Sandy M’s review of Three to Tango Anthology by Lauren Dane, Emma Holly, Megan Hart, Bethany Kane
Erotic Romance anthology published by Berkley 3 May 11

I was eager to read this anthology written by four of today’s most talented erotica authors. I’ve read all but Emma Holly, so I knew there’s some darned great reading to be had. I wasn’t too far off in my prediction. All the novellas featured here pretty good, and, as goes with reading anthologies, I like a couple better than others. But if you’re looking for some sizzling erotic stories, this one will satisfy any and all needs.

Flipping for Chelsea by Emma Holly

This is my first ever read of Emma Holly. I’m happy I do like this short read, because sometimes if you don’t care much for an author’s novella, it’s hard to pick up one of their full-length novels later on.

We first meet Chelsea, Luca, and Liam in 1997 when they’re young and have their futures ahead of them. Chelsea is heading off to college and she wants one last night with her two best friends. She’s always had a crush on Liam from a really early age and that’s grown into a love that is heartfelt, but it also that causes problems within the trio when they finally come together for their good-bye, even after one hot night.

Then we jump ahead to 2011 when Chelsea returns home, hoping things can somehow be better between them all. But Shay is the one who felt he was intruding on the love Liam and Chel shared, so he too has been gone, working all these years in Boston. It’s Liam and Chelsea who bridge the chasm that’s built up from years of silence and lone suffering.

When Luca makes a surprise visit, Liam has decisions to make if he wants to share in the love of these friends he’s missed for so long. This is a nice friends-to-lovers story with the extra fun of a threesome. The sex, of course, is as hot as can be. I like the characters well enough, but I feel they need a little more depth. Otherwise, a good first story for me from Emma Holly.

Grade: B

Summary:

Shay and Liam shared an unforgettable night with their lifelong friend, Chelsea, awakening a rush of forbidden feelings—feelings they have to reckon with when the three reunite, and the unrequited lust between them is too much to bear.

No excerpt available.

Dirty/Bad/Wrong by Lauren Dane

I’ve only read Lauren Dane’s Cascadia Wolves series so far, though I probably have every darned book on her backlist around here somewhere. You know, so many books too little time. I like this novella, but I have to say that I prefer her humor and her shifters. But that’s just me.

Ava is back in Petal to wrap up her mother’s life and home. With both parents now gone, she can hopefully truly forget the horrible childhood she’d suffered, all with the help of Angelo and Luca, her best friends. She’s turned into a confident, independent woman after years in L.A., so these few days in Petal should be a breeze. But she doesn’t count on the feelings that flood through her seeing the family who loved her more than her own.

And, of course, there’s Angelo and Luca and they’re happy to see Ava, want her to stay with them longer than she’s planned. They want the chance to convince her to stay with them permanently, to show her how good it can be for the three of them. And it definitely is good between them. They sizzle right off the page with a touch or a kiss, so you can imagine what happens with all that sex goin’ on.

Another friends-to-lovers read. I like the characters, and there’s more depth in this story with the telling of Ava’s growing up years, all she went through and how she’s changed. However, I do want a little more, considering this is Lauren Dane. But it does satisfy in all the right places.

Grade: B-

Summary:

Though Ava left her hard-knock Georgia childhood behind, she never forgot Luca and Angelo. Together they were best friends with a bond that could never be broken. But when she returns, the three must decide whether to face the fires that burn between them, or forgo their desires forever.

Read an excerpt.

Just One Night by Megan Hart

Up to this point, Just One Night is my favorite of the anthology. It’s one of those make-your-dream-come-true stories, all at the behest of a man who thinks he’s doing his girlfriend a favor. Jerk gets his, though.

Kerry is attending her high school reunion with one mission in mind – spending one night with her old crush, Brian. She has the “permission” of her boyfriend, Jeremy, because he wants her happy and he knows this will make her happy. So meeting up with and loving Brian for the night is a dream come true, one she’ll remember forever.

Brian has hopes to see Kerry at the reunion, but he never thinks things could go as far as they do. And he wants more from Kerry than just one night, so he finally calls her. Again, Jeremy has no problem with Kerry meeting up with Brian. In fact, he encourages it. If he knows about it, it’s not a lie, it’s not cheating. Okay, bud, whatever you say. One thing leads to another, Brian learns about Jeremy, but he still can’t resist Kerry. But after meeting Jeremy, Brian has to walk away from the love of his life.

I’m so happy that Kerry finally wakes up to the kind of love Jeremy says he has for her. Great scene. I really like Kerry and Brian, and, well, you can already figure out how I feel about Jeremy. I’m also glad to find another Megan Hart story I like. I’ve been a tad disappointed in the last couple I’ve read, especially after enjoying my first by her, Tempted, so much. This is a very good read.

Grade: B+

Summary:

Fun-loving couple Kerry and Jeremy find themselves in a triangle of trouble when Kerry’s old crush, Brian, returns for a school reunion, and Jeremy gives her his enthusiastic approval to seduce him. But while Jeremy has no trouble sharing Kerry, Brian isn’t sure he can handle what’s coming.

Read an excerpt.

On the Job by Bethany Kane

Of the four stories, this is my favorite. I’ve not read Bethany Kane per se before, but I have read her other alias, Beth Kery. So I guess you can say I’m not surprised I enjoyed this novella. We’re given more of a story that works the erotica into it instead of the other way around.

Walker Gray is retired from the Secret Service and is back in Lake Tahoe to establish his own business, but in the meantime he’s helping a friend with protection and security. The man’s fiance has been the target of an assassination attempt, so they need to find out what the hell is going on. The kink in the plan is the fiance is Madeline, the same Madeline whom Walker loved and left years before.

And Madeline is not happy he’s back. She tries to punish him in various ways, but right off the bat she learns such trying things won’t work with Walker. The first scene in which Walker is pushed too far at Maddie’s misplaced teasing is perfect. Walker doesn’t put up with much and he makes sure Maddie knows that. The dinner table scene is also one I love. All sizzling and steamy. You end up as hot and bothered as Madeline.

I like the twist that comes about at the end. All must face consequences, some good and some bad. It’s Walker who makes the story for me. He’s totally alpha. I kept thinking what a hot and sexy Highlander he would make. Yeah, it’s the historical reader who loves the Scottish in me. He’s perfect for such a role and perfect just as he is. I’m smitten.

A very, very satisfying read.

Grade: A-

Summary:

Years ago, Walker walked out on Madeline when she needed him most. Now, the ex-Secret Service agent is back—hired to protect Madeline by her billionaire boss, Tony. Madeline is determined to make him pay for denying her desires—and she’s not above bringing Tony in to sweeten the deal.

Read an excerpt.

When I read erotic books, I like a story to go along with all the sexual goings-on, which is what the Kane delivered. The other three stories deal only with what’s between the characters in terms of what happened with them in the past and then how they get reacquainted for the future, no other storyline to keep things more interesting.

All in all, this is a nice collection, and even if you haven’t read one or more of these authors, I think you’ll still have a sexy, smokin’ time with the characters they’ve created.

Overall Grade: B+

Sandy M’s review of Switch by Megan Hart
Contemporary Erotic Romance published by Harlequin Spice 1 Jan 10

It’s been a long while since I’ve not finished a book. I usually stick with whatever I’m reading, good or bad, until done, but this time I’ve read half a dozen books since I put this one aside and I just can’t make myself pick it up again.

I’m getting ready to start Chapter 11, and I just don’t care anymore. I have no idea who the hero of this story is. Too much time is spent on issues in Paige’s life that just don’t make any difference to anything so far in the book. With most of it I was just plain bored. Shopping with Paige for a birthday gift for her stepmother, which the woman won’t like, and then going through the party itself lends nothing to the concept of this book. And there are other similar issues too. Getting to know Paige maybe? Fine, but I have to like the character first before I want to get to know her/him/them. There’s really nothing so far that makes me like Paige all that much.

Paige is in her mid 20s, lives alone, has a job she likes okay with a so-so boss. She goes out now and again for a night on the town with her best friend, who really turns out not to be that good of a friend after all. Their latest jaunt takes them to a local bar where Austin just happens to be. This is Paige’s ex.

She’s irritated that the friend told Austin where they were going, not wanting to be near him because of the way he treated her, but she ends up having sex with him anyway. He tries to tell her he’s changed, to give him another chance, but she won’t listen. Just heads home and life goes on as usual.

But the unusual that happens is bizarre notes are being inadvertently left in her mailbox, notes that make her think with the demands each one makes. And she’s starting to see and run into a new guy in her building. He doesn’t notice her for a while, that is until they finally have a few words at a neighborhood coffee house.

There’s other family issues and the like described in detail as they come along, but that’s it for eleven chapters. I figured the new guy is going to the hero after she leaves Austin behind, but still nothing of any substance has yet to happen because the man is hardly in the story at all. At this point I’m not even curious enough to keep reading to find out which man wins, nor am I curious enough to find out who the switch is and how Paige fares in being submissive.

The story just doesn’t grab a reader. It’s very slow. The characters aren’t all that interesting. The one sex scene in all those pages is good, enough to make me like Austin at that point. But that’s not enough.

Maybe I’m giving up too soon. Maybe in Chapter 11 things start to move in the book, things become more clear. I’ll never know.

Grade: DNF

Summary:

Don’t think.Don’t question.

Just do.

The anonymous note wasn’t for me. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not in the habit of reading other people’s mail, but it was just a piece of paper with a few lines scrawled on it, clearly meant for the apartment upstairs. It looked so innocent, but decidedly–
deliciously–it was not.

Before replacing the note–and the ones that followed–in its rightful slot, I devoured its contents: suggestions, instructions, summonses, commands. Each was more daring, more intricate and more arousing than the last…and I followed them all to the letter.

Before the notes, if a man had told me what to do, I’d have told him where to go. But submission is an art, and there’s something oddly freeing about doing someone’s bidding…especially when it feels so very, very good.

But I find that the more I surrender, the more powerful I feel–so it’s time to switch up roles.

We play by my rules now.

Read an excerpt.

Liviania’s review of Night Moves by Eden Bradley
Erotic novella released by Spice Briefs 1 May 2010

Eden Bradley manages to keep Night Moves from seeming ludicrous, which is always a risk in erotic shorts.  Kate’s fetish for the movement of trains is convincing and seems sexy rather than silly.  I also bought that she would have sex with Ian when he catches her masturbating.  I even bought into the happy ending.  It was the right edge of sweetness to temper the anonymous (though protected) sex.

What kept me from truly finding Night Moves satisfying is Bradley’s reliance on the word ‘beautiful.’  Including the cover, front matter, and end matter, Night Moves is thirty-seven pages long.  Bradley uses beautiful seventeen times.  After five or so I began to get distracted every time I read the word.

Grade: B-

Summary:
Something about trains had always brought out Kate’s wild side. So far it had been her own dirty little secret–until a sexy stranger catches her sneaking into his compartment looking to indulge her fantasy. But instead of throwing her out, Ian is turned on…and he’s ready to give Kate the ride of her life!
No excerpt found.

Liviania’s review of Sin’s Pride by Mandy M. Roth
Paranormal erotic novella released by Spice Briefs 1 July 2010

Sin’s Pride is short, even by Spice Briefs standard.  I enjoyed the story, but twenty-seven pages felt cinchy.  Annora is secretly in love with her best friend Singh, and he with her.  But he’s a lion shifter set to take over the pride and she’s half-human and can’t change form.  Singh decides if he’s going to be in charge then everyone else can deal with his choice of mate.

Maddy M. Roth does a good job of sketching out her world in a small number of pages.  But we see more of Singh talking to his friend Dex than to Annora.  Their two sex scenes are nicely done, but lacked anything to express that Singh and Annora had been friends a long time, like in-jokes.  The exposition took the place of character interaction.

Grade: C+

Summary:
Annora knows a lot about her best friend, Singh–including the fact that he is a lion shapeshifter and has a notoriously wicked way with women. She secretly longs to experience that passion herself, but doesn’t dare risk their friendship.

Then Sin’s usual flirting becomes way more intimate. Suddenly, neither of them can resist their desire–even though according to pride rules, their union is forbidden….
No summary found.

Liviania’s review of Everything Changes (Tempted, Book 2) by Megan Hart
Erotic novella released by Spice Briefs 1 July 2010

This is my second try at a Megan Hart erotic short and I found this one to be far better.  She creates a number of memorable images, starting with the opening, when Alex opens a gift of women’s Hello Kitty pajama pants.  She’s also got the knack of using physical gestures to express emotions and connections.

Bisexual Alex has long been in love with his straight friend Jamie.  Now Jamie is married and wants Alex to sleep with his wife.  It quickly becomes a relationship between Alex and Anne in addition to being a substitute physical relationship for Alex and Jamie.

Unfortunately, Alex is an asshole (self-professed, too).  I’m tempted to read Tempted, since the novel is in Anne’s point of view.  She knows what she wants, more so that Alex and Jamie. They just foul themselves up and don’t really learn their lesson.  I’m tempted by Naked too, since I would like to see Alex reach a point where he can have a real happy ending.

Grade: B+

Summary:
In Tempted, Anne gave in to her passion for both her husband, James, and his friend, Alex. Now it’s time for Alex’s side of the story…

When Jamie tells Alex he wants him to sleep with his wife, Alex thinks it will only lead to trouble. Sure, Alex thinks Anne is hot and they’ve talked about sharing a woman before, but that was a long time ago. Before Jamie knew what Alex really wanted.

Still, Alex can’t resist the pleasure of being with Anne– and with Jamie….
Read an excerpt here.

Other books in this series:

Liviania’s review of Newly Fallen by Megan Hart
Paranormal romance released by Spice Briefs 1 Dec 09

I’ve followed the advice of several of the other duckies in the past.  Today it was limecello’s turn.  Anyway, I know that limecello loves Megan Hart.  Megan Hart just released a Spice Brief, the perfect way to try out her writing without committing to a large page count.  This is only my second foray into the Spice line, so it was also a chance to get a feel for that.

Let’s start with the line.  I’m clearly not an expert, but I believe the Spice books are spicy, the closest thing Harlequin publishes to erotica.  While Newly Fallen includes several explicit sex scenes, they don’t really set off my spicy meter.  They’d be fine in almost any romance, though slightly less concentrated. However, I have never been one to read a story for the sex scenes.  (Not that a good sex scene isn’t a bonus.)

Lilly Gold is celebrating Hanukkah alone when a man falls into her yard.  We’re given a brief explanation that she’s always accepted unusual things to explain why she isn’t freaking out that she has a strange naked man in her yard that knows her name.  But hey, I’ll go with it.  It’s a short story and Hart needs to move onto the relationship as quickly as possible.

Unfortunately, the romance fizzled for me.  Lilly and Zacharias played games some before falling into bed, but it still seems like most of their interaction was the sex.  I’d buy that it was good and thus they wanted to develop something different, but instead there was instant falling in love.  It felt too easy.

Hart’s writing was competent.  I was excited to see a Hanukkah story instead of a Christmas one.  I enjoyed that Hart used the holiday in a meaningful way instead of leaving it as window dressing.  The story was sweet.  But in a short story about a miraculous love, I need to believe in the love and I didn’t.  I found it very disappointing.  (Perhaps it’s lime’s fault for talking her up so much!)

As it is, I still need to try a full-length Spice.  But I probably won’t go for a Hart first.

Grade: D+

Summary:
Faced with spending her first Hanukkah alone, Lilly Gold wishes for a miracle that would change her life just a little bit. Then her prayers are answered–in a big way–when the most perfect naked man appears in her yard during a blizzard.

Zachariah tells Lilly he’s been sent to be–and do—anything she wants. And for eight passionate days, trapped together by the snow, he does just that, giving Lilly all the pleasure she could have hoped for. But when their holiday is over, only another miracle can keep their affair from ending, too…
No excerpt found.

Limecello’s review of No Reservations by Megan Hart and Lauren Dane
Erotic romance released by Black Lace 10 Nov 09

I wanted to read this book as soon as I learned it existed… which was right around the time I finished Taking Care of Business. I liked this book more, as the basics of the characters and couples had already been developed. The greater focus on the romance was very much appreciated, and enjoyable. I felt that Kate and Dix, and Leah and Brandon each had their own stories, but that all four were sufficiently tied together as well.

I really like that No Reservations starts out with our characters/couples in different places. If I understand and remember correctly, six months have passed since the end of Taking Care of Business, and the book deals with that nicely. It was nice that all the characters have separate lives, but are tied together. It really brings the dual book/story together that much better.

Kate and Leah are very different, yet very similar. Both are career women, self actualized, happy, in stable, loving relationships… and both have their own kinks. What they look for and want in men are different- and they definitely aren’t the same person, but they fit together. They’re best friends. The rapport between two friends, and women isn’t in every book, and was a key factor here. Kate and Leah’s friendship was just as important as their respective romantic relationships.

I loved that Brandon and Dix bonded on this trip. Yes, they knew each other before, but I felt here was where they really became friends outside of their significant others. Spending the night in a death trap of a rat motel of course, would likely do that. As well as going for the same thing – trying to pin down an elusive woman. It does show, however, that they have each others backs. In fact, a number of scenes show Dix and Brandon feel loyalty and sympathy towards each other. They also like and admire each other as individuals. I think that helps develop their characters, and give the story additional depth.

There are a number of parallels in No Reservations, but the stories are distinct. Kate has to deal with a lot of external baggage that comes with Dix- namely his insane ex-wife, and then his two daughters. Leah has to overcome her need for space, and the fact that she keeps herself detached in interpersonal relationships. While the major focus was on Leah and Kate, Dix and Brandon held their own.

Of course, there’s a lot of decadence and hot sex once all the characters arrive in Las Vegas. And you know, before too. And it’s what one would expect, considering the authors and the publisher. I liked the realistic and pragmatic tone of this book. It wasn’t all perfection and angelic choruses once the characters admitted they loved each other. Rather, it took a lot of effort and meeting demands of personal growth that prompted the characters to agree to cement their relationships, and get married – even though it might be easier not to.

I really enjoyed this book. I loved how real it was. Maybe not the sex and decadence, but the complications come along with being an adult, and in a relationship. I’ve been reading too many books where there isn’t a real happily ever after, or the ending is a cop out. Not so here. Perhaps in Taking Care of Business things were a bit vague, but in No Reservations the reader gets closure. I need that. I know it’s not a fairy tale – that it won’t be all puppies and sunshine and rainbows from now on, but that the couples will be able to withstand any arguments and stay together.

I have to say – kudos to Brandon and Dix for being the ones who are so adamant about marriage. Finally! Too often it’s the woman who is fanatical about getting married and pushing it – but really. A number of guys are just as anxious about that commitment. I liked that the characters had to work through issues – and were willing to address them – after some initial bursts of insanity. The ending is really sweet too – it’s nice to see that not only do Dix and Brandon adore Kate and Leah… Kate and Leah truly love and appreciate Dix and Brandon just as much.

I do think it is important to read Taking Care of Business before reading No Reservations. While this book can be read alone, much of what the characters say and do refers to the previous story. I recommend No Reservations to fans of Ms. Hart and Ms. Dane, or if you’re looking for a quick, hot read that has a satisfying amount of depth.

Grade: A-

Four days in Vegas. Two sexy and determined men. One penthouse suite… And No Reservations.

Christmas isn’t so merry for Kate and Leah. Kate’s romantic winter holiday is destroyed by the sudden and uninvited presence of Dix’s annoying ex-wife while Brandon’s super-perfect family and a diamond ring sends Leah running for the refuge of a girl’s holiday in Sin City with Kate in tow.

Dix and Brandon both know what they want. Hopping a plane in hot pursuit, the men show up in Vegas, ready to use every sensual trick they have to convince Kate and Leah to take a gamble on forever.

Read an excerpt here and another one here.

Sandy M’s review of Deeper by Megan Hart
Paranormal Romance released by Harlequin Spice 1 Jul 09

I received this book in e-format to review, and because I like reading Megan Hart, I didn’t bother getting online to read a blurb or except about it. Therefore, I knew nothing about it when I started reading. Thus, I didn’t know there would be several surprises ahead for me. Guess I should have known, but either way, it’s always a terrific ride with one of Ms. Hart’s books.

What I liked best about this book is how it alternates chapters between the time when Bess and Nick are young adults, twenty and twenty-one years of age, and then twenty years later when Bess is going through a separation and divorce from her husband. We get most of the mystery behind Nick’s disappearance from Bess’ life in the “Then” chapters and the re-acquaintance of the characters and answers to certain questions in the “Now” chapters.

Bess has inherited the beach house where she spent summers as a teenager and young adult. That’s where she first met Nick all those years ago, the bad boy in town, at a local party. Her friends warn her to stay away from him, he’ll be no good for her. But once she is introduced to him, there’s no way on earth she can stay away from him. She thinks of him, dreams of him constantly. There’s the usual antics that young people pull on each other and the angst that goes along with it, but as soon as Bess is tired of her supposed boyfriend’s, Andy, cheating, along with the fact she wants Nick, they forge a sexual relationship over several weeks toward the end of that summer.

Now as sparks of memory come back to her being on their beach again, Nick suddenly appears, claiming it took only his name falling her lips for him to come to her after being in the “gray” for so long. Besides the fact he hasn’t aged a day in twenty years, she realizes that Nick has no heartbeat and other things that tell her he’s not alive, but she doesn’t question any of it because he’s very real and he’s with her now. She refuses to ask questions of him about what happened when he failed to come to her as he promised back then; she doesn’t want to know because it won’t change anything now.

They enjoy getting to know one another again, mostly in the bedroom — it was always very electric and hot between them and it still is. Coming up with a story for Nick’s reappearance, they head into town for the day, only to hit a brick wall when Nick becomes violently and painfully ill the further they get away from the house and the beach surrounding it. To be with Bess, he’s restricted to that small piece of real estate and no further. But because everything is so new between them again, they love each other, they believe everything will be all right and work out as things should.

In between all this, Bess has also been reacquainted with another friend from her summers at the beach. Eddie was a good friend, though he wanted to be more in those days when they worked together. He now owns the soda shop in town where they spent a lot of time before. Eddie is still interested in Bess, but once again she has to keep the relationship friendly all due to Nick. Also, her sons eventually come to visit and things don’t go well at all when they realize what the relationship is between their mother and this very young man.

This is a terrific story, and Ms. Hart does a great job in linking everything together between the two time periods to lead you to a resolution and get your questions answered. And that’s my only nitpick I have with this book. I really didn’t care for that resolution. As I read, I kept thinking to myself, “I wonder how she’s going to have him truly come back to Bess?” I looked forward to one of those quirky, different ways that could be done, especially coming from an author like Ms. Hart. Didn’t get that at all. In fact, I kind of felt cheated the way it all did end. Anything else I say here will be giving too much away, so that’s the end of that.

At least the story up to that point in time is an enjoyable one. I’m not sure, however, if that makes up for the less-than-stellar ending.

Grade: B-

Summary:
.
Some lovers never leave you…
.
Twenty years ago she had her whole life spread out before her like a mesmerizing map. She was Bess Walsh, a fresh-scrubbed, middle-class student ready to conquer the design world. And she was taken. Absolutely and completely.
.
But not by Andy, her well-groomed, intellectual boyfriend who hinted more than once about a ring. No. During that hot summer as a waitress and living on the beach, she met Nick, a dark haired, local bad boy. He was, to put it mildly, not someone she could take home to Daddy.
.
Instead, Nick became her dirty little secret; a fervent sexual accomplice who knew how to ignite an all-consuming obsession she had no idea she carried deep within her.
.
Bess had always wondered what happened to Nick after that summer, after their promise to meet again. And now, back at the beach house and taking a break from responsibility, from marriage, from life, she discovers his heartbreaking fate–and why he never came back for her. Suddenly Nick’s name is on her lips…his hands on her thighs…dark hair and eyes called back from the swirling gray of purgatory’s depths.
.
Dead, alive, or something in-between, they can’t stop their hunger.
.
She wouldn’t dare.
.
Read an excerpt.

Welcome back to Duck Chat!

Today we’d like you to meet Tracy Wolff!

Writing in several romance subgenres keeps Tracy busy and her books on bookstore shelves. Her latest book is an erotic suspense titled Tie Me Down, and she’ll be talking about it today. Tracy writes for NAL Heat, Harlequin Spice, and Harlequin SuperRomance, three very different publishers, covering the gamut from sweet and sensual to suspenseful and erotic, a terrific span for readers.

Tracy is married and she and her husband have three sons. She is an English professor at her local community college, and she began writing when she was quite young and become more serious about the craft after her mom introduced her to reading romance.

Today Tracy is kindly offering up one copy of Full Exposure and two copies of the Naughty Bits anthology which also features Megan Hart, Delilah Devlin, Jodi Lynn Copeland, Sarah McCarty and a whole host of other authors. So make sure you leave a meaningful comment or question for Tracy to be in the running to win. Now let’s chat!

DUCK CHAT: Tracy, since you have a new release coming out this month, let’s talk about that first. The title is Tie Me Down, and with a title like that, the storyline has got to be hot! Would you tell us about Cole and Genenieve and how their story came about?

TRACY WOLFF: I freely admit that I’m a little bit (read a lot) of a control freak, so when I sat down to write Tie Me Down, I wanted it to be about control—having it, losing it and giving it away willingly once you find someone to trust. Much of the book is a battle of wills between my hero and heroine as each jockeys for dominance over the other—in the bedroom and out. Of course, in the end they learn that love is more about trust and respect than it is control.

Excerpt from Full Exposure:

Kevin Riley was the stuff fantasies were made of.

Her fantasies, to be exact.

Six foot five, heavily muscled, with the most beautifully intense blue eyes she’d ever seen, he captured her attention like no man ever had. And with his half-naked body in front of her and nature thrashing fiercely around her, it was all she could do to keep her clothes on, her mouth shut and her camera aimed somewhere besides his absolutely fabulous ass.

Not that he should mind– it was one of his best features, after all. And she was being paid, well paid, for taking pictures that showed his every side.

Of course, she wasn’t sure that fifty shots of his ass were quite what the publishers had had in mind when they’d hired her, no matter how glorious it was. Besides, her humming libido couldn’t handle much more without going into severe overdrive anyway.

Serena snorted before she could stop herself. Who was she kidding? She’d passed overdrive a while ago, was now heading straight toward spontaneous combustion at an alarming rate. The thought disturbed her and she moved restlessly, desperate to focus on something– anything–that could bring her traitorous body under control.

She glanced towards the large windows that covered an entire side of the old, red brick studio and tried to concentrate on the storm raging through Kevin’s little slice of bayou. But the wildness of it-the utter lack of control-only made her more uncomfortable.

Rain pummeled the tin roof, flashes of lightning illuminated the darkness beyond the house and thunder shook the studio as it exploded across the sky. Mother Nature was in a frenzy and much of southern Louisiana would pay the price on this steamy summer night.

She was just one more victim.

It was three a.m. and she should have been asleep, tucked safely into bed in her Baton Rouge condo. Nature whirled around her and she should have been terrified as she witnessed the destruction caused by every gust of seventy mile an hour winds. She was working and she should have been focused, completely absorbed in taking photos for the book that could blow her career wide open. But she wasn’t.

She wasn’t at home asleep, she wasn’t terrified and she certainly wasn’t focused.

What she was, was aroused.

Powerfully, frighteningly aroused.

Wetness pooled between her thighs, her nipples peaked and she had to work-hard– to stifle the moan threatening to part lips it was becoming harder and harder to keep closed.

She’d never been this out of control before, had never been so aroused that she couldn’t focus on anything but the throbbing ache between her thighs. Serena pressed her legs together, desperate to stem the sensations bombarding her. But it was no use. Heat swept through her body. Her skin flushed a rosy pink and her heart began to race as the fine tremor of arousal shook her, making hands that were normally rock-steady tremble with reaction.

DC: If you could retire any question and never, ever have it asked again, what would it be? Feel free to answer it.

TW: This isn’t from an interview, it’s from my neighbors and strangers on the street– So, is your sex life as good as your books suggest? And if you really want the answer—yes, it is. At least until my husband reads this and divorces me for kissing and telling …

DC: I’ve heard writers often say their stories take them in surprising directions, or dialogue flows from some unknown place. Is it the same with you? Do your characters surprise you sometimes?

TW: Of course they do! At least a few times in each book my main characters will do something completely different than I expect them to. I’ve learned, in most cases, to go with it instead of fighting it. Which is why I have yet to write a book that actually follows the synopsis—I’m beginning to think that I am simply incapable of following any sort of detailed plan.

DC: You have three different subgenres on the Books page at your website: Sensual, Contemporary, and Paranormal. Where did your first release fall? Do you like writing one more than another? There’s nothing on the paranormal page yet – any hints you can give us as to what’s coming up there?

My first story was No Apologies which is obviously erotic. My first novel is A Christmas Wedding, which is Contemporary. The first book I ever wrote is Full Exposure, which is erotic suspense. I’m all over the place.

As for the paranormal, that page will soon be connecting with another website—I’m writing edgy dragon shapeshifter paranormals for NAL under the name Tessa Adams. I’m finishing up my first one right now—Dark Embers, Book 1 in the Dragon’s Heat Series—which will be out in July 2010. I’m currently billing it as a modern day fairy tale: The Dark Prince and the Biochemist in Distress …

DC: Do you ever argue with your characters while you’re writing? Who usually wins?

TW: I wouldn’t call it so much of an argument as a dictatorship. I win, of course—reference the first answer about my inner control freak.

DC: What is sure to distract you from sitting down and working/writing?

TW: My children. Project Runway on the TV. Aerosmith on the radio. A kiss from my husband. Chocolate. Need I go on? Obviously I have the attention span of a three-year old.

DC: What has been your favorite book cover from all of your releases and why?

TW: Oh geez, that’s a hard question because NAL has done such a beautiful job with my covers. Seriously, I think I have some of the best covers in the genre. If you’d asked me a few months ago what my favorite cover was I would have told you, no doubt, the Full Exposure cover (I loooooove the spine of that book). But now that I see how Tie Me Down turned out, I think it might be my favorite. I think the book looks fabulous!!!!

DC: Your contemporary books are for Harlequin SuperRomance. Ever find yourself going a little bit too far when writing, getting a little too hot for a SuperRomance hero and heroine?

TW: I think my writing might definitely have been too hot for the SuperRomances of a few years ago, but I think recent SuperRomances definitely span the spectrum from sweet to hot. When I first started writing for Supers, I actually spoke to my editor about my writing style and whether she thought my love scenes were too hot for Supers. She told me they were appropriate to the stories I wrote and that as long as that was the case, she would be behind them. So while I tone them down some from my erotic novels, I still feel like I stay true to my style.

Or to put it more succinctly, yes, every once in a while I have to stop and go, oh yeah, the whips and chains might be a bit much, LOL!

DC: How about your least favorite cover? Why?

TW: Honestly, the No Apologies cover—which was beautiful and visually inviting but did not reflect the story very well. My very suave, African-American hero was turned into a white cowboy on that cover. But other than that, I can’t complain. I’ve had very, very good luck with covers.

DC: How do you feel your male or female characters have evolved over your career? Do you think you write them differently now than you did when you started?

TW: That’s an interesting question and one I have trouble answering. But to give it a shot– one of my favorite reviews actually came from Wendy the SuperLibrarian on this site—she basically said the character in my first book, A Christmas Wedding, kept her husband’s balls in a jar by the door during their 27-year marriage. Can I say ouch? Yet, to a certain extent, Wendy was right. So while I still write really strong, kick-ass alpha females, I work to make sure I don’t cross the line into bitchy.

DC: Your Harlequin Spice, No Apologies, is in stores now. What are the differences in writing for Spice compared to NAL Heat, if any?

TW: Spice is, as a line, not as dark as Heat tends to be. So writing for Spice lets me be a little less dark and edgy than usual, although to be honest almost everything I write has some edges to it.

DC: Would you tell our readers about Gabe and Annalise from No Apologies?

TW: This story was great fun to write—just because Annalise was different than any of my other female characters. I have a tendency to write really, really angst-filled alpha characters (nothing makes me happier than to torture the hell out of my H/h and pit them against each other as I do it) and Annalise and Gabe are no exception. But Annalise is the only character I’ve ever written who really equates sex with power and trades in it ruthlessly. Writing about her falling for the one man who won’t let her wield sex as a weapon was really interesting—and intense.

DC: Is there a genre you haven’t tackled but would like to try?

TW: I’m actually tackling it right now—YA. I have always wanted to write a YA and I finally got off my butt and wrote the first 100 pages in a YA paranormal called Rip Tide. My agent is actually shopping it around this week, so fingers crossed.

DC: What advice would you give to your younger self?

TW: Get serious about your writing sooner. Don’t be distracted by school and marriage and jobs and kids. Just sit down and write the book, damn it.

DC: If you were a book, what would your blurb be?

TW: Tracy Wolff collects books, English degrees and lipsticks and has been known to forget where—and sometimes who—she is when immersed in a great novel. At six she wrote her first short story—something with a rainbow and a prince– and at seven she forayed into the wonderful world of girls lit with her first Judy Blume novel. By ten she’d read everything in the young adult and classics sections of her local bookstore, so in desperation her mom started her on romance novels. And from the first page of the first book, Tracy knew she’d found her life-long love. Now an English professor at her local community college, she writes romances that run the gamut from sweet and sexy to hotter than hell.

DC: What would be your “voice’s” tagline?

TW: Dark and edgy with a hint of kink …

DC: In December your next SuperRomance, To Save a Boy, will be published. This story sounds intense and quite emotional. Would you tell us about it?

TW: I love this story, though the book went through some fairly extensive revisions. It’s the story of Rafael and Vivian, two emotionally wounded people who both think trust is a four letter word. Rafael was wrongly accused of rape by a rich woman when he was eighteen and ended up serving time in prison for a crime he didn’t commit. Out of prison for a number of years now, he runs a teen center in the worst neighborhood of San Francisco—and when Diego, one of the kids at the center, is wrongly accused of murder, Rafa is determined to do whatever he can to keep the kid from suffering as he did. Enter Vivian, a very rich lawyer who takes on Diego’s case pro bono. The story revolves around Vivian and Rafa working towards each other as they search for a way to save Diego from a system that could destroy his life. There’s a lot of emotion as these two work through their own baggage while helping Diego with his and, of course, evading the real killer who wants nothing more than to see Diego hang.

DC: Since I love to cook and you have a Recipes page on your website, let’s talk about that! You encourage readers to send in their favorite recipes and then you list recipes that are associated with some of your books. Do you incorporate the recipes in the books or do you talk about them at all in the stories?

TW: I haven’t incorporated any yet, but I keep playing with an idea of doing a chef book of some sort. But everyone is doing those right now, so I’ll probably hold off. I do, however, print up recipe cards for each of my books. Each one has a recipe unique to the story/region/characters and I give them out to readers and anyone else who asks for them.

DC: What’s your all-time favorite recipe you like preparing over and over again? Would you share it with us?

TW: Oh, that’s easy. Death by Chocolate.

This is what you need:

One tray of brownies—sometimes I make them from scratch, but usually I just use the boxed kind.
1/4 cup Kahlua, Grand Marnier or Espresso
2 packages of chocolate mousse, made
1 pint of whipping cream, whipped with a little sugar and vanilla
3 Heath bars or one bag of Heath bar bits, crushed
1 cup crushed pecans
And then you just layer it all together. Crumble the brownies in the bottom of a trifle bowl, then pour half of liqueur or coffee on them. Spread with chocolate mousse and then a layer of whipped cream. Sprinkle with heath bits and pecans then repeat all the layers again.

It’s delicious and a huge crowd pleaser.

Man, now you’ve got me thinking about dessert- I might just have to go make this.

DC: If you had never become an author, what do you think you would be doing right now?

TW: I’d do full-time what I currently do part-time because I just can’t give it up—I’d be a college writing professor. There is nothing in the world like helping people learn to write—and write well. And teaching college is an absolute joy (most days).

Lightning Round:

- dark or milk chocolate?    – Milk, definitely. Preferably in the form of Godiva hearts or a Twix bar
- smooth or chunky peanut butter?    – Smooth
- heels or flats?     – I’m all about the wedge, baby
- coffee or tea?     – Both—preferably poured straight into my veins
- summer or winter?     – Winter—better book reading weather
- mountains or beach?     – Beach
- mustard or mayonnaise?     – Mayo
- flowers or candy?     – Flowers
- pockets or purse?     – Both
- Pepsi or Coke?     – Coke
- ebook or print?     – Still print, though the ebook is growing on me

And because we’re not tired of them yet:

1. What is your favorite word?     – wicked
2. What is your least favorite word?    – no
3. What turns you on creatively, spiritually or emotionally?   – Reading a really, really good book.
4. What turns you off creatively, spiritually or emotionally?     – Exhaustion
5. What sound or noise do you love?    – My husband’s heartbeat
6. What sound or noise do you hate?    – My five year old whining.
7. What is your favorite curse word?     – Fuck—I’m a purist.
8. What profession other than your own would you like to attempt?    – Archeologist
9. What profession would you not like to do?     – Soldier
10. If Heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates?     – “The Library’s that way—help yourself.”

DC: Thank you, Tracy, for spending the day with us! It’s been fun!

Ok, so some of these are old announcements, but some of these are new. Still, thank you for your patience! A lot has been going on, but never fear, contests DO end at the Pond, and prizes ARE always awarded.

Winners, you have one week to contact me about your prize.

The winner from Anya Bast’s Original Guest Post… for the last time… Shelley – you’re up! You’ve won a copy of Witch Heart!

Lauren Dane’s Giveaway winner … is Stacy!!! Congratulations You’ve won a copy of Taking Care of Business. Enjoy!

And… the lucky winners of What Happens in Vegas… After Dark are Christine, Little Lamb Lost, and Ann Marie. Congratulations, ladies!

All of you have been chosen by randomizer.org, or an unbiased third party. Again, you have ONE WEEK, so make sure you check the posting date and don’t miss the cutoff.  Please email your information to limecello@tgtbtu.com

And stay tuned for more exciting giveaways and fun. Especially all those fabulous Duck Chats.

Lauren: Hey everyone, thanks so much for having me here today!

If you got through the above silliness – you know a little bit about my upcoming contemporary erotic romance release, Taking Care of Business. One of my favorite things about the book is that I wrote it with my bestie, Megan Hart. We came up with the idea as a way to pass the time while waiting in line for a dinner at the 2007 RT Convention in Houston. The whole process has been a lot of fun and there’s something to be said about every once in a while taking a project that is just about fun – if the opportunity comes up, I highly recommend it! Megan and I have a lot of goofy fun so writing a book was really just a lot of us talking too much on IM and ripping ourselves off when we needed dialog. I’m sure it’s not always this enjoyable – this time around, I had a huge last minute deadline drop in while we were writing No Reservations and so we had to write around my schedule. Luckily, we know each other pretty well and we share the same basic attitude about work so it didn’t cause any tension. But a lot of the time, it was like, “I think Kate needs to go to a strip club with Dix.” And Megan would ping me back, “WHEEEEE!” Some days, this job is really fun.

I loved writing Katherine because she’s a woman who knows what she wants. She’s focused on her career and she knows the hard way that things in business are different for women than they are for men so she keeps a big wall between her personal life and her work life. I loved that about her character, I loved that she wasn’t a woman who hated sex or who was afraid of love, she just has to figure out if she can let someone from her work life into her personal life.

In her case, her man, Charles Dixon, isn’t having any excuses. But he’s respectful of her space and her independence. He doesn’t think she’s being silly but he wants her and he’s not going to let her walk out of his life until she admits she wants him too. Of course, it doesn’t hurt that in my head, Dix is totally Dr. Christian Troy from Nip/Tuck. Poor Dix, I think Kate sullied him a bit, and left him sweaty and weak kneed.

Anyway, it was a great experience. Two friends writing about two friends. The story is simple and straightforward with two adult women facing a lot of the same things many women face with men who aren’t jerks or too good to be true. I hope if you pick up TCOB you have as fun reading it as we had writing it.

Pre-Order from Amazon US – releases March 31, 2009
One conference, two friends, two men who know how to take care of business.
Blurb: After leaving the wrong man, Leah Griffin’s not ready to look for the right one. All she wants is to survive the conference she’s planning and spend some time with her best friend Kate Edwards. She’s not expecting the conference services manager to be so tall, dark and handsome…or so eager to please. It’s Brandon Long’s job to make Leah happy, but after a scorching interlude in her hotel room, neither can deny business has become pleasure.
Smart, driven and successful attorney, Katherine Edwards has spent her life making the right choices. Directly counter to those right choices, she’s involved in a long distance, secret love affair with a co-worker. Charles Dixon is a bad choice she can’t help but make – over and over. A conference and a promotion bring Kate back to Pennsylvania and suddenly, Dix wants far more than a few nights in random hotel rooms. He wants something permanent and Katherine has to figure out if sometimes a wrong choice isn’t exactly what a woman needs.

We had a great time with this project and were lucky enough to also sell the follow up book, NO RESERVATIONS which follows Kate and Dix, Leah and Brandon this time to Las Vegas

 [Ed note: Lauren is going to give away a copy of her book, so chime in and say incredibly witty things. It might just be your lucky day.]

Limecello’s review of Taking Care of Business by Megan Hart and Lauren Dane
Erotic romance released by Black Lace on 31 Mar 09

I really enjoy books by both Megan Hart and Lauren Dane, so I was looking forward to reading Taking Care of Business. I also love the cover – it’s eye catching, sexy but not raunchy, and has a great color scheme. The content of the book is just as good – better. This is a sexy book with a lot of strong characters that I really enjoyed.

Leah Grifffin and Kate Edwards were great heroines. Both of them are high powered businesswomen, and not only know what they want in life, but how to get it. Charles Dixon and Brandon Long, on the other hand, are perfect hero material, and men any woman would be happy to have.

Leah Griffin is newly out of a semi abusive relationship, and uses the conference to regroup, and find her footing. The dynamics of her burgeoning relationship with Brandon are quite interesting, and very provocative. Leah takes a complete 180 from her recently ended two year relationship, but it’s clear that she cares not only about Brandon, but in general. She’s a warm person who has insecurities, and is getting over a number of hang ups. Brandon, while different, is the same. He also dealt with a bad break up, but he’s incredibly stable. I really liked his quiet confidence, and soothing demeanor. In fact, the calm that Brandon projects really helps balance out all the other characters.

Yes, the focus of Leah and Brandon is borderline kinky, with a dominant/submissive relationship. Leah just broke up with her ex Mike, who didn’t really understand D/S and wasn’t good to Leah. She now, however, is exploring her new found freedom by exerting her will over Brandon. But it’s not that she’s coercing him or that he’s weak. Brandon is simply very into Leah, and willing to follow her lead. He’s a people pleasure, and their roles fit, but are fluid. I’m eager to see how this develops. (Yes there is a “sequel” of sorts.)

Kate and Charles (“Dix”) are a great couple. In fact, they’re the power couple. Both successful attorneys, their personalities are incredibly similar, but rather than clashing, they mesh well. Kate has been burned from a “work relationship” before, so she’s very cautious about what is happening with Dix.  For Dix, it isn’t so much work, as his personal life. He has a strange continuing relationship with his ex-wife, and it takes from blunt conversation with Kate for him to realize that it’s not quite as simple or over as he thinks.

I like that Kate and Dix do have real issues that they need to work through. First, they have to deal with a crazy assistant, and being partially caught at being intimate in public. Then there’s Kate’s past, but more importantly, Dix’s current situation with his family. I liked how self actualized both of them are, and their willingness to be vulnerable. I appreciated the fact that sometimes they made mistakes and knew they were being stupid – but that only made them human. Both Kate and Dix are willing to own up to their mistakes and behavior, and discuss it once they’ve had a chance to reason it out. I’m so glad they didn’t have over dramatic or ridiculous, pointless conflict.

There is a lot of heat in this book. The majority of it is the characters having sex, talking about sex, or at least thinking about sex. That can be, and is a lot of fun. Even so, the personalities of the characters are all quite clear, and each of them has a developed back story. I felt that I knew something about all of them. (Although it would be nice to get a little more of Brandon’s story.) I also felt that the book flowed nicely, which is impressive when there are two authors who wrote it.

I do admit that after hearing about it, I started reading the book trying to figure out who wrote what, and I got it right. While the book is by no means choppy, Ms. Hart and Ms. Dane have distinct writing styles. There’s something that can be a bit stark about Ms. Hart’s writing and characters, while Ms. Dane’s characters can get heavy on the dialogue. (It just seems unnatural to me because I’ve never met people who talk or have conversations like the characters do. But it’s a minor distraction.) The two combined act as a nice balance. The emotions and drama caused by Kate and Dix really help and warm Taking Care of Business while the interaction between Leah and Brandon is almost stoic at times.

I’ve already re-read a number of parts of this book, and cannot wait for the second book. I know I say it a lot, but I don’t want to wait for it. I read the book blurb for No Reservations and I know it’ll only get better. It was nice to see four extremely different characters and personalities be brought together. While they were generally paired off, all four did have some interaction with each other, and I can’t wait to see how their relationships develop and become stronger.

I definitely recommend this book.

Grade: A-

Summary:
.
One Conference. Two friends. Two men who know how to take care of business.
.
After leaving the wrong man, Leah Griffin’s not ready to look for the right one. All she wants is to survive the conference she’s planning and spend some time with her best friend Kate Edwards. She’s not expecting the conference services manager to be so tall, dark and handsome…or so eager to please. It’s Brandon Long’s job to make Leah happy, but after a scorching interlude in her hotel room, neither can deny business has become pleasure.
.
Smart, driven and successful attorney, Katherine Edwards has spent her life making the right choices. Directly counter to those right choices, she’s involved in a long distance, secret love affair with a co-worker. Charles Dixon is a bad choice she can’t help but make –over and over. A conference and a promotion bring Kate back to Pennsylvania and suddenly, Dix wants far more than a few nights in random hotel rooms. He wants something permanent and Katherine has to figure out if sometimes a wrong choice isn’t exactly what a woman needs.
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Read an excerpt here.

Other books in the series:

by Megan Hart

Hello, everyone! Thanks for having me here at what I see is affectionately called “the pond.” I hope you all don’t mind that I’m wearing arm floaties and a swim cap.

Limecello kindly asked me to be here today and told me I could either talk about whatever I wanted, or she’d shoot me some random suggestions. What was her first random suggestion, you ask?

I know you love Supernatural so… does the television you watch influence your writing, and if so how?

Yes, I do love Supernatural. I love it like frogs love flies. I love it so much I have actually cried real tears thinking about the day it will no longer be on the air. I am not even kidding. . How do the television shows I watch influence my writing? Well, I really only watch a couple of TV shows…Supernatural and Nip/Tuck – I might get back into Lost this year but I’m not sure. I watch TV on DVD more often than “real” time…but sure, what I watch influences me. Mostly everything influences me. It gives me ideas for storylines, for one thing. For another…guh, Jensen and Jared are made of so much wonderful I can’t help but be inspired to write hot love scenes. Right? If I’m lyin’, I’m dyin’. . But let’s talk about inspiration. For me, it comes from so many places. I went to a local charity event yesterday, one I’ve gone to for years and yet for the first time I said, OMG! I TOTALLY NEED TO PUT THIS IN A BOOK! And now I will!

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Often when I go back through my manuscripts, I can remember exactly what I was doing, or what was going on in my life, by what the characters in the books are doing. A certain drink, the weather, a location – in STRANGER, for example, Grace and Sam go to a horror movie marathon (in the original manuscript Grace and JACK went to the movie marathon!) and that came about because I had gone to just such a thing with my sister. I could’ve sent Grace and Sam on a date to something else, but I used the horror movie marathon because it was something I’d done and was fresh in my head. . That’s not to say that everything in every book comes right out of my own experiences, because my goodness, who’d have time! I do enjoy making stuff up a lot, too. Or extrapolating from my own experiences to guess at a different outcome.

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DEEPER, my upcoming release from Spice (July 2009) has a lot of my own experiences in it, though not exactly the way they happened to me. I took bits and pieces, wove them together, split them apart, made stuff up and generally wrote a FICTIONAL story with real-life inspiration behind it. Some of those emotions and scenes are real, they really happened, just not necessarily the way they do in the book. I mean, really, what’s the point of writing a book if you can’t make it all end the way you want it to, even if it didn’t happen that way in real life? I am the puppet-master! I control the horizontal AND the vertical, my doves…and I love it. I love spring boarding – taking something that happened either to me or that I’ve seen or heard about from someone else, and saying, “what if…?” . For me, it’s all about the “what if…?”

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And that’s how inspiration works for me.

How about you? Do you like knowing when something has come from the author’s real life? Does it ruin the story for you? If you know anything about the author and you read something you know came from a real-life experience, does it make you feel like part of an inside joke or throw you out of the story?

And finally, Limecello sent this topic, too, which I have to answer: What do you think of Cheetos? I hardly ever think of Cheetos. I mostly just eat them furtively out of the package in the pantry, in the dark, as though eating them where nobody can see me might make them calorie and fat-free. Hmm, now when you all read about a character sneaking Cheetos in the pantry, you’ll know where that came from.

Again, thanks for having me here today!

M

This just in…

Mark your calendars now for Lori Foster’s and Dianne Castell’s 2009 Reader and Author Get Together. This is the fifth year for the event that not only allows readers to mingle with authors, but also for aspiring writers to meet with editors and hopefully sell their ideas.

~ This year’s event will be held June 5th through 7th at the Cincinnati Marriott North in West Chester, Ohio. Currently there are 61 authors signed up for the event, but there may be many more by the time of the get-together.  Last year’s event had more than 200 authors (both print and ebook published) and readers.

~ The cost to register for this year’s event is $50 and includes two dinners and a lunch.   Registration is open until May 19, 2009.  Be sure to register early and get your hotel reservation made now.  Last year a second hotel had to be added to accommodate all the attendees.

~ As in the past, there will be lots of baskets being raffled to raise money for a charity.  This year all the money raised from the raffle will go to One Way Farm Children’s Home of Fairfield Ohio.  Also the anthology, Tails of Love, which features not only Lori but Stella Cameron, Sue-Ellen Welfonder, Kate Angell, Sarah McCarty, Donna MacMeans, Dianne Castell, Patricia Sargeant, Ann Christopher, and Marcia James, will be for sale. Author and agent proceeds from the sale of this book will go to the Animal Adoption Foundation, which is a no-kill shelter.

~ I went last year and must say if you get the chance to go…GO! It is fun weekend. I got to meet so many wonderful people. I had my books signed by my favorite authors, had breakfast with Anya Bast, Lauren Dane, and Megan Hart and discussed books with Anne Rainey and Kelley Nyrae.

Consider yourself flashed.

Limecello’s review of Stranger by Megan Hart
Erotic novel published by Harlequin Spice on 1 Jan 09

I know I’m starting to sound like a broken record, but this is my favorite novel yet by Megan Hart. And I mean that. I stayed up til 4 AM, then 6 AM respectively to read and finish this book. I recommend reading this book when you have a bit more time, or not picking it up between 2-3 AM, because you’ll want to read it all, and probably won’t like the tired feeling the next day. But it was worth it. I read the book premise with no idea what to expect (other than exactly what it says -which is clear yet vague at the same time -much like Ms. Hart’s writing in general). Stranger gripped me from the start.

I really liked the heroine Grace. She was so sensible, and real. I enjoyed the normality of her life, and the range of emotions that she experienced. Grace had to deal with everyday mundane issues, albeit on the darker side of things. I never once felt that the plot dragged or moved too slowly. It was also nice that Grace had a relatively normal childhood, which is always good to find in a heroine. She’s self deprecating, knows how to protect herself, and very reasonable. Grace is someone you’d like as a friend – although she has a secret life that nobody knows about. Grace is very kind and has a big heart, though she doesn’t wear her emotions on her sleeve.

Sam Stewart is a character that makes me smile. He’s the main romantic interest, but I wouldn’t exactly call him a hero. He’s really cute, although you kind of want to smack him a number of times. It seems that Sam is… unfinished. At the same time, Sam gets points for creativity, persistence, and in the end, honesty. I also love that he is Dan’s little brother, from Dirty. (Yes, this time I recognized all the cameo appearances characters made.) I wonder if Sam will appear in any other books – it seems that he still has a lot on his plate before he can settle. In a way, I liked that Sam was an uncertainty, because it definitely kept me on my toes. I liked Sam’s sense of humor, as well as his zany late night calls. Who would have thought a drunk dial would be endearing? But Ms. Hart made it happen.

It was very nice for Ms. Hart to connect the books, yet definitely leave them as stand alone novels. (I read them “out of order” so not until a re-read did I figure out that Elle from Dirty had a few cameos in Broken.) Another important repeating character in Stranger is Jack, who was also featured in Dirty. He’s an excellent character- entertaining, and young – so he provided for humor, as well as some male posturing. There was so much in Stranger in regards to emotions and situations – yet it wasn’t too draining.

I think I liked Stranger so much because I was invested in the book, but didn’t find it draining. I could relate to all the emotions, and put myself in the scenes and situations, but Ms. Hart didn’t employ shock techniques – which was nice. I think that this may be the happiest novel by Ms. Hart that I’ve read – and it was good. Ms. Hart’s writing brilliance lays in her ability to keep the reader entertained and involved, without resorting to fireworks and flash. That characters are believable and real – normal even, yet have some quality that is larger than life .

I was again reminded that it says “An Erotic Novel” on the front cover of each of Ms. Hart’s novels – so near the end I about made my head explode when I was expecting the worst and wondering about the end. However, I should have had faith in Ms. Hart and the Harlequin Team (and I did) to not let me down. While not sparkles and ponies (and if you’re expecting that you’re reading the wrong author), the conclusion to Stranger was extremely satisfying. I cannot wait for Ms. Hart’s upcoming releases, and hope that both Jack and Jared get their own books as well.

About a chapter into Stranger I had to stop, and squee. You know that super happy expression little kids gets when you hand them a giant ice cream cone on a hot day? When they shrink into themselves and smiles take up their entire face? That was me. Throughout reading this novel.

Grade: A

Summary:

I pay strangers to sleep with me. I have my reasons… But they’re not the ones you expect.

For starters, I’m a funeral director taking over my dad’s business. Not exactly the sort of person you’d expect to fork over cash for the lust and urgency only live, skin-to-skin contact can create. Looking at me, you wouldn’t have a clue I carry this little secret so close it creases up like the folds of a fan. Tight. Personal. Ready to unravel in the heat of the moment.

Unsurprisingly, my line of work brings me face to face with loss. So I decided long ago that paying for sex would be one of the best (and arousing) ways to save myself from the one thing that would eventually cut far too deep.

But Sam was a mistake. Literally. I signed on to “pick up” a stranger at a bar, but took Sam home instead. And now that I’ve felt his heat, his sweat and everything else can I really go back to impersonal?
Let’s just hope he never finds out about my other life…

Read an excerpt here or a spicier one here.

p.s. – Megan Hart is visiting us at the pond on Friday, January 23.
p.p.s. – On page 112, Sam talks about a bottle of Smirnov [sic], but I’m pretty sure he meant Smirnoff, which just made me go “awwweee.”
p.p.p.s- To be honest, I’m not 100% sure what time I stayed up until – I know dawn, Saturday. But much like the heroine, Grace, I hate looking at the clock and finding out exactly how muchlittle time I have left for sleep.

Limecello’s review of This Is What I Want by Megan Hart
Erotic fiction short story published by Harlequin Spice Brief on 1 Dec 07

I really enjoy Megan Hart’s writing, and I thought it’d be nice to complete/work on my collection of all her Spice books. Accordingly, I bought this Spice Brief. I ended up with a short, enjoyable read that was definitely worth my money.
I won’t summarize the plot because This Is What I Want is so short – and the blurb is sufficient. I read this not long after reading Ms. Hart’s newest Spice Brief Layover, and felt there were distinct differences in her writing, yet a number of similarities. Ms. Hart’s writing style is stark and at times what seems to be unfinished (though it actually is) – but its gripping and emotionally involving as well. There’s just something about it that keeps readers enthralled, and coming back for more.

The beginning of this short story is attention getting, and I liked how there were two different concurrent stories of a sort. It was nice how Ms. Hart juxtaposed two such different and somewhat disjointed stories together, and connected them. Ms. Hart carefully weaves together all the components so that they are separate and distinct, yet all part of the whole.

I felt that this also gave the characters more depth, as they were able to display distinct facets of their personalities in the different settings. Eve Grant and Lane DeMarco while an unexpected couple, work perfectly. For example, Eve and Lane have little interaction in person – yet the ending is entirely believable and in fact, welcome.

I recommend This Is What I Want to anyone who wants a satisfying story with a lot of heat in a little package. (And of course I loved the little shout out to classical mythology in Eve’s blogger persona, Eris Apparent. And that it was right. Kudos to Ms. Hart!)

Grade: B+

Summary:

By day she was Eve Grant, customer service drone in a drab office cubicle. But at night she became Eris Apparent, sex goddess of the blogosphere, where she could express her true self in sizzling erotic fantasies. As Eve she entertained aching, unfulfilled fancies about her sexy co-worker. But as Eris Apparent she was outspoken and demanding as she carried on a steamy cyberspace affair with the mysterious Tell_me.

Read an excerpt.

No, that’s not a typo. I’m unique. And the rogue duckie – so instead of making my own “Best of 2008″ list… I’m going for the new year. These are the 10 books I’m most looking forward to in 2009. (You’ll notice some books don’t even have cover art yet.) 

N.B. I’d like to issue the caveat that… this is only based on books/lists that I could find. I’d also like to note that… just because I’m excited about it, doesn’t mean its a guarantee I’ll like it. (Color me picky.)

I also haven’t been reading romances that long, and it seems my tastes/author choices differ from a number of people. But that’s ok, because this is my list and I’m sticking to it.

In no particular order…

	1. What I Did For Love by Susan Elizabeth Phillips (Contemporary romance, Wm.Morrow, 27 Jan 09).  Case in point – I’m not 100% sure how I feel about Ms. Phillips’s last few novels. But I bought them – in hardcover. The premise for What I Did For Love sounds interesting, but hasn’t gripped me. (Then again – I wouldn’t have thought I’d *love* Nobody’s Baby But Mine, based on the plot summary.) So we shall see. But still. It’s Susan Elizabeth Phillips – and she’s one of my favorite authors.
	2. Smooth Talking Stranger by Lisa Kleypas (Contemporary romance, St. Martin’s, 31 Mar 09). She’s one of my favorite authors – and… don’t kill me, but Seduce Me at Sunrise and Blue-Eyed Devil were good reads, but not AMAZING. I’m already more excited about Smooth Talking Stranger based on the blurbs. Ms. Kleypas is also one of the few authors that can make me enjoy first person point of view. (Cuz FPPV and I? We are not friends.) But the Travis’s! And… even though it’s a secret baby book, which makes me chuckle, I WANTS it.
	3. Kiss of a Demon King by Kresley Cole (Contemporary paranormal romance, Pocket, nodate Jan 09). I discovered Ms. Cole relatively early in 2008, not too long before I started reviewing, and I think she has the one series I’ve reviewed in total (thus far). And, the hero, Rydstrom, has horns. Horns! I never thought I’d be into horns, but… Ms. Cole has won me over. I love her kick ass heroines who *actually* kick butt -and they’re super hot to boot. And the heroes. Yum. This is a great paranormal world. Fun, scary, violent, full of lore- but one that doesn’t take itself too seriously. My kind of books.
	4. Naked Edge by Pamela Clare (Contemporary romantic suspense, Berkley, 3 Nov 09). I heard about Ms. Clare, and first read Extreme Exposure, which is probably one of my favorite books. Extreme Exposure is extremely well written, great plot, and the hero is one of my favorite types. A good politician. More rare than… well something you’d think is outrageous but I’m sure is in a number of paranormals. Thus, Extreme Exposure (and the subsequent books by Ms. Clare I’ve read, have prompted me to put Naked Edge on my list). I have been waiting for this new I-Team book – and… I don’t know. The heroine Kat is Native American. I think that’s pretty nifty. (Major understatement.)
	5. Branded by Fire by Nalini Singh (Paranormal romance, Berkley, 7 Jul 09). I discovered Ms. Singh early on in ’08, and read all her Psy/Changeling books – in proper Psy/Changeling chronological order, even – serendipitously. Ms. Singh’s book world is intense, and amazing. It’s so well developed you believe it’s real. Scary. (But oh so cool!) Thus, this book edged out Angels’ Blood. (That and the blurb talks about lots of violence and I’m kinda squeamish about teh violences.) AND more importantly, when I read the excerpt for this book my reaction was pretty much “SQUEE SQUEE SQUEE!”
	6. True Love and Other Disasters by Rachel Gibson (Contemporary romance, Avon, 28 Apr 09). Yes, another one of my favorite authors. And a book back to/dealing with Hockey. I read See Jane Score  – and I was hooked. I was even willing to get into hockey. (SEP‘s Chicago Stars, along with college, were what got me into football. And if you click around in my posts, you’ll see I can be a football nut. Especially College.) Although… I will say I DO NOT like all the Flash stuff on Ms. Gibson’s web page. Yay for her designer and all – but it takes forever and I can’t get to the information I want. Does not like! The book, however… *happy sigh*
	7. Deeper by Megan Hart (Contemporary erotic romance, Spice, nodate Jul 09). I love the title. I love the cover. I really like Megan Hart’s writing. There’s something about it. Like crack. It also often depresses the hell out of me – which I hate – but I love her books. They’re so raw, yet well written. And this book blurb. *shivers* I’m going to smack myself if the ending isn’t relatively happy. (I know not to expect bubblegum yay.)
	8. What Happens in London by Julia Quinn (Historical romance, Avon, 30 Jun 09). Yet another author that goes on my “best of” lists – and… while others didn’t like it as much, I adored The Secret Diaries of Miss Miranda Cheever, and I hope to like the sequel just as much. (Especially if, you know, it is its own book.) So joy for another book more like The Secret Diaries!
	9. Written On Your Skin by Meredith Duran (Historical romance, Pocket, 28 Jul 09). This one looks more interesting than Bound by Your Touch – although I’m a little skeptical about some of the settings. Though I expect if anyone can win me over to parts written in Hong Kong, it is Ms. Duran. I hope not to be disappointed. This book also makes the list because had I done an ’08 list, Ms. Duran would have made it with her debut novel Duke of Shadows.
	10. Hard and Fast by Erin McCarthy (Contemporary romance, Berkley Trade, 5 May 09). First, it’s Ms. McCarthy. Second, it’s Ms. McCarthy writing a contemporary novel. Third, the heroine’s name is Imogen. I really like a number of Imogen Heap’s songs – so I have a major positive association with her. And – Ms. McCarthy may even win me over to NASCAR. At least in fiction. I read the excerpt, and I am in love. I love it. I want this book. I don’t even want to see when this book comes out (May 09) – because I don’t want to wait.

—

Honorable Mentions/if I squint just right are included/still within the number 10…

	10a. Tasting Fear by Shannon McKenna (Contemporary erotic romance, Brava, 28 Jul 09). Okay, so I have to admit, I know nothing about this book. I think it’s Kevin McCloud’s book – and how exciting will it be for a McCloud book to actually star a McCloud? (See? I can good naturedly mock my favorite authors/self.) I also know that Ms. McKenna is one of my favorite authors, and she is one of the few authors I will venture into adventure/suspense for. (And once I buy Ultimate Weapon, Ms. McKenna might have the sole and honorable distinction of being the only author whose entire back list is in my possession and my property…)
	10b. Relentless by Lauren Dane (Sci-fi romance, Berkley Trade, 5 ay 09). I don’t read scifi/fantasy or futuristic novels. I haven’t read scifi/fantasy since middle school. I’ve never particularly enjoyed futuristic novels. BUT! But! I read Undercover, and I loved it. I can see why Undercover took Ms. Dane to the bestseller’s list – and if you haven’t read it – you should. I enjoyed Undercover so much I had to pace myself, and used it as a way to treat myself. And Ms. Dane’s writing (in my humble opinion) only gets better.
	10c. This Duchess of Mine (Historical romance, Avon, 26 May 09) and…10d. A Duke of Her Own by Eloisa James (Historical romance, Avon, 30 Jun 09). I, being the lowly peon I am, do not know what these books are about (other than This Duchess of Mine is Jemma’s book). I have been waiting for Villier’s book, so hopefully he’s healed at some point in the near future. And you know, I love Ms. James’s books. I read Duchess in Love and fell in love. There’s been no turning back since.

—

11. The book I don’t know about by the new author (whoknows, someone, date TBD). I know a lot of people will say that’s a cop out, so that’s why I listed 10 books, then have this one. I mean, I’m sure there are books I don’t know about – and/or what about that one newbie author that writes an amazing book?

The End. Seriously.

Out of all the books coming out in 09 (that I know about – and I found some lists of hundred of books.) These – *these* I want. I will do much to get my hands on these books. What did Scarlet O’Hara say? “Lie, cheat, kill or steal” right? Well… take out the third… and you’ve pretty much got me

(At least to me…) 

Well, friends, there are a number of things in the works, and because I’m crazy… I’ve decided to throw one more thing into the mix. It’s another way to avoid all the tasks I have in my “normal” every day life. Besides – romance publishing is much more fun than say… an Intellectual Property Journal.

Without further ado… Fridays. Random Fridays, throughout the year, we’re planning on (hoping to?) have Authors stop by and do their thing. [We're thinking if/when these days occur, they will be on the first, and third Friday of each month. Potentially. Maybe. Possibly. Kinda. Sorta. Ish.] There may be contests – or there may not be contests. But honestly, isn’t the shining, wonderful presence of some of your favorite authors enough? Well, it should be.

And… if it isn’t…too damn bad you’re in luck. I’ve been playing around with this idea in my head, and… I think I’m going for it. Considering how organized (HA!) I am… it’s going to be random. But what I’m trying to say is, I personally will be offering contests. I have a number of books, that yes, I myself bought … that I will tragically never read. (Or cannot imagine me reading within the next year, regardless of how long they have been in my possession.) That’s silly. Considering there are so many book lovers out there – why not share the love?

As you know, I’m big on sharing the love/happiness/schtuff. So I’m going to be giving away books. Ideally, once a month.  Most of them are categories (Ok I’m POOR, alright?) (i.e., for me, Harlequin/Silhouette imprints). I’ll use a randomizer for any comments I receive that month (on any post), and prizes shall be awarded. Thus, you don’t have to agree with me or anything. If you already have the book, or don’t like/want it, you are more than welcome to refuse. (In fact, I’d prefer it, because the point is to get these books to a place where they will be read and cherished.)

All these books I’m offering are also new. As in never read. My apologies now, but this is open to US residents only. (Guidelines will follow at some point, when I get to them.) However, I do have a few autographed trade size novels to give away as well. Of course, I might feel really generous. Or happen upon some windfall – so who knows. Maybe I will ship internationally. :X

Now, back to more important matters. Guest authors and events. Our first lucky victim superstar, is Megan Hart. She will be visiting us on January 23, 2009. Mark your calendars!

And stop by often to find out who will be our next guest author. (Yes I realize this is actually the fourth Friday of the month, but we’re going to pretend the first week didn’t exist, because honestly – January is being greedy, claiming five of ‘em and we’ve got to teach it a lesson!)

p.s. – Since writing this post, more information has come in. Anya Bast will be stopping in on Friday, February 6, 2009, to splash about the pond with all of us.

Wendy the Super Librarian‘s review of Layover by Megan Hart
Contemporary erotic romance eBook short story released by Harlequin Spice Briefs 1 Dec 08

Someone over at Harlequin was having an inspired moment when the decision was made to release Megan Hart’s latest Spice Briefs short story in December. Just in time for the holiday travel season, a short story about a canceled flight, unexpected layover, and the sexy shenanigans that can ensue. Seriously, we should all be so lucky.

Julia is trying to get home to the east coast, but bad weather has her stuck in Texas. Her fellow travelers are more than a little ornery, desperate to get home to their families for Christmas. Julia is rolling with it though. All she has back at home is an empty apartment and some pet fish. So when the airline offers her a hotel room she takes it. And when Graham finds out that she’s stuck in his hometown overnight, he practically runs out the door to take her out to dinner.

Julia and Graham met at a work conference several months back when they were paired in a trust exercise. Sparks flew between them, but not wanting to mix business and pleasure, plus being a little scared, Julia walked away and Graham, like an idiot, let her. Since then they’ve kept up a “relationship” online. Hanging on a social networking site, exchanging funny e-mails, but nothing hot and heavy. Well now that Julia is in town, and has agreed to see him, Graham is determined to give her all the pleasure she can handle.

This is a quick steamy read, and even with the short word count, the author does a good job filling in the back story. These very brief flashbacks also help in filling in more character development without inundating the reader. The sex scenes are hot and very spicy, and I especially appreciated that Julia was allowed to be “in charge” of the encounters without falling head long into vinyl-wearing, whip-wielding, dominatrix territory (not that there is anything wrong with that). She tells Graham how to please her, and Graham is more than willing to cater to her desires.

The ending is what will most likely be a stumbling block for some readers. It’s happy, but it’s most definitely a “happily ever after for now” type of scenario. Very believable, in my opinion, given the word count of these Spice Briefs stories, and considering that prior to this smoking hot encounter, Graham and Julia had really been tap dancing around each other. However readers who want a diamond ring and the heroine pregnant with triplets at the end of the story will very likely be disappointed.

I would strongly recommend this gem of a story to Megan Hart’s growing number of fans. It’s also an ideal read for when you’re stuck at an airport, like I was. The only disappointment was that I didn’t have my very own Graham to call. Some girls have all the luck.

Grade: B+

Read Limecello’s review here.

Summary:

The first time she’d met him, he’d been blindfolded and at her mercy. Partnered in a trust exercise, Graham had been enticed by the allure of Julia’s voice, and eagerly followed her direction to navigate a maze. But as a warm friendship developed between them, their mutual attraction remained unacknowledged. And in the long-distance e-mail relationship that followed, their reticence persisted. Until the day a cancelled flight stranded Julia in Graham’s home town.

Both tried to play it cool, though each had approached their dinner date with intense anticipation. But the minute they stepped into Julia’s hotel room, the flood gates opened and their unfettered passion exploded. What really excited Julia, though, was that as in the trust exercise, Graham was great at taking direction. Because what really excited Graham was pleasuring Julia as no one else ever had.

Read an excerpt.

Limecello’s review of Layover by Megan Hart
Contemporary erotic romance short story eBook released by Harlequin Spice Briefs on 1 Dec 08

I read some Harlequin Spice books, but mostly I mean I read Megan Hart’s writing. (Well, and a few others, but she’s my target Spice author.) If you haven’t read anything by Ms. Hart, you have to. I recommend Dirty, Broken, or Tempted. But now, I have something else to recommend. I’ve said it before, and I mean it now. This is my favorite story by Megan Hart.

I was excited about Layover when I first heard about it a few months ago. I’ve had a few hit or miss experiences with Spice briefs, but I know Ms. Hart is a great writer, so I was expecting something good.

I’m not disappointed.

Julia Radman is quite likeable. She’s a bit aloof but personable at the same time. What I love about Ms. Hart’s writing is that she doesn’t say much, while saying everything at same time. The words, setting, and characterizations hold subtle nuances and descriptions that convey so much more than the simple definitions. Ms. Hart gives the reader a satisfying amount of information, but doesn’t create a sense that she’s pandering to you. I also like that oftentimes, Ms. Hart pushes the reader’s comfort zones, without becoming vulgar or sensationalist.

The initial male character is quite comical – and I can definitely sympathize with the opening, having spent no less than ten hours in various airports (not planes) a few weeks ago. It was nice to read a Spice brief where the author takes times to create a setting and develop characters. Now the hero, Graham Tremaine, is fantastic. He’s sweet, smart, strong, and sexy. He’s also the type of guy every woman wants. (And Texan. Hook ‘em Horns .)

Layover has real plot, as well as a genuine emotional connection between the characters. Ms. Hart does quite well with this short story. There are a few perfect one-liners, but I won’t quote them here. I want you to read them for yourself in context.

This story was hot and sexy, as well as engaging. And cute. It’s sweet, but not saccharine. I felt warm and fuzzy and happy – and impressed all at the same time. I don’t say these words often – but go buy this spice brief. Now.

Grade: A+

Summary:

The first time she’d met him, he’d been blindfolded and at her mercy. Partnered in a trust exercise, Graham had been enticed by the allure of Julia’s voice, and eagerly followed her direction to navigate a maze. But as a warm friendship developed between them, their mutual attraction remained unacknowledged. And in the long-distance e-mail relationship that followed, their reticence persisted. Until the day a cancelled flight stranded Julia in Graham’s home town.

Both tried to play it cool, though each had approached their dinner date with intense anticipation. But the minute they stepped into Julia’s hotel room, the flood gates opened and their unfettered passion exploded. What really excited Julia, though, was that as in the trust exercise, Graham was great at taking direction. Because what really excited Graham was pleasuring Julia as no one else ever had.

Read an excerpt.

Limecello’s review of Dirty by Megan Hart
Erotic romance released by Harlequin Spice on 1 Jan 07

I discovered Megan Hart around the time Tempted came out. I’m still not quite sure what happened, but I got caught up in the craze, and I’m glad I did. I’ve read all of Ms. Hart’s Spice books, and I think Dirty may be my favorite. I read it because Ms. Hart has a new Spice Brief out, Reason Enough, which acts as an epilogue to Dirty.

Ms. Hart has a great writing voice. While the characters and situations are stark – almost bleak – the words hold an almost sort of warmth. It’s hard to describe. Dirty is both normal, and outrageous. You would think that the contrasts in the book are too clashing, but it works. Incredibly well.

Elle is a very average person, with a troubled past. Her family is dysfunctional, like so many other people’s, but her situation is unique because of the combination of things that happened to her. Tragic events led her to closing off her emotions. She’s haunted by what happened to her, and copes through sex and drinking. And counting. Elle eschews all emotional ties, and is living life as a dead person. Still, she has quirks, and her reaction to people give her depth and complexity. There’s a vulnerability about her as well, which saves her from being a static character.

Dan is a perfect foil for Elle, and a great character. He’s incredibly sweet, but stands up for himself. Dan is also a very human character. Sometimes, he loses his temper, or even acts like a jerk. However, I felt that when he acted cold, it was because he knew it was the only way he could get closer to Elle. I love that Dan liked and wanted Elle from the start, and he’s willing indulge her eccentricities. He’s incredibly considerate, and pushes Elle, willing to force her into difficult situations in order for her to grow.

While I generally don’t like books written in the first person point of view (ok, I actively dislike it) – this type of narration is perfect for Ms. Hart’s writing. Rather than alienating or isolating the reader, the writing draws you in, and gives you perspective on the heroine, and you begin to empathize with her. The story line is relatively normal – the occurrences and situations are all every day, but there’s something special about Dirty. While most of us don’t do what the characters did, and generally don’t have to deal with all the traumatic events in Elle’s past, we do have dysfunctional families or friends. The secondary characters were fun, and became a way to provide additional perspective to the story.

Dirty has things each and every one of us has can relate to, either personally or through a friend or acquaintance. Still, the additional issues and problems the characters have prevent them from being mundane. I also love how the title of the book is integrated throughout the novel. Not only that, but I felt the title was clever, because really it’s an oxymoron.

I generally like happy books – actually, I strongly prefer happy books. Life and circumstances are sad enough. This makes it just that much more impressive how much I enjoy Ms. Hart’s novels. The nuances in the book as well as the characters make for a very enjoyable read, and I definitely recommend looking into Ms. Hart’s books. I’m anticipating reading her next novel.

Grade: A-

This is what happened…
I met him at the candy store.

He turned and smiled at me and I was surprised enough to smile back. This was not a children’s candy store, mind you–this was the kind of place you went to buy expensive imported chocolate truffles for your boss’s wife because you felt guilty for having sex with him when you were both at a conference in Milwaukee.

Hypothetically speaking, of course.

I’ve been hit on plenty of times, mostly by men with little finesse who thought what was between their legs made up for what they lacked between their ears.

Sometimes I went home with them anyway, just because it felt good to want and be wanted, even if it was mostly fake.

The problem with wanting is that it’s like pouring water into a vase full of stones. It fills you up before you know it, leaving no room for anything else. I don’t apologize for who I am or what I’ve done in–or out–of bed.

I have my job, my house and my life, and for a long time I haven’t wanted anything else.

Until Dan. Until now.

Read an excerpt here.

I’m sitting here in my living room typing this up and trying to recover from my fabulous weekend spent in West Manchester, Ohio at the Lori Foster and Dianne Castell Reader/Writer Get Together. This was the 4th year for the event, my first and it brought together over 250 authors (published and epub), readers, future writers, editors and publishers. The event also raised money for the Conductive School of Learning, the Animal Adoption Foundation and our troops serving overseas.

The event started Friday evening. It was a chance to get to mingle, eat pizza, get books signed by the authors and just hang out. We also were able to check out and start dropping our tickets into the drawings for all the fabulous (and I do mean fabulous) gift baskets that were donated by authors, publishers, and even a couple of readers. I actually was able to win two baskets (YAY me!!) and I got to say it was like Christmas morning going through them. A couple of the raffle baskets contained eReaders and they of course were very popular. Also about 20 of the authors got together and had a drawing for a Kindle eReader that everyone got to participate in just by being there. We also had a pirate quiz for some prizes and a few door prizes were given away. Thanks to some very generous donations from publishers and authors we all received at least 3 books and Samhain Publishing gave all the attendees very nice bags for the event (Thank You Samhain!!!).

After dinner, a trivia event was held hosted by J.C. Wilder, Lauren Dane, Megan Hart and Anya Bast. We divided up into teams (well kinda people came and went as the event progressed) and had 4 categories to choose from, sort of a mini version of Jeopardy (but more fun). Pop Culture category was surprisingly the favorite of the evening. We also had General Trivia, Hero and Heroines and Books and Authors. Prizes were hands out throughout the night. After that everyone kind of scattered and did their own things.

Saturday was a big day for everyone. Breakfast was served and we spent some more time mingling with everyone. There was a small panel discussion and question session with a Border’s buyer, 3 epublishers, Michelle Buonfiglio of Romance By the Book and Barbara Vey of Publisher’s Weekly. Then we got down to the serious stuff–raffle basket giveaways, lunch and then more raffle basket giveaways. That afternoon there was a session open to the public and some of the authors sat up tables to meet and sell their books. Barnes & Noble also had a room set up to sell books of many of the authors in attendance. There was also a book exchange. Attendees were encouraged to bring books to trade. It was a bit of a madhouse, but I was still able to clear out some of my old books and pick up a few older titles that I missed. That evening several different group outings were scheduled from shopping at malls and bookstores to line-dancing (which unfortunately didn’t get to happen, but hopefully we will get to next year).

Sunday morning several choices for breakfast with the authors were set up. My friend and I went with Lauren Dane, Megan Hart and Anya Bast and had so much fun. (Sidenote to Lauren, Megan, Anya and Laura B.–I am so sorry for getting us a little lost going to Half Price Books. But, really it was my GPS’s fault *g*). Then it was time to say goodbye until next year.

I will be going next year. This was such an awesome event that was laid back, relaxed and just gave everyone a chance to hang out and have fun as well as raise money for some very deserving organizations. I got to see and catch up with some authors that I have met before and even met a few that I have wanting to meet (SQUEE–Lucy Monroe!!) and I met some of my online book friends (it really is great to have a face to go with a name now). The money raised for the organizations was amazing. $525 plus supplies to send to the troops, $1064 for the animal shelter plus supplies and $4,552.50 for the Conductive School of Learning and that doesn’t include what B&N is donating from the book sales.

Lori and Dianne have already begun planning for next year’s event, which will be held June 5th-7th, 2009. I’m sure Lori will be posting information about the 2009 event as soon as she recovers from 2008′s event and gets more information on 2009′s.

Sandy M’s review of Reason Enough by Megan Hart
Contemporary Romance eBook released by Harlequin Spice Brief 1 Jun 08

I wondered if I’d like this novelette when I realized it was a follow-up to Dirty, the story of Dan and Elle, which I have not read. I also wondered if the fact it’s a Brief would limit the story in any way, which sometimes happens with short stories. It didn’t at all. Ms. Hart does a very good job of letting a new reader know what’s in Elle’s and Dan’s pasts and of giving you the emotion necessary for dealing with a sometimes touchy subject.

Elle’s family life growing up was not made of happy things, thus her reason for hesitating when Dan brings up the question of starting a family. Her brother, Chad, is now happy with his significant other, Luke, and they have a young daughter, Leah. The first reason Elle now entertains the idea of getting pregnant since Dan’s query of her. But Elle and Chad’s mother is a negative reason for not bringing children into the world, especially when mom can’t seem to get over the ethnicity of Chad’s little girl. I enjoyed the change in mom, though, once she meets her granddaughter for the first time. The power of children.

The second reason Elle continues to think on having children is her best friend, Marcy, is pregnant and quite happy. Elle helps Marcy out during her pregnancy from the baby shower to pacing the delivery room and what she sees is only a positive toward her current dilemma.

In between all these things is Elle trying to decide whether to keep taking the pill after each little epiphany she has throughout the story, especially when they forget to use a condom, knowing the antibiotics she’s taking for an infection lowers the effectiveness of the pill. She wavers off and on until her final decision is made for the right reason, which is really none of those she had been giving credence to. There’s only one reason when it comes to having a child with the love of her life…

I enjoyed this little tidbit in the life of Dan and Elle. The dilemma Elle has and must reconcile for herself keeps the story going, but what I liked the most, even more than the hot and sweet lovemaking between this couple, is the fact they said “I love you” to each other. A lot. I believe in their love and know whatever decision is made is reason enough.

Grade: B+

Summary:

Elle and Dan haven’t quite achieved their goal of having sex in every room of their new house–but almost! Marriage hasn’t dampened their hunger for one another in the least, and their relationship is as hot and passionate as ever. But when Dan brings up the subject of having a baby together, Elle finds herself conflicted. Between her dysfunctional family background and her fear of how a baby might change their life together, Elle’s not sure she’s ready for the big step. Dan doesn’t bring the subject up again, but the issue takes hold in Elle’s mind. And as their frequent lovemaking sizzles with unquenchable desire, Elle’s heart is filled to the brim with love and the longing to give Dan everything.

Other books in this series:

Sandy M’s review of Tempted by Megan Hart
Erotica published 01 Jan 08 by Harlequin Spice

I had everything a woman could want.

My husband James. The house on the lake. My life. Our perfect life. And then Alex came to visit. The first time I saw my husband’s best friend, I didn’t like him. Didn’t like how James changed when he was around, didn’t like how his penetrating eyes followed me everywhere. But that didn’t stop me from wanting him. And surprisingly, James didn’t seem to mind.

It was meant to be fun. Something the three of us shared for those hot summer weeks Alex stayed with us. Nobody was supposed to fall in or out of love. I didn’t need another man, not even one who oozed sex like honey and knew all the secrets I didn’t know, the secrets my husband hadn’t shared. After all, we had a perfect life. I loved my husband.

But I wasn’t the only one.

read excerpt

James and Anne have been married for six years. They have a good marriage and Anne loves her husband. James and Alex have been friends for years. They’d had a falling out and haven’t spoken for quite a while, though. When Alex calls out of the blue and James offers their home to him for his summer visit, Anne is not sure that’s the best idea. But after the initial awkwardness, Alex’s bad boy attitude and overt sensuality make her look at him in a whole new light. And when James doesn’t seem to mind a few kisses between Alex and Anne, from there the trio is lead into a summer of hot sex and a wave of feelings that may destroy both a marriage and a friendship.

Tempted is a look into all kinds of love and each situation is explored quite well. Not only do we delve into the tangled relationship of the main characters, we also get into the family relationships of each of those characters and the dynamics of those families are as different as the characters themselves. Secrets and lies are uncovered, familial lines are drawn while others are broken, and sex has never been so good.

I was a little surprised at the ending…at first. But the more I thought about it, the more I realized it really couldn’t end any other way. Well, maybe it could, but I don’t think another ending would have done the book justice and it would have changed the energy of the book, the forcefulness of what had been shared not only between the main characters, but also between them and the reader. I was quite satisfied as I closed the book when finished reading it.

Ms. Hart has a smooth, fluid writing style that pulls you into the book and before you know it, you’re a hundred pages into it and you have no will to stop reading at all. Her characters are diverse and complex, as are the relationships between them. And your emotions will run the gamut from laughing to shedding a few tears. Definitely pick up this book and be very tempted to…

You’ll figure it out.

Grade: A-

Adrianna Dane book information and blog

Devon Andromeda, a Nanus-altered Argadian Enforcer of the First Level, is assigned the mission to hunt down and eliminate Eluria Zydon, a rebel leader, who also happens to be the daughter of an Elite Tribunal Commander. Enforcers are altered and trained as assassins who retain no memories, or humanoid emotions that would hamper their purpose. Aggression is the only emotion unblocked in an Enforcer; the Tribunal directs their existence.

Eluria Zydon’s life is filled with more than enough memories and emotions for both Devon and her. She lives with the guilt of past injustice and her life has been dedicated to finding the cure to set Devon and those like him free. It is a payment she prays will also free her soul once and for all from her tormenting past.

Confrontation on the lifeless planet, Serdion, will change them both forever. An explosion delivers Devon into Eluria’s hands. An experimental drug opens the floodgates to Devon’s emotions…and his memory. The first emotion he faces, and must learn to control, is desire. Eluria has been trained as a Twilight Companion and has the knowledge to help him harness his passions. Will he accept her help? Or is his only intent to complete his mission—her termination?

Ebuzz bought to you today by the letter M and the number 3.

Lauren Dane, Megan Hart and Anya Bast aka Maverick Authors can be found causing trouble together OR on their own

Scissors, Sparkles and Piston EBuzz
( Key: Lauren Dane=Scissors, Megan Hart=Sparkles, Anya Bast=Piston)

Piston- I really love how Adrianna Dane created a unique world in her novel, Eluria’s Enforcer, complete with its own laws, customs and religion. I loved it so much that I wanted more of it. I wish this book had been about twice as long and had really delved into this planet and its peoples.

Scissors – I did really like the worldbuilding here. I love sci fi and futuristics and I don’t see nearly enough of them in the romance world so I was thrilled to see that (the other) Dane had done it. I also felt like I wanted more. I looked her up though and she’s got a second installment that comes after this one. I’d love to have seen her fleshed this out to at least twice the length it was! But she left me wanting more and that made me go to look and see if she had it, all very good signs.

Sparkles: One of the great things about a good SF story is the world building and use of different languages, history and cultures. I found a lot to enjoy in Eluria’s Enforcer. Adrianna Dane obviously put a lot of thought into her world, including religion, politics and society. I had a little problem with the vocabulary sometimes, keeping all the new words straight, but overall really liked what she did with the story and weaving background in without overloading it all at once. And alien sex! Woo! Let me say that reading alien sex is ALWAYS interesting, but the physical make up of Eluria and Devon surely did leave an impression on me. It was familiar and yet different enough to keep me reading.

Piston – The story is set mostly in a cave and the plot focuses on the resumption of a former romance between Devon and Eluria. After reading Eluria’s Enforcer, I feel confident that Ms. Dane is completely capable of writing a substantial science fiction plot and wish there had been more of that. However, as an author I know you can’t please everyone, and every reader brings different expectations to a book.

Scissors – I quite liked that she narrowed the focus to that cave. I thought it gave a depth and intensity to the storyline that it wouldn’t have necessarily had if they’d been all over the place throughout, especially at this length.

Sparkles: I both agree and disagree. I think narrowing it to the cave worked for this story, but I’d have loved to read more about what was going on in the rest of the world. Sequel?

Piston – Perhaps this world will be more thoroughly explored in a sequel or two? I definitely scented a couple spin off characters in there. Perhaps Devon’s brother Alekos and maybe even Kierra, Devon’s sister. On a final note, the only quibble I had with the worldbuilding were the foreign words Dane uses for sexual organs and sexual slang. I find these distance the reader from the eroticism. So, in my opinion, the book could have been a little hotter.

Scissors – this is the kind of thing that bugs me in all sci fi/fantasy books. I understand that it’s a different world and they’d use different words and all, but at some points it got to be too much and I had to stop to look back or remember what it is she was referring to. A little of this convention goes a long way, IMO.

Sparkles: I didn’t mind the vocabulary referring to body parts. Those I kept straight. LOL! The ones I had problems with were the names of the rocks and minerals, and stuff in the cave though to be honest, had they been the “real” words I wouldn’t have done any better keeping them straight.

Piston – The writing was clear and the plot was well structured, I just wanted more of it. That said, I found this to be an engaging and enjoyable story and I’d definitely read any sequels that Dane releases.

Scissors – While I wouldn’t call Eluria’s Enforcer an “erotic” romance, it was a very readable and enjoyable romance. I did like the chemistry between the H/H and I thought both were likeable and three dimensional characters. I truly enjoyed Eluria’s Enforcer and I’ll be checking out the sequel to continue on in this world Adrianna Dane had created.

Sparkles: I liked the sex. It was well thought out and in keeping with the world. I must admit to a personal “squick” about all things anal, but hey, everyone’s got their own thing. I thought how she created a new reproductive system was well thought out and worked in the story. As for it being erotic, I will say I found myself fascinated by the actual goings on more than turned on by them, but that’s coming from a writer’s viewpoint and not a reader’s. I was saying things like “cool!” and “ooh, how neat!” I really liked the effort she put into the s/f aspect of the story. It left me satisfied on many levels. Great job!

Thanks for the buzz guys! Always nice to hear of a new author to try. Eluria’s Enforcer can be purchase here.

And the fearsome threesome have a nice size back list, well if size matters I think Hart is the biggest. I highly recommend Playing the Game by Megan Hart, Triad by Lauren Dane and Winter Pleasures: The Training by Anya Bast.

Sybil’s review of Playing the Game by Megan Hart

This was one of my first Amber Quill books and EEK their covers can suck. But that aside, Megan Hart gives us a pretty entertaining and quick read. This is a friends to lovers story with a history built in, my favorite type. The characters are believable, the game fun and sex is hot. Or maybe it I liked it because I have been in this type of bar. And it is a fun setting.

It began as a lighthearted competition between two friends. Ten points for correctly predicting which lame come-on the next person will use to hit on you. Fifteen points for getting asked for your phone number. Twenty for being bought a drink. Get someone to ask you to go home with them, and you have won The Game. Now Josie’s tired of watching beautiful women throw themselves at the one man who has always been there for her, and even winning has become losing if it means the man who takes her home from the bar isn’t Jack. She knows how to get other men to fall at her feet, but will the same moves work on her best friend? In love and lust, it’s all about Playing The Game…

The story appealed to my exbarhoppingself. And was well written and doesn’t take itself too seriously. Yes you still have your biggest cock evah exmanwhore but nothing is better than the tamed beast.

I need to pick up Opening the Door and White Wedding the two novellas that follow this tale and I think finish up the story of Jack and Josie.

For more info on the author, you can find her blog, here. Do give a shout if you try or have read this story. Would love to hear what you think!

Next Megan Hart: Lonesome Bride

Lonesome Bride by Megan Hart

Did not finish… beware spoilers ahead

Lonesome Bride is more of a historical novel than erotic romance. And it so didn’t work for me, in fact I couldn’t finish it. And that was too bad because the story had a great setup.

It is annoying that Jed is pissy with Caitleen for fucking him, when he could have NOT screwed her. But hey typical alphaasshat to be redeemed later hero.

But Caitleen is why the term TSTL was created. I tried to keep going and push on after each stupid move she made. But the kicker was when she decided to become a school teacher, arrived in town with Jed, shared a room with him, followed him into a SALOON, played poker with him and ‘the boys’, got falling down drunk, loudly went back to that one room with him, screwed him and THEN was surprised that the whole town knew and the head school teacher treated her like the slut she was behaving like. I don’t care she was a virgin and only gave herself to Jeb. This is the old west, woman did not play poker in saloons and get fucking drunk unless they were whores in the saloon to turn a trick or two. This isn’t news. The fact she did it wasn’t the biggest eyeroll moment as was her shock women were cutting her.

And to keep moaning and whining afterward about her rep and STILL turn down Jeb’s marriage offer was too much. As was the whole, climb out the window, be stupid and ride a horse out of town ALONE. I just couldn’t make myself care anymore at that point.

Did not finish… do tell if you did and what you thought of it. Although I can’t see it getting better.

Mail-order bride Caitleen O’Neal assumes the man who arrives at the train station to pick her up is the man she’s agreed to marry. After all, he introduces himself as Jed Peters, the name on the papers the preacher gave her to sign. When a night of unexpected lovemaking turns Jed surly instead of sappy, Caite can’t understand why. Only when they finally reach the ranch in Lonesome, Montana, does Caite discover the reason for her lover’s cold shoulder. He’s Jed Peters, all right. Jed Junior, and the white-haired man standing next to the woman he’s just wed is Jed’s father…the man Caite has come all the way from Pennsylvania to marry…

Next Megan Hart: Pot of Gold and Emerald Isle