Thursday, January 28, 2010

REVIEW: The Rake by Suzanne Enoch


ISBN 978-0-380-82082-5
Series: Lessons In Love
(c) June 2002, Avon Books, HarperCollins
Suzanne Enoch's website

Buy Links (paper): Amazon, Book Depository, Barnes and Noble
Buy Link (ebook): Barnes and Noble Ebook

"A promising start to the series, with delicious lessons in love!"

The three friends, Georgiana, Evelyn and Lucinda, banded together to teach three chosen rogues a lesson in love, such as not trifling with a lady's feelings. For Lady Georgiana Halley, the person she targetted was Tristan Carroway, Viscount Dare, who stole her innocence six years ago on a wager.

Georgiana had never gotten over that incident, and to her relief--and confusion--no scandal rocked the ton of her scandalous behavior. In fact, nobody seemed to know of the incident except Tristan and her. The reason the secret was kept under wraps was due to Tristan's creativity, though she knew of this only later in the book. But now that Tristan is looking to marry an heiress (to solve his monetary problems) Georgiana took it upon herself to teach him to be kind to his wife by making him fall in love with her then breaking his heart.

For his part, Tristan had never forgotten Georgiana nor the taste and scent of her. Six years ago, Tristan decided to take on the wager because it served as an excuse to steal a kiss from the woman who had captivated him. Things went too far because he couldn't help himself. It seemed that one touch of her skin had him inflamed and burning and he must have her. He had long wanted to make amends but she wouldn't let him, instead declaring to all and sundry that she hated him. But when she started being nice to him, he was wary yet intrigued.

Suzanne Enoch can be expected to deliver on a good story, yet what I like about The Rake is the numerous interactions between the main characters and how each learned to trust the other again. I like that Georgiana and Tristan talked and shared things, outside of the bedroom.

From Georgiana's point of view, we know from her observation that Tristan had changed. Certainly, he's more sensitive and kind and family-oriented. We also know from Tristan that he had wanted to make amends for his behavior six years ago, that he had thought it would be better if they had been caught then. My thought on this is that caught or not, if Tristan had really possessed a sense of honor, he would've offered to marry her, whether she liked it or not. He didn't have to tell her family that he's compromised her, but he could've put more effort into courting her in the days after her ruination. After all, she was already half in love with him at that time. But I guess he was young and selfish and he hadn't really wanted to be leg-shackled, no matter how much he desired Georgiana. He was having too much fun sowing his oats. His thought on it "being better if they had been caught" was made in retrospect, when his choice was being made for him by circumstance.

The ending though is wildly romantic, especially when Tristan made his proposal, when he laid all his cards on the table, vulnerable and hopeful. I like that both characters learned something about love and life and each other.

At this point, I would've said on to the next book in the series, however, I don't like stories where the heroine takes an interest in an orphanage or some such thing, so I'm going to skip it and read England's Perfect Hero instead, which Silver assures me is the best in the series and which is highly recommended by everyone in blogland.

Rating: 4 stars

Buy Links (paper): Amazon, Book Depository, Barnes and Noble
Buy Link (ebook): Barnes and Noble Ebook

* This is the first of my Oldie But Goldie reviews, which are reviews of books published before 2005 and which garner at least a rating of 4 stars.

Wednesday, January 27, 2010

REVIEW: Seduced at Midnight by Jacquie D'Alesandro


ISBN 978-0-425-22549-3
Series: Mayhem in Mayfair, Book 3
(c) 2009, Berkley Sensation, Penguin Group
Jacquie D'Alessandro's Website

Buy Links (paper): Amazon, Book Depository, Barnes and Noble 
Buy Link (ebook): Barnes and Noble Ebook

"Unique and intriguing with an unusual hero and the heroine who'd risk everything for him"

I love Tempted at Midnight so much I rushed out and got Seduced at Midnight. I was intrigued by Julianne's dilemma and wondered how Jacquie D'Alessandro would deal with it.

Lady Julianne Bradley is an earl's daughter, and she is the epitome of the poor little rich girl. She has everything--gowns, jewels, etc--but the warmth of a family, love, laughter, companionship. Her parents are the typical ton couple, and though it wasn't stated in the book, I believed they married for advantageous gain rather than love, as her father could barely tolerate her mother. The fact that Julianne is an only child and female renders her useless in the eyes of her father, as the title would now go to his younger brother, whom he hates. Her mother is cold and ruthless, seeing in Julianne a daughter who needed to marry to advance the family's position in Society.

However, Julianne is not content to be merely a beautiful decorative piece on the settee. Seeing her friends marry for love, she has dreams and wishes to find a husband who would love her and whom she could love in turn. She longs for romance, passion, love, friendship, companionship. Laughter. And she thought she could find all these in Gideon Mayne, the man who haunted her thoughts ever since she saw him two months ago.

There was only one problem.

Gideon Mayne is a Bow Street Runner, the best in the business yet a man so far socially beneath her that he needs to "step on a ladder to see the hem of her skirt"--Gideon's own words. Yet, there is no doubting the attraction between them, and Gideon fights it and himself. But when Julianne becomes the target of a murdering thief, Gideon is hired by her father to protect her.

As Gideon is so fond of summarizing things in one word, the word I have for this book--Delicious!

The author takes full advantage of the um, delicious situation our hero and heroine find themselves in and what we have is a hot, hot, hot story where the pages sizzled with their tension and passion, not to mention all that angst and internal conflict. I couldn't stop turning the pages and I finished the book in two days! (And only because I needed to sleep)

Julianne describes herself as not being very brave, but I think her decision toward the end of the book is one of the bravest things she'd done. I guess love is truly a very powerful force, able to move mountains and men's hearts.

As for Gideon, I would've liked it better if he had BEGIN SPOILER asked for Julianne's hand in marriage BEFORE he knew that she was willing to give up her station in life for him. That would've created more uncertainties for him, and there's nothing I like better than to put the hero through the ropes. In fact, he already had an advantage. He already knew Julianne loved him, though they hadn't spoken the words, and he knew she preferred him over her other suitors. What was keeping him from offering for her? Maybe he was insecure because although her life with him would be comfortable, it wouldn't be what she was accustomed to. Maybe he didn't want to subject her to the hardships of what their life would be should she marry him. And yes, that is exactly what we are told, during one of his thought-monologues. But still, I think Julianne should be given the chance to decide (well, indirectly, she was) since it's her life that's going to be drastically different. Certainly I would have LOVED the story more. (Update 8/26/2010: Now that I had to think it over again, maybe Gideon didn't want to pop the question because he believed it would pressure her into accepting him, and he didn't want that.) END SPOILER But that's my opinion.

This book is unique in that the hero is not even a commoner in trade (read: not noble, but wealthy--good enough), but a Bow Street Runner, for goodness' sake, something that's beneath the ton's notice, unless they need help to catch the criminals who rob them. I don't think I've read a book where the hero is in this profession before. I think I'm a snob, but I don't usually notice the runners either, preferring to read about lords and ladies, earls and dukes.

Yet, here is this runner--the hero! Gideon's profession is actually one of the things that made me curious and intrigued to read this book, and the second is how the author is going to resolve the characters' situation. And she didn't disappoint, having given Juliana all the incentives she needed to make her want to forsake the cold, lonely world she's known for one of love and laughter with Gideon.

I love Jacquie D'Alessandro's writing and I'm off to get the rest of the series! One thing I love about this series is the friendship among the four women, and how Julianne's friends actively came together at the end to give her their support.

Rating: 5 stars

Buy Links (paper): Amazon, Book Depository, Barnes and Noble 
Buy Link (ebook): Barnes and Noble Ebook

Tuesday, January 26, 2010

REVIEW: Holiday Bound by Beth Kery



ISBN 978-1-60504-838-3
(c) 2009, Samhain Publishing
Beth Kery's website 

Buy Links (ebook): Samhain Publishing, Fictionwise, Barnes and Noble Ebook 

"Hot and sizzling to scorch the pages. Need ice cubes to cool down." 

Beth Kery writes hot, sizzling romances that scorched the pages (or your laptop or e-reader) in your hands, not to mention your need for ice cubes to cool down.

Alex Carradine comes across as primal, powerful and so blatantly male, the total opposite of his sophisticated and elegant father Mitchell. No wonder Angeline Kastakis was confused, yet she couldn't help but be attracted to Alex, despite the guilt she may feel at lusting after the son of her boyfriend. Not that there was anything serious between her and Mitchell, nor was their relationship an exclusive one. Because Alex brought out things in her that she wasn't even aware of, things that give the word "pleasure" a deeper and more intense meaning.

Alex came on so strong for me that Angeline was a bit overshadowed. Yet, I like that she has progressed over the course of the book, from not liking Alex and being suspicious of him to a sort of "reliance" on him, on his being so sure of his feelings about the two of them being together. And it was this steadfast certitude of his that made her stand firm in the storm of doubts that rose up in her mind. Oh yes, in addition to his extreme hotness and raw maleness, Alex is also very sweet.

For those who like their intimate scenes flaming hot with the fires still roaring, then this is the book for you. All because of Alex, a dominant male who likes to tie up his women and paddle their backsides. All in the name of pleasure, of course. Yet by far, the hottest scene for me is the one in Alex's workout room told from his point of view.

Note to readers: This book contains scenes of light bondage, domination and spanking. I'm not into BDSM myself, but I really enjoyed reading this, so I have no doubt you will as well. *wink*

Rating: 5 stars

Buy Links (ebook): Samhain Publishing, Fictionwise, Barnes and Noble Ebook

Monday, January 25, 2010

It's Monday! What Are You Reading?



Hosted by J. Kaye's Book Blog

Silver



According to the Mayan doomsday prophecy, time ends on December 21, 2012. In Nightkeepers, the last king of an ancient race of magi must team up with a sexy Miami-Dade narcotics detective in order to reunite his scattered warriors and fight the gods of the Mayan underworld. Wielding ancestral blood magic, the king must choose between his duty to avert the 2012 apocalypse and his love for the woman who is the gods' destined sacrifice.

Buy Links (paper): Amazon, Book Depository, Barnes and Noble
Buy Link (ebook): Barnes and Noble Ebook
 


Shana



This Harlequin Duets actually features 2 romantic comedies: The Life of Riley by Cara Summers and Naked in New England by Jacquie D'Alessandro. Shana will only be reading Jacquie's book.

Ryan Monroe is an architect who needed to refresh his creativity in order to score the biggest coup of his career, and his friend Dave offered the use of his country cabin for Ryan to recharge. Lynne Waterford, on the other hand, is an interior designer and she has been commissioned by Dave's wife and her friend to renovate the cabin as a surprise for Dave. A storm stranded them together and sparks fly between the two.

Buy Links (paper): Amazon, Barnes and Noble

 
Carole



With her two best friends happily married, Lucinda Barrett realizes she can no longer put off her lessons in love. The rogue she hopes to educate must be someone who will keep her life steady and uneventful -- and that someone is definitely not Robert Carroway! The handsome, brooding war hero is far too complicated, and he shuns London society and its “trivialities.” Still, it is a pleasant surprise when Robert offers to assist Lucinda in her mission to reform and wed a more suitable nobleman.

Buy Links (paper): Amazon, Book Depository, Barnes and Noble
Buy Link (ebook): Barnes and Noble Ebook

Saturday, January 23, 2010

New Releases Next Week





Lore - A demon enslaved

Idess - An angel tempted

Torn between duty and desire, Lore and Idess must join forces as they battle their attraction for each other. Because an enemy from the past is rising again-one hellbent on vengeance and unthinkable destruction.

Buy Links (paper): Amazon, Book Depository, Barnes and Noble

Friday, January 22, 2010

REVIEW: Wicked All Day by Liz Carlyle

ISBN 978-1-4165-9492-5
(c) October 2009, Pocket Books, Simon and Schuster
Buy Link (ebook): Barnes and Noble Ebook 

"Enjoyable with a unique, fiesty heroine" 

I read this and Tempted All Night back to back and while I was writing my reviews, I interchanged them. Ugh. Good thing I discovered my mistake on time or y'all would have been confused.

Before I start my review, I would like to take a moment and say I love love love the cover. And I rarely gush about covers, since all of them are interchangeable, one way or the other. The same with titles. I know, I know. I'm digressing. As I was saying, the woman in this book's cover could have been Zoe, with her dark hair, heart-shaped face and that impish expression on her face. She's so pretty it's not a stretch to imagine her breaking hearts all over London.

Our intrepid heroine, Zoe Armstrong, is the bastard daughter of Lord Rannoch, hero of My False Heart. I call her brave because it takes a lot to go against Society's notions of how an unmarried yong lady should behave. The reason she behaves deliberately in this way is rooted in her youth, when as a little girl (before her father married Evie) she hears ugly things about her due to her parentage and decides, why not be bad instead since being good does not seem to do anything for her?

It's her way of thumbing her nose at Society, who looked down on her due to her parentage, her way of declaring she doesn't care how they see her. But deep down, I believe she does care. This can be seen in her reaction when Robin, betrothed to her, kissed a tavern maid in front of her. She rebukes him for his actions, not because he'd been unfaithful to her, but because she couldn't bear the pity in other people's eyes. She cares about what people would think of her. As can be imagined, she is a trial to her father, whose infamous temper is once again displayed here. However, Lord Rannoch truly loves his daughter and only wishes for her to be happy.

Stuart Rowland is the grim Marquess of Mercer, cold and restraint, and Zoe has always incited strong, frustrating feelings in him that he can't quite grasp or control. Hence, he denies them, forces them out of his mind and heart, and feels it's safer to lose himself in the arms of his paramours or mistresses. Until the day he sees Zoe in a compromising position in Robin's arms and realizes he could lose her in marriage to another man. And his world explodes in his face.

To head off a scandal, Robin and Zoe are engaged and they all head to Greythorpe, Mercer's country seat. It is here that Stuart (Mercer) comes to terms with his feelings and decides to act. I buy into Mercer's feelings for Zoe and his self-revelation, but are we to believe that Zoe never realized how attractive Mercer was before they went down to Greythorpe and she had her alone time with him? Maybe she was blinded by the fact that she thought the only thing Mercer felt for her was annoyance and vexation at her pranks? That he lived only to scold and chastise her? That she could never do anything good/right in his sight? Or, maybe Robin's subsequent behavior finally put Mercer's strength and restraint into good light.

Because I haven't read any Liz Carlyle when I heard about Wicked All Day, I went and read My False Heart and A Woman Scorned and Tempted All Night first before coming to this book. And I like visiting with previous characters, since it's a treat for me to know what happened to them months, years after their romance. Another added plus is the interaction between the characters. Rannoch is still temperamental, especially where his children (inclusive of Evie's cousins) are concerned, and Evie is there to soothe and balance him. We can also see the respect Stuart and Robin have for Cole (their stepfather), and Stuart's role as the older brother to Robin, and the conflict he felt in their current situation. In any case, it's interesting to see the characters keep true to their previous characterizations, with Stuart the grim and restraint Lord Mercer, when duty and responsibilities are forced on his young shoulders, and Robin's carefree, devil-may-care attitude. Though this is not to say that the characters didn't change and grow throughout the book.

However, I feel it isn't necessary to read the other books in order to enjoy Wicked All Day, since it's basically a stand-alone book. The only thing that left me slightly dissatisfied is my wishing for more romantic scenes between Zoe and Mercer. I feel there's not quite enough of them.

Rating: 3 stars

Buy Links (paper): Amazon, Book Depository, Barnes and Noble
Buy Link (ebook): Barnes and Noble Ebook

Thursday, January 21, 2010

REVIEW: Tempted All Night by Liz Carlyle


ISBN 978-1-4165-9313-3
(c) 2009, Pocket Book, Simon and Shuster

Buy Links (paper): Amazon, Book Depository, Barnes and Noble
Buy Link (ebook): Barnes and Noble Ebook

"Like all good stories, Tempted All Night delivers."

Due to a tragedy in her past, Lady Phaedra Northampton has made the conscious decision to lead a quiet life, far from gaiety and Society, and resolves never to marry. She doesn't think any man would want her, broken as she is, and there seems to be something wrong with her. She buries her fragility, hopes and dreams, and focuses on running her wealthy brother's household and solving everyone's problems. However, her search for a tavern maid gone missing leads her to London and into the arms of Tristan Talbot, Viscount Avoncliffe and future Earl of Hauxton.

Tristan, like so many historical romance heroes, is a dissolute rake. However, he has a reason. His experiences in Greece are so bad that he turned to licentious living to numb his feelings. Moreover, his relatives have never accepted him, due to his mother's less than exceptional lineage, and he is determined to live up to their perception of him--that of being a good-for-nothing and unworthy to inherit the earldom.

Yet, for all his conflicting feelings, he loves his father, and when the earl asks Tristan for a favor, he readily gives it, and his investigations lead him to a seedy part of the city and to Phaedra, who inspires deep feelings in him and who sees him as no one else.

I like that Phaedra is what Tristan needs in a turbulent time of his life, and that Tristan is what Phaedra needs to understand and accept herself for what she is. I like that Tristan feels regret for his wicked past as it relates to Phaedra, which we don't see a lot of heroes doing. The only other hero that I've read of who has this same feeling is Elliot Armstrong in Liz Carlyle's My False Heart. I like that Phaedra also meets and strikes up a friendship with Zoe Armstrong, a woman as lively and bad as Phaedra is quiet and good, yet Zoe is exactly what Phaedra needs in her life to draw her out of her shell, to live life, so to speak.

I like a good story, and Tempted All Night delivers. Regarding the ending, I normally would've agreed with Phaedra, yet given Tristan's family background and his loveless childhood, it is easy to believe that Tristan would choose a love-filled marriage with her. Love would've been reason enough, but Tristan's history made his choice especially believable for me. Now, I can't wait to read Wicked All Day about the wicked Zoe Armstrong.

Rating: 4 star reviews

Buy Links (paper): Amazon, Book Depository, Barnes and Noble
Buy Link (ebook): Barnes and Noble Ebook

Wednesday, January 20, 2010

SNEAK PEEK: Ecstasy Unveiled by Larissa Ione

Guess what came in the mail yesterday? (pre-ordered)

YESSSS!!!!




ISBN-13: 978-0446556828
Series: Demonica series, book 4
(c) January 2010, Grand Central Publishing
Larissa Ione's website

Buy Links (paper): Amazon, Book Depository, Barnes and Noble
Buy Link (ebook): Barnes and Noble Ebook

A Demon Enslaved…

Lore is a Seminus half-breed demon who has been forced to act as his dark master’s assassin. Now to earn his freedom and save his sister’s life, he must complete one last kill. Powerful and ruthless, he’ll stop at nothing to carry out this deadly mission.

An Angel Tempted…

Idess is an earthbound angel with a wild side sworn to protect the human Lore is targeting. She’s determined to thwart her wickedly handsome adversary by any means necessary—even if that means risking her vow of eternal chastity. But what begins as a simple seduction soon turns into a passion that leaves both angel and demon craving complete surrender.

Torn between duty and desire, Lore and Idess must join forces as they battle their attraction for each other. Because an enemy from the past is rising again—hellbent on vengeance and unthinkable destruction. 

Excerpt (provided by the author):

Lore hoofed it toward UGH’s Harrowgate, away from his brothers.  But he wasn’t heading home.  Not yet.

Casting a covert glance over his shoulder to make sure his nosy siblings weren’t watching, he slipped past the triage desk and down a hall, knowing exactly where he was going.  He’d learned all about the hospital, right down to studying the blueprints, when he’d plotted out the hits on Shade and Eidolon.  The recovery rooms, three suites outfitted with various types of baths, chairs, and heated and chilled beds, were at the end of the wing, just past the sea-water pool that was big enough for a killer whale to do laps in.

He found Idess in the first recovery room.

Everything but her head had been immersed in a vat of what was probably water infused with magical herbs.  A spicy, medicinal fragrance permeated the air and made him want to sneeze as he closed the door behind him and moved toward her.  The water bubbled around Idess, and steam swirled over the surface, but none of that hid the fact that she was naked.  Shadows thrown by the dim light accented full breasts and slim hips, but left details tantalizingly to the imagination.

Lore had always had a great imagination.

Someone had taken the gold rings out of her hair, and now her chestnut mane fanned out across an inflatable pillow and the tiled floor behind her head, and he had the strangest urge to touch it and see if it was as silky as it looked.

Instead, he went down on his heels at the edge of the pool and studied her profile, so feminine and peaceful, as if she were lounging in a Jacuzzi instead of recovering from an injury that would have killed anyone else.  Her long, sable lashes cast shadows across the delicate ivory skin beneath her eyes, and her cheeks had pinked up, maybe from the heat of the water — or a sexy dream.

“Don’t suppose you can hear me?”

Her eyelids fluttered, but didn’t open.  Maybe she could hear, but not respond.

“What’s your deal?” he asked quietly.  This time, her eyes opened and fixed on him.  There was no recognition there, no sign that she even knew where she was.

“Rami?”  There was hope and desperation in her voice, both of which made a person vulnerable.  Exploitable.

He could use that.  “Yes,” he said, running with the exploitation thing.  “It’s Rami.”

Her lush lips curved into a smile that punched him right in the gut.  That was a mouth any man would kill to taste — or to have taste him.  “You’ve come for me?”

He couldn’t help it; he let his gaze slide down the long, lean length of her.  Freaking gorgeous.  “Yeah,” he rasped.  “I’ve come for you.”

“Good,” she sighed.  “Take me to heaven.”

His dick jerked, all, sure, we’ll take you up on that offer, and Lore had to admit, if circumstances were different — meaning, she hadn’t tried to kill him — he’d be all over that. 


Buy Links (paper): Amazon, Book Depository, Barnes and Noble
Buy Link (ebook): Barnes and Noble Ebook

Tuesday, January 19, 2010

REVIEW: In Training by India Masters


ISBN 978-1-60088-388-0
(c) 2009, Cobblestone Press

Buy Links (ebook): Cobblestone Press, Fictionwise

"Short, fast-paced read with lots of hot, sizzling scenes"

Athena Rochan enjoyed a certain freedom that wives of Elecian society does not, but only when her father was away. When he came back, he immediately ordered for her to be trained by Barik Lugaran on how to be a proper Elecian wife and mother. She balked at the orders, but when her father threatened her with never seeing her mother again, she had no choice but to obey.

Obedience was exactly what Barik needed to teach Athena, but soon he realizes that what her father viewed as improper behavior is but the reaction of a strong, independent woman. Soon, he found himself stepping beyond the bounds of what is acceptable behavior for a trainer toward his trainee.

India Masters pens a short, fast-paced read with lots of hot, sizzling scenes, and the heat level increased when Barik's friends joined them. From the erotic romance angle, Ms. Masters surely delivers on this one.

I like it too that though both Barik and Athena showed a liking and definite preference for one another, there were no declarations of love that would have been unrealistic in such a scenario. Still, for a change, I like that Barik didn't exhibit the usual hero denial signs, but was very sure in what he wanted. Very sexy to be the recipient of such sure regard.

Rating: 4 stars

Monday, January 18, 2010

Random Thoughts: Book Reviews - For Good or Bad?


Originally, I wanted to make my title "Book Reviews - For Good or Ill?" But in the subject, the word "Ill" came out as "lll", so I changed it to "Bad" instead. Oh-kay, that aside, what I want to discuss here is: Did the book reviews I read online steer me toward books I want to read?

To a certain extent, I would have to say "yes". Because of bloggers' and readers' recommendations, I've found excellent books that I love such as Not Quite A Husband by Sherry Thomas, Roxanne St. Claire's Bulletcatchers series, and Practice Makes Perfect by Julie James. Indeed, my life would be far less richer if I hadn't read those books. Seriously! I love NQAH so much I told everyone about it and even lent my cousin my dearly beloved copy (she has orders to return the book to me in the same pristine condition on pain of death!). I can't wait to see what else Sherry Thomas has in store for me, and I hope I love it as much as NQAH. Julie James, too. In fact, I pre-ordered her next book, Something About You.

However, not all books are created equal, not even if they're written by the same author. I didn't like Private Arrangements by Sherry Thomas so much. In fact, I stopped reading after the first few pages and went on to other books before I came back to it.

With regard to the much lauded Tairen Soul series, I found it a bit tedious, the way the story was being dragged for sooooo long, over what--five books now? (Silver and I still disagree on this. We may write a conversation review some day. It's more exciting when parties have differing opinions.) I still like King of Sword and Sky because we see Fey'bahren and Rain's development as a character (which we didn't see in the previous two books), but neither Rain nor Ellysetta nor their relationship developed in Queen of Song and Souls, and the revelation of Ellysetta's origins and her time in Elvia just made for tedious reading, making me want to scream and put my claws onto Tairen Soul, the final book in the series, where I'm sure all the juicy details are.

That aside, I'd say book reviews do more good than bad for me. Without them, I wouldn't be brave enough to try new authors. I was burned once and threw away good money on an author who pens adult fiction with juvenile writing. Needless to say, I steered clear of her ever since, not even when her other series was being lauded by some bloggers/readers. I guess the saying "once bitten, twice shy" applies to me.

Also, there are so many good books out there and not enough time to read. Hence, it really helps that the good books are sifted out.

However, that's not to say I only read what bloggers/readers have recommended. No, I do still venture forth into the bookstores (both online and brick-and-mortar) and browse through the books to get the ones that catch my attention, whether it's the gorgeous cover, the back summary (like Stephanie Tyler's Hard to Hold) or the name of my favorite author.

And there are as many opinions as there are people. This is to say that a book that may be judged as good by one person may be disliked by another, as I've proven above. It's always good to see differing opinions on a certain book, although that does make it more confusing for the reader. Should I buy the book or not? I think, in such a case, I'll fall back to the library, and if it turns out that I love the book, I then go out and buy myself a copy.

What about you? How are your book buying patterns being influenced by book reviews?

Saturday, January 16, 2010

REVIEW: Tempted at Midnight by Jacquie D'Alessandro


ISBN 978-0-425-22699-5
Series: Mayhem in Mayfair, Book 4
(c) 2009, Berkley Sensation, Penguin Group
Jacquie D'Alessandro's website

Buy Links (paper): Amazon, Book Depository, Barnes and Noble
Buy Link (ebook): Barnes and Noble Ebook 

"A read that flows like warm honey down your throat, charming and enchanting."

Lady Emily Stapleford is in dire straits. Her family is on the brink of financial ruin, and only her advantageous marriage to a wealthy man can save them. However, though she loves her family and is willing to do anything for them, she wants to marry for love, the way her friends had done. Hence, she comes up with a scheme to earn enough money, but while she goes about putting it into effect, her actions didn't escape the eagle eyes of Logan Jensenn, a rich shipping American magnate and one of her father's creditors.

Logan doesn't know why he was captivated by Emily, but he couldn't get her out of his mind since they shared a kiss, albeit a hot, intense one at that, three months ago. The mischief in her eyes told him she was up to something, and he was determined to discover what it was. And when his past inadvertently puts her in danger, he vowed to do everything he could in order protect her.


I thought this series is called the Midnight Series (owing to all titles bearing the word "midnight"), but luckily, I found out that I'm wrong before I posted this review. Mayhem in Mayfair sounds more interesting!

Jacquie D'Alessandro charmed my socks off with Tempted at Midnight. The story holds a twist, in that it's the heroine's family--instead of the hero's--that's penniless and is in need of new funds to replenish their coffers. The author's writing style also made this an easy and exciting read. I totally couldn't wait to learn how Emily's and Logan's romance would progress, and this kept me turning the pages. Oh, and midnight did play an important part in the story.

Emily is a truly likeable heroine, and it's easy to see why Logan would fall in love with her. She's funny and resourceful and strong, and best of all, she has a kind heart that extends outside of her family members. Though she could be seen to be prejudicial against Logan at the start, since she has all these concepts about him that were wrong without intending to find out if these were true, yet, she was using these as a buffer against the intense attraction she felt for him. She approached her world with curiosity and compassion, which makes her an intriguing heroine.

Logan is the typical attractive, wealthy, to-die-for hero with a deep, dark secret past that he was determined wouldn't touch Emily. It is refreshing to read about a hero who is not commitment phobe, and his proposal (the last one) to Emily is so romantic. No, let me correct myself. What's romantic about Logan and what makes him the perfect hero is his desire to please Emily in all ways possible, especially in the things in which she has expressed an opinion, one of which is the proposal. In one of their conversations, Emily has informed him how she wished to receive a proposal from the man she loves, and though their wedding was a foregone conclusion, Logan still obliged her, even though he didn't need to do it. In Emily's own words, "(his eyes) searching hers with an expression that suggested she had a choice and might say no. It was completely unnecessary and superfluous that he ask, that he give her this on-bended-knee romantic proposal..."

If all men during the Regency era are such, it's no wonder the ladies need smelling salts!

But more than the characters per se, it's their interactions with one another that truly made this an unforgettable and charming and enchanting story for me. Emily and Logan progressed from not liking one another due to the misconceptions they have about each other, to having these misconceptions cleared up, and then to falling in love. It's much more romantic than how I'm describing it here, believe me. Their dialogues are funny and sweet, and I could just read them over and over.


There's also a lovely scene wherein love was perfectly portrayed, in my opinion. Carolyn, Emily's friend and heroine of Confessions At Midnight, seemed to be having a serious medical condition, though they didn't yet know for sure what it was or if it was curable. As the physician was called in to check on her, Emily and Logan were in the library (I think) awaiting news, and Emily was so distraught that Logan took her in his arms to comfort her, lending her his strength. For me, this was a very beautiful picture. Sorrows and tragedies may come (and they will), but there's someone beside you who would go through life's challenges with you.

I love this story so much I wanted to read the stories of the other ladies who are Emily's friends and make up the Ladies Literary Society. When I couldn't wait to get all my hands on the author's backlist, I know this book deserved the highest rating it could get.

Rating: 5 stars

Buy Links (paper): Amazon, Book Depository, Barnes and Noble
Buy Link (ebook): Barnes and Noble Ebook

Friday, January 15, 2010

We Have a Winner!!!




We used Randomizer.org to help us generate the winning number. After several false winners, wherein the number falls on either Susan or one of us here at TRR, we finally have a winner!

And the winner of an autographed copy of Sex On The Beach is.....

drumroll...





#8 - CallMeKayla!!!

CONGRATULATIONS!!!

Please send your name and snail mail address to shanareatrr@gmail.com and I'll get them to Susan right away.

Thursday, January 14, 2010

INTERVIEW with Susan Lyons


We'd like to welcome Susan Lyons, amazing author of Sex Drive to The Raving Readers! Thank you for joining us!

The Raving Readers: Susan, we understand Sex Drive is the first book in the series Wild Ride to Love. What an apt series title! How did your idea for the series come about?

Susan Lyons: In casual chat one day, an idea came out of the blue that it would be fun to write a "planes, trains, and automobiles" series of romances. I think different modes of transportation are sexy in their own way. Also, travel is a journey, a transition time, and so is the development of a romance--that wild ride to love!--so together I could see them making for intriguing stories.

That idea fermented in my mind for at least a couple of years, as I wrote my Awesome Foursome series starring four 20-something best friends. I loved writing about female relationships (in addition, of course, to the romance and the heroine's and hero's growth arcs) and I loved writing a linked series. But, rather than doing friends again, I was intrigued by sisters--in part because I'm an only child and have always been the outsider looking in. Well, a writer gets to go anywhere she wants, so I decided to step into the world of sisters.

All those ideas wove together into the concept of the Wild Ride to Love series. Four sisters, four modes of transportation (yes, a cruise ship got thrown in there!), four very sexy and romantic wild rides to love.

TRR: How exciting! So that's how series are made. Now, let's talk about Sex Drive, the first book in the Wild Ride to Love series. The hero, Damien Black, is so sexy and charming and too good to be true! How did he come into being? Where did you get the idea for his character? Like, is he modeled after someone--or many someone's--that you know or did he spring purely from your imagination?

SL: Thanks. I love Damien too. Another joy of being a writer is that we get to create and spend time with the sexiest men in the world. Even if only in our imaginations! (No, sigh, he's not based on a real someone in my life…)

Because I was writing about sisters, I envisioned the heroine first. Professor Theresa Fallon is a studious type who's been unlucky in love, who believes herself unattractive to men, who figures her sex drive has pretty much shrivelled up and died. So, what kind of hero would most challenge and attract Theresa? Of course she thinks it's the professorial type, so I gave her the opposite. Damien is a celebrity author who writes paranormal thrillers--books that an intellectual like her considers to be superficial and a waste of time. Not only is he a hottie, he's been voted one of Australia's 10 sexiest bachelors and he could have pretty much any woman he wants.

And he chooses her.

TRR: We should all be so lucky! *sighs with envy* Still about Damien, in your opinion, how is he different from the other sexy and gorgeous heroes we read about in books? In other words, what makes him unique?

SL: One thing I love about Damien is that he's a writer. Not a wimpy, intellectual one, but a guy who writes paranormal thrillers. He loves his job and he knows the industry, and that's fun for a writer to write about. He's also a man who sees beyond the obvious--like the flight attendant with fake boobs and too much makeup--to the more subtly beautiful Theresa. And he sees her as a real, multi-faceted person: he flirts with her, he gives her sensual and sexual pleasure, and he challenges her intellectually. He also has strong enough self-esteem that he doesn't always have to be right, and he can learn from her. (Plus, did I mention, he really is sexy and gorgeous. LOL.)

TRR: No doubt about it, Damien is such a sexy guy and I don't just mean the physical. What makes him perfect for the heroine, Dr. Theresa Fallon?

SL: He genuinely finds her feminine and sexy, while most men don't see beyond her rather buttoned-up image. He brings out that side of her until she actually believes she's feminine and sexy. He's spontaneous and fun, whereas she tends to operate by rules and lists, and he helps her lighten up and learn how to have fun. They're both intelligent and they challenge each other to grow and become better people--and they have fun sparring while they're doing it.

TRR: Lucky Tezzie, that's all I can say. Would that I could be a heroine in your novel... So, what do you like about Theresa Fallon?

SL: Personally, as an only child, I relate to the pressures put on a bright oldest child. I like her responsibility and reliability. I like that she's found a career she's passionate about and that she wants to make the world a better place (she's a sociology prof, specializing in indigenous peoples, and she wants to improve their situation). I like how, even though she's a pretty structured person, she can move past that to see things in new ways, whether it's coming to realize her own sexuality, or to decide she can do more good if she comes out of the ivory tower and talks to the non-academic world. She's a good but flawed human being, as we all are, and she learns about herself and is willing to do the hard work of becoming a better person.

TRR: Yes, I like that about herself too, that she's willing to change and accept another person's criticism/suggestion. In fact, both Damien and Theresa were part of the reason Sex Drive was a fast, easy read for me. They were so compelling I just couldn't help but turn the page, or in my case, scroll down (ebook ARC). Was that how it was for you when you wrote it? Did you ever find yourself arguing with your characters, like when they decided the story has to go in the opposite direction for what you've planned? How do you handle such an event?

SL: Most books go by fits and starts, for me. I rarely plot ahead of time, except to know that the story's a romance so it's going to have a happy ending. How the characters get there . . . well, that's something I discover along the way. (I have my own wild ride, too. LOL.)

TRR:  Ooooh... sounds exciting! Oops, sorry, please go on.

SL: Sometimes I stall, then I have to go walk around, puzzle things out, wait for inspiration. Often the characters do kind of take over the keyboard, and it's always fun when that happens. Because I don't really do much plotting, I'm pretty open to where the characters want to go. Once, when I was writing She's on Top, the final book in the Awesome Foursome series, the hero decided how the story was going to end, and it took me by surprise and I had a mental argument with him. He won, and he was right!

TRR: The way you put it, writing sounds so exciting. How long does it usually take you to write a book from conceptualization to research to the finished draft? Let's take, for example, Sex Drive.

SL: I usually allow four months to write a book, but often some of the brainstorming happens ahead of time. The idea's in my mind, germinating, before I actually get started. Recently, I've been lucky enough to have back-to-back contracts, so I haven't had spare time to play with ideas. I finish one book, and it's time to start the next, and I'm on a relatively tight time line. With series books, the first one is very interesting – e.g., with Sex Drive, I wasn't just learning about Theresa and Damien, I needed to get a fairly clear idea of Theresa's three younger sisters. Whatever I said about them in Sex Drive, I'd have to live with in three more books. Then, when I get to the next books (the second, Love Unexpectedly, comes out in April and I'll be starting to write the third in two or three weeks), I at least have a fair idea about the heroine's personality and issues, which makes it a little easier. Unless of course I have some brilliant inspiration and want to change things, and get frustrated if I can't!

TRR: You have another series, I believe, this one about four friends. Please tell us a little bit about this series and how different is it from the Wild Love to Ride series.

SL: Yes, that's the Awesome Foursome series. Champagne Rules, the first book in that series, was the first book I sold. I wasn't planning a series, but when I developed my heroine, I gave her three girlfriends. I have several 4-women groups in my life, and I've loved Sex And The City and Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants. There's a certain magic about 4-girlfriend groups.

TRR: Sorry, I couldn't help but comment. Maybe I should get one more person to complete my own magical 4-girlfriend group!

SL: You certainly should! Anyway, by the time I'd written Champagne Rules, of course I'd gotten to love the heroine's three friends, and of course they all deserved their own sexy heroes and their own love stories. So, it became a series. Each book follows one couple's romance, and they go in chronological order. Each book has all four of the women in it, and the reader gets to follow what's happening in each of their lives. Also, each heroine has an issue that resonates for contemporary women: e.g., balancing career and personal life, respecting your parents but making your own way in life, having body image issues. I've had lots of great feedback on those books.

TRR: Sound like my kind of books. I've often heard that writers are readers, too. Your own books aside, what books have you read that you wouldn't hesitate recommending, because you believe other people will love it as you do?

SL: I'm definitely a reader. I'm addicted to reading. I read when I'm brushing my teeth. Seriously. But I do know we all have distinct tastes, so I'm reluctant to make recommendations. Also, I have so many writer friends now, I don't want to recommend one writer over another!

TRR: Speaking of writers, Damien mentioned that he has a beach cottage where he goes to write. What is your special place?

SL: I have a bright, ergonomically set up home office in downtown Vancouver that looks out on a garden courtyard. I love nature, love plants, have orchid plants on my desk. I do a lot of writing there, but sometimes the desk starts to get associated with the business aspects of the writing life rather than the creative ones, so then I take my laptop and go work in a chair in the living room. We also have a fixer-upper country home in Victoria, with a gorgeous ocean view, and I often work there as well. Or on the ferry, going back and forth.

TRR: I've heard that a change of scenery does wonders for the creative juices. Looks like that works for you! So, what do you have upcoming for your fans?

SL: In January, I have Sex on the Beach, from Berkley Heat. It has three intertwined romances set around a destination wedding in Belize. In January, February, and March, I have three Harlequin Spice Briefs, the Erotique series, about three "average" women who find erotic, romantic adventures at a private sex club. In March, I have a novella in a Kensington Aphrodisia anthology called Some Like It Rough. My story's about a buttoned-up admin assistant who goes undercover as an exotic dancer and discovers her wild side – and her female power over the sexy PI who's "keeping an eye on her." In April, there's the second Wild Ride to Love book, Love, Unexpectedly. This one is in the Kensington Brava line, under the pen name Susan Fox. It's about the second sister, and explores what it takes for best friends to turn into passionate lovers.

TRR: Now that you mention it, it's interesting that Sex Drive is published under the name Susan Lyons, and Love, Unexpectedly plus the 3rd and 4th books in the series are under the name Susan Fox. Why would different books in the same series be published under different pen names when both Susan Lyons and Susan Fox are you?

SL: Well, it wasn't my decision and I wasn't a fly on the wall at Kensington's editorial meeting, so I can't answer that one. After Sex Drive was in the works, Kensington asked me if I'd like to move from the Aphrodisia line to the Brava line. Aphrodisia is explicitly erotic; Brava is very spicy but doesn't go quite as far. I'd always thought my writing was better suited to Brava, so I was delighted to have the opportunity to write for them. It was weird timing, being in the middle of a series, but that's just how it worked out. I think the publisher's general idea is to have somewhat different branding for the two lines and my two names. I could certainly understand that if I was, for example, writing both erotic romance and sweet romance. But in fact, my writing is pretty much the same. My focus is always on the romance rather than the sex, and the sex is one woman and one man (no ménage, shapeshifters, or vampires!) and not incredibly kinky (no BDSM), and the books under both names are very spicy. Oh, and just to confuse matters further, I also write very sweet short romances for The Wild Rose Press under the Susan Lyons name (they're collected in an anthology called Calendar of Love).

All I can say is, I hope this works out for the best! I hope readers who find me under one name will be savvy enough to track me down under the other name as well. I have to figure the publisher knows what they're doing. In this business, we all have our expertise and role. Mine is to write the books.

TRR: True enough. With the Internet, I think it's safe to say we're all getting savvier every day. Any last words for us?

SL: Just that I love, love, love hearing from fans. They can contact me via my website.

TRR: Not only that, but Susan's website is stuffed full of goodies for the readers. I know I had a fun time browsing the site.

SL: Thanks, Shana. Yes, I have excerpts, trailers, behind-the-scenes notes, discussion guides, recipes, review quotes, a monthly contest, and an e-newsletter. Thanks so much for having me here. It's been a blast, and I'm looking forward to chatting with readers. Ask me anything and I'll do my best to answer.

TRR: Thank you so much for this interview! It's great having you here with us.

Interested to read Sex Drive?

Buy Links (paper): Amazon, Book Depository, Barnes and Noble
Buy Link (ebook): Barnes and Noble Ebook

Interested to read Sex On The Beach?

Buy Links (paper): Amazon, Book Depository, Barnes and Noble 
Buy Link (ebook): Barnes and Noble Ebook


Enter for the chance to win an autographed copy of Sex On The Beach!

How to Enter:  You can do any or all of the following:
1. Comment on any of the posts on January 13 and 14.
2. Ask questions. Susan will be dropping by the blog from time to time and will answer any questions you might have.
3. Answer this question: ("stolen" from Susan's book discussion questions in Sex Drive. More discussion questions can be found on Susan's website.)

Birth order. Theresa is the oldest of four sisters. How has that fact, and family history, shaped her personality? What's been the influence of birth order on her younger sisters? And how about you? What's your order in your family, and do you think that's affected you?

Who Can Enter: Anybody on this planet.

Contest Deadline:  11:59pm EST on January 14, 2010

Winner Announcement:  The name of the winner will be posted on the blog on January 15, 2010. Instructions will be given then on how to claim the prize.

* Check out our review of Sex Drive and a Sneak Peek of Sex On The Beach!

SNEAK PEEK: Sex On The Beach by Susan Lyons



ISBN 978-0425232163
(c) January 2010, Berkley Trade

Sex On The Beach is Susan's newest release! It's an erotic contemporary romance featuring three couples who were brought together by a wedding in Belize. I haven't read it yet, but from the excerpts I've read, it's sure to be hot!

THE STORY
 
An exotic wedding turns into an erotic escapade for three unlikely couples who find lust—and maybe even love—on the white sands of Belize. Get ready to get wet!

"War of the Sexes" 

When wedding planner Sarah McCann learns that the groom's best friend, Free Lafontaine, intends to save his pal from the mistake of marriage, it's an all-out war between the sexes. Turns out, the prize could be much more than either of them expected, and this war just may have two winners.

"Sex With the Proper Stranger"
Model Tamiko Sato comes to the wedding as arm-candy for the groom's deep-in-the-closet uncle. What's she to do when resort manager Ric Nuñez proves far too tempting? Ric just might be the man who can help her heal the wounds left by past abuse, and open her heart to love.

"Sexy Exes"
Giovanna Moncrieff and her ex, James, mix as well as Italian olive oil and English tonic water. How embarrassing—and exciting!—to find that their passion for each other still burns hot and heavy. Is it possible to find true love the second time around?

Excerpt:

This is from the second story, "Sex With The Proper Stranger." Tamiko, a gorgeous New York model, has a history of abuse and is very surprised to find herself attracted to Ric, the owner of the resort in Belize. 


She sank down on the towel on the moonlit beach, sitting with her legs curled to one side.

Ric sprawled beside her, a man at ease with his body. He held up the bottle he'd brought. "I'd have brought a picnic basket, proper glasses, but if anyone had seen me, it would have looked suspicious."

"What's in the bottle?"

White teeth flashed. "Sex on the beach."

"Seriously?"

"Is it too cliché?" He unscrewed the lid and handed her the bottle.

Not cliché, but it didn't help her nerves. Of course he was expecting sex, even though he'd said he would go slow.

She took a sip, hoping the alcohol would loosen her up.

When she handed him the bottle, he drank, too. She liked the intimacy of his lips covering the place where hers had been, liked the way he threw his head back, and his throat rippled as he swallowed. He was so physical compared to the men she knew in Manhattan, so outdoorsy and natural, yet just as intelligent and successful.

"I like your style, Ricardo," she said shyly.

"I like yours." He touched the flower she'd tucked behind her ear. "You're wearing a hibiscus again. It suits you." His fingers plucked it from her hair and brushed its petals across her cheek.

She'd worn it because it made her think of him. And in hopes it would make her feel new and fresh, sensual and free.

He drifted the blossom across her lips then down her neck, and she arched, shivering with pleasure at the gentle, sensuous touch. The hibiscus traced the neckline of her sundress, lingered in the cleft between her small breasts. He tucked it there, like a decoration, and the tight top of her dress held it in place.


His touch made her body hum, her nipples tighten, but she tensed. Would he reach under her dress, fondle her breasts? Did she want him to?

Instead, he used both hands to smooth her long hair behind her ears, running his fingers through it again and again. "Like silk," he said. "A waterfall of black silk."

She'd wanted to touch his hair since she'd first seen him, and now she did. It might be the same color as hers, but the texture was the opposite. It was so thick and almost wiry, she couldn't weave her fingers through it. She chuckled. "How do you comb it?"

"Fro pick," he said. "My dad was African American. When I was in my teens, I had dreads."

"I like it like this." The conventional choice for a businessman would have been to cut it short, but she was glad he hadn't. "It's sexy." Wasn't there supposed to be a tie between a man's hair and his virility?

"You're sexy." He leaned toward her and touched his lips to hers, light as a butterfly wing or hibiscus petal.

Nice. Not the least bit threatening, just tantalizing.

"More," she whispered against his mouth.

He began to kiss her the way he had in his office, teasing her flesh until she opened her lips and begged him to come inside.

The times she'd had sex, nothing had felt natural to her, not even the kissing and foreplay. She'd felt pressured and anxious. Inhibited, scared.

But with Ric, kissing was wonderful. He took things so slowly, she could savor, enjoy the heady pulse of growing arousal.

And she did the same things back to him, not because she had to but because she wanted to.

He clasped her shoulders and tipped her backward until she was lying on the towel with him leaning over her, and for a moment she felt the familiar, instinctive panic. But he didn't quicken the pace, just nibbled her lips and explored her mouth with his tongue, and soon her tongue was slow dancing with his again.

Her arms circled his back, and his soft T-shirt brushed her chest. Last night his torso had been bare, and she wanted that again. She wanted to see him, to feel his firm, warm brownness. She tugged on the shirt, pulling it upward.

He broke the kiss, peeled the shirt over his head, tossed it aside, then waited for her to decide what to do next.

What she did was stare. Ric could have been a model. Put him in an ad for expensive cars, watches, or cologne, and buyers would flock to the stores.

But that would never be his world. Taking him to New York and sticking him in front of cameras and lights would be like caging one of those soaring black frigate birds.
 

She stroked his skin wonderingly. Her fingers weren't used to touching people in anything but the most superficial way, and now they lingered.

His skin quivered under her touch, but other than that, he didn't move, as if he sensed she needed to be in control.

Muscles, strength. And yet he didn't scare her. Power and gentleness were a potent combination, one that made a hungry pulse beat between her legs, a throb of arousal that was so rare, so welcome.

His skin was smooth, rich chocolate. She raised her head and licked his shoulder, almost surprised to find the taste of salt on her tongue rather than chocolate. "You taste good," she whispered. "You feel good."

Leaning on one arm, he lifted the hair that fell over her shoulder and kissed the skin he'd revealed: the cap of her shoulder, her neck, the vulnerable hollow at the base of her throat where her pulse fluttered.

He reached behind her and touched the top of the zipper that ran down the back of her sundress. "Yes?"

She wanted those kisses to move lower, wanted his tongue to lave her aching nipples. "Yes."

He drew the zipper down slowly, fingers brushing the knobs of her spine with soft deliberation.

As the dress loosened, the blossom it had held in place tumbled free, drifting down between her breasts.

When he'd lowered the zipper fully, he circled the base of her spine with his thumb, brushing the upper curves of her buttocks, the cleft between.

As he slowly drew her dress straps over her shoulders and began to ease the top of her dress over her breasts, she had a nervous impulse to cross her arms over her chest and stop him.

Yes, she wanted his touch, but she had a fashion model's body: skinny, with barely there hips, butt, and breasts. The camera loved her, but was she woman enough to please a vital man like Ric?

Time to find out.

As he stared at the body he was revealing inch by inch, she watched his face. She saw the glitter of his eyes, the flare of his nostrils, the way his lips parted.
 

The dress cleared her breasts, the cotton whispered across her ribs, her flat stomach. The hibiscus flower tumbled to the towel beside her.

She lifted up so he could keep going. Now her lower body, clad only in a tiny flesh-colored thong, was exposed, and then he was pulling her dress off.

"You lying there in the moonlight . . ." His voice was husky. "Someone should paint that picture. You're so lovely. A moon goddess."

"Not a goddess. Just a woman." A woman who had never, before coming to Belize, felt the breath of a tropical night on her naked skin or yearned for a man's touch the way she craved Ric's.



Interested to read more?

Buy Links (paper): Amazon, Book Depository, Barnes and Noble 
Buy Link (ebook): Barnes and Noble Ebook

Enter for the chance to win an autographed copy of Sex On The Beach!

How to Enter:  You can do any or all of the following:
1. Comment on any of the posts on January 13 and 14.
2. Ask questions. Susan will be dropping by the blog from time to time and will answer any questions you might have.
3. Answer any one or both questions below: ("stolen" from Susan's book discussion questions in Sex On The Beach. More on her website.)

From "War of the Sexes": Sarah believes that pheromones are a product of evolution, of centuries of Darwinian fine-tuning, honing the mating instinct. What do you think?


From "Sexy Eyes": What is the opposite of love: hatred or indifference?

Who Can Enter: Anybody on this planet.

Contest Deadline:  11:59pm EST on January 14, 2010

Winner Announcement:  The name of the winner will be posted on the blog on January 15, 2010. Instructions will be given then on how to claim the prize.

* Check out our review of Sex Drive and Interview with Susan Lyons!
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