Exclusive Peek: Under My Umbrella by Karen Erickson

From Karen Erickson:

Do you believe in fate? That things happen for a reason? I wanted to explore these questions with my new series at Samhain entitled appropriately enough Fated. The first novella is Under My Umbrella -- the hero (Brett) and heroine (Jenna) meet during a rainy day when he asks to share her umbrella. Things heat up rather quickly despite the cold rainstorm. A destined meeting that leads to love perhaps? It's a romance, so of course!

I was inspired to write UMU by an article I read in a woman's magazine. Couples who met in funny ways (like those "meet cute" scenarios we tend to see on TV and in movies) and they eventually fell in love. There really was a couple who met when the man asked if the woman would share her umbrella with him during a rainy afternoon. And they really did go back to her apartment and have mad, passionate sex. And they're still together. I thought that was awfully romantic.

And a great idea for a story.

Jenna's friends Mia and Morgan will both get their own destined heroes soon. Mia's story (Call Me, second in the Fated series, coming out in December) is up next. She loses her cell phone...and falls for the sexy man who found it. Morgan's story I'm still fleshing out. But be assured it will feature a fated meeting with a smoking hot piece of man flesh. ;)

Exclusive Excerpt:

“You, uh, look pretty dry under there.” His rich, sexy voice reached her ears even above the patter of the rain and she stopped short, lifting her umbrella high over her head.

He stood hunched under the flimsy protection of his drenched coat, a little smile curving those sexy lips. His eyes were dark, his skin swarthy as if he spent a lot of time out in the sun. Just thinking about the sun made her wistful.

It had rained for what felt like months, years. And usually the rain made her miserable.

Not today.

“I’ll share with you,” she offered, shocked that she even said it. She lifted her umbrella even higher, extending it in his direction and she felt the drip, drip, drip of raindrops hit the back of her head.

His smile grew. The sight of it made her stomach jitter, and he ducked his head, coming right under the umbrella. “Hey, thanks. But I think you’re getting wet.”

In more ways than one, she wanted to say. The man stood so close she could feel his body heat. She could smell him. And oh, did he smell good. Like spice and pine and warm potent male with a hint of rain.

Of course, the guy smelled like rain. He was covered in it. His hair was soaked, his skin streaked with it. His coat, especially across the shoulders, was completely saturated through.

She would’ve resembled a drowned rat. She probably already did. Yet he looked like some sort of sex god.

The sex god stared at her with twinkling dark brown eyes and a cocky little smile still curving his lips. As if he knew what sort of effect he had on her. Could he know? No way.

“Ready to go?”

“I don’t live too far from here.” She nibbled on her lower lip. Should she have admitted that to a complete and total stranger? What if he was a serial killer? What if he stalked women and she was his next victim?

“I’ll take what I can get to keep semi-dry. Let’s go.” He took the umbrella from her, and she let him. It worked perfectly since he was taller and it was putting a strain on her arm to hold it that high.

They walked together, and she sunk her hands into the pockets of her black wool pea coat, wishing like crazy she had worn her hair down today. The rain and humidity would’ve made it look like a puffball though so maybe that was a blessing in disguise. She wished the weather was warm, that maybe the clouds would break and the sun would glimmer through.

But then she wouldn’t have asked him to share her umbrella so this was meant to be, right?

Jenna was a big believer in meant to be.

Summary from Publisher's website: 

It’ll take more than a fire hose to cool down this attraction… 

Fated, Book 1 

Rain, rain, go away. That’s Jenna’s mantra as she suffers through yet another rain-soaked walk home from work. At least the tight butt of the guy walking in front of her offers some distraction. When he turns around and asks to share her umbrella, she realizes his front view is as smokin’ as the back. What better way to get up close and personal with the object of her ogling?

Brett noticed his hot little neighbor weeks ago, but until now hadn’t worked up the nerve—or found the opportunity—to approach her. Too many hours at the fire station has left him longing for something more out of life. Like the company of a sweet, sexy woman. Maybe, if he’s lucky, kindling a relationship.

Jenna surprises herself again when she offers to let him dry off in her apartment. One minute he’s toweling off his hair, the next their chemistry explodes in the hottest sex either of them have ever experienced. And suddenly they’re both wondering if he’s the match to her tinder, or if it’s too much, too fast… 

Available now from Samhain Publishing (ebook).

Note: This title is included in the list of giveaways for the ongoing contest.

The Dark Side: Shirl Henke

The Dark Side aims to shed light on that deep, dark, mysterious side of an author, a face that she rarely, if ever, shows to the public. What secret is she hiding behind that enigmatic smile on her official photo (if any)? what juicy tidbit is she keeping from the world? What are some of the things that she liked, things we would never know, because it's not part of her bio?

Today, we have with us SHIRL HENKE, author of LOVE LESSONS AT MIDNIGHT, who regaled us in a previous post with some fun facts about her book and an exclusive excerpt.

Remember, think dark, dark, dark...

What is the most embarrassing thing that has happened to you? 

The most embarrassing thing that ever happened to me was meeting a guy I had dated and stood up back in college.  He came to make a safety inspection at the house my husband and I were considering buying.  Even though it had been over twenty years, I recognized him because I remembered his name.  But since I had changed my hair color and wore no make-up the day he came for the appointment, I hoped he would not know who I was.  My name was now Henke, after all.  We exchanged smiles and introduced ourselves as any polite strangers would, but I got an uneasy feeling that he knew.  He gave no overt indication anything was amiss.  We were paying him to inspect the house, after all.  The house passed every test.  Yeah, but he remembered me, all right.  We found out later that there were numerous code violations we then had to pay for instead of the sellers because our new home had “passed” the inspection before we bought it.  Ah, well, I had stood him up on that second date because he was a jerk even then.  Some men never change.

Imagine that for some reason, your lights suddenly went out! What would be the first thing you’d do or say?
When—not if—the lights go out in our house, I know exactly what to do.  Before we bought our home in the woods, we were warned about power outages around the area.  They’re so common, we keep a big stock of candles and flashlights upstairs and down.  I usually say, “Oh, the lines are down again.  I’ll light the candles, Jim.  You go fire up the generator.”  He takes a flashlight and heads to the garage to start our 7500 HP generator.  No point being afraid of sudden darkness in the Henke household.  It happens multiple times a year and I wouldn’t trade my wonderful yard for anything.  Besides, candles are romantic!

What is the most romantic thing your husband/SO/date has done under the cover of darkness?
The most romantic thing my husband has ever done occurred on the night of our 30th wedding anniversary.  We were supposed to have a late dinner at our favorite restaurant, but instead he surprised me.  He drove to the small motel where we had spent our wedding night and pulled the car up to the door of the very cabin we’d occupied.  I was speechless as he came around the car and opened my door, then carried me into the room.  Candles were flickering, a bottle of iced champagne was ready to be popped and thirty long-stemmed roses were strewn across the bed.  Jim had arranged with the motel manager to have everything ready for us.  We spent a most memorable night.  I still have three of the dried roses preserved in a goblet in my breakfront.

What is the one thing fans wouldn’t know about you unless you tell them? 

One thing my readers do not know about me is that (believe it or not) I was painfully shy and insecure during my childhood and adolescence.  I grew up with all kinds of disfiguring skin conditions and horrible allergies and did not find relief until I was in college.  That isn’t exactly a confidence builder for any girl, especially one who was the only redhead in her grade school class and was teased mercilessly about being a carrot top..  

Who is your favorite dark character? Why? 
My favorite “dark character” from a book would have to be one of my own creations, Conal Quinn from Night Wind’s Woman and White Apache’s Woman.  I based him on an actual historical figure I read about in my research on the eighteenth century Southwest.  There was an Irish mercenary who became governor of one of Spain’s colonies, in what is now our state of New Mexico.  This charming fellow really went around the bend, slaughtering the native inhabitants and making necklaces of their ears which he actually wore!   Conal Quinn was the father of the heroes in both novels, who were half brothers.  But Conal was a complex villain, a man who had been driven from his home by the English and lost his whole family.  He turned, naturally enough, to England’s deadly enemy, Spain, for work as a soldier.  They sent him to a harsh, unforgiving desert land far different from his green memories of Ireland.  Conal possessed good looks and charm and his fortunes rose before madness claimed him.  I like to think that the small good in him was passed along to his sons Joaquin and Santiago, who were worthy heroes indeed. 

Lightning Round

white or dark chocolate : Dark chocolate, yum!
milk or coffee : Coffee, black and strong
night or day : Day, sunny mornings especially
coke or 7-up : Neither Coke nor 7-up because I dislike soda pop
New York cheesecake or black forest cake : Cheesecake always!
vampire or werewolf : Neither vampires nor werewolves as I'm not into "goolies"
football game or candlelit dinner : Candlelit dinners are sooo romantic
ebook or print : Print books I can hold in my hands
spring or autumn : Spring when my garden comes to life
sweet or salty : Salty as I always have craved salt more than is good for me
kitten or puppy : Kittens because I have always been a "cat lady"
cook or take-out :  I love to cook and don't much care for fast food

Shirl Henke's LOVE LESSONS AT MIDNIGHT is now available at Book Depository (print). This title is also included in the list of giveaways for our ongoing contest.

Shirl Henke's other title:

Pale Moon Stalker

The Dark Side: Jennifer Leeland

The Dark Side aims to shed light on that deep, dark, mysterious side of an author, a face that she rarely, if ever, shows to the public. What secret is she hiding behind that enigmatic smile on her official photo (if any)? what juicy tidbit is she keeping from the world? What are some of the things that she liked, things we would never know, because it's not part of her bio?

Today, we have with us JENNIFER LEELAND, author of MARKED FOR DESIRE, who regaled us in a previous post with some fun facts about her book and an exclusive excerpt.

Remember, think dark, dark, dark...

What is the most embarrassing thing that has happened to you?
Weeeeellll.  Nothing like getting right to the point. After my first husband and I divorced, I was dating again.  Let's just say it had been a looooong time.  I was staying in a studio apartment and after my date and I were "finished", I came out for a cigarette.....to my neighbor's applause.

At least I entertained them.

Do you believe in ghosts and supernatural phenomenon? Have you ever had a close encounter? Do tell us about it.
I do.  When the Redneck (my husband) moved into our house, I woke up one night convinced I heard a child crying "Mamaaa".  Both of my kids were asleep but I still swear I heard that cry.  I think our ghosts have moved on, but I'm sure they were there.

Imagine that for some reason, your lights suddenly went out! What would be the first thing you’d do or say?
I'd be wondering if I saved my manuscript.  LOL!

Please share one deep, dark secret from your childhood/young adulthood.

Oh wow.  I don't know if I really have one.  It's no secret, but not one I tell everyone that I rode in a police car slightly intoxicated when I was QUITE young.  You couldn't PAY me to be thirteen again.  One thing I learned from that.  One:  Alcohol doesn't solve anything but it CAN make things much much worse.  And two, every horrific thing in life passes.  Every thing. Nothing stays awful forever.

What can you say to someone who is experiencing his/her own dark time now?

Change is inevitable and NO bad time lasts forever.  This too shall pass.

Lightning Round.

white or dark chocolate : Both

milk or coffee : Coffee
night or day : Night
coke or 7-up : I'm a Diet Pepsi girl
New York cheesecake or black forest cake : Um, it's cake.  Who cares.  Both.  The whole thing.
vampire or werewolf : Witch
football game or candlelit dinner : NASCAR race.  LOL!
ebook or print book : ebook
spring or autumn : Winter
sweet or salty : Salty
kitten or puppy : Lizard (LOL)
cook or take-out : I love to cook

Jennifer Leeland's MARKED FOR DESIRE is now available at Loose Id (ebook). This title is also included in the list of giveaways for our ongoing contest.

The first book in the series: MARKED FOR PLEASURE.

* The author has once remarked that it's not necessary to read book 1 to enjoy book 2.

Waiting on Wednesday (1)

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

HER TOUCH IS DEADLY

As the only female Seminus demon ever born, master assassin Sinead Donnelly is used to being treated like an outcast. She spent decades enslaved, and now vows she'll die before she'll relinquish her freedom again. Then Sin's innate ability to kill her enemies goes awry: She creates a lethal new werewolf virus that sparks a firestorm of panic and violence.

HIS HUNGER CAN'T BE DENIED

Half-werewolf, half-vampire Conall Dearghul is charged with bringing in Sin to face punishment for the plague. And she's no stranger: He's bound to her by blood, and the one sexual encounter they shared has left him hungering for her raw sensuality. Worse, Sin is the underworld's most wanted and Con soon learns he's the only one who can help her . . . and that saving her life might mean sacrificing his own.

Available now at Book Depository (print). Very good deal! 25% off and free international shipping!

(Psst! Silver has already pre-ordered this book, making good of the 25% off!)

Whittling the TBR (1)

Silver and I have been racking our brains on what meme to contribute to the blogging community. There's already In My Mailbox hosted by The Story Siren, Waiting on Wednesday by Breaking the Spine, On My Wishlist by Book Chick City, Blog Hops by both Parajunkee and Crazy for Books, and I'm sure there are other wonderful memes we haven't yet discover.

And we don't want to repeat.

Then our glance bounced off the mountainous TBR in my room...and we had a brilliant idea...But it's brilliant only if a third party applauds by commenting or hopping on to this meme's bandwagon. *hint, hint*

So...we present before you--




grab the following code for your
blog

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Whittling the TBR is an event hosted by The Romance Reviews every Tuesday, and aims to decrease the TBR pile one book at a time. The purpose of this event is two-fold: 1.) to help book lovers tackle their ever-growing TBR pile as part of a community effort, and 2.) to bring not-so-recently published books to light.

Reading is a solitary event, but let's do it together!

Pick out a book (or two) that's been languishing in your TBR pile for six months or more with the intention to read (and finish) it this week. You may pick a print book, an ebook, or an audio book. The length of the book doesn't matter. On the last Tuesday of the month, we'll have a Whittling the TBR Brag Day wherein we'll give a mini review of the books we've read or a full review, if that's your preference. More on that at the last week of this month. Attendance is completely voluntary at all the event days.

The book I chose for this week is

Accountant Katie Kramer is a quintessential good girl - working hard, recycling diligently, all the while trying to ignore the feeling that she doesn't fit in anywhere. That's all she wants. Well, that - and amazing sex, and the kind of daredevil escapade she can look back on when she's crunching numbers in a dusty cubicle. Which explains why she just took a job in Wishful, California, working for Wilder Adventures and Expeditions. Waking up to find a magnificently built stranger towering over her bed - that part defies explanation...

After wandering the planet for months following a life-changing accident, Cameron Wilder has come back to the only home he knows. Under other circumstances, he might be thrilled to find a gorgeous woman sleeping in his cabin, but now, while he'll risk his body taking clients on adrenaline-drenched excursions, his heart is off limits. Still, Katie's killer smile triggers something deep in his gut...among other places. Showing her how exhilarating it can be to stop balancing her life as if it was a check book is the biggest rush he's ever felt - and an adventure Katie's wishing would never end...

Still available at Book Depository (print). (10% off and free international shipping!)

The book Silver chose for this week is

Description from author's website:

Four centuries ago, Irena and Alejandro would have succumbed to the need smoldering between them — if a demon and a monstrous bargain hadn't shattered the possibility of love. Torn apart by shame, Irena avoided Alejandro for centuries — until a vampire's call for help throws her into his arms again.

Alejandro can control fire, but he's never been able to control — or quench — the flames between him and Irena. And he knows Irena, hardened by her hatred for demonkind, will never accept that he now works at a demon's behest. But even as he fights for a second chance, a shocking betrayal and a deadly prophecy shake the foundations of the Guardian universe, and all Hell threatens to break loose...

Still available at Book Depository (print). (30% off and free international shipping!)

Mechanics of Whittling the TBR meme:

1. Grab the button up there and place it in your Whittling the TBR post.

2. Put your blog name (the name of the chosen book in parenthesis) and the URL of your Whittling the TBR post in the appropriate Linky fields.

Example:

Blog Name: The Romance Reviews (Instant Attraction and Demon Forged)

Link: http://theromancereviews.blogspot.com/2010/08/whittling-tbr-1.html

3. Check out as many blogs listed as you can and leave encouraging comments, especially if you've read the book before. This is a good way to meet more people. Moreover, conquering a mountain, not to mention several mountains, is a community effort!

4. If you want to show the link list, just follow the link below the entries and copy and paste within your post under "HTML".

5. Non-bloggers can also join in the fun! You cannot leave the blog link field blank nor can Linky accept duplicate links, so I'm sorry non-bloggers, but you'll just have to leave your intentions in the comment section. Please leave an encouraging comment in the original post at The Romance Reviews for the non-bloggers. For Whittling the TBR Brag Day, we may allow non-bloggers to make a guest post review at The Romance Reviews! Those interested, please send an email to caroletrr(@)gmail(.)com, preferably within these two weeks so that we can work out a schedule.

6. Because this is the first time, we'll be opening the meme for 3 days, until August 5, 11:59pm EST.

 

Exclusive Peek: The Banshee's Walk by Frank Tuttle

From Frank Tuttle:

“The Banshee’s Walk” is the fifth book in my Markhat series. It’s also *the* pivotal book, because it’s in this book that hero Markhat and his lady love Darla finally confront the nature of their relationship.

For those unfamiliar with the Markhat series, Markhat is a professional finder. If you’ve lost something, or someone, Markhat will find it (or them) for you, for a fee. He’s much like a private detective in out world – but Markhat’s world is most certainly not ours.

Magic is part of Markhat’s everyday reality. Rannit, Markhat’s sprawling, bustling hometown, is shoulder-to-paw with ogres, soothsayers, whammy men, and the halfdead. Ghosts walk. The shadows hide murder and mayhem, sorcery and scoundrels; the streets are crowded with the working poor, all of whom just want to get home before dark and live through another night.

For many, the wise-cracking cynic Markhat is their last and only hope.

The world-weary private eye is a familiar trope to many readers. But Markhat is different in many respects, chief among them his long-time relationship with Darla Tomas.

Markhat made it plain at the outset that he simply wasn’t going to tolerate being cast as a womanizing cad. None of that new-flame-every-title business for him. And when he met Darla in “Hold the Dark,” he quickly became eager to see her name appear in every adventure thereafter.

There have been a few successful man-and-women detective series. There have been quite a few failures, too. So what am I, the reluctant arbiter of Markhat and Darla’s fates, to do?

“The Banshee’s Walk” answers this, in a way I hope readers will enjoy. Markhat takes on a case that takes him out of Rannit entirely, and deep into a thick, sparsely populated rural area where something foul is definitely afoot. And in the midst of the mayhem, he and Darla confront the very simply question “Will you, or won’t you?”

And the answer is – read the book!

Exclusive Excerpt:

Buttercup was frantic. She was running into walls, knocking over furniture, tearing cushions off the couch, looking anywhere, everywhere, for a way out. She wasn’t howling anymore. It took me a moment to realize that mewling sound she was making was crying.

I struggled to stand upright. I forced my voice to some semblance of normalcy.

“You know me,” I said. The banshee hurled a lamp at the wall, started clawing at the wood. “Buttercup. Listen to me. I am not going to let anyone hurt you.”

She began to strike the oak panels with her fists. Her back was to me. I walked slowly toward her, and when I was close enough I laid a hand on her shoulder.

“You know me,” I said. “Remember? Corn bread? The woods?”

She whirled.

I tried to smile. I managed not to step back.

I reached forward, pushed her hair out of her face. She managed to open her eyes. It was only then I realized they been stinging from the soapy water. “See? It’s me. You’re not afraid of me, are you?”

Gertriss wisely stood very still, and remained very quiet. Buttercup’s eyes darted toward her, and her mouth turned down in a tiny pout.

“That’s Aunt Gertriss,” I said. “She’s nice too. She was just giving you a bath. She has clothes for you too. Pretty clothes.”

Buttercups’ gaze turned back toward me, and she smiled, and took my hand.

“Good,” I said. “Now then—let’s put this gown on you. Gertriss? Very slowly?”

Gertriss took a small, slow step.

Buttercup snatched my left shoe off the floor and managed to fling it right toward Gertriss’s face. Gertriss deflected the shoe with the blanket, which she then flung at Buttercup, and Buttercup managed to move herself and me right behind Gertriss, where the banshee grabbed Gertriss’s dressing gown at the neck and gave it a good furious banshee yank.

Gertriss shrieked, and her dressing gown fell. Buttercup giggled, and at that very moment Fate arranged for my door to fly open and for Darla, my Darla, to walk in.

For a moment, all was stillness and silence.

There was Gertriss, mostly naked. There was Buttercup the freshly bathed banshee, completely naked and hanging onto a Markhat who was naked from the waist up. The floor was covered in cast-off clothing of both male and female varieties. Obeying some capricious law of garment behavior, a pair of Gertriss’s bloomers was hanging from a lamp.

Darla merely nodded at me, raised her right eyebrow and put her left hand on her left hip.

“I see you’re keeping busy, darling. I didn’t knock because I was told you were mortally wounded. I’m pleased to see you’re not. Yet.”

Momma Hog stepped into my room, joined by Evis, who was swathed from head to toe in yards of pure black silk.

Mama gobbled something incomprehensible at Gertriss, who wrapped herself in the blanket and fled for my bathroom.

Evis broke into hissing vampire laughter. He doubled over. He did manage to hide his mouthful of fangs behind a black-gloved hand.

And then Darla marched past Gertriss, pushed Buttercup gently aside and kissed me on the lips.

“So dear, tell me all about your day.”


Summary from Publisher's website:

No secret stays buried forever.

A Markhat novel.

When patron of the arts Lady Erlorne Werewilk hires Markhat to identify the parties who are stealthily mapping out the Lady’s estate by moonlight, Markhat anticipates the usual—greedy relatives or rapacious neighbors plotting a land grab. After all, muses Rannit’s most feckless Finder, the Lady runs a colony filled with young artists. Aside from snits over color and perspective, how dangerous could a squabble over a backwoods house possibly be?

With new partner Gertriss in tow, Markhat takes the Lady’s case. Before the first night is done, the house is visited by murder, mayhem, and the haunting wail of what may be a genuine banshee, come to herald not just one death, but the deaths of all within. Trapped in a house under siege, Markhat must make a desperate gamble with an old enemy to win the race to unlock the secret that lies beneath the Lady’s lands. And find a way to turn that secret against the powerful forces converging on House Werewilk.

Available at Samhain Publishing (ebook).

Exclusive Peek: Lady Isabella's Scandalous Marriage by Jennifer Ashley

From Jennifer Ashley:

When I conceived the Mackenzies series (which started with The Madness of Lord Ian Mackenzie), the characters of the four brothers simply walked into my head. It was the weirdest experience: I just sat there, and the brothers and their histories unfolded in front of me. I love it when that happens—it’s like some hidden part of my brain does all the work, and I’m sitting back, watching a movie.

I wanted to write a series about the wickedest, richest, most decadent men I could think of, and the Mackenzies stood up and took a bow. Of course, the Mackenzies have to be romance heroes, so I let them show me how wonderfully tender and sexy they are, how dangerous and yet how loving they can be. They live for pleasure, but they want their ladies to experience the same.

Each brother is pretty tortured—they were born to an abusive father and a timid mother, each grew up not understanding what it is to be loved by a woman strong enough to handle them. Ian, the youngest is mildly autistic, but all the brothers have a bit of obsessed genius (Mac for art, Cameron for horses, Hart for finance and politics).

The exact details of each novel didn’t flood me at once—that took time. But as the years went by (yes, years: I thought of these books back when I was writing my pirate and Nvengaria series), the brothers grew and developed. I now know pretty much everything there is to know about these guys. Deciding what to put into their novels and what to leave out is more difficult than anything should be.

One thing most people don’t realize was the difficulty in casting the heroines. Isabella I got right away; she’s been there from the beginning, taking care of Ian along with the other brothers. Hart’s heroine has also been there, though she’s not shown in the first two books, only mentioned.

But Beth in Madness of Lord Ian? Dang, that woman was elusive! I went through half a dozen heroines—writing nearly 100 pages each time—before I shook my head and deleted everything. When I finally conceived of Beth’s background (grew up poor, married happily but briefly, was elderly lady’s companion, has just inherited a lot of money), she clicked. I put her with Ian, and the story tumbled out. Cameron’s heroine was nearly as difficult, believe me.

Isabella, the “sister” Ian takes to escorting about after she leaves his brother Mac, has always been part of the brothers. She nurtures Ian, tries and fails to nurture Mac, and how she’s hurt and afraid to trust, but is willing to hope that she and Mac can put their life together again.

The excerpt I’m including happens after Mac, for reasons explained in the book, moves into Isabella’s house (to his delight). The servants, happy to help shove the two back together again, have just served tea for two in the drawing room.

More about the Mackenzies, excerpts and blurbs, can be found on my web pages dedicated to the series: http://www.jennifersromances.com/NewSite/Mackenzies/mackenzie_main.html

Exclusive Excerpt:

Isabella filled the cups as she spoke. Mac’s heart skipped a beat when, without asking, she prepared it the way he liked it—two sugars, no milk. She remembered.

Mac took the cup and set it next to him, waiting politely as she lifted the cloth from a basket and laid a scone on a porcelain plate. He didn’t reach for it until she’d prepared her own tea; then he pulled the scone into two pieces, mounding its soft innards with pale yellow cream.

“One of the only things the English do right is scones and clotted cream,” he said. “The Scots invented scones of course, but the English do them well.”

“I am English,” Isabella reminded him.

“I know that, my lovely Sassenach.”

Mac took a deep bite of scone. Isabella’s gaze fixed on his mouth as clotted cream oozed over his lips. Mac licked them clean, deliberately taking his time.

“This is quite good.” He gave her a wicked smile. “Would you like to try it?”

His heart beat faster as Isabella’s cheeks stained pink. “Yes, I would, rather.”

Mac lifted the piece of slathered scone to her. Isabella took it between her lips, her tongue coming out to lift it inside her mouth. Mac’s body grew hot as he watched her chew, her slender throat moving as she swallowed.

Mac held up his thumb, showing her a bit of cream clinging to it. “I have a little here.”

He waited for her to push him away, to bathe him in scorn and tell him that the game was over. Instead, she guided his hand to her mouth, closed her lips around the tip of his thumb, and sucked away the cream.

Mac groaned. “You are a cruel, cruel woman.”

Isabella released his hand and sat back. “Why?”

“Tempting me with a taste of what I can’t have.”

“It is you who refuses to be satisfied with only a taste.”

He set down his plate and ran a hand through his hair. “I don’t want a taste, Isabella. I want all of you. Again and again, for the rest of our lives. That’s what marriage means, my wife. Together forever. Bound in love.”

“In duty, you mean,” Isabella said.

He laughed. “Sassenach, if you believed marriage was for duty alone, you’d never have eloped with me in the first place. When you met me you didn’t think, Ah, here is a dashing rake. Let me run off with him so I can be dutiful. No, you wanted some entertainment instead of marrying a dried-up stick your father picked out for you.”

“Perhaps, but most marriages turn into duty and habit, from what I have witnessed.”

Mac fell back against the sofa. “Oh, God, Isabella, you’ll slay me with your pessimism. Look at Ian and Beth. They’re mad about each other. Are you saying their marriage has changed to duty and habit? ”

“Of course not.”

“Nor did yours. Don’t lie.”

“No,” she said softly. “It didn’t.”

Thank the Lord for that. He remembered the nights she’d smiled down at him in his bed, her warm body on his while she rode him. Duty, my balls.

“The proof is that when I drove you mad, you ran away,” Mac said. “A dutiful woman would have stayed and put up with me.”

“Gracious, I pity such a woman.”

“I know you do, because you are not that woman. What you ought to have done was smash me over the head, repeatedly, until I came to my senses.”

“Perhaps my leaving was meant to do just that.”

He hid his dart of pain by reaching for the bowl of cream. “You certainly got my attention, love.” He scooped a glob of cream onto his first two fingers and gave her a sly look. “Now, I dare you, my fine lady from Miss Pringle’s Academy: From which part of my anatomy would you like to lick this cream?”


Summary from author's website:

Six years ago, eighteen-year-old Lady Isabella Scranton scandalized all of London by eloping the night of her come-out ball with the notorious rake, Lord Mac Mackenzie. After three turbulent years of marriage, she scandalized London once again--this time by leaving him.

Now the reformed Mac has returned, and he wants one thing: Isabella back in his life, his house, his bed. He'll do anything he has to, play any game, as long as he gets her back. Isabella resists, but when she agrees to pose for erotic paintings he's been working on, she realizes her body has never stopped craving her husband’s very skilled touch. Mac is determined to show Isabella that he's a changed man, but three years without her has only increased his hunger for her.

When an ingenious forger with designs on Mac's paintings, and Isabella herself, comes dangerously near, Mac sets himself up as Isabella’s protector and vows to never leave her side, whether his independent and proud lady likes it or not.

Available now from Book Depository (print).

In My Mailbox (1)

In My Mailbox is a weekly event hosted by The Story Siren. Every week we'll post about what books we have received that week (via your mailbox/library/store bought)!

At The Romance Reviews, we'll be doing this meme once a fortnight.

Remember my posts last week that led me to Christine Warren's The Other series? Well, I got the first two books from the bookstore!

WHEN DANGER MEETS DESIRE...

Sullivan Quinn didn’t travel 3,000 miles from his native Ireland and his wolf pack just to chase rabidly after the most delectable quarry he’s ever seen. Quinn is in America on a mission—to warn his Other brethren of a shadowy group willing to use murder and mayhem to bring them down. But one whiff of this Foxwoman’s delicious honeysuckle fragrance and he knows that she is more than a colleague or a conquest...she is his mate.

THEY’LL DISCOVER...

Anthropologist Cassidy Poe is a world-renowned authority on social interaction, but the overpowering desire she feels around Quinn defies every ounce of her expertise. Working by his side to uncover The Others’ enemies poses risks she never expected—to her own safety, to those she loves, and to her heart, as every encounter with Quinn proves more blissfully erotic than the last...

THE ANIMAL WITHIN...

Now, with no one to trust but each other, Quinn and Cassidy face a foe that’s edging closer every day, threatening to destroy the life they’ve always known, and the passion they’ve just discovered...

Available at Book Depository (print).

WHEN A ROYAL REBEL...

Queen Mab's niece, Fiona, has long been bored to tears by the intrigues of Court life. She'd prefer to cut loose at a punk club, knock back a few Thai beers, and hook up with a likely lad of similar interests. But when Fiona goes AWOL, she only gets as far as Manhattan's Inwood Park before a nasty demon nearly puts a permanent crimp in her plans—and a dark stranger sparks her desire...

MEETS THE BIG, BAD WOLF...

All work and no play make Tobias Walker one cranky werewolf. After six months of doing his part to keep the peace during the delicate negotiations between the Others and humankind, he'd like nothing more than a good night's sleep—preceded by an enthusiastic mating session. The alluring woman he rescues in the park might be the answer to his most lustful prayers, but only if they can both stay alive long enough to find out who wants her dead and why.

PASSION TAKES A WALK ON THE WILD SIDE...

Now, Fiona and Tobias must unravel a tangled web of treachery that spans branches of the Fae, Other, and mortal worlds, all the while falling into a dangerous attraction that could be the beginning of a beautiful friendship—or the end for them both...

Available at Book Depository (print).

I also bought the following:

As a teenager, geeky Sophie adored gorgeous Brandon. He protected her from the bullies, but was too tough for the sweet small-town girl to crack. Then he left for the army...

Now the rebel's back—just in time to rescue Sophie from attending her ex-fiancé's engagement party alone. He'll be her stand-in boyfriend and convince everyone they're wildly in love!

Available at Book Depository (print). (10% off and free international shipping!)

I love such kind of stories. Penny Jordan's Beyond Compare (I got the Mills & Boon cover) is something like this, and it's on my keeper shelf!

Silver bought the following:

The Rules of Fake Engagement

The Terms: Caterer Chelsea Hammond will live with insurance broker David Wolfe for three months in order for him to clinch a massive promotion. Newly returned from Paris, Chelsea will use his kitchen for her new catering business.

Strictly business... 

The Rules: 

1. No kissing
2. No kissing unless his boss is watching
3. No touching. Not too much touching
4. No sex
5. No sex, except for one really hot, satisfying night
6. No falling in love
7. Definitely no falling in love
8. …Uh-oh

Available at Book Depository (print). (10% off and free international shipping!)

Silver said she was caught by the back cover summary. Apparently, she's read a similar story months ago, and she wanted to see if this would be better.

We also received the ARC of Venom from Jennifer Estep, which will be reviewed by Silver. Thank you, Jennifer!

Coming soon in September 2010

What kind of assassin works pro bono?

It’s hard to be a badass assassin when a giant is beating the crap out of you. Luckily, I never let pride get in the way of my work. My current mission is personal: annihilate Mab Monroe, the Fire elemental who murdered my family. Which means protecting my identity, even if I have to conceal my powerful Stone and Ice magic when I need it most.

To the public, I’m Gin Blanco, owner of Ashland’s best barbecue joint. To my friends, I’m the Spider, retired assassin. I still do favors on the side. Like ridding a vampire friend of her oversized stalker—Mab’s right-hand goon who almost got me dead with his massive fists.

At least irresistible Owen Grayson is on my side. The man knows too much about me, but I’ll take my chances. Then there’s Detective Bria Coolidge, one of Ashland’s finest. Until recently, I thought my baby sister was dead. She probably thinks the same about me. Little does she know, I’m a cold-blooded killer . . . who is about to save her life.

Other books in the Elemental Assassin series:

Book 1: Spider's Bite (10% and free international shipping at the Book Depository!)
Book 2: Web of Lies

Available at Book Depository (print). (25% off and free international shipping!)

*Note: All information regarding discounts are correct at the time this post was written.

REVIEW: Ten Things I Love About You by Julia Quinn

ISBN 9780061491894
Genre: Historical Romance
(c) June 2010, Avon Books
Julia Quinn's website

Rating: 2 stars

Available at Book Depository (print).

"Good read for light, frothy entertainment at the end of a hard day at work"

Annabel Winslow needed to marry a rich husband in order to provide for her seven brothers and sisters, and her grandparents found a good candidate in the Earl of Newbury. He's rich and titled and...well, rich. He's interested in Annabel, hoping she'd provide him with the necessary heir because he didn't want the earldom to fall to his younger and more pleasing-of-visage-and-form nephew, Sebastian Grey, whom he disliked from the time of the younger man's birth.

However, Annabel found a kindred spirit in Sebastian whom everyone had taken to warn her was poor, and so she was torn as to which man she should choose, provided either or both made her a proposal...

Ten Things I Love About You is a fun, lighthearted romance, with the trademark Julia Quinn humor in the characters' observations and dialogue.

Sebastian Grey is the usual rougish hero, with lovers left and right, but with a penchant for laughter. He also has his own code of honor in that he didn't hit older men and he didn't seduce debutantes, but he found himself captivated by Annabel, with her form, her wit, her humor and eventually, he realized he'd found a kindred spirit in her. And I like this. Too many times we're told by the authors that the main characters are soulmates, that they're destined to be together but we're rarely shown how the characters came to that conclusion. Back to Sebastian, he also struck me as a sensitive kind of guy, the kind who love books and the written word, which he did. His banter with Annabel was fun to read, the result of his natural cheerful mien, and I couldn't help but laugh out loud at times.

Annabel Winslow is a courageous young lady who's caught between a rock and a hard place and trying to do right by her family. Like all women in her time, she has limited options, well, it seems like her only option here is to marry the right man. Right being rich enough to help her family's financial woes. Now, I wonder. Is marriage really the only option for her? Couldn't she have become a governess? Wouldn't that earn her enough money to help her family?

Sebastian was a bit different from other heroes in that he didn't act all caveman-like and protective when it seemed Annabel needed rescuing. He was even reluctant, though he was attracted to Annabel. I find that reaction fresh and realistic, and I like it. After all, he didn't know her very well yet at that point. But once he realized he wanted her, he pursued her with single-minded intent and acquired the aforementioned caveman-like protective and territorial instincts. And that's so exciting to read as well.

The only flaw I saw in this story was that, since Annabel's maternal grandparents were a viscount and a viscountess (Annabel's mother married beneath her, I believe, and her grandparents never approved) and they have connections in Society, why couldn't they have found Annabel a better man to marry? Why the Earl of Newbury, who's as old as her grandparents, and who had been her grandmother's lover besides? That her grandmother would even think of foisting Annabel on an old flame is something I find unacceptable. Unless that's what they do in those times?

Annabel isn't ugly either. No, she's well-endowed and as Sebastian said, no man would see her and not think of seduction. Her grandparents shouldn't have to settle for the Earl of Newbury, as I don't think it would've been hard to marry Annabel off. Moreover, even if the grandparents were still angry at Annabel's mother and weren't inclined to throw their granddaughter a ball, they were invited to other parties. Surely, Annabel could've found a better match there. Were all the other gentlemen in Society at that time blind or already married?

Of course, if there were other gentlemen suitors, then there wouldn't be this particular conflict and the story would've been different.

This book is a good read if you're looking for light, frothy entertainment at the end of a hard day at work. However, since the foundation of the plot is a bit shaky, I cannot, in all fairness, give this a high rating. So, the final rating I gave is "2".

Sizzling Summer Nights Giveaway!

Thanks to Hachette Book Group, we've got a Super Giveaway for the month of August! Three winners will each win a set of these great books below:

A closer look at the books in the giveaway:

Marlena is terrified.

For weeks, a serial killer has terrorized her town, murdering women and stripping them of their favorite piece of jewelry. But the most terrifying thing of all is that those pieces of jewelry have all appeared as beautifully wrapped gifts on Marlena's door and she has no idea who is leaving them for her or why. The only thing she knows for sure: that she's next on his list.

With a serial killer on the loose in his town, Sheriff Dante Valtrez has his hands full, especially when Marlena shows up on his doorstep, afraid and alone, with evidence that ties her directly to the murders. She couldn't have committed the crimes herself, but Dante doesn't trust this mysterious beauty. When the violence escalates and strange and inexplicable things start happening in the town...and to Marlena, Dante can't deny that there's more than just human evil at work and that Marlena is the target.

As desire binds them together and an otherworldly force threatens to tear them apart, can Dante save them both before it's too late?

Get this book with 40% off from Book Depository!

FBI Special Agents Monica Davenport and Luke Dante are sent to the quiet town of Jasper, Mississippi. Although the modi operandi are different, it soon becomes clear that the two murders there are linked - by the notes from the killer and by the victims' fear. When the next woman goes missing, Lavery receives a call and a man's voice whispers, 'What scares you?"

Luke has never had a chance to watch Monica work on a profile before and he's amazed at the way she gets into the killer's head, retracing steps at the crime scenes, understanding the fierce need to stir terror in the victims. The killer is now totally focused on Monica. Finally, he's found someone who understands. Someone who knows the thrill of the hunt. 

The sheriff thinks that the killer will flee but Monica knows that running isn't an option for him. She doesn't think he fears getting caught - that's not what scares him. She thinks the bastard is playing a game - has been from the beginning and he's not going to stop until the game ends.

Get this book with 25% off from Book Depository!

HE MEETS HIS MATCH - SHE MEETS HER MASTER

Art gallery curator Joy Montgomery has never liked her body's generous curves and she's always been too shy to explore her wild side but tonight, everything is going to change ...

Desperate to save her job, Joy approaches bad-boy artist Ash Hunter and asks him to exhibit his erotic work at her gallery. Ash agrees on one condition: Joy must pose as his model. But business soon turns to pleasure, as Joy experiences a passion beyond her wildest imaginings and Ash finds more than just inspiration in his voluptuous new muse.

Get this book with 41% off from Book Depository!

Lady Alessandra, half Italian, has a fiery, passionate nature, tempered by her cool British half. After the death of her husband, she has fled Italy to escape dark rumours of her involvement with a radical group. She scales the heights of London's Polite Society, but with the arrival of Italian scholar Frederico Bellazoni, she knows that her dark past has followed her to England.

Lord James Pierson, famed for his career in the British army, senses that the lovely lady is running from something. Drawn to her beauty and vulnerability, Lord James soon learns her secret, and vows to protect her. Yet even his help may not be enough to extricate her from Bellazoni's maniacal plans.

Get this book with 41% off at the Book Depository!

Davina Montgomery's father provided the finest soldiers to guard his beloved daughter. But when an army attacks Davina and sets fire to the chapel that houses her, she knows one thing for certain: someone she trusts has betrayed her. Unwilling to cower defenselessly, she grabs a sword and fights her way out. Just as the flames are about to claim her, however, a dark warrior crashes in and plucks her from the inferno. Even though this brutish Highlander saved her life, Davina is unwilling to trust him. After all, he is a brutish Highlander. 

Rob MacGregor couldn't care less about Lady Davina Montgomery, much less her beloved England. But he couldn't bear to see this lass come to harm, even though her fiery tongue and her kissable lips make him want to both throttle her and make love to her. Torn between the need to protect her at any cost and the undeniable truth that sheltering her brings danger to his own clan, Rob is forced to choose between love and duty.

Get this book with 40% off from Book Depository!

Mechanics of the Giveaway:

1. This contest will run for the entire month of August. It will end on August 31, 2010, 1159pm EST. The winner will be announced on September 1.

2. To enter this contest, you must be a follower (at least GFC) and you must comment on this post. Not a follower + no comment = no chance.
3. For the comment, tell us about the last great book you've read.
4. Only residents of the U.S. or Canada are eligible to win.
5. Winners will be chosen via Randomizer.org. Please send an email to caroletrr(@)gmail(.)com with your name and mailing address. No P.O. Boxes, please. Anyone who sent a P.O. Box as an address will automatically be disqualified and a new winner chosen.
6. If you don't send me an email within 48 hours of the winner announcement post, we will choose a new winner.

Good luck!