Friday, January 31, 2014

Hiding in Plain Sight by Cassandra Carr - Cover Reveal



Vladimir Gusev exists in a living hell. A year ago in the Olympics he was forced to use a homophobic slur during a game, and guilt is eating him from the inside out. Not only is Vladimir not a homophobe, but in the aftermath of the Olympics, he was finally able to admit his true nature to himself. Yet he's been taught homosexuality is a sin, so he tries to push away his feelings, but to no avail.

Joe Bufford is an out gay man and an ex-Delta Force member who was medically discharged after an injury to his hand leaves him no longer able to perform his duties. His job as a mechanic at the airport is hardly a long-term career choice, but Joe has no idea where he can utilize the skills he learned in the Army.

Vladimir and Joe meet, and Joe instantly recognizes Vladimir as a terrified closet case. Before he knows it, Joe is offering to help Vladimir figure out what he is and what he wants. As time goes on, Joe begins to hope more and more that the answers to those questions lie with him.

Releasing February 11th!


Find Cassandra online:



Letting Go by Maya Banks - Review/Giveaway



Josslyn found perfection once, and she knows she’ll never find it again. Now widowed, she seeks the one thing her beloved husband couldn’t give her. Dominance. Lonely and searching for an outlet for her grief and wanting only a brief taste of the perfection she once enjoyed, she seeks what she’s looking for at an exclusive club that caters to people indulging in their most hedonistic fantasies. She never imagined that what she’d find is the one man who’s long been a source of comfort—and secret longing. Her husband’s best friend.

Dash has lived in an untenable position for years. In love with his best friend’s wife and unwilling to act on that attraction. He’d never betray his best friend. And so he’s waited in the wings, offering Joss unconditional support and comfort as she works past her grief, hoping for the day when he can offer her more.

When he finds her in a club devoted to the darker edges of desire, he’s furious because he thinks she has no idea what she’s getting herself into. Until she explains in detail what it is she wants. What she needs. As realization sets in, he is gripped by fierce, unwavering determination. If she wants dominance, he is the only man who will introduce her to that world. He is the only man who will touch her, cherish her…love her. And the only man she’ll ever submit to.

LETTING GO Buy Links:




I’ve enjoyed Maya Banks for a while now, and I was excited with the prospect of trying out a new series from her. It definitely appealed because it had the aspect of friends to lovers, I liked both Joss and Dash. It’s obvious that Dash has loved Joss for a long time. I really understood the angle of Joss wanting to move forward from grieving her deceased husband.

Dash was obviously a very warm and caring Dom, if anything I didn’t feel like there was as much as the D/s relationship that I was expecting. I guess I was expecting more boundaries and testing of those boundaries. I enjoyed that both of them loved Carson and that is a central aspect, the ghost in the room, they did spend a lot of time in their heads worrying about the other ones emotions instead of talking it out together.

Overall it’s an enjoyable story, and I will easily pick up the next story in the trilogy.



I received a copy in exchange for my honest review. I was not compensated for my review.




Maya Banks is the #1 New York Times and #1 USA Today and bestselling author of the Surrender Trilogy.  Her other chart toppers have included erotic romance, romantic suspense, contemporary romance, and Scottish historical romance.  She lives in the South with her husband, three children and a variety of pets. Visit her online at www.mayabanks.comwww.facebook.com/AuthorMayaBanks, and twitter.com/maya_banks.




The Publisher (Berkley) is sponsoring a giveaway for one trade paperback copy of the book to a winner in the U.S. Contest ends February 5th. Please leave a comment with a VALID email address.


In the Dark by Sally Eggert - Spotlight/Giveaway



BOOK SPOTLIGHT INFO:

In the Dark: Loveswept Romantic Suspense
By Sally Eggert
Published by Loveswept
On Sale January 28, 2014
ISBN: 978-0-345-54833-7

A woman drawn into a dangerous game. A man who may not be what he seems. Passion raises the stakes in Sally Eggert’s electrifying novel of deception and desire.

Josie Nielsen’s anonymous life as a bartender is a world away from her classified job at a covert agency—and the terrifying night she was almost killed for her country’s secrets. That was the night Josie found out the hard way that no one had her back, especially not the man she thought she loved. But she’s pulled back in when her new boyfriend becomes the target of a government drug sting.

A sexy, laid-back barfly, Johnny Boyer is the kind of guy Josie can count on . . . to disappear before things get too complicated. But after she learns that Johnny is part of a major international trafficking operation, Josie can’t let him out of her sight. And yet even as she plunges into the mortal danger that surrounds Johnny, her attraction to him burns hotter than ever. She just isn’t sure whether she’s falling for a ruthless, cold-blooded criminal or the only man she’s ever met worth trusting with her life.

Advance praise for IN THE DARK
 “Raw emotion pulled me deep into the heart of Sally Eggert’s story and the suspense held me captive.”—Award-winning author Patricia Rosemoor

Find IN THE DARK on Goodreads

Buy Links:


About Sally Eggert

Sally Eggert first began writing romance as an escape from law school. She is a two-time finalist in Romance Writers of America’s Golden Heart contest and a member of RWA, Washington Romance Writers, the Golden Network, and the Ruby-Slippered Sisterhood. Eggert lives outside Washington, D.C., with her husband and spends her free time playing the violin, knitting, and daydreaming every single day.
Connect with Sally Eggert
Website  |  Facebook  |  Twitter

Connect with Loveswept



Sally Eggert's IN THE DARK  Tour Schedule  1/20 - 2/07
1/20  Book Monster Reviews (guest post)

1/21 - Paranormal Romance Author Honor James (spotlight)

1/21 - Romance With Flavor (Guest Post, Spotlight)

1/21 - C&F (Spotlight)

1/23 - Read More Romance (Spotlight)

1/23 - Tome Tender (spotlight/guest post)

1/23 - Manga Maniac Café (interview)

1/27 - darkest cravings (spotlight and interview)

1/27 - KT BOOK REVIEWS (Spotlight)

1/28 - author Karen Swart (Spotlight)

1/31 - eclipse reviews (spotlight & interview)


1/31 - For the Love of Bookends (Spotlight)

2/01 - Mythical Books (spotlight)

2/01 - deal sharing aunt (Spotlight)

2/03 - The Snarkology (Spotlight)

2/04 - Rage, Sex and Teddy Bears (Spotlight & review)

2/05 - Books-n-Kisses (Spotlight)

2/05 - Fab Fantasy Fiction (Spotlight & review)

2/06 - Literal Hotties Naughty Book Reviews (Spotlight)

2/06 - RomanceJunkies.com (interview or guest post)

2/07 - Blimey! I Fancy Reading (review)


Thursday, January 30, 2014

The Twelfth Night Wager by Regan Walker - Interview/Giveaway


The Twelfth Night Wager
by Regan Walker

BLURB:

On a dull day at White’s, the Redheaded Rake agreed to a wager: seduce and abandon the lovely Lady Leisterfield by Twelfth Night. After one taste of her virtue, he will stop at nothing less than complete possession.


Excerpt:

Eustace slowed the horses and guided the phaeton to the side of the path. Holding the reins in one hand, he turned to face to her. His eyes seemed to glow in the dim light.

“I never would have thought the serene Lady Leisterfield would be so stimulated by a ride in the park. You are flushed and your eyes bright. I do think you enjoyed our dash through the Row.”

“Yes, I quite liked it,” Grace said, breathless. “Though you must admit, the ride was more like a race.”

He looked at her lips and then her neck. “I can see your pulse jumping. Perhaps you like to race as much as I do.”

Grace wondered if he was still speaking of horses or something else. Her heart sped as he leaned toward her and brushed his lips across hers. After only a moment, she pulled back.

“Too soon?” he asked.

“That question implies such is inevitable, my lord. I can assure you it is not.”

Interview:

What made you realize that writing was it for you? Do you write full time?

Except for stories I wrote as a child, I didn’t begin to write fiction until I had a career as a lawyer. My best friend boosted my ego by saying that I was a natural author and storyteller when I told her I’d change the way books ended. She was the one to encourage me to write a Historical Romance since I loved the genre. Even before I was an author, I had my Regan’s Romance Reviews blog (http://reganromancereview.blogspot.com) dedicated to lovers of Historical Romance. I was working a day job when I began to write, but now I write full time - and I love it.

If someone hasn't read any of your work, what book would you recommend that they start with and why?

I think it might be best to start with the first in my Agents of the Crown trilogy, Racing with the Wind. Though each book can be read as a stand alone, there are some characters introduced in that book that will show up later, even in my new novella, The Twelfth Night Wager.

Racing with the Wind is the story of a member of the aristocracy, the Marquess of Ormond, who is a spy for the Crown in France during the war with Napoleon who returns to Paris with a new assignment. The heroine, Lady Mary Campbell, is a rebellious daughter of an earl who insists on accompanying her statesman uncle to Paris in 1816 (after the war has ended) where she gets caught up (with the hero) in a plot to assassinate the French king, who has just been restored to the throne.

Does travel play in the writing of your books?

Oh, yes. I love to travel and have been to 40 countries, England and France among them. I like my readers to experience travel, adventure and love in my stories. It helps if you have been to a place when you set a scene there, though with the Internet it is possible to learn enough to feel as if you’ve been there. Recently, that’s what I did with some scenes set in Bermuda.

Tell us about your current release.

The Twelfth Night Wager is set in England in the fall of 1818 with the opening of theater season and extends through January 5th, 1819, or Twelfth Night. It begins one night at White’s Club where two bored members of le bon ton enter into a scandalous wager involving a virtuous young widow. It has a little history, a little mystery and a lot of romance.

Tell us about your next release.

I’m very excited about the third in my Agents of the Crown trilogy, Wind Raven, scheduled to be released in early Spring. It’s a pirate Regency with a handsome English sea captain and an American hoyden he is forced to take as a passenger who thinks she can crew with his men. Set on a schooner of the period in London, Bermuda, Puerto Rico and Baltimore, it’s a real sea faring adventure. And the pirate, a handsome blond hunk, was a real, historic figure.

Where are your fans most likely to find you hanging out?

I’m on Facebook and Twitter and my blog, of course. But most of my exchanges on a daily basis are on Facebook. I post nearly every day so it’s a good way to follow me. But joining my blog will get you my reviews, my best lists and what I’m reading next. How fun is that?



As a child Regan Walker loved to write stories, particularly about adventure-loving girls, but by the time she got to college more serious pursuits took priority. One of her professors thought her suited to the profession of law, and Regan realized it would be better to be a hammer than a nail. Years of serving clients in private practice and several stints in high levels of government gave her a love of international travel and a feel for the demands of the “Crown” on its subjects. Hence her romance novels often involve a demanding Prince Regent who thinks of his subjects as his private talent pool.






Regan will be awarding a copy of three (3) of her books, Racing with the Wind, The Holly and the Thistle and The Shamrock and the Rose to one randomly drawn commenter during the tour. Follow the tour here

Den of Sin - Series Spotlight/Giveaway

 Den of Sin

Leave your inhibitions at the door…and turn the page.

New Orleans’s Hotel Beaudelaire isn’t just a critically acclaimed 5-star establishment. For New Year’s Eve, it becomes a Den of Sin, and its owner extends invitations to a few discriminating guests to help make their sexual fantasies come true.

Indulge in a new erotica or erotic romance novella. Each has a different couple (or trio) and different kinks.

To learn more about this shared world series and its authors, and to access purchasing information, please visit DenofSinSeries.com.



Forbidden Rendezvous by Mel Blue
Seraphina orchestrates fantasies, but this year she’ll create one of her own. It’s against the rules for an employee to participate in the weekend-long sex-capade but she’s willing to risk it for Luke. The man’s a mystery, but in a sea of CEOs and Fortune 500 billionaires, he stands out. His past and connection to her boss is clouded in intrigue, but she knows what he wants, and she plans to star in one of his voyeuristic fantasies.


About Melissa Blue
Melissa Blue’s writing career started on a typewriter one month after her son was born. This would have been an idyllic situation for a writer if it had been 1985, not 2004. Eventually she upgraded to a computer. She’s still typing away on the same computer, making imaginary people fall in love.

Website: http://www.themelissablue.com




MĂ©nage Ă  Troys by Holley Trent
At the Den of Sin anything goes, so instead of two newlyweds letting down their guards to finally consummate their marriage of convenience, three people desperate to be touched forge bonds. That’s all well and good for the weekend, but what will shake out of their tentative mĂ©nage Ă  trois when it’s time to go home?


About Holley Trent:
Holley Trent is a Carolina girl gone West. Raised in rural coastal North Carolina, she currently resides on the Colorado Front Range with her family. She didn’t have cable as a kid, so she grew up watching British sitcoms on PBS and reruns of such classics as Good Times and I Love Lucy. Because of that, she’s unapologetically snarky and her love of dark humor comes through her characters.

Holley writes sassy contemporary romances, romantic comedies, and light paranormal romances – usually set in her home state.

Where you can find her:




Wicked Surrender by Ambrielle Kirk
Kris is tired of spending her nights playing with hard plastic and silicone. She wants a real man for a night, and expects to find him at the Den of Sin. She doesn’t expect to meet one of the World’s Most Eligible Bachelors there, and this isn’t the first time she’s met him. Unfortunately, Travis Brenden doesn’t seem to remember her.


About Ambrielle Kirk:
Multi-published author Ambrielle Kirk writes diverse, edgy and seductive romance: multicultural erotic, paranormal romance, and urban fantasy. A bestselling author in several sub-genres at ARe and Amazon, she has also earned a 2012 Swirl Award in the paranormal category. She’s a PAN member of RWA, FF&P special interest chapter of RWA, and co-founder and treasurer of Cultural, Interracial, and Multicultural special interest chapter of RWA.

She loves weaving tales where undying love is the main element. When she’s not writing, she’s plotting. When she’s not writing or plotting, she’s reading. She’s a thirty-something year old wife, mother, book hoarder, 90s music fan, earl grey tea drinker, dark roast coffee fiend, platform and stiletto shoe collector, Keurig lover, and martial arts/action movie fanatic.

Where you can find her:
Website: http://ambriellekirk.com



 
Redeeming the Amazon by L. V. Lewis
Karen hasn’t made love fully unclothed since her double mastectomy and the subsequent demise of her marriage. Her most significant relationship occurred right after her surgery when she connected with a former Marine, amputee classmate. Paul once left his heart in Baltimore with a beautiful former model, whose crumbling marriage was the only deterrent to his waning honor. A fantasy weekend at his uncle’s hotel may give him a second chance with his contemporary Amazon…if her fear of rejection doesn’t become a barrier to their reconnection.

All Romance eBooksAmazonBarnes and Noble, and Smashwords


About L. V. Lewis:
L. V. Lewis has one foot in South Georgia and the other in North Florida. She’s been blessed with a husband who’s put up with her for a lot of years and has given birth to four children, three of whom she has raised to adulthood. She delights in her empty nest status so much that she writes the kinkiest novels she can conjure up.

Where you can find her:
Website and blog: http://www.lvlewis.com






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Wednesday, January 29, 2014

The Zoastra Affair by Victoria Pinder - Spotlight/Giveaway



Title: The Zoastra Affair
Genre: Science fiction/space opera
Flame rating: Warm
Released: 12/23/2013
Publisher: Soul Mate Publishing



Blurb:

A hundred years from now, Earth has trading partners with alien beings, mostly humanoid. However, going into space brought forth an unknown enemy who attacks Earth at will.

The Zoastra is part of the Earthseekers, an organization originally designed to go into space. Its new mission is to find Earth’s enemies.

Ariel is stuck on a Victorian planet and steals Grace’s body and life to get off the planet. Grace must get her body back before Ariel bonds with Grace’s husband, Peter. Then there is Cross, the man on a mission to find those who killed his family. Ariel is attracted to Cross, but she’s stolen someone’s life.


Trailer:


Buy links:


Peter winked at her when he left for the elevator with Cross at his side. She smiled back seeing that the men might be of the same build, but her husband’s authority and presence outshone the other man. Cross smiled at her husband, and her heart twisted. The men were friends, and she had no business entertaining these thoughts.

“Newman.” The General stopped her from following.

Standing straighter, she nodded, “Yes, General.”

“Is there something wrong?”

“No, sir. I finished downloading all the notes on the Sheraton home world.”

“Anything of importance that security missed, but science finds curious?”

“Not really. Last report indicated the rumor of a Sheraton woman having some ability to switch bodies, but that’s highly unlikely. All medical reports from sampled studies confirm they do not have that power.”

The information struck her funny. Aliens proved to have strange powers. The ones who attacked Earth had superior firepower, and, until science found a way to stop the attacks, they were subject to more. However, mind swapping equaled pseudo-science and not valid enough for serious study.

“Go. Have fun then.”

She turned on her heels, leaving Command for her chambers.
Walking in the door, the scent of jasmine clung to the air while she headed straight toward the closet to change into a flight suit for landing. Jeans kept the skin from itching on missions to planets, giving her the opportunity to wear her favorite outfit. Anticipating the home world comfort of her stylish tight-fitting jeans reminded her of youth, before space and missions were words of the day. She regained the bounce to her step she’d had when she was young and new to Earthseekers. Back when her eyes widened at the newness of space and ships and dreams of getting away, with Peter. She’d been happy. Jeans meant she’d be on a new adventure, following that man, again.



Victoria Pinder grew up in Irish Catholic Boston before moving to the Miami sun. She’s worked in engineering, after passing many tests proving how easy Math came to her. Then hating her life at the age of twenty four, she decided to go to law school. Four years later, after passing the bar and practicing very little, she realized that she hates the practice of law. She refused to one day turn 50 and realize she had nothing but her career and hours at a desk. After realizing she needed change, she became a high school teacher. Teaching is rewarding, but writing is a passion.

During all this time, she always wrote stories to entertain herself or calm down. Her parents are practical minded people demanding a job, and Victoria spent too many years living other people’s dreams, but when she sat down to see what skill she had that matched what she enjoyed doing, writing became so obvious. The middle school year book when someone wrote in it that one day she’d be a writer made sense when she turned thirty.

When she woke up to what she wanted, the dream of writing became so obvious. She dreams of writing professionally, where her barista can make her coffee and a walk on the beach, can motivate her tales. Contemporary romances are just fun to write. She’s always thinking whose getting hurt and whose story is next on the list to fall in love. Victoria’s love of writing has kept her centered and focused through her many phases, and she’s motivated to write many stories.

Member of Florida Romance Writers, Contemporary Romance, Fantasy, Futuristic and Paranormal chapter of RWA, and in Savvy Authors.

Visit Victoria online at:




Two (2) ebook copies of the book
Dates: 1/17/2014 thru 1/31/2014



Legal Information:
- Entering this contest means you have read, understood, and agree with all rules and regulations stated.- Entrants must be 18 or older (or age of majority in your country) to enter and to win.- No purchase necessary.- Void where prohibited.- All stated rules are subject to change without notification or reason given.- Chances of winning vary widely based on the number of entries received.- Prize is as stated. No substitutions or exchanges.


- Contest host/organizer is not responsible to misrepresented/mis-typed email addresses, spam filters, mailer demons, and other internet wackiness that may crop up at the time of winner notification.



- Winners are final.- Contest Starts 00:01EST January 17, 2014 and Ends 11:59EST January 31, 2014 and open to International participants- Winners will be notified via email, twitter, or facebook no later than 12:00EST February 6, 2014 -Respond by date to collect prize is 14 days from notification date.

In the Den by Sierra Cartwright - Spotlight



Come on… Get Mastered at the Den, a place where the wildest fantasies become reality, lives are transformed, and limits are shattered, a place where six sensational Doms meet their match in a sexy submissive who will devastate their defences.

In the Den, the final book of the highly acclaimed, internationally best-selling Mastered series from Totally Bound, the stakes will be higher than they have ever been.

Mistress Catrina Davidson knows what she wants. Independence. Freedom from controlling, domineering men. But she finds herself drawn to Dom Damien Lowell, in a way that threatens everything she’s fought for.

Even among alpha males, Damien is unique. He’s the owner of the Den, a luxury mountain retreat. And he hasn’t been intrigued by a woman in a very long time. He demands that his women be both submissive and strong. Who is more perfect than a woman who’s a Domme in her own right? Is there anything headier than demanding her surrender?

When Catrina realizes he has his sights on claiming her, she’s determined to resist him. But she soon learns it will take all her resolve to deny his overwhelming persistence.

Excerpt:
He took hold of her hand. He kept his voice low and well-modulated as he said, “You’re full of surprises.”
“I decided to accept your challenge and try to submit,” she said, meeting his gaze.
Damien rubbed his thumb pad against the flutter of her pulse.
“To you,” she clarified.
“Of course it would be to me. This is my domain.” No way would he stand by and watch her interact with anyone else.
She sighed. “You know you’re arrogant, don’t you?”
“Not usually, no.” Confident, convinced of what he wanted, determined to get it…yes. But she brought out intense reactions in him that he wasn’t sure he liked. “I’m not interested in a scene.” He wanted so much more.
“I understand. That’s why it took me so long to reach a decision.”
“What convinced you?”
As if hypnotised, she stared at the small circles he made with his
thumb.
He stopped rubbing and captured her chin and tipped her head back slightly. “No hiding.”
“Maybe you can help me learn to be a better Domme. Maybe the experience will leave me unchanged. But there’s only one way to know. And…”
He waited.
“I’m curious.” She shrugged. “I liked what happened at your house. And the fact I enjoyed it scared me, shook me up. Worse, it made me question everything I’ve assumed over the last few years. Part of me wants to pretend it never happened. But the truth is, I’m also intrigued. It took me a long time to reconcile the different thoughts and feelings. How can I be a strong, independent woman, but then enjoy being in your arms after you spank me? I’ve spent years depending on only myself. The bigger question to me is…do I even want to consider a change? I’ve never met a man who was worthy of trust.” She stared into the bottom of her glass. “And I like my life.”
He waited, allowing the time to stretch in case she had anything else to say.
A full thirty seconds passed before she met his gaze. Her eyes were wide, honest. She placed her hands on the table, palms up. “It meant something when you said you’d always want your subs to come to you. I’ll be honest. I thought that was a line. Or maybe a nice fantasy. The more I thought about, the more I thought it sounded like friendship.”
“I like that. Or maybe a partnership.”
“Don’t push it, mister.”
He grinned. Now that she was near, the tension that had gripped him for two weeks seeped away.
“So I decided I’d talk to you about it and see what we could work out. I’ll admit I’m intrigued.” She wrinkled her nose. “Damn. And as much as I hate to admit it, I’ve already learned a thing or two from you.”
“I’m honoured you’d say so. It’s mutual. I’ve learnt not to assume what you’re thinking. And I’m honing my patience skills.”
“Oh, Damien…” She batted her eyelashes. “You’ve only just begun.”


Totally Bound is helping me celebrate the release of In The Den! Join the fun and have a chance to win over $400 worth of booty!



Born in England, raised in Denver, and now residing in Galveston, Texas, Sierra Cartwright is the international best-selling author of the Mastered series from Totally Bound Publishing.

Her recent release, Over the Line was named Best Book of the Year by BDSM Book Reviews. She’s a finalist in the Love Romances CafĂ© for BDSM Book of the Year for another of the Mastered series, For The Sub.

The UK’s Daily Mail says Cartwright is “Even racier than 50 Shades.” The Amazon Kindle UK #1 bestselling author hails from Manchester, England though she was raised in the US and now calls Texas “home.” She is the acclaimed author of more than twenty erotic romance novels, including the bestselling Mastered series from Total-E-Bound Publishing.

She was previously published with Harlequin/Silhouette under a different pseudonym, and won numerous awards as well as a coveted spot on the USA Today bestseller list.

Sierra has been interviewed by Handbag.com, the Daily Mail, USA Today, Female First UK, Marie Claire Brazil, and she did a segment for the Orlando Fox affiliate with Chase Cain.

She is a multiple CAPA-nominated author.