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The Romance Reviews

Monday, 4 March 2013

**C.A. Szarek's Sword's Call Book Release Giveaway**



 
 
 ***Comment on this post to get entered into a contest for a chance to win a swag pack  (US only) or a free copy of Sword's Call (ebook)*** 
 
 
Many thanks to C.A Szarek for stopping by on her Sword's Call blog tour to share an excerpt AND giveaway!!
 
Book Blurb


For generations, the Ryhans, ruling family of the Province of Greenwald have been keepers of a sword rumored to possess enough magic to defeat kings. Lord Varthan, a former archduke and betrayer of the king, covets the sword and invades Greenwald.


Lady Ceralda Ryhan, daughter of the murdered duke, gains the sword and flees, trusting only her white wolf, Trikser—magically bonded to her. Cera needs nothing more to aid in her fight.



Jorrin Aldern, half elfin and half human, left his home in the mountains of Aramour to find his human father who disappeared twenty turns before, but finds Cera with Varthan and his shades on her tail instead. His dual heritage and empathic magic will tempt Cera in ways she never thought she’d desire. But can he convince her trust and love can pave the path to redemption or will the epic battle end in tragedy and evil conquer them all?
 
 
 
Excerpt
 

“Tell me about it,” Jorrin encouraged.
“I pictured our magic as a rope and wrapped it around us. I stepped into him, making us one. I concentrated and I saw you. But then I saw me, too. My eyes were closed, and I felt like I was sitting beside myself. It was…unsettling, at first. But then Trik must have moved his head, because I saw into the woods…he turned, right?”
He grinned at her. “Yes, he did. You did do it.”
“His eyesight is so sharp. It was a wonder to see.” Their eyes locked and held. Air ruffled her hair, causing gooseflesh to rise on her neck as a substantial breeze kicked up.
Trikser made a noise in his throat but she ignored him.
Jorrin looked so wild and beautiful with the wind in his dark hair, his high cheekbones flushed with color to the tips of his slender tapered ears. Her heart skipped as his blue eyes darkened and she read intense heat there.
Last night he’d been in her dreams. Try as she might, Cera could no longer deny that she was attracted to him. That she’d liked that kiss he stole what seemed ages ago.
Would he kiss her again? Heat crept up her neck and burned her cheeks.               
The way he was looking at her right then made her lose her train of thought and her worries.
“Tell Trikser to move.”
“What?” But Cera already sent the mental command. Her bond slipped off her lap with little encouragement. He’d caught sight of a rabbit, and took off after it.
Jorrin grabbed her hand and tugged forward. She fell onto his lap, moving to him instead of away, ignoring mental cautions that this wasn’t a good idea, despite her dreams, her admitted attraction.
Their lips met in heated rushed. Cera’s arms shot around his neck and she pressed closer. His body was hard against hers and a tremor shot down her spine.
Her breasts pressed into his chest as he pinned her against him. Jorrin shoved his tongue into her mouth and groaned. She clung to him, moving her mouth under his
When she touched her tongue to his, he moaned, his hands shooting down to cup her bottom.
Cera wiggled in his arms as an unfamiliar warmth enveloped her like an embrace. Jorrin’s erection pressed into her hip and she clutched his tunic with both hands.
When he kissed her harder, her head spun. Feeling his urgency, confusion rushed her. She moaned, fighting the sensation of his warmth, his strength as he squeezed her against him. Her desire for more. Her desire for him. She couldn’t lose control.
Yanking back, she panted against him.
Jorrin’s chest heaved into her breasts as they both struggled for breath. “What’s wrong?” he croaked.



Purchase Links


 
 
Author BIO
 
C.A. is originally from Ohio, but got to Texas as soon as she could. She is married and has a bachelor's degree in Criminal Justice.
She works with kids when she’s not writing.


She’s always wanted to be a writer and is overjoyed to share her stories with the world.
 
Author links :

What's next for CA Szarek ?
 
Collision Force (Crossing Forces Book 1)
Bad boy FBI agent and feisty widowed police detective collide pursuing a human trafficker in small town Texas on their way to true love.

Badboy, married to his job FBI agent Cole Lucas always gets his man. So when the unthinkable happens and one gets away, Cole grits his teeth and hunts human trafficker Carlo Maldonado all the way to Antioch, Texas, where he collides with Detective Andi MacLaren.

Cole doesn’t do small towns and doesn’t get involved with women he works with, but Andi tempts him in ways he doesn’t want to acknowledge.

Two murders, her partner shot and leading the investigation on her own, the last thing Andi needs a cocky FBI agent that sees her as no more than a tag-along.

Widow and single mother Andi is used to being on her own. When Cole gets stuck without a place to stay, crashing on her couch puts them in dangerous territory.
Attraction and passion bring Andi to a place she’d left behind when her husband died. Her three-year-old son quickly wiggles his way into Cole’s heart, and he starts contemplating things—family, love—that he’d never planned for himself.

Can being forced to work together make them stronger or will their differences jeopardize their case and their hearts?
  GoodReads Link
 
*Giveaway* Don't forget to leave a comment with your email address to be in with a chance of winning a swag pack (US only) or a free copy of Sword's Call (ebook)



Friday, 1 March 2013

Author Spotlight on Tyler Robbins



BIO:

 

Tyler Robbins is the pen name of author Robin Badillo, who lives in a small Texas town and is the mother of four nearly grown kids, two boys and two girls.

Tyler enjoys stepping out of her comfort zone and pushes the envelope on the stories she writes every chance she gets. She hopes her readers are just as thrilled as she is with the chances she’s taking.

Always the optimist, Tyler is a firm believer that grey hair is merely God’s graffiti!

                                           


                           


 


 

Evernight Publishing: http://www.evernightpublishing.com/

 

 

BLURB:

 

Vampire, Tristan Deveraux, savored the night with his young progeny, Caleb, by his side. Satisfying his shameless desires, he took what he wanted without reprisal or regret, until Gauge Roberts darkened his door.

Gauge, an ex-Navy Seal, offered more than muscles and brawn when he became Tristan’s personal security coordinator. Surrendering to an undeniable attraction, the dominating soldier scratched an itch both had ignored far too long.

 A remarkable bond is quickly formed between the three very different men, allowing each to fulfill individual needs while maintaining separate but equal relationships, until a surprising enemy threatens to destroy it all.

Will they survive the deadly fight, or is heartbreak the only price for satisfying their kind’s immortal thirst?
 


ADULT  * M/M/M* EXCERPT

        

Gauge cautiously entered a spacious loft with high vaulted ceilings and a dining room table filled with an assortment of food. To the right, he spotted a black, leather sofa with a very handsome and very naked man sprawled across it.

Gauge’s cock instantly twitched, his proclivity toward men revealing itself through his physical reaction.

“Hope you’re hungry.” Tristan’s voice resonated from the far left of the vast room.

Gauge’s gaze drifted away from the naked man and settled to where Tristan knelt at the foot of a chaise-lounge, intently suckling the inner thigh of yet another man.

The erotic moans of Tristan’s live meal filled the room, further stiffening Gauge’s shaft. Unsure what he should do, Gauge stepped back, only to be met by Caleb who handed him a glass of scotch. “Please, help yourself to whatever appeals to you.”

Dizzying thoughts danced in his mind. Which appetite should he satisfy first? This was new territory, far beyond the realms of even his vivid imagination. Should he indulge his physical hunger, his sexual needs, or neither, and keep his first day on the job strictly business?

“Perhaps he’s a watcher.” Caleb brushed past him as he strolled toward the lone man on the sofa.

Gauge drew in a deep breath to steady his spiraling nerves. “You feed right out in the open?”

Tristan ran his tongue up the length of the human’s cock then smiled. “They have no objections.” He then pricked his wrist with the tip of a pointy fang and allowed a few crimson drops to coat the lips of his quarry.

The man licked the blood, and his pupils immediately dilated.

“They drink from you?” Gauge swallowed hard, still trying to keep his wits about him.

“They give me the gift of an existence without pain. I give them unimaginable pleasure.” Tristan then kissed the man and returned to feasting upon his inner thigh.

Gauge glanced over at Caleb, who stood before the other man with his pants unzipped, gazing down intently as the man eagerly sucked his cock. Caleb’s hips rolled with the motion of the man’s bobbing head.

Caleb eyed Gauge with a smug grin. “He’s really good.”

Gauge licked his lips and wandered back toward the table where he blindly reached for a chair and took a seat. His heart pounded, and his cock pulsed. So fucking hot.

He’d been to clubs featuring group sex in back rooms, and had even participated once, but that was a long time ago and blood definitely hadn’t been involved. The erotic way Tristan fed only excited him more.

Gauge’s prick pressed tight against his jeans, and he fought the urge to jack off.

Tristan licked blood from his lips, nudged his partner to the side and joined him on the lounger. He skimmed his fingers across the man’s stomach, enough to make him shudder, but his seductive gaze remained locked on Gauge. “A ghastly sight, isn’t it?”

Gauge swallowed hard, his head booming from the erotic shock of it all. “Not at all.”

With speed too fast to measure, Tristan stood before him, his cock wet and stiff, smelling of sex and the unmistakable metallic scent of blood, an aroma Gauge recognized. “I suppose you’ve seen worse than a vampire fucking his meal?”

“Much worse.” That’s the understatement of the year.

Gauge tried not to dwell on the images which flashed through his mind. The macabre memory of flames reaching far above the rooftops of the small village where they’d burned the decapitated bodies of innocent victims and the vampires who had murdered them. The memory of diesel fuel mixed with the putrid stench of singeing hair and roasting skin Gauge thought would be imbedded in his brain forever, also sneaked out from the recesses of his mind where he’d safely tucked them away.

He shot up from the chair, overwhelmed and uncertain of what was worse, the haunting memories of the massacre, or how easily the thought of fucking this sexy vampire appealed to his body and mind, so much stronger than his desire to kill him.

Tristan eased closer and inhaled deeply, then turned his attention to the other vampire. “Caleb, take them away.”

Out of the corner of his eye, Gauge saw Caleb step back immediately followed by the snapping sound of fingers. “You heard my master. Let’s take this party on the road, boys.”

Gauge’s muscles tensed as he resisted reaching out and wrapping Tristan’s long hair around his fist and fucking him like there was no tomorrow.

As the door closed behind them, Tristan ran his hand down Gauge’s arm. “Kathryn told you, didn’t she?”

Gauge drew in a deep breath. “Not sure what you mean, Sir.”

“She told you how I came to be a vampire. How she plucked me quite literally from the brink of death and how my need for sex is the only thing to rival my thirst for blood.”

“She told me you had a way about you I’d possibly relate to.” Gauge understood now. Kathryn’s recommendation included benefits Gauge had never imagined.


Evernight Buy Link:

All Romance eBooks:

Amazon:
 

Thursday, 28 February 2013

Blog-itis!

Oh my goodness, I think I've gone doo-lally! Okay, that's not unusual for me, but I'm under stress this week so I have very few marbles left.

What has me even more scatter-brained than usual? My impending release - The Wolf on the Hill.


Don't get me wrong, I'm absolutely thrilled that release day is fast approaching. But I'm also terrified. I love my characters, I love this book, and of course I want readers to feel the same way. And what do we have to do to find readers? Pimp our little hearts out!

Anyone who knows me will tell you I'm no showgirl, I don't like to be anywhere near the limelight, but in this business we have no choice. Exposure equals sales.

So, for the last few days I've been blog swapping dates and popping up all over news feeds just to remind people I'm still here lol

Writing at the minute is kind of stop/start as I arrange my promotion tour. And needless to say I've already double-booked dates, and forgotten who needs what, when.

So, if anyone wants to volunteer to be my book pimp feel free to do so, and just wake me up on release day :)

Wednesday, 27 February 2013

A Double-Header for Michaela Rhua

Michaela Rhua is celebrating not one, but TWO fabulous new releases! She's very kindly sharing snippets from both today. Don't say I'm not good to you :)



Here is the blurb for you all to give you a flavour.
Leah and Jess have been friends for years, and having set up business together, they are even more aware of the need to keep things strictly professional. However all that changes after one drunken dare leads them to discover unbelievable passion. Who knew when friends become lovers the result would be so explosive and life altering, even if things seem different in the cold light of day. Can two friends face the truth and find happiness or was it a dare too far?

Ready for a little taste?      

Leah sat shocked as Jess threw herself into an impromptu sexy routine. She began with seductive hip swinging. She threw her head down in front of Leah, and then quickly back so her golden locks fell messily around her face. Oh hell, she looked so hot.
Next came a slow unbuttoning of her shirt and Jess took her time in revealing a purple lace bra holding those full breasts in place.
Leah took a gulp of wine not believing her eyes.
Jess grabbed her breasts and squeezed them together as the song continued with its sensual lyrics.
 Leah licked her lips, wanting to lick those fulsome breasts.
 Jess took hold of the chair nearest to Leah. Standing on it, she began to unbuckle her belt, which she threw dramatically across the bar.
Leah's mouth went dry at the vision of pure sex on legs in front of her. Moisture leaked from her pussy, wetting her panties. She leaned forward in her chair. The movement created friction against her pussy. The vision before her combined with the spinning light, sensual music, and the friction of the chair was driving her to the brink of orgasm. 
Jess grabbed her crotch and rubbed the area, biting her lip and closing her eyes. She began to unzip her jeans slowly, not taking her eyes off Leah.
That eye-to-eye contact sent shivers of arousal through Leah, but the combination of actions caused the sexy blonde bombshell to lose her balance. Suddenly Leah saw Jess tumble. She shot out of her seat, but she was too late to catch Jess, who hit the floor.
"Oh my God. Are you okay, Jess?" Leah looked down at her friend, who lay with eyes closed and body motionless. Panic rising inside her, she looked round to see where her phone was to call an ambulance.
Suddenly the other woman erupted into a fit of giggles, much to Leah's relief.
"Seriously, Jess, I thought you hit your head or something!"  Leah moaned, letting relief wash over her now that she realized her friend wasn’t hurt. Her heartbeat was just returning to normal.
Jess held out her hand to Leah. Their fingers meshed together and Jess pull her down to the floor.
 As blue eyes held her own, Leah knew her breathing had become uneven. Was this the dream she had longed to come true for so long? The club was silent. The track had finished. The disco lights spun, a shower of multi-colored lights creating a magical space around them.
Leah lowered her head down. It was a now or never moment. She looked at her friend with her halo of golden hair spread around her. She looked like an angel on the midnight floor.
 Jess' eyes softened the closer she got. Leah's lips hovered over hers. She licked them slowly before kissing Jess passionately. She felt Jess' hands in her hair, holding their lips together. She wants this as much as I do. Leah stroked Jess' hair while her other hand went to her breast, squeezing and massaging.
Jess spread her legs under Leah and wrapped them around her, drawing her closer.
Leah ground her hips into Jess, enjoying the friction. She pinched a nipple, eliciting a groan from the woman beneath her. She moved from her lips to her neck, licking and biting the delicate skin down to her breasts. She sucked the hardened nipple though the lace and Jess' moans became louder, her hands holding the back of Leah's head to her breast.
Leah took her time enjoying the body she had longed to make love to. Her pussy was wet, but she wanted to focus on Jess' needs not her own. She went from one nipple to the other before pulling the bra up to reveal full breasts with pink, wet nipples. She squeezed the breasts together, drawing both nipples into the center, then licked a trail from one to another.
Jess squirmed under her, gasping with each lick.
Leah kissed down her flat stomach to her hips. Her zipper was halfway down so Leah unzipped it completely, revealing matching lace undies. She pulled at the jeans.
Jess sat up a little to help ease them off, removing her shirt and bra at the same time.
She lay down and Leah drank in the sight of her creamy skin, pink in places where she had sucked or gently bitten. She buried her head between Jess' legs, and she found the lace was wet with the other woman's juices. Leah sucked her clit through the lace, enjoying the taste of her.
Here are the BUY links:

Evernight Publishing
All Romance Ebooks
Amazon.com
Amazon.co.uk




Blurb
Essen is out for revenge, and exotic dancer Romy is his target. After the struggle for control of the Gateway between the human world and the supernatural world brings tragedy, this Guardian Demon will stop at nothing to get what he wants: retribution! From the moment they first meet, sparks fly between them, and they cannot deny the connection they have, even if she seems to be hiding her true identity. But how is this possible when they are from two different worlds? Can their love overcome the tormented history that divides them? When Romy is kidnapped, Essen must face his true feelings before it's too late.

                                                                                                              

Excerpt

She slowly walked across to the sound system and chose a track to dance to. Sometimes customers liked to choose their own music, but he had not done so. She selected R. Kelly's "Ignition." The beat kicked in, and Romy dropped her hip to the right, stepped back, and dropped her hip to the left. She swung round with her hands on her breasts, eyes half-closed, and really got into it. The music took over; she gyrated her hips toward him, and she slid her hands up and down her body. She wove her body back around to him and bent forward, giving him a great view of her ass as she brought her hands up to separate her cheeks and quickly let go. Spinning around again, she bounced to the music, knowing her breasts were the star of the show for this bit. She let her hands wander between her legs and into her black panties before moving her hand out and pinging the elastic.

The whole time she maintained as much eye contact as she could. Licking her lips often and moving forward, she put her breasts as close as she could without touching. Turning around she placed her hands on his legs and felt firm thighs. She sat in his lap and ground her ass into his obvious erection. The movements were meant to arouse the customer into paying for more time. Some even climaxed, which was why there were tissues and wipes under the table. This time she found herself lost to the music, and the contact with his jeans-clad cock sent jolts throughout her body. She touched herself in time with the rhythm, getting aroused as the heat between them rose. Romy had never felt so good dancing for anyone before.

This was when some customers lost control and tried to make a grab. So she got up and strutted to the door. She spun on the spot and spread her arms, draping herself across the door, swinging her hips so her ass was rubbing against the wood behind her. The rubbing action caused him to shift his position. She knew he was trying to make his hard cock more comfortable in his jeans. His blues eyes sparkled, and she could see he was clenching his jaw; his hands were fisted at his sides. She danced closer to the door, hips swinging, ass at all angles, and breasts squeezed together. The track went into fade, and Romy gradually stopped, smiling her "were you happy with that" smile, and stood still.

That had been amazing; she had never felt so alive, so eager to show herself to a man before. He stood up slowly. Then he walked over to her, his movements that of a prowling animal. The bulge in his trousers was obvious. Romy took a step back and hit the door, and she gulped. He was huge next to her; in her heels she stood at five feet ten inches, but he was well over six feet with huge shoulders, blond, shoulder-length hair, and a stubbled chin. He reached into his jacket pocket, pulled out a few notes, and hooked them into her red lace bra. That brief touch sent sparks through, her straight to her clit. He was so close; she could feel his warmth and longed to be closer still. He took a deep breath as though he were inhaling her scent, and she groaned inwardly.

Leaning forward he said, "Thank you, Romy."

His hot breath fanned her neck. She gazed up at him. How did he know my name?


Buy Links:

Breathless Press:



All Romance eBooks:



Amazon.com



Amazon.co.uk


Author Bio:Michaela Rhua

Michaela Rhua always dreamed of writing but this never happened until she met the lovely group of ladies known as UCW. Their passion for writing and encouragement inspired her to see if she could do it too. Now she loves writing!

She has teenage children and a husband, who also keep her busy. However, it is whilst travelling into work that she has time to create her characters and imagine other places in which they exist as her world skims by the window. Conversations overheard often lead to the birth of new ideas that she scribbles down in her trusty notebook.

Michaela is a multi-published author with Breathless Press, Evernight Publishing and a self-published anthology with authors from The Nuthouse Scribblers.


Find her here:





Thursday, 21 February 2013

Author Spotlight on Sandra Bunino

 



The Submission of a Mafia Princess Blurb:

                                             

Duty, Respect and Honor thy Family...

 

As the only child of notorious mob boss, Tony “The Chief” Azzari, Antonietta lives her life by this mantra. Toni never questions the world where decisions are made for her, until she meets Harley-Davidson riding bad boy, Braxton Malone. Ever since their fiery first kiss all those years ago, she can’t deny the desire to submit to his control.

 

Brax always knew he’d be walking a dangerous tightrope if he fell for Toni, but like a moth to a flame, he couldn't stay away. Barely surviving the wrath of the mob within an inch of his life, a scorned Brax has vowed never again to allow a woman under his skin.

 

Three years later, Brax is a top Dom at The Satin Rose Experience, New York’s posh BDSM club. When Toni shows up to fulfill her fantasy of submission before being forced into a loveless marriage, that vow is in just as much jeopardy as his life. Can they overcome the crimes of passion from their past and change Toni’s fate forever?

 

 

Excerpt:

 

            Toni lay in darkness, left alone with her thoughts and listening to the air flowing in through her nose and out through her mouth as Mia had instructed. Candles were one of Toni’s demands, especially when she discovered the submissive pose would push her ass high in the air. She couldn’t handle a harsh spotlight on her full cheeks. Even though she didn’t want to admit it, the dim lights also served the purpose of keeping her Dom of choice, Mick, as anonymous as possible. Not that she needed candles for that; his last minute demand was to blindfold her. Something that they hadn’t talked about while reviewing her soft and hard limits.

            Toni wasn’t sure how much time had passed since Mia left the room after preparing her for the scene. She tested the restraints connected to her wrist bindings. Only an inch or two of slack allowed her to shift slightly on the sumptuous bed. Crisp linens cradled her shins, which were spread slightly. Deep breaths pushed her leather-covered breasts into the soft mattress. Her position of submission caused the leather strap between her backside cheeks to tighten against her sensitized folds.

            The click of the lock and slide of the door caused every nerve ending to stand at attention. Heavy footfalls sounded on the suite’s plush carpeting. Concentrating on her breathing, Toni willed her heart to stay within the confines of her chest.

            Inhale through her nose. Fingers caressed the back of her calf and eased her shoe off her right foot.

            Exhale through her mouth. Her other shoe slid from her foot and a single finger drew a slow line down the bottom of her foot.

            Inhale. The ticking of a zipper filled her ears.

            Exhale. Shit, the breathing thing wasn’t working.

            Inhale and hold. She squeezed her eyes shut. I can do this. I can do this.

            The floodgates opened with a sobbing exhale. “Fire! Fire. I’m sorry. I can’t. I just...can’t. I thought I could. I thought it would be like before. But it’s not.”

            “Before?” a low voice whispered. There was something about that voice.

            “Yes, before. With Brax. I’m sorry. I just can’t, not like this." A sob wracked her chest and tears soaked her blindfold.

            “Shh, it’s okay,” Hands stroked her hair enveloping her into a comforting sensation that was as familiar as breathing. She picked her head up and perked her ears toward the source.

            “Brax?”

            “It’s me, Antonietta. You’re safe.”

            The bed dipped next to her and the blindfold slipped off her head. She blinked a few times to focus her eyes.

            “Hello, sunshine.”

            “What are you doing here?”

            “Come on, you know me a little better than to think I’d sit back idly and allow some random man have his way with you.”

            Toni sat up on her heels causing her tethered hands to rise awkwardly.

            “Here. Let’s get you out of these.” Brax unhooked the restraints from her bindings and took her hands into his. He untied the satin cords and slowly uncoiled them from her wrists. Rubbing them in between his hands, memories came flooding back. Back when she was his.

            “You look beautiful,” he said, surveying her body.

            She focused on his face, attempting to sear every feature of him into her memory: the planes and light stubble of his cheeks, his tousled hair, and his eyes that had always been able to read her like a book from the first day they met.

            There was so much she wanted to say, but it was pointless. “One night is all we have.”

            Brax took her chin between his thumb and index finger and pulled her close. “I know. Get up and get dressed.”

            “Where are we going?”

            “Your fantasy of submission starts now. No questions,” he said and playfully slapped her ass. Grabbed his jacket from the chair, he strode to the door before turning around.

            “You have ten minutes. Wear a dress and these.” He pulled a flash of red and lace from the jacket’s pocket and tossed it to Toni.

 

Find THE SUBMISSION OF A MAFIA PRINCESS here:


 

Author Bio:

Sandra Bunino is a numbers crunching business professional by day who stays up past her bedtime thanks to her oh-so-sexy imagination. Who needs sleep, anyway? Sandra is constantly searching for different ways to achieve a heart-pumping, stomach-flipping, breath-catching reaction from her readers.

 

These days, Sandra lives on a wooded mountaintop not far from New York City with her family. She always looks forward to hearing from her readers and she may be contacted at sbunino@gmail.com. As a social media junkie in need of a ten-step program, you can also follow her on Facebook and Twitter (@sandrabunino).

 

Stalk Sandra here:


Remember, following is sexy!