn’t Patrick’s. On the last rise, the turn signals came on, and the car started slowing down. Patrick had a meeting with one of the major charm-makers in town. He’d been worried about it for weeks, but once the rogue warlock who was sourcing his hanged-man pancreas through craigslist had run out of his ambergris, the hell-fire had stopped. The warlock had brought a full truck’s worth of sulfur, but without enough of the catalyst ambergris, it fizzed out before summoning even a hell-puppy, forget a hell-beast. Exploding into subatomic particles was an easier death than having a summoned-but-not-contained denizen of hell munching on parts of you from a watching-your-own-death happen perspective. We had a lot of specific terms in our business. We used a lot of dashes. Patrick and I had been together for five years, and yet when I asked him if I had woken him up just before dawn before his biggest meeting of the year, he lied and told me he’d been awake the whole time. I wouldn’t have lied to him. Patrick slowed down, but didn’t stop, so neither did I. He didn’t unroll the window until I couldn’t pretend my shoes weren’t hurting my feet which every step. “Get in the car, Cy,” Patrick said. He drove on another couple feet and stopped, so I still had to limp to get in. He didn’t even wait for me to do up my seatbelt before he pulled the sports car into a U-turn. I’d been on a single lane highway, but the tiny car had no problem completing the circle on the road with its tiny wheel base. The silence was worse than the million questions he had every right to ask me. He didn’t ask. I wanted to crack a window to let some of the tension out, but it wouldn’t actually affect the air pressure. Neighborhoods surged beyond the city limits like massive muffin tops. Some groups subdivisions were love handles by now. Calgary needed a bigger edge to contain everything inside of it. “Have you eaten?” Patrick asked. “I’ll grab something at the house.” “I’m not dropping you off at the house. I have to be in at the university in twenty minutes. There’s a C-train station there.” My feet were killing me. I just wanted to go home, and I’d bought the fucking car. I put my head against the back of the seat. “I’ll get a cab.” Patrick exhaled, sharply. I hadn’t meant anything at all by wanting to hire a car to take me home. “What wrong?” “You promised me you were going to be in a supervisory position. In what role is the supervisor supposed to be involved in a standard apocalypse prevention attempt? You have minions. They should have singed eyebrows right now, not you.” I reached up to touch my face. Mud flaked off. I would get the car detailed, but I didn’t really have the time, which meant Patrick would have to get it done for me, which meant he was cleaning up after my mess again. We’d just had that talk. So that meant he’d do it for me. I wondered if it had occurred to him not to answer the phone when I called. “It was just supposed to be a dry run. He just recited his incantations better than most. As far as we knew—" “Do not sit there and tell me that you have a clue as to what your boss knows. It’s far more like Ms. Gwen to know it was supposed to be tonight all along than it is that this was all just a misunderstanding.” Patrick swung into a fast-food restaurant parking lot. “You normally call your demon when you get into shit and you don’t want me to know about it. Was he not picking up?” I flushed. August was my sex demon. He’d been given to me at the end of a successful job back when Patrick and I had two separate addresses. It had been after the house fire so technically I had an address, but no place to live. Patrick had bright red hair. When I met him, his arms and legs had been too long for his body in a way that I found adorable. He moved with coils of energy. In the past five years he’d left his early twenties behind and he finished filling out all the way. Now everything looked in perfect proportion. “I got you coffee,” Patrick said, motioning to the white coffee container in the two-cup holder. It hadn’t been sipped from either.” Alarm bells went off. “What, do you think I poisoned it?” “No,” I said truthfully. But he would have had to do something to it, or he would have sipped on it on the way out of the city. Patrick hated mornings. He grabbed it and took a big swallow. “Happy?” About the Book: Keeping a sex demon happy and sexually satisfied is always the safest option, even if Cy has his own relationship issues. When saving the world on a regular basis, a happy home is important, especially when mixing human, fae princes and a starving sex demon. Purchase your copy at AMAZON Purchase your copy at Loose ID Discuss this book in our PUYB Virtual Book Club at Goodreads by clicking HERE ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The Care and Feeding of Sex Demons Tour Page: http://www.pumpupyourbook.com/2014/01/14/virtual-book-tour-pump-up-your-book-presents-the-care-and-feeding-of-sex-demons-virtual-book-publicity-tour/ About the Author: Angela Fiddler wrote her first erotic novel as a birthday present to a friend who had requested kneeling and vampires. While the vampires come and go in the story, the kneeling remains. Angela likes smut, dark humor and stories that mix erotica with raw emotion. She talks about writing and her characters at www.angelafiddler.com. Her latest book is the paranormal erotica, The Care and Feeding of Sex Demons. Connect & Socialize with Angela! I'm excited to share another Secret Cravings author. Elizabeth Morgan writes a nail biting story that will keep you enthralled. Check out the excerpt below! Creak by Elizabeth Morgan “What happens in Silver Creek, stays in Silver Creek.” After spending the summer as a recluse due to a bad break-up, Nicole Saunders agrees to go to The Heat Wave Festival with her best friends, Kacey and Tyler. Along with three other friends they plan to take a shortcut through the small town of Silver Creek; the last thing any of them expected was to become lost and end up pulling in to a motel for the night. The Creek Motel is isolated and the last place Nicole wants to be, especially after meeting the glacial owner, but her discomfort is soon forgot as she finally gives in to her feelings and asks Kacey and Tyler to spend the night with her. A decision she quickly regrets when she discovers that their friend has mysteriously disappeared from her locked room in the middle of the night. Worried, Nicole presumes the worst, but quickly discovers that Jayne's disappearance is more disturbing than any of them could have guessed. Excerpt: He stared down at me. Uncertainty flickered across his features. "You're drunk?" "My head's a little fuzzy, but I'm sober enough to know what I'm talking about." "Nikki, I don't want you doing something you're going to regret just because you're upset over James." "This has nothing to do with him." I leant up and kissed him. It was gentle, hardly exciting, but at least my stomach didn't turn. He didn't kiss me back. I pulled away and looked him dead in the eyes. "You've waited seven years. If it doesn't feel right kissing me, then you know keeping quiet was the right thing, and I know that we just had a crazy moment earlier. One kiss and we can stop being curious and just move on." A small smile appeared as he arched an eyebrow at me. "You've been curious?" Warmth blossomed in my cheeks. "Maybe." Kacey chuckled. "I so fucking knew it." I scowled at him. "Look, we’re adults, all right? I don't want us all falling out over this." "What if it does feel right?" "Well, there's only one way to find out." I took a deep breath as Tyler cupped my face. My eyes fluttered shut as his mouth caught mine without hesitation. His tongue slipped against the seam of my lips and a small pop of heat hit the walls of my stomach. I pressed my hands to his chest, my nails sliding against the material of his T-shirt as I opened up to him. His tongue slid slowly against my own and the agonizing pace and tease of his gentleness caused my heart to skip. I slid my hands up to his shoulder and neck. I ran my fingers through his black hair as my body melted against him. He trailed his fingers down my throat and each tip sent a different pulse of electricity straight to my stomach. His hands fell to my hips and as the pressure of his fingers began to increase with the pace of his demanding lips, my slowly sobering mind began to twist with familiar and forbidden fantasies. And I wanted to give in to them all. Why the hell had I ever thought that this would be weird? We shared everything with one another, so why couldn't we share ourselves? I would never dream of hurting him and I knew Tyler would never hurt me. I trusted him more than I trusted myself and the idea of being locked in his arms while he rocked languidly into me had my entire body thrumming with need. "Right, I can't watch this shit." Kacey grunted as he got up. "It's one thing getting a hard-on over you, baby girl. The fact that Tyler happens to be in the picture…I'm freaking slightly." I pulled away from Tyler, my breath somewhat shallow as I angled my head so I could glance at Kacey. "I don't want you to go." Tyler didn't shift his focus from me and I watched as realization slowly slipped across his features. "You weren't just referring to me, were you?" I shook my head and the smallest dose of guilt began to stab at me. "I think I could kinda love you both in my own way. I have—sometimes I have—God why is this so hard?" I took a deep breath. "There have been times when I've wondered what—across the years I’ve sometimes wondered—sometimes I have considered risking our friendship." I looked over at Kacey. "Do you understand what I am saying to you?" "You're usually naked when I imagine you saying you want me, but yeah." My jaw tensed. "I hate you sometimes. I hate the way you treat women and that you can't keep your dick in your pants or your damn mouth shut—" "But you still want me, right?" He moved closer to me. "When are you going to get it in your head that you're not just some girl, Nikki? You're our girl." "I want you both." I said quietly, not caring that my cheeks had grown warmer. "I have for a while." "If we try this—" Tyler took a deep breath. "And it doesn't feel right—" "We'll stop." Kacey promised as he slid his hand beneath my halter neck and began caressing my skin. "You say it baby, and we'll stop and forget all about it." My stomach flipped at the feel of his fingers circling my navel. "And if I don't want to stop?" An unreadable look crossed Tyler’s face and my heart skipped as Kacey moved behind me. The warmth of his body seeped into my back, while his fingers painted trails of heat across my abdomen and along my ribs. "Then what happens in Silver Creek, stays in Silver Creek. Unless you decide otherwise." Kacey pressed his lips to my ear. A shiver ran down my neck and spine. "Does that sound fair?" I closed my eyes and tilted my head to the side as his lips brushed against my jawbone and down the side of my throat. A groan escaped me as his hand closed over my bare breast and he squeezed eagerly. Tyler's hands fell from my hips and I felt Kacey's right hand splaying on my stomach as he pulled me closer and ground his growing erection in to my lower back. "Yes or no, Nikki?" he asked raggedly. "Tyler ain't the only one whose been fantasizing about this baby, and I hate to remind you, but I'm not exactly patient." I opened my eyes and looked at Tyler, watching as he pulled his T-shirt off and revealed the lean muscles of his abdomen and arms. I reached up and cupped his jaw, idly running my thumb along his bottom lip while I lifted my left arm and wound it around the back of Kacey's head. I slid my fingers in to his mass of curls and pulled playfully. "Yes." Buy Links: Secret Cravings Publishing Amazon UK Amazon US All Romance eBooks About the Author: Elizabeth lives in a small country village in Cheshire, England, with two cats. You will always find her on the computer, blasting music and writing away. She started life wanting to be an actress because she loved performing. She enjoyed nothing more than being able to make people laugh, to distract them from reality for a few hours. She studied Musical Theatre in college, but during her second year, her mind started to overflow with ideas for scripts and she began writing plays. Slowly over the following three years, she was writing more and more, channeling her imagination into more detailed manuscripts... Here she is, years later, hiding away like a hermit, writing like crazy and loving every minute of it. Author Links: Website Blog Twitter Goodreads Facebook Chalkboard Romance Won the Readers' Choice Award for February 2014. My book was voted on by readers and blog visitors. Thank you to all the people who voted. This means the world to me! Blurb: Lauren Walsh, a divorcee and elementary teacher, wanted to feel sexy again, after her ex tossed her aside for a younger woman. Her teaching partner and best friend encouraged her to sign up for The Playhouse--a renowned dating agency. Mac Thomas remained trapped in a marriage to a money grubbing socialite. Forced to stay away from his young son, Mac lost the ability to trust. After the death of his wife, he returned to care for his son but his sister wants more for him. She sets him up with The Playhouse. Passion ignites but Mac’s a parent of one of Lauren’s students. A teacher and a parent dating could cost Lauren her job and her chance at happiness. Will Mac be able to convince the school and Lauren, that love is the most important thing? Excerpt Mac sat at the beautiful mahogany bar nursing his first beer. I’m more nervous than a long-tailed cat in a rocking chair factory. The last place he belonged was somewhere as opulent as this. He ran his fingers up and down the condensation on the beer glass. Even though he grew up in a family with a great deal of money, his parents taught him the benefit of working hard and doing what you love. At eighty, his dad still worked in the stables every morning, grooming his horse or was out in the pasture feeding the cattle. Claire never understood his family. Money wasn’t important to them unless the cash could be used to befit someone else. Mac shook his head. Sure, he used his family’s money to get inside some of those war-torn countries but only so he could show the world the truth. He’d worked hard to be impartial but his soft heart swayed him. Seeing any amount of suffering hurt, making him known as a compassionate emissary in those challenging countries. With Claire gone, his life had changed once again. He took a job as a reporter at the local station affiliate, reporting on the important events happening in his community so he could be at home with Todd. Realizing how much poverty and conflict existed in his own hometown left him cold. They say charity begins at home. Well, he was determined to find a way to help, while setting a good example for his son. He took a look at the clock on the wall. Where was she? Maybe she took one look at him and ran for the hills. Mac turned on his barstool in time to see a gorgeous brunette walk into the bar. Her steps seemed to match the beat of his pulse. Shifting in his chair, he adjusted his now tight, uncomfortable pants. Maybe it’s a good thing he was meeting a woman tonight, if she shows. He twisted his stool around farther to get a better look at the hottie. If only she was his date. The woman’s blue dress hugged her curvy body and he couldn’t take his gaze off those legs that seemed to go on forever. Oh no! One minute she remained all grace, next her poise went down the drain as her shoe broke. Mac lurched to his feet and ran over to help the stunning woman. “Are you hurt?” He reached his hand out to help but instead of the tears he expected, Mac heard laughter coming from under the waterfall of hair which hid her face. He ached to touch the burnished bronze length. She reminds me of Dad’s favorite colt, a little skittish but feisty. I like spirited women. Not wanting to see her sitting there on the floor, Mac scooped her up in his arms.Whoa. She was like a foal, all legs, and she fit perfectly in his arms. He could hold her all day. “Sir, is the woman okay?” The bartender stood in front of Mac. He couldn’t tell if the guy wanted to grab her out of his arms for himself or to protect his hotel from a lawsuit. Mac couldn’t help but growl like a dog defending his territory. “I haven’t checked yet. She appears fine. Why don’t you get her a glass of water?” Anything to get rid of him. He wanted to keep her in his arms. Mac pulled her close to his chest. At the thought of letting her go, his heartbeat sped up. Maybe I can convince her to have a drink with me. He reluctantly set her down in a chair at one of the bar tables. “Are you okay?” Mac brushed the hair back from her face. The strands felt like silk between his fingers. Images of brushing this woman’s hair while they lay naked on the bed danced through his mind. Reluctantly, Mac pulled his hand from her and took a deep breath. He didn’t understand what had come over him. He didn’t have this strong of a reaction when he met Claire. Like uncovering a present on Christmas morning, he could hardly wait to see her face. He watched as the woman lifted her head to meet his gaze. Mesmerized by the light dusting of freckles across the woman’s nose, his breath stopped. Her beautiful green eyes sparkled with merriment. Her tantalizing laughter danced across his skin making his slacks already tight very uncomfortable. Buy Links: SECRET CRAVINGS STORE http://store.secretcravingspublishing.com/index.php?main_page=book_info&cPath=4&products_id=794 AMAZON: http://www.amazon.com/Chalkboard-Romance-Melissa-Keir-ebook/dp/B00HQ6KIKI/ref=sr_1_4?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1390784222&sr=1-4&keywords=melissa+keir B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/chalkboard-romance-melissa-keir/1117992791?ean=2940148293705 ARE: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-chalkboardromance-1389701-149.html About the author: As a writer, Melissa likes to keep current on topics of interest in the world of writing. She’s a member of the Romance Writers of America and EPIC. Melissa is always interested in improving her writing through classes and seminars. She also believes in helping other authors and features authors and their books on her blog. Melissa doesn’t believe in down time. She’s always keeping busy. Melissa is a wife and mother, an elementary school teacher, a book reviewer, an editor for a publishing company as well as an author. Her home blends two families and is a lot like the Brady Bunch, without Alice- a large grocery bill, tons of dirty dishes and a mound of laundry. She loves to write stories that feature “happy endings” and is often found plotting her next story. Melissa loves hearing from readers! www.melissakeir.com http://www.facebook.com/melissaakeir http://www.facebook.com/AuthorMelissaKeir www.twitter/melissa_keir I enjoy sharing new covers with you. Who knows... they may entice you to try a new author! Blood's Voice sounds exciting as Anya deals with her memory loss and finding love. Check out the blurb and cover below! Title: Blood’s Voice Author: Áine P Massie Series: House Millar, #1 Publisher: Crushing Hearts & Black Butterfly Publishing Genre: New Adult, Paranormal Romance Release Date: March 15th 2014 Add to TBR List Release Day Party (March 15th) Anya Millar had no memory of her life or an instruction manual on how to navigate the insane world of humans, biting, and reality. Instead, Anya has had to learn to navigate the world of love, life, and sanity while avoiding those that would see her dead or enslaved. This is the ongoing journey of Anya and Nicholas, human loving vampires and the human they love, Declán. What makes it all more complicated is that they are abominations in their own world and Declán is a natural born vampire hunter called a Guardian. Anya must come to terms with who she is and her missing past, Nicholas must win back the object of his eternal love while dealing with new cravings in his silent heart, and Declán must learn to destroy the very creatures that he has unequivocally given his heart and blood. About the Author Áine P Massie is originally from Florida, she now lives in Wisconsin where she works on her House Millar series full time while raising four children (the term herding cats comes to mind). Her major in College was Childhood Education (specializing in ages zero to five) with a minor study in Deaf Culture/ASL. She is also a Wiccan priestess dedicated to the gods, family, and love. Áine is a proud member of the Rom-Critters, the Romance Writers of America®, Celtic Hearts Romance Writers, and Rainbow Romance Writers. Áine has always had a particular fascination with vampires, mythology, and the unusual. When she can escape from her children and books, she enjoys . . . oh yes, reading, playing, ritual, a good cappuccino, and working with her healing stones. Her first published work came in high school where she was part of a writing and drama group. However, she has been reading the likes of Shakespeare and Poe since late elementary school and enjoys most forms of fiction. Social Contact Site – http://smarturl.it/apmassie Blog – http://smarturl.it/housemillar Author FB – http://smarturl.it/apm-fb House Millar FB – http://smarturl.it/HM-fb Twitter – http://smarturl.it/anya-twitter Google + – http://smarturl.it/apm-g I'm very excited to share Tamaria's latest release with you. I was able to get a copy to review and I'm sharing my review below. She is also hosting a giveaway, so be sure to enter! Phantom Lover by Tamaria Soana Can true love transcend life and death? Olivia Shaw-Clayton’s life revolves around her job ever since her husband was killed eight months ago in Iraq. She slaves away at her desk in hopes of numbing the pain of her loss and the guilt of longing to fall asleep once again to be joined by her phantom lover. Excerpt: Olivia was out waiting for her friends at Vipers after work, when in walked the most gorgeous man that she’d ever seen wearing an Army uniform. He was tall and built like a god. She watched as he took off his coat and placed it over his shoulder. She licked her lips at the sight of him in a t-shirt. His huge arms were covered in tattoos. She knew she was staring, but couldn’t tear her eyes off of him. Finally, she turned away and took a sip of her almost empty drink. When she looked up again, she found the most amazing hazel eyes gazing at her. She thought her heart was going to stop right there. He smiled and began to walk toward her. “Hello, my name is Aaron Clayton and I was wondering if you’d do me the honor of having a drink with me?” He extended his hand. Olivia bit her lower lip and took his hand in hers. He smelled just as good as he looked. It was a mix of amber, musk, and spice. “Hi,” she finally sputtered out as he brought the top of her hand toward his mouth. She cleared her throat. “My name is Olivia.” “Nice to meet you, Olivia.” His smoldering eyes never left hers as he placed a gentle kiss on top of her hand. Her heart fluttered and a warm jolt rushed through her body. A feeling she’d never had before. All her senses seemed at that moment to be on fire. All she could think, smell or breathe was this stranger that stood in front of her. She cleared her throat again, in hopes of snapping herself out of the trance she was in. “I’m meeting my friends, but I’m early, so a drink sounds great.” He smiled. My friends are in the back playing pool, but they can wait.” He winked. “What are you drinking?” “Gin and tonic, please.” He leaned toward her. “I’ll be right back,” he whispered in her ear. A shiver went down her spine and her stomach fluttered as she watched him walk toward the bar. By God his ass is fine! Her mind swirled with all the things she would like to do to that body. Get a grip. Olivia. You just met him and you already want to jump his bones. Olivia looked around the bar and noticed that most of the girls’ eyes were on Aaron. Jealousy spiked through her veins but at the same time she felt a little smug that he'd walked up to her. Now all she needed to do was figure out how to get to know him better. If she had her way she would be underneath him by the end of the night. “Here you go,” he said as he handed her a drink. “So, Olivia, tell me about yourself?” She quickly glanced around at all the other females glaring at her and a large smirk crossed her lips. Ladies, eat your heart out! He’s talking to me. She quickly focused her attention on the god in front her, smiling at her with the sexiest dimples she’d ever seen, and she melted. Buy Links: Amazon Crimson Frost Books Watch the Trailer: YouTube Link My Review: Phantom Lover by Tamaria Soana Olivia’s life has been challenging enough. Now she walks through her days in a trance. But her nights are filled with passion from a dream lover. I immediately connected with Olivia. I understood her pain and longing. Those endless days…the lonely nights. I was happy she finally found her happily ever after. While this story is short, it is very steamy and features two very sexy characters who remind you that miracles are true. I only hope that in my life, I’ve found that one soul-mate who will always be there for me. If you are looking for a sizzling read that tugs are your emotions, Phantom Lover is a winner. About the Author:
Tamaria Soana is middle aged, but just feels her life has begun. She writes sexy contemporary romance stories that always end with a ‘happily ever after’. Growing up she loved to read and make up new places in her head to escape to. In her late teens she began writing short stories and poetry; it wasn’t until her late thirties before she began to spin a full story. She’s married and a stay-at-home-mom of two beautiful young girls, they reside in Western New York. Cuddling up with a good book under an electric throw is her way to escape the cold Buffalo nights. Besides writing, she co-owns Shades of Rose Marketing and hosts a talk show on Talkshoe called Live with Tamaria ~ Giving authors a voice. Author Links: Site Facebook Author Page Twitter Giveaway: Tamaria is giving away a $10.00 Goggle Play Gift Card during her tour. For a chance to win fill out the rafflecopter below. |
Melissa KeirGator Girl Extraordinaire Archives
October 2023
|