adult contemporary

These Three (or Four) are REALLY COOKING–A Review—and a FREE Book

Filthy Forties meme

Hi there! In honor of my new “Filthy Forty” status…today I’m featuring a ménage freebie that I found delicious. Yep. It’s REALLY COOKING by Victoria Blisse and it’s sexy and scorching.

Really CookingAbout the book:
Three hot men and one curvy woman, now we’re really cooking.

After breaking out of a truly awful relationship Paula finds herself floundering until she bumps into Gary. He cheers her up with a much coveted appointment at Flair, where more than her hair gets pampered. In return she offers Shane and Gary a cooking lesson to cheer up their ready-meal laden week.

The Friday feast turns into a sex-laden success and becomes a recurring weekly date. Paula loves having the sexual attention of two hot bi guys but longs for something deeper.

Shane sets her up with professional chef, Nigel McCormack. Paula responds to his dominant appeal and the delights of all three men together. But how will Paula fair when she takes up a position in Nigel’s professional kitchen, will she capture his heart or will he return to his first love, food?

My Review:
Paula is a bit adrift after cutting loose her boyfriend. Things hadn’t been progressing here and she wasn’t really looking for anything serious. What woman would, whilst out for drinks with gal-pals in a gay bar? Turns out Paula caught the eye of Gary, a rather good-looking man. Gay, and involved, but they had a great chat about how hopeless Gary is in the kitchen. Hit it off so well, Paula invites Gary and his partner, Shane, to her home for a dinner and cooking lessons. They have fun, and it’s quickly mentioned that Gary and Shane aren’t gay—they’re bisexual. And hungry for more than dinner.

image

Soon the three have regular Friday night meet-up. Paula’s a bit stunned at the new sexual kink in her life, but she isn’t complaining. Not even when Shane invites a friend…master chef Nigel.

Nigel is a busy man, running a first class restaurant, but his social life is nonexistent. The thrill Paula receives, being one-on-one with Nigel, and as part of their ménage, is better than she could have hoped for. And, he loves her food to boot! They take up a side romance, hampered by Nigel’s hectic work schedule–until the unthinkable happens, and Paula’s no nonsense, fix-it skills lead Nigel into a great opportunity–cooking shows on TV. Can these two maintain their off-screen kink? Or, will too many cooks spoil the dish? (Expect some conniving employees and a stalwart Paula!)

Also, light kink elements include minimal sub behavior and super sexy foursome scenes.

I flew through this. It’s a Brit book, so the format and diction are appropriate for Londoners, which I enjoy. The story moved along quite quickly, with lots of smexytimes and all of it feeling well-grounded. Paula is ashamed about her new sexual naughtiness, and keeps it all hush-hush, but she privately revels in her sexuality. And, Nigel is good, too. I ached with loneliness, as did Paula, when he was too busy to see her. Their chemistry was just so pleasant. Loved the ending. Hoping for the best with those two, or four, or….it’s ménage, folks.

Interested? You can find REALLY COOKING on Goodreads, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, but it’s FREE on iTunes until 9/30. Couple clicks and you’ll have this baby heating up your eReader—for nada, gratis and zilch.

About the Author:

Victoria Blisse is a Mother, Wife, Christian, Manchester United Fan and Award Winning Erotica Authoress. She is also the editor of several Bigger Briefs collections, and the co-editor of the fabulous Smut Alfresco, Smut by the Sea (Vol.1), Smut by the Sea (Vol.2), Smut by the Sea (Vol.3), and Smut in the City Anthologies.

Victoria is also one of the brains behind the fabulous Smut Events, days dedicated to erotica, fun and prizes. Check out Smut Manchester (15th Nov 2014), Smut Luton (7th March 2015) and Smut by the Sea: Scarborough (23rd May 2015) for more info.

She is equally at home behind a laptop or a cooker and she loves to create stories, poems, cakes and biscuits that make people happy. She was born near Manchester, England and her northern English quirkiness shows through in all of her stories.

Passion, love and laughter fill her works, just as they fill her busy life.

You can find often find Victoria procrastinating on Facebook , Twitter and Pinterest

Don’t forget to enter into MY BIRTHDAY GIVEAWAY-for a $40 gift card or a box o’ books Two weeks until the winner is selected.

Thanks for popping in and keep reading my friends!

WALLBANGER–Tastier Than I Imagined

You know how, sometimes, it seems everyone and your grandma is telling you about this book (or movie) they just experienced. “You can’t miss this! It’s SOOOO good!” they say.

Well, I’m always cautious about those sort of reviews. If they come from someone I know and trust, I tend to give it more weight. I heard about Alice Clayton‘s WALLBANGER long before I found it on the shelf. It has over 2000 5-Star reviews on Amazon, all singing such high praise. It’s been on my TBR a long time, languishing, because I was afraid to be disappointed by the hype.

SILLY ME!!!!

This is a first-class, snappy, romantic comedy that is long on sexual tension and short on time between laughs. I loved every second of it.

Wallbanger (Cocktail, #1)About the book:
The first night after Caroline moves into her fantastic new San Francisco apartment, she realizes she’s gaining an intimate knowledge of her new neighbor’s nocturnal adventures. Thanks to paper-thin walls and the guy’s athletic prowess, she can hear not just his bed banging against the wall but the ecstatic response of what seems (as loud night after loud night goes by) like an endless parade of women.

And since Caroline is currently on a self-imposed dating hiatus, and her neighbor is clearly lethally attractive to women, she finds her fantasies keep her awake even longer than the noise. So when the wallbanging threatens to literally bounce her out of bed, Caroline, clad in sexual frustration and a pink baby-doll nightie, confronts Simon Parker, her heard-but-never-seen neighbor. The tension between them is as thick as the walls are thin, and the results just as mixed. Suddenly, Caroline is finding she may have discovered a whole new definition of neighborly…

In a delicious mix of silly and steamy, Alice Clayton dishes out a hot and hilarious tale of exasperation at first sight…

My Review:
Caroline is a no-nonsense woman. She takes her life, and her job, seriously. She works hard and plays a bit, having two great friends from college with whom she regularly connects. As an interior designer, NOT decorator, she is moving up, taking on bigger clients and adores her boss–another career-focused woman. Caroline is also single. And, semi-okay with that. She had a rather long term thing previously, with a man who wanted her to change too much, to adapt her life to suit his career/life goals, so she walked away. In the interim a sloppy one-night fling destroyed her O–got it lost somewhere out in the Hinterland, always just out of reach.

Hearing the orgasmic caterwauling and banging of her sexually-gifted neighbor’s headboard through their adjoining wall (night after night) is wearing down Caroline’s patience, however. When the motion of his ocean actually brings down a piece of art, onto Caroline’s head, she tears into him in person, and the meet-cute is set.

Simon is a good guy. Sure he has a few regular gals with whom he has no-strings sex, but it’s all open. The gals know all about each other, and are comfortable with their casual arrangements. The altercation between Caroline and Simon only becomes more interesting when they meet in person, again, at the home of mutual friends. Inconveniently, Simon’s two best buds seem smitten with Caroline’s BFFs. They begin a dating circle, alternately inviting either Simon or Caroline out as fifth wheel.

Realizing the awkwardness of their position, Caroline and Simon strike a tentative truce, cemented with baked goods. Simon was orphaned in his teens and craves home-baked treats–while Caroline bakes away her frustration. The truce soon morphs into a friendship. Caroline has no interest in joining Simon’s harem, even if he is very attractive. It seems Simon, however, may be changing his ways. One after another of his regular visits seem to be off-schedule.

Caroline isn’t sure, but the idea that Simon is interested in a real relationship is certainly appealing to her, and her girly bits. Especially as Simon is a proven O finder. It takes him quite a while, however, and the journey is delicious.

I liked Caroline. She was sexy and sardonic. She talked to her cat as if he was a person. She has a good heart and a lot of respect for herself. At first, she believes Simon to be a shameless womanizer, but learns that he isn’t. He’s more of an opportunist, I’d say, having discreet relations with a few friends, for mutual satisfaction. When Caroline really gets to know him, she finds him to be very charming, and kind, and someone she honestly fears becoming intimate with, unwilling to upset their friendship. Caroline is a brave lass, however, and Simon can be irresistible, at times. Particularly when he’s got the right bait–a luxury trip planned to a destination Caroline longs to visit.

Lookit. This book is really something. If you enjoy romantic comedy, baking, cats with strong personalities, humorous plot twists and/or people slowly falling for each other in a very real way, this book won’t let you down. It has some heat, but it won’t melt your kindle. And, when the physicality develops, it’s all long, long after a true bond has been forged. I was glad I started it on a night the hubs was out-of-town because I couldn’t stop reading and spent half the night snortling with suppressed laughter trying not to wake my toddler in the next room. I had to power nap through the wee hours just so I could race to the finish.

Interested? You can find WALLBANGER on Goodreads, Amazon, and Barnes & Noble.

Alice ClaytonAbout the Author:

Alice Clayton is a novelist with an unholy love for her KitchenAid mixer. Making her home in St Louis, she enjoys gardening but not weeding, baking but not cleaning up afterwards, and is trying desperately to get her long time boyfriend to make her an honest woman. Hi sweetie!!

After working for years in the cosmetics industry as a makeup artist, esthetician, and national educator for a major cosmetics company, Alice picked up a pen (read laptop) for the first time at 33 to begin a new career, writer. Combining her love of storytelling with a sense of silly, she was shocked and awed to be nominated for a Goodreads Author award in 2010 for her debut novels, The Redhead Series.

Alice has penned three novels, The Unidentified Redhead,The Redhead Revealed, and coming soon in November 2012, Wallbanger. She thinks you should purchase them immediately. She’s not kidding, not even a little bit. Everyone needs some comedic erotica in their lives. She is hard at work on the third book in The Redhead Series, set to release in Spring of 2013, continuing the saucy and sexual escapades of everyone’s favorite couple, Jack and Grace.

Additionally, Alice loves spending time with her besties on Not Your Mother’s Podcast, make sure you check them out at notyourmotherspodcast.com or over on iTunes. 3 women rushing towards their forties still acting like teenagers. A saucy little mix of sex, love, relationships, pop cultural, celebrity gossip and All Things Jake Ryan.

Alice enjoys pickles, Bloody Mary’s, 8 hours of sleep, and a good pounding.

Finally Alice would also like all her readers and listeners to help her convince Mt. Alice that the only other thing that would make her truly happy is finally bringing home a Bernese Mountain Dog. She is totally serious. And done talking about herself in the third person.

You can connect with Alice on Goodreads, her website and twitter.

Thanks for popping in and keep reading my friends!

Four Men. Four Loves. Gold Medals. WATER MUSIC–A Review

Hi all! Today I’d like to share a contemporary M/M romance that is on the darker edge. WATER MUSIC, by Georgette Gouveia, just shook me up. It stirred me. It spilled me into an ice-filled glass and left me punch drunk.

Four points of view. Four young virile men. Four tragic stories of love and loss and abuse and hope.

imageAbout the book:
Rivals, friends, lovers

Daniel and Dylan are the top swimmers in the world; Alex and Alí, the top tennis players. They play for God, country, family, and the need to escape their troubled pasts. In their quest to be the best, they also harbor a secret: Each is in love with his rival.

The four hit it off at the Summer Olympics in New York and reconnect on an island vacation that gives new meaning to doubles, round-robin, and preliminary heats. By then, the shifting professional fortunes of each couple have begun to signal a change in their personal relationships as well, one that will lead to new alliances and betrayal and engulf them in tragedy.

Told from their alternating viewpoints, Water Music is about power, jealousy, dominance, and submission. It’s about how the past informs the present and the future and how the choices made by nations, our families, and ourselves color our lives. Ultimately, it’s the story of how we come to accept those choices and learn to live with loss through love.

My Review:
Dylan and Daniel are Olympic-caliber swimmers. They meet at training camp in their late teens and end up being roommates. Dylan has suffered great losses: his mother suffered early onset dementia, and his father became abusive in his frustration. Dylan took the brunt of the abuse before his mom committed suicide and Dylan and his younger brothers were cared for by their aunt. Dylan’s father is wealthy, but he won’t take any support, and uses his swimming endorsements to supplement his brothers’ care, and eventual college tuition. Daniel’s parents divorced years ago, splitting Daniel from his twin sister who was later killed in a horseback riding accident. Daniel feels like the less worthy child. When he and Dylan connect, they experience the first real affection they’ve had since childhood. Daniel insists to stay closeted, and compels Dylan to, as well. In their relationship, Daniel would be the Top, but he’s physically and emotionally abusive to Dylan–something that starts small and grows, particularly as Dylan become the better swimmer of the two.

Alex and Ali are professional tennis players. Alex is closeted, and Ali has had a horrific life which he keeps closeted. Ali learned tennis in Iraq under the American “occupation” when he is befriended by a soldier. For years he plays there, entertaining the troops, until his pal is killed and Ali is “adopted” by a pedophilic defense contractor. Through this man’s connections, Ali’s family is able to obtain asylum with relatives in France–meanwhile Ali suffers molestation for years in the US. He is despised by his molestor’s family, but can’t escape as he is constantly being promoted in the media as a tennis phenom and he fears loss of his visa. When Ali’s abuser dies suddenly, his widow kicks Ali out with a check of “hush money” and a promise to ruin his reputation if Ali ever tells his story. Ali invests his money in his training so that he can become a top pro.

In reaching his peak Ali encounters Alex, the Number One pro on the tennis tour. Alex is attracted to Ali, and they begin a relationship–in the closet. This benefits them both, but things sour as Ali continues to climb the ranks and soon bests Alex.

Daniel and Dylan meet Alex and Ali in the Olympics. They hit it off and become very friendly. (Expect ménage though it’s subtle) their joined experience marks an end–and a new beginning. Dylan sees that Daniel can’t be the man he needs. Ali and Dylan become closer, and potential exists between them, however both Ali and Dylan receive unwelcome health news that shatters one life and cripples the other.

Just when Daniel realizes that he can’t live without Dylan is exactly when he learns he’ll have to. And Alex, the ironic one, loses the biggest competition of his life–with his own ego.

So many lives intersect in this book. The secondary characters, even the “ghosts” of Dylan’s mother and Daniel’s sister, become necessary. The writing is fluid and beautiful. Each man is so well-characterized I could almost expect to see any of them lifting a gold medal to the sky. The triumphs and travails were so outrageously conceived: who could envision a war waif becoming the top pro in tennis? Who could envision a swimmer who fears the ocean? And yet all of these made perfect sense here. I was simply captivated.

Smexytimes were brief and understated, in keeping with the down-low types of relationships the men preferred. The internalization of abuse, by both Dylan and Ali, was heartbreaking. Too many times I just wanted to hug Dylan. I know I wept for him. For Ali, I was chilled.

Books like this remind me to wonder what happens behind the veil of sports and celebrity. Bravo! I obtained this book from NetGalley. This is my honest review.

Interested? You can find WATER MUSIC on Goodreads, Amazon, and Barnes & Noble.

imageAbout the author:
Georgette Gouveia was the senior cultural writer with Gannett Inc. and currently is editor of WAG magazine. She graduated from Sarah Lawrence College where she studied with Grace Paley and earned a bachelor of arts degree and a master of arts in critical writing. She is the author of “The Essential Mary Cassatt”.

“Water Music” is her first published novel.

When she’s not writing and editing, Georgette likes to sing coloratura arias, decorate her home, do yoga and lift weights, indulge her passion for beautiful things, including men, collect Hello Kitty, argue with her uncle about sports and revel in her spinsterhood.

You can find Georgette on her website, Facebook, and twitter.

Thanks for popping in, and keep reading my friends!

Who Doesn’t Love a VANILLA TWIST?–A Review

Hi there! Today I’m reviewing a contemporary romance from CJ Ellison. I picked up VANILLA ON TOP and VANILLA TWIST a few weeks back when they were on sale–and boy am I glad I did! Perfect reads to kick off the summer. You can find my review of VANILLA ON TOP here. Prepare for a smexy time….

Vanilla Twist (Walk on the Wild Side, #3; Heather and Tony, #2)About the book:

Heather thinks she has it all—an interesting lover, a dream job, and a new wardrobe to match her take-charge attitude. But everyone has a past, and when Heather confronts hers at work she’ll be hard-pressed to hold onto her newfound confidence and resolve. Does she trust Tony enough to let him help her or will she tackle the issue on her own?

Still intrigued by the young woman and the multiple layers she presents to the world, Tony begins to change his life, too—for what he hopes is the better. He quit his high-powered career to find peace in a less stressful day-to-day existence. Desire for Heather still invades his every waking moment, and when trouble threatens their sexual explorations he makes the hardest choice of his life. One he may soon regret.

My Review:
Tony and Heather are moving into the “getting to know you” phase of their relationship. They have great sexual chemistry, and a budding emotional connection, but have only known each other a few weeks. Too bad everybody has baggage….

Heather’s last serious boyfriend was a manipulative, cheating D-bag. How fun that he’s also the newest sales rep at her firm. Oh, and that he’s hitting on Heather’s administrative assistant. Yay! Not. This dude has some serious cahones, however, and Heather’s stressed by his unwelcome attention. Why is he always showing up when she’s alone? And, does he even mean the compliments he gives her–or are they a means to engage her so he can manipulate her again?

Tony is done being the ‘manwhore’–Heather fulfills him in ways he never had been with his scores of sexual partners. Unfortunately, one of those gals has turned up with big, BIG, news. Is Tony a daddy? He’s terrified that Heather will walk if she finds out–but he’s also suspicious that he’s being played. Baby Mama is a known party girl, and Tony wants proof before he commits to any long term plans. See, Tony’s freaking loaded–and his money has always been the attraction for his playmates. Only Heather had no interest in turning Tony into a paycheck–which was why he was drawn to her initially.

Reading this book I had Shel Silverstein’s THE MISSING PIECE MEETS THE BIG O rolling around in my brain.


The book is classic and just a poignant for adults as it is interesting for children.

Anywho, it seems to me that Heather and Tony compliment–not complete–each other. They confess their new, and important, problems and find a partner with whom to share the journey. Tony immediately wants to confront Heather’s ex, but lets her handle the situation in the proper manner–this gives Heather confidence that she can solve her own problems. And Heather embraces Tony’s potential paternity with grace. After all, she’d want him to be involved in his own child’s life–even if she wasn’t the mother.

And, being all roly-poly like an industrious missing piece, Tony makes overtures to foster Heather’s creative side–in the bedroom and out of it. This bring into focus how terribly smitten he is–and engages the attention of Tony’s brothers–who are fun. So much good smexytimes I know I’ll be thinking about them for quite a while. The loose ends are tied here. The only plot line going forward is the growing relationship between two characters I really enjoy.

Interested? You can find VANILLA TWIST on Goodreads, Amazon and Barnes & Noble. While the sequel can be read as a standalone, I recommend both books to be read in order. Because, really, who wants to miss a smoking hot romance?

C.J. EllissonAbout the Author:

In the spring of 2008, C.J. started undergoing medical tests for issues she’d been ignoring for a few years. We’ve all done it —ignored a problem we hoped would go away because our lives were too busy to give attention to some minor inconvenience.

Tests led to more tests and answers started to slowly trickle in. To keep her mind off of all that she couldn’t do and to focus on what she could do, she started writing in February 2009. A lover of books for decades, she owes her husband, Pete, her first writing partner, and many close friends a big hug of thanks for thinking she should even attempt to write a book.

In five months C.J. managed to: Write her first 90,000-word Urban Fantasy novel, join several writing guilds and writing sites, start an Author Page on Facebook, enter several writing contests and become a finalist in most of them, attend her first National writing conference and learn a lot about how to write. Who knew it could take so much work and still be so much fun?

You can find CJ on her website, Facebook and twitter.

Thanks for popping in and keep reading my friends!

 

Care for a Little PUBLIC DISPLAY OF EVERYTHING?–A Review

Hi there! Today’s book, PUBLIC DISPLAY OF EVERYTHING, is a fun contemporary M/M Romance I picked up as an Amazon Freebie a few weeks back. It follows the courtship of two Americans ex-pats in London.

Public Display of EverythingAbout the Book:

“Is there a voyeur inside you? Or are you the one who would like an audience in the bedroom?”

Cory can’t keep a job. Flynn has a job he can no longer hide behind. A simple proposition in an effort to solve both of their problems leads two young men to confront the heartbreaks of their pasts in order to make a future together.

What starts as an innocent bit of voyeurism turns into a public display of…everything.

You know you like to watch.

My Review:
Cory is a thirty y/o gay American living in London. He has a history degree and no job–he bounces from odd-jobs and housing, barely scraping by. He could return to America, but why? His family isn’t big on his orientation and he’s still sore over the way his uncle, Luke, shunned him when he came out. Luke had been his mentor and closest confidante. To lose that connection shattered Cory.

One night Cory’s chatting with Tammy, his bartender friend at his regular pub, about his prospects for love and a job when he’s approached by a young, beautiful man. Flynn has become a bit of a regular face in the pub–both Cory and Tammy have noticed him for weeks now–but neither can guess his orientation because he never talks to anyone. Still, Flynn has overheard that Cory is out of a job, and well, Flynn has a proposition:

One thousand pounds, if Cory will masturbate in front of a window. For an audience.

Okaaaayy…

Yeah. It seems Flynn runs an online voyeurism group–people subscribe to find places where they can watch sex, or have sex with people watching. The members can make it as open or as discreet as they like. And they REALLY want to see Webmaster Flynn in action. Problem? Flynn is totally, cripplingly, shy. He’s also 22 and a slightly-built man, but wants to project a bigger, more mature, image. Cory, standing over six feet tall and bulky with muscle, is Flynn’s ideal surrogate. Having no better prospects, Cory (reluctantly) agrees. He’s even more reluctant when he checks Flynn’s profile and notices Flynn’s orientation is marked “Hetero”.

Funny thing is, those settings aren’t always real. Flynn sets up the big reveal, keeping Cory’s face in shadow, and Cory does the deed. Surprisingly, Cory digs it. He’d never been big on voyeurism, but he kinda likes the sharing options Flynn’s website promotes. And, naturally, Cory’s masquerade is a huge success.

What Cory didn’t anticipate was Flynn being so cool. He’s got a big flat with an extra room, that he offers to Cory. Living in close quarters it’s not long before Flynn reveals that he’s actually gay. And, totally into Cory.

It’s a nice slow build. And steamy. Oh, and Flynn is into more than just Cory physically. He works hard to get Cory to open up about his family, and even helps repair the rift between Cory and his uncle, Luke. I liked Cory and Flynn a whole lot. They felt so warm and genuine–and their relationship was as tentative as Flynn, at first. Cory continues to make “appearances” in Flynn’s stead, but as his followers want even more, like a ‘partner scene’, Cory makes it happen–with Flynn. Definitely erotic.

The book had a lot of heart and was thoughtfully written, with a good mix of angst and heat. I enjoyed the way both characters pulled the other out of his respective shell. I’ll be looking for more from this author.

Interested? You can find PUBLIC DISPLAY OF EVERYTHING on Goodreads and Amazon.

About the author–in her own words:
I’m in my late twenties, born and raised in Sweden. I started writing on a whim in 2011, and it started pretty tame, but it has definitely changed. Now I have very few limits.

Extensive research, music, general smut, and reading are always sure ways for me to get inspired.

In my spare time, I–oh, that’s right, there’s no such thing as spare time. Never mind 😉

Anyway…if you have any questions and don’t feel like finding me on Facebook or Twitter, you can always contact me on my website.

Thanks for pooping in, and keep reading my friends! 🙂

Cheap Thrills–ETERNALLY YOURS and VANILLA ON TOP

Hi there! Just to spice things up I thought I’d share a couple of titles I picked up on the cheap and found amusing. One is a box-set of three paranormal ménage books, the other is a spicy contemporary romance. Both are $.99 at the time of this posting…

PS: I don’t make any money off my recommendations–I just devour books so I jump at the chance to get them cheap or free…and I like to pass on my ‘finds’ to you!

Eternally Yours Vampire Menage Collection (3 Books)About ETERNALLY YOURS:

Three vampire ménage novels by Tracey H. Kitts, combined for the very first time into one smoking hot collection. That is what you’re getting with the Eternally Yours Vampire Ménage Collection.

The Eternally Yours Vampire Ménage Collection includes:

1. Bitten
2. Necromancer
3. Diary of An Incubus

BITTEN
Sandra Ashton is a witch who suddenly finds herself dating three vampires. So, what do you do when you’ve got three immortal beings professing their undying or is that undead love for you? You agree to what they like to call, “joint custody.”

NECROMANCER
Jane Masters has no idea she’s a necromancer. Luis and Henri are the vampires responsible for the power mingled in her blood. Though her love life improves dramatically after meeting them, Jane faces a more urgent situation than dating a vampire or two. As Luis and Henri reveal the details of her past life and the source of her power, they learn there’s a killer on the loose and Jane is next on the list. As for her newly discovered past with the vampires, her heart remembers them. But will she survive to love them this time?

DIARY OF AN INCUBUS
Jewel Mathers needed a good story for her next novel. She turned to the ancient journals in desperation. But fame and fortune comes with a price … and a couple of hot vampires.

My Review:

This three book set features three separate ménage vampire romances. Yes, ménage and vampire. It’s a two-fer of guilty pleasures. Each features a completely different set of heroines and lovers. It is all M/F/M with a heavy emphasis on the female being the center of all action and desire.

If you’ve never read ménage, this might be a fun way to test the waters. The romances are slower to develop than traditional ménage and the multiple scenes happen at the end of each, following a clearly solid primary romance. Also, they aren’t sloppy and the language is less potty-mouth than many I’ve read.

Interested? You can find ETERNALLY YOURS on Goodreads and Amazon. Current pricing is $.99, but may go up.

Vanilla on Top (Walk on the Wild Side, #1; Heather and Tony, #1)It’s wild that there are so many BRAZEN imprint books on sale through the end of May. Now’s your chance to snap up so really fun romances just in time for summer…

About VANILLA ON TOP:

Discover your inner bad girl, and set her free…

Heather Pierce is done being a wallflower, both personally and professionally. Desperate to live a different life for one night, she attends a speed dating event. Maybe here, anonymous unless she chooses otherwise, she can become someone new. When a man way out of her league sits across from her, Heather gathers her courage and takes charge of what she wants, secretly fearing he won’t desire the real person she’s desperate to hide.

Top acquisitions officer and international playboy Tony Carmine is about to close the biggest deal of his career. But then he meets Heather at a speed dating event…and discovers losing control may be exactly what he needs. Her blossoming sensuality occupies his every thought, consuming him with the need to possess the most intriguing lover he’s ever encountered—until he walks into the boardroom and sees Heather on the other side of the negotiating table.

My Review:
Who doesn’t love a woman-empowerment romance? Heather has had enough of being taken advantage and decides she’s going to get the upper hand on her next partner. Tony shows up at a speed dating event on a lark as a friend’s wingman and is undone by the dominating gal he meets. There’s a word for a woman who gets a guy she just met to submit to her command for oral pleasure. I believe it’s “Bravo.”

Tony and Heather hit it, hard, and get caught up in something neither of them expected. Tony had never anticipated how erotic submission could be, and Heather charges forward in a “fake it ’till you make it” gambit to keep herself emotionally safe and sexually satisfied. This is NOT a BDSM book, it’s simply some super hot sexyplay that any couple could enjoy. There is a commitment to mutual pleasure–even when it is temporarily withheld.

But soon this liaison gets real. Tony turns up as a buyer for Heather’s company–and Heather fights to keep the business from being gobbled up. Being at odds in the board room might stifle a lesser couple’s sex drive, but not here. Table tennis, anyone?

I love the alternating viewpoint–mostly because I adore getting to know each character. Heather is so insecure, yet she acts to strong. Tony’s strong, but vulnerable with Heather. The role reversal really worked for me–and I’m gonna snap up the sequel just to see how these two move forward together.

Interested? You can find VANILLA ON TOP on Goodreads, Amazon and Barnes & Noble. The sequel, VANILLA TWIST is also on sale for $.99 through the end of May, so click it while you can…

Thanks for popping in and keep reading my friends! 🙂

Finding Solace in JANE’S MELODY–A Review

How can you find love in times of extreme grief?

Hi there! Today’s book is a contemporary romance, of a different sort. JANE’S MELODY, best-seller Ryan Winfield’s tale of discovering love in the ashes of extreme loss is, well, it’s a bittersweet lullaby.

Jane's Melody (Jane's Melody, #1)About the book:

What boundaries would you cross for true love?

That’s the question a grieving mother must answer when she takes in a young street musician she believes can shed light on her daughter’s death—only to find herself falling for him. A sexy but touching love story that will leave you both tantalized and in tears, Jane’s Melody follows a forty-year-old woman on a romantic journey of rediscovery after years of struggling alone.

Sometimes our greatest gifts come from our greatest pain. And now Jane must decide if it’s too late for her to start over, or if true love really knows no limits.

My Review:

Jane is heartbroken at the loss of her only daughter, Melody, to a drug overdose. Melody had been a troubled teen, and Jane sought every opportunity to treat and assist her daughter for years. Now, they had been estranged for almost a year–a year in which Jane tried to maintain contact, but Melody pushed her away. At the funeral, Jane noticed a young man leave a silver dollar behind, in remembrance.

Jane struggles with depression and the isolation of her quiet home on Bainbridge Island. She never married, raising Melody alone and having strained relationships with her mother and brother–both alcoholics, though her mother is “dry”. In fact, Jane’s whole support network consists of her Al-Anon friends who she meets weekly. Among them, Jane’s sponsor Grace is the closest.

On a trip into Seattle to recover Melody’s personal effects, Jane encounters the young man from the funeral busking for tips near Melody’s former job. Jane speaks with him, but Caleb is unwilling to part with any memories of her lost child. Grief makes Jane obsessive over details from Melody’s final weeks and she seeks out Caleb, finding him battered and homeless several days later. So, she promptly takes him in.

Caleb isn’t big on being a moocher, and they come to an agreement: Caleb will clean up the landscape on Jane’s property for payment, room and board. In this way Caleb will earn the money he’d needed to travel to Austin and perform. The two strike up an uneasy friendship. Jane is terribly attracted to Caleb–he’s a strapping twenty-five year old man doing serious lawn work in the spring heat. But, he may also have been her daughter’s boyfriend–which gives Jane the (appropriate) heebie-jeebies. Caleb is rather playful, to boot, almost taunting Jane with his body, at times.

Jane’s galfriends all find her live-in gardener situation to be idyllic, but the tension becomes unbearable. Grace continues to urge Jane to find happiness–even if it is with a young lover. Watching their awkward dance toward each other is delicious. And, even when it seems Jane is willing to let go her constraint, she just never seems to forget their age difference. Still, fifteen years is not so long, and the companionship that Caleb brings to Jane’s life is surely worth more than a few sideways looks.

There are some serious conflict issues at play–namely an opportunity that Jane won’t let Caleb pass up–not on her account–which causes a heart-rending separation. And, Grace has need of Jane’s sturdy shoulder for a good bit, but the resolution of the story is a fearless flight to acquire the love Jane thought she’d lost.

This bittersweet romance is a quiet, thoughtful, well-rounded story. I really felt connected to both Jane and Caleb, wishing they could just get it right. Jane’s pain, loss and isolation were so present in her life I could experience it. Caleb was the heart that Jane thought she couldn’t have–and he was steadfast, and doting and compassionate. They are a couple I will remember.

Interested? You can find JANE’S MELODY at Goodreads, Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

The sequel, JANE’S HARMONY comes out this summer. It’s in my TBR. Thanks to NetGalley for getting me interested in this complicated love story.

Ryan Winfield
About this author:


Hi, I’m Ryan Winfield. I’m a 39-year-old writer living in Seattle. Author of the New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal Bestseller Jane’s Melody: A Novel, South of Bixby Bridge, and The Park Service Trilogy. I hope you enjoy my books and I’d love to hear from you here or on Facebook

I’ve been asked why I write. I write because I remember.

I remember waking up to snow. Great buckets of it poured from the gray skies and blanketing everything in quiet white. I remember racing to dress, struggling with my boots. “Here, don’t forget your mittens.” I remember the soft thump of that first footstep in the cold and virgin powder, the tracks looking back, foghorns blowing on the mist-covered bay. I feel the canvas paper bag cutting into my shoulders, the weight of Sunday’s headlines heavy on my mind. I see the trees bowed with armloads of white, as if to curtsey my passing. I remember rubber bands and ink stained hands. A car spun sideways in a ditch. Always a car. Then barking dogs, a distant chainsaw. Freckles throwing fastballs that hurt for the cold of them on my neck. I remember snowmen, and igloos, and icy trails through the white and wondrous woods. And I remember sweet Mrs. Johnson waiting at her door. The smell of Avon powder, her thin smile, an envelope pressed into my palm–ten dollars and a peppermint candy cane thank you. Evening now. I remember running downtown–Salvation Army bells, white lights strung in sidewalk trees, bundled shoppers bent against the wind. I remember the heavy door, the warmth, the wood. The bookstore! Smells of paper and leather and ink. Walls of worlds bound and waiting for me to read.

Nothing has affected me as much as reading has. Dickens, Tolkien, and Lewis raised me. And while I’ve walked through my own hell, made my own mistakes, and found my own redemption, always there have been books. Books to help me escape, books to teach me when to stay and fight, books to help me see where I’ve been wrong and where I’ve been right.

I write because I remember. And I write because I still dream.

Thanks for popping in and keep reading my friends! 🙂

 

Get To Know Bella Andre! Free Paperback Giveaway!

Hi there! For many readers it’s tough to find new authors. Anytime I talk about my blog I’m asked for recommendations. I have some stand-by’s for people who only read print–and I couldn’t recommend Best Selling Author of contemporary romance, Bella Andre, to them–because her work was all eBook–until this year.

Yes, now you can find Bella Andre’s Sullivan Series in paperback, and to start any new reader off right, I have print ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) of I ONLY HAVE EYES FOR YOU. Read on to find out how it can be yours…(US/Canada only–I’m shipping mine to you!)

I Only Have Eyes for You (The Sullivans, #4)Sophie Sullivan is a librarian. She’s college-educated and lovely, and head-over-heels crushing on Jake McCann, BFF to one of her six older brothers. She’s loved Jake since she was a child, but he’s just as interested in the full-grown “Nice” Sullivan twin sister as he was for her childhood self. Not at all, in fact. Or, so Sophie believes…

Jake McCann has always been captivated by the quiet, studious, nice Sophie Sullivan. Not that he can do anything about it–her brothers are nothing less than formidable, and Jake knows he won’t measure up to their ideal brother-in-law. He’s just a barman–sure he owns a chain of successful pubs, but he’s still the barely literate son of a bartender he was when he met the Sullivan’s–at least in his own eyes.

Jake and Sophie work together to plan the wedding of Sophie’s brother Chase–and that’s where she springs her trap. All dressed up with love on her mind, Sophie makes no excuses for her seductive pursuit of the man she’s always desired. Sophie gets what she wants–briefly, but waking alone was never part of the plan. Nor was the morning sickness…

Determined to never be hurt by Jake again, Sophie begins a new phase of life, not expecting that Jake would do anything in his power to win Sophie’s heart–for her own sake. Of course, Jake must get over his own inferiority issues, and that’s not helped when Sophie’s angry brothers come aknockin’.

It’s a solid romance with a strong ensemble cast that forms the backbone for the now twelve books in the Sullivans series. This is book four, but it’s as good a place to start as any. You catch up quickly on the family antics, and the story is very much centered on Sophie and Jake, with their alternating points of view.

For those who prefer digital, or live outside the US/Canada, or want this book–regardless of the contest–they can find it on Goodreads, Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

To enter the contest, be sure to “Like” my V’s Reads page–this will give you access to outside-the-blog reviews and my semi-daily FREEBIE postings you can download. Be sure to come back here to comment that you entered, and what your FB name is, to complete your entry.

I’ll choose a winner On Friday March 21st. Best of luck, and keep reading my friends!

Will They Get MOORE THAN FOREVER?–Review and Giveaway

Moore-Than-Forever-Tour-Banner

Hi there and welcome to my stop on the MOORE THAN FOREVER blog tour. For other stops on the tour click here. This contemporary romance by Julie A Richman is the final installment of the Needing Moore trilogy. And boy, is it smoking!

MooreThanForever cover

MOORE THAN FOREVER

(Needing Moore Series, Book 3)

In this third and final book in the Needing Moore Series trilogy, Schooner Moore and Mia Silver must learn how to grow together and fight together as a team to hold onto their second chance love.  Continually stumbling on roadblocks and ghosts from their past, can Schooner and Mia take the lessons they’ve learned and use them to forge a future together.

My review:
With this final book in the Needing Moore series we start with turmoil. Mia’s pregnancy takes a dramatic turn for delivery–while Schooner is still in California watching over his teenaged son, Zak. Oh, and living in his old house with his wife–as their divorce proceedings move forward. It leaves Mia so angry, she doesn’t bother to call Schooner when she’s rushed to the hospital, fully prepared to be a single mother.

Drama much, Mia? We all know Schooner loves you to pieces.

There’s a lot of tension when they reconnect, but Schooner’s patience and tenderness eventually thaw Mia’s iceberg act. In truth, the first two books of the series had so many twists–with characters constantly in peril, I felt the third book was inordinately tame. No one almost dies. Relationships get patched up, and we get an up-close look at the impact of money in sub-Saharan Africa.

I was glad to see the resolution, though at times I felt the pace lagged. And, of course, there’s finally a wedding for our star-crossed, Facebook-reunited lovers. Two new kids for the happy couple, too. The ending was HEA all the way, and left the door open for further Moore adventures, of the Zak kind. Good thing Zak became infinitely more likable in this third book…

As with the other two books, there’s plenty of smexytimes to go around. Giddy up!

Interested? You can find MOORE THAN FOREVER at Goodreads, Amazon or Barnes and Noble.

Julie A Richman, in her own words…
I must’ve been 5 or 6 when I started writing “stories”.  I would write them and hide them. Not wanting anyone to see my “secret” thoughts. I needed to write -even back then.  Now I’m just not hiding them anymore.  Is that a sign of maturity?  Nah ….

Writer, photographer, insatiable wanderluster, edge-player, foodie, music addict, pop culture fanatic, animal lover, warrior for the rights of people and planet, and avid cusser (am a Native New Yorker, so very little offends me … and if I am offended, it must be pretty freaking bad .. like bad grammar!).

I am big believer in signs and if we keep ourselves open, there are guideposts all along the way. Stay humble. Be true. Be you.

Life is not a dress rehearsal …

Find Julie A Richman here:  Website | Facebook | Twitter

***GIVEAWAY***

Click the Rafflecopter link below for your chance to win on of these prizes:
(5) eBook copies of Moore than Forever – International
(3) $5 Gift Cards – International
(3) Print Copies of Moore than Forever. – US Only
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good luck and keep reading my friends!

AToMRTours_mdm

ALL FOR YOU–Gritty Romance–A Review

Who protects our soldiers?

That’s a question I continue to wonder about. Right now, after more than a decade of war, our soldiers are seeing record numbers of suicides–more than one a day across all branches of the military. My own father was a Vietnam veteran and, through him, I have first-hand experience with the ravages of combat on a soldier’s emotional state. How difficult it is to return home, to return to “normal” life.

And, that’s what drew me to ALL FOR YOU, a newly released contemporary romance by Jessica Scott. My regular readers know I review a ton of romance. Most of it is pretty breezy and–with regard to those books–I almost hesitate to call ALL FOR YOU a romance. There is a strong romantic plot line within the story, don’t misunderstand that, it’s simply that the emotional tenor of the book is not-at-all breezy.

In fact, it’s downright gritty.

Army Sergeant Reza Iaconelli is just returning to command. He’s considered an NCO, non-commissioned officer, and is on probation. He has served several tours of duty, in Iraq and Afghanistan, but is currently training soldiers for duty at Fort Dix in Texas while he battles an alcohol addiction. Sergeant Ike–as he is called–wants nothing more than to report for combat duty himself. He is a survivor of horrific child abuse and watched his father beat his mother to death as a young teen. For him, the living moment-to-moment atmosphere of combat is easy.  It takes his mind away for the ghosts of his memory, people he didn’t save, couldn’t protect, like his mother. Due to his intoxication, Sergeant Ike missed the signs of addiction for one of his men. Guilt drives him to get that battle-scarred warrior a full medical discharge–and there’s one thing in the way.

Captain Emily Lindberg is a “slick sleeve”–a non-combat psychologist–working the enormous case load of depressed, shell-shocked, and potentially suicidal soldiers. She joined the army to help patients she felt needed it–not the pseudo-disturbed clientele of her parents’ lucrative practice. In fact, Emily’s wealthy family all but disowns her when she enlists. Her docket of files is overflowing and overwhelming. Being a female, and a slightly-built one at that–Emily sometimes suffers the scorn of the commanders–like Sergeant Reza Iaconelli. Reza directly challenges her over the care of his men, but Emily is a strong advocate. It is through her tireless devotion to care that Emily saves one of Reza’s soldiers from a pattern of hazing from a superior.

Of course, as I said, this is a romance. But it’s not the mushy-gushy type. There is an attraction between Reza and Emily. One he fights the same way he battles alcohol–one day at a time. In the guise of combat mentor Reza soon develops a rapport with Emily. And, for Emily, whose philandering ex-fiance is the son of a senator, Reza embodies the honesty and conviction of a hero and an officer.

Romance aside, there are many pressures facing this couple, not the least of which is military politics. Emily risks her commissioned status if she openly dates Reza–due to his embroilment in a potential hazing scandal. True, he didn’t perpetrate it, but he’s in the chain of command and all the lower rungs on the ladder may be sacrificed to protect the reputation of the higher-ups. Plus, he’s an easy target due to his alcoholism and short temper.

In the middle, a tragedy binds Reza and Emily together, but at what cost?

Can Emily trust Reza to keep her safe from his personal demons? And, for Reza, can he trust Emily to care for him–without constant emotional analysis? Besides, she’s a rich gal. She certainly can do better than a half-washed out officer, right?

There are some really dark parts of this story. It’s gripping in the way of A FEW GOOD MEN, but bears a slightly softer side, as well. We have alternating view point, allowing us to see inside Reza’s battle-scarred psyche, and it’s a scary place to exist, as you might imagine. In an age where our soldiers are coming home for the front lines in greater numbers and finding less opportunity and a difficult return to “normal” civilian life, the coping mechanisms are often chemical in nature. This book doesn’t shy away from that dark side. At all. Nor does it paint a rosy picture of the mental toll of war.

My father used to say something along these lines when he spoke of his army experience:  They ask you for your life, and that’s exactly what they take. That’s the kind of realism I found in this story. It’s powerful and profound, and I hoped against all hope that Sergeant Ike would get it right this time around. The pacing is tight, keeping the story rolling fast. The ending isn’t a typical bright and shiny HEA–but the reader is definitely left with a sense that life will get better for these characters. That they have been tempered by the fire, not burned.

Interested? You can find ALL FOR YOU at Goodreads, Amazon, and Barnes & Noble–among other places I’m sure…

If you have the chance to pick this one up, make sure to come back and tell me what you thought!

And, as always, keep reading my friends! 🙂