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Interview & Giveaway with JN Johnson

Books-n-Kisses is pleased to have JN Johnson on the blog today!!  
We are chatting about her new (debut) book Passionate Tides.


1.      Can you please share with us a little about yourself
 Living in her hometown of Charleston West Virginia Jennifer is the proud mom of two beautiful little girls, Rebecca and Josie and is married to her high school sweetheart Nathan who she considers the rock that keeps her grounded to reality. She was first introduced to the world of fantasy when she was seven years old reading The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe making her never want to read about the “real world” again. Her mom and grandmother’s love of romance novels gave her the opportunity to learn about book trading, taking all of their old books to the local flea market to trade for anything that sparked her interest. Those days are long gone; her books now stay safely on her book shelves at home and out of harm’s way.

2.      Have you always wanted to be an author? 
      No but for some odd reason I can’t remember what I wanted to be when I was little. Reviewing for Sizzling Hot Books is really what inspired me to write Passionate Tides, I became such a fan of the short romantic stories that were written by authors who are just like me and I thought “you know what I can do this” so I sat down one day and started writing and here we are.

3.      Can you share with us your typical writing day.  
      Is there anything you have to have while writing?  Hmm, my typical writing day changes all of the time. My favorite time to write is when I’m totally alone with no distractions, I know it’s weird but taking a long drive and then hiding in my car seems to be my favorite so far.

4.      Most challenging or rewarding part of writing? 
      When I got the call saying that “yes we want your book, Congrats your being published” that was pretty awesome but when my ten year old had her first book published through her school this year and she said “Mom we were published on the same day how cool is that ?” I knew that nothing in the world could beat that feeling.

5.      Can you please tell us about your latest book(s)? 
      My latest book happens to be my first book; Passionate Tides is a story about two people overcoming their past heartbreaks and find love again on Topsail Island, North Carolina.

6.      How did you come with the idea for this story? 
      It was one of those lazy Sundays where my husband, me and my two girls had curled up in bed to watch daddy beat the bad guys on the play station, I had pulled up my laptop to look at vacation destinations and the words that are now Passionate Tides hit me like a hammer and demanded to be written down. Two days late I sent a rough draft to Marissa and the rest is history. The setting came pretty easy to me, Topsail Island, NC is a tiny island in the Outer banks where my husband and I spent our honey moon and most of our family vacation.

7.      Can you share with us your current work in progress?
      I am currently working on two stories one is a paranormal series that has been beating at me to finish it for awhile now. The other is a story I hope to submit to Ruby Lioness Press for their Clearwater Series.

8.      Who are some of your favorite authors? 
      Oh there are so many to list but I will try. Kim Harrison is one of my favorites and I had the pleasure of meeting her last year. LKH, Jeanine Frost, Patricia Briggs, Lara Adrian, Kresley Cole and Chloe Neil are some of my favorite main stream authors but since I have been reviewing for Sizzling Hot Books I find that there are so many authors out there producing amazing books that are not on any Best Sellers list but definitely should be, I’m very thankful for sites like yours that give these authors a forum to share their works and extend their audience.

9.      Do you feel that any of your favorite authors have inspired your writing style? 
      I think being the avid reader that I am I have been influenced by a slew of authors. I think the more I read the better I write.

10.  What is in your To Read Pile that you are dying to start or upcoming release you can’t wait for? 
      Right now I am reading Kim Harrisons A Perfect Blood, but the top of my TBR pile is the newest release in the Undead in Brown County series by S.J Wright, The Vampires Redemption.

11.  Is there anything else you would like to add?  
     Thank you for giving me the chance to introduce your followers to me and my story Passionate Tides. I hope that everyone that reads it likes it as much as I did writing it.  I love to hear from authors, reviewers and readers. Happy Reading.


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Spotlight Feature & Giveaway: Vampire Awakening by Eliza Gayle

Vampire Awakening
By Eliza Gayle
Order Here: Amazon
The truth may set her free but there’s no guarantee she’ll recover.
Abby Douglas has lived in the dark for six months. Until a mysterious package and a voice in a dream spark a chain of events she didn’t see coming. To futher complicate matters, a lethally stunning stranger walks into her life and awakens erotic needs inside her that run deep. Now she has to decide how much she’ll give up to unlock her memories.
Caleb Barrett, a vampire on a mission, pursues Abby while on the hunt for a homicidal vampire. Instead he’s captured by a silken voice and haunting eyes that stir an insatiable hunger. An instant connection is forged and Caleb marks her as his own with no intention of letting her go. When she runs from him all bets are off and this dead sexy cowboy will do whatever it takes to find out what secrets her mind harbors before it’s too late. Rules or no rules.
Suddenly being careful what you wish for is more than just another cliché, it’s life or death.
This books contains one sexy as sin, motorcycle riding, black leather wearing vampire with a two track mind. Sex and blood.
EXCERPT:
He took a sip of beer. A man couldn’t help but wonder how she’d respond to the dark nature of his thoughts. He imagined his hands curled around her narrow waist before working his way beyond the gentle flare that led to her lushly rounded ass.
His cock lengthened, pressing tight against his zipper as images of her naked body spread out before him overtook his brain. Thoughts of soft, pale skin had his fangs descending with a surge of desire while imagining his first pierce into a creamy thigh. The flood of her essence would be like a burst of sunshine on a cold, dark night.
“Hey, Caleb buddy, you’re about to see what really brings us out to this dive night after night.” Caleb fought the urges rushing through him as he focused on his friends again. “Abby is one hell of a singer.”
Caleb looked back to the stage as Abby stepped up to the microphone. When the band started a slow melody, the crowd fell silent, waiting, every eye on the enchanting woman about to sing to them.
She swept her eyes around the room, briefly connecting with him before her lids slid shut and the first line of lyrics slipped from her ruby lips. “I’m not sure about this. I’m not sure about anything anymore. I fight to look inside.”
The dark voice from the small, beautiful woman whipped through him, heating his blood and flooding his mind with more lustful images. Images of their two bodies intertwined across blood red silk sheets. His fingers wrapped in her long hair, pulling her head back, exposing her pulse at the base of her pale throat. Her arms wrapped around his back, urging him forward. Those haunting amethyst eyes imploring him to take her as his hips surged forward, burying his cock to the hilt.
Shaking his head, he forced the all-too-real images from his mind.
“Who are you and who am I?” Her velvety voice reached for him as her eyes opened, releasing a small tear. Caleb watched the tiny drop track down her cheek. He fought the urge to run to the stage and drag her away. The compelling need to claim her came from deep within his soul.
From Eliza (sort of)
“I hope you will enjoyed reading Vampire Awakening as much as I loved writing it.
My next all new paranormal book, Bad Kitty will arrive in stores this summer. But don’t despair, I have several other books available to tide you over.
If you’ve not yet read my paranormal shapeshifter series, The Black Cougars, I’d highly recommend you start there with Lucas. The series follows three alpha male shifters who must face the challenge of their lives–mating. Amidst enemies who will stop at nothing to get what they want, these brothers face danger, pride, secrets and choices that change everything.
Malcolm, the third in the series has recently been nominated for best Erotic Paranormal Romance of 2012 at The Romance Reviews!
Enjoy this brief excerpt from Malcolm:
Malcolm Gunn stopped breathing at the shift of air in his house. His eyes popped open when the fur prickled along his forearms, warning him of the intruder nearby. He’d gone to bed hours ago but something had kept him from falling into a deep sleep and now he knew what.
Someone had been hunting him and was now in his home.
Nose to the air, he took a slow deep breath, seeking the scent of a hunter. 
Cougar. Familiar.
The scent was unmistakable, one any other of his kind would recognize right off the bat. His eyes slid closed as he allowed the smell deeper inside while he sought an answer to what he faced. Definitely not one of his brothers but still a cougar. He couldn’t help but wonder what idiot would be so brave as to enter the lair of a black cougar without permission. He’d easily be within his rights to kill on sight with no questions asked. Yeah, if he was still part of the clan.  As an outcast no one gave a shit about him and any aggression toward another cougar could easily lead to a visit from one of his brothers, The Death Enforcers.
He brushed his fingers across the hair on his chest to relieve the prickling another’s presence in his house created. The scent had a distinct underlay to it besides the basic aggression that always lay just underneath the surface of a were cougar on a hunt. A sudden flash of sweet reached him then and his body arrowed up from the bed, his bare feet landing silently against the hardwood floors. 
A woman prowled his house. And not just any woman.
Malcolm crouched low to the ground, careful not to disturb the airflow around the room. Better not to let her know he was awake and lying in wait for her. He’d give her a little more time to get closer. His hand slid back underneath the single pillow on his bed and wrapped around the hilt of the hunting knife that he kept there. Nowadays the weapon was mostly used for gutting animals he’d caught, but habit made him keep it for protection as well. He had no idea what her intentions were but he wasn’t about to face her unprepared. It had been a long time since he’d had to kill a person and while the animal in him remembered it occasionally, the man didn’t miss it at all.
Giveaway: 
Winner’s choice!!!!!! 
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Interview with Susan Mallery

New York Times bestselling author Susan Mallery has entertained millions of readers with her witty and emotional stories about women and the relationships that move them. Susan is honored by enthusiastic readers who say that her books make them laugh, make them cry, and make the world a happier place to live. Susan lives in Seattle with her husband and her tiny but intrepid toy poodle. She’s there for the coffee, not the weather.
Susan’s latest book is BAREFOOT SEASON, the heart-wrenching story of two wounded women who heal their friendship – and find love with two fabulous men – over one long, lovely summer on Blackberry Island, Washington. BAREFOOT SEASON is the first book of Susan’s new Blackberry Island series of women’s fiction novels.
Susan, what made BAREFOOT SEASON a story you had to tell?
I find female friendship endlessly fascinating. I feel very blessed to have several strong, supportive friendships that have endured for years. We celebrate each other’s successes, grieve for each other’s losses, nurture and praise and lecture – whatever is called for at that moment. I know how strong friendship between women can be.
But friendship can also be fragile.
One day, I asked myself, What if you and your best friend fell in love with the same man… and then he chose her? Could you be truly happy for her when your heart is breaking? What would you do if he then came to you – this man you both love – and told you that he made a mistake, that he should have chosen you? Could you turn him away? From this spark came BAREFOOT SEASON.
As children, Michelle and Carly were as close as sisters, running free on Blackberry Island. Now, ten years after their friendship was destroyed by love, they’re forced together again by circumstances to save the Blackberry Island Inn.  Along the way, they’ll each find love with two great men and the sense of family they’d been missing for so many years. I do love a happy ending!
BAREFOOT SEASON is the first book of your new Blackberry Island series. What can you tell us about Blackberry Island, both the books and the place?
On Blackberry Island, life is sweet and the happy ending is guaranteed! I’m a firm believer that life is better with romance, so you can rest assured that the women on Blackberry Island will find love with men who will make your toes curl. The Blackberry Island books will also allow me to explore other relationships. We women often define ourselves by the relationships in our lives. Not just by our romantic relationships, but by our friendships, our relationships with our mothers, our children, our bosses, our neighbors… For us, it’s not so much “what do you do?” as “whom do you love and who loves you back?” that determines how we feel about ourselves. It’s nice to stretch my wings a little to write about some of these other defining relationships, as well.
Blackberry Island is a quaint island off the coast of Seattle, a popular weekend escape for Seattlites who want to get out of the city. You can get to the island either across Getaway Bridge or by ferry. Locals are friendly hosts, happy to direct you to one of several wineries on the island, the daisy fields that have made it the Daisy Capital of the West Coast, and the Puget Sound Crane habitats. You can learn more about Blackberry Island at www.blackberryisland.com. And yes, it’s fictional, but it’s real in my heart, as I hope it will become real in yours!
BAREFOOT SEASON is more of a women’s fiction, then, rather than a straight romance. Are you moving away from writing romance?
Absolutely not! I love romance. There is still nothing more exciting to me than watching two people fall in love. I adore the first kiss, my heart always sinks when things are at their darkest and it looks hopeless, and I am as thrilled as ever when love triumphs in the end. My next romance will be SUMMER DAYS, book 7 of the Fool’s Gold series, which will land in stores on May 29. Well, that’s the next full-length romance. On May 1, I’ll release ALMOST SUMMER, a Fool’s Gold ebook novella. Then there will be two more Fool’s Gold romances in July and August, plus a Christmas gift-sized hardcover in October called A FOOL’S GOLD CHRISTMAS. If you’ll sign up for my mailing list at www.susanmallery.com/members/, I’ll send you an email on release day.
Do you think book clubs will enjoy BAREFOOT SEASON? Why or why not?
I do! I belong to a book club, and the books we most enjoy discussing are the books that feel like a slice of life. In BAREFOOT SEASON, the two women at the center of the story are both decent people who have legitimate reasons for feeling the way they do, which means that book club members can legitimately fall on either side of the issue that’s causing the conflict in the book.
I’m always very proud when readers and reviewers say that they really identified with the characters in my books. Those characters feel as real to me as people in real life – a fact which is endlessly confusing for my poor husband, who has to ask for clarification when I tell him about something that someone did that day. “Is she a real person?” he’s forced to ask.
I think readers will really connect with the characters in BAREFOOT SEASON. Carly is a hard-working, loving single mom. She would do anything for her daughter, including put up with the woman who betrayed her. If the inn goes under, Carly doesn’t just lose her job – she loses her home, the only home her daughter has ever known.
Michelle is sarcastic and funny and kind of crabby. I do love a crabby woman! Michelle is prickly, but beneath that prickliness, she’s loyal and has a heart that won’t quit. Wait until you meet the dog she rescues – and who rescues her.
I’ve included a readers’ discussion guide in BAREFOOT SEASON to help get the conversation started. There are even a couple of recipes! I’d be happy to chat about the book live via phone or Skype with any book club that selects BAREFOOT SEASON. Just email my assistant at jenel (at) susanmallery (dot) com to set it up.
What kind of research did you do?
In BAREFOOT SEASON, Michelle is struggling with post-traumatic stress after being wounded in Afghanistan. Since I’ve never served in the military, I wanted to be sure I got those details right, to honor the women who serve our country. I did a lot of research online, then I spoke personally with Sergeant Betty Thurman. What struck me time and again was how proud our soldiers are of what they do. Rightfully so. These are strong, resilient women. Although they are barred from certain duties, they can and do serve in war zones. They can and do put their lives on the line, and they do it because they love our country.
After I finished the book, I asked a fan of mine who has been deployed twice to read it for a “gut check.”  Did I get the emotions right, I wanted to know. She told me that she felt as if I was in her head. On top of being a soldier, she is a wife and mother to four children. She loved the book so much that she has preordered ten copies to send to her “battle buddies.”
What do you hope your readers take away from reading BAREFOOT SEASON?
Friends can become family. We’re not all lucky enough to be born with the family we deserve, but we can build a family by surrounding ourselves with loving, supportive friends.
How did you come up with the title BAREFOOT SEASON?
In the book, Michelle spots Carly’s young daughter in the back yard, barefoot and spinning in circles with her face raised toward the sun and her arms outstretched. It makes her long for the long summer days of her own childhood, when she and Carly ran barefoot around Blackberry Island. In her mind, being barefoot is closely connected with innocence, with the time in her life before she had been hurt, before she knew there was darkness in the world.
What’s next for you, after BAREFOOT SEASON?
This summer, I’m heading back to Fool’s Gold, California – the Land of Happy Endings – with four brand new full-length novels, plus an ebook novella. The titles and release dates are:
ALMOST SUMMER – May 1 (ebook novella)
SUMMER DAYS – May 29
SUMMER NIGHTS – June 26
ALL SUMMER LONG – July 31

A FOOL’S GOLD CHRISTMAS – September 25

Want to learn more about Susan? 
Check her out here: 

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RELEASE DAY FOR THE WARDEN!!!!! & I have a fun giveaway for you!!!

Lover Reborn 

Black Dagger Brotherhood #10
by J.R. Ward
In the darkest corners of the night in Caldwell, New York, a conflict like no other rages. The city is home to a band of brothers born to defend their race: the warrior vampires of the Black Dagger Brotherhood.Now back in the Brotherhood – and unrecognisable as the vampire leader he once was – Tohrment is physically emaciated and heartbroken beyond despair. When he begins to see his beloved in his dreams – trapped in a cold, isolating netherworld – Tohr turns to a self-serving fallen angel in hopes of saving the one he has lost.

When he’s told he must learn to love another to free his former mate, Tohr knows they are all doomed…Except then a female with a shadowed history begins to get through to him. Against the backdrop of the raging war with the lessers, and with a new clan of vampires vying for the Blind King’s throne, Tohr struggles between the buried past, and a very hot, passion-filled future… but can his heart let go and set all of them free?


You ready for this giveaway???? 
I have a SIGNED copy of Lover Reborn for one of my lucky followers.
YES, you read that right… I have an extra signed copy.   
So who wants to enter?   
Please fell out the Rafflecopter below 



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Guest blogger: Sabrina Luna


My Love Affair with Charlotte …North Carolina, that is!
By Sabrina Luna, author of Crazy for You in the LOVE AGAIN anthology
When I first sat down at my computer to tell Erica and Shawn’s love story in Crazy for You, I knew I wanted it to take place in Charlotte, North Carolina.  I grew up just over the stateline in South Carolina and had visited the Queen City often with friends for special things, like shopping or to see a movie or concert. 
In 2006, I moved here and really got to know her better.  I say ‘her’ because Charlotte has become more familiar to me.  The more I cruise her streets and check out interesting places around the city, I feel a special connection to this city.  So, by starting my story off with my hero’s arrival at the Charlotte Douglas International Airport, I knew the Queen City and her smaller neighbor, Pineville NC, would be an ideal setting.
Now, I must confess, there are some fictional elements in the setting too.  All the names of the stores, restaurants and even the hotel that Shawn stays in are fictional.  However, those places are actually based on places in the city I’ve been.  While writing, I could see, in my creative mind’s eye, Shawn and Erica in these settings.  Not only did it make the scene more believable to me, but I sincerely hope it makes the scene more real to you, the reader, too!
Yes, I’ve been to places like Astro’s Lounge, the uptown club where Erica and the bridal party go for drinks and watch a stripper named Fabio.  And the alternation shop and Chinese restaurant in Pineville are loosely based on actual shops in the town just outside of Charlotte too. 
But my favorite location in Crazy for You is the hotel in uptown Charlotte where Shawn stays before the wedding.  It’s based on one of the city’s newer hotels and I actually attended a private pre-bridal shower party in a room very much like his too.  The building seemed to be created with all steel and glass, in which I didn’t personally find cozy, but the high-rise hotel did have a stunning view of the city.
Even though the names of some of the locations are fictionalized, I hope you’ll enjoy a glimpse of Charlotte, North Carolina –the city where I write and live!
Love, Again is a Valentine’s Day anthology from Ruby Lioness Press with a second chance theme. Love, Again releases February 14, 2012. 

Crazy for You by Sabrina Luna
Shawn Flint wants to rekindle the spark between him and Erica Kelly when he surprises her and his family by flying into Charlotte, North Carolina for his stepsister’s wedding, but Erica is still cautious, wanting to keep their affair a secret.  Can Shawn overcome Erica’s protests and convince her that he is totally crazy for her?
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Guest blogger: Cecilia Roberts


Searing Kisses, better than sex?

Thank you for hosting on Books–n-Kisses, Kelly.
A kiss can be either drugging, or well, disgusting. Depends on who is doing the kissing. I believe chemistry between the two people plays a big role. What about if it’s the first kiss between two people? Imagine the anticipation and anxiety wondering how it would be, or the first physical contact? Or if two people, two best friends, one has always had feelings for his best friend, while the other is unaware of his/her friends feelings. Every person has a different reaction. Myself, I love a kiss that makes my toes curl. Better than sex anytime, and the good thing is, kisses can happen anywhere. And can lead to much, much more. If the kiss is as scorching as it is intoxicating, the sex will be better.
In my contemporary romance, Frey and Liese share a kiss. I’d like to share an excerpt from Truly, Madly, Deeply, You.
“Like, say, a kiss. On my cheek, if my lips might be little bit overwhelming for you.”
He became aware of the change in her breathing, and her squirming on the seat.
“Is that a challenge, Frey? You know better than to dare me. I never walked away
from a dare, remember?”
Oh, yes. He remembered every detail of the dares they had had over the years, up until
she got married to Bastian. An idea began forming in his head. Maybe, just maybe this would
be the one way…. “Yes, Li. It’s a dare. Come on, show me what you have in you.”
He saw hesitation in her eyes, uncertainty. If he didn’t goad her, she wasn’t going to
kiss him. And right now, he wanted that more than the cold air he breathed. “Scared of an itsy
bitsy little challenge?”
Her eyes narrowed at the challenging tone. Her full lips tightened, and then stretched
into the amazing smile that always sent his heart to a full gallop inside his chest.
“As a matter of fact, no.” She leaned forward and brushed her lips over his, then
pulled back and stared at him.
He rolled his eyes. “That was purely for show.” He leaned his head back, and lifted a
brow at her. “Is that all you got for me, Miss Dare-Me-Anytime-of-the-Year?”
She inhaled sharply. Without warning, she slid her hands around his neck and yanked
him closer. Her lips crashed into his, soft yet demanding. Caught off guard, he braced his
hands behind her head on the car seat to keep his full weight from landing on her. This was
the most awkward position he had ever kissed anyone in, or been kissed in, for that matter.
Before he could adapt to the quality of the kiss, it changed. The demanding note was gone,
and was replaced by a kiss so sensual it wiped the painful stitch from his side, along with any
sense of coherent thought. He groaned and shifted his body. Without breaking the kiss, he
climbed into the car, knelt in front of her, and urged her knees apart to accommodate his
torso. And then it ended so fast he was left reeling and breathing heavily.
He leaned forward, touching his forehead to hers. He closed his eyes, trying to breathe
in and out normally. He was aware of her rapid breathing, just as fast as his, and he knew the
kiss affected her as it had affected him.
His eyes flew open at the soft chuckle, cutting through the charged-up air.
“So, what were you saying Mr Dare-To-Kiss-Me?” The hands dropped away from his
face, but the warmth of them, and the kiss, lingered on.
“Intoxicating,” he said, as he attempted to step out of the car.
I just love a well done butter me up scotching kiss. J
Book Title:  Truly, Madly, Deeply, You
Author: Cecilia Robert
Genre:  Contemporary Romance
Publisher: InkSpell Publishing
Publication Date: March 21st  2012
Format: eBook, Kindle
Book Synopsis:
Four days before Valentine’s Day, Liese Hansfeld is determined to shut the door to her house, as well as her heart, for her annual four days of mourning her one true love. Little does she know her best friend Freytag Meier is just as determined to keep her from her ritual. He’s ready to pick the lock to her apartment door and camp in her living room if that’s what it takes.
What Freytag isn’t prepared for is the surge of deep-rooted emotions he feels for Liese, but two things stand in his way: the grief and guilt she still clutches close to her heart, and a man who threatens to snatch Liese from under Frey’s watchful eye. Frey is determined to distract her into forgetting her pain. But is that enough to ease her grief, or help her see he can be more than her best friend
Cecilia Robert enjoys the play and weave of words that make up a good story. She enjoys creating fantastical worlds and getting lost in them. She often meets a prince, a princess, a pirate, ordinary and badass boy or girl who take her through the wonderful world of dreaming and fantasy.
 She doesn’t have particular leanings to any kind of story as long as it captures her attention She reads and enjoys urban/dark fantasy romance,  paranormal, contemporary, sci-fi, mystery or horror as much as her children’s school books.
 Some nights, you can find her reading Puss in Boots for her daughter, or trying to understand how to read Manga comics from her son.
Important Links
Author Website:
http://cecereadandwrite.blogspot.com/
Twitter:
https://twitter.com/#!/CeCeMR
Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/CeciliaMRobert
Publisher Website:
http://inkspellpublishing.com
Goodreads:
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13358709-truly-madly-deeply-you
Pre-order:
http://www.inkspellpublishing.com/4/post/2012/01/truly-madly-deeply-you.html
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Kimberly’s review of Becoming Sage by Kasi Alexandra

Becoming Sage
The Keyhole #1
By Kasi Alexandra
Amazon | B&N
With a failed marriage behind her, Jill Marten was looking to start a new chapter in her life. She had no idea that running into her old friend, Jessie, would unlock a whole new world. When she accepts Jessie’s invitation to a party, in order to “try something completely different,” it awakens a need to discover her place in a new community. Jessie, also known as sunni, is a submissive slave who is in a loving relationship with her Master, Sir Rune. When Rune and sunni ask Jill to be a part of their family, Jill begins her journey into submission, bondage, and polyamory, even as she questions everything that she has been taught about love and relationships. She begins to face her own desires and fears as she struggles with feelings of jealousy, inadequacy, and self-worth. Once she opens the door to a life she never imagined, a peek through the keyhole is no longer enough, and she must learn what it means to become sage.
Kasi Alexander’s debut novel, Becoming sage, is the first installment in The Keyhole Series. An active member of the BDSM community, Kasi brings a true-to-life realism to her writing. This is not traditional erotica, but the series offers an intimate look into the lives of the men and women who live the BDSM lifestyle, in particular, the Master/slave dynamic.
Review by Kimberly:
Jill is coming off of a divorce and is at a point where she just wants to figure out what she wants in life. She reconnects with a old school mate, Jessie, who introduces Jill to her boyfriend, Rune.  But when they head to a party Jill starts to see a different way of life involving BDSM and Polyamory. She is invited into the world of Sir Rune and sunni (Jessie) and into a world where she feels she belongs not just to another but to herself as well.
If you are looking for a book about sex this is not the one to read. This is a story written in the first person by Jill. The author, Kasi Alexander, is actually an active part of this community which makes the book much more realistic. Kasi follows the old saying “Write what you know”.  The point of this book is not to turn a person on… it is an introduction to a lifestyle. If you are into the lifestyle already then you will feel at ease reading this book and will probably see a portion of yourself in this book. If you are not involved in the lifestyle you may find this informative as long as you are open minded. You will find Jill asks a lot of the questions you yourself might ask.
Open the book. Open your mind. Open yourself up to another world you didn’t even know you would enjoy!

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Flying Frog Fairy’s Review of Kidnapped by the Greek Billionaire by Rachel Lyndhusrt

Kidnapped by the Greek Billionaire
By Rachel Lyndhurst
Amazon | B&N

Kidnapped!

Or that’s what it feels like to Kizzy Dean when a business disagreement with arrogant Greek lawyer Andreas Lazarides leaves her no choice but to accompany him to the Greek Isle of Rhodes. It doesn’t help matters this sexy brooding stranger, who is unaccustomed to the word No and the very idea of commitment, shows her what it feels like to be truly desired.

Amidst the ancient myths and alleyways, tensions run high as Kizzy feels an immediate attraction for the man she wants to both ravage and strangle.

Accustomed to gold-digging women, Andreas is mesmerized by Kizzy’s feisty nature and Gypsy beauty. Guilt and sorrow have been his only bedfellows since his sister’s death, but Kizzy stirs up a desire he’s unwilling to succumb to… until she makes him an offer he simply can’t refuse.

Review by Flying Frog Fairy:   2 Stars

Ok, let me start by saying that this book is from a new line by Entangled Publishing, called Lori Wilde’s Indulgence.  It is described like this:

“Lori Wilde’s Indulgence offers readers quick paced, exciting contemporary category romances. Whether funny, sexy, mysterious, edgy, or emotional, they showcase what it’s really like to fall in love in the twenty-first century. The 45,000-60,000 word category romances are written by fresh and hip voices in the industry. Hallmarks of the line will be rapid-fire dialogue, fast moving plot lines, sizzling sex, and realistic characters.  Above all, the heartfelt emotions that speak to the way young people live, love, and work will be at the center of every story. Lori Wilde’s Indulgence will launch February 14th and will be priced at $2.99 per title.”

I have to admit, I didn’t know what to expect from this when I began Kidnapped by the Greek Billionaire. The hero really turned me off in the beginning. He was thoughtless, arrogant and a plain old jerk.  Later on, we learn that there are issues in the past that lead him to behave this way, and we do get to see a better side of him but, by then it is almost too late. And while we, the reader, get to see that better side of him, the heroine…not so much. So, why is he so surprised when she doesn’t behave the way he thinks she should?  I was just so frustrated reading this book. I wanted to yell at the hero to pull his head out of his ass and start behaving like a human being.

The heroine was not much better.  I was dumbstruck that minutes after meeting him, she allows the hero to “kidnap” her away to Greece. It is not really a kidnapping, more of a threat that she caves into. He is testing her, sure she is a golddigger while she…I am not really sure she has a motive. It was like she didn’t have anything better to do, so she went along with it.  Yes there were the initial sparks and she was attracted to the big, hunk of man, but once he showed his true colors, I would have been running the other way.  She just comes off as spineless and not being able to make her own decisions.

That said, as I read on, the characters kind of grew on me.  I was really rooting for Andreas to finally stop living on the past and see what was right in front of him. For all her shortcomings, Kizzy really did fall in love with the dumb galoot.  When the inevitable happens, instead of that ending the story and having HEA, it is just a catalyst for more angst and drama.  During the last 1/4 of the book, I really, FINALLY, felt for the characters.

Then I realized, I had actually felt for them all along. Yeah, I thought Andreas was a dumb ass, and Kizzy was a spineless ninny, but the story actually elicited strong reactions from me. So I am not going to say I loved the book.  But I didn’t hate it either.  In the end Andreas and Kizzy finally redeemed themselves

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Kimberly’s review of More Than Memories by Kristen James

More than Memories
Kristen James
Amazon 

Can she love him if she can’t remember him? Molly Anderson returns “home” to a town she doesn’t remember, hoping it will spark a memory. She runs into Trent Williams, an off duty police officer, and something else definitely sparks.
He wants to know why she left town, with her parents, but without a word to anyone. She doesn’t remember that life. She can only tell him she knew her parents briefly before they died . . . or were murdered, she’s not sure. She hopes regaining her memory will help answer that question.
Trent has his own secrets, but they have a mystery to solve. As they work together and Molly meets their old friends, she realizes their relationship went deeper than memories. In fact, she grew up in Ridge City, even though her parents had said they lived there just a few years. How could she have forgotten her lifelong friend and love? Can she love him again if she doesn’t remember him? There’s also the possibility that she did something awful — and maybe that’s why she’s afraid to remember her old life.
Molly knows she wants him now, but the truth might destroy their love.

Review by Kimberly:  
4 Stars
Molly has forgotten everything and everyone she has ever known and doesn’t even know how it happened. So she heads to places her parents mentioned they have lived before they died in a car accident. In a little town in Oregon she walks into a police station with some questions and she runs into Trent. He cannot believe the woman who walked away from him 5 years ago has just walked back into his life. But when he realizes she doesn’t remember anything he decides he will make it his mission to find the answers that Molly needs to help her remember. And then maybe she will remember the love they shared.
Molly seems lost but strong at the same time. She really wants to remember but is afraid of what she might find out and you really feel for her. Trent is an all-around good guy. They are both very likeable characters. You really end up wanting to know what caused her memory loss. And what traumatic event could have happened that makes her want to forget everything. And I will say while I did try to think of reasons I never went to the answer that was actually given. And while I might have changed a couple of the end “answers” if I had been the writer, the book was really well written and enjoyable. Definitely worth putting on your e-book reader list.

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Kimberly’s review of Decadent Seconds by W. Lynn Chantale

Decadent Second
W. Lynn Chantale
Buy Links: Whispers | Amazon

As a caterer, Darling gets to witness some of life’s happiest moments, but yearns for a marriage proposal of her own. After years of waiting on her beloved to pop the question, she gives up ever having a happy ending of her own and severs the relationship. When she learns she’s pregnant, she has no choice but to face her child’s father on a daily basis as well as the love and attraction she has for him.
Darryl Manning always believed Darling would be his forever. After all he didn’t need a piece of paper to show her how much he loved her, but when she leaves him to pursue her dream of owning a catering company and raising his son, he may have to rethink his views marriage. That is if he wants a second chance at family.

Review by Kimberly:  3 stars 
This is a cute short story. It is different from a lot of stories you read in the fact that the characters where already together recently. It is short but the perfect length. I am not sure if would make a great full length but it is great to have on the go…
Darryl and Darlene were together for 6 years. They just didn’t seem to be on the same page when it had to do with their future so Darlene moves out. She then finds out she is pregnant. They go through the pregnancy and birth as parents but not lovers. But now that the baby is around a year old the feelings are coming back… Should they act on them? Will they come together this time to get it right? Is it worth taking the chance?
As I said its a cute short love story. Sure pick it up to add to your e-books because it is good story to have ready to read if waiting at a appointment. It only takes an hour to read if that…. So why not have it ready?

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Flying Frog Fairy’s Review of Kiss and Make Up by Faye Roberts

Kiss & Make up
By Faye Robertson
Genre: Category romance
Heat: Spicy
Length: 150 pages
Release Date: 2/14/2012
Amazon | B&N 

The Opportunity of a Lifetime…
Makeup artist Tabby Rogers is thrilled to land a job on a New Zealand movie set with lots of perks, including getting her hands on sexy Kiwi stunt man, Eli Black.

The sexual electricity zapping between them can’t be denied, but neither of them is in a position to handle happily-ever-after. Eli’s jetting off to Hollywood, Tabby’s next assignment is in the UK. But there’s nothing wrong with a short-term fling, right?

Except as the sparks burn hotter and responsibilities pull at them from opposite ends of the globe, it quickly becomes clear that something’s gotta give. Must Tabby sacrifice her hard-won career for love? Or will Eli forever be the one that got away?

Review by Flying Frog Fairy:

It starts out as a very lighthearted and fun book. Tabby and Eli are both driven twenty-something’s focused on their careers and avoiding any relationships.  Meeting for the first time on the set of a movie, there are immediate sparks that neither deny.  There is a lot of flirting and the way the characters interact with each other is real and down to earth.  I mean, they are on a movie set but there is no star struck, hero worship going on. It’s about real people, doing their jobs in an interesting field. And the secondary characters are just as interesting. And let us not forget about the steamy sex scenes.

Of course, it is not all sunshine and roses.  What starts out as a mutually agreed upon short term fling is jeopardized when they develop deeper feelings for one another.   While neither is willing to sacrifice their future plans, each asks the other to give them up.  This creates a dilemma that causes many problems. Eli is trying to honor a dying wish and Tabby has been burned before.  I was rooting for them to get on the same page and work it out. I love them as a couple and was desperately hoping for a HEA ending.  Thank goodness Ms. Robertson delivered. I really enjoyed this book. It was fun and easy to read. And yes, it did make me cry just a little.