Friday, May 29, 2015

COVER REVEAL: The Duke and the Domina by @JennLeBlanc #Warrick #menincorsets #coverreveal #StudioSmexy #illustratedromance

I'm so thrilled to be here, sharing something very special with you—my new cover.

But first, here’s a little background.

Some of you may know that my first two novels were illustrated with photographs. Some of you may have discovered my books through the new editions, sans images.
Then some of you have no idea who I am and that's exciting for me.
Welcome to my chaos!

A little about me. I was born a photographer, at least that's what I always believed. As it happens, I was actually born a storyteller and it manifested first in imagery, and later with words. Of course I would eventually find a way to combine these two things—the Illustrated Romance.

So that's how it began, my first novel was published in 2011 after a year of shooting and learning and doing. It was incredible and so very warmly received by my readers, I was truly overwhelmed.

This year I decided to try to reach a new audience, those who may not be interested in the images at all. So in April I repackaged and republished the first two books: The Rake and The Recluse, and The Duke and The Baron, without the imagery, and released them. It's been a wild ride, and very exciting reaching an all new group of readers.

My third novel, The Duke and The Domina, released on May 4th in this format as well. But today, I’m here to share the latest cover with you, I've kept it under wraps for a while now and I've been incredibly antsy to share it. FINALLY. FINALLY.

Here it is, the illustrated version of The Duke and The Domina. You guys, this book is just... so very much.



It all started one night on twitter one year ago. We were chatting about marriage of convenience, and other fun tropes and how to twist them when  the ever-lovely Tiffany Reisz wrote a poem that goes a little something like this:

He’s poor. She’s rich.
He’s a sub. She’s a switch.
It’s not love.
It’s a marriage of kink-venience.


Add a blood eagle ceremony, a super hot image of a dude in a corset, a gorgeous ribcage shower in Portland and shake it all up: and Warrick was born.


The illustrated version will be released June 8th exclusively with iBooks, and June 22nd everywhere else.

I want to explain my reason for this. Amazon charges download fees, and on my illustrated books, they are STEEP. So I can't discount them or price them more reasonably. This particular novel has quite a large file. It's a bit scary. SO I talked to iBooks and we are releasing there exclusively in the beginning so I can offer it at a special reduced price. I know I have a lot of Kindle readers, and I would love for you to be able to get the book however you want at a reasonable price, but unfortunately, this is how Amazon works. Once the book is up on Amazon I won't be able to discount it anywhere, because they'll price match and I won't make any money, and if I ever want to shoot another illustrated romance... I need to make some money.

So that's the deal. I know there are ways to side load files to Kindles. I HOPE you're able to figure that out. (I have an iPad so I have no idea)


I hope you check it out, illustrated or not, then come find me and let me know what you think.

*hugs*


Jenn





Lovers of Bookends like me, you NEED to read this book. I reviewed it here. I absolutely adored it without the illustrations and I know I'm going to fall completely in love with the illustrated version. In fact, it got one of my coveted BEST BOOK ratings, or at least they're coveted and rarely given out by me.  

If you want to read the non - illustrated book right this second. You can find the links on Jenn's website.



Friday, May 15, 2015

Safeword: Arabesque by @CandaceBlevins #Review #5stars



Cassie’s introduction to kink throws her for a loop until a friend and his slave give her a gentle introduction. Unfortunately, her friend has issues when it comes to kinky activities with women, so Cassie goes looking for someone else to teach her.

She knows how to be safe, but a disastrous adventure ends with an ambulance ride to the emergency room, and the three men it hasn’t worked out with all come together to nurse her back to health.
Two Doms and two submissives in one house should be a nightmare waiting to happen, though under the right circumstances could be a dream come true.

Warning: Contains graphic language, consensual BDSM, male/male sexual practices, bondage, male chastity devices, and the use of toys including clamps, canes, paddles, floggers, plugs, and gags.

Readers with a history of rape may find elements of this story disturbing.

Safeword: Arabesque is a stand-alone book. You do not need to have read the previous books in the series.




Take the reader warning serious, I did, and still I wanted to cry. I think that is a testament to how well Ms. Blevins writes well-built characters. They have every facet of real people, their doubts, their fears and their insecurities.

Somehow Ms. Blevins makes the idea of four people in a relationship work, they aren’t in a clear cut relationships either, they’re all together.

At the heart of the whole relationship in my opinion is Cassie, she’s the one that starts this whole ball in motion, and she’s the one I loved the most, the one I felt the most emotion for, and the one I think it works because of.

Frisco and Cam had a contract, they weren’t supposed to fall in love. Cassie knows Frisco from a very vanilla perspective, yet he introduces her to the lifestyle, and Frisco definitely has his hang-ups with women. So Isaac was the perfect Dom to show Cassie all aspects of the lifestyle that Frisco couldn’t, then add in the whole Cam and Cassie become best friends when everything blows ups. Things don’t stay a little messed up, they get really scary and messy but the best thing I love about Ms. Blevins books is that she makes the characters real, she makes them work for their own happily ever after.


This book made me cry. It made me yell at characters, made me cringe and yet I came out of it in love. It’s not for everyone, it’s not light and fluffy, it’s not cookie cutter BDSM, it’s not traditional, but it’s full of passion and love. I highly recommend it. 



Monday, May 4, 2015

The Duke and the Domina by @JennLeblanc #Review #BestBook


Grayson Locke Danforth, in his wildest of dreams, would never have expected two things.
The first was to be recalled from India by Queen Victoria where he worked for the quiet purposes of the crown. He must now become the Duke of Warrick after the tragic deaths of his father and brothers. However, tragedy is entirely in the eyes of the beholder and Grayson never wanted the title, or to return to his family. Grayson wanted to remain invisible, an outcast, a man in exile for the way his body and mind behaved.

The second was to be forced into marriage with a woman from the 21st century.

Lulu is no mere woman, however, she was a switch and worked as professional Dominatrix. When she wakes up in a strange house, a strange world, a strange body, she isn't quite sure what to think and is certain she's dreaming. Until the next day, when she's married off to a man she cannot control her want of.

Lulu and Warrick begin a life together that she could never have imagined. A life she could never have hoped for after being taken from everything she ever knew. Trust doesn't come easily to either of them, but it's the only thing they have.

Grayson will have to give in to his need to submit in order to get his wife to open up and allow him to posses her fully in return.

It's a cautious dance between two people who have never known trust, or love.





There are not enough words to express just how much I fell in love with this book. Grayson Locke Danforth, the Warrick was a hero that is very easy to fall in love with, not because he’s perfect, more because he isn’t. He’s a man who has quirks and a temper, but he also has the ability to accept Lulu and her not very traditional Victorian ways.

Lulu is very 21st century, she’s a modern woman who honestly thinks she’s dreaming. I have to give her major points for going with the flow so well. I think their wedding was the first scene where I realized just how crazy this whole thing must have been for her.

These two have to work things out, how does a modern woman explain BDSM to a Victorian man, without him thinking her a very loose woman. I think one of the reasons that Grayson was so willing to accept some of it, besides the part where he craves the pain, was because of his years in in India away from the overly repressive English society.

I also fell in love with the photography aspects in this story, I know I wasn’t really educated on how much photography there actually was in Victorian England, but I actually felt like I learned something from this book.

Then you add in the very sexy BDSM scenes and the depth and love in this book was delicious. I wanted to watch Lulu wield those whips, I wanted to see Warrick in his corset and I want to relive this book again and again. As I read it, the book played like a movie, and I find that is one of the things that made me fall so madly in love with Lulu and Gray. 


This is easily the best book I’ve read all year. It has passion, love, a touch of insecurities and comes together in an intricate weave that grabbed me and wouldn’t let go until I followed them to their version of happily ever after. 







All credit for the promo and images all go to Jenn Leblanc, not only is she a talented author, she's an amazing photographer. Thank you Jenn for allowing me to use your beautiful images. :)

If you would like to learn more about Jenn, either her writing or her photography, please find Jenn here! 

Heart's Desire by TJ Kline - Spotlight/Giveaway



Heart’s Desire
Healing Harts # 1
By: T.J. Kline
Releasing April 28th, 2015
Avon Impulse



Blurb
TJ KLINE’s brand new Healing Hart's series kicks off with HEART'S DESIRE

If you could have anything, do anything… what would it be?

Jessie Hart has a soft spot for healing the broken, especially horses and children, but her business is failing and bankruptcy is looming. The one man who can save Heart Fire Ranch is the last man she wants to take advice from - financial expert Nathan Kerrington - the same man who broke her heart eight years ago.

Nathan Kerrington has it all, except the one thing he’d wanted most - Jessie. Now that he’s finally freed himself from his corrupt family, he wants to make amends. When he’s called in to save Jessie’s ranch, he sees his chance to win her back - if only he can prove to her that she can trust him with her heart…

Goodreads Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23285837-heart-s-desire?from_search=true

Goodreads Series Link:
https://www.goodreads.com/series/146550-healing-harts
Buy Links:  Amazon | B & N | iTunes | Kobo 

Author Info
T. J. Kline was raised competing in rodeos and rodeo queen competitions since the age of 14, She has thorough knowledge of the sport as well as the culture involved. She has had several articles about rodeo published in the past in small periodicals as well as a more recent how-to article for RevWriter. She is also an avid reader and book reviewer for both Tyndale and Multnomah.

Author Links:  Website | Facebook Twitter | Goodreads





Rafflecopter Giveaway (Digital Download Bundle of the RODEO Series by T.J. Kline, Including: RODEO QUEEN, THE COWBOY AND THE ANGEL and LEARNING THE ROPES)
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Sunday, May 3, 2015

Love After All by @jaciburton #Review @BerkleyRomance



High school math teacher Chelsea Gardner has the perfect plan. She’s tired of dating all the wrong men, and after years of frustration, she’s developed a foolproof list of requirements for finding “The One.”

Bar owner Sebastian “Bash” Palmer finds Chelsea beautiful, smart and fun, but he thinks her list is ridiculous and unnecessary. Intent on proving Chelsea is looking for love in all the wrong ways, he offers to help her find the “perfect” man.

Chelsea knows Bash isn’t the right guy for her—he barely meets one of her criteria—but there’s something about the charismatic man that has her yearning for things that are most definitely not list approved.

Because sometimes, a relationship that looks totally wrong on paper can turn out incredibly right…




If you could build the perfect man, what qualities would you want? Chelsea knows exactly what she doesn’t want anymore, and unfortunately the one man who gets her motor running is everything she doesn’t want in a man now that she has the perfect list.

The only problem…Sebastian “Bash” Palmer is fun. He knows how to treat a lady right, he’s seriously crushing on Chelsea. I like these two, they both don’t really want a permanent relationship, and in fact Bash offers to help her find the right man.

I loved when they both decided that a little fling while she waits to look for Mr. Perfect can’t hurt, and neither of them see the trap they’re falling into. A trap of love, especially when you throw in the image of a tough bar owner, cuddling a tiny Chihuahua, it made me swoon just a bit.

I definitely enjoyed this one, I got a bit annoyed at the contrived conflict near the end, but I also realize that they needed some conflict so they could both get over the unrealistic expectations of what a relationship should be.

Overall, the author does a good job with these two, and it was nice to catch up with past characters. I will definitely look for more fun and quirky contemporaries from her.