Diane Saxon's Blog, page 7

Stiletto Secrets - Bella J

STILETTO SECRETS Fairy Tale Bastards #1By Bella JRelease Date:  04/25/16Genre: Contemporary Romance, Adult Fairy tale
BlurbNicholas Blake is your typical class A, rich bastard who loves getting what he wants. He’s spoiled, selfish and enjoys all the lavish pleasures life has to offer—especially those that involve women and getting naked. Nicholas’ life is just damn near perfect. But one night out on the town with his friends and everything changes. One encounter with a stripper in stilettos who fittingly calls herself Cinderella, and his life suddenly doesn’t seem so goddamn perfect anymore.As if that isn’t enough, there’s also Emma, the new maid in his father’s mansion that immediately piques his curiosity with her sweet smile and blue-green eyes. He finds himself drawn to her and wants nothing more than to seduce her into his bed, to make her his. But he just can’t seem to stay away from the stripper that makes him burn in ways he never knew possible.The more he starts to care for Emma, the stronger his obsession grows for Cinderella.Insane? Absolutely.Twisted? Yes.Completely screwed up? Hell yes.A decision needs to be made; he needs to choose. But will Nicholas be able to make that choice when he finds himself all tangled up in a giant cluster of love, lust and stilettos?


ADD TO YOUR TBR LIST ON GOODREADShttps://www.goodreads.com/book/show/29401223-stiletto-secrets



Excerpt 

“Pick one.” Nicholas jerked his head to the left in the direction from where the woman’s voice came, and noticed the dark-pink curtains. “Pick one what?” He scanned the room. “The shoes. Pick a pair,” a soft, sultry voice replied. Then Nicholas noticed movement behind the curtain. Whoever it was dragged her hand along the fabric while leisurely pacing, apparently waiting for him to choose. Instantly intrigued, he glanced at the cabinet and then back at the curtain. “You want me to choose a pair of shoes?”
“Yes, pick a pair and I will wear them.” Nicholas felt a little tingle in the back of his neck when she spoke. He had only been in this room for five minutes and whoever was behind the curtain already had all his attention. He moved a little closer to the curtain. “You know, a lot goes into choosing the right pair of shoes. For example, I’d need to know what you’re wearing first.” He tried to get a better look at the woman behind the curtain, but the fabric was just too damn dense for him to make out anything other than a silhouette. “Why don’t you just pick a pair under the assumption that I’m not wearing anything,” she replied with soft, smoothly spoken words. Somehow it reminded him of melted chocolate. “Why don’t you let me see for myself what you’re wearing?” “That’s not how it works, Mr. Blake.” The curtain swooshed a little as she moved behind it. Nicholas turned to the glass cabinet with the shoes. How in God’s name was he supposed to choose? It was like telling a kid to choose one item in Willy Wonka’s candy factory. Im-fucking-possible. After inspecting each pair, he finally opened the door and reached for a white pair of stilettos with a little diamond bow on top. A simple design, but it was the pair with the sharpest heel, and Nicholas loved those damn heels. “So what do I do with these?” Nicholas inspected the shoes more closely. And then a hand reached out from the other side of the curtain. Nicholas noticed the freshly manicured nails and beautiful dainty fingers. “Now you give them to me, and take a seat, Mr. Blake.” Nicholas looked to the chair before handing her the shoes. “On the table next to the chair you will see a pair of handcuffs and a blindfold. You need to sit down, lock one of the cuffs around your hand, put on the blindfold and then place both hands behind the back of the seat.” Nicholas frowned. “Okay, I’m not sure I’m entirely comfortable with this. I thought this was a show. How am I supposed to enjoy the show if I can’t see anything?” “Mr. Blake, I have three different types of shows I present. See, feel, and touch.” “See, feel, and touch?” he mimed silently with his mouth. “You can’t experience all at once.” “Well, I’d sort of feel cheated then.” “When you lose one of your senses, the other senses get heightened, Mr. Blake.” Nicholas could not get over the beautiful sound of this woman’s voice. It was like her voice had a direct line straight down to his cock. He started to leisurely pace around the room. “So I’m just curious, which show did my friends book me for?” “Feel,” she replied. Being the smart-ass that he was, Nicholas asked, “Isn’t that kind of the same thing as touch?” “No, it’s not. With touch you would be allowed to use your hands, guided by me of course. With feel, you will only feel what I want you to feel.” Okay, now he was really damn curious. As he turned to the table and eyed the contents, he contemplated what his options were. Either he turned around now and then got labeled as a pussy by his friends, or he could put on the mask and the cuffs and see where this all went. But honestly, there was no way in hell he would be able to walk away now. “What will it be, Mr. Blake?” Nicholas shrugged and picked up the cuffs. “I guess we should get this show started then.” About the Author:


Bella J lives in Cape Town, South Africa with her husband, two kids, & chihuahua. Her love for writing started in eighth grade when she received her first writing assignment—which she flunked. But the positive side of her failure—her newly found passion for writing. The negative side—now she’s completely spaced out half of the time living in her little pretend world of romance, love, & insanely hot heroesGet in Touchwww.bellajauthor.wix.com/sassyFacebook: www.facebook.com/BellaJ1983Twitter: https://twitter.com/BellaJ_Author

OTHER TITLES BY BELLA J

Resplendent Ruin (Resplendence #1)Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/26319763-resplendent-ruin?from_search=true&search_version=serviceAmazon: http://www.amazon.com/Resplendent-Ruin-Resplendence-Book-1-ebook/dp/B016TQFI00

Resplendent Rush (Resplendence #2)Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/28018678-resplendent-rushAmazon: http://www.amazon.com/Resplendent-Rush-Resplendence-Book-2-ebook/dp/B01AGZATK4

Resplendent Rage (Resplendence #3)Release date: 03/28/16Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/28693569-resplendent-ragePre-order link:  http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/resplendent-rage-j-bella/1123483698?ean=9781622103454

#Sorcery and Sword Fights in Vanquished by @Laurel_R_books #fantasy

Blurb: Three strangers brought together by war.
The Ulanesh—vicious soldiers from the underrealm—are invading the forest and destroying everything in their path. Standing against the enemy, Evrenor is a captain in the Quennin army and has been tasked by his king to find allies. He enlists the aid of the ancient sea sorceress Valkaria, whom he wakes from a curse that has entombed her at the bottom of a lake for a thousand years. She must regain her powers after a millennium of disuse or else watch everyone around her die.
Evrenor finds another ally in Damir, a woodsman whose people are so reclusive that outsiders consider them myths. The tree-talking woodsmen can blend perfectly with the forest, and they are deadly with their daggers. Damir is ready to take down the enemy, but he has to strike before the vision he’s had of his own death comes to pass.
An awakened sorceress, a mysterious woodsman, and a cunning army captain—will their combined forces be enough to vanquish the enemy?

Available from:
Amazon UK │ Amazon US │ Omnilit │ B&N │ Kobo │ iTunes │ Inktera


Excerpt:
Evrenor kept a close eye on Valkaria as they moved along the rough trail through the woods. Looking at her fresh face, it was difficult to imagine that she had been born over a thousand years ago. He wondered if she realized how much time she’d lost trapped inside the lake. Should he tell her? Perhaps when she was a little stronger?
Glancing behind him, he saw that Hyvril and Antyar were looking after her now. He hadn’t even needed to tell them to do so. They had taken it upon themselves to protect her on each side. Such good men, he thought. He was glad to have them on this mission. Although there hadn’t been any sightings of the enemy for days, he couldn’t be certain when they might appear.
As Evrenor led the way over the nearest hill, the woods widened around him, and the air wasn’t nearly so still.
“I’m sorry we didn’t bring more suitable clothes for you, Lady Valkaria,” he heard Hyvril say behind him.
“It doesn’t matter,” she replied. “I prefer dry and warm over suitable, and I’ve decided I like these clothes.”
“We expected a man,” Antyar added more bluntly. “The legends said nothing of the great sorcerer being a woman.”
Evrenor glanced back to see her reaction and caught the wry amusement that danced across her face.
“No, they wouldn’t have, would they?” she said. “There’s no feminine form of the word sorcerer in my language, so they would have had to go out of their way to make a point of it. Besides, I’m the only one.”
Evrenor saw his men exchange glances. So this, then, really was the great sorcerer? Although he knew there couldn’t have been two bodies magically buried in the lake, he had accepted that there might have been some sort of mix-up. Apparently the only mistake was a lack of a gendered noun in the seaside language.
Valkaria certainly spoke and carried herself with dignity, but how could so delicate a creature possess the great powers of legend? The lady seemed to inspire protectiveness among his men, not awe and reverence.
“My father, Lord Valkinor,” she explained, “was a sorcerer of exceptional skill. They said he could make the ocean touch the sky or build the dunes with a thought. He saved our isle from the windstorms and the towering waves, and he was well loved by his people. Some even worshipped him as a god.
“It was hoped that one day he would pass his gifts to a son, who would continue his rule. But fate, it seems, had a will of her own. She gave him nothing but daughters. My father decided to break with the old ways, and he turned to me, the eldest of his daughters, to salvage his legacy. He passed the art of his magic to me, saving me from a life as a common oracle, and with it, he passed me his rule.”
“Didn’t that cause conflict?” Hyvril asked.
When a long silence ensued, Evrenor looked at her again. Her face was solemn, and she looked as if she was troubled by dark memories.
“Yes,” she whispered. “Yes, it did.”


About the Author
Laurel Richards is a fiction author with a passion for shifters, space travelers, and other memorable characters. She has gathered inspiration from lots of different sources throughout her life and is here today to share her imagination through storytelling. Laurel writes sci-fi/fantasy, paranormal, and the occasional funny mystery, all with various degrees of romance mixed in.
Website │ Twitter │ Amazon Page │ Goodreads │ Google+




Hashtags:#fantasy #swords #sorcery #magic

Locked Box

Synopsis

Julia Bennett isn’t having a great day. Funding for her video game is running low, her IT job is sucking her dry and to cap it all off she’s locked in a police station with the very handsome, extremely married guy she’s been avoiding at all costs. 
Max Connor isn’t having a great year. He’s getting divorced, his best friend is squatting in his spare room and his inappropriate crush on the IT girl is getting dangerously out of hand. And that was before he locked the two of them in an evidence room for the weekend. Surrounded by three decade’s worth of drugs, guns and floppy disks, Max and Julia are forced to confront the heat that lies between them with dangerous, funny and occasionally toe-curlingly sexy results.




Teaser: Gaming, cider and RAM are all things young IT woman Julia Bennett understands. Her agonising crush on a seemingly married cop? Not so much. Julia’s been avoiding Max Connor for six years but now they're spending the weekend trapped in an evidence room full of whiskey and mice. 
Locked Box is a novel about two people with an unspoken connection who are forced to look each other in the eye and say “I really, really, really want to make out with you.” 










Author Bio
Eve Dangerfield has loved romance novels since she first started swiping her grandmother’s paperbacks at the age of fourteen. Now she writes her own unapologetically sexy tales about complex women and gorgeous-but-slightly-tortured men. Eve currently lives in Melbourne with her lovely sister and a rabbit named Billy. Locked Box is her second novel.
Excerpt
“Hey! Hey! Is someone in there?”
It was a man’s voice, calm and controlled and Julia knew it was a cop. Relief blasted through her, so all-encompassing she could barely speak. She slapped at the door trying to tell her would-be rescuer she was alive and in need of evacuation.
“Hang on a second,” the cop barked. “I’ll go get the spare keys.”
There was a pounding of feet as her rescuer dashed away. Julia inhaled, trying to calm her racing heart. The footsteps returned. Whoever this guy was, he was quick.
Julia swiped a hand across her sweaty forehead. “Oh my god please let me out.”
“Don’t worry Henri, I’ve got this.”
So the cop thought the actual evidence supervisor was the one entombed in Brenthill’s evidence room? That was awkward, then again who cared? He could think she was Humphrey B Bear if it got him to let her out. 
There was an agonizing rattle of keys, a muttered curse and then the door clicked open. 
Julia didn’t think she’d ever heard a sexier sound. She and the cop turned the handle at once, jamming the door. Julia laughed and let go, allowing him to open it. “Thank you, thank you, thank you. I’m going to nominate you for Cop of The Ye--”
It was him. Of course it was him. She was locked in a room, making a total dick of herself. Why wouldn’t it be him? Julia’s mouth went dry as Senior Constable Max Connor’s gaze flicked over her flushed cheeks and quivering mouth. His eyes were as dark as Julia remembered, black you could barely make out the pupil.
“Julia? What are you doing in here?” His voice was so low and deep she could practically feel his voice reverberating in her bones.
“I-I...” She stared blankly up at Max wondering if she’d remembered to wear mascara today.
“Julia?”
Max’s expression was a mixture of amusement and disdain as though he couldn’t figure out how someone could be quite so ridiculous. Julia cheeks burned hot and she knew that if she’d been given the choice she’d have gladly starved to death in the property office to avoid this situation.
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Mother's Day Magic

A message from Allyson R. Abbott.


READING TO HELP A CHARITYI love to buy books as presents. I wanted to find a book that would let my mom know how much I appreciate her. As an author, I decided to write the story to say how much I love her. I told my friend what I had planned to do. Grace, also an author, wanted to do the same. We set out to write our two stories, but Grace suffers with MS and it became so bad she had to stop writing. I sent out an appeal to authors worldwide to write stories for Mother's Day, and to donate 10% of every book sold to MS. My call was answered by 13 special authors and our Mother's Day Magic box set was born. Read these beautiful stories and help stop a crippling disease––MS!



























Buy Links
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A Valentine's Day Gift

Roses



or lilies?



What’s your favourite?
When I first met my husband, I was two weeks off my seventeenth birthday. He didn’t buy me flowers, he bought me a pair of white, strappy heels. I knew straight away he was the man for me, I just needed to wait until he caught up.
I was nineteen when we married, and we’re married still. He was a keeper.  You should see the amount of heels I have now.
Our most recent purchase was a new wardrobe for our guest bedroom. Guess what we had built into it? Yup, an entire row of shoe shelves.
This is love.
This is something my husband and I can show each other every day of our lives. I buy shoes, he accommodates them. He buys me flowers at any time of the year, and I buy him sweeties and make him cakes (yup, you guessed it, he’s a sweet tooth.)
So what will we do for Valentine’s Day?
Well, now, that’s our little secret.
If you’d like a romantic read, For Heaven’s Cakes is free right now.
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New Release - Sweet on You by Marianne Rice

Sweet on You by Marianne RiceSeries: The Wilde Sisters #1Release Date: January 26, 2016Publisher: Limitless Publishing|| SYNOPSIS || An extravagant cake design brings small town baker Trent Kipson to fame…
After gaining social media exposure of his culinary art, Trent’s cake design goes viral. Soon he’s contacted by the Cooking Network to host a new show in California. It’s the opportunity of a lifetime for the owner of a modest shop in Portland, Maine, and the financial freedom the network offers could be the answer to all of his monetary problems.
Fitness instructor Rayne Wilde wants the life every small-town girl dreams of…
Rayne wishes for a future full of romance and the pitter-patter of little feet. She wants it all, including a white picket fence and a dog named Spot—which is exactly why she refuses to sleep with Trent, the sexy man who attends her Zumba classes. After a series of dead-end relationships, this time she really is in love. Trent is special, and the fear of letting him slip through her fingers keeps her advances at bay.
Life is waiting—all it takes is a leap of faith...
As their friendship grows and skeletons creep out of their closets, their relationship is put to the test. Stakes get higher, and the spark between them burns hotter than ever before.
Can they handle the heat when life-changing secrets are exposed, or will the fear of being burned send them on two different paths?
||| PURCHASE |||Available on Kindle Unlimited!Amazon US: http://amzn.to/1WnPCxTAmazon UK: http://amzn.to/1WnR6bA

|| ABOUT THE AUTHOR ||

Marianne Rice writes contemporary romances set in small New England towns. Her heroes are big and strong, yet value family and humor, while her heroines are smart, sexy, sometimes a little bit sassy, and are often battling a strong internal conflict. Together, they deal with real life issues and always, always, find everlasting love. When she’s not writing, Marianne spends her time buying shoes, eating chocolate, chauffeuring her herd of children to their varying sporting events, and when there’s time, cuddling with her husband, a drink in one hand, a romance book in the other.
Limitless Publishing: http://www.limitlesspublishing.net/authors/marianne-rice/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MarianneRiceautTwitter: https://twitter.com/mariannericeautWebsite: http://www.mariannerice.com/

Reviews for Seduction in Seville are in! Nerd Girl Offici...

Reviews for Seduction in Seville are in!

Nerd Girl Official: "We are taken on a wild ride and I loved every minute of it. I like to read books that have action and move at a fast pace and this one was just what I wanted. I look forward to reading more from this author. "Seduction in Seville (The Men of FTI, Book #2)Author: Olivia NightBlurbIn a hospital in Seville, Spain, Patrick Kane lies in a coma. Ambushed and shot while protecting someone important to him, he fights to survive.She never thought she would see him again. Patrick, the man who’d brought her back.Eight years ago, Patrick Kane, a joint partner in Fairlane Trade International, descended into a basement of horrors. That horrible day he rescued many women, but one he would always remember. Her beautiful doe eyes filled his dreams and haunted his nightmares.Madison Lockwood, a nurse, has struggled to put her past behind her, trying to forget the time she spent in captivity. But she recognizes the man who rescued her and brought her out of that terrifying reality. She owes him her life. Patrick is gravely injured, and Madison vows to see him through.When Patrick opens his eyes, he instantly knows that he made a mistake leaving Madison after freeing her from the clutches of a human trafficking ring. She is meant to be his. As Patrick tries to win over a wary Madison, the past they both thought was gone for good comes back with a vengeance. One by one, the survivors of the horrific ordeal are being murdered. Patrick knows that Madison will be next if he doesn’t protect her.Together they must fight for their survival. Seduction In Seville, book two in the Men of FTI series, is a tale of redemption, murder, new beginnings, and love that takes the reader on a wild, exotic ride.Add to your Goodreads TBRNOW Available on:Liquid Silver Books | 

Amazon | 

KOBO

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iBooks | Barnes and Noble



Excerpt from Seduction in Seville, The Men of FTI Book Two He was struggling internally, she could feel it. She knew why, and so did he.

“I’ve been on my own for a long time now.”

He tensed, his fingers flexing on her hips. Whoops, wrong thing to say.

“I know that, Madison.” She opened her mouth to speak. “You’re not anymore.”

She opened her mouth again.

“Not ever again,” he added.

He turned her then and looked down at her with determination in his eyes. Daring her to negate his statement. “Patrick—” “I found you again. Or you found me. Whichever. But never again, Madison.” She was silent for a beat, and then she felt her heart begin to thunder. Oh God, she was going to hyperventilate. She shook her head and then asked the question that had been on her mind for a month. “What are you doing?” It came out a bit like an accusation. She looked up at him and watched him grind his jaw, his hands on her hips using the same rhythm. “What am I doing?”

“Yes.”

“What I should have done eight years ago.”

She glanced over his shoulder, thinking back to those eight years. She had woken up to her parents, and as much as she’d hated it, she’d wanted him there, too “What do you mean?” He looked at her for more than a few seconds, his gaze searching hers, and then he just seemed to look into her. “I knew your eyes the second I opened mine,” he said as if it were some sort of explanation. Goosebumps erupted all over her arms. “I could never forget them. Ever.” Still, she said nothing. “I saw them all the time. Every day for eight years.”

She looked down. Their waists were almost touching. He had done that before. Careful not to connect them there. She leaned her lower half into him. Another first. And then he pulled her closer. She looked back up. “I should have never walked out of that hospital, Madison.” He sounded so sure.

“Patrick...” She shook her head. “It’s okay that you did.”

“No. It’s not.” He said it with finality. “I knew it was wrong then. I just ignored what I knew or maybe thought that I couldn’t be right. That I was misidentifying the feeling. That it was inappropriate for me to have those feelings then.” What was he talking about? “What feelings?” she asked. But he ignored her and kept going. “You were so scared. I didn’t know you, and I wanted to take it all away. All the time you spent there. Clear it from your mind.” His gaze was now over her shoulder, staring out the window. “And you needed me. You leaned on me, slept on me. Held my hand when we got to the hospital. I should have never left. At first, I told myself it was the right thing to do. You didn’t know me. You didn’t need me. I convinced myself that I was making it up. That what I was feeling was to make me feel better. I couldn’t save them all. I saved you. So, I told myself that this was all just me trying to take away my guilt...and that you really didn’t need me. But then, after time had passed and I saw your face more clearly...the way you had looked up at me in that basement. The way you looked at me in the Jeep. In the hospital. I knew leaving was a mistake. You did need me.” Madison was silent through it all. His explanation, though disjointed, was perfectly clear. She continued to look up at him. She had no clue what to say, so she didn’t say anything. “And then I realized it wasn’t just about what you needed. It was about what I needed. I needed you and to be there for you. To see you through it. And I could’ve found you, but...I didn’t. I stayed away.” “Why?” she whispered. He looked down at her then. “Because I knew Madison. I knew.” As if this were an entirely understandable explanation. “You knew what, Patrick?”

He stared at her, unblinking, and then said, “That you were mine.”

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Other titles by this author: Seduction in Sierra Leone, The Men of FTI Book One


Want to know what started it all?In the mangroves of Sierra Leone, two strangers raised a world apart find themselves inextricably connected. Seduction in Sierra Leone, the first in a series of three novels, is a fast-paced tale of murder, lust, and love that transports the reader to a foreign and mysterious world of danger.Aislinn Salameh, an American relief worker, is searching for purpose in her self- imposed lonely world. The stranger who enters her village on a blistering hot day seems more animal than human. She knows she should stay far away but can’t stop herself from being drawn to the mysterious man.Brandt Fairlane is haunted by the sins of his past. Detached from others, Brandt has spent his life alone. His line of work is too dangerous for the luxuries of love and family.When Brandt sees Aislinn and her haunting eyes, he knows he must possess her. But when Brandt’s past comes back from the dead and Aislinn is caught in the crossfire, it is up to him to keep her safe. In order to survive, they must learn to rely on one another. As they run for their lives, the heat between them becomes undeniable. Now, Brandt must not only protect Aislinn from a madman committed to stealing her away, but he also must protect her from himself. Because if Brandt steals her body and her heart, he’ll never let her go.
Reviews for Seduction in Sierra Leone, The Men of FTI Book 1Night Owl Reviews “Seduction in Sierra Leone has a great combination of action and romance. This book is well written and fast paced. There is enough hot sex to keep you reading and cheering on the couple. I recommend this book to all suspense and military romance readers. I’m looking forward to next book.” Seduction in Sierra Leone, The Men of FTI Book 1Buy LinksLiquid Silver Books | 

Amazon | 

KOBO

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iBooks | Barnes and Noble

Author Bio:Olivia Night, a fictional character herself, has always been an avid reader and writer. She found the romance genre in college and has never been able to get enough. One sleepless night, the main characters of Book One in her Men of FTI  series sprang from her head fully formed. They demanded she tell their story; so she did. As they revealed themselves, so did two other intriguing characters. Those characters convinced her to give them their own books because their stories were worth telling too. And so Olivia suddenly became a romance author. When Olivia is not writing, she has the best job in the world, which, too, will remain a secret. In her free time, she reads, write, drinks wine, or is, most likely, out emulating Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Olivia lives in one of the most diverse and vibrant cities in the U.S.—Baltimore. She lives with her cat, which she is convinced was a gladiator in his past life. Olivia plans to continue being awesome at this thing called life. Really, that’s her only goal.Connect with Olivia Night:Facebook | Goodreads | Website | Amazon | Twitter

Feline Valentine (A Witch’s Night Out) by Tara Quan

A year ago, I released Fireworks at Midnight, thinking I would leave the world of A Witch’s Night Out forever (I’d planned the series as a trilogy). Unfortunately, my characters had other plans. Since I’d sicced Madame Eve on her cat familiar, earth mage Shelley Dupree insisted I make things right. To be fair, I’d already given her a magical handicap, forced her under house arrest, and buried her in bills—taking away her feline companion did seem a cruel and unusual punishment.

It took me two months of fictional time to even the scales with Feline Valentine. Part of Decadent Publishing’s 1Night Stand series, my interracial paranormal romance is set in Washington, D.C., where magic-wielding folk try to live alongside us pesky humans. It’s my first true “shifter” AND “foodie” romance (talk about ticking two boxes with one book), and a quick read of the blurb should tell you what I mean.

To celebrate this unexpected return to my favorite series, I’m giving away a $15 gift card. To enter, leave a comment here and drop your details in the Rafflecopter widget at the bottom of this post [or at my website: http://www.taraquan.com/felinevalentine].

Feline Valentine (A Witch’s Night Out) by Tara Quan 

Under magical house arrest in her great-grandmother’s suburban cottage, college graduate and reluctant earth mage Shelley Dupree whiles away most mornings spying on the warlock next door.

Though erotic daydreams offer some distraction, she faces long working hours, cash flow problems, and a repeat burglar. On Valentine’s Day, she sets a trap for the mysterious intruder, intent on ending his crime streak once and for all. But her scheming cat familiar foils her best-laid plans, and, with a little help from Madame Eve’s 1-Night Stand service, she discovers a far more dangerous species of magical feline. After moving in next to a ramshackle building on the outskirts of Washington, D.C., pastry chef Adrien Chatdurois is plagued by repeat sexual fantasies starring the same curvy brunette. In a state of constant arousal, he devotes his early mornings to grueling exercise and spends the rest of his day handcrafting the city’s best chocolates.

When his younger brother stirs up trouble on the shop’s busiest day, the frustrated shifter is forced to pay a surprise visit on his reclusive neighbor. He soon learns not all witches are wart-covered hags, and one in particular might prove the most delicious of desserts.


Genre: Paranormal Romance, Romantic Comedy, Interracial/Multicultural


Buy Links: Amazon | ARe | B&N | iTunes | Kobo | GooglePlay | GoodReads Check out the rest of the series here!

Series http://mybook.to/witchsnightout




$15 Giveaway - Rafflecopter Embed Code: a Rafflecopter giveaway alternative link: http://www.taraquan.com/felinevalentine

About the Author Globetrotter, lover of languages, and romance author, Tara Quan has an addiction for crafting tales with a pinch of spice and a smidgen of kink. Inspired by her travels, Tara enjoys tossing her kick-ass heroines and alpha males into exotic contemporary locales, paranormal worlds, and post-apocalyptic futures. Her characters, armed with magical powers or conventional weapons, are guaranteed a suspenseful and sensual ride, as well as their own happily ever after. To receive updates about her new releases and get a free sexy read, subscribe to her mailing list at www.taraquan.com/newsletter.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Google+ | Goodreads | Pinterest | Amazon Excerpt

Since she’d removed the plastic wrap but had forgotten to eat, Adrien reached over and brought a strawberry to her lips. Shelley stared at him for a long moment. With a shrug and a grin, she swirled her tongue along the chocolate before clamping her teeth over the fruit. Biting off a chunk, she drew back and licked her lips clean. Shifting his stance, he tried to focus on anything but the blood rushing to his groin. He hadn’t thought his jeans could get any tighter. He’d thought wrong. The activity in the kitchen screeched to an abrupt halt.

She studied him through lowered lashes. “What? Is something wrong?”

Two could play this game. Caging her between the counter and his body, he brushed his fingers over her upper arm and along her neck. When she tilted her head to the side, he lowered his head so his lips grazed her earlobe. Grinning when her breath caught, he reached around her, his arm missing her breasts by a millimeter as he wiped her lower lip with the pad of his thumb. “You missed a spot.”

Her skin darkened to the color of milk chocolate. Though he couldn’t wait to find out how she tasted, he mustered enough self-control to return to the task at hand. The sooner he fed the witch, the sooner they’d shift to more delicious activities. “Keep eating. I don’t need another tantrum on my hands.”

“Oonn ieet.” As she polished off the strawberries, he whisked a pair of eggs in a separate bowl before combining his two mixtures. He placed a small container of butter in his palm. A few seconds later, it softened and melted. Shifters generated far more body heat than humans or elemental mages, which came in handy since his host’s microwave seemed to have been rescued from a 1980s Dumpster.

Soft footsteps approached him from behind. “Can I help?”

He turned, glanced at the empty plate on the counter, and answered her sheepish grin with a smile of his own. “Feeling guilty?”

“You’re not off the hook, or anything.” Her cheeks darkened. “But my temper might have been a bit more…explosive than usual. I’m sorry I punched you in the face, but you’re not forgiven for acting like a horny asshole.” “I kind of am horny thanks to—”

He managed to shut his mouth before allocating part of the blame to her vivid sexual fantasies.

 “Erm…. Anyway…. All is forgiven. Blood sugar dips make women’s moods go haywire. When paired with my lack of filter…let’s say there’s a reason I learned how to cook.” Her nose wrinkled. “I’m pretty sure male moods are affected by hunger as well.”

“Yes, but we tend to prioritize filling our stomachs over most other tasks.”

Finding an empty patch of counter space, she seated herself and watched as he finished off the batter with freshly grated orange zest.

“Do you always say what you think?”

“Yup. It’s a hazard.”

Covering the bowl with plastic wrap, he placed it in her fridge to rest. “Then again, there’s no point getting someone to dig a fake version of me.” He turned in time to catch her rolling her eyes. “You might want to give them some time to warm up.”

“Oh, stop pretending. You like me. Admit it.”

She looked him up and down. “I hate to break this to you, but while I might think you’re hot, your attitude leaves much to be desired.”

He worked on the oranges and lemons for the sauce. “What’s wrong with my attitude? Here I am, slaving away to put food on the table—”

She snorted.

“What? It literally describes what I’m doing. And what about the repairs I did before finding out what you looked like? All my altruism has to count for something.” He floated a pan over to the stove and started melting some sugar and butter. The distinct smell of caramel soon filled the kitchen.

Rolling her shoulders, she arched her back. The stretch puffed out her chest, and his physical reaction almost made him lose control of his telekinesis. He’d never met a female so unaware of the gorgeousness of her boobs. At this rate, he risked permanent damage to a very important body part. 

An idea hit him. With a slow wave of his finger, he sent melted sugar into the air, allowing it to cool for a moment before directing a slow stream toward the witch. When she opened her mouth, he deliberately dripped the caramel over her chin and down her neck before bracketing her body with his.

“What”—her voice turned husky—“are you doing?”

“Snacking.” He ran the tip of his tongue from the base of her throat, up the column of her neck. The sauce’s smoky sweetness lingered as he followed the sticky path to her mouth. When he caught her lower lip between his teeth, her fingers trailed up his forearms to clench over the sleeves of his shirt. He sucked, teased her with light nips until she sighed and melted against his chest. She tilted her head back, and he took it as permission to devour. Hidden under layers of chocolate and strawberry, he discovered his personal addiction. He pushed her further, forcing her to meet him stroke for stroke. 

“This is a bad idea,” she murmured between sipping kisses. “Madame Eve isn’t any old dating service.”

“I don’t care.” He circled one arm around her waist and pulled. Her thighs parted, the counter height positioning her for his taking. He ground his tented fly between her spread legs, relishing her soft moans as she hooked her ankles behind his back. Lifting a hand to fondle her breast, he pumped his hips. His quest for relief only aggravated his arousal. He channeled his mounting frustration onto her neck, leaving hickeys as he nibbled his way to her collarbones. Pulling down her hoodie’s zipper, he marked the swells of silky skin then tugged at her neckline so he could explore. When he lifted his head to examine his handiwork, he found her flushed and panting. Each labored breath lifted her plump breasts, their perfection marred by his dark brands. The rush of possession brought an indescribable high, the cat in him recognizing what neither human seemed ready to admit.

“Your clothes,” Adrien rasped. “Take them off.”

“You first.”

A split second before Shelley surrendered to temporary insanity, the sharp crack of breaking glass yanked her from the brink. Cursing her wayward hormones, she jumped off the counter and headed for the back door.

With a rumbling curse, Adrien grabbed her upper arm and swung her behind him, using his much larger body as a shield against the harmless kitchen exit. “Stay inside. I’ll handle—”

“Oh please. It’s my house. All you’ll do is stumble around the backyard half-blind. I’ve got this.” 

Spinning on his heel, he gaped at her. “You’re seriously pulling a women’s lib moment on me now?” 

“Yup.” She pointed at the stove. “Finish the dessert like a good househusband while I deal with the break-in.”

HIDING FROM STORM GERTRUDE?

ExcerptPrologueShe narrowed her eyes and squinted at the skinny geek stumbling backward out of the passenger seat of her father’s car. She’d waited all day for the rumble of the engine of her daddy’s convertible. The old car had a distinct stutter and a sly rev she fantasized was because it had a mind of its own.She smiled awkwardly, her mouth pulled tight across her braces and she pressed her fingers over her top lip to stop it from catching on the edge, rolling and making her look like a feral cat. Her face ached. They’d tightened the braces again and it hurt so much more this time. The smile dropped from her lips only to ping back up again as the geek caught his shoe on some piece of equipment in the foot well of her daddy’s car. He flipped backward, his gangly arms pin wheeling until he landed on his ass on the floor, minus his shoe.He whipped his head up and she stepped back from the window hoping he hadn’t heard her girlish giggles. He wouldn’t be impressed. He was so much older and more mature.Not many would believe he was twelve years her senior. Not with his thick russet hair falling in a boyish flop over his forehead, his fine gold-rimmed glasses perched right on the end of his nose.Her heart fluttered in her chest as she chanced another peek.His arms full of equipment, flushed to his hairline, he staggered toward the front door of her home. Adrenaline pumped hot through her veins. She took a few skips toward the hallway, ran back to the window to see her father’s car pulling away from the curbside. Her mother was out. She was the only one there to open the door. She darted back, hesitated, her pulse thrumming in the base of her throat.A dull thud shuddered the door in its frame and she shot forward, wrenched it open before he did any further damage. His shoulder slid across the oak panel and he shot sideways through the entrance, his skinny limbs racing to keep up with the speed of his body, but to no avail. His foot skidded and down he went. The clatter of laboratory equipment skidding across the wooden floor filled her ears as did his quiet Irish curse.“Bollocks.”Stifling another snigger, she crouched to help, casting furtive little glances at him as he came to his knees, straightened his waistcoat and touched his fingers to his bow tie, ensuring it was still there.“Hi Aiden.”His deep frown almost made her stutter, but she knew he couldn’t sustain his annoyance. His small nervous cough made her smile.“Hey.” The sound of his soft, smooth voice made her light-headed and she stopped what she was doing to gaze deep into his eyes.He pushed his glasses further up his nose and glared at her. Unperturbed, she met his beautiful gaze with a lovesick one of her own.“Do you need a hand down to the lab?” He dropped his gaze to her mouth. Her speech lisped embarrassingly through her clenched together teeth. She hated her braces, couldn’t wait to have them removed.“No.”Not wanting him to go yet, she piled another few items on top of the ones already in his arms and resisted the urge to stroke her fingers along the sleeve of his tweed jacket.“Can I get you a coffee?”“Zaphira…” he sighed, “Thank you, but no. I have work your father wants me to complete. I don’t want to be disturbed.”Her chest ached. Just a little. The same as it always ached when he rejected her offers.She bent to pick up Paco, her new puppy, snuggled her face into his thick fur and took comfort from his squirming, plump body as she hugged him close and let him lick sweet kisses across her chin.Aiden paused at the lab door then glanced at her over his shoulder and her heart hitched again. There. It was there, the glint in his eye. The one that told her every time she was about to give up that there was a spark of interest. There was hope.
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A Little Christmas Cheer

Christmas is coming and all Catherine wants is to follow her dream to become a baker...

Blurb

What he doesn’t anticipate is meeting the local pharmacist’s daughter - in his wolf form. By day, he renovates the pharmacy, and tries to cajole the lush assistant into having dinner with him. By night he watches Catherine bake her fantastic creations and blossom through her art.
Sleeping on her bed each night in his wolf form isn’t exactly ideal, but how does he tell her the wolf she’s come to love, is the man she lusts over?
Excerpt
Mrs. Timmins turned to see what had caught Catherine’s attention. Her pointed chin turned upward to meet the dip of her nose, which nearly fell into her wizened old mouth as it opened and closed.He seemed to have the same effect on all women, no matter what age. He was probably used to it.
“Well now, this is precisely what I mean, Catherine.” Mrs. Timmins smacked her lips together. 
“Hello, young man. Don’t I know you?”
“Yes ma’am. Good to see you looking so well Mrs. Timmins. You don’t look a day older than when I last saw you.”
The harsh cackle took Catherine by surprise, but Beau smiled at the old lady as he leaned his elbow on the counter. She tried not to stare as his T-shirt pulled tight across his chest, but a small whimper threatened to escape.
Mrs. Timmins wiped her dry old lips with the back of her hand. “I remember you. You’re the middle Devlin boy. The one who left to make his fortune.”
“Yes ma’am.”
“And did you?”
“I did.”
“Good. I never did believe all those rumors about you being trash.”
Catherine almost choked, but Mrs. Timmins hooted with laughter and patted Beau’s arm, pausing a moment to give it a sly stroke.
With a regretful sigh, she peered near-sighted into his face. “Are you married?”
“No ma’am, are you proposing?”
The hawking laughter drew Catherine’s gaze away from the flexed muscles of Beau’s arm to the old lady who seemed to have difficulty breathing. Another side effect of the hunk’s presence. He had the ability to stop a woman’s breath.
“Engaged?”
“No ma’am.”
“Girlfriend?”
“Nope.”
“Gay?”
It wasn’t deliberate, but Catherine simply couldn’t stop uttering. “Definitely not!”
Heat washed over her as they both stared at her. Beau’s slow smile made her want to hide under the counter. She’d never had the ability to stop words blurting from her mouth before her brain had the foresight to stop them.
She tried a casual shrug, but from the deep laughter lines slashing into his cheeks, her awkward jerk had been just that.
“There you go. I just told Catherine how she needed a man to give her a real good…”
“Mrs. Timmins!”
“…time.”
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