Cover Reveal of Donna Grant’s Wild Dream

In this second rousing story in the Chiasson series, New York Times bestselling author, Donna Grant delivers a scorching tale about a woman running from her past and the only man who can save her.

ONE FAMILY TORN APART…

Ava Ledet has had a hard time forgiving her father for walking out on her to hunt the supernatural. When Ava returns to the bayous to visit a friend and attempt to gain some closure, she’s confronted by the ghosts of her past. Unfortunately, that’s not the only darkness descending upon her. An evil unlike anything she’s ever encountered has focused on her, and she’s forced to put her life in the hands of a handsome hunter if she’s to live another day.

ANOTHER CURSED…

Gorgeous, loyal Lincoln Chiasson always has his brothers’ backs, and when his cousin from New Orleans needs his help after being cursed by a Voodoo priestess, he’s among the first to offer assistance. Until he sets eyes on Ava. After that, protecting her becomes more important than anything. Or anyone. But can he win her trust – and her love – while keeping her safe from his family?

An Excerpt just for you:

Lincoln wanted to forget the haunting beauty that was Ava Ledet, with her long, wavy auburn hair and unusual amber eyes. She walked fluidly, almost as if she glided upon air.

She had the look of a city girl, but there was something in the way that she gazed longingly at the bayou. Then there was her creamy skin, only accentuated by the black shirt that molded to her pert breasts. And, of course, her tight white pants.

Lincoln watched her help Olivia clear the table, and bit back a moan as she bent over and he got a view of her breasts when her collar dipped.

“She’s very pretty,” Beau said as he walked up and handed Lincoln a beer.

“Yep.”

Pretty was like calling the Grand Canyon a hole in the ground. Ava was…enthralling, spellbinding. Captivating.

She was calm and easy-going now, but he would wager his best knives that she had a temper to go with that hair of hers. Her face was that of an angel, with her high cheekbones and wide, expressive eyes. But her sensual mouth and tempting curves hinted at a sexier side that Lincoln itched to bring out of her.

“Are you laying claim, because I’m definitely interested,” Beau said.

Lincoln paused with his beer half way to his lips, and slanted a glare at his youngest brother.

Beau chuckled and shook his head. “I get the point, Linc. Stop with the look. By the way, who called earlier? You looked upset.”

Shit. How could he have forgotten about Solomon’s call? As his gaze once more snagged on Ava, he knew exactly why he had forgotten.

“Is it bad?” Beau asked.

“Bad enough. I can’t exactly tell the family with Ava here.”

Beau rubbed his jaw. “Christian brought her bag into the house. Is she staying?”

“I hope to hell not.” For several reasons. The main one being that Lincoln didn’t think he could keep his distance from her.

Add to your Goodreads list HERE

A little about the Awesome Donna Grant:

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Donna Grant has been praised for her “totally addictive” and “unique and sensual” stories. She’s the author of more than twenty novels spanning multiple genres of romance. Her latest acclaimed series, Dark Warriors, features a thrilling combination of Druids, primeval gods, and immortal Highlanders who are dark, dangerous, and irresistible. She lives with her husband, two children, a dog, and three cats in Texas.

Visit Donna at www.DonnaGrant.com

GIVEAWAY TIME

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March 27, 2014March 26, 2014

Blog Tour & Review: Tip of a Bone by Christine Finlayson

Buried bones, a missing eco-activist, and a deadly fire? It’s not what Maya Rivers bargained for when she moved to the coastal city of Newport, Oregon to reunite with her brother, Harley. Yet when Harley is accused of an unthinkable crime, Maya insists on adding “amateur sleuth” to her career options. It isn’t long before she discovers an eerie clue . . . but the closer she gets to the truth, the closer a murderer follows.

Amazon/B&N

About the Author:

Christine Finlayson borrowed from her “past lives” as a waitress, barista, environmental educator, and water scientist when creating her debut mystery novel, Tip of a Bone—a tale that takes place on the stormy Oregon coast. In her spare time, Christine loves to run on forest trails, watch waves break, compete in triathlons, and photograph anything Northwest-weird or wild. She’s now working on her second book, a novel of suspense.

Website /Blog/Facebook

Jennifer’s Review of Tip of a Bone

Review (4 Stars):The first thing that I liked about this book was that it takes place in Newport, Oregon which isn’t very far from where I grew up. Maya, the main character, has been struggling, trying to pick up the pieces after her divorce and working as a waitress at the Clam Strip Cafe. She spends her free time with her brother, Harley, trying to repair their relationship and hoping that her luck will change. Harley’s current involvement with the local activist group, The Coast Defenders, has Maya troubled especially since one of their members recently disappeared on a hiking trip. When a fire destroys a building and Harley is accused as the arsonist, it is up to Maya to help clear his name. But with each step, she finds that things aren’t what they seem and she may be the next person to disappear.

This mystery was a little on the darker side than the other mysteries that I have read but it doesn’t take away from this story. I liked Maya from the beginning even though things didn’t seem to be going her way. I liked her personality and the fact that she never gave up on clearing Harley’s name even though people were telling her to leave it alone. I enjoyed this mystery with all its twists and turns and I loved spending time with these characters in a city I know all too well.

March 27, 2014March 23, 2014

Interview & Giveaway with Jane Ashford

Books-n-Kisses is pleased to welcome back Jane Ashford to the blog.

Jane, can you please share with us a little about yourself?

Jane: When I take those “what’s your ideal job” quizzes on Facebook, I get “writer.” Maybe it’s destiny. I’m an avid reader, too. A bit of an introvert. I like hiking in the wilderness. And cake. : )

Have you always wanted to be an author?

Jane: Yes. I’ve told and written stories for as long as I can remember.

What is your most interesting writing quirk?

Jane: I don’t know if it’s interesting, but I often do an idea dump in contemporary language as I’m writing my historicals. For example, [hero] mouths off and acts like a total jerk until [heroine] tells him he can stuff it. Then I go back to expand and “historicize” it.

Can you please tell us about your latest book(s)?

Jane: The Bride Insists is a marriage of convenience story, about two people who have been deeply scarred by financial travails. They soon find passion, but must struggle toward understanding, and love.

How did you come with the idea for this story?

Jane: It came from that Regency slang phrase “the Marriage Mart.” I thought, what if a woman actually set out to “buy” a husband? How would that happen? And how would it play out?

Can you share with us your current work(s) in progress?

Jane: I’m working on a new Regency historical for Sourcebooks called Married to a Proper Stranger. It’s about a couple married less than a month when the husband is sent off to China with Lord Amherst’s diplomatic mission. Almost two years later, he’s back – a changed man. His wife is equally altered by her experiences at home. So what’s to be done when you find yourself married to an intriguing, infuriating stranger?

Who is the one author that you would love to meet someday and why?

Jane: I’d like to tell Laurie King how much I love and admire Folly.

What is the best piece of advice you would give to someone who wants to get into writing?

Jane: Be sure you like solitude and can motivate yourself to get the work done. And never give up.

Can you share with us something off your bucket list.

Jane: I’d like to visit Bali. It sounds like a culture so permeated by art.

What is in your To Read Pile that you are dying to start or upcoming release you can’t wait for?

Jane: I read all kinds of things. One book I’m eagerly anticipating Skin Game by Jim Butcher. I love Harry Dresden. Anyone see the TV series?

Is there anything else you would like to add?

Jane: Thanks so much for having me!

*****

THE BRIDE INSISTS

IN STORES MARCH 2014

She Thinks She’s Bought a Compliant Husband

Although Clare Greenough has inherited an unexpected fortune, her money is in the hands of a trustee until she marries—everyone knows a woman is incapable of managing funds. What she needs is an easygoing husband, right away…

They’re Both in for a Shock

She makes a deal with impetuous young James Boleigh, seventh Baron Trehearth: they will marry, Clare will get control of her money, and Jamie will get the funds he desperately needs to restore his lands. To stave off ruin, Jamie agrees, believing Clare will soon become a proper, submissive wife. But to expect a serene, passionless marriage was only their first mistake…

Praise for The Bride Insists

“Perfectly delightful Regency romance… Remarkably executed.” —Publishers Weekly

“Ashford captures the reader’s interest with her keen knowledge of the era and her deft writing. … a charming plot and just the right amount of sensuality.” —RT Book Reviews, 4 Stars

“…a marvelously engaging marriage of convenience tale, and Ashford’s richly nuanced,

realistically complex characters and impeccably crafted historical setting are bound to

resonate with fans of Mary Balogh.” – Booklist

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Jane Ashford discovered Georgette Heyer in junior high school and was captivated by the glittering world and witty language of Regency England. That delight was part of what led her to study English literature and travel widely in Britain and Europe. She has written historical and contemporary romances, and her books have been published in Sweden, Italy, England, Denmark, France, Russia, Latvia, the Czech Republic, and Spain, as well as the U.S. Jane has been nominated for a Career Achievement Award by RT Book Reviews. Born in Ohio, she now lives in LA. For more information, please visit http://janeashford.com/ or find her on Facebook.

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March 26, 2014March 14, 2014

Spotlight Feature of Burn for Me by Shiloh Walker

Burn for Me

Secrets & Shadows #0.5

Release Day April 1, 2014

Amazon | B&N | Kobo | iBooks

Scarred long ago by the disappearance of his mother, Nichole, Tate Bell aches to spend his days and nights with Ali Holmes, a woman he’s loved for years. But while Ali’s heart pines to be with Tate, her head has reservations…

Ali knows that Tate has never forgiven his father for the fight he had with Nichole right before she left the house—and was never heard from again. Ali thinks that Tate’s unresolved anger is a force to be reckoned with…even though the heat that blazes between them is undeniable. Now both Tate and Ali are left to wonder: Can love really conquer all?

Read an excerpt here

Add Burn for Me to your Goodreads list

Professional Bio

Shiloh Walker is an award-winning writer…yes, really! She’s also a mom, a wife, a reader and she pretends to be an amateur photographer. She published her first book in 2003 and since then, has tried her hand at digital publishing, traditional publishing and self-publishing. Her publishers include Hydra Publications, Ellora’s Cave, Samhain, Berkley, Random House and St. Martins. She writes romantic suspense, contemporary and paranormal romance, and urban fantasy under the name J.C. Daniels.

Learn more about Shiloh:

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

*****

Giveaway Details:

$25 GC to Amazon or BN, reader’s choice.

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March 25, 2014March 24, 2014

Interview with Robyn Carr

Books-n-Kisses is pleased to welcome Robyn Carr to the blog for her first visit! We are chatting about her newest book Four Friends. You can learn more about Robyn on her website.

Q: This is a novel about relationships. Romantic relationships. Friendships. Relationships with family. Is it hard to write the ins and outs of important and sometimes painful relationships? How do you do it?

A: Oh, this is what I love. Frankly I have a harder time writing romance than women’s fiction like Four Friends. For whatever reason, I’m acutely aware of the complexities of relationships. Life can be so messy and grievous sometimes, but it doesn’t have to spell doom. I read a book many years ago about the study of happiness or the psychology of the optimal experience. The question that drove the study was something like this: What is it that makes a woman who has suffered a divorce unable to get off the couch for ten years yet a woman of the same age who has survived Auschwitz goes on to live a fulfilling and satisfying life? I know these people—they’re all over my life and their stories are told constantly. Some people collapse and some rise to the occasion. I love creating new characters who face complicated human problems and through diligence and struggle find a way to make their lives well worth living.

But do I get a stiff neck as I’m marching them through the minefields of their difficult situations? Absolutely. Do I get tears in my eyes as they grieve and struggle? Yes! I also get tears when they approach the resolution that makes their lives a positive force, a joy. Getting from sometimes monumental problems to realistic and intelligent solutions is the greatest fun in my life.

Q: It’s often said that choosing whom you’ll marry is the most important decision of your life. Do you believe that? Do you think your characters believe that?

A: Oh, this is tough. I think choosing who to marry is powerfully important, but I’ve seen many, many women redefine their goals, reinvent themselves after making the wrong decision or the wrong choice. People make mistakes every day of their lives. The goal isn’t to never choose wrong or never to make a mistake, the healthiest life goal is to learn from those mistakes and emerge stronger and better and wiser.

I married at the age of twenty. It turned out to be the right choice; that turned out to be a miracle. A gift. Certainly a twenty-year-old girl doesn’t know what she’s doing when choosing a husband. And my husband was no smarter! We were very lucky we could make that work. In every marriage on record there will come a time (if not many times!) when you’ll rethink that decision and ask yourself just what you were thinking! Sometimes, you’ll say, I was damn lucky. In some marriages the question will linger and refuse to go away and ultimately it can be time to admit it was all wrong and move on to form stronger and healthier relationships.

In Four Friends some of the characters must admit they had chosen wrong, some will be so grateful for their choice. All of them will emerge stronger and wiser. And happier.

Q: Of the four women in this novel, which is the most like you? And which of them would you most like to be real friends with?

A: I’m not like any of them! There are characteristics in each of them I admire, but that’s the beauty of being a storyteller. If I’m in an argument with my husband, we’ll stumble and fumble, say the dumbest things, the cruelest things, botch everything or even have a brilliant moment or two. But in a story, I have days to write the dialogue between characters and in the end they say things I wish I had been smart enough to say, intuitive enough to conclude. The characters are smarter and quicker than I am! And they live such great lives—turning their foibles into victories.

I loved Gerri’s righteous anger. I loved Andy’s openness and willingness to take a closer look at who she has been in relationships. I loved Sonja’s tireless quest to keep her life meaningful and her generous spirit. I loved BJ’s courage. I loved the honesty of the psychiatrist and the wisdom of Murial, Gerri’s mother-in-law.

But if I wrote a character who resembled me, she would be so much more flawed! So dull!

Q: Without giving anything away, we will say that infidelity is a topic that comes up in the book. What made you decide to include this? Is it because a lot of women deal with this?

A: Every woman will deal with it on some level! If it doesn’t happen to us it has happened to someone we know, often someone we only know about. We have very strong opinions about it—very strong! I’ve heard many women say, “I’d kill him.” Or, “That’s a deal breaker!” And yet the percentage of marriages in which this has been a problem at one time or another is huge. I went into this book asking, “What would this character do? Is this pathology an opportunity for this character? Or is it the straw that breaks the camel’s back? Are there components in this problem that can make them stronger as a couple or is it the end of the line, turning everything she believed into a lie?”

The devil is in the details. Not knowing how it would all turn out, my job was to explore the details of this particular challenge.

Q: These women seem like people you would know from work or your neighborhood. And it’s because they all have problems like the rest of us. And yet, you help them deal with these problems so the book still has a message of hope. Do you think that’s something most women can have in their lives—hope that they can deal with hard things?

A: Yes I do, but hope comes in all shapes and sizes, doesn’t it? Hope for one woman is getting to the bottom of the flaw in the marriage that predisposes the cheating, hope for another is understanding, with great disappointment, the marriage cannot work. Ultimately hope lies in knowing yourself, knowing your limits and potential, knowing what really drives you toward a fulfilling and satisfying life, knowing and believing in your personal values. In this game, everyone gets a life! Not just the boys or the kids or the boss! Everyone deserves quality of life; everyone deserves the chance to live a full, rewarding life. And that’s a very individual thing.

*****

Four Friends

Amazon | B&N

Gerri can’t decide what’s more devastating: learning her rock-solid marriage has big cracks, or the anger she feels as she tries to repair the damage. Always the anchor for friends and her three angst-ridden teenagers, it’s time to look carefully at herself. The journey for Gerri and her family is more than revealin—it’s transforming.

Andy doesn’t have a great track record with men, and she’s come to believe that for her a lasting love is out of reach. When she finds herself attracted to her down-to-earth, ordinary contractor—a man without any of the qualities that usually appeal to her—she questions everything she thought she wanted in life.

Sonja’s lifelong pursuit of balance is shattered when her husband declares he’s through with her New Age nonsense and walks out. There’s no herbal tonic or cleansing ritual that can restore her serenity—or her sanity.

Miraculously, it’s BJ, the reserved newcomer to Mill Valley, who steps into their circle and changes everything. The woman with dark secrets opens up to her neighbors, and together they get each other back on track, stronger as individuals and unfaltering as friends.

Don’t miss Kimberly’s review of Four Friends HERE

March 24, 2014March 23, 2014

Spotlight Feature of Mine to Crave by Cynthia Eden

*****

Mine To Crave

Mine Series, bk #4

New York Times best-selling author Cynthia Eden continues her dark and sexy “Mine” romantic suspense series with…MINE TO CRAVE.

HE TAKES WHAT HE WANTS.

From the moment that billionaire casino owner Drake Archer sees Jasmine Bennett, he’s obsessed. Consumed by desire for the mysterious redhead, Drake will do anything necessary to claim her. Yet as desire rages between them, danger is stalking ever closer. Drake’s past isn’t dead, and the ex-Special Forces agent will soon have to face the ghosts he left behind.

SHE’S HIDING SECRETS.

Jasmine isn’t who she pretends to be. She’s a woman on a mission—and she’s supposed to be stealing secrets from the mysterious Drake. Falling for him isn’t on her agenda, but when lust and love tangle together, all the rules get broken.

AN ENEMY IS CLOSING IN…

When Drake learns of Jasmine’s betrayal…all hell breaks loose. He knows that he should turn his back on her, but it’s too late for him. He can’t let her go, but he can teach her a lesson. No one betrays him…not without paying a heavy price. Drake will destroy all of the enemies on his trail, he’ll bury his past, and he’ll teach Jasmine to want only him…just as much as he craves her.

Make sure to check out Kelly’s review of Mine to Crave HERE

Available for purchase at

Excerpt

“I know what I
want.” Her voice was soft. Seductive.

Drake
stopped.

“I-I
have to ask, though…is that the way it works?”

His
back teeth clenched.

“The
ladies you take upstairs to your private room…they all ask?”

Those
women knew the rules going in. Sex. Hot. Fast. Hard. No promises. No ties.

Ties
were the last thing he wanted.

He
turned back to look at her. “You came to
this place looking for me.”

She
backed up a bit.

He
let his lips curl and knew his smile wasn’t going to be reassuring. “Be very
careful. You don’t want to play with me.”

He
expected her to scurry away then.

But her chin notched into the air.
“Maybe I do,” she said and her voice made his cock jerk. Sex and sin—that was
what she sounded like just then.

About the Author

USA Today Best-selling author Cynthia Eden has written over twenty-five novels and novellas. She was named as a 2013 RITA^® finalist for her paranormal romance, ANGEL IN CHAINS, and, in 2011, Cynthia Eden was a RITA finalist for her romantic suspense, DEADLY FEAR.

Cynthia is a southern girl who loves horror movies, chocolate, and happy endings. She has always wanted to write (don’t most authors say that?), and particularly enjoys creating stories about monsters–vampires, werewolves, and even the real-life monsters that populate her romantic suspense stories.

Cynthia’s foreign sales for her books include translations to Japan, Germany, Thailand, Greece, and Brazil.

(Back in the day…) Cynthia graduated summa cum laude from the University of South Alabama where she studied Sociology (because people interest her) and Communication (because she likes to write about said people). Cynthia has worked as a college admissions counselor, a teacher, and as an editor. But now, Cynthia is thrilled to be spending her days making up stories.

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March 24, 2014March 23, 2014

Kelly’s review of Mine to Crave by Cynthia Eden

TITLE: Mine to Crave
SERIES #: Mine #4
CHARACTERS: Drake Archer & Jasmine Bennett
AUTHOR: Cynthia Eden
PUBLICATION DATE: March 11, 2014
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

New York Times best-selling author Cynthia Eden continues her dark and sexy “Mine” romantic suspense series with…MINE TO CRAVE.

HE TAKES WHAT HE WANTS.

SHE’S HIDING SECRETS.

AN ENEMY IS CLOSING IN…

REVIEW PROVIDED BY: Kelly

NUMBER OF HEARTS: 4

REVIEW:

This was my first book in Cynthia’s Mine Series. Mine to Crave easily read as a stand alone, but I will say that there are ties from this book that link back to book 1 so I would suggest starting from the beginning. I now have the first 3 books on my Kindle and will be going back and reading very soon. That said on to the review.

Drake, Drake, Drake. I am guessing that this guy has never hear that you don’t mess with fate. Because she always wins. No matter how hard you try to fight it Fate always wins. In Drakes case it will be Fate tempting him with something, no someone he never thought he would want, need or ever have. Only problem is that what Fate gives Fate always takes away.

Jasmine is a girl with a lot of secrets and none of them are good. So when she is hired to hack into Drake’s computer she has no problem. At least not until she meets Drake and finds a very personal photo of him in his desk drawer.

These two have a bit of a wild ride ahead of them. But it is a good ride. Lots of twists and turns along the way. I will say that there were a few surprises and a few things that were not as surprising. But all and all I really like that story. I can’t wait go back and read the first three books and I am looking forward to what Cynthia has in store for us next.

Disclaimer:

I received a complimentary copy of the book from NetGalley & Cynthia Eden in exchange for an honest review. This review is my own opinion and not a paid review.

March 23, 2014March 21, 2014

Kissin’ the week of March 17th-22nd Goodbye

3.17.14

Interview & Giveaway with Leisl Leighton

Kimberly reviews Love Unleashed by Jackie Braun

Kelly reviews Branded By Fire by Nalini Singh

Happy St. Patrick’s Day from Books-n-Kisses.com

3.18.14

Guest blogger Vicky Dreiling + Giveaway

Kimberly reviews Book Lovers by Various Authors

Kelly reviews What A Reckless Rogue Needs by Vicky Dreiling

What releases the week of March 17th? Check here!

3.19.14

Guest Blogger Elizabeth Michels + a giveaway

Kelly reviews Dash Of Peril by Lori Foster

Kimberly reviews Sex & The Single Vamp by Robin Covington

3.20.14

Interview & Giveaway with Melinda Leigh

Kelly reviews Fall Into Forever by Beth Hyland

Kimberly reviews Four Friends by Robyn Carr

Thursday’s Thought…

3.21.14

Spotlight Sinful Seconds

Kelly reviews Unwound by Lorelei James

Kimberly reviews Love & Other Cosmic Nonsense by A.D. Marrow

3.22.14

SINsational Saturday Series

Cynthia Eden’s Mine Series

March 22, 2014March 22, 2014

Blog Tour & Giveaway: The Midnight Witch by Paula Brackston

“The dead are seldom silent. All that is required for them to be heard is that someone be willing to listen. I have been listening to the dead all my life.”

Lady Lilith Montgomery is the daughter of the sixth Duke of Radnor. She is one of the most beautiful young women in London and engaged to the city’s most eligible bachelor. She is also a witch. When her father dies, her hapless brother Freddie takes on his title. But it is Lilith, instructed in the art of necromancy, who inherits their father’s role as Head Witch of the Lazarus Coven. And it is Lilith who must face the threat of the Sentinels, a powerful group of sorcerers intent on reclaiming the Elixir from the coven’s guardianship for their own dark purposes. Lilith knows the Lazarus creed: secrecy and silence. To abandon either would put both the coven and all she holds dear in grave danger. She has spent her life honoring it, right down to her engagement to her childhood friend and fellow witch, Viscount Louis Harcourt.

Until the day she meets Bram, a talented artist who is neither a witch nor a member of her class. With him, she must not be secret and silent. Despite her loyalty to the coven and duty to her family, Lilith cannot keep her life as a witch hidden from the man she loves. To tell him will risk everything.

Amazon/B&N

TRAILER FOR THE MIDNIGHT WITCH

About the Author:

Paula Brackston lives in a wild, mountainous part of Wales. She has an MA in Creative Writing from Lancaster University, and is a Visiting Lecturer for the University of Wales, Newport. Before becoming a writer, Paula tried her hand at various career paths, with mixed success. These included working as a groom on a racing yard, as a travel agent, a secretary, an English teacher, and a goat herd. Everyone involved (particularly the goats) is very relieved that she has now found a job she is actually able to do properly.

When not hunched over her keyboard in her tiny office under the stairs, Paula is dragged outside by her children to play Swedish tennis on the vertiginous slopes which surround them. She also enjoys being walked by the dog, hacking through weeds in the vegetable patch, or sitting by the pond with a glass of wine. Most of the inspiration for her writing comes from stomping about on the mountains being serenaded by skylarks and buzzards.

In 2007 Paula was short listed in the Creme de la Crime search for new writers. In 2010 her book ‘Nutters’ (writing as PJ Davy) was short listed for the Mind Book Award, and she was selected by the BBC under their New Welsh Writers scheme.

Website/Facebook

Jennifer’s Review of The Midnight Witch

Review (4 Stars): I thought that this was a beautiful and engaging story of a young woman who must accept her new role as the Head Witch of the Lazarus Coven after the death of her father. Lilith was very young to have all this responsibility placed on her shoulders and has to struggle against the expectations that so many have placed on her in this position. She was expected to marry her childhood friend but during the course of the novel falls in love with another. I couldn’t imagine dealing with all this responsibility but Lilith handled it with elegance and grace when her heart was breaking inside. I loved Ms. Brackston’s lustrous language and storytelling with these character, quickly finding myself lost within this magical story. I really enjoyed The Midnight Witch even though the pacing was slow at times but worth the journey in this haunting historical romance.

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March 22, 2014March 21, 2014

Cynthia Eden’s Mine Series

Mine to Take

Mine #1

Sometimes you want someone so much…
Sometimes you need someone so much…
Lust can become love.
And love can turn into a deadly obsession.

***

Skye Sullivan knows that someone is watching her. Not just watching—stalking her. Months ago, Skye was involved in a dangerous car accident. The accident ended her dancing career and sent her fleeing back to Chicago. Skye is convinced that her stalker caused the crash, and she fears that he won’t stop pursuing her, not until she’s dead.

When someone breaks into her apartment in Chicago, Skye turns to the one man she believes can protect her—Trace Weston. Once, Trace was her lover. Two lost souls, they’d come together in a firestorm of need and desire. But then Trace had pushed her away. He’d joined the military, vanishing from her life. She’d put all of her emotion into dancing, and she’d tried to forget him.

Now Trace is one of the most successful men in the United States. Rich, driven, and carrying dark secrets, he agrees to help Skye. He’ll protect her from the danger that lurks in the darkness, but Trace wants more than to just be a guard for Skye.

He wants her. And he’ll take her. The years have changed him, hardened him. He’s not just a poor kid from the streets any longer. Now, he can have anything—or anyone—that he wants. And the one woman he has always wanted has just come back into his life. He won’t let her go again.

But with the threats mounting against Skye, she suspects that her stalker may be intimately close. He’s a man who knows her too well. As his attacks grow ever more dangerous, she realizes that if she trusts the wrong man, she could be making a fatal mistake.

Lust. Love. Obsession.

Just how far would you go in order to possess the one person you want the most?

Author’s Note: MINE TO TAKE is a sexy romantic suspense novella—it contains approximately 41,000 words. MINE TO TAKE is intended for adults. Sexy situations and adult language will be found within the pages of this story—please consider yourself warned.

*****

Mine to Keep

Mine #2

Love is the most dangerous obsession…

Skye Sullivan is trying to put the pieces of her life back together. She survived a brutal stalker and escaped his abduction, and now she is looking to the future—a future that includes Skye’s lover, billionaire Trace Weston. Skye thinks the danger is finally over for her.

She’s dead wrong.

When Trace’s past comes back to haunt him, Skye discovers that the man she loves isn’t quite who he seems to be. Trace has been leading a double-life. An ex-special forces agent, his military training turned him into the perfect killing machine. He made more than his share of enemies during his time in the military—and as he built his security empire—and one of those enemies is striking back.

He won’t lose her.

Skye is the one weapon that can be used against Trace—his only vulnerability. But he won’t let her go—he can’t. Trace will do anything necessary to protect Skye. Anything. Yet when she discovers the secrets that he’s tried to keep hidden, Skye’s pain and rage may send her running directly into the cross-hairs of a killer…

*****

Mine to Hold

Mine #3

She was one man’s obsession…

Nine years ago, Claire Kramer’s lover brutally killed her family, and he tried to kill her. She escaped, but she’s been haunted ever since that attack. Too afraid to trust another man and too worried that her past will catch up with her, Claire never gets too close to anyone. But then she meets Noah York.

He must have her.

Noah York is a man with secrets. The world sees him as a billionaire hotel tycoon, but Noah has a dark and dangerous side. For years, he worked covert military operations before he built his fortune. When it comes to death, Noah is a master. He knows that he should steer clear of Claire, but the white-hot attraction Noah feels for the delicate beauty is instant—and consuming.

He will never let her go.

Someone else is just as consumed by Claire—someone who will kill to possess her. And if Noah can’t stop the hunter in the darkness, he may just lose the one woman that he can’t live without.

*****

Mine to Crave

Mine #4

New York Times best-selling author Cynthia Eden continues her dark and sexy “Mine” romantic suspense series with…MINE TO CRAVE.

HE TAKES WHAT HE WANTS.

SHE’S HIDING SECRETS.

AN ENEMY IS CLOSING IN…

March 21, 2014March 21, 2014

Sinful Seconds Spotlight + a tour wide giveaway

SINFUL SECONDS

Publication Date: March 17, 2014

Amazon | B&N | KOBO

From the six USA Today and New York Times bestselling authors who brought you WICKED FIRSTS, comes an all new contemporary set of six sexy, suspenseful and very SINFUL SECONDS.

SINFUL SURRENDER by Elisabeth Naughton
SINFUL RAPTURE by Alexandra Ivy
SINFUL SECRETS by Cynthia Eden
SINFUL IN SPURS by Laura Wright
SINFUL SEDUCTION by Katie Reus
SINFULLY SCANDALOUS by Joan Swan

*****

SINFUL SURRENDER by Elisabeth Naughton

He’s been watching her, and now he’s here, in the dimly lit bar of the swanky Vail resort, pretending not to notice her. Songwriter Grace Ryder has never liked the spotlight, but her skin tingles whenever his sexy gaze drifts her way. Only one night will prove whether he’s safety or sin.

Aegis operative Brian Walker’s orders are clear: observe, but don’t touch. Things change, though, the moment the leggy brunette makes him an offer he can’t refuse. Desire leads to seduction, but it comes at a price. Because someone wants her dead, and if Brian’s not careful, his obsession for a woman he never should have touched could get them both killed.

Visit Elisabeth’s website to find more of her incredible books.

http://www.elisabethnaughton.com/

*****

SINFUL RAPTURE by Alexandra Ivy

Holly Sullivan has always been the good girl, but when her fiancé jilts her at the altar she spends her non-wedding night at The Playhouse indulging her deepest desires.

Liam fell in love with Holly at first glance. Unfortunately, she hates him for buying her father’s business. Following her to The Playhouse, he devotes the night to fulfilling her fantasies. But will she forgive him when his secret is revealed?

Visit Alexandra’s website to find more of her incredible books.

http://www.alexandraivy.com/

*****

SINFUL SECRETS by Cynthia Eden

One year ago, Catherine Donnelly spent a wild night in a stranger’s arms. Sexy and mysterious, Jason August broke through all of Cat’s defenses. But when dawn came, she ran from his bed, and she never looked back. Until now…

Catherine vanished from Jason’s life before, and he isn’t about to let her escape again. Cat will discover that the only man who can truly keep her safe in a world gone mad…well, that would be the man she married a year ago, on one hot Vegas night…

Visit Cynthia’s website to find more of her incredible books.

http://www.cynthiaeden.com/

*****

SINFUL IN SPURS by Laura Wright

Champion bull rider, Sawyer Black has one goal when he isn’t competing in the arena: watch out for his best friend’s little sister. But Keely is turning out to be anything but cooperative. The once shy, small town girl has turned into a gorgeous and very stubborn hellcat with big city excitement on her mind. And when Sawyer returns from a rodeo to find her gone, he knows he will do anything it takes to bring her home.

Keely O’Hare is sick and tired of her brother’s best friend babysitting her. It’s her final year of college and she’s ready to explore the dark sexual needs she’s been keeping secret in her heart. So when Sawyer goes away for work, Keely escapes to the city and to the notorious sex club, The Playhouse. But when Sawyer finds her there, unexpected and explosive sexual tension flares hot and heavy between them–and Keely refuses to return home with him until he spends two nights in The Playhouse with her. If he wants to bring along his bull rope? Even better.

Visit Laura’s website to find more of her incredible books

http://laurawright.com/

*****

SINFUL SEDUCTION by Katie Reus

As an heiress from a prominent family, Mina knows the pain of living under a microscope. Which is why she loves her sleepy Key West home where nobody knows her name. She’s determined to make her way without being coddled–and no mugging is going to change that.

Former Marine Alexander Blue has seen enough bloodshed to last a lifetime. When he sees a mysterious brunette attacked by a mugger, his need to protect kicks into overdrive. Mina brings him home and bandages him up, but her gaze cuts clear to his soul. An intense connection isn’t all Blue feels–he’s convinced Mina needs his protection. Just one problem: Mina doesn’t want saving.

Visit Katie’s website to find more of her incredible books

http://katiereus.com/

*****

SINFUL DECEPTION by Joan Swan

In need of fast cash to help her brother sneak into the US, Tova Sorenson takes a job as a sexcam operator, sparking an unlikely friendship with her very first customer. When Marcus Lucero’s border patrol teammate suggests a sexcam site for female companionship without heartache, Marcus figures he’s got nothing to lose.

While danger from Tova’s dark side brings them together in the flesh where their chemistry burns hotter than hell, it also exposes their divergent loyalties which could end not only their desires, but their lives

Visit Joan’s website to find more of her incredible books

http://joanswan.com/

How about an excerpt from Joan Swan’s Sinful Deception (used with permission from Joan Swan & Book Monster Promotions):

She was so winging it.

Tova hadn’t been prepared to start working yet. Not tonight. It was two in the damn morning. She’d started her day with an organic chemistry midterm, continued with classes and labs until late afternoon, and begun her shift at the diner an hour later. She’d finally gotten home at midnight and spent the last two hours in a crash sexcam class with Carrie, her coworker at the diner, then set up her “model” account on the Playhouse Flirt website.

She’d only been trying to get the camera working before she’d planned on falling in bed because she had to get up in a few hours and do it all over again. But the damn camera was broken. Or defective. Or something. And she wasn’t ready to actually perform, for fuck’s sake.

Beyond that, she was seriously second-guessing this whole damned idea.

But she lifted her hand to her shoulder and let her fingers follow the edge of her top down her cleavage to the V, then started up the other side—because she never dropped out of something midstream. “Would you like to see a little more, Marcus?”

“I’m not here for…um…that,” he said. Her shoulders would have slumped with relief—if she didn’t need the money so badly. “I mean, I was, but changed my mind, then saw you struggling with your camera and, you know, thought I could help.”

Her mind skipped, a flat rock on smooth water. “My…?”

The camera had been on this whole time? She’d been acting like a total loser on an international webcam?

Her heart, and her hope of success, sank. But she knew how to cover in front of an audience.

“Oh.” She forced a casual laugh. “Sorry about that. I just upgraded my camera, and I’m not the most technically savvy.” She eased her tone toward sultry and her smile toward flirty. “But I’m really good at other things. I’ll bet I could hike your interest level if you let me give it a try.”

She had to entice him from the free chat area into the paid private area. Then she had to get naked in front of some invisible guy. Touch herself. Act like she liked it. Keep him tantalized as long as possible and leave him satisfied so he’d come back again.

Tova’s stomach buzzed with so much tension, she thought she might just throw up.

“You are incredibly…interesting,” Marcus said, his voice a deep, powerful, utterly masculine tone that brought a lot of sexy images to Tova’s mind. Images she held on to keep herself going through the call. “But you won’t be able to show anyone how good you are at anything until you get control over that camera.”

She liked his confidence—solid but not overpowering. Pursing her lips, Tova considered the camera, then slumped toward the lower end of her bed. “Well, you’re right about that.”

“Okay, let’s start at the beginning,” he said, his tone conversational. “Are you really having trouble with the camera, or is this part of your…thing?”

Tova drew her knees up to her chest, crossed her ankles, and wrapped her arms around her legs, hoping she gave him a good shot of her thighs. She didn’t know for sure, because she hadn’t been able to see how her movement appeared on camera yet. But, she’d performed on the fly before. And although those performances hadn’t been anything quite like this, her skills still applied.

She rested her chin on her knees, tilted her head so her hair fell down her arm, and let her eyes grow heavy. “My thing?”

“You know, a draw. Something to get guys interested. The damsel in distress or whatever.”

She offered a hot little smirk. “Does that turn you on, Marcus? Do you want to save me?”

Her mind was skipping ahead to the way she might use props she and Carrie had placed strategically around her room, darting back to Carrie’s instruction. With languid moves, she straightened her legs and reached beneath the bed skirt, tugging out a length of white rope. She slid the cording through her hands and held it taut in front of her chest, arching her back so her breasts pushed into the forefront. Then she started winding one end around the opposite wrist.

“I could tie myself up for you… And you could save me…after you’ve done anything and everything you’ve ever wanted to do to a bound woman.”

“Are we going to do all that from where you’re at?” he asked, an edge of humor in his voice. “On the floor in front of your bed?”

She realized he was referring to the limited space, and a flicker of uncertainty burned in her chest, but she pushed forward with a distract-and-delay tactic. “If that’s what you want, Marcus. I’ll get down and dirty with you on the floor. Just click the Private button on your screen, and I’ll be waiting here for you when you finish business.”

A sound came from his side of the computer, something that sounded like the shift of fabric, and an odd flare of hope darted through her chest. Click the button. If she could just get through this first time, she’d be solid. Just like her first time on stage. Her first time in front of an audience. Then a crowd. Then television. Firsts were always nerve-racking. Once she’d gotten past that, she’d always soared. And she’d do the same thing here.

“What if I wanted you on the bed?” he asked, the low and sexy timbre of his voice shivering through her in a way that surprised her. “Or in the shower? Or say…outside? Would you be able to get that camera to work somewhere else?”

God, if his voice matched his looks, he sure as hell did not need to be checking out sexcams to get off. “Oooo,” she crooned, grinning into the camera. “I like the way you think, Marcus.”

“And I like the way you say my name. You do something really sexy with the M and the S that makes me think about your mouth.”

Tova relaxed a little. They were getting into it. She could do this.

Also available:

*****

WICKED FIRSTS

Release date: August 19, 2013

Six all-new super sexy suspense stories of first loves, first attractions, first temptations, first times and first obsessions.

FIRST EXPOSURE by Elisabeth Naughton

FIRST RAPTURE by Alexandra Ivy

FIRST TASTE OF DARKNESS by Cynthia Eden

FIRST INK by Laura Wright

FIRST SURRENDER by Katie Reus

FIRST TEMPTATION by Joan Swan

Available from: All Romance eBooks | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | iTunes Bookstore

*****

TOUR GIVEAWAY:

$50.00 gift card to Amazon or Barnes & Noble

a Rafflecopter giveaway

SINFUL SECONDS Book Blast Schedule

3/17 – Perusing Princesses (EXCERPT 1 – SINFUL RAPTURE by Alexandra Ivy)

http://www.PerusingPrincesses.com

3/18 – Book Monster Reviews (EXCERPT 1 – SINFUL SECRETS by Cynthia Eden)

http://bookmonsterreviews.com

3/19 Josie Cara Blog (EXCERPT 1 – SINFUL SURRENDER by Elisabeth Naughton)

http://www.josiecarabooks.com/blog.html

3/21 – Monlatable Book Reviews (EXCERPT 1 – SINFUL IN SPURS by Laura Wright)

http://www.monlatablereviews.com/

3/21 – Books-n-Kisses (EXCERPT 1 – SINFULLY SCANDALOUS by Joan Swan)

https://books-n-kisses.com

3/22 – Book Lovin’ Mamas (EXCERPT 1 – SINFUL SEDUCTION by Katie Reus)

http://booklovinmamas.com

3/22 – For the Love of Bookends (EXCERPT 2 – SINFUL RAPTURE by Alexandra Ivy)

http://loveofbookends.blogspot.com/

3/22 – Words of Wisdom from The Scarf Princess (EXCERPT 2 – SINFUL SECRETS by Cynthia Eden)

http://wowfromthescarfprincess.blogspot.com

3/22 – deal sharing aunt (EXCERPT 2 – SINFUL SURRENDER by Elisabeth Naughton)

http://www.dealsharingaunt.blogspot.com

3/22 – TBQ’s Book Palace (EXCERPT 2 – SINFUL IN SPURS by Laura Wright)

http://tbqspersonalbookpalace.blogspot.com

3/22 – KT Book Reviews (EXCERPT 2 – SINFULLY SCANDALOUS by Joan Swan)

http://www.ktbookreviews.com

3/23 – C&F (EXCERPT 2 – SINFUL SEDUCTION by Katie Reus)

http://contests-freebies.blogspot.co.uk/

3/23 – Inner Goddess (EXCERPT 3 – SINFUL RAPTURE by Alexandra Ivy)

http://www.Innergoddessforum.com

3/23 – Diane’s Book Blog (EXCERPT 3 – SINFUL SECRETS by Cynthia Eden)

http://dianelynchbookreviews.blogspot.com/

3/23 – Mythical Books (EXCERPT 3 – SINFUL SURRENDER by Elisabeth Naughton)

http://mythicalbooks.blogspot.ro/

3/23 – In The Pages of a Good Book (EXCERPT 3 – SINFUL IN SPURS by Laura Wright)

http://wp.me/p3sIcU-10w

3/23 – Ramblings From This Chick (EXCERPT 3 – SINFULLY SCANDALOUS by Joan Swan)

http://ramblingsfromthischick.blogspot.com

3/23 – Rage, Sex and Teddy Bears (EXCERPT 3 – SINFUL SEDUCTION by Katie Reus)

http://ragesexandteddybears.blogspot.com/

3/24 – Toot’s Book Reviews (EXCERPT 4 – SINFUL RAPTURE by Alexandra Ivy)

http://tootsbookreviews.blogspot.com

3/25 – Sofia Loves Reading (EXCERPT 4 – SINFUL SECRETS by Cynthia Eden)

http://sofialovesreading.blogspot.gr/

3/26 – The Reading Cafe (EXCERPT 4 – SINFUL IN SPURS by Laura Wright)

http://www.thereadingcafe.com/

3/27 – Mad Hatter Reads (EXCERPT 4 – SINFULLY SCANDALOUS by Joan Swan)

http://madhatterreads.com

3/27- Vampires, Werewolves, & Fairies, Oh My (EXCERPT 4 – SINFUL SEDUCTION by Katie Reus)

http://vampireswerewolvesfairiesohmy.blogspot.com/

3/29 – Kristina’s Books & More (EXCERPT 5 – SINFUL SECRETS by Cynthia Eden)

http://kristinasbooksandmore.blogspot.com/

3/30 – The Lusty Literate (EXCERPT 6 – SINFUL SECRETS by Cynthia Eden)

http://thelustyliterate.com/

March 20, 2014March 19, 2014

Blog Tour & Review: Load the Boat by Rosalee Richland

Darla King left her position as a Florida investigator hoping to avoid any further involvement with law enforcement—but her curiosity keeps getting in her way. Darla is beginning to realize that what she envisioned as the simple life of a square dance caller is not so simple after all. When Darla agrees to serve as a square dance caller on a cruise, she plans on a little work and a lot of fun, sun, and romance. Her friends from Clearton Squares have the same ideas. Instead, she and her friends discover pornographic DVDs, a dead crew member, and a mysterious man with a satchel. She lands in danger, escaping with on-the-spot ingenuity. All that and Mandy, who has bad memories from a previous cruise and is getting a little too friendly with Doug. This is the second in the Darla King series and continues her adventures.

Amazon/Goodreads

About the Author:

Cyndi Riccio and Rhonda Brinkmann joined forces to create the Darla King cozy mystery series. Darla’s curiosity often puts her squarely in the midst of unusual circumstances, and Darla can’t let go until the mystery is solved. Through Darla and her friends, readers are exposed to the warmth and friendship among square dancers, as well as the enjoyment square dancing brings worldwide.

When not writing, Darla’s co-authors enjoy reading, traveling, meeting readers and fans, networking with other authors, and – of course – square dancing. Currently they are working on Darla’s next mystery and the twists and turns it will take. If you have a chance, stop in at a book signing and find out which half of Rosalee shows up! In the meantime you can stay in touch with Rosalee and Darla on on Facebook, Goodreads, or the Darla King Series blog (rosaleerichland.blogspot.com).

Jennifer’s Review of Load the Boat

Review (4 Stars): I admit I know nothing about square dancing so this was a very interesting mystery for me. Darla gets the chance opportunity to be a square dance caller on a cruise ship and is looking forward to a little relaxation while she is away. What she finds is a mystery that she hadn’t planned on and her vacation just turned into solving crimes instead of sitting poolside.

I liked Darla and the other characters and it was fun learning about square dancing, which I found very interesting. This was an enjoyable mystery that made me want to take a cruise with Darla and her square dancing friends.