Cerise DeLand's Blog, page 28

All in for @SabrinaYork's fave POOL MAN, out now! He'll be yours too!

A fun, flirty romantic romp…with a twist!Paige Barber needs a vacation. She can’t resist her best friend’s offer of a remote vacation home on a private Caribbean island. Jimmy, the sexy pool boy, is part and parcel with the offer. But recently dumped Paige has no intention of taking advantage of that amenity…until she sets eyes on Jimmy. He’s not a boy at all, but the sexiest man Paige has ever met.And he can cook. Oh, man, can he cook!She thinks it will be easy returning to the real world after an utterly wanton and sensuous week in the arms of a hot, hard, perfect man. But it’s not. It’s not easy at all.
Read an Excerpt:
   The house was quiet and shadowed as I padded back to the pool. I didn’t see any sign of Jimmy, which was just as well. My dreams had been filled with him; he’d haunted every crevice of my sleep.   I felt like I’d been steeped in him, reliving every touch, every glance, every fantasy.Those dreams clung to my consciousness, as dreams sometimes do, stoking a hunger I hadn’t even realized I had.   I’d been kind of joking when I’d invited Jimmy to my room, but in truth, it hadn’t been a joke at all.    I wanted him. Really wanted him. Needed him, maybe. Needed the oblivion a wild, steamy, pointless affair could provide.   My ego ached after Harlan’s betrayal, but it was more than that. It was more than assuaging a hit to my self-esteem.   I  simply wanted Jimmy.   Wanted him in a way I’d never wanted a man before.   Maybe it was the isolation. Maybe it was the magnificent surroundings. Maybe it was simply the fact that he was hotter than hot. Certainly hotter than Harlan with his bad-boy-biker persona, his bull ring. His tattoos. Nothing about him had been real in the end. Nothing about us had been either.   The tiny lights strung around Marlee’s patio glowed as they bobbed in the breeze. The waters of the hot tub steamed a warm welcome, bathed in a surreal blue that shone like a beacon in the gathering night.   I tossed my towel on a lounge chair and stepped in. And hissed.   Warmth lapped at me. I sank, allowing the water to consume me slowly. My skin shivered as I eased deeper, all the way to my neck. I turned around and leaned against one of the benches formed in the tile and closed my eyes.Heaven.   I owed Marlee. And I owed her big time.  This place was, indeed, heaven on earth. And Jimmy… Well, the jury was still out on that one.    Marlee had been frank. “Paige,”she’d said. “You need to get laid. And trust me, if anyone can help you forget about that douchebag Harlan Rivers, it’s my Jimmy.” I tried not to let it bug me that she’d put it that way. My Jimmy. Not that I had any ownership of him. Not that I wanted it.    I just wasn’t used to sharing men with my best friend.   Remembering the ripple of his pec beneath my palm, I nibbled my lip.   I could probably get over it…   “May I join you?”   I opened my eyes at the deep voice, at the question tinged with a throb.  My heart stuttered. My breath caught.   Gawd.  Jimmy. Standing there next to the hot tub, wearing nothing but a tight black Speedo. Everything I had imagined under his casual clothes, everything I had hoped for, was there. Thick muscles roping his chest and forearms, thighs like tree trunks, a flat, taut belly, sculpted abs and a tantalizing dark line arrowing toward a magnificent bulge.   I nearly swallowed my tongue.   “May I?”  Oh lord, I’d been ogling. “Yes. Please. Come on in. The water’s fine.”  Yeah, lame. Cliché. But there you go. It was the best I could come up with. My brain, apparently, was on vacation as well.   The water rose as he eased in. His groan echoed off the shadows. He’d taken off his glasses so I had an unfettered view of his face. When his eyes closed, in that moment of bliss as the water enveloped him, when his lips parted…I thought, perhaps, that was what his O-face would look like.   One could hope.   Many men were like monkeys when their crisis descended. Which was why I rarely looked. I was possessed of the sharp, sudden urge to see Jimmy in ecstasy. To watch him come.   Okay, not so sudden. But definitely sharp.   Though he sat across from me, the hot tub wasn’t too big, and his foot nudged mine. I didn’t jerk away, though my first inclination was to do just that. I reminded myself that any advance had to come from him. Jimmy was Marlee’s pool boy, not a sex slave. And if he wasn’t interested—I ignored the dark dip of my mood at the thought—that would be that.   So when his foot grazed mine, I steeled my spine and left it there. Next to his.   Our gazes tangled. His toe slipped up my ankle, a tentative foray. A fluttery thrill, an unexpected shower of arousal, trickled through me.   I stroked back.   His focus on me intensified, though it flicked, for a fraction of an instant, to my breasts. They bobbed in the water, as breasts often did, buoyed and jubilant to be released from the bondage of gravity. He licked his lips. My nipples pebbled as I imagined his mouth on them.   His eyes narrowed then raked their way back to my face. “How-how did you sleep?”   Was it my imagination or was he struggling for words? As though casual talk had no place between us, but he needed the lubricant.   The thought of lubricant, and what we could do with it, flashed through my brain. Fizzled there, incinerating all other preoccupations.   “I slept well.”   “Good.” A rough growl. “The room was to your liking?”   “Yes.”   “The bed…comfortable?”   The word bed made me shudder. Maybe it was just the way he said it, infusing it with meaning, intent.   Or maybe it was simply the fact that he’d slipped nearer.   The breeze shifted and brought his scent to me on wispy tendrils. That intoxicating bite of his cologne made my head spin.   “Are you…hungry?” His voice rumbled, thrummed with double entendre.   “Not for food.” A whisper. I barely choked it out. Because he’d come close, and closer still. “But first… Rules.”   His brow wrinkled. “Rules?”   I nodded primly. Best to just get this out. I held up a finger. “One. Always use protection.”   “P-protection?” He stared at me like a deer in the headlights. Seriously? Had he not known it was going this way? Had he not suspected?   Or was he shy?   I kind of liked that. I kind of liked the fantasy that he didn’t screw Marlee and every one of the friends she sent to him.   He cleared his throat and nodded. “Okay. Protection.” He swallowed. “Any other rules?”   “Just one.” It had to be said. “No talking about Marlee.”   His features froze. His lips opened and closed. “No, ah, talking about Marlee?”   “Exactly.” I pushed off, floated into his arms. He caught me. His hands skated over my wet skin reverently, sending ripples in his wake. “I don’t want anything between us, Jimmy. Not anything at all.”   “Oh God.” He yanked me close. It was a shock, the feel of him so hard and rough against my body, but a delightful one.   “Nothing between us,” I whispered.   “Nothing.”Buy Link: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00WIRSNLG/GET IT On Preorder FOR 99¢Free for KU membersRegular Price $2.99
ABOUT THE AUTHORHer Royal Hotness, Sabrina York, is the New York Times and USA Today Bestselling author of hot, humorous stories for smart and sexy readers. Her titles range from sweet & sexy to scorching romance. Visit her webpage at www.sabrinayork.com to check out her books, excerpts and contests.
For more information, or to connect with Sabrina, visit SabrinaYork.Com
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@DesireeHolt heats you up with NAKED FLAME, NAKED #Cowboys #6 in #series OUT NOW!

The heat between them burns red hot…until danger turns it white.
Welcome back to Saddle Wells, that little Texas town that seems to be a hotbed of hot sex. Where else can you find so many Naked Cowboys and the women who love them. This time it's a Dallas cop who is burned out on the job and hiding from a drug cartel leader and the weary vet from Afghanistan who takes her to bed and vows to protect her.
Naked FlameNaked Cowboys, Book 6 Release date: May 7 Now up for preorder
Charity Vance dropped into the chair at her desk, leaned back and ran her hands through her short cap of dark curls. The day had been especially grueling. Testifying in court always made her edgy, but today was especially more so. The takedown of the drug dealer, the gunfight that had erupted that night and the constant tension in the courtroom had all combined to give her the mother of all headaches. Not that every trial didn’t have its own strain, but Paco Morales was truly a power-hungry psycho who didn’t take kindly to having that power disrupted. While she answered the questions from both the district attorney and the defense attorney, she’d called on every bit of self-discipline to be able to look directly at him.The threats shouted at her as she stepped down from the witness stand still echoed in her ears as she’d left the building and driven back to the police department offices. Hard as she tried, she couldn’t erase Paco Morales’s shouts from her brain.“I’ll get you, bitch. Prison won’t stop me. My crew will find you wherever you go.”She hadn’t felt the tension ease up until she’d reached the comfort of the bullpen at the Dallas Police Department. In ten years with the police department, she’d faced a lot of down and dirty, hostile criminals, but none had actually frightened her the way Morales did. Maybe part of it was just exhaustion with the job. The Morales task-force project had been long, intensive and draining. She felt as if every bit of energy had seeped from her body and left her limp and exhausted.She needed to make some decisions about her future life before the events in this one killed her altogether.“Still thinking about Morales?”A gravelly voice interrupted her thoughts. Charity opened her eyes to see Milo Stanton, her lieutenant, standing beside her desk. Tall and heavy set, he looked like the former boxer she’d discovered he’d once been. His jacket was off as usual, his shirtsleeves rolled up and his tie askew. He looked the way he always did, as if he’d pulled an all-nighter and carried the weight of the world on his shoulders. But he also projected a stability that had kept her grounded since she’d joined his squad. The enormous, solid presence had settled her and given her comfort more than once.Her gaze dropped to the large Starbucks coffee he had the fingers of one large hand wrapped around.“Oh, bless you, bless you.” She took the cup, lifted the lid and inhaled. Her favorite. Mocha latte topped with whipped cream. She licked the frothy topping before taking a slow sip. “Heaven. Sheer heaven.”“Better than the mud we serve here,” Stanton agreed. “I figured you’d need it by now. Helen called to tell me she was on her way back from her interview, so I asked her to stop and get it.”“Blessings to her too.” Charity took another sip, the delicious mocha latte warming her system and easing her frayed nerves.“Rumor has it the trial was a real pisser.” Stanton hiked a hip onto the corner of her desk. “I heard Paco was pretty vocal with his threats after your testimony.”“You could definitely say that.” She shrugged. “Nothing I haven’t heard before though.”“Listen to me.” Stanton locked his gaze with hers. “He’s no one to ignore. His crew is the most vicious of any drug gang in Dallas County, and they have strong ties to a cartel in Mexico.”“I know, I know. That’s why the task force worked so hard to tie him up tight.”“And you did good work on that task force too. I got great feedback on your efforts.”Charity had been one of two detectives from the Dallas PD assigned to work with the Drug Enforcement Agency to take down the Morales crew and follow the links to Mexico.“Thanks, LT. It was an excellent group to work with.”“I thought about assigning some protection to you until the trial is over and Morales is out of the area. He’s got the word out on the street that you’re a top target.”Charity glared at him. “No. And, no. I mean, no.”“But—”“I’m a police officer. You’re going to assign another officer to protect me? We have too many crimes that need solving.”“And I don’t want your murder to be one of them.” Stanton studied her for a long moment. “There’s another option. You might consider taking some time off until that scum is safely locked away for good. Fully paid, of course. But I do believe you’d be better off out of town for a while.”
AMAZON 
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Cerise went to #Paris and saw #Napoleon's Tomb, Les Invalides, Anniversary of his death. #Regency dates

Guilded doors at the entrance to the Chapel of San Louis at Les Invalides
where Napoleon is buried in the crypt.   At age 51, Napoleon Bonaparte died May 5, 1821 on St. Helena thousands of miles from the country he loved and led for nearly two decades.

   Exiled by a coalition of his foes, the former French emperor died alone.
His first wife, Josephine had passed away more than two years before, ironically on the day that he set foot on Elba, the island that was his first exiled home. His second wife, Empress Maria Louisa was not at his side. Nor was his son, the King of Rome, Napoléon François Charles Joseph Bonaparte, a child of ten.

   Though Napoleon died in 1821, his body was not returned to France at his death. In 1821, Louis XVIII, a Bourbon and brother to guillotined Louis XVI, sat the throne, restored to his power by the Allies who had defeated Napoleon in April 1814 and then again at Waterloo in June 18, 1815.

   He was buried under a tree on St. Helena. There he awaited a change in politics in his native country.
   Torn by political upheavals with death of Louis XVIII, the ascension of his brother Charles X, and that man's abdication, then the naming of another Bourbon, Louis-Phillippe to the crown of France, there was much uncertainty in the country. Only as Louis-Phillippe reigned in a passive manner did the consideration of returning Napoleon's body to France become a viable issue for debate.
   December 15, 1840 Napoleon's body arrived in Paris after a sea voyage from St. Helena. With an elaborate plan for a funeral, his body arrived at Le Havre and his coffin placed on a funeral car drawn by 16 black horses, followed by his imperial eagles veiled in crepe. His coffin traveled through Paris, beneath the Arc de Triumph and an estimated one million people greeted its arrival, shouting, "Vive mon grand Napoleon." 




To read more please see:
http://www.napoleon.org/en/reading_room/articles/files/479507.asp
http://ejnoomen.home.xs4all.nl/story101.html

http://www.travellinghistorian.com/homecoming.html

The Eyes of Bast by Lisabet Sarai, out now!

The Eyes of Bast by Lisabet Sarai
M/F Paranormal/shapeshifter erotic romance Approximately 26,000 words Published by Totally Bound, 24 April 2015 Heat rating: 4 Flames
Trust your heart. Follow your dreams. Shaina Williams' grandmother bequeathed her that wisdom, along with a old pendant from the Islands, carved from an ocelot's tooth. When instinct tells Shaina to visit the feral cat trap she'd set in Central Park, she listens to that inner voice, She discovers she's caged a magnificent black tom, but the cat inexplicably vanishes after she tends to his wounds. Seeking the errant feline, Shaina encounters instead a handsome stranger whose slightest touch sets her body on fire. As the day dawns after a night of ferocious passion, her mysterious lover is forced back into his true shape - the tomcat she'd rescued.  
Born a cat, Tom was transformed into an unwilling shape shifter by a sorceress who craved a human plaything to satisfy her perverse lusts. Centuries old and irresistibly powerful, Delphine Montserrat will stop at nothing to find her runaway familiar. Shaina vows to do whatever is necessary to defeat the vicious but seductive witch and save the man she believes is her soul mate – even though it might mean losing him forever.
Buy Links
Totally Bound: https://www.totallybound.com/the-eyes-of-bast
All Romance Ebooks: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-theeyesofbast-1789859-140.html
Amazon US: http://www.amazon.com/Eyes-Bast-Lisabet-Sarai-ebook/dp/B00WMEW5K0/
Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Eyes-Bast-Lisabet-Sarai-ebook/dp/B00WMEW5K0/
Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-eyes-of-bast-lisabet-sarai/1121761796?ean=9781784305079
Kobo: https://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/the-eyes-of-bast
Add on GoodReads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25153711-the-eyes-of-bast
Check out my exclusive interview about the book at Totally Bound!https://www.totallybound.com/the-eyes-of-bast-exclusive
Follow my blog tour, April 27th through April 30th:
Monday 27th April       Erzabet's Enchantmentshttp://erzabetsenchantments.blogspot.com
Tuesday 28th April      Crystal's Many Reviewershttp://www.crystalsmanyreviewers.com/
Wednesday 29th April    Archaeolibrarianhttp://archaeolibrarianologist.blogspot.co.uk/
Thursday 30th April     Sapphyria's Steamy Book Bloghttp://saphssteamybooks.blogspot.co.uk/p/welcome.html

EXCERPTS
Excerpt 1 – Rated PG
Tom finally broke the kiss and leaned back with a sigh. “Ah, Shaina! I should never have allowed you near me. But I was so very lonely... I wasn’t thinking straight. Now I’ve put you in danger too.”
“Danger? What kind of danger?” I reached over to flick the switch on my reading lamp, so I could read his expressions. Then I seated myself cross-legged at his feet and clasped his hands in mine. “Tell me, Tom. Tell me everything.”
“You will not believe me.”
“How could I not believe after – after what I saw this morning?”
His brows knotted together.“I never wanted you to see – I was careless...”
“But I did see. And now I know, at least something about you. But I don’t know enough to help you out of whatever trouble you’re in. Tell me the whole truth. I promise I’ll keep it private, if that’s what you want. And I promise I won’t be shocked.”
Tom’s lush mouth twisted in a grimace of disgust. “You might not be able to keep that promise. But never mind. You’ve asked. I’ll tell you.”
He stared off into the distance, above my head. “I was born in a small town in coastal Maine, about seven years ago.”
“Seven years...?”
“I was born a cat.”
I choked down my cry of surprise. How could it be...?
“Yes. I was born under a wharf. I spent the first six months of my life as a black kitten, a stray living off the scraps from the fishing boats and clam shacks. Then she caught me and made me her prisoner.”
“She?”
“I don’t even want to utter her name. There’s danger in the very word. She is a witch, centuries old, a practitioner of the darkest arts – the epitome of evil. Out walking one evening along the rocky shore, she caught sight of me and wanted me as her familiar. It was easy for her to lure me into her clutches.
“At first she just used me to facilitate her spells. The rumored powers of black cats are more than just legend. Before long, though, she began to experiment.”
His ominous tone sent a chill through my naked body. I pulled the towel around me.
“You see, her advanced age hadn’t diminished her lust. Quite the opposite. She wanted a sexual plaything, someone she could use to satisfy her perverted desires. A male body she could own and control. So she delved into her books of magic, seeking a spell that would turn her poor innocent feline familiar into a man – at least when she wanted him that way.
“Her first attempts failed.” Tom shuddered at the recollection. “She barely managed to save my life. I guess she’d grown fond of me at that point – in her own twisted way.”
“Oh, Tom...”
“Finally, she found a ritual that would change an animal into a human during the hours when the sun was banished from the earth. I’ll never forget the terror of that first transformation, when I found myself wobbling on two legs in front of her naked body. It was even worse than what came after.”
“What was that?”
“Oh, Shaina – I was human, but scarcely a man. I was barely thirteen.”
Excerpt 2 – Rated R
Go check the old elm. I swear, the voice was clear as crystal in my mind. Lack of sleep, I told myself. Or stress. The cage is still in my apartment. There won’t be anything there. But the urge to go back to the park just wouldn’t let go.
Trust your instincts. With a sigh, I turned and headed for the park, pulling my mace out of my purse as I walked.
The sky was still light enough for me to see shapes and shadows, even under the trees. As I’d expected, area beneath the elm was empty, the grass trampled from my previous visit. Of course no cats revealed themselves. If there were ferals around, they’d be hiding in the underbrush, wary of my scent and the sounds I made, despite my attempts to move quietly.
Tom wasn’t afraid of you. The thought made me ache. He’d been such a gorgeous, affectionate cat. I hoped he was okay.
“Hello.” The voice was male, low and throaty. I jumped and whirled around.
A man stood behind me, a fairly young man with sleek, dark skin and a wide, shy smile. Although his body appeared to be fit and muscular, he held himself in an awkward manner, as if he had some subtle handicap. His arms hung at his sides, his hands clenching and unclenching as though he didn’t quite know what to do with them.
I gripped my mace more tightly, although he didn’t appear at all threatening.
“Um – what are you doing here?”
“Nothing, nothing...” He shrugged and scratched the curly black locks that covered his head. “I heard your voice. I wanted to make sure you were all right.”
Had I spoken aloud? I returned his smile, still uncertain whether I should trust him. “I’m fine. Just taking a walk.”
“It’s not safe here after dark, you know.”
His earnest tone made me chuckle. I held up the can of mace. “I can take care of myself.”
Worry furrowed his high forehead. “That won’t help against some of the things that come out at night.”
A chill shot through me. I shook it away. “I was just headed home anyway.”
“Good. You should be careful.” His smile returned, melting my last vestiges of suspicion. He pronounced his English with a precision that made me wonder if he spoke something else as his native language. It wasn’t exactly an accent, but I could tell he wasn’t a native New Yorker.
“What about you?”
“Oh – I know my way around here,” he answered. He ran his fingers through his curls and arched his back a bit, as though stretching. Despite that odd awkwardness, he was lithe and graceful. A brief pang of desire shot through me.“And I have excellent night vision. Exceptionally sharp hearing, too.”
I couldn’t figure out why, but something about him felt familiar. “Have we met before?” I asked, then cringed, realizing it sounded like a pick up line. “I mean – um– I don’t mean…” Hot blood climbed into my cheeks, though the shadows were probably too dense for him detect my discomfort.
His bold laugh rang out in the growing darkness.“Maybe we have met,” he said. “I live in the neighborhood. Do you?”
“Pretty close,” I answered, alarm bells sounding in my head. No matter how handsome and charming he was, I wasn’t about to give him my address.
“Well, then, you never know. You said you were heading home. May I walk with you?” He took my arm without waiting for my permission.
“Um – actually—” His touch stopped me cold. It drove out rational thought. As if someone had turned on a faucet, hormones poured into my blood. My nipples tensed and my lower lips grew plump and slick. His fingers on my bare forearm were tipped with fire. I gasped, staring up in wonder at his strong, even features, overcome by his imminent maleness.
I wanted stretch out in the grass and pull him down on top of me. I was dying to feel his weight on my chest, his hardness probing between my thighs. Skin on skin was what I craved, with an urgency I’d never experienced in my all my twenty-eight years.

His nostrils flared and I knew he’d caught the ocean scent rising from my sex. I could smell it myself. My saturated panties and jeans were no barrier. He grinned, revealing teeth so white they gleamed in the twilight gloom. I shuddered with need, imagining those teeth tearing my flesh, and stumbled on the gravel path.

Bridged by Love by Nancy Corrigan, teaser for big #Shifter release! Prize!

Kagan Wolves, Book 1
From the moment he was born, Nic Kagan’s future was sealed. He’ll accept a mate, have kids, and eventually take over his father’s role as pack alpha. There’s just one problem.
Long ago, his heart settled on Riley, the pack’s human doctor and honorary member. Except only half of him can have her. The other half—his wolf—won’t give a weak non-shifter female a second sniff.
No one—human or shifter—has left a mark on Riley’s soul like Nic. But with his father hospitalized, any hope things could work out between them is slipping away. Yet Riley understands something else about pack life. Power isn’t always a physical gift; love is just as strong. What she and Nic have is worth fighting for.
With rival threats mounting, Nic realizes he can’t simply turn his back on Riley. Though his wolf could tear his heart out for it, he must fight for what he wants before he loses his mate. His pack. Maybe even his sanity.
Warning: Contains a reluctant alpha with only one roadblock between his heart and the woman he loves—biology. And a woman who isn’t giving up on him, even if it means risking her life to fool Mother Nature.
Keywords: wolf shifter, werewolf, werewolves, alpha, human,
The details…Book Title: Bridged by LoveSeries Name: Kagan WolvesSeries Number: 1Author: Nancy CorriganISBN13: 978-1-61923-004-0Length: 63,982Categories: PAW: Paranormal, PAW: Red Hot, RH: Paranormal & Alternate WorldsTags: Shape-Shifters; WerewolvesPrice: 5.50Publication Date: July 21st2015
Read a teaser…Excerpt (PG)
   Nic strode across the packed bar, hands clenching and releasing at his sides. Shifters and humans alike moved out of his way. He couldn’t blame them. No doubt he looked as pissed off as he felt.   Returning to West Virginia hadn’t been on his agenda, at least not until a certain female died of old age or moved. Yeah, moving worked. Too bad it hadn’t happened. She remained in Hollow’s Grove like a damn forbidden fruit and a reminder of a life he could never have.   The two male wolf shifters at his old table grabbed their beers and scattered, leaving his sister to deal with his wrath.   He yanked a chair out and straddled it. “Who did it?”   Hannah lifted a slender brow. Four years separated them, but she could’ve been his twin. They both had their mother’s black hair and blue eyes. They both shifted into black wolves too, a rarity among their kind. Neither of them cared about the awe many felt in their presence. Him and Hannah? They cared about the strength the revered wolf gave them. Power was everything in their world.   “Did what? Put Dad in the hospital, or almost hit your ex-girlfriend’s car?”   He gritted his teeth. “Riley is not my ex-girlfriend.”   “What do you call your first lover and the female you warned every available male in a fifty-mile radius away from, then?”   Had Riley been a shifter, he’d call her his mate. As it was, she was a temptation, one he had to stay away from.
Excerpt (PG-13)
   Nic ran through the woods. The broken twigs and rocks poking into his paws barely registered. He pivoted and headed deeper into the underbrush. The sharp pulling of the low-hanging tree limbs on his fur appealed to his need to punish himself. He wanted to hurt. A fight would’ve been better, but he couldn’t go around initiating any. Actions like that would come off as a dominance tactic, and the   Kagan males had always held to a higher standard. They understood all members of a pack played a vital role.   He lowered his head and pushed through the bowing evergreens. An open space greeted him. He froze. Sides heaving and blood soaking his fur, he panted and took in the small home in front of him—Riley’s place. His dad had bought it for her. Last time Nic had seen it was right after she’d moved in. She must’ve remodeled since then. Where the concrete stoop once stood, a wide front porch spanned the house. It looked inviting with the swing and chairs decorating it. He could see himself lounging on it, enjoying the night.   A low growl rumbled in his chest.   It didn’t surprise him that he’d ended up here. He hadn’t been able to get thoughts of her out of his head. Guilt ate at him. He’d treated her like shit the last time they were together. She deserved an apology and explanation. If he’d been man enough, he would’ve been straight with her then.   He padded across the gravel road. On the other side, soft grass met the pads of his paws. Halfway across the front yard, the door opened. Riley stepped out, a bottle of beer in hand. An oversize flannel shirt covered her chest and bare thighs. Jealousy surged, knowing she wore another male’s clothes.    Shock replaced it with his next breath. It was his shirt, the one he’d had on the last time they were together.   She whipped her head in his direction. Narrowed eyes zeroed in on him. They widened on a gasp.    She set her bottle down and sprinted across the yard. Her loosely buttoned top gave him a tantalizing glimpse of her legs. He sat on his haunches to watch her, but she reached him before he could decide if the swath of black between her thighs was a thong or a bikini.   “Nic”—she dropped to her knees in front of him—“what happened?”   He couldn’t answer her in his wolf form. She knew that. She also understood that depending on how much control he gave his other half, he might not even hear her. It never stopped her from approaching shifters. She’d said she could tell who was in charge by looking into their eyes.
   “You’re bleeding.” She brushed back his fur and gently touched the skin around a long gash. “This wasn’t from a fight, was it?”   He shook his head, the only answer he could give in his limited form.   She stared into his eyes. Not a hint of fear showed in her expression. She treated his dad and the other dominants with the respect owed them by avoiding eye contact. Never Nic, at least not in private, but the rules were different around the other wolves. Riley had always understood the need for hierarchy among the members. In the pack’s eyes, she was as low as one could be. In his, she was his equal.   “Shift and tell me why you decided to drag your sorry ass to my house. None of these cuts need my attention.”
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Cerise went to #Paris, then to #Reims where kings were crowned, #travel #WWI

One highlight of my recent trip to Paris was our day trip to Reims.

Taking the rapid train to the north east from Gare de L'est, we walked through the gorgeous old city toward this beautiful cathedral. (Do note this walk is approximately 2-3 miles to the cathedral!)

Undergoing restoration (as so many French churches are these days), this church shows the contrast of light with dark. Reims Cathedral is the post of the cardinal of Reims and next to the church is the cardinal's residence, the Palais de Tao.  (Do be sure to visit that as well as the cathedral for a wonderful exhibit on the crowning of French kings.)

Reims is known also for its near destruction during La Grande Guerre. In 1914 as German troops swept through northern France toward Paris, Reims cathedral was claimed by the German army. In fact, because German troops had few supplies and were unable to keep up by supply train with their own advance, they bedded down in the church. With straw on the floor and cook tents inside the church, they took over the church and the surrounding city and its inhabitants.  When the French army countered their control over the city and people, the Germans hastily retreated. Before they did, they set fire to the church. Here are a few pictures I took of the pictures on display currently inside the church.  Here you can see that the roof was blasted through and sunlight shown inside. After the war, the church was restored. Today, we have this lovely church to visit and recall the coronations of all French kings, except the last one, Charles X, restored Bourbon and brother to ill-fated Louis XVI.

Was Napoleon crowned here? No. He decided, as well he should, that he wished to inaugurate a different type of regime, an empire. Therefore, when he crowned himself in the presence of the pope, he did so in Paris in Notre Dame.





Main Concourse of Gare de L'est

MADE FOR MISCHIEF! You R. It is. Read it now! @reginacarlysle #99cents

Made for MischiefAll she really wanted was one naughty night before returning to her life as a sheltered country spinster! Crawling beneath a bed in London's most notorious brothel was beyond the pale, even for known eccentric Arabella Spencer. Little did she imagine that lust, desire, and yes, love was just within her grasp. When Grayson St. James, Lord Mercer, newly returned from fighting Napoleon, dragged a squirming, dusty bluestocking from beneath his bed, he was...well..aghast! She wanted adventure, did she? She wanted to learn about sex, did she? He was just the man to teach her! As a vow of vengeance and a case of mistaken identity unite Grayson and Arabella in a common goal, the dour Lord Mercer finds himself laughing for the first time in longer than he can recall but will an unknown threat bring them together or tear their world apart?
Excerpt: Glancing toward the town hall entrance, she caught a flash of scarlet, a dark head bent near the rapidly speaking vicar’s wife. Mabel stood next to Berta, mouth agape, as the man turned to bow low over her outstretched hand.Of course, she knew this must be Lord Mercer, come to greet the villagers after his long absence. Narrowing her gaze, lifting the quizzing glass for a better look, she felt the thick, circular lens slip from nerveless fingers and her eyes popped open wide in disbelief. The beat of her heart paused then lurched wildly.No! It couldn’t be! Could it? Her heart thudded within her chest as a ball of dread caused her throat to clog tighter than a miser’s fist.“Are you all right, Miss Arabella?” Abner asked.She couldn’t speak over the knot in her throat. She made a garbled sound and continued to stare in disbelief, barely noting Abner’s possessive touch on her shoulder.All noises dwindled to a mere pinpoint of sound that seemed to come at her as if through a dark tunnel. She thought she might swoon when she was not the swooning sort at all. She would know those broad, broad shoulders anywhere, just as she would recognize that cruel slashing smile.Gripping the china plate in white-knuckled hands, she stared, horrified. Backing up cautiously, struggling against the need to bolt from the room like a frightened rabbit, she halted at the feel of something hard and firm at her back. It was Abner, of course. Dazed, she watched as the dratted man said something to Berta Morrison, who smiled and turned her gaze in Arabella’s direction.Black eyes widened, and then abruptly narrowed, in sudden comprehension, darkening in cruel delight. God help her, the dastardly man from London, the man who’d stolen her every waking thought was here. Tonight!He stood head and shoulders above everyone else so it wasn’t difficult to determine that he was heading her way. She tried to back up another step, as the crowd parted to let him pass.Without missing another beat, the denizens of Upper Biddleton returned to their dancing, their conversations, never knowing that the life of one of their own was about to change drastically.“Toodle ooh, Arabella, dear. Toodle ooh!” Berta warbled in a trilling voice as she marched elbow to elbow with the soldier bearing down on her. Mabel, gasping to keep up, eyes alight with interest, hurried from behind as she struggled to keep pace.Should she not know the name of the man who was about to murder her? The wild thought flashed through her mind as she took note of his blacker than sin eyes and the dangerous glint they contained. Her own Mr.Gray, who was in reality bloody Lord Mercer, would kill her or ruin her and at the moment, she wasn’t quite sure which was worse.“How do you do?” he asked with a short bow.When he lifted his head, she thought she might die. A black brow arched in a mocking manner over his left eye. Memories of him had not done him justice, she thought wildly, as her heart took up a rapid pitter-patter within her chest. What was it about a man in uniform that was so very striking? The red coat of His Majesty’s army was splendid with his dark coloring. Dear, God! She was going to faint dead away.“It is a pleasure to see you… um… at last,” he murmured.Not again. His gaze slid mockingly over her body, and she fought the urge to cover her exposed chest with her gloved hands.Fear threatened to choke her. He looked so angry, so very mean. Obviously, he had not forgiven her for disappearing from his bed. Would he ruin her now? Destroy her spotless reputation with just a word?But, then another thought intruded, more horrifying than the last.This man was sweet Andrew’s brother. The surly, moody half-brother of her late fiancé.Dear heavens! It couldn’t be. It just couldn’t. With a gasp of despair, she released the china plate she clutched and it fell from her numb fingers adding to the sudden silence that had fallen among the tidy group. She was caught now in the web of her own making while they stood there without a clue that the world had suddenly, and quite devastatingly, shrank in size.“Dear heavens.” She gasped as the fragile plate broke neatly into three pieces. “Just look at what I’ve done.”“Never you mind, Arabella,” Berta soothed. “’Tis not important.” She turned a teasing scowl on Lord Mercer. “And you, good sir, must wait for a proper introduction, if you please. Did you leave your manners on the field of battle? Lord Mercer, this is our very dear Miss Spencer who has lived in Upper Biddleton these past eight years. Arabella, dear, this is the prodigal Grayson St. James, Lord Mercer, and as you already know, your very own Andrew’s brother.”Arabella stood gaping, trying for all she was worth to appear calm. “And this,” Berta continued with a twinkle in her eyes, “is my son, Abner, who is a very, very close friend of Arabella’s.”Hell’s bells! Obviously, Berta saw more in her friendship with Abner than just simple courtesy. Another problem to add to the confused morass that was her life.“Mmm, another conquest now that my poor brother dwells in the afterlife?” Though the words were delivered softly, she flinched at the steely glint in Grayson’s eyes.She gasped. “Merciful heavens, no!”But, she might as well not have spoken for the two men were busy exchanging guarded greetings while Berta and Mabel had struck up their own private dialogue. She was for just an instant, very much alone.Casting about for a way out, perhaps a very quick retreat, she ignored the social niceties and discreetly backed away. A press of bodies moved closer, effectively separating her from this nightmare of a man.Oh yes. She knew what he was. He was a debaucher of young ladies and a kidnapper with an evil sense of humor.Step by step, she moved closer to a row of open windows and the safety of a back door. But, just as she stepped past the threshold, she couldn’t resist another peek.
Black eyes bored into hers, and she swore it was like looking into the eyes of a cobra. He was very angry but, as yet, had not seen fit to ruin her reputation. Eager for a respite, she did the only sane thing she could do. She ran. Link: http://www.amazon.com/Made-Mischief-Regina-Carlysle-ebook/dp/B00V2LZP6U/ref=redir_mobile_desktop?ie=UTF8&keywords=regina+carlyle+made+for+mischief&noEncodingTag=1&pi=AC_SX110_SY165_QL70&qid=1427885091&redirectFromSS=1&ref_=mp_s_a_1_fkmr0_1&sr=8-1-fkmr0

Mad for Waterloo Anniversary? #Regency delights with Beaux, Ballrooms and Battles! Out now #99cents!

Amazon Buy link Love Regency romances? Need more? This box set of sweet Regencies by 9 famous authors is for you! Beaux, Ballrooms, and Battles  is a celebration of the bicentenary of the showdown between Wellington’s “Infamous Army” and Napoleon’s Grande Armée. A collection of nine sweet Regency stories of courage, hope, and the miracle of love surviving in uncertain times, brought to you by nine distinguished historical romance authors.Jillian Chantal • Téa Cooper • Susana Ellis • Aileen Fish • Victoria Hinshaw • Heather King • Christa Paige • Sophia Strathmore • David Wilkin

Look for THE INCOMPARABLES, 6 Heroes of Waterloo and the 6 Ladies They Adore by 6 Incomparable Regency Authors, for pre-order June 1 and for sale for only 99 cents June 18.  Cover, links and excerpts to come!!!



Author Susanna Ellis
http://www.susanaellis.com


Who are the 6 Incomparable Authors?

Sabrina York, Dominique Eastwick, Suzi Love, Suzanna Medeiros, Lynne Connolly and me!

Long Awaited Stone Hard SEALs Duet—Now at discounted price! #Giveaway by Sabrina York!

He was handsome and tall. Strong. A hero. His voice rumbled in a seductive, gravelly purr. He was perfect.She’d never felt desire like this. Not for any other man. Ever.
Last summer, Hot Alpha SEALs took the book world by storm, getting rave reviews for this collection of scorching military romances, and earning spots on the New York Times and USA Today bestseller lists.
Ryder’s story was such a hit, readers asked to read Drake’s story as well. Here, now, for the first time, are BOTH adventures!
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STONE HARD SEALSA Duet of Steamy SEAL romance by NYT and USA Today Bestselling author Sabrina YorkBook One: RyderA hostage rescue mission turns Ryder “Stone” Maddox’s world on its ear when he comes face-to-face with his greatest fear: A woman he cannot resist. But he has to resist Lily Wilson. He’s vowed never to fall in love. Besides, as the daughter of a senator, she is definitely off-limits. Lily sees things differently. Irresistibly drawn to this hot, hard SEAL, she is determined to prove they belong together…and that her man does not have a heart of stone.  (Originally published in the NYT and USA Today Bestselling Hot Alpha SEALs collection)Book Two: DrakeDrake Ronan is all man—a rock hard SEAL who doesn’t need help from anyone. Doesn’t need anyone. But when he’s shot during a dangerous rescue mission, and has to rely on a beautiful nurse to survive, he realizes he has to rethink his resolution. Suddenly he can’t imagine his life without Brandy in it. It’s a damn shame she has a secret that could ruin everything.
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Read reviews of Ryder’s Story: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22591884-hot-alpha-seals
#MilitaryRomance #SEALHero #AlphaHero

READ AN EXCERPT
“Are you hungry?” He asked because her belly growled loudly enough to attract pirates on the mainland.
“A little.” She licked her lips. “But I’m really thirsty.”
He pulled out the straw of his CamelBak and leaned forward, holding it to her lips. He should have shuttled off all his gear and just handed the damn thing to her because when she leaned in close and he got a whiff of her, he nearly passed out. You would think a woman who had been held prisoner by filthy pirates for nearly a week would smell bad. She did not. She smelled like heaven. There was a light musky odor of sweat—it was hot in the tropics—but it twined with something that was essentially female.
He’d never felt such hunger. It screamed through his soul.
And, on top of that, their faces were close. And she was sucking on the nozzle. And fuck. He was a warrior. A trained weapon. On a mission.
This was no time for a hard on.
But he was hard. Damn hard.
Her lashes flickered as she glanced up at him; she moaned as she swallowed. A shiver walked down his spine. Walked right down his spine and coiled in his balls.
When she sat back with a sigh, he put the nozzle to his lips as well. Not because he was particularly thirsty, but because he wanted a taste of her mouth, while it was still fresh.
What he really wanted was to kiss her. But she was the senator’s daughter and he was a grunt. That wasn’t going to happen. It couldn’t.
“Did…did you say something about food?” Damn lashes. Fluttering again. He had the urge to grab his Gerber and snip them off.
He pulled an MRE from a pocket on his left leg, read the label, and grimaced. He hated the meatloaf. He should have paid more attention when he prepped his gear. He had more in his pack, but this would do for now. “I have this.”
Her nose wrinkled as she studied the silver foil.
Yeah. Wait ’til she got a taste. He ripped open the packet, broke off a piece, and handed it to her. It was messy, because of the gravy, but he didn’t want to unload everything to find an implement. They needed to eat and go.
She took a bite. Her eyes widened. “Yuuum,” she said in an unconvincing tone.
It was all he could do to hold back his laugh.
“What…” She swallowed heavily. “What is this?”
“An MRE.”
“What does that stand for?”
His lips quirked. “Meals Rarely Edible.”
Her brow wrinkled, and then she laughed.
And ah, what a laugh. A melodic trill. Some kind of sound he figured you might hear in heaven.
“Do you eat these often?”
“Not if I can help it.” He shoved a chunk in his mouth and fired it back. “But we have a long way to go today, and these have a lot of calories.”
She froze, a niblette of mystery meat halfway to her mouth. “How-how many calories?”
“About twelve hundred a meal.”
She gaped at him. “Twelve hundred?” She glared at the meatloaf as though it were made of turds. Then again, it might have been. “And you gave it to me? To eat?”
“Yeah. You’ll need it.”
“Why didn’t you warn me?” She smacked him. It was like being batted by a kitten. “Twelve hundred calories is my whole day!”
He grinned. He could burn that much with a good fart. “Perfect. It’s probably all you’ll get. Eat up.”
“For twelve hundred calories, I could have eaten a cheesecake.”
He looked around for the cheesecake.
She shoved her tiny chunk of meatloaf at him. “Here, you eat it.”
He pushed it back. “You eat it. We have a lot of ground to cover today.”
“We do?” She tipped her head to the side. “Where are we going?”
“There’s an island to the south.” He grabbed a stick and sketched out a quick map. “We’re here. At the north end of this island. And the secondary extraction point is here.”
Her throat worked. “How will we get to the other island?”
“Swim.”
She paled. “I-I can’t swim.”
It was probably rude to stare. But really? She couldn’t swim? Who couldn’t swim? “You never wanted to learn?”
“Oh, I wanted to.” She sighed. “My mother was afraid I would drown.”
“Not drowning is kind of the point of swimming.”
“She wanted to keep me safe.” He didn’t miss the exasperation in her tone. “I didn’t get to do a lot of things. Which is probably why— And wouldn’t you know it? The first time?” She gazed at him as though she’d finished a sentence. As though he’d understood a bit of what she’d said.
“Well, don’t worry. We’ll get you home safe. And then everything will be just the way it was before.”
Her sudden frown mystified him.


PREORDER NOW! Arrives April 9th 
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Sabrina York
Her Royal Hotness, Sabrina York, is the New York Times and USA Today Bestselling author of hot, humorous stories for smart and sexy readers. Her titles range from sweet & snarky to scorching romance.  Connect with her on twitter @sabrina_york, on Facebookor on Pintrest. Check out Sabrina’s books and read an excerpt on Amazonor wherever e-books are sold. Visit her webpage at www.sabrinayork.comto check out her books, excerpts and contests. Free Teaser Book: http://sabrinayork.com/home-2/sabrina-yorks-teaser-book/And don’t forget to enter to win the royal tiara!


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Cerise went to #Paris to see where #Napoleon lived, abdicated #Regency #boxset #99cents @TheIncomparables

Old print of 'Abdication of Napoleon, His Departure from Fontainebleau for the Island of Elba'. A representation of Napoleon signing his abdication.Two hundred and one years ago, Napoleon Bonaparte abdicated his imperial throne, after leading France politically and militarily for nearly two decades.

When I visited France recently, I had the wonderful opportunity to visit many of the places where Napoleon lived. Among them was the gorgeous hunting lodge and chateau of French kings, then turned palace, Fontainebleau.

In the suburbs of Paris and accessed easily by train, Fontainebleau offers a dramatic experience in French history. A marvelous example of French Rococco, the hunting lodge became a grander palace under the direction of Francis I. So the mixture of ancien regime decor and architecture is a true delight.


Abdication Room as it is today.Among the rooms is the one in which Napoleon signed his abdication April 13, 1814. Adjacent is his bedroom where the night before, he drank poison. Ill and then purged by an elixir brought by his servants, Napoleon recovered to sign the document. He grumbled that "even poison failed him."

This abdication agreement was between Napoleon and the representatives of Austria, Russia and Prussia and by this treaty, Napoleon was exiled to the island of Elba. After signing in this room, he went to the steps facing the main entrance to the palace and addressed his officers assembled in the courtyard.  These are my pictures of the steps where he stood and the view he would have had of the courtyard and his imperial gates, which still have the two eagles atop.
   And do look for a new box set 99 cent deal June 18, 2015 when I  join 5 other marvelous Regency authors for a release to commemorate the 200th Anniversary of the Battle of Waterloo!  What is the title of this not-to-be-missed collection?  THE INCOMPARABLES: 6 HEROES OF WATERLOO and THE 6 LADIES THEY ADORE!
Front steps of Fontainebleau where Napoleon stood
to bid farewell to his troops.


Fontainebleau's full front facade where Napoleon addressed his troops. This is same view Napoleon would have had of courtyard. Do note his Imperial Eagles on gate posts.