Lily Harlem's Blog, page 246

Weekend Writing Warriors #WeWrWa #8Sunday

Welcome to Weekend Writing Warriors. This week 8 from The Glass Knot, my m/m/f novel set in The Cotswolds. Laura and Josh have just had a clandestine liason in the barn but Josh is racked with guilt that he has betrayed his husband Nick. Laura can't help but listen to their argument...



It was then I heard voices, deep voices that were loud with outbursts of emotion.


I paused and glanced through the open kitchen window.

Josh and Nick were standing by the Aga. Josh was still bare chested though his skin and hair looked damp, as though he’d shot through the shower to remove physical evidence of me; it made me think of Lady Macbeth, obsessively washing her hands over and over after the murder of the king.

Nick wore a neat red polo shirt and an expression of both fury and agony.


“Nick, please just listen,” Josh pleaded.


“Why the hell should I?”


“Because I love you, you know I do, with all my heart I just—”


“Clearly you don’t love me, not enough anyway, not if you just fucked her.” Nick flung his hand to the ceiling as though indicating that I was upstairs.



If you would like to read a multitude of facts about The Glass Knot then head to this post, and if you hit the Amazon links below you'll be able to read the many 5* reader reviews for my threesome's story.
Amazon US  Amazon UK


BACK TO WEEKEND WRITING WARRIORS

Saturday Spankings #SatSpanks

Hello, and happy Saturday to all you Sat Spank followers! This week a snippet from Shared, my first novel with Ellora's Cave and published back in 2010. This is near the end of the book and Quinn, a sexy surgeon with a dark side, has just ordered a box of tricks to treat Ariane.



“Do as I say, Ariane, remember this is me in charge and every time you don’t do as I say I will spank you all the harder.”I pushed to my elbows, the word spank had been used, again. My clit quivered, the exposed flesh on my behind tingled. Every time Quinn just uttered the word “spank” I got a thrill in a new, uncharted part of my being.I heard a rustle in the box as one of Quinn’s hands swept over the orbs of my buttocks. “I love your ass,” he said in a tender voice. “So pale and creamy, so round and soft.”And then it hit down - a whack from something hard and solid landed on my right butt cheek. I jerked forward and cried out, surprised by the sheer force.Suddenly my whole buttock was ablaze, as though it had been pierced by a thousand needles, even the air in the room felt hot against it. Then his hand stroked over the seared skin and soothing noises escaped his lips. “So pretty,” he said. “You’re flushing pink already, I can’t wait to see you red, red and hot.”
If you read and enjoy Shared, then it has a sequel, Shared Too, which gets even kinkier including F/M/F/M sex, strap-on's and voyeuristic fun - hot stuff!

Breathe You In Reviews #reviews

Two more great reviews for Breathe You In. I'm so happy that this book is working for readers. It's a story born from loss but it's about falling in love in unusual circumstances and it's sexy and passionate and shows all the raw emotions of the two main characters as they become acquainted mind, body and soul.
Here is what reviewer Brynna Curry said...

Review:  Katie Lansdale is sifting through the pieces of her shattered life. Eighteen months earlier, a construction accident claimed the life of her beloved husband Matt. He was her whole world; every part of her life centered around being Matt's wife. Now, she is an emotional and physical wreck. She's lost weight. Her friends try to help by pushing her to go after life again, but she just can't let Matt go. Katie's grief is a tangible, palpable thing and it ripped my heart out from the beginning of this beautiful story of loss and finding love again.
After the accident, Katie chose to donate Matt's organs. Almost a little mad with grief, she becomes obsessed with the need to know who received Matt's heart and lungs. She needs to see the recipient healthy and thriving, to know that the heart that loved her so much still beats. This might have been a little odd for some readers, but showing the depth of Katie's grief made her initial actions acceptable in my eyes. People do odd things when they are grieving. She only wants a peek at the man from afar. It seems harmless, until she bumps into Ruben Strong in the museum where he works and falls in love.
Ruben was a real live wire. A Formula One mechanic, he lived his life in the fast lane of racing. Fast cars and faster women were his thing. And then, his heart starting fading away. After his heart transplant, he's slowed down, works at a museum and lives a quite careful life. He and Katie click immediately. He doesn't know that she is the donor's widow. This makes for a strong conflict between the pair. Ruben is a broken hero, broken but still whole. He needs to feel alive again and Katie does that for him. 
Any more and I'd be giving away the story. Breathe You In is both sexy and sweet, tragic and hopeful. The level of emotion Ms. Harlem evokes not only from the characters but the reader as well shows a rare gift. In a few short pages, she managed to make me cry, laugh, and yearn for this couple to connect. Breathe You In has become my favorite title by Ms. Harlem to date. As always, I can't wait to see what else she has in store for her readers.
And here is what Victoria Blisse said...
Lily Harlem really pulls at the heart strings with this unusual set up for a romance. The characters are strong and the emotions gut-wrenching in places. Of course there are scorching hot love scenes, filled with great passion but there is a lot of romance, plot and back story here too. I think it all comes together beautifully to make a cohesive erotic romance that isn’t just about the sex. It’s much, much more than that. This is an interesting set up for a love triangle that you’re just not going to expect and you will soon find yourself engaging with the fabulous characters Lily has created. You’ll never look at peacocks in the same way again!No peacocks were harmed in the writing of this book though, I’ve been assured of that!
As always, a million thanks to readers who take the time to put down their thoughts after enjoying one of my books. It makes it all feel worthwhile.
Lily x

Amazon US
Amazon UK

A French Affair by Lucy Felthouse

Sydney Tyler is renting a barn conversion in Northern France, planning to spend the fortnight getting some words down on her novel. Unfortunately, construction work in the other half of the building puts an end to her peace and quiet. Genuinely upset that the builders are going to disturb her, the property’s handsome English owner, Harry Bay, offers to make it up to her. He’s a little flirtatious, and after spotting his wedding ring, Sydney keeps him at arm’s length. Sexy as he is, she has no intention of getting involved with a married man. But when Sydney learns the truth about Harry, will their mutual attraction spur them on to work through their emotional baggage and make this more than just a French affair?
Available from: http://lucyfelthouse.co.uk/published-works/a-french-affair/*****Excerpt:Sydney Tyler jumped so hard that her fingers slammed down onto the laptop’s keyboard and she typed a bunch of gobbledegook.Kashfkjsdhlfknsdlfvn sdlkch awoeduioh ahdwklcGasping, she clutched at her chest as her heart thumped rapidly and painfully. “What the fucking hell was that?” she said to the empty room.Pushing her chair back from the desk, she stepped over to the window. Peering out into the brilliant sunshine, she saw something on the lawn that she had absolutely not been expecting. Workmen.She groaned. So much for her peaceful writer’s retreat. She’d planned to get a good chunk of her novel down in the fortnight she was away, and now it looked as though her peace was going to be monumentally shattered by banging, drilling and God knows what else.Sighing, she gave the windowsill a pathetic thump in her frustration. She might have been pissed off, but she was no vandal. And besides, she didn’t want those noisy buggers in her part of the building fixing things—having them next door was bad enough.Sydney really could not believe her shitty luck. When she’d booked the cottage in the French village of Monthiers over the phone a couple of months ago, she’d dealt with a fellow Brit called Harry Bay, who she’d suspected was the owner. On arrival, though, a timid French woman had met her and let her into the luxurious barn conversion before handing over the keys and explaining a little bit about the local area. Apparently, in the mornings, someone came along the village streets, selling fresh bread and pastries.There wasn’t much else to tell, it seemed, as the village had nothing except a church—almost opposite her accommodation—and a tavern. It was also lacking—she’d quickly discovered—a mobile signal. Not even a single bar illuminated her screen. Her phone was now no more than a watch, alarm clock and calendar. If there was an emergency, she was screwed. But on a much lighter note, it was one less distraction. She could just get on with what she was here to do, blissfully undisturbed.The arrival of workmen was incredibly irritating. Her temporary landlord hadn’t mentioned there’d be anyone working next door. If he had, she wouldn’t have booked the place—the quiet and idyllic location were the whole reason for choosing this property, this area. Even though there was no way he could have known she was there to work, common courtesy would dictate that he told her. Perhaps he was just interested in taking her money and didn’t give a damn about whether she had a satisfactory stay or not. There was nothing to be done about it now, unfortunately. She’d paid for the fortnight, and she was buggered if she was going to cut and run, pissing that money down the drain. She’d just have to find a way around the disturbance, and console herself that she could leave a snarky write up on a review site when she got home.Finding out the builders’ working hours would be a good start—she could attempt to write around them then. Or perhaps she could make use of the headphones she’d stuffed into her case, without ever thinking they’d get used. Some loud rock music would drown out the din from next door and hopefully allow her to work. It was worth a try. She hoped they were only doing a small job that would only take a couple of days, but deep down she knew they weren’t. They were renovating the whole place so it was as beautiful as the half she was in.She was just about to go in search of the aforementioned headphones when one of the men pottering around on the lush back garden stepped away from the others. Standing in a shaft of sunlight, he pulled his arms high above his head and stretched, dragging up his t-shirt to reveal a lean stomach with a fine line of dark hair leading enticingly into the waistband of his jeans.Oh yum, she thought, perhaps having builders next door wouldn’t be so bad after all. Especially if they all looked like him. She continued to watch as the man dropped his arms to his sides and watched the others. His dark hair was overlong and stuck out at crazy angles, as though he’d been running his fingers through it. She couldn’t see the colour of his eyes from this distance, but she could make out enough detail of his features to see that he was handsome. Gorgeous, actually. Close up he could be much less attractive, but from her upstairs window, the view was pretty fine.Just then, he glanced across at her side of the long barn, which was divided into two holiday cottages. He caught sight of her standing there, and his face dropped. He looked back at the builders, then returned his gaze to her again. Pointing at the group of noisy men, he slapped his forehead with his other hand. Finally, he pointed at his chest, then up at her. He was indicating he wanted to come in. She paused, then nodded. Common sense told her she shouldn’t be letting a strange man into her temporary home, but then, there were several large, bulky men milling around, so if they were a dodgy sort, she and the locked door would have no chance against them, especially with no means of calling for assistance. She could scream, of course, but she doubted anyone would come. The walls of the building were extremely thick—though sadly, no match for banging and drilling—the nearest house was a little way down the road, and by day, the village was all but deserted. There was only one business that she knew of—the tavern—so the other inhabitants would have to go elsewhere to work. To nearby Chateau-Thierry, perhaps, or even further afield.She’d just have to hope that the handsome man—probably the head honcho of their group—was also a decent one. Presumably they were a reputable company, as they’d been hired by the British owners, who were usually more wary of cowboy builders, and given the horror stories and dedicated TV programmes back home, it was understandable.Before she got even halfway down the stairs, a knock came at the door. Okay, so he was polite enough to knock, that was good. She moved a little faster, careful not to trip in her flip flops and go hurtling downwards. Once she was safely on the ground floor, she twisted the key in the door and opened it.
*****Lucy Felthouse is a very busy woman! She writes erotica and erotic romance in a variety of subgenres and pairings, and has over seventy publications to her name, with many more in the pipeline. These include Best Bondage Erotica 2012 and 2013, and Best Women's Erotica 2013. Another string to her bow is editing, and she has edited and co-edited a number of anthologies. 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

Special Guest - Mary's Menage Whispers

Please join me in welcoming Mary from Mary's Menage Whispers. Mary is a reader, reviewer and blogger and was kind enough to answer a bunch of questions about her love of menage romance novels. Keep reading because not only is there lots of juicy gossip there is also a contest to win one of my menage a trois novels.



Thank you so much for welcoming me, Lily!
How did you first stumble across erotic ménage romance? I was tired to read soft romances. I wanted to read something more spicy. I could not find anything in French so I turned to English. I went to my local library and Laurel K. Hamilton was on the shelf. I started to read the first chapters... read the book in 2 days, was totally stunned to discover that an author detailed a complete sex scene but yet remained classy and mixed it with a strong plot. I went back for the whole series. My local library did not offer much choice in erotic genre, so I went on Amazon. I knew that it was impossible to find only one author writing like her and oh dear how I was right!
Was it love at first book or did this passion take a while to grow? It was definitely love at first read. After Laurel K. Hamilton and Anita's multiple men, I read her Merry Gentry's series, then J.R. Ward's series, although this series is not really erotic. You know what happens on Amazon? you click and you are directed to another place and another place and another place. All of a sudden, it was a huge list of erotic romances books and from MF I jumped to another dimension: ménages! Since I consider myself as a non taboo woman with a very open mind, I was intrigued. I read a couple of blurbs and I was totally fascinated that authors could write about multiple partners in a permanent relationships. Threesomes, I knew. On a romance level, it was totally new.


Can you remember the title of the first ménage book you ever read? I will never forget: I was surfing on Amazon and came across Maya Banks and her Colter's Woman. I loved the cover book (which changed since then), read it and that was it. I can even tell you my second which was The Devil's Pact by Samantha Cruise and... well, let's just say that I have a good memory! lol I feel in love head over heels with erotic ménage romance and never stopped reading them since then, in 2005. At that time, I did not have any ereader or android, I bought the books in prints.
When did you decide to become a reviewer as well as a reader and what was your motivation for this? I always loved to write but I was not born with the knowledge, passion and talent to be an author. I played here and there but that was not my calling. But I always loved to write and was always on my top class in Literature and Philosophy.  I love to learn and exchange opinions. In 2011, I came across a publisher's site that had a forum where authors could meet their readers. I met a couple, I read them and left some comments. They asked me my opinion and we exchanged ideas. I loved it. At the same time, I needed a challenge and decided to create my first blog. I had no idea if my blog would become popular, I had no wish to become an official reviewer, I just wanted to have fun and share my thoughts. It is still my motivation today.


How do you enjoy your relationship with authors? Along the way, I made friends with numerous ménage authors that encouraged me to review telling me that my reviews were different and they appreciated my views. Since I also decided to read ménage romances exclusively, I started to have a name on twitter and facebook (Goodreads came later) and I am still very surprised about it to be honest. I never thought that a French middle-aged woman would be read or even authors asking me to review their work. Now, I am also an official reviewer for a couple of publishers.  I am very humble to know that people read my ramblings and even subscribe or follow my blog. :)
How do you enjoy your relationship with other readers? Unfortunately, my circle is limited. I know I have many followers on twitter, facebook and goodreads. Unfortunately since I blogged I had issues with my comments. People could not log in and leave comments. I just recently discovered it and was totally upset about it. I just moved today my new blog to WORDPRESS (http://marymenage.wordpress.com) and hopefully I will be able to enjoy more the other readers and share opinions with them. To be able to discuss with another passionate reader about the same book we both read, is just fantastic. 


Have you ever had a go at penning your own erotic romance novel? Mmm.... yes. Don't laugh! I wrote two chapters so far that you can find on my blog! lol It is in French and a paranormal menage. I just wanted to know if I could write more than 5 paragraphs you know? Who knows? maybe I will kick my own bottom and finish it one day? Thing is you do not find erotic menage translated in French. I am not sure why but that is a fact. But I do not write it to publish it but more for a challenge.
Any pet peeves when reading erotic romance? Yeah, a couple. I guess the first one is a romance labeled ménage, yet ending MF. Either it is a MF with menage sex scenes or it is a menage HEA. When I get to the epilogue and find that the third was just a sex toy, it does not feel right. I do not like it. Another one is BDSM label when in fact the story is only soft domination. I do not call BDSM a little spanking or a man who is a little dominant in the bedroom. A lot of authors do use the label BDSM because it is very fashionable and attract more sales but in the end, they do not know what is fetishism or a real D/s relationship. I am not saying that you need to be a pro or living the lifestyle to write BDSM but it sure helps to know firsthand what you are writing. I do not like amateur or fake. I am very sensible with authenticity and this makes all the difference between a good story and an outstanding story.  Equality and credibility are essential for me. If I do not find them in the story, I am frustrated. In the end, I think those are my big pet peeves of all.


Do you ever worry you might run out of books in your favourite, and now exclusive, genre? OMG no! And I am so thankful about it! I am buying tons per months and read only a third of them! I have a huge collection I started since 2005, in print and then in ebooks. This genre is very popular. It is still kinky enough for readers to become addicted. 
How do you find technology ie Triberr, blog posting, navigating social media? Are you a natural or do you often sit and scratch your head in bemusement?  I guess I think I am a natural. For many years, I created groups and forums in various areas. Once I do not find what I want, I try to find a way to get it. I believe that technology is a wonderful thing. I am not only curious but I love challenges and I get bored easily so this pushes me to find new technologies or ideas. So far the best way to find them is to share a space with people looking for the same thing: twitter, facebook etc are places that have strong community and if you find the right place, you learn and evolve in the direction of your choice.  Triberr is definitely an important social media tool that helped me (and my author friends) to get exposure. I've known them since 2011. But like many medias that turned successful, they now want $$ in return of their time and efforts. Triberr did its job for free members, I believe it is time to find another. And I am not worried; another tool will show up soon. I totally believe that social medias are necessary evils to gain exposure. The key is to be wise and do not become their slave :)


What advice would you give to an author trying her hand for the first time at a ménage story?  Definitely read many ménage in different genres: contemporary, paranormal, BDSM, etc. List the authors that they feel the closest emotionally. From there, understand the difficulty to provide equality and credibility. At this point, I strongly suggest to write as close as their own personality as possible. If an author did not experience or does not believe what she is writing, the reader will know it and will disconnect immediately. Authenticity is important. Never try to copy a style or similar characters or plot and be original as much as possible. If an author does not know about a subject, avoid it. The real success in my opinion is to find an equal balance between characters, love, sex and plot. If each elements is equally shared, chances are this will be a great ménage story. My last advice is to find a trusted beta to read them and trust them enough to listen to their comments, maybe not follow them all but analyze them and try. The most important part is to remember that not each book is a Pulitzer and a bad review does not mean the author is bad and should give up. On contrary, if an author is smart and open, she will try to understand where she can be better and with time she will. Not everyone is a genius. People (and this includes authors, readers and reviewers) should remain humble and put their ego on the side. This will make them better person and better author/reviewer... but this is my own opinion.
You have a wonderful  new blog, congratulations. What are the aims of this blog and who are you trying to reach out to? Thank you! I do not have any plan but to have fun, review ménages and share my thoughts. Sometimes I play with the idea to extend my blog and welcome more reviewers but I was a mod in many places as well as a member and in the end I am happy to be on my own and argue with my ole me only! But my ultimate goal I think is to keep continuing to promote this genre I love so much and hoping that I will convert some readers to jump the fence and become addicted too!
How can readers and authors get in touch with you?

BLOG TWITTER

FACEBOOK      GOODREADS


Thank you so much Lily for this interview! I had so much fun with it!

Mary's Ménage Whispers





Thank you for visiting Mary, I've loved hearing your thoughts on menage, reviewing and how you found yourself so immersed in this super-sexy genre. I smiled when you mentioned Maya Banks' Colter's Woman, that was one of the first menage books I read, in print, and loved it, in fact it's still sitting on my shelf - one of those I haven't loaned out for fear of it not coming back.

Readers feel free to leave a comment telling Mary and I your thoughts on menage romance and what your favourite threesome story is. If you leave your email address I'll pick a name at random and award a pdf copy of SHARED (the first menage novel I wrote) to one winner at the end of the week.



Lily x

Smut by the Sea Volume 2, Edited by Victoria Blisse and Lucy Felthouse

Light hearted, sexy fun by the sea is the theme of this erotic anthology, edited by Victoria Blisse and Lucy Felthouse.
From the sun soaked beaches of Brazil to the altogether cooler coastal towns of England, Smut by the Sea Volume 2 has it all. Whatever your interpretation of naughty seaside fun, there’s something nestling between the covers for you. Amusement arcades, beach houses, mermaids, honeymooners, shipwrecks, sex toys and more abound in this exciting collection of stories from erotica’s finest authors.
Contains stories from Victoria Blisse, Tilly Hunter, Rachel Randall, Giselle Renarde, Tamsin Flowers, Lucy Felthouse, Kate Britton, Jillian Boyd, Bel Anderson, Cass Peterson, Delyth Angharad, T C Mill, Erzabet Bishop, Tenille Brown and Annabeth Leong.
Available from:
Amazon UK  Amazon US  ARe

Coming Soon to All Other Good eBook Retailers.
*****Excerpt:
Brigit loved the seaside. She always had, probably because visiting it was a rarity. Living in the centre of England meant that even the nearest seaside town was over an hour and a half away—and the nice resorts even further.Which was why her boyfriend, Allen, proposed a long weekend in Brighton. He knew how fond she was of the seaside. Unsurprisingly, she agreed delightedly.“It’s a long way,” she said. “But it doesn’t matter. We’d never go anywhere if we lamented the length of the journey.”As it happened, the travelling wasn’t too bad. Miraculously the M1 was clear all the way down to the M25—and even that notorious motorway wasn’t experiencing its usual havoc. A straight shot south on the M23, then the A23 took them towards Brighton, and they navigated the one-way systems and lack of road signs and—eventually—found their hotel.“Wow,” Brigit said, stretching luxuriously after getting out of the car, “that didn’t take as long as I thought. Shall we check in, dump our bags and go and explore?”“Sounds like a plan to me,” Allen replied with a grin.They slammed their respective car doors, grabbed the bags from the boot and headed into the hotel. Fifteen minutes later, after using the toilet and freshening up, they were back outside.“Nice choice of hotel, babe. I like it,” Brigit said.“I’m glad. I researched it well,” Allen replied.“The bed looks nice and comfy.”“Well, I’m sure we’ll be able to give it a decent road test later.” He winked at her, and got a slap on the arm for his trouble.“You’ve got a one-track mind, you have.”“Well, what do you expect when I’ve got a girlfriend that looks like you?”She giggled. “Charmer.”“That’s me. Okay, now I’m back in good books,” Allen said, “what do you want to do? Now, I mean. Not at bedtime.” He waggled his eyebrows.Brigit stuck her tongue out at him before replying. “I dunno. Just look around I guess. Get our bearings. See what there is to do around here.”They walked hand-in-hand towards the seafront, then along it in the direction of the pier. They passed the burnt out shell of the West Pier, and Brigit wondered aloud whether it would ever be rebuilt or demolished. Or would the blackened skeleton be left there forevermore, a reminder of what once was.Soon, they drew close to Brighton Pier. Brigit turned to Allen with a grin.“What?” he said, then followed her almost manic gaze down the length of the pier, towards a building with fake turret-type things and some very real flags. He sighed. He couldn’t be sure from here, but he thought it was bound to be the amusement arcade. “Oh, you want to go in there, do you? I wonder why?” His voice was laden with sarcasm in his last sentence.“You know damn well why. Come on!” Brigit tugged him along the last few metres of the pavement and onto the wooden slats of the pier. “Ooh, we can have fish and chips when we come out, if you want.”
*****
Editor Sites:http://www.victoriablisse.co.ukhttp://www.lucyfelthouse.co.uk 


Can't get enough of Smut by the Sea, check out Volume One - I have a sexy pirate story nestled within these saucy pages called Swashbuckling and features a delicious Cpt Jack Sparrow type who has collected some very naughty toys on his travels to the four corners of the world!

Amazon UK  Amazon US

Hot Ice Series Reviewed

Recently my Hot Ice series had been reviewed by Erotica For All. The reviews have been very favourable indeed - yes, I'm grinning - so I thought I'd share them here and pop the cork on a bottle of bubbly.


Hired Review



Hired is book one in the Hot Ice series by Lily Harlem, and let’s just say that as soon as I finished this one I immediately pulled the next one up on my Kindle!
It tells the story of Brooke Ambrose, a woman who is given an opportunity to earn one hundred thousand dollars just for spending a week on a paradise island with a famous hockey player. She’s reluctant at first, but when she thinks that she can use the money to get her through nursing school and launch her career, she decides to go for it. She’s not expected to talk to him if she doesn’t want to, or spend time with him. She’s just supposed to be there to make sure he doesn’t go off the rails. An easy job for plenty of money.
However, Logan Taylor isn’t just a hockey player – he’s also a gorgeous bad boy, and although he and Brooke don’t hit it off to start with, the ice between them eventually breaks. After they come to a truce, things quickly heat up between them and Brooke is left with her head in a mess. She wants Logan, but she’s a girl with morals and struggles with the reason she was on the island in the first place, and she must keep the secret, even if it will cost her her future.
Hired is a real page turner. We quickly get to know the female lead, who’s a nice girl just looking to get ahead in life. Very soon, Logan appears and the book begins to sizzle and steam. I don’t want to give too much away, so I’ll just say that this is an erotic romance with a fascinating plot, plenty of twists and turns and some smokin’ hot sex. I’d definitely recommend this to fans of erotic romance – you don’t have to like sport, either, as the hockey element isn’t too overbearing.
Cross-Checked Review




Cross-Checked is the second book in the Hot Ice series. I started this one immediately after finishing book one, as I was already hooked. This book deals with Brick, another of the Orlando Vipers hockey team and Carly, an Olympic athlete. They meet as they’re volunteering for some charity work, and we quickly learn that Carly has had a crush on Brick for some time. She’s surprised to learn that he knows who she is, and that he’s interested in her.
Resisting his charms, Carly’s determined to keep him at arm’s length until she’s sure he’s not just after a quick fling. However, it’s not easy to keep Brick away, he’s sexy and persistent, and before long the two of them have given into their passions. What follows is a really fun romp with some kink, some laughs (of the good kind!), and a healthy dollop of romance. I was totally engaged with this novel from beginning to end, I just couldn’t stop reading. I loved the characters, their chemistry and their adventures, and as with the last book, this one made me immediately want to read the next one.
Overall, another brilliantly written erotic romance from Lily Harlem, one that I can heartily recommended.
Slap Shot Review

Slap Shot is book three in Lily Harlem’s Hot Ice series. This time, we’re told the story of Rick “Ramrod” Lewis and event planner, Dana Wilcox. They meet at an event and are immediately drawn to one another. Unfortunately for Ramrod, Dana’s troubled past has made her swear off men for several years. He manages to talk her into a quickie – but then she runs away and refuses to speak to him again. However, the determined captain of the hockey team won’t let her brush off what happened between them, not without a damn good reason.

Dana doesn’t want to divulge her reasons – she’s worked incredibly hard to escape her past, and doesn’t particularly want to revisit it. However, Ramrod has wormed his way into her affections and persuades her to give him a chance. As is often the case, things don’t run smoothly, and the couple are subjected to more than one troubling issue before they’re allowed their happy ending.


This has been my favourite book of the series so far. I really like the character Rick/Ramrod, and the novel’s storyline. It’s intriguing, action-packed, erotic and romantic. I’m really looking forward to moving onto the next book in this excellent series.

Teamwork Review




Teamwork is book four in the Hot Ice series, and my favourite so far. It tells the story of Welsh nurse Fiona, who ends up treating hockey player Raven for injuries he got while playing. She knows nothing about the sport, but does know that Raven is possibly the surliest patient she’s ever had. The only saving grace is that his friend and teammate, Todd is sexy and much more pleasant. So pleasant, in fact, that he arranges for Fiona to go and work in Orlando for a few weeks in order to get Raven back to peak fitness. She jumps at the chance, especially since there’s a conference in Miami that she never thought she’d be able to get to. But because Orlando is much closer to Miami than Wales, she’s really getting a good deal.
Once in Orlando, Fiona’s delighted to go out on a date with Todd, and would be even more delighted to jump into bed with him. However, when Raven confuses matters by kissing her until her head spins, she wonders how she can possibly be attracted to both men, especially when they’re so different.
However, it soon becomes apparent that Raven and Todd work as efficiently off the ice as on, and when they set their minds to taking her to bed – at the same time, who is she to resist?
I gobbled Teamwork up in just a few very satisfying bites. I loved the change in setting at the beginning, and how the action was so seamless. The polar opposites of the two men really kept me interested, and when they got what they wanted – well, wow! These are amongst some of the hottest ménage scenes I’ve ever read – phew! I very much enjoyed the twists and turns and didn’t see them coming – my very favourite kind of book. I’m really looking forward to next instalment in this series. Hot stuff, Lily Harlem!


Wow, that's sure made me happy dance! Such kind words and it's thrilling to know that the stories and characters I had in my head worked so well when I put them down on the page.
Keep an eye out for High-Sticked, coming soon (m/m), and just so you know, I'm getting my head down on the 6th book right now which will be a return to m/f.


Thanks for reading.
Lily x

Breathe You In - Sunday Snog

Welcome to Sunday Snog hosted by fellow Brit Babe Victoria Blisse


My latest release is Breathe You In a super sexy romance set in England. Here is an excerpt that captures Ruben and Katie at a frantic moment...
Excerpt

We fell into our hotel room. Ruben kicked the door shut and dropped the key to the floor. Next thing I knew I was up against the wall, my wrists held above me in just one of his hands. He was staring down at me, his nostrils flaring as he breathed fast.
“Tell me this is it,” he said, palming my left breast through my dress with his free hand.
“Yes, this is it,” I panted.
“You and me?”
“Yes, you and me.”
He smiled, not in his usual sweet way but in a downright predatory way. “And what do you want?”
Excitement and anticipation swirled in my belly. Between my legs I was buzzing for attention. “You, Ruben, fuck me. I want you to fuck me.”
He gritted his teeth, but only briefly because then he caught my mouth in a wild kiss.
I pushed against him as he drove me harder into the wall with his body. There was nothing weak about him. He had me held tight with his chest, belly and legs all taut with muscle and his lust as powerful as any force I’d ever known.
I matched him kiss for kiss, looped my right leg around one of his. Tried to move my arms but couldn’t.
“Like this,” he said, suddenly releasing me and spinning me to face the long mirror next to us. “Bend over. Put your arms out.”
I stooped and pressed my palms onto the cool surface. He yanked my short dress up to my waist and tugged my knickers off. Cool air washed over my bum and legs.
His movements were swift, precise, and within seconds his cock was nudging at my pussy from behind.
Spreading my legs to make his entry easier, I watched in the mirror as he concentrated on his task, his hair flopping forward and his tie hanging loose, tapping against the small of my back.
But he didn’t penetrate me with his cock. Instead, he plunged two fingers into my pussy.
I shunted forward and gasped, the filling as sweet as it was intense.
“So wet for me,” he said, withdrawing and pushing back in, just teasing my G-spot the way he was so damn expert at. “You’re perfect for me.”
I forced myself to continue watching his reflection. He was tall and wide looming behind me, and still wearing his suit it seemed extra sexy, extra forbidden that we’d sneaked away from the celebrations to satisfy our sudden carnal urges.
“I’ll never get enough of you,” he said, fingering me, “or your sexy pussy.”
“Mmm…oh yes…but…” I needed more stimulation so let go of the mirror and searched out my clit.
“Oh, no you don’t,” he said, pushing me away, “that’s my job.” He took over with his free hand, working and rubbing, building me up.
I locked my knees and whimpered a complaint when he removed his fingers but then braced as he pushed his cock into me that first inch.
He gripped my left hip, kept working my clit. “I’m in Heaven when I’m in you,” he said, sinking balls deep and a long low grunt of pleasure erupting from him.
“Me too,” I gasped. “When you’re in me.”
Palms still on the mirror, I took him all, so deep he nudged right up to my cervix. I adored this position, I’d forgotten how much, and being able to see the bliss on his face as he withdrew and plunged back in was sublime.
He held me tight. I was a little unstable, my concentration wavering from my legs to my pussy. An orgasm was blooming. His fingers were wicked, unrelenting, feeding a pressure in my clit that was demanding more, more, more.
“Ruben,” I gasped. “Oh, God.”
I don’t know how I managed to stay on my feet as the coiling wave of bliss unraveled through me. Ruben had me pretty well held at my hips and the mirror supported me a little, but still, I felt like I was crumbling, floating. I bucked for more, jerked away. It was so much and the intensity stole my breath.
My climax crested and rolled, and I opened my eyes again, concentrated on Ruben’s reflection.
“Ah, yeah, squeeze me like that,” he said, releasing my clit and clutching both my hips. “It’s gonna make me come…ah…ah…” He tipped his face to the ceiling, closed his eyes and buried himself to the root. “Fuck, yeah…” He sucked in a deep breath. His tie settled for a second, and his chest expanded beneath his clothes.
His orgasm looked and sounded beautiful, and I knew I’d never get enough of seeing and hearing it. We were meant to be, Ruben and I. We were in perfect synchrony to weave love and time together.

* * * * *
I hope that whet your appetite for Breathe You In available on Amazon US and Amazon UK.
It is already getting some great reviews…
“This book is so wonderful I can't even begin to express my feelings about it. Packed full of emotion. The writing is wonderful, the setting so vivid, and the relationship between this couple as it grows is so very real, so, so brilliant.”

"Breathe You In is both sexy and sweet, tragic and hopeful. The level of emotion Ms. Harlem evokes not only from the characters but the reader as well shows a rare gift. In a few short pages, she managed to make me cry, laugh, and yearn for this couple to connect. Breathe You In has become my favorite title by Ms. Harlem to date. As always, I can't wait to see what else she has in store for her readers."

"Lily Harlem really pulls at the heart strings with this unusual set up for a romance. The characters are strong and the emotions gut-wrenching in places. Of course there are scorching hot love scenes, filled with great passion but there is a lot of romance, plot and back story here too. I think it all comes together beautifully to make a cohesive erotic romance that isn’t just about the sex. It’s much, much more than that. This is an interesting set up for a love triangle that you’re just not going to expect and you will soon find yourself engaging with the fabulous characters Lily has created."



Thanks for reading
Lily

Sneak Peek Sunday #SneakPeakSunday

Thanks for visiting my home on the world wide web. Sneak Peek's are always tempting fun and today is an enticing snippet from my erotic novella Dangerous to Know. There is nothing romantic about this book, it's about whore fantasy and the lengths one woman will go to in order to make her seedy cravings reality. Before you read any further you should be reminded that this book is on the extreme end of my erotic writing and is strictly for 18+


“You really want to be a whore?” he asked. His breath was hot and reeked of tobacco. “My whore?”Both relief and excitement tumbled in my groin. He was going to play my game, thank God. I nodded up at him and he leaned against me, his chest just touching my excited nipples and his steely cock pressing into my hipbone. He was slightly out of breath—from our fast walk or sexual excitement?Sliding his hands up and over the balls of my shoulders, he pressed and urged me down onto my knees. I sank obediently. I wasn’t proud of the huge glut of pleasure that surged through me at being forced into position to suck a stranger’s cock for money, but I couldn’t deny it. It was alive, real, a part of me. It was one of the most erotic things I’d ever done.As my bare knees adjusted to the gritty, dirty pavement, he unzipped his pants, revealing snug red boxer briefs.“I like it good and firm,” he said. “No teeth and make sure you swallow.” He pulled out his cock and jerked it forward. It was thick and wide, the domed head deeply colored and the shaft twisted with heavy, bulging veins.My greedy mouth watered to taste him. I could smell him, musty, not fresh from the shower like my boyfriends had been when I’d sucked them off. No, he was raw male, meaty, overdosed on pheromones, and his cock had been nestled in those briefs all day. It was what I wanted—a whore didn’t deserve fresh dick. Sweaty, unconcerned cock was what whores were used to.

Amazon US  Amazon UK ARe Ellora's Cave
Return to Sneak Peek Sunday

Weekend Writing Warriors #WeWrWa #8Sunday

Welcome to Weekend Writing Warriors. This week a snippet from Stockholm Surrender, a story about kidnap, lust and forbidden love.

Shit. Why hadn’t I screamed a few minutes ago when I’d had the chance? He was crazy. A madman. I should have known. Oh, why had I been having all these delusional fantasies about him coming back for me? I was a fool, a hopeless, romantic, sex-starved fool and now I was going to die for it.A whimper of fear escaped my lips.“Penny,” he whispered. “I won’t hurt you. I just need a lock of your hair.”My eyes were filling. “My...my hair?”“Yes, if I was a real bad guy I would take a finger or a toe to send to your father, but a lock of hair will do.” He clenched his jaw and raised the knife. “Now keep the hell still.”


You can read the prologue to Stockholm Surrender, Stockholm Seduction for FREE. By popular reader request I wrote the full length novel to tell the rest of Penny and Ty's epic journey, titled Stockholm Surrender (because of Stockholm Syndrome and becoming infatuated with your hostage taker) and it's a clean sweep of 5* reviews on Amazon.
Here is the blurb...
My soul was in turmoil. Ty Winters had not only kidnapped me in Oz, my heartstoppingly gorgeous surfer had also stoked my darkest desires, bringing all my fantasies to the surface.So Oxford wasn’t going well. Until, that is, he creeped from the shadows—desperate, sexy, dangerous and wanting a piece of me, literally!He teased me with a taste of his carnal skills, leaving me burning with frustration then forced to stand by as he fought for his beliefs using my lust-addled body as his most powerful weapon.Oh, my kidnapper knew just how to get what he wanted, giving me just what I needed, while hiding our relationship from the British foreign minister and police. Because sometimes two people are meant to be, even in the most unconventional circumstances and twisted situations. We could fight the world, but we couldn’t fight our passion.