Tuesday, June 18, 2013

REDNECK ROMEO RELEASE PARTY -Day Two –


Lorelei James is celebrating the release of REDNECK ROMEO with a SEVEN day party.  SEVEN great giveaways, SEVEN different posts.  Stop by all the amazing blogs participating in the party to increase your chances to win!!! Each blog will post a special REDNECK ROMEO post all seven days (no weekend posts)
Prize List:
1) Redneck Romeo charm bracelet
2) Kindle fire
3) Basket of goodies, including a McKay brand fleece blanket and other McKay branded stuff and conference trinkets
4) Full set of signed Rough Riders books
5) 1 of a kind handmade small Western purse
6) Arc of TURN AND BURN
7) $100 gift card to amazon.com


EXCERPT
REDNECK ROMEO – book 15 – Rough Riders sereis
Copyright © 2013 Lorelei James
All rights reserved — a Samhain Publishing, Ltd. publication
Bang bang bang. “Dalton! Come on man, open up. I know you’re in there.”
Dalton cracked one eyelid and cast a bleary eye at the alarm clock. Seven a.m. He yanked the quilt over his head and mumbled “f*** off” to Boden Hicks, the idiot beating on his door.
“McKay. I’m not f***ing around. This is an emergency.”
That hauled Dalton’s ass out of bed. He unlatched the old-fashioned bolt and opened the door. “What’s the emergency?”
Boden hustled inside but a gust of snow followed before he slammed the heavy oak door shut. He stamped his feet. “Damn snowstorm came from out of nowhere.”
“You better not have tricked me out of bed to complain about the goddamned weather.”
Boden shuffled over to the woodstove to warm himself, but it’d been a good ten hours since Dalton had loaded it up. “It’s like a damn freezer in here.”
“That’s because I was sleeping. In my own bed, after roughing it on an elk hunt, remember?”
“Yeah, I remember. I’m just glad the hunting party made it out before this storm hit.” Boden unzipped his parka and pulled out Dalton’s cell phone, still attached to the wall charger. “Normally I could give a crap if you stay in bed a week after a hunt, but you left your phone charging at the lodge last night. The thing’s been buzzing like crazy. When I unplugged it, I noticed you’ve got twenty-seven missed calls. So it’s gotta be something important.”
Dalton’s stomach knotted. Since he had little to no cell service in the mountains, he forgot he even had a cell phone most of the time. Few people had his number—just his brothers, his mother, his cousin Sierra McKay, his accountant, his banker and his investment guys.
“Gimme that.” Dalton scrolled through the missed calls. Twelve from Brandt, twelve from Tell, three from Sierra.
Had to be bad news if his family had reached out to him.
The family he hadn’t seen in three years.
“What’s going on?”
He glanced up at Boden. “No clue. I haven’t bothered to set up my voice mail on this phone so I’ll have to call to find out.”
Boden sighed. “Speaking of…I wanted to make sure your two-way is charged. Since you have an issue with technology that allows people to get in touch with you.”
“It’s charged. I laid in a store of food before the huntin’ trip so I can ride out the storm.”
“Good. We’re supposed to get a foot of snow today and maybe more tonight.” Boden crouched in front of the woodstove and chucked kindling in the cold embers before setting the torch to the pile. “Might be a couple days before you can get out, if you need to go home.”
Home. It didn’t have the same connotation it once did. When it was all he’d known. “I’ll let you know what’s goin’ on as soon as I know.”
Boden piled several small logs in the black box before he stood. “You worried?”
Dalton shrugged.
But Boden didn’t buy his act; he never had, which was why they’d become such good friends. “You want me to stick around?”
“Nah. I’ll put on a pot of coffee before I call my brother.” He smirked. “Get on back to the lodge. Bree would jam my nuts in a vise if you got snowed in with me instead of with her.”
“Your nuts ain’t ever gonna be anywhere near my wife’s hands, McKay.”
He laughed. “I know your kink doesn’t extend to sharing.”
“Damn straight.” Boden zipped up his parka and slipped on his gloves. “You need anything, buzz us. If we don’t answer right away—”
“I’ll assume you’re tied up. Or rather, you’re tying Bree up.”
As soon as Boden left, Dalton started coffee. Then he stripped off his long johns and took a cold shower. That ensured he’d be fully awake.
The main room of the three-room cabin had warmed up by the time he’d dressed. After downing two cups of coffee, Dalton stood by the window in the kitchen and called Brandt.
His oldest brother answered on the fourth ring. “’Bout damn time, Dalton. Where the hell have you been that you can’t return a phone call?”
No doubt Brandt thought he was f***ing off someplace. Little did he know how tiring it was leading a ten-day hunting party into the mountains. But Dalton no longer explained his life choices to anyone. “What’s goin’ on? I had twenty-four missed calls in the last twelve hours.” No one knew Sierra had his number. His brothers would be pissed if they knew Dalton kept in better contact with Sierra than with them.
“Dad had a stroke.”
Silence. Finally Dalton asked, “Is he okay?”
“He’s alive, if that’s what you mean. He’s havin’ difficulties talkin’. They’re not sure if it’s permanent. They’re not too sure of anything at this point. So we—me’n Tell—are asking you to come home.”
Dalton closed his eyes. He didn’t want to play nursemaid to the man who’d made his life hell. Especially not after the last conversation they’d had, which was the biggest reason Dalton had left Sundance for good—not that he’d told his brothers or anyone else about what’d gone down. “I don’t know if I can.”
“Can’t? Or won’t?” Brandt demanded.
“Why do you want me there?”
“Hey, bro. Brandt put you on speaker phone,” Tell said. “Look, we need you to help us make some decisions about Dad’s care.”
Dalton let his forehead rest against the frosted windowpane.
“We haven’t seen you in over three years. It sucks that something like this had to happen for you to even consider comin’ home. But we do need you here.”
He pictured his brothers, Tell leaning against the window in the cab of Brandt’s truck, his restless fingers tapping on his leg. Brandt seated behind the steering wheel, his posture stiff, arms crossed over his chest.
“When did this happen?” Dalton asked.
“Brandt got a call from the hospital in Spearfish yesterday morning. They wouldn’t let us see him until late afternoon. Soon as we had some information, we tried calling you.” Tell paused. “You ain’t gotten any better at returning calls.”
“But I did return it. Not fast enough for you?” he asked sharply. Jesus. Within two minutes of talking to his brothers he’d reverted to the defensive guy he’d left behind. He exhaled slowly. “Sorry. Cell service here is spotty.”
“Where are you?”
Don’t feel guilty they don’t know. “Alder, Montana. We’re in the midst of a blizzard so it might be a couple days before I can make it out of the mountains.”
Silence.
“Has the doctor given you a time frame on how long he’ll be in the hospital?”
“No,” Brandt said. “But when Dad is discharged, it’ll be to the rehab wing in a nursing home.”
That oughta make Casper even more the patient from hell. “Sounds like it won’t matter then if I’m not there for a couple of days. I’ll let you know when I’m on my way.”
“Sure. Will you be staying with one of us?” Tell asked.
“Nah. I’ve got it covered. Thanks though.”
Neither of his brothers asked where he’d be bunking down, although he sensed they wanted to.
“Okay, then. I guess we’ll see you when we see you.”
“Yep. Later.” Dalton hung up.
He stared out the window for the longest time, even though he couldn’t see sh** through the swirling snow.
But this storm wasn’t anything compared to the one he faced in Sundance.
The blizzard lasted two days. On the morning of the third day Dalton packed up his stuff, closed up his cabin and headed down the mountain.
Once he had a clear cell signal, he gave Brandt a heads up he was on his way. Brandt said they’d moved Casper to the rehab wing and to meet them there.
Then he placed a call to Sierra.
She answered with, “I swear every time I call you and I don’t hear back I live in mortal fear that you’ve disconnected from the world completely and you’re out in the forest running naked with woodchucks and sh**.”
“Not hardly. I returned the calls in order of importance.”
“So you’ve talked to your brothers?”
“Yeah. I’m on my way to Wyoming right now.”
“They giving you grief about…well, everything?”
“They both knew it wouldn’t take much for me to refuse to come back.” He flipped on the defroster. “How’d you find out about Casper’s stroke?”
“Keely. I knew your brothers would get a hold of you first, so my call isn’t about your father.”
“Then why did you call?” Dalton heard her take a deep breath and he went on full alert.
In a rush, Sierra said, “You’ve got to promise me that you won’t get mad at me for what I’m about to tell you.”
“No conversation ever ends well that starts that way.”
“True, but I want you to remember I was only following your parameters. And I kinda hoped someone else would tell you about this, so I didn’t have to. But then, you’d have to actually talk to someone who lives there, and we both know that’s a rarity, so I guess it falls to me.”
“You been drinkin’? ’Cause you ain’t making a lick of sense. Quit dancing around the subject, college girl, and spill it.”
“Rory is back in Sundance and working for Wyoming Natural Resource Council.”
Everything switched into slow motion. Dalton couldn’t breathe. Couldn’t think. He had to pull onto the shoulder so he didn’t wreck his truck.
“Dalton?”
“You said Rory is livin’ in Sundance.”
“Yes.”
“With her fiancé?”
“No. She, ah, broke off the engagement.”
“When?”
“Six months ago.”
This was not happening. Sierra had not kept this information from him about Rory for half a goddamned year.
“Dalton. I know your head is about to explode—”
“Jesus, Sierra, do you f***ing think? Why are you just telling me this now?” he roared. “Do you have any f***ing idea—”
“That you’ve been holed up in the middle of freakin’ nowhere moping because Rory got engaged to someone else? Why yes, I was completely aware of that little factoid, cuz.”
Silence.
“Besides, you were doing your lumberjack gig and completely off the grid when Rory ended the engagement. I’ll remind you of your zero tolerance policy—me not talking about Rory or sharing information about Rory’s life was your edict, Dalton. I was just following your parameters. And now the parameters have changed.”
“Seriously not f***ing amused. Will you just get to the point?”
“I really have to point out that you and Rory will actually be in the same place for the first time in over three years?”
“Three years? Try ten years since she’s lived there. I’da been in Sundance six months ago if I’d known she was there without some other asshole’s ring on her finger,” he snarled.
“Whoa. Take a step back, wolverine. I’m telling you now because maybe you’re smart enough to handle it the right way this time.”
“This time?” Dalton repeated sharply. “Don’t make this out to be my fault. I offered her—”
“Don’t snap at me or interrupt me again or I will hang up, understand?”
“Yeah, yeah, keep talkin’.”
“Rory is my sister. You’re my business partner and one of the few people I trust. I hate that I’m pulled between you two. It’s time you manned up, Dalton. And don’t remind me that you did that once three years ago after you walked out on your own wedding. Even you can admit it was piss poor timing on your part.”
“But that bad timing didn’t stop her from giving me an edict, did it?”
“Like I’ve told you ten thousand times, that wasn’t an edict. Two years was a time line for Rory to finish grad school and a frame of reference for you to understand how important that was to her. You shouldn’t have taken it as gospel.”
“Then she shouldn’t have given me false hope.”
“Then you shouldn’t have turned tail and run again,” Sierra retorted. “Especially after you gave her false hope that things might finally change between you two.”
Like he needed that reminder. “Does she know about Casper?”
“Doubtful. She’s been out of town and she stays out of McKay gossip completely.”
Then Rory wouldn’t suspect Dalton was on his way back to Sundance. The element of surprise might work in his favor. “What’s the best way to approach her?”
“She bartends at the Twin Pines on the side. She’s working tonight. Anything else I can do for you besides making your day with this news?” Sierra asked sweetly.
Making his day? Hell, she’d made his life, because now he had a shot at getting the life he wanted. “Where are the keys for the house in town?”
A pause. Then, “Why?”
“I need a place to stay.”
Sierra heaved a put-upon sigh. “They’re under the back deck on a key hook. But there are two conditions before I’ll let you stay there. First, you don’t tell anyone I own it. No one.”
“Deal. And FYI, that’s why we have a silent partnership.” He’d supplied Sierra with some capital to start her own business last year and he also wanted it kept on the down low. “What’s the second condition?”
“I need a handyman to do some things. Okay, a lot of things. You’re handy, you’re there and voila—you’re selected. I’ll FedEx my repair list today but anything else you see that needs fixed just go ahead.”
“I’ll do it but I want to be reimbursed once a week for whatever I buy. You don’t get to pull that sixty day wait for payment bull crap like you money people usually do.”
She laughed. “That’s how we become money people. We hold on to money as long as possible. Be warned, some of what needs done will be major costs.”
“I ain’t a carpet installer,” he warned. “Nor will I put in windows.”
Sierra sighed again. “You are a handy handyman, right?”
“Guess you’ll have to trust me, huh?”
“I’ll be keeping tabs on you.” Another pause. “I’m sorry about your dad. If you need to talk about anything—except for Rory—call me.”
By the time Dalton crossed into Crook County hours later, he had a plan in place.
Patience. Perseverance. He would not blow this chance.
Rory Wetzler was his. His. She always had been, she always would be.

And he’d do whatever it took to prove it.


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Monday, June 17, 2013

REDNECK ROMEO RELEASE PARTY


Lorelei James is celebrating the release of REDNECK ROMEO with a SEVEN day party.  SEVEN great giveaways, SEVEN different posts.  Stop by all the amazing blogs participating in the party to increase your chances to win!!! Each blog will post a special REDNECK ROMEO post all seven days (no weekend posts)
Prize List:
1) Redneck Romeo charm bracelet
2) Kindle fire
3) Basket of goodies, including a McKay brand fleece blanket and other McKay branded stuff and conference trinkets
4) Full set of signed Rough Riders books
5) 1 of a kind handmade small Western purse
6) Arc of TURN AND BURN
7) $100 gift card to amazon.com

The last McKay standing is knocked to his knees…
Three years ago, Dalton McKay looked across the altar and saw the woman he knew he’d love for the rest of his life…only it wasn’t his bride. That’s when he took the McKays’ love-’em-and-leave-’em reputation to new heights—fleeing the ceremony and Wyoming.
 Now a family issue has brought Dalton back to Sundance, giving him a chance to prove to everyone—especially the woman he thought he lost—that he’s a changed man.
Aurora “Rory” Wetzler has fallen for cowboy hottie Dalton’s smooth-talkin’ ways too many times. So he’s determined to convince her he’s playing for keeps this go around? Fine. She’ll call that bluff—she can’t ignore their intense chemistry or resist smokin’ hot sex, but she’s not willing to gamble her heart again.
 Dalton has plenty of fences to mend with the McKays, but his biggest fear is that Rory doesn’t believe they have a future. He’ll have to pull out all the stops to show her they belong together for the long haul.

Warning: Contains a sexy cowboy who tames his sassy lady love with his romantic and his kinky side. In explicit detail.


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Monday, June 10, 2013

WIN A COPY OF MARY WINE'S LATEST STEAMPUNK NOVEL ~A CAPTAIN AND A CORSET~



MAMAWOLF'S REVIEW OF A CAPTAIN AND A CORSET

A Captain and a Corset takes place just after the end of  A Lady Can Never Be Too Curious. Sophia Stevenson has been exposed to a Deep Earth Crystal Root Ball and has endowed her with the ability to see gates that will allow an airship to shortcut across the globe. This makes her a very valuable person to both the Illuminists and to the Helikeians. First she must be trained how to use her powers and is put in the hands of the very handsome though rough around the edges Bion Donkova. The attraction between the two is almost immediate, though they are in denial about it. Sophia is kidnapped by Grainger who is a very ambitious Helikean and she is taken to an airship to become their navigator. Bion  devises a plan to rescue Sophia and finally gets to the airship she is being held on. When she asks how they are going to get off the airship Bion says he had not really thought that far ahead. The adventures that they encounter take them from the airship to a caravan of Roma gypsies. They are hidden among the gypsies and their love begins to take shape. They have to keep moving hoping to find an Illuminists Solitary Chamber. Through out all of this they are being looked for by both the Helikeians and Illuminist Hunters Decima and Lykos (who have to have a story coming). Information is bought and sold for any information that will lead them to Sophia and Bion. There are some very interesting characters that want to get their hands on the navigator and her companion, who has had something happen to him that makes him just as important to capture.


I have enjoyed getting to follow these characters and their world. If you want to go on an adventure that will feel like a swashbuckler/pirate story with a twist I think you will really enjoy this book. I recommend this book A Captain and a Corset and the book before A Lady Can Never Be Too Curious. Loads of adventure, lust and Hot Lovin!!!



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Thursday, June 6, 2013

MELISSA CUTLER TAKES OVER BOOK OBSESSED CHICKS TODAY WITH TEMPTED INTO DANGER AND A GIVEAWAY!!!!









Melissa Cutler here, and I'm excited to be on Book Obsessed Chicks today talking about my latest release, Tempted into Danger.

I had a blast writing this action-adventure book about a black ops agent with a bad attitude and the self-proclaimed "Mathlete" brainiac who steals his heart while they're on the run in the jungles of Panama.

Vanessa, the heroine, doesn't know her life's about to change when she leaves work one sultry Spring afternoon, but that's exactly what happens in TEMPTED. In a matter of hours, she's lost everything she owns and is fighting for her life. Lucky for her, ICE agent Diego Santero has her back. Sometimes I wonder what it'd be like to lose everything and have to start over with a clean slate. It's scary, and I have friends who've lost everything in wildfires so I know how terrible that is, but the idea of starting over is appealing in a lot of ways. There are so many places in the world that'd be wonderful to put down roots in or at least enjoy an extended stay at.

Especially if, like Vanessa, you're still figuring out your place in the world. If she and Diego can figure out how to neutralize the men threatening her, then she basically has a free pass to start over anywhere in the world…possibly with one of the world's hottest black ops commandos by her side. You'll have to read 'till the end to find out!

Here's a scene to "Tempt" you:

“You’re not going to cry, are you?”

The ludicrous question jarred her from her trancelike melancholy. Diego’s brow was furrowed and his lips had stretched into a cringe. He fidgeted with the rifle, his gaze darting anxiously to the car as though he was contemplating escape. Here was a man who’d jumped onto the roof of a moving minivan, shot and killed at least one man and shielded her from an explosion with his body…and yet he was threatened by the possibility of a few tears?

Despite everything she’d been through and her fear of the future, a spark of affection had her biting her cheeks to hide a grin. Apparently there wasn’t much difference between the college football players her dad coached and macho military alphas. Nothing brought them to their knees faster than the threat of genuine emotional expression.

She drilled him with her best offended look and set her hands on her hips. “I might cry. What are you going to do about it?”

He squirmed, then scratched his head. His eyes shifted to the car again, then the jungle beyond. “Look, forget I said that.”

She shouldn’t mess with him, really. This man was the only thing standing between her and certain death at the hands of a whole bunch of bad guys—but she couldn’t help it. She sniffed to draw his gaze back to her, then blinked hard, jarring a tear loose. It started a slow roll over her cheek.

He stared at her, his eyes dark and serious. Then he startled and took off in a fast stride to the car. “Time for us for bolt. The longer we’re on the grid, the more danger you’re in.”

He opened the backseat door for her and jumped into the driver seat.

Yep. Her assessment had been right. The man of steel had a soft and gooey center. She settled into the seat, contemplating that revelation as she watched the play of skin and muscle on his arm as he shifted the car into gear and pulled onto the road.

Once they were moving again, she set her hand on his shoulder. She had a feeling that touching him would spook him all over again, but like unleashing that tear, she couldn’t help herself. He tensed at her touch but met the look she gave him in the mirror. “Just so you know, for future reference, the best thing to do when a woman cries is to keep your mouth shut and hand her a tissue. Cringing and running away is definitely not recommended. You’ve got to learn how to play it closer to the vest.”

The edge of his jaw grew tight, not with a scowl of irritation, but as though he was fighting a grin. “I must’ve skipped that day in guy school.”

Though she wanted to squeeze his shoulder, to test the breadth of it against her palm, she forced herself to let go and sit back in her seat. “Then I should also mention that the only exception to the tissue rule is if the woman crying is someone you care a lot about, then you have to hold her until she’s done. Think you can handle that, soldier?”

“Roger that. Mouth shut. Weepy chicks get tissues except girlfriends, then you have to offer yourself as a tissue.”



Tempted into Danger is in stores now:
Amazon:  http://amzn.to/VPTGez
iTunes:  http://bit.ly/10zY4k9
B&N: http://bit.ly/16edknt
Kobo: http://bit.ly/YGpvDg

Check out TEMPTED on Goodreads, too: http://bit.ly/WaxtqC

Giveaway: I'm giving away a $5 Starbucks e-gift card to one commenter, so tell me: where in the world would you consider starting over if you were forced to, like Vanessa in TEMPTED INTO DANGER?


My thanks to Kimberly and Book Obsessed Chicks for hosting me today. I love hearing from readers and am really easy to find at www.melissacutler.net, on Facebook (www.facebook.com/MelissaCutlerBooks ), and Twitter (@m_cutler). And you can always email me at melissa@melissacutler.net or sign up for my newsletter (http://www.melissacutler.net/newsletter/ ) to find out about my latest books and upcoming events.

Bio: Melissa Cutler is a flip-flop wearing Southern California native living with her family in beautiful San Diego. In 2008, she decided to take her romance novel devotion to the next level by penning one herself. She now divides her time between her dual passions for writing sexy, small town contemporaries for Kensington Books and edge-of-your-seat romantic suspense for Harlequin.
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MY HIGHLAND LOVE by TARAH SCOTT~ ON SALE!!!!!!!! 99cents Thursday June 6th Thru Sunday June 9th




My Highland Love on Sale at Amazon .99

How does a woman tell her betrothed that she murdered her first husband?

Elise Kingston is a wanted woman. Nothing, not even Highlander Marcus MacGregor, will stop her from returning home to ensure that the man responsible for her daughter’s death hangs.

Until she must choose between his life and her revenge.


Excerpt--

"Will you come to the great hall?" Elise asked Michael when they passed through the castle gates.
"Aye," he replied shortly.
"Michael," she began, but he pulled his horse to a halt beside her and dismounted.
He came around to her and helped her from the saddle. "Go on." She hesitated, and his eyes softened. "I'll be along after I have seen to the animals."
She pressed a kiss to his cheek. "You're a good man, Michael MacGregor."
He shook his head, but she could see that he was pleased. He limped off leading the horses, and Elise headed for the great hall. At the postern door, she entered and saw Marcus standing near the hearth. He broke off his conversation with the two men who stood with him and glanced over his shoulder. The drawn look on his face snapped into a dark scowl. He started forward. Elise faltered when she saw he meant to intercept her. His companions disappeared up the nearest staircase and a hum of apprehension began deep in her stomach.
Marcus rounded the table and reached the midway point when she blurted, "Good afternoon, Marcus. How are you?"
"Where have you been?" he demanded.
"I—" She fell back an unsteady step when it seemed he would ram into her. He halted three feet from her. "I have just returned from visiting Michael."
"So I was told," he replied curtly. "Winnie's warning did nothing to deter you?"
"Winnie's warnin—" Elise recalled her encounter with Winnie that morning. Good Lord, Winnie had told him she saw her leave.
Marcus's eyes narrowed. "Aye, you remember. Fortunately for you, I only just discovered your absence. Unmanageable wench," he added in a dark voice.
"You have your answers," she shot back. "Why bother asking?"
"Because I couldn't believe you were traipsing about the countryside."
"I was not traipsing about the country. Not that it's your business."
"It is my business—and I will see to it you no' do it again."
She ignored the warning bell the definite hardening of his brogue set off inside her head. and said, "You're insane if you think I'll be ordered about."
"Ye will do as you're told," he said in a quiet voice that was perversely more unsettling than a shout.
"I come and go as I please, just as everyone else at Brahan Seer."
A keen light shone in his eyes. "If you will note, the women are staying close to home." His expression hardened. "At the express command of their men."
Elise gasped, then glanced past him, gauging the distance between him and the freedom the kitchen offered. He stepped closer and her temper flared. She raised her hands to shield herself from his advance and her palms met the unexpected warmth of his chest. She gaped at her fingers splayed across tanned skin where his shirt lay open, and her senses reeled at the raw power in the heavy rise and fall of his chest.
"Lord," she whispered, and yanked her hands away.
The vague realization that strong fingers had gripped her wrists was overshadowed by the jolt she felt when Marcus forced her hands back to his chest. Her mind screamed to break free, but the sight of her palms gliding over his dark skin—the need to touch every contour, to know intimately his powerful body—held her rooted to the spot. She tore her gaze from his chest and looked into his eyes. The fire blazing there drew her—commanded her—and she leaned into him.
"There ye are, lad. I was just look—"
Elise twisted as Cameron reached the bottom of the nearest staircase. He lifted a bushy brow. She looked back at Marcus. His hold loosened and she snatched her hands away. She retreated, stumbling over her own feet. Marcus reached for her, but she dodged his hand with another unsure step backward.
"I-I must go," she stammered, and fled the room.
"Elise—bloody hell!"
Marcus's voice echoed off the stone walls as she shoved through the postern door.


My Highland Love, the first in the Highland Lords series, is on sale for .99 Thursday, June 6 thru Sunday, June 9.

AMAZON
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Tuesday, June 4, 2013

OUT TODAY<<<<<< A CAPTAIN AND A CORSET >>>>>>>>> by MARY WINE


HAPPY RELEASE DAY TO MARY WINE



There's Trouble in the Skies...

For Sophia Stevenson, there's no going back to the life she knew. She never asked for the powers that make her a precious commodity to the secret society of Illuminists—and their archenemies.

Captain Bion Donkova would give anything to possess the powers that have fallen in Sophia's lap. If only the beautiful, infuriating woman could stay out of trouble, he wouldn't have to keep coming to her rescue...

Bion and Sophia have friction to spare—and nothing fuels a forbidden passion better than danger...

EXCLUSIVE EXCERPT~ 

But then again, it was Bion. Nothing about her pleased him.
“If your glasses were in the correct place, you would not have alarmed other members of the crew,”   he admonished.
“We are not aboard one of your ships, Captain, and I certainly will not be taking advice from you on how I keep myself in my bedroom.” She rose up on her knees, the need to face him head-on burning through any protest her common sense might have made.
“And I am not dressed, sir!”
“I’ve seen you in less.”
Her eyes widened, the deep tone of his voice setting off a ripple of excitement racing along her skin. Her mouth dropped open and satisfaction flickered in his dark eyes, the remains of her composure shredded.
Bion Donkova had fast reflexes, but today she was faster. Her hand connected with his face, delivering a slap that resounded loudly in the morning air.
She expected him to be furious; instead, the man growled. The sound sent her back, the sheer maleness of it making her shiver. Challenge appeared in his eyes and his lips curved up into an arrogant smirk. For a moment, he looked very much like a pirate, the sort of man accustomed to being ruthless in the pursuit of what he craved.
He gripped the footrail of her bed and leaned forward.
“But if you can’t tolerate the threat to your modesty, feel free to cry out. I’m sure Guardian Lawley will be happy to rescue you before you fall victim to a fit of vapors.”
Her temper boiled. If it were possible for steam to rise from her ears, it would have. But her pride refused to let his challenge pass. With a soft hiss, she forced herself to release the bedding and climb out of bed.
The urge to tug her chemise up to cover more of her breasts was also squelched as she lifted her chin and shot him a scorching look.
“I can handle your gutter behavior quite well. Look as you will. All that proves is how much you deserve my contempt.”
She intended to walk past him, but he captured her wrist, his larger hand closing all the way around her limb. It wasn’t the first time he’d manhandled her, but for some reason she was acutely aware of how much strength he had today. Tension curled through her belly, teasing her with a flicker of heat she’d never experienced before. It was dark and tempting and almost irresistible. Almost.
“Release me.”
He chuckled, amusement still flickering in his eyes. His grip tightened a mere fraction, almost as if he might disregard her demand.
Pirate… ruthless and without boundaries. Why had she never realized just what sort of nature he had hidden beneath his formal exterior and endless lectures about duty?
She was trembling, the realization of which cut through her outrage like a rapier. Something in his gaze made it look as if he was reading her thoughts, which was impossible. But she felt it nonetheless.
He pulled her closer, until they were mere inches apart. “I do believe I might just enjoy your attempts to handle my gutter behavior, Miss Stevenson.”
His voice was low and edged with warning. What flared up in the depths of his dark eyes made her shiver. He felt it, that telltale reaction through his grip on her wrist. He smoothed his thumb across the tender skin of her inner wrist before lifting her hand and boldly pressing a kiss against the same spot.
     It was nothing like the kiss Jonathon Saddler had given her. This was scorching hot and it stole her breath. Her heart began to race, feeling as if it were straining to break free of her chest. Every bit of self-control she had seemed to be slipping through her fingers like sand, leaving her without anything to hold on to.
   With a savage jerk, she twisted her wrist, angling to break his grip at the weakest spot, as she’d learn in her Asian fighting classes. He straightened instantly, his larger body adopting a polished fighting stance to prove he knew far more about the Eastern arts than she did. Something lit his eyes, but she shied away from taking a closer look at it. A warning rose up from her mind, telling her to beware of learning more about this side of his nature. Or her reaction to it.




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Monday, June 3, 2013

SPOTLIGHT ON ~ LORRAINE HEATH~ BOOK GIVEAWAY!!!!



Most of my good friends know that while I was a really big reader back before I had kids, I only came back full force to books in 2008. So even though an author may have been around for years, they would be relatively new to me. One of these ":new to me" is author Lorraine Heath. When a girlfriend of mine practically pushed Passions Of A Wicked Earl one me so eagerly, I stopped all I was reading at the time and gave it a go... Well, the next two days I was a zombie because I plowed through her London's Greatest Lovers series and have gone back to the rest of Lorraine's back list. I am a total fan now. When I asked Ms. Heath if I could do a Q&A with her, she was so gracious and agreed.
Without further ado, here is my spotlight on amazing author, Lorraine Heath.
~Kimberly~



Hi Lorraine! Thank you so much for joining me at Book Obsessed Chicks.  I am going to tell you that I have so many books on my TBR shelf, but I had no read any until one of my Book Obsessed Chicks urged me to read your “London’s Greatest Lovers” series. I was enthralled and you are now I my must read first list!
Thank you so very much! I’m so glad you enjoyed that series. I had such fun writing it.


 Can you tell us a bit about yourself? When did you become a writer?
I think I was born a writer. As soon as I learned to write, I began writing long letters to any relative I could get an address for. I keep diaries. I rewrote the ending to Billie and Blaze. I just loved to write, and knew that someday I would write a novel. But I wasn’t really much of a reader. Not until I discovered romance novels in 1990. Then I became obsessed with the genre and knew I had found a home for the kind of stories that I wanted to tell.

Please tell us about your inspiration for your latest book Lord of Wicked Intentions.
The Lost Lords of Pembrook series was inspired by the true account of the princes in the tower. Richard III imprisoned his nephews in the Tower of London so he could be crowned king. No one knows what really happened to them. Did he kill them? Did they get sick and die? Although children’s bones were later found in a box beneath some stairs in the tower—what was their true fate? And I thought what would have happened if they’d escaped?
So I created a villainous uncle and three brothers who are heirs to a dukedom. Their uncle plans to kill them so he can inherit and they escape. One goes to the army, one goes to sea, one goes to the street. Lord of Wicked Intentions is the last brother’s story. Rafe is a gambling hell owner. He has learned not to care for anything because it can be taken away. Then he meets Evelyn Chambers, illegitimate daughter to the Earl of Worthingham. He wants her as his mistress—and she is hardly in a position to demand more.



Can you tell us your favorite character from your books so far and why?
My favorite characters are always the heroes. My stories are very hero-driven. I have a very soft spot for the Duke of Ainsley in WAKING UP WITH THE DUKE. His story is about great love and sacrifice, and the price we sometimes unintentionally pay. But I love Rafe as well. He is so tormented. I think I can find something about each of my heroes that makes them special to me, and when I start thinking about one of my heroes, he becomes my favorite at that moment.
Who are your heroes? Mentors?
In real life, my younger sister Theresa is one of my heroes. She was a single mom with three kiddoes under the age of 6. She worked full-time, went to school part-time to get her degree in accounting. I have always admired her determination.


Was it difficult for you to get published?
I wrote about 4 books (2 medievals, 2 contemporaries) on an old electric typewriter before I came home from work one day and the typewriter was gone and a computer was in its place. My husband decided that I was serious about writing. It was no fun to rewrite what I’d already written so I started a new story set in Texas in 1884. I called it Tender Embrace. I sold it in 1993. It was published as SWEET LULLABY in March 1994. While it might seem that the path was easy, the challenge over the years has been to stay published. I’ve received more rejections since I sold than I did before I sold. There are no guarantees in this business, but I wouldn’t want to do anything else.

Who are your favorite authors/reads?
I have so many. I know I’ll leave some out but I’m a huge fan of Sarah MacLean, Loretta Chase, Lisa Kleypas, Addison Fox, Linda Howard. And of course, Nora Roberts.

Hobbies?
Reading, movies. I’m so boring! I do collect carousel horse music boxes.

Do you use an inspiration board for your characters? Who do you picture as your characters?
I’m a by-the-seat-of-my-pants writer. I don’t have any visual aids. Everything is in my mind. My characters seldom resemble any actor. I just see them in my mind.

What’s next?
A couple of things. So many readers have been asking for William Graves’ story (he was one of the scoundrels from the Scoundrels of St. James series), and I will finally have the chance to share his story in January (It’s not yet titled). In March, I will begin a new series that I’m calling the Scandalous Gentlemen of St. James. WHEN THE DUKE WAS WICKED is the story of the Duke of Lovingdon, the boy who first appeared in BETWEEN THE DEVIL AND DESIRE.

Where can readers find you?

www.lorraineheath.com
https://www.facebook.com/LorraineHeathBooks
https://twitter.com/Lorraine_Heath

PLEASE COMMENT TO WIN A COPY OF LORRAINE HEATH'S AMAZING READ,
 LORD OR WICKED INTENTIONS...




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