Lily Harlem's Blog, page 255
March 26, 2013
Great review for Hired!
It's a while since HIRED first hit the shelves and soon the 5th book in my HOT ICE series will be available - I'm busy doing edits for High-Sticked - but it's always an absolute pleasure to get a good review....
Blogcritics
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 $100,000 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.
- please note my Hot Ice books can all be enjoyed as stand-alone reads or in order. More details on my website.
Amazon US Amazon UK ARe Kobo
B&N Sony ibooks Ellora's Cave
The Contract by Natalie Dae
"Darkly sexy, rampant with twists and one of those books that will stay in your heart and head for a long time."
Many of you know Natalie and I write together often, I adore her voice and have learnt so much from her style. I recently had the pleasure of beta reading this just released, super-length novel and wow, I couldn't put it down. Much like the cover, the journey the characters take is dark and binds you in. Afterwards I couldn't help but wonder how a whisper in your ear can change your life forever. How much one small decision can embroil you in a new way to exist for the rest of time.
Blurb:
From the moment I stepped on the path that I hoped would take me to a better life, things changed forever—for the worst. I was dragged into the belly of the underworld, where a gang lord had chosen me to do his bidding. Caught up in a trial that had nothing to do with me, I was forced to sign a contract, binding me to do whatever the gang boss ordered—or lose my life. With no choice but to obey, and me falling in love with the defending lawyer, my world was turned upside down.
Master Michael was that lawyer, a man who wanted to teach me the BDSM lifestyle and keep me safe, offering me an entirely different contract. But I couldn’t allow him to. If I did, he would also face danger. Being beaten, stabbed, and hunted down became the norm for me, and I ended up having to make a choice—his life for mine or go into witness protection.
I should have been safe. I should have been able to stop looking over my shoulder. But I wasn’t. I couldn’t. The gang were always there, dogging my every step. And so was Master Michael.
Excerpt:
I grew wet between my legs, spasms there giving me a jolt. I hadn’t done anything like this for such a long time that I was out of practise, felt out of my depth and unsure what to do next. My cunt burned, seemed to inflate with my longing, and if I’d been alone I would have wrenched my jeans open and slid my fingers inside my knickers. Rubbed, smoothing my wetness over my clit and fretting it until the pleasure burst through me and I shook, jerked, and bucked with it. I wanted to tell him to do exactly that, to discover how he would do it, whether his touch was firmer than mine. I wanted so much all at once that it overwhelmed me.He eased his head back a little, breaths hot on my wet skin, and said, ‘Tell me now. Tell me what you want, Rebecca.’‘I don’t know. Don’t know if I can,’ I said, keeping my eyes closed.He swirled his tongue around the edge of the scar, then swept it across my stomach to circle my navel. I pulled in a breath, shocked, and tightened my hold on his hair. I imagined him twisting me around, making me face the wall tiles, and wrenching my jeans down my legs. Gripping my hips and drawing me backwards while he stood behind me, naked, pressing his erection into the cleft of my backside. I wanted him to scoot his hands under my T-shirt and lift my bra cups, replacing them with his hands. To fondle my nipples until they hardened, so that I forgot everything except what he was doing. Was that what I wanted him to do? Could I tell him that?I began talking, telling him what I could see in my head, faltering at first then growing bolder as he kissed and licked my stomach.‘It isn’t…exactly BDSM, is it?’ I said, daring to open my eyes and watch him. ‘It’s just normal.’He pulled back for long enough to say, ‘Keep imagining. Keep talking. Say what you can see.’‘I want…I want you to take me roughly, to fuck all the bad things out of me.’ Had I just said that? ‘I want you to kiss me hard, shove into me, make me feel alive again, as though I’m the only thing that matters. Make me forget…make me know, just for a little while, that the only thing I have to wonder about is…what you’ll do next.’Michael stood, my hand dropping away from his hair, and crushed me to him. He kissed me — hard — and I melted against him, pushed into him, wanting to feel his erection, to writhe over it and get myself off. I put my hands around his neck, locking my fingers, going up on tiptoes and kissing him back as hungrily as he was kissing me. A strangled sound got stuck in my throat, and this time I didn’t care. He broke the kiss, dipping his head to lick a path up my neck, to kiss my earlobe.‘Tell me more,’ he said, his hot breath sending my lust level skyrocketing.I closed my eyes while he nuzzled and kissed, me rubbing myself over him, the sensations between my legs growing with my excitement. My jeans gave extra abrasion, and I shuddered out several pants while trying to control myself enough to speak.‘I want you to massage me roughly, all over, and force me to my knees to suck you…your cock.’ My face was hot, getting hotter with the telling. ‘I want you to grip my hair in your fist while I do it, and push in and out of my mouth telling me how you need me to suck harder. I want you to tell me how it should be, where I should kneel or stand, where I should be. And I want…I want you to use your free hand to grip my chin so my head doesn’t move.’I could see it all in my mind’s eye, every bit of it, both of us naked. I imagined the strain in my thigh muscles from kneeling, the strain in my jaw from having my mouth stuffed full of him. I heard him grunting as he pumped in and out, using my mouth, using me, and telling me that he was going to come.I lowered my head to nestle it on his chest, hiding my shame as I repeated what I’d seen in my head. The words were muffled against his top, but he heard them, groaning his response and holding me tighter.‘That’s it,’ he said, kissing my jawline, licking my lips. ‘That’s it.’I slid my hand under his top, reaching up, seeking his chest. It was smooth, not a hair to be felt, and I ghosted a fingertip over a hardened nipple. His desire for me had done that, perked that nipple, and I finally accepted that he wanted me. I’d dreamed of being his for so long, had convinced myself it would never be, that to see proof of what I’d denied to be true was almost too much. I squeezed my eyes closed tightly, then tilted my head, needing him to kiss me.He did, slow and tender, the roaring fire of before dousing into something just as beautiful, just as heady. It was erotic, the gentle dance of his tongue, as though he was taking his time to taste me, to explore the inside of my mouth, getting to know it. I responded in kind and knew I could stand here kissing him forever. My head swam with the joy of it, of him wanting the whole of me, scar and all.As our kiss came to an end, I reluctantly drew back, looking up at him as he studied me.‘That wasn’t so difficult, was it?’ he said, cradling my cheek and running his thumb tip under one of my eyes.‘It wasn’t difficult, but it wasn’t easy either,’ I said, the pounding ache between my legs making it difficult to focus.‘Do you want more?’ he asked. ‘More of this?’
More about Natalie Dae
More about Natalie and me
Amazon US
Amazon UK
Many of you know Natalie and I write together often, I adore her voice and have learnt so much from her style. I recently had the pleasure of beta reading this just released, super-length novel and wow, I couldn't put it down. Much like the cover, the journey the characters take is dark and binds you in. Afterwards I couldn't help but wonder how a whisper in your ear can change your life forever. How much one small decision can embroil you in a new way to exist for the rest of time.
Blurb:
From the moment I stepped on the path that I hoped would take me to a better life, things changed forever—for the worst. I was dragged into the belly of the underworld, where a gang lord had chosen me to do his bidding. Caught up in a trial that had nothing to do with me, I was forced to sign a contract, binding me to do whatever the gang boss ordered—or lose my life. With no choice but to obey, and me falling in love with the defending lawyer, my world was turned upside down.
Master Michael was that lawyer, a man who wanted to teach me the BDSM lifestyle and keep me safe, offering me an entirely different contract. But I couldn’t allow him to. If I did, he would also face danger. Being beaten, stabbed, and hunted down became the norm for me, and I ended up having to make a choice—his life for mine or go into witness protection.
I should have been safe. I should have been able to stop looking over my shoulder. But I wasn’t. I couldn’t. The gang were always there, dogging my every step. And so was Master Michael.
Excerpt:
I grew wet between my legs, spasms there giving me a jolt. I hadn’t done anything like this for such a long time that I was out of practise, felt out of my depth and unsure what to do next. My cunt burned, seemed to inflate with my longing, and if I’d been alone I would have wrenched my jeans open and slid my fingers inside my knickers. Rubbed, smoothing my wetness over my clit and fretting it until the pleasure burst through me and I shook, jerked, and bucked with it. I wanted to tell him to do exactly that, to discover how he would do it, whether his touch was firmer than mine. I wanted so much all at once that it overwhelmed me.He eased his head back a little, breaths hot on my wet skin, and said, ‘Tell me now. Tell me what you want, Rebecca.’‘I don’t know. Don’t know if I can,’ I said, keeping my eyes closed.He swirled his tongue around the edge of the scar, then swept it across my stomach to circle my navel. I pulled in a breath, shocked, and tightened my hold on his hair. I imagined him twisting me around, making me face the wall tiles, and wrenching my jeans down my legs. Gripping my hips and drawing me backwards while he stood behind me, naked, pressing his erection into the cleft of my backside. I wanted him to scoot his hands under my T-shirt and lift my bra cups, replacing them with his hands. To fondle my nipples until they hardened, so that I forgot everything except what he was doing. Was that what I wanted him to do? Could I tell him that?I began talking, telling him what I could see in my head, faltering at first then growing bolder as he kissed and licked my stomach.‘It isn’t…exactly BDSM, is it?’ I said, daring to open my eyes and watch him. ‘It’s just normal.’He pulled back for long enough to say, ‘Keep imagining. Keep talking. Say what you can see.’‘I want…I want you to take me roughly, to fuck all the bad things out of me.’ Had I just said that? ‘I want you to kiss me hard, shove into me, make me feel alive again, as though I’m the only thing that matters. Make me forget…make me know, just for a little while, that the only thing I have to wonder about is…what you’ll do next.’Michael stood, my hand dropping away from his hair, and crushed me to him. He kissed me — hard — and I melted against him, pushed into him, wanting to feel his erection, to writhe over it and get myself off. I put my hands around his neck, locking my fingers, going up on tiptoes and kissing him back as hungrily as he was kissing me. A strangled sound got stuck in my throat, and this time I didn’t care. He broke the kiss, dipping his head to lick a path up my neck, to kiss my earlobe.‘Tell me more,’ he said, his hot breath sending my lust level skyrocketing.I closed my eyes while he nuzzled and kissed, me rubbing myself over him, the sensations between my legs growing with my excitement. My jeans gave extra abrasion, and I shuddered out several pants while trying to control myself enough to speak.‘I want you to massage me roughly, all over, and force me to my knees to suck you…your cock.’ My face was hot, getting hotter with the telling. ‘I want you to grip my hair in your fist while I do it, and push in and out of my mouth telling me how you need me to suck harder. I want you to tell me how it should be, where I should kneel or stand, where I should be. And I want…I want you to use your free hand to grip my chin so my head doesn’t move.’I could see it all in my mind’s eye, every bit of it, both of us naked. I imagined the strain in my thigh muscles from kneeling, the strain in my jaw from having my mouth stuffed full of him. I heard him grunting as he pumped in and out, using my mouth, using me, and telling me that he was going to come.I lowered my head to nestle it on his chest, hiding my shame as I repeated what I’d seen in my head. The words were muffled against his top, but he heard them, groaning his response and holding me tighter.‘That’s it,’ he said, kissing my jawline, licking my lips. ‘That’s it.’I slid my hand under his top, reaching up, seeking his chest. It was smooth, not a hair to be felt, and I ghosted a fingertip over a hardened nipple. His desire for me had done that, perked that nipple, and I finally accepted that he wanted me. I’d dreamed of being his for so long, had convinced myself it would never be, that to see proof of what I’d denied to be true was almost too much. I squeezed my eyes closed tightly, then tilted my head, needing him to kiss me.He did, slow and tender, the roaring fire of before dousing into something just as beautiful, just as heady. It was erotic, the gentle dance of his tongue, as though he was taking his time to taste me, to explore the inside of my mouth, getting to know it. I responded in kind and knew I could stand here kissing him forever. My head swam with the joy of it, of him wanting the whole of me, scar and all.As our kiss came to an end, I reluctantly drew back, looking up at him as he studied me.‘That wasn’t so difficult, was it?’ he said, cradling my cheek and running his thumb tip under one of my eyes.‘It wasn’t difficult, but it wasn’t easy either,’ I said, the pounding ache between my legs making it difficult to focus.‘Do you want more?’ he asked. ‘More of this?’
More about Natalie Dae
More about Natalie and me
Amazon US
Amazon UK
March 25, 2013
Coming Together Triumphantly - charity anthology
Coming Together: Triumphantly is a collection of erotica that deals with reclaiming the body and sexuality after trauma. It contains stories of triumph, of healing, and of appreciating the body and its abilities after (and in spite of) the changes brought about by illness/injury. This collection will benefit the National Women's Health Network.
This collection is edited by Dorla Moorehouse, who pitched the idea to Coming Together as follows:
In late 2010, my friend and fellow writer Reesa Brown and I decided we wanted to edit an erotica anthology based around reclaiming the body and sexuality after trauma, such as illness or assault. This idea was very important to Reesa, who was a breast cancer survivor. We mapped things out, found some interest from other writers we knew, and put together a call for submissions, but then Reesa's cancer returned. She spent most of 2011 fighting, and most of the time she was too ill to work. We planned to relaunch our efforts as soon as she was well, but unfortunately, that day never happened. After grieving her death in January, I've decided I want to continue along with the project as planned, even though she is no longer here to co-edit with me. While more than a year has passed since our initial plans, my motivation is stronger than ever.
CONTENTS: Shy Bird (Lily Harlem); Scarlet's (Maxine Marsh); Mine Like The Rest of You (Teresa Noelle Roberts); How Love Can Triumph Over Cancer (Mark Lawrence); Love the Second Time Around (Deva Shore); My Stillness (Corey Fisk); Finding Christine (Alicia Baines)
A note from me - I was keen to add to this collection of stories that aids such a good cause, and it's not the first time I've donated my work to Coming Together, I also have a steamy menage tale in Coming Together; As One. Shy Bird was interesting to write, I made the guy the one overcoming physical injury and although he's a big, tough, leather-wearing, tattooed biker, it is the shy, unassuming girl who he takes up bird watching in the Norfolk Broads with who finally heals his heart.
You can find out more about Triumphantly (available as ebook) here.
March 24, 2013
Sneak Peek and a Snog #SneakPeekSunday
How can we not love Sunday? A sneak peek and a snog!
This week's offering is from my work in progress - Breathe You In - a million thanks to Posh Gosh for creating the perfect cover. The Peacock feather, shaped like a heart, sums up the story, but probably not in the way you think. Peacocks have many beliefs attached to them, including immortality and phoenix-rising-from-the-flames qualities. This little snippet is taken whilst the hero, Ruben and his first love interest in a long time, Katie, are on a summer's evening picnic in central England. But all is not as it seems, Katie, who is trying to put her life back together after tragedy, has more to do with Ruben's return from hell than he knows...
My decision had been painful, torturous, but it had been the only thing that made sense.He caught my escaped tear with the pad of his thumb. “Don’t cry, Katie.”“I’m sorry, I’m just happy for you that it's over. You’ve been through hell. And I know what a horrible place that is.”“Right now it feels like I’m in Heaven.” He smiled. “I can almost hear harps.”A slightly hysterical little giggle burst from me and then I did what I’d been wanting to do all evening. I slipped my fingers into his soft hair, cradled his skull and pressed my lips to his.
Have a great Sunday, Breathe You In will be out next month - watch this space :-)
Lily x
March 22, 2013
Saturday Spankings #SatSpanks
Saturday is rapidly becoming my favourite day of the week - so much spanking fun to be had!
This week my quick slap offering is from the third book in my Hot Ice series, aptly named Slap Shot (please note all of these books can be enjoyed as stand-alone reads).
Rick is the captain of the Orlando Vipers and he's got his determined eye set on Dana, an ex pole dancer and now super-efficient event organiser. Things are just spicing up between them and she's got him all hot-under-the-collar and ready for action by performing a raunchy dance for him. Needless to say, it's time for Rick to show his new woman exactly what he wants...
“I want to make your ass all pretty and red and then fuck you from behind,” he murmured. “So I can watch your glowing skin tremble for me, tremble while I fuck you - fuck you really hard.”I heard those words loud and clear and Oh. My. God. I should have guessed a guy that overdosed on testosterone would have his fair share of kinks.“I won’t slap you again until you ask, Dana.”I pushed into the pole, squeezed shut my eyes and dragged in a breath. The pain had dulled, merely a memory now but as it faded I realized that I wanted it back. I wanted it back desperately. The sting was like a direct current to my pussy, another erotic stimulus that I had to have.“Dana,” he breathed onto my temple. “Do you want more?”“Yes,” I panted, hardly believing what I was agreeing to. “Yes, again. More.”
I've had several readers email me and say they think Joe Mangeillo should play Rick should Slap Shot ever become a movie, oh my, yes please, I'll be on set everyday!
You can check out my Hot Ice Pinterest page or my dedicated website page with details of all the books in the HOT ICE series, though if spanking and hockey is your thing, Slap Shot is definitely the book for you!
That Filthy Book - the first two chapters are over at Sh!
Sneak a few minutes to yourself and head over to Sh! Women's Emporium's blog and read the first two chapters of That Filthy Book - be warned though, it lives up to it's name!
March 21, 2013
Beautiful Britain
I just can't help but be inspired by the wonderful country I live in, but none more so than the Cotswolds. I spent last week there with Mr Harlem and we had a wonderful time. The cute, topsy-turvey villages are quintessential England. From their sandy colour brickwork to their tiled roofs and walled gardens, there is nothing remotely ordered about the mishmash of houses and shops. The roads go from wide to breathe-in narrow, hills flow right down to the entrance of the villages and gurgling streams pool into ponds full of mallard ducks.
I've been several times over the years and I always have the urge to walk for miles then settle in one of the many welcoming pubs by a fire and enjoy some good food and fine wine.
Of course I like to find time for a little shopping too, and last week in the slightly-larger-than-average village of Winchcombe I had a delightful few hours mooching around shops with names like - Sprogs (kids stuff) The Winds of Change Gallery, Me Me Me (clothes), and enjoyed tea and scones in Food Fanatics Delicatessen - yum! I came home mainly with tasty treats in my bag though having a particular fondness for art, had money been no issue there were several pictures in the gallery I would have treated myself to.
I always play a game with my lovely man - which house we'd have if we could have any. I'm always hard pushed to decide if I would want a small cute one, all chintzy and cosy...
Or one with a thatched roof...
Or something big and sprawling, mansion-like...
Or even something quirky - of which there are many to chose from...
Whichever one I choose, in my imagination, I'd be sure to see something else on my next visit that grabs me more, depending what mood I'm in. And I'm already looking forward to my next Cotswold trip, though between now and then I wonder if I'll set another story there? Without intentionally setting out to, I have three books all based in the Cotswolds, I guess that shows how under my skin this beautiful part of the world has got.
Thanks for reading
Lily x
PS - My books set in the Cotswolds...
March 20, 2013
Scored hits the spot!
I'm really thrilled that my sexy soccer novel Scored has 10 five star reviews on Amazon and plenty more on Goodreads. What I especially love is when readers take the time to post about this steamy story.
All my characters are important to me, they've each completely taken over my head for a while, consuming my thoughts and keeping me awake at night, itching to get back to writing their raunchy tale.
A few days ago I came across this review on Goodreads - it certainly made me smile, and gave me a warm gooey feeling inside...it even had a football covered in hearts at the end of the review!
Erica's review
Mar 15, 13
I have a new book boyfriend and his name is Lewis Tate. OH MY HOLY EIGHT POUND BABY JESUS IN A TUXEDO T-SHIRT. This man is perfect with NO FLAWS. I read this today at a indoor play area while my daughter played and I know that the other moms had to be wondering what I was reading since I either had a goofy smile on my face the whole time or was giggling. This book is SOOOO romantic. If you are looking for a hotter than hot romance with no major drama, heartbreak or serious conflict, this is your book. It is SOOO cute and sweet and romantic. And HOT. No shortage of hot sex scenes in THIS book. And you do not need to know a thing about soccer (sorry, my British friends, football is played with a pigskin, don't throw tomatoes) to enjoy this sports-oriented romance. At first, I just giggled my ass off at Nicky. Poor girl could not get away from embarrassing situations with Lewis. Lesson to all: if you must travel with your vibrator, take the batteries out before you pack. Second lesson: don't wear a white swimsuit for the first time without testing it in the shower. OMG, I was laughing SO HARD. But clearly Lewis fell hard in love with Nicky and she with him. They are absolutely PERFECT for each other. Lewis' dirty talk is something else. But when he threw her up against the wall because he couldn't wait another second...yeah, I was history. I was smiling a goofy grin ALL NIGHT after reading this book. It was truly a wonderful, romantic story and I LOVED IT. Hearts and flowers, indeed.
March 19, 2013
The Last Word
The very lovely Viki Lyn has invited me and several other authors over to her place to have The Last Word! It's all good fun, come on over and join us...
I'm under the spotlight!
This week at Total-E-Bound I'm the spotlit author, come over and check out my interview about sex toys and seductive clothing and have a browse around the smokin' hot bookshelves Total-E-Bound has lining its virtual walls!
