Sandy M’s review of The Heart of a Killer (The Killer Series, Book 1) by Jaci Burton
Romantic Suspense published by Mira 18 Oct 11

I enjoyed the majority of this book. It has a great mystery linking five people together through a crime that was committed twelve years ago. There’s plenty of heat and sizzle between the hero and heroine to burn up a few pages. Everyone has several secrets of their own, aside from the big one they all share. Unfortunately, what let me down is the ending.

We meet Dante, Anna, Gabriel, Jeff, and Roman when they’re teenagers hanging out together in high school. Even then, Dante and Anna have a special bond. But when Anna is in the clutches of a rapist/murderer, the boys come to her aid, beating the jerk to a pulp. After making sure Anna is okay, they discover they went too far, but all agree they should keep quiet about the body in the alley. Calling her father, after talking the guys into letting her handle it all, Anna is saved from facing any further trauma, as are her friends. But when the storm clears the next day, Dante is gone. Without so much as a goodbye.

For twelve years Dante has never stepped foot in St. Louis. Until now. Only because his foster mother asked him to celebrate their 25th wedding anniversary with her and her husband. Not much has changed. Except his friends. Jeff is a successful businessman. Gabe is tied up with the local mob. Roman is a police detective. As is Anna, which he discovers when their past comes back to haunt them – a murder has happened in the same alley, done in the same way as all those years ago. Including the same special surprise on the body as Anna’s attacker left on hers. Someone else must have been there, seen what happened. But why wait so long to let them know?

All they can figure is that they’re all together again, so the killer is making his move. Dante and Anna dance around one another in between working the case, but they’re fairly honest with one another, at least as much as they can while hitting the sheets. Dante’s military status gives him carte blanche in whatever area he wants. To be in on the case, he requires FBI identification, so he gets it. But all his friends know is he’s with the FBI. Anna is still wary where Dante is concerned, except her body has no issues with the man at all. They do steam up the pages quite well.

Then their world falls apart as the killer strikes again, this time very, very close to home. Twice. Burying two more loved ones pushes them all to find this guy, but it’s been tough going because he leaves no evidence whatsoever. Then they do catch a break, but it’s a long shot. It’s better than nothing, however, and they grab on to a thread and begin pulling. Frayed edges and torn pieces come into focus, but just when they think they’ve got it all figured out, the killer does what they never expected and has Anna in his clutches, just as she was in another’s hands years before.

I like the mystery of this story. Ms. Burton keeps me guessing from chapter to chapter. But when it finally comes down to revealing the killer? I have to say I’m a tad disappointed. It’s nothing new. We’ve read it before. And when I finally figured out who it is, it’s much earlier than I normally figure such things out. It just all clicks into place at one point, so reading the rest of the action doesn’t have the punch it should have otherwise.

Dante is a terrific Burton hero. He comes back home confident of who he is. He’s grown up quite nicely. Of the four brothers, I like Gabe next. It’s going to be really interesting to see what’s up his sleeve, since we know he’s not what he seems. Anna is also a great heroine. She’s become strong and independent because of what happened to her, but that event also marked her in more ways than one. She hides behind her work instead of working her life out as it should be. It takes Dante and his love to help her do that.

Despite my disappointment with the revelation of the killer, this is still a good book. Everything else works, and though this ending blip could be considered a major issue, it doesn’t overshadow the characters and the mystery of the story. A slight letdown, yes. But friends and family, steamy lovemaking, and a stalking killer keep everything interesting the rest of the time.

Grade: B-

Summary:

No one said coming home would be easy. But for Dante Renaldi, it’s murder.

Before the Special Forces hero has even unpacked his bags from twelve years of active duty, he’s embroiled in murder—corpses bearing the brutal trademark he’s seen only once before—on the worst night of his life.

The last time Detective Anna Pallino saw Dante Renaldi, they were in love. Now, he’s part of the connection to a string of fresh homicides and a horrible assault Anna only survived thanks to him.

More than anything, Anna wants to trust Dante. But as the bodies and the coincidences stack up, Anna will have to decide, and fast: Is the man she owes her life to the very same one who wants her dead?

Read an excerpt.

Limecello’s review of Laced With Desire by Jaci Burton, Jasmine Haynes, Joey W. Hill, Denise Rossetti
Erotic romance anthology released by Berkley Trade 2 Feb 10

I read Unlaced, which is the book before this one, and enjoyed it. I really liked Laced with Desire as well. Admittedly, I thought some of it was a little weird, but overall I thought it was well written. There’s definitely a lot of variety in it, and seems to be a pretty good representation of all the authors. I liked that for this being an erotic romance anthology, there was a heavy focus on the relationship between the characters, and emotions as well.

No Strings Attached by Jaci Burton

I have to admit, I love the story line Jaci Burton used – the “forbidden woman” as well as friends to lovers. Ella has been widowed for five years, and while she’s done amazingly in business, personally, she’s let her live stagnate. She goes off to Hawaii, and her over protective friend Clay is driven to go and make sure she doesn’t do anything stupid… and finds he’s more than attracted to her

It’s nice that Ella and Clay had a relationship prior to the impetuous trip to Hawaii. Even more, that Clay had been friends with Ella and her deceased husband. The fact that Ms. Burton addressed the complicated relationship, and the anxieties and misgivings Ella might have, really gave this story depth.

It also makes Clay that much more likable. Yes, both character avoid their emotions, and there’s a bit of run around, but for a novella, I thought it was extremely well written.

The story is hot, the characters fit, and nothing too outrageous happens. The characters were also very natural, believable, and developed. I’m very much looking forward to Ms. Burton’s next book – it seems her writing only gets better.

Grade: B+

Summary:

Jaci Burton breaks the rule of mixing business with pleasure when two professional rivals cross paths at a tropical resort. She figures she can handle a fling with no strings attached. He’s out to show her that she figured wrong.

Read an excerpt here.

La Petite Mort by Jasmine Haynes

For those of you who like such stories, the hero and heroine in this novella are slightly older. (In their 40s or more.) Sophia was a model, but has lived the consummate life. She made a mistake while young, and due to the alienation it caused with her father, has been extremely careful since. The fact that she thinks she may be dying makes for a believable catalyst in making changes.

This story features a threesome, but somehow Ms. Haynes makes it seem very personal still, and that it brings Sophia and Ford closer together, rather than adding complications. I don’t know how she does it, but it’s believable.

In a way, the biggest hang up might be the fact that Ford is Sophia’s boss.
There isn’t a lot of substance to this story, as the word/page constraints limit that, but I thought that Ford and Sophia were well developed. I got a sense of who they were, and understood their characters. And the fact that they liked and admired each other before entering a physical relationship – and that it was natural, if not bound to happen.

Grade: B+

Summary:

Jasmine Haynes explores the lust of a former supermodel who needs to finally fulfill a no-holds-barred sexual fantasy. Finding two men to do it with is easy. But are they up to giving her all the pleasure she’s been denied?

Read an excerpt here.

Honor Bound by Joey W. Hill

I have to say… I was not expecting this story. It features and interesting dynamic with a dominant and submissive. It’s a continuation of the Knights of the Boardroom, and admittedly, this novella is why I was so excited for the entire anthology. I’ve only read the previous story, and I think my selective reading left me confused. Nonetheless, there’s a lot of sexy, kinky stuff going on in this story. And, a lot in general, with layers and emotions and characters.

All the males are dominants, the women submissives. (More so in this story, than the others, which is some of the cause for my surprise.)

Additionally, both Dana and Peter are soldiers. I liked that they had that commonality, and that Ms. Hill treated it so realistically. Dana is actually injured, and blinded, and worse. While tragic, I appreciated the fact that the characters are wounded in battle, rather than superhuman and making war seem like a day at the amusement park.
It also leads to a very complex psychological push and pull between Dana and Peter, because there’s the question of their relationship (or lack thereof), and the reasons why they might get back together.

I liked the love at first sight concept, and the fact that even though Peter is the dominant, he writes to Dana for a year, knowing she won’t respond. There’s give and take to the relationship, that had nice balance, and made me believe in a real romantic relationship between the two. It helped me understand more of BDSM, I suppose. It’s definitely not my thing, but I could see how and why it was for Dana, and that also made me like and appreciate Honor Bound.

Grade: B

Summary:

Joey W. Hill reveals the erotic bond between a master and the beautiful submissive who stole his heart. Recapturing their night of unparalleled passion won’t be easy—until a specific piece of lingerie comes into play.

When not called up by the National Guard, Peter Winston is a successful businessman, part of the K&A management team. Like the other four members, he’s also a sexual Dominant, adept at bringing a woman to pleasurable surrender. The night before he heads out on his second Afghanistan tour, he meets Dana, a sexual submissive who gets into his head and heart the way no woman ever has.

But Dana is also an Army sergeant. It will be over a year before they see one another again, and when they do, she’s suffered injuries that took her sight and will to live. With the creative use of a corset and the talents of the other K&A males, Peter sets the stage for another special night for them, knowing that only a submissive’s willingness to trust her Master will bring her back to love and life again.

Read an excerpt here.

Rhio’s Dancer by Denise Rossetti

There was a lot going on in this story, but I found the ending to be really cute. I did feel that I might be missing something by not having read many of Denise Rossetti’s other books. This is a fantasy romance, and a continuation from Ms. Rossetti’s novella in Unlaced, and I liked that a lot. We get a cameo visit from the previous couple, and a happy ending for Rhio and Amae (Dancer).

The setting makes things a bit difficult, and some time needs to be spent describing the world, social structure, and political system, even, but there’s still a nice connection between Rhio and Amae. Yes, sex brings them together, and there’s this whole sub plot to stop the assassination of the queen (like how I just threw that out there? It’s not the main focus of the story anyway…) it all works to bring Rhio and Amae together.

Amae is damaged – she’s been a slave for fifteen years, and for all that Rhio is a hardened captain, he’s a genuinely nice guy. There’s a scene where he’s cuddling with Amae, and she expresses surprise. The juxtaposition of sex and violence and soft tender moments rounds everything out nicely.

Grade: C+

Summary:

Denise Rossetti goes beyond the limits of desire when she pairs a battle-scarred veteran of love and war with a woman who’s just as fearless and twice as dangerous. What happens between them is positively combustible. But what a way to go.

Rhio’s a battle-scarred veteran of both love and war, a soldier right down to his bootstraps. But he’s never met a woman as fierce, as fascinating – as dangerous – as Dancer. And she’s up to her pretty neck in political intrigue. She just might kill him before they’re through, but what a glorious way to go!

Read an excerpt here.

I have to say, each story was distinct, and yet incorporated a corset on some level. It was nice to get the whole “laced with desire” idea into all four in such different ways. Cute, and well done.

Overall Grade: B

Summary:

Rough hands rounding the curves of a soft warm body—caressing, stroking,
edging her toward exquisite pleasure…

Seduction is a cinch in these four all-new sizzling stories from the hot authors of Unlaced…

Limecello’s review of Riding On Instinct (Wild Riders, Book 3) by Jaci Burton
Erotic romance released by Berkley on 7 Apr 09

Riding on Instinct is the third installment of Jaci Burton’s Wild Riders series, and definitely my favorite thus far. I really enjoyed Riding on Instinct, and I’m really happy about it because I find that Ms. Burton’s writing is only getting better. I’m also becoming more attached to the concept of the Wild Riders, so I’ve definitely been won over. And who wouldn’t love sexy bad boys who are actually the good guys?

While I really do like her, Shadoe Grayson is admittedly was not my favorite heroine ever. She’s smart, capable, and although I wouldn’t mind being her, I wasn’t enamored with her in this book. Let me explain. While I felt that I knew who Shadoe is and understood her personality, I didn’t entirely sympathize with her. I also felt that there were a some slight inconsistencies with her personality. Shadoe is ultimately a professional, and knows what her job is, and that everything she has with the Wild Riders is simply part of her mission. However, all her pragmatism flies out the window in regards to Spence. The way this was approached wasn’t entirely believable to me. (And this is very minor, but Shadoe? Really? I… just don’t like that name, although upon further research I’ve learned it’s a man’s name, which actually makes me like it more than I did initially. Especially for the character/heroine. Ironic.)

Spencer King (what a name!) is a very interesting, albeit normal hero. He’s sexy, a badass, not looking for emotional ties, and has enough baggage to keep Paris Hilton happy on a month long trip. Nevertheless, he’s a fun and likable character. Spence is very good at his job, and knows he’s getting attached to Shadoe. He’s even willing to admit it, but simply doesn’t think anything can come of it, so he doesn’t pursue a relationship with her. I like how he can be possessive, but isn’t controlling. He lets Shadoe be her own person, is supportive, and very honest with Shadoe. I also liked the background on Spence that Ms. Burton provided which made him more sympathetic and human. That, more than anything helps develop him as a person and character, really. He’s also a great government agent and can handle any and every situation and mission.

I’m a little torn – I really like the premise of the story, but don’t really find it believable. In a way, it seems that Ms. Burton wanted to write a heroine who is a stripper, and the situation that required Shadoe to impersonate one was a bit too contrived. Or maybe it’s just I have a hard time believing that someone who has always been rigid and by the book can train and practice for such a short period of time and become the headlining act at a well known establishment. But hey, it’s fiction. And, once you overcome that issue, Riding on Instinct is terrific. (I know it seems like I’m really coming down on the book, but I enjoyed it a lot – I’m simply trying to point out why this isn’t an “A” book for me.)

On to the good. The way Ms. Burton describes Shadoe (as Desi’s) dancing is flawless. The music, the movement, the atmosphere of the club – it makes the reader feel a part of the scene. The nuances and depiction are incredibly vivid, and allow the reader to picture everything perfectly. I love how so much of the action took place in the club, which did give credence to the part Shadoe was forced to play. It also set a nice backdrop to some of the subplots and secondary stories. Edgy, sexy, and fun, a strip club is a great place for bad boy characters to shine. And of course, a lot of shady dealing, which definitely occurred.

Something else I really liked was that Ms. Burton made her characters real. Shadoe and Spence have nicely developed personalities, and histories. Each of them has had a difficult past, which allows them to bond, and I loved how their relationship is explained, and the reasons they fit so perfectly. Their childhood really allows them to connect, and it was nice that there was the emotional tie, because of course the sex is phenomenal. Another kudos goes to Ms. Burton for writing great sex scenes, but more importantly, ones that are natural and really fit into the story and plot. The actual purpose of the mission is also well written, and I liked how all of that played out. (I don’t want to give it away.)

I did become invested in the story, and while I felt the villains were a bit static and predictable, the rest of it was quite enjoyable. I liked that Shadoe was able to shed her stripper personality and shine on her own as a federal agent in the end. It was also nice to have a bit of a cool down period, before Spence and Shadoe decide to cement their relationship. It felt right, and also allowed for some great dialogue between the secondary characters. I have to admit, I’m really curious about the next book – and whether or not Pax and AJ will find their happy ending.

Ms. Burton also does a fantastic job describing and incorporating the bikes. (As well she should!) I have to admit, I’ve become much more interested in biker gangs after watching Gangland on the History channel. And that show always makes me think of Ms. Burton’s Wild Riders. Riding on Instinct is a great book and I definitely recommend it to readers who like some spice and heat in their romance. And especially those of you who like bad boy bikers, along with leather and fun. I can’t wait to read the next story in this series – Riding the Edge. I’m sad it’s only a novella, but at least it comes out this year!

Grade: B+

Read reviews and information about other books in this series by following its tag here.

Summary:
.
Department of Justice agent Shadoe Grayson is out to prove she’s no rookie, and eagerly accepts her first undercover assignment at a strip club in New Orleans. Working with the Wild Riders, a government agency of bad boy bikers, her goal is to bring down a corrupt DEA agent. All she has to do now is learn to strip like a pro.
.
Standing in her way is the arrogant and smokin’ hot Spencer King, her partner and one of the Wild Riders. Spence thinks she looks more like a schoolteacher than a stripper, and doubts her ability to do the job. But when he mockingly challenges Shadoe to strip just for him, he finds out there’s more to the surprisingly sexy agent than by-the-book rules and Government Issue pantsuits.
.
Now Spencer has to resist his baser instincts while Shadoe learns that taking off your clothes doesn’t always equal losing control…
.
Read an excerpt here.

Other books in this series:

LauraJ’s review of Unraveled by Jaci Burton
Contemporary Romance eBook Novella released by Samhain 23 Dec 08

I will admit, while I have heard of Jaci Burton and have heard good things, I have never read one of her stories. I like novellas for the reason I can check-out the author’s writing without investing a lot of time. So when this one became available I thought it would be a good chance to try another new-to-me author.

Mitch Magruder is the type of guy who is used to getting what he wants without much effort and he wants to open a beach front resort in the town where he grew up. His company and investors have found just the spot but the owner refuses to sell. Mitch goes “home” to meet directly with the owner Greta Mason. He has known her for more than 20 years, the sister of one of his good friends. But when he arrives at her hotel, she’s not the same girl he knew back then, she has grown into a gorgeous woman and he’s finding he is very attracted to this grown up version.

Greta is happy to see her brother’s friend at first until she finds out that he is there to try and buy her hotel. The hotel was left to her by her father and she does not want to sell it even if it is draining not only her pocketbook but also her life. She has two children but taking care of the hotel takes up so much of her time she has little time left to spend doing the fun things she likes. Mitch is providing a distraction she doesn’t want, but she figures why not take advantage of the fun he’s offering.

While Mitch comes to Greta’s hotel to convince her to sell it he quickly finds a once vibrant woman, basically lacking a life. I liked how he put his plans on hold to show her that there was more to life and that it is important for her to take time for herself.

Greta is definitely a woman in need of some fun. I kind of expected her to be whiney and that type of heroine annoys me to no end, but she wasn’t. She’s a tough woman working hard to not only make ends meet but keep hold of something that is very sentimental to her. Mitch comes along at the right time to show her there is more to her life and that she can love again. Her loves scenes with Mitch are very steamy.

While not a huge fan of kids in romance books, Greta’s kids are actually critical to this story line and Ms. Burton has done a nice job of making the kids part of the story rather than just a couple of secondary characters thrown in. They provide a lot of insight to not only Mitch, but to the reader about Greta’s life and why she she‘s trying so hard make her hotel work.

Overall, I found this to be a quick and enjoyable read about letting go of the past, and learning to live and love again. I’m looking forward to reading more from Ms. Burton.

Grade: B

Summary:
The greatest gift is getting what you never thought you wanted.

Mitch Magruder, rich, successful, wildly popular surfer and entrepreneur, is always on the lookout for the next big wave or the next great deal. So when he’s home for the holidays, he jumps at the chance to build one of his famous hotels right on the white, sandy, Florida beach where he grew up. The only thing standing in his way is Greta Mason.

Divorced with two children, Greta welcomes the struggle to make ends meet at the ramshackle beachfront motel her father left her. The motel means everything to her, and no amount of money—or hot nights of persuasion—offered by gorgeous, sexy Mitch is going to change her mind. No matter how much his touch unravels her defenses.

For once, Mitch finds he’s the one doing the chasing, and Greta’s doing more than throwing a monkey wrench into his perfectly orchestrated world. She’s making him think about things he’s never considered before, things other than the pursuit of money. Things like settling down with the right woman.

Now if only he can convince her he wants more than hot sex, moonlit nights, and her hotel…

Warning: This book contains sun, sand, surf, bikinis, hot men in board shorts, talk of Christmas shopping (ack!) foreplay, midplay, afterplay, and all that deliciously naughty explicit sex (up against the wall, in a limo and…*gasp*…even in a bed!).

Read an excerpt here.

For those of you following along at home, we’ve been serving up excerpts all week from the Unlaced anthology by Jaci Burton, Jasmine Haynes, Joey W. Hill, and Denise Rossetti .  You still have time to win a copy.  Simply leave a comment on one of the excerpt posts and you’ll be entered to win.

Excerpt One: The Ties that Bind by Jaci BurtonExcerpt Two: Undone by Jasmine Haynes

Excerpt Three: Controlled Response by Joey W. Hill

Excerpt Four: Rubies and Black Velvet by Denise Rossetti

If you haven’t already, be sure to swing over to Book Binge and check out the guest post the authors did.

 The Good and Bad About Writing for an Anthology

One lucky winner will be chosen from the comments of that post to win a signed copy of Unlaced.

And now, some winners of our various giveaways.  If you didn’t win, no worries, there are more opportunities coming your way!

Bingeaduckia Excerpt: Unlaced, an anthology by Jaci Burton, Jasmine Haynes, Joey W. Hill, and Denise Rossetti–Parts One, Two, Three and Four

• Lori T wins a copy of Unlaced! Email redwyneATgmail.com with your mailing info.  Put “Unlaced Contest Winner” in the subject line.

Bingeaduckia Excerpt: Night After Night by Kathryn Smith

• Pam and Lori Ann win an ARC!  If you haven’t already,  please email katewriterATgmail.com with your addresses.

Bingeaduckia Excerpt: Holiday Seduction, by Jaci Burton and Lauren Dane–Parts One and Two

• KrisJ and KristinM win copies of Holiday Seduction and The Perfect Gift by Annmarie McKenna , Maya Banks , MacKenzie McKade , Kate Davies and Stacia Wolf. Email redwyneATgmail.com with your mailing info. Put “Holiday Seduction Contest Winner” in the subject line.

Congratulations!!!!

We continue with the second excerpt from Holiday Seduction, from To-Do List by Lauren Dane.

First Excerpt: From Unwrapped by Jaci Burton

Excerpt

Belle shivered as Rafe’s mouth touched her neck. A sense of total and utter unreality stole over her. Here she stood, in the dark, wrapped around the guy she’d had a major crush on since she’d been twelve years old. Hell, that very morning, she never even imagined he’d thought of her this way.

“You taste good, Belle. Delicious and sweet with just a little spice.” The low vibration of his voice echoed up her spine. The warmth of his hands at her hips, just barely touching the bare skin peeking below the hem of her sweater and above the waist of her trousers sent waves of pleasure through her.

Even as she searched for words, his tongue made its way, slow and sinuous, up her neck and to her ear. His breath stirred tendrils of hair that’d escaped the barrette holding it back from her face.

“I think I’m going to need to kiss you, now. I’ve been wondering all night long if that lip gloss is flavored. Are you old school like that?”

Holy sweet baby Jesus on a skateboard. How on earth was she supposed to answer him when he said stuff like that? When he pressed against her, his body work-hard and strong. His cock a solid, hot weight against her belly.

“Watermelon,” she managed to gasp.

“Well now, I definitely need a taste of that.”

He angled his head and his mouth moved to hers, his clear, sleepy brown eyes seeing right straight through her.

And when he kissed her, her entire body went boneless as she held on, her fingers digging into the material of his coat. His mouth was softer than she’d imagined, hot, wet, he tasted of coffee, salt and something else she couldn’t identify but wouldn’t ever forget.

His kiss was slow and heady. He took his time like a man who knew what he was about. Like a man who knew she wasn’t going to bolt. He explored her mouth, his teeth catching her bottom lip, his hands firming their hold, settling beneath the sweater, fingers splayed against the sensitive, bare skin of her hips. His thumbs slid slowly back and forth, back and forth in the hollow of her hip bones.

Her nipples throbbed in time with the slide of his thumbs, shooting straight to her clit.

“Belle? Rafe? You guys there?” Brian called from the other room and Rafe stood back, breaking the kiss. At least his chest heaved and he appeared to be as affected by the kiss as she had been.

Cripes, she wasn’t sure when the last time a kiss had nearly made her come, or even if a kiss had ever so aroused her.

“Yeah. I’m just helping Belle bring her suitcases in,” Rafe answered Belle’s oldest brother without moving. He grinned at her slowly and dragged his gaze up above her head. She followed and noted the mistletoe.

“Oh!” She blushed, mortified. Here she’d thought he was on fire for her and it was just the damned mistletoe? “Duh.”

He reached and took her chin in his fingers, shaking his head. “No, Belle. I’ve wanted to kiss you for a very long time, the mistletoe just gave me an excuse. But now that I’ve felt your nipples as you kissed me, now that I know your taste? I’m going to kiss you as often as I can.”

“Oh,” she sighed again. Yeah, it was totally obvious she was a powerful attorney who made her living with her ability to speak coherently.

He chuckled and grabbed her suitcases. “I’m going to put these in the guest room and then we can get on over to your parents’ for dinner.”

Belle heaved a sigh as she leaned against the wall to keep from melting into a puddle of goo. Raphael Bettencourt had just laid the hottest kiss of her entire life on her. Rafe.

The object of many a fantasy and he’d…his mouth…it was…oh wow!

Copyright 2007, Lauren Dane
All Rights Reserved, Samhain Publishing

*****

And don’t forget, I’m going to give a copy of Holiday Seduction, along with The Perfect Gift (by Annmarie McKenna , Maya Banks , MacKenzie McKade , Kate Davies and Stacia Wolf), to two commenter’s on today’s excerpts.

I’ve grown quite enamored of holiday anthologies this year. Just long enough to give you a dose of Christmas cheer and romance during your down time from the torture preparations for various festivities.  Today we have excerpts from the anthology Holiday Seduction, featuring stories from two beloved authors of erotic romance, Jaci Burton and Lauren Dane.  The first excerpt is from Unwrapped by Jaci Burton.

UNWRAPPED: Amy’s kind of fantasies wouldn’t cut it in the straight-laced law firm where she’s fought her way to partnership. And she refuses to let a younger man use her to advance in the firm. Justin might be brilliant, gorgeous and sexy, but he’s firmly implanted in the look-but-don’t-touch realm. Until a corporate acquisition in Hawaii over Christmas gives Justin the opportunity to show Amy he’s interested in her as a woman. And he has the ideal plan to help unwrap the perfect Christmas gift for Amy.
TO DO LIST: Since she could pick up a pencil, Belle has used lists to map out her life. But now, she realizes the life she thought she wanted exacts too high a price. Exhausted, she heads home for Christmas to make a new to-do list. She didn’t factor in Rafe, her brother’s best friend kissing her under the mistletoe! Belle finds herself with a whole new set of goals to balance with what she thought she always wanted. Rafe’s plan is to seduce Belle back home where she belongs.

Excerpt

As always, Amy felt like an unwanted third whenever she and Justin met with Mitch. Justin had apprenticed for the legal department of one of Mitch’s corporations while in college before coming to work for McKenzie and Shoals. They were close, almost like brothers, even though they weren’t close in age. But their easy, relaxed camaraderie was always a bit disconcerting. She wasn’t used to sitting back and being quiet. That wasn’t her style at all.

The Tiki Lounge stood high on a deck overlooking the ocean. The swirling breeze provided a cooling respite from the humidity as they walked outside and were seated at a table cornering the outdoor restaurant.

“Mai Tais,” Mitch announced to the waitress, holding up three fingers before turning his attention on Amy. “Hope you don’t mind eating here. I hate being stuck inside the offices or the suite. Nothing like fresh air and a Hawaiian sunset to relax after a hard day. Besides, if I know you, you haven’t been outside much yet.”

“I spent the afternoon at the gift shop.”

“There’s a surprise,” Justin said. “I thought you’d spend it working.”

If she hadn’t needed clothes, she would have. “I’ll work later tonight.”

Their drinks arrived and when Amy took a sip, she grinned at the tangy, fruity flavor. “Oh, this is good.” She’d always been a sucker for a sweet drink. It was like having a forbidden dessert.

Their business was discussed over drinks, all the last minute details ironed out. They had only to go over the documents tomorrow to finalize everything and make arrangements for the transfer of assets to complete the deal.

Amy spied a couple strolling along the water’s edge, the woman wearing a simple white shift, a row of flowers in her hair. She held a bouquet. The man had on a white linen suit.

“Newlyweds,” Mitch said with a grin. “Lots of people come here to get married. You’ll see a ton of them.”

Amy nodded. “Uh-huh.” She really should have bought a new vibrator.

“Hawaii is all about sex and romance, you know,” Mitch said. “Must be something in the air.”

Amy shifted and squeezed her legs together, determined to quell her libido. She would not think about sex. “So, Mitch, are you satisfied with the arrangements for the acquisition?”

Mitch laid his hand over hers. “Amy, relax. The acquisition is fine. There’s nothing left to do but paperwork.” He gave her fingers a light squeeze. “You really need to let loose and enjoy yourself, breathe in the Hawaiian air, have another Mai Tai.”

Let loose? “Mitch, I appreciate the sentiment, really. But Justin and I are here to work. For you. We’re not on vacation.”

“There’s not much paperwork left to do except going over the finer details and making sure everything’s signed,” Justin said. “Mitch is right, Amy. Have fun while you’re here and relax.”

Easy for him to say. He took everything lightly, as if he didn’t have a care in the world. Amy was serious about her job, her career, advancing up the corporate ladder. This acquisition had to go down perfectly.

“Don’t you ever unwind?”

“Of course I do.”

Mitch leaned back in his chair. “Really. And what do you do for fun?”

“I work out at the gym.”

Justin snorted. Amy shot him a glare.

“That’s relaxing to you?” Mitch asked.

“It releases the tension and keeps me in shape.”

“Well, there’s no doubt you’re in shape, but there are much better ways to release tension.”

Oh, God. She didn’t even want to think of all the “better” ways she could release tension, and she wasn’t about to discuss the other ways she released, especially in the privacy of her bedroom. And she especially didn’t want to start thinking about said release while in the company of two very sexy men. Her fantasies were vivid enough without sending her mind into overdrive.

She took a long swallow of her drink. It was sweet, so she took another, quenching her thirst until the glass was empty. At least one of her thirsts, anyway. Mitch signaled the waitress and in short order she had another full drink. Yummy.

“Damn, Mitch, I should have never left your side,” Justin said, tipping his glass toward him. “You’ve made one hell of a life for yourself.”

“Thanks. So much a life that I have to unload some of the business side of it so I have a chance to enjoy a few of the fruits of all the years of labor.”

“That’s why you have us,” Amy said. “To help you divest some of your hard work. It’s time for you to relax a little and unburden yourself.”

Mitch laughed. “I’m hardly ready to head out to pasture yet, Amy.”

Amy sat straight in her chair, realizing her blunder. “Oh. Of course not. That’s not what I meant at all. I mean, for someone your age you’re in phenomenal shape. Most guys half your age don’t look as good as you.”

She realized she was babbling, and in a really inappropriate way. Why didn’t she just crawl into his lap, lick him all over and just complete the humiliation?

Her cheeks flushed hot, her eyes widened, and Mitch grinned.

Jesus, could he read her mind?

“I’m sorry,” she said. “Long flight, not much sleep and…what’s in these drinks anyway?” She pushed the offending cocktail to the center of the table.

Mitch pushed it back in front of her. “Amy, chill. I’m the last person to be insulted. I want you and Justin to have a good time here. I’m a pretty laid back kind of guy. You can say, or do, anything you want.”

He wasn’t helping by saying things like that.

“Now that’s a tempting offer,” Justin said, slanting his gaze to Amy. “And Mitch is right, Amy. You do need to unwind.”

Amy’s gaze shifted back and forth between Justin and Mitch, and her fruity-drink-addled brain went foggy.

Oh, yeah. That could be fun and a fantasy come true. Sexy, forbidden Justin, the man who’d fueled her fantasies for years, and rugged, outdoorsy Mitch, older, experienced…

And for more holiday cheer, I’m  going to give a copy of Holiday Seduction, along with The Perfect Gift (by Annmarie McKenna , Maya Banks , MacKenzie McKade , Kate Davies and Stacia Wolf), to two commenter’s on today’s excerpts.

Last, but not least, the final excerpt from Unlaced, an anthology by Jaci Burton, Jasmine Haynes, Joey W. Hill, and Denise Rossetti, Rubies and Black Velvet. Don’t forget to comment after you read, because I’m giving away a copy of the book!

Excerpt One: The Ties that Bind by Jaci Burton

Excerpt Two: Undone by Jasmine Haynes

Excerpt Three: Controlled Response by Joey W. Hill
Excerpt from Rubies and Black Velvet by Denise Rossetti

Holdercroft on the Cressy Plains, Palimpsest

When the thunder came again and again, rolling around the tall heads of the mountains, the good folk of Holdercroft village shuddered. “They’m at it again,” they said, shaking their heads. But the tavern on the plain was warm and snug, the doors and windows shuttered against the fierce driving rain.

“‘Tis the dragon djinn,” grunted old Griddle, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand.

“And the sorceress,” whispered his wife. She made the two-handed sign of the Sibling Moons. “Brother and Sister preserve us.”

“Seen `er once.” Griddle held out his tankard for a refill. “Ridin’ a storm cloud, the night the big tree came down, ye remember?”

“Ye were drunk,” scoffed his wife.

“Naked as a bebbe she were. All pale and long.” Griddle’s rheumy eyes took on a faraway look. “Hair down to `er waist, flyin’ like whips o’ black silk. And when she looked at me, `twas like starin’ hell in the eye. So dark, so deep…” He buried his long nose in his ale.

“Ye stupid old sot.” Griddle’s wife poked his shoulder with a bony finger. “Why would a sorceress look at ye?”

Griddle subsided, grumbling into his ale. “She did,” he muttered, almost too low to hear. “Like she wanted to chew me up and spit me out. Like she hated me for livin’.” Abruptly, he banged his empty jug down on the bar. “Gimme another!”

At evening’s end, his wife had to call for the blacksmith’s boys to carry him home through the rain on a plank.

*****

Out in the barn behind the Mackie place, John knelt at Meg’s feet, grumbling as she toweled his hair. “Give over, Meggie. You’re not my bloody mother.”

But Meg only laughed, that deep delicious chuckle that never failed to make something inside him flutter. She pulled his head down between her generous breasts and rubbed harder. Giving up, John pushed his nose deep into the warm, fragrant depths of her cleavage and inhaled with tremendous satisfaction.

Meg. His Steady Meggie.

Even at nineteen, he had no doubts. The gods had made Margaret May Mackie just for him. His center, his refuge, when the emotional tempests at home got too much. They wore a man down, his family. Between Ma and Da and his ten brawling siblings, there were times John couldn’t think straight unless he held Meggie’s hand in his.

He stroked a broad, callused palm over the luscious curve of her rump. The only girl in the Cressy Plains who could match him. Five foot eleven inches in her sturdy bare feet, Meg’s cushiony body fitted perfectly against his huge frame, her long legs and smoothly muscled thighs a comfortable cradle for his eager weight.

John fumbled a hand down to rearrange his aching cock. He wasn’t embarrassed. With Meg, everything was natural, easy. She knew him, better than he did himself, he thought sometimes. He hadn’t got inside her yet, though it was all he’d been able to think about through the long, golden summer, the pink musky flesh between her pale thighs. They’d done just about everything else though. Grinning, he traced the crescent of freckles on the inner curve of one breast with his tongue. Then he blew on the damp, creamy flesh.

Meg yelped and tweaked his ear.

One day… He leaned forward to rub his cheek against the softness of her belly through the fabric of her sensible nightgown. One day, Steady Meggie would swell with his child. They’d make their own family, one without fists and fury and slamming doors. And if they were fortunate, her frail widowed father would live to see his grandchildren, the farm in good hands, before he passed to the gods.

And John would be hers too. For the rest of their lives.

It gave him such pleasure to think of it. His life in her steady, capable hands.

*****

“What do you think they’re doing down there?” The sorceress stared broodingly across the gulf of night-dark space at the tiny twinkling lights far below. Her dwelling was older than time, built into the shoulder of the peak, carved of living stone. The chilly wind lifted the tendrils of black hair that brushed her snow white hips, but even naked as she was, she didn’t feel the cold.

Huge ebony arms snaked around her waist from behind, the hint of scales under the skin abrading her flesh. “Insects,” rumbled the dragon djinn. “Who cares?”

The sorceress smiled without humor, the merest curve of thin red lips. She pressed back against her dragon lover, enjoying the monstrous size of him, towering over her by more than a foot. His massive pointed phallus burned so hot against her cool buttocks, the sensation was just this side of pain. She didn’t need to turn to know his reptilian eyes would be flaming with passion, ruby-red.

But in the end, she did turn, because she couldn’t help herself. By Shaitan, she hated this strange compulsion, her inability to be done with him, to discard him as she’d done with centuries of lovers. Fifty seasons they’d played together and fifty times she’d tried to extricate herself and failed.

In their hellish dance of lust and blood and pain, she could never be sure who’d triumph in the struggle for dominance. She knew only that she was addicted to the savage beauty of the djinn’s body, swaying under the lash, fascinated by his stubborn draconic endurance. Sometimes he was so fierce, she feared for her very life, and her slow ancient blood would run hot and heavy. Then it would be her turn to plead for mercy, cracked and broken and exalted. The razor’s edge of peril intoxicated her.

And oh, she loved his magnificent body in either form, man or dragon, black as midnight in the pits of hell. But in general, she preferred something in between, as he was now. The best of both worlds.

Stepping back, the sorceress wrapped long slim fingers around his jutting phallus, though she had no hope of closing her fist. The dragon djinn rumbled his pleasure, his forked tongue flickering over a brutal mouth. His organ writhed in her palm, undulating like a cat, the slitted tip curling back to dab a wet kiss on the back of her hand. A mortal would discover his bodily fluids burned like acid, the sorceress felt only a tingle pleasantly reminiscent of pain.

The next excerpt from Unlaced, an anthology by Jaci Burton, Jasmine Haynes, Joey W. Hill, and Denise Rossetti is Joey W. Hill’s Controlled Response. Don’t forget, I’m giving a copy to a commenter on any of these excerpt posts!

Four mistresses of erotic romance unleash their most irresistibly dangerous fantasies in this sensational anthology of lust and lingerie…
So many delicious surprises under a corset…Such fine exquisite lace. Such warm soft leather. Such a nice tight fit. Such impressive boning. Here are four all-new stories from four hot authors that erotica fans will find irresistible…

Excerpt from Controlled Response by Joey W. Hill

Forty-five miles. God, the only thing better than this was sex. Sex done exceptionally well. As Lucas crested the hill, pushing the burn in his legs, he snagged his water bottle to take a measured draught. Releasing the bike handlebars to coast hands-free, he shifted his hips to negotiate the inevitable curve. No such thing as a straight line or a flat expanse this deep in the Berkshires. Every downward slope followed by a challenging upward one. Like the curves of a woman’s body. Or her mind.

Ben had given him shit about hopping a charter here for the weekend when they were still figuring out how to make the numbers work for the Mancuso plant operation. But it was all bullshit, because Ben knew Lucas did his best problem solving while cycling. Just as the legal advisor did it by finding the prettiest ass available and immersing himself in it. When they came back to the office Monday, Ben would fix the legal snarls, and Lucas would crunch the numbers into manageable pieces. Hell, Matt should save the money on their corner offices. Though Lucas had to admit he liked his Baton Rouge city view, with the backdrop of the Mississippi River.

It was time for a lunch break and a stretch, if he could find the spot his buddy Marcus had told him was right off the road around here. He was pretty deep in the Berkshire farm area, but tourists did have a way of finding the hot spots. Still, Marcus had stressed “hidden”, even giving him GPS coordinates for the exact location, give or take ten feet.

There it was. As he rolled across the shoulder, he saw the narrow deer trail. A couple broken twigs and some spoor suggested the brown-eyed creatures had passed through recently.

It was a short hike, so it worked as a good cool down. The light racing bike was easy to carry, even with his gear. Marcus had said the glade would have a stream, soft grass for a nap and a frame of trees for the sky that would make Lucas think he’d fallen into a nest made by heaven itself. Marcus was a gallery owner, brushing shoulders with New York art types, so such metaphors were to be expected. Or maybe the description had come from Thomas, his spouse, or life partner, whatever they called it. It sounded like a good place and Lucas wouldn’t dwell on what they might have done there. To each his own, but his preference definitely ran to heart-shaped asses of a different gender. Skin of milk cream, and tender pink lips hidden like treasure between not-too-firm, not-too-soft thighs. Just like Goldilocks, he knew when they were just right.

Lately, it had been just okay. Some lovely ladies, intelligent, beautiful and willing. Business associates on the same time schedules, which discouraged anything deeper on both sides, but ensured dinner dates and sexual release were no further than a cell phone call. He was CFO for Kensington & Associates, after all, so he didn’t have trouble with that.

But maybe it was watching Matt, the head of K&A, with his new wife, Savannah, during the past year. The way they’d taken the leap of faith together, and their love just seemed to grow and grow. Not like a molasses flood, drowning everyone in reach in gooeyness. More like the quiet reassurance of the ocean’s murmur. Timeless, clean, overwhelming. Proof that there was a greater purpose here. Maybe he was ready for something deeper himself. Maybe that was why he was cycling and Ben was likely hip deep in pussy by now.

As he stepped into the clearing, anticipating the tranquility, he came to a dead stop, his thoughts scattering like a game of 52-card pickup.

Marcus hadn’t mentioned the spot came with a half-naked girl on a motorcycle.

Either that, or Lucas had been run over by a mini-van and didn’t realize he was dead, stumbling into everything Heaven should be. If so, he was profoundly thankful to the mini-van driver.

He blinked. Yes, it was definitely a woman, stretched out on the curved seat of a Night Rod series Harley. At one time, she’d apparently been wearing black jeans with riding chaps over them, for they were in a crumpled pile next to the bike, leaving her lower body clad only in a pair of silky ivory panties. Her feet were braced on the handlebars, legs spread, ass snugged down in the driver’s seat while her upper body was arched over the hump to the passenger seat. The toned legs and generous ass were taut, for her fingers were tucked into the panties. Thanks to the blessing of filmy material, he could see the individual movements of her fingers.

Managing to pull his attention away from that, he saw she was wearing a corset. Curiously, it wasn’t the decorative kind women wore on the outside of their clothes, though this was a beautiful sundry. Ivory-colored as well, with one strap falling off her shoulder and elevating her breasts enough they were accentuated by the slightest breath. It hooked in front, so would lay flat under the heavy white T-shirt she’d been wearing, also lying in the grass. Just a touch of lace at the low décolletage that tempted full exposure from the crescent stretch of her torso.

She wore a music player, tiny earphones tucked into ears as delicate as porcelain, half-hidden by her hair, skeins of white gold long enough to fall over the top of the rear tire. A few strands were scattered by the breeze across her face, teasing wet, parted lips. Her bare feet flexed against the chrome bars as she apparently hit a good spot, biting her lip. Since her eyes were closed, golden lashes fanning her cheeks, he imagined she was deep in some fantasy, picturing her fingers as someone else’s.

Or perhaps she was envisioning someone stealing upon her in this glade, watching, getting hungrier for a taste of the pussy she’d teased into a wetness that had soaked the crotch panel. Someone who wanted to slide his hands under her, grip that delectable ass and tongue her first through the saturated silk. Bite her clit through her panties. Women loved that, the buffer to stimulation that provided friction, helped warm them up, so that when he finally pulled the cloth out of the way and tasted creamed flesh, she would be writhing, begging.

God, he loved eating pussy. Second best thing to fucking it.

A gentleman—not to mention a smart man—would have backed away. But he couldn’t make his feet move. This was undeniably a gift from God, and he was a devout Methodist. Okay, at least when he went home to Iowa during Christmas and attended church with his parents. Regardless, there was a higher power, a higher order. Hadn’t he just been thinking that? Maybe this was an answer.

Yes, Lucas. In your search for a deeper relationship, God has sent you to a private photo shoot from Penthouse.

Hey, crazier things had happened. Like his spontaneous decision now, to become part of her fantasy. As he moved forward, he hoped she wasn’t armed.

Excerpt One: The Ties that Bind by Jaci Burton

Excerpt Two: Undone by Jasmine Haynes

The authors of the Unlaced anthology, Jaci Burton, Jasmine Haynes, Joey W. Hill and Denise Rossetti are guest blogging at Book Binge today about the good and the bad about writing for an anthology. They’re also giving away a signed copy of Unlaced from the commenters on the post.  Don’t miss out on your chance to win!

Bingeaduckia Guest Authors: The Good and The Bad About Writing For An Anthology

For a second chance to win, check out the excerpts being posted today and tomorrow.

Part 1
Part 2 (with Contest)

We continue our excerpts from Unlaced, an anthology by Jaci Burton, Jasmine Haynes, Joey W. Hill, and Denise Rossetti. released by Berkley Trade, December 2. Next we have an excerpt from Jasmine Haynes’ story, Undone.  Read the excerpt, then read on for a giveaway.

Excerpt from Undone by Jasmine Haynes

This little scene takes place less than a quarter of the way into the story. Dirk is an amateur photographer preparing to take boudoir photos of Margo in a corset.

“I want to get naked,” she purred.

This was the woman he’d hoped to release once she stepped in front of the camera. Hot. Ready. As if she were anticipating a man between her legs. It hadn’t taken her long to feel the lure of being naughty for an inanimate object.

He was so damn hard he needed a slug of beer to cool off. He positioned his camera back on the tripod.

“I have something I want you to wear.”

She startled as if she’d forgotten there was a man behind the lens. Turning, she held her arms across her abdomen, looked down, realized the defensive posture, and dropped it. She wasn’t quite as assured as she’d like him to think.

Opening a drawer of the vanity, he pulled out his prize.

“What”–she pointed, coming closer–“is that?”

“A corset.”

She laughed. He was beginning to get that she laughed when she was a tad nervous. “You mean like a real corset?” She put out a hand to touch the fabric, then one of the stiff bones.

“I want you to wear it.”

She tipped her head and eyed him, a taste of a smile at the corners of her mouth. “Is this some sort of fetish thing?”

“There’s something sexy about a garment that a woman needs a man to help her get in”–he raised a brow–“and out of.”

She snorted out a little puff of air. “She doesn’t need a man, just a maid.” She said it with the slightest edge and had him wondering about her real life.

“Consider me your servant for the time being.” He unfolded it as far as the bottom laces would allow. “Game?”

“Isn’t it hard to breathe with one of these things on?”

“I won’t lace it that tight.”

She clucked her tongue softly. “It’s kinky.”

He chuckled. “Hell, asking you over here is kinky.” He itched to lace her up. He could do it without touching skin, but she’d be close, so close. Just achieving something different on camera had been his original intention, but now, the idea of her sweet body in the corset had become a need, the ultimate in sexy.

The camera would adore her figure, her waist tiny, her breasts small but plumped by the corset’s stays.

Easing her in front of the vanity mirror, he stood behind her, her body heat a hair’s breadth between them. Then he leaned in to whisper, “Take off your clothes.”

She swallowed, her throat tensing in the reflection. Then she reached down, grabbed the hem of her sweater, pulled it over her head, and tossed it aside. Her hair settled back around her shoulders in a sexy muss. Her scent, sweet shampoo and fruity body lotion, rose up. He almost closed his eyes to breathe her in, then he looked in the mirror.

Holy hell. Her breasts beneath the black lace bra were everything he could have hoped for.

“Perfect,” he whispered.

Her nipples beaded. He knew it was what she needed to hear when her fingers went to the back of her skirt. He held her gaze in the mirror as the light rasp of her zipper filled the air, then she dropped the skirt and kicked it aside.

Her stomach was slightly rounded, there was a dimple or two in her skin that she probably hated. She had a nipped-in waist and a flare to her hips that might not have been the height of fashion in a world that demanded no woman should bear a single extra ounce. She was his ideal.

“The corset’s going to love your curves,” he whispered. Her breath whooshed out as if she’d been waiting for his approval.

Her eyes on his in the mirror, she undid the front clasp of her bra, shrugged, and the lacy confection fell to the carpet. Clad only in her satin thong, thigh-highs, and heels, she stole his breath.

He held the corset in front of her. The flower print on a cream background enhanced her skin. She glowed with vitality.

“Just step into it.” He’d left the bottom laces in the eyeholes so that he wouldn’t have to fiddle once she held the garment to her. Taking the two edges from him, she put one foot through the laces, the round curve of her ass coming perilously close to his cock.

“Hold it at your waist so I can thread the rest of the loops and tighten it.”

She looked at him in the mirror. “Have you ever done this?”

“No. But the salesgirl said to lace it like a tennis shoe.”

“Hah. So now I’m an old shoe.” Her laugh was genuine, but again he recognized that touch of vulnerability.

“Not old and not a shoe.” He stopped to give her body a long, savoring look. “A sexy woman.”

“Darn tooting,” she whispered, then held the corset around her at the waist as he began threading the holes.

He felt almost clumsy as his fingers brushed the skin at the base of her spine, just above her ass. Her body heat almost singed. The scent of her lotion wafted up, and something else, a faint aroma of woman, a touch of arousal.

She shivered.

“Are you cold?” He’d stoked the wood-burning stove earlier, and he was toasty. She, however, was damn near naked.

“No, it’s fine.” Her cheeks deepened their rosy tint.

The shiver had nothing to do with room temperature, and everything to do with bare skin. Looking down to the gape of the undone corset, he found her nipples hard, pearled. “I can put on another log,” he said as he pulled the laces together.

She sucked in a breath, then let it out slowly. “No, really.” Then she laughed softly. “I’m hot enough.”

He allowed himself a smile at her obvious pun.

He laced another couple of loops, and her skin’s warmth began to seep through the material. “The fit will get tight now.”

“I’ve heard that a tight fit is a good thing.”

Oh yeah, she was getting into it with him. He’d imagined touching her like this, soft, accidental caresses. He’d imagined himself with a hard-on as she fell into the heat of arousal. But he’d never considered how badly he’d need to be a part of it, not just an observer, but a participant. Her skin was smooth, soft to the touch. Her scent made his mouth water. He brushed aside her hair, baring her shoulders, though the length wasn’t at all in the way of the laces. He simply craved a touch.

Four eyelets left, he tightened. She gasped.

“Too tight? Can you breathe?”

“I’m okay. It’s just”–she tipped her head to one side–“it feels good in an odd way, makes you stand straighter.”

Another eyehole, and the corset plumped her breasts. Though barely covering her nipples, it effectively hid them from view. Too bad. “A couple more laces, can you handle it?”

“I’ll let you know when you’ve done it all the way up.”

He threaded and pulled, but with none of the strength Mammy had used on Scarlett in Gone with the Wind.

Tying the laces off with a neat bow, he stepped back. In the mirror, the effect was perfect. Her enticing breasts plumped above the lace edging of the corset. Cinching in her waist, the bones gave a luscious flare to her hips. Over her flattened abdomen, the point in the front arrowed down to her black satin thong. The globes of her delectable ass begged for his touch, and the back-seamed thigh-highs were a sexual hedonist’s fantasy. Her blond hair had fallen to frame the upper swell of her breasts. He raised his gaze to her green eyes. The artist in him needed to photograph her like that, while the man in him wanted to bend her over the vanity and bury his cock in her.

“So how’s the fit?”

She drew in a shallow breath, her breasts rising. “Just don’t make me run or try to touch my toes.” She smoothed a hand down her stomach. “But I like it. Though you can certainly see why the women didn’t eat much at their big galas.” Grinning at the mirror, she added, “But it makes me feel sexy.”

But could she make herself come for him? More than anything, Dirk wanted to capture her face aglow with ecstasy.

Turning this way, then that, she cupped her breasts, plumping them higher. Reaching around her, Dirk gave a slight tug on the bottom, and the tops of her nipples peeped out. It was the ideal combination of gentile lady and sexy woman.

How had he gotten so lucky? Margo was more than any woman he could have fantasized.

So yes, we were supposed to be doing a daily giveaway, but between work, brunch with Santa, visiting relatives, the Christmas Pageant at church, karate, so on and so forth, I never got around to it.  I do have a copy of Unlaced to give away to a commenter on any of the four excerpts (two today, two tomorrow Dec. 16).  Happy Reading!

Over the next few days, we will be featuring excerpts from Unlaced, an anthology by Jaci Burton, Jasmine Haynes, Joey W. Hill, and Denise Rossetti.  Unlaced was released by Berkley Trade, December 2.  This looks to be a hot one!  First up, an excerpt from The Ties That Bind by Jaci Burton.

Four mistresses of erotic romance unleash their most irresistibly dangerous fantasies in this sensational anthology of lust and lingerie…
So many delicious surprises under a corset…Such fine exquisite lace. Such warm soft leather. Such a nice tight fit. Such impressive boning. Here are four all-new stories from four hot authors that erotica fans will find irresistible…

Excerpt from The Ties That Bind by Jaci Burton

“You and I have been together twenty years, Lisa. We’ve been through hell and back. We’ve married, divorced and raised a daughter together. And even though we’ve lived in separate houses most of that time, we’re still…together. Sort of. You’ve dated some, I’ve dated some, but neither one of us have formed any relationships.”

“I thought that was because of Kay.”

“I don’t think so. Lots of divorced people remarry or at least develop relationships with someone else. Kids adapt and accept. Kayla would have, too.”

He was right. She had never found someone that sparked her interest enough to keep seeing more than a few times. She never really knew about Rick’s love life. Kayla probably knew more about it than she did, but Kay was good about not revealing Rick’s personal life to her. Thankfully.

“I never wanted anyone else, Lisa. I measured every woman against you, and they all fell short.”

She shifted her gaze to her drink. “I’m nothing special.”

He slid his fingers under her chin, forced her gaze back to his. “I disagree. You were barely a teen when you ended up pregnant. You had options to do something about that—your choice to make, but you chose to have Kayla. You finished high school while juggling an infant on your hip. You went to nursing school. You raised a brilliant daughter and you have a successful career. I think you’re pretty damn special.”

It was hard not to weep under praise like that. She blinked back tears, not wanting her mascara to run. “Thank you. But I didn’t do that alone. You’ve done a damn good job, too. As hard as it was on me, it was doubly hard on you. Working two jobs, going to college, living in an apartment and then buying a house for Kayla and me. You were always so generous.”

“It was my job to provide for my daughter.”

“You never missed a child support check. You went above and beyond what the courts required of you.”

“I love…Kayla.”

“I know you do.” Rick’s love for his daughter was evident in everything he did. That’s why every man she dated paled in comparison to Rick. Why there were never sparks hot enough to keep her interested for long.

But was it because he’d been so nice to her and Kayla? Or was it more than that?

“We owe it to ourselves to find out if it’s still there, Lisa.”

“If what’s still there?”

“The magic. The passion. What we once had together.”

She inhaled, let it out. “That’s what this whole vacation-in-the-tropics thing is about, isn’t it?”

“Yes. I wanted to kidnap you from your everyday life, away from our friends and yeah, even away from Kayla. Back to when it was just you and me.”

“We’ve changed since then, Rick. It’s not twenty years ago. We can’t go back.” She wasn’t sure if she was trying to convince him, or herself.

He nodded. “I know. But you can’t deny there’s still an attraction there.”

No, she couldn’t. Every time he came over, she longed for him. Every time he accidentally touched her, she felt the spark. But was it because it was Rick, or because it had been so damn long since there’d been a man in her life? She hated being so complacent.

Rick was easy. He was familiar. She’d gotten used to familiar and comfortable. She didn’t want to be familiar and comfortable anymore. Kayla was grown. This was her time to go out and get that life she’d denied herself.

Was that new life with Rick?

No. The absolute last thing she wanted was to destroy what she and Rick had built together. Their friendship. The easy way they talked and could be together and care for Kay. How they depended on one another. Would diving back into the sexual waters ruin that? What if it didn’t work out? Their perfect relationship would be ruined.

She finished her cocktail, used the napkin to swipe across her lips. “I don’t know if this is such a good idea, Rick.”

“You’re scared.”

“Yes.”

“I am, too. You have no idea how long I thought about this. Kayla may be eighteen, but she still has a young girl’s ideals of romance. She thinks it’s easy.”

“So did I…once.”

His lips quirked. “It wasn’t so bad.”

“It was a disaster. For both of us. I don’t want to make it worse by opening up old wounds.” They’d gone through hell together. They’d managed to repair the damage for Kayla’s sake, but they’d left so much unresolved.

“What are you so afraid of, Lisa?”

“You and I have a ton of history. Not all of it was good.” They’d been so young, their notions foolish and filled with fantasy. Reality had been entirely different. Harsh.

“True enough. But we’ve created a new kind of relationship.”

“That’s my point. I don’t want to screw it up.”

He slid his fingers through her hair. Cupped the back of her neck. She shivered at the warmth of his touch. Her nipples tightened and she felt the awakening fires between her legs, the all too familiar wetness there.

Rick leaned in and she was mesmerized by the unique turquoise of his eyes. Had they become even bluer over the years? She hadn’t been this close to him in so long.

“If nothing else,” he said, his breath whispering over her cheek as he drew in closer. “We’ll have a great time. God knows we both work so damn hard, Lisa. We need to have some fun.”

“Yes.” She wrapped her fingers around his forearm, felt muscles that hadn’t been there twenty years ago. He’d been no more than a boy when she’d last seen him naked. Her mind was awash in visuals of how it felt then, what it would feel like now. “Fun would be nice.”

Limecello’s review of Riding Temptation by Jaci Burton
Erotic romance published by Berkley on 7 Oct 08

Isn’t that cover gorgeous? I heard a lot about Jaci Burton’s Wild Rider series – especially the first book Riding Wild – so when the chance to read Riding Temptation came up I jumped at it. The characters are relatively non-traditional, and I’m definitely intrigued. (I’ve also always wanted to ride on a motorcycle…)

Jessie Matthews makes for an interesting heroine, but I’m not entirely sure what I think about her. When the book begins, based on her initial character description I feared that I was about to read a TSTL heroine for the next hundred plus pages. Luckily, that’s not the case. Jessie does make a few mistakes – due to her age (she’s 23) and inexperience, but she owns up to them and sees the error of her ways, which was very refreshing. She was a bit bull headed as for going after Diaz, but she had to. I liked that Jessie could hold her own, and was so pragmatic. I didn’t find her back story entirely believable or sympathetic, but it does give her added layers. Overall she’s a great girl and a likable character.

Diaz Delgado is something of a stereotypical hero. He’s big, bad, had a rough life, has a big chip on his shoulder, and doesn’t believe that he deserves or can have love. Diaz has been attracted to Jessie ever since she became an adult, but tried to tell himself she was off limits because he’s eight years older, and has known her since she was fifteen. Still, Diaz is an admirable man. (After all, he’s been noticing Jesse for the past five years.) Capable, caring, Diaz is quite an emotional person, but simply has a difficult time translating that and sharing his feelings with others. I like Diaz and was glad he pulled through in the end.

I really enjoy the premise of the Wild Riders and the plot. The setting and characters over all were also quite interesting. There definitely aren’t that many books out there dealing with motorcycle gangs and domestic terrorist groups. Ms. Burton definitely has something unique on her hands with a group of men and women who work for the government but even more importantly are bikers. The facts and attention to detail allow the reader to really become a part of the story.

As a matter of fact, the description of the motorcycles, the bike rally, and the numerous get togethers that occurred were some of my favorite parts of Riding Temptation. That, and the banter between the characters. It was fun to read their snappy dialogue and good-natured ribbing. Ms. Burton clearly conveys the character’s lighthearted and fun loving nature as well as the deep affection they have for each other.

However, the romance of the story was a bit flat for me. I found it slightly lacking, and predictable. I knew what the romantic conflicts would be from the start. The main characters also were rather one-dimensional for the majority of the book, which also contributed to the C+/slightly better than average grade. The developing relationship between Jessie and Diaz could have been applied to the characters of a number of books, not just their story. Ms. Burton also used a number of clichés, which made the story seem a bit plastic. However, the interaction between Diaz and Jessie was hot, as well as the initiation scene for the biker gang. (Although there wasn’t quite as much heat as I was expecting.) And the plot details are interesting.

I think Ms. Burton’s writing shows a lot of promise and I’m definitely looking forward to her other books, especially those in the Wild Riders series. I know Ms. Burton has a number of books coming out now, and I’d really like to do a comparison reading. Fans of the Wild Riders will likely enjoy this book a lot.

Grade: C+

He’s a biker working undercover for the Feds. She joined the Wild Riders for reasons of her own. Together, they’re burning up the asphalt and tearing headlong into danger and passion…

Naked under leather.
Ever since runaway Jessie Matthews teamed up with the gang of special ops bikers, the Wild Riders have thought of her as their kid sister. Except for Diaz Delgado. Over the past few years he’s been watching the budding of a ripe young woman. Jessie’s glad somebody finally sees her for who she is—and she’s thrilled it’s Diaz. His dark good looks and killer body have tempted her since day one.
Diaz’s unbrotherly urges have been hard to fight but the last thing he’d want to do is hurt Jessie and break up the gang. But when they both go undercover to infiltrate a group of killer survivalists, he knows it’ll be hard to keep his distance—especially when the mission takes a risky turn. Now Diaz has no choice but to open himself up to the one woman who may be strong enough to take him on.

Read an excerpt here.

This just in…

Ellora’s Cave is announcing the release of their first hardcover book, Forbidden Fantasies, an anthology, to be released October 18, 2008. “Featuring eight taboo tales from the hottest stars of erotic romance, this book is a big, beautiful anthology published by Simon & Schuster Pocket Books,” Susan Edwards, EC’s Vice President of Media, said.

~ The authors featured in the anthology will be Jaid Black, Cheyenne McCray, Sherri L. King, Sahara Kelly, Jory Strong, Ann Jacobs, Jaci Burton, and Lorie O’Clare.

~ If you’re in the Las Vegas area, there will be a celebration book signing at Barnes & Noble, 8915 W. Charleston, Las Vegas, NV 89117, October 18, 2008, 1:00-2:30 p.m.

~ With the purchase of the new hardcover, you will receive a free Forbidden Fantasies t-shirt at the book signing.

~ A drawing to win a mini laptop computer and receive 25% off all purchases direct from Ellora’s Cave is being held through December 31, 2008. But you must purchase the book between October 14 and 18 to be eligible to win the grand prize.

~ The 25% discount will be good at all four EC sites: Ellora’s Cave, Cerridwen Press, The Lotus Circle, and Jasmine-Jade.

Consider yourself flashed.

A new anthology from some of Gwen’s (and my) fav authors! YAY! Unlaced (Anthology) by Jaci Burton, Jasmine Haynes, Joey Hill, and Denise Rossetti comes to us 2 December 2008.

I am going to say something to shock you. I do not have this book. I know! This makes me sad. Oddly enough I hadn’t even heard of it! I have already taken steps to correct this horrible mistake. I should email Jaci and Joey too… I feel great saddness poor sybils…

But here have a summary…

     Four authors of erotic romance present wild and irresistibly dangerous fantasies in this sensational anthology of lust and lingerie…

     Come undone with Jaci Burton…
     Sixteen years is a long time to carry a torch for your ex. It’s high time they act on long-dormant desires and reignite the flame that still burns inside them both.

     Unwind with Jasmine Haynes…
     A wanting woman arrives at the perfect solution for exploring sensual freedom: open herself up to an amateur photographer with no limits—and an uncensored appreciation for the female body.

     Let loose with Joey Hill…
     What does a hiker do when he comes upon a girl wearing only ivory panties, and stretched out invitingly on the warm leather seat of a Harley? Anything she tells him.

     Submit to Denise Rossetti…
     As the laces of a stunning ruby-trimmed corset tighten, so too does the grip of an inescapable sorceress’s curse—one with the power to transform any woman into a dominating femme fatale.

Free your inhibitions with…

Unlaced

Riding Temptation by Jaci Burton, comes out from Berkley in October 2008. Can’t wait!! Here’s a sneak peek…

He’s a biker working undercover for the Feds. She joined the Wild Riders for reasons of her own. Together, they’re burning up the asphalt and tearing headlong into danger and passion…Naked under leather.

Ever since runaway Jessie Matthews teamed up with the gang of special ops bikers, the Wild Riders have thought of her as their kid sister. Except for Diaz Delgado. Over the past few years he’s been watching the budding of a ripe young woman. Jessie’s glad somebody finally sees her for who she is—and she’s thrilled it’s Diaz. His dark good looks and killer body have tempted her since day one.

Diaz’s unbrotherly urges have been hard to fight but the last thing he’d want to do is hurt Jessie and break up the gang. But when they both go undercover to infiltrate a group of killer survivalists, he knows it’ll be hard to keep his distance—especially when the mission takes a risky turn. Now Diaz has no choice but to open himself up to the one woman who may be strong enough to take him on.

E-X-C-E-R-P-T

Jessie opened the door. The scent of her shampoo filled the room as she walked by. Diaz yanked clean clothes out of the drawer and went into the bathroom, took a hot shower, finishing it off with cool water to clear his head. When he came out, she was sitting on the bed, staring at the darkness outside.

“We need to talk.”

No answer. She stood and inched around him, heading toward the bathroom again Oh, no, she wasn’t going to hide anymore. He grabbed her wrist before she could slip by.

“Jessie.”

She stopped, angled her head so her gaze met his.

“What?”

“Sit down.”

“Is this about work?”

“Yes.”

“Fine, then.” She took a seat at the foot of the bed.

“What the hell is wrong with you?”

She stood and walked toward the bathroom again. “We’re done.”

He blocked her way. “We’re not done. Sit down.”

“You said we were going to talk about work. That wasn’t work.”

“It sure as hell was. Now sit.”

She took a step forward, but he refused to move. She didn’t back up. “I am not a dog, Diaz. You can’t order me around.”

“On this assignment I’m your superior and if I say climb the goddamn walls, you’ll climb them. Got it?”

She gave him a military salute. “Yes, captain. Can I go now?”

“No. We need to talk.” Good God she was making this difficult. Who knew Jessie had this much of an attitude.

She crossed her arms and leaned against the bathroom doorway. “Talk away.”

This was going to go well. “What were you doing today with Crush?”

“Uh, talking?”

“About?”

“I was trying to get to know him, to gain his confidence. He likes me, so I was playing on that. I already told you what I was doing. Why are we going over this again?”

“It looked to me like you were trying to do more than your job.”

“What did you think I was doing?”

“I think you like Crush and maybe you want to get something romantic going with him.”

She rolled her eyes. “Jesus, Diaz.”

“This assignment isn’t about you finding your way into Crush’s leathers, Jessie.”

She threw her hands in the air. “Are you really that stupid? I’m not the least bit interested in what’s in Crush’s leathers or beyond that. I spent some time getting to know him, trying to figure him out, see if he’d trust me. Some guys like talking to girls because they think we’re harmless. He’s likely to reveal more to me than he will to you or Spence, so I thought I’d give it a try.”

“Uh huh. We’re supposed to be playing this together.”

She lifted her chin, clearly not liking the direction of the conversation. “I tried a different tactic, and it worked out just fine.”

He leaned into her. “You’re the junior member of this team, Jess. If you want to strategize a move, clear it through me first. In the meantime, stay the hell out of Crush’s pants.”

Jessie had taken all she was going to from Diaz. He was bullying and berating her for something she hadn’t done. Yes, she might have used Crush today because she was pissed at Diaz. She’d been honest too, though. It was also a tactic to see if she could find some information about him and the Devil’s Skulls. She wanted to do a good job on this assignment, not just be an extra body Grange had forced on Diaz. She wanted to do something productive. And she had.

But it was more than that. Diaz was being an ass and she’d had enough.

“You didn’t seem to have a problem with Spence using Stephanie to gain information.”

“That’s different.”

“How?”

He didn’t have an answer, exactly what she figured. This had nothing to do with the mission and everything to do with what had been happening—or rather not happening—between them. And since he started this tonight…

“Stop pushing me away.”

Diaz leaned back. “What?”

“You heard me. Stop pushing me away. Stop running whenever we get close.”

“I don’t know what the hell you’re talking about.”

“Don’t you? What is it about me that makes you run like hell, Diaz? I mean, I know I’m not hideous looking, and I have a decent body.” Now it was her turn to advance on him. He started backing up. “But I’m getting tired of you and me getting close and you slamming the door in my face.”

“Yeah. I could see today how brokenhearted you are over it.”

Men were such babies sometimes. He’d started this game. Too bad for him that he didn’t like when the rules changed. She’d had enough. “Maybe if you had a working dick of your own and knew what to do with it, I wouldn’t have to go searching in Crush’s pants for one.”

Diaz’s gaze narrowed, his eyes going dark. She felt the fury coming off him in waves, saw the way the muscles bunched under his T-shirt. He advanced on her and Jessie backed up a step, realizing she might have just said the wrong thing.

The Darkest Touch by Jaci Burton will be released on 28 October 2008. It is the third in the Demon Hunters series, and follows Surviving Demon Island and Hunting the Demon.

He’s a hunter, a savior, a seducer.
And she just can’t get enough…

THE DARKEST TOUCH

Ryder. The man was just as sexy as she remembered him:
Tall, lean and dangerous, a demon hunter with the body of a god…But archaeologist Angelique Deveraux has little time for lust. She’s been hiding a gleaming black diamond, a prize everyone wants—including Ryder—and now she’s running for her life. Hot on her trail is Ryder, a legendary demon hunter she desires but can’t quite trust, a man with an insatiable need for danger and a few dark secrets of his own…As sparks ignite between the rogue hunter and his latest prey, Angie’s world is rocked again when her twin sister vanishes, stolen away by the same dark forces stalking Angie and the black diamond. With Ryder offering protection— and more —suddenly a woman who’s never trusted anyone is falling for a man who isn’t afraid of anything…except losing his heart. Now, as an all-out demon war erupts and Angie’s family secrets unravel, Ryder’s demon-hunt and Angie’s quest to save her sister are about to collide. And when they do, it’ll send these two wary hearts on the wildest adventure of their lives—and maybe even save humankind in the process…

E*X*C*E*R*P*T*

He slipped out the back door and shut it, filling his lungs with a deep breath of humid night air. The choking sweet smell of gardenias was making him sick, so he moved away from the house, keeping his focus on the surrounding terrain, searching for the signs of anything suspicious.

The night was dead quiet. Not even a ruffle of wind to shatter the silence.

It wasn’t quiet in his head, though. He took a quick glance to the house, spotting Angie through the kitchen window. She was doing dishes, a frown of deep concentration lining her forehead.

He hadn’t given her the answers she’d needed. Not that he’d had them, but he knew he’d walked out on her in the middle of a really important conversation. One she’d wanted to delve deeper into.

One he couldn’t handle. Because she’d started talking about bloodline, and darkness.

And that was a little too close to home for him. His own potential for violence, where it had come from, was a topic he didn’t discuss.

The strange thing was, he’d wanted to. Tonight, with Angie, as soon as she’d expressed concerns about Isabelle, he’d wanted to tell her about his own dark side.

Wouldn’t she have loved to hear some of those stories?

He shook his head. She’d wanted tenderness and understanding, not someone who would tell her that her sister probably was evil, that sometimes you couldn’t hide the darkness inside yourself.

Some were successful, some weren’t.

And some walked a tightrope, striking a careful balance, knowing that at any second they could fall.

Ryder walked the tightrope every damn day. He couldn’t offer Angie any sympathy because it wasn’t in his nature to give it. Maybe he really was just like his dad.

The light went out in the kitchen. He turned away from the window and stared out into the night, letting the darkness envelop him, breathing out a sigh when he heard her footsteps approaching.

“Go inside, Angie.”

She sat next to him, her thigh brushing his. “We almost got somewhere tonight. You pulled back.”

“We didn’t get anywhere. I can’t give you what you need.”

“Because you don’t trust me.”

“Partly.”

“Because you think I don’t trust you?”

He turned to her. “What?”

“I revealed something to you tonight. A fear about my sister. Doesn’t that speak of trust?”

He was glad it was dark. The way she looked at him…he could get so lost in her eyes. He didn’t want to. It made him feel weak and out of control.

“I’d trust you more if you told me where the black diamond was.” Keep it about business. That, he could control.

“I do trust you. As much as I can trust anyone. But my sister’s life is at stake here.”

“Then prove it.” This could be over quickly if she’d just tell him where the black diamond was.

“Ryder.” She leaned in, her breasts pressing against his arm, shocking the hell out of him by nearly climbing into his lap as her lips found his.

Maybe it was surprise that kept him immobile. He should have moved away. But hell, she offered. He took. Her mouth was spicy, hot and inviting. And he wanted in.

With a groan, he dragged her onto his lap and she tangled her fingers into his hair, deepening the kiss. He liked that, liked feeling her touch on him. Her body was soft against everything that was hard about him. And everything about him was damn hard right now. Instant rushes of heat and raw, steely power ignited a fuse that had laid dormant too long. One touch of her lips and he was on fire.

The part of him that knew this was a really bad idea disappeared, vanishing along with his reserves about keeping a professional distance. All he could think about now was getting her naked, touching the silk of her body, tasting her all over. Sinking into her and forgetting the darkness around them both.

Her lips were full, her tongue moist and searching as she entered his mouth, licking against his. She wanted more, and he wanted to give it to her.

But he also remembered trust. And darkness. And violence. And what could happen when you loved someone.

He grasped her arms and with a gentle tug, pushed her away.

She tilted her head, her eyes glazed with passion. A quick glance down her body showed tight, pointed nipples against her thin shirt. He wanted to touch, to taste, to take her over and over again.

Possession. He could feel it boiling up inside him, that overwhelming need to brand her and make her his. The need was almost violent.

Yeah, that had worked so well for his parents, hadn’t it?

He swallowed, his throat dry, his body taut with need. He couldn’t believe what he was about to do.

“Go back inside, Angie.”

She inhaled, then blew it out, nodding, sucking her bottom lip between her teeth. She slid off his lap and without a word, turned away and walked toward the house.

He watched every step, the way her hips swayed, the way she held her head up high. She didn’t turn back to look at him as she opened the door and closed it behind her.

No, it wasn’t that he didn’t trust her.

He didn’t trust himself.

He knew exactly where the darkness lived. It lived inside him.

© Jaci Burton. All rights reserved.

Sandy M’s review of Riding Wild by Jaci Burton
Erotic romantic suspense released by Berkley Trade 5 Feb 08

I’ve had an on-again, off-again love affair with erotic romance over the years. I am definitely on again after reading this book. Wild rides are to be had every which way with some good mystery and a lot of fun thrown in for good measure.

Right from the start we learn that Mac is going to be a man we’re going to love as much as Lily does when she does some reminiscing about him. It’s been ten years since she’s seen him and she’s still fantasizing about his love making. She’s also still broken hearted over the fact he just up and left her life with no explanation. But she’s gotten over him, continued on with her life with what she wanted to do instead of living the life her father wanted for her, and she’s about to put some security guards’ butts in a sling for slacking on the job at a local Chicago museum. That’s when Lily’s past roars right back into her life and she starts truly living again, even if she doesn’t realize it for a while.

Lily is a kick-ass former police officer turned private eye, not the young innocent who wouldn’t stand up to her father that Mac knew back then. Even though the old feelings for Mac come back with a vengeance, she’s not sure if she can trust him because of his past, but every time he looks at her and touches her it’s like they were never apart. These two sizzle like you wouldn’t believe. Besides the great sex, however, is the ride Lily gives Mac at every turn trying to get away from him to do the right thing instead of continuing to run toward uncertainly because Mac isn’t being straight with her.

Mac is thrown for a loop when Lily holds him at gunpoint as he’s sneaking off with an artifact from the museum. Knowing he can never reveal why he’s still thieving after all these years, he hates like hell keeping Lily from doing her job and having to lie to her all over again. What hurts even worse is knowing he has to leave her all over again too. She’s with him now, however, and he’s going to have a time of it for both of them.

The sex between them is still hot all these years later and not even the guilt he feels can make him keep his hands off Lily as they try to outrun whoever is attempting to take Mac’s ill-begotten gains from him and kill them in the process. Mac is sexy, sexy, sexy. No doubt about it. As much as he wants Lily in his life, he can’t go back on his oath he’s made to his employer, which means she’ll never know he’s changed, he’s not the same man he was in his youth. I liked his loyalty, but I also wanted him to be honest with Lily. Can’t I have it both ways? I wanted him to have the job he loves and the woman too, but he’s a stubborn man.

Their wild ride on motorcycle across several states is fun, dangerous, and sexy. There’s that word again. The mystery that follows them keeps us on our toes, and payback truly is a bitch when the truth is finally revealed. I was caught up in every word of this book. Mac and Lily are the epitome of a strong hero and heroine, and the secondary characters along their travels keep things quite lively. Riding Wild is fun, dangerous, mysterious, romantic, light hearted, and…

Sexy.

Grade: A

From the back cover:

     He’s a Harley-riding ex-thief working undercover for the government. She’s a gun-toting ex-socialite hired to protect a valuable museum exhibit. But in her attempt to stop a heist, she never anticipated having her breath and her heart stolen…

Mac Canfield was the last man Lily West expected to see again, never mind aim her gun at. But here he was, the bad boy who’d broken her heart years ago-still a thief, this time high-jacking a priceless artifact–and it was all she could do to push aside the memories of how it felt to have his perfectly chiseled body next to hers.

Mac was no less shocked to see the beautiful girl-next-door all grown up, threatening to shoot him on the spot. Little did she know she was blowing his cover-and now he had to figure out how to get her out of harm’s way without succumbing to his crazy desire to take her on a hot trip down memory lane.

Unfortunately, Lily has no intention of going anywhere with Mac. Which means he has to resort to kidnapping. Unless, of course, she agrees to let him take her for the kind of ride destined to drive them both unbelievably wild..

Read an excerpt.

The ever sweet and enlightening Jaci Burton who gave such wonderful tips about the unexpected acts that speak of romance, has graced us with a great contest. And we have a Valenduckie winner . . .

Congratulations to Janet H! You get your choice of a prize from any of Jaci Burton’s books in print. Click here to go to Jaci Burton’s site to see the variety of PRINT books you get to choose from.

And when you’re done, please email your selection and contact info to Sybil, who will forward it to Jaci. PLEASEPLEASE put “Jaci’s Burton’s Valenduckie Contest” in the subject line.

Jaci Burton is our next Valenduckie cupid and she shares with us what “romance” means to her.  Don’t forget to catch Jaci’s latest release, Riding Wild – a Berkley Trade 5 Feb 08 release - that is getting some tremendous reviews. 

So February brings about Valentines Day, which is the month of hearts and flowers, chocolate, diamonds and all things romantic. But really, what is romantic to a woman? Is it being swept off her feet by a tall, dark and handsome man, wined and dined, showered with gifts and flowers and soft music, or is it something else entirely?

I guess to some women those things are important. But I have my own ideas about what romance is, and it’s none of the above. Sure, dinner out and a bouquet of flowers on Valentine’s Day are nice, but to me those are ‘holiday’ things. Those are ‘expected’ things. What I love from a man is the unexpected… the little things that scream ‘love’ and ‘romance.’ I have my own top 10 list of things that make me swoon.

1. A man who does the dishes without being asked to. (This might cause lightheadedness when witnessed by a woman. A romantic man can do the dishes and be prepared to catch the fainting woman in his arms at the same time.)

2. A man who takes over and cooks when he notices you’re too tired, too stressed, or too busy to do it. (Hey, I didn’t say it had to be ‘good’ cooking. We just appreciate the attempt… any attempt at all)

3. A man who brings you flowers out of the blue, and not when it’s Valentine’s Day or your birthday or because he’s pissed you off and this is his way of apologizing.

4. He takes you to dinner at the restaurant of YOUR choice, not his.

5. He’ll sit through your favorite television shows, giving you control of the remote (this is a supreme sacrifice for most men… they earn double points for this)

6. A man who’s spent the day working outside with his hands… mowing, trimming, weedeating, chainsawing, hammering, whatever….and will still give you an hour-long back and shoulder massage that night when you know his hands must be tired and cramping. That’s love, y’all.

7. A man who listens when you talk, who puts the newspaper down, turns away from the television, makes eye contact and really listens. To me, there’s nothing more romantic than a man who takes the time to really hear to what you have to say.

8. A man who’s man enough to be able to say “I’m sorry”. (Some men suffer from an affliction that renders them incapable of saying these two words)

9. A man who deeply loves children and animals. Who doesn’t feel like a wuss when he cuddles both of them. I love a strong, alpha male who can set aside the uber testosterone long enough to pet a dog or cuddle a child.

10. A man capable of saying “I love you”, over and over again, and really meaning it. A woman knows when a man really means it as opposed to just reciting the words.

So tell me, what’s romantic to you?

Jaci Burton

Jaci Burton, a favorite author and blogger around here, shares 12 highlights from 2007…

Don’t forget to catch Jaci’s new release:

Riding Wild, coming 5 Feb 2008 

I was actually excited to be able to DO some reading this year, something I normally haven’t made much time for with my heinous writing schedule. But this year I vowed to read and read a lot more than I had been doing in prior years. And I was really successful at it.

Here are what I consider the highlights of some authors that, if you haven’t looked at, you really should.

Jaci’s 12 Author Highlights from 2007

1. Jackie Kessler. Wicked naughty and fun urban fantasy. Start with Hells Belles (Hell on Earth, Book 1). Jezebel is the funniest succubus I’ve encountered in years. Love her. I want to go shopping with Jezebel.

2. Richelle Mead. Succubus Blues (The Georgina Kincaid Series, Book 1) – another very funny, engaging urban fantasy about a succubus. Very different kind of story from Kessler’s Hells Belles, though. Try them both!

3. Meljean Brook. If you haven’t read her Guardians series yet, you’ve missed out on some of the best paranormal writing in years. Rich, lush, sink into a chair and get lost for hours, days, weeks. I want to be Meljean when I grow up.

4. Nalini Singh. Her Psy-Changeling series is wonderful. Wickedly smart, sensuous, with characters you fall in love with. I eagerly anticipate each installment of the series.

5. Colleen Gleason. The Gardella Vampire Chronicles – Historical and vampires. Buffy in the Regency period. Beautifully written, compelling storyline, and a heroine you come to love and she grows and changes from book to book. I love this series because it’s so unique.

6. Lara Adrian. Her Midnight Breed series is rich with romance and some of the sexiest men I’ve ever read. And her heroines equal the heroes in internal strength. Ignore the comparisons to J.R. Ward. Lara’s series is unique. I lose myself in each story and can’t put them down.

7. Sydney Croft. The writing duo of Larissa Ione and Stephanie Tyler have created a hot, sexy and compelling paranormal erotic romance series with a distinctive world and some of the most erotic love scenes I’ve ever read. Start with Riding The Storm (ACRO Series, Book 1). The second book in the series, Unleashing the Storm, releases Feb 26, 2008. You don’t want to miss this.

8. Kristan Higgins. Some of the best romantic comedy I’ve read in years! She has two books out, neither are connected stories. Titles are Fools Rush In and Catch of the Day. Funny, warmhearted and really feel good reads. You think contemporary romance is dead? It’s not. It’s alive and breathing and in these books.

9. J. D. Robb. Yeah. I’m only one of the last people on the planet to get started on her In Death series. (Okay, I think Sybil is too.). And it’s totally Angie’s fault that I started, since she’s been badgering me for two years to read this series. I finally caved because I hate being left out of anything. So far, three done, 900 to go. Slow down, Nora. I’m working at catching up! (These books freaking rock! But they’re killing my deadlines.)

10. Lora Leigh. Her Bound Hearts ménage series is my absolute favorite and I celebrated the return of it this year with Forbidden Pleasure (Bound Hearts, Book 8 ). Hot, sexy alpha men and the women who adore them. It’s like crack and I’m helpless to resist. Love love love this series and Lora is a master at writing erotic romance.

11. Harlequin/Silhouette Category books. Okay, so I’m generalizing. But Blaze, Presents, Desires, you name it. My deadlines are hell sometimes, and that means I need quick, short reads. Category rocks my world for this. I can sit down and read a book in a day or two. Love it! Love Harlequin for giving me this.

12. Julie Kenner. I’m cheating. I read her demon hunting soccer mom before this year, but I still love the series. Demons Are Forever: Confessions of a Demon-Hunting Soccer Mom (Book 3) released in 2007. Carpe Demon (Book 1) and California Demon (Book 2) came before it. Very funny Buffy-grows-up-gets-married-and-has-kids kind of storyline. One of my favorites and I drool for the next installment.

So readers, who tripped your trigger this year?

Gwen’s review of Sneak Peek by Jaci Burton and Shelley Bradley
Contemporary Erotic Romance released in print from Samhain 01 Jan 2009

Following are reviews of the two stories that make up the Sneak Peek Duet, from Shelley Bradley and Jaci Burton.  These were two very steamy, very fun stories and I enjoyed them immensely.

They’re released as eBooks now, but will be released by Samhain as a print anthology called SNEAK PEEK in “Fall 2008.”
(<–released Jan 2009 nice cover )

Gwen’s review of Watch Me (Part 1 of the Sneak Peek Duet) by Shelley Bradley
Contemporary erotic romance eBook published 10 Jul 07 by Samhain Publishing

The Sneak Peek is a sex club that caters to exhibitionists and voyeurs.  This story tells how a professional ballroom dancer, Shanna, meets up with one of the owners of the club, Alejandro, and discovers a whole new side to herself.  This book explores alternative sex practices and fetishes, but it is done very tastefully.  It is definitely an erotic romance, so proceed with caution.

There are so many books on the market that pretend to deal with this side of the human sexual nature.  It’s nice to read a story that actually deals with this world without subsiding into cliches and weird storylines.  However, the woman on this cover has a rather unfortunate shadow in the nether regions – it could make one wonder just how alternative the sex is in this book.  It’s not that kind of alternative, not that there’s anything wrong with that.

Plus, ballroom dancing.  Isn’t that a form of artistic exhibitionism?

Here’s the book blurb:

To stop a blackmailer and achieve her dreams, she only had to do one thing: seduce the enemy.

Shanna York was set to achieve her glittering ballroom dreams and become a dance champion until her dance partner gets tangled up in scandal and blackmail. With the clock ticking and all her ambitions at stake, the last thing she needs is the gorgeous owner of a sex club tempting her with the forbidden.

Or maybe that’s the very thing she needs…

Alejandro Diaz has sizzled for Shanna since he set eyes on her months ago. Her repeated rebuffs will make her surrender that much sweeter. She’s ambitious and driven but so is he. When she asks for his assistance to ensnare a voyeuristic blackmailer with a video fetish, he doesn’t hesitate to help her stage a bedroom trap. But neither is prepared to face scorching, endless passion, the blackmailer’s real identity or the undeniable love that grows between them.

Warning, this title contains the following: explicit sex, graphic language, manage a trois.

Read an excerpt.

I enjoyed the heck out of this book.  It was a cute story and a neat premise.  I haven’t read any books where one of the main characters was a professional ballroom dancer and I found the details of that interesting.  Now, don’t get me wrong, I wouldn’t know a foxtrot from a boxing match, but I found the details of being a professional anything interesting.

Grade: B+

Coming next from Shelley Bradley:
The Lady and the Dragon, Samhain, May 07 ebook coming out in print in 2008

Gwen’s review of Show Me (Part 2 of the Sneak Peek Duet) by Jaci Burton
Contemporary erotic romance eBook published 17 Jul 07 by Samhain Publishing

This book was as much fun as the first, but didn’t have as much of an edge, though I cared about these characters more and her writing is just smooth as silk.  I love Jaci Burton’s erotic scenes – they’re second to none.  Oh my goodness – I get all embarrassed reading her sex scenes when I’m in public – my face gets all hot.  It’s pathetic.  Nobody can see what I’m reading, but I blush nonetheless.

This book explores more of the consequences, or possible consequences, of exploring one’s alternative side.  It follows the love story of Del, one of the owners of the aforementioned Sneak Peek sex club, and a foundation organizer and fund raiser, Janine.  She’s uptight and he most decidedly is not.  The dichotomy is interesting.  Jaci does an admirable job describing the “moment of truth” so to speak – the moment Janine’s secret is to be released to one and all.  You feel sick at the stomach right along with her.

Here’s the book blurb:

He promises to indulge her secret fantasies, if only she dares to accept.

Socialite Janine Bartolino has always been in the public eye. Managing her late father’s philanthropic interests, she keeps her pastimes above reproach. But when a surprise thirtieth birthday celebration at a private club opens her eyes to wicked pleasures, and an intriguing man offers her the chance of a lifetime to indulge her every secret fantasy, Janine takes a leap of faith…at great personal risk.

Phillipe “Del” Delacroix knows what Janine wants, even if she isn’t aware of it herself – a chance to explore the world of voyeurs and exhibitionists. Soon, the once staid and reserved woman transforms into a daring and passionate lover, giving Del everything he could ask for in a partner. But when something happens that puts Janine’s reputation, her career, all she’s worked for, in jeopardy Del must prove that loving him is worth the risk.

Warning, this title contains the following: explicit sex, graphic language and woooo hooooo!!! sex in public places!

Read an excerpt.

Grade: B

Coming next from Jaci Burton:
Unwrapped, Samhain, Dec 07
Riding Wild, Berkley, Feb 08
The Demon’s Touch, Dell, 2008

Both Books are very much worth the time and money to read.  These two writers are in a short list of authors who can write erotic romance without making it seem oogie or peurile, AND still carry a plot (!).

Highly recommended reading. [syb note and in case you didn't notice the print copy came out Jan of this year, so if you haven't picked it up yet go get it ]

Gwen’s review of Wild, Wicked, & Wanton by Jaci Burton
Contemporary erotic romance published by Berkley Heat 1 May 07

This book will be released 1 May, and is made up of three related stories about three female friends.  It describes how they find their core selves and the loves of their lives.  As should all such journey’s, their journeys of self-discovery come by way of some turbulence in otherwise safe, normal lives. 

I was supposed to review another book before this one, but I couldn’t resist the teasers I was reading.  All three women experience personal fantasies of mine and I just had to see how it all played out.

The story I liked the most, and that I felt was most emotionally developed, was the middle one – Wicked.  That story made me cross and recross my legs several times while reading; all three stories were very erotic (in a good way), but that middle one had me sweating.  I’m a real sucker for a good alpha male, and this story has one of the best alphas I’ve read in a very long while.  What I liked the most about this story was how the male lead helped the female lead work thru her emotional baggage – he never gave up on her.  I suppose we all wish that for ourselves or our daughters – someone who will love them no matter what.

Jaci does a very good job of speaking from three different perspectives, remaining true to her characters’ personalities and foibles.  In fact, I think she was able to speak best from the men’s POV’s (always refreshing in a romance author).  I was really glad when they got their HEA’s and felt that everyone deserved it.  Jaci’s writing style was fluid and kept me involved, with none of the plot wandering I’ve read recently while the characters work through one dilemma or another.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and this view into three different, rather risqué practices.  I recommend buying it, if only for the gorgeous cover art, but also for reading with your significant other.  It will give you a nice kickstart to the evening (afternoon?  my!  how wild/wicked/wanton of you!)!

Grade: B+

Here’s the book blurb:

They’re inseparable best friends who delight in sharing their wildest secrets and dares. But their latest bet is the boldest one of all: each must sleep with whomever the other two have chosen for her. And come back with every juicy detail...

WILD
Abby married the town bad boy. And he lived up to his reputation, bedding any woman who let her guard down. She swore off men for good, but never counted on a pair of sexy veterinarians who are fulfilling a desire of their own.

WICKED
Blaire is the town heartbreaker. Afraid to commit, she’s broken off three engagements. Yet there’s one man she never had the courage to bed. The one man she really loved. But now, the decision is out her hands.

WANTON
Callie is the sensible one….but beneath it all she’s a true romantic, with the broken heart to prove it. Now her long-dormant fantasies may be getting a workout. A new man enters her life and everything about him is irresistible.

Read an excerpt.

Wild, Wicked, & Wanton by Jaci Burton

Here’s a little sneak peek:

“Step out of the vehicle and spread your legs.”

Blair tapped her long, just-manicured fingernails on the leather steering wheel and stared straight ahead, counting slowly to ten before she even looked out the window to acknowledge Rand McKay’s existence. And there was no way in hell she’d obey his ridiculous order. It was bad enough he’d pulled her over on this deserted stretch of road, sirens blaring, when she was already late for lunch with Abby and Callie. But to tell her to get out of her car and spread her legs like a common criminal?

He could kiss her ass.

No, wait. He’d probably enjoy that. And Blair wasn’t about to do anything Rand might enjoy.

“Get lost, Rand. I’m late for an appointment.”

Out of the corner of her eye, she caught the slow slide of his Ray Bans down his long, straight nose, the revelation of his steel gray eyes, the firm line of his full lips.

She would not be affected. She would not be affected. Her pebbling nipples be damned, she would not be affected!

“Maybe you misunderstood that siren I was wailing behind your speeding ass for the past three miles, Miss Newcastle. It means pull over and get out of the damn car. Now.”

Miss Newcastle. Whatever. She’d known Rand McKay since elementary school and long before he became sheriff of Silverwood. And he only called her Miss Newcastle when he wanted to piss her off.

It worked. She was good and angry. She pulled off her sunglasses and stared him down, refusing to even unbuckle her seat belt. “Mail me a ticket. You know my address.”

He bent over and leaned well muscled, tanned forearms on the door. “Get out of the goddamned car now, Blair. Or I’ll come in there and get you. And if I have to come in there and get you, I’ll strip search you right here on the road.”

“You wouldn’t dare.”

“Try me.”

With a disgusted sigh, she punched the button to release her seatbelt, then flung the door open, hoping she’d toss Rand on his ass in the process. But he simply backed up with fluid ease and waited for her to exit her Mercedes. With a hard slam she shut the car door and crossed her arms in front of her.

“What the hell is your problem?” she asked, tapping her foot on the gravel.

She couldn’t see Rand’s eyes behind the silver of his sunglasses, but his smirk told her everything she needed to know.

“You were speeding.”

“Was not.”

“Eighty-five in a sixty is definitely speeding, Blair.”

“So write me a ticket and let me get out of here.”

“I’ll need to see your driver’s license and insurance verification.”

“Oh for the love of God. Like you don’t have my data memorized.” He knew everything about her, including her address and license number. They’d known each other forever. They’d been at each other’s throats since high school. She knew Rand McKay better than any other man. The most irritating man she’d ever known. She leaned into the open window of her vehicle and took out her purse, rummaging through it for her identification.

“Is that a gun in your purse, Blair?”

“You know damn well it is.”

“Put the bag down, turn around and place your hands on the roof of your car.”

She arched a brow. “Are you serious?”

“Do as I say. Now.”

“Rand, you know damn well I have a–””

“Do it!”

Man, he was in a pissy mood. And normally she’d fight him on this. But she could tell he was into playing cop today and she wasn’t going to make lunch if she stood there and argued with him. This was a game. They’d played it before. If she let him have his way and he annoyed her for a few seconds, she’d be on her way. She turned around and placed her fingertips on the roof of her car.

“Spread your legs.”

Which is exactly what he’d said to her when he pulled her over. Only she’d thought he was joking. “Christ, Rand. This is not funny.”

“I’ll have to pat you down, see what else you’re hiding.”

She shot him an irritated glare over her shoulder. “You see what I’m wearing? I could hardly be hiding much.” Her skimpy silk skirt and tank top were all she could tolerate in the summer heat. If she wasn’t meeting Blair and Callie for drinks she wouldn’t even have a bra on.

“Turn around and face your vehicle.”

He kicked her legs apart and stepped behind her, the nearness of his body crowding her against her car. She breathed in the spicy scent of him, made even more powerful by the afternoon heat. What was it about this man that both infuriated her and turned her on so much?

“I’m going to report you to your superiors,” she complained.

“You do that.”

He started at her wrists and ran his hands up her bare arms, over her shoulder, then made his way down. He didn’t need to touch her there, dammit. Her skin broke out in goosebumps when his fingertips brushed the outer swells of her breasts.

“Careful there,” she warned.

“Oh, I’m being very careful.”

He reached around and palmed her breasts. Her sheer silk bra couldn’t hide her traitorous rising nipples, her breasts swelling eagerly into his hands.

“That is not patting me down!”

“Just checking to see if you have anything hidden in your bra.”

“I do. My breasts. Now leave them alone!”

His warm breath blew against the nape of her neck, not at all cooling the sweat there. “They don’t act as if they want me to leave them alone.” To prove his point, he scraped his thumbs over her distended nipples. She bit back the groan that wanted to escape her throat. God, that man had talented hands. And she hadn’t been touched in – far too long. Her clit was throbbing, her pussy wet and her panties clung to her skin.

She wanted sex.

But she didn’t want Rand. She didn’t!

Wild, Wicked & Wanton releases May 1st from Berkley.

Want more? There is another one on her site as well. May 1st… write it down *g*