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Spotlight Feature of Cherish by Ann Mayburn

Cherish

Ann Mayburn

Order here: Amazon | B&N

 What started out as a one night stand has turned into the best decision of Sam’s life after he marries the formerly straight man of his dreams, Cody. When his new husband tells Sam he has a special surprise for him on their honeymoon Sam can’t help but wonder what he has in store for him. Secluded from the rest of the world in the cabin they built together in the mountains surrounding Las Vegas, the two men begin their life together with plenty of passion and love.

 

X rated Excerpt:

Sam glanced out the windshield, as familiar with the winding road to their cabin as his own backyard. Heck, he should be. They’d made over four dozen trips up and down the mountain as they built their log cabin on the edge of the National Park. Their ultimate mountain retreat was almost complete, and he couldn’t think of any place he’d rather spend his honeymoon than surrounded by the solitude of the wilderness and Cody.

The big truck easily navigated the final stretch of road before they reached their destination. Anticipation hummed through Sam and his cock twitched to life. Cody wore a white T-shirt that stretched over his thick muscles, and a pair of silky jogging shorts. Perfect for what he had in mind.

He leaned over and kissed the side of his neck. “Move your seat back a couple inches.”

“What?”

Sam grinned and unbuckled his seatbelt. “Look, I don’t want the steering wheel embedded in my skull. Move your seat back.”

He did as he asked then gripped the steering wheel with both hands until his knuckles turned white. “Just let me pull over.”

“Nope.” He hummed deep in his throat at the erection tenting the other man’s shorts. “Keep driving. You stop driving, I stop sucking.”

“Sam, this is a really bad—”

He stretched to lower his head and capture the thick rim of Cody’s cloth-covered prick between his lips, effectively cutting off his partner’s words. It had been two weeks since they’d had any kind of sexual contact and the need for release tightened his balls. He tugged at the waistband. “Look, you’re the one who wanted to take a break before our wedding so our honeymoon would be special. Well, it’s our honeymoon and this is special.”

In a gruff, strained voice, Cody said, “I’m going to hit a pot hole and you’re going to bite my dick off.”

Sam chuckled. “Lift your ass off the seat.” With some maneuvering, he managed to get the shorts down enough so that Cody’s hard sex sprang free. Saliva filled Sam’s mouth at the sight of the hard male flesh. He grasped the base of the thick penis, noting with delight that Cody had shaved his balls. “Well, well, what do we have here?” The shaft jumped in his fist and he ever so slowly licked from the base to the tip, pausing to suck at the little slit.

Cody’s thigh muscles tensed and he spread his legs as much as his shorts bunched around his thighs allowed. Sam’s own cock pulsed behind the tough fabric of his jeans, but he ignored his needs. Taking control of his partner’s pleasure always turned him on. They drove down the road in plain sight of anyone passing by and there was something deliciously forbidden about blowing him in broad daylight. True, the only things around here with a heartbeat were animals, but he still liked that edge of the forbidden.

About the Author:

Ann is Queen of the Castle to her wonderful husband and three sons in the mountains of   West Virginia. In her past lives she’s been an Import Broker, a Communications Specialist,   a US Navy Civilian Contractor, a Bartender/Waitress, and an actor at the Michigan    Renaissance Festival. She also spent a summer touring with the Grateful Dead-though she will deny to her children that it ever happened.    From a young age she’s been fascinated by myths and fairytales, and the romance that often was the center of the story. As Ann grew older and her hormones kicked in, she discovered trashy romance novels. Great at first, but she soon grew tired of the endless stories with a big wonderful emotional buildup to really short and crappy sex. Never a big fan of purple prose, throbbing spears of fleshy pleasure and wet honey pots make her giggle, she  sought out books that gave the sex scenes in the story just as much detail and  plot as everything else-without using cringe worthy euphemisms. This led her to the wonderful world of Erotic Romance, and she’s never looked back.

Now Ann  spends her days trying to tune out cartoons playing in the background to get  into her ‘sexy space’ and has learned to type one handed while soothing a  cranky baby.

 

Website / Facebook / Twitter

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Spotlight Feature & Giveaway of Hidden by Kendra Elliot

Hidden

A Bone Secrets Novel, #1

Eleven years ago, the Co-ed Slayer murdered nine female students on the Oregon State University campus. Lacey Campbell barely escaped his attack, but lost her best friend whose remains were never found. As the sole surviving victim, Lacey helped send the sadistic serial killer to prison for life.

Now a forensic odontologist examining teeth and bones for the state Medical Examiner, Lacey is devastated when she arrives at a crime scene and identifies the skeletal remains as her college friend’s.

The remains are discovered on the land of ex-cop Jack Harper. Sparks fly between him and Lacey, even as they realize that the prosecution’s witnesses from a decade ago are now being murdered one by one. All the evidence points to the Co-ed Slayer as the culprit—only, he’s long since dead. So who’s the new killer? And is Lacey next in line to die?

Excerpt:

“Dr. Campbell!”

At the sharp voice, Lacey popped out of her coffee musings, froze, and fought the instinct to look for her father—also Dr. Campbell. The bright blue tarp at Lacey’s snowy boots framed the partial recovery of a skeleton. Another step and she would’ve crushed a tibia and sent Dr. Peres’s blood pressure spiking through the tent roof. As she ignored the doctor’s glare, Lacey’s gaze locked on the bones and a sharp rush surged through her veins at the sight of the challenge at her feet.

This was why she accepted assignments in freezing weather. To identify and bring home a lost victim. To use her unique skills to solve the mystery of death. To put an end to a mourning family’s questions. To know she made a difference.

The cold faded away.

The skull was present, along with most of the ribs and the longer bones of the extremities. At the far end of the tent, two male techs in down jackets sifted buckets of dirt and rocks through a screen, painstakingly searching for smaller bones. A huge, gaping hole in the concrete wall of the crawl space under the building indicated where the remains had been discovered.

“Don’t step on anything,” said Dr. Peres.

Nice to see you, too.

“Morning.” Lacey nodded in Dr. Peres’s general direction and tried to slow her racing heart. Her eyes studied the surreal scene. Bones, buckets, and bitch.

Dr. Victoria Peres, a forensic anthropologist, was known as a strict ball breaker in her field, and she didn’t take flak from anyone. At six feet tall, she was an Amazon incarnate. A recovery site was her kingdom, and no one dared step within breathing distance of her sites before she gave her assent. And don’t dream of touching anything without permission. Anything.

When she grew up, Lacey wanted to be Dr. Peres.

Lacey had worked with the demanding doctor on four different recoveries before the doctor trusted her work. But that didn’t mean Dr. Peres liked Lacey; Dr. Peres didn’t like anyone.

Black-framed glasses with itty-bitty lenses balanced on the narrow ridge of the doctor’s nose. As usual, her long black hair was in a perfect knot at her neck. No stray hairs had escaped the knot, even though the doctor had been on site for five hours.

“Nice you could make the party.” Dr. Peres glanced at her watch and raised one brow.

“I had to wait ’til my toenails dried.”

A sharp snort came from the woman and Lacey’s eyes narrowed. Wow. She’d actually made Dr. Peres laugh. Well, sort of. Still, it should give Lacey some bragging rights among the ME’s staff.

“What’d you find?” Lacey’s fingers yearned to start on the puzzle. This was the best part of her job. A mystery to decode.

 

GIVEAWAY TIME!!!!

Kendra has been sweet enough to give me a copy of Hidden to give out to one lucky follower.

To enter please fill out the Rafflecopter below.

 
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Spotlight Featured of Luscious by Amanda Usen

Books-n-Kisses is please to let Amanda Usen take over the blog today to talk about her new book Luscious.

Food and Romance – a Luscious Combination!

I met my husband in culinary school, so food and romance are forever linked for me. However, even before I met him, my dates centered around food – probably because I worked in a restaurant and a bakery. I dated waiters, chefs and bakers, and we’d go out after work, usually to get something to eat, ironically enough. Kitchen folks love to eat food they didn’t have to make! Before I worked in the food biz, my dates still centered on food. We would go out for coffee, dinner and a movie or to get a drink. Even back in high school, my friends would come back to the house and I would cook for them. (My poor mother!)

I imagine there are other things to do on dates – play tennis, perhaps? But won’t you be hungry and thirsty afterwards? Maybe go to a movie…with popcorn and candy? Go to the beach? Don’t forget to pack a picnic!

I guess it’s not so strange that I would write a book where the hero and chef heroine swan off to a cooking school/vineyard/spa inItalyand eat fabulous food and drink amazing wine while they do all the other things that heroes and heroines do in romance novels. 😉 Sometimes all at the same time, like in this excerpt from Luscious:

Sean chewed, but he didn’t really taste the food in his mouth. Oh, he was smooth, all right. Smooth like the freakin’Alps, no doubt about it. He didn’t want her pity, he wanted to seduce her, but Olivia looked more bowled over by the food on the plate in front of her than by his proposition.

She had initially responded to his kiss on the plane but then froze in his arms. That did not bode well for his plan. He shook his head slightly, taking another bite and watching Olivia savor her food. She smiled a little every time her lips closed around the fork. Anticipation swirled inside of him as he thought about all the other ways he wanted to bring her pleasure. Her kiss had been so sweet—raw response mixed with hesitation. He wanted to kiss her again, over and over until she relaxed and opened to him. He wanted to know if their bodies would fit together as perfectly as their mouths—but first he had to convince her.

Olivia sighed and set her fork down with a clink. Immediately, a busboy swooped in to retrieve their empty plates. She took a long drink of her wine, then folded her hands in front of her on the white tablecloth. She met his eyes squarely. “I think you’d better tell me more about those high school fantasies, Counselor.”

His pulse jumped. Maybe he had a chance, after all. “Are you sure you don’t want me to whisper them in your ear on the airplane?” She couldn’t say no after they were in the air.

“Positive.” She tipped her chin up, so her eyelids were at half-mast. Her expectant expression made him think of her head on a pillow, gazing down at him while he…

“Last chance to avoid shocking our waiter,” he warned.

“You can’t shock a waiter in a place like this.”

Sean was certain she was incorrect, but out of public decency, he kept his voice low. He began to weave a fantasy, noticing that every server who passed within earshot of their table discreetly slowed his steps. Olivia attempted to taste the next course delivered by a wide-eyed waiter but dropped her fork with a clatter when Sean mentioned blindfold and gondola in the same breath. Still, he had to give her credit. After dropping her fork, she had focused her attention entirely on him and had barely twitched a muscle.

As he neared the end of his pitch, Olivia’s head was cocked to the side and her eyes were glazed. He’d thrown in everything but the kitchen sink, hoping that something might pique her interest. She cleared her throat and straightened in her chair. “There aren’t any gondolas inVerona. The canals are inVenice.”

“A balcony would work. Plenty of those, right?”

Olivia picked up her fork, color rising in her cheeks. “I wouldn’t have pegged you for the kinky type.”

He lifted one eyebrow, unable to prevent the cor­ners of his mouth from turning up. He encouraged his buttoned-down, by-the-book, technicality driven, Type-A, loophole lawyer image. He enjoyed arguing a point, any point, just for the sheer fun of it. He liked to be right. He liked to be in control. He liked to win. It had been impressed on him at a very early age that all of these things were necessary for survival, but the bedroom was not a courtroom. Control was necessary up to a point, of course, but buttoned-down lawyer guy disappeared with his tie.

She leaned forward. “Sean, I just don’t get it. You had a prime opportunity last summer—”

“I told you, you were married.”

“I’ve been under the impression that guys don’t give that detail a lot of thought.”

“Some guys don’t.” He shrugged. “I’m not your ex-husband.”

She flinched and dropped her gaze. After a second, her eyes met his again. “You want me to believe you’ve been dying to have sex with me? That you rejected me a couple of months ago because I was barely married, but now you want to take me toItalyand blindfold me in a freaking gondola?” Her voice was soft, belying the inten­sity of her words. “Give me one good goddamn reason.”

Sean let the desire that had sharpened inside him for years roll across his face. He reached across the table and brushed her hair out of her eyes. “I’ll make you glad you did.”

Her nostrils flared. “A better reason than that.”

He hesitated.

He never put anyone on the stand unless he knew ex­actly what they were going to say, and that went double for his personal life. He had no idea how Olivia would react to the information he was about to give to her, and that made him nervous. Unfortunately, this felt like his last chance to convince her to let him join her.

“Your mother is expecting me,” he said reluctantly.

The color drained out of her cheeks. For a minute, he thought she might fling her fresh glass of wine in his face. When she didn’t even glance at the food the waiter gingerly placed in front of her, Sean knew he was in serious trouble.

“You called my mother?” Her voice rose unevenly.

“I’m afraid she’ll be very disappointed if I don’t arrive at Villa Farfalla. I got the impression she’s eager for American tourists to discover the delights of her hospitality.”

“No doubt.”

“The Villa sounds amazing. A sprawling estate, a vineyard, cooking classes with a famous chef, wine tours, a private spa…” Sean was actually looking for­ward to spending a week there, as long as he didn’t have to do it from a shallow grave dug by Olivia, which is where it looked like he was headed.

“Spare me the propaganda. My mother is a brilliant businesswoman, but if you think I’m difficult, wait until you meet her. No detail escapes her attention.”

Sean covered his elation with a frown. “Do you think she’ll check your bed every night? That would put a kink in my plans.”

“Your plans are kinky enough,” she said darkly.

Sean chuckled. “C’mon, it’ll be fun.” He leaned across the table to take her hand. “I didn’t mention I was arriving with you, but if I cancel my reservation, I’ll feel compelled to give your mother a reason.”

“That’s blackmail.”

“So sue me. I get free legal representation.” Olivia’s green eyes reminded Sean of the sky just before a tor­nado ripped across the horizon—lush, eerie, and danger­ous to life and limb. He squeezed her hand. “All you have to do is say yes, Olivia.”

For the chance to win a copy of Luscious and find out if Olivia is able to finish her dinner after an offer like that, leave a comment below! Does your perfect date involve food or drinks? OrItaly? Maybe beaches are your thing. What’s your favorite date?

Order here:

Amazon | B&N | Powell’s | Books a Million

Eat, play, love

Plain old ice cream just isn’t going to cut it. To beat these blues, chef Olivia Marconi needs the good stuff: rich, creamy tiramisu gelato. And no place better to get it than Italy. But a fresh start is nearly impossible with Sean Kindred dogging her every move. She’s been burned by his too-hot-to-handle antics before. Though there’s no denying the man can still get her all fired up. Could a weeklong affair finally turn into something more lasting…or will it all go up in flames?

 

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Spotlight Feature of Just One More by Stephanie Beck

Two is enough, but three could be everything.

Kit and Adam Jacobs know what their marriage needs—Gavan Karik. He’s the one man they both want and the only one who can make their relationship complete.

Making Gav part of the family comes with a price. Family, infidelity and self-worth issues plague Gav, but Adam and Kit are willing to tackle those issues if Gav is willing to commit.

For every problem they conquer, another one pops up. Not only are the three adults working to meld a broken family into one, they’re also struggling with a blackmailer threatening to out the two men’s sexuality and issues with the kids being mistreated at school. With each battle all three have to decide if the vision each sees for the future can match and if the reward is worth the fight.

Content Warning: Strong language, graphic sex, and explicit incidents of laundry washing within.

Available in print and digital

Beachwalk Press / Amazon / Allromance / B&N

Excerpt

“And the sleeping arrangements?” Gav asked.

Adam knew this question had been weighing on the other man. Gav had played thirds in relationships before. Usually, the third was a plaything, in for pleasure, out for the intimacy.

“You’d be in our room. The ‘our’ would include you,” Adam told him. “I’ll steal your t-shirts to wear to bed, and we’ll share the task of warming Kit’s cold toes every night. We’ll have amazing sex when we’re all in the mood together. We’ll have nearly as amazing sex in pairs if the third is in the mood to watch or sleep. There won’t be favorites, but, because we’ve been together so long, Kit and I might slip up there on occasion. You’ll have to be patient with us, Gav.”

“And once our open relationship includes you,” Kit said, “it turns into a closed one. We don’t cheat or lie, and we tell each other if our needs change.”

Adam watched to see what Gav’s reaction to that big rule would be. It was one he supported wholeheartedly. Within the terms of their relationship, he and Kit had never once cheated. They were open, honest, and made the decisions and compromises needed to keep them happy. But his heart was hers. Always. If Gav decided to take the plunge, Adam’s heart would grow to include him, and he would never cheat on him either.

Loyalty and faithfulness in an open relationship seemed like oxymorons, but not the way he and Kit worked. They were a unit, a family. If Gav chose, he could be the piece that had been missing from the start.

Gav covered his face and rubbed much harder than Adam would have rubbed any place on his lover’s body. He didn’t like to see Gav being so rough with himself. He hated when the other man treated his body harshly. It was because no one else had cared for him. He saw himself as worth less than most and acted on that vision. If he’d quit being stubborn, Adam would try every day to prove him wrong. There would be fabric softener for Gav’s clothes and something sweet for him when he wanted a treat. It was the little things Adam knew he and Kit took for granted that would make the most difference with Gav.

“I don’t know.” Gav didn’t look past his hands at either of them as he spoke. “I’ll think about it. There’s nothing in there I don’t think I can do, I just…I need to think.”

“That’s fine, Gav,” Kit said gently. “Time is something we have, and we’d never rush you.”

“I know that.” His sigh was heavy and haggard. “I know all the good things about you guys, and Kit, it’s nothing in you that’s missing. It’s me. You have to know that. No matter what happens, it’s not you. It’s me.”

“But I love you just the way you are,” she replied. “So that means there’s something amazing in you if you’ll let it out.”

 

About Stephanie Beck:

Even before she understood what all the thrusting meant, Stephanie Beck loved reading romance. When the stories didn’t end the way she wanted, writing her own was the perfect solution. From ridiculous humor to erotica, Stephanie loves being transported within a story. When she’s not elbow deep in words, her husband and three children command her attention. After they are sleeping she knits or bakes cookies…or squeezes in more writing.

Stephanie loves to hear from readers. Contact her at stephaniebeckauthor@gmail.com

Website / Twitter / Facebook

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Interview with Chris Almeida & Cecilia Aubrey

Books-n-Kisses is pleased to welcome Chris & Cecilia to the blog today to chat about their new and upcoming releases…..

Can you please share with us a little about yourself

Our story began almost two years ago when we began writing together as a couple in a role-play group. That veered into writing erotic short stories, two of them eventually published by a small e-press. From that, it was a quick dive into writing longer and more complex stories and plots. Currently our focus is on romantic suspense and erotic romance.

Have you always wanted to be an author?

Chris — I have been writing since I can remember. I used to write children’s adventure stories when I was younger. To be honest, I think the dream was always swirling under the surface and role-play jump started that desire. It was a call to action.

Cecilia — It was something that I think always hovered on the edge of my mind and when I met Chris, it completely took over becoming a reality.

Can you share with us your typical writing day. Is there anything you have to have while writing?

We don’t think there is anything typical about our days. We live 4,000 kilometers apart but the distance doesn’t deter us. I’m on EST and Cecilia is on PST. Weirdly our hours seem to match. We typically spend 14 hours a day in communication via Voice Over IP and Skype.

One of the first things we tackle daily is promotion, checking websites for updates, comments, posting news about the series, books, etc.  Next, we discuss what we’ll be working on or the direction of the story line. This usually results in one of us seeing a scene and handling getting the foundation/bones of it documented. Once one of us has taken it as far as we can, we toss to the other and start at the beginning again rewriting and adding to the scene or chapter.

We continue this ping-pong until we feel we have the chapter finished. We also leap frog; while one is working on one chapter, the other will move to the next. During the evening hours, we discuss our stories with beta readers and spend a great deal of time online with friends.

Must have while writing – music and and image in our head

Most challenging or rewarding part of writing?

Challenging – Promotion. We suck at it. TRULY suck at it.

Rewarding – feedback we receive regarding the stories.

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

Countermeasure is our latest published novel under our own label, Éire Publishing. It is the first of a series involving Trevor Bauer and Cassandra James. In this first novel, Trevor Bauer, an NSA analyst is on the hunt for clues to his parent’s disappearance. Following a lead throws him in the path of Cassandra James, an ex CIA officer turned security assurance agent, who is on the trail of an infiltrator who stole a formula she was safeguarding. Thinking Trevor is her thief, she confronts him. Their meeting sets them on a course that neither expects.

We have also continued their story by showing little glimpses into their lives, a behind the scenes view into their lives after the end of the novel so to speak. The short stories and novellas in the Countermeasure: Bytes of Life series are erotic in nature and show the growth and interaction between the characters. The first two installments, Ecstasy by the Sea and Cuffed at Midnight are already available.

How did you come with the idea for this story?

The original story grew from a dream Chris had melding technology, intrigue and romance. It was the spark to the story we began to role-play. From that little spark, we created the characters, their backstory and past long before their story took shape. They were (and are) a living extension of us. We took the story to a role-playing environment as a test to find out if they could compete against the paranormal groups that ruled the role-playing world. Surprisingly, we found a loyal following once we began to play their story. We had readers hounding us for the next chapters. It was during the posting of the story that eventually became the foundation of To Russia with Love, that we realized we had to write the book about how they met and the events that led them to begin a life of adventure together and Countermeasure was born.

Can you share with us your current work in progress?

That would be To Russia with Love, which was completely rewritten and includes a whole subplot, due to release on July 30, 2012.

Who are some of your favorite authors?

Our favorite authors are many—Karen Marie Moning, J.R. Ward, Lara Adrian, Laurel Hamilton, J.D. Robb, Katie McKalister, Janet Evanovich, Robert Ludlum, Tom Clancy, Bernard Shaw, Yeats, Wilde. At the moment we are having fun reading stories from some new authors that we have found including: Misty Evans, Kallypso Masters, and Leigh Court.

Do you feel that any of your favorite authors have inspired your writing style? 

Can we say we are not sure?! We tend to go against convention and write with our gut. Our writing style, if anything, is intended to keep you guessing, on the edge of your seat, and all hot and bothered.

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

Chris —I’m currently reading King of Paine by Larry Kahn, The Shadow Factory by James Bamford and Along Came a Spider by James Patterson. Trying to stay away from other titles until I finish these.

Cecilia — I probably have 100 books on my to read pile. Off the top of my head Samurai Games by Cristina Feehan, The Kali Sweet Urban Fantasy series by Misty Evans, and Jeaninen Frost’s Once Burned. As for those coming up…way too many.

What is your most interesting writing quirk?

Chris – Loud music that allows me to immerse myself in a scene. I have a specific song list for the characters and couples and playlists for the type of scene (torture, murder, fights, love, etc).

Cecilia – I love to have an image in my head or words from a song to kick me through a piece of the story.

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

Chris — Ludlum. I love his writing style and just want to pick his brain apart.

Cecilia — Such a tough question, there are so many authors I admire. I think if I had to narrow to one I would have to say Janet Evanovich so that I could pick her brain on the incorporation of humor into a story.

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

Read everything you can get your hands on and more importantly write a lot. Stand tall for your own style, make it even more personable, and gather a group of friends and followers behind you as a support group. Do not let strong critics influence your voice or story in a way that you don’t like or approve of in the end. Use a critique group to keep you grounded, as a guidance tool, but do not let it change what makes you and your story unique.

We have also found that there are a lot of resources available. Join an organization like the Romance Writers of America (RWA) group and a local chapter. They have a number of workshops and resources to help guide veteran and newbie writers alike. Research writer blogs, and know your genre.

Can you share with us something off your bucket list.

Our bucket list is huge and also includes every location we have mentioned in our stories. If we have to share one, that would be Ireland. Chris has a special connection there from the time spent in Dublin. I have roots tied to County Cork. One of the main reason our Countermeasure Series has Irish ties. First stop would be Sligo, a small city in the Northwest coast, at the foot of Ben Bulben. You’ll get to read about it when we publish another of Trevor and Cassandra’s adventures.

Is there anything else you would like to add?

We love what we do and are suckers for feedback, soaking it up like sponges. We take it very seriously and incorporate it into what we do even if it means rewriting a chapter. Our greatest joy is when readers come to us and tell us what they think or that they enjoyed in a certain scene.

Chris is the ultimate geek so we are everywhere! You can find us through the following links. Stop by, pull up a keyboard, and chat some time!

 

Order Here

Countermeasure | Cuffed at Midnight   |  Ecstasy by the Sea  | Passion At Dawn (Release TBA) | To Russia With Love (coming soon)

 Websites:

CA Duo Books – http://caduobooks.com

Countermeasureseries – http://countermeasureseries.com

GoodReads Author Pages:

http://goodreads.com/chrisalmeida

http://goodreads.com/ceciliaaubrey

Amazon Author Pages:

http://amazon.com/author/chrisalmeida

http://amazon.com/author/ceciliaaubrey

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Spotlight Feature of Blade Song by JC Daneils

Blade Song
by: JC Daniels
PUBLICATION DATE:   08/01/12
ORDER LINKS:  Amazon | B&N

Kit Colbana—half breed, assassin, thief, jack of all trades—has a new job: track down the missing ward of one of the local alpha shapeshifters. It should be a piece of cake.

So why is she so nervous? It probably has something to do with the insanity that happens when you deal with shifters—especially sexy ones who come bearing promises of easy jobs and easier money.

Or maybe it’s all the other missing kids that Kit discovers while working the case, or the way her gut keeps screaming she’s gotten in over her head. Or maybe it’s because if she fails—she’s dead.

If she can stay just one step ahead, she should be okay. Maybe she’ll even live long to collect her fee


Excerpt:

“Well, well, little warrior,” Jude murmured, turning to face me. “You pick unusual company these days. That’s Annette’s most favorite toy. How did you get so lucky? She doesn’t share her toys well.”

Annette. The cat-bitch’s name was Annette. It didn’t suit her. Kitty-cat Barbie was so much more fun.

I sneered at him and dropped down into one of the chairs.

“He’s not a toy I’m interested in playing with,” I muttered. Then I mentally cringed, knowing exactly how Jude would take it.

Yep. Seconds later, his hand stroked over my cheek. “I’m glad to hear it, little warrior. I’m not particularly good at sharing…and I’d hate to have to share you with that.”

I batted his hand away. “Newsflash, vamp. I’m not yours.”

“So you keep insisting.” He snagged the only other piece of furniture in the room, another chair, and swung it around, straddling it and staring at me as he rested his arms on the back. “Why are you working with cats?”

“A job. Money. Same reason I take any job.”

His gaze flickered down to my throat. “It’s a job that’s gotten you in trouble already. Is it paying well?”

“Not well enough,” I muttered.

A fist slammed against the door and I groaned as I felt the magic of the ward crackle. “Open the fucking door, Colbana.”

“He has a nasty temper,” Jude murmured.

Absently, I touched my throat. “I can handle it.” To be fair, Damon hadn’t laid a hand on me since that first day, except to push me out of the way a few times. It had been necessary more than a few times, and not just when we’d gone trolling down in Wolf Haven.

“I heard the Alpha’s nephew was missing.”

I shot Jude a dark look as the pounding at the door increased. Damon shouted, “Colbana, open the door or I’m going to wring your fucking neck again.”

Sighing, I leaned forward and buried my face in my hands.

A hand touched my knee. Cool as death. I knocked it aside.

Too bad I couldn’t brush aside the whisper in my mind.

“She does not tolerate failure, Kit. Why did you take this job?”

I shoved up out of the chair.

The hell would I answer him.

Jude continued to watch me while Damon banged away on the door. Each time he did, the magic sparked. He’d break the ward soon. It would cost me money to put it back up if he broke it. “I can’t let him break my wards. I need the safe room.”

“Look at me.”

I shouldn’t.

But I did.

The green of his gaze started to glow.

“If you fail her, it’s likely she will try to have you killed. You already know this.”

With a short nod, I acknowledged that. What was the point in denying it?

“I can help you. Not many can stand against the cat Alpha. But I can.”

Rolling my eyes, I stared at him. Why in the hell would he?

I knew I amused him, but my amusement factor shouldn’t get me that far in life.

He came out of the seat. “Would you like a way out, Kit? It will not cost you much.”

“Uh-huh.” I wasn’t about to become another one of his servants.

A faint smile canted Jude’s lips upward. “I have enough of those. Just…” He brushed his fingertips along my bruised neck. “One taste. For now. Another when you require my assistance…should it come to that.”

I tensed. No.

“Why not? It’s just a taste, Kit. And it will not harm you, nor bind you…and if it comes to it, it could be the very thing to save to you.”

Why in the world would he be willing to fuck with the Alpha Cat just for a taste of my blood?

A smile pulled his lips back from his teeth and the glow in his eyes started to go red.

“Fucking with her is reason enough…”

Read more…

Shiloh Walker/J.C. Daniels

 
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Kelly’s Review of Wicked Nights by Gena Showalter

Wicked Nights
AUTHOR: Gena Showalter
PUBLICATION DATE: 06/26/12
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Leader of the most powerful army in the heavens, Zacharel has been deemed nearly too dangerous, too ruthless–and if he isn’t careful, he’ll lose his wings. But this warrior with a heart of ice will not be deterred from his missions at any cost…until a vulnerable human tempts him with a carnal pleasure he’s never known before.

Accused of a crime she did not commit, Annabelle Miller has spent four years in an institution for the criminally insane. Demons track her every move, and their king will stop at nothing to have her. Zacharel is her only hope for survival, but is the brutal angel with a touch as hot as hell her salvation–or her ultimate damnation?

REVIEW:
Wicked Nights is Gena Showalter’s first book in her Angels of the Dark Series. Which is a spin off of the Lords of the Underworld series. If you have been living under a rock you really need to read the Lords series, they are very very good. We get glimpses of the Angels in the Lords of the Underworld series so I am very excited that they are getting their own series. Okay, back to focus on the Angels.

In Wicked Nights we meet Zacharel who is the reluctant leader of a band of very bad angels. A group of angels on the verge of losing their wings and becoming Fallen Angels. Zacharel has never been one to follow the rules, he has always done his own thing no matter the consequences. But all that he is and everything he has ever been is about to be challenged and put to the ultimate test. A test that he can’t afford to lose.

The last 4 years of Annabelle’s live has been nothing but pain and misery. After the murder of her parents, Annabelle is locked away for the crime. But Annabelle knows the truth about who killed her parents. She knows this because she saw the monster do it. But no one believes her. No one knows that each day more demons come for her. While Annabelle is use to demon’s coming after her she is unprepared for an Angel to show up in her room.

Oh how I loved this books… Gena does an amazing job of keeping my interest from page one to the very last page. Nowhere in between was I ever board. I love the cast of characters in this book. All total bad boy, bad ass angels that I am very excited to learn more about. If you are a fan of the LoTU series, there are a few surprise visits that will make you chuckle. If you have not read the LoTU series never fear, you do not have to read before the Angels of the Dark series. Although I would highly recommend the Lords of the Underworld series. If you want to read more about the LoTU check them out here .

REVIEWED BY:Kelly

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Kimberly’s Review of Crazy on You by Rachel Gibson

Crazy On You
AUTHOR: Rachel Gibson
PUBLICATION DATE: 05/01/12
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Return to Lovett, Texas, the setting of Daisy’s Back in Town, in this smart and sexy new story from Rachel Gibson, the New York Times bestselling author of Rescue Me and the Seattle Chinooks books.

Lily Darlington’s been called crazy in her day-and, yeah, driving her car into her ex-husband’s living room probably wasn’t the smartest move ever made-but the louse deserved it. Now Lily is happily single, and she’s turned it all around. She knows she’s a good mom, a homeowner, and a businesswoman, all wrapped up in one good-looking package.

A package that police officer Tucker Matthews is dying to unwrap. This ex-military man sure doesn’t need another woman in his life. His last girlfriend left him with nothing but memories and a cat named Pinky! But living next door to Lily has been driving him nuts. He dreams about her long blonde hair and even longer legs. And maybe it’s time to go a little crazy . . . and fall in love.

REVIEW:
This is a short novella of about 80 pages that brings us back to Lovett, Texas where we first visited in Daisy’s Back In Town. We met Lily in the first book and as a secondary character she stole the scenes she was in and now we get a short story to catch us up on what has been going on. Lily has tried to change her ways and become a upstanding citizen so her 10 year old son can hold his head high. But then comes Tucker who is new in town, younger and crazy about Lily and her son.

The character of Lily has changed some from the original book she is not so wild and carefree. Tucker is very charismatic and endearing. I wish the novella had been a full novel and had gone on for another hundred or more pages. There was so much crammed into this short book and it is a shame we only got a taste of Lily’s story because she is the kind of character women love to read about.

4 Hearts

REVIEWED BY: Kimberly

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Kelly’s Review of Night Walker by Lisa Kessler

Night Walker
Night Series #1
AUTHOR: Lisa Kessler
PUBLICATION DATE: 08/02/11
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
He gave up his soul for a second chance to love her…
Two and a half centuries ago, Calisto Terana lost everything when a zealous priest murdered the woman he loved. Now, desperate for another chance to love her, he wants redemption for the mistake that cost her life.
She’s haunted by dreams of her own death…
After catching her fiance with another woman, Kate Bradley returns to San Diego to clear her head. The last thing she needs is romance, but after meeting Calisto she’s drawn to him in ways she doesn’t understand.
They’ve waited in the shadows for centuries…
Calisto has no doubt Kate is the reincarnation of his lost love, but the Fraternidad Del Fuego Santo has a new watcher with dark ambitions of his own. As old enemies re-emerge and a new threat arises, the betrayal that enslaved Calisto to the night might destroy the only woman he’s ever loved again.

REVIEW:
The connection that Calisto & Kate have spans the test of time. Fate has finally brought them back together only to try to drive them apart. But this time will be different. This time Calisto will not let his enemy’s have her even if that means sending her away. Oh but Fate can’t be messed with. What fate wants is what fate gets.

Night Walker is the first book in Lisa Kessler’s new Night Series. This was a good first book. I will say for me it started a little slow. I didn’t really feel a connection to the characters until about chapter 15. Oh, there were parts that tugged at my heartstrings, but for the most part it took me awhile to get connected. After I finally got that connection I grow to love these characters. And was rooting for their happy ending. Did they get it? I can’t say… 🙂 You have to read the book.

I did enjoy this book. I am looking forward to where Lisa is going to be taking us next.

3 1/2 Hearts

REVIEWED BY: Kelly

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Kimberly’s Review of Guarding Jess by Shannon Curtis

Guarding Jess
AUTHOR: Shannon Curtis
PUBLICATION DATE: 05/14/12
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Jessica Pennington’s work as an etiquette coach requires her to be polite and proper at all times, especially now that she has a book coming out. The only thing that rattles her reserve is the increasingly violent emails and texts from her persistent stalker. With the book launch in jeopardy, she reluctantly hires a bodyguard.

Noah Samuels hates stuck-up, prim people like Jessica. He’s more the blunt, straightforward type. But to advance up the ranks at McCormack Security, he has to take the high-profile assignment. After a near miss on his first day on the job, Noah realizes that the stalker isn’t just hype cooked up to sell books-the threat is real.

As the stalker escalates from letters to letter bombs, Noah sees a vulnerable side of Jessica that rouses more than just his protective instincts. But can she let down her guard long enough to trust Noah before it’s too late?

REVIEW:
When you first begin this book you have a feeling it is the same old same old story of the strong but silent type man protecting the “proper” woman. She has to be proper and polite and he just wants to “ruffle her hair to see her messed up a little” and honestly it is but it is a fun read. Noah is the type of guy who does not say much but when he does you want to cry for him or laugh at him. And Jessica is just a woman who wants to please everyone but never seems to be happy with herself.

While there was not a lot different in this book from practically every other book about a bodyguard guarding a celebrity I enjoyed the read a lot. The characters are enjoyable. I love how Noah puts his foot in his mouth more often than not and with Jessica you want to yell at her to loosen up and go for it with Noah. The book is very well written and was a great suspenseful story. I will say while I had the who figured out I certainly did not have the why figured out and the ending had some interesting twist. I found this book very enjoyable to read.

4 Hearts

REVIEWED BY: Kimberly

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Kelly’s Review of Dangerous Secrets by Lisa Renee Jones

Dangerous Secrets
book #2 in the Tall, Dark & Deadly Series
AUTHOR: Lisa Renee Jones
PUBLICATION DATE: 04/06/12
ORDER LINKS: Amazon
BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Being a divorce attorney for the rich and famous isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. Julie Harrison has learned that love doesn’t last, and she’s sworn never to make the same mistakes as her mother, or her clients. She uses the games men play to keep them at a distance. The only man who managed to break down her walls was Luke Walker, a Navy SEAL who loved her and left her, and changed her forever.

When Luke arrives back in New York, running Walker Security with his brothers and having left his Navy SEAL days behind, he sets his sights on Julie, the woman he’s always wanted and couldn’t have. Except, she runs from him every time he gets close.

But now, one of Julie’s clients, a powerful judge, gets involved with a dangerous cartel, and his soon-to-be-ex wife ends up dead. Julie’s next on the list, and she finds herself on the run from those who believe she knows too much, and counting on Luke to keep her alive. In the deepest, darkest moments of the night, passion will bring them together while danger threatens to tear them apart. Can Julie and Luke trust each other and find their happy ending before they find … the end?

REVIEW:
Luke and Julie have a history that neither can forget. But when Luke & Julie meet up again the sparks fly. But Julie is not sure if she can lose herself in Luke again. It hurt to much the first time she lost him, she doesn’t know if she would survive a second time. But when Julie’s life is in danger, Luke to keep her safe and prove to her that he is not going anywhere.

This was a great second installment in Lisa’s Tall, Dark & Deadly series. I just love it when big tough as nails guys get all soft and mushy about the woman they love. But at the same time Luke is deadly as hell. And now one messes with his woman. This was a good story that had me wondering just who really was the bad guy. There were many to choose from.

I am really enjoying this series and am looking forward to Blake’s book

4 Hearts

REVIEWED BY: Kelly