PARADISE HOPS by Liz Crowe

Please welcome author Liz Crowe, who recently released her contemporary romance, Paradise Hops.  This blog post is part of a tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions.  Make sure to leave a comment for your chance to win one of the gifts Liz Crowe is offering, including two Wolverine State Brewing Co tee shirts, a pint glass, a hat, a certificate for a free "growler fill," and a $15 Amazon gift card.

About the novel:
 
A brutal attack left Lori Brockton convinced she was damaged goods. By the time she emerges from hiding two years later, ready to run her family's famous brewery, she's determined to be independent--never rely on anyone ever again. Nearly a year of working in every corner of Brockton Brewing Company, from warehouse to pub, front office to kitchen, teaches her all she needs to know about the business.

Then, she comes face-to-face with masculine perfection in a suit and her world is rocked in more ways than one. Garret Hunter is the new Brockton business manager who takes one look at the beautiful, sad young woman and his entire existence coalesces around winning her heart.

But standing between Garrett and what he believes is his true love, is a six-feet six-inch blond-haired bad boy brewer.

Eli Buchannan is a craft beer rock star, recently hired by Brockton to drag the company into the 21st century. He brings innovation and attitude plus a prima donna ladies man reputation.  But he's sworn off anything resembling commitment, personal or professional, after getting burned at his last job on both fronts.

Garret Hunter is “The Perfect Man” -- handsome, successful, stable, eager to settle down. Eli Buchannan... is not.  Compelling, smoking hot, creative and elusive, he represents everything Lori Brockton should avoid.  But just as she makes a difficult choice, a drastic life-changing shift occurs, and nothing is ever the same again.



Trailer Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mOcC8FMXOpE


Excerpt:

Lori Brockton walked past her father’s secretary’s empty desk intent on the report she had from the restaurant manager. “Dad, I’m worried about Frank’s side of this." Tucking a lock of unruly hair behind her ear and pushing her glasses up her nose, she opened the large door, already talking to him.  "Honestly, I don’t think he considered…Oh…,” she stopped dead in her tracks. The heavy horn rims slid down her face.

Her father smiled. “Lori, allow me to introduce Garrett Hunter. He’s the business manager I told you about.” Ron Brockton rose from his massive desk and joined her, putting a protective arm around her waist. The man-vision that had her choking on her own spit rose from his chair and stuck out a hand. She looked at it, then started when her dad jabbed her in the ribs.

“Uh, hi.” She wiped a palm on her itchy wool skirt. The vision’s eyes never once faltered from hers. If anything they started to twinkle. Jesus. Eyes actually did that? She surpressed a groan and let him take her hand. The warmth from their touch spread instantly to her scalp then down her spine.

“Pleased to meet you. Your father has been telling me about your experiment here.” Lori stared at their still-joined hands, wondering how long they could stay connected and still be polite. She never wanted him to let go, and she hadn’t felt that way about a member of the opposite sex in a damn long time. His voice was low, gravelly, with a slight southern lilt. “I love the fact that you’re immersing yourself in every aspect of the business, from back of the house food prep to accounting. That’s a great way to learn it all.” He gave her palm one last squeeze, then dropped it, leaving her bereft.

She gulped. “Oh, um, yeah.” Wow. Way to impress Mr. Perfect, Lori. Nicely done. The incredible male specimen smiled at her and Lori’s heart stuttered, really and truly, just like in the romance novels she’d once loved but had abandoned.

“So Garrett, why don’t I let Lori show you around?”

She gaped at her father’s words. She already sensed sweat gathering under her pits. She must reek of desperate, used female. “No, Dad, I…”

“That would be great Ron, thanks.” Lori swallowed hard and stared at Garrett Hunter long and hard. He commanded the room as if he were six foot ten instead of his perfectly average six foot two. Thick chestnut brown hair was cut close, clean, like the smooth line of his square jaw. The words “noble Roman profile” sprung to mind as she pondered his nose and chin and those incredible deep emerald eyes. The expensive-looking gray suit fit him perfectly.

Her father cleared his throat. She jumped, dropped the spread sheet she’d been clutching, bent down to grab it as her elbow hit a coffee cup on the nearby table. Warm, black liquid dripped onto the hardwood floor. “Christ,” she muttered. “Sorry, I’m a klutz.” She glared at both men.

Her father frowned then his face softened. “It’s okay honey. I’ll get this. You show Garrett around.”

“But…” She gave protest one last shot. Garrett kept quiet. Awkward. “Fine. But I only have about twenty minutes.”

“Take your time Lori,” her father waved a hand. “I’ll tell Frank he can wait.”

ARC reviews for Paradise Hops:

http://therisqueredheadreads.com/2012/10/14/paradise-hops-by-liz-crowe/

http://cblsreviews.blogspot.com/2012/10/paradise-hops-by-liz-crowe.html?m=1

http://flirtyanddirtybookblog.com/2012/10/01/new-release-october-15-2012-paradise-hops-by-liz-crowe/

http://lisasreads.com/2012/10/02/paradise-hops-by-liz-crowe/#more-1158

http://www.theromancereviews.com/viewbooksreview.php?bookid=6949

http://sinfullysexybooks.blogspot.co.uk/2012/10/paradise-hope-by-liz-crowe.html

http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/424302883

http://looking-for-a-breath-of-life.blogspot.com/2012/09/arc-review-paradise-hops-by-liz-crowe.html?zx=d12014210f251ae3

http://www.delphinareadstoomuch.com/2012/10/paradise-hops-by-liz-crowe-review-and.html

http://www.mommysreading.com/2012/10/krissy-reviews-arc-paradise-hops-by-liz.html

http://www.thebookwranglers.com/#!column/ctzx

http://www.hesperialovesbooks.com/2012/10/12/arc-review-paradise-hops-by-liz-crowe/

http://reviewsbymolly.com/?p=5948

http://literatiliteraturelovers.com/2012/10/14/review-liz-crowes-paradise-hops/

About the author:

Microbrewery owner, best-selling author, beer blogger and journalist, mom of three teenagers, and soccer fan, Liz lives in the great Midwest, in a major college town.  Years of experience in sales and fund raising, plus an eight-year stint as an ex-pat trailing spouse, plus making her way in a world of men (i.e. the beer industry), has prepped her for life as erotic romance author.  

When she isn't sweating inventory and sales figures for the brewery, she can be found writing, editing or sweating promotional efforts for her latest publications.  

Her groundbreaking romance subgenre, “Romance for Real Life,” has gained thousands of fans and followers who are interested less in the “HEA” and more in the “WHA” (“What Happens After?”)

Her beer blog a2beerwench.com is nationally recognized for its insider yet outsider views on the craft beer industry. Her books are set in the not-so-common worlds of breweries, on the soccer pitch and in high-powered real estate offices.  Don’t ask her for anything “like” a Budweiser or risk painful injury.

www.lizcrowe.com

www.brewingpasssion.com

www.a2beerwench.com

www.facebook.com/lizcroweauthor

www.twitter.com/beerwencha2

www.facebook.com/romanceforreallife

www.facebook.com/jackgordonrealtor 

Bess McBride: ACROSS THE WINDS OF TIME

Across the Winds of Time

by Bess McBride

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

About the novel:

While on a genealogical research journey through the Midwest, Molly Hamilton impulsively buys a 100-year-old Victorian house in the middle of a cornfield, and falls in love with the house’s owner...the original owner, that is. Can he be a ghost? The handsome, intriguing attorney certainly feels solid—and somehow her soul knows she has always loved him.

Darius Ferguson has no idea how he has come to present-day Iowa. The last thing he knew, the year was 1880, and he had just buried his fiancée, who happens to look exactly like Molly. He cannot separate the two women in his heart—to him, they are one.

In spite of being drawn to him, Molly thinks Darius is unhinged. Darius wonders if he has joined his fiancée in purgatory. If time travel is possible, will love be enough to build a future together?


Excerpt:

“Molly, wait!” 

I froze in place for a moment.  It was definitely a man under the tree though I couldn’t see his face...and he knew my name. 

 “Do I know you?” I called in an unsteady voice.  It seemed, though, as if my words were taken by the wind.  Who was this man?  And how did he know my name?     

He moved away from the tree with a tentative step.  His clothing was formal—a dark suit and white shirt—as if he had just been to a funeral.  I hadn’t remembered seeing a canopy for a funeral on the grounds, but I wasn’t about to take my eyes off the stranger for one instant to confirm that suspicion.

I thought I saw a flash of white teeth from under his dark mustache, but he was still some distance away.  Golden highlights in his chestnut hair caught the sunlight, and my mouth dropped open.  He was undoubtedly one of the most handsome men I had ever seen in my life.  My stomach rolled over at the sight of him, though not with admiration of his good looks.  Cold sweat broke out on my forehead, and I put my hand to my mouth as if to hold back the morning’s breakfast...if I’d had any.

For here—in the flesh—was the man of my dreams.  Not just any dreams.  More specifically, my dreams of the previous evening.  Yet I couldn’t for the life of me remember ever seeing him before until this moment. 

“Be careful what you wish for,” I muttered behind the hand that covered my face.  

“Molly, don’t be afraid.  I can see that you are.  I don’t want to frighten you.”  He took another step forward and held his hands up palms out...as if to show me he wasn’t armed, I thought hysterically, or to calm me down.  Either way, it wasn’t working.  

About the author:

Bess McBride made her first serious writing attempt when she was 14. She shut herself up in her bedroom one summer while obsessively working on a time travel/pirate novel set in the beloved Caribbean of her youth, but she wasn't able to hammer it out on a manual typewriter (oh yeah, she's that old) before it was time to go back to school. The draft of that novel has long since disappeared, but the story is still simmering within, and she will finish the adventure one day soon.

Bess was born in Aruba to American parents and lived in Venezuela until her family returned to the United States when she was 12. She couldn't fight the global travel bug within and joined the U.S. Air Force at 18 to "see the world." After 21 wonderful and fulfilling years traveling the world and gaining one beautiful daughter, she pursued her dream of finally getting a college education. With a license in mental health therapy, she worked with veterans and continues to work on behalf of veterans. She writes romantic suspense, contemporary, light paranormal/fantasy and time travel romances and currently has eight novels published. She can be contacted through her web site at http://www.bessmcbride.com.

Links:

www.bessmcbride.com

http://willtravelforromance.blogspot.com/

Bess McBride is giving away a $25 Amazon gift card to one commenter throughout her blog tour.  Make sure to leave a comment for your chance to win!

The Soul Within by Nancy Adams

The Soul Within

by Nancy Adams

About the Novel:

Alex’s body is in a coma. His soul, however, is not. Desperate to become whole, he must first convince stubborn beauty Evening Sinclair that he is not dead.

For generations, the Sinclairs have been healers. Using a gentle touch to heal the body and a soothing word to heal the soul, Evening Sinclair is no different. Yet despite her secret abilities, Eve has a somewhat normal existence. She enjoys her small physiotherapy practice, dotes on her eight-year-old daughter and occasionally helps souls get back into their bodies-that is until Alex, with his brooding good looks and glowing eyes, appears in her kitchen.

Alex is desperate to get back into his body-two innocent lives depend on it. His only obstacle is Eve and her stubborn fear. Unfortunately for Eve, Alex is ruthless and just as stubborn. He will do whatever it takes to get what he wants. He will not 'go away' and no matter how much Eve tortures him with her lush body and perfect mouth, he will not change his mind. Eve will merge him, and if it takes him haunting her day and night, she will merge him back with a body-any body. 

Excerpt:

 “Go. Please,” she implored again. The look on her face caused him to frown. Not because she had recited those words, yet again, to him but because he was actually considering giving her what she wanted and leaving her alone. He wished he could give her that, but he wouldn’t. Besides, he didn’t like it when people lied to him and she was lying. She was capable of putting him back into his body—he read it on her face, in the movement of her hands and body.

The Guardian Project had spent long hours and millions of dollars teaching their soldiers how to read and interrupt body language. After all, if the people he hunted were on his kill list, they’d been good enough to avoid traditional police and military forces and he had to be better in order to stop them.

Deep in his gut he knew there was more—she wasn’t telling him the whole truth. Shit she wasn’t really telling him anything. It didn’t matter—he would not walk away just because Eve was scared. He would not let Miles kill Jillian. She and her baby would live.

He shook his head. “No.”

She closed her eyes and drew a deep breath. “I won’t help you.”

 “Yes you will.” He took a step closer to her. “And I’m going to haunt you until you give me what I want.”

 “Haunt me.” Her eyes grew wide as a shiver shook her from head to toe.

 “Mmm.” He winked. “I’m not leaving your side until you put me back in my body.”

Heavy footsteps echoed on the front porch.

 “No,” she whispered, her eyebrows pressed together. “I won’t help you.”

 “Yes. You. Will.”

About the author:

Nancy’s addiction for a good trash novel began in her late-teens when her grandmother gave her a bag of Harlequin Romance books. She was hooked and spent the next few years lurking in the dark corners of used bookstores searching for her next fix. Until, one marriage and two kids later, her own ideas had her jumping up at 3 am (much to her husband’s annoyance) and typing them into her laptop. Beside her husband and children, Nancy has three passions, rearranging furniture, buying bed linens and, of course, writing. Nancy lives in Eastern Ontario with her family and two over sized lap dogs. 

You can contact her via e-mail, at Fancy-nancy@hotmail.com, or Facebook.

Nancy will be giving away a $20.00 Total e-Bound or Amazon gift certificate to one random reader throughout the tour, so make sure to leave a comment for your chance to win!

Friday Flash: "The Darkness Enters"

This work contains adult content.

The unusual silence that came with the twins’ absence made the house feel uncomfortably empty.  They would most likely be home in the next day or so, and until then, Carrie and Grant both needed to reflect upon their own roles in the destructive path the family had taken.  Equally, the twins needed to learn that the repercussions would eventually catch up with them if they kept trying to live life by their own rules.

Grant came home exasperatingly late.  He had opted to leave his phone in the car before stopping in the bar for a drink or five.  The bartender had sent him walking home again, and Carrie was in no mood for his excuses when he finally staggered in.

She sent him to sleep on the couch, knowing better than to discuss important matters with someone who was that ridiculously drunk, then went to bed early, unsure what else to do with herself in the dark, empty house.  She assured herself that the twins were safe, and that Grant would be fine once he slept off that heavy stout he insisted on drinking.  She only needed to worry about herself for a change, and so she fell against the pillows and stretched around them until she was selfishly comfortable.  It felt nice taking all of the sheets, and as she lay in the king-sized bed, she felt herself begin to relax.  She closed her eyes, smiling at the prospect of finally getting a good night’s sleep.

She sat up when Grant entered with a knock.

He looked even paler than before.  Sweat beaded down the sides of his face.  “I’m going to be sick,” he said before he bent over and vomited a thick, black sludge onto the carpet.  He gagged as the dark mass continued to exit his body in violent, regurgitating spasms.

“How much did you drink?” she asked, heading down the hall to get some towels.

“I’m feeling much better now.  I’ll be fine.  I’m just going to go back to the couch,” he said while he stumbled back to the living room.

She cleaned as much as she could, gagging at the black, thick goo that had become embedded in the carpeting.  She threw the towels immediately into the washing machine to soak.  She looked down, surprised to find herself covered in the oily black substance.

She fought the impulse to scream and curse, and decided instead to use the mess as an excuse to take a dip in the hot tub.  The kids were gone and she didn’t care if anyone else saw her.  She turned it on, pulled off the heat-sealing lid, and stripped completely naked before slipping chest-deep into the clear, hot water.

She closed her eyes, feeling tired and peaceful, letting her mind drift and her worries dissolve with her fading thoughts.  She smelled a sudden, heavy scent of pine right before a paralyzing spell held her nearly motionless in the water.  Her eyes snapped open, and her heart beat wildly against her tight chest as she found the water had gone black and opaque.  She tried to stand, but her limbs failed her.  She feared she might slip under the water’s surface and drown, and she tried to call for help, but she couldn’t summon the breath.

She couldn’t move her head to see but she felt something slithering through the water beside her.  A moment later, something cold and slimy worked its way between her legs.  Her body ignored her mind’s command to squirm away, only able to manage a weak kick when the snakelike heap began to nudge its way into her.  It grew firm as it prodded and climbed up inside, and then it suddenly went still.

Again, she tried to cry out, but her body refused to heed.  Just faintly, but growing stronger by the moment, she could feel the presence of her intruder tapping into her thoughts, and she could feel the creature stretching through her body, reaching formlessly through the framework of her nervous system, melding with other vital reaches of her body.  She could only bear witness to the puppet it was turning her into, feeling it begin to control her arms and legs, and even her facial expressions.  It held her paralyzed, making her a prisoner in her own skin.

This isn’t really happening, she thought, struggling to shake her terror.  She tried to will it away, to force her body back under her control, but she could not.  This isn’t really happening!

The creature writhing within her practiced maneuvering Carrie’s arms and legs, looking around and blinking her eyes.  It relaxed back, floating in the light current.

What’s going on? Carrie thought, as she could no longer prompt her body to speak.

“Lovely night for a soak, isn’t it?” the creature said, using her voice.

What’s happening to me?

“Doesn’t this water feel fantastic?”  The creature moved Carrie’s back along a hot jet of water.

Please let me go!

The creature simply laughed.

Please!

“What’s the best thing you’ve done with this body?”

Her mind flashed to that fateful night when a couple had pulled her into their private shoot.  She had thought to back out before it was too late, but they had been so persuasive.  Suddenly, her clothes were on the ground and she was in the midst of a threesome involving sex toys and outrageous bodily positions.  Even more disturbing was that she had taken the extra money they had offered her at the end of the “shoot.”  They had seen her as a glorified whore, and she had taken their money because she couldn’t afford not to.

She had gone to Grant immediately, and at first, she had thought he might strangle her in his rage.  Then, strangely, he had stood, slumped like a little boy, broken and empty, barely able to speak.  He had turned away from her in a way that had put her in tears, the weight of his anger nearly enough to crush her.  With the added weight of her own guilt, she felt as though she had to drag herself into their new life here in South Bend . . . along with a resentful yet devoted husband and two teenagers who hated everything about everything.

Again, the creature laughed.

I’ve finally lost it, Carrie thought.  Just like Mom.  It was inevitable, I suppose.

“I’m no case of Alzheimer’s,” it replied with chilling certainty.  “I’m something much, much worse.”  The creature floated on her back, and together they looked up at the stars.

Watch the trailer!

For more about The Hidden Valley, go to

http://www.cerebralwriter.com/the-hidden-valley.html.

Blast Tour: Mysti Holiday

Sugar Walls

by Mysti Holiday

Blurb:

When Emilie is dumped by her boyfriend, best friend Jack Voss offers a shoulder and a place to live--the other side of his duplex. He’s always there, fixing her problems, her car, her sink. Emilie doesn’t know what she’d do without him, or with the feelings she’s having for him. His shoulder doesn’t just offer comfort anymore; his touch is a turn-on. Their shared wall is the only thing keeping them from sharing a bedroom—and fanning the flames might risk breaking something that Jack can’t fix.

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Excerpt:

A glance back down at the man who was driving her crazy nearly made her moan. He shifted, his ass moved and his thighs flexed as he crawled forward a few inches. The denim of his worn jeans hugged him as tightly as Em dreamed of doing and, before she had time to think about it, she took a step Forward, hands outstretched to snatch hold of the prize. She stopped herself just in time and tucked her hands behind her back to keep from doing something stupid.

“So, Jack?” Her voice was tight with desire and discomfort.

“Hmm?” He peeked at her over one shoulder, a smile in those midnight blue eyes, then quickly returned his attention to the pipe.

“Almost done?” She hoped so, because at this rate, she’d come just from thinking about him.

“Nearly there. Leak’s almost plugged.”

I’ve got a leak you can plug. Her panties soaked with more cream than any one woman should have when she envisioned him plunging into her, filling her pussy with his hard cock. Heat rushed up her neck, and her heart pounded so loudly, surely he could hear it. Dear God. She tried to picture herself in a cold shower to kill some of the heat but cursed again when he joined her there in her mind and slid soapy hands over her damp skin, across her breasts, and down her—

“There.” His voice jolted her out of the hot daydream, and she jumped an inch off the floor. He backed out from the cupboard and turned to smile at her. “All fixed.”

Author Bio and Links:

Mysti Holiday is the pseudonym of a very busy SAHM who dreams of warm climes and hot bodies.  Most people know she writes, but not what she writes about:  sexy men and the wanton women who love them.

She's married to a wonderful man who happily sacrifices himself for research, and she spends most of her days dreaming of interesting and unusual situations in which to place her characters.  But most of all, she's a sucker for a happy ending.

Publisher ~ Website  ~ Blog

Mysti will be giving away a $10.00 Amazon gift card to one commenter chosen randomly from the collective tour, so be sure to leave a comment for your chance to win!  Also, stop by the other blogs hosting Mysti for even more chances:

1. My Odd Little World

2. Christine Young Romance Writer
3. The Muse Unleashed 
4. Words of Wisdom from The Scarf Princess
5.  Black Velvet Seductions Blog
6.  Maria-Claire Payne
7.  Wendi Zwaduk - Romance to Make Your Heart Race
8.  Mark of the Stars
9.  Wickedly Wanton Tales
10. Guilty Indulgence
11.  Vintage Vonnie
12.  The New Sensuality
13.  United By Books
14.  Wicked Readings By Tawania
15.  Romance with an Attitude
16.  The Bunny's Review
17.  Of Kink, Romance, and Writing
18.  Live To Read ~Krystal
19.  The Brunette Librarian
20.  Mimmi's Musing's 
21.  One World Singles Magazine Blog
22.  Wickedly Sexy Writers
23.  CS Maxwell ~ Where's My Muse
24.  Rachel Leigh - Erotic Romance
25.  Erzabet's Enchantments
26.  Ella Jade 
27.  Jersey Girl Sizzling Book Reviews
28.  Delighted Reader Book Reviews
29.  The Steamy Side
30.  Wake Up Your Wild Side
31.  Roz Lee Contemporary Erotic Romance Author
32.  Kerrific
33.  For The Love of Reading
34.  Erotic Interludes
35.  Sexy Lady
36.  Queen of the Night Reviews
37.  Wild Wild Women
38.  Desiree Holt Tells All
39.  Bodice Ripper Novels
40.  Sugarbeat's Books
41.  Shewanda Pugh

Thanks for stopping by!

Full-Metal Orgasm

Full-Metal Orgasm describes itself as "fiction set on gritty, fast-paced, furious and alien worlds, wherein racy, hardcore sex with aliens, monsters, cyborgs, mutants, robots and similar agents is as central to its nature as the technology also inherit in the genres.

"Not to be taken seriously, sexpunk/sex-fi is outrageous, over-the-top entertainment."


For more information, go to http://sexpunk.tumblr.com/

For submission guidelines, go to http://bit.ly/sexpsubg

Book Review: FIXATION by Inara LaVey

Maya, who spends her weekends volunteering at a northern California large cat refuge, has had a rough couple of days—but nothing can prepare her for the mind-bending journey she must take to save the world from a power-hungry shape-shifting priestess.  When she first meets the refuge’s newest jaguar, Maya notices he’s different, but she would never have in her wildest imaginings guessed just how different he is. . . .

Fixation is definitely the best Inara LaVey work I’ve read to date.  The story is heartfelt, sincere, and very, very sexy.  I’m not usually a fan of shifter stories, but LaVey had me sold from the first page; I read the entire book in just two sittings.  Sensual, well-developed, and artfully crafted, Fixation is a must-read for erotic sci-fi/fantasy fans.  I very enthusiastically recommend!

Fixation is available through Ravenous Romance, and is also listed at Amazon.com.

Please Welcome Guest Blogger Rebecca Royce!

Please welcome guest blogger Rebecca Royce for today's stop in her Love Beyond Loyalty Blog Tour.  Rebecca will be giving away a $50 Amazon gift certificate to one random guest along the tour, so be sure to leave a comment for your chance to win.  Take it away, Rebecca!

The Outsiders and Love


If you have read any of my other work, or if you’re just finding me now, you’ll know (or soon discover) that I have a really big interest in soul mates. I love the idea of it, I think I’m married to my own, and I love to tell the stories of soul mates finding each other.

The Outsiders is a bit of a unique take on the subject, for me.  First, I guess I should start to tell you a bit about the Outsiders.  Love Beyond Loyalty is the third book in the series.  The first book is Love Beyond Time and the second one was Love Beyond Sanity. There will be a total of nine books in this series.  

In Time, I introduced you to the Outsiders.

They look like humans but they are not human. With special powers, they have always helped to keep the balance of good and bad in the universe.  But a prophecy that they accidently self-fulfill brings about their near destruction. The only ones left alive are eighteen babies, nine sets of soul mates who are meant to be together as units.  They are stronger together.

However, a terrible mistake separates the group and now most of them have no idea that they are Outsiders or that they are involved in a war against a powerful demon who, every year he is allowed to exist on the earth, becomes more and more powerful.

Each book in this series tells the story of the war against the demon, whose human name is Sebastian.  But this is also a hot series about love.  Because, ultimately, it is the love that they feel for each other that will allow them, if they can, to triumph against evil.

Excerpt:

“Are you going to tell me what happened to you? You just stood there and let that wave slam into you. I thought you were dead but Futon knew you were alive.”

 

Futon? He regarded the dog. A medium sized border collie with black spots stared back at him. His heart sped up. He‘d heard that name for a dog before. In fact, it was the same damn dog. 

“I know you.” He pointed at the creature. “But the last time I saw you was with an old woman on Magazine Street in New Orleans.” 

Gabriel had been working for a shady lingerie storeowner on the bad side of Magazine Street at the time. Trying to find out what Sebastian wanted with the man, he would later uncover that the demon had employed Trent, the owner, to kill virgins by bleeding them to death. Gabriel still didn‘t fully understand how it benefited Sebastian and he wasn‘t sure he ever would. On his second day, he‘d been hassled by an old woman on the street who‘d told him Sebastian was in New Jersey and that he needed to hurry up and get there. 

She‘d spoken of fate and a lot of mumbo-jumbo he hadn‘t understood. It had turned out that she was right and he‘d high-tailed it off to New Jersey to help stop Sebastian‘s assault on the Outsiders. The woman had been with Futon. 

The woman shook her head. “There are lots of border collies around this area. You must have seen a different one because Futon never leaves me.”

About Love Beyond Loyalty:

Gabriel Ward has no problem with the fact that he’s an Outsider. Hell, he’s always known he was different. What he takes issue with is the idea he has to follow any destiny at all. He’s taken care of himself-and others-since birth. There’s no way he has to start following rules now.

Loraine Peacock can speak to animals. Other than that she thinks she’s just a regular woman making her way in the world. She figures it’s not that weird. Many people have unusual abilities.

But when Gabriel and Loraine are forced together by a destiny he denies and she is ignorant of, they will both finally have to accept their Outsider legacy and help the others in their quest to defeat the ultimate evil—a demon bent on world destruction. That is, if they can both survive to find their way to the most important part of their destiny: love.

About the author:

As a teenager, Rebecca Royce would hide in her room to read her favorite romance novels when she was supposed to be doing her homework. She hopes, these days, that her parents think it was well worth it.

Rebecca is the mother of three adorable boys and is fortunate to be married to her best friend. They live in northern New Jersey and try not to freeze too badly during the winter months.

She's in love with science fiction, fantasy, and the paranormal and tries to use all of these elements in her writing. She's been told she's a little bloodthirsty so she hopes that when you read her work you'll enjoy the action packed ride that always ends in romance. Rebecca loves to write series because she loves to see characters develop over time and it always makes her happy to see her favorite characters make guest appearances in other books.

In Rebecca Royce's world anything is possible, anything can happen, and you should suspect that it will.

For more information, go to: www.rebeccaroyce.com

Current and Upcoming Works

The Outsiders

Love Beyond Time

Love Beyond Sanity 

Love Beyond Loyalty 

Love Beyond Sight (TBA)

Westervelt Wolves

Her Wolf

Summer’s Wolf

Wolf Reborn

Wolf’s Valentine

Wolf’s Magic

Alpha Wolf

Angel’s Wolf

Darkest Wolf (coming soon.)

The Warrior

Initiation

Driven

The Conditioned

Eye Contact

Embraced

Sexy Superheroes

Screwing the Superhero

Banging the Superhero

Other Works

Behind The Scenes 

First Dimension

Yes, Captain

Return to the Sea

One Night With A Wolf

Another Chance

Light Me Up

I’ll Be Mated For Christmas

Insatiable: When Love and Lust Collide

Getting through Valentine’s Day isn’t easy for most of us.  Whether disillusioned by the commercialism set to drain dry the bleeding heart’s bank account or left out in the cold for the holiday, most people will agree that Valentine’s Day can have a heavy impact on lovers and singles alike.  While the hopeless romantic might argue that Valentine’s Day should be treated no differently than any other day, that any day holds a good excuse to spoil the ones we love, there is no denying that many hold a certain level of expectation that goes beyond the typical.

I’m not going to argue one way or the other on this issue.  Instead, I would like to bring up one I can’t help but ponder every time I begin seeing the store displays of chocolate hearts, teddy bears, and balloons: is Valentine’s Day really so much about love, or might it be just as notably about lust—or might it perhaps epitomize a combination of the two?

Think about chocolate for a moment.  It is rich, sensual, sweet, satisfying, and most importantly, it has a reputation as being women’s substitute for sex.  While one might argue for the loving gestures that might come with cards and other inedible gifts, the offering of chocolate is arguably akin to the offering of sex.  But what is love without passion or passion without love?  Each can function without the other, at least to a certain degree, but anyone who has experienced the two together can tell you that little—if not nothing—in this world can compare.

When I wrote my short story “Insatiable,” which includes characters from The Darkness and the Night trilogy, I focused on succubus Anna, working to imagine a character that experiences human love and desire, but also a constant lust and need for sexual companionship.  Her needs are so strong that it has not been above her to solicit sex in exchange for small bits of various lovers’ souls.  For her, there is a clear distinction between love and sex—and yet the two become interconnected when she falls in love with her bisexual partner, Kevin.  The result, however, is a draining mix of need and desire, which is as much a source of conflict as it is one of pleasure.  On rare occasions, it becomes downright dangerous.

In “Insatiable,” Anna becomes afflicted with an Astral parasite, one that takes her need beyond love or lust, testing the very limits of her relationship with Kevin.  What they both learn is that with love comes desire, with desire comes need, with need comes reciprocity, and with that ultimately comes sacrifice.  While every relationship is unique, these variables must come into play somehow regardless of the day of the year.

Excerpt: “Insatiable”

(contains sexually explicit language)

“No—not yet!” Anna cried.  She arched over him, her fingers entwined with his as she held him down, drinking in his sudden rush of pleasure.  Her pale blond hair fell delicately over her shoulders, just revealing her petite, round breasts.  Her muscular body glistened with sweat as he watched her ride him slowly, hoping to tame his excitement just a little longer.  “I’m not finished with you yet!”

The sudden gleam in her eyes sent him reeling with a thrilling mesh of pleasure and fear, his body straining to hold back, reveling and shuddering in giving her what she needed.  She could feel his excitement, his desperation to come deep inside her, the drive for release becoming too great to bear.  His muscles went tight as he met her with feverish intensity, breaking his hands free from hers to take her by the hips and drive her harder. 

His body trembled and a light moan escaped him.  She took him deep, taking as much of his soul as she could as his climax washed through her.  She sat straddling him, watching him go weak and quiet, still hungry for more.  “Kevin,” she said, thinking to press him for more, but she reconsidered as she noticed his nearly debilitating exhaustion, the look on his face telling her she had taken far too much already.

She pulled away from him and moved to his side.  “You okay?”

He took a heavy breath.  “Yeah.”

Silence.  She turned to him, finding that he refused to meet her gaze.

“I’m sorry,” she finally said.

“Sure.”

“I didn’t realize I was so hungry.”

“You or that Astral thing connected to your soul?”  He took another deep breath. 

“It’s not a ‘thing.’  My Doppelganger is a part of me.”  She leaned over him and swept a lock of his hair to the side of his damp forehead.  “Please don’t be mad.”

His hand met hers.  “I…”  His voice trailed off as he moved to feel her brow. “You’re burning up, Anna.”

“Am I?”  She felt her forehead and compared her temperature with his.

“Are you feeling okay?”

She shrugged.  “Just a little tired…and hungry.  I think I’ll feel better once we get out of this corn maze.”

“Corn maze?”

She looked around, blinking hard.  She turned back to him, laughing nervously as a shock of panic struck through her.  “I could have sworn I just…I must have gotten confused.”

He sat up, going lightheaded for a moment from the heavy energy drain, willing himself to the side of the bed.  “I think you should go to the infirmary.”  He snatched his clothes from the floor and slowly got dressed.

She looked around, her eyes going wide.  “We’ll never make it!”

He paused, unable to mask his concern as he watched her huddle against the headboard.

“They’re coming!” she shrieked.

Kevin jumped back as suddenly he saw them too, phantoms appearing through the walls, coming into the room from all directions, slowly amassing around the two.  The ghostly images had only vague features, as human as they clearly were, except they had cavernous black sockets where their eyes and mouths should have been.  “What is this?” he cried out, scrambling to Anna’s side.

The phantoms moved slowly as they emerged from the walls, hollow moans escaping emanating from their throats as they walked steadily toward the bed.  One emerged through the headboard between Kevin and Anna, looming over them for only a second before lunging at Anna.

Anna closed her eyes and screamed, and in a flash, the intruders were gone.

“Anna, what was that?”

She shook her head, shivering, her throat quavering as she breathed through slightly parted lips.

“Anna?”

She turned to him, wiping away a tear as it escaped with a sudden blink.  “Somehow, pieces of the Astral are breaking through.”

“What’s bringing them here?”

She shook her head, but then suddenly went still as a look of recognition came to her face.  “They’re coming for me.”

“But why?  Are we in danger?”  He felt her forehead again.  “You’re really burning up.”  He gathered Anna’s clothes and handed them to her.  “We need to get you to a doctor, or maybe a good pint or two of blood—”

“I’m not hungry for blood!”  She snatched her shirt and pulled it over her head with an angry huff.  “Maybe you’ll let me fuck your donor?”

“Not cool, Anna.”

“I’m starving!”

“Let’s get you to the infirmary.”

Anna zipped her pants and pulled back her sweaty hair.  “I don’t know what the hell is going on, but we definitely need to get out of here.”  She donned her fuzzy slippers and rushed out.

For more, go to Ravenous Romance, Amazon, or your favorite eBook retailer.


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