Sarah Ballance's Blog, page 28

Sept. 08.2013 WeWriWa: Her Wicked Sin (Entangled Scandalous)

HER WICKED SIN (Sins of Salem #1) releases TOMORROW, September 9, from Entangled Publishing’s Scandalous line of historical romance, but you can pre-order it now using the links below.

The heroine, Lydia, is checking over our hero after a bad fall from his horse. This is from his POV, with her proximity an effect of her examination. NOTE: I had to remove a small section of dialogue (…) to avoid spoilers.

His thoughts shamed him, for his want of furthering the experience demanded liberties not his for the taking, yet he could not clear his mind of them. Nor did he want to.

She made no haste in distancing him, rather holding him in position as she slipped free his topcoat and lay it aside with the other garment. When he thought she might move away, he reached for her, lightly grasping her upper arms. 

She looked to his fingers, imploring another wave of heat against his skin.

(…)

He wanted not to consider the impropriety of her next to him on the bed, but once he realized whereupon they sat, joined in touch, he could think of little else. Someone had hurt this woman, and every part of him ached to right that wrong. Were he not in such a useless state, he would take that as a cue to straddle his  horse and gallop until he thought of her no more, but he could not change the circumstance any more than he could change the cerulean blue of her eyes. 

Find it @ Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | iTunes | Goodreads

Review Snippets

“A thrilling romantic historical that deals with the Salem witch trials in a way that’s never been done before. Amazing!”  - NY Times and USA Today Bestselling Author Rachel Van Dyken (cover quote)

“Sarah Ballance has done an exceptional job with this release. The story is well built, plot flows effortlessly and the language is true to the era. An exciting read, start to finish! Definitely a must read!”  – Joe Breedon via Goodreads

“This was wonderfully written and I just feel in love with the characters and the story.”  – Crystal via Goodreads

“I loved and adored this book! Historicals are tricky because I often find that the characters use modern language and have modern opinions and feelings. NOT true here. The author has clearly researched the period and uses language that the people of the time would have used.” - Negar Arvanaghi via Goodreads

“This story is a page turner. There was one particular incident I never saw coming when it happened I was like OMG it can’t be. This is a must read for lovers of historical romance.” - Nadene via Goodreads

“This book was so good! … The relationship between the two characters is sensual and has twists that made me gasp. … I would definitely recommend this book and would read it again in a heartbeat.” - Darcus Murray via Goodreads

 

Click here for more awesome snippets from Weekend Writing Warriors!

Her Wicked Sin | blurb

SALEM, MA 1692

On a moonless night, he rides into the winter forest on his beast as black as midnight….

Dashing stranger, Henry Dunham, comes to Salem on a mysterious errand, but is thrown from his horse in the dead of night and rescued by the local Puritan midwife, Lydia Colson.

Haunted by her past, Lydia is running from her own dark secrets, avoiding intrusive questions by pretending her dead husband is simply…away. But when she and Henry are caught in a compromising situation, one punishable by Puritan law, he saves her from scandal by claiming to be her errant spouse…and claiming her bed.

Forced to fake a marriage, Lydia and Henry find their passion overwhelming and their vows a little too real. As their lies become truths, a witch hunt closes in on Lydia, threatening not only their burgeoning love, but her life.

Title: HER WICKED SIN (Sins of Salem #1)
Author: Sarah Ballance
Genre: Historical Romance
Publisher: Entangled Publishing
Release: September 9, 2013
ISBN 13: 9781622662494

HER WICKED SIN is available from: Entangled Publishing, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, iTunes, and Kobo. Click here to add to Goodreads or here for reviews.

An Interview with “Celebration House” Author Annette Drake

Celebration House: About the Book

Carrie Hansen spent her life caring for cardiac patients. Little did she know she would become a patient herself. After recovering from her own heart surgery, she realizes she has a special gift: the ability to see and talk with the dead.

Now, with her new heart failing, she leaves the bustle of Seattle behind and returns to Lexington, Missouri, the small town where she spent her childhood. Here, she sets out to restore an abandoned antebellum mansion and open it as a venue for celebrations.

Carrie’s work is cut out for her. The 150-year-old Greek revival house is in need of serious repair. Her sister, Melanie, tries to bully Carrie into returning to Seattle, predicting “her little project” is doomed to fail. Finally, Carrie’s health gives out on her, requiring emergency surgery.

But she will not give up. Carrie’s unique gift allows her to build relationships with the mansion’s original occupants, especially Maj. Tom Stewart, the handsome Civil War soldier who died a hundred years before Carrie was born. He encourages and comforts her, though not in the physical way they both desire.

Then there’s the builder of the house, Col. Bartholomew Stratton. If there’s one thing this 19th century horse trader cannot abide, it’s the living trespassing on his estate. He delights in scaring these intruders away, even if they are paying guests.

Will Carrie finish restoring Celebration House or will it finish her? And how can she plan a future with a man who has only a past?

Find it @ Tirgearr Publishing

Author Interview

Welcome, Annette, and congratulations on your new release! Your novel, Celebration House, seems to delicately weave the heroine’s health problems into the story. What brought you to use her medical problems as a plot thread?

I worked in a cath lab in Seattle where I provided nursing care for heart transplant patients. Between cases, I would talk with these men and women, and their courage never failed to amaze me. It was a natural transition to include them in the molding of my protagonist. 

That has to be such a powerful experience–what a beautiful thing to include them in your writing. It’s like a tribute to those amazing people in your life. Now,  I’m a huge, huge fan of ghosts so needless to say I adore their part in your story. Have you any real life experiences with the supernatural? Do you believe in ghosts?

I can’t say I’ve encountered any ghosts, but yes, I very much do believe in them. I’ve never shared this story with my family, but when I worked the night shift in a small hospital in Lexington, Missouri, and I knew that a patient was terminally ill, I would envision an angel sitting outside their room, waiting to accompany their souls to heaven. I had this image of a middle-aged man, wearing khaki pants and loafers, reading a book and patiently waiting. His sack lunch in a brown paper bag sat on the floor next to his chair. That image comforted me, the idea that no one dies alone.

That’s such a lovely thought. The sack lunch made me smile! Let’s dive into Celebration House.  What might readers be surprised to learn about the plot or characters?

In the first draft of the book, Beth’s fiancé isn’t a womanizer with a pregnant girlfriend and a jilted mistress. He’s a gay man who finally finds the courage to stop the wedding and admit his orientation to his family. But that storyline felt awkward to me, so I changed it.

I’d say that fellow did a 180-degree turn, LOL! Let’s have some fun with the story. What’s the first sentence?

“It hasn’t been lived in for quite a while.”

Oh, boy. That gives me shivers!  What’s your favorite line in the book?

“Carrie felt and saw only Tom. He bent his head and kissed her for the first time. His lips were warm and soft and full of the promise of more to come.”

Oh, my YUM. So very sweet and romantic! Give us some more–h ow about a brief excerpt? 

Carrie opened the door and stepped inside. Sunlight streamed in through the dirty windows. Even though the barn had been vacant for years, she smelled hay and horses.

Looking to her left, she saw a man shaving. He was bare from the waist up, his chest finely proportioned, lean, and muscular. His arms were powerfully built, and his right hand remained steady as he scraped the white soap from his angular jaw. His dark blue uniform pants were tucked into black leather knee-high riding boots. He stood at least six foot tall, and though Carrie hadn’t made her living in the carnival, she guessed he was probably younger than her, likely in his mid 20s. He peered intently at a small mirror tacked up on one of the barn walls. She waited to speak until after he’d finished the last swipe with the ivory-handled straight blade and had dipped it into the basin of soapy water.

“Good morning.”

He turned towards her suddenly, his expression an equal mix of surprise and annoyance. He dropped the razor and grabbed his shirt off a nearby nail. He turned his back to Carrie and pulled it on.

“You can see me, ma’am?” he asked, buttoning his shirt before stuffing it into his pants.

“Yes. Do you see me?”

“Yes, but I believe I have the advantage. I am dead. You are not.”

Oh, WOW. I LOVE that! Which scenes of Celebration House were most difficult for you to write? Why?

I struggled with some of the restoration scenes. I wanted to push through those and set up for the characters to tell their stories. My editor told me my impatience was leading to the classic telling, not showing habit of newbie authors. Most of the rewrites occurred in those chapters.

I can see how they could be more difficult, but it sounds like you worked through them. While we’re talking scenes, which  would you most like to experience for yourself? From whose POV?

In one of the last scenes of the book, Tom teaches Carrie to waltz. I would like to experience that as a bystander.

That sounds so romantic. *happy sigh*  What inspired the title of Celebration House?

It started as an idea of a place where celebrations, i.e. weddings and parties, take place, but it came to mean more. For me, the title came to mean a celebration of Carrie’s life.

It’s absolutely perfect. Before we let you go, and you tell us what you’re working on now?

I’m writing a contemporary romance entitled “A Year with Geno,” which takes place in Anchorage. It’s coming along slower than I would like. There’s that pesky issue of patience again.

LOL! Well, fortunately readers won’t have to wrestle with impatience. Celebration House is available now, so those of you dying to read this one can head on over to Tirgearr Publishing for retailer buy links.

Annette, thanks so much for joining me today. It’s been a pleasure getting to know both you and Celebration House!

About Annette Drake

Annette Drake’s work is character-driven and celebrates the law of unintended consequences. Her debut novel, Celebration House, debuted on August 1st in e-book format for readers everywhere from Tirgearr Publishing.

Annette left high school after two years to obtain her GED and attend Truman State University in Kirksville, Missouri. There she earned a degree in journalism before working as a reporter and editor for newspapers in Missouri and Kansas. She earned a bachelor of science in nursing in 1994 from Rockhurst University in Kansas City, Missouri, and worked as a registered nurse in hospitals throughout Missouri, Alaska and Washington for 18 years before returning her focus to writing

Annette recently completed her middle-grade novel, Bone Girl, and is hard at work revising her steamy contemporary romance, A Year with Geno.

She is the mother of four children. The oldest just graduated from the University of Washington; the youngest just graduated from kindergarten. She is a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers & Illustrators. She loves libraries, basset hounds and bakeries. She does not camp.

You can follow her writing at www.Annettedrake.com. She welcomes correspondence at: Write2me@annettedrake.com.

Learn more @ Website | Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

 

 

$100 #Giveaway: A Wicked Kind of Dark by Jonathan K. Benton

A Wicked Kind of Dark

Robert Duncan no longer believes in magic. A mysterious call about a blood moon, however, leads him back to the magical world of his childhood and to Luthien, the beautiful girl with flame-coloured hair, who he loved and lost.

As Robert unravels the secrets of his childhood, darkness enters his life and an ancient evil awakens. To have any chance of defeating the dark forces that would destroy two worlds, Robert must find Luthien before the rise of the blood moon. He must, once more, believe in magic …

A Wicked Kind of Dark mixes vast and spectacular fantasy landscapes with gritty urban reality. A must-read for people of all ages who believe in the power of imagination, and the importance of never losing touch with your inner child.

Amazon * Barnes & Noble

Author Jonathan K. Benton

Jonathan Benton always wanted to write books, having won first place in a short story competition when he was ten. Inspired by writes such as Ray Bradbury and Stephen King, Jonathan first discovered the crossover genre of literary/fantasy while reading Bradbury’s Something Wicked This Way Comes.

Jonathan grew up in New Zealand, dreaming of travelling to London and finally making the pilgrimage in his mid-twenties. Returning from England, he settled in Australia, the country he now calls home, and decided to take his writing seriously.

Website * Twitter * Facebook

BookBlast Giveaway

$100 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash

Ends 9/22/13 - Click here to enter the $100 Rafflecopter giveaway

Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer http://iamareader.com and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

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Smash hit REAL by Katy Evans Re-Released by Gallery Books: Author Interview

If you’re not familiar with Katy Evans, brace yourself. Her self-published novel REAL became a smash hit, landing on the New York Times and USA Today bestseller lists. Today Gallery Books (Simon and Schuster) is relaunching the book with a new cover and brand new buy links. For more about the book, scroll past this amazing cover, check out the blurb, and keep going for an interview with Katy Evans herself!

Find it @ Publisher | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iBooks

An indie phenomenon and New York Times and USA TODAY bestseller, the first in a heartwrenching New Adult series about a beautiful young sports rehab specialist who can’t fight her attraction to a dangerously sexy underground fighter.

A fallen boxer.

A woman with a broken dream.

A competition…

He even makes me forget my name. One night was all it took, and I forgot everything and anything except the sexy fighter in the ring who sets my mind ablaze and my body on fire with wanting…

Remington Tate is the strongest, most confusing man I’ve ever met in my life.

He’s the star of the dangerous underground fighting circuit, and I’m drawn to him as I’ve never been drawn to anything in my life. I forget who I am, what I want, with just one look from him. When he’s near, I need to remind myself that I am strong–but he is stronger. And now it’s my job to keep his body working like a perfect machine, his taut muscles primed and ready to break the bones of his next opponents…

But the one he’s most threatening to, now, is me.

I want him. I want him without fear. Without reservations.

If only I knew for sure what it is that he wants from me?

Find it @ Publisher | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iBooks

Interview with Katy Evans

Congratulations, Katy! REAL’s rise to the bestseller lists has been phenomenal. What went on behind the scenes? Was it a whirlwind for you?

Thank you so so much! I’m so happy to be here! Yes! It was, and still is, a whirlwind! Behind the scenes, it’s been crazy. A month before I was trying to learn the ropes on social media, opening my Twitter account, FB account, finding out I needed a book formatter, a cover, etc. After that was the excitement of sending Real out to book bloggers, first, and hearing great and amazing feedback about it .. . then, it releases, and the day you upload your baby for the world to read, WOW! Nerve-wracking! Then, the emails, the reviews, hearing from people all over the world who just fell in love with Real like I did. Unimaginable! That, of course, called the attention of agents, publishers, and it hasn’t stopped for a moment as I try to get the next Brooke and Remy book out, followed by the next of the series, etc. It has been amazing, astounding, humbling, beautiful, overwhelming, everything I never imagined I’d live, and more.

I’m absolutely breathless now, lol. What an amazing experience! And of course we all want to know ALL THE THINGS about REAL, so let’s get to the scoop. What might readers be surprised to learn about the plot or characters?

They’ll be surprised to find out that underneath a very, very sexy romance, REAL deals with real issues, real pain, real want, real needs, real emotion.

And clearly it’s a powerful story with which readers really connect. (Mind. Still. Blown. LOL.) Let’s have some fun with REAL. What’s the first sentence?

Melanie has been shouting in my ear for the past half hour and my nerves are so frazzled by what we’re witnessing, I can barely even hear anything.

Oh, boy, can I ever relate to that. (My kids, I mean. Melanie hasn’t yelled at me..yet. LOL.) What’s your favorite line in the book?

I have many! One of them has to do with the title. Another is him, promising, “When I take you, you’ll be mine.”

Yeah, that’s always good to hear. Delicious! How about a brief excerpt?

His face is suddenly before me, illuminated by the lights, and I just stare like an idiot from my place. My god.

My.

God.

Dimples.

Dark scruffy jaw.

Boyish smile.

Man’s body.

Killer tan.

A shiver shoots down my spine as I helplessly drink in the entire package everyone else seems to be gaping at.

I love how that’s written, all sharp and with impact. Yum! Which scene was most difficult for you to write? Why?

REAL was a surprisingly easy book to write. I never doubted a scene, never wondered if it was right. Every scene I wrote was used in the finished product. But the most difficult scene had to be Remington’s last fight scene.

Speaking as an author, I know that’s the absolute best way to write a book, LOL! Which scene would you most like to experience for yourself? From whose POV?

I love every scene. They each mean something different and special. But I love the reveal scene where their walls come tumbling down and they open up to each other. I’d love to experience it from both their POV’s, his and hers.

That’s one of my favorite moments, always. THE moment. What inspired the title?

The hero. From the moment I knew the story would be about him, I knew the title, which has to do with what he wants from the heroine.

Oh, how deliciously alpha is he? Before we let you go, can you share what you’re working on now? 

Next releasing is Mine, which is Real’s sequel, out November 12 from Gallery Books. Followed by that is Remy, the main hero’s point-of-view novella. So many readers have wanted to know what he was thinking at many points in Real, and I’ve also wanted to be in his head myself, so this is a shorter-length story that’s meant like a treat to those of us wondering and wanting to know even more about him! Following that is RAW, a full length story focused on Brooke’s best friend, Melanie. And the last story of the series is RIPPED, which will release in Spring 2014. I can’t wait to share them all.

You have an amazing year ahead, Katy. Thanks so much for sharing your journey, and congratulations again on your runaway success!

About Katy Evans

Katy Evans grew up with books and book-boyfriends until she found a real sexy boyfriend to love. They married and are now hard at work on their own happily ever after. Katy loves her family and friends, and she also loves reading, walking, baking, and being consumed by her characters until she reaches “The End.” Which is, hopefully, only the beginning…

Find her @ Website | Blog | Amazon | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

Smash hit REAL by Katy Evans Re-Released by Gallery Books

If you’re not familiar with Katy Evans, brace yourself. Her self-published novel REAL became a smash hit, landing on the New York Times and USA Today bestseller lists. Today Gallery Books (Simon and Schuster) is relaunching the book with a new cover and brand new buy links. For more about the book, scroll past this amazing cover and I’ll scoop you.

Find it @ Amazon | iBooks

An indie phenomenon and New York Times and USA TODAY bestseller, the first in a heartwrenching New Adult series about a beautiful young sports rehab specialist who can’t fight her attraction to a dangerously sexy underground fighter.

A fallen boxer.

A woman with a broken dream.

A competition…

He even makes me forget my name. One night was all it took, and I forgot everything and anything except the sexy fighter in the ring who sets my mind ablaze and my body on fire with wanting…

Remington Tate is the strongest, most confusing man I’ve ever met in my life.

He’s the star of the dangerous underground fighting circuit, and I’m drawn to him as I’ve never been drawn to anything in my life. I forget who I am, what I want, with just one look from him. When he’s near, I need to remind myself that I am strong–but he is stronger. And now it’s my job to keep his body working like a perfect machine, his taut muscles primed and ready to break the bones of his next opponents…

But the one he’s most threatening to, now, is me.

I want him. I want him without fear. Without reservations.

If only I knew for sure what it is that he wants from me?

Find it @ Amazon | iBooks

Wendy Watson: Why I Love Nicholas Ellerby (Once Upon A Wallflower) and $50 #Giveaway

Please welcome Wendy Watson, who is here with her new historical romance–and a yummy romantic hero–from Entangled Publishing’s Scandalous line!

Wendy Watson: Why I Love Nicholas Ellerby

The hero of my recent release, Once Upon a Wallflower, has a bad reputation.  He’s reclusive, spending most of his time in a tower perched atop the Cornish cliffs; he’s big, dark, and brooding; and—worst of all—he’s rumored to have killed three young women.  Despite all that, I fell for Nicholas Ellerby the moment I wrote him into existence.  Here are my top five reasons for loving this gothic hottie:

(1)  He sees the world through an artist’s eye.  Where the rest of the world judges my heroine, Mira Fitzhenry, by holding her up against a fashionable ideal, Nicholas sees her as a unique creature.  He appreciates her succulent curves and Chinese poppy hair.

(2)  He’s fiercely protective of Mira.  The Ellerby household is fraught with snarky comments, sly jabs, and the occasional attempted murder.  While Mira can cope with most of that on her own, Nicholas isn’t about to let her face any of those dangers alone.

(3)  He’s got a sense of humor.  Beneath that gothic exterior, Nicholas has a sense of humor that runs from sardonic to teasing.  In fact, he takes great pleasure in making Mira laugh and blush in turn.

(4)  He’s yummy.  Yes, he’s menacing, and he’s got that pesky limp.  But he’s got midnight hair and moonlight eyes and an artist’s clever hands.  As the saying goes, I wouldn’t kick him out of bed for eating crackers.

(5)  He’s a bad boy, and who doesn’t love a bad boy?  That rough-around-the-edges guy who just needs the right woman’s love to unleash all the light in his soul?  Yeah, that guy.  I pretty much always love that guy.

Once Upon a Wallflower

A Perennial Wallflower…

When Mira Fitzhenry’s guardian arranges her engagement to one of the most scandalous lords to ever grace the peerage, all of society is abuzz. After all, the man has left a trio of dead young women in his wake, including his first fiancée. But Mira doesn’t see a killer in Nicholas’s moonlight eyes, and she resolves to find the real murderer before the wedding.

A Gothic Villain…

Expecting to scare the chit away within five minutes of meeting him, scarred and brooding Nicholas, the Viscount Ashfield, is intrigued by Mira’s tenacious resolve to prove his innocence. She’s not put off by his imposing appearance, but his family’s dark secrets mean he cannot let her get close.

As the wedding approaches, Nicholas and Mira grow ever closer, yet so does the danger.Will the truth bring Nicholas and Mira together or tear their love apart?

Find it @ Amazon

About Wendy Lyn Watson

Wendy Lyn Watson writes mysteries of all types: contemporary, historical, and cozy. Whatever the time or the tone, her mysteries always feature a dose of humor and a dollop of romance. Her first cozy series, the Mysteries a la Mode, feature the owner of an ice cream parlor in a small Texas town.

Once Upon a Wallflower, due to be released in August of 2013, is a Regency-set romantic mystery. While Wendy does not commit (or solve) mysteries in real life, she can kill a pint of ice cream in nothing flat. She also enjoys 80s music, Asian horror films, quilting, and vegetarian cooking.

While she was born in Ohio and has called half a dozen states home, she currently lives in a college town in North Texas along with her husband and their three cats (Iphy, Squeak-a-Doodle, and Todd Baryshnikov).

She loves to hear from readers, so find her on Facebook at @wendylynwatsonauthor.

Learn more @ Website | Twitter | Pinterest | Facebook | Goodreads

Giveaway

To enter to win a $50 gift card to Amazon or Barnes & Noble (winner’s choice), click here to be whisked away to the Rafflecopter form.

Sept. 01.2013 WeWriWa: Her Wicked Sin (Entangled Scandalous)

I’m thrilled today to return with excerpts from my first historical romance! HER WICKED SIN (Sins of Salem #1) releases September 9 from Entangled Publishing’s Scandalous line of historical romance, or you can pre-order it now using the links below.

Last week the heroine, Lydia, found the hero fallen from his horse. As a physician, she feels duty bound to help him. Trusting his injuries prevent him from being a threat to her, she brings him to her nearby home to free him from the cold while she assesses his wounds. 

She seemed nowhere as flustered as he as she extracted his shirt from his breeches, but the very act of this woman undressing him sent desire coursing astray. Though new to her acquaintance, he found her innately appealing. Never before had he been so taken with a woman, even as he’d entertained a long parade of those pushed to claim access to his fortune through the transaction of marriage.

None had been like Lydia.

When her hands fell to his bare abdomen, the air crackled like the fire upon the hearth. Even she seemed startled as she drew breath and froze, save for her eyes seeking his, but she quickly pushed aside her hesitation and worked her soft ministrations against his skin. Her innocence only increased her appeal, though she was no untried girl. She was a widow who had surely known the pleasures of the marital bed.

Click here for more awesome snippets from Weekend Writing Warriors!

Her Wicked Sin | blurb

SALEM, MA 1692

On a moonless night, he rides into the winter forest on his beast as black as midnight….

Dashing stranger, Henry Dunham, comes to Salem on a mysterious errand, but is thrown from his horse in the dead of night and rescued by the local Puritan midwife, Lydia Colson.

Haunted by her past, Lydia is running from her own dark secrets, avoiding intrusive questions by pretending her dead husband is simply…away. But when she and Henry are caught in a compromising situation, one punishable by Puritan law, he saves her from scandal by claiming to be her errant spouse…and claiming her bed.

Forced to fake a marriage, Lydia and Henry find their passion overwhelming and their vows a little too real. As their lies become truths, a witch hunt closes in on Lydia, threatening not only their burgeoning love, but her life.

Title: HER WICKED SIN (Sins of Salem #1)
Author: Sarah Ballance
Genre: Historical Romance
Publisher: Entangled Publishing
Release: September 9, 2013
ISBN 13: 9781622662494

HER WICKED SIN is available from: Entangled Publishing, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Kobo. Click here to add to Goodreads or here for reviews.

Review: “Caged Warrior” by Lindsey Piper

The Dragon Kings, Book One

Pocket Books

Print ISBN: 978-1451695915

Amazon | B&N | Book Depository | Books-a-Million | Powell’s

Digital ISBN: 978-1451695946

Amazon | Apple | B&N | Books-a-Million | Google | Kobo | Sony

Ten years ago, Audrey MacLaren chose to marry her human lover, making her an exile from the Dragon Kings, an ancient race of demons once worshiped as earthly gods. Audrey and her husband managed to conceive, and their son is the first natural-born Dragon King in a generation–which makes him irresistible to the sadistic scientist whose mafia-funded technology allows demon procreation. In the year since her husband was murdered, Audrey and her little boy have endured hideous experiments.

Shackled with a collar and bound for life, Leto Garnis is a Cage warrior. Only through combat can Dragon Kings earn the privilege of conceiving children. Leto uses his superhuman speed and reflexes to secure the right for his two sisters to start families. After torture reveals Audrey’s astonishing pyrokenesis, she is sent to fight in the Cages. If she survives a year, she will be reunited with her son. Leto is charged with her training. Initially, he has no sympathy for her plight. But if natural conception is possible, what has he been fighting for? As enemies, sparring partners, lovers, and eventual allies, Leto and Audrey learn that in a violent underground world, love is the only prize worth winning.

My Review

ERMAGERD, you guys! I really didn’t think I’d like this book. It’s pretty and the blurb looked amazing, but I’m not so much a dragon-king kind of person. I’m telling you this because I learned my lesson rather quickly: you don’t HAVE to be a dragon-king kind of person to really, REALLY love this book.

My lukewarm expectations were blown to bits on the first page. The writing style is sharp, crisp, and gritty. Every word exists in painfully vivid detail. Ms. Piper’s writing – from page one – serves to place the reader in the dead-center of every scene. You can’t toe into this book – you’re in the deep end, fully clothed, struggling to keep your head up, and gasping for every breath. It’s THAT good.

Those of you who, like me, aren’t exactly jonesing for dragons, take heart. These characters are as real as you and me. They have failings. They suffer. They are wounded, yet they push on. The stakes couldn’t be higher for the heroine, whose son is held captive by a “sadistic cartel scientist” and used as leverage to keep her in line. The hero is sent to torture her for to gain her powers and cooperation, but in tiny, irrevocable bits she chinks his armor. The growth of their relationship is beautifully painstaking. Neither one can afford to give an inch, yet passion burns. There are no small concessions between them. Every step – every misstep – is calculated. There is a price, and in this underworld of torture and mistaken pride, the price is unfailingly high, the risk too great.

Don’t let the setting fool you. This is a story of redemption. Of peril. Of sacrifice. Of love. It’s not the kind of book in which you’d want to wallow. It’s too dark – so much so that the light at the end is blinding, but emerging from this tale is like that. You have to squint a little, try to figure out where you are. Because you didn’t just read this book – you were possessed the grime and the raw emotion.

You were taken, and it was one heck of a ride.

Rating: 4 Stars – The writing was vivid, gritty, and AMAZING, but after a flawless buildup, the ending felt a little rushed.  

Disclosure: I received a free copy of the book from the publisher in exchange for my honest review.

5 Favorite Quotes: Robyn DeHart Gets “A Little Bit Scandalous” (Forbidden Love Series) #Giveaway

Robyn DeHart: 5 Favorite Quotes

From Where the Heart Is

: It’s too late, isn’t it, Forney?

: Too late for what?

: I lied to you, when you asked me if I loved you, and I said no. Remember?

: Yes.

: I lied. It wasn’t true, I-I love you. It’s just I lied because I thought you deserved something better.

: Something better than you? Novalee, there isn’t anything better than you.

From When Harry Met Sally (isn’t this everyone’s favorite?!)

Harry: I love that you get cold when it’s 71 degrees out. I love that it takes you an hour and a half to order a sandwich. I love that you get a little crinkle above your nose when you’re looking at me like I’m nuts. I love that after I spend the day with you, I can still smell your perfume on my clothes. And I love that you are the last person I want to talk to before I go to sleep at night. And it’s not because I’m lonely, and it’s not because it’s New Year’s Eve. I came here tonight because when you realize you want to spend the rest of your life with somebody, you want the rest of your life to start as soon as possible.

From Sweet Home Alabama

Jake: Nobody finds their soul mate when they’re ten. I mean, where’s the fun in that, right?

From Stardust

: You know when I said I knew little about love? That wasn’t true. I know a lot about love. I’ve seen it, centuries and centuries of it, and it was the only thing that made watching your world bearable. All those wars. Pain, lies, hate… It made me want to turn away and never look down again. But when I see the way that mankind loves… You could search to the furthest reaches of the universe and never find anything more beautiful. So yes, I know that love is unconditional. But I also know that it can be unpredictable, unexpected, uncontrollable, unbearable and strangely easy to mistake for loathing, and… What I’m trying to say, Tristan is… I think I love you. Is this love, Tristan? I never imagined I’d know it for myself. My heart… It feels like my chest can barely contain it. Like it’s trying to escape because it doesn’t belong to me any more. It belongs to you. And if you wanted it, I’d wish for nothing in exchange – no gifts. No goods. No demonstrations of devotion. Nothing but knowing you loved me too. Just your heart, in exchange for mine.

From Pride and Prejudice

Mr. Darcy: You must know… surely, you must know it was all for you. You are too generous to trifle with me. I believe you spoke with my aunt last night, and it has taught me to hope as I’d scarcely allowed myself before. If your feelings are still what they were last April, tell me so at once. My affections and wishes have not changed, but one word from you will silence me forever. If, however, your feelings have changed, I will have to tell you: you have bewitched me, body and soul, and I love, I love, I love you. I never wish to be parted from you from this day on.

A Little Bit Scandalous

A woman in search of a gamble…

Mathematics prodigy, Caroline Jellico, plans to support herself by winning big in the gaming hells of London—while dressed as a boy. She’s tired of waiting for the elusive Roe to notice her. She’ll marry him or no man.

A gambler in need of redemption…

Monroe Grisham, Duke of Chanceworth, needs to marry off his beautiful young ward and ensure she attaches herself to the right man, not an irresponsible cad like him. But all grown up now, Caroline’s presence is an utter distraction. One he can neither act on nor deny.

A game of seduction…

But when Roe and Caroline meet across the gaming table, all bets are off. Seduction is in the cards and the winner will take all…or lose everything.

Available @ Amazon

A Little Bit Scandalous | Excerpt

Chanceworth Hall, Dorset countryside, 1869

 Monroe Grisham, Sixth Duke of Chanceworth, paced the front parlor of his country estate. If he didn’t get back to London soon he would go mad from sheer boredom.

The soft butter-yellow of the room was annoyingly cheerful, and all the furniture felt small and dainty, making him keenly aware of his size. He wasn’t quite as tall as his brother, but Roe’s shoulders were broad enough to make him look as if he sat upon children’s furniture. So he found the largest piece to sit on, the settee. He’d sit in a different room, but damned if his mother hadn’t decorated them all roughly the same.

Being around his ward, Caroline Jellico, was also a problem as it did nothing but remind him of everything that went wrong with her brother, Christopher. It was impossible not to notice she had grown into a beautiful woman, and Roe found it distracting. Of course, he didn’t actually think of her that way. Not when she was his ward. Not when he was the one responsible for her brother’s death. Not when she was so young. But sometimes he wondered if he didn’t have to work a little too hard to remind himself just how young she was.

Tomorrow they would all leave for London so Caroline could be introduced to Society. Once she found an appropriate suitor and Roe married her off, things in his life would be much simpler, albeit lonelier. His late night poker games would no longer be with her, but rather his usual companions in London. She had to become the lady she was meant to be.

As if his thoughts of her had summoned her, Caroline tapped on the door and then stepped inside the room. She wore one of the many new gowns he’d purchased, with the help of his mother, for her introduction to Society, as he didn’t know a flounce from a ruffle. Tonight’s was a light green confection that made her look every bit as wide-eyed and fresh as her eighteen years.

Eighteen wasn’t so terribly young. It was more than old enough for a girl’s debut. More than old enough for a girl to be courted, wooed, and wed. He’d flirted with many a girl Caroline’s age. He had flirted with those other girls not so much because he desired them or because he was searching for a wife, but because it was what Society expected of him. And every now and then, he liked to do precisely that merely to keep them entertained.

So why did eighteen seem so much younger on her than it did on other young women? Perhaps because those other young women were from London. They were more cynical at eighteen than he could ever imagine Caroline being.

“Caroline, did you need something? Have you finished packing?” he asked.

She took a shuddering breath. “Yes. I have finished packing.” She shifted her weight from one foot to the other. “I was thinking, that is, I wondered if perhaps I wouldn’t have to have a proper Season.”

Roe frowned and shook his head. “Do you not want to marry?”

“No, I do, very much actually,” she said, pink staining her cheeks.

He tried not to notice the rest of her features, but damned if the blush didn’t seem to highlight them. The soft bow of her lips, the small tilt of her nose, the luscious curve of her neck. What the devil was wrong with him? He cleared his throat. “You can’t very well expect to meet a proper husband if you do not allow me to introduce you into Society.”

She bit down on her lip and looked at him, her brown eyes seeming large and full of wonder. She was a pretty thing, beautiful in a way he never found women her age, though he’d noticed Caroline’s handsomeness often, too often to be considered a good guardian. “What if I have already found the perfect candidate?”

Roe leaned back. The chit was surprising, he’d give her that. How had he not known Caroline had a beau? Why hadn’t his mother mentioned she’d attracted the attention of one of the local swains? Perhaps the lad wasn’t up to snuff. “Well, who is this young man? Has he intentions to marry you?”

She shook her head slightly. “He does not know of my affections, but I believe I would make him an excellent wife.”

He felt an unsuspecting jab of jealousy and wanted to find the man and pound some sense into him. “Of course you would,” Roe said. That’s what a guardian should say, he supposed. She would make some man a good wife. She was smart, smarter than most women, he’d wager. And she was attractive, congenial, the sort of thing most men looked for in a wife. “I could speak to him on your behalf, if you’d like.” Christopher would want Caroline married to a good man, not simply a good match, but a man who would treat her the way she deserved to be treated.

She chuckled awkwardly, then crossed the room to him. “That might be difficult as it is you.” She sat next to him and gathered his hands in hers.

“I beg your pardon?”

“You, Monroe. I wish to marry you.” She brought his hand to her lips and pressed a sweet kiss to his flesh. “I would make you a good duchess. I know that my lineage isn’t as perfect as some, but I more than make up for that with my mind.” When he didn’t immediately respond, she continued. “I realize you probably do not have tender feelings for me, but you could in time. Or I shall love enough for the both of us.”

She loved him.

He swore. Damned if he wasn’t tempted. Convention said he should marry and produce an heir for his title. He’d not been inclined to do that anytime soon. Caroline was beautiful and seductive in the most innocent of ways, but he wasn’t thinking marriage, he was thinking of bedding her. Not the sort of thing he should be considering when he looked at her, his best friend’s sister. “Caroline, I cannot marry you. I am…we simply would not make a good match.”

She opened her mouth, then bit down on her lip. Silence. And then finally, “I see.” She exhaled slowly.

How had he never noticed that she fancied him? She’d never indicated as much during the time they’d spent together. He wanted to say more, to tell her that were he anyone else, she’d make an excellent wife. But he knew he was incapable of the kind of love a woman like Caroline needed, the kind of love she deserved. He wanted to tell her that she’d certainly find a man who’d adore her. She was a charming, intelligent, and beautiful woman. But he said nothing because he knew that nothing he could offer would matter. “I shall see you on the morrow.”

Her eyes brimmed with tears, but she set her jaw and nodded stiffly. “Yes, I’ll be ready.” She turned and left the room.

They went to London the following day, he, Caroline, and his mother. Caroline was introduced into Society and stayed for all of two weeks before declaring she was done and wished to return to the countryside. He didn’t fight her on the decision and allowed her to go because it was easier than continuing to watch other men flirt with her all around London.

What kind of man was he that he refused to marry Caroline himself, but didn’t want her marrying anyone else, either?

About Robyn DeHart

A life-long lover of stories and adventure, it was either become a stuntwoman for the movies or live out those adventures from the safety of her PJ’s and computer. Award-winning author, Robyn DeHart chose the latter and couldn’t be happier for doing so. Known for her unique plotlines and authentic characters, Robyn is a favorite among readers and reviewers.

Publishers’ Weekly claims her books as “sizzling romance” while the Chicago Tribune dubs her “wonderfully entertaining.” Robyn is an award-winning author as well as being a four-time RT Bookclub Reviewers’ Choice award nominee, and a three-time RomCon Reader’s Crown nominee.

Look for Robyn’s new trilogy on forbidden love coming from Entangled: A Little Bit Wicked (fall 2012), A Little Bit Sinful (spring 2013) and A Little Bit Scandalous (summer 2013).

Also in 2013, she’ll launch a new historical romantic suspense series with NAL, the first in the series is The Secrets of Mia Danvers (2013).

Robyn lives in Texas with her brainy husband, two precocious little girls and two spoiled cats.

Find her @ Twitter | Website | Pinterest | Goodreads

Giveaway

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Spotlight: Working It Out by Rachael Anderson ($25 #Giveaway)

Working It Out

A chance encounter . . .

Grace Warren’s life is safe and predictable—exactly the way she likes it. But when she gets roped into going to an auction to help out a friend, everything changes. She meets Seth Tuttle—a guy who unexpectedly kisses her then disappears, leaving her flustered and upset. If she never sees him again, it will be too soon.

A chance for love . . .

Weeks later, when Seth limps into Grace’s rehab clinic post surgery, she immediately recognizes him. Unfortunately, he’s every bit as frustrating and annoying as she remembered. Yet there’s something about him that makes her second-guess her carefully placed boundaries even though he’s everything she’s sure she doesn’t want in a man. But maybe Seth is exactly what Grace has needed all along—assuming she’s willing to risk safe and predictable for a chance at love.

Amazon * Amazon Kindle

Excerpt

“How about this?” Seth finally said. “I’ll agree to volunteer if you agree to go with me.”

It was a brilliant suggestion, actually. If Grace declined, Seth wouldn’t feel obligated to volunteer. And if she said yes, she would have to spend time with him outside of work. Either way, he won.

“Oh . . . I, uh, don’t think that’s a good idea.”

“Why not?” Seth said with mock innocence. “Don’t tell me you’re against giving up a few hours of your time to help the less fortunate.”

Grace leveled him a warning look. “No, but you’re my patient. It wouldn’t be appropriate to do something with you outside of work.”

“But you came to the basketball game,” Seth pointed out.

“That was different.”

“How so?” Seth asked. “It’s not like I’m asking you on a date or anything.”

“I know, it’s just—” She fidgeted, looking flustered.

Seth cocked his head to the side, molding his expression into one of sympathy. “Think of the children, Grace. Think of the children.”

She rolled her eyes and threw up her hands in a gesture of defeat. “I walked right into that one, didn’t I? Okay fine, you win. I’ll go.” She gestured toward the machine. “Now row.”

Seth grinned and resumed rowing, suddenly feeling as though he really were in a kayak, cutting through the waters on Lake Union. The sun warmed his skin, a breeze whipped at his face, and the smell of lake water lingered in the air. Or was that the smell of triumph?

 

Author Rachael Renee Anderson

Rachael Anderson is the author of four books: Divinely Designed, Luck of the Draw, Minor Adjustments, and The Reluctant Bachelorette. She’s the mother of four and is pretty good at breaking up fights, or at least sending guilty parties to their rooms. She can’t sing, doesn’t dance, and despises tragedies. But she recently figured out how yeast works and can now make homemade bread, which she is really good at eating.

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Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer http://iamareader.com and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.