Archive for the ‘erotic romance’ Category

ISBN: 9781426890529
Publisher: Carina Press
Release date: Aug 30, 2010
Source: requested from NetGalley to read and review

Grant and Vivi Michaelson share everything in their marriage: love, commitment-and their wildest sexual desires. But their relationship is tested when Vivi admits she wants a threesome with Grant’s old friend Cade, proposing their annual trip to the lake as the perfect opportunity to fulfill her fantasy.

All three of them are aroused by the idea. Vivi and Cade have long felt a smoldering attraction to each other…and Grant and Cade have hidden an illicit desire for decades. Going through with the ménage will test their boundaries, reveal old secrets…and maybe tear them apart. After all, there might be room for Cade in bed, but is there room for a third in their marriage?

Coming Clean by Inez Kelley is another book that I picked up from NetGalley mainly because it looked pretty interesting. I was again pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this story! It is a short story – about 90ish pages of erotica. Coming Clean tells the story of Vivi and Grant Michaelson and their best friend Cade. Vivi and Grant have been married for a number of years and have a strong, fantasy filled sex life. Grant and Cade have been friends for many years and had one sexual encounter many years before. Vivi and Grant want to bring Cade into their relationship. Not just as a third person, but part of a triad.

I loved the way the author interweaves the relationship that these three people have. It’s almost as if Vivi has always had two husbands. Although she’s married to Grant, she goes dancing with Cade because Grant doesn’t like to dance. The sensitivity with which the author moves Grant and Cade through their conversation about bringing Cade into the relationship was incredible, as was the description of Grant and Cade’s first encounter. Although I approached this book with a bit of trepidation, I was entranced by the completeness of this group of three people. Society is conditioned to think in twos, yet this story smoothly counters that assumption with a well written story about a relationship of three equal people! I will read more by this author. Pick up this quick read today!

This review was originally posted on Sugarbeat’s Books

ISBN: 978-0-373-60543-9
Publisher: Spice Books

In Victorian England vice of every kind can be purchased, and Matthew, the Earl of Wallingford, makes certain he avails himself of every possible pleasure. Bored and jaded, he is as well known for his coldness as for his licentious affairs with beautiful women.

While these numerous daliances fulfill Matthew’s every physical need, they secretly leave him numb and emotionally void. Until one night when he finds himself beaten, eyes bandaged and in the care of a nurse with the voice of an angel–and a gentle touch that soothes the darkness in him and makes him yearn for more.

Yet Jane Rankin is a lowly nurse, considered shy and plain by most. There is no place for her amongst the lords and ladies of aristocracy–despite Matthew’s growing craving for the fire that burns behind her earnest facade. And then there is Matthew’s secret. A secret so humiliating and scandalous it could destroy everyone he loves. A sin, he fears, not even the love of a good woman can take away…

Here’s another book that I chose to read because of the partially naked, well-buffed man on the front cover. Amazing how shallow I can be! This lovely picture, however, led me to one of the most heart wrenching books I have read in some time.  Sinful by Charlotte Featherstone is an amazing book!

Matthew, the Earl of Wallingford, engages in every vice that he can. He is truly a dissolute character! He is being persecuted by his father, a Duke, to marry and start producing heirs. Matthew isn’t interested in getting married, but is interested in opening an art gallery. Since his father is restricting his money, he decides to hold an auction for one of his more erotic paintings to raise the funds. After the auction, he is beaten and robbed and left for dead in a rough part of London. He wakes in hospital tended to by his nurse, Jane.

Jane Rankin works as a companion to an older woman and is working off the cost of her employer’s medical bills by working at night as a nurse in London College Hospital. She is on duty the night that Matthew is brought in and manages to sooth him so that he can be treated. His eyes are bandaged so he can’t see her but he uses his other senses and seems mesmerized by her voice and her touch. Once he is sent back to his father to finish his recovery, he continues to obsess over Jane’s identity; desperate to find her.

I’ll leave the rest of the story for you to enjoy. I will say, I continue to be surprised how much I enjoyed this book! I tend to be drawn to glittery Ton romances, filled with balls and alpha males! This book absolutely doesn’t fit in this description! I have read other books with “tortured” heros but they weren’t as tortured as Matthew! We find out through the story that Matthew was sexually abused as a young lad. Jane is also a somewhat troubled heroine. Her mother was a mistress to a peer and they were thrown out into the streets when Jane was young and her mother turned to prostitution to survive. Lady Blackwood rescued Jane from the streets and offered her work as a companion. She has served as a mother figure throughout the years and has helped Jane come to terms with many of the issues of her childhood.

I was impressed by how outstanding Charlotte Featherstone’s writing is! She skillfully weaves Matthew’s memories from being abused into thoughts that come out while he is with Jane. She doesn’t really write about the abuse, but Matthew’s thoughts lead us through the stories. Throughout alot of this book, the story isn’t pleasant. Matthew isn’t a likable character! After he did something appalling, I would put down the book and walk away. I was always drawn back to see what would happen next.

Sinful is by no means a “formula” historical romance. It is written bluntly, and is not a typical “happy ending” kind of a story. I was continually drawn in by Jane and Matthew’s interactions and developing love for one another. I appreciated (after the fact) that the author didn’t turn this story into a more conventional happily ever after. It is a skillfully written erotic, historical romance and I will seek out more by this author!

This review was originally posted on Sugarbeat’s Books

Publisher: Carina Press
ISBN: 9781426890697

 

Ten years ago, Rori Simon left town shy, unattractive and with zero self-esteem. Now she’s back, older, stronger and finally loving herself-and it shows. Hot men are soon knocking at her door, including Jude Callahan, the bad boy who starred in her teenage daydreams…and her adult fantasies.
Jude can’t believe the sexy, confident woman before him is actually Rori! She’s gotten under his skin like no other woman has…and she brings out secret desires he can’t resist. He wants to dominate Rori with every fiber of his being. Wants to own her and pleasure her. To cherish her as he makes her his.
Rori discovers she likes being controlled. She also knows Jude is not a one-woman man. Everything changes when she meets Zach Helm. Edgy, sensual Zach knows just what she needs, and before long, she’s in love. Jude watches them together and wonders if he’s lost his chance forever…

I requested and received a copy of Second Chances by Lauren Dane from NetGalley to read and review. I had seen various blogs lately posting comments about this book and thought it looked interesting. I was not disappointed!

As the marketing blurb for the book says, Rori Simon returns to the small town she grew up in. She left Oakley ten years ago a different person than she is now. In the years since she has left, she has shed some weight, gotten a university degree, done some traveling and is now a published writer. She is recently out of a relationship with a boyfriend who cheated and is done with the lying male segment of the population. She returns to her sister and her husband and two boys, all of whom she is very fond of, and a mother who is on her third husband who she is not so fond of.

Her arrival in town creates quite the stir and within hours she has a date with her high school crush, Jude, and a new apartment in his complex. Jude is well known for his serial dating, but Rori thinks she could have something special with him. Sadly, he’s part of the population that is male and a liar, so he’s kicked to the curb. He’s replaced with Zach, the younger brother of one of her high school girlfriends. As you can tell by the blurb, she falls in love with Zach, and Jude realizes that he has lost out.

I don’t want to spoil the storyline for anyone wanting to read this book, so I won’t give away anymore of the story! I was totally blown away by this story! I’m not sure what I expected. I do tend to gravitate towards the Regency Romance and only read contemporary romance on occasion because I don’t find them as romantic. This book proves that theory wrong! Yes, this book has plenty of sex in it, and most of it is pretty graphic. There is a fair amount of BDSM in this book also. That doesn’t detract from the absolutely heart-wrenching love story that develops. At one point in the book, I actually had tears running down my face when I was reading a particularly touching part.

Zach is a great hero for the story. He is strong, without being overbearing; mature for his age and confident in what he likes. He absolutely cherishes Rori – a beautiful thing to read about! Rori is a confident woman who is open to new experiences and despite her history with a cheating boyfriend, she doesn’t paint all men with the same brush. The character I liked the most was Jude. Although he got kicked to the curb at the beginning of the book by Rori for his lying, he learns from this and grows as a person. The Jude at the end of the book is a much better human being than the skirt chaser that exists at the beginning of the book!

This book is a keeper, and I am going looking for more written by this author!

This review was originally posted on Sugarbeat’s Books

First Timer Friday

with AJ Nuest

Join us in meeting some of the new authors on the scene every Friday.  Hear what the newbies have to say and discover your new favorite author.

1)  How well do you really know your characters? Underwear preference? Favorite flavor of ice cream? Coffee or Tea?

I think it’s imperative that every author know their characters on a very personal level. Not only their wardrobe, diet and sexual preferences, but also internally – what makes them tick emotionally. To me, knowing what motivates a character, what quantifies their reactions or choices in certain situations, is what makes them real – not only to the author, but the reader, as well. Verbiage plays a huge part in this. I can’t tell you the times I’ve walked around my house, trying for just the right line so my characters’ language sounds uniquely original. All those little mannerisms, the things that define an individual personality are what make characters stand out to the reader. In all my favorite books, several characters stick with me simply because they had a chipped tooth, or a habit of chewing gum. I even sometimes wonder ‘where are they now?’ What better compliment to give an author than to remember the people they created? To think of them long after the story has ended. Without a doubt, knowing your characters is paramount to crafting a good story.

2)  What makes your First book Naughty?

Jezebel’s Wish contains several naughty elements, and not just because of the heat level. Jezzy is struggling through a difficult time, is terribly guilt-ridden and holding onto a dark secret. She consequently creates a protective wall between herself and those closest to her. But this wall isn’t meant to protect her. It’s meant to protect the ones she loves. Jezzy doesn’t want her family to discover the mistakes she’s made for fear it would damage their relationship. Because of this, she exhibits caustic behavior, knowing this is the only way to keep everyone at a distance. Enter the virile Matthias Saunders, the local veterinarian who proves to Jezzy he is more interested in helping her heal, than worrying about her past. This combination of dark emotion, peppered with their undeniable attraction, a dash of snappy dialogue, and you’ve got a recipe for some very naughty scenes indeed.

3)  How likely are people you meet to end up in your next book?

Usually, some aspect of each person I meet ends up somewhere in a story, but generally only as a secondary character. Whether this person has an unusual name, an interesting personality trait or family history – I glean little parts from each new acquaintance and smash them together with people I already know. However, for my main characters I usually start from scratch. While this can be hard, it also allows me total freedom to mold a character so their motivation fits the story’s specific needs. In truth, I love this part of the writing process – getting to know my characters as I create them is a very addictive experience. After all, I don’t really know too many devastatingly handsome, sword-fighting dragon slayers.

4)  What was the best advice you were given leading you to getting published?

Strangely enough, the best advice I ever got came from a non-published friend of mine. She told me, “Don’t put all your eggs in one basket.” To this day, I’m still learning that lesson. I’m one of those people who isn’t happy unless I’ve got several projects all going at once. A query here, a blog there, promoting a new release over at this place. However, I’m also a closer, and achieve a great sense of satisfaction in completing a project. Because of this, I tend to think that once a story is completed, I’ve done my work and can move on. Not so, because this is when the real work begins. I think it’s very important all new authors learn how to stay motivated, either with promotion, or querying, or writing. Don’t ever put all your eggs in one basket and then sit back and wait. If you want to succeed, never stop testing boundaries, networking, and fighting for what you believe in.

5)  Favorite Superhero?

Ever since being introduced to the X-Men in college, I’ve had a mad crush on Wolverine. Does that make me sound like a complete whack-job? Well, I can’t help it. He’s a reluctant hero, a wounded hero, both physically and emotionally. Something about his dark history draws me to his character. How he exhibits this gruff, animalistic exterior to mask his damaged soul. How he teeters on the border between avenging do-gooder and outright criminal. Plus, he drives a motorcycle, has a penchant for growling, and totes around a hairy chest and a rockin set of abs. How much more alph-male can you get? Yep, Wolverine easily beats out all the other super-heroes as my favorite.

CHECK OUT AJ NUEST’S BOOK – AVAILABLE NOW!

Jezebel’s Wish

by AJ Nuest

Publisher:  Wild Rose Press

Buy at Wild Rose Press

Buy at Amazon

Synopsis:

Haunted by nightmares, tormented by guilt, Jezebel came to Redemption Ranch to escape the past—except now she’s stuck in the middle of nowhere with no redemption in sight. When her mother pushes her into riding lessons with local veterinarian Matthias Saunders, Jezebel balks. Sure, the doctor is gorgeous, but he’s completely obnoxious and knows how to push every one of her buttons.

Only her deep connection with The Reverend, a gentle stallion who guards her darkest secrets, has her agreeing to spend any more time with Dr. Saunders. Caring for the stallion is the first bright spot in her life in months, and if being around the horse means she has to deal with Matthias Saunders, then so be it. Surely a city girl like her can handle one country vet—even one with disturbing blue eyes. Can’t she?

About The Author:

AJ Nuest lives in Northwest Indiana with her loving husband and two beautiful children. She is the author of two contemporary romance novels.

Website/blog:  http://ajbooks.blospot.com
Facebook Page:  Tattered Pages  http://tinyurl.com/3qvxyn6

Loving Laney

by Lorna Jean Roberts

Publisher: Ellora’s Cave

Buy Link

Synopsis:

The absolute last thing Laney wants or needs is an Alpha werewolf. She fled a life of abuse and neglect at the hands of one, so there’s no way she’s interested in letting another into her life. Not even a sinfully gorgeous specimen. Uh-uh, not interested, not in this lifetime…

Then she meets Cooper Brady—and the man is delicious. Good sense is overwhelmed by the need to touch him, taste him, and perhaps a night of hot, melt-in-your-mouth sex is just what she needs. It’s just a one-night stand after all, no strings attached, no messy goodbyes. Perfect.

Well, it would have been if he wasn’t her mate. Mated life has its upsides, like sizzling, addictive, overwhelming sex—yummm. But lust can’t help her convince Cooper not to wrap her in cotton wool, it can’t help her tame or avoid bitchy packmates and it definitely can’t help her figure out who’s trying to scare her with nightmares from her past.

But hey, it sure does help.

Loving Laney by Lorna Jean Roberts

Review by Manda Kay

4.5 Whips/5 Whips

When I saw that this was a werewolf story, I of course had to read it.  After the whole phenomenon that is Twilight, I am hooked on all things werewolf. I love to see how authors will take such a popular genre and put an interesting spin on it. I do have to say this was interesting.

From page one, I was hooked on the main character, Laney. She was witty and tough and exactly how I like my leading ladies to be. I was drawn in immediately and I had a hard time tearing myself away.  Not long after falling for Laney, we meet Cooper. If I thought Laney was great, she was almost overshadowed by the man that was Cooper.  Immediately I knew he was melt worthy and I couldn’t wait to see their relationship take off.

So, on top of Laney and Cooper being a hot couple who were hot for each other, they are BOTH werewolves. Talk about icing on my swoon cake.  This book took me on a wild ride of hot to trot werewolves, mystery and as I like to call them, the fun bits.

All together, Lorna Jean Roberts hit this one out of the park. You’ll feel for Laney as she learns to love not only Cooper, but herself. You’ll swoon for Cooper’s tough side, but also feel for his soft side.  If you’re like me, you’ll also get side tracked by the other male werewolves and wish they were in the story more.  That reason alone is why this one is .5 away from a full 5 whips. I really loved the pack and wanted more of them.

This book is full of loving and Laney is definitely loved by Cooper, if you know what I mean.

I hope this cast of characters is brought back in another novel by Lorna Jean Roberts. Sequel? I say yes!

Hurt Me So Good

by Joely Sue Burkhart

One sub to please the Master…in any way he wishes.

Victor Connagher is no stranger to the Dallas BDSM scene. As CEO of a risqué cable channel that caters to adventurous adults, he ensures the lifestyle is portrayed in a positive light. He even supports a local bondage club. Yet behind the cool, confident mask, Victor lives in fear.

Once, and only once, he lost control of his inner Dom—and it cost him his fiancée. Now, no one knows how hard he works to keep his darker appetite for pain buried. No matter how much his saucy, confident associate producer makes his fingers itch to once again take up his riding crop.

Shiloh Holmes is a sub, but she’s no doormat. She’s always suspected Victor has the skills to feed her insatiable need for pain, and now she’s found the perfect way to crack his formidable control. Develop a new reality show, America’s Next Top sub…and dare him to compete.

Week after week, as Shiloh fearlessly challenges the real Victor to come out of hiding, he realizes his past mistake was only a blow to his pride. If he loses Shiloh, he could lose his heart.

Warning: Explicit sex, BDSM, reality television, a very reluctant Dom, an audacious sub willing to do anything to win for him, and one very wicked riding crop.

Hurt Me So Good by Joely Sue Burkhart

Review by Armenia

4.5 Whips/5 Whips

I admit I don’t watch much reality television but with the first paragraph of Hurt Me So Good I was hooked. Joely Sue Burkhart grabbed me by the collar and lead me down a path I could not stray, and I gladly followed. To my fascination this super-length novella overflowed with sexual tension that seem to increase with each page. I found myself at the edge of my seat as I “watched” Victor and Shiloh’s story unfold before my eyes. As contestants on a television show called America’s Next Top Subthe chemistry between them sizzled “on” and “off” the stage. The sex is hot, the foreplay edgy, and lots of dominant/submissive action got my total attention. Although Victor’s reluctance to unleash his intensely dark desires had me wondering if he could satisfy Shiloh’s need for painful release. I had to admire Shiloh for her planning and persistence to help Victor realize he was her true Master; that only her offer of surrender and challenge could bring him total completion.

As a warning, the story leans heavily towards intense BDSM play, quite edgy for a typical romance book. Readers wanting a quick glimpse into the power play of Domination and Submission will not be disappointed. Hurt Me So Good delves into the psche of two very complex individuals with very dark needs. They truly are two halves of each other, requiring the strength of one another to complete themselves.

Joely Sue Burkhart did a beautiful job of portraying this lifestyle in a positive light. I highly recommend Hurt Me So Good for the romance reader who wants an edgy romance.

Terry Kate :   I am welcoming the Mistress of origami and author of Fortune, a new BDSM novel, to the Backseat.  Annabel Joseph is with us to share the details of Fortune.

Annabel Joseph:  Hi Terry! I like that. “Mistress of Origami.”

TK:  So what do hopping dollar frogs and folded paper cranes have to do with your book?

AJ:  Well, the hero of Fortune is a surgeon and he’s really physical. He likes to do things with his hands. So he is really into rope too, and he ties the heroine up in all these intricate ways trying to “tame” her. He also sets out to fold 1000 cranes since that is supposed to bring good fortune. But of course, things are never so simple as that. It’s a very emotional book…

TK: Wow, I know surgeons learn knots, but was he a Boy Scout or what?

AJ: Uh, no…definitely no boy scout. A little too naughty for that.

TK: Well we like them naughty here!  I am a practical person. What if your Dr. hero ties up your heroine and gets called in to work?

AJ: There is actually a scene in the book kind of like that, where he has to untie her pretty quickly. Of course, being so adept with his fingers…so dexterous…lol. This guy is just really good with his hands. His name is Ryan, and he was actually one of the secondary characters in my last book, Deep in the Woods. I loved him so much, I just knew he had to have his own book and his own story.

TK: Do we need to have read the first book to get into the series or is this a stand alone?

AJ:  No, you don’t have to read the first book, since Ryan just made a two chapter supporting appearance as Dave’s best friend in Deep in the Woods. But if you did read it, Ryan has a very sexy part in that book, so it might get you primed, so to speak, for this book. Also, Dave and Sophie, the characters from Deep in the Woods, show up in this book, which is fun. But this book takes place in Boston and the last one took place in Atlanta, and this is a totally new story and a new girl with Ryan, so you can read it without reading Deep in the Woods.

TK: Let’s get a little into your heroine. She has faced some demons. What inspired you, and drives her?

AJ: Almost all of my heroines are fighting demons. I suppose that says something about me. This newest heroine, Kat, really has everything…good health, loving family, good job…but she feels like she’s going nowhere. I think what she really craves is love and connection, but she’s too fearful to give up the control it takes to really fall in love. That’s where Ryan and his shibari ties come in. They are sort of a metaphor for connection and security–and giving up that control to someone. A lot of people I know who like rope and being tied talk about that feeling of care and security. But falling in love is never easy, especially if you’re afraid of failure or being hurt.

TK:  We often think that others have it easier, or everything a person could want, but everyone’s pain is as real as yours.

AJ:  Yes, and that’s a lot of her issue. She feels like…What is WRONG with me that I can’t get it together when I should be able to have my sh*t together? For me, as an author, I prefer to write people who are real like that, who aren’t perfect and totally together. I’m not like that, and I don’t know many who are. I like to write about people who are struggling with life, or emotions or relationships. People struggling with being honest and putting themselves out there and being vulnerable even when they don’t want to be. Those are all really interesting to me, because that’s reality for a lot of people.

TK: Have you always been interested in the art of origami or did the idea for knots come first and the origami followed?

AJ:  I actually became interested in both the knots and the origami only recently. I had heard a lot about rope and shibari from my BDSM friends, but I never really “got” it. Then my good friend became involved with a kinky play partner who was into both rope AND origami and actually integrated both into their BDSM play. That just sparked my author imagination and the story took off from there. When you think about it, both are very intricate and very detail oriented…and of course, both have a mystical/emotional component. There is the long tradition of “senbazuru” or 1000 origami cranes to bring good fortune and a wish, and with shibari you have the concept of “kinbaku” or the emotional interplay that goes on between the shibari rigger and the subject. They both began to seem very mystical and erotic to me over the course of writing this book. So I am fairly new to origami, but I’ve been folding a lot lately. I’d like to fold 1,000 cranes, but it takes a lot of dedication…

TK:   It would be an achievement to be proud of.  Also it might bring you luck – sales – and enough money to pay for all that origami paper!

AJ:  I hope so. I have been trolling Ebay for cheap origami paper lots. But sales would be spectacular.  I really feel like–besides the hot sex and BDSM–this book is very emotional and moving.  I think it will really make people feel something.  So I hope it’s a success.

You can find out more about Annabel Joseph and Fortune at http://annabeljoseph.wordpress.com/ Also check out our review of this title.

In-TAT-uation

Tattoo Dream by Em Petrova

A businessman rolls up his sleeves at happy hour and a mystical dragon swirls up one buff forearm. A woman hails a cab and a fairy peeks out from under her dress hem. A Celtic cross graces a hot pec at the gym. What is it about tattoos that send me into fantasyland? In the first book of my Immortal Series, RUNES, I’ve created a world where tattoos reveal a person’s immortality. Now, in my upcoming release with Breathless Press, the contemporary characters own a tattoo shop. And yep, the word “tattoo” is even in the title—TATTOO DREAM.

These sexy characters use their occupation to get closer to the woman of their desires, and have a lot of fun along the way! They even have an interesting method of showing their new muse what her desired tattoo will look like before they ink her. But that’s all I can tell you without spoiling the story!

TATTOO DREAM releases January 28 from Breathless Press. Read on for an excerpt. And tell me about your tattoo, one you’d like to have, or the hottest ink you’ve ever seen. I can’t wait to hear from you.

Em Petrova

http://www.empetrova.com

http://twitter.com/empetrova

http://www.facebook.com/?ref=logo#!/profile.php?id=100001140802024

Excerpt from Tattoo Dream RATED ADULT:

Sascha scanned the tattoo shop. Blinds drawn. Employees sent home. Overhead task lighting dimmed. The wall clock blinked a neon affirmation that Maggie’s shift was over, and the tattoo shop was only a short walk from the coffee joint where she worked.

Van’s arms encircled Sascha from behind. The inky lines of his full sleeve tattoos seemed to writhe in the faint lighting over the receptionist’s empty desk. His hot breath bathed her ear as he growled, “Slow and calm, my sweet. She may not be open to our lifestyle.”

“Uh-uh.” Sascha gasped as Van’s hard cock pressed against her ass. “We’ll have her.”

The quiet tap of heels on the outer flight of steps leading to the tattoo shop’s second floor entrance sent Sascha into a flurry. She pulled from her husband’s arms and spun for the door. Maggie could be the one, Her heart beating wildly. She and Van agreed that they’d try to take it slow, introduce her to the idea by degrees. But it was gonna be a bitch.

His hand on her waist kept her from lunging at the gorgeous female who cautiously peeked around the door. The bell tinkled again as Maggie closed it behind her.

“All finished up?” Van tapped a sheaf of tattoo release forms into a stack, and then lined the pen up perfectly beside it. He neatly piled the albums of artwork.

“Yes. A hectic night. I could have stayed longer and made more tips, but I was eager to get here and see what kind of work you do.”

It had been too long since she’d felt such attraction. Then again, it wasn’t every day she ran across a sweet morsel like Maggie. She and Van had spent months fantasizing about getting her between their sheets. And between them. She was confident that Van’s love wouldn’t waver if things went wrong, but she didn’t want awkwardness between them and Maggie.

Sascha found her voice at last. “Have a seat and we’ll look through some books together.” She grabbed an album off the pile, shooting her husband the “calm down” expression. She crossed to the violet leather sofa against one wall. She motioned for Maggie to sit, and she and Van flanked her.

As she took her place, Sascha realized her panties were soaked and her nipples were hard beneath her halter top. She’d shared women with Van before, but her throat went dry with the thought of revving things up with Maggie.

Van reached across Maggie’s tender body and flipped open the first album. As he pointed out a photo, his forearm skimmed Maggie’s upper thighs, and Sascha’s skin prickled, imagining that delicious heat.

“This tattoo is gorgeous,” Maggie breathed, relaxing against the sofa back. “I love the colors. They’re similar to yours, Sascha.” Her eyes lifted to Sascha’s ink, a mermaid twisting from her neckline. Sascha’s heart twisted at the sight of the blush heating Maggie’s high cheekbones, and the way her teeth sank into her lower lip.

Sascha let her legs fall apart slightly so that her thigh pressed against the length of Maggie’s. Their bodies were quiet different—Sascha’s tall and athletic, Maggie’s slender and curvy. Add Van’s ripped abs and bulging biceps to the mix and they’d have one hell of a night.

If Maggie was willing.

Author Bio:

Em Petrova is the author of Runes, Isolde’s Wish, Trefoil, The Tempest, Tattoo Dream, and Deux.

Since a young age, Em has been lured by the world of paranormal and romance. She penned her first novel at the age of twelve, and after gaining an arts degree, has returned to her literary roots. She loves to dig deep into the souls of her unique characters and uncover their secret desires when she doesn’t have her nose in a great new read.

Hello Everyone!

We are excited to welcome S.L. Armstrong and K. Piet who are talking about their new anthology Cast the Cards and a little about the Tarot behind it.

When we chose to offer anthologies through Storm Moon Press, we were faced with what themes we would do and, most pressing, what theme would be in our first anthology. We tossed ideas around for a few days, always coming back to the theme of tarot cards. It’s an important aspect of two of the three founders of the press, and so we thought it would be an ideal first. Of course, we were made aware that tarot themes were overdone, but we disagreed. How could something so subjective and mythical be overdone? There’s always a new way to approach the topic of tarot cards, and when we did a little digging, we discovered there wasn’t an anthology quite like what we were proposing (or what we ultimately put together).

 We were very lucky in how the various submissions wound up. When we’d put out the call for submissions, we’d not been specific about much. That had been intentional. What we wound up with for our final line up was a beautiful, balanced book filled with intense, erotic stories and warm, gentle romances. Fantastical and contemporary side-by-side, and we’d chosen two M/M, two F/F, and two M/M/F. It’s a wonderful anthology with some excellent authors who were such a joy to work with from beginning to end.

 For this blog stop along the tour, we asked our authors to tell us what card in the tarot they most relate to and why. They came through with flying colors, offering some wonderful insights.

 [Erik Moore] I identify with the Ten of Wands.  The card represents success in a chosen venture, but with the added caveat that this often results in additional burdens, responsibilities, and stresses.  It  speaks to me in the sense that I am notorious for taking on more tasks than I can necessarily handle, but consistently managing to accomplish everything, even if it means letting my health or sleep schedule suffer as a result.  I have difficulty letting go of tasks or passing them off to others, due to a combination of not wanting to burden others and a belief (rightly or wrongly) that I can perform the task better.  (Often, it has been the case that when I have attempted to hand off a task, the end result is unacceptable, so I end up redoing it anyway.)

 The Ten of Wands is neither an encouragement nor an admonishment of this state of being, simply an observation.  It does imply that an examination of your tasks may be in order, though, and the reversed reading suggests that one or more of the burdens you are carrying are unnecessary.  I strive to keep this card in mind when I find myself inevitably feeling overwhelmed, and question whether my task list can be pared down to spare myself some stress.  Unfortunately, the answer to that question is frequently “no”, and so the message of the card is perseverance and pacing yourself, which goes a long way to keeping me (arguably) sane.

 [S.L. Armstrong] The first time I drew a card to represent myself almost two decades ago, it was The Moon. Since then, if I do not choose it myself as my signifier, it will come up in just about any sort of spread I do. It is a card I am deeply attached to and represents me 100%. I even have a character I am writing who is The Moon personified, and she is one of the characters closest to my heart. The Moon is magic and madness and addiction. It’s fantasy and lies and fear. At the same time, it’s about revealed secrets, tapping into instinct, and facing that in yourself that is darkest and most frightening.

 Imaginative and full of change, that pretty much describes me. I’m moody and just brimming with ideas for novels and little stories. I have worlds upon worlds in my head populated with hundreds of people I’ve never met, with hundreds more waiting for their introduction. I am plagued by insecurity and anxiety, and I almost never look at myself with completely clear eyes, but I have a deep sense of spirituality and connection with what I cannot see. The Moon is me, through and through, in almost all respects, and I couldn’t think of another card I’d rather represent.

 [K. Piet] I identify with the Page of Cups, which embodies the exuberance and impulsive innocence of youth with the soothing, if sometimes conflicting, qualities of the emotions and creativity. There is a sense of duality and blurred lines in the card I feel reflected in my own life and personality. While I’m extroverted, I’m very emotionally driven. Part of me is analytical and drawn to the sciences, especially those that involve the human body and all its complexities. Contrast that with the other side, drawn to the fantastical, the dreamer that loses oneself within imaginary worlds of fiction, song, theatre, and circus. Even the balance and fusion of male and female energies exists both in my personality and in the Page of Cups, an androgyny that isn’t apologized for but is accepted as part of the fluid nature of the individual.

 The Page of Cups is a dreamer, a messenger, a studious person who uses their knowledge to try to help others. It is a card of beginning, renewal, and sudden inspiration. I often feel that my inspiration comes over me through the intervention of my unconscious mind (such as through my dreams), and it tends to shock the hell out of me, just like the fish that pops out of the goblet to speak to the Page on the traditional rendering of the tarot card. My massage therapy work is holistic and fluid, and my writing ideas tend to burst forth unexpectedly while I take action based on both logic and intuition. Some drawbacks are that I start many things I cannot finish, have a tendency to ramble, and need to both express my thoughts and have an audience receive them. After all, what good is a page holding a cup if there is no one to hear the message and share the wine?

 [Janine Ashbless] The tarot card I feel represents me is Strength. In some modern decks it’s known as Lust, and that’s particularly relevant to me.

 There are many different artistic interpretations available for this card, but they almost all show a woman and a lion. She may be holding its mouth closed (or opening it to peer inside), riding it or simply relaxing with it. I particularly like it that the imagery is so female-positive.  It reminds me of mythological depictions of the great goddesses like Kubaba, Cybele, and Durga, enthroned or accompanied by lions.

 This is a woman completely at ease with the deep animal instincts of the psyche. She’s not frightened of it in any way, despite its ferocity and power: she is the one in control. She trusts herself.  Representing the higher soul directing and controlling the sexual impulse, in conservative societies this card is often read as emphasizing self-denial. As an erotica writer, I see it as using the sexual instincts and imagination to fuel my creativity. I write stories – powerful, strong, scary, challenging, filthy stories (I hope!) which harness the vitality of my inner lion.

 [Emily Moreton] I associate myself most strongly with The Star, and not just because it’s linked to my birth sign, aquarius, or because I wear one round my neck, as a pentagram pendant. The star signifies optimism and hope for the future, and I’m a big believer in things getting better and in working to make things better. The star also warns against negativity and self-doubt, which may lead to lost opportunities, and sometimes I need to be reminded to seize the day. This is also the card I’d associate most strongly with my heroes, women like the Pankhurst sisters who campaigned for female suffrage in the UK, and Pauline Gower, who was instrumental in women being allowed to fly during World War II – they were all about making the world better, and certainly don’t seem to have let any doubt stand in their way! Finally, the star is a good omen when considering something new; I’m always trying new things, and I never turn down a good omen for them.

 [Marie Carlson] I had a hard time deciding what tarot card represents me, because there isn’t one with which I specifically identify, so I turned it over to my friends and readers. I received a few different cards in the responses, but the clear consensus was the High Priestess. I was a little taken aback at first, because I don’t always feel as powerful as being represented by the High Priestess suggests to me, but then they explained their choices and I better understood.

 The High Priestess dispenses wisdom tempered with playfulness and justice tempered with mercy. She represents female leadership through both caring and nurturing and strength and power. She is open to possibilities and mysteries and trusts her intuition. She is not afraid of the unknown.

 Being associated with the High Priestess is quite a compliment. Though I am intimately aware of how I struggle to balance various parts of my life in a way that allows me to be the change I want to see in the world, I am awed and touched to realize that what my friends and readers see is what I attempt to put out into the world.

 To me, the High Priestess has always been about having great power and understanding the responsibilities that come with it. (Yes, I just had a Spider-Man moment there.) Through my writing and my work, I try to change the world, to make it a better world for those who are outside the traditional power dynamics. The world is a dangerous place for us still, and I hope someday the world will change in a way that really does mean life itself gets better and not just that those who are different must learn to survive.

 I want to change the world, and being associated with the High Priestess is a really wonderful way to be seen.

Cast the Cards is currently available from Storm Moon Press (http://stormmoonpress.com/books/Cast-the-Cards.aspx) in various e-book formats as well as a print volume.

 We’re also offering a giveaway on this post for one free copy of the PDF e-book of Cast the Cards. Just comment to this post with which tarot card you associate with and, at the end of the blog tour, we’ll do a random drawing from the responses!

You can find out more at www.slarmstrong.net or @peachesnjasmin on Twitter, or K. Piet at www.kpiet.net or @yventide on Twitter.

Welcome Readers!

Join us in meeting some of the new authors on the scene every Friday.  Hear what the newbies have to say and discover the voice of a new author.

1) What makes your first book Naughty?

 PHYSICAL EDUCATION is about as Naughty as a book can get. It’s based at a sex school, which leaves plenty of room open for in-the-bedroom, or in-the-backseat play! While the main storyline is M/F, there’s also a bit of M/M and F/F action.

 2) Things that go bump in the night, Scary Real in your book or Scary Sexy?

 As an erotic thriller, the plot line in PHYSICAL EDUCATION, unfortunately, can be Scary Real. People at the school start to go missing, and it’s up to undercover agent Reed to find out what’s happening. What he discovers can and does happen in real life.

 That said, there’s plenty of Scary Sexy happening, too. Those who don’t follow the rules may be afraid of a little spanking and public display …

 3) What is the scariest part of sending out that first book?

 For me was having no one actually read it before I submitted. Can you believe that? After years of working on newspaper and magazine staffs where someone always reads your work, and then taking writing classes and being part of critique groups! Finally, at the end, the book became so Naughty I didn’t want any of my regular friends to read it. I was afraid of the reaction. Fortunately, the editor came back with “love it.”

 4) What is your naughty car of choice?

 My husband owns this old Mango-painted Jeep. It’s not so much the vehicle, but where it used to take us while we were dating – the tops of the hills in Laguna Beach, where we could sit out alone under the stars and watch the city lights, and maybe get a little Naughty.

 5) What did you do to celebrate when your first book was published?

 I’m totally a champagne gal. When a book gets published, there are so many steps to celebrate: Proposal being accepted, finishing a chapter (hiccup), completing novel and sending it off, copy editing being done (hiccup), and then there’s the actual – out in print! And then comes the interviews … Excuse me while I go fill my glass.

 Thanks so much for having me. Naughty in the Backseat is a total different experience, and hopefully, I can visit again with another release!

Bio: Louisa Bacio started reading A. N. Roquelaure’s Sleeping Beauty series at an impressionable age, and has been hooked on erotic romance ever since. She believes that everyone should have a little love, and a lot of pleasure, in their lives.  Bacio enjoys soaking up the sun in Southern California, and spending time with her family.

For more thrills, check out Bacio’s debut erotic thriller Sex University: Physical Education. Her story “Two’s Company” can be found in I Kissed a Girl: A Virgin Lesbian Anthology, and “The Wait” can be read in Rekindled Fire: An Anthology of Reunited Lovers. Drop in for a visit at http://louisabacio.blogspot.com/

Find out more about Louisa Bacio here http://louisabacio.blogspot.com or here http://www.ravenousromance.com and dont forget to pick up your copy of Sex University: Physical Education http://www.ravenousromance.com/modern-love/physical-education.php?keyword=louisa+bacio