Empi Baryeh's Blog, page 35

Evernight Publishing Birthday Bash Blog Hop

Welcome to the Evernight Publishing birthday blog hop!

Evernight Publishing opened its doors two years ago. In those two years we’ve signed over one hundred and sixty authors and published over three hundred books. From paranormal to contemporary, we’ve had more best sellers than we can count and made thousands of people smile, sigh and gasp. So, as a thank you to all our readers and everyone who has supported us, we’re holding this blog hop and we have a whole lot of prizes to offer you.

Swag bags

Here’s how it works… the more blogs you hop to (shown below) the more chance you have of winning prizes. Each author on the hop is offering a prize and Evernight is offering the following grand prizes, a Kindle, a $100 Amazon gift certificate, two Evernight swag bags (which includes a tote, a tee, vouchers, a mug and other coolness) and a personalized Facebook banner. To be in with a chance of winning the author prize simply follow the blog you’re visiting and leave a comment which includes your email address. Each entry on each blog is then counted towards the grand prize draw. The more entries you have, the better your chance of winning a grand prize! You also get extra points for liking the Evernight Facebook page. Just make sure you let us know in the comments that you’ve done so.

Good luck and happy hopping!

My Prize

Okay, after that lovely message from Evernight Publishing, here’s what I’m giving away at the end of the hop:

A $5 Evernight gift certificate

There are loads of other prizes up for grabs from other Evernight Authors. Each one you comment on increases your chances at winning the grand prices, but you also stand a chance of winning a price on each participating author’s blog. All you have to do is follow the blog and leave a comment. [see full list below]

That’s not all! (seriously, you’re not dreaming), for the next couple of weeks, one book from each genre (including Most Eligible Bachelor) is on sale on Amazon for $0.99.

BOOKS ON SALE (by genre):

*Romance on the Go – Moon Eyes by Marie Medina

*Naughty Fairy Tales – Jackie and Her Loose Talk by Jorja Lovett

*Cupid’s Conquests – GunShy by Seleste deLaney

*African American – Most Eligible Bachelor by Empi Baryeh

*Alternative – Hero by K. Williams

*Anthologies – Master of Mine by Laura Gallagher, Jenika Snow, Alexandra O’Hurley, Rachel Clarke, Ashlynn Monroe, London St James, Melissa Hosack and Angelina Rain

*BDSM – The Diary of Anna’s Submission by Jenika Snow

*Contemporary – Forever Men by Lace Daltyn

*Erotic – Paying Her Debt by Emma Shortt

*Fantasy – Chasing Earth and Flame by Adonis Devereux

*Futuristic – Whimsy by Thayer King

*Historical – The Ever Knight by Georgia Fox

*Humor – Prometheus Unstitched by Lila Shaw

*Interracial – Riding the Storm by Delilah Hunt

*May/December – The Bad Boys’ Virgin Temptress by Sam Crescent

*Menage – Claiming Their Mate by Stacey Espino

*Multiple Partners – Riding Her Tiger by Doris O’Connor

*Paranormal – Black Lust by Karyn Gerrard

*Rubenesque – Three for the Road by Berengaria Brown

*Sci-Fi – Star Fallen Lover by Lynde Lakes

*Seasonal – Deception by Yolanda Sfetsos

*Shifters/Vampires – Irresistible Nemesis by Annalynne Russo

*Steampunk – The Promise of Silk by Lilith Duvalier

*Suspense – Last First Kiss by Vanessa Devereaux

*Urban fantasy – Losing his Religion by Alex Bowman

*Time Travel Time Travel – The Curse of the Scarab King by Wend Petzler

*Western – Wild West Weekend by R.M. Sotera and C.R. Moss

 

LIST OF PARTICIPATING AUTHORS

1.
Emma Shortt




2.
Doris OConnor




3.
Sandra Bunino






4.
Evernight Publishing




5.
Avrils Blog




6.
C. R. Moss






7.
Seleste deLaney




8.
Naughty Fairy Tales




9.
Raven McAllan






10.
The Musings of UK Author Ella Grey




11.
Nikki Prince Evernight Author




12.
Jennifer Denys blogspot






13.
Sam Crescent




14.
Shannan Albright




15.
Kacey Hammell






16.
Lani Rhea




17.
Tyler Robbins




18.
Robin Badillo






19.
Julia Barretts World




20.
This Writers Life




21.
Lace Daltyn






22.
Elyzabeth M. VaLey




23.
Nicola Cameron Writes




24.
Lila Shaw






25.
Boundless as the Sea




26.
Casey Moss




27.
Kassanna Deeply in Lust and Love






28.
Decadent Decisions




29.
Nicky Penttila




30.
Tory Michaels World






31.
Jamie K. Schmidt




32.
Thayer King




33.
A Page In The Life – Lee Ann Sontheimer Murphy






34.
A Vixen of Erotica




35.
Shawn Lane Writes Romance




36.
K. Williams M/M






37.
Lorraine Nelsons Writing Blog




38.
Chrissie Lee – After Dark. . .




39.
Londons Scribbles






40.
Soul Dealers and Heart Stealers




41.
The Jean Journal




42.
The Wyverns Lair






43.
The Eclectic Zaftig Chick




44.
Tristram La Roche




45.
Erin M. Leaf






46.
Karyn Gerrard




47.
Jenika Snow-Tales to Tantalize




48.
Alexandra OHurley






49.
SusanLainesBlog




50.
Stacey Espino




51.
Peppers Website






52.
AveryFlynn




53.
Annalynne Russos Vampire Scribe




54.
Romance on the Go






55.
Michelle Clay ~ Paranormal Romance




56.
Wend Petzler




57.
Lucy Felthouse






58.
Empi Baryehs Blog




59.
Erin ORiordan @ Pagan Spirits book blog




60.
Christmas Eve – Every Mans Fantasy






61.
Author James Cox




62.
Anna Keraleigh




63.
Carolyn Rosewood






64.
Hennessee Andrews




65.
Shyla Colt




66.
The Sultry Scribe






67.
Kathleen Grieve




68.
Erin Lark




69.
Jezebel Jorge






70.
Alex Bowman




71.
Sorensen Shorts




72.
Cara Michaels – Defiantly Literate






73.
The Dead Beat




74.
Jorja Lovett




75.
Angelina Rain






76.
Ashlynns Blog




77.
Michaela Rhua

Chatting about Chancing Faith with Delali K

Let me start by saying that in Ghana, print books are still preferred over e-books, so it was really important to me to ensure that there were print copies of Chancing Faith available for sale in Ghana. While the feedback from readers, has generally been positive, I have been particularly eager to see how the story would be received in my own country.

So I gave a copy to Writers Project Ghana (and I should add that they also bought another copy for their library). Several weeks later, I got a request from them to do a video interview for their YouTube page. I wasn’t going to say no to that ( I don’t need an excuse to talk about my stories). So anyway, we did the interview about a month ago and it’s finally up on YouTube and I thought I should share it with you – let you out a voice to the face/name.

So here goes. Let me know what you think:

PS. In case the video doesn’t play, you can watch the interview on YouTube.

Enjoy!

Spotlight on Mahalia Levey!

Have you missed me? Well, I have missed you, but as you know life sometimes just takes over and blogging, invariably has to take a backseat. But I decided to steal a few minutes to toot my horn about a fellow author, Mahalia Levey, whose book Only Skin Deep just released.

Against my instinct of rambling on and on (because I have missed blogging that much), I’ll hand the baton (read: keyboard) over to the talented Mahalia Levey as she tells us a little bit about her book:

Over to you, Mahalia

I see you … but do you SEE me?

I sat here asking myself one question. When do we lose innocence? Maybe when we’re young, but if we’re sheltered, not until we’re older. Do we lose it piece by piece as it’s chipped off by those we love and whose opinion matters the most? Perhaps it’s chipped away bit by bit until there’s no self-esteem left by an ex-lover or best friend.

In a perfect world hurt wouldn’t exist. People wouldn’t betray us. Everyone would be accepting and tolerant even if they didn’t agree.

But….We don’t live in a perfect world. There’s a saying that those you love most will hurt you the most. And there is no way to prevent heart-break, not a little, not a bit not a lot. Heartbreak comes in many different forms, the end result is the same. Walls are built, bridges are burnt. Hurtful words are not forgotten, but remembered and replayed over and over again.

It could be something as an offhand comment about weight gain.

Maybe the color of someone’s skin.

Pressure from Family Members to do the right thing…their thing.

Being seen as one of the guys in a male dominated career.

Emotional Abuse

Physical Abuse

Possibly Emotional and Physical Abuse

Manipulation

Some men and women will never recover. Others will.

Only Skin Deep is about three women who are afraid to go after love for multiple reasons. One of these females takes the bull by the horns so to speak, the other two have to decide to fight for what they want.

Love is Worth Fighting All Obstacles

Blurbs:

ALL WOMEN

Officer Taleena Harris may have looked like one of the guys in her uniform, but underneath lurked a sensual woman. Jason Treadway, her target had no clue he was key to fulfilling all her fantasies. He might be her boss, but she held all the aces. It was far past time to play them.

Jason Treadway had no desire to be a one woman type of man. That was until the Armored Company’s annual theme party. A mystery woman on the mechanical bull commanded his attention. He’d do anything for a night of being skin-to-skin with her. The only question… Would one night be enough?

FLAWS AND ALL

NadjaMederios knows what she wants after months of watching Donato keep order at Club Mist, and an intervention from her best friend Taleena. As a lounge singer, she portrays a sensual, sultry woman, but she’s not the high-maintenance girl people assume she is. In fact, a tomboy lies beneath her protective costume. When the real woman comes to light, she hopes Donato finds her just as sexy as the mask.

Donato Falcone isn’t looking for commitment, but when someone touches Nadja without permission, rational thought leaves him and rage steps in. After his temper cools, he sees a different side of Nadja. Her sleek sophistication may well be a front for the girl who could be his forever, if he can find a way to break down her barriers.

AGAINST ALL ODDS

Four months of casual dating isn’t enough. Not for Derek Tresvant. His Deja may think financial security and a successful career are essential to a good life, but he disagrees. The numerous excuses she uses to push him away only entice him to prove he’s in the forever type.

If there’s one constant in life Deja Crane knows nothing is ever one hundred percent certain. After working her ass off to own her business and succeed on her terms, she’ll be damned if one hot sinful man will take all away from her with a marriage license, a picket fence and two point five kids. She’s got a plan of her own that doesn’t include messing with a man.

BUY: Secret Craving Publishing | Amazon | ARe | Bookstrand

EXCERPT from AGAINST ALL ODDS

In sleep Deja looked beautiful, even with the black knot on her head. He noted the way her chest rose when she breathed and how relaxed she appeared. She was always on the go, never still. Bringing how they first met to mind.

“Excuse me.”

He shut his cell off and turned toward the angry voice peering into the cab window. “Yes?”

“You’re in my cab.”

Startled by her beauty, he missed what she said. “I’m sorry?”

“You’re in my cab.”

“Oh? I didn’t know it had your name on it. Says City Cab here, beautiful.”

“You city men. Look, while you were on your multimedia phone chatting, the cab driver I hailed stopped for me. Now get out so I can get to my destination. I don’t have time to deal with nonsense.”

Well she’d put him in his place, or so she thought. All that spirit and vinegar like his grams would say. “Where are you going, we could share.”

“Haywood Regency Hotel.”

“You’re in luck, I’m heading there myself.”

“I don’t want to share a cab, I want to relax.”

“Well good luck with that, it’s three in the morning and I don’t see any other cabs.” He thrummed his thumb on the window button in mock threat.

“Fine. No talking. We ride in silence.”

Chuckling as she gave in, he watched her stalk to the trunk and pound on it. And then she was sliding into the seat next to him. “Derek.”

“And?”

“You always this way?”

“It’s late and I’m tired.”

“Well it’s late and I’m tired, nice to meet you.” Her unladylike snort amused him.

“My name is Deja. Don’t be thinking that I want to get to know you any better.”

“Wouldn’t dream of it.” He surmised he’d have fun keeping her going all the way to the hotel but chose not to nettle her. Her legs though, man, long enough to wrap around a man’s waist. Luscious lips on a charismatic face, maybe he should goad her just to watch her chest heave in indignation. “So what are you here for?”

“Did I say I was looking for conversation?”

“I’m here to buy a potential business.”

“Bully for you.”

She’d turned her attention out the window but he’d caught her appraising him. Her body language held a closed off expression. The cab turned sharply and hurtled her against him. He put his arms around her to right her, ghosting his hands over her soft skin for the first time. He couldn’t fight the urge. Dark brown eyes widened, and he took full advantage of the situation, kissing her.

When she didn’t fight back but melted into him instead, he became lost in the softness of her lips. Sweeping his tongue against hers, feather light, gauging, he slipped his hands into her thick long hair. She made him breathless, a teen again. When had a woman affected him so? Never. Without the waspish sounds, her mouth was made for pleasure. And then the cab stopped. He pulled back and watched her scoot to the other side of the seat. He half waited for a tongue lashing or an open palm to hit his face.

“Your room or mine?”

Damn. She’s just full of unexpected surprises.“Mine.”

GIVE-AWAY

Comment on my Release Date Blog for a chance to win some swag and a backlist title! 

Mahalia Levey online:

www.facebook.com/mahalialevey
www.twitter.com/hales3000
www.mahalialevey.com
www.mahalia2010.wordpress.com/blog

***

Well, Mahalia, thanks for sharing your book release party with me and my readers. All I can say about that excerpt is, if that was their first meeting then, I’d like to see what happened at their 2nd meeting

Readers, I hope you enjoyed hanging out with Mahalia Levey. Thank you, as always, for stopping by my blog.

Enjoy your week.

Word Wednesday: Weather, Whether, Wether

I have a three-way homophone today: Weather, Whether and Wether. I’ve seen ‘whether’ used in place of ‘weather’ and vice versa so many times that I won’t even ask anyone to own up, lest someone give the convenient excuse of blaming her/his fingers for having a mind of their own.

Let’s begin with the one I consider the easiest to recognise and the most commonly used (debatable, I know)

WEATHER \pronounced whe-dhur\, which have various functions:

Noun

 

(meteorology) the atmospheric conditions that comprise the state of the atmosphere in terms of temperature and wind and clouds and precipitation. “they were hoping for good weather”; “breaking the ice by talking about the weather”
a strong wind or storm or strong winds and storms collectively: We’ve had some real weather this spring.
a weathercast: The radio announcer will read the weather right after the commercial.
(Usually, weathers) changes or vicissitudes in one’s lot or fortunes: She remained a good friend in all weathers.

 

 

Verb

Face and withstand with courage. “weather a storm/illness”
(Architecture) to cause to slope, so as to shed water.
Sail to the windward of
to discolor, disintegrate, or affect injuriously under the action or influence of the weather. “A weathered old hut” ; These crumbling stones have been weathered by the centuries
to expose to the weather; dry, season, or otherwise affect by exposure to the air or atmosphere: to weather lumber before marketing it.
Nautical . (of a ship, mariner, etc.) to pass or sail to the windward of: to weather a cape

 

 

Adjective

Towards the side exposed to wind

Idiom

under the weather, (Informal).

somewhat indisposed; ailing; ill.
suffering from a hangover.
more or less drunk: Many fatal accidents are caused by drivers who are under the weather.

 

WHETHER \pronounced wheth-ur; wheth-er\ is a conjunction that,

Expresses a doubt or question. “I wondered whether you were going to the party?”
Introduces two alternatives. “it will take ages whether you drive or fly”

 

WETHER \pronounced wheth-ur; wheth-er\, a noun referring to:

a male sheep especially a castrated one.

(Note to authors writing stories with neutered sheep and want to sound authentic: you’re welcome)

I hope you’ve all had some good weather today, whether you’re in the northern or southern hemisphere. We won’t talk about the wether in your barn

My work here is done. Enjoy your day!

Word Wednesday: Loathe vs Loath

Word Wednesday is back! (I hope). I’m willing to bet that many of you didn’t know there was loathe and loath. Most of you probably, like me, assumed it was the same word/spelling that had different meanings or applications. Chances are that many of us have used them interchangeably without realising it. I discovered the difference in spelling just a couple of months back when I needed a stress reliever and I found an online quiz – yes, some of us do that for fun

Anyway, let’s get to it:

LOATH \pronounced lohth or lowth\ an adjective meaning:

unwilling; reluctant; disinclined; averse to do something contrary to your custom: “to be loath to admit a mistake.”
(usually followed by ‘to’) strongly opposed. “loath to go on such short notice”

Related forms

loathness (noun)
overloath (adjective)
unloath (adjective)
unloathly (adverb)

Synonyms

reluctant


antipathetic

LOATHE \pronounced lohth or lowth\,  a verb meaning,

to feel disgust or intense aversion for; abhor: I loathe people who spread malicious gossip.

Related forms

loather (noun)
loathing (noun)
unloathed (adjective)

Synonyms

detest
abominate
hate
abhor
execrate

Antonyms

like

So there you have it. Loath and Loathe. (…I  can see clearly now the difference is clear… – ok, maybe not very smooth ; I’m in good mood, what can I say]

I should probably get this posted, since Wednesday has almost ended where I am. Enjoy the rest of your week.

Author Interview: JM Stewart

Hey everyone, it’s my pleasure to host my friend and CP, Joanne who writes as JM Stewart, on her book release blog tour (applause).

J.M. writes what she likes to call sweet and spicy contemporary romance. She’s a stay-at-home mom by trade, married to her very own hero. They live in the Great Northwest with their two boys and two very spoiled puppies. J.M. has been devouring romances for as long as she can remember. Writing them has become her passion.

JM can be found on her Website | Twitter | Facebook | Blog | Goodreads.

If the name sounds familiar, then you may have read her debut novel, Staking His Claim or read her first guest spot here on my blog.

Well, good news! JM Stewart’s second book, The Playboy’s Baby, has just been released. I’m particulary excited about this book, since I got to read (only) some of it in the early stages and I’m eager to see (a) what has changed and (b) how the GMCs are resolved.

Anyway, I’ve realised that the best way to handle an author interview is to get right into it, cos it’s about the guest author and the fans!

So, Joanne, welcome to my blog.

Thanks for having me again, Empi!

Omgsh!!! Love love love your book cover.

*blush* Thanks. I’m enamoured with it. I even put it on my desktop. lol I think it’s gorgeous. It really fits the story.

*returns to interviewer mode* What’s The Playboy’s Baby about? 

A wealthy playboy, a good girl, an adorable baby, and lots of sparks.

Here’s the blurb:

They can’t forget the past, but is it enough to create a future?

When an accident leaves her guardian to her six-month-old niece, Emma Stanton must return to her small hometown of Hastings, Montana to find the one man she’s spent the last eight years trying to forget. She and Dillon had grown up together–he was her sister’s best friend. But that hadn’t stopped him from sharing a kiss with Emma that had followed her through the years. Now, not only must she break the news of her sister’s tragic death to Dillon, but she must risk the only family she has left and tell him he’s the baby’s father.

Wealthy nightclub owner Dillon James has been used for his name and money one too many times, so when he comes face-to-face with Emma Stanton and her gorgeous lips, he’s determined to keep things light. All he wants is to be the father his daughter needs, to make up for not being there for her and her mother. But spending time with Emma, as she shows him the ropes of caring for his daughter, is wearing down his defenses. Perhaps it’s time he took a chance on love.

If only he can convince Emma to take a chance on him…

How long did it take to complete it? (or, How tough has it been getting this second book out (compared with the first?)

Originally, I wrote this in about three months. How tough was it to get a second book out: Well, I took the long way around. I originally sent this to Harlequin, and unfortunately didn’t get a response until almost 18 months later, and then it came unfortunately with a rejection. The editor was nice enough to give me a personal rejection, and she offered suggestions for how I might fix it. (don’t you just love personalised Rs?) So, I revised it, then sent it back out.

This one honestly garnered a few rejections before it finally found it’s home, and everybody seemed to have a different reason. I thought there for a while it might never. 

Well, we’re glad that it did, because I for one love secret baby romance stories. Speaking of romance, tell about your hero and heroine. What do you think is unique (or particularly likable) about them?

My heroine, Emma, is a caregiver. She’s self-sacrificing. She takes care of everyone else before herself. Growing up, she took care of her little sister while also taking care of her ailing mother, got a job at a young age to help pay the bills. When her mother died, she became guardian to her little sister. At the start of the book, her sister has just died, leaving her guardian to her six month old niece.

She doesn’t consider herself beautiful, and she’s honest. But she isn’t afraid to stand up for what’s right and what she believes in. She definitely isn’t afraid to stand up to Dillon.

Dillon is a big guy with a big heart. He’s been used for his name and his money, and he’s got a reputation he’s earned but one he’s trying to put behind him. So, in the beginning, Emma sees him as a “spoiled rich boy” as she calls him. The papers call him a playboy. Emma discovers he’s got a heart. He thinks someone needs to take care of Emma, and he wants to be the one to do it.

Aaawww, loving both of them already. Strong heroine…and I’m seeing a beta/alpha mix in your hero. Very nice! Please give us a sneak peek into your book – and, of course, where we can get our hands on a copy.

She stopped cold when she emerged from the hallway. Dillon stood in front of the coffeepot, spooning grounds into the brew basket wearing nothing but a towel wrapped around his lean hips.

“Morning, Em.” His tone was so casual she almost wanted to laugh.

“Um…hi,” were the only words that would leave her desert-dry throat.

She sucked her bottom lip into her mouth and bit down, unable to stop her gaze from sliding over him. Every inch of the man looked to be solid muscle, from the wide expanse of his shoulders and back down to the thick thighs peeking out from the bottom of the towel.

“I’m making coffee. You want some?”

She ducked her head, pinched the bridge of her nose, and counted to ten in a vain attempt to force her overheated mind to focus.

“Em?”

At the clear question in his voice, she opened her eyes and looked up at him, only to wish she hadn’t. Dillon had twisted at the waist to face her. His chest was a solid wall of smooth, contoured muscle. A patch of dark hair sprouted between his pecs. A line of softer, finer hair ran down the center of his stomach and disappeared beneath the towel. God help her. The man had a six-pack.

Focus!

“No.” Did her voice squeak? She cleared her throat. “No coffee. Thank you.”

He nodded and turned, crossing to the fridge. There, he pulled out a water pitcher and moved back to the coffeemaker. She swallowed hard and tried not to follow his trek across the room. Tried not to focus on the way the muscles in his back and arms shifted and bunched when he lifted the pitcher.

Or how very much she wished that towel would lose its grip on his waist.

Oh, God. She had to distract herself. She shouldn’t be thinking about him this way.

Say something. Anything. “Thanks for the bagels. And for putting me to bed.”

“You’re welcome. Couldn’t leave you to sleep on the couch.” Dillon shot a smile over his shoulder while he filled the coffeemaker with water. “Always gives me a crick in the neck. Did you call Doctor Marley’s office this morning by any chance?”

She cleared her throat and pinned her gaze to the back of his head. Her heart running a marathon in her chest, she forced herself to move into the room. She couldn’t very well stand there and ogle him. “We have an appointment at one. Annie should be up from her nap by then.”

Stepping up to the sink beside him, his clean soapy smell drifted to her. She longed to lean over and discover the scent on his skin. The image flashed in her mind in vivid detail. Dillon in the shower, water pouring over his naked flesh…

Buy links:

Amazon | All Romance ebooks | Barnes and Noble 

*sighs* That was a yummy scene. Emma has got it bad, but Dillon is just plain asking for it –  and I’m loving all of it.

Final question, JM. A little birdie told me something about a book give-away – is that right?

Yes, I would like to give away a copy of the book. I’ll actually be giving away four copies in total, one at each stop on my blog tour. So there’ll two more chances to win a copy after today. The other two stops are:

Aug 7th (tomorrow): Tara Chevrestt
Aug 8th (Wednesday): Ju Dimello

Winners will be announced on August 10.

Cool beans (as a friend of mine likes to say). Thanks for the interview, Joanne and thanks for the give-away. Good luck with your new book release and blog tour.

***

Well, readers and fans, that was JM Stewart. I hope you enjoyed the interview and the sneak peek into The Playboy’s Baby. Please, show JM some love by saying hi and telling her what you thought of the excerpt, asking questions – if you have any – etc etc. (and not just because you could win a copy of her book – tsk tsk tsk).

Review of Most Eligible Bachelor

Here’s a confession that I am sure every author can relate with. I love my stories and my characters, and I often find myself flipping to pages just to re-live a scene in the book (admit it, authors. I’m not the loca one in the room). Anyway, that said, I always get a little lump in my throat when I see a new review of my books. Is it good? Is it bad? Terrible? … Despite the anxiety, it is always good to know people are reading my stories, and a positive review is a definite day-maker.

So it is my pleasure to share this review of Most Eligible Bachelor by Clea as part of the Book Wenches’  list of June reviews. It’s part of a full list of reviews, so I’ve decided to post mine here. (I’ll provide a link to the page at the end of the post)

Here goes:

Rating: 4.25

Reviewed by: Clea

Chantelle Sah is an up-and-coming journalist who is working hard to become a success at her magazine, and she knows that her story on Lord McKenzie will be the article that will get her the recognition she deserves. She just has to keep her cool, be professional and get him to open up and reveal things that he wouldn’t normally tell a reporter. It shouldn’t be too hard, but upon meeting Lord, she realizes that he is smart and very guarded and sexy as hell. She had no intention of having sex with him, much less falling for him, but it just happened. And it scares her to death. She hasn’t let herself even consider having a fling, much less a relationship, since her fiancé died, and she found out that he had been cheating on her before that. She just can’t handle heartbreak.

Lord McKenzie is a very powerful man in his community, and people respect that, but most people are only interested in his love life. He doesn’t care what people think, so he doesn’t dispute his developing reputation as a playboy because it doesn’t matter to him. He begins to regret his neglecting of his reputation when it begins to affect his family’s business, and he really regrets it when he meets Chantelle and is instantly attracted to her. He understands his playboy image is a bit of a hindrance, but as he tries to prove himself to Chantelle, he doesn’t understand why she keeps pulling away from him.

********

Chantelle and Lord are both very sensitive people with big hearts. Their intimate circle of family and friends are of the utmost importance to them. They are both very protective of their hearts and lives, so they have a hard time letting people in for fear of being hurt. This concern seemed to make them kindred spirits, if only they could let their guards down enough to realize it. The story is told from both of their perspectives, and I liked that, because it develops the characters and story line better when you are allowed a peak into the hearts and minds of those involved in the relationship.

The immediate attraction between these two characters is an attention grabber; it sucks you right into their relationship and makes you root for them right away. Their first encounter is very carnal and so full of reckless passion that, for a brief moment, I was sad that I haven’t experienced that kind of unexpected raw need for something in my life. It was a well-written scene, in which nothing mattered except being with each other for that moment in time, and consequences don’t play into until afterwards.

At the beginning of the book, I was too distracted by the names of many of the characters and I had a hard time trying to figure out where the in the world these people lived. It took me until I was about two thirds of the way through the book before I figured it out, and then I was able to focus better. Overall, I would have to say that is my only real complaint about the book.

Most Eligible Bachelor is a really good story with very likable characters, who draw you in and make you care for and admire them on a multitude of levels. It’s like reading a story about two old friends that you want to see happy, and you know they will be perfect together. It just warms your heart.

***

Thank you, Clea and Book Wenches for reading my novel and for such a wonderful review!

For you, readers, if you’re looking for some books to add to your TBR list, check out the full list of the Book Wenches’ June 2012 reviews.

Have a wonderful day.

Guest Blog: Introducing the Ashanti Queen…

It’s been a busy week for me as I (and  my family) have been preparing for my brother’s wedding, but in the middle of it all, I did find time for a guest blog with Peace Chidi. So this post is just to say hi, and let you know that I’m still kicking

It was a fun interview, so I hope you’ll click on the link above to check it out. Please leave me a comment on the post (or  here) so I know you read it.

Cheers,

 

Summer Chat Event with West Africa’s Finest

As some of you know, I’m a member of a special group of writers called Romance Writers of West Africa (RWoWA), and we have some fun lined up for you this summer, and we’re calling it RWOWA Summer Chat Event.

How would you like to chat with your favourite RWOWA authors online? Ask all the questions you wish you could ask and get answers in real time? Well, here’s your chance.

Here’s who’s going to be there to chat with you:

Myne Whitman – author of contemporary romantic fiction books: A Heart to Mend and A Love Rekindled ;
Kiru Taye – author of historical & contemporary romance novels: His Treasure , His Strength , A Valentine Challenge and  An Engagement Challenge ;
Empi Baryeh – author of contemporary romance novels: Most Eligible Bachelor and Chancing Faith ;
Netty Ejike – author of contemporary romantic fiction: His Sin and Stormy Affair ;
Stella Ajanaku – author of contemporary romantic fiction: Stormy Defense and The Gardener’s Ice Maiden;
Patricia Enyi – author of Young Adult fiction: The Prodigal Daughter ;
Nina Ndubuisi – author of erotic fiction: New Year’s Day .

You can ask questions, join in a fun quiz, read excerpts from our latest books and also have the chance to win FREE books and other goodies.

Sounds great, doesn’t it? Here’s what you need to do:

1. Mark your calendars.

Date: 16 June 2012.
Time: 2 -4pm EST (8 – 10pm UK time)

2. Register to chat.

Place: Coffee Time Romance Group

If you’re not already a member of the CTR yahoo group, click on the link to register today so you can be approved in time to chat on the day.

3. Join us on 16th June. Chat. Read. Win. Have loads of fun.

I’ll share the chat link when I have it. I look forward to seeing you there.

As some of you know, I’m a member of a special group of ...

As some of you know, I’m a member of a special group of writers Hello, friends of RWoWA. We have some fun lined up for you this summer. Get ready for our summer chat event.

 

How would you like to chat with your favourite RWoWA authors online? Well, here’s your chance. You are invited to the RWoWA Summer Chat Event featuring:

 

Myne Whitman – author of contemporary romantic fiction books: A Heart to Mend and A Love Rekindled;

 

Kiru Taye – author of historical & contemporary romance novels: His Treasure, His Strength, A Valentine Challenge & An Engagement Challenge;

 

Empi Baryeh – author of contemporary romance novels: Most Eligible Bachelor and Chancing Faith;

 

Netty Ejike – author of contemporary romantic fiction: His Sin and Obsession;

 

Stella Ajanaku – author of contemporary romantic fiction: Stormy Defense and The Gardener’s Ice Maiden;

 

Patricia Enyi – author of Young Adult fiction: The Prodigal Daughter;

 

and Nina Ndubuisi – author of erotic fiction: New Year’s Day

 

You can ask questions, join in a fun quiz, read excerpts from their latest books and also have the chance to win FREE books and other goodies.

 

Sounds great, doesn’t it. Here’s what you need to do:

 

1. Mark your calendars.

 

Date: 16 June 2012.

 

Time: 2 -4pm EST (8 – 10pm UK time)

 

2. Register to chat.

 

Place: Coffee Time Romance Group

 

If you’re not already a member of the CTR yahoo group, click on the link to register today so you can be approved in time to chat on the day.

 

3. Join us on 16 June. Chat. Read. Win. Have loads of fun.

 

We look forward to seeing you there.