Weekend Reading

Here are this week's weekend reading recommendations:

Name of author: Bella Settarra

Genre: MF Fantasy/Gods

 

Description of main characters:

Heroine:  Amaranda; pretty; 21 yrs old; approx 5’4”; soft, round body; long, brown, curly hair; brown eyes; very likeable and friendly; trained as a Siren.

Hero: Eban Gal, handsome; late 20’s; approx 6’3”; stocky, strong muscular body;  curly, blond, tousled hair; dark blue eyes; tanned skin; cheeky, wide smile; confident; golden, hairy chest; Sailor.

Setting: The Island of Refrainia and then a journey across Eastland to Westland (where they finally settle).

Length: 45,375 words

Synopsis: After an unsettled start on Westland, events worsen for Amaranda who’s blackmailed into leaving Eban.  Her past is revealed, causing disruption and anguish on Refrainia.  Then her life is threatened when she’s captured and drugged by evil miscreant, Taneli Oris, who leaves her burning to death in a boat fire.

What's Hot?:  When Eban’s jealousy gets the better of him he turns dominant in the bedroom…

Buy link: www.bookstrand.com/scourge-of-the-siren

Title of book: Training Evan (Hard Hits 8)

 

Name of author: Tatum Throne

Genre: MM BDSM Contemporary

Main characters:

David Anderson, 32, black hair, blue eyes, height: 6’3”, weight: 170. He has long lean muscles and he's tall.

Evan Thunder, 31, blonde hair, gray eyes, height: 5’10”, weight: 160. Stocky and well muscled.

Setting: Cincinnati, Ohio

Length: 35,600 words

Synopsis: After his cover is blown, Detective David Anderson is reluctantly reassigned. He throws himself into the job, trying to forget that he’s a Dom without a sub. When Tactical Photographer Evan Thunder falls for the chief’s son, he knows he’s playing with fire.

What's Hot: Getting caught in a compromising position! *grins*

Buy link: http://www.bookstrand.com/training-evan 

Title of book: Convincing Rowena (Passion Peak, Colorado 6) 

Author: Tara Rose

Genre: MF contemporary BDSM romance

Main Characters: Rowena Sommers Whitney: red hair, green eyes, independent, works freelance as a costume designer, has been in love with Van since Kindergarten

Van Whitney: blond hair, blue eyes, owns Whitney Restorations, has been in love with Rowena since his junior year in high school, former football player

Setting: Passion Peak, Colorado

Length: 45,875

Synopsis: As Van and Rowena Whitney seek to add BDSM play to their marriage, Passion Peak is once again in the news. This time, the treasure hunters are descendants of the Mandanici brothers, and Rowena is kidnapped as part of their desperate attempt for money.

What's hot: spanking, flogging, bondage

Buy link: http://www.bookstrand.com/convincing-rowena  

Wednesday Writing

Here’s the cover for my book due out in a month! Watch out for extracts and other tidbits!

Collared by Wolves has been nominated in Mary's Menage Whispers Menage Romance Awards!

Collared by  Wolves has been nominated in Mary's Menage Whispers Menage Romance Awards! It is up for two awards - the shapeshifters category and the BDSM category.

Your votes are much appreciated (and thanks to anyone who nominated me).

Vote here (you have until 8 Feb to vote)

Here's a reminder of the blurb:

Natasha Talbot, an ordinary human wanting more out of life, ventures into a forest where a club is holding submissive trials, not knowing this is where werewolves practice BDSM.

While at the club Natasha is fought over by two lots of men. Griff Seamer is an alpha werewolf with a reputation for being a rogue. He doesn’t hesitate taking on Ford Chaplin, Max Holman, and Callum Lane, three beta wolves who formed a pack as a way of getting the submissive women at the club who normally prefer the alpha men.


During the fight Natasha becomes aware of their shifter natures and runs away. But is she more frightened by the BDSM or their animal aspects? Determined to try again, she returns a few nights later, but when she is kidnapped by a pack who like the darker side of BDSM her four men realize they have to work together to rescue her.

What's Doing Monday

Yipppee!!

‘Retraining the Dom’ has been given ‘Top Pick’ by Night Owl Reviews!  Don’t think I’ve ever been awarded a ‘Top Pick’ before now.

http://www.nightowlreviews.com/v5/Reviews/Vrainey-reviews-Retraining-The-Dom-by-Jennifer-Denys

Here is the review:

Trey is a hot and sexy Dom who is a member of Club Allure. Everything is going good for him until he loses his control and goes overboard. Now Trey has to go under a retraining program. Trey is smart and after a little calming down he makes the best of the situation at hand.

Olivia is a Domme at Club Allure. The owner thinks that Olivia would be best way to retrain Trey and keep from alienating him. Olivia is also a sub at heart and training Trey allows her to enjoy that side of her. I loved how strong Olivia is. She stood toe to toe against Trey and did not back down.

The chemistry between Trey and Olivia is scorching. The sex scenes were searing. I loved how as Olivia tried to train Trey. He was always thinking of ways to get Olivia to open up and loosen up. I liked that Trey can see right through to Olivia and instead of embarrassing her by requesting a “real” Dom he agrees to be ‘retrained” by her.

Retraining the Dom is the second book in the Battle of Wills series by Jennifer Denys. While this book is part of a series it can be read and enjoyed as a standalone novel. I found this book to be very well written. It was a great book that allows you to see how these two made a relationship work between them. The main and secondary characters were interesting and realistic. Overall, this was a great book. I will be picking up the first book in the series shortly.

Thank you Night Owl Reviews

Here is the link to Amazon (be aware you cannot just search for it from the Amazon home page as it has an 'adult' filter on it). http://www.amazon.com/Retraining-Battle-Wills-Jennifer-Denys-ebook/dp/B00G3NTJJ6/ref=sr_1_13?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1390223693&sr=1-13 

Weekend Reading

Here are this week's Weekend Reading Recommendations:

Title: High-Stakes Loving (King’s Bluff, Wyoming 2)

Author: Fiona Archer

Genre: Erotic romance, Ménage, BDSM, Western/Cowboys

Description of main characters:

Reagan Edwards: early 30’s. Librarian. Fun sense of humor and yet shy around those alpha male types. She secretly years for the rush of being carried away by a couple of big, bad Doms.

Mike Langley: Ex-SEAL Sniper. Moved to King’s Bluff with best-friend Quinn Sullivan to recuperate from an IED injury that ended his military career. The tall, dark and deadly type, he’s had his eye on Reagan for some time and he’s decided it’s time their adorable target is caught and collared.

Quinn Sullivan: Ex-SEAL now owns a private-investigative agency that provides exclusive services to their wealthy contacts. A tall tower of a man dressed in denim, he’s ready to make a permanent home with Reagan and Mike. 

Setting: King’s Bluff, Wyoming

Length: 102,125 words

Synopsis: Former SEALs Quinn and Mike strive to gain a shy librarian’s trust. Overhearing that she adores capture fantasy stories, they make their move. Trapped between two Masters, Reagan surrenders, learning what it is to be cherished. But a secret from the past rocks their relationship, allowing danger to close in.

What’s hot?: They live out her erotic fantasy...captured and whisked away by two Doms!

Buy link: http://www.bookstrand.com/high-stakes-loving

Title: Finding The Blood Assassin (Lords of the Expanse 3)    Author: Honor James Genre: Futuristic, Science Fiction, Vampires/Werewolves Main characters: Jamison “Jami” Montague Age: looks in early 20’s, Eye Color: pale blue, Hair Color: long curly dark brown, Height: 5’5” Raven Kato Age: appears late 20’s early 30s, Eye Color: pale blue, Hair Color: dark and longish, Height: 6’ ish, Weight: 240 Setting: Science Fiction / outer space Length: 60,379 words Synopsis: Jamison Montague can find anything, or anyone. All she needs is something of her target, something that means a lot to them. Her newest mission, finding a Vampire Lord who doesn’t want to be found, could be her hardest one yet. But she’s never failed before and she won’t this time around. What is hot?: Sexy hot uber alpha Vampire Lord Buy link: http://www.bookstrand.com/finding-the-blood-assassin

Title of book: The Submission Challenge

Name of author: Jennifer Denys

Genre: BDSM/MF

Main characters: Rebecca – long straight thick black hair down her back. Deep blue eyes. Beautiful. Very short in height but voluptuous. Lovely legs for her height. Aged around 27. Independent, a control freak. Runs an art gallery business with Ellie, sister of the hero.

Jon – dark-haired but not black hair. Tall around 6ft. Well-muscled and hunky. Very good looking. Grey eyes. Aged around 30. A Dominant by sexual preference. A naturally controlling person with everyone around him. Works as a lawyer.

Setting:  modern day, mostly in the hero’s house 

Length: 23k

Synopsis: When independent Rebecca derides Jon for being a Dominant he scoffs that she could never understand the lifestyle and challenges her to be his submissive for 24 hours. Rebecca agrees determined to show him she could be submissive yet remain detached emotionally. However, things don’t go to plan.

What's Hot?: Massage in the garden on a hot day (and everyone gets hottttt!)

Buy link: http://www.bookstrand.com/the-submission-challenge

Wednesday Writing

I am back to doing my character profiles. These two are Matt and Lissa from ‘Friendly Seduction’ (this story being the one that engendered the new one out next month!)

Name – Matt

Book – Friendly Seduction

Love interest – Lissa

Age – early 30s.

Hair/eyes – Light brown hair, short but in need of a cut.

Height/weight – Medium height, fairly well built.

Looks – Very handsome (naturally), slightly disheveled,

Other – A sci-fi writer. Cousin to Gina (heroine in Friend or Foe). Best friends with Sam (from Just Good Friends). Forgets to talk to people when he gets engrossed in his writing.

Name – Lissa

Book – Friendly Seduction

Love interest – Matt

Age – Mid-20s

Hair/eyes – Strawberry blonde hair (more blonde than red), in a bob coming just below her chin with a fringe. Grey-green eyes.

Height/weight – Medium height and figure

Looks – Beautiful (naturally)! Heart shaped face, turned up nose

Other – Works in an office as administrator. Shares apartment with Gina. A bit shy, stammers when she gets nervous. Likes sitting on the floor.

What's Doing Mondays

Something you never knew about me – I had a house fire about 13 years ago. I stupidly left a pan of hot oil on and forgot about it! In my hurry to take the burning pan off the stove (which was also on fire) I splashed the burning hot oil onto my hand.

The problem was, I had nowhere to put the pan down. The tiny kitchen was filling with smoke, my eyes were streaming and I couldn’t get at the smoke blanket as the tab to pull on came away in my hand.

I was about to give up when a voice in my head said, “Put the chopping board on the floor and the pan on the board. You then have two hands to cover it with a towel.” Thank you, whoever you are, my guardian angel.

I came out of that episode with nothing but a burnt hand and a singed pan and teatowel. I had to wear a special glove for a few years as the scar on my hand turning into keloid scarring but I have total use of my hand (good thing too or I would have a hard time writing my books!).

Jen

Weekend Reading

Here are this week's reading recommendations:

Title of book:  Irresistibly Delicious

Name of author: Debra Ann Fisk 

Genre: Mainstream Contemporary Romance

Main characters: Olivia Carson A chef- 28- long wavy honey colored hair, blue eyes. Average height 5 ft. 5in. willowy figure. Natural beauty. 

Brady Matthews a doctor - 34 Golden Blonde hair, Steel Blue eyes, Tall 6 ft 1 in, muscular 

Setting:  The story takes place at a bed and breakfast in Cozy Cove, Florida, and New York City

Length: 83,433 words

Synopsis: One feisty Southern chef. One sexy city doctor. One thousand miles apart. Trauma draws them together, but will circumstances pull them apart?  Can a headstrong surgeon and a chef learn to accept love? Or the scandal of past secrets, make them choose professional success with a side order of loneliness?

What’s hot: A massage leads to a steamy sex scene

Buy link: http://www.bookstrand.com/irresistibly-delicious

Title: Dark Warrior

Author: Julie Shelton

Genre: historical MFM Menage erotic romance

Description of Characters: Nicholas Herron, Duke of Berwick, 27,  over 6 feet, well-muscled, skilled in all forms of combat, shaggy black hair, neat black goatee and mustache.  Rolf Torgesson, Danish knight-errant, 29, 6'3", muscular, bald, droopy silver-blond mustache and 4" goatee, gold hoop earring. Lady Kathryn Weston, 21, small, elfin features, reddish-gold hair, green eyes, a ready wit.

Setting: 14th-century England

Length: 131,000 words

Synopsis: By the time Nicholas and Rolf discover that the badly beaten woman they found hiding in the forest is betrothed to the most ruthless nobleman in all of England, it's too late--they're both in love with her. A love so forbidden it could cost them everything, including their lives

What's hot: Lots of hot, steamy sex, both MF and MFM.  The 14th century was a very bawdy era.

Buy Link: www.bookstrand.com/dark-warrior

Title of book: Damon's Challenge

Author: Sam Crescent

Genre: Rubenesque, MMF erotic romance

Description of main characters:

Meredith (ranchers wife), 25 years old. Dark brown hair, brown eyes and totally submissive.

Damon (loner), 35 years old, tall, muscular from years of labor. Dark hair and a dominant. He’s the one in control.

Andy (Meredith's husband), 35 years old, blond with blue eyes. He’s tall and built similar to Damon but he’s a switch and likes to be dominated from time to time.

Setting: In my fictional town of Creek Valley, a beautiful place where the town accepts everyone for the way they are.

Length: 32,136

Synopsis: Can Damon help Meredith and Andy in their struggling marriage? The instant he meets the married couple Damon sees the submissive quality in each. What is worse, he sees how their differences are tearing them apart but he knows how to fix it. His biggest challenge is getting them to see how great they could all be together.

What's hot: Damon, I fell in love with him the moment I started writing.

Buy link: http://www.evernightpublishing.com/damons-challenge-by-sam-crescent/ 

Wednesday Writing

I have been getting on with some writing over the hols and have started the second in ‘The Haunt of the Wolves’ series which will be Evie and Stefan’s story – along with a new human to the series called Jace.

I’m not entirely sure of the title yet – possibly ‘Torn Between Two Lovers’ – Evie has to choose between her gentle human lover or Dominant Stefan. There will be some BDSM again, an run-in with Lance’s old gang, a storm, and a rescue.

Watch this space.

What's Doing Mondays?

Here’s some writing statistics I found intriguing doing a trawl of the internet the other day. It is taken from a post in 2011 on Publishers Weekly website. It refers to a survey on “Artists and Art Workers in the United States”. http://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/trade-shows-events/article/49400-nea-studies-writers-statistics.html

From 2005 to 2009, the survey found an average of 197,768 who identified as writers and authors, making up almost 10% of the 2.1 million total artist work force in the U.S. (You had to list writing as a primary occupation). The study showed that artists were both less likely than other workers to be of a minority race or ethnicity, and were also less likely to be foreign-born. (The full post gives percentages).

More likely to be found among writers and authors, however, were more female workers and more self-employed workers, as compared to the overall workforce: 57% of writers and authors were female; 44% of writers and authors were self-employed.

The study also tracked where book publishing employment is the most concentrated and found that Minnesota was the most dependent on book publishing for jobs. In Minneapolis, the concentration of employment in book publishing is nearly eight times the national average. New York, Massachusetts, and New Jersey were the following three states with high concentrations of publishing employees. And while New York and California retain the highest number of artists in the U.S., on a per worker basis, several other states also surpass the national average. Writers and authors are particularly prominent in Oregon and Vermont, two states that exceed the U.S. average by 20% for concentration of artists in the workforce.

I am intrigued now to know a similar set of stats for the UK!

Weekend Reading

I am back to my Weekend Reading Recommendations for the New Year!

Title of book: Branding Ben (Rough Riders 2)

Name of author: Tatum Throne

Genre: Cowboys/BDSM/MM

Main characters: Border Agent Nick Marshal, Age: 35, wavy black hair, dark blue eyes, Height: 6’2”, Weight: 180.

Cowboy, Ben Stone Age: 33, brown hair, bright blue eyes, Height: 5’11”, weight: 160.

Setting: Eagle Pass, Texas

Length: 30k

Synopsis: Border agent Nick Marshal is a Dom who likes to work and play outside his professional and personal lines. After a fight with his co-worker, Nick is reluctantly reassigned to the Rough Riders program. He’s been assigned to Ben Stone’s property to watch the border. Nick’s first assignment is to find Ben, who has suddenly gone missing.

What's Hot?: Sex with a really hot cowboy.

Buy link: http://www.bookstrand.com/branding-ben

Title of book: The Wicked Rancher’s Indecent Proposal (Carnal Sins 2)

Name of author: Jan Bowles

Genre: Erotic cowboy romance/MF

Main characters: Brett Sinclair ~ the 35 year old rancher, is tall, and deliciously wicked. 

Carly Wilson ~ the 33 year old is naturally feisty, and ready to fight for her man.

Setting:  Montana Prairie

Length: 37,865 words

Synopsis: When her father dies, Carly is surprised to discover that a significant sum of money is owed to Brett Sinclair—the rancher from next door. With the loan secured on her parents’ farmstead, Brett demands sexual favors as payment in kind. Will Carly be forced to accept his indecent proposal?

What's Hot?: A rather wicked and unusual way to use an electric toothbrush

Buy link: http://www.bookstrand.com/the-wicked-ranchers-indecent-proposal

Title of Book: The Bear Project

Name of Author: Doris O’Conner

Genre: Paranormal Erotic Romance

Main characters: Emmi Layne, works for ZSL (London's Zoological Society) and has a thing for bears. This little human gets more than she bargained for on a visit to Bear Country.

Cole Jackson, sexy bear shifter, and bad boy on a mission, is not prepared to meet his mate, let alone for that mate to be human.

Setting: Bear Country US, Whipsnade Zoo UK, and several pools, beds, walls and other surfaces…

Synopsis: All great love affairs start with a healthy dose of lust, right? With ancient blood lines in threat the last thing Cole Jackson needs is for his mate to be human, but destiny cannot be denied. Come what may he will claim what is his, rules be damned.

What's hot: One foul mouthed Dominant Bear shifter with a penchant for cream meets sassy human determined to make him work for it. Spankings are optional.

Buy Link: http://www.evernightpublishing.com/

Wednesday Writing

Here's some interesting facts:

* According to The Telegraph newspaper, the Kindle was the most popular Christmas present in the UK with one in 40 adults given this as a present!

*And according to USA today the two weeks after Christmas are to e-books what the two weeks before Halloween are to pumpkins!

In other words, lots of you have e-readers and are on the look out for books. SO - do check out my pages on Amazon and Bookstrand if you want ideas.

Jen

Monthly Inspirational Author

This month I welcome fellow English author, Tanith Davenport. We first met at Eroticon UK in 2012 without realising we both worked at the same place!! So here’s a little from Tanith:

Thanks for having me, Jennifer. I am an erotic romance novelist from Yorkshire with two cats, a long-suffering husband and an irrepressible sense of adventure. That says it all!

Tell us about your latest book

"Sleepwalker" follows my heroine Tally Haslam on a weekend visit to a haunted hotel. Sleepwalking on the first night, she wakes up outside the bedroom of an attractive man; she manages to avoid being seen, but a combination of her own nightly wanderings and a matchmaking ghost result in her being thrown again in his way...

Oooo, a matchmaking ghost! I like.


Do you have anything in common with your characters?

Usually, but rarely the same thing twice! I like to give a character at least one facet in common with me, but it’s fun to write someone completely different as well.

What’s the bravest thing you’ve ever done?

I did a firewalk for charity once. I have no idea how that works, but it really doesn't burn your feet, although they did feel very odd for about an hour afterwards.

Wow! I’m impressed

When did you write your first book (and is it published)?

My very first book was written when I was about 14 and, as you might expect, it was terrible. I went on to write another when I was 15 which all my classmates read, although whether they thought it was any good or not is open to question. Fortunately both of those were destroyed so can’t come back to haunt me.

Haha!

What are you currently working on, or what’s on the horizon?

I'm editing a novel for Totally Bound which I can't talk about yet. I'm also working on a sequel to my paranormal novella "I Heard Your Voice", a standalone novella inspired by my favourite movie and am pitching a new series.

Who did you dedicate your first book to?

I’d love to come up with an extraordinary answer, but in fact it was dedicated to my husband Mark, although he’s never understood why. Apparently “helping with the research” isn’t a convincing answer.

Bless him!

Who was the first boy/girl you kissed?

I won't give his name, but he was the best friend of another friend's boyfriend and he kissed like a washing machine.

*giggle*

Favourite rainy day activity?

Watching horror movies with a can of cider and a Chinese takeaway. I love good horror, although it's tough to find a film that will scare me these days.

How fans can find you on the internet?

Website: tanithdavenport.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/TanithDavenport

Twitter: www.twitter.com/TanithDavenport

And here’s an extract from her book
 

As soon as she opened her eyes, she knew it had happened again.

The hallway was dark, the only light source a moonbeam that fell through a nearby window. She felt carpet beneath her bare feet, her silk nightgown brushing against her ankles. The air was still, cool, and silent. The building was asleep.

Damn it. She knew this had been a bad idea.

A soft sound behind her made her spin round, her dark hair slapping against her shoulders. A crack of light glowed at the end of the corridor—a door had fallen ajar. She could hear something from within, quiet noises that sparked a memory at the back of her mind.

Tally turned on the spot and looked around her. The place was familiar, and she bit her lip in frustration. Her room was near here, but there was no avoiding it—she would have to pass the open door.

A metal object knocked against her ankle as she moved, and relief flooded through her. At least she still had her room key. As quietly as possible she made her way down the corridor, pressing close to the opposite wall as the open door drew nearer.

What is that noise? Is that...?

The urge to glance through the doorway was irresistible as she passed. A figure was visible, and she paused—

And froze.

The first thing she saw on the bed were a pair of feet, splayed to reveal tanned legs leading up to a muscular, naked male body. Dark hair spread on the pillow and, lower, drew a happy trail from a defined chest down, down, down to the hollow of his groin, from which rose a solid erection wrapped in one firm hand. His face was barely visible, but what she could see was twisted in a rictus of pleasure as his hand glided up and down, up and down, up and -

Oh God!

Tally knew she should go, but her body remained inextricably pressed against the wall, her gaze fixed on the vision in front of her. She tightened her fingers in the folds of her nightgown, breathless, conscious of the heat growing in her gut and the wetness slowly building in her centre.

The gasps from the room gradually became deep, masculine moans. She could see the muscles in his thighs flexing, see the heavy mass of his balls tightening. He was close, very close, and warmth bloomed within her as she watched, all thought gone from her mind except the sight of his pleasure, the rounded curves of his arse, the jerking of his hips as his hand moved faster, faster—

Then he groaned, spasmed, and spurted his release high, droplets spattering his chest. Tally closed her eyes in sympathy, struggling to control her breathing.

If she left now, he might not hear her. She turned and bolted down the corridor, running on her tiptoes, hastily scanning the darkened space for the turning that led to her own room.

This could not happen again.

Thank you for being on my blog, Tanith. Good luck with your books. Next month’s author is Siobhan Muir.