From the Review Pile is a meme hosted by Stepping Out of the Page every Thursday. The aim of this meme is to showcase books that you’ve received for review (or any book that you own and really want to read/review) but haven’t yet got around to reading, in order to give the book some extra publicity.

This week’s spotlight is on:

Beth Venable has seen too much. Witness to a major mob hit, she’s placed in protective custody until the trial. But after her third safe house is riddled with bullets, she goes off-grid to save herself. What the FBI can’t do, her kinfolk will.The beautiful but forbidding Appalachian Mountains of Kentucky welcome Beth back, dirt roads and rustic shacks a world apart from L.A. But her homecoming—even her blissful reunion with strong, silent Ryal Walker—is made bittersweet by the fight she’s brought to the clan’s doorstep. Hidden in a remote cabin with the man she’s always wanted, Beth begins to dream of a new life: her old one. But after so long, with such dangers stalking her …impossible. But love can distill life down to its essence: an elixir of pure hope, nerve—and the will to survive.

Why this book appealed to me:

I really enjoy romantic suspense, and having been born in a small town myself, the rustic mountain hometown setting is a nice change from so many of the Big City romances out there.  I’m a little hesitant about the fact that the hero and heroine were childhood sweethearts, since I’ve never been a  big fan of estranged romantic relationships, but it still sounds quite exciting, and I’m looking forward to reading it.

What about you? What book is buried in your TBR pile that you’re excited about?

ADD IT ON GOODREADS 

Expected Release Date: March 27, 2012
Publisher: HarperCollins
Imprint: Avon
Author’s Website: http://mirandaneville.com/
My Source for This Book: Edelweiss
Part of a Series: Yes, Book 4, The Burgundy Club
Series Best Read In Order: Worked well as a standalone
Steam Level: Steamy
Official Blurb:

They couldn’t be more different, but there’s one thing they agree on.

In London after a two-year exile, Lord Blakeney plans to cut a swathe through the bedchambers of the demimonde. Marriage is not on his agenda, especially to an annoying chit like Minerva Montrose, with her superior attitude and a tendency to get into trouble. And certainly the last man Minerva wants is Blake, a careless wastrel without a thought in his handsome head. 

The heat and noise of her debutante ball give Minerva a migraine. Surely a moment’s rest could do no harm … until Blake mistakes her for another lady, leaving Minerva’s guests to catch them in a very compromising position. To her horror, the scandal will force them to do the unthinkable: marry. Their mutual loathing blazes into unexpected passion but Blake remains distant, desperate to hide a shameful secret. Minerva’s never been a woman to take things lying down, and she’ll let nothing stop her from winning his trust … and his heart

What Worked For Me:

• Not only was this a book about a Marriage of Convenience/To Avoid Scandal, which are my absolute favorites in historical romance, but it was also an Enemies to Lovers story.  Minerva really couldn’t stand Blake in the beginning, and frankly her opinion was mirrored in him — this made made their romance all the sweeter I think.
• While I’m not a big fan of “Lord Spy” type novels, I admit that the capers in France were hysterical. That was probably one of my favorite parts of the novel.
• I do think that despite the fact that it was very obvious early on that this book was part of a previously established series, it worked quite well on its own. All of the important information was slipped in where it was needed without retelling previous tells in their whole, or making the reader feel as though they were missing something by having not picked up the previous novels in the series first.
• I really liked how the steamier side of the romance progressed. I can’t say much more without it being a spoiler, but I enjoyed the fact that the romance was a great part of the physical side of the relationship.
• I really enjoyed the blackmail aspect.  While I suspected early on what Blake’s “secret” was, I enjoyed the handling of the situation as fit in with the times.

What Didn’t Work For Me:

• I admit that I’m getting a little weary of spies who are also members of the nobility.  That’s really not any fault of the author’s, but it’s still something that I’ve found myself avoiding in romance lately. This is actually a fairly minor point because… well, you’ll see.
• I also didn’t care for all of the politics in the book. While I understood they played a huge part in the times these two lived in, it wasn’t something that really interested me.

This is my first Miranda Neville book, but it will not be my last.  Full of chemistry, a surprising amount of humor, and some very sweet romance, I loved the dynamic between Minerva and Blake.  Blake’s “secret” combined with the animosity between him and Minerva in the beginning sets the stage for some lively adventure as well as a well-paced romance, and I appreciated the fact that it worked well as a standalone despite being part of a previously established series.

Highly recommended for fans of historical couples forced into marriage to avoid scandal, of enemies to lovers, and of sweetly steamy romance with a generous dash of humor.

A very solid 4.5/5 Stars.

The Burgundy Club Reading Order:

• The Wild Marquis AMAZON | BOOK DEPOSITORY
• The Dangerous Viscount AMAZON | BOOK DEPOSITORY
• The Amorous Education of Celia Seaton AMAZON | BOOK DEPOSITORY
• Confessions from an Arranged Marriage AMAZON | BOOK DEPOSITORY

Twenty-five blogs, including The Romanceaholic, have joined together to give away an Amazon Kindle Fire AND a $50 Amazon Gift Card to one lucky winner!

Entry is SUPER-easy. Just fill out the Rafflecopter below!

Rules, Restrictions & Details:
Giveaway is open to anyone 13 or older who can receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Card. If you live in the US you can choose to receive a $50 Amazon.com egift card and have us ship the Kindle Fire to you or you may choose to receive a $250 Amazon.com egift card and purchase the Kindle Fire yourself. If you live outside the US you will receive a $250 Amazon.com e-gift card.  All funds are in US dollars.

All entries must be done through the rafflecopter form. This giveaway is paid for and sponsored by the 25 participating blogs and is not associated with or sponsored by Facebook, Twitter or Amazon. Giveaway runs from 12:01 AM EST on May 15, 2012 until 11:59 PM on May 30, 2012. 

Participating blogs:

• I Am A Reader, Not A Writer
• Read for Your Future
• Sweeping Me
• Making the Grade
• Bookittyblog
• The Romanceaholic
• Good Choice Reading
• Helen Smith
• A Book and a Latte
• Froggarita’s Bookcase
• Fiktshun
• So Many Precious Books, So Little Time
• Uniquely Moi Books
• eReading on the Cheap
• Lori the Author
• There’s a Book
• Books a True Story
• Reviews by Martha’s Bookshelf
• Brinda Berry
• JJ iReads
• Colorimetry
• Lisa’s Loves (Books of Course)
• The Book Faery
• SpadesHighReads
• A Book Obsession

The great thing about this giveaway? You can complete ALL the entries from a single blog! Just enter below via the Rafflecopter and you’re done!

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Expected Release Date: May 14, 2012
Publisher: Harlequin
Imprint: Carina Press
Author’s Website: http://www.cynthiajustlin.com/
My Source for This Book: Netgalley
Part of a Series: No
Series Best Read In Order: N/A
Steam Level: Warm

Official Blurb:

Taken prisoner by a ruthless group of anarchists deep in the Cambodian jungle, anthropologist Jocelyn Hewitt is isolated in a dark prison cell. Without chance of rescue. Or hope. Until the man in the next cell reaches out to let her know she’s not as alone as she thinks.

CIA agent Oliver Shaw has been held prisoner for over two years. Forced to witness the brutal torture and slow murder of his entire team, his spirit is not just broken, it’s crushed. He no longer believes in hope. Until he hears Jocelyn through the wall, and suddenly feels like a glimpse of light is trying to reach in…

Jocelyn’s heart aches for the tortured man whose presence and voice give her the courage to risk their escape. But first she’ll have to remind Oliver who he once was, what he once loved, and bring him back to life. Only then will they have a chance for freedom—and the kind of love neither ever thought possible

What Worked For Me:

• I am a huge sucker for tortured characters, especially when that torture is both physical and mental. Both Josie and Oliver are brutalized and forced to witness absolutely horrifying situations, and I just loved it.
• I really liked how Josie forced Oliver out of his complacency, metaphorically kicking and screaming.
• One thing I really enjoyed was the author’s tendency to kill off her major characters without compunction. The reader is never quite certain exactly who is going to be killed next, and what horrific manner of death they will suffer.  This added a great edge of suspense to the book, and helped to keep the pacing ramped up .
• I also enjoyed the mystery about the diamonds, the map, and Josie’s father’s “hints” in his journal.

What Didn’t Work For Me:

• I do think that both Josie and Oliver needed some heavy-duty therapy to deal with the emotional and psychological aftermath of their ordeals. I was a little disappointed that it wasn’t mentioned as something either was actively pursuing. I think that would’ve made it a little easier for me to believe in their Happily Ever After.
• Honestly the love scenes were pretty much take ‘em or leave ‘em.  There were only two, and there wasn’t much “substance” to either, and to be perfectly honest I think I would have preferred that they simply not be in there at all.
• As always, forced nudity is something I despise in romance. There were two graphic incidences, though it was implied that she suffered it many times over the course of her captivity.  However, this didn’t count as much against my final rating as it normally might have, for the simple fact that being what is essentially a prisoner of war, I would have been shocked had she not been stripped of her dignity in such a manner.

With plenty of action, horror, and even a mystery of a lost treasure, I ended up staying up WAY too late reading because I didn’t want to put it down.   While the “steam” wasn’t all that “steamy”, I did enjoy the wide gamut of emotions between Oliver and Josie experienced during their captivity, and was really rooting for them as a couple even as I was terrified by their actions.

While definitely not for sensitive readers, as there is a lot of violence and horror, the pacing was perfect, and the villain was terrifyingly insane.

Overall, a very fast-paced, exciting read, recommended for fans of abused protagonists, high-octane escapes, and finding love in the most unexpected of places.

A very solid 4/5 Stars.

Expected Release Date: February 28, 2012
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
Imprint: Forever
Author’s Website: http://jamialden.com/
My Source for This Book: Netgalley
Part of a Series: Yes, Book 3, “Trilogy”
Series Best Read In Order: Yes
Steam Level: Steamy

Official Blurb:

With each step she takes, he tracks her every move, waiting for the perfect time. The perfect revenge. Until then, he’ll watch her . . .

RUN FROM FEAR

More than anything, Talia Vega wanted to leave behind her harrowing past. Moving eight hundred miles away, she succeeded . . . until the one man who knows her darkest secrets wanders into the restaurant where she works. Now the agonizing memories come crashing back-along with an undeniable desire for Jack Brooks, the ex-Green Beret who rescued her from a sadistic monster two years ago.

Jack Brooks knows that showing up unannounced is a purely selfish move. Talia doesn’t need his protection anymore, but he can’t get the raven-haired beauty out of his mind. And when a twisted madman is hell-bent on resurrecting her torturous past, Jack vows to do anything to keep her safe-even risk his own life to save the only woman he’s ever loved.

What Worked For Me:

• I just adored Jack.  Handsome, strong, protective, and unable to resist Talia no matter how much he knows he “should”, he was a wonderful hero.
• I also liked Rosalie, which surprised me considering how bratty she was in this story. I think her presence added some much-needed real-world connection and relatability to the story.
• I really liked that there was no “magic penis” going on in this story. Talia had been raped in her previous relationship, and then kidnapped and tortured by a sadistic killer before this book even started, and as such, it would’ve been unreasonable to have everything smooth sailing. Instead, the author chose to include several “false starts” so to speak, and I for one could not be happier about it.
• The chemistry between Jack and Talia was palpable, and the heat level balanced perfectly with the action.
• I really enjoyed that there were several shocking twists and turns to the story, and as always, the villain is terrifyingly creepy.

What Didn’t Work For Me:

• Physically gorgeous, she was also very emotionally damaged due to her having been kidnapped and tortured in the previous book. Trying to move on past her own notoriety having been involved not only with the serial killer case but having been the very public mistress of a powerful (married) man, Talia was certainly not one of those “Everywoman” heroines, and I for one had trouble connecting with her.

While I enjoyed the seriously creepy villain, and one or two surprising twists along the way, I just never really connected with Talia. I did, however, enjoy that there was no magic peen and instead some realistic “false-starts” along the way — this was a BIG plus for me — and I really loved Jack.

There was plenty of action, and while I wasn’t thrilled with Talia as a character, I have to admit that her history created a beautiful setup for this story.

Sensitive readers should be aware that this story contains explicit rape of a minor character.

Recommended for fans of tortured heroines trying to rebuild after tragedy, of deliciously over-protective alpha males, and exciting mystery with a delicious splash of heat.

4/5 Stars

Trilogy Reading Order:

• Beg For Mercy AMAZON | BOOK DEPOSITORY
• Hide From Evil AMAZON |  BOOK DEPOSITORY
• Run From Fear AMAZON | BOOK DEPOSITORY

Official Blurb:

When you’re a witch named Trouble, chaos follows.

Arden Lesstymine (known to everyone as Trouble) likes attention as much as the next girl, but this is getting ridiculous. When an insane stranger is murdered at the inn where she works, Trouble becomes the next Soulbearer for the disembodied god of chaos, Loku. Yes, it comes with the ability to channel the god’s limitless power, but at the cost of her sanity — literally. Now she has a sexy but cynical knight claiming to be her protector, a prince trying to seduce her to his cause (and his bed), and a snarky chaos god who offers a play-by-play commentary on it all, whether she wants to hear it or not. To make matters worse, a necromancer wants to capture the soul of Loku for his own dark purposes, and the only way he can get it is by killing her first.

What Worked For Me:

• I loved Dev. Sexy and honorable to a fault, he’s also got a deliciously tortured past that pops up at the most inconvenient times.
• I also really enjoyed the age difference between Dev and Arden, and how it affected their dynamic.
• Loku was intriguing, but more than that was the entire history of how the soulbearers came about, and why Loku chose Arden as his host.  I also was fascinated by the power struggle between Loku and Arden, and the hints as to Arden’s actual power.
• The world that Ms. McHugh created is detailed enough to keep the reader’s interest, without overwhelming them with such intricate technicalities that bog down the action.
• I was surprised by how much I liked Kell. An unapologetic rake, it was fun to see him grow over the course of the story.
• There was quite a bit of action to the story as well, with all three main protagonists finding themselves in all sorts of scrapes.  I really enjoyed the fast pacing that really kept the story moving.

What Didn’t Work For Me:

• Honestly, I couldn’t stand the heroine being called “Trouble” over and over and over again, no matter how much she “lived up to her name”.
• I’m not a big fan of love triangles, especially those that span more an entire series (as the blurb for the next book makes me suspect this one might).  In the same vein, I did feel as though Arden’s “choice” was a bit sudden and didn’t have as much of a buildup as I’d hoped.
• There was indeed a Too Stupid To Live moment, but I forgave her since it was rather vital to the main plot. Even so, I wanted to shake Arden for a large portion of the novel.
• As my readers probably know by now, I prefer steamy romance, so the few stolen kisses here and there were a teensy bit disappointing.  A minor point, to be sure, but one worth mentioning.

With plenty of action, danger and interesting plot twists, I have to admit that despite the fact I don’t normally care for love triangles, I read this book in a single sitting.  Ms. McHugh has created a fascinating world full of magic, adventure,  close calls, betrayals, and a fairly large mystery involving the heroine’s own history. Throw in a sexy elf, a seductive prince, a snarky god of chaos, and even zombies, and how could I not like this?

While I’m not sure what the “technical” genre classification for this book would be, I personally would categorize it as Upper YA/New Adult Fantasy based on the low steam level and rather immature heroine. However, even as a reader of more “adult” romantic fantasy, I still thoroughly enjoyed this one, and am definitely looking forward to the rest of the trilogy.

A very solid 4/5 Stars

So, What’s an Enhanced eBook Anyway?
By Alina Adams

I don’t know what other girls were reading in Junior High, but my shelves were mostly filled with books by Sidney Sheldon and Belva Plain.  I don’t know what other girls were watching in Junior High, but my VCR was set every day for the entire ABC Daytime line-up, starting with Ryan’s Hope, and running through Loving, All My Children, One Life to Live, General Hospital, and The Edge of Night.

Obviously, this sort of errant childhood was bound to end badly.

Fast-forward twenty years and, in addition to publishing stand-alone romance novels with AVON and DELL, I’m working for Procter & Gamble Productions, writing tie-in books to their two soap operas, As the World Turns and Guiding Light.

Now flash-forward to 2012, and every show on the list above, save General Hospital, is off the air.  And Sidney Sheldon and Belva Plain are dead.

However, I, personally, still love romantic family sagas, be they novels or TV shows.  Preferably both.

So… why not both?

Let me back up a bit.

The romance novels and figure skating mysteries that I published previously were all paperback originals.  They came out between 1996 and 2010, and did what paperback originals do.  The were shipped to bookstores, stayed on the shelves for a few months at most, then dropped out of sight.  That’s the nature of the business.

Except the business doesn’t have to be that way anymore.  With the advent of electronic books, no title ever has to go out of print.  And no title ever has to stay mere words.

Coming from a television background, I saw words and video working together to tell a story.  And I decided to take all of my previously print-only titles and turn them into enhanced e-books.  A.K.A. Books with something extra.

I started with my Figure Skating Mysteries, Murder on Ice, On Thin Ice, Axel of Evil, Death Drop, and Skate Crime.  I got the rights to them back from Berkley, digitized the text, and made a deal with The Ice Theatre of New York to use their video library as the skating being done by my fictional characters.  I inserted the video right alongside the text, to create something that wasn’t quite a book, not quite a movie, but rather a 21st Century hybrid.

My next project was my 2000 romance novel, When a Man Loves a Woman.  Since the title already came from a Percy Sledge classic, I went a step further and gave each chapter the name of a song that would comment and compliment the action.  And then I linked the chapter to that music on-line, so that you could both read and listen as you went along.

My latest endeavor is Counterpoint: An Interactive Family Saga, which I have planned as a series that I will write along with the readers.

The first book, Volume One, came out in April 2012 on Amazon.  At the end, there are links to where readers can tell me how they would like the story to proceed.  The next book in the series, Volume Two, will incorporate their suggestions, and ask for input towards Volume Three.  And so on, and so on, and so…

Even a few years ago, a project like this would have been impossible to undertake due to technological limitations and the sheer amount of time it took to get a new book from the writing to the printing process, not to mention the shipping, distribution, and stocking.

A few weeks ago, I spoke at a meeting of the NY Writers Union.  I made the point that just because book can be enhanced, doesn’t necessarily mean that it should be.  In addition to enhancing my own backlist, I am also working with other authors, such as Dan Elish, author of the middle grade fantasy novel, The Worldwide Dessert Contest.  Dan is not only a writer, he is also a composer.  He wrote a musical score to go with his book, and we’ve put it together into The Worldwide Dessert Contest: Enhanced Multimedia Edition.

In Dan’s case, it made sense to go the multimedia route.  The same with the skating mysteries, and When a Man Loves a Woman, and Counterpoint.  In each case, the story was made better, richer, by the addition of other elements.

It was (I hope) truly enhanced.

Now I can only wait and hope that my readers agree with me!

About the Author

Alina Adams is the New York Times’ best selling author of soap opera tie-ins, figure skating mysteries, and romances, including Annie’s Wild Ride and When a Man Loves a Woman. Her latest project is Counterpoint: An Interactive Family Saga. In addition to turning her own backlist into enhanced e-books, she has produced enhanced e-books for others, including Dan Elish, whose middle-grade fantasy novel, The Worldwide Dessert Contest, now includes its own original musical score. Learn more at AlinaAdamsMedia.com and Like us on Facebook

Do Enhanced eBooks sound like something you might be interested in?  Alina Adams has graciously offered a free copy of her Enhanced eBook, Counterpoint, to one lucky reader! All you have to do is Like her Facebook page then use the Rafflecopter form below!

When Victoria Morgan agreed to come work for the mysterious Cooper family, she never expected their long-hidden secrets to bleed over into her own – or to fall in love with Douglas Cooper’s playboy son, Robin.

A development Robin’s wife, Nicole, has no intention of accepting gracefully – even if it means destroying the only person who ever gave a damn about her… and everyone he cares about, as well.

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Expected Release Date: April 1, 2012
Publisher: Self Published
Imprint: N/A
Author’s Website: carolynjewel.com
My Source for This Book: Gift from the author
Part of a Series: Yes, Book 4.5, My Immortals Series
Series Best Read In Order: Works well as a standalone
Steam Level: Steamy

Official Blurb:

Attorney Lys Fensic has spent her life controlling a psychic power that kills. Her ability to lock herself down falls apart when her ex, a mage, sends enslaved demons to kill her. In a psychic free fall, she turns to tough guy Telos Khunbish for help. But is he a mage as she’s always suspected or is he something far more dangerous? 

What Worked For Me:

• I loved Lys’ psychic powers.  Not only did it make for an intriguing addition to the storyline, but it gave me a lot of respect for her character as a whole. Anyone who can stay strong enough to leash that much power is worthy of my admiration.
• Telos. Oh, Telos. *fans self*  Not only is he a hacker, which I admit, my inner nerd finds sexy as all get-out, but he’s a deliciously powerful shape-shifting demon with both a bit of rebelliousness and an enormous amount of protective instincts when it comes to Lys.  I really enjoyed Telos as a hero, and thought he was a perfect foil for Lys.
• Watching Lys crack under stress was so engrossing, and I was literally chewing on my nails worrying over how she was going to make it through the climax of this story.
• The chemistry between Lys and Telos was palpable, and while the love scene may have pushed the envelope a bit for more sensitive readers, I thought that the intensity between the two of them was scrumptious.
• I have to be careful about spoilers here, but the misunderstanding between Lys and Telos towards the end made me grin.
• I really liked how this worked well as a standalone. Now, to be fair, I have read another book in the series about a year ago, so I did remember the basic gist of what was going on. Even so, I think that newcomers to the series will have enough information to keep up, while piquing their interest about the rest of the series.

What Didn’t Work For Me:

• A very minor point, but I was a bit taken aback by some of the dialogue before the love scene.  While I know “the talk” is an important and responsible one for new lovers to undertake, this one was a bit much since it included more than just the “protection” discussion.  Again, not a big deal, but it did pull me out of the action a bit.
• I do think some readers may be put off by the fact that Telos transforms into his demon form during lovemaking. While it didn’t bother me at all, and therefore did not count against the rating, I do think it’s worth mentioning because it may be a bit weird for some readers.

Free Fall is based on Future Tense, a free short story that is available on the author’s website. Since I had not personally read the original short story, I did read over it before writing this review, and I cannot recommend emphatically enough that readers opt for Free Fall instead.   There is so much more emotion, action, romance, and of course, steam, not to mention an actual Happily Ever After in Free Fall than there was in Future Tense.

Newcomers to the series may find a slight moment of confusion in regards to the animosity between mages and demons, but honestly any bewilderment will be quick in passing.  I’ve quite literally read over three hundred books since I last read a book from this series, and I was able to easily follow along with the action.

The dynamic between Lys’ very staid, tightly controlled character and Telos’ much more laid back and even aggressive personality was wonderful, and the chemistry between the two was absolutely sizzling.

Overall, I couldn’t put it down. With plenty of action, steam, and powerful romance, this is a wonderful introduction to the series, and a great story in its own right.

A very solid 4.5/5 Stars.

My Immortals Series Reading Order:

• My Wicked Enemy  AMAZON | BOOK DEPOSITORY
• My Forbidden Desire AMAZON | BOOK DEPOSITORY
• My Immortal Assassin AMAZON | BOOK DEPOSITORY
• My Dangerous Pleasure AMAZON | BOOK DEPOSITORY
• Free Fall (Novella) AMAZON (Exclusive)

Let’s Dance!

~Laura Sheehan

One of the things that most excited me about writing DANCING WITH DANGER was that it offered me the perfect opportunity to combine two of my loves: romance and dancing.

In historical romances (particularly those set in the Regency era) , it’s not unusual for the hero and heroine to meet, fall in love, or experience some other climactic plot moment while dancing.  In fact, a Regency romance without a ball is like a Scottish romance without kilts.

But in contemporary romances, dancing is far less common.  In fact, I can only think of a handful of contemporary romances that include dance in any significant manner (such as Nora Robert’s pair of novellas, Dreams and Reflections, which are both about ballerinas).

As a dancer, this baffles me.

For me, dance is an inextricable part of life. And I’m not just referring to the classes I teach or take, or the shows in which I periodically perform.  I’m the kind of person who will, quite literally, dance down the aisle of a grocery store when I’m in a particularly cheery mood, or tap dance while waiting impatiently for an elevator, or coerce my (often reluctant) husband into waltzing with me in the street when a particularly romantic song is played from the speakers of a nearby restaurant.

Perhaps I grew up watching too many musicals, but to me, dance is a perfectly acceptable way of communicating. In fact, I believe that sometimes dance can communicate even more than words.

So, dagnabit, why isn’t there more dancing in contemporary romance novels? Or every-day life, for that matter?

The truth is, in the Regency era, dances played a central role in courting.  Whether it was a casual country dance or a high-brow London ball, these get-togethers were the primary way (in both real life and in romance novels) for boy to meet girl.

But nowadays, dance clubs are just one of dozens of ways to meet new people.  Not to mention – and this is a huge pet peeve of mine – you can’t hear a damn thing in most modern dance clubs!  The music is cranked up so loud, it’s impossible to carry on a conversation, let alone properly introduce yourself to someone.  This is not the ideal environment for meeting people, let alone falling in love.

And then there’s the fact that, in current times, it simply isn’t standard procedure to learn how to dance.  There’s no dance master instructing all of the young teens how to properly execute dance moves to “Drop It Low.”  Today, most social dancing is improv; we’re expected to just “know” how to move to the music, and hopefully look good while doing it. For someone for whom dancing doesn’t come naturally, that can be incredibly intimidating.

So, I suppose I’ve answered my own question… but I wish it weren’t so.

I wish dancing was not only more common in romance novels, but in real life, too.

Maybe the success of TV shows like “Dancing with the Stars,” “Glee,” and “So You Think You Can Dance,” is an indicator that times are a-changin’.  Maybe the fact that Moulin Rouge and Chicago and Billy Elliot and Step Up were all box-office successes will encourage people to view dance as more acceptable in everyday life.

Maybe it’ll help us remember that a little music and dancing in our lives can be a wonderful thing.

Want to bring some dancing into your life? Check out DANCING WITH DANGER (Red Sage Publishing), on sale now at Amazon and B&N.com!

ADD IT ON GOODREADS

BUY IT AT AMAZON | BARNES & NOBLE | RED SAGE PRESS

Lily Brookstone, the daughter of a workaholic United States Senator, defies her father’s wishes by moving to Los Angeles in pursuit of a dancing career. But the tough town hasn’t been easy on her, and after two years she finds herself disowned by her father, dropped by her agent, and recovering from a dance injury. Determined to live her life independently without relying on others, Lily refuses to give up her dream of making it as a dancer and instead works herself ragged at three different jobs to make ends meet. Serving coffee and teaching dance classes to pre-schoolers are ordinary enough day jobs, but Lily dons a disguise when she works the late shift as an exotic dancer at a topless strip club. 

Raised to be fiercely independent and hesitant to trust, at first she keeps her “”night job”" a secret from her new beau, Marc Sloane, a tough L.A.P.D. Officer with an uncanny knack for reading people. But her cover is blown when Marc attends a bachelor party at Lily’s strip club and recognizes her.

Realizing that she has a chance at true love and knowing that her life is in danger from the threat of her stalker, Lily must not only trust Marc to keep her exotic dancing job a secret, but she must also trust him to protect both her life and her heart.

Keep reading for a sultry sneak peek at DANCING WITH DANGER:

Marc set down his empty glass and glanced around. He hadn’t been to a strip club in years. The present company was great, and the dancers were beautiful, but it wasn’t really his scene. Sure, the ladies were hot, he couldn’t deny that, but it all seemed so… methodical. They had some sexy moves, but that’s all they were: a series of movements that showed off their very flexible limbs. There didn’t seem to be anything sensual about it. He liked a woman to be just as turned on as he was, not simply going through the motions for his benefit.

“Marc! Your turn, buddy.”

Marc caught the now-empty pitcher as Ben tossed it to him. With an exaggerated groan, he stood up and went to the bar to fetch another. As he watched the bartender refill it at the tap, he heard the DJ croon, “Get your cash ready, guys, Miss M is on the stage! You won’t see this masked Vixen on the floor, so if you want to get up close and personal, get your ass to the rail and bring out the green. No one knows the true identity of this mysterious, little sex kitten but trust me, after her performance, you won’t care!”

The crowd was a little louder than before, and even the bartender glanced at the stage. Curiosity piqued, Marc turned around and watched the “mysterious Miss M” stride out and take command of the room.

She was a tiny little thing, but not super-skinny like some of the other dancers, nor were her boobs ridiculously huge. The music pulsed quietly, building slowly in tempo and volume, but she simply stood there, legs spread wide, her head tilted a fraction to the left, as if contemplating her first move. The mask concealed most of her features, but he could see her eyes sparkling as she scanned the crowd, as if assessing them. Marc’s groin gave a slight jerk as he realized her mouth was shaped just like Lily’s, with a bit of an overbite that pouted her upper lip slightly forward. He watched those lips shift into a very slow, very wicked grin. The men crowding the stage went wild, banging their mugs on the rail and shouting at her to dance.

With a suddenness that took Marc off guard, she whipped into a crazy, spinning kick. Her booted leg whirled over her head, giving him a tantalizing peek of black lace panties. Her long, brown hair whisked out behind her as she bolted forward and launched into some sort of gymnastic move that flipped her sideways in mid-air. She landed gracefully with those incredibly sexy legs spread wide, barely pausing before bursting into another series of martial arts-like maneuvers. With a laugh, he took in her costume. She was playing out every man’s fantasy of the sexy super-hero: she was Silk Spectre in the flesh, employing real karate moves to convey a mood of complete sexual abandon.

He noticed that she wasn’t stopping to gather the cash that the men waved at her. Despite the fact that she hadn’t removed a single piece of clothing, she had the crowd whooping and shouting for more. He was just beginning to wonder how long she could pull this off before the crowd got too impatient, when suddenly the music changed. She was crouched low, her left leg stretched out to the side. One daring member of the audience strained to stuff a bill into the top of her boot, but he couldn’t quite reach since they were so damned tall. As the music transitioned into a more sultry rhythm, Miss M slowly folded in her leg and stood up. She was breathing hard, the rise and fall of her breasts mesmerizing. She retreated to recline against the nearest pole, as if spent yet aroused by her acrobatics.

Marc realized that this, too, was totally in character. He’d seen Watchmen over the summer and remembered how Silk Spectre had gotten turned on sexually by action and heroics. Judging from the hollers in the audience, he wasn’t the only one who remembered what came next.

Miss M let her head fall back as she ran her gloved fingers through her hair, down the sides of her neck, around her breasts, and then diagonally across her belly to converge between her legs. Her lips parted with pleasure, and he felt himself harden in reaction.

With her hands still between her legs, she slid her spine down the pole. Suddenly he wanted to rush on stage to catch her. He almost felt her round, little butt in his hands as he imagined lifting her and pressing her up against the pole with a thrust of his hips.

He shook his head out of that fantasy and adjusted his stance to make more room in his pants.

Miss M slid back up the pole and twisted into one of the fancy pole maneuvers he had seen earlier that night. But for some reason her moves seemed more natural than the others had been, as if she were teasing herself as much as those who watched her. Hanging upside down with her legs wrapped around the pole and her hair flowing down to the floor, Miss M jerked her tight, yellow and black corset and ripped it wide open.

Underneath, she wore a black lace demi-cup bra. The contrast of that lace beneath the leather and spandex superhero outfit was tantalizing. Placing both hands on the ground below her head, she kicked out one leg, then the other. She planted her feet on the stage and kept her legs straight as she climbed her upper body up along the pole, her ass pushed outward and her back arched. Her breasts almost spilled out of the bra as she slowly stood upright. She pulled the straps of the opened corset off her shoulders and slid the entire outfit down her body, rocking her hips from side to side as the fabric slipped down. She stepped out of the outfit, now clad in a lacy bra and panties, plus those boots, gloves, and mask. The contrast of all that black up against her milky skin was mouth-watering.

She laughed, a sweetly innocent and shameless gesture that reminded him suddenly of Lily. Smoothly, she gyrated her body to the music, twirling around the pole and along edges of the stage, allowing the men to tuck cash in her boots and into her panties. As she turned around and bent over, Marc saw that she wasn’t wearing a G-string like most of the other girls, but that the bottom curve of her cheeks peeked out from below the lace. The panties were transparent enough, however, that when she turned to the front he thought he glimpsed an enticing shadow leading down between her legs.

Miss M was dancing again. The way she moved was an enchanting mix of natural grace and teasing sensuality. She moved only in ways that seemed to give her pleasure, and watching her made him almost feel guilty, as if he were intruding on a private moment of intimacy. But then she would smile and make eye contact with the crowd, making it clear that she was intentionally inviting them into this shared moment of sensuality. A sudden wave of anger and jealousy toward the men closest to the stage rushed through him.

He laughed at himself. Damn, she’s good.

His laughter faded away, however, when she finally removed that tiny excuse of a bra. Her breasts were perfectly round and just bigger than a handful. Her nipples were hard, little peaks of rosy pink, exactly the same color as Lily’s lips had been this afternoon. Damn, he thought again.

Before he knew it, the song was over, and Miss M was gathering the remaining cash before striding off stage with one last sultry wave.

It was another few moments before he realized he had company at the bar. The entire bachelor party crew stared at him, laughing.

“What?” he retorted defiantly, hoping they couldn’t see the bulge in his pants.

“Boys, I think one of the Vixens finally caught Officer Sloan’s attention,” Pete roared.

Scowling fiercely, and relieved that it was too dark for them to notice if his face was flushed, Marc snatched the now full pitcher from the bar and headed back to the table. The guys followed, thumping him on the back and punching him in the arm, teasing him mercilessly the entire way. When a blonde dancer came around to their table offering lap dances, Steve asked her about buying Marc a lap dance from Miss M.

The blonde raised an eyebrow and said a little too sweetly, “She doesn’t give lap dances, honey.” She slid closer to Steve and whispered, “But if it’s mystery you’re lookin’ for, I’ve got more than enough for you, big boy.”

“You sure do… And I’ll take it!” Steve shrugged unapologetically at Marc before stuffing a ten dollar bill into her G-string and sitting back to enjoy the ride.

Pete flagged down a busboy and asked him something that Marc couldn’t hear because the music had started again and another girl was dancing on stage. The kid shook his head, but gestured to a curtain next to the bar. Pete gave him a wad of cash and the boy ran off.

Taking a look at his beer mug, Marc decided to cut himself off so he could drive home. He eyed Pete suspiciously and narrowed his gaze even more when he realized Pete was purposefully not looking his way.

When the busboy came back and nodded to Pete, Marc groaned inwardly. When Pete smiled at him and announced to the table that Marc had a surprise waiting for him behind the curtain, Marc groaned out loud.

Sound like something you’d enjoy?

Tell me about your favorite dance scene (from a romance novel or movie/TV show or even real life) in the comments section below. One lucky commenter will win a free digital copy of DANCING WITH DANGER and a $10 Amazon.com Gift Certificate!

Giveaway open to U.S. readers only. Winner will be chosen via Random.org from commenters who leave both a valid email address and answer the question posed above. Giveaway closes 12:01am May 10, 2012.  Giveaway graciously sponsored by Laura Sheehan.

About the Author

Laura Sheehan grew up in Las Vegas and has been dancing since she was ten years old. Her ballet mistress was an honest-to-goodness Las Vegas showgirl! She currently lives in Los Angeles with her husband, a thoroughly-spoiled cat, and a handful of fish who keep her thoroughly-spoiled cat entertained. When not working at her office day job, she can usually be found in a dance studio, on a softball field, writing at her computer, snuggling with her amazing husband, or eating milk chocolate. Sometimes she can be found doing more than one of these at a time, although when doing so she has to be careful not to get chocolate on the computer keyboard (or on the amazing husband… although now that she thinks about it, that might not be such a bad thing).
Laura writes suspense, paranormal, and fantasy romances. She can be found online at: ReadLaura.com; facebook.com/LauraSheehan; twitter.com/#!/TimesNewLaura; and gplus.to/LauraSheehan.

Expected Release Date: May 1, 2012
Publisher: Hachette
Imprint: Grand Central Publishing
Author’s Website: sherrilynkenyon.com
My Source for This Book: Amazon.com
Part of a Series: Yes, Book 5, The League Series
Series Best Read In Order: Might work well as a standalone,
but I would recommend reading the series in order.
Steam Level: Steamy

Official Blurb:

Death Stalks Them All… 
Kere is the second most infamous member of the shadow organization known as Sentella. An explosive engineer who strikes terror into the hearts of the League, the bounty on his head is truly staggering. No one knows his true identity. 

The daughter of a traitor, Zarya Starska grew up hard on the back streets of hell- her family hunted to the brink of extinction. But Zarya dreams of a different life and a different world. A world where the harsh hand of the Caronese emperor doesn’t destroy his subjects. As a Resistance leader, her goal is to topple the government that needlessly ruined the lives of her family and comrades-in-arms. In this deadly quest, the only person she can trust is a mysterious man known only as Kere. 

By The Light Of Day… 
Kere has a dark secret and a brutal past. As he aids the Resistance, he’s actually working to bring down his own family- the Cruels- so named for the viciousness in their blood that runs so deep, no other name would do. Born and bred from one of the oldest and noblest families in the United Systems, Kere’s real name is Darling Cruel. And the one thing he wants most is to see his uncle, who stole the crown by murdering his father, pay for his crimes. 

If You Tell A Lie Long Enough, It Becomes The Truth… 
In order to protect his mother from execution, Darling’s entire life has been built on a lie that he dare not breathe a contrary word about. His hands tied by his uncle’s cruelty. No one has ever seen the real him. No one except Zarya. She’s the only person he’s ever fully trusted with the truth. But when she betrays him by allowing a weapon he designed solely for her to be used against him, all bets are off. 

The Hero Is Now The Monster… 
Betrayed to the deepest level, Darling becomes an enemy even worse than his uncle. His goal is not only to reign, but to kill every Resistance member he can find. He won’t rest until all of them are dead and that includes Zarya. 

The Twisted Hand Of Fate… 
Zarya is the only hope to reach the heart of the man her people once considered their ally. A man who hates her with a fury so great that she knows it’s just a matter of time before he kills her. But if she can find the part of him that once trusted her, the part of him that once loved her, she might be able to save not only her own life, but those of her people. 

It’s an impossible mission. 

Too bad she doesn’t play the odds.

What Worked For Me:

• The love scenes were indeed quite steamy, and the chemistry between Darling and Zarya was delicious.
• I really enjoyed Maris’ character as well, and can’t wait for his book to come out.  I loved the support he gave to Darling, as well as the insights into just how scary and badass he could actually be despite his flamboyant lifestyle.
• I absolutely adored catching up with all of my other favorite characters from previous novels. Nykyrian is just as smexy and imposing as he’s always been, and I really enjoyed getting to not only see him as a “family man” (but still terrifying), but also some of his history with Darling.
• To a point, I enjoyed watching Darling get the holy cannoli beaten out of him. I do love me a tortured hero, and the abuse Darling endures absolutely helps to make me feel not only sympathy for his character, but admiration for his fortitude. (Please note that the extent of his torture falls under What Didn’t Work For Me — see below). 
• I really enjoyed the angst between Darling and Zarya because of what happened early on in the story. It would have been very unrealistic for either one of them to have forgiven the other easily, no matter how attracted they are to each other or how much in love they had been.  I really enjoyed watching them both learn to trust each other again.
• I’m very excited that not only is Hauk’s story obviously next, but that it seems that Maris will get his own book as well, with Ture as his hero!
• I really liked the story behind Darling’s name — it’s something I’d always wondered about and I was happy to have that mystery solved.

What Didn’t Work For Me:

• The biggest negative point of this book — the torture. This book went further than just using torture and betrayal and terrible childhoods to create a sympathetic character, and instead crossed into torture for titillation.  There’s a bit of an invisible line in the sand when it comes to just how much abuse a character can take before reading about their persecution in such great detail  makes one want to put the book down and move on. Many fans, and even the author herself, have said that Darling’s life is worse than that of one of her most famous characters from anther series, Acheron, and while Acheron’s tale toed the line of just how much torture and heartache a reader can endure along with the character, Darling’s story left that line far, far behind rather early on. With the many explicit details of horrific things done to him over the course of his entire life continuing to be told throughout the novel, it got to the point where I no longer cared about the things he’d suffered and wanted them to just shut up and move on to the actual plot.
• On a very similar note, the first thing that stuck out in my mind immediately following the summary of his torture was that he didn’t have any massive infections, which absolutely broke any sense of plausibility of the story for me.  Granted, this is addressed towards the end of the story, but it honestly felt like an afterthought and a cheap way out.

• SPOILER ALERT

  SelectShow Spoiler

  Really? Zarya never asked after the prisoner? Because she was “so worried” about Kere that it slipped her mind? Puh-lease! Darling’s hostage status, which could have brought the bleedin LEAGUE down on their heads didn’t have her personally checking up on his “interrogation” over the course of the MONTHS that they had him? I’m not buying it. A couple weeks, maybe, since she was under so much other stress. Months pass though and she doesn’t stop someone in the hall and say “Oh yeah, what’d you do with Darling Cruel, that guy who could bring death down upon all of our heads if he’s discovered in our custody?”?  Bah.
• “Sweetie”. I’ve joked about other books of Ms. Kenyon’s having the word “sweetie” so much that you could turn it into a drinking game, but this book? This book was almost like Ms. Kenyon decided to annoy me specifically.*  According to my handy-dandy search function on Kindle, the word “Sweetie” was used thirty-four times. Thirty. Four. Times.  *rubs forehead wearily* Maris said it. Zarya said it. Even Darling said it.   My biggest problem with the word “sweetie” in general is that it ages the characters. There’s lots of endearments that sound normal in conversation, even with “tough” characters, like “honey”, “baby”, “sweetheart”, heck even “my love” if you have to, but “sweetie”? Blech.   However, in this particular case, I’d expected it to be used once or twice (because, let’s face it, it’s a Kenyon novel) but thirty-four? That’s just obnoxious.     (*Yes, I fully realize Ms. Kenyon has no clue who I even am, and even if she did, wouldn’t be bothered to do something in her books just to annoy me. It was a figure of speech so don’t send me angry emails.)
• Everyone was insanely long-winded.  Some judicious editing could have really kept a lot of the emotional “punch” of most of the dialogue but instead I had to stop myself from skimming whenever anyone started talking.
• There were also too many flashbacks for my tastes. Yes, it’s important to hear about some of Darling’s past, not just for newcomers to the series, but for all of the fans who have adored him every since his character was introduced, but there were quite a few particular bits that could have been told as anecdotes rather than forcing us to live through the (long-winded) scenes.

I’m devastated. Simply devastated.  I have been anxiously awaiting this book since before it was actually written. Darling is one of my absolute favorite characters in the League Series, and I had such high hopes for his book.

Let me start off by saying that my disappointment is not based on the fact that Darling is actually heterosexual.  While I admit I was very annoyed by that revelation in the epilogue of the last book, and in the blurb for this one, I’ve had a long time to get used to the idea, so that wasn’t even a negative point for me. (Besides, it appears there are plans to unite Maris and Ture in their own novel, which makes up for any allegations that may or may not have been thrown around about Ms. Kenyon “selling-out” with making Darling “straight”.)

Instead, it was the torture.  Don’t get me wrong — I love a good tortured protagonist! I possess a very high degree of schadenfreude when it comes to fictional characters, and I admit that I just love seeing them suffer at the hands of others. Brutal physical torture? Horrific personal betrayal? Terrible childhood? Abuse that leave the protagonist scarred and suffering? I eat those things up with a spoon when it comes to my favorite protagonists! Beat ‘em, rape ‘em, lull them into a false sense of security and then rip the rug out from under them with heartless betrayal, leave them permanently scarred both physically and emotionally — I love it all!

This book, however, crossed that line from using a horrific past and terrible suffering to make a character sympathetic and to illustrate inner strength and what-not, and instead delved into torture for titillation — “torture porn” as some people call it — once it crosses that line it’s impossible to come back.  Nobody, and I mean nobody could have survived what Darling suffered in the early chapters of this book, and the very weak explanation of how he did so that was thrown in towards the end did nothing towards making me believe it was anything other than ridiculous that he was still alive long enough to be rescued.  Then on top of the horrific torture in the beginning, we’re informed of all of the other abuses, rapes, attacks, indignities, humiliations, and betrayals he’s suffered over the course of his life.  It got to the point where I’d skim over any new “revelation” of something bad that he’d gone through.

There were so many things I couldn’t stand in this book, from pet peeve tropes (forced nudity, overuse of certain terms, GaryStu syndrome), to continuity errors, long-winded dialogue, unrealistic physical fortitude, torture for titillation, and what felt like last-minute character developments thrown in to explain things done earlier.  I’m so horribly disappointed, and honestly, I had to force myself to finish this, which has never happened with a Kenyon book, not even Retribution, which was only a 3.5 for me.

To be completely honest, this is very likely my last Kenyon novel, at least unless I get future ones for free from the library.*

2/5 Stars

*That’s a big fat lie — Hauk’s book is next, and I know very well I’m going to end up pre-ordering it no matter how bad this one was. But still. 

The League Series Reading Order:

• Born of Night  AMAZON | BOOK DEPOSITORY
• Born of Fire AMAZON | BOOK DEPOSITORY
• Born of Ice AMAZON | BOOK DEPOSITORY
• Fire & Ice (Novella, in the In Other Worlds Anthology) AMAZON | BOOK DEPOSITORY
• Born of Shadows AMAZON | BOOK DEPOSITORY
• Born of Silence AMAZON | BOOK DEPOSITORY