Reading Between the Wines Book Club

Sexy Snippets: Wrong Side of Hell by Juliana Stone

noreply@blogger.com (Crystal @ RBtWBC) — Tue, 06 Mar 2012 03:00:00 +0000

Tuesdays have never been so sexy!Sexy Snippets is a weekly feature hosted by Reading Between the Wines for the 18+ crowd. To join in just grab the button, post a sexy paragraph or two from your current read and share the author & title so other participants can add the book to their TBR list if they like. Then add your post to the linky below so everyone can follow along. Have a sexy good time!

Logan kissed her long and hard, his lips sliding across hers with a boldness that electrified her. His tongue plunged deep and the feel of him inside her mouth drove her crazy. She took from him with aggressive abandon, her tongue stroking, sucking, exploring with equal fervor. His taste was primal, his scent wholey male, and Kira's head spun. Never in all her imaginings had she thought it would feel like this. She clung to him like a weakling, as if she would lose herself if she let go.

*ARC, scene may not reflect the final version. Releases March 6th

Now it's your turn, show me your sexy!

Forever's Paranormal Romance Tour with Stella Cameron and Cynthia Garner (Q&A/Giveaway)

noreply@blogger.com (Crystal @ RBtWBC) — Mon, 05 Mar 2012 11:30:00 +0000

Today I would like to welcome two paranormal romance authors over for Forever Romance's blog tour, Stella Cameron and Cynthia Garner!

Hi Stella, thanks so much for joining us today! I absolutely adore the cover for Darkness Bound!

Hi, glad to be with you and that you like the great cover for DARKNESS BOUND.
Comment: That is, bar none, the best blogsite title I've seen!

Thank you!
Can you please share with us a favorite sentence or scene from your new release, DARKNESS BOUND?

The end of Chapter 25 when heroine Leigh Kelly first sees hero, Niles Latimer, as fully werehound for the first time.

What are werehounds and how are they different from other shifters found in the paranormal genre?

Werehounds resemble very large Irish Wolf Hounds (the Irish Wolf Hound is the largest breed of domestic dog). Unlike the werewolf, werehounds have not accepted their partial separation from humankind. They long for human acceptance. They use violence only when there is no other way out of a desperate situation.

What three words would you use to describe Leigh? How about Niles?

Leigh: determined, brave, passionate. Niles: tough, loyal, passionate.

After her husband's tragic death, Leigh Kelly arrives on Whidbey Island determined to start over. Yet the tiny town of Chimney Rock is not as peaceful as it seems. Women have been disappearing, and Leigh can't shake the feeling that she's being watched . . . especially at night. Soon, she's experiencing visions she can't explain and fighting her attraction to a handsome stranger who seems to know her most intimate desires.
As the leader of the Team, a pack of werehounds forced to hide their very existence, former special ops soldier Niles Latimer is desperate to prove a man's heart beats beneath his predator's body. And Leigh-the mysterious beauty possessing powers she doesn't yet understand-may be the one woman who can help him. But Niles isn't the only one who recognizes Leigh's true identity. Something evil is waiting in the woods-and the hunt has begun . . .

http://www.stellacameron.com/

Welcome Cynthia, thank you for taking the time to stop by for a short Q&A!
Please describe your recent release, KISS OF THE VAMPIRE, in a tweet. (140 characters or less)

With the help of a feisty half demon investigator, a vampire tracks the culprit killing other vamps and along the way discovers love.

How are your vampires in KISS OF THE VAMPIRE different from other vampires found in the paranormal genre?

My vampires become vampires by being taken over by entities from another dimension. Holding somewhat true to our myths, these entities can only take over dying or newly dead people. Until they become acclimated to our yellow sun they can’t be out in the daylight without major consequences, but after 25 years or so they can move about in the sunlight, though their eyes are still quite sensitive to bright light.

What makes Tobias & Nix perfect for each other, and what do you think readers will relate to most in their relationship?

I think they understand each other. They understand what drives the other, though they’re not always happy with those motivations. I hope readers will relate to the idea that everyone deserves a second chance, especially with love.

Once a generation, the rift between the paranormal world and the human world opens, allowing supernatural entities to cross. Vampire, demon, or shapeshifter, they can save the world-or send it spiraling into chaos. Half-demon, half-human, Nix de la Fuente is accepted by neither and mistrusted by both. Determined to prove she's more human than not, she devotes herself to solving crimes between the world's mortals and its most unsavory undead. But her latest case brings her face to face with the one vampire she could never resist . . .
Called in to investigate a string of violent murders, special agent Tobias Caine isn't interested in rekindling his relationship with Nix. Yet one look and the vampire knows his need for her is as strong as ever. Once, their all-consuming passion nearly cost Nix her fragile hold on her humanity. Now, as their hunger for one another intensifies, exposing them to an unimaginable danger, it could cost them both their lives.

Read an excerpt
http://cynthiagarnerbooks.com/

~*GIVEAWAY*~

Forever Romance is giving away both, Darkness Bound and Kiss of the Vampire to three US readers (no P.O. boxes please.) To enter, just leave a comment on this post and then fill out the RaffleCopter below with your name and email address. Additional entries are available but not required. Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Mmm...Monday: Raffaello Balzo

noreply@blogger.com (Crystal @ RBtWBC) — Mon, 05 Mar 2012 11:00:00 +0000

Good morning lovelies! It has been a few weeks since we've had one of these. *hangs head in shame* Sometimes, life just get's in the way ya' know? Hopefully I can make it up to you all though with this Italian hottie, Raffaello Balzo. I knew there was a reason I wanted to visit Italy.....

Have a great week! XOXO

Review: Capturing the Silken Thief

noreply@blogger.com (Lexi) — Mon, 05 Mar 2012 02:30:00 +0000

Capturing the Silken Thief

by Jennie Lin

ebook, 75 pages

Published March 1st 2012 by Harlequin

ASIN B006VD5EI8

Tang Dynasty China, 823 A.D.Musician Jia needs a valuable book of poems by a famous courtesan to buy her freedom...and she believes Luo Cheng has taken it. Her attempt to steal the book from him fails, but the tall and powerful scholar unexpectedly offers to help her quest! But when they finally find the book—and the arousing poems and artwork inside—Jia's longing for freedom is replaced with a new kind of desire for Cheng....

Goodreads

Purchase at Amazon and Barnes & Noble

Lexy's Thoughts:

The lotus blossom grows from muddy dirty water into a beautiful pure white flower. Like a lotus blossom Jia grows up in squalor, fighting for her place in life and just scraping by, yet she has a beautiful heart and kind soul.

Luo Cheng has been attempting to pass the imperial exams, but he has merely been reciting poetry and not able to create it. Once he meets Jai she opens up something inside and his creativity flows. She is his muse.

Jai and Cheng together have instant chemistry that draws you along with them. As quickly as it happens their love has a ring of truth to it. And when the time comes for Jai to decide what she is willing to sacrifice for this love she does with out a second thought.

Lin has written a perfect novella. It is beautifully descriptive, bringing ancient China to life. You are introduced to the characters and the plot with out missing a beat. This simple sweet story will not only be enjoyable but will wet your appetite for the rest of Lin’s work.

Rating: 4 Wines, Short and Sweet

Guest Review: Against the Night by Kat Martin

noreply@blogger.com (Crystal @ RBtWBC) — Mon, 05 Mar 2012 01:00:00 +0000

Against the Night
(The Raines of Wind Canyon)
by Kat Martin
Mass Market Paperback, 400 pages
Published February 28th 2012 by Mira
ISBN 0778313190
Courtesy of NetGalley

She's got the face of an angel and the body of well, isn't that what he'd expect from an exotic dancer? But there's something about this girl that Johnnie Riggs can't shake. The former army ranger is hot on the trail of an elusive drug lord—and suddenly very hot under the collar, as well. Amy's got her own agenda to pursue: her sister is missing and Amy seems to be the only one who cares. She'll enlist Johnnie's help and do her best to ignore her growing attraction to finally get some answers. But when the two trails begin to converge and reveal something even more sinister than they imagined, their mutual desire is the least of their problems. They'll bring the truth to lightor die trying.

GoodReads
Purchase at Amazon, Barnes & Noble and The Book Depository

Jolene's Thoughts:

Johnnie Riggs is a former army ranger with his P.I. license. He spends most of his time in bars and clubs in Los Angeles, digging up information for clients that can afford him. Johnnie also does the occasional recovery job and has made his way to the Kitty Cat Club strip club to collect a skip. This being his second night, he has waited in a dark corner on the lookout for his target. John has a hard time keeping his eyes off the stage when Angel Fontaine steps on to it and preforms, he is entranced by her seductive moves and Johnnie wants nothing more than to explore this intense desire for her, but all he sees is there is more to her and he wants to uncover her secrets. On the stage, Amy Brewer becomes Angel Fontaine. She's immediately aware of Johnnies eyes on her and is drawn to him as she struggles with a strong reaction that she has never felt before. Amy came to L.A. to look for her sister who had disappeared two months ago. Using the cover of the strip club where her sister last worked, she's hoping she can ask questions and find answers to her sisters whereabouts. Not getting any cooperation form the detective assigned to the case, she decides to approach Johnnie and ask for his help, since she has heard talk of who he is and what he does. Neither are prepared for the instant sizzling attraction that has them anxious to give in to.

I want to point out first, that this is the first book that I have picked up and read in this series. I did get an introduction to some of the previous characters of past books, which has cemented me even more to devouring this entire series. I didn't have any problem following the storyline and believe these books can be read as stand alones, but will say since some past characters were introduced, I will be going back to the beginning and work my way forward

I really enjoyed this book that was filled with suspense, romance and a little bit of a secondary romance that was slow to build but enjoyed seeing it nonetheless. Kat Martin's writing kept me turning the pages till early morning. John and Amy work together to find her missing sister and they find themselves in danger with the drug cartel and dealing with corruption. Johnnies character is very alpha, a bit of a loner and not able to see himself settling down. In walks Amy and he is unprepared to the intense feelings he is dealing with. John doesn't want to admit what is going on with them but will lay his life on the line for her and will do what it takes to find her sister. Amy on the other hand is reserved and somewhat shy until she comes to L.A. and discovers a whole new side to herself she didn't know existed. She really comes into her own when she's standing side by side with Johnnie. Their attraction was instant and it was great to sit back and watch these two come closer together. I at first thought Johnny was a little cocky and crude when they first met, but I realized soon after he had a sweet side. John wasn't a settle down kind of guy and it was endearing that he kept catching himself thinking of her in long term. To John, women in his life either left him or died. When everything was said and done and they discovered what happened to her sister, he was preparing himself for Amy to leave. Just as Amy realized he would never fit into her world and she could never ask him to change. I could see their feelings change and grow deeper with each touch and knew they belonged together. Their intimate scene on the beach in Belize definitely had me sighing and crossing my fingers for these to come out of this adventure unscathed. These two belonged together and it really was an incredible journey to read about. I was taken on some great twists and turns and even enjoyed the scenic description of Belize. I enjoyed the action scenes and though I had an idea early on who the bad guy was, Kat Martin did a great job of keeping me guessing on the full story of Rachael's; Amy's sister; disappearance. Just when I thought it was all wrapped up, I found out there was still more to the story. I couldn't have put this book down if I wanted to and was literally holding on, waiting to see who had put this all in motion. One thing that did bother me was there was another girl on the island and she was briefly mentioned but I never heard if she was taken off the island with them or was left there, just something that kept me wondering. Overall, I really enjoyed this book and will follow whatever else Kat Martin puts out.

Rating: 4.5 Wine Glasses

Tour: Engaging the Enemy by Heather Boyd (Guest Post/Giveaway)

noreply@blogger.com (Crystal @ RBtWBC) — Sun, 04 Mar 2012 11:30:00 +0000

Please give a warm welcome to author Heather Boyd of Engaging the Enemy!

Thanks for having me here today.

When I watch the movie When Harry Met Sally I start to think about the way I live my life. Could I sit in a diner and fake a screamer? Could I ever, even accidentally, have sex with Billy Crystal? Probably best for all concerned that I don’t try either. Not sure my husband would forgive me for the latter. The first, though, he'd probably laugh at and then make me take a bow.

I'm low maintenance, unlike Sally from When Harry Met Sally. She likes it the way she likes it. I do wonder if I'd be still married if I had her attitude. But she got me thinking about what's important to me. So after much pondering and silent inner debate here is my top 10 things that make me happy:

10. Baked Cheesecake -- my biggest weakness. I have no resistance. Utterly none.

9. The Princess Bride. There really is no other choice for a good pirate story to cheer your day.

8. Fog. Enough said, yes?

7. John Cusack -- I've been a fan since The Sure Thing and he's never let me down since

6. Coffee -- I do not function without my daily dose

5. Sherlock (TV series) - the second season is utterly awesome

4. Sunrise. I love mornings

3. Rupert Penry Jones -- just because he exists. So pretty

2. Lindt Chocolate Balls. Large white chocolate goodness with a deliciously gooey centre. Perfection.

1. Writing. Big surprise, huh? I am constantly amazed that I fell into this career. I’ve been a public servant (mastered the hour long 10 minute morning tea), a financial planner (blitzed the complicated excel spread sheet), bookshop owner (almost as good as writing) and a lot in between but I’ve finally found my bliss.

Engaging the Enemy is the first book in my new regency series, The Wild Randalls. The series is about three brothers, and one hot-headed sister, torn apart by the machinations of their own family and the lengths they will go to find each other and their place in society again. Engaging the Enemy is Leopold Randall’s story as he returns to Romsey Abbey, home of his young cousin, the Duke of Romsey, in search of information. But nothing at Romsey is as he expects and his whole life is turned upside down by what he discovers there.

A duchess should be regal, aloof and the image of calm elegance. But those words have never applied to Mercy Randall, Duchess of Romsey. A widow and mother of a young duke, Mercy is lonely and floundering to keep the estate afloat. When she discovers the existence of Leopold Randall, her husband’s estranged cousin, Mercy commits to help him locate his missing siblings if he’ll return the estate to order. Although cautioned against trusting a man who would inherit everything should her son die, she impetuously hands over the estate to Leopold’s care in the hope of keeping him near.
Leopold Randall, heir to the young duke, has returned to Hampshire to demand information regarding the fate of his missing siblings. Unfortunately, the Duchess of Romsey is clueless about them, yet her struggle to maintain the estate tugs at Leopold’s sense of duty. At her insistence, he steps in to bring order to chaos while searching for hints to his family’s whereabouts amongst the old duke’s papers. Yet the duchess tempts him in ways best unspoken. He fights to hide his weakness for her and a shameful past that could see him banished again. But when Leopold discovers a threat against the duchess and young duke’s life, he must join forces with the temptress to protect his last known relative.

Read an excerpt of Engaging the Enemy

Of course, I fully expect that my top 10 will change from year to year but I’m pretty sure I’ll always love writing. To celebrate the release of Engaging the Enemy, we are giving away a digital edition to one random commenter. To enter, simply list your top 3 things that make you happy and leave your email address.

http://www.heather-boyd.com/
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Guest Review: Too Wicked to Wed by Cara Elliott

noreply@blogger.com (Crystal @ RBtWBC) — Sun, 04 Mar 2012 11:00:00 +0000

Too Wicked to Wed
(Lords of Midnight #1)
by Cara Elliott
Mass Market Paperback, 349 pages
Published November 1st 2011 by Forever
ISBN 0446584576
Courtesy of Publisher

Outspoken and independent, Lady Alexa Bingham enjoys the heady freedom of making all her own decisions, even though the challenges of overseeing her family's country estate are daunting. But when a chance encounter with London's most notorious rake awakens a secret longing for adventure, she accepts her aunt's invitation for a Season in Town . . . only to find that breaking the rules of the ton has serious consequences.
The Earl of Killingworth uses his rakehell reputation to hide the fact that poverty has forced him to work for a living. As the owner of a gambling den and brothel, Connor has no time for glittering ballrooms or innocent young ladies. But after a reckless wager leaves him with a new business partner, he is forced to take a risky gamble . . . Will the cards fall in their favor? Alexa and Connor begin to play a dangerous game of intrigue and deception as they seek to outwit a cunning adversary who wants to put them permanently out of business. But if they are not careful, it is the flames of their own fiery attraction that may destroy them.

GoodReads
Purchase at Amazon and Barnes & Noble

Khesley’s Thoughts:

The moment when Lady Alexa Hendrie marches into Connor Linsley's office sparks fly. This is where the story starts as Lady Alexa demands aid in finding her brother. The only thing is that the Earl of Kilingworth is demanding a kiss in order for his help. Lady Alexa doesn't think a kiss will do any damage so she agrees. That is when everything changes Alexa has never been kiss and she knows that has he owns a brothel.
When they see each other at a ball the same sparks are there. And once again he kisses her and she responds with kissing him back. Lady Alexa cousin Henry then mentions that they should disguise her as a man so she could gamble to win some money. All is going well until Connor walks in and Alexa prays he wont discover her. When Lord Haddan adds a note to the pile, when Alexa wins and looks at the note she is amazed, she just won half of The Wolf's Lair.
The next time she sees Connor he demands the note back at any cost but she refuses to give it to him. When she meets with him at The Wolf's Lair they talk about him paying her off when he has the money. As he is walking her out to her coach he is shot and tells her to run. Instead of running away she grabs a iron rod and hits the gunman in the head. She then grabs the earl and drags him to safety. When it is known that both of their life’s are now in danger they flee to his childhood home Linsley Close. As Alexa is pretending to be Lady Killingworth she starts to have feelings for the earl.

I loved this book. It took me a little while to get into it but once I did I didn't want to put it down. The whole time you are wondering who shot Connor and you also wonder if he will fall in love with her. This is my first historical romance and I will be reading more because of this book. I really like how Alexa doesn't take crap from anyone just because she is a woman.

Rating: 4.5

Review: Tempted by Blood by Laurie London

noreply@blogger.com (Crystal @ RBtWBC) — Sun, 04 Mar 2012 01:00:00 +0000

Tempted by Blood
(Sweetblood #3)
by Laurie London
Mass Market Paperback, 384 pages
Published February 21st 2012 by HQN Books
ISBN 0373776454
Courtesy of NetGalley

Deep within the forests of the Pacific Northwest, the battle for supremacy rages on between two vampire coalitions: Guardian enforcers sworn to protect humanity, and Darkbloods, rogues who kill like their ancient ancestors. Original.

GoodReads
Purchase at Amazon, Barnes & Noble and The Book Depository

Lexy's Thought's:

You may take a look at Jackson and see an incredibly alluring man very adept at womanizing. From his multicolored hair to piercings everything about him screams bad boy, the kind you have fun with once but not the kind you keep.

It takes a talented author to transform a character that has been portrayed as a hard core player who parties too much into an honorable one-girl kind of man. But London did that and more with Jackson.

From the moment Jackson meets Ariana you feel for him. You can tell he is drawn to her and that she has the potential to give him peace, but he fights it, not understanding what is really happening. Arianna gets a lot of strange thrown at her in a short amount of time, but she has seen plenty of unexplainable things in her life. So yes the sight of Jackson's fangs might immobilize her for a breath until her inner strength kicks in, but she also is the one who fights for him when he wants to give up. Not everyone is willing to walk into a den of snakes like Arianna does.

The fast paced roller coaster ride that is Jackson and Arianna's relationship is a great love story combined with crime solving and ancient revelations. A truly fun read from start to finish. Sweetblood is a great vampire series not to be missed.

Rating: 3.5 Wines. In the mood for some sweet fangs, this is the perfect fix!

Tour: Trust In Me by Skye Warren (Guest Post/Giveaway)

noreply@blogger.com (Crystal @ RBtWBC) — Sat, 03 Mar 2012 11:30:00 +0000

Please give a warm welcome to author Skye Warren who is joining us on tour for her erotic novel, Trust In Me.

Are You Afraid of the Dark Erotica?

by Skye Warren

Today I want to talk about why I love dark erotica, but first I better define what I’m talking about. Dark erotica explores taboo sexual themes. The hero might very well be the villain. The heroine will not only face her darkest fears, but walk through them. It’s compelling, disturbing and, well, erotic.

Sometimes it’s also pretty scary, so it’s strange that I like dark erotica, when I can’t even handle scary movies, but reading and writing are totally different. I don’t mean scary like blood and gore, although those can occasionally happen, but more like disturbing. When my critique partners and beta readers tell me that they loved it but they squirmed, I know I hit the mark. Heck, I even squirm while reading it. And to get through the proper editing process, there is a lot of re-reading!

Maybe it’s why we go to haunted houses or watch a scary movie. The adrenaline rushes through our veins, but at the end we get to go home with our families. One thing I always promise in my stories is a happy ending for my hero and heroine. So my readers can put their trust in me (like that play on words? *grins*) that I’m going to put their emotions through the ringer, make them squirm and even suffer a bit, but at the end all will be well. I wanted to share with you guys an exclusive excerpt of one such dark moment for my heroine, Mia:

I struggled to sit up. My breath caught at what I saw. Maybe I had underestimated Leo. He could be a decent replacement for Carlos after all, because I found that though my ankles and wrists were still bound, a knife winked at me from the cracked plastic bench. And between me and that bench was a thick layer of glass. I’d have to walk, or crawl, on broken glass to get free. It was like a macabre fairytale, except instead of a red carpet there was a carpet of glass, and instead of a prince there was a knife. The same principle.

With a wrench in my side, I maneuvered myself to a sitting position and inched my way across the floor in the slowest escape ever. I found that if I slid my butt through the glass, instead of over it, that saved me a lot of glass splinters. Still, there was no avoiding the cuts all over my ankles as I dug in and gained enough leverage to pull my ass along the floor.

Luckily, the pain in my bloodied feet was barely noticeable. Not over the breath-stopping pain in my stomach. I swore if I made it out of there alive, I’d die. There’d been a time that had seemed like a release, like freedom. Maybe it still held a certain allure, but I had unfinished business. Maybe I really was already dead, and I was just a ghost trying to wrap up the loose ends. A bloody, weary ghost whose uncontainable groans of agony tangled with the wind that gently rocked the boat.

Finally I reached the bench and hauled my ass up, wincing at the piercings of glass into my soles. My fingers fumbled for the knife, scraping and sawing until finally my hands were free. By the time I got to work on my ankles, blood had pooled at my feet, slithering under the glass to form a red sequined blanket. It was pretty, I conceded, the glittering blanket of suffering. That might have been the pain meds talking.

I glanced behind me out the porthole and barely made out lights bobbing in the distance. Or maybe the lights were stationary and this boat was the one bobbing. Slipping over my own blood, walking on my own cuts, I hobbled out of the cabin and onto the small deck. The ocean marked me with its spray, salty and thick, as I leaned over the railing. Away from me, dark swirls circled and threatened, but up close to the boat, they lapped disarmingly. Which was the true nature of the sea, the murky monster or the gentle lover? Maybe both, which was almost a scarier thought, because in the end, it didn’t matter. I was lost to them both.

I jumped. Cold water filled my mouth, my nose. Salt burned my feet, my stomach, all over. Like the lashes of a thousand jellyfish, they stung me into paralysis. I gulped water. I breathed it. I sank.

TRUST IN ME by Skye Warren

Can love be found between a whore and a knight in tarnished armor?
Mia longs for the daily torture to end, but one last task keeps her holding on. In a betrayal of the crime lord who pulled her from the gutter, she’ll free the shipment of human cargo, and if she’s lucky, die in the process. The alternative is unfathomable, even to a woman well-versed in erotic torture. But luck abandons her yet again when she meets the security expert in charge of the shipment and finds herself face to face with her childhood crush. The man she once begged for help. The man who failed her.
Tyler Martinez is an undercover FBI agent with one chance to right the wrongs of his past. Thrust deep into the seedy world of human trafficking, he must put aside his guilt over abandoning Mia all those years ago in order to save her now.
Someone’s pulling the strings in this sadistic play on trust, but Tyler and Mia may not live long enough to see the curtain fall. Trust in Me is a story of erotic pain and incipient romance, spiraling ever faster toward betrayal or redemption.

WARNING:

This book contains explicit scenes of dubious consent, graphic violence and sex. It also depicts abuse and captivity situations. Not appropriate for anyone uncomfortable with these situations or anyone under the age of eighteen. This is a work of fiction.

Buyit now!

GIVEAWAY

Skye Warren is giving away a copy of Trust in Me to a commenter from each stop in the blog tour. In addition, every comment along the way enters you in the drawing for a $20 Amazon gift certificate. What do you think about stories that are so dark that they’re hard to read, heartbreaking or violent? Do you have to be in a certain mood to take them on?

BotM Review: Eternal Captive by Laura Wright

noreply@blogger.com (Crystal @ RBtWBC) — Sat, 03 Mar 2012 11:00:00 +0000

Don't forget that you can win a copy of our Book-of-the-Month by clicking the image above!

Eternal Captive

(Mark of the Vampire #3)

by Laura Wright

Paperback, 358 pages

Published February 7th 2012 by Piatkus Books

ISBN 0749956380

He'll become a predator to protect his prey.
Marked By Blood
Lucian Roman knows he must stay away from Bronwyn Kettler for sanity's sake. Since feeding her his blood, he can think of nothing else but possessing her—fighting an uncontrollable desire to kill her, if he has to, and the vampire she has sworn to wed.
Bronwyn, a brilliant vampire genealogist, can never escape her connection to Lucian. He sustained her when she was starving. He still rules her dreams. And when the nights get dark enough, she still craves him. Though is essence courses through her body, she has found a true mate in someone else.
But when a dangerous enemy threatens Bronwyn, only Lucian—bound to her forever by blood—can save her life. Even if it means sacrificing his own.

GoodReads

Purchase at Amazon, Barnes & Noble and The Book Depository

Crystal’s Thoughts:

Laura Wright continues her captivating paranormal romance series, Mark of the Vampire, with another sexy and thrilling addition in Eternal Captive!

Lucian Roman cannot escape his heritage, the heritage passed down from his father, of the Breeding Male. When the veana who fed from him, and somehow remained in his blood, finds her true mate his control is taken to its limit. Lucian is split; kill her, get her out of his system and spend the rest of his undead life in Mondrar, the vampire prison – or take her in every way and succumb to the monster inside of him. Maybe though, after her mating ceremony, the need for her will abate. A paven can hope…

Bronwyn Kettler has spent years studying the Breeding Male, hoping to escape the same fate as her sister but one weak moment has forever changed her. Now, even as she goes to her mating ceremony she can’t get the paven, Lucian, out of her head. But someone has other plans for her…

Kidnapped by the Beast, Lucian and Bronwyn are sent to the evil Cruen’s alternate reality, and the only way out is to give in to their greatest fears...

Holy smokes, I could not put this book down! Eternal Captive grabbed me right from the start and never let go. The story moves at fast pace, the conflict is intense and the characterization is ensnaring.

Lucian in the youngest of the Roman brothers and also the bad boy of the trio; arrogant, sometimes rude and sexy as hell with a penchant for talking dirty. *rawr* He has been fighting his attraction for Bronwyn since the first book, Eternal Hunger. But when he finally gives in to his desires the pages burn! *fans self* If you thought Laura Wright wove sexy tales before, well you ain’t seen nothing yet! Wright gives both Lucian and Bronwyn depth and dimension like we’ve never seen before. The ambiance in Luca and Bron’s relationship kept me on the edge of my seat hoping for something good to come out of it all. This loud paven and proper veana compliment each other perfectly.

Emotional and intense don’t even begin to describe the plot found within these pages, the story arc explodes and the side story’s of Dillon and Gray, the Beasts and Syn will both break your heart and have you begging for more. The Mark of the Vampire has become a truly addictive series. Action, suspense, twists, turns, romance, sizzling sex, snark and humor are all weaved together with Laura Wright’s entertaining voice and ingenuity makes for a must read in the paranormal romance world. My only minor complaint would be that I was hoping we’d get more into Lucian’s head, towards the end it was more focused on Bronwyn's POV, which was still fantastic and meshed well with the over-all tale but I would of loved to have more of Luca himself.

The way the little bits and pieces have come together I would suggest you read Eternal Captive in series reading order and really, why wouldn’t you? The Mark of the Vampire is a must-read series for paranormal romance fans that are looking for a unique and sexy vampire read with hot and intriguing alpha males. I said this with the second book, but it is rare for me to find a series that feature a different couple for each novel and I end up loving each and every one. Usually I can’t get into one or more of the heroines, but this series is impeccable every time! I’m keeping my fingers crossed for Eternal Beast and am looking forward to its release at the end of the summer (August 2012).

Series Reviews:
Eternal Hunger #1
Eternal Kiss #2
Eternal Blood #2.5

Rating: 4.5 Wine Glasses!

Review: Eternal Blood by Laura Wright

noreply@blogger.com (Crystal @ RBtWBC) — Fri, 02 Mar 2012 23:30:00 +0000

Eternal Blood
(Mark of the Vampire #2.5)
by Laura Wright
ebook, 48 pages
Published January 2012 by Penguin Group
ISBN 110153950X

Gray Donahue is crippled by the guilt he feels for his father’s death. An Impure vampire cursed with the ability to hear the thoughts of others, he indulges in blood and sex to stave off the pain of his existence. He is then abducted by the Eternal Order of Vampires, who subject him to a nightmarish ritual. But when he is rescued by the icy pureblood vampire Dillon, he finds something that is worth living for, dying for, killing for..

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Crystal’s Thoughts:
A quick bite that will leave you craving more!

Without purpose and guilt eating away at him, Impure vampire Gray Donahue lives for nothing more than blood and sex. Cursed with the ability to hear other’s thoughts it is the only way to make his existence bearable. Even fighting for the cause of his fellow Impures cannot sway Gray from his current course. But when the Order flashes him out of a promiscuous limo ride and into one of their barbaric rituals, and the veana that Gray can’t get out of his mind comes to his rescue, Gray realizes that there are some things worth fighting for.

Eternal Blood is a short novella that falls in between Eternal Kiss and Eternal Captive, and follows Sarah Donahue’s (Alexander Roman’s mate, Eternal Hunger) brother, Gray and the pureblood veana Dillon. It was an exciting peak into Gray’s mind and a great little nugget between novels but far shorter than I would of liked. A must read for Mark of the Vampire fans and a story that will continue on into Eternal Beast, and even a smidge into Eternal Captive. Filled with muy sexual tension, shocking scenarios, titillating dialogue and everything else you’ve come to expect from Laura Wright’s hot vampires. I can’t wait to see more of these two in Eternal Beast, it is sure to be blazing!

Rating: 4 Wine Glasses

Tour: Supernaturally Kissed by Stacey Kennedy (Promo)

noreply@blogger.com (Crystal @ RBtWBC) — Fri, 02 Mar 2012 11:30:00 +0000

Today I'd like to introduce to you Stacey Kennedy's latest release, Supernaturally Kissed. Stacey has provided us with a excerpt for you to check out. Enjoy!

Supernaturally Kissed

By Stacey Kennedy

Ghosts harass and annoy Tess Jennings to save their souls. Sometimes she helps them. Other times she ignores them. But one ghost will give her no choice.Kipp McGowen, a cop with the Memphis Police Department, will stop at nothing to gain her help, including using his ghostly charms to seduce her.Tess must help solve the five year old cold case of Hannah Reid, because solving the case will save Kipp. But a bigger problem presents itself. Tess is falling in love with a ghost. Now she must decide.Keep Kipp forever or find the killer…

Purchase Today!

EXCERPT:

All Right's Reserved, Ellora's Cave Publishing, Inc.

An icy wisp of air swept in behind me, causing my heel to twist as I stumbled. To the other pedestrians striding along the downtown Memphis street, the sensation would be brushed off as a cold breeze.

They were wrong. A spirit lingered here.

“Can you hear me?”

From the intrigue rolling in his voice, he hadn’t expected me to acknowledge him. Shit! I’d already given myself away. A mistake I’d rectify.

Without hesitation, I righted my stance and strode forward with purpose, forcing myself to remain deaf to the voice. If I ignored ghosts long enough, they moved on and searched out someone else who held the same irritating ability, whom I had yet to meet.

Much to my annoyance, the ghost stayed right on my heels and his presence remained strong behind me. The cold air at my back remained a contrast to the warm morning air in front of me. Every hair on my neck stood up and goose bumps pimpled a trail along my skin. If only I could rub them away, but I didn’t dare. Ignoring him would make him go away.

“You can hear me, can’t you?” the ghost asked again.

Spirits were typically harmless, but annoying. I’m dead, what’s going on, why am I a ghost—yada, yada, yada. I quickened my steps and made my way down Peabody Place in hopes he’d leave me alone.

“Wait.”

He sounded desperate, which meant a big headache for me. If I hadn’t worn my damn slingbacks, I would’ve tried to run and hide. But the three-inch Manolos and the tight, tailored gray skirt restrained my movements.

I passed Miss Polly’s Soul Food Café, and the delicious aroma of bacon and eggs drifted along the air. My empty stomach complained. My only thought after I woke had been caffeine. Now I wished I’d grabbed a muffin with my latté at Starbucks. With ten minutes to get to my desk, I couldn’t worry about such things.

My boss, Event Manager Dylan Cobb, would hand me my ass if I stepped into the office a minute late. Sadly, there’d never been a day I didn’t cater to his every need.

I approached Beale Street and sighed in relief, relishing the warmth surrounding me. Not only from the sun above—the spirit’s cold presence at my back had vanished. Pleased my dodge of him had worked, I took a sip of my energy in a cup and smiled. Coffee’s fantastic, the ghost is gone—life is good.

Another block passed under my heels before I reached the historical red-brick building. Randall Marketing, written in black block letters, decorated the striped green-and-white awning.

I opened the door to the office and strode in, greeted by a bubbly voice. “Good morning, Tess.”

“Mornin’.”

“Give me a moment here.” Doris shuffled paperwork around her desk, her auburn curls bouncing on her shoulders. The receptionist had always been messy, yet somehow organized. “There were a few messages on the voicemail for you.” She raised her head and held out the pink slips of paper. “A lovely day today, is it not?”

“Sure is.” So I lied. The ghost hadn’t kicked off my day on a high note. Not as if I’d tell her about my interaction with spirits. My ability to converse with spirits remained on a need-to-know basis, and as far as it concerned me, no one needed to know. I grabbed the messages from her hand. “Did your weekend treat you good?”

“I spent the entire weekend knee-deep in my garden.” Her cocoa-colored eyes lit up. “My best year ever, I’m hoping. You’ll have to come out and have a look-see.”

“I’d love to.” Doris treasured her gardens, so I tried to appear interested, even though my green thumb looked black.

Her smile brightened, but when the phone rang, she waved a goodbye and answered the call. “It’s another beautiful day here at Randall Marketing, how may I direct your call?”

Leaving her behind, I strode down the hall toward my office and sipped my coffee. The warmth slid down my throat and provided an immediate rush to my energy levels. At the third door on the right, I entered my bleak workspace with its pale-blue walls, closed the door behind me and approached the desk. I dropped down into the black leather chair and flipped through the messages. None were urgent enough to worry about now.

I powered up my computer, but a knock at the door had me glancing up. Before I got a word out, the door swished open and I cringed, fully aware of the looming trouble.

Caley, the officer manager and my best friend since the age of four, looked like a typical Barbie. Perfect skin, long flowing blonde hair and a body men drooled over. I might have been jealous of her perfection since I couldn’t pull off her looks even with a makeover—so maybe a little envious—but her appearance had always been a front. She was the devil in disguise.

She scowled, shutting the door behind her with a slam. “Do you mind explaining where you were all weekend?”

“At home.” I batted my lashes. “Why? Did you try to call me?”

She pointed her finger, narrowing her eyes at me. “Don’t you try that shit on me. I called you all weekend and your phone went straight to voicemail.”

“Hmm…” I pretended to ponder. “The battery must have died.” She had enough gall to just come over, but the little hint had been a subtle way of telling Caley to leave me alone.

“Liar.” She plopped down in the seat across from my desk. “Where were you? I wanted to go out.”

“Nowhere. Honestly, I vegged on the couch.”

Caley snorted. “You lead such an exciting life.”

My mouth parted to offer a snappy retort, but a cold wisp of air brushed across my skin, causing my lips to snap shut. Damn! I thought I’d got rid of him.

“Hello.” Caley snapped her fingers in front of my face. “Leave the aliens behind and return to Mother Earth.”

I blinked, trying to force my attention back to her, yet failing. The ghost knelt right beside Caley—not kneeling, of course; more like floating, since ghosts were never able to obtain physical contact with the world around them—and my focus held strong on him, unable to stop myself from ogling. He stared intently, with one crystal-blue eye, while the other was a chocolate color. His strong jaw, the muscles clenching along his cheeks, all spoke of power. But as he ran his hand through his untidy sandy-colored hair, his expression showed playfulness. His black tank top left his arms exposed and muscles upon muscles layered those arms.

“Anyways,” she said, dragging my gaze back to her. “I had to go out with Susanne because you left me high and dry.”

I laughed. Caley’s horny, twenty-year-old stepsister had the body that men chased after. “You did have the option to stay home, you know.”

Her eyes widened. “On a Saturday night?”

“Yeah, you know, get some popcorn, watch a movie and relax.”

She frowned. “If you don’t stop your grandma behavior, your va-jay-jay is going to shrivel up and die.”

The ghost chuckled.

His smooth laugh hit me like a cup of warm cocoa, causing my insides to melt. Nothing amused me. First off, Caley had been so wrong—maybe a little right—but I’d never admit to her accuracy aloud. Second, reacting in such a heated way to a ghost definitely didn’t hit my to-do list today.

“Excuse me.” I spoke not only to Caley, but also to the irritating ghost. “My va-jay-jay is just fine.”

“Well, I’m glad to hear you’ve still got some spunk.” She stood and placed her hands on her hips. “Because we’ve got a double date tonight.”

“A what?” Dear God!

She grinned from ear to ear. “Yes, my dearest Grammy, we’re going out.”

“With who?”

“Two guys I met on Saturday night. You’re coming with me, either willingly or unwillingly, so suck up your hesitations, babe, because saying no isn’t an option.”

“But it’s a Monday night.” Not saying a date didn’t sound like fun. A month had passed since my last attempt at dating—which failed miserably—but a man Caley chose while drunk? No thanks. My sex life might have been as dead as the sexy ghost in front of me, but I’d still search for a way out. “I have to work tomorrow.”

She wagged her finger in classic Caley fashion. “You’re a grandma.”

Most times, I respected her persistent personality. She never backed down, always dreamed big and went for the gold, but her grit hadn’t been all rays of sunshine. Her determination made her annoyingly tenacious. I had to agree or she’d never give up, and getting her out of my office sounded all too good. “Fine. I’ll go with you.”

“Oh, stop looking so pissy. We’ll have fun. Promise. I’ll come to your place at eight.” She opened the door, glanced over her shoulder and winked. “Leave the granny panties at home.”

* * * * *

The day came and went. My head pounded, not because my boss had been as demanding as any two-year-old, which he did often, but because the ghost hadn’t shut up. The past hours, even after I returned home to get ready for tonight,he’d tried his best to gain my attention. Good thing I’m great at tuning people—ghosts—out, or I would’ve caved after hour two.

“I’m not leaving until you admit you can hear me,” the ghost said.

With a flick of my shag-cut brown hair—that actually didn’t give me any trouble tonight—to dismiss him, I strode next to Caley, heading back toward the downtown core. Dressed in my low-riding, dark wash jeans and blue plaid three-quarter-length-sleeve top, tied to leave my midriff exposed, at least I looked half decent while I suffered through the embarrassing blind date.

The ghost’s tone came a little louder and more abrupt. “Dammit, woman! Will you stop ignoring me? It’s annoying.”

I’m annoying him? I nearly laughed at the ridiculous notion, but did not intend to give myself away. I’d held strong for nine hours. Soon, he’d catch the drift and piss off.

Caley knocked my arm. “Will you stop looking so tight assed?”

I glanced away from the sidewalk and smiled at her. “My ass is tight.” Okay, not eighteen-year-old tight, but only twenty-five now, I worked hard to keep things tight.

She chuckled. “You’re…”

“Damn right, you do, sweet cheeks,” the ghost said.

Caley stopped dead in her tracks, which caused me to stumble. “What’s got you blushing?”

I righted my stance, raised my hand to my face and, to my horror, my cheeks were warm. “I’m not blushing. I‑I‑I’m hot.”

“Unless you somehow turned into a lesbian and have fallen for your best friend,you’re acting weird.”

“I do love you.” At her widened eyes, I laughed. “But I don’t want you in the sack. Seriously, I’m just hot.”

The ghost’s voice deepened. “Ah, a way to grab your attention, I see.”

The little purr hanging off his tone made my stomach flip-flop. Clearly, I craved some attention and needed to get some in a bad way if I reacted in such a heated way to a non-living person.

I shoved the ridiculous reaction away and focused back on Caley, falling into stride with her. “Who’s the guy I’m hooking up with tonight?”

“He’s just your type.” She wiggled her brows. “You’re going to thank me later.”

“What do you mean my type?” I liked men, all types of them, and I’d never confine my options into a little box. Caley had apparently taped the box shut and shipped the package.

“He’s a pro baseball player and is home visiting his family for a couple days.”

“A pro, huh?” Maybe I had fooled myself into believing I didn’t have a type, because hearing baseball player made my interest rise. Images of skintight white pants and a scrumptious ass filled my mind.

“Yeah, he’s got the looks too.” She nudged her shoulder into mine. “And the money.”

“Women,” the ghost muttered.

I ignored the ghost like the ghost he was, turned onto Beale Street and Coyote Ugly Saloon appeared. A line of people outside meant an hour of waiting. Not as if I thought we’d have to wait. I had Caley with me, after all.

She snatched up my hand, yanking me forward, and hurried her steps. “Brandon,” she called out.

Two men turned toward her, and evidently, Caley knew my type better than I did, since either of the men would have fallen into the fantasy category.

“I’m so glad y’all came,” Brandon said.

Caley gave one of her pageant smiles. “We’re glad you asked us to come.”

“You must be Tess.”

I glanced toward hunk number two. He held the typical all-American look—brown hair, blue-eyed, charming smile, and with his dimple, I suspected he could woo his way into anyone’s bed. Maybe even mine if he played his cards right tonight.

"I'm Trent."

"Nice to meet you.” I ogled his trim body and handsome face and caught sight of the big white D on his navy-blue hat. “You play for Detroit?”

He nodded. “Both Brandon and I do. We were lucky enough to get a little time off to see the family.”

“Figures, Detroit sucks,” the ghost said.

I smiled, keeping my focus on Trent, ignoring the annoyingly sexy voice by my ear.

“Come on, let’s go get a drink.” Caley wrapped her arm in Brandon’s and approached the bouncer. If one good thing came from her charismatic pushy attitude, she’d always been quite the social butterfly. No one, including me, ever said no to her.

“Did you grow up here in Memphis?” I asked Trent.

“Born and raised.”

Seemed as if he wanted to say more, but Caley interrupted with her typical impatient yell. “Come on, y’all.”

I glanced over my shoulder to find her waving her hands. “We’ve been summoned.”

Trent chuckled.

I strode past the irritated crowd, who didn’t have a Caley in their group to push their way through. Entering the bar, loud country music, accompanied by hoots and hollers, rang out around me. The stench of sweat made my nose crinkle. Caley pointed to a table across the way and I maneuvered through the partygoers, following her.

At the table, Trent held out a stool and gestured for me to sit. He sure played his cards right to a royal flush. I slid onto the stool, and he asked, “What’s your drink?”

“A cold beer sounds great.”

He winked. “My kind of lady.”

The boys headed to the bar. I glanced over at Caley, who bounced up and down on her seat in excitement. “I did good, right?”

I nodded, not at all ashamed to give her props for her choice. “He’s not only sexy as sin, but a gentleman too. You did great.”

The ghost snorted.

I’d forgotten all about him and had hoped he wouldn’t follow me into the bar. Nothing would ruin my excitement now. A long time had passed since I’d met anyone worth meeting. The ghost wouldn’t put a damper on my fun.

Within minutes, Trent and Brandon returned to the table with four beers in hand. I claimed a bottle, took a long sip and sighed in happiness. After the day I had, the beer comforted me. The alcohol refreshed the senses, revived the mood and removed the tension sitting heavy on my shoulders.

Trent grinned. “Looks like you needed a drink.”

I licked the dribble of beer from my lips. “I’ve been craving a beer all day long.” I set the bottle onto the table. “So, tell me, what’s it like to play baseball as a pro?”

I’ve never regretted saying words more in my life. One question led to a twenty-minute conversation I wished I’d never instigated. Caley, the traitor, had vanished onto the dance floor with Brandon, which left me with the pompous stud.

“I’ve grown as a player…” Trent went on.

“This guy is a fucking joke,” the ghost said.

I almost turned my head to nod, but of course refrained. I continued to listen to Trent’s words without truly hearing what he had to say. I merely muttered “yeah” or “cool” when appropriate.

“If I were him, I would’ve skipped the conversation all together and had you back in my bed the moment I laid eyes on you.”

He did not just say that! My stomach leapt up into my throat and my body warmed in places that shouldn’t from a ghost. He’d only said words—not used soft touches to entice me—but the way his voice carried into my soul, the effect had been similar to sweet caresses. “The coach has been pleased…”

The ghost’s tone dropped an octave. “I wouldn’t have wasted the time with small talk. I would’ve used my mouth to learn my way around your luscious curves and used your responses to tell me about the woman you are.”

I squirmed on the stool in an attempt to ignore the soft purr of his voice sending shivers down my spine. I even leaned in further toward Trent and tried to concentrate on his boring conversation.

“After I tasted your sweet skin and saw your desperation for more, I would kiss your mouth until your lips were rosy and swollen. I’d deepen the kiss by tangling my fingers through your hair and holding you close to feel all of me.”

I gulped, crossed my legs and squeezed them tight. He’s a ghost! Nothing that involved him should arouse me. But the pulse between my thighs declared he held the power to make me undone.

“I’d kiss my way along your jaw while I lowered my hand to trail along your stomach. Then I would seek to discover all those little places that make you squirm.”

He ran his finger from below my ear all the way to my nape. His touch forced my eyes closed. A cold shiver danced along my skin to leave goose bumps in its wake. Wild sensations stole my logical mind. My will to ignore him plummeted.

“Tess,” Caley shouted.

I opened my eyes, and after taking a moment to focus, I discovered not only Caley staring at me, but Trent and Brandon too.

She frowned. “What’s wrong with you?”

I shook my head and released the breath stuck in my throat, which came out in a slow wisp of air. “Nothing—I’m fine.”

“I’d lower myself between those luscious legs of yours, tempting you and teasing you. I’d stare into those pretty green eyes of yours until they widened in pleasure.”

“You’re not fine,” Caley retorted. “Your face is bright red.”

“I’d wait until your hips arched toward me and begged me to take you. Then, and only then, would I give you what you desire.”

I grabbed my beer, took a big swig and a couple more. All eyes stared at me with blatant confusion. Part of me wanted to move away, while the other needed to hear more.

“Ah, Tess,” Caley whispered. “Seriously, are you okay?”

I paid my obvious inappropriate behavior no attention. The fantasy the ghost built in my mind needed to have a conclusion. “Yes. Yes. I’m good.”

“I would thrust against you, demanding you react to my intentions. You’d scream out and I would echo the sound with a moan of my own, as I used all my strength to satisfy you.”

Caley chuckled nervously.

I gripped the edge of the table in front of me and held on tight.

“You’d come into your orgasm because I’d leave you with no other choice. But I wouldn’t stop there.” He ran his finger along my exposed lower back and the coldness against my hot skin made me shiver. “Without giving you the chance to recover, I’d flip you over on your knees,” his tone dipped lower, “and fuck you senseless.”

I shot up from my seat, which caused the stool to slam back into the person behind me, who swore in return. “I have to go.”

Caley nodded. “Ah yeah, I think you do.”

Without another word—or a goodbye to the living men or the dead one who had got me all hot and bothered—I bolted from the bar and ran so hard my calves burned, reminding me of the three-inch heels strapped to my feet.

The ghost didn’t follow me and nothing pleased me more. I needed some space, time to return to reality or to pleasure the need out of me—either would do.

Within only a few minutes, I arrived at my condominium, which appeared more like an old textile factory, but inside were renovated modern apartments. The arousal burning inside me hadn’t vanished. The wetness between my thighs was a constant reminder of the ghost’s words.

I ran up the stairs while I took my keys out from my back pocket. At the thick mahogany wooden door, I raised my key pass to the scanner, grabbed the chrome door handle and swung it open.

Just three doors down, I opened the door to my condo before slamming it closed behind me. I didn’t bother to lock the door and did the only thing I thought of now. I sprinted to the bedroom, stripped out of my clothes and finished the fantasy the ghost had built in my mind.

About the Author:

Stacey Kennedy’s novels are lighthearted fantasy with heart-squeezing, thigh-clenching romance, and they even give you a good chuckle every now and again. But within the stories you’ll also find fast-paced action, life-threatening moments and a big bad villain who needs to be destroyed. Her urban fantasy/paranormal and erotic romance series have hit Amazon Kindle and All Romance eBooks bestseller lists.

Stacey welcomes comments from readers. You can find her at www.staceykennedy.com

Early Review: Wrong Side of Hell by Juliana Stone

noreply@blogger.com (Crystal @ RBtWBC) — Fri, 02 Mar 2012 11:00:00 +0000

Wrong Side of Hell
(League of Guardians .5)
by Juliana Stone
ebook, 100 pages
Expected publication: March 6th 2012 by Harpercollins
ISBN 0062108107
Copy courtesy of Author

First novella in the League of Guardians Series.
With battle lines drawn and evil forces gathering in the shadows, the League of Guardians is all that stands between chaos and the human realm…
Logan Winters, an elite hellhound shifter, wants to forget his allegiance to the League and the pain he’s suffered because of it. But when he’s ordered to retrieve Kira Dove from purgatory and bring her back to life, he can’t refuse. Not only will her death affect the balance between the realms, she’s also linked to a past he can’t forget.
Kira Dove, a young woman murdered before her time, wanders the gray realm, alone and vulnerable. The one bright spot in her life is the memory of a mysterious protector who saved her once before. As she makes her way through this terrifying place, she can’t help but wonder…will he come for her again?
As Logan races to save her, he knows he faces a nearly impossible task: How can a hellhound survive in the one place he shouldn’t ever be? The wrong side of hell…

GoodReads
Purchase at Amazon and Barnes & Noble

Crystal’s Thoughts:
I’ve been a fan of the fabulous Juliana Stone for a couple years now and have been eagerly anticipating this series since the first Jaguar book, His Darkest Hunger, when the tall, dark and sexy sorcerer Declan O’Hara first graced the pages. This isn’t his book, Wicked Road to Hell, but when Juliana asked me to read the prequel I jumped at the chance!

Wrong Side of Hell is a dark and edgy journey through purgatory with two souls that are destined for each other. But we don’t know that at first… Logan and Kira have a past that changed Kira’s life forever, and not for the better. Her story is heart breaking and will instantly endear you to her character. You would expect Kira to be beaten down by the hand life has dealt her but she still has some spunk in her, especially when she meets up with Logan. The dialogue between these two is not rainbows and unicorns; think more in the line of brass and steel - quite entertaining. Their characters jump from the pages and because of their past and the fact that nothing sexual happens between them until near the end of the story (but when it does *fans self*) the relationship between Logan and Kira is believable, which is one thing I have a hard time finding in novellas so was happy to see here. And the hellhound Logan is all that and a bag of potato chips! I'm talking alpha male X10 here! I’ve never read about a hellhound protagonist before and I have to say, there should be more of this yummy goodness out there!

Juliana Stone has a captivating voice to begin with but in Wrong Side of Hell there is a poetic essence to it which I loved. The plot moved at a fast clip and the action was a non-stop thrill ride that kept me on the edge of my seat waiting to see how the characters would get out of danger and who the villain was. It was a great introduction to the League of Guardians and has made me even more anxious to get my hands on Wicked Road to Hell. Oh, and yes, Declan and Ana make a cameo near the end and the little scene made my heart squeeze and say “What the hell?” at the same time. Is it April yet?!?! The story brought up a ton of questions for me by the end though and few of them were answered, I guess we will just have to wait until Wicked Road to Hell gets here and hope they are answered then! I have a feeling we will be seeing more of Kira and Logan though...

Rating: 4 Wine Glasses - Loved

18 & Over Book Blogger Follow #18

noreply@blogger.com (Crystal @ RBtWBC) — Fri, 02 Mar 2012 03:00:00 +0000

18 & Over Book Blogger Follow is a weekly feature that begins on Fridays and runs through the weekend, hosted by Crystal from Reading Between the Wines. This is a Friday blog hop with the objective to find and visit other book blogs that share the same interest as you, namely books geared towards the 18 & over crowd, and make some new friends!

How to join in:

-You should run a book blog that features and reviews mostly adult reads, some Y.A.’s are okay but 18 & over adult reads should be your majority.

-Make a separate post for the 18 & Over Book Blogger Follow on your blog.

-Copy the html for the button above and place it at the top of your post.

-List & answer the ‘Question of the Week.’

-Place your name and blog title in the linky below and the url for a direct link to your post

-Visit the other blogs on the list and say 'Hi!' Following each blog is not mandatory but I know it is always appreciated, and if someone comments saying they’re a new follower it’s polite to follow back. J It’s always nice to spread the 18 & Over Book Blogging love!

-Contact me (readingbetweenthewines10 at gmail dot com) with any questions!

Question of the Week: If you could get an early look at one of March's releases, raw and pre-edits, which book would it be?

I'm thinking it would have to be Lover Reborn for me. It'd be interesting to see what JR Ward came up with before all the editors got their hands on it. Would I think it was better or worse than the final edition? I think I would probably laugh my ass off and maybe get a little hot under the collar if ya' know what I mean. ;) It'd def. be fun to see though!

What about you? Which release would you pick? Join the follow below and share your answer!

Guest Review & Giveaway: Getting Familiar with Your Demon by Jodi Redford

noreply@blogger.com (Crystal @ RBtWBC) — Thu, 01 Mar 2012 12:30:00 +0000

Getting Familiar with Your Demon
(That Old Black Magic #4)
by Jodi Redford
ebook
Published February 28th 2012 by Samhain Publishing, Ltd.
ISBN13 9781609287559
Courtesy of Author

He should push her away…but he’d rather have his wicked way with her.

After too many years learning death from the inside out as the familiar of a voodoo queen, soul collector Samael Gorasola betrayed his boss, which landed him on demon death row.
He should have known not even his punishment would come easy, but the deal he’s offered to escape his fate stinks. Become the indentured servant to his despised enemy? No thanks, he’d rather be six feet under. With that in mind, he picks a deadly fight with two demon hunters, only to be rescued by one misguided, deliciously innocent white witch.
Marabella hasn’t a clue what possessed her to help Sam, particularly since he’s not the least bit grateful. She blames it on her overwhelming attraction to the dark, dangerous demon, and her exasperating quest to rid herself of the stubborn curse that guards her virginity. If the guild finds out, though, she can kiss her white-witch status goodbye.
A kiss is exactly what she gets, followed by a consuming hunger that breaks down all heavenly and earthly barriers…and leaves Sam saddled with the one thing he never wanted, a conscience, and a connection to Marabella that puts her soul on the line.

Product Warnings
This book contains torturous use of disco music, one sinfully sexy demon who revels in being bad, a virgin witch whose innocence runs more than skin deep, and plenty of wicked, forbidden sex with explosive side effects—literally.

GoodReads
Purchase at Amazon and Barnes & Noble

Missie’s Description :

This is an Erotic Paranormal Romance. This is definitely an Adult read only with M/F content. I give the steam factor in this book a 4.

The Plot:

Samael Gorasola is a soul collector, a demon. He was the demon familiar of an insane ghost voodoo priestess intent on taking over the world with her zombie apocalypse, until Sam went against the laws of his kind and turned against her. Now, as a result of his betrayal, he is in a prison cell. Sounds of disco music play while his body is unmercifully tortured by another demon awaiting a death sentence. The demon king's personal secretary, Pricilla Roundtree, walks into the cell and lets Sam know that she is now the proud owner of his seal. He is her slave. She lets him go home, but tells him that he will do her bidding.
When Sam returns to his home, he finds his two girl cousins Nikki and Cassidy Lassiter lounging on his sofa. Cass didn't want to join the family business of grim reaper, so she informed him that she had moved out of her parent’s home and into his. Nikki was taking her side on the argument with their parents and was just tagging along for moral support for her sister. Sam then told them his story and how he was now Pricillas's familiar.
After taking a quick shower, Sam grabbed his gun “Lucy” and heads for his favorite bar. Once inside, he sees two demon slayers that could end his suffering quickly if he lets them. If he died, the problem with Pricilla would be solved.
Marabella Blanchard was twenty-five years old and the daughter of Domino Blanchard, head of the witch’s guild. She had just come back to her table. She had left her date just long enough to run to the restroom and returned to find an empty table. She was now convinced that she was not only cursed but doomed to the life of a virgin. Sitting at her now empty table she spied one of the sexiest men she had ever seen. As the tingles on her skin told her it was a demon, she could not help herself but find him attractive. Behind the demon stood two men that she recognized - demon hunters. Oh god, what should she do? The men quickly left and she just knew she had to save him. That demon, but why? Leaving the bar as fast as she could, she found the two hunters outside, attacking that demon. With her magic she made balloon men who attacked the hunters and drove them away. Looking at Sam she quickly realized he had been hurt in the attack. She took him back to her place and fixed up his shoulder. With the heat of attraction burning through the room from Sam and Bella, It finally dawned on Sam that he had to get away from her. He made his escape as soon as she turned around to rinse the blood soaked rag. As Bella turned back to him, she realized that she had been left standing alone for the second time that night.
Sam got back to his house. He could not understand his attraction to this witch. What was he thinking? He should not be this drawn to a woman. He didn't give a damn about anything or anybody. He was ready to die just a little while ago, ready to end it all.
Waking up the next morning his cousin Cassidy had figured out how Sam could finally break his seal of soul collector. He needed to sleep with a witch. Her electrifying satisfaction might be enough to fry his seal permanently, rendering Pricilla's hold on him useless.
Thinking anything would be better than spending a life time with Pricilla, Sam heads out the next night to a witches gathering. A big costume party that he was now crashing. At the bar drinking a beer, Sam tries to figure out how the heck he was going to seduce a white witch at this party. Turning around he runs right into Marabella. She quickly tells him that he can't be there. He in return tells her that he isn't leaving till he finds a witch to sleep with. Scared that he might hurt her friends or worse yet the guild finding out that she had helped a demon, she agrees to leave with him. Being cursed to forever be a virgin might have its benefits after all.
Arriving back at her store with Sam in tow, the attraction they have for each other begins to smolder. He kisses and touches her in ways she has only dreamed about. She honestly thinks that at any minute Sam will stop, because of the curse. He doesn't. He is utterly consumed by his passion for her, and has been dreaming of this since he last saw her. After telling him that she is a virgin, he doesn't believe her and continues on his quest of her body. As her virginity is lost and her body looses all control, her magic envelopes Sam in an electrical shower like no other. With lights bursting and sparks of magic surrounding them, their energies give way to exhaustion. Marabella is soon fast asleep.
Sam stares at her sleeping, but realizes that something's wrong with him. He doesn't want to leave her. Demons do not have feelings. Is he drunk? Did his plan work? Feeling like he is about to pass out, he covers her up and teleports his self home. Staggering through the house, hitting everything in his path to his bedroom, Samael passes out on his bed. Glowing. Glowing?

Missie's Thoughts:

Without a doubt, I loved this book. The cover was gorgeous and sexy as sin. The story can be read as a standalone, easily; however the characters all tie in together from the previous 3 books in this series. I highly recommend reading them all, because their all great reads. They all have delicious Alpha males with stories equally enticing.
As I began reading, this story was exciting from the start. The Torture scenes were gruesome, yet Jodi Redford still managed to throw some of her humor in. The playing of “It’s Raining Men” while poor Sam was in pain. It really worked. I found myself rooting in favor of the demon, which I had been hating in the 1st novel. Strange. I know that in a lot of erotica the virgin theme has really been ran into the ground, but unlike others, it works in this novel. It helps configure a story where in the end Marabella finally figures out why her life has been so complicated, while bringing two beings together in a love that literally changes them into something more, while trying to fight off another villain captivated by world domination and human extinction.
I am a fan of Jodi Redford's now, and I believe that with her vivid, wild imagination and quirky sense of humor, that the next book in this series will be just as juicy, steamy and if not more spicy than the last. She really writes a great treat for us in EPR where we can go into a world and be surrounded with a roller coaster ride of emotions making you laugh out loud one minute, then screaming insanely mad the next. When you pick up any of her novels in this series you will not be disappointed. The passion alone is enough to keep your glasses steamed up for a few nights of good dreams. Fellow EPR readers will definitely want to add this to your TBR lists.

That Old Black Magic Series Reviews:
That Voodoo You Do (Bk #1)
The Seven Year Witch (Bk #2)
Maximum Witch (Bk #3)

Rating: 5 Wine Glasses

~*GIVEAWAY*~

Author Jodi Redford is graciously offering a giveaway to readers! One reader will win a $10.00 gift card to Samhain Publishing, where you can purchase any of Jodi's That Old Black Magic novels or another book you've had your eye on. To enter, just leave a comment on this review from Missie or any of her other reviews on Jodi Redford's That old Black Magic series. Then fill out the RaffleCopter below with your name and email address! Additional entries are available but not required. To find out more about Jodi Redford and her works visit her website; http://jodiredford.com/ Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Guest Review: Maximum Witch by Jodi Redford

noreply@blogger.com (Crystal @ RBtWBC) — Thu, 01 Mar 2012 12:00:00 +0000

Maximum Witch
(That Old Black Magic #3)
by Jodi Redford
Kindle Edition : 267 pages
Courtesy of Author

"Who says getting eaten by a shark is a bad thing? ""That Old Black Magic, Book 3"Willa Jameson is having one whopper of an identity crisis. Odd memory flashes that aren't hers. A sultry voice in her head that's obsessed with sex. Even weirder, she finds herself in the jaws of a rogue leviathan, dragged to the bottom of the ocean-and rescued by a hunky..."shark"?The last thing Sheriff Max Truitt expects to find on his daily, deep-Atlantic patrol is a human-especially one who breathes underwater. Compelled to take her home, he waits for the beauty to wake up and reveal her name. Instead he's treated to a punch in the nose, then a sexy romp hot enough to boil water.The next morning, embarrassed by the sizzling, scandalous things the voice in her head drove her to do, Willa slips away. But if there's one thing a determined shark excels at, it's tracking his favorite meal.Solving the mystery that is Willa is no simple task. When they finally unlock a dangerous secret hidden deep in her subconscious, it drives a wedge between them...and puts them in a desperate race against an evil that seeks to rain down a watery Armageddon on all mankind.

Warning: This book does not contain sex with a puffer fish. There's not even sex with a seahorse. However, there's plenty of smoking-hot lovin' with a shark. And even a steamy M/F/M threesome. So slap on your snorkels and swim fins, things are about to get wet and wild.

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Missie's Description:

This is an Erotic Paranormal Romance. This is definitely an Adult read only with M/F and M/F/M content. I give the steam factor in this book a 4.5 easily.

The Plot:

The story unfolds as Willa Jameson is honestly beginning to think, that she is going crazy. She keeps hearing voices in her head that tell her to do things that she would not normally do, and she is having black out spells. Is someone or Something trying to drive her insane? Maybe kill her?

After the tragic drowning of her mother and father, Willa is completely mortified by water. She cant stand the thought of getting near it other than taking a shower. However one night as she is driving back home, a strange voice starts calling her name. It’s as though someone or something is taking over her body. She drives to the beach and …...that’s all that she can remember. She wakes up in a strange bed, with nothing on but her underwear and a gorgeous hunk of a man standing over top of her. What’s a witch to do? She punches his lights out, or at least does her best to....dang pervert.
As Shark shifter, Sheriff Max Truitt is on his daily patrol in the Atlantic Ocean when he comes across a leviathan. He knows they are nasty creatures that usually stay out in the deeper waters. What the hell was it doing here? After getting a closer look he realizes that it has a woman in its grip, taking her deeper into the depths of the ocean. He knew the woman was already dead, but he'd make sure that the creature paid the ultimate price for killing her. In his shark form, he quickly goes into battle. Ramming into the leviathan. Startled by the sudden attack, it drops the woman and Max continues to pummel it, biting it with his razor sharp teeth. The leviathan gets a lucky punch and knocks Max near the woman. Just as Max is about to finish it off, he realizes that the woman is breathing. Literally. Tiny bubbles are coming from her mouth and her chest is rising and falling. The Creature makes a run for freedom, and Max decides that he had better get the woman to safety. Who is this beautiful stranger? Was she a shifter? He quickly decides to take her back to his house and calls his best friend Boone, Seal shifter and vet, to check her out. He gets her home and puts her in his bed. He takes off her clothes to make her more comfortable. That’s when she awakens. Startled and confused she realizes that she is half naked and hits him with her fist calling him names. What’s a man to do with a crazy, sexy woman in his bed? Be a gentleman of course and watch over her as she heals. She has no memory of how she got in the water and swears that he's the one that’s crazy. What has he gotten himself into?

Missie's Thoughts:

This book really surprised me. Not because I really liked it, but because I thought I knew of every shifter out there, and Jodi Redford really threw me a curve ball with the sexy shark. She gets A's from me in the imagination department. I really have to mention the cover on this novel. It is so much more attractive than the last two. It draws you to it and matches the book this time. It's downright sexy and I love the cover model whoever he is.
Just like her other novels in this series, all the characters were believable. I could feel the confusion surrounding poor Willa. Her helplessness. I loved her Alpha Male Max. I could see a much tanned, beach loving, muscled hunk that could drive any woman insane. Sensually, not mentally.
Just like Jodi's other novels this story is well written. It grabs you from the start and you have to keep flipping those pages as the true plot unfolds, and the bad guys are revealed. It keeps you guessing and holding you captive till the end. The sexual tension between the lead characters is amazing. Once it starts though, look out. You will be either blushing like a school girl, fanning yourself, or both. It is wild, hot and extremely steamy. Jodi holds nothing back from her imagination in the bedroom scenes, so if you love Erotic Paranormal Romance, this book is one that I really recommend as a great read.

Rating: 5 Wine Glasses

Guest Review: The Seven Year Witch by Jodi Redford

noreply@blogger.com (Crystal @ RBtWBC) — Thu, 01 Mar 2012 11:30:00 +0000

The Seven Year Witch

(That Old Black Magic #2)

by Jodi Redford

176 pages

Published June 21st 2011 by Samhain Publishing (first published March 23rd 2011)

ISBN 1609284771

Courtesy of Author

After this much foreplay, something’s bound to combust.
As head mistress of Beaumont coven house, Clarissa Miles has perfected two things: keeping her sister witches from accidently turning innocent bystanders into toads, and resisting the sexy overtures of her familiar, werewolf Logan Scott.But her resolve is vanishing—fast. Seven years ago she sold her soul to save her father, and that contract is coming due. The allure of spending her last days indulging in some dirty, naked loving is too tempting to resist.Logan has patiently ridden out the past seven years, content to do Clarissa’s bidding and ignoring his consuming need to mark her as his. Now that the ban on witch/familiar fraternizing has been lifted, he’s off the leash and ready to launch a full-on sensual assault on her defenses. They’re destined mates, and he’ll do whatever it takes to convince her.It’s delightfully easy to get her in bed. Get at her heart? Not so much. Especially when a deadly predator stakes its claim on her…and Logan faces a battle not only to win her heart, but save her soul.Warning: This book contains a villain with more personalities than Sybil, a witch in search of redemption and a dirty-talking werewolf hell-bent on claiming his mate in every wicked, sexy way possible. Spontaneous howling may occur.

GoodReads

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Missie’s Description:

This is an Erotic Paranormal Romance. This is definitely an Adult read only with M/F content. I give the steam factor in this book a 4. This is the 2nd book in “That Old Black Magic” series. Even though I have read the first novel, I believe this could be read as a standalone.

The Plot:

The wonderful and mysterious world that Jodi Redford created in the 1st novel is just as intriguing in her 2nd. This novel is centered on the head mistress of Beaumont Coven House, Clarissa Miles. She’s a no-nonsense, in your face witch, with a lot of responsibility and a bad attitude. Her familiar is none other than Logan Scott. A sexy as sin werewolf with just as much bad attitude as Clarissa.

As the story begins, Clarissa receives a letter which completely changes her world. She only has 7 days to live. Years ago her father made a deal with a demon named Seven for his soul. Being the only family she loved, when Clarissa found out of this deal, she hunted down the demon and made it a deal that it couldn't refuse. Her witches’ soul for her human fathers. The Demon accepted, gave her 7 years to live her life and now it’s time to collect.

As the end of her life rapidly approaches, she tries to say her goodbyes to her dad, all her friends and colleagues without them finding out the truth. She also has to figure out who her replacement will be at Beaumont Coven House. As her death looms over her head she tries to fight the sexual attraction she has always felt for Logan, but also trying to figure out a way to save others from making the same mistake with Seven as she has done. Needless to say she is stressed to the max and what better way to spend the end of your days than in the bed of a sexy werewolf. Working off all that tension. Its only sex right? At least it will keep her mind off her problems for a little while.

What Clarissa doesn’t know is that Logan is totally in love with her. Now that the ban on witches and their familiars being together has been lifted, he has a deep desire he can’t fight any more. Clarissa will be his and he is going to pull out all the stops to make this witch understand that she is his one true mate?

Missie’s Thoughts:

I loved this book. Hands down Jodi Redford really knows how to write an EPR. I loved all the characters. Logan is every girls “Bad Boy” dream on a motorcycle. The story itself is written really well, and flows like water as you read. The plot catches you in the beginning and just like her 1st novel, it won't let you go. I had to keep turning the page to find out what was going to happen next. My emotions were all over the place with this one. Sad, excited, fanning myself (Many times), crying and mad. As the story came to a close I found myself quickly hunting for the next book in this series. I honestly recommend this book and series to all TRUE lovers of Adult Paranormal Romance. Its definitely one for your personal library.

Rating: 5 Wine Glasses

Guest Review: That Voodoo You Do by Jodi Redford

noreply@blogger.com (Crystal @ RBtWBC) — Thu, 01 Mar 2012 11:00:00 +0000

That Voodoo You Do
(That Old Black Magic #1)
by Jodi Redford
Kindle Edition, 143 pages
Courtesy of Author

For ten long years Griffin Trudeau has managed to keep his paws off Jemma Finnegan, best friend and leading star of his kinkiest fantasies. As her appointed cat familiar, indulging those fantasies with the delectable witch is strictly forbidden. But when Jemma shows up at his door with seduction in mind, control goes right out the window.Too late he realizes making love to Jemma is the trigger that launches a zombie apocalypse.Jemma's been dealt a double whammy: she's just discovered she's a witch. And Griff has been hiding whiskers and a tail. Oh, and if her life wasn't crazy enough, a dead voodoo queen needs her blood to raise a legion of zombies.There's one plan that might work to increase Jemma's powers so she can put an end to the looming holocaust. A sexy threesome with Griff and Logan Scott, a werewolf familiar with a history of rubbing Griff's fur the wrong way. A cat and a wolf playing nice, much less sharing? It'll take a miracle.

Warning: A witch, tiger and wolf doing naughty things. A dead voodoo queen doing evil things. And zombies doing zombie things. Get your shovels ready.

GoodReads
Purchase at Amazon, Barnes & Noble and The Book Depository

Missie's Description:

This is an Erotic Paranormal Romance. This is definitely an adult read only with M/F and M/F/M content. I give the steam factor in this book a 4 easily.

The Plot:

The Main Character in this book is Jemma Beaumont. She in a average 28 year old woman with a very loving family. She has been secretly in love with her best friend Griffin Trudeau for 8 of the 10 years she has known him.

Jemma is on her way to his house for a routine dinner and has decided that since Griff wont get the ball rolling on a relationship beyond friendship, she is going to seduce him. She has dressed to the 9's, with her cleavage leading the way, she hopes to bring Griff over to her way of thinking and into her bed.
What Jemma doesn’t know is that Griff has been in love with her since he first laid eyes on her ten years ago. However due to his position, in a paranormal life that she has no clue about yet, he is not allowed to tell her, and has kept his hands to his self, settling for being the best, best friend that Jemma has, in order to protect her at all times. Always being there for her when she needs him.
When he sees Jemma and her succulent cleavage, his control begins to waiver. She quickly realizes that her plan is working and really puts her plan in action, pulling a Katie bar the doors assault on Griff's self control and his body. Needless to say Griffin gives in to his long requited lust and a night of passion that is life shattering, literally, unleashing Jemma's unknown magic abilities of being a witch, and consequently making her the bull’s eye for a zombie apocalypse.
The next morning Griffin makes a quick run to the store while Jemma is basking in her afterglow of a well executed scheme and complete physical satisfaction. She falls back to sleep and soon awakens to the grisly sight of her favorite Uncle, Harold, standing in the bedroom doorway. There was only one major problem with that. He had been dead for the past sixteen months. He attacks her and she does her best to fend him off. Griffin gets home just in time to save her and the life she has known is forever changed. Griffin drops the biggest bomb shell of all by telling her that she is a witch, her grandmother's arch enemy is now a ghost trying to lead the world into a zombie apocalypse, and said ghost is now after her, because her blood is the key to said apocalypse. What’s a girl to do?

Missie's Thoughts:

This book is a great erotic paranormal romance - EPR. The author Jodie Redford has done an amazing job writing this novel. It actually has believable characters and a wonderful plot. I felt everything the characters went through. The need and longing from both Jemma and Griffin. The close friendship they shared was really touching. This novel also has a great sense of humor which made me laugh out loud quite a few times, completely annoying my family.
I have read a lot of EPR and this book completely floored me. Starting from the first few pages the sexual tension was sizzling right off the page and left very little for the imagination. I do not like giving away plot spoilers in my reviews; however I would like to mention that the other male character named Logan Scott is literally a wolf. A sexy, motorcycle riding piece of hotness with a bad attitude. Griffin hates him with a passion and the tension between the two men will keep your nerves twisted, just waiting for the ultimate cat and dog fight. Oh, did I forget to mention that Griffin is a cat. A wild, steamy, seductive Bengal Tiger that has his hands full trying to keep Jemma safe from an insane ghost bent on world domination via zombies, who is out for her blood. The other problem is trying to keep Logan, his arch rival, from seducing Jemma.
If you enjoy this type of novel, I believe that you will NOT be disappointed with this one. I enjoyed the quick start of steam in the beginning, with fast paced action quickly following. It makes you hang on to your seat throughout the story waiting to see what will happen next, and I could not put it down. I would definitely recommend this book. Congrats to Jodie for a well written adventure on the adult side.

Rating: 5 Wine Glasses

Deliver Me from Darkness by Tes Hilaire (Guest Post/Giveaway)

noreply@blogger.com (Crystal @ RBtWBC) — Wed, 29 Feb 2012 11:30:00 +0000

Today I would like to welcome new paranormal romance author, Tes Hilaire, who is joining us with her debut release of Deliver Me from Darkness!

From Angel to Vampire is a Long Way to Fall….

The doors to the sanctuary swung open, revealing a woman in flowing cherry-red robes. The rich robes clashed ostentatiously with her eye-popping, pumpkin-orange curls. Still, the velvet was sinful rubbing up against the creamy skin of her nicely muscled arms.

A warrior. A queen. A woman men should lower themselves to their knees for.

She shouldn’t be here. The thought was like a distant buzz tone in the back of Roland’s mind, spreading a slick sensation of unease along his spine. Then she dropped her shoulders back, breasts pressing forward against the silk gown as a wide smile formed on her luscious burgundy lips. The slick unease turned into a shudder.

Damn. Switch roles. With a mouth like that, she should be the one kneeling.

“Well, well, well.” The words rumbled up like a purr from beneath her perfect bust to drip like silken honey from that perfect mouth in a husky and full cadence that was…Mon Dieu! Perfect for fucking. “Christos said you’d be the one to come. I didn’t believe him.”

Christos. He should know that name. But damn, names seemed inconsequential compared to the stunning woman who was currently running her fingers across the top of her low-cut gown. He’d never seen a more beautiful woman. Something about her…the seductive elegance of that slight movement of hand, the drowning quality of her heavy-lidded, ocean-green eyes.

“You want to come in?” She stepped back, gesturing with her head over her shoulder at the grand foyer beyond.

He looked at the checkered marble, the opulent crystal chandelier. Both were inexplicably familiar. Yes. He wanted to come in. He’d come for a reason. He needed to…why was he here?

“Come on,” she said when he hesitated. “I won’t bite.”

The last was delivered with a punctuated lick of her front incisors. Roland practically shivered imagining what it would be like to have those straight white teeth raking over his skin. She’d start at his throat, then work her way down, those red tipped fingers slowly undressing him so her tongue could find more skin.

She laughed. A full-bodied laugh that had her breasts jiggling pleasingly. A slender hand snaked out, latching on to his arm. “Come on, big boy. I promise this will be a night to remember.”

God he hoped so. Roland let her drag him into the foyer. Behind him the door closed with a solid boom. The manor house was quiet. More so than typical, but before the thought could fully penetrate, the redhead had her arms around his neck and her lush lips pressed up against his own. After that it was blurs of images, punctuations of sensation. His shirt was gone before he could blink, tossed to the wayside with her cloak. Her mouth was all over him, exploring every inch of his torso as her deft fingers went to work on his pants.

Out of the corner of his eye he caught movement. A figure, male, skimming the edge of the room.

“Who?” Even though the question came from his own mouth, the voice sounded foreign. Distant. Strange.

And then she was kissing him again. Her tongue plunged between his lips and demanded he taste what the combination of her and him could be like. Oh hell yes. That was good.

He needed her. Now!

He half dragged, half tumbled her to the floor, his hands as determined to press her into the polished black and white marble as to push down the already dangerously low bust line of her gown.

A sharp prick pierced the back of his shoulder. He yelled, trying to twist his head to look at his attacker. A long-nailed hand grasped his jaw, forcing him to keep his head forward.

“Never mind him. Concentrate on me.”

His gaze dropped to the plump offerings heaving up and down against his chest. Oh yes. Gladly.

His head lowered.

Almost there.

A wrist, dripping blood, was rudely shoved in the way between him and his goal.

He growled out a protest. He wanted her. Needed her. And that bloody mess was in his way.

“Drink. Drink, my love. For me.”

Her voice commanded that he drag his gaze up. Her mesmerizing eyes locked onto his, her needs becoming his. Her desire became the force of his will. She wanted him to drink.

Yes. Yes. He’d do anything for her. Holding her gaze, he lowered his head, running his tongue languidly over the dripping red liquid. The taste…exquisite. Sweet, coppery, slick, warm. Addictive.

He opened his mouth and drank further. Couldn’t get enough. Would never get enough.

His eyes rolled back, a euphoric darkness overcoming his vision…

“What is this!” A hand slammed down on the keyboard in front of me. I yelped, mouse jumping across the scarred wooden desk as I swiveled in my office chair and come up against the bulging bicep of the man who’d somehow, silently invaded my office. Oh wow.

“Delete that,” Roland commanded, even as he shoved my hand aside and took over the mouse. He highlighted the text, but cursed when he realized there was no way to retrieve the blog post. “Damn it to hell. I knew I should have made Valin stay and keep an eye on you.”

For a good ten seconds I stared at the delicious curve of man-muscle that stretched across my line of vision, but then his words sunk in and I scooted my chair back, my gaze narrowing on his scowling face. “What do you mean make Valin keep an eye on me?”

It didn’t make sense. It was I who’d all but forced the other Paladin to hang out with me for the last couple of weeks, not Roland. And Valin had done so reluctantly, caring no more than Roland had when I’d enforced his own tenure with me for the purpose of, um, well… research, if you will. But I was done with research now and hadn’t needed Valin poking around in my office any longer (especially given the fact that he liked to do so with that wicked knife of his.) Anyway, I really wanted to find out why Roland was acting like he had control over Valin’s movements and whereabouts (I mean, hello, author here, I am the one in charge) and got ready to press the point when he spoke again.

“You would pick this scene.” He shook his head, his brows drawn tight as his gaze tracked the lines on the screen. “Out of all the choices, you had to pick this scene, airing my “dirty laundry,” so to speak, for the world to see.”

“Roland, it’s not that bad,” I said in an appeasing tone. “Your readers just want to get to know you better…” I trailed off as Roland leveled a crimson eye glare at me. My gut twisted, my blood going to ice. Oh crap.

“Have you not tortured me enough?” he asked, his voice deceptively soft in my enclosed office. Roland, crimsoned eyed and fighting for control was so not a good thing. I glanced longingly at the exit that lay ten feet beyond his solid mass. Ten impossible feet.

Oh what I wouldn’t do for Karissa’s powers now…

Obviously I managed to calm the beast, though I admit it was close. There were some more heated threats, things like “you will pay” which if I think about it now seems very Disney-villain of him, but I’ll tell you this, at the time? Yikes. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed that sneak peak at Roland’s fall from grace, even if it was dampened a bit by Roland’s unexpected visit! And regardless of what he would like, I am going to be here all day so please, stay awhile, I’d love to answer any questions you might have. Or better yet, just hang out with me and we’ll have some virtual wine. :-)

DELIVER ME FROM DARKNESS BY TES HILAIRE – IN STORES NOW

A stranger in the night…
He had once been a warrior of the Light, one of the revered Paladin. A protector. But now he lives in sin darkness, and the shadows are his sanctuary. Every day is a struggle to overcome the bloodlust. Especially the day Karissa shows up on his doorstep.
Comes knocking on the door…
She is light and bright and everything beautiful—despite her scratches and torn clothes. Every creature of the night is after her. So is every male Paladin. Because Karissa is the last female of their kind. But she is his. He may not have a soul, but he can’t deny his heart.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Daphne Award-winning author and former Tennessee native Tes Hilaire doesn’t remember how old she was when she wrote her first story, but she’s pretty sure it had something to do with a boy and a girl and a happily ever after. Displaced at an early age to “the north country,” her stories turned darker as she started creating whole new worlds to escape the harsh, upstate NY winters. Now back in the South, her stories remain edgy, exciting, and bring a hint of dark fantasy to paranormal romance. Best of all, no one ever has to shovel snow. For more, visit her website at www.teshilaire.com.

~*GIVEAWAY*~

Sourcebooks is giving away one copy of Deliver Me from Darkness to two US or Canadian readers! To enter, just leave a comment on this post and then fill out the RaffleCopter below with your name and email address. Additional entries are available but not required. Good Luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Review: Deliver Me from Darkness by Tes Hilaire

noreply@blogger.com (Crystal @ RBtWBC) — Wed, 29 Feb 2012 11:00:00 +0000

Deliver Me from Darkness by Tes Hilaire
Paladin Warriors #1
352 pages
February 7th 2012 by Sourcebooks Casablanca
Courtesy of Publisher & NetGalley

A STRANGER IN THE NIGHT...
He had once been a warrior of the Light, one of the revered Paladin. A protector. But now he lives in darkness, and the shadows are his sanctuary. Every day is a struggle to overcome the bloodlust. Especially the day Karissa shows up at his doorstep.
COMES KNOCKING ON THE DOOR
She is light and bright and everything beautiful—despite her scratches and torn clothes. Every creature of the night is after her. So is every male Paladin. Because Karissa is the last female of their kind. But she is his. He may not have a soul, but he can't deny his heart.

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Purchase at Amazon, Barnes & Noble and The Book Depository

Lexy’s Thoughts:
An honorable vampire fighting to keep himself from turning into a beast. A young woman with a light inside that burns bright enough to transform. And an age old fight between good and evil.

No it is not original, but Hilaire has brought a mix of vampires, demons and men who resemble angel together to create an enjoyable read. She gives her characters vulnerabilities and flaws along with hopes and dreams; the result is you become attached rather quickly.

Karissa doesn’t know her heritage, but it did give her gifts that both endanger and save her life. Because she is special circumstances bring her to Roland, and it seems like divine intervention. Roland is what will keep you from putting this book down. He believes himself evil and unable to change; yet he will not let himself act like all the other vampires he despises. Even at the chance of denying himself love and any type of solace.

A great start to a series. Plenty of options left for future books, and even though it is not a cliffhanger as the main story line has a HEA, you will be curious as to what happens next for these secondary characters.

Rating: 3.5 Wines, Just a taste that will make you want more.

Tempted by Blood by Laurie London (Guest Post/Giveaway)

noreply@blogger.com (Crystal @ RBtWBC) — Tue, 28 Feb 2012 11:00:00 +0000

Today I'd like to welcome the wonderful Laurie London back to Reading Between the Wines! Laurie is here with her newest Sweetblood release, Tempted by Blood, which is Jackson's story. Whoot! I know a lot of us have been waiting for this one. :) I'll let Laurie get started and then you can enter to win you're very of copy of Tempted by Blood afterwards. Enjoy!

Thanks so much, Crystal, for having me on RBtW today. It just so happens that I’m at a plotting weekend right now with several other authors and we’re drinking wine. Cheers! Tempted by Blood, the third book in the Sweetblood series, just came out in print—the digital version comes out March 1. It’s Jackson and Arianna’s story.

If you’ve read the first two books, you’ll remember Jackson. He’s the playboy, the charmer. If you ask me, I think he’s easily bored, which is why he’s always searching for something new. He’s never satisfied with the way things are. In fact, he changes girlfriends as often as he changes the highlights in his hair.

Jackson: *Removes his small David Beckham-like ponytail and shakes it out.* What’s wrong with my hair?

Me: *Blinks a few times. Forgets the point she’s trying to make.* Nothing. I like your hair. A lot.

Jackson: You make me sound like an ass.

Me: Listen, I hate to say this, but you can be kind of a coward sometimes when it comes to women. Rather than breaking up with a girlfriend, you do something that makes them break up with you. In fact that one time—

Jackson: *His pupils dilate, leaving just a ring of his iridescent green irises.* Who you calling a coward, Miss I-Pass-Out-Because-There-Might-Be-Blood-Somewhere? I heard about you in the veterinary hospital. Twice. And at the blood donation facility. What I wouldn’t give to have seen you crash into that wall in front of the reception area.

Me: We’re talking about you, not me. As I was saying—

Jackson: I can guaran-damn-tee you that I’m no coward. Far from it. *Pulls a half sandwich from pocket and stuffs it in his mouth. The colorful snake tattoo on his arm appears to be striking.*

Me: *Holds up hands as a peace offering.* Okay. Maybe coward is the wrong word. Sorry. As one of the most kick-ass Guardians in the Seattle field office, you’re far from cowardly.

Jackson: *Wipes the back of a hand over his mouth.* That’s better.

Me: How about non-confrontational then?

Jackson: You make me sound like a goddamn wimp. I can be plenty confrontational when I need to be.

Me: *Notices the tips of his fangs. Swallows nervously.* True, but what do you call it when you cheat on a girlfriend and let her catch you just to make her do the breaking up?

Jackson: *Shrugs* So? I don’t like to deal with shit like that. It gets her full buy-in that way. Besides, I’ve only done it once.

Me: That’s not what Lily said. When I was talking with her and Alfonso—

Jackson: *Stares at his ostrich skin Lucchese boots* What does Lily know?

Me: She’s one of your best friends. I’d say she knows a lot about you.

Jackson: *Scoffs* She knows nothing about me. No one does.

Me: Just you wait, Jackson. You’re going to meet someone someday who’s not going to put up with your shit. Someone who can see right through the walls you’ve erected around your heart.

Jackson: Writers. You’re all the same. Always trying to dredge up emotion and conflict for the hell of it. I’m fully aware of every single one of my faults. I don’t need some woman pointing them out. What a nightmare.

Me: Nightmare? She’s going to fall in love with the man you are inside. *Points to his broad chest* The man you forgot you were. That is, if you don’t screw up.

Jackson: *Pulls out another sandwich half and curses under his breath.* Why do you insist on making my life so painful?

Me: Hey, what can I say. It’s my job to make you suffer.

Deep within the forests of the Pacific Northwest, the battle for supremacy rages on between two Vampire coalitions: Guardian enforcers sworn to protect humanity, and Darkbloods, rogues who kill like their ancient ancestors….He might be known for his effortless charm, but Guardian Jackson Foss is hiding a terrible secret. For months, he has battled the emergence of his dark nature—deadly urges that threaten to consume him. And those cravings only intensify when he meets Arianna Wells, the human he's been assigned to protect.
Smart and perceptive, Arianna doesn't seem like a dangerous temptress. Yet she awakens in Jackson an unstoppable need that, if left unchecked, will brand him a traitor…a crime punishable by death.
But soon their bond may be Arianna's only hope. For stalking her in the shadows is a merciless enemy—one who will stop at nothing to claim her completely….

Read an Except

Learn more about the Sweetblood series!
http://www.laurielondonbooks.com/

~*GIVEAWAY*~

Laurie is graciously giving away a copy of Tempted by Blood to one US or Canadian reader. To enter, just leave a comment on this post and then fill out the RaffleCopter below. Additional entries are available but not required. Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Sexy Snippets: Eternal Captive by Laura Wright

noreply@blogger.com (Crystal @ RBtWBC) — Tue, 28 Feb 2012 03:00:00 +0000

<center><a href="http://readingbetweenthewinesbookclub.blogspot.com/"><img border="0" src="http://i916.photobucket.com/albums/ad3/folksohana/RBtWBC%20Memes/SexySnippets-1.jpg"width="200" height="300"/></a></center>Tuesdays have never been so sexy!Sexy Snippets is a weekly feature hosted by Reading Between the Wines for the 18+ crowd. To join in just grab the button, post a sexy paragraph or two from your current read and share the author & title so other participants can add the book to their TBR list if they like. Then add your post to the linky below so everyone can follow along. Have a sexy good time!

"Look at you. I want to consume you. Feed off every inch of you and leave nothing." His gaze flared again. "God, look at your breasts, your nipples. " She glanced down, her eyes searching for what he saw, what made him so hungry. Her breasts were as they had always been - large, full - but her nipples, her nipples were the hardest she'd ever seen them, and so dark, the color of wine. "Mine," Lucian growled, releasing her buttock and reaching around to cup one heavy globe, feel it's weight in his hand.Bronwyn sucked air through her teeth, then moaned. His skin on hers felt so good, so right - just as she'd imagined it. He took what he wanted, reveled in it, placed one turgid peak between his fingers and rolled it gently, then squeezed. Bronwyn cried out, the sound echoing off the trees. Not from pain, never from pain. But from pleasure, the sweet pleasure streaking down her chest to her very core.

From our Book-of-the-Month! Enter for a chance to win your very own copy here! Now share your own Sexy Snippet by linking up below!

Tour: The Night is Mine by M.L. Buchman (Guest Post/Giveaway)

noreply@blogger.com (Crystal @ RBtWBC) — Mon, 27 Feb 2012 11:00:00 +0000

Today I'd like to welcome author, M.L. Buchman, over to Reading Between the Wines who is touring with his new romantic suspense release, The Night is Mine. Now, I see a lot of guest posts, especially in the last year, but I have to say that this one from Mr. Buchman really caught my attention. I hope you all enjoy it as much as I did! Look for my 4 wine glass review of The Night is Mine coming soon!

THE NIGHT IS MINE by M.L. Buchman

Thank you Ms. Crystal for having me aboard!

I’m so thrilled to be talking about the launch book of my military romantic suspense series, “The Night Stalkers.” I feel that what started as a fun book has also become, in some surprising ways, an important book, or perhaps a book in an important genre.

When I started down the path four years ago that led to this series, I had a couple of simple elements in my mind.
1. A great love story.
2. A fun write, which means it becomes a fun read.
3. Strong heroines! I love strong heroines. Women amaze me, they always have. I find them endlessly fascinating and have placed them at the core of almost every book I’ve ever written.

But I chose the military setting, while not as an after-thought, at least not as a motivating theme. It was simply a setting. I’d discovered these amazing real-life Special Forces helicopter fliers, the U.S. Army’s 160^th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (SOAR), the self-named Night Stalkers. These guys were just fascinating. They fly the most lethal helicopters ever launched into the night sky. Their own designs by the way; how cool is that? Their mission, to deliver Rangers, Delta Force, and SEALs where no one else can, and then to get them back out.

I learned that all the pilots are male. At this point, I asked a question: What if one of them was female? How would she interact? All of the conflict? All of the different viewpoints? All of the chances for high-and-hot emotion. Cool!

That’s when my view began to shift. The more I learned and read, the more timely and important this became. Our military is undergoing an immense shift in public awareness, especially with the changes of U.S. and foreign positioning in Iraq and Afghanistan. The nature of war itself is shifting with the nature of the terrain and the enemy. Soldiers are being deployed and are coming home in higher media profile than perhaps ever before. The top-rated weekly news photos consistently include views of the lives of our military, especially those moments of departing, rejoining, or losing their families.

This is not the generation of our fathers, the troops returning gladly from war. Nor is it the generation of the disenfranchised returnees of Vietnam. I think that we as a culture have grown and matured to understanding more clearly those who choose to serve. The career soldiers, like those of the 160^th SOAR, though nearly invisible in the media, are presently that much closer to our nation’s hearts, as they should be.

I think that is one of the reasons for military romantic suspense’s growing interest to readers and writers alike. I ultimately, to my own surprise, set out to capture that interest in this series. Great love stories, great reads, and great characters. I cannot begin to describe what a blast it was to write these books. What I didn’t expect, but I think is equally important, it has also been an honor. I hope that I have passed some of the honor and fun on to my characters. I’ll leave you with an excerpt:

“Nice flight, Captain.”

Mark couldn’t help himself. He’d always been so careful not to compliment her. Keeping Captain Emily Beale convinced she wasn’t as good as he needed her to be had honed her skills even in two short months since she’d become the first woman of SOAR.

“Thank you, Major.”

Nice flight? He’d almost choked when she crawled into that defile under a rain of fire. One lucky shot, one moment of lost control, and her Black Hawk helicopter have eaten that cliff wall.

Any pilot good enough to make SOAR flew cool under fire. Sitting back at camp they might barf their guts out, but not in flight. And not Emily Beale, Ms. Cool-as-could-be. He’d never seen her with the shakes, the squeams, not even working out the kinks of a stiff neck from holding too tight.

Would he have flown into that defile? Probably. If he’d thought of it. Would he have considered it long enough to think of it? Probably not. He’d have dismissed it out of hand as impossible. And probably left the Delta Force operator to pay the fatal price for the lack of any solution.

What was he supposed to do with this woman?

Even as they landed on the field, she settled her bird clean and square to the worn field lines, hopped down at ease, and chatted for a minute with the D-boy she’d plucked off the cliff. He actually shook her hand and smiled before moving off. More than most got from the silent ghosts of Delta Force.

Mark could see the story of her flight sweeping through the bunch of the flyboys and ground crew gathered around her wounded bird.

And Beale, calm as could be and completely unaware of the men’s stares, stripped her flight suit halfway down, exposing a sweaty t-shirt, tied the empty arms around her slim hips, and turned to inspect her craft. It was peppered with hundreds of holes, one of the main rotor blades so chewed up it would need replacing, and a slow stream of black hydraulic fluid dribbled down the side of the engine housing. She climbed up with the crew chief to see where the damage originated, and thirty pairs of eyes followed her.

Hard to blame the guys. Five hundred miles from nowhere and only one woman in sight. A real stunner, too. But that wasn’t the real reason they stared. She’d flown into a place no sane person would go to bring her action team out. For doing that, for protecting the team at any cost, there wasn’t a man here who wouldn’t throw himself in front of a bullet to save her, not even if she looked like a heifer.

Did she know that she’d mesmerized an entire base of the toughest warriors on the planet with that single act, never mind the dozens before it?

Did she have any idea that she’d done the same to him?

THE NIGHT IS MINE BY M.L. BUCHMAN

NAME: Emily Beale

RANK: Captain

MISSION: Fly undercover to prevent the assassination of the First Lady, posing as her executive pilot.

NAME: Mark Henderson, code name Viper

RANK: Major

MISSION: Undercover role of wealthy, ex-mercenary boyfriend to Emily

Their jobs are high risk, high reward:

Protect the lives of the powerful and the elite at all cost. Neither expected that one kiss could distract them from their mission. But as the passion mounts between them, their lives and their hearts will both be risked...and the reward this time may well be worth it.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

M. L. Buchman has worked in fast food, theater, computers, publishing, and light manufacturing. It's amazing what you can do with a degree in geophysics. At one point he sold everything and spent 18-months riding a bicycle around the world. In 11,000 miles, he touched 15 countries and hundreds of incredible people. Since then, he has acquired a loving lady, the coolest kid on the planet, and lives in Portland, Oregon. For more information, please visit http://www.mlbuchman.com/.

~*GIVEAWAY*~

SourceBooks is giving away a copy of M.L. Buchman's The Night is Mine to two different readers who reside in the US or Canada. To enter, just leave a comment on this post and then fill out the RaffleCopter with your name and email address. Additional entries are available but not required. Good Luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Cover Reveal: LUMINOSITY by Stephanie Thomas

noreply@blogger.com (Crystal @ RBtWBC) — Mon, 27 Feb 2012 05:01:00 +0000

A YA Sci-Fi/Dystopian, LUMINOSITY, by Stephanie Thomas.

LUMINOSITY (Luminosity, #1) by Stephanie Thomas (September 11, 2012)

My name is Beatrice. When I was born, I was blessed with the Sight. I was

immediately removed from my parents and enrolled in the Institution. At

the age of twelve, I had my first true vision, earning my raven’s wings.

And when I turned seventeen, one of my visions came true. Things haven’t

been the same since.

The Institution depends on me to keep the City safe from our enemy, the

Dreamcatchers, but I’m finding it harder to do while keeping a secret from

everyone, including my best friend Gabe. It is a secret that could put us

all in danger. A secret that could kill me and everyone close to me.

But the enemy has been coming to me in my dreams, and I think I’m falling

in love with him. He says they’re coming. He says they’re angry. And I

think I’ve already helped them win.

Paperback Available for Pre-Order from Amazon

Add to your Goodreads TBR!

The Principal's Office by Jasmine Haynes (Interview)

noreply@blogger.com (Crystal @ RBtWBC) — Sun, 26 Feb 2012 11:30:00 +0000

Today I am happy to welcome erotic romance author Jasmine Haynes over to Reading Between the Wines for an interview about her new release, The Principal's Office. My 4 wine glass review on The Principal's Office will be coming soon!

Hi Jasmine and welcome to Reading Between the Wines, thank you so much for taking the time to join us today!

Let’s start out by getting to know you a little better. What do you like to do when you’re not writing, do you have any hobbies?

First, let me say thank you for having me. As for my hobbies, of course, I love to read! I live in the mountains, and one of my favorite pastimes is hiking in the woods around my house. We have a great state park nearby. And in the evenings, I enjoy working on my needlepoint. Readers can see an example of my needlepoint work on my website’s bio page, www.jasminehaynes.com

Can you tell us three fun facts about yourself that might surprise readers?

I’ve been married for 28 years to the man I met on my first day at my new job right after I graduated from university. I don’t have any children. And I was an accountant in Silicon Valley for 20 years (a fact readers will probably guess after they read my books!). I love incorporating erotic romance into a business atmosphere with my stories.

What are some must-read authors for you?

Being an erotic romance writer, I love reading the kinds of books I write, but I also love historicals as well. I love Bella Andre and Lisa Kleypas, but I’m also hooked on some mystery writers, Karin Slaughter, Tess Gerritsen, and Lisa Gardner.

Now please tell us about your erotic romance novels, the DeKnight series. What is the series about and how does each novel connect?

The DeKnight series centers around a small manufacturing company, DKG, in Silicon Valley which is owned by a husband-and-wife team. I love writing books set in the work world that I was a part of. My editor calls them my “business books.” I usually write in a corporate setting, but for this series, I decided to write on the theme of “the little fish in the big pond.” The first book was Past Midnight, featuring the DeKnights, the husband and wife who own DKG. The second book, What Happens After Dark, is about their accountant, Bree Mason, and The Principal’s Office gives readers the story of receptionist and single mom, Rachel Delaney. The connection, of course, is the company, DKG.

What was your inspiration behind the DeKnight series?

It didn’t start out as a series. In the first book, Past Midnight, I simply wanted to tackle something more difficult in romance, and that is the romance between a married couple. How does a writer make that interesting? When writing a story, I like to give myself a challenge, which hopefully results in a more exciting book for my readers. For Past Midnight, I took the approach of the marriage being on the rocks, but not from any traditional reasons, infidelity, disinterest. Erin and Dominic DeKnight suffered a great tragedy that blew their marriage apart. On my daily walk, I was thinking, thinking, thinking, and just as I passed my neighbor’s house, that “aha” moment hit me. I filled in at my neighbor’s company for a three-month period while their accountant was on medical leave. They are husband-and-wife owners of a small company which manufactures ultrasonic testing gauges. And suddenly, I knew the business backdrop for the book. I interviewed my neighbor as well, getting more insight. The business setting was just so appealing to me that I felt there had to be more than one book, and the DeKnight series was born. That’s how most of my series work for me, I come up with the first book idea, then as I’m plotting, it blossoms. For my Max Starr mystery series, which is about a psychic whose deceased husband remains with her as a ghost, I had to write more books to figure out the mystery of why her husband died!

Congratulations on the recent release of the third book in the DeKnight series, The Principal’s Office! Can you please tell us a bit about the novel?

Thank you. The Principal’s Office is Rachel Delaney’s story. She’s turning forty, recently divorced, and she’s suddenly been thrust back into the work world after having been a stay-at-home mom. She’s raising two teenage sons, dealing with her problematic ex-husband. And in all this, she’s lost herself as a woman. She has no life of her own. She doesn’t even know she’s craving something different until she meets a handsome stranger in a grocery store, of all places. He’s her chance for a secret affair, no strings attached, a way for her to step out of her everyday world. It’s a fun, sexy story, but there’s also some heavy emotional overtones. Readers can stop by my website at http://bit.ly/An2gHh to read an excerpt of Rachel’s first sexy meeting with her mysterious stranger in the grocery store. Okay, that makes me laugh!

Without giving too much away, can you share a favorite scene with us?

My favorite scene is actually an erotic one that unfolds in Rachel’s house. Rand and Rachel do a lot of fantasy play. Role playing, becoming different people for a little while, acting out a scene; that’s an exciting concept to me, especially because the scene unfolds far differently than planned.

What are three words or statements that would describe Rachel’s character best? How about Rand?

Rachel is loyal, loving, and ready to break out of the traditional mold she’s allowed herself to fall into. Rand is caring, slightly kinky, and he believes in the law of attraction, if it’s meant to be, it will happen. And he knows Rachel’s meant to be in his life.

Was there a novel or character in the DeKnight series that was harder to write then others?

Rachel’s teenage son, Nathan, was the hardest to write. But he was also the most rewarding. I really felt him grow as a human being.

What’s next for you? Are there any projects that you’re currently working on, and do you have any more novels for the DeKnight series planned?

I’m currently working on a new sexy set of books, The West Coast Series. I’ve gone back to my corporate environment. In fact, the series is set in a company very similar to one I worked at for many years, although I made up all the naughty goings-on, of course! I love writing about power struggles in business and in relationships. The first book is Revenge Sex which tackles the theme of an employee catching her boss’s girlfriend with another man...and what to do about it. Next month I’ll be releasing the second book, Submitting to the Boss, which has an undertone of bondage, as the title suggests. At this time, I don’t have another DeKnight novel planned, but never say never!

Thank you again, Jasmine, for stopping by today!

And thank you so much for having me!

To find out more about Jasmine and her works make sure to visit her WEBSITE!