His Dark Bond

I love fallen angels. As heroes, fallen angels are dark, sexy, and so damned alpha. The heroes of my book are take-charge warriors who, despite their Fall from heavenly grace, have a bedrock core of honor and a fierce desire to do what is right. The hero of my current release, His Dark Bond, is also an unrepentant bad boy—my favorite kind of hero, especially once my heroine gets her hands on his heart. She’s his last hope for salvation, whether he wants to be saved—or not.

Clearly, I’m not the only one in love with the bad boys of the angel world. My “first” was J.R. Ward’s Lassiter; after him, I’ve spent hours lost in other fallen angel books by J.R. Ward, Michele Hauf, Gena Showalter, Meljean Brook, Nalini Singh, Kristina Douglas and Cynthia Eden. I was hooked.

Blurb:

Zer is no angel—well, not anymore. He’s explored every flavor of sin imaginable, drinking in the pleasures of humanity. But now he must find the woman who carries his salvation in her very blood… a woman like Nessa St. James.

Nessa has considered the bargain the Fallen offer. Anything she wants in exchange for accepting Zer’s bond? No way. Not her. Not when she finds out about the mind-blowing ritual involved, and the marks of surrender that will ink her skin. But with a serial killer to stop and centuries of experience on his side, this is one job Zer’s going to nail.

Excerpt:

                        The erotic stillness of her body as she tried to make sense of an overload of sensations rocked his world, teasing all his senses with sensual promise. And then she melted into his embrace.

                        Good. “First time, baby,” he promised. He moved up her body, bit lightly at the smooth skin of her throat, marking her. Next time she wore that damn chignon of hers, the whole world would see his mark of possession. Would know that she belong to him.

                        He shouldn’t be doing this, but the pleasure was a torment now. So long since he’d felt this sense of welcome. Homecoming. As if, in all the universe, this was the one place he belonged. A male could drown in this pleasure.

                        Christ, he wanted this to be right for her. For him to be her fantasy the way she was his.

                        Ruthlessly, he stripped off his boots and pants. Shot a look at the shadows. Solid as a rock, there was his boy. Nael hadn’t moved from his position in the darkness. Safe. So, he slid his weapon under the pillow but didn’t remove the pair of blades strapped to his upper arm. Nael had his back, but no way would Zer risk Nessa now. She was worth too damn much. Losing her wasn’t an option, and for reason he didn’t want to explore. Not now.

                        Covering her, he deliberately bore down with his weight, pinning her to the bed. Her husky feminine moan went straight to his head.

                        “Bond with me,” he growled.

                        Her answer, when it came, rocked his world.

                        “Yes,” she groaned, licking at his ear. “You bond with me.”

Which fallen angel book sticks in your heart and your memory? I’d love to give away a signed set of Fallen books (Bond with Me and His Dark Bond), so leave a comment and tell me which story you can’t forget. Giveaway is open internationally and ends February  10th. Good Luck!

Guest Post & Giveaway with Anne Marsh is a post from: The Book Pushers | Book Reviews | Book Chatter

It was too good a chance to miss. So we’ve arranged a little “Ode to Matthew”—five lovely little tidbits proving these cowboys are very good at a lot of things. We hope you’ll enjoy taking a ride with our boys! (The full list of places to visit to read tidbits is listed at my blog.)

In this post we’re going for Cowboys Are Great Kissers…

~~**~~

Matthew

 Circle Eight, Book 1

By Emma Lang

A man learns to hold what is his…

It is a vast spread in the eastern wilds of the newly independent Republic of Texas, the ranch their parents fought for … and died for. To the eight Graham siblings, no matter how much hard work or hard love it takes, life is unthinkable without family…

In the wake of his parents’ murder, Matthew Graham must take the reins at the Circle Eight. He also needs to find a wife in just thirty days, or risk losing it all. Plain but practical, Hannah Foley seems the perfect bride for him . . . until after the wedding night.

Their marriage may make all the sense in the world, but neither one anticipates the jealousies that will result, the treacherous danger they’re walking into, or the wildfire of attraction that will sweep over them, changing their lives forever.

~~**~~

Enjoy a snippet from MATTHEW:

She felt herself falling into his eyes. They were very green in the low light of the hall. It was as if they’d stepped into another place, without their entire noisy family only feet away. His thumb grazed her lips and a skitter of heat slid down her body. Her stomach felt funny and her woman place grew warm and tingly. Hannah could hardly catch her breath.

“Are you going to kiss me?” she blurted.

He smiled and leaned down, his lips slowly approaching hers. She didn’t want to close her eyes and miss it, but the closer he got, the more she fell into a whirlpool of unfamiliar sensations. His lips were softer than anything she’d felt before. Just a brush against hers, and then the second pass was a true kiss.

A small moan burbled up her throat as the second kiss turned into a third. Her body throbbed to the frantic beating of her heart. Hannah didn’t want to even take a breath and miss a bit of the most erotic moment of her life.

His arms closed around her and she pressed up against him. Oh my. He was hard from head to foot, harder than she expected. Matthew was a man who worked for a living, covered in muscle with callused hands and a firm grip.

~~**~~

Buy links: Book releases January 31, 2012

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | B-A-M | Chapters | IndieBound | Powell’s

Emma Lang/Beth Williamson: Website | Blog | Twitter

~~**~~

Rocky Mountain Desire
Six Pack Ranch, Book 3
By Vivian Arend

Nothing comes easy. You’ve gotta work for it.

Matt Coleman always figured at this point in his life, he’d be settled down with a family. Since his ex split for the big city, though, no way will he give anyone else the chance to drop-kick his heart. Physical pleasure? Hell, yeah, he’ll take—and give—with gusto, but nothing more.

Hope Meridan is working long hours to hold on to her new quilt shop, going it alone since her sister/business partner ran off. Sex? Right, like she’s got the time. Not that she doesn’t have the occasional dirty fantasy about Matt. Fat chance he’d dream of knocking boots with her—the younger sister of the woman who dumped him. Nope, she’ll just have to settle for the F-word.

Friends would be far easier if there wasn’t something combustible going on between them. And when casual interest starts to grow into something more, their tenuous bond strengthens in the heat of desire. But it may not survive the hurricane-force arrival of the last person either of them ever wanted to see again…

Warning: Small-town rivals, men in pursuit and family meddling—in good and bad ways. Look for a cowboy who knows how to rope, ride and rein in a hell of a lot more than eight seconds of sheer bliss.

~~**~~

Enjoy a snippet from ROCKY MOUNTAIN DESIRE:

She leaned in as close as possible without making her actions too noticeable. A deep breath let her soak in the scent of his freshly washed body. The soapy fragrance clinging to him made her want to eat him alive.

It also reminded her of his very blatant display in the shower the other day.

Three weeks and counting. They’d made it this far without falling into bed, but it was getting tougher to remember why she’d insisted they wait in the first place. Not counting all the times he’d dropped in at the shop or she’d been around the ranch, they’d also gone to a movie and had a couple of game nights with his family. Each activity confirmed how much she enjoyed his company, but now that pleasure seemed to highlight their rising sexual frustration.

“Did you just sniff me?”

Hope looked up guiltily. “Maybe?”

Matt laughed softly. “Come here.” He wrapped a hand around the back of her neck and pulled her in, not stopping until she was flush with the front of his body. He lowered his head slowly, giving her tons of time to retreat.

Like that was going to happen.

That first brush of his lips against hers made a shiver race over her entire body. The teasing rub of his whiskers against her lips made her hungry for more. She grabbed his belt loops, twining her fingers through them to resist sliding her fingers farther back to clutch his ass and grind them together.

Sweet kisses followed, accompanied by not-so-sweet mental images. Even as his tongue slipped between her lips, she was imagining his lips and tongue on other parts of her anatomy. The fine scratch of his facial hair dragging over sensitive skin.

“Hmm.” He pulled back, his dark gaze captivating her.

~~**~~

Buy links: (ebook releases March 13, 2012)

Rocky Mountain Desire: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Vivian Arend: Website | Blog | Twitter

Wow! That is some hot Matthew kissing action going on. Vivian is also offering a givaway: winner’s choice of the the first two books in the Six Pack Ranch series. Just leave a comment to be entered. Open internationally and ends February 6th. Good Luck!

Emma Lang and Vivian Arend Guest Post and Giveaway is a post from: The Book Pushers | Book Reviews | Book Chatter

Congrats to Maureen! Please check your e-mail for instructions on how to claim your prize.
Happy reading!

Winner – Silver Sparks is a post from: The Book Pushers | Book Reviews | Book Chatter

Today we’ve got Cathy Perkins to talk about what it’s like being a brand new author!

I’m delighted to be here. It’s so much fun to connect with readers. I was a reader before I was a writer, so I understand wanting to share a love of books and stories.

Explain to us your journey to publication:

While I’ve had a life-long love affair with reading, I didn’t start writing until fairly recently. This probably isn’t how most people start, but I had a long-term consulting job in a city about 90 miles away. I’d listen to music and daydream during the commute. Pretty soon the day dream had dialogue and I thought, hmm, this is turning into a good story. That particular book lives in a box under my bed, but I was hooked on writing and creating worlds and characters. 

After writing The Professor, I joined a critique group. These writers encouraged me to join RWA and enter a few contests, including the Golden Heart. The Professor won those contests and was a Golden Heart finalist, but I kept hearing ‘romantic suspense is dead’ so I really didn’t try to sell the book.

Instead, I put the story away and kept writing. About this time last year, I pulled the story out and thought, I love these characters and I want to share them with a wider audience. Carina Press made an offer and I’m thrilled to say the novel released yesterday, on January 23.  

What’s your first published book about (start of a series, a stand alone, we want details!):

Set in South Carolina, stopping the serial killer who’s terrorizing college campuses drives the plot of The Professor. The tension and stakes build as the characters’ wants and needs set them on a collision course: Charismatic State Agent Mick O’Shaughnessy wants more from life than work and a pretty face. Fiercely independent graduate student Meg Connelly always wanted a loving family and professional success, but has to learn to trust in order to get either. The Professor knows the only way to get what he wants is to take it—and taking Meg’s life will destroy Mick with the same stroke of his knife.

I wrote The Professor as a standalone, but I’ve already had several people ask me if there’ll be more from either Mick and Meg or the extended O’Shaughnessy clan. I can see possible story lines, but I’m working on another project right now.

Do you have anything in the works? (contracted or not?)

I just finished a financial mystery that I love—lots of twists and turns. When initially I didn’t plan a Happily-Ever-After for the hero and heroine, my critique partners nearly killed me over that ending. So, yes, I did rewrite it. J It’s under consideration right now, so we’ll see what happens there.

Currently, I’m working on two very different manuscripts. One is dark and introspective, revolving around the theme of betrayal. The other is a light, amateur sleuth mystery about a CPA—houses, handbags or companies, she knows how to make a deal— who’s dodging a vengeful detective, while staying one step ahead of a murderer. A fun relief after the intensity of the darker ones.

What are your overall dreams, goals and expectations for your future as an author?  

I absolutely love writing mysteries and suspense, so I’ll stay with that genre. Having said that, I might publish the light amateur sleuth series under the pen name Cathy Ann Stewart Hamilton, because when a woman’s initials are CASH, how can she not get involved in finance? I’m finding my darker stories are becoming more introspective and wandering over into mainstream territory. At this stage, I feel blessed to have so many opportunities. Ultimately I want to write a story that readers enjoy.

What’s your writing process like? Has it changed from when you first started writing?

Once I decided to write for publication, I realized I had lots to learn about the craft of writing. While I’ve read craft books, I attend an annual, week-long, Masterclass. The in-depth sessions and nightly critique groups fit my hands-on learning style. I think the first year I went, my head exploded from everything I learned! 

My overall process hasn’t changed, but I’m far more conscious of structure, drawing on a four act/eight sequence framework, and on what several instructors call “persistence of view” rather than just point of view. Of course, when I “run the movie in my head,” I’m aware of the visual storytelling and look for thematic elements and ways to incorporate the setting into the story—things I didn’t know existed when I started writing. While elements can always be added or deepened during editing passes, I’ll always be a plotter—I need to understand where my stories are headed.

When did you start writing? What was your very first story about?

The first story—that extended daydream—was an erotomania obsessed woman determined to eliminate my heroine. I made every mistake with that story, except I discovered I love creating characters. My critique partners actually like the premise and want me to dig this one out of the dust bunnies. Don’t see that happening.

Who were some of your inspirations for becoming an author?

For my inspiration, I’m going to reach way back to when I was little. I read everything from Nancy Drew to My Friend Flicka to Madeline L’Engle. Even then I loved getting caught up in a story. Fast forward a lot of years and I love reading mysteries – Ridley Pearson, Barbara Parker, Tess Gerritsen, Allison Brennan… the list can go on forever. When I started writing, I wanted to create that same experience for the reader.

Give us the story about when you got “The Call”

I missed The Call! I was working out of town with my day job, came home and found Angela James’ voice mail, saying she’d read The Professor and wanted to talk to me about it. I met my critique partner for lunch – I’m not sure that café will welcome us back – and we decided she wouldn’t call to turn me down. Later that afternoon, I got an email extending the offer and setting up a time to talk. 

Who is the author you would most like to meet living or deceased and why?

There’s a long list of literary authors I’d love to invite over for a drink on the porch but I’m going say it’s a toss-up between Ridley Pearson and Allison Brennan. Both have built successful careers based on character-driven stories with page turning plots. I’d love to pick their brains on everything from plotting to suspense layers to confronting all the doubts writers face on a daily basis.

Thanks so much Cathy for being here today!  Cathy has also generously offered a giveaway – a copy of The Professor, coming soon from Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Carina Press and other e-book sellers. This giveaway ends January 31st and is open internationally.

Contact: Facebook  | Twitter | Website

Debut Author Feature: Cathy Perkins is a post from: The Book Pushers | Book Reviews | Book Chatter

The 5th book in The Hellions of Halstead Hall Series – A Lady Never Surrenders – releases on January 24th .

Sabrina, welcome to The Book Pushers!

Sabrian: Thanks for having me!

The Book Pushers: What can you tell us about A Lady Never Surrenders, and what can readers expect from Celia and Jackson?

Sabrina: The story is about Celia trying to gain a good offer of marriage so that her grandmother will see that she’s capable of securing a proposal and will rescind the ultimatum that all the siblings must marry if they’re to gain their inheritance. If Celia’s plan doesn’t work, at least she’ll get a potential husband out of the deal. So she hires Bow Street Runner Jackson Pinter to check out her suitors. He doesn’t like any of them and is determined to keep Celia safe from them, especially since he wants her for himself! The ongoing mystery of the series is also resolved, and the reader will find out what really happened to the Sharpes’ parents.

Celia and Jackson have this burning attraction that they’ve both been sublimating, so when it finally erupts, they’re pretty hot together, I think!

The Book Pushers:  Out of your Hellions, which character gave you the most difficulty trying to keep them straight on paper?

Sabrina: Jarret from A Hellion in Her Bed. I just wasn’t sure who he was, and it took me a long time to figure it out. Once I “got” him, though, he practically wrote his own book.

The Book Pushers:  Now that the Hellions series has come to an end are you sad to leave these characters, or are you more excited to jump into a new project/series?

Sabrina: I’m always sad to leave characters I love, but I’m also always excited about a new project. Both of those feelings coexist for me at the end of a series.

The Book Pushers: Looking at your backlist, you seem to favor series.  What is it about having those interconnections that sparks your creativity?

Sabrina: I like returning to the same world time and again. And I like feeling that there’s a larger construct than the romance—a larger purpose, if you will. That’s what I can gain from doing a series—a bigger canvas.

The Book Pushers:  Which favourite book of yours would you pick to recommend for a new reader?

Sabrina: Hmm, that’s a hard choice. If it’s someone new to romance, I’d suggest Never Seduce a Scoundrel, since it has a lot of other stuff in it (adventure, mystery, secrets). If it’s a romance reader who’s new to my books, I’d probably suggest The Truth about Lord Stoneville, so they could start my latest series at the beginning.

The Book Pushers: Would you consider writing about heroines and heroes that are not part of  higher society?

Sabrina: Well, since Jackson isn’t part of high society (he’s a Bow Street Runner), I guess you could say I already have. I’ve also written about a man of affairs who’s a former smuggler and who is now in trade (Danny Brennan in A Notorious Love) and an American marine (Lucas in Never Seduce a Scoundrel). I like to mix it up.

The Book Pushers: You’ve had such a fantastic career writing in the regency genre. Have you ever considered, or would like to try your hands at another genre?

Sabrina: When I wrote under the name Deborah Nicholas, I did three books that were contemporary paranormal romantic suspense. I wouldn’t mind trying that again, but the genre has changed SO much since the 90’s (when I was writing those books) that I don’t know if I could do it successfully. I’ve also considered time travel and a bigger thriller-type series, but I’m just not “hooked” by any idea yet, so I guess I’ll keep writing historicals until other inspiration strikes.

The Book Pushers: Can you tell us what you have planned for any future projects?

Sabrina: My next book is a Christmas hardcover (‘Twas the Night After Christmas, on sale October 30, 2012) with Pierce Waverly as the hero (he appears in the last two Hellions books). It’s something of a stand-alone, but it will introduce the main character for my new series, which begins next year. Since that’s still in the formative stages, I’m not ready to talk about it yet, but I’m very excited about it. The first book of THAT series will probably have the Duke of Lyons as a hero.

The Book Pushers: Which hero or heroine of yours, or other fictional character, would you love to have drinks with?

Sabrina: Probably Gavin Byrne, from One Night with a Prince. He’s seen so much of society from the inside, I’d like to pick his brain! Plus, he’s sexy.

The Book Pushers: What is the most romantic book, show or movie that you love? And why?

Sabrina: There are so many, but right now I’m in love with North and South (the mini-series of the Elizabeth Gaskell novel, not the Civil War mini-series). Richard Armitage is the hottest hero ever, and the romance is so wonderful. I also adore Castle and Bones. How could you not love those two couples together? They’re so sweet.

Thanks so much Sabrina for being here today!! Sabrina has also graciously offered to giveaway one of the first four books in the Hellions of Halstead Hall Series to one lucky winner. This giveaway is open to US and Canada residents and will end on January 27th. Good Luck!

Interview & Giveaway with Sabrina Jeffries is a post from: The Book Pushers | Book Reviews | Book Chatter

Publisher: Pocket Books
Publish Date: Out now
How I got this book: From the publisher

The Larkin sisters are used to hearing whispers behind their backs. Being raised by hippie parents in the small resort town of Barringer’s Pass, Colorado, they were always considered oddballs, and for a while, they did everything they could to earn the name. But now, older and wiser, they’re discovering that it’s not so great to be the wild child, and are struggling to earn a new place for themselves in town.

When Maggie Larkin resists the come-ons of a sleazy actor in town to shoot a film, she pisses off more than a pretty boy and his manager. Turns out that Rafe DeLuca isn’t just a movie star…he’s possibly a killer, and Maggie’s landed herself in more trouble than she could imagine. Enter Cal Drummond, cop extraordinaire, who’s been trailing DeLuca himself for weeks, convinced that his recently murdered sister is one of Rafe’s victims. He’s determined not to let another woman be victimized by the dangerous Rafe, and if that means sticking like glue to Maggie, so be it.

Maggie and Cal seem like perfect opposites, but as we all know…opposites attract!
This blurb came from Goodreads.

Pocket Books is also sponsoring a giveaway along with this review so keep reading to find out how to enter.

When we were offered this book to review I read the blurb and it seemed pretty interesting so I accepted the request. I happen to have a soft spot for characters who are trying to redeem themselves or to distance themselves from their less then stellar behavior in the past. I also liked the thought of a murder mystery and a grieving bound to be overprotective cop. Unfortunately after finishing Silver Sparks I still haven’t decided if I liked the book or not.

I enjoyed seeing the bonds between Maggie and her two sisters along with the relationship between Cal and surviving much younger sister. Each was determined to protect the others and willing to do anything to get revenge on Rafe. But some aspects of the family ties didn’t ring consistent. Maggie mentions that her reputation was an attempt to live up to what people were saying because of her hippie parents, yet she never demonstrated any sense of resentment or strain with her parents when she visited them later in the book. I found that odd because on other occasions she was hurt and humiliated by that same reputation. One of Maggie’s two sisters, Sophie, was raised completely separately so she never painted with the same reputation yet when her professional and personal world fell apart due to the influence of Rafe and his family’s money Sophie didn’t have any reaction except anger and a determination to help expose Rafe for what he was.

As characters Maggie and Cal remained pretty consistent. I could certainly see the personality trait that made Maggie decide to live up to her reputation. I liked seeing how she didn’t just completely flip a switch and become a completely different person when she decided to live respectably. Cal was certainly fixated on Rafe and determined to bring his sister’s killer to justice but based on his behavior I kept thinking that his sister was killed years ago instead of within a month or so. Unfortunately I never connected with either Maggie or Cal so I was never sucked into what they were experiencing. I actually found Cal’s sister more interesting.

Ms Ambrose employed some interesting twists in the murder mystery portion of Silver Sparks but I thought some of the things that happened were a bit too coincidental and tied the threads up too nicely in the later portion of the book. Due to my background reading murder mysteries I personally enjoy getting clues along the way and then having the “aha” moment when the puzzle fits into place.

I give Silver Sparks a C.

Thanks to Pocket Books we have a print copy to giveaway. To enter leave a comment talking about what reality show actor/actress you would most like to meet and what show they are on. This contest will close on Jan 23d with the winner announced on the 24th.

Links to purchase:

Barnes & Noble | Amazon Book
| Kindle eBook

Review & Giveaway Silver Sparks by Starr Ambrose is a post from: The Book Pushers | Book Reviews | Book Chatter

With Samhain, Anya has a new series starting that features shifters, vampires an a post-apocalyptic world that will melt your socks off. The first book in the Doomsyear series – The Twisted Kiss – is out January 24th.

Welcome to The Book Pushers Anya!

The Book Pushers: Can tell us a little about The Twisted Kiss, and the Doomsyear series?

Anya: Sure! The Twisted Kiss is first in a new post-apocalyptic series I’ll be writing for Samhain. In this world, most of the earth’s population has mutated into vampires and werewolves, thanks to the blundering of the military when they attempt to bio-engineer the perfect soldier. Here’s the blurb for the book….

Sometimes it takes just one kiss…

Kylie Mitchell lives in a world of monsters. Thanks to a military experiment gone viral, over half the population is gone and most of what remains has mutated into storybook werewolves and vampires. In this new Earth, only the tough survive, and Kylie has more than enough reason to want to be left alone.

When the Council of the Wise decrees that she must mate with a potent vampire and a powerful werewolf, Kylie resents their intrusion into her self-imposed exile. As one of the last humans on Earth, she always assumed she’d be safe from the super-psychics’ machinations, and she’s not ready to trust her heart to anyone.

Michael and Christian share no great love for each other, but they have one thing in common—their long-time desire for Kylie. Determined to ensure she doesn’t spend the rest of her lonely life wallowing in needless guilt, they choose to put aside their differences and work together, never allowing her time to think as they seduce her body and mind, hoping their love will tempt her heart to open to them.

Yet just as she begins to bloom under their fiercely protective attention, a twisted and monstrous figure from the past rises up, threatening to destroy everything…

The Book Pushers:  What made you decide to move to a post-apocalyptic world?

Anya: I LOVE post-apocalyptic fiction because a.) it’s dark as hell and, b.) it has so much possibility for worldbuilding. It’s a great setting for romance, in my opinion. You have that often bleak landscape, where hope is a precious thing, then the tiny light of love sparks and catches…. What a great contrast!

The Book Pushers: How many books with be in the Doomsyear series, and will it follow a series of interconnected characters?

Anya: I’m not sure how many books will be in the series. It really depends on how the series does and what kind of feedback I get from readers. It also, of course, depends on my level of inspiration with the world. If I feel like a series has run its course, I end it. I don’t believe in forcing a series past its natural life. It will follow interconnecting characters, yes.

The Book Pushers: How challenging is it for you to have more then one series running at a time?

Anya: I usually only work on one project at a time, so it’s not that hard for me to switch back and forth. The worlds the different series are set in are pretty distinctive. Luckily, I don’t confuse them.

The Book Pushers:  Looking at your backlist you have moved between genres more than once.  Is there one in particular you enjoy writing more then the others?

Anya: Well, I do move between sub-genres of paranormal fiction, but I very, very rarely move out of paranormal altogether. So, whether the story is historical, post-apocalyptic, has a modern, urban setting, they all have one thing in common, they’re fantastical in one way or another. I love all of them, but may prefer one sub-genre over the rest at any particular time. The ability to switch sub-genres keeps me from becoming bored creatively.

The Book Pushers: Paranormal Romance and Urban Fantasy are ever changing their boundaries. What do you think makes them so appealing to readers and what does these genres say to you?

Anya: I think people want an interesting story with compelling characters. That’s true across all genres. If other readers are like me, they turn to paranormal romance and urban fantasy to be transported into a different world and leave the mundane behind. There are very few limits in speculative fiction. A writer’s imagination is allowed to run wild and take the reader along for the ride.

The Book Pushers: Do you have any future projects planned that you can share with us?

Anya: Right now I’m working on an urban fantasy book (currently) titled Smoke and Bone. I’m also working on the sequel to Embrace of the Damned, the first book in a new paranormal romance series that features immortal Viking warriors, shamans and witches. And, of course, yet another project is the sequel to The Twisted Kiss. I have no shortage of things to work on.

The Book Pushers: Out of all your heroes, who would you be tempted to marry, kiss, or chuck off a cliff?

Anya: Hmmm…I would have to go with Broder Calderson from Embrace of the Damned. I’d be tempted to do all three of those things to him. He’s a pretty strong guy from an age when men protected their women…even when those women didn’t want (or need) protection. His heart is in the right place, but he has trouble dealing with the modern day female. Despite this, his passion and protectiveness are attractive qualities, and all of it is seated in a very attractive package.

The Book Pushers: Out of your heroines, who do you think is the most kick-ass and could hold her own against other kick ass heroines?

Anya: I might have to pick Isabelle from Witch Blood for that one. In the beginning of the book she’s literally attempting to freeze the bad guy’s…well, let’s just say “family jewels”…off with her bare hands. I would never want to cross her.

The Book Pushers: And finally, if you had to write a scene where there was a night out at a pub or fancy dinner, which characters of yours would:

Anya: Get drunk the most? Adam Tyrell (from Witch Heart)  Brawl? Niall Quinn (from Midnight Enchantment) Have wild dirty sex in the kitchen cupboard? Gabriel Mac Braire (from Wicked Enchantment)

Thanks so much for the interview! I would like to offer a giveaway. I’ll pick one winner from the replies to this post for an ebook of The Twisted Kiss.

Thanks so much Anya for being here today!! The giveaway will end on January 23rd and is open internationally.

Interview & Giveaway with Anya Bast is a post from: The Book Pushers | Book Reviews | Book Chatter

Touch Me

If you know me at all (either as Callie Croix or Kaylea Cross), then you know how much I love and admire military personnel. And you’ll also have figured out that I’m crazy for military heroes in romance novels. With Touch Me, I got to combine a yummy alpha military hero with one of my all time favorite romance tropes: the friends-to-lovers theme.

Along with the steamy romance, I also touch on Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) and PTSD, serious issues that a growing percentage of our men and women in uniform face on today’s battlefields. Once they return, their families suffer right along with them; collateral damage that is often overlooked. In Touch Me, you’ll see one example of this in how the heroine, Tianna’s life was affected by her ex-husband’s injuries sustained in combat.

Blurb:

Arriving home on leave from his tour of duty, Army Captain Alex Montoya knows there’s a beautiful woman waiting for him—his best friend’s sister. She’s always been off limits…until now. He fully intends to move them out of being “just friends” and encourage her to release the sexual needs he senses she’s buried deep.

Tianna McIntyre is starting over after her marriage ended. Her ex-husband weakened her self-esteem and caused her to deny her true sexual desires. But being around Alex brings all her dormant fantasies to the surface, and now Tianna feels the stirrings of her secret, submissive wishes.

Determined to help repair the damage Tianna’s ex did to her self-worth, Alex will use whatever means necessary to convince her they’re meant for each other, including tying her down to make sure he has her full attention while he takes her to the heights of pleasure she’s always dreamed of…

Excerpt:

She swallowed, mouth too dry to speak.His seductive touch wreaked havoc on her nervous system, but she was still unsure of his motives. Did he feel sorry for her now? Was she so lonely and desperate for his touch that he could tell?

“Alex.”

“Hmm?”

“What are we doing?”

His thumbs pressed deep on a spot that made her toes curl, and she bit back a moan. “Enjoying each other. Is that okay?”

She nodded. But was that all they were doing? Was that all she meant to him? She’d never had a fling. Didn’t think she could be just that to Alex.

Those clever fingers stroked higher, behind her knee, and paused. Her heart drummed loudly in her ears as she stared at him. God, she was already wet and throbbing for him, and all he’d done was touch her leg.

“Stop.”

She licked her lips. “What?”

“Stop thinking.”

Impossible. Her brain was whirring like a runaway carousel.

His fingertips moved a few inches higher, up her inner thigh. “Just feel.”

More than the words, the tenderness overlying the command in his voice sent a ribbon of heat curling through her. Her leg muscles drew tight while he continued to caress her over-sensitized skin in a lazy, slow pattern. Lighting up her entire body with no effort at all.

Alex’s eyes seemed to glow in the soft lamplight. “Feel good?”

She nodded, afraid to speak. God, it’d been so long for her. She wasn’t sure she could get through this without crying. He meant so much to her. This meant so much to her. But under the heat the nerves crept back in, those vicious little doubts that pricked her with sharp claws.

You take too long. You’re too much work.

You’re not sexy enough.

You’re not even wet. You need serious help. Her ex’s voice.

The hand around her ankle firmed, and she sucked in her breath. “Your skin’s so soft.” He sounded almost reverent, and it made her throat ache. Watching her, almost daring her to look away, his fingers trailed back and forth over her inner thigh, just inches from the edge of her damp thong. “I’m going to ask you something, and I want you to be honest with me.” When she didn’t answer, he finally spoke again. “Are you wet right now, Tia?”

Blood rushed to her cheeks, engulfing her face in heat.

His eyes crinkled at the corners as he smiled slightly. “Are you?”

She didn’t know how to respond. If she said yes when he’d only been touching her legs, would she look pathetic? Chickening out, she broke eye contact. “Alex…”

“Tell me.” The heat of his fingers seemed to brand her skin.

Avoiding his gaze, she stared hard at the blanket covering her lap and nodded, praying it was the answer he wanted.

“Look at me.”

The ring of command in his voice brought her head up. What she saw in his eyes stole her breath. They were molten, full of raging hunger. For her. The knowledge shocked her.

“I’m going to keep touching you,” he said. “I want to find out what makes you squirm, makes you beg. And what makes you come for me.”

His words wrung a primal shiver out of her. She couldn’t believe what he was saying. How could he be attracted to her when he could have any woman he wanted?

His fingers paused, resting hot against her thigh. “Unless you want me to stop.”

“I don’t want you to stop.” Her voice was a mere thread of a sound.

One side of his mouth curved up. “Okay. But I don’t know what you need unless you tell me.”

Her heart fell. He expected her to say it out loud? The thought terrified her. “What I need?” God, did he somehow know about her secret fantasies? Did he think she was depraved or weird?

He nodded slowly. “I want to know what you need from me. Romance and candlelight aren’t my style, querida, but I’ll give them to you if that’s what you want.”

The endearment made her lower belly flutter in desperate longing, gave her hope. He’d never called her that before. “I don’t need them.”

One coal black brow rose. “Yes you do, and you deserve them. But that’s not the real me.”

Her throat dried up, her heart skipping frantically. Was it possible he wanted the same thing she did? “What…what’s the real you?” she asked before she could stop herself.

A sardonic smile curved his mouth. His tempting, edible mouth that had given her such pleasure this morning. “Not sure you’d like the answer to that.”

Oh yes, she might. Gathering her courage, Tia sat up and placed her hand over his. Her pulse hammered in her ears. “Then show me.”

I’d love to give away a copy of Touch Me to a commenter here, so please tell me a favorite military hero you’ve read about to enter the contest. This contest is open to international readers and will close January 18th. Good Luck!

Happy reading!

Callie Croix | www.calliecroix.com

Guest Post and Giveaway with Callie Croix is a post from: The Book Pushers | Book Reviews | Book Chatter

The second book in the Six Pack Ranch series, Rocky Mountain Haven, is ready to share with the world. I wanted to talk a little bit about the hero, Daniel. I guess I should introduce you to him, or have the heroine, Beth, introduce him as she first spots him:

 Then the newcomer stood as well and pivoted, his dark eyes examining the room before focusing in her direction. Her mouth went dry.

Oh my. If she’d thought the twins were good looking, this specimen was dazzling. He was still probably younger than her, but on him the tantalizing features of the other boys had matured, soft edges harder, more pronounced. There was no doubt he was a member of the six-pack they’d spoken about. Whatever else the family raised out on that ranch of theirs, the men were certainly impressive.

She lifted her chin, her pulse quickening as the older cowboy waved his brother down and made his way to her side. People seemed to part before him, and Beth got an eyeful of long, muscular limbs and smooth controlled motion as he approached.

Daniel was a great character to write about. He’s that easy going, yet multi-layered type guy. As the middle boy of six ( twin brothers as the youngest explain that one) he’s your typical middle child in many ways. Settles out of the spotlight, steps up to calm his brothers down. And the other side of being in the middle? Sometimes he’s ignored. The things he goes through are just as earth-shaking to him as they would be to others, but because he doesn’t complain, occasionally it seems he’s invisible.

But he watches. Learns. Decides what he really wants, and takes the steps to start heading that way. And when he decides Beth is part of what he wants, look out. This quiet man is as Alpha as they get.

He reached for her chin. “So what you’re saying, and pardon my crudeness, is you want a fuck buddy.”

She cringed. The phrase had skipped through her brain earlier, but it sounded far worse when said out loud.

Daniel stroked his thumb over her cheek. “You’re not looking for a friend with benefits because I ain’t allowed to be your friend.”

“It’s not that, it’s just—”

“Don’t know if I can do that.” She squeaked as he picked her up and placed her on his lap. “If all you’re looking for is some sex, I’m not interested. There’s a part of me that says, hell yeah, and I could be fucking you up against the wall in two minutes flat.”

Oh God, the images racing through her mind.

“But if you remember our conversation in the back hall of the bar, I don’t think you’re that type of woman. I’m not that kind of man. Honesty is one of the things that makes us who we are, and I’m going to be honest with you, darling.”

Beth held her breath as he cupped her face then stroked his other hand down her body intimately. He opened her legs and settled his fingers over her crotch. Could he feel how hot she was through her jeans?

“I find you very attractive, and I don’t just mean your body. I don’t know what troubles you’ve had in your past, but I hope we’ll get to talk them through at some point. So here’s what I suggest—you tell me if you agree. You and I do both. We fool around like you want, as long as you let us try to learn to be friends, like I want.”

I hope you enjoy Beth and Daniel’s story as they move through being lovers to being friends to being even more to each other.

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If you’d like to try a taste of the Six Pack Ranch, I have an ebook copy of winner’s choice—either book one in the series, Rocky Mountain Heat, or an ARC of book 3 that will be releasing March 13, Rocky Mountain Desire. Leave a comment to be entered. Open internationally and ends January 16th. Good Luck!

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Rocky Mountain Haven

Six Pack Ranch, Book 2

It’s the quiet ones that take you by surprise.

Beth Danube’s emotionally abusive husband is dead and buried. So is her heart. It’s no big deal, she has all she wants: her three little boys and a fresh start in a small Alberta town. What she doesn’t want is another man in her life—not now, maybe not ever.

After ten years of unsatisfactory, missionary-position sex, she never expected her libido to reawaken. One look at sex-in-boots Daniel Coleman in a Calgary bar, though, blows the dust off her sexuality.

Sensing an edge of desperation, even fear, beneath Beth’s come-on, Daniel finds himself giving in to the powerful urge to let his normally subdued desires run wild. The lady wants non-judgemental, non-vanilla sex? She’s got it—in and out of the bedroom.

At first, friends with blazing-hot benefits is more then enough. Then she realizes Daniel is burning away the protective fortress around her heart…and the guilty secret she dare not reveal.

Warning: One woman determined to retake control of her life, a man with the single-minded purpose of offering her—and her body—everything she needs. Inappropriate behaviour in barns, change rooms, and oh-my-gawd phone sex with a cowboy.

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 First Chapter: Excerpt

Buy links:

Rocky Mountain Heat: Samhain | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo

Rocky Mountain Haven: Amazon | Barnes & Noble 

Rocky Mountain Desire: Amazon | Barnes & Noble 

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Vivian Arend: Website | Blog | Twitter

Guest Post and Giveaway with Vivian Arend is a post from: The Book Pushers | Book Reviews | Book Chatter

This mind-blowing new series introduces Sloan Skye, and ambitious intern at the FBI’s paranormal unit, where the usual rules of crime fighting don’t apply…

Sloan has a sky-high IQ, a chaotic personal life, and a dream: to work for the FBI. Her goal is within reach until an error lands her with the FBI’s ugly stepchild: the new Paranormal Behavioral Analysis Unit. She’ll get to profile criminals, but the pool of suspects is a little more…diverse. Yet even as Sloan tackles her first case–a string of victims, all with puncture wounds to the neck–she can’t silence her inner para-skeptic.

To catch the killer she’ll have to think like one. That means casting aside her doubts, and dealing with the bizarre nightmares that started with the job. But the strangeness is only beginning, as Sloan pieces together the shocking truth about a case that’s more personal than she ever would have guessed.
*Blurb from Goodreads*

Dani’s debut urban fantasy novel was one that caught my eye and had me hoping I was going to find my next crack-a-licious UF series.

Sloan is not only insanely smart, but also just a little bit insane. Her life is erratic and crazy with her mentally ill mother, chemist room-mate and her brand new job at the FBI. Working for the new paranormal division, Sloan has a hard time believing, but jumps right into the fray of things. When the first case takes weird after weird turn, Sloan will have to use everything in her arsenal (including some resources from her past she would like to forget) to solve this case.

When things turn from weird to even weirder, Sloan gets pulled into the thick of things and realizes that this case is becoming more and more personal as the days go on. With her sexy partner tempting her at every turn, her arch enemy getting promoted to her team and her personal life crumbling each day, Sloan just might be able to survive another day.

While there were quite a few things I really enjoyed about this book, there were also a few things that I felt were lacking. For a debut novel, there were a lot of great things going on. Sloan was a fun and snark character and although her IQ is off the charts, her lack of streets smarts leaves a little to be desired. But it provides for some awesome comedic relief. However, for those readers who don’t like an endearing but clueless heroine that takes awhile to pick up on social clues, this book wont be for you.

I also liked the set up for the series. I think it’ll be a fun and fast paced series that will encompass a lot of different paranormal creatures (I don’t think I’ve ever read about the particular kind of vamp we had in this story – so fun), and the series has a lot of room to grow and change and morph. I also didn’t feel as if the love triangle was too much. Instead, it felt more relaxed and believable. I just hope it doesn’t get stretched out over time.

I do think that the pacing was a little slow at times, which surprised me a bit given just how much plot was going on. It felt as if there were about 20 different story-lines going on at once, and while most of them did eventually tie in, they still felt disconnected and choppy to me. It did become a little difficult to follow along when there were so many different things going on in each and every scene.

There were also moments that I really didn’t feel the love connection between Sloan and JT. Yes, things developed VERY slowly for these two relationship wise, but there were moments when I just wasn’t sure why they were together, what about each other attracted them. Yes the physical lust was there, but the emotional connection came much later (if at all really).

All in all I think this was a strong urban fantasy debut with a lot of room for growth and improvement. I look forward to reading more about Sloan and JT, I think the paranormal aspects will be unique and refreshing to read. This book seemed to mix a lot of mystery and suspense into the plot as well, so that was great fun as well.
I give Blood of Eden a C+

I have an extra copy of Blood of Eden to giveaway today. Leave a comment below to be entered to win. Open to US/Canada only and ends January  13th. Good Luck!!

Review and Giveaway – Blood of Eden by Tami Dane is a post from: The Book Pushers | Book Reviews | Book Chatter