Seductive Musings

Monday's Muse

noreply@blogger.com (Booklover1335) — Mon, 20 May 2013 04:00:00 +0000

Last week was a complete disaster for me :( I wish I could just pull the sheets over my head, go to sleep and wake up with a do-over. Do you ever feel that way? All I can say is I am actually glad it's Monday for once because it's the start of a new week with limitless possibilities and opportunities :) (no I'm not actually feeling that chipper and optimistic, but I'm faking it until I make it kind of thing...hoping to get me out of my funk)

This week's Muse is a bit more...revealing than normal, but I just loved his physique and couldn't resist.

This week at Seductive Musings:

I have family visiting all this week so I won't be blogging. I hope you will find yourself back here next Monday for a new week and Muse.

Finally, I'd like to congratulate all of the authors with new releases this week, especially Musings authors Vicki Lewis Thompson, & Vivian Arend! Congrats Ladies!!!

*Seductive Musings is an Amazon affiliate and receives a very small referral fee for purchases made via the links on the blog and through the Seductive Musings Amazon Store. Read the full disclosure here.

Blog Hop: Sinful Sirens Giveaway

noreply@blogger.com (Booklover1335) — Wed, 15 May 2013 04:00:00 +0000

I don't know about you, but during the summer months I like to turn up the heat in my romance reading in direct correlation to the temperature outside :) I can't wait for summer to get here because some of my most favorite erotic romance authors have books coming out soon! Here are the erotic romances that I am most looking forward to this summer (in order of release date):

Rocky Mountain Rebel by Vivian Arend (5/21/13)

The best type of growing up involves getting down and dirty

Vicki Hansol made different choices than her less-than-reputable mom and sister, yet her fiery temper has left her branded with the same town-bad-girl label. When she desperately needs a change of scenery, her get-out-of-town-free ticket arrives—and requires she face down one of her deepest fears.

Easygoing Joel Coleman has nothing to complain about, but he’s never really done anything to brag about either. The youngest member of the Six Pack Ranch is looking to make some changes in his life that include stepping out from under his twin brother’s shadow.

So when the bold beauty with the smart mouth approaches him with a proposition, Joel is intrigued. Her request for him to teach her to ride soon takes on a whole new meaning. All that passion in his arms, his bed, in the barn…hell, anywhere he can get it? Bring it on.

But tangling the sheets leads to unanticipated complications, and by the time the dust settles, everything family means is going to be challenged.

Caution: Saddle up for some youthful vigor applied with great enthusiasm. Ropes, rails and raunchy sex—there’s more places to get dirty around the ranch than first meets the eye.

This is Who I Am by Cherise Sinclair (5/28/13) (no book cover was available nor is it available for pre-order yet...hello, that's just two weeks away, what are they waiting for?)

When trying to save a woman from slavers, Sam screwed up. Royally. Now Linda wants nothing to do with him. Or with BDSM. She won’t even admit she’s a masochist. As a dominant and sadist, he can give her what she needs, and when an opportunity arises, he slips into her life, intending to make amends. She’s everything he knew she would be…except for her bullheaded determination to be ‘normal’.

Now the horrible time is past, Linda just wants to return to her small conservative town, pick up her quiet life, and be normal. But how can someone who likes pain be ‘normal’? To her dismay, when someone spray-paints her home with obscenities, Sam shows up to rescue her. Again. Doesn’t he understand that the last thing she needs in her life is a sadist? He’s amused by her objections. But his dry sense of humor can’t disguise that he’s tough as nails and dominant and stubborn. He’s not going to let her drive him off this time. Soon she realizes she wants him to stay.

When he takes her to the Shadowlands, she feels as if she’s found a home…until she hears a voice from out of her nightmares.

Fire Inside by Kristen Ashley (6/4/13)

Lanie Heron isn’t looking for love—no surprise, considering her last serious relationship nearly got her killed. So when Lanie propositions Hop Kincaid, all she wants is one wild night with the hot-as-hell biker who patrols with the Chaos Motorcycle Club...

For Hop, Lanie has always been untouchable. She’s too polished and too classy for his tastes. But when she gives Hop the once-over with her bedroom eyes and offers him a night in paradise, he can’t say no. And he doesn’t regret it when he finds that Lanie is the best thing that’s ever happened to him—in or out of bed. Now the trick will be to convince her of that.

One Sweet Ride by Jaci Burton (6/4/13)

Gray Preston was born into money, but he’s built his racing empire on hard work and muscle. And now that Gray has millions of fans, his senator father sends one of his aides, Evelyn Hill, to elicit Gray’s help in garnering votes for the upcoming national election. Gray wants nothing to do with his estranged father’s campaign, but Evelyn can be pretty persuasive. She’s willing to learn about racing, and maybe even get a little dirty.

Evelyn’s number-one goal is politics, which makes working with Gray difficult, because his only passion is fast cars. As she and Gray spend time together, he teaches her about the sport he loves, and she learns a lot about the man behind the wheel. The more she learns, the more she wants him. But any desire that threatens to derail the carefully laid plans for her future is a dangerous one.

With the passion Gray and Evelyn share running hotter than either imagined, one of them is going to have to compromise, or else run the risk of losing more than their hearts.

Entwined with You by Sylvia Day (6/4/13)

The worldwide phenomenon continues as Eva and Gideon face the demons of their pasts, and accept the consequences of their obsessive desires…

From the moment I first met Gideon Cross, I recognized something in him that I needed. Something I couldn’t resist. I saw the dangerous and damaged soul inside–so much like my own. I was drawn to it. I needed him as surely as I needed my heart to beat.

No one knows how much he risked for me. How much I’d been threatened, or just how dark and desperate the shadow of our pasts would become.

Entwined by our secrets, we tried to defy the odds. We made our own rules and surrendered completely to the exquisite power of possession…

Turn and Burn by Lorelei James (8/6/13)

Tanna Barker is a world champion barrel racer. But her personal life has been less of a success, and she’s feeling adrift. After her mother’s unexpected death, her father has remarried, and sold the Texas ranch she called home. Now a rodeo injury has left the restless spitfire holed up in Muddy Gap, unsure what her next move should be.

Until she meets her match in a wild, wild cowboy

Veterinarian August Fletcher has always put his job first. He’s never found a woman who could handle his on-the-road lifestyle. But when sassy, sexy Tanna blows into town, he finally finds the woman of his fantasies. And there’s something between them, but she claims she’s been burned by love ’em and leave ’em road dogs before. How can Fletch prove that he’s in it for the long haul, and that their sizzling relationship is better than winning any rodeo medal? It’ll take some sweet persuasion to convince Tanna that Muddy Gap is where she belongs.

Caught Up in You by Roni Loren (8/6/2013)

The girl who has spent her life running is about to be caught . . . by love.

After a shaky past, Kelsey LeBreck’s future is looking good. She’s been saving money for culinary school with her earnings from The Ranch, a private BDSM resort. Even better, she’s landed a day job where she can practice baking and flirt with her favorite customer. However, having secret fantasies about Wyatt Austin is where it has to end. If there’s one thing Kelsey knows can derail her, it’s a relationship. But when a danger from her past threatens to steal her fresh start, the intense executive may be the only one who can help her.

Wyatt doesn’t have room on his agenda for dating, but something about the pretty young waitress stirs desires he thought were long buried. So when he needs someone to pose as his girlfriend at an important business retreat and finds out Kelsey needs to go off the grid for a while, he can’t resist making her an offer. Soon, Kelsey learns that Wyatt’s power in the boardroom is no match for his power in the bedroom, and she wonders if her heart will survive. Because Wyatt Austin is a man who gets what he wants, and now he wants her.

Amazon.com Widgets

I thought long and hard as to what book I'd like to giveaway and I finally decided that I wanted to giveaway a book by Kristen Ashely since she has become my new obsession. I wanted to giveaway her new upcoming book Fire Inside, but I found with the previous book, Own the Wind, that if you hadn't read Motorcycle Man before Own the Wind, then it may not have been as good. There's a lot of backstory that connects the two books that enriches the storyline of Own the Wind and heroine in Fire Inside played a major role in Motorcycle Man so I have a feeling that this book will also be better if you've read Motorcycle Man first. But not everyone may have read Motorcycle Man so I had a bit of a dilemma.

So....with that in mind I decided to giveaway one digital copy of either Motorcycle Man (book 1), Own the Wind (book 2) or Fire Inside (book 3) from either Barnes and Noble for the Nook, or from Amazon for the Kindle or Kobo to one lucky Musings follower. That way if you've read some but not all you can pick the book that you need, or if you haven't read any of them yet then you can start with Motorcycle Man (the hero in this book made many favs lists last year). The digital book will be gifted to you via one of these three retailers.

Enter to win in the Rafflecopter form below (US & International as long as you can accept an e-book gift from either Amazon, Barnes and Noble or Kobo):

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Review: Twice Tempted by Jeaniene Frost

noreply@blogger.com (Booklover1335) — Tue, 14 May 2013 04:00:00 +0000

Title: Twice Tempted*
Author: Jeaniene Frost
Series: Night Prince #2
Genre: Paranormal/ Urban Fantasy
Publisher: Avon
Format: Paperback & ebook
Date/Year: March 2013
Reviewed by: Andrea

*This book was borrowed from the reviewer's local library

Summary from the publisher:

Dating the Prince of Darkness has its challenges...

Leila's psychic abilities have been failing her, and now she isn't sure what the future holds. If that weren't enough, her lover, Vlad, has been acting distant. Though Leila is a mere mortal, she's also a modern woman who refuses to accept the cold shoulder treatment forever–especially from the darkly handsome vampire who still won't admit that he loves her.

Like choosing between eternal love and a loveless eternity...

Soon circumstances send Leila back to the carnival circuit, where tragedy strikes. And when she finds herself in the crosshairs of a killer who may be closer than she realizes, Leila must decide who to trust– the fiery vampire who arouses her passions like no other or the tortured knight who longs to be more than a friend? With danger stalking her every step of the way, all it takes is one wrong move to damn her for eternity.

My Musings:

The blurb says that dating the prince of darkness has it challenges, and does it ever! I’ve always liked Vlad. He’s such an unrepentant alpha bastard, that I can’t help but have a soft spot for him. He entertains me like no other, but I could never be in a relationship with someone like that. This book really drove that point home. Leila is a strong woman, but putting up with the attitude and indifference from Vlad would be enough to break anyone. It’s bad enough that he’s a vampire and barely conceals his contempt for her being human, but when you throw in his antiquated male chauvinist point of view, it’s too much.

The book begins by throwing the reader right into the loneliness and heartache Leila is experiencing. She is stuck in an unfulfilling relationship with a man uninterested in compromising. She has the option of leaving him, but there are also various vampires just waiting to kill her, and those close to her, the moment she lets her guard down. Leaving Vlad, and his protection, will definitely put her safety at risk. There is also the bigger issue of her being in love with him. She has some difficult decisions to make, and they’ll affect more than just her.

I was surprised by how much I was pulled into this book. How could I possibly have forgotten how great the Night Prince and Night Huntress books are?! The first chapter felt like visiting old friends that I hadn’t realized I missed so much. Of course, there was the irritating but lovable Vlad. Bringing him some humility is Leila, she such a great character. She is strong, loyal, courageous, and passionate. She embodies all the qualities I admire, so I couldn’t help but like her more and more as the book went on. Vlad made me want to strangle him, but I could never stay angry with him for too long.

Twice Tempted has an excellent mixture of their continued relationship, which is far from becoming stale, along with adventure and suspense. Leila and Vlad are not getting along, and someone is doing their best to kill her. Making the killer’s job easier is an unknown traitor within Vlad’s inner circle who has turned against him. It was fantastic, both fast paced and compelling. The only complaint I have is the ending. I realize urban fiction generally ends with a cliffhanger, but this one took me by surprise. I felt the buildup of the suspense, but the ultimate climax and unresolved issues weren’t as good as I was expecting. It was actually a bit anti-climactic, at least in comparison to other scenes in the book, and I didn’t realize it was the end. I went to flip the page on my nook and realized there wasn’t any more. I was a bit dumbstruck to realize it was done. That’s not the best final thought upon finishing a book. Still, up until that point I was loving it. I absolutely recommend this book.

Ratings:

Overall: 4 stars
Sensuality level: 3.5

For a complete understanding and definition of the ratings at Seductive Musings, click here

Other Reviews:

Fiction Vixen (A)
Smexy Books (B+)
Goodreads (avg rating as of 5/13/2013= 4.30 stars)

Monday's Muse

noreply@blogger.com (Booklover1335) — Mon, 13 May 2013 04:00:00 +0000

I hope you all had a wonderful Mother's Day with your family. Mine was quite quiet. I slept in a bit, visited with my Mom and gave her a gift and just spent time with her. I admire my Mother tremendously. She was younger than I am now when she found herself divorced with three kids to raise. I've never met a more compassionate, and silently strong person in my life. She did all she could to give us opportunities that she didn't have when she was growing up. My Mom is my hero and I am so thankful that I live close to her and am able to spend so much time with her. I don't take any of it for granted. Thanks Mom!

This week's Muse is for all the Moms (of people or pets)

This week at Seductive Musings:

Tuesday: I'll have Andrea's review of Twice Tempted by Jeaniene Frost
Wednesday: I'll be participating in the Sinful Sirens Blog Hop
Thursday & Friday: Are kind of up in the air. I don't think I'll be able to post on the blog unless I am caught up on the design front. If I am able I will try to have at least a review for you.

Finally, I'd like to congratulate all of the authors with new releases this week!

Feature & Giveaway: Dangerous Submission by Lori Torland

noreply@blogger.com (Booklover1335) — Fri, 10 May 2013 04:00:00 +0000

British Agent Drake Steele never thought when he was hired on at the Serious Organised Crime Agency that his job would involve spanking a co-worker. But when the colleague is Lord Robbie Covington, the sexy red-headed computer hacker for SOCA and MI-6, Drake can't agree fast enough to pop Robbie's cherry and pull him into the sensual world of BDSM.

Now they are caught up in a web of lies as they pose as members of the jet-setting crowd. Drake and Robbie have to race against the clock to stop a weapons haul that could threaten the safety of all Europe. As their covers begin to fade and danger is closing in, protecting Robbie is Drake’s most important task, but neither man is ready for the moment when their hearts are put on the line.

Excerpt:

Oblivious to my desire, he turned back to his suitcase and dragged out his tuxedo. “This party we’re going to tonight, it’s a black-tie ball, right?”

“Yes, it is.” I turned my back to him, trying my hardest to ignore how much my cock loved him nearly naked with just a scrap of cotton covering his bits.

“Do you think there will be dancing?”

God, I hoped not, because I was an awful dancer. Robbie would run away screaming from me if he saw me try to waltz. I mumbled something under my breath, hoping that would satisfy him.

He was persistent with his line of questioning, though. He let out a sigh. “What I’m trying to ask is…do you know how to dance?”

“Not really.”

“Maybe I should give you a quick lesson.”

Unable to hold back my horror, I groaned. “We don’t have to do that. It’s not a requirement to dance at this party, I’m sure.”

“No, it probably isn’t, but we aren’t supposed to be wallflowers either. We should try our hardest to fit in.”
“I’m six foot five, and you’re a redheaded royal. Do you really think we’re going to blend in?”

If you'd like to learn more about author Lori Torland and the books she writes you can find her at her website, on Facebook and at Twitter.

To celebrate the release of Dangerous Submission Lori is giving away a $50 gift card of the winner's choice to Loose Id, Amazon, Barnes and Noble or ARe, and a $25 gift card of the winner's choice to Loose Id, Amazon, Barnes and Noble or ARe. Winner to be chosen randomly from among the Rafflecopter entries. Enter to win in the Rafflecopter form below. Please refer to the Rafflecopter giveaway for any rules or restrictions pertaining to the giveaway.

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Click the tour graphic to see more tour dates & chances to win!

Blog Hop: Who's Your Wicked Lover?

noreply@blogger.com (Booklover1335) — Thu, 09 May 2013 04:00:00 +0000

The first BDSM themed fiction book that I read was Anne Rice's Sleeping Beauty series. And I have to say that I struggled with it...big time. In fact I really hated it and thought it was so demeaning and degrading that at times I had a negative physical reaction to the situations and how they were presented in the book. The series if fairly well received, but I hated them. I look back on it now and wonder why I ever finished the trilogy, but I'm like that...once I start a book I feel compelled to finish it. Needless to say I thought that BDSM romances were not for me after reading those books.

A while after I started hearing about this book called Wicked Ties and how hot it was. I was just discovering Erotic Romance at the time, and the description intrigued me so I got it, read it, and discovered that I did in fact enjoy BDSM themed romances, especially when they have an alpha hero like Jack Cole. Jack Cole was my reintroduction to Dominant men in romance and he changed my entire outlook on this sub-genre of romance.

I will forever be grateful to Shayla Black and her hero in Wicked Ties, Jack Cole...because of them and my enjoyment of that book I was willing to give other books with BDSM themed romances a try. I can't even begin to try and explain the aversion that I had to "those" books after my previous experience with the Sleeping Beauty series, and now I can safely say that some of the best erotic romances as well as some of my favorite authors that I've read have been BDSM themed, and the only reason I experimented with them again was because of Wicked Ties. That story and those characters truly opened my eyes to the type of intense and loving relationship that can come from that bond.

Thank you Jack Cole....my Wicked Lover from Wicked Ties :)

(Interestingly I wonder what % Jack gets as the favorite Wicked Lover from the blog hop...anyone care to guess?)

Between two brothers…

Xander Santiago spent years living it up as a billionaire playboy. Never given a chance to lead his family business in the boardroom, he became a Master in the bedroom instead. His older brother inherited the company and worked tirelessly to make it an empire. But while the cutthroat corporate espionage took its toll on Javier, nothing was as devastating as the seemingly senseless murder of his wife. It propelled him into a year of punishing rage and guilt…until Xander came to his rescue.

Comes an irresistible woman …

Eager to rejuvenate Javier’s life, Xander shanghais him to Louisiana where they meet the beautiful London McLane. After surviving a decade of tragedy and struggle, London is determined to make a fresh start—and these sexy billionaire brothers are more than willing to help. In every way. And London is stunned to find herself open to every heated suggestion…and desperately hoping that her love will heal them.

And inescapable danger …

But a killer with a hidden motive is watching, on a single-minded mission to destroy everything the Santiago brothers hold dear, especially London. And as fear and desire collide, every passionate beat of her heart could be her last.

Read an excerpt

Amazon.com Widgets

To celebrate the release of the seventh book in the Wicked Lovers series, Ours to Love, author Shayla Black is giving away a Kindle Fire! Woot!! Enter to win and read any rules and restrictions in the Rafflecopter form below:

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And for my participation in this blog hop I thought I would giveaway a print copy of the new book Ours to Love to one lucky Musings follower (US only). You can enter to win the book in the Rafflecopter form below:

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Joint Review: Spank Me, Mr. Darcy by Lissa Trevor

noreply@blogger.com (Booklover1335) — Tue, 07 May 2013 04:00:00 +0000

Title: Spank Me, Mr. Darcy*
Author: Lissa Trevor and Jane Austen
Series: n/a
Genre: Erotica
Publisher: Riverdale Avenue Books
Format: E-book
Date/Year: April 10, 2013
Reviewed by: Michele & ElaineReads

*This book was provided to the reviewers by the author in exchange for an honest review

Summary from the publisher:

Netherfield, infamous for its debauched parties of excess and luxury, has a new Master.

After finagling an invitation to the ball, Elizabeth Bennet is introduced to the powerful and prideful Mr. Darcy, while her sister Jane has captivated the new owner, Mr. Bingley. Having contented herself with the pleasurable caresses of her best friend, Charlotte Lucas, Elizabeth is intrigued with the sensuality she finds at Netherfield. But it isn’t until her sister Jane is taken ill and Elizabeth stays at Netherfield to nurse her back to health that she finds the dungeons of Netherfield and the man in the black mask who becomes her Master.

By the time she leaves Netherfield, Elizabeth will have become disenchanted with her childhood playmate and obsessed with Mr. Darcy, her Master, who has told her that she would be more marriageable as a Netherfield submissive than as a curious virgin. Elizabeth holds on to her affront at his callous regard for her until Charlotte marries Mr. Collins and Jane is discarded by Mr. Bingley. Unwilling to save herself for a man who'll make a good match and determined not to suffer Jane's heartbreak, when she meets Mr. Darcy again at Rosings Park, she decides to become his slave and offers him her virginity.

But when she finds out that her cruel Master has destroyed Jane’s chance at marriage with Mr. Bingley, she rejects Mr. Darcy – even as he reluctantly proposes marriage to her. It isn’t until he saves her sister Lydia’s reputation and brings Jane and Bingley together, that Elizabeth realizes that she loves him. If he still loves her, she would be most willing to take her punishment for rejecting him – and live happily ever after.

Michele's Musings:

There will be spoilers here. You have been warned.

When this book was first described to me, I was all for reading it immediately. (Mr. Darcy with a paddle? Yes, please!) If only the actual story had even partially lived up to my expectations. In hindsight, I realize I should have been more wary of the results, especially after having read Jane Eyre, Laid Bare last year.

I’m not offended by the idea of current writers using classic romance novels as a springboard to an all new erotic version. What offends me is when they do it so poorly. I especially dislike when major plot details of the original are significantly altered or removed entirely in the attempt to shoehorn ill-fitting new material. It was bad enough when “Jane Eyre Laid Bare” lopped off everything that happened after Jane left Thornfield Hall. But in “Spank Me, Mr. Darcy” we lose significant scenes that are not only beloved and familiar, but are also key to the progression of the feelings between Elizabeth and Darcy. And in their stead, we get numerous repetitive over-the-top sex scenes between secondary characters that add absolutely nothing to the story.

I’ve often said that there’s no such thing as “too much sex” in an erotic romance novel. I’ve even been known to buy a book on Amazon just because it has a one star review complaining about too many sex scenes. Yet I grew so tired of all the sex scenes in “Spank Me, Mr. Darcy” that I almost couldn’t finish the book (and it’s only 141 pages long!). That’s because only a few of them were between Elizabeth and Darcy. If you’re going to sex up “Pride and Prejudice” by making Darcy the dark Master wishing to own Elizabeth on his own terms, then that should be the focus of your new material. But when the first third of the book is nothing more than pages of secondary characters having kinky sex with each other (Mrs. Bennet and Lady Lucas? Really?) then perhaps you need to reconsider the entire exercise.

Michele's Ratings:

Overall: 2 stars (The Elizabeth/Darcy scenes were good. If only there were more of them.)

Sensuality level: 5 (Everything short of blood play and water sports.)

ElaineRead's Musings:

The title page credits both Jane Austen and Lissa Trevor as authors . . . and that is exactly right.

Entire passages from Austen’s Pride and Prejudice were included in this book. Some were modified, but others were used word for word. I was impressed by how well Trevor’s material kept the flavor of the language. Any fan of Pride and Prejudice will recognize the opening sentence:

“It is a truth universally acknowledged that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife.” (Pride & Prejudice)

Trevor’s twist on this opening clearly shows that her version of the book is going in an entirely different direction.

“It is a truth universally acknowledged that a dominant man in possession of a good set of cuffs, must be in want of a much younger, submissive wife.” (Spank Me, Mr. Darcy)

I have to admit, in my opinion, it’s a much more interesting direction and I am already a fan of the original.

What can I say about the plot and characters?

This version follows the general outline of the original plot and the characters, for the most part, keep the same personalities. Darcy is overbearing. He is a dom after all. Surprisingly, Mr. Bingley is also a dom. He is so easily led, I expected him to be a sub.

Elizabeth still has the most character of all of the women and Jane is still a namby-pamby twit. Jane does have an interesting sex life though.

My only issue with the book is it needs closer editing. There was one entire scene in which I never did figure out what was going on.

All in all, this was a fun read which immediately caused me to pull out some of my other BDSM books. That’s definitely what it put me in the mood to read.

ElaineRead's Ratings:

Overall: 3 stars

Sensuality level: 5

For a complete understanding and definition of the ratings at Seductive Musings, click here

Other Reviews:

Goodreads (avg rating as of 5/6/2013= 3.71 stars)

&

*Seductive Musings is an Amazon affiliate and receives a very small referral fee for purchases made via the links on the blog and through the Seductive Musings Amazon Store. Read the full disclosure here.

Monday's Muse

noreply@blogger.com (Booklover1335) — Mon, 06 May 2013 04:00:00 +0000

It's Monday yet again. I need another few days before I'm ready for Monday. Monday. That say's it all I think. Sigh.

You know what would make this Monday a bit more tolerable? A new Muse ;)

This week at Seductive Musings:

Tuesday: I'll have a few reviews for you
Thursday: Who's Your Wicked Lover? in honor of Shayla Black's new Wicked Lover novel, Ours to Love.
Friday: Author Lori Torland will be a guest to share her book Dangerous Submission

Finally, I'd like to congratulate all of the authors with new releases this week, especially Musings authors Samantha Grace, Amanda Forester, Elle Kennedy, Grace Burrowes, Erin McCarthy, Shayla Black, & Vicki Lewis Thompson Congrats!

Guest Author & Giveaway: Julie Prestsater featuring Straddling the Edge

noreply@blogger.com (Booklover1335) — Fri, 03 May 2013 04:00:00 +0000

I love a good fun sexy contemporary romance. It's always what I think about when I think beach or summer read. I don't know why. I tend to associate historical romances for fall and winter, contemporary with spring and summer. Do you associate certain genre's of romance with the seasons? I'd be curious to know if I'm the only one that's weird like that.

My reading peculiarities is not really what I'd like to share with you today, but sharing my preferences does have a point. You see, it's spring so I've been craving lighter funny sexy romances and when I ran across some info for Julie Prestsater's romances I thought that they might possibly be something I'd like to read while waiting for my Jill Shalvis fix :)

Author Julie Prestsater is my guest today to share with us a tiny bit about the three books in her Against the Wall series. Did I mention that there was an awesome giveaway...no? There is! Enjoy!

~~~***~~~

Hi Julie! Thanks for being a guest here today @ Seductive Musings.

You've described your adult romances as "fun contemporary romances". Can you give us what you think are some of the funniest sexiest moments from each one of the books in the Against the Wall series, including one from your newest, Straddling the Edge?

1.       From Against The Wall:

Funny: Shelly’s “Welcome Back” spiel. One of my favorite lines is: “We fucking cuss too, bitches!”

Sexy: The body shot kiss on New Year’s Eve.

2.       From Between The Sheets:

Funny: Summer tells Mel that her language is offensive. Mel tells her, ““Well so are your tits popping out the front of your dress and your ass hanging out of the back, but do you hear anyone bitching about that?”

Sexy: Hot sex against the door when Mel went to see Ty in San Fransisco.

3.       From Straddling The Edge:

Funny: When the girls tease Summer about Dean. “Hey, Dean, I never noticed you have blue eyes.”

Sexy: Everything about Summer and Dean is sexy. But I’d say when Dean surprises her with a trip to the spa. Love that one.

Sorry to be vague. Don’t want to give anything away.

A trip to a spa right now would be like Heaven. I think I'm in love with Dean already, LOL. Thanks for sharing with us!

Summer McGallian … the scandalous home wrecker from Against the Wall and Between The Sheets. The one who stole her co-worker’s fiancé, the other woman, the one people whisper about and stay away from. Only for Summer, things aren't always as they appear and she knows that better than anyone. She hasn’t been herself since she was in high school, when life was less complicated and relationships weren’t about making compromises to land the guy. When her heart is broken, there's only one thing left for her to do … prove she isn't who everyone thinks she is. And maybe, just maybe, she can get back to being comfortable in her own skin again, without input from a man. But when she encounters Sexy Guy, Dean Michaels, everything Summer has ever known about the opposite sex is about to change.

Dean Michaels knew he’d seen her somewhere before. What he never imagined was that the gorgeous woman in a baseball cap and hooded sweatshirt tossing back a beer in his favorite spot could be Summer McGallian—the woman who always looked like she’d stepped off the pages of a glamour magazine when he’d seen her from afar at work. And to make matters worse, she’s Chase Marino’s ex, the one guy who gets under his skin like no other. If the thought of being someone’s bitch in jail wasn’t enough to scare him, he would’ve strangled that bastard years ago and tossed the body in the Mojave Desert. But forget about Chase … Dean knew from the moment he saw Summer’s sexy smile and heard her cute laugh, she had to be his. And he won't let anything get in the way of that.

The Against The Wall series isn’t just about steamy sex scenes and swoon-worthy romance, but about new friendships, undying love, and a ton of laughter. Enjoy the ride as you get to know and love Summer and Dean, just as you did Shelly and Matt, and Melissa and Tyler, in the final book, Straddling The Edge.

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If you'd like to learn more about author Julie Prestsater and the books she writes you can find her at her website, her blog, on Facebook, at Twitter, and on Pinterest.

To celebrate the release of Straddling the Edge, the third and final book in Julie's Against the Wall series, she is giving away...a Kindle Fire!!!! Enter to win and read any rules/restrictions in the Rafflecopter form below:

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Review: Bare it All by Lori Foster

noreply@blogger.com (Booklover1335) — Wed, 01 May 2013 04:00:00 +0000

Title: Bare It All*
Author: Lori Foster
Series: Love Undercover, #2; Men Who Walk the Edge of Honor, #5
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Publisher: Harlequin
Format: E-Book, Mass Market Print & Audio
Date/Year: April 30, 2013
Reviewed by: ElaineReads

*This book was provided to the reviewer by the publisher in exchange for an honest review

Summary from the publisher:

As the person responsible for taking down a brutal human trafficker, Alice Appleton fears retaliation at every turn. No one knows about her past, which is exactly how she prefers it...until the sexy cop next door comes knocking.

Detective Reese Bareden thinks he knows what makes women tick, but his ever-elusive neighbor keeps him guessing like no other. Is his goal to unmask Alice's secrets? Or protect her from a dangerous new threat? One thing is certain: their chemistry is a time bomb waiting to explode. And with no one to trust but each other, Reese and Alice are soon drawn into a deadly maze of corruption, intrigue and desire-and into the line of fire....

My Musings:

Lori Foster never disappoints and this book is no exception. With “Bare It All,” she has merged two of her Alpha male series: Men Who Walk the Edge of Honor, #5 and Love Undercover, #2. It is not necessary to read the “Honor” series, but you really need to read book one, Run the Risk, of “Love Undercover” first. Otherwise, I think it will be difficult to follow the plot.

SPOILER ALERT IF YOU HAVE NOT READ “RUN THE RISK”

“Bare It All” begins immediately after the ending of “Run the Risk.” Reese is a cop that helped take down the bad guys with Alice’s support. Reese has always considered Alice to be mildly timid until she shows up with her own weapon and demonstrates that not only can she take care of herself, she can take care of others as well.

Although they are next door neighbors, Reese has never been able to get close to Alice. She is too ashamed of her past and has too much to hide. It is only Cash, Reese’s puppy, who allows him to break through her barriers.

I loved this book. I loved the way it flowed directly from “Run the Risk.” I loved the return of characters that I know will be getting their own books soon. I really, really loved one of the characters from Foster’s “Edge of Honor” series showing up in this one.

Reese is your typical Alpha male. He is protective and very much a take charge personality. Alice, however, is not interested in trusting anyone to protect her. She can take care of herself. She is a woman in hiding. As I said, she is ashamed of things she was forced to do in the past and is afraid to let anyone get close to her. That doesn’t keep her from noticing Reese’s “manly parts” however.

As always, Lori Foster writes great sex scenes. They are strictly vanilla, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t hot. Alice definitely becomes well acquainted with Reese’s manly parts.

When I read this book, I had not read any of the “Edge of Honor” series. I enjoyed both of the books in her “Love Undercover” series so much, I have purchased the other series as well. Alice’s story is introduced in this series, but not knowing that did not interfere with my enjoyment of the book.

As I said, Lori Foster doesn’t disappoint.

Ratings:

Overall: 5 stars
Sensuality level: 3

For a complete understanding and definition of the ratings at Seductive Musings, click here

Other Reviews:

The Book Reading Gals (B+)
All About Romance (C)
Goodreads (avg rating as of 4/30/2013= 4.26 stars)

Review: Coming Unbound by Lacey Savage

noreply@blogger.com (Booklover1335) — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 04:00:00 +0000

Title: Coming Unbound*
Author: Lacey Savage
Series: n/a
Genre: Contemporary Erotic Romance
Publisher: Ellora’s Cave
Format: E-book
Date/Year: April 2013
Reviewed by: Michele
*This book was provided to the reviewer by the author in exchange for an honest review

Summary from the publisher:

Ginny and Cole have struggled to connect intimately since before their marriage. When Cole suggests they surprise each other with the most sexually daring things they can dream up for their anniversary, Ginny reluctantly musters every ounce of courage she possesses to get nipple piercings.

Cole’s surprise?

He’s turned their suburban basement into a dungeon—and hired a sexy Dom to teach them the art of BDSM.

Desperately in love with his wife, Cole’s aware of sensitive sexual demons in Ginny’s past, and will try anything to beat them. Whips, toys, ménage play with the Dom…all these and more could help Ginny find pleasure, break through her issues.

Or, if they’re not careful, possibly just break Ginny.

My Musings:

Ginny loves Cole. Cole loves Ginny. But no matter how mutual the desire and how hot the sex, Ginny can’t orgasm. It’s no surprise that this has driven a wedge in their marriage, since each blames themselves for the problem neither of them seems to know how to fix. Even hours of couples therapy, where Ginny shared details of how her college boyfriend had made her feel dirty and unwanted, hadn’t seemed to help her see that Cole was different and that he could be trusted with her desire and love.

When Ginny leaves town for her annual work conference trip on the week of their wedding anniversary, both she and Cole worry that the end of their marriage might be near. But his suggestion that they celebrate her return with the most outrageously sexual thing they can imagine, the explosive results will either save their relationship or end it forever.

I admit that I was skeptical that Cole and Ginny could have stayed together for more than a year with this serious problem still between them. But as the story progressed, it was obvious that their love for each other had convinced them both that this was a temporary problem and it was only now that they were starting to worry it was permanent. When Ginny actually forgot that her return flight was the same day as their wedding anniversary, both she and Cole were shocked into making one last extreme effort because neither of them wanted to be without the other.

As tormented as Ginny was, I was gratified that there was no immediate magical cure for what ailed her. The progression of events from when she impulsively gets her nipples pierced while away on her trip, to when Cole brings his friend Erik (a Dom for hire!) into their marriage were plotted carefully and written beautifully. Each of the failed attempts along the way showed us just how damaged Ginny had been and made the ultimate discovery of what she needed fit perfectly and the success at the end all the more satisfying. I read “Coming Unbound’ twice and it got me right in the gut both times. I would love to see a story featuring Erik and will definitely be reading more works by Lacey Savage in the future.

Ratings:

Overall: 4
Sensuality level: 4 (light BDSM including sensation and pain play, menage)

For a complete understanding and definition of the ratings at Seductive Musings, click here

Other Reviews:

Wicked Wolves and Dreaming Dragons (sorry it's not much of a review, but I couldn't find any others)
Goodreads (avg rating as of 4/29/2013= 4.00 stars)

To celebrate the release of Coming Unbound, author Lacey Savage will be awarding a $25 Amazon gift certificate to a randomly drawn commenter during the tour. Here's how you can enter to win:

Ways to earn entries:

Mandatory: Leave a question or comment for Lacey about this book, the review, or any other burning need to know question you might have (good for 1 entry)

How to enter:

Leave a comment at each stop on the blog tour to earn additional entries for the grand prize

Rules and disclaimers:

The winner(s) will be selected randomly from among all of the comments of the blog tour by either the author or by Goddess Fish Promotions who will also be responsible for contacting the winner(s). Please contact the promoter for all the official rules and disclaimers.
Seductive Musings is not responsible for prizes that are not honored, distributed in a timely manner, lost, stolen, or damaged during transit
All giveaways are subject to change/cancellation without prior written notice

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Friday Fun: Tessa Dare's Spindle Cove series

noreply@blogger.com (Booklover1335) — Fri, 26 Apr 2013 04:00:00 +0000

This Friday I thought I would share with you one of my current favorite historical romance series. In fact, two of the books in the series have made my favorites list two years in a row. A Night to Surrender made my favorites list in 2011, and in 2012 A Week to be Wicked was almost (like by a very slim margin) my favorite book of the year.

If you love historical romance, or even if you usually read some other sub genre of romance and just want to give it a try, I highly recommend Tessa Dare's Spindle Cove series. They are fun, and sexy and emotional with great characters who are interesting as well as unconventional...all around they are fabulous reads! Tessa won a RITA award in 2012 for A Night to Surrender, which I loved, but funnily enough it isn't my favorite of the series.

Ms. Dare has two new additions to the Spindle Cove series coming out soon, Beauty and the Blacksmith at the end of April, then at the end of May, Any Duchess Will Do (which I've heard is exceptionally good) and to celebrate the upcoming release of both books her publisher, Avon, has reduced the price of the previous books in the series to just $0.99. You can buy all the backlist books in this series for just under $5. You can get all six books in the series for about $10 including the two new ones. That my friends is a fantastic deal that I guarantee you you will not regret! Seriously, I kid you not. I would pay $5 for just A Week to Be Wicked....in fact even though I read it last year I bought it since it was such a good price. I didn't have it for the Kindle, and I've been thinking about re-reading it (yes I know I never re-read, but I've been craving this story like you wouldn't believe).

I think these are perfect summer reads, so if you are preparing for summer, now is the time to stock up on these books while they are so cheap. I love a good bargain, and this is a steal! I hope you enjoy them because I know I did. I have a feeling that you will be seeing me mention this series at least a couple more times this year, especially if Any Duchess Will Do is as good as I've heard that it is.

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Have a great weekend!

Guest Author & Giveaway: Jayne Rylon featuring King Cobra

noreply@blogger.com (Booklover1335) — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 04:00:00 +0000

I'm not a car person. I really don't care what I drive as long as it is reliable and gets me from point A to point B and doesn't break down and needs little to know maintenance...and gets great gas mileage. I take that back, I have one car brand that I covet and would buy if I won the lottery (a Tesla in case your interested). So why is it then that I find romances about motorcycle driving, car club themed books so attractive? I can't really tell you why in definitive terms, except that I find the heroes incredibly sexy. Maybe it's all those free oil changes, and flat tire fixes, LOL. Seriously though, they're HOT!

Author Jayne Rylon is my guest today to share with us five sexy facts from her new book King Cobra, that are sure to peak your interest and get your motor running (sorry I just couldn't help myself, LOL) I know it did mine!. Enjoy!

~~~***~~~

Five Fun & Sexy Facts about King Cobra and the Hot Rods series:

The cover images for the Hot Rods series are by Sohpia Renee of Unique Portraiture. I fell in love with them when I was planning the series and used them as my inspiration in the Hot Rods bible that I sent to my editor. I never imagined I’d be lucky enough to have my publisher, Samhain, negotiate rights usage with Sophia. I adore the covers and am so thrilled to have her artwork representing my characters. In fact, King Cobra, is Sophia’s boyfriend. How lucky is she?!
In most of my books, I try to put Easter Eggs for readers familiar with my other books. In Where There’s Smoke, the hero, Logan, gets drunk on King Cobra alcohol at the beginning of the story. Most of my titles appear as references in other books somewhere. Sometimes characters even jump from one series to another. In Healing Touch, the Men in Blue make a cameo appearance when the doctors need to call the police for help.
Super Nova’s car is based on a green Chevy Nova that my aunt and uncle owned. It was in mint condition with all original parts when they gave it to my cousin, who was in college at the time. He was driving home through the onion fields in our town one night and drove through a flooded area, the car was washed into a big irrigation ditch and drowned. I imagine that Super Nova, Kaige, somehow rescued the car and restored it!
Although I gave some clues about who fathered Joe and Morgan’s baby at the end of Powertools, I got enough email from fans to be more specific in King Cobra. If you haven’t already guessed, you’ll know for sure after reading this book. The Crew is pretty heavily featured in this series as they give advice to their friends on how to make a polyamorous relationship successful.
The car Eli is driving on the cover of King Cobra is actually a restored classic Beetle owned by the model and his girlfriend, Sophia Renee, who took the photograph. It was lucky circumstance that the photo of Mustang Sally used in the garage composite on the bottom of all the Hot Rod covers shows her working on a Beetle. Angela Waters, the cover artist for the series, is also a car enthusiast and spent a great deal of time making sure the lighting in the garage composite matched her experiences. I love the way the collaboration allowed the covers to turn out! Can’t wait for you all to see the remaining titles.

Nothing’s sexier than seven men with hot rods.

Hot Rods, Book 1

After Eli’s mother died, his father honored her life’s mission as a social worker by taking in several kids from the wrong side of the tracks. Not all of them stuck, but those who did became Eli’s quasi family.

Their bonds, forged in fires set by their personal demons, are unbreakable—or so Eli wants to believe. Especially since he and Alanso, his best friend and head mechanic, witnessed the overpowering allure of polyamory while visiting the Powertools crew.

Much as Eli would like to deepen the relationships among his foster brothers and sister in the Hot Rods Restoration Team, he’s hesitant to risk everything on a quick romp behind a stack of tires.

But when Eli catches Alanso exploring their mutual fantasy at a known hookup spot in a public park, all bets are off. And Eli must decide if it’s time to jump in full throttle—and trust his instincts to guide him through the night. If the pair can dodge the potholes in their own relationship, maybe they can race together toward the unconventional arrangement with Mustang Sally they both desire.

Warning: Fasten your seatbelts, this is going to be a wild (and naughty) ride!

Read an excerpt from Ch 1

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Thanks Jayne for being my guest today and sharing those fun facts about King Cobra and the new Hot Rods series! If you'd like to learn more about Jayne and the books she writes you can find her at her website www.jaynerylon.com, her blog, on Facebook and at Twitter. And just as a side note, I have to say that I think Jayne has about the most awesome home office I've ever seen! I would love to work in that space :)

To celebrate the release of the first book in the new Hot Rods series, King Cobra, Jayne is giving away a prize pack that will include a variety of items including T-shirt, print copy of Pick Your Pleasure, flavored lube, autographed cover flats, playing cards, keychain, & more! Enter to win and read the rules and restrictions of the giveaway in the Rafflecopter form below.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

4/22

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Romance Book Craze

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The Smutty Kitty

4/24

My Reading Obsession
CS Maxwell

4/25

Book Reviews and More by Kathy
Seductive Musings

4/26

Harlie's Books
Isabella LaPearl

Guest Author & Giveaway: Sidney Bristol featuring Bound with Pearls

noreply@blogger.com (Booklover1335) — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 04:01:00 +0000

I have a birthday coming up in a few months. I was born in June. A Gemini, though I don't really believe in astrology. What I do believe in however is my birthstone, which happens to be a pearl :) Aren't pearls lovely?

My guest Sidney Bristol things pearls are pretty great too, which is why she centered her newest erotic romance, Bound with Pearls, around a strand of pearls that just happens to be a catalyst for her heroine to find her perfect happy ever after. Enjoy!

~~~***~~~

Thanks so much to the Seductive Musings team for hosting me! I’m touring around the blogosphere celebrating the release of the print version of my first Taboo line book from Ellora’s Cave titled, Bound with Pearls. It’s still a little surreal to see this book in print. It’s one I never thought I would write and I still can’t believe that it’s out there. People are reading it. And they like it! Or at least some do, and that’s fine by me.

As the cover and blurb suggest, this book lives on the kinkier side of things. . The Taboo line focuses on books with a strong BDSM or kink dynamic, and Bound with Pearls is firmly in that realm. The heroine and hero have a decidedly Dominant/submissive relationship. Daniel, the hero of this little tale, takes the alpha role a step farther in the bedroom, which is exactly what our heroine, Christine, is looking for in a man. Through the story, they discover who they are as a Dominant and submissive, but also who they are as individuals away from the kink. I wanted to write about real people, who just happen to be a little, or a lot, kinky.

I can hear you now: So what do pearls have to do with whips and chains and all that scary stuff?

The art department at Ellora’s Cave really did a fantastic job with this book cover. Can I just gush a moment about it? I love the contrast between the beautiful, classic pearls and the black leather cuffs and whip. It’s such a visual statement about the character’s relationship.

I’ve always loved pearls. I think it has something to do with that old country song with the line, “You wore blue jeans with your pearls/That’s when I knew you were my kind of girl.” My fascination with this gemstone has grown the older I’ve become. While I still wear them with jeans and a t-shirt, I appreciate them in a more classic kind of style. I love the retro, housewife image of a woman with her full skirt and a string of pearls. I might be guilty of owning several such strands. In varying colors and lengths.

Do you see a fascination here? Besides simply looking beautiful, there’s a lot of neat history behind pearls, such as…

Did you know pearls are the only gem that’s made by a living creature? Okay, so we can debate how alive an oyster or a mussel is, but it fits the basic parameters. There’s no other precious stone that’s made by something. Sure we can make some synthetically now, but not like the pearl. It’s a creation of life and the natural process.

Pearls take their coloration from the inside shell of the creature they’re “grown” inside. They can be white, gold, purple or black, all depending on the color of the shell! This is how we can get so many shades of beautiful, natural pearls. A little pigment is put inside of the oyster or mussel and out pops a pink, black or chocolate pearl.

Some of the earliest jewelry we’ve found, dating back to 520 BC, was made from pearls.

There are several historical occurrences of entire military campaigns being funded by selling a few pearl earrings. They’ve been that highly valued through history! Other rare stones that we value now are relatively babies in the gemstone world in comparison with the pearl.

I could go on, but you get the gist. Pearls are diverse. They’re a hardy gemstone and they’ve stood the test of time. They’re beautiful, classic and more than a little unique. I mean, no two are the same. They’re as individual as your fingerprint.

I’d like to think that the characters in Bound with Pearls emulate some of those characteristics. Their kinky lifestyle can be beautiful or hard, they’re both unique individuals from pasts that are diverse and complicated, and they reflect the colors of their history. I think pearls are the perfect symbol for them. And maybe their future?

The last thing Christine wants to do is another favor for her sister, but Lucy always gets what she wants. This time it’s Chris playing sub to a demanding Dom. Their relationship begins with a power exchange and progresses to time spent between the sheets. Now emotions are getting complicated and the Dom isn’t just a hunky guy in black.

Daniel’s expectations are turned upside down when he meets Chris. She’s more than a well-trained submissive. She’s a woman with a body he wants to memorize. He’s willing to spend as much time as it takes to learn her, because she might be his match and his muse. He’ll make her come so hard he’s imprinted on every inch, and then he’ll offer her the most precious thing he can, himself.

Read an excerpt

Thanks Sidney for being my guest today! If you'd like to learn more about Sidney and the books she writes you can find her at her website www.sidneybristol.com, her blog, at Facebook and on Twitter.

To celebrate the release of Bound with Pearls, author Sidney Bristol is giving away a $25 Amazon, Barnes and Noble, or All Romance gift card to a randomly selected Grand Prize winner from the tour, and a runner-up will receive an eBook of the winner's choice from Sidney's backlist. Enter to win and read all of the rules and restrictions for the giveaway in the Rafflecopter form below.

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Click the tour button above to see additional stops on this tour for more chances to win!

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Review: Bound with Pearls by Sidney Bristol

noreply@blogger.com (Booklover1335) — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 04:00:00 +0000

Title: Bound with Pearls*
Author: Sidney Bristol
Series: Wizard Twins #1
Genre: contemporary BDSM romance
Publisher: Ellora’s Cave
Format: ebook
Date/Year: April 2013
Reviewed by: Michele:
*This book was provided to the reviewer by the publisher in exchange for an honest review

Summary from the publisher:

My Musings:

Christine is the nice sister, the one who takes responsibility for everything and does things for everyone except herself. When Lucy, the not-so-nice sister, asks her for yet another outrageous favor in a long line of never-returned favors, Christine knows she should say no and hang up the phone. But when Lucy promises to finally give Christine their dead mother’s pearls in return for her help, Christine knows this is one favor she can’t refuse.

Daniel, the ultimate recipient of Christine’s favor, is not as thrilled by this prospect as you might expect. He’d actually been trying to lose that game of Master’s Poker because the prize was an evening with bad sister Lucy, something no one else at the table that night had wanted to win either. Unlike Christine, Daniel and everyone else in the local D/s community knew what a rotten selfish person Lucy was to everyone in her immediate circle. Why would Lucy’s sister be any different?

The title of this book is a not-so-subtle reference to what initially compels Christine to offer herself as a submissive for one night with Daniel, a Dom she’s never met. For Christine, her mother’s pearls are a symbol of all she has lost - her mother, an honest relationship with her father and a sister who won’t treat her like her personal slave. The pearls are the catalyst, but once she and Daniel meet, their instant attraction and the consideration with which he treats her makes Christine finally start to question her priorities and how she really intends to spend the rest of her life.

As for Daniel, his initial take on Christine is shaded by his bias against her spoiled willful sister. But once Christine shares how and why she had come to be there with him, he realizes that the sisters are not remotely alike and that this sister might be the one person who can draw him out of his self-imposed social and emotional solitude. Bound With Pearls is the story of how these two inherently different but well matched people find their way to each other after one unlikely night together that neither had even really thought they wanted.

Although the sexual connection between Daniel and Christine is powerful and immediate, the heart of Bound With Pearls is their emotional connection, which understandably takes a bit more time to develop. One of the things I enjoyed the most is how well Daniel and Christine are matched in terms of what they can bring to the other in their relationship. Christine has almost no self-esteem, yet always seems to trust when anyone else would be wary. Daniel is almost the opposite of Christine, in that his self-esteem is almost too well-developed, yet he rarely trusts when he should, even when his heart tells him it’s the right thing to do. As they learn to trust and love each other, each grows in the ways the other shows them, and by the end of the book, each is more well-rounded emotionally than before they met. By the end of their story, Christine is bound to Daniel by love, something more powerful than any pearls could be.

Ratings:

Overall: 4
Sensuality level: 4

For a complete understanding and definition of the ratings at Seductive Musings, click here

Other Reviews:

The Jeep Diva (5 stars)
Toot's Book Reviews
Goodreads (avg rating as of 4/23/2013 = 4.11 stars)

Review: Claim Me by J. Kenner

noreply@blogger.com (Booklover1335) — Tue, 23 Apr 2013 04:01:00 +0000

Title: Claim Me*
Author: J. Kenner
Series: Stark Trilogy #2
Genre: Contemporary Erotic Romance
Publisher: Bantam
Format: E-book & Trade paperback
Date/Year: April 23, 2013
Reviewed by: Michele

*This book was provided to the reviewer by the publisher in exchange for an honest review

Summary from the publisher:

For Damien, our obsession is a game. For me, it is fiercely, blindingly, real.

Damien Stark’s need is palpable—his need for pleasure, his need for control, his need for me. Beautiful and brilliant yet tortured at his core, he is in every way my match.

I have agreed to be his alone, and now I want him to be fully mine. I want us to possess each other beyond the sweetest edge of our ecstasy, into the deepest desires of our souls. To let the fire that burns between us consume us both.

But there are dark places within Damien that not even our wildest passion can touch. I yearn to know his secrets, yearn for him to surrender to me as I have surrendered to him. But our troubled pasts will either bind us close . . . or shatter us completely.

Release Me is an erotic romance intended for mature audiences.

My Musings:

Nikki Fairchild and Damien Stark began their relationship as a game, where in return for one million dollars, Nikki agreed to not only pose for a nude portrait but to also belong to Damien, body and soul, for the span of time it takes for the portrait to be completed. But now that the time, and presumably the game, has ended, is their emotional connection strong enough to continue?

“Release Me”, the first book in the Stark trilogy, was the story of how two reinvented people found the one person who could help heal past emotional wounds. “Claim Me” shows what happens after the artificial boundaries of their original agreement fall away and how what remains will either make their love stronger or break them apart forever.

We found out in “Release Me” how Nikki had been emotionally and physically scarred by her mother’s relentless pursuit of molding her daughters into vessels for her own ambition. That ambition had killed Nikki’s sister, and had taken all of Nikki’s determination and will to survive on her own. As she became more open and trusting with Damien, he was able to show her that love didn’t have to hurt, at least not permanently. As “Claim Me” begins, we see how Damien’s past secrets are even more damaging and painful to him, and by extension, to Nikki as their relationship becomes public. Secrets this awful can’t stay buried forever, and as they emerge, it will be Nikki who provides her hard-won strength to Damien in a way that neither he nor the reader could have possibly predicted.

Once again, J. Kenner has moved the Stark trilogy well beyond the BDSM/Billionaire trope into something more compelling and meaningful. “Claim Me” is a tale of two strong willed personalities who may have come together under somewhat less than noble circumstances but have since cemented a mutual love partnership where each holds the other up when they fall, no matter what. The previous foreshadowing of terrible events to come was nothing compared to what Damien and Nikki suffer, yet the growing strength of their love and trust kept me confident that they would ultimately prevail. I especially loved how the author handled the one giant moment of doubt that I could see coming toward the end of the book, and she earned every one of my sad/happy tears by the final page.

“Claim Me” is that rare and wonderful middle book that actually improves on the excellent predecessor in a romantic trilogy. Once again, J. Kenner pulls off the unlikely feat of providing a cliffhanger with closure, where the reader is still keen to know what happens next, but not angry at being left hanging in the middle of an incomplete scene. I’m fully vested in Damien and Nikki’s future, and trust that the final book “Complete Me” will provide the Happy Ever After ending they and we deserve.

Ratings:

Overall: 5
Sensuality level: 4 (light BDSM, semi-public sex, discussion of child sexual abuse)

For a complete understanding and definition of the ratings at Seductive Musings, click here

Other Reviews:

Kindles & Wine (A+)
Jessy's Book Club (3.5 stars)
Goodreads (avg rating as of 4/22/13=4.24 stars)

Review: Lover At Last by J.R. Ward

noreply@blogger.com (Booklover1335) — Tue, 23 Apr 2013 04:00:00 +0000

Title: Lover At Last*
Author: J.R. Ward
Series: Black Daggar Brotherhood #11
Genre: Paranormal
Publisher: NAL Hardcover
Format: ebook, hardcover, audio
Date/Year: March 2013
Reviewed by: Andrea
*This book was borrowed from the reviewer's local library

Summary from the publisher:

Qhuinn, son of no one, is used to being on his own. Disavowed from his bloodline, shunned by the aristocracy, he has finally found an identity as one of the most brutal fighters in the war against the Lessening Society. But his life is not complete. Even as the prospect of having a family of his own seems to be within reach, he is empty on the inside, his heart given to another....

Blay, after years of unrequited love, has moved on from his feelings for Qhuinn. And it’s about time: The male has found his perfect match in a Chosen female, and they are going to have a young—just as Qhuinn has always wanted for himself. It’s hard to see the new couple together, but building your life around a pipe dream is just a heartbreak waiting to happen. As he’s learned firsthand.

Fate seems to have taken these vampire soldiers in different directions... but as the battle over the race’s throne intensifies, and new players on the scene in Caldwell create mortal danger for the Brotherhood, Qhuinn finally learns the true definition of courage, and two hearts who are meant to be together... finally become one.

My Musings:

Spoiler free - for the 5 people in the world who haven’t read it yet :)

One full year, that’s how long the anticipation has been building since the last book of the series. That’s nothing compared to what the people like me, who have always loved Blay and Quinn, have been going through. We have been waiting years to finally they get their story. To say this book was eagerly anticipated is an understatement. Now that the book is finally here, the burning question is, did it live up to all the hype and high expectations? Well... I would have to say the answer is both yes and no, but mostly yes.

Ward is well known for having many plotlines running throughout her books. That was especially true with Lover at Last. There was so much happening, and so many characters being pulled in from past books, that it was right on the edge of being too much to keep straight. At first I was annoyed when Blay and Quinn’s story was constantly being interrupted by other storylines. As time went on, and since Blay and Quinn didn’t seem to be making any progress, my interest was grabbed by almost every plotline. That’s a very good thing since about 60% of the book was dedicated to the them. They all wove together surprisingly well to set up future books. I consider that part of the book to be a big success, as I am very interested to see what the future holds for Layla, Saxton, Xcor, Trey, and iAm.

For me, it was the romance between Blay and Quinn which left a lot to be desired. The first issue being that they only got about 35% - 40% of the book. As much as I have been looking forward to immersing myself into their romance, to spend so little time there was disappointing. The second problem was with the development of their romance. While I did love the angst and drama between them, I would have loved to see a bit more actual romance. They started out exactly as I expected, in love with each other, but avoiding one another whenever possible. Then they transitioned to having sex, but they still weren’t sharing anything meaningful. I was disappointed that it was, once again, a lack of communication which kept them apart for so long. In truth, that was the biggest disappointment of all. The book is 600 pages long and it took them about 580 pages to finally connect. It wasn’t until the epilogue that readers finally get to see them together, happy and planning a future together. They eventually managed to get where I wanted them to be, but the journey was not as good as it should have been.

I know this has been discussed to death, but I still have to comment on the sex scenes. They were not good. I’ve read a lot of J.R. Ward’s books, and I’ve seen that she can write some of the hottest, most passionate sex scenes imaginable. Those were missing for Blay and Quinn. They managed to have great angry sex, but there was never the intimate, caring, lovemaking between them which I wanted to read. I was disappointed and felt robbed of one of the things I most looked forward to in this book.

There were some parts of it which didn’t live up to my expectations, but in other areas it was fantastic. The growth and development of so many characters and plotlines were quite good. Finally seeing the full picture of Quinn’s past was wonderful. I was disappointed with one aspect, but I was thrilled with others. When I combine all of that, I have to say that it was a very good book.

Ratings:

Overall: 3.75
Sensuality level: 3.5

For a complete understanding and definition of the ratings at Seductive Musings, click here

Other Reviews:

Dear Author (C-)
Babbling About Books, and More (B)
Goodreads (avg rating as of 4/22/2013= 4.29 stars)

Monday's Muse

noreply@blogger.com (Booklover1335) — Mon, 22 Apr 2013 04:00:00 +0000

Last week I think we were all struck by the overwhelmingly tragic events in Boston and in Texas. I don't want you all to think that because I didn't post about it on the blog, that I was uncaring to the suffering of so many victims and their families. I care about it deeply, and therein lies the problem. Too much of a bad thing is bad for me. Is it sticking my head in the sand? I prefer to think of it as sheltering my heart.

I also like to think of the blog as an escape from the outside world, at least to a certain extent, much like reading romance novels are to many romance readers. By keeping the focus of the blog on hopefully great happily ever afters, I am attempting to shelter your romance hearts as well. I hope you don't mind.

Lastly, I'd like to share this week's Muse , who I would be more than happy to have shelter my heart, LOL :)

This week at Seductive Musings:

Tuesday: I'll have a few reviews for you, including Andrea's review of Lover at Last by J.R. Ward
Wednesday: Author Sydney Bristol will be my guest to celebrate the release of her book Bound with Pearls, and I'll also be sharing Michele's review of it as well.
Thursday: Author Jayne Rylon will be here to share with us her new book King Cobra, the first book in her new Hot Rods series.
Friday: Is kind of up in the air. I may or may not have a Friday Fun post for you.

Finally, I'd like to congratulate all of the authors with new releases this week!

Giveaway: A Wedding in Springtime by Amanda Forester

noreply@blogger.com (Booklover1335) — Fri, 19 Apr 2013 04:00:00 +0000

Historical Romance author Amanda Forester is known for her Highland Romances, but this spring she's venturing into the ballrooms of Regency England with a new trilogy that begins with A Wedding in Springtime (May 7, 2013). A Wedding in Springtime has received some amazing reviews so far. Publishers Weekly and Romantic Times have said this about the book:

"Highlander romance author Forester populates her witty first Regency romance with scene-stealingly smart characters". ~Publishers Weekly, Starred Review

"Forester promises her fans a warm, humorous jaunt through Regency England - and she delivers with a cast of engaging characters and delightful intrigue. "
~ Romantic Times, 4 Stars

I'm all for witty, humorous historical romances with great characters, so I can't wait to read this one!

~~~***~~~

Five minutes into Miss Eugenia Talbot's presentation at court, notorious rogue Mr. William Grant makes her laugh before the queen, ruining her debut. To hush up the scandal, Genie needs to make a brilliant marriage, and fast. Genie's aunt hires a matchmaker to find a suitor—anyone except the infamous William Grant—but amiable Genie shows a disturbing tendency to follow her heart. When a traitor creeps closer, threatening to ruin more than just her reputation, Genie and Grant are drawn into a dangerous world of deceit and intrigue, where losing their hearts could mean their ultimate undoing.

Read an excerpt

Amazon.com Widgets

To celebrate the release of the first book in Amanda Forester's new Regency Historical Romance trilogy, A Wedding in Springtime, her publisher, Sourcebooks Casablanca, is giving away (1) one print copy to a lucky Musings follower (US & Canada only). Enter to win in the Rafflecopter form below:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good Luck!!

Excerpt & Giveaway: Short Rides Anthology by Lorelei James

noreply@blogger.com (Booklover1335) — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 04:00:00 +0000

Short Rides is an anthology compilation of two novellas and one short story in the Rough Riders world. These are NOT meant to be read as standalone stories, but are a peek into favorite character’s lives after the happily ever after…

The stories included in the Short Rides anthology are:

King of Hearts* — Deputy Cam McKay deals with a murder/suicide case on Valentine’s Day.

Rough Road — Chassie, Trevor and Edgard Glanzer spend a romantic weekend away from the ranch and kids celebrating their anniversary…only to return home to face their biggest challenge yet.

All Knocked Up — Keely and Jack Donohue are having a baby. Given Keely’s raging pregnancy hormones, will Jack need to wear a cup in the delivery room?

*previously published in the Guns and Roses anthology in 2012

Enjoy a special excerpt from each book in the anthology in the Flipbook below:

or enjoy it in a Google document here

To celebrate the release of Short Rides, author Lorelei James is giving away a $100 gift card to Amazon, Barnes and Noble, or All Romance. If you haven't read any of her books yet, this would be a great way to buy them all at once. Trust me, you'll be hooked and want them all! Enter to win in the Rafflecopter form below.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Visit the other participating sites for more chances to win:

4/17/13

The Risque Redhead Reads
Le'BookSquirrel
Reviewing in Chaos
Sarah Aisling
A Crazy Vermonter's Book Reviews
Hesperia Loves Books
My Keeper Shelf
Shayna Renee's Spicy Reads
Black Raven's

4/18/13

SnifferWalk Books
Talk Supe
Italian Brat's Obsessions
Romantic Book Affairs
Kinky Book Reviews
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THESUBCLUBbooks
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i love lady porn
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4/19/13

herding cats & burning soup
Happily Ever After - Reads
Harlie Williams, Writer
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Books Books and More Books
Red Headed Bookworm
Jelena's Book Blog
Read Our Lips! Book Review Blog

4/21/13

Delighted Reader
Melinda Dozier
The Rambling Readerista
Under the Covers
Heart Breaking Reviews
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Read Your Writes Book Reviews

4/22/13

Tyra's Book Addiction
Tattooed Book Review
Reading, Eating & Dreaming
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Smardy Pants Book Blog
Book Bitches Blog

4/23/13

Live Read and Breathe
Guilty Pleasures
Regina May Ross's
Rachel Brimble Romance
StoreyBook Reviews
Day Dreaming Book Reviews

4/24/13

What's On the Bookshelf
My Book Muse
Reality Bites! Let's Get Lost!!
Shh Moms Reading
Harlie's Books
Queen of the Night Reviews
Readers Confession
Manic Readers Guest Author Blog
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For the Love of Bookends
Mrs Condit & Friends Read Books
Scorching Book Reviews

Guest Author & Giveaway: Rachel Brimble featuring The Seduction of Emily

noreply@blogger.com (Booklover1335) — Wed, 17 Apr 2013 04:00:00 +0000

I have a soft spot for just about any romance with the word Seduction in it. Is it any wonder why, LOL. Add in the fact that it is a historical romance and I'm all in!

Author Rachel Brimble is my guest today to share with us one of the hardest scenes she had to write for The Seduction of Emily, as well as a special excerpt from that scene in the book. Enjoy!

~~~***~~~

One of the hardest scenes to write in The Seduction of Emily was due to the mechanics of the scene rather than the emotion. As every writer and reader knows, writing is a craft. Something that can be learned. My job, as a writer, is to provide my readers with scenes they can “see”. If I’m doing my job well, it will be like a movie playing out in front of their eyes as they read the words I’ve written, and the ‘pictures’ I’ve created.

I remember writing this particular scene countless times to get it right––and I still worry whether or not I achieved it. It drove me insane! The difficulty came from having four characters onstage and interacting. This was a new challenge and one I hadn’t faced before––or wanted to happen again since.

In order to ground the reader in the scene, it was important they didn’t forget who was in the shop or their pivotal role in that moment. In order to achieve that I had to ‘see’ each of them ALL the time in my mind and ensure the reader did too.

The scene is intense––and very revealing of each characters’ motivation and backstory. Also, a huge moment in the heroine’s life, bringing forth a situation that she has to very carefully weigh what action she takes thereafter.

Fingers crossed, readers like the end result as much me! Here’s an exclusive excerpt for that particular scene – enjoy!

      Emily turned. Katherine re-entered the room before Nicholas could respond. Her friend’s cheeks flamed like two red tomatoes and silver streaks marked her cheeks showing she’d cried.

      Striding forward, Emily took Katherine’s hand. “I’m sorry if Nicholas has been brusque with you. You are my friend and I expect you to be treated as such.”

     Katherine cast a quick glance toward Nicholas, then Will and finally back to Emily. “Everything is fine, honestly. Mr. Milne always shows me the greatest courtesy.”

       Will sniffed. “I’m sure he does.”

      The tone of his voice grated on Emily’s nerves. She was not prepared to stand there while he did nothing but throw out thinly veiled accusations. She turned. “If you have something you want to say, Will, then please just say it.”

      Please, Lord. Don’t let him say it. I want to speak to Katherine alone. Not here. Not like this.

    He opened his mouth to speak, but Nicholas released her and strode forward, making Emily stumble backwards. He stopped toe-to-toe, eye-to-eye with Will.

      Emily looked from one to the other.

    Fury burned in their eyes.

    “Gentlemen, please. There is no need--”

    Nicholas jabbed his hand into the air, cutting her off. “First, I am not happy my fiancée sees fit to call a man she has barely known more than two weeks by his Christian name. Second, I can’t help thinking you suspect me of some kind of wrongdoing with regard to Miss Carter.”

      Will smiled. “If you were really here buying Miss Darson a gift, I’d have no problem with you at all. If she were mine, I’d buy her gifts every day.”

    Emily’s gasp merged with Katherine’s.

      Nicholas trembled. “I should thrash you.” He spat the words through clenched teeth.

    Will’s smile dissolved. “You won’t. It’s not in your nature to strike men, is it?”

     “What the hell is that supposed to mean? You do not know me or anyone else in this town, Samson. You are a nobody. A nobody who is supposed to be looking for his nephew. Yet you seem to spend most of your time alone with my fiancée.”

      Will tilted his head toward Emily. “Look at her, Milne. Does she appear distraught her father has demanded it so?”

      Heat burned Emily’s cheeks. “Stop this. Both of you.”

   Will met her eyes and the anger burning in their royal blue depths made her shiver. He had absolutely no intention of stopping. Or maybe he didn’t know how. The fury came from him in waves, ricocheting from the walls around them. His gaze shot back to Nicholas. “Why don’t we all show a little integrity here?”

     Emily froze. What was he doing? He knew what it would do to her reputation, let alone Nicholas’ unpredictable temper, if he suspected anything between them. If Nicholas learned of their kiss, she and Will would never share another. Despite her insistence there would be no repeat of it, that was suddenly Emily’s biggest fear.

    She took a step forward. “For goodness sake, what on earth do you think you are achieving by behaving this way?”

     “It’s time for some honesty. Time you told your fiancé how you really feel.”

     Anger, disappointment and hurt burned inside her. An ache at the center of her chest was testament to just how little she knew this man she’d come to like too much, too soon. She blinked at the tears that pricked her eyes. “How I feel is I want you to keep you nose out of my relationship with Nicholas. It is none of your concern. This is my life, is it not? You have yours and you will soon leave Bath…God willing, with your nephew. You will no longer know me or anything about me, so you will stop this right now.”

     Trembling, Emily’s heart hammered painfully in her chest and her throat hurt from the threat of tears. Nicholas stood ramrod straight, his face scarlet with anger and his lips white. His hands were fisted at his sides.

     Emily looked to Katherine. “I am sorry to have ruined your morning, Katherine. We shall leave you in peace. I have nothing else I can say, except sorry.”

     Her friend stood pale and immobile, her gaze trained on Nicholas.

     Bitter anger roared in Emily’s breast. Anger toward Will, her father, her mother for dying so young, but most of all for her impossible situation. All the frustration, hurt and desire to have more to live for whirled inside her on a gathering storm. She would not surrender to the scene Will demanded. It would do no good for anyone.

Seduction is a wicked game, and no one plays it better than the devilish Will Samson in Rachel Brimble's captivating new novel. . .

Since girlhood, Emily Darson has accepted that she will marry Nicholas, the son of her father's trusted business partner. The marriage contract safeguards her family legacy, Emily's fortune, and everything she values--except her independence. Only when a sinfully handsome scoundrel enters her life does Emily realize quite how much a loveless match will cost her.

Will Samson has advanced from expert pickpocket to confidence trickster of the highest caliber. Now he has come to Bath to exact vengeance on the man who destroyed his mother--the man Emily will soon marry. But from his first glimpse of the enemy's bewitching, spirited fiancée, Will's plan changes.

Amid the ballrooms and salons of elegant society, heated glances explode into scandalous kisses. Revenge is sweet, but surrender will be irresistible. . .

Enjoy this extra excerpt:

His caught breath released in a low whistle. Attraction twitched his groin. “My God, tell me you’re not his.”

His gaze languidly travelled from the tip of the feather in the woman’s hat, to the glossy black hair curled and twisted beneath it. Her eyes were big and dark, her skin as smooth as glass over sweet apple cheeks. The vivid royal blue dress she wore was pulled in at a waist small enough to fit in his splayed hands, her stature poised and proud. She was exquisite.

Will smiled. Although her ample bosom was decently covered, the soft white netting revealed the faintest hue of her flesh. What he wouldn’t give . . . He forced his gaze upward and stiffened. She stared straight at him—and her mouth twitched with amusement. He pulled back his shoulders and flashed her a smile.

She didn’t lower her eyes as he expected.

Intrigued, he tipped her a wink.

A moment passed before she surprised him again. She did not turn away in disgust or demand Milne punch him to the ground; instead the minx winked straight back. Desire hit Will hard in the gut as a bubble of laughter tickled the back of his throat.

Who was she? He revelled in the tinge of pink staining her cheeks and suspected inside, she laughed right along with him.

Their secretly shared moment came to an abrupt end when her companion took her hand and placed it possessively in the crook of his arm. He led her in Will’s direction and Will bowed as they passed.

Amazon.com Widgets

Thanks Rachel for being our guest today at Seductive Musings! If you'd like to learn more about Rachel Brimble and the books she writes you can find her at her website www.rachelbrimble.com, her blog, on Facebook and at Twitter.

To celebrate the release of The Seduction of Emily, Rachel is giving away a $25 Amazon gift card to a randomly drawn commenter from the book tour. To enter to win leave a meaningful comment or question in the comments below. Please visit Goddess Fish Promotions for the other tour stops for additional chances to win as well as specific rules, deadlines, or restrictions pertaining to the giveaway associated with the book tour.

Good Luck!!

Review: Mated to the Devil by Eve Langlais

noreply@blogger.com (Booklover1335) — Tue, 16 Apr 2013 04:01:00 +0000

Title: Mated to the Devil*
Author: Eve Langlais
Series: n/a
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Publisher: Amira Press
Format: Ebook & Trade paperback
Date/Year: March 29, 2013
Reviewed by: ElaineReads

*This book was provided to the reviewer by the author in exchange for an honest review.

Summary from the publisher:

Not all pleasures are a sin...

Mina wants to put her seduction by a golden-eyed devil behind her, but the birth of her son, Jacques, renders that impossible. She tries to forget the only man who ever roused her passion, but when she notices her son exhibiting strange behavior—and less-than-human characteristics—she must face her past and learn to trust, and love, again.

Howling drunk, the one thing Remy clearly remembers is seducing Mina. A pity he didn’t think to get her address, especially since he marks her as his mate. When she disappears, he’s got plenty of time to regret, but he doesn’t get a chance to atone until she comes back into his life with an unexpected surprise.

Thrust into the role of father, Remy works to bond with his son while gaining forgiveness. But will he get the chance to truly make Mina his mate before danger threatens their fragile happiness?

My Musings:

I had great hopes for this book. Unfortunately, the entire plot is based on what has to be the most objectionable trope in romance literature. The entire relationship originates with Remy forcing himself on Mina. He, of course, brings her to orgasm and she remembers that night as the most pleasurable of her life.

Mina and Remy meet when she is 19 and he is 22. Mina has been raised by parents who are religious fanatics, and she, of course, is a virgin. While visiting cousins, she attends a college party where she is almost raped by two frat brothers. Although rescued by an extremely drunk Remy, he proceeds to forcibly seduce her.

And that is where my problem with the book begins. Forcible seduction is just another way of saying rape. Mina fights him and begs him to let her go. Remy continues to "seduce" her and ends up impregnating her.

The story picks up five years later. Mina has an adorable little boy who happens to snarl and growl and whose eyes sometimes glow. Because she could never find Remy when she discovered she was pregnant, she has been forced to survive on her own and has no idea what is going on with her son. Remy has tried to find her, but he never found out her name before passing out.

The entire forced seduction aspect negatively colored my opinion of the book which is a shame. After Mina and Remy finally find each other, their relationship develops into a caring and loving one. I loved Remy's joy when he found out he had a son. Pierre, Remy's father, is so proud to be a grandfather and the most likable character in the book. There are indications that a sequel may be coming and I hope it is about Pierre.

Obviously, I liked the book well enough to want to read the sequel. Without the objectionable beginning, I would have rated it a 4 or 4.5. Hopefully, her next book will not contain such jarring content.

Ratings:

Overall: 3
Sensuality level: 3.5 (M/F vanilla sex, but the language is explicit)

For a complete understanding and definition of the ratings at Seductive Musings, click here

Other Reviews:

The Jeep Diva (5 stars)
Riverina Romantics (5 stars)
Goodreads (avg rating as of 4/15/2013 = 3.63 stars)

Review: Beautiful Bastard by Christina Lauren

noreply@blogger.com (Booklover1335) — Tue, 16 Apr 2013 04:00:00 +0000

Title: Beautiful Bastard*
Author: Christina Lauren
Series: Beautiful Bastard series, #1
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Publisher: Gallery Books
Format: E-book, Trade paperback & Audiobook
Date/Year: February 12, 2013
Reviewed by: ElaineReads
*This book was provided to the reviewer by the publisher in exchange for an honest review

Summary from the publisher:

An ambitious intern.
A perfectionist executive.
And a whole lot of name calling.

Whip-smart, hardworking, and on her way to an MBA, Chloe Mills has only one problem: her boss, Bennett Ryan. He's exacting, blunt, inconsiderate—and completely irresistible. A Beautiful Bastard.

Bennett has returned to Chicago from France to take a vital role in his family's massive media business. He never expected that the assistant who'd been helping him from abroad was the gorgeous, innocently provocative—completely infuriating—creature he now has to see every day. Despite the rumors, he's never been one for a workplace hookup. But Chloe's so tempting he's willing to bend the rules—or outright smash them—if it means he can have her. All over the office.

As their appetites for one another increase to a breaking point, Bennett and Chloe must decide exactly what they're willing to lose in order to win each other.

Originally only available online as The Office by tby789—and garnering over two million reads on fan fiction sites—Beautiful Bastard has been extensively updated for re-release.

My Musings:

Chloe Mills has worked for the Ryan family firm for months and is highly respected for the job she has done. It’s only after Bennett Ryan returns to the home office that her problems begin. She is a professional, extremely talented intern and Bennett treats her like an idiot. I think the biggest insult is when he calls her an “office girl.” Think of the worst boss you ever had and double it. That would be Bennett.

Chloe does not take his attitude meekly however. She gives as good as she gets within the limits of the employee/employer relationship. The description of this book makes it seem so tame. It does not mention what a jerk Bennett can be. The term "bastard" does not even begin to describe how arrogant, dismissive, insulting, etc. he is to Chloe. Unfortunately, the beautiful term in the title is an understatement. Bennett is gorgeous and Chloe can’t help but notice.

To quote Chloe’s thoughts:

“If only he would keep his mouth shut, he’d be perfect. A piece of duct tape would do the trick. I had some in my desk that I’d occasionally pull out and fondle, hoping someday I could put it to good use.”

It was at this point that I had problems with the book. The first time Bennett touches her, they fall madly in lust. Sex in the office (and it is really good sex) is putting it mildly. From that moment on they can’t keep their hands off each other. Location doesn’t matter . . . his office, the stairwell . . . all places where they could be caught and professionally crucified, they attack each other. And attack is the right word. There is no making love, it is purely sex.

They still hate each other - Chloe because of the way he treats her and Bennett because she makes him want her. Like that’s her fault, right?

Their personal and professional relationship does develop, of course. Otherwise it wouldn’t be a romance novel. I even learned to like Bennett. The beginning however makes it hard for me to say I liked this book. The first time I read it, I only rated it a two. I couldn’t even write this review because my opinion was so negative. I let it rest for several weeks and then reread it. I liked it much better the second time around and upped my rating to a 3.5.

I doubt I’ll read the sequel, but the first book is worth your time. Just don’t let your initial opinion of Bennett keep you from finishing the book. He really is worth it and the sex scenes are hot!

Ratings:

Overall: 3.5
Sensuality level: 4

For a complete understanding and definition of the ratings at Seductive Musings, click here

Other Reviews:

Book Whore (3 hearts)
Book Lovers, Inc. (1 star)
Goodreads (avg rating as of 4/15/2013 = 4.03 stars)

Monday's Muse

noreply@blogger.com (Booklover1335) — Mon, 15 Apr 2013 04:00:00 +0000

I survived doing my taxes! I did them yesterday...yes I know, I waited until that last minute. I had a series of electronic mishaps the last few weeks. First my wireless router decided to intermittently work so I had to replace it. Then my printer wouldn't work with the new wireless router so after spending like 14 hours trying to get it to play nice I decided to just go buy a new one. Then I had to buy tax software...but finally I got it all working and was able to get it all done. I owed. It was painful, but it was just about what I thought it would be so I guess that's good. I'm glad I don't have to do it for another year.

My next big thing now is to find a new aggregate RSS feed reader since Google Reader is going away in a few months. I want to have time to try out a few before GR goes away. This still makes me very sad :( I still don't think it's right that they get us hooked on these things and then take them away. So not right!

On a happier note, we have a new Muse this week! He definitely makes me thing happier thoughts, LOL.

This week at Seductive Musings:

Tuesday: I'll have a few reviews for you
Wednesday: Author Rachel Bramble will be my guest to share with us her new historical romance The Seduction of Emily
Thursday: Is kind of up in the air right now, but I may have something in the works.
Friday: I'll have a special giveaway to celebrate the release of Amanda Forester's, A Wedding in Springtime

Finally, I'd like to congratulate all of the authors with new releases this week, especially Musings authors Jayne Rylon, & NJ Walters. Congrats!!!

Special Excerpt & Giveaway: Pleasure Brigade series featuring Passion Next Door by Cara Carnes

noreply@blogger.com (Booklover1335) — Wed, 10 Apr 2013 04:00:00 +0000

I lived in an apartment for several years, and I can honestly say that I hope I never live in another one. I didn't like being able to hear my neighbors, or feeling confined. Frankly, I found it a bit depressing. I need lots of windows and green to be happy. Now, if I would have had a neighbor like the heroine in Cara Carnes' novella, Passion Next Door, who is super sexy and naughty in the best of ways, then maybe my apartment living might have been more enjoyable, LOL.

Cara Carnes is visiting today to introduce us to the first book in her Pleasure Brigade series, Passion Next Door (ya know the one with the neighbor) and throughout the series blog tour she will be giving special peeks and insight into the other three PB books, including the newest, Passion's Trust. Enjoy!

~~~***~~~

Once a month, Autumn Scott indulges in her voyeuristic fantasy thanks to a very sexy, very loud neighbor, who has no idea his encounters fuel her lust. Until she gets caught.Now Autumn finds herself exploring her ultimate fantasy—submission. But the stakes are raised when Kade presents her with a twist to his usual play. He wants to add three friends to the game. Together the four men indulge her naughtiest desires and prove the pleasure she’d experienced before was only the beginning.

A special excerpt for your reading pleasure :)

I’m still not sure why I decided to share my first time with Autumn. I think I knew even back then she was different—that she would be the one to turn my carefully constructed world upside down and make me want the one thing I feared the most.

Sharing her with Lorenzo, Lance and Chase was the hardest thing I’d done at that point. Had I known what was in store for me later one I probably would’ve kicked their asses out and kept her to myself.

Then again, this night started it all. More importantly, it left me wanting and needing more.

~~Master Kade

Excerpt from Passion Next Door, Book 1 of the Pleasure Brigade series:

“I didn’t want you guys getting bored while you were here.” Hearing Kade directly behind her seemed to set her at ease, and she knew it was crazy. She didn’t know him any better, but he always played by the same rules and that knowledge gave her the power to enjoy herself.

“Why is she blindfolded?” Goose bumps rose on her flesh when someone else stepped to her left side and traced the sides of her blindfold, the caress sliding down her throat. “Such a beautiful morsel. Are you sure you want to share her, Kade? She might be the loveliest we’ve ever played with together.”

“I figured not seeing would stimulate her other senses and make it even more exciting for her. And I couldn’t possibly hide such a perfect play toy from my best friends, could I?” Autumn shivered and gasped at the firm pinch to her nipples. Other hands roamed across her face and down her arms.

“Glad you’re sharing. I bet she’ll take a cock good.” The slight Italian-accented suggestion made her mouth dry in response. Licking her lips, she heard the deep baritone groan. “She’s such a good sub.”

“Yes, she is, Lorenzo. Perhaps you should sample her mouth first since she seems to be quite eager,” Kade said. Autumn’s stomach slammed into her chest, her nerves palpable in their intensity. “I’m sure she’ll behave and suck you well, won’t you, Jane?”

“Are we keeping her restrained?”

“Yes for now, Lance. At least until she takes all of our cocks and proves her obedience.” It wasn’t possible to get any wetter than she was already. Autumn’s entire body shook with a need she had never experienced.

She heard the shuffle of feet and the creaking of something, possibly a sofa, to the left of her. A zipper. Her heart beat wildly listening to it and the sound of a package ripping that followed.

“It’s been too long since we’ve done this.”

“Not getting enough action on your own, Chase?” Lance asked.

“That’s never a problem.” She shivered again at the Southern accent.

Autumn listened intently to each word, learning the reflections and cadences of their voices. Each had a distinctive accent that made them discernable. She doubted the knowledge would be of any benefit, but her just knowing that made her feel better.

“Open that sexy mouth, Jane.” She obeyed, anxious to begin the domination fantasy.

Born in small-town Texas, Cara Carnes was a princess, a pirate, fashion model, actress, rock star and Jon Bon Jovi’s wife all before the age of 13.

In reality, her fascination for enthralling worlds took seed somewhere amidst a somewhat dull day job and a wonderful life filled with family and friends. When she’s not cemented to her chair, Cara loves traveling, photography and reading. Learn more about Cara and the books she writes please visit her at her website www.caracarnes.com, at Facebook and on Twitter.

To celebrate the newest book in her Pleasure Brigade series, Passion's Trust, Cara is giving away an ebook copy of the first book in the series, Passion Next Door, as well as a $50 GC to either Amazon, B&N, or All Romance in addition to an ebook copy of the new Passion's Trust! Enter to win and read the terms and conditions of the giveaway in the Rafflecopter forms below. Good Luck!

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