Her Warriors Three Wishes by Carrie Ann Ryan – Promo
Blurb:
Humans aren’t as alone as they choose to believe. Every human possesses a trait of supernatural that lays dormant within their genetic make-up. Centuries of diluting and breeding have allowed humans to think they are alone and untouched by magic. But what happens when something changes?
Ambrose Griffin is older than most, if not all, civilizations. As each year passes, he submerses himself into his training, only relaxing around his protégée and friend, Shade. After losing his wife and children in the last Angelic Wars, he guards his heart and has no desire to share it with another.
Bookkeeper and romance novel enthusiast, Jamie Bennett dreams of being swept off her feet by a white knight. However, her life is no romance book. Since meeting Ambrose—a sexy, delicious angel—she’s been twisted inside out and doesn’t know why. Things are happening that she can’t control and now her life is in danger.
Balin Drake is stuck in hell, literally. His life of refusing to take souls, even though it’s part of his demon nature, has caught up with him. He’s dying and now must search for his true half, but even a mating may not save him. When he meets the two people who could fill that part, he’ll need to fight for something he hasn’t felt in over a century—hope.
Warning: Contains a rigid angel who needs a certain sexy woman to help him unwind, a book keeper who finds herself the creamy center of the best cookie ever, and a demon who has a certain taste for pressing them both against walls.
A little about Carrie Ann: 
Carrie Ann Ryan is a bestselling paranormal and contemporary romance author. After spending too much time behind a lab bench, she decided to dive into the romance world and find her werewolf mate – even if it’s just in her books. Happy endings are always near – even if you have to get over the challenges of falling in love first.
Carrie Ann’s Redwood Pack series is an bestselling series that has made the shifter world even more real to her and has allowed the Dante’s Circle and Holiday, Montana series to be born. She’s also an avid reader and lover of romance and fiction novels. She loves meeting new authors and new worlds. Any recommendations you have are appreciated. Carrie Ann lives in New England with her husband and two kittens.
Carrie Ann loves hearing from readers. You can find her at:
The Romance Troupe’s Beltane Blitz, May 1-3, 2013 Day Two
Blog hop, e-party, and Giveaway!
Win Books Win Gift Cards
Win Swag
Play Fun Games
+…visit each blog for random prizes!
May 1 – 3, 2013
Its really so simple to win. I’m giving away $10 GC to the ebook retailer of your choice. Just leave your name and email. No email, no prize. My question is posted on The Romance Troupe Blog. If you have read The Couple, the answer should be fairly easy. Hint, hint!
Good luck!
The most exciting news I have is that for Mother’s Day we are going to see Iron Man 3 this weekend. Over two hours of drool worthy Robert Downy, Jr. Too bad I have to look at Gwenth Paltrow. LOL!
Mother’s Day for me this year is extra special. I get to actually celebrate it on Mother’s Day. My husband is a store manager for Sherwin Williams and his assistants have been moms so he works that weekend. Not this Mother’s Day. Now, I just have to figure out what I want to do. *sigh*
Any suggestions for the day? The night is covered, thanks. 
Harlie
The Romance Troupe’s Beltane Blitz, May 1-3, 2013 Day one
Blog hop, e-party, and Giveaway!
Win Books Win Gift Cards
Win Swag
Play Fun Games
+…visit each blog for random prizes!
May 1 – 3, 2013
Its really so simple to win. I’m giving away $10 GC to the ebook retailer of your choice. Just leave your name and email. No email, no prize. My question is posted on The Romance Troupe Blog. If you have read The Couple, the answer should be fairly easy. Hint, hint!
Good luck and come back tomorrow for some exciting news from me!
Harlie
Branding Myself…finally!
As most people know or don’t know about me, I was born in the great state of Oklahoma. Boomer Sooner baby! I know, people actually think that I’m from Texas but I’m not. I bleed Sooner Red, not Teasipping burnt orange. It was drilled in my head from the cradle that the Texas Longhorns are the devil and that the Sooners are the bomb. Respect Tom Osborn, coach of the Nebraska Cornhuskers, just don’t cheer for them. And its okay to cheer for Oklahoma State University when they AREN’T playing OU. LOL! Don’t get me wrong, I don’t hate the state of Texas at all. I married here in Texas, my son was born in Dallas and we now live in East Texas.
Everyone in the family went to OU except for my dad. My grandparents didn’t have the money to send him. Shoot, my mother was a Gamma Phi Beta at OU. One of my uncle’s was an OU football cheerleader and a Lamda Chi. My other uncles were Delts and my aunts were Chi Omega’s. Yes, Norman got a lot of money from both sets of grandparents. Then I had cousins that went there, too. Yep, more money.
Anywoos…the purpose of the family history is because when I was thinking of my “brand”, I had to figure out some things about myself and what stories I am writing. So here’s the short list:
1. Small town Oklahoma is the setting for my books.
2. My most cherished childhood memories are with my family and extended family and friends in Oklahoma. My books feature real honest to goodness people. The names of the *cough cough* innocent changed. Sorry cousins and friends…
3. When I think back to what I remember most about growing up, is Oklahoma. Yes, I have spent 43 of the last 46 years of my life in Texas but Oklahoma is where my heart lives. I can close my eyes and still remember places, things, people, smells from my childhood like it was yesterday.
4. Since my stories aren’t erotic in nature going forward, I needed a name that reflected that. Oh…in my family on the farm…pigs rule but that didn’t look good on the banners, so I opted for horses. The paint is the perfect picture of our neighbor’s horse when we lived in Gun Barrel City. I still miss walking out everyday and seeing Trinidad. *sigh*
As you can tell, Oklahoma is where my heart lies, so Sweet Heat from Oklahoma is my brand.
Again, I love Texas. Love my Riggins, Coach Taylor, Friday Night Lights, Houston Texans, Texas Rangers, Houston Astros and the Dallas Stars. Shoot, my husband is an Aggie fan.
We vacation in New Brunsfels and float the Comel River for a week every year in July. Our condo is right on the Comel River with Schlitterbaun Water Park on the other side. Yes, can literally walk across the Comel River and we are at the park. We can see Master Blaster water coaster from our balacony. Come on July 19th!!!! Woo hoo! I digress…
So there you have it. My reasons for my branding and the new banner. Be honest, what do you think?
Harlie
Coach approves of the brand.
Sorry, just had to have a picture of Riggins. *sigh*
King Cobra (Hot Rods, book #1) by Jayne Rylon – Book Blitz/Giveaway/Guest Post
Prize Information:
Jayne is giving away a prize pack that will include a variety of items including T-shirt, print copy of Pick Your Pleasure, flavored lube, autographed cover flats, playing cards, keychain, etc. The rafflecopter code for this is below with the tour schedule. Good luck!
Blurb:
Nothing’s sexier than seven men with hot rods.
Hot Rods, Book 1
After Eli’s mother died, his father honored her life’s mission as a social worker by taking in several kids from the wrong side of the tracks. Not all of them stuck, but those who did became Eli’s quasi family.
Their bonds, forged in fires set by their personal demons, are unbreakable—or so Eli wants to believe. Especially since he and Alanso, his best friend and head mechanic, witnessed the overpowering allure of polyamory while visiting the Powertools crew.
Much as Eli would like to deepen the relationships among his foster brothers and sister in the Hot Rods Restoration Team, he’s hesitant to risk everything on a quick romp behind a stack of tires.
But when Eli catches Alanso exploring their mutual fantasy at a known hookup spot in a public park, all bets are off. And Eli must decide if it’s time to jump in full throttle—and trust his instincts to guide him through the night. If the pair can dodge the potholes in their own relationship, maybe they can race together toward the unconventional arrangement with Mustang Sally they both desire.
Warning: Fasten your seatbelts, this is going to be a wild (and naughty) ride!
How much research did you have to do on cars for this series?
Actually, quite a bit. The good news is that I really enjoy cars and so does my husband so between us we already knew most of the details I needed to get started. However, I did extensive internet research, and watched lots of car shows that Mr. Rylon was happy to DVR for us, as well as using some reference books, including Mighty Muscle Cars, which was a gift from a friend.
Each of the men drives a car that tells a lot about their personality and is their nickname or involved in the title of their book. Those symbolic choices tell a lot about each of them and hopefully helps readers keep people straight in a series that has a HUGE cast of characters. Each book title has the name of the main character’s car along with something that tells a little about them. For example, Eli’s book is King Cobra. He drives a Shelby Cobra—classic, iconic, fast, agile, aspirational. He’s the owner of the shop and the leader of the gang.
Other titles in the series are MUSTANG Sally, Super NOVA, REBEL on the Run, SWINGER Style, and BARRACUDA’s Heart.
Harlie here…I’m instantly hooked. My dream car is a Shelby Cobra Mustang….preferably blue with a white stripe and the numbers must match. I’m a totally gear head and nothing beats American muscle cars. And yes, my car is about $80k and my husband keeps telling me no. I can’t imagine why? Or a ’67 Camaro, fire engine red. Just saying…
Buy Links:
B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/king-cobra-jayne-rylon/1114503297?ean=9781619213388
Samhain: http://store.samhainpublishing.com/king-cobra-p-7354.html
Schedule:
4/22
4/23
4/24
4/25
Book Reviews and More by Kathy
4/26
Contact Jayne Rylon:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jayne.rylon
Twitter: https://twitter.com/JayneRylon
Amazon author page: http://www.amazon.com/Jayne-Rylon/e/B002VTCILM
Email: contact@jaynerylon.com
Website: http://jaynerylon.com/
Introducing Tease from Decadent Publishing, Featuring Cursed by Cate Masters – Promo/Excerpt/Giveaway
GIVEAWAY – Book swag – bookmarks and magnets. Rafflecopter link is at the bottom of the post and it will be open for 7 days. Good luck!
Cursed
The Vitruvian Man, book 1
by Cate Masters
Paranormal romance novella
Available April 24 from Decadent Tease: http://www.decadenttease.com
Blurb
Ten days of freedom. That’s all Fate had allotted me each year. In the streets of Venice,
I could walk among them. Mingle. Belong.
During Carnevale, they had no idea who I was. What I was.
For ten days, it didn’t matter.
Until I met her.
Bruno diCesare lives alone by necessity, not choice. An experiment performed by Leonardo da Vinci, who believed having a dual DNA would grant a person immortality, used magic to render Bruno a chimera – the head of a lion, body of a dragon. The only time he can mingle with people is during Carnevale, ten glorious days of masked anonymity, frivolity and intimacy.
Melina Weaver learned fire dancing to enliven her dull existence. A scientist, her long hours at the lab leave no time for a social life. For ten days at Carnevale, she can pretend to be someone else. Someone sexy and daring, who lives on the edge.
Once she meets Bruno, her wish comes true, but everything goes terribly wrong. Beneath Bruno’s costume lurks an alpha male, but is he dangerous? Worse, can she return to an employer who sells her research to the military to make an army of efficient killers? Her only hope may lie with the man she’s just met and never seen.
Excerpt
Light danced in his dark eyes. “I must admit, your fire dancing fascinated me. What made you choose such a dangerous skill to master?”
“The thrill of the challenge, I suppose.” It balanced the rest of her mundane life, to a degree. Mastering each new level gave her a sense of achievement, where work couldn’t.
Something flashed through his dark eyes. “Mistakes must be very painful.”
“I practiced a long time before I worked up the nerve to actually light the wands. I found the fire great incentive to focus, however.” God, her grin must be goofy, the way he stared. Such gorgeous eyes, such a deep brown they almost appeared black. He probably had rugged features, if his large hands provided any indication. Too bad he wore gloves, another barrier between them.
“Yes,” he said, “I imagine so.”
“What about you? What other magic do you know?” Oh please, can you get any more ridiculous? It sounded like a line from a bad chick flick.
The crinkle around his eyes was the only evidence of his smile, but enough to charm her.
“Lifetimes of studying the dark arts have provided me with many tricks.”
“Lifetimes?” she blurted.
He stiffened in her arms. “Pardon?”
She watched him carefully. “You said ‘lifetimes’. Plural.” And what the hell did he mean by ‘dark arts’?
Rigidity masked the grace of his movements. “I’m sure you’re mistaken.” He stared over her head as they whirled to the song’s rhythm.
Mistaken my ass. How very strange. More strange that the question upset him. He’d clammed up, and his muscles were so tense, she expected him to bolt. Better to drop it. For now. “Must have been a slip of the tongue.”
“Yes.” Relief sounded in his tone, though guarded.
This man had something to hide. How intriguing.
BUY LINKS:
Author Bio:
Cate Masters has made beautiful central Pennsylvania her home, but she’ll always be a Jersey girl at heart. When not spending time with her dear hubby, she can be found in her lair, concocting a magical brew of contemporary, historical, and fantasy/paranormal stories with her cat Chairman Maiow and dog Lily as company. Look for her at http://catemasters.blogspot.com and in strange nooks and far-flung corners of the web.
Cate loves to hear from readers! Email her at: cate.masters@gmail.com
Email Address: cate.masters@gmail.com
Website URL: http://www.catemasters.com (redirects to blog)
Blog Name and URL: Cate Masters
http://catemasters.blogspot.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Cate-Masters/89969413736?ref=ts
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/CateMasters
Google +: https://plus.google.com/u/0/105560752271686579982/about?cfem=1
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2944596.Cate_Masters
Other Social Media: Coffee Time Romance forum
http://coffeetimeromance.com/board/forumdisplay.php?f=1752
Decadent Tease is a sub-line of Decadent Publishing. Tease’s main goal is to publish stories that are heartwarming, action-packed and romance-filled in order to leave readers craving more. As a proud part of Decadent Publishing, Tease serves to give both readers and authors the chance to make a difference with romantic fiction. For more information, please check out: http://www.decadenttease.com or http://www.decadentpublishing.com.
©2013 Decadent Publishing
Coming Unbound by Lacey Savage – Review/Author Interview
Lacey will be awarding a $25 Amazon gift certificate to a randomly drawn commenter during the tour. Make sure you leave a comment and your email. Good luck!
BLURB:
Ginny and Cole have struggled to connect intimately since before their marriage. When Cole suggests they surprise each other with the most sexually daring things they can dream up for their anniversary, Ginny reluctantly musters every ounce of courage she possesses to get nipple piercings.
Cole’s surprise?
He’s turned their suburban basement into a dungeon—and hired a sexy Dom to teach them the art of BDSM.
Desperately in love with his wife, Cole’s aware of sensitive sexual demons in Ginny’s past, and will try anything to beat them. Whips, toys, ménage play with the Dom…all these and more could help Ginny find pleasure, break through her issues.
Or, if they’re not careful, possibly just break Ginny.
Excerpt:
By the time our third round of drinks arrived, we’d determined that I had no imagination of my own, which probably explained why I had chosen technical writing as a career.
We had also established that I’d never thought about dressing up as a naughty nurse or a strict schoolteacher or a sexy maid. I didn’t fantasize about being blindfolded or tickled with a feather or covered in chocolate sauce. I’d also never wanted to have sex in public or watch porn or pose for nude photos.
“Wow.” Donna twirled the stem of her martini glass between her fingers. “So what do you fantasize about?”
An image of a woman tied to a tree in a dark forest flashed through my head. It was brief and sudden, jolting me so I sat ramrod straight in my chair. “Nothing.”
She tilted her head at an angle and looked at me as if I’d just sprouted a third eyeball in the middle of my forehead. “Come on. You can’t be serious.”
I couldn’t hold her gaze anymore, so I looked past her right shoulder into the crowd. I used to have fantasies. Filthy ones that involved whips and pain and reddened flesh. But Ben had cured me of those long ago.
“There’s something wrong with me, isn’t there?” I was feeling more and more miserable with each passing second, and the cocktails weren’t helping. I huffed out a breath. “Listen, I like sex. It’s pleasurable and pleasant and nice.”
Donna’s laugh startled me. It went on and on. “Nice?” She gasped when she could finally catch her breath and dabbed a tear from the corner of her eye. “Sex is nice? No, no, no. A foot rub is nice. A perfect creme brûlée is nice. The sight of a sleeping kitten is nice. Sex is… It’s toe-curling, incredible, mind-blowing.”
I lifted an eyebrow. “Mind-blowing?”
She nodded. “If you’re doing it right.”
Clearly I’d been doing it wrong for a very long time. Was that my fault or Cole’s? I still had so many questions, and I was no closer to figuring out how to surprise my husband for our anniversary.
I stared down into my empty glass. “There aren’t enough drinks in the world for this.”
Welcome Lacey Savage! Please start off by telling us a little about yourself.
Hi Harlie! Thanks so much for having me here today.
I live in Ottawa, Canada, with my fabulous husband of 14 years and a cat who’s convinced he runs the place. (We don’t have the heart to tell him otherwise.) I’ve been published since 2003, and I currently write for Ellora’s Cave, Carina Press (under a different pen name), Changeling Press, Loose Id, and Amber Quill Press.
Is Coming Unbound a single title, or part of a series?
It’s a single title, but I’ve learned to never say never when it comes to possible sequels.
What were your inspirations for the story?
I had a flash of inspiration while lying in bed one morning. I imagined a married couple wanting to bring some heat back into their bedroom, and started to wonder how things could get complicated for them. I knew I had my story when I pictured the husband opening the door to what had previously been a run-of-the-mill suburban basement, and showing his wife the BDSM dungeon he’d had installed. Surprise!
Please share your setting for Coming Unbound. Have you ever lived or visited there? If so, what did you like most?
Coming Unbound is set in Chicago, with a detour in San Francisco. I visited Chicago last year for the Romantic Times Convention, and promptly fell in love with the city. There’s so much wonderful architecture, and so many things to see and do. I’ve never been to San Francisco, but I have a friend who adores the place, so I’m looking forward to taking a trip there sometime soon.
When did the writing bug first bite?
When I was in sixth grade, my parents and I moved to New York City from Romania. I was having trouble fitting in at school, but on a whim I entered a creative writing competition despite the fact that I barely spoke English. And let’s not talk about my grasp of English grammar or spelling, because both were pretty much non-existent at the time. So it wasn’t a surprise to me when my entry came back drowning in a sea of red pen. I don’t think there was one word the teacher didn’t have to correct. But what was surprising was the fact that despite all that, I actually won! Turns out my storytelling skills were much stronger than my grammar skills, and that’s what counted the most. Winning that competition gave me such a sense of accomplishment, and made me feel like I could follow my passion no matter what obstacles stood in my way.
Who are you favorite authors, book/series?
Oh boy, too many to count! I adore epic fantasy, so I’m a huge fan of George R.R. Martin’s A GAME OF THRONES. I also love Janet Evanovich’s Stephanie Plum series. And a friend recently recommended Nalini Singh’s archangel series, which I’m devouring right now.
If you could have an author roundtable discussion with any authors, who would you invite?
I’d love to pick Nora Roberts’ brain, so she’d definitely be at the top of the list. I’d also like to talk to Stephen King and Dean Koontz, as well as George R. R. Martin, Tad Williams, and Janet Evanovich. That would be one fun discussion!
Do you have any hobbies or special things you like to do in your spare time?
I’m an artist in every sense of the word. I sketch, draw and paint every day. I also scrapbook, make handmade greeting cards, and create a wide variety of home décor – everything from mixed media art canvases to upcycled antique furniture.
What’s the strangest thing you’ve heard or seen?
Hmm… When I was living in New York, my mom and I went for a walk in Central Park and saw a naked man selling flowers. He seemed completely unfazed by the fact that he was nude, and sold us a lovely bunch of carnations.
Review:
Oh my…take a tried and true troupe, married couple needs to get a spark back in their sex life, and spank it hard. Yes, hard and bring in the St. Andrews Cross, toys and one sexy Dom and what do you get? Coming Unbound by Lacey Savage.
Ms. Savage has managed to throw a troupe hard, against a wall and I’m still trying to catch my breath. She writes intelligently about the one thing that most couples don’t talk about it and that’s the woman’s orgasm. Yes, the elusive orgasm. Its been argued, written about, talked about and laughed at for a long time. Most men don’t understand it and women don’t like to talk about with their partners. For them, its embarrassing and they don’t want to disappoint their lovers with their inability to have one.
Ginny is no different but with her, the orgasm has a lot more to do with a single thing in her life that she has repressed so far back in her mind that it wasn’t until the Dom figured it out and pulled it out of her. Plus, it doesn’t help that her only other lover belittle her and suppressed even further her sexual needs. Her husband Cole is well aware of her demons but is desperate to help her find her orgasm for her. He just never knew how repressed she really was sexually.
*Taking a very deep breath* The scenes were very well written and intense. Ginny and Cole had no idea how the whole Dom teachings would take. It would either make them stronger or pull them apart. I held my breath after one scene because I became very afraid that they had reached Ginny’s breaking point. While the sex scenes were highly intense they only enhanced Ginny’s journey to find the truth about her sexual needs.
Be warned that when you find out about what has been repressed in the far back of Ginny’s mind, you will be able breath again. At least, I was. 
Ms. Savage wrote a beautifully intense, highly sexual book about sexually repression and the lengths that one couple went to find out the who, what, where and how to help Ginny.
I can not highly recommend Coming Unbound. Yes, its that’s AWESOME.
AUTHOR Bio and Links:
Award-winning author Lacey Savage loves to write about her dreams – or more specifically, she loves to breathe life into her steamy fantasies (and she’s got plenty!). She pens erotic tales of true love and mythical destiny, peopled with strong alpha heroes and feisty heroines. A hopeless romantic, Lacey loves writing about the intimate, sensual side of relationships. She currently resides in Ottawa, Canada, with her loving husband and their mischievous cat.
Links
Website: http://www.laceysavage.com
Blog: http://www.laceysavage.com/blog/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/laceysavage
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lacey.savage.7
Book buy link: http://www.ellorascave.com/coming-unbound.html
Fall in Love by Melissa Kendall – Review/Excerpt
Fall In Love
by Melissa Kendall
Contemporary (Aussie Outback) Romance
Publisher: Rebel Ink Press
Heat Level: Steamy
Word Count: 9,243 words
Buy Links
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Fall-In-Love-ebook/dp/B00AFJXFC6/
ARe: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-fallinlove-1009385-148.html
B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/fall-in-love-melissa-kendall/1109990523
BookStrand: http://www.bookstrand.com/fall-in-love
Description
Michael Dunbar runs his family’s cattle station in the far north of Western Australia. Station life is lonely and he wishes there was a way he could find a companion that wouldn’t mind living the outback life with him. In hopes of finding a woman, Michael heads to Broome for a few weeks holiday. What he finds is something he never expected.
Mia Mason is a Perth girl who longs to leave the city behind for a life in the country.
Can two like minds fall in love? Only destiny knows.
Warning: This title is intended for readers over the age of 18 as it contains adult sexual situations and/or adult language, and may be considered offensive to some readers.
Excerpt #2:
After the best night’s sleep I’d ever had, I awoke to see the sun much higher in the sky than I expected. Rolling over to look at the alarm clock, I was shocked to see it was almost eight in the morning. Never in my life had I slept in so long. On rare occasions, I had sometimes slept until seven, but usually my internal alarm clock had my eyes open at four a.m., rain, hail or shine.
Rolling over I saw the beautiful woman, who the previous night told me she was mine, still sound asleep. Careful not to wake her just yet, I hopped out of bed, threw on a tee, and went in search of my mum.
I found her in the kitchen, busy as she washed some dishes.
“Morning sleepyhead,” she said with a chuckle.
“Morning. How come you let me sleep in so long?”
“Well, technically you’re still on holidays, so there’s no need for you to be up at the crack of dawn, and well…”
“Yeah, fine, I get it.” It was obvious Mum tried to give Mia and me a little private time.
“Your dad saddled Mack and Jessie before he left this morning, so feel free to take Mia out and show her the property.” I just nodded my head in understanding. “Also, I have something for you that I think you’ll need.” She reached into her pocket and pulled out a red velvet jewellery box. “This was your Grandma’s ring. I’m pretty sure you know what to do with it.”
As I took the ring, I knew Mum had given me her and Dad’s blessing to ask Mia to marry me. Ideas had already started to form as to where and when I would do it as I headed back into the bedroom to see if Sleeping Beauty was awake yet.
The most beautiful sight greeted me as I walked in the door. Mia was indeed awake. She yawned and stretched as she shook off the sleep haze. A tantalising sliver of skin was visible between her shorts and top. My mouth watered in anticipation to see more.
“Good morning,” I said as I walked over and sat down next to her on the bed.
“You should have woken me up,” she grumbled.
“I’ve only been awake about fifteen minutes myself. Mum has bacon and eggs cooking as we speak. Do you want to eat or shower first?” I asked.
“Eat please,” she said as she crawled into my lap. She then gave me a fantastic good morning kiss, wiggling her hips just enough to tease me into a hard-on. After the kiss ended, she laughed and hopped off my lap.
“You coming?” she asked as she headed to the door.
“Almost,” I said in a cheeky tone. I stood up so she could get the full effect of what she’d done to me.
She ran back over to me and whispered in my ear, “If you’re a good boy I’ll take care of that for you in the shower after breakfast.”
That didn’t help the situation in my pants at all. The sassy woman then had the hide to flash me her boobs as she ran out the door. I was the luckiest man on the planet. I followed her out of the bedroom with the intention on being the most well behaved boy I could be because if that was the only price I had to pay to get her in the shower with me, it was one I was more than willing to pay.
Review:
Good lord Ms. Kendall knows how to write a short story. She packs so much in her short stories that its never rushed, nor plot points skimmed over, just a good old fashioned romance that when you finish, you are craving for more. I swear, I wanted Michael and Mia’s story to never end. I read every Harlequin romance book that I can get my hands that deals with the Australian Outback. There is something romantic in the setting, the way of life and the characters that come alive for me. Someone asked me once why I crave them and for me, they remind me of Oklahoma (where I was born) and Texas (where I live). There is something sexy about a ranch and the people that live and work them.
Michael has decided that he needs a vacation from the station and embarks to the city of Broome for a couple of weeks to relax and maybe find a woman. *sigh* I really felt for Michael in the opening pages. He has pretty much decided that he would be lonely for the rest of his life. Seriously, how do you convince a woman to move to a remote location and live happily ever after? Well, fate has other plans for Michael in this little ditty of a story.
Mia was a wonderful compliment to Michael. At first she seemed like a bit of a tease but as the story progressed, she really grew on me and the way she was written. Layer upon layer was revealed and in the end, she not only won Michael but me as well. Her sass and sexiness were spot on for the story. The excerpt above gives you a tidbit of her personality.
I can not impress upon you to find Melissa Kendall’s short stories, buy them, read them and fall in love with the romance genre all over again. She writes with a deft hand and knows how to draw you in and never lets you go. While short, they are well worth it. Plus, come on this one is set in Australia…what’s not to love?
I’m cheating and stealing Harlie’s signature button…. Oh wait, I’m not cheating… I am Harlie so I can use it if I want to…
About the Author
Melissa is a 37 year-old stay at home mum and part-time Software Support Consultant. She lives in Perth Western Australia the most isolated capital city in the world.
She’s always loved to read and write and spent most of her teens scribbling poetry and short stories on any scrap of paper she could get her hands on. Over the years as daily life pressures got in the way she lost the passion for it. After her son was born, she discovered online books and her interest in writing was rekindled. It has been a large part of her life ever since.
Connect with Melissa Kendall
Website: http://www.melissakendall.net
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Short Rides by Lorelie James – Book Blitz with Giveaway
KING OF HEARTS excerpt
A murder/suicide.
In Sundance, Wyoming.
It was one of the worst scenes Deputy Cam McKay had dealt with. And he’d seen a lot of horrific things over the years. He’d served several rotations in Iraq and witnessed the aftermath of suicide bombers. He’d seen animals used as vessels to hold bombs. He’d been in a caravan that’d hit a string of IEDs, resulting in death and dismemberment of his fellow soldiers. He hadn’t come away from war unscathed—he’d lost most of his left leg, part of his hand, and bore scars, both visible and invisible.
During his time as deputy in Crook County, he’d dealt with deadly car accidents, including a fatality involving his cousin, Luke McKay. He’d broken up domestic disputes where one or both of the parties were drunk, armed, angry, and bleeding. He’d stumbled across a wild horse slaughter.
But this? It was beyond sickening.
The hysterical 911 call from the neighbor who’d discovered the bodies hadn’t prepared him at all for what he’d found at the crime scene.
His stomach roiled as his brain flashed back to the carnage and he fought the urge to throw up.
Again.
But Cam hadn’t been alone in his reaction. Sheriff Shortbull had stumbled outside and heaved over the juniper hedge after his glimpse at the dead couple.
A murder/suicide.
In Sundance, Wyoming.
Happy Valentine’s Day.
Maybe it seemed worse because Cam knew the couple. He’d graduated from high school with Jeff Wingate. Cam couldn’t fathom how the mild-mannered insurance salesman could carry out such brutality, especially to his wife. And Angela hadn’t fought back. She’d literally lay down and died.
What a fucking waste.
What a fucking mess.
There’d been no indication of domestic issues. No 911 phone calls in the last year. No history of violence. He’d seen them eating in Dewey’s Delish Dish two weeks ago. They’d acted… happy.
Because the crime scene was beyond their small county’s investigative expertise, they’d had to call in the DCI from Cheyenne. Which meant waiting for the crew to arrive. But neither Cam nor Sheriff Shortbull could stomach waiting inside the house where the bloodbath had occurred.
So they stood outside in the frigid February weather, taking turns warming up in their patrol cars. He and the sheriff were too disturbed to slide into their usual defense mechanism, cracking jokes—which was how most law enforcement officers handled unpleasant aspects of the job—trying to find any bit of humor to escape the horror of the gruesome scene.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
ROUGH ROAD excerpt
“Mama, what’s a faggot?”
Chassie’s entire body seized up and she nearly dropped the bowl she was washing. She turned her head and met the startled eyes of her husband Trevor, who was packaging leftovers on the counter beside her. She managed to ask, “Where’d you hear that word?” in a steady voice.
“At school. A third-grader said my dads were faggots.”
She briefly closed her eyes. Living an unconventional lifestyle in a conservative rural area guaranteed this question would come up at some point—but she hadn’t expected it this soon. Their six-year-old son Westin had just started first grade a month ago.
Chassie rinsed and dried her hands before she turned around. “How about if we wait to talk about it until Papai is done giving Max his bath? You can stay up a little later tonight.”
Westin’s big blue eyes were somber, suspicious of the bribe. But he nodded and returned to his “homework”—an activity book they’d purchased after his disappointment at not having schoolwork every night in first grade.
Trevor came over and set his hands on her shoulders. He kissed her temple and whispered, “Come on, Chass. Baby, take a deep breath. We’ll get through this. That word doesn’t have the power to destroy what we’ve built unless we let it.”
She nuzzled his jaw. “I know that. It’s just…”
“Mama!” A little person slammed into the backs of her legs. She glanced down. A naked little person.
Two-year-old Max grinned at her, his brown eyes triumphant, his dark hair sopping wet.
Edgard sauntered into the kitchen, a bath towel draped over his forearm. “That boy is as slippery as an eel.” He wrapped the towel around Max like a straightjacket and hoisted him up amidst Max’s happy shrieks and giggles. “Kiss Mama and Daddy goodnight, little streaker. Then if we can wrassle your jammies on fast, we’ll have time for one book.”
“Two books!”
Chassie smooched both of Max’s chubby cheeks and smoothed her hand over his wet hair. “’Night, Max. Love you.”
Trevor kissed Max’s forehead. “Love you son, ’night.”
Edgard’s gaze winged between Chassie and Trevor. He mouthed, “Problem?”
“I’ll fill you in upstairs. I need to check on Sophia anyway,” Trevor said. He looked at Chassie. “I’ll tuck her in if she hasn’t already crashed.”
Four-year-old Sophia ran at such high speed all day that many nights she conked out while watching TV or playing in her room.
The guys disappeared upstairs.
Chassie finished cleaning the kitchen and headed to the basement to throw a load of clothes in the washer. Her mind had locked on Westin’s question. She knew one thing about her thoughtful son—the taunt hadn’t been tossed at him just today. Westin tried to figure things out on his own, so she worried he’d been dealing with defining the nasty word for longer than a day.
She leaned against the wall, fighting tears, fighting memories of the cruelty directed at her growing up. The jeers—lazy Indian, ugly squaw—still lingered years later. Back then she’d been so shy she hadn’t fought back. Her brother Dag might’ve gone after her tormentors, but he’d been fighting his own demons. No doubt he’d had the word faggot hurled at him.
What really caused that long ago hurt to deepen was the knowledge that if their father had known Dag’s sexual orientation, he would’ve flung that word at his son without hesitation.
When Chassie, Edgard and Trevor decided to add kids to their family, they all three worked every day to make sure their children knew they were loved. To make sure their children knew their parents loved each other. And to show them that love is what built and what sustained their lives. Especially when it was love that a lot of people didn’t understand.
Chassie held on to that thought as she scaled the stairs.
****
Trevor plugged in the nightlight and left the door open a crack before he headed down the hallway to the master bedroom.
He removed his long-sleeved shirt and T-shirt, tossing them in the hamper along with his dirty jeans. After washing his face and arms, he slipped on a pair of black sweatpants and a gray tank top. He’d need to channel his frustration after they talked to Westin, because guaranteed he’d wanna punch the shit out of something.
Faggots. Who taunted a kid—a kind, innocent little boy—with that term?
You would have.
Goddamn. Trevor didn’t want to think along those lines, to remember the judgmental asshole he’d been at one time. He’d been raised that way—as had Chassie and Edgard—which was why they were raising their kids differently.
He perched on the edge of their gigantic custom-made bed, forearms resting on his thighs, his face aimed at the carpet. Westin and Sophia were aware their family was different from the norm. But due to divorces and remarriages, didn’t most kids these days deal with multiple parents? How was it anyone’s business how they lived in their own home? Or how they loved each other? He’d bet the ranch very few traditional family units were as attuned to each other as theirs. They had to work harder at communication because of having a third partner. And he wouldn’t have it any other way—regardless of the societal repercussions.
Footsteps fell across the carpet. A pause. “Did you mean to leave the light on in Sophia’s room?” Edgard asked.
“No. Guess my mind was elsewhere.” Trevor glanced up. “Was she still awake?”
“Nah. She just yanked the covers over her head. I shut the light off.”
“Thanks. And Max?”
“Out. He didn’t last through one book, let alone two.” Edgard gave Trevor a once-over. “We working out tonight?”
“I’ll need to hit the heavy bag after…”
“After what?”
He sighed.
“Trev, what’s goin’ on?”
So Trevor told him.
Edgard didn’t say anything. Then he crouched in front of Trevor to get his attention. “That’s not all of what’s bugging you.”
The man knew him so well. Trevor reached out and ran the back of his knuckles along Edgard’s jaw. He hadn’t shaved for a day and Trevor had the sudden need to feel beard burn on the inside of his thighs. On his chest. Scraping on his cheeks and neck as he kissed Edgard senseless.
“Dangerous to keep lookin’ at me like that, meu amor. Burning me alive with those fiery eyes of yours won’t make me forget the issue at hand, as much as I’d like to.”
“I know.” Trevor dropped his hand. “I fuckin’ hate that I used to be that type of kid Westin is dealin’ with. Anything I didn’t understand, I belittled. I laughed when I made kids cry. Laughed. Jesus. How many people I bullied growing up would say I’m getting what I deserve? Seeing my son cry.” He exhaled. “I’m to the point I can handle what anyone calls us. But it breaks my damn heart that Westin is hearing that shit.”
“Hey. You’re not the same man you were. Thank God for that.” Edgard stood and held his hand out to Trevor. “Worrying about karma coming back to bite you in the ass won’t help us now.”
As soon as he was upright, Trevor tugged Edgard against his body and buried his face in Edgard’s neck. “I’m grateful every damn day that we have this life.”
“Me too. We knew goin’ into it, it wouldn’t be easy.”
“Some days I can’t believe we’ve all been together eight years. And other days, I feel like my life started when I met Chassie and you came back.” Trevor lifted his head. “Do you think we oughta cancel—”
Edgard covered his mouth with a brief kiss. “No. The three of us need the time together. Chassie will be relieved that we’d planned to keep Westin out of school tomorrow anyway.”
“So we’re all set?”
“Yep.”
Trevor grinned. “Chass is really gonna be surprised.”
“I was surprised. It was a sweet, romantic thing to plan, Trev.”
“What can I say? You and Chassie bring out the best in me.” Trevor kissed him, more than a soft peck but less than the tongue tangling soul kiss he preferred. “Let’s go talk to our son.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Keely—seven months pregnant…
Keely West McKay Donohue had this pregnancy thing down pat.
Well, except for the occasional glitches when her heightened emotional state hit overload and she had a teeny, tiny, barely noticeable…episode or two.
Most of those incidents hadn’t really been her fault.
Like when the grocery store had run out of her brand of laundry soap again and she’d attempted to express her displeasure to the manager. But he’d refused to listen to reason, calling her consumer’s request a crazy woman’s rant, puh-lease—she hadn’t even hit rant stage. Then the weasel had barricaded himself in his office, had her escorted from the premises by a pimply fifteen-year-old and banned her from the store for life. Luckily, the other grocery store in town had been much more accommodating. They’d even assigned her a shopping assistant to personally escort her through the store every time she showed up.
And Jack could’ve prevented the incident last month if he’d just taken her out for finger steaks like she’d asked him to. His refusal to understand the depth of her craving had forced her to cook the yummy bits of breaded and fried steak herself. So, it wasn’t completely her fault that she’d accidentally started a small grease fire in the kitchen and she’d had to call the fire department. The fire department in turn had called the local ambulance crew, and they had contacted her brother Cam—a Crook County Deputy—who had called her entire family. Except no one had remembered to call her husband. So when Jack had come home after work to see the driveway filled with emergency vehicles and McKays, he’d lost his mind.
She’d had to spray him down with the hose to cool him off. Then she’d really caught hell for ruining his bajillion-dollar, triple-worsted wool suit crafted out of special sheep butt hairs or some such. And people claimed she was on edge during this pregnancy?
Besides, Jack had it easy. His job as her baby daddy entailed three things:
1) Sucking it up and listening to her every pregnancy complaint like she was reciting secret stock tips.
2) Keeping her fed and never ever ever mentioning the amount of food she consumed on a daily basis.
3) Fulfilling her sexual needs whenever and wherever she wanted; or keeping his dick far away from her on those bad pregnancy days she suspected she’d chop it off if he showed it to her. Happily those days were mostly behind them now.
Not such a hard list. So why was he dragging his loafers on getting on with checking off task number three today?
Keely had even given him a choice on where he could perform his husbandly duties. While she waited for him to choose, she studied her hot hunk of manflesh. The man defined sexy—who could blame her for wanting to jump his bones all the damn time? His dark hair was disheveled from constantly running his fingers through it. His silk paisley tie remained neatly knotted and he hadn’t taken off his suit jacket, which in her mind meant he hadn’t really started to work yet. So this was the perfect time for a break. Besides, Jack never really meant no.
“Come on, Jack.”
“No.”
“I’ll make it worth your while,” she said, adding a purring rowr.
“That’s what I’m afraid of,” Jack said, without looking away from his computer screen. “And stop staring at my crotch to see if I’m getting hard,” he warned her.
“Just tell me if your boxers are getting tight?”
“No.”
“Why not?”
“Because A, I’m thinking about work not sex, and if you want to see me before midnight, which isn’t likely, you’ll find a way to entertain yourself and let me finish this. B, if I do take your offer to bend you over the conference table and fuck you until you scream, guaranteed one of your ten billion family members will decide to pop in and interrupt us. Again.”
Keely crossed her arms over her chest trying not to feel self-conscious. She could almost rest them on her protruding belly. “That was not my fault. I cannot control my family, Jack.”
“I know that only too well,” he muttered. “Besides, don’t you have a client scheduled?”
“She had to cancel.” That’s when she knew she should’ve lied. He’d see her offer as a way to kill time. When in actuality, she saw it as a chance to revisit their spontaneous pre-pregnancy trysts for the first time in what seemed like weeks.
Jack stopped typing and looked at her sharply. “Just because you’re bored doesn’t mean I am.”
Bored? Fuck that and fuck you too, buddy. Or better yet, I wouldn’t fuck you right now if you begged me. In fact…Then just like that surly girl disappeared and weepy woman took her place.
Awesome. She hadn’t run this hot and cold even as a teenager. She hated that a curt word or a scowl from him set her off into a fit of rage or a river of tears. Yet she was sick of him and everyone else muttering about her out-of-whack hormones.
So she opted to take the high road for a change. “Sorry to interrupt you.” Keely pushed off the doorframe and pulled the door shut behind her. Not slamming it. Point for her.
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4/17/13
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4/18/13
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A Tiger’s Claim (An Ashwood Falls Novel) by Lia Davis – Review/Character Interview/Giveaway/Excerpt
GIVEAWAY!
Lia is giving away a $25 Amazon GC and a swag pack to one commenter during the tour. Rafflecopter link is at the bottom of the post. Good luck!
A Tiger’s Claim – Ashwood Falls, book 1
By Lia Davis
Publisher: Fated Desires Publishing
Blurb
As the Alpha’s only daughter Shayna Andrews has always been treated like a rare gem, protected like royalty, and she’s suffocating. Her longing to be independent has driven her to sneak out one evening after dinner. After relishing in being able to run free without an escort, she finds herself face-to-face with the enemy, miles from home, and nearly loses her life until a lone wolf comes to her aid.
Travis Hunter’s main objective is to destroy the Onyx Pack—a group of drug using, murdering rogue shifters. His seek-and-destroy plans are put on hold when he rescues a female from a brutal attack. The beautifully exotic tiger shifter, Shayna, stirs a passion he thought died with his long-lost mate.
When Shay’s first heat cycle slams into her, Travis has no choice but to submit to her needs—and his own. But there is always a price to sleeping with the Pack princess. Not only will they have to face her Pack, Shay and Travis will have to deal with a mating that is beyond a single night and could have consequences more than either of them had thought. And when Travis finds out Shay wears the enemy’s brand, things will go from bad to worse.
Warning: One alpha female who doesn’t take no for an answer, a wolf with more on the line than just his heart, and a combustible attraction that’s sure to cause more than one sweaty night.
Find it on:
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | ARe | Kobo
Find it in Print (also includes the prequel, Winter Eve):
Excerpt:
It took ten minutes too long to reach his small one-bedroom cabin. Once inside, he carried her straight to the bedroom, flung the comforter back, and laid the female on his bed. As soon as her leg touched the mattress, she groaned in pain. Frowning, he walked to his dresser, grabbed a pair of joggers, and put them on.
He went back to the bed and sat down next to her, jarring her hip. Another painful groan made him pause. He lifted her sweater to undo her jeans so he could look at the wound. When he touched the button, she flung opened her eyes, screamed, and swung her arms wildly.
Damn it.
He fought with her for a few seconds before he got hold of her arms and pinned them to the bed. “I’m not going to hurt you.”
Her eyes held a wild fear he hoped never to see in a female again. The claw marks etched into both her cheeks fueled his fury more. He breathed in then out slowly.
Calm down before you scare her more than she already is.
“My name is Travis Hunter. You’re safe.”
She blinked then looked around the room. “Where…am I?”
He growled low in his throat. The tremor in her voice cut through him. “My home.”
She tried to break from his hold, and he tightened his grip. “You’re safe. I killed the rogues.”
The woman stilled and searched his face, the wildness still heavy in her blue eyes. “You’re a wolf.”
He smiled and nodded. “And you’re a tiger.”
“A white tiger.”
To match her white-blond hair. “And a beautiful one.”
Harlie’s Character Interview Questions
Name: Shayna Andrews (Shay)
Tell us a little about where you live.
I live in Ashwood Falls. It’s a leopard/wolf Pack located in the Smokey Mountains. Yes, I said leopard and wolf. About thirty years ago, before I was born, the leopards and wolves merged their Packs together to better protect themselves and fight against the Onyx Pack – a Pack of rogue shifters.
Ashwood is a strong Pack and all the members have learned to live together. I love the diverse community.
Who are your closest friends?
Cameron, a black jaguar and a senior enforcer. She is also my older brother’s, Blaine, mate. Cam is only ten older than me, so we relate on so many levels.
Danica is my other bestie. She’s the Pack Healer.
Describe yourself in three words:
Strong, caring, and protective
Who do you love?
Travis Hunter. He’s a sexy wolf who had saved me from a rogue attack.
Without giving too much away, what was one of your favorite moments with that person?
Anytime we are together, no matter what we are doing.
Anything you would like to say to your author?
I’d like to tell her thanks for telling mine and Travis’s story so we can share it with everyone.
Review:
Before I start my review I have to admit something…I don’t read a lot of shifter books. I admit it and I’m not proud of it but its out there. What intrigued me about A Tiger’s Claim was that the fact it dealt with a tiger and a wolf. Most shifter books keep within the same species so again…how is this going to play out? How are their babies going to come out in the end? Half tiger, half wolf? I can’t even imagine how the shift would happen. But in this book we don’t have to worry about that yet but darn it, now I’m hooked on the start of the series, so I’ll keep reading to find out.
A Tiger’s Claim starts off with a bang and never lets up. Our heroine, Shay is shot at, mauled, and left to die a couple of times and I finally caught my breath in the end. Whew! When she was attacked by the rogues in the beginning of the book, she was rescued by a wolf shifter, Travis. She didn’t know if she could trust me but when she came into heat, she couldn’t resist him. Was it love or lust between them? And what about Travis’ other mate? What happened to her? And let’s mention his daughter, Josie. She’s such a sweet little girl and learning about what happens to her in the book is… Just read it.
I loved this book. The characters are richly drawn and engaging. I was never lost when Ms. Davis explained Ashwood Falls and how it came to be. It fasnicated me that two different species merged together to form a bigger pack and relied on each other. Most shifters stay within their own kind but not in Ashwood Falls. Oh and there is a human that has mated with a shifter, too. There might seem like there is a lot going on and in some ways there is but I never felt lost. Ms. Davis keeps the pace flowing and the dialogue crisp. Oh and did I mention the suspense element that she has woven into the story? Yep, I’m a goner. I never guessed who was behind the attacks so when it was revealed, I was pleasantly shocked. Great job!
I look forward to reading more about Ashwood Falls, the two packs that form it and the fabulous secondary characters that came alive on the page. I can’t wait!!!!
About the Author: 
Lia Davis is a mother to two young adults and two very special kitties, a wife to her soul mate, a paranormal romance author, graphic designer, and co-owner to Fated Desires Publishing, LLC. She and her family live in Northeast Florida battling hurricanes and very humid summers. But it’s her home and she loves it!
An accounting major, Lia has always been a dreamer with a very activity imagination. The wheels in her head never stop. She ventured into the world of writing and publishing in 2008 and loves it more than she imagined. Writing and designing are stress relievers that allow her to go off in her corner of the house and enter into another world that she created, leaving real life where it belongs.
Her favorite things are spending time with family, traveling, reading, writing, chocolate, coffee, nature and hanging out with her kitties.
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