Lily Harlem's Blog, page 221

Bargain! - Cold Nights, Hot Bodies

Cold Nights, Hot Bodies is still available at an absolute bargain price. What's more is it has a ton of new fabulous 5* reviews! Check it out...
Amason UKAmazonAll Romance eBooksEllora's Cave
And if you just fancy the cover model, the delectable Francis Cura, then head over to my dedicated Pinterest page and indulge in a little 'me time'!

Romancing the Book gives Stockholm Surrender 5*

Stockholm Surrender is one of my books that never really took off in terms of sales and hasn't had many reviews. But I would rate it up there as one of my favourites. I loved the characters and the twists and turns of the plot. It was like a fast-paced, super-sexy movie playing out in my head as I wrote it and  pulled my emotions all over the place. So whenever a new review goes up on Amazon I'm always thrilled, and this latest 5* one (it only has 5*reviews!) is courtesy of Romancing the Book.

Stockholm Surrender by Lily Harlem is a wonderful, fast-paced, gripping, story of forbidden love.
Penny’s father is the British foreign minister, which puts their family in the spotlight. This time it has put Penny in danger when a desperate man decides to use her as leverage. After being kidnapped, Penny finds herself feeling things she shouldn’t be feeling.
This is one of the best books I have read in quite a while. I gave it a rating of 5 out of 5, and would have given it more if I could. I was completely hooked from the very beginning. Since I didn’t get the opportunity to read this one in one sitting, that meant I have to put it down a couple of times for sleep and work. When I wasn’t reading it, I was constantly thinking about it, and dying to get back to it.
This is a follow-up to Ms. Harlem’s short story, Stockholm Seduction, which is included as the prologue to this story, in case you have not read it. I loved Penny and Ty, and was tied in knots over their emotional roller coaster. The suspense is really intense and there were times that I actually gasped out loud. The writing is superb, the characters stole my heart, and the story kept me glued to the pages from start to finish. It’s an all-around outstanding read!

Buy Stockholm Surrender from Amazon, Amazon UK, Ellora's Cave and all other good ebook retailers.

Misconduct Release Date - 31st January

Misconduct, book #6 in my Hot Ice series will be released from Ellora's Cave on the 31st January 2014.
The Hot Ice books do not need to be read in order to be enjoyed, so if you want to jump in at Misconduct, that's fine. But if you want to find out more about the other bad boys of the Vipers hockey team and start at the beginning, details are on my website.




Manage the Vipers hockey team! Me? Well, that’s my role now. Shame a gorgeous, cocky-assed goaltender is testing my patience. Sweet cheeks—really, is that any way to refer to the boss? Dustin “Speed” Reed certainly seems to think so.
It’s okay though. I’ll escape to my billionaire father’s paradise retreat. Except Dustin decides to jump on for the ride. Then the tension really heats up, hotter than the scorching midday sun.

I want to slap him and kiss him. Push him away and rip off his clothes. The feeling is mutual—a potent cocktail of anger mixed with lust. I know we shouldn’t. It can’t end well, especially when I’m going give him the sack as soon as I push him out of it.
But what’s the fun in having rules if no one ever breaks them? I’ll take what I can, give him what he wants and worry about balancing the books tomorrow. Surely my heart will be fine.

Stately Pleasures by Lucy Felthouse

Please welcome Lucy Felthouse with her fabulous new menage a trois novel Stately Pleasures.


Alice Brown has just landed her dream job. Property manager at Davenport Manor, a British stately home. It’s only a nine-month contract to cover maternity leave, but it’s the boost up the career ladder she so desperately needs.Unfortunately, things don’t get off to the best start, when Alice finds her boss, Jeremy Davenport, in a compromising position. Far from being embarrassed by what’s happened, Jeremy turns things around on Alice and makes her out to be the one in the wrong. So when he and his best friend and head of security, Ethan Hayes, then throw an ultimatum at her, she’s so stunned and confused that she goes along with their indecent proposal.When the dust settles and Alice has time to think about things, though, she realises that perhaps it isn’t such a bad thing. There are worse things she could be doing to advance her career, after all.
Buy links: http://lucyfelthouse.co.uk/published-works/stately-pleasures/Add to Goodreads here: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18756618-stately-pleasures 
*****
Excerpt:
Alice took a deep breath, in through her nose and out through her mouth. Repeated the process once more. Then, realising she could sit there all day doing it and not feel any calmer, she forced herself to step out of the car and close and lock the door.She bent to peer into the wing mirror of the vehicle and checked her hair and make-up. Satisfied, she straightened, then turned on her heel and walked quickly across the driveway to the great house before her nerve failed her.Davenport Manor was currently open for visitors, so she walked in through the front door and was met by a smiling elderly lady.‘Can I help you?’ the woman asked kindly.‘Yes, please.’ Alice twisted her hands together nervously. ‘I’m here to see Mr Davenport. I’m here for an interview for the property manager’s role.’‘Yes, of course,’ the woman replied, ‘that’s today, isn’t it? Follow me; I’ll take you to Mr Davenport’s office. But just hang on one second.’She ducked through the doorway into the next room and spoke with her colleague. Alice guessed she was letting her co-worker know she’d be gone for a few minutes. A few seconds later, she was back. ‘OK, follow me, Miss …’‘Brown,’ Alice said, then fell in behind the other woman as she led her to Mr Davenport’s office, and the interview that could change her life for ever. It was hardly surprising that she was shaking like a leaf.Alice quickly felt lost as their journey took several twists and turns along dim corridors – their blinds drawn to protect paintings, tapestries, and furniture from the sunlight – and up a flight of stairs. She had a few seconds to worry about finding her way if she was lucky enough to get the job, then, suddenly, her guide stopped outside a door and turned around.‘Here you go, Miss Brown. Mr Davenport’s office. Good luck with your interview.’Alice smiled and thanked the elderly woman, then smoothed down her skirt, which also conveniently helped wipe the nervous sweat off her hands. She stood up straight, gave herself a mental pep talk about being more than qualified for the role, and knocked on the door.‘Enter.’Alice knew that voice could only belong to Jeremy Davenport. The posh accent, and the fact he’d said “enter” instead of “come in”, screamed money and an upper-class upbringing. Alice was suddenly nervous of her broad Midlands accent and lowly background, despite the fact she’d worked her backside off to get into a decent university in order to gain a Bachelor of Arts degree and then a Master’s degree. No matter what she sounded like, or what her past was, she had all the skills necessary to do the job she was about to be interviewed for.Suddenly, she realised that she’d left rather a long pause before opening the door, and she turned the handle before the occupants of the room thought they were about to interview some kind of simpleton who couldn’t follow a simple instruction.Fixing a polite – but hopefully not inane – smile onto her face, Alice stepped into Jeremy Davenport’s office. Her first thought – which certainly did nothing to help her nerves – was good God, he’s hot.Jeremy sat behind a desk, with a heavily pregnant woman sitting beside it. Alice barely noticed the woman. All she saw was him. A man with cropped dark brown hair, hazel/green eyes, a jawline you could cut bread with, and lips that looked capable of doing incredibly wicked, sexual things to a woman. Or a man. Alice had no idea what his sexuality was, but she found herself hoping he liked women.She chastised herself. Even if he did like women, he wouldn’t go for someone like her. A Plain Jane, with mousy brown shoulder-length hair, blue eyes, average height and above average weight. Alice had always known she’d never be a supermodel, so she’d worked extra hard academically, and here she was. About to be interviewed for her dream job.

*****
Lucy Felthouse is a very busy woman! She writes erotica and erotic romance in a variety of subgenres and pairings, and has over eighty publications to her name, with many more in the pipeline. These include several editions of Best Bondage Erotica, Best Women's Erotica 2013 and Best Erotic Romance 2014. Another string to her bow is editing, and she has edited and co-edited a number of anthologies, and also edits for a small publishing house. She owns Erotica For All, and is book editor for Cliterati. Find out more at http://www.lucyfelthouse.co.uk. Join her on Facebook and Twitter, and subscribe to her newsletter at: http://eepurl.com/gMQb9

Sunday Snog - The Glass Knot

Welcome to Sunday Snog. Today I have a smooch from The Glass Knot, my super-sexy, 5*, menage a trois novel which is currently romping up the Amazon Erotica Chart.



Blurb
What’s a girl to do when the guy she falls for is married to another man? 

This is exactly what happened to me. Seeing Josh Kendal stroll out of the Mediterranean Sea wearing tight navy swim trunks and looking like a hot new James Bond was a truly delicious moment. Catching sight of his wedding ring was like a kick in the shin and meeting his gorgeous husband, phew, that was enough to make any girl groan at the cruel joke God was playing on her. 

But all was not as it seemed, and when Josh needed a woman to sort out a ‘delicate predicament’ I was the one for the job – heck, what did I have to lose? Certainly not as much as him, literally. 

Trouble is, emotions always get tangled, loyalties can’t help but be divided and with a night of memories so hot they'd have the devil sweating, there was only one thing for it—it was time to get honest, fight for what I wanted despite society’s constraints and open my heart to the people it needed most. 





Snog
I shuddered out the breath I’d been holding. Of course, that was how it was. I hadn’t fooled myself into thinking there would ever be anything more between us. Josh was right, we had to make this memorable. We had to make this more special than anyone else’s first time, because this was his first and last.“Not that I don’t love him,” Josh said. “I do, more than—”“More than anything else in the world,” I finished. “I get that, I understand that, so let’s take Nick out of the room and concentrate on us.”Josh closed his eyes. His lashes created shadows on his cheeks and his brows pulled low. Then he opened them and the furrows in his forehead relaxed. “You’re right, no more Nick.” The deep blue of his irises shone like the deepest depths of the ocean. “Me and you. Josh and Laura, just for tonight. Just for one night.”“That sounds absolutely perfect.” I stood on tiptoes and touched my mouth to his. The feel of his soft warm lips, hesitant and barely parted, made it the most delicate, wondrous kiss I’d ever experienced. I pulled back and smiled. “I won’t break you know.”He swept his tongue over his bottom lip. “It’s just, Nick and I, we get a bit rough sometimes, carried away. It doesn’t matter, we’re guys, we can take it, but you will say if I’m too much for you, won’t you?”My heart swelled. His anxiety was deep and profound and very real. “Josh, I’ve had slow sweet sex before and hard and fast sex too. I’ll tell you to stop if I can’t take it, but something tells me you’re going to be a natural, so just relax.”He smiled and dropped his shoulders a fraction. “Thank you.”I reached for his hand and pulled him toward the bed. “Lie down with me.” Shifting onto the mattress, I rested back so I was semi propped up on the mountain of pillows. I tossed the chocolate to the floor.He crawled next to me, staring at every shift and wobble of my breasts as I settled.“Touch me, like this,” I whispered, tweaking my nipple again.He copied me, playing with my opposite nipple.I fluttered my eyes shut. Breast stimulation had always been high on my list of foreplay and his big, firm fingers were simply perfect.“Does that feel nice?” he asked.“Mmm, lovely.” I scooped my whole breast into my palm and squeezed the soft flesh. Again he copied me, then to my delight, dropped his head and took my nipple into his mouth.I released a small moan of encouragement and threaded my fingers into his hair. It was soft and thick and feathered over the back of my hand like silk ribbons.He was busy with his tongue. Plucking my taut areola, he switched to the other breast. Before I knew it he was kneading both of my breasts and sharing his oral attention between each nipple.“Oh, Josh, you’re doing it so right,” I murmured. “Yes, just like that.” I arched my back and smoothed my hands over his warm shoulders. “Your mouth feels wonderful.”But his attentions were sending white-hot fingers of lust straight to my pussy. I wouldn’t be able to keep up a slow seduction for much longer. My clit needed attention, I needed filling. It had been so long.After a few minutes I captured his cheeks in my hands and lifted his face to mine. “Josh, oh God, I’m so turned on.”His mouth was wet and his lips pliant, his breaths faster than they’d been before. “Show me,” he said.Staring into his heavy gaze, I slid my hand down over my breasts and belly. “Here.” I parted my legs, dipped my fingers through my silken folds and into the entrance of my pussy. Instantly they were coated in my juices. I withdrew and held my shiny fingers between us. “I’m so wet and ready for you,” I said. “Look.”He studied my fingers for a few seconds, then wrapped his hand around my wrist and brought them to his lips. He drew my wet fingers into his mouth, closed his eyes and sucked, his cheeks hollowing and the suction making my digits tingle.My heart pounded and a pulse thrummed in my clit. “Josh,” I said quietly. It was one of the sexiest things I’d ever witnessed.Pulling my fingers out, he smiled down at me. “My first taste of woman,” he said. “I want more.”


Amazon   Amazon UK

Weekend Writing Warriors - Making Shapes #WeWrWa #SundaySnippet

Welcome to Weekend Writing Warriors. This week 8 from my anthology Stories for When the Sun Goes Down and this particular few lines are plucked from Making Shapes.

“I’m coming.”“No, hold off.”“I can’t.” “Just a few more seconds.”“Shit, it’s too much.”“Try, otherwise we’ll have to start over.” I looked up at Theo Horton’s face hanging over the side of my custom-made bench. His thick black eyebrows had knotted over his scrunched eyes and his teeth dragged at his bottom lip. “It’s nearly done,” I encouraged, “It’s quick setting this stuff, just think about your Gran knitting or something.”



Amazon Amazon UK

Green-Eyed Monster

The publisher, Sweetmeat Press, has a handful of review copies of Green-Eyed Monster (ebook) to giveaway in exchange for honest reviews on Amazon, Goodreads and if possible Smashwords.
Green-Eyed Monster is a short erotic (note 'not' romantic) story which is part of the Seven Deadly Sins Anthology and is available as a single title purchase. You can find out more about this wonderful illustrated book on my website, and if you'd like a copy of my naughty tale to review drop me an email at lilyharlem@googlemail.com

Brilliant New Review for Breathe You In

The Reading Addict has given Breathe You In a glowing review and I am absolutely thrilled.
This is what she says...

Breathe You In by Lily Harlem details the experiences of bereaved widow, Katie Lansdale, who feels driven to find the recipient of her late husband’s donated organs. Her rather questionable search leads her to museum worker Ruben Strong just before the second anniversary of her loss and inexplicably starts her on a journey of change and an end to her apathy about her life. Ruben is grateful for his new lease on life and delighted to find a woman who seems to be sharing in his attraction but the discovery of the secrets she is hiding may end their relationship before it has a chance to flourish.
This is one of those emotional reads that just makes you say “wow” when you read it. I am impressed by the author’s sensitivity in depicting an extremely difficult decision and its aftermath while ensnaring the reader in the emotions involved in a new relationship made even more awkward by the underlying circumstances. There are deliciously sensual scenes but also very vivid vignettes (I think my favorite is Ruben’s reaction to the hot air balloonists) that give depth and texture to this impressive story of new beginnings and its tribute to the life that can be provided with such a profound gift. There is a fine line between obsession and natural curiosity and one could argue that perhaps Katie needed professional counseling but the story wonderfully conveys the intense pain that she seeks to assuage. A beautiful love story.

Guilty! (+free book!)

Guilt according to Wikipedia - Guilt is an emotion that occurs when a person believes that they have violated a moral standard that they themselves believe in.

Now I feel guilty on a frequent basis, I'd say daily and it's usually for something small. "I should have remembered to send that birthday card" or "I really should have taken my make-up off before bed" or "damn another sweater shrunk in the wash" (I do that a lot!).

So I'm guessing we're all familiar with daily self loathing - I'm dramatic, I know, but recently I was chatting with friends about guilt and it soon became clear that it is an emotive topic. But how about when it comes to erotic novels? Where does guilt come into it then?

Mmm, this has me thinking about a character called Hannah that I created with my co-author Natalie Dae. Hannah stars in a book called Anything for Him and, to be honest, the girl is off her trolley! She's obsessed, lust-crazy and has a single-track mind when it comes to getting the man she wants. She goes to extreme lengths from spying through his window in a storm, chopping off her long blonde hair and dying it black, to being heavily involved in the seedy underworld of a London criminal gang. But does she ever feel guilty?





Hannah panics, sure, she paces and she dabbles on the edge of madness and she certainly feels guilty about some things. Just maybe not the ones you or I would. But I digress, what I'm trying to point out is that guilt is a natural response and it has to be seen in some form in fictional characters because it is such an every day trait, be it if the protagonist does something small or if the individual breaks the law on an enormous scale.

Natalie and I call Anything for Him our Marmite book because readers either adore Hannah and can understand her obsession and dark desires, or they are irritated by the fact that she isn't a sickly sweet heroine who has all her morals intact and feels hideously guilty all the time for the things that are happening. But hey, what is the most real behaviour? How many women who are head-over-heels in love and lust do behave rationally? Is there a female out there who wouldn't lie to protect the man she loves and who hasn't sneaked a peek at someone their crazy about? (Even if it's just to Google their name.)
If you're intrigued to meet Hannah!You can grab a FREE Kindle copy of Anything for Him from Amazon UK for a short time only, if you are in the US it will cost you $2.99. But certainly for me, as an author, playing with a character's levels of guilt can be like playing with fire. Personally, I like the heat!
Lily x

Amazon UK  Amazon 
Hannah and Luiz wild story is romping up the Amazon Erotica Charts!

Girls Rule, Boys Drool by Lucy Felthouse

Blurb:
Three lesbian erotic short stories from popular writer Lucy Felthouse.
Girls Rule, Boys Drool
Boyish dyke Toni is working at the local golf club, serving champagne to arrogant, privileged folk when she spots Clarissa. She’s one of the posh people, but she looks like she’d rather be somewhere else—anywhere else. Toni’s immediately smitten and wants to put a smile on the older woman’s beautiful face, so she decides to show Clarissa just why girls rule and boys drool.
Making An Impression
Joely’s holiday has consisted mainly of chilling out by the hotel pool, having the occasional swim and reading lots. That is, until a hot brunette arrives and suddenly, Joely has trouble concentrating on anything else. Her gaydar non-existent, Joely decides on an unusual course of action to find out whether the newcomer bats for the same side as her.
Fear as an Aphrodisiac
Girlfriends Nikki and Sonya are on holiday in Edinburgh, Scotland’s capital city. They’re having fun sightseeing, until a super-scary tourist attraction sends Nikki into meltdown. Once outside again, Nikki slowly starts to feel better—and, much to her surprise, horny. Quickly realising that the fear has acted as a potent aphrodisiac, she decides to take advantage of that fact, right there in the middle of the city.
Available from:
Amazon UK
Amazon
All Romance eBooks

Coming soon to all other good eBook retailers.
Add to Goodreads 
*****
Excerpt:
Finally, Nikki and Sonya found the turning off Edinburgh’s Royal Mile that they needed. They’d expected a road, but Mary King’s Close was nothing more than a narrow passageway that looked like it led to the next street along. Glancing at one another, it seemed both girls suspected they were in the wrong place—despite the name of the alleyway—but as they headed along the close, they came across more signage and discovered they were wrong. The signs proclaimed that they were indeed at The Real Mary King’s Close, and this time they exchanged a relieved look and moved inside the tourist attraction.After paying their money, they were put into a group that was already waiting, and after a few minutes was called to attention by a member of staff. The young man, dressed in incredibly old-fashioned attire welcomed them to the attraction and gave some brief information about what they should expect from the tour, as well as some health and safety spiel.Then they were ushered deeper into the building and down some stairs. Another peculiarly-dressed actor met them and gave his talk. The group soon learned that Mary King’s Close had been a town of sorts, a collection of streets and houses, named after the most prominent local—Mary King. It had functioned well, this part of Edinburgh—in its day. But it had also befallen hard times and tragedy, including the Black Death. It was rumoured that people affected had been bricked into their houses to prevent the disease spreading further. It had never been confirmed nor denied, but the very idea sent a shiver down Nikki’s spine.As they advanced into the underground town—now covered over by modern Edinburgh—they learned more about the inhabitants, their lives and, in some cases, their deaths. By the time they were shown the shrine of a young girl, covered with offerings both old and new, Nikki was clinging onto Sonya’s arm so hard that the other girl gave her a nudge.“Oi, you’re hurting me! What’s the matter with you?”“Sorry,” Nikki replied. “I’m getting a little creeped out, that’s all.”“A little? The way you’re squeezing my arm, I’m beginning to think you’ve seen a ghost or something.”“I said I’m sorry. God. Don’t you think it’s spooky down here?”A meaningful glance from the tour guide shut them up. Nikki dropped her hand to Sonya’s and held it. The group continued through the subterranean labyrinth, listening to more tales of the past, the things that had happened within the very place they stood, over four hundred years ago.Some periods of total darkness with recounts of history later, and Nikki was a nervous wreck. She’d always had an overactive imagination, and although she’d never seen a ghost—despite Sonya’s words—she believed in them and was really succumbing to the eeriness of the ancient place. She had gotten to the stage where she fully expected to see the spectre of little Annie—having left the site of her shrine—peering around a corner, beckoning to her. Or the chilly finger of a plague victim trailing down the back of her neck. She grew so paralyzed with fear that she fell silent and didn’t take in a word of the rest of the excursion—simply holding onto Sonya’s hand as they walked through the rooms and tunnels.When they eventually emerged into the outside world once more, Nikki heaved a sigh of relief. “Sonya, darling, take me for a drink, now. A stiff one. A double vodka and coke sounds perfect right now. Maybe even a triple.”“Were you really that scared?” The other woman looked disbelieving.“What do you mean, were? I still bloody am. I’m sure I’d have found it interesting if I wasn’t so busy being terrified. I’m surprised I didn’t wet myself.”“Aww, babe.” Sonya pulled the other girl into her arms. “I didn’t realise you hated it that much. We could have left if I’d known.”“No,” Nikki shook her head. “It’s okay, I didn’t want to ruin it for you. I just got to the stage where I blocked it all out. But I’d still really like a drink, if you don’t mind.”Sonya gently pushed Nikki against the wall of the alleyway and hugged her once more. “Okay, we’ll go for a drink soon. Let me hold you for a few minutes, first.”The other girl said nothing, just relaxed into her lover’s embrace and slowly, very slowly, felt the fear ebbing away. With not a small amount of horror, she realised that she was turned on. Her knickers were damp and sticking to her, and the heat emanating from between her legs was unmistakable. What the actual fuck? She kept quiet, instead nuzzling into Sonya’s neck and pressing a kiss to the delicate skin there.“Ooh,” Sonya said, shuddering, “that was lovely. What was that for?”“For being nice.” Nikki’s voice was muffled, and she kissed her girlfriend again.“Hey,” Sonya said, grabbing Nikki’s hands and squeezing them, “you’d better stop that, otherwise I’m going to get turned on. And that’s the last thing you want right now. I’m trying to be understanding here, sweetheart.”Nikki came to the conclusion that she didn’t mind if Sonya got turned on, not at all. In fact, some sexy fun might just take her mind off the creepy underground place they’d just visited. It was damn weird that being scared had turned her on, but the more she thought about it, the more she figured it kinda made sense. Nothing, in her opinion, was scarier than death, and the French word for orgasm translated to ‘the little death’—so it was widely accepted that sex and death were connected. Sex was about life, death was about, well, death. So, in an attempt to stop thinking about things that confused the hell out of her, she was going to embrace life, wholeheartedly. And if that meant experiencing the little death, then so be it.“I don’t mind,” she whispered into Sonya’s ear.“What do you mean, sweetie?” Sonya replied, grabbing her shoulders and moving her back so she could look at her face. “You don’t mind what?”“I don’t mind you getting turned on.”


Author bio:
Lucy Felthouse is a very busy woman! She writes erotica and erotic romance in a variety of subgenres and pairings, and has over eighty publications to her name, with many more in the pipeline. These include several editions of Best Bondage Erotica, Best Women's Erotica 2013 and Best Erotic Romance 2014. Another string to her bow is editing, and she has edited and co-edited a number of anthologies, and also edits for a small publishing house. 
She owns Erotica For All, and is book editor for Cliterati. Find out more at http://www.lucyfelthouse.co.uk. Join her on Facebook and Twitter, and subscribe to her newsletter at: http://eepurl.com/gMQb9