Blade to the Keep by Lauren Dane – Excerpt and GWAB Giveaway

Blade to the Keep, book 2 in the Rowan Summerwaite urban fantasy series, releases on December 9th and I was lucky enough to get an early peek at it. IT WAS AWESOME!! When I contacted Lauren Dane to ask if I could share one of my favorite scenes, not only did she say yes but she offered to give away a mass market copy of book 1, Goddess With a Blade. More awesomeness!!

This scene is from Clive’s (Rowan’s love interest) point of view when he comes upon her as she is being confronted by one of her coworkers who isn’t a fan of her association with the vampires.

“Stupid whore. You got a little taste of Vampire cock and you think you’re clever.” He grabbed her upper arm and before Clive could move to intervene, she’d spun, broken his hold and pushed him against the door face first, his arm bent high enough to pull the shoulder out of the socket if she pushed much more.

She pressed her mouth to his ear and the weight of her body kept him in place. “This little girl will fuck your shit up if you ever touch me again. Understand something, weakling. You have no ability to take me on. I am stronger than you. I am smarter than you. I have more power from places you could not begin to imagine. I will crush you before you register I was coming for you. My lot has been cast since my birth. I don’t have a side, I have a path. Do you understand what that means?”

His face grew redder as she continued to hold him there.

“Working at Hunter Corp is a job to you. You gather your petty little ducks and think that makes you powerful. This isn’t just a job. This is my fucking destiny and you have nothing, no amount of power or influence that can sway me from that. I pity you that you could ever entertain that you could threaten me.”

She pushed herself away from him, letting go, her face registering disgust as he sputtered and coughed, flexing his shoulder.

“I’ll report you for this!”

“You have fun with that.”

She turned her back and Clive held back a hiss. To turn your back in the middle of an altercation was the lowest insult. She didn’t fear anything this male could muster.

Her power shone around her body, golden. Magnificent in its brutality and darkness. He fisted his hands to keep from reaching for her. Desire so sharp and overwhelming it seemed to drown his senses filled him up to nearly overflow. She was perfection.

Rowan Summerwaite is no ordinary woman. She’s smart and strong and with the power of an ancient goddess in her belly, she’s the perfect candidate to re-negotiate the fragile Treaty keeping the peace between the Vampire Nation and the last line of defense for humanity, The Hunter Corporation. A meeting of the Joint Tribunal, and Rowan’s new status as Liaison sends her straight to the last place on earth she wants to be—The Keep.

Raised at the knee of The First, honed into a weapon by the Hunter Corporation, wielding ancient knowledge from the Goddess within, Rowan must navigate around bloodthirsty opposition among Vampires and Hunters alike to avoid an all out war that puts humanity in the crosshairs.

And she’s got to do it as she attempts to manage a politically awkward romantic relationship with Scion Clive Stewart during a trip back to a place she escaped nearly fifteen years before. No pressure.

Walking the path between her two lives has already made Rowan a pariah. If she leaves it to become something even more Other, she may lose even the shreds of home she has left.

www.laurendane.com

GIVEAWAY

For the chance to win a print copy of Goddess With a Blade, book 1 in this series, just leave a comment below. The winner will be drawn on Sunday.

GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED

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Cover Goodness: Theirs To Keep by Maya Banks

When Cade Walker and Merrick Sullivan find Elle hiding in the cabinet of a gun store, they know they can’t just walk away from the fragile woman with no memory of who she is or who tried to kill her. Merrick is training for the title shot in the heavyweight division as a mixed martial artist and can’t afford distractions, but neither can he turn his back on the woman who tugs at his heartstrings.

Elle feels safe with her two protectors, and the longer she spends with them, the more she realizes that she has no desire to remember her past. Not when it could compromise her future with Cade and Merrick.

Cade has his own set of issues when it comes to Elle, and it quickly becomes clear to the two men that for the first time in their friendship, a woman is coming between them. But what if they just kept her there? Between them. Where she belongs.

 

 

October 22, 2013

 

www.mayabanks.com

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Cover Goodness: Bite Me by Shelly Laurenston

*dancing in my seat* A new Shelly Laurenston book! Color me oh so very happy since I have mad love for this series of hers. Mad. Love. 😉

Livy Kowalski has no time for idiots. When you shapeshift into a honey badger, getting through life’s irritants is a finely honed skill. Until she gets stuck housing her nutso cousin and dealing with her dad’s untimely and unexplained demise.

That’s where Vic Barinov comes in—or his house does. Vic can’t step outside without coming back to find Livy devouring his honey stash and getting the TV remote sticky. It gets his animal instincts all riled up. But he’ll have to woo her at high speed: all hell is breaking loose, and Livy is leading the charge…

Excerpt

Release Date: March 25, 2014

www.shellylaurenston.com

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Moonglow by Kristen Callihan – A Review (kind of)

Once the seeds of desire are sown…
Finally free of her suffocating marriage, widow Daisy Ellis Craigmore is ready to embrace the pleasures of life that have long been denied her. Yet her new-found freedom is short lived. A string of unexplained murders has brought danger to Daisy’s door, forcing her to turn to the most unlikely of saviors…

Their growing passion knows no bounds…
Ian Ranulf, the Marquis of Northrup, has spent lifetimes hiding his primal nature from London society. But now a vicious killer threatens to expose his secrets. Ian must step out of the shadows and protect the beautiful, fearless Daisy, who awakens in him desires he thought long dead. As their quest to unmask the villain draws them closer together, Daisy has no choice but to reveal her own startling secret and Ian must face the undeniable truth: Losing his heart to Daisy may be the only way to save his soul.

Once again, I’ve found a book I can’t review without sounding like a gushing fan-girl so…

Dear Ms. Callihan,

Earlier this year, a trusted book friend told me I had to read Firelight, the first book in your Darkest London series. I didn’t want to. Historical is not my genre of choice, I prefer contemporary. Add in paranormal? Oh, no. That is not for me. I eventually caved to peer pressure and one-clicked on Amazon. I would give it a shot but I wouldn’t enjoy it. I finished it at 3am and was heartbroken that you didn’t have a backlist for me to glom that very instant. I immediately started following you on twitter and, oh happy day, you announced that your publisher was giving away early copies of Moonglow on Goodreads. The joyful screams echoed across Romanceland when I won one.

I really liked Firelight but Moonglow blew me away. Daisy was such an amazing heroine. A tough outer shell hid her vulnerable side and she wasn’t afraid to embrace her sexuality. She was fierce! And Ian *happy sigh* I want an Ian of my own. A unique combination of dark, tortured, sexy and fun, he just flat-out did it for me.

Honestly, there wasn’t anything about this book that didn’t do it for me. It was gritty, sexy, angst-filled and had a brave ending I never saw coming. I didn’t just love Moonglow, I want to have book babies with it. This may be my favorite book of 2012. Because of this, I refuse to read the excerpt at the end for Winterblaze. I’m afraid I’ll shrivel up into a withered shell of myself before it is released. I can’t wait to see where else this series goes!

 

Sincerely,

The Unexpected Fangirl

 

5 stars, recommend read, whatever you want to call it, this isn’t a series to be missed.

 

Genre: Paranormal Historical Romance
Release Date: July 31st, 2012
Format: Print and digital

Preorder:
Amazon
Barnes & Noble

 

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Cover Goodness: ABOUT THAT NIGHT by Julie James

Kyle’s cover! It’s here, it’s here! Well, not the actual book but the cover is. 🙂 I’m a huge (HUGE) fan of Julie James and I have been nagging for this book since I finished A LOT LIKE LOVE, which featured Jordan, Kyle’s sister. I was ecstatic when I reached the end of Jordan’s book and saw the little box that said “Kyle’s story will be out in 2012.” I truly think I did a Happy Happy Joy Joy dance. It might have also not been pretty but who cares, right? So here we are. The COVER. One step closer to the release date which is April 3, 2012. Seems so far away but it’ll be here before I know it and then I get to dive into the yumminess that is Kyle Rhodes. Yippee!!

HE’S PLAYING GAMES.

Though Rylann Pierce tried to fight the sparks she felt for billionaire heir Kyle Rhodes the night they met, their sizzling chemistry was undeniable. But after being stood up on their first date, Rylann never expected to see him again. So when she finds herself face-to-face with Kyle in a courthouse nine years later, she’s stunned. More troubling to the beautiful assistant U.S. attorney is that she’s still wildly attracted to him.

BUT SHE’S MAKING THE RULES.

Just released from prison, Kyle Rhodes isn’t thrilled to be the star witness in a high-profile criminal case—but when Rylann comes knocking at his door, he finds she may be the one lawyer he can’t say no to. Still as gorgeous and sharp-tongued as ever, she lays down the law: she doesn’t mix business with pleasure. But Kyle won’t give up on something he wants—and what he wants is the one woman he’s never forgotten. . .

So tell me. Have you read A LOT LIKE LOVE? Are you as anxious as I am? If you haven’t, what are you waiting for?! Go! RUN, don’t walk and get your hands on a copy so you’ll be ready when April rolls around, K? You won’t be sorry, honest! 🙂

And, as an extra incentive that you must NOT miss Kyle’s story, here’s an excerpt I found at Julie’s website. Go read it! You know you want to! 🙂

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Book Trailer: IF YOU HEAR HER by Shiloh Walker

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New Book(s) Alert: A Holiday Romance Collection

Can’t even begin to tell you how excited this news makes me. Have been waiting until all the info was finalized and now that it is, I’m sharing, yay!! 🙂

In December, Carina Press is releases a Holiday Romance Collection anthology with four of my favorite authors. Jaci Burton, Lauren Dane, Megan Hart & Shannon Stacey. In one anthology! *feels faint* I’m usually not a big fan of anthologies as I never actually read all stories in them, just the ones I want to read so color me excited that this will be one I’ll actually read from cover to cover. 🙂 I’m a sucker for small town settings…just adore them. 🙂

Mark your calendars for December 6th and add all of these to your TBB list. You will have the option to buy each book on it’s own or the whole collection together for a discounted price.

WHAT SHE WANTS FOR CHRISTMAS by Jaci Burton

Big Star, Small-town Christmas

Country singer Riley Jensen would never have returned to her small Missouri hometown if her publicist hadn’t come up with the scheme to tape a Christmas special there. So she never would have known that the man who broke her heart at eighteen—causing her to flee to Nashville—was now a widower with a seven-year-old daughter. Riley has ten years of angst-filled hit songs and Grammy awards to prove she doesn’t need Ethan Kent. But suddenly, she can’t help thinking of all she gave up by running away…

Ethan Kent knew Riley had the talent and the drive to make it as a singer. He also knew she wasn’t going anywhere if she stayed in their nowhere town for him. Then one night and one huge mistake sent her running on the road to fame. Which doesn’t mean he ever stopped loving her…

But with so much separating them, can Riley and Ethan find their way back together one magical country Christmas?

 

Their First Christmas, Bound Together…

All Jude wants for Christmas is Rori, all to himself. It’s their first holiday season as a couple, and staying home, seeing friends and family, means they’ll be surrounded by the memory of Rori’s late husband. It’s time for Jude and Rori to create their own traditions. Time for them to fully explore their most intimate desires to dominate and submit.

Rori is thrilled when Jude whisks her away to a luxury resort in the mountains. Spending Christmas away, just the two of them, is the perfect time to show him she’s ready to give herself to him completely…

Newlyweds Leah and Brandon Long are finally taking a honeymoon. But just two days into their Christmas-in-Vail vacation, Leah gets run down by an out-of-control snowboarder, severely spraining her ankle. Being stuck indoors isn’t so bad though: the luxurious chalet boasts a hot tub and cozy fireplace. Besides, sitting with her feet up while Brandon serves her in every way a man can serve a woman is exactly how both of them like to spend their time.

Leah would be in heaven, if only Brandon didn’t insist on bringing up the idea of a family. She knew that kids were part of the package, but she’s not ready to make any plans just yet. Still, with kinky sex and deep conversation the only things on the agenda for the next week, Leah can’t avoid the discussion for long. Will she be ready to take her marriage to the next level in the New Year?

House-sitting for her parents seemed like a good idea, until the microwave blew up and the lights went out.

Now Chloe Burke thinks upgrading the electrical system of her childhood home while they are away would make the perfect Christmas gift. Fortunately, there’s an electrician in town who can get the job done by the holidays.

Scott Quinn has wanted to get his hands on the Burkes’ wiring for almost as long as he’s wanted to get his hands on their daughter. Chloe didn’t notice Scott back in high school, but she’s noticing him now, and soon they’re indulging in a little festive fun: no strings, no expectations. After all, Chloe plans to get out of this goldfish bowl of a town and back to her real life in Boston by New Year’s.

But Chloe and Scott discover they enjoy each other’s company just as much out of bed. Could their holiday fling turn out to be the real thing?

And, here’s the cover for the whole bundle.

Now I ask: Aren’t the covers just beautiful? Who’s ready for the holidays? *g*

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Several books on my “Must Get” List

Have been browsing for new books the last few weeks and have added a bunch to my wishlist at Amazon. Some of the ones that really stood out for me are….

“Breathe” by Donna Alward
Read An Excerpt Online
Genre: Contemporary Romance
ISBN: 978-1-60928-239-4
Length: Category
Price: 4.50
Publication Date: November 2, 2010
Cover art by Kanaxa

The first time they broke each others’ hearts. Now they have a second chance…

Doing what was expected didn’t get Anna Morelli anything but a bad marriage. Now that her life has fallen apart there’s only one place she can think of to regroup and figure out what comes next. Two Willows, the winery owned by the only man she could ever rely on. Her oldest friend. And her worst mistake.

Growing up as the poor boy didn’t stop Jace Willow from falling for Anna one hot, sultry summer. Back then, his best efforts to prove himself worthy of the Morelli standard fell just short. While it killed him to see her marry someone else, he made beating the Morellis at their own game his life’s work. And he’s excelled at it.

When Anna shows up on his doorstep, their painful history pales in the face of her need for a roof over her children’s heads—and some peace. The heat of their renewed passion is healing, but it burns away layers of hard-won emotional distance, reopening old wounds. Threatening their one last chance to rebuild their love on the shattered pieces of their broken hearts…

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“Stolen Passions” by Crystal Jordan
Read An Excerpt Online
Genre: Paranormal Romance, Red Hots!
ISBN: 978-1-60928-241-7
Length: Novella
Price: 3.50
Publication Date: November 2, 2010
Cover art by Kanaxa

Enemy mine…

Forbidden Passions, Book 1

Lyra Marcus tries to avoid her werewolf family’s political entanglements. Instead, she heals the wounds of the never-ending border skirmishes between lycans and wereleopards. It’s a bitter irony that she’s about to die in that war.

When she awakens after an attack, the horror of her situation dawns. She’s a wounded werewolf in the middle of wereleopard territory. And standing over her is a son of its most powerful family, Zander Leonidas. Her fate may be a swift and bloody end, but she intends to go down fighting.

Zander has no plan to fight the little she-wolf who’s landed at his Refuge Resort, a place where shifter species are free to be what they are—except wolves, of course. Yet Lyra fits him in a way she shouldn’t, and the urge to mark her as his mate is irresistible. A match like theirs, though, would rock the foundations of their world.

He intends to find out who left Lyra for dead on Leonidas land. And keep her safe from whoever wants to finish the job—not to mention the werewolf alpha who wants his niece back at any cost…

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BEG ME by Shiloh Walker

Read Excerpt

Release Date: December 2010

Beg me…there had been a time when those words made her burn with desire. But now, there was only fear.

Once, Tania Sinclair’s life was almost perfect…oh, it had its ups and downs but she was happily married to a guy that adored her, one who had no problem indulging every kinky fantasy she ever had. But a couple of tragedies later, she’s barely holding it together. A car accident took away her husband, and an attack from somebody she should have been able to trust has shaken not only her confidence, but it’s also stripped away her fantasies and even made it painful to look back on her memories of her husband without fear.

Two years after her attack, Tania is determined to take her life back and the first step is taking back herself…her fantasies, her dreams, her memories. There’s only one person she can trust to do it, too. One person she wants enough…Drake Bennett, her husband’s best friend.

Falling for your best friend’s wife—never smart. Drake’s watched Tania quietly for years, watched her…wanted her, knowing he’d never have her. First, she was taken. And then, that night two years ago—a night that still scars her, a night that’s left bruises on her that still haven’t healed. He does what he can, though, because he loves her too much not to. He’s her friend, there when she needs him.

And now she needs him. She’s asked him for a favor…one that just about blows his mind…

Warning: This book involves light bondage play, rape fantasy & role-playing. The acts between the hero & heroine are consensual, but they may not be ideal for all readers…

Special note from author —

Note from the author… this is an independent project I’m doing-it will be released in ebook through Amazon Kindle and Smashwords.  Smashwords does have a deal where they can also make ebooks available to places like BN’s Nook, the Sony, etc, and I do plan on pursuing those as well, but it will take a little bit of time and I don’t have as much control of it, so your patience will be appreciated.

This is a new avenue for me as well and it’s going to be a learning experience. I don’t have a set date yet, although I’m thinking I’ll probably try to plan on 12/1/2010.  That gives me time to finish the edits and hopefully get some reviews done as well.

For my international readers, I have checked and I do believe Smashwords WILL be an option for you, so you should be able to get the book through them.

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Donna & Shiloh I’ve read before but Crystal Jordan is a new-to-me-author. Have not read her and looked through my inventory and see I have nothing by her so this one will be my first of hers.

What upcoming books have you added to your list?

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Cover Goodness: IMPULSIVE by HelenKay Dimon

I love this cover of HelenKay Dimon’s IMPULSIVE, coming out October 26, 2010. This is Eric’s story. You met him in Josh’s story, HOLDING OUT FOR A HERO. I love this series! 🙂

Katie Long was supposed to be undercover. She was just supposed to watch Deputy Prosecutor Eric Kimura at his ex’s wedding and gather intel on his campaign for prosecutor. But he’s a lot hotter in person, and the kind of intel they accidentally shared in the hotel bathroom might lose both of them their jobs. Especially since it seems to be a recurring incident. Is it possible for a one-night stand to last ten days?

Kimura isn’t usually the impulsive type. He’s driven, he’s ambitious, and he knows what he wants—a respectable future in Hawaii politics. Which means wild half-public sex with a beautiful stranger in a short little caterer’s skirt is just tabloid fodder waiting to happen. Conveniently, just as his campaign is coming under attack. Sabotage, media gossip, and an insatiable desire for a woman he just met? If he’s not careful, Counselor Kimura might lose all control…

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COMING UNDONE by Lauren Dane

How sexy is this cover of Lauren’s? Comes out January 2010. This is Brody’s book, older brother of Erin from LAID BARE.

KEEPING IT TOGETHER

Brody Brown has always been responsible for others. After his parents’ death, he gave up a promising artistic career to care for his younger brother and sister. Now, with his siblings grown, Brody owns his own business, has a nice house, makes a nice living, and for the first time in years he’s on his own.

Elise Sorenson has come to Seattle with her young daughter to find peace. After years as a world-famous ballerina—(and just as many years in a marriage-gone-bad)—she’s looking for neither love nor attention. But she finds both in the handsome, honest man who befriends her with no strings attached.

More than friends, Brody and Elise discover in each other what they need—wild, physical passion without commitment. But it’ll take a shadow from Elise’s past to make them look beyond what they need—to what they truly desire.

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