Lucy Monroe's Blog, page 51

Weekly Blog Contest - July

In Bookstores Now!Close Quarters Book 5 in The Goddard Project series
Mass Market Paperback
Kensington Brava - July 2012
ISBN-10: 0758242026
ISBN-13: 978-0758242020Purchase Now
Reviewed by Steph from the Bookaholics Romance Book Club Close Quarters is the 5th in the wildly popular Goddard Project series. This series is known for its: action, suspense and steamy romance. The amazing men and women who risk their lives to protect our country and have the extra time to find love, too! Although many characters from prior books are referred to, this book can easily be read by itself.

Lines are blurred as Roman, a member of a special ops team is assigned to plug a leak. By killing the person who is distributing highly sensitive information. But all the evidence seems to point to a relief worker in S. Africa. Someone who Roman knows and is very attracted to. A woman named Tanya. Tanya and Roman met at his sister's wedding. But nothing comes between Roman and his job. He accepts that he may need to `quiet' her. But soon Roman feels that Tanya is not capable of being a spy however, he uses ruthless means to discover the truth. But if Tanya isn't the one leaking important government information, who is?


When Tanya immediately recognizes Roman and feels his cold exterior she is puzzled but wants to pursue the attraction she felt with him in the states. But her friendly overtures are rebuffed. Suddenly Roman changes and their desire spirals out of control but when she finds out he has an ulterior motive what will happen to their budding relationship? Can she trust a man who is so ruthless?


This mystery and passion between the 2 main characters makes for some HOT reading. There is also a member of the Goddard team who wants to protect Tanya and has his own love interest which was very poignant to read. The tension between the characters makes for steamy reading. The only problem I had was that while Roman is doing his job, his single-minded and cold efficiency made it more difficult to warm up to initially. But he does have a huge amount of sex appeal. In contrast, Tanya is like every woman, she was very human and easy to relate to.


The plot was very clever and I enjoyed the discovery of how information was leaked. Can Tanya forgive Roman for his ruthlessness? This was a wonderful story about love and how 2 people fight for what they believe in.


If you are already an avid fan of Lucy Monroe the latest installment in the Goddard series will not disappoint! If you are a new reader her easy to read and fast paced books are the perfect summer read when you want romance that sizzles!

Contest Question:Please leave your answer in the comment section.  Winners will be announced on Saturday.  If you leave your email address in your comment I will contact you regarding the prize otherwise you may check back on Saturday to see if you are the winner and email me. To celebrate the release of Close Quarters I will be giving away a copy of Deal With This, the second book in The Goddard Project.  


Last Friday, Jami Davenport was my guest.  She shared about her newest release Public Displays of Eroticism.  Each story centers around sex in a public setting.  The three authors decided to have that public place be the same location.  Where do each of the Public Displays of Eroticism take place?

Watch Over Me - The Soundtrack

In reviewing my blogs for the Goddard project I came across this post and wondered how many of my readers knew there was a soundtrack to Watch Over Me.  I thought I'd repost this blog and share again the incredible soundtrack for Watch Over Me. Originally posted 6/13/09
You read that right! A soundtrack for  Watch Over Me .

Music is a huge part of my life and plays a significant role in my writing process, so is it any wonder that ever since buying the soundtrack Susan Elizabeth Phillips' son did for This Heart of Mine, I've wanted to have one made for one of my books? I still listen to that soundtrack and it brings back the great feelings I had when reading This Heart of Mine. Giving that same gift to my readers was a dream I wasn't sure how to realize.
Then, a couple of years ago, an amazing singer who was a friend of my sister's told me she'd do a soundtrack for  Satisfaction Guaranteed , but time got away from her and the project never got past the planning stages. So, when DQ's boyfriend (now her wonderful, loving husband and my son in law) suggested a couple of his friends to do one for  Watch Over Me , I was excited but not expecting too much. I guess I didn't want to get my hopes up. Man, sometimes it feels good to be wrong! LOL
I should have expected the world! Not only did fresh artists BBk and Image create an incredible five song soundtrack for  Watch Over Me , but they sold me rights so I can allow my readers to download the music for FREE! I really wanted to do something special to say thank you to you all for supporting me through 45 books (now over 50) and this soundtrack is it. I hope you all enjoy listening to it as much as I have. In my opinion, it's absolutely fabulous! :)
You can listen to it and download it from my website (scroll down to downloads).
Mega hugs,Lucy :)

Watch Over Me will be this week's giveaway in my 52 Week's of Romance. 

2012 Lucy Monroe Reader Fitness Challenge Winners

I am so very pleased to announce the winners of my first ever Reader Fitness Challenge!!!  While the prize winners listed below represent the highest numbers in weight and inches lost (some by category), everyone who participated actively in the challenge won.  Because we came out healthier and stronger and feeling better about life than many of us have in a very long time. :) You all worked so hard and did incredibly well, really focusing on making lifestyle changes that can stick. Thank you for going on this journey with me.  

With a huge congratulations and well done to the winners, here they are: 
 Grand Prize Winner: Rustynne Dalton  Most Inches Lost: Jenny Muraski Author Coach Winner: Bronwen Evans 1st Runner Up All Categories: Chrissy Bollig, Charlene Beverly & Beverly Gordon  2nd Runner Up All Categories: Melody Prater, Shell Bryce & Kathy Key  3rd Runner Up All Categories: Judy Flohr, Barb Smith, & Lucero Guerrero 
There were 72 entrants, 9 author coaches and 1 coordinator (me) in the challenge. 52 actively participated to lose a combined weight of 655 lbs! Can you believe that???? I'm so pleased!!! 
Mega hugs and happy healthy endeavors, 
Lucy 
http://lucymonroe.com
http://lucymonroeblog.blogspot.comhttp://www.facebook.com/LucyMonroe.Romancehttp://twitter.com/#!/lucymonroe

Weekly Contest Winners!

Weekly Contest Winners!

Heart of a Desert Warrior
Congratulations dstoutholcomb  you will receive an advanced copy of Lucy's Monroe's Summer Release - Heart of a Desert Warrior.  Please email me with your name and address so I can get your prize in the mail. 


52 Weeks of Romance from Lucy  

Congratulations caliblonde637 you will receive a copy of Lucy's Monroe's book The Spy Who Wants Me. Please email me with your name and address so I can get your prize in the mail. 

Guest Blogger - Jami Davenport

Jami Davenport has been writing since she was old enough to know the alphabet. An advocate of happy endings, Jami writes sexy romantic comedy, sports hero romances, and equestrian fiction. Jami lives on a small farm near Puget Sound with her husband, a former Green Beret turned plumber, a Newfoundland cross with a tennis ball fetish, a prince disguised as an orange tabby cat, and an opinionated Hanoverian mare.


She works in IT for her day job and is a former high school business teacher. In her spare time, Jami rides and shows her dressage horse and grows roses. An avid boater, Jami has spent countless hours in the San Juan Islands, the setting for her first two books. In her opinion, it is the most beautiful place on earth.



Public Displays of Eroticism
Several months ago a good friend of mine, Cassandra Carr, asked me to take part in an anthology. Each short story had to center around sex in a public place. After all, isn’t it everyone’s hidden fantasy to engage in some hot lovin’ with an audience?
Cassandra had already written a draft of the first story, which took place in a public park. When she showed it to Cristal Ryder and me, we came up with the idea that each of our stories would take place in the same park. In fact, Cassandra’s first story would be the catalyst for the rest of the stories. 
I chose to write about two football teammates who come to town once a year and hook up with the same two women, only this year is different, and the two couples want more than a once-a-year, one-night stand. I’m hoping to write sequels to these stories in the near future.
We had a great time writing PDE, and with the superior editing of the Sybarite Seductions editors, we are very excited about our release day today. PDE will be available at all major distributors today, June 29. For more information, go to the Sybarite website: http://sybariteseductions.com/

The blurb for the five stories are as follows:

Back to Nature by Cassandra Carr 
A sub and her Master play hooky to indulge their exhibitionism kink and unknowingly start an entire chain of events. 

Hail Mari by Jami Davenport 
Meeting Mari Simms for one night of hot sex each year for the past four years is no longer enough for Wyatt Bedford, a ten-year veteran of professional football. This time, he plans on telling her he wants more. While waiting for her in a park, he stumbles upon a sight that changes his game plan and takes their relationship to whole new level. Can Wyatt and Mari find love in the final quarter with the clock ticking? 

Taking it Outside by Cristal Ryder
Val sets up an afternoon of play with long-time boyfriend Tyler at a secluded beach. After packing a goodie bag with playthings, she leaves a note for Tyler. While waiting for his arrival, through binoculars Val spots lovers on the distance shore, and when Tyler arrives, together they watch the couple. Voyeurism at its best. Turned on by watching the couple have sex, Val and Ty have their own public display of eroticism. 
Taking their loving outside is a surprisingly erotic treat neither expected to enjoy as much as they do.
But a bigger surprise awaits them, leaving them wondering if there is more to come.

A Whole New World by Cassandra Carr 
After witnessing some dirty deeds in the woods, Miranda finds she has some kinks she didn't know about and discovers her boyfriend, Ross, is more than happy to help her explore them. 

In the Open by Jami Davenport 
Once a year, Jaid Angelini takes a break from her demanding career as a criminal defense attorney for a night of passion with young, hot pro-football player Alex Greeley. Despite misgivings about their age difference, Jaid desires a more permanent relationship and concocts a scheme to brand her name on his heart. After witnessing an exhibitionist couple in the park, her plan takes a turn toward the great outdoors. Will Alex and Jaid finally go for the long bomb or settle for minimum yardage?

52 Weeks of Romance by Lucy Monroe!

THE SPY WHO WANTS ME
by Lucy Monroe
3rd book in The Goddard Project series
Mass Market Paperback
Kensington Brava - October 2011
ISBN-13: 978-0758229168
Trade Paperback
Kensington Brava - January 2009
ISBN 0-7582-2915-1




The Spy Who Wants Me -  excerpt
(c) Lucy MonroeJan 2009 - BravaAnother foreign curse came from the new Project Manager’s end of the lab.
Chantal bit her lip and looked over her shoulder to find Mat scowling at one of the technicians.
Again. The poor tech looked ready to cry.
Who could blame him? Mat was over six feet tall with the solid muscles found in many Ukrainian men. The only colors she’d ever seen him wear were black and shades of grey. Even his lab coat was a special order slate grey. When she’d told him the monochromatic dressing made him look like a hit man for the Russian mob, Mat had admitted he was color blind – after giving her a lecture on the difference between the two nationalities. He’d told her that dressing like this was his way of preventing himself from leaving the house looking like a circus clown. But added to that, his black as coal hair, trim mustache and close cropped beard gave him a decidedly intimidating look.
Especially when he was angry. Like now.
Mat never had been the warm-fuzzy type. Calling him a people person was a stretch even she hadn’t been able to make when she was head over heels for the man. He wasn’t the worst manager in the world. In fact, he was actually pretty decent at it and even better when his scientists and technicians were efficient. Only he had an abrasive way of dealing with them if they weren’t.
Abrasive as in almost scary until you got to know him better.
Deciding their department really couldn’t afford to lose another team member after their former PM’s disappearance, Chantal got up from her lab stool and headed toward the mini-contretemps.
“Wake up on the wrong side of the bed this morning?” she asked Mat with a smile and a nod for the technician.
Mat turned his scowl on her while the tech he’d been upbraiding stared at her as if she’d just stepped in an electromagnetic field and then tried to use her electron scan microscope.
She turned up the wattage on her smile and made sure it included both men. “Is there a problem here, gentlemen?”
“I…uh…” The technician swallowed twice and gave Mat a sidelong glance before continuing. “I was trying to explain to Dr. Chernichenko that we’d already done the tests on mercury reclamation from fluorescent bulbs and that the ROI was too low to make it a viable project.”
Chantal remembered the tests. “Unless a different reclamation process can be developed, I agree.” She looked up at Mat, trying to ignore how being this close to him made her body go haywire. “Were you thinking of trying a different process?”
“I want more information on the one already tried,” he said with a stubborn tilt to his chin.
“No problem.”
It was the technician’s turn to glare at her.
“I can get that for you and fill you in on the preliminary trials if you like,” she added.
The sense of relief from the tech was palpable as he realized she wasn’t setting him up for more of the same with his new PM.
Mat frowned however. “I don’t want to take you away from something important.”
“Bringing the Project Manager for Material Reclamation up to speed on all our current and recent projects is important.”
Mat sighed and rubbed his eyes, a gesture she remembered from their college days that meant he was more stressed than tired. The man was almost inhuman when it came to getting tired…he could go for hours. In more arenas than academia. The thought brought the heat of a blush to her cheeks while her thighs clenched together involuntarily. Thank goodness for lab coats that hid embarrassing reactions.
“Thank you. I would appreciate that,” Mat said.
The look of shock the technician gave Mat’s polite response was comical, but Chantal did not crack a smile. Mat might think she was laughing at him and even she wasn’t going to beard this bear in that way.
To stop herself from reaching out and touching that particularly tempting bear, she crossed her arms under her chest. “It’s past lunch time and I don’t know about you, but I could use something to eat.”
Mat nodded, his grey gaze skimming her body like a barely there caress. “We could meet in the cafeteria…or we could go offsite.”
“The cafeteria would probably be better.” Less chance she would make a fool of herself. “We can talk freely without worrying about being overheard.”
Mat’s scowl was back. “I suppose.”
“Would you rather eat offsite?” And if so, why hadn’t he just said so?
He shut his eyes and tensed his jaw like he was trying to bite back words.
“We could eat in your office,” she suggested, wanting to take that look of strain off his features.
“We’d have privacy without the distractions.”
Which wasn’t going to do a thing for her own strain, but she had to deal with her attraction to him or quit her job. And she had no desire to leave Environmental Technology Research and Design.
“You’d think so, wouldn‘t you?” He opened his eyes, the irises storm cloud gray now.
She remembered that shade, but not from frustration at work. Stifling a groan, she gave herself a strong mental shake. Her attempts to deal with her reaction to him were not going to succeed if she couldn’t stop memories of the past from intruding on the present.
The reminder should have been enough to bolster her flagging self-control. It didn’t. The problem being that she’d been using the same self-lecture for two weeks and it wasn’t getting any more powerful with repetition.
“What do you mean?” she asked.
“Nothing you need to worry about.”
“Okay then. We’ll meet in your office.”
“Yes.” The clipped single-word response wasn’t all that he was thinking, but typical for the stoic scientist, he wasn’t sharing whatever else was on his mind.
Chantal had enough of her own worries, she should not be concerned with his. Only it never worked that way. By nature, she was too empathetic to others and it was even worse when it came to this man. She had to watch it to stop his moods from dictating her own, even when they hadn’t said a single word to each other.
The last two weeks had proven one truth beyond the shadow of a doubt. She was not and probably never would be completely over Matej Chernichenko.

Contest Question
(Please leave your answer in the comment section.  Winners will be announced on Saturday.  If you leave your email address in your comment I will contact you regarding the prize otherwise you may check back on Saturday to see if you are the winner and email me.)


52 Week's of Romance giveaway is a celebration of many of Lucy's books (we would need more than a year to giveaway the entire collection).  In the comment section, tell me what Lucy Monroe book you first read and why you liked it. 

Humpday Hottie!

A sexy, dangerous hunk....oh the trouble we could get into!

Weekly Blog Contest - June

Heart of a Desert Warrior
By Lucy Monroe
Harlequin Presents #3071 - July 2012ISBN-10: 0373130775ISBN-13: 978-0373130771
Buy the book:  B&N ~ Chapters ~ Books-a-Million ~ Amazon



Contest Question:Please leave your answer in the comment section.  Winners will be announced on Saturday.  If you leave your email address in your comment I will contact you regarding the prize otherwise you may check back on Saturday to see if you are the winner and email me.
Bronwen Evans was my guest last Friday.  She shared about her latest release, an Invitation to Scandal.  It is so much fun getting to know new people.  What did Bronwen say was her favorite subject when she was in school?

Elle Gray from The Spy Who Wants Me

You know I get asked for my favorites a lot. What's your favorite book? Who is your favorite character? What's your favorite setting? Etc. And usually, the honest answer is whatever I'm working on at the moment. But if you were to ask me for a list of my favorite heroines to date, Elle Gray from The Spy Who Wants Me would be at the top. There's just something about a woman who is trained to kill, but is emotionally vulnerable. She's not afraid of facing down a loaded gun, but gets nervous about calling her mother.

I loved living inside her head as I wrote to get her out of mine. I tell people I write the stories that are clamoring to be told and that usually means characters that are demanding attention and screen time. Elle was definitely one of those. There was no doubt that when I went to write the next Goddard Project book, it would be her story. It simply could not have been anyone else's. Imagine my surprise as the story unfolded and I realized her brother was just as attention seeking as she was. I did something I rarely do, I wrote a dual romance in the same book. Because Matej simply wouldn't wait and Elle was already kicking a$$ with bad guys in my head every day when I woke up.

I spent longer with Elle and Matej than I do with a lot of my characters because it took me longer to write their book. I had no problem understanding how they could and would fall in love with Beau and Chantal respectively, because I did too.

When I hear from readers that had the same response, I rejoice. When I read a review that didn't, I was stunned. Not that my writing could garner a negative review, but that anyone couldn't love these characters as much as I did. It's all in their portrayal...I know somewhere, some way, my writing let the reviewer down because it certainly wasn't the characters. They're amazing. They're people I'd love to meet in real life.

Especially Elle. People often wonder if I model my characters on "real" acquaintances, but the answer is yes and no. Yes, in that just as in real life, everyone we touch influences us and vice versa. So, everyone I touch influences my characters. And no, I've never consciously used someone's personality traits, physical appearance, etc. in my writing. And Elle is probably the furthest from anyone I've read or seen of any of my characters. She's unique and I'd like nothing more than to meet a person who is her real life counterpart, but I don't hang much with black ops agents (except in my books ::g::).

Watching her reaction to Beau was the most fun I've had in an age.

If romance novels show nothing else, they show us that real love is worth fighting for and worth sacrificing for.

In The Spy Who Wants Me, Elle learns that fighting for love isn't at all like putting an opponent out for the count. And maybe she teaches Beau a thing or two about emotion - but to find out what, I guess you'll have to read the book.

You all know I would love to meet Elle in real life, but how about you? What character (and from what book) would you most like to meet in person? And if you got to meet them, what would you do? Would you ask them questions, or would you want to do something with them? I'd like Elle to teach me how to disarm an opponent.

Hugs to all,
Lucy

Reader Fitness Challenge - June Winners!

Thank you to everyone that participated in the first annual Reader Fitness Challenge!  It is so exciting to see how many of you reached goals and are living healthier lifestyles.  Congratulations to all the June winners!  Winners were drawn randomly each Thursday. (Overall prizes and the Grand prize will be announced next week.)
Week #9Heather Beaufait - Lucy Monroe (Fitness DVD)Kathy Kay -  Bronwen Evans  (Invitation to Ruin)Shell Bryce -  Debra Parmley  (A Desperate Journey)Sue Kuzelka - Jami Davenport (Fourth and Goal ebook)Danielle McDonald -  Jenna Bayley-Buke  (Her Cinderella Complex ebook)Debra Delome - Lucy Monroe (The Greek's Pregnant Lover)
Week #10Charlene Beverly - Lucy Monroe (Fitness DVD)Traci McCarthey -  Erin Nicholas   (Anything You Want)Becky Douglas - Debra Parmley (A Desperate Journey)Kelly Gates - Donna Grant (Untamed Highlander)Rebecca Jones - Jenna Bayley-Buke (Par For the Course)Erika Jadwinski - Lucy Monroe (The Greek's Pregnant Lover)
Week #11Irene Lu - Lucy Monroe (Fitness DVD)Beverly Gordon - Erin Nicholas (choice of backlist ebook)Regina Schneider - Debra Parmley (A Desperate Journey)Patty Jones - Sofia Hunt (The Bride Bargain ebook)Tricia Verschage - Jenna Bayley Burke (Compromising Positions ebook)Nora Gibbons - Lucy Monroe (The Greek's Pregnant Lover)
Week #12Maria Stefanopoulos - Lucy Monroe (Fitness DVD)Melinda Barrera - Erin Nicholas (choice of backlist ebook) Linda McKenzie - Debra Parmley (A Desperate Journey)Stephanie Pearlman - Kate Davies (Take a Chance on Me)Lynda Harlan - Bronwen Evans (Invitation to Scandal)
Terms:
Prizes cannot be substituted or exchanged. If the prize is lost in the mail or customs, the giver cannot be held responsible and will not be shipping out replacement prizes.




Please do not contact me or the giver about not receiving the prize until a full thirty days have passed from today.  I can't tell you the number of people who have contacted me over the years about a "lost" prize only to have it arrive the day after I asked my PA to take some of her very limited time in my office (I'm not Nora Roberts - my staff is small and all work very part-time) to look into it. Which is why I've had to follow in many other author's footsteps and institute the 30 day rule.