Excerpt and International Giveaway of THE LAST SOUL by Carolyn Rosewood

THE LOST SOUL

By Carolyn Rosewood

Evernight Publishing

ISBN 978-1-926950-43-3

Heat Level 3

Faina has been dead for one hundred and fifty years, but she’s about to become human again. All she has to do is seduce Jace Blackmon, the most honest financier ever to grace the city of angels, into signing away his soul.

Jace Blackmon has fallen in love with his fantasy woman. But when he realizes she was tricked by a demon to bring about his ruin, including the revelation of a long-buried secret to the media, he must choose between his heart or life without her.

http://www.evernightpublishing.com/products/The-Last-Soul-by-Carolyn-Rosewood.html

Excerpt:

Faina donned a Betsey Johnson flowered dress and wedge sandals, then materialized a few blocks from where Jace worked.

            It felt so good to be outdoors. The warm air was soothing, the traffic noises and bustling crowds reminding her of New York City. Faina didn’t often get nostalgic for her human life, but today she did. If she succeeded in this mission, she’d be human again. Warm weather, noisy crowds and city life would be her reality, not simply the realm in which she was allowed to work.

            Unless Mastema had tricked her. No. She wouldn’t think about that now. She had a job to do. She took her time, peering in shop windows and trying to look like just another California trust fund babe out for a stroll on a bright summer day. The fact nearly every man pounding the pavement tripped over his own two feet as she strolled past wasn’t lost on her. She didn’t have the baby face, long blonde curls, and legs up to there for nothing.

            She avoided eye contact. It was enough to leave them with her scent, they’d have trouble getting it out of their head for weeks, but to look them in the eyes would be downright cruel. Even when she’d been alive all she’d had to do was turn her baby blues in a man’s direction and he followed her around like a dog in heat. She’d made more money for Madame Lily during her first six months than most of her girls made over the course of two years.

            As she made her way to the entrance of the 770 Wilshire Building, she caught a whiff of burned toast. She ducked into the nearest shop and pressed her nose to the plate glass window, scanning the crowd for a familiar face. She’d only seen Mastema appear once in human form. He’d looked ridiculous dressed in a long coat and cowboy hat on the streets of Aurora Nebraska, population four thousand two hundred and twenty-five as of last year. His bad-boy Western get-up would have been more appropriate for Arizona in the late nineteenth century.

            Either Mastema hadn’t been the demon she smelled or he’d already evaporated. The sidewalks were filled with six foot blondes and men who looked like they walked off the cover of GQ. Not a weird outfit or menacing swagger in sight.

            “Help you, Miss? You need mani and pedi today? We have new summer colors look perfect on you.”

            Faina whirled around to face the ancient Vietnamese woman. She’d ducked into a nail salon. Her senses had been so focused on the burnt toast smell and Mastema’s human form she hadn’t noticed the acrid smell of nail polish.

            “No, not today. I’m sorry. I’ve got to go.”

            Faina opened the door and strode to the parking garage entrance of the building. On the way a clock struck five. The smell of burnt toast wafted from a nearby taco stand. Had that been what she smelled? Tacos? She was jumping at shadows. That wasn’t like her.

            She made her way to Jace’s sports car by visualizing it. As the flood of workers poured into the garage, she hoped Jace would stay calm when he saw her. She was taking a risk as there would be plenty of witnesses if he wigged out.

            He was busy scrolling through messages on his phone as he sauntered to his car, and didn’t see her until she stepped in front of him as he was about to open the door.

            “Oh Jesus. Holy fu—” His warm brown eyes opened wide and he visibly swallowed. “How did you... you’re real. Holy shit.”

            “Get in your car, Jace. People are staring. One of them looks like he’s going to take a picture with his cell.”

            The lie snapped him out of his trance. He unlocked the doors and she slid into the passenger seat. “Start the car but don’t move yet.”

            He stared straight ahead as the engine roared to life. Beads of sweat pooled at his hairline. She could hear his heart pounding. When she reached up to wipe his forehead he moaned. “It’s all right, Jace. Just try to relax.”

            “I don’t understand.” His voice shook.

            “You don’t need to. Wait until the garage clears out a bit. Then we’ll leave.”

            “I... I have a dinner date. A family friend. I have to go. I don’t want to but… I… I should.”

            “Do you want me to leave?”

            He looked into her eyes with the most desperate longing she’d ever seen on a human face. A flash of apprehension shivered down her spine, unbalancing her. She was going to hurt him. Badly. He’d lose everything. His home, the Foundation, his dinner date, maybe even this fancy sports car. And some kid wouldn’t have a place to sleep on a cold, winter night, or a youth group to keep him off the streets.

            The men she brought to Mastema were bad-to-the-bone to begin with. They just needed a little help to push them in the right direction. The inevitable direction, as he liked to call it. But Jace Blackmon was a good guy.

            Then why does Apollyon want him? But what if he didn’t want Jace? What if Jahi was right and Mastema had forged the contract?

            “Faina.” His whisper pulled her back to the present. Until she had proof to the contrary, it was Jace’s soul or her eternal torment as one of Mastema’s sex slaves. This was self-preservation. Nothing more.

            She looked into his eyes and smiled “Yes, Jace?”

“Please don’t leave, Faina.”

About the Author:

Carolyn Rosewood read her first romance novel at age 19 and was hooked. But it took a devastating tornado in her city to spur her into action. Realizing everything can change in an instant, she also realized if she didn't pursue her dream of being a published romance writer, it would never come true.

She joined the Romance Writers of America, and last year attended her first writing conference, their National Conference in Orlando Florida. It changed her life, and lit a fire that's still burning. Carolyn has also written contemporary romance, but she's drawn to the spicy paranormal stories and loves writing them.

She's a PRO member of the RWA, and serves as Treasurer for the Nashville Tennessee RWA chapter, the Music City Romance Writers. Married to her real life hero, they have a daughter in college and a cat named Shadow who loves to watch Carolyn type.

Visit her website: http://carolynrosewood.com/

Giveaway Details:

Carolyn is giving away a PDF copy of THE LAST SOUL to one lucky commenter!  The contest is open internationally.  To enter, please leave a comment with a way to contact you.  Contest ends on Friday, 6/3/2011, at 11:59 pm CST.  Good luck!

Review: ON WHAT GROUNDS

ON WHAT GROUNDS

(Coffeehouse Mystery, Book 1)

By Cleo Coyle

ISBN: 978-0-425-19213-9

Publisher: Berkley (Prime Crime)

Release Date: September 2003

With a sprawling rent-free apartment directly above The Village Blend, her cat Java by her side, and plenty of coffeehouse redocorating ideas, Clare is thrilled to return to work.  Until she discovers the assistant manager unconscious in the back of the store, coffee grounds strewn everywhere.  Police arrive on the scene to investigte.  But when they find no sign of forced entry or foul play, they deem it an accident.  Case closed.  But Clare is not convinced.  And after the police leave, there are a few things she just can't get out of her mind... Why was the trash bin in the wrong place?  If this wasn't an accident, is Clare in danger?  And...are all detectives this handsome?

A decade ago, Clare Cosi left her job in Greenwich Village as manager of The Village Blend for the suburbs of New Jersey to raise her daughter.  Though she loved working there, she was more than happy to distance herself from her cheating ex-husband Matt (the shop's coffee buyer).  Now at 39, Clare moves back to New York and accepts the manager's position once again at the insistence of the coffeehouse's flamboyant owner Madam (her ex-mother-in-law).

Clare arrives at the shop one morning to find her assistant manager Anabelle lying at the bottom of the basement stairs unconscious and badly injured.  As Anabelle is rushed to the hospital, the police arrive to investigate, including the serious (and handsome) Detective Quinn.  After a thorough investigation, the police determine that Anabelle's tumble down the stairs was an unfortunate accident.  But Clare is not convinced.  How could a graceful young dancer like Anabelle be so clumsy?

With a little help from her sometimes irritating yet charming ex-husband, Clare sets out to investigate.  Each person questioned reveals additional clues that tell her Anabelle's mishap was no accident.  Clare and Matt are determined to uncover the truth before she becomes the guilty party's next victim.

There was much I enjoyed about ON WHAT GROUNDS.  I loved the setting being a historic coffeehouse in New York City.  The author painted a vivid picture of the people and places in Greenwich Village.  (There was a very touching scene when Clare remembers the outside wall of St. Vincent's Hospital after 9/11).  Throughout the book, there are detailed descriptions of various coffees and brewing techniques.  As a coffee lover myself, I found that interesting, though it slowed the story down a bit.

My favorite part of the book was the cast of characters.  Each one had a distinct and memorable personality, and the witty dialogue between them was fun to read.  It was great to read a book where the female lead was 40-ish.  Clare had the traits of a great amature sleuth - smart, stubborn, caring and nosy.  Yes, she was a major coffee snob, but I liked her.  There was a great scene with Clare and Matt, their 19-year old daughter Joy and her new beau Mario.  I loved watching two stubborn alpha males butt heads while Clare tried to keep things civilized for Joy's sake.

How did two ex-spouses work together as a detective team?  One thing I don't like is making an attempt at humor through bickering, and luckily this never happened.  Despite the fact that Matt was once an unfaithful husband and so-so father, he was actually very likable.  Perhaps in his case absence makes the heart grow fonder, because it seemed like he really wanted to make ammends.  Of couse, Clare was smart enough not to simply run back into his arms.  But, they did make a fabulous detective team.

ON WHAT GROUNDS is an entertaining cozy mystery with some nice twists along the way.  The wonderfully crafted characters will draw you further into the story, and all of the java talk will make coffee lovers swoon.  Recipes from The Village Blend are located at the back of the book.  I'm looking foward to more from this series.

Guest Post and International Giveaway with Christine Nolfi

Publish Me Bright

By Christine Nolfi

With the release of my novel Treasure Me, now available on the Amazon Kindle store, I’m often asked about the road to publication. “It ain’t easy,” doesn’t cover it. And these days the whole process is on steroids. Or it’s like the day your boss made you work way too many hours, you came home to discover the laundry room needed a snow shovel to clear a path to the washing machine and somewhere amidst the chaos of kids screaming and your temples pounding, you drank three cans of Red Bull.

It’s something like that.

Not too long ago, the path to publication was straightforward enough for a schoolgirl to understand. Write a great novel. Win a few contests. Find a literary agent. If you were proficient at all three, the odds were good that you’d walk through door number #4: release of your work by a New York publisher.

Today the process has burst apart like so much confetti drifting down in your kitchen.

Women novelists are to blame. Perhaps “blame” is the wrong word. True, women have the delectable habit of strolling into a world usually constructed by men and revamping the architecture. They cut through cherished structures men spend years devising and repaint the tough-guy rooms. In bold reds or snappy pastels.

We’re mean that way.

Several years ago, a group of writers—most of whom were women—took a critical look at the genre palette. Romance. Suspense. Historical. Fantasy. Breaking the rules, they began mixing the colors in new and surprising ways. “Romantic Suspense” was the first obvious breakout. Others followed. Vampires in Victorian England. Zombies consorting with elves. Quirky blends of women’s fiction with laugh-out-dialogue.

In the midst of this madcap creativity, e-publishers began to spring up on the Internet. You liked erotic romance but couldn’t find the novels at your local bookstore? No problemo. An e-publisher had just the thing. You liked fantasy with a bit of historical thrown in? The book was somewhere in cyberspace, waiting to be downloaded.

Then things got really exciting.

Writers began sidestepping publishers and releasing e-books on Amazon and other outlets. They followed up with print-on-demand paperback novels for readers who wanted a physical book. The freedom to self-publish revamped stark genres into a wildly colorful new palette with talented authors entering the marketplace in droves.

Like many novelists, I’m one of the writers to benefit from publishing’s paradigm shift. I spent years working with agents and pitching to editors in New York. The number of compliments I received on my writing could stuff my kids’ lunch bags for a month. Yet the elusive prize of a publishing contract never arrived. I didn’t fit the structured genre mold.

What do I write? I like to think the answer is, “Great stories about women, for women.” Second Chance Grill will soon follow Treasure Me as a June release in the Amazon store. The speed with which I’m building a readership is exciting—thrilling, actually—and I’ll soon follow up with print-on-demand. After that? I have three more novels in the hopper. All will appear on Amazon by fall, 2011.

None of which answers the question, “What do I write?” The novels are a blend of romance, women’s fiction, cozy mystery and comedy. Both Treasure Me and Second Chance Grill portray the fictional town of Liberty, Ohio. Theodora Hendricks, Liberty’s feisty old matriarch, carries a Blackberry and a pistol. Her nemesis, fluttery Ethel Lynn Percible, may have breasts that look like empty Hot Pockets, but she sure knows how to dress. Then there’s tough-talking yet softhearted Finney Smith, the restaurant’s skillet-wielding cook. She’ll find love in one of the future Liberty books.

Of course Treasure features a beautiful thief named Birdie Kaminsky who meets her match in investigative reporter Hugh Schaeffer. But it’s other the women of the Second Chance Grill who provide many of the laughs.

I hope you’ll stop by Amazon to sample my special blend of Women Empowerment and tasty eats.

Pass the color pots, please. I’m mixing something new.

About the Author

Christine owned a small public relations firm in Cleveland, Ohio. Her articles and press releases have appeared regionally in Ohio. Her short story, Night Hour, appeared in Working Mother magazine.

Christine closed the firm fifteen years ago after she traveled to the Philippines and adopted a sibling group of four children. She has been writing novels fulltime since 2004. Treasure Me is the first book of the Liberty, Ohio series, available at Amazon.

The second book in the Liberty series, Second Chance Grill, will be released June, 2011.

Contact Christine: http://christinenolfibooks.blogspot.com/ and christinenolfi@gmail.com

Giveaway Details

Christine is giving away a digital copy (PDF or PRC) of TREASURE ME to one lucky commenter!  The contest is open internationally.  To enter, please leave a comment about the interview or a question for Christine, along with your e-mail address.  Contest ends on Tuesday, 5/31/2011, at 11:59 pm CST.  Good luck!

ASCENSION Book Tour: Interview and Giveaway with Felicity Heaton

Please welcome paranormal romance author Felicity Heaton to Book of Secrets! Felicity is here to answer some interview questions and to talk about her latest release ASCENSION. Hi, Felicity!

Describe yourself in six words or less.

Passionate, creative, honest, driven, loving, stubborn

When did you first consider yourself a writer?

I think that was probably when I was first e-published back in 2005. It was exciting to see my books out there at last. The feeling that I’m a writer is one that has grown in me little by little every day that I’ve been putting fingers to keyboard. With my recent decision to give up the day job and become a full time author, that feeling has increased one hundredfold. Writing is now my career, and I have only become more passionate about it.

Please share some juicy details about ASCENSION.

Ascension is a hot, sassy, snarky and kick-ass urban fantasy romance, and it’s the first part in a new series for me, the Shadow and Light Trilogy. There’s plenty of passion in the book. The sort of heat burning between the hero and heroine is intense and unwavering, something not easily extinguished even though they’ve been apart for six years at the start of the story. There’s a lot of emotion involved too, as with all my books, and emotional hurdles that the hero and heroine need to overcome. The hero in this one, Taig, is a half-demon half-human who has dedicated his life to eradicating demons because of his negative feelings towards his own demon blood and father. The heroine, Lealandra, is a butt-kicking witch who is just as stubborn as the hero. When she realises that her only hope of surviving both the dark force that is out to kill her and her impending ascension, a time when her magic reaches the pinnacle of its power, is to turn to Taig for help, she also vows to make things right between them. They bang heads a lot in the story, but there’s such fire in both of them that neither will back down. If readers are looking for kick-ass hero meets kick-ass heroine, with plenty of hot loving and passion, then this is definitely one for them.

What or who were your early influences that led you to write paranormal romance?

I grew up reading paranormal stories. I’m talking about my love of them going back to when I was learning to read as a kid. I have book reports that I wrote in school and if it didn’t involve vampires, witches, werewolves or other supernatural elements, I decided it was ‘boring’. When I was a teen, I was really into reading H P Lovecraft, Edgar Allen Poe, and other gothic horror writers, as well as fantasy novels and classic romances. I think it was the combination of all of those, and the vampire world I daydreamed about during my classes as a teen that led me to where I am today. I didn’t read paranormal romances before I started writing them. Now I can’t put them down and the vampire world of my daydreams is now one I put down on paper for everyone to read.

If you could trade places with one of your characters, who would it be and why?

Oh, I think I would have a hard time getting this down to just one character. If I really had to choose, I think I would have to go with Prophecy from the Prophecy Trilogy, which is part of my Vampires Realm series that I write as F E Heaton. My reason for choosing her is simple. She’s the only vampire in that world that can use magic, and she has a gorgeous deadly vampire, Valentine, as her bonded mate. Valentine is the hero I’ve fallen hardest for during my time as a writer. He’s the one who has really stayed with me. I love them all, but Valentine is super special.

What is your favorite paranormal being?  Why?

Vampires. Not the sparkly sort, or the kind that moans about having to drink blood, or refuses to kill. Not a wimpy vampire. I like my vampires dark and deadly, killers without remorse, more traditional as it were. The darkness inside them is part of what makes them so appealing so I can never understand when authors shy away from it, or try to change vampires until they’re basically humans with fangs and some special powers. I definitely prefer a more traditional, darker kind of beast. A demon in the form of man.

Where is your favorite place to read?

If it’s sunny, then I love to read in my garden. It’s a real sun trap as it faces due south, so the temperatures can get a bit unbearable if it’s a really sunny day, but it’s so relaxing to just slouch there and read. I’ll read anywhere though and whenever I get the chance, which isn’t often since I’m always writing or editing, or doing work related to my writing.

Other than writing, what are some of your passions in life?

I love drawing, mostly anime/manga style stuff. I also love watching anime, reading manga, or playing on my PlayStation 3. Other than that, I love learning Japanese, but haven’t had time to recently, or travelling. Travelling is a huge passion for me.

What can readers expect next from you?

After Ascension, I have another 5 releases this year. Next up is Forbidden Blood, which is the first book in a new series called Vampire Venators, and that’s out on June 18^th 2011. It’s a dark vampire romance and a whole new world for me that I hope readers will find fascinating. On July 30^th I’ll be releasing Her Guardian Angel, which is the fourth book in the Her Angel series and the first novel length outing for my dark sexy angels. After that, I’m releasing Masquerade, the tenth book in my Vampires Realm series, on September 10th. It’s a busy year for me as always. 

Where can readers find you on the web?

Readers can find me all over the place. The best places to connect with me are:

Website: http://www.felicityheaton.co.uk/

Blog: http://www.indieparanormalromancebooks.com/

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/feheaton

Twitter: http://twitter.com/felicityheaton

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/felicityheaton

About the Book:

ASCENSION

By Felicity Heaton

A witch on the verge of achieving phenomenal power, Lealandra must turn to her half-breed demon ex-lover Taig for protection from the dark force that is after her and also from her own magic.

With her Counter-Balance dead and her coven against her, Taig’s blood and power is the only thing that can help her control her magic and survive the ascension and gain the strength to defeat her enemy.

Old feelings come flooding back as Taig allows her into his world and Lealandra finds herself fighting not only for survival but to win his broken heart again and heal the pain in their past. Can he forgive her for walking out on him all those years ago and will he ever believe her when she tells him that he’s not a monster but the man that she loves?

Available in e-book from:
Author's website: http://www.felicityheaton.co.uk/ebooks.php?title=Ascension
Amazon Kindle: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004X6TWLK/
Amazon Kindle Germany: http://www.amazon.de/dp/B004X6TWLK/
Amazon Kindle UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B004X6TWLK/
Barnes and Noble: http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Ascension/Felicity-Heaton/e/2940011267451/

Available in paperback from:
Amazon.com: http://www.amazon.com/dp/1461131839/

About the Author:

Felicity Heaton is a romance author writing as both Felicity Heaton and F E Heaton. She is passionate about penning paranormal tales full of vampires, witches, werewolves, angels and shape-shifters, and has been interested in all things preternatural and fantastical since she was just a child. Her other passion is science-fiction and she likes nothing more than to immerse herself in a whole new universe and the amazing species therein. She used to while away days at school and college dreaming of vampires, werewolves and witches, or being lost in space, and used to while away evenings watching movies about them or reading gothic horror stories, science-fiction and romances.

Having tried her hand at various romance genres, it was only natural for her to turn her focus back to the paranormal, fantasy and science-fiction worlds she enjoys so much. She loves to write seductive, sexy and strong vampires, werewolves, witches, angels and alien species. The worlds she often dreams up for them are vicious, dark and dangerous, reflecting aspects of the heroines and heroes, but her characters also love deeply, laugh, cry and feel every emotion as keenly as anyone does. She makes no excuses for the darkness surrounding them, especially the paranormal creatures, and says that this is their world. She’s just honoured to write down their adventures.

Giveaway Details:

Felicity is giving away an e-book of winner's choice from her backlist (excluding Ascension).  To enter, please leave a question or comment for Felicity and a way to contact you.  The giveaway is open internationally.  Contest ends on Saturday, 5/28/2011, at 11:59 pm CST.  Good luck!

Please Note: There seems to be a widespread Blogger issue with leaving comments, especially when using Internet Explorer.  If you are having trouble, please leave your comment as "Anonymous" or "Name/URL."  Those seem to be working.  Just be sure to leave your user name and e-mail address in the comment.  Sorry for the inconvenience. Thank you!

Guest Review: THE BLOOD MOON OF WINTER

THE BLOOD MOON OF WINTER

By Courtney Conant

ISBN: 0012624640

Length: Novel, 277 pages

Release Date: February 6, 2011

Lilyana searches for the answer in the thrilling new world she has found herself in. Choosing between what she already has and what is needed will be the hardest decision she will ever have to face. Lilyana Makay, a young woman who prefers to be alone with a good book rather than spend time with others, finds herself in the middle of quite a conundrum. She is the reincarnated Goddess of the land of Makayra, yet this fact is completely unknown to her.

Lilyana has never wished for anything more in her life, but life has other plans. When she finds herself in this new world, she comes across an albino panther who helps to bring about her awareness of what and who she truly is. Only passion and experiences can awaken the sleeping Goddess within, not all of which are enjoyable. Lilyana must dig deep within herself to see if she can handle what is to come.

She is the only one who can save the dying land. Yet, to do so, she must leave all she has ever known. She must choose whether her new found love is enough to keep her from performing a duty that has been thrust upon her. Playing the role of Goddess might be more than she bargained for.

Reviewed By: AsianCocoa

The Blood Moon of Winter was very slow in the beginning. The prologue gave the reader a quick glimpse into a mystical world where everything was dying and they were in need of their Goddess to return to save their world.

Lilyana Makay is leading a pretty ordinary life. She has no social life and spends her free time either babysitting her twin niece and nephew or curled up with a good book. Her sister Taynia tries to set her up with eligible bachelors but Lily is just not interested in the dating scene. A chance meeting with one of her favorite authors opens up new feelings of love and longing that Lily has never felt before. Meeting and falling in love with Jason Caurns has left her confused as to whether or not she can leave him and her human life behind to help save the land of Makayra.

Lily’s dream-like altered states take her back to Makayra where her only contact is with a white panther named Sarwanell. It’s through him that she learns about the prophecy of the Flower Goddess and that she is the only one that can save the world of Makayra. Jason was the only human that Lily could confide in about her impending transition to the Goddess of Makayra. As crazy as the idea sounded to her it was through Jason’s caring and understanding that she was able to come to terms with her fate and begin to grasp the idea that her life as she knew it would soon come to an end. Both James and Lily seemed content in spending what little time they had to get to know each other better. Their hope was that once she transformed into the Goddess she would either be able to go back in forth between Makayra and earth or bring Jason over to Makayra to live with her.

The book had a cliff-hanger ending. The author spent a lot of time in this book world building for this series. I am a little curious to see what happens in the next book with Lily and Jason and how Lily copes in her new role as Goddess.

The Blood Moon of Winter gets 3 out of 5 stars.

Guest Post and International Giveaway with Stacey Kennedy and Eve Langlais

First of all, big thanks to Book of Secrets, for letting Eve and I stop by and chat awhile. Today we’d like to talk about why we love paranormal romance.

Both Eve and I love reading the paranormal romance genre, so it’s not really a huge shock we write in it too. I mean what’s not to love…danger, supernatural powers, hunky men with superior strength. Yes, please!!

As a reader, I’ve always found paranormal romance to be exciting, a real page turner that I can’t put down once I pick it up, and I’m usually in love with the hero by the end of the story. I enjoy how these stories can be so creative in the world-building and how each book comes with its own sets of rules. Throw in some sexy vampires, or lusty werewolves and I’m a goner!

We’d love to hear why you love paranormal romance novels? And if you’re like us and are a sucker for a good werewolf story, here’s a little peek at our new release.

Once bitten, are they damned to forever burn without the touch of love?

A mini anthology containing:

Devon’s Redemption by Eve Langlais

Cruz’s Salvation by Stacey Kennedy


DEVON’S REDEMPTION by Eve Langlais 

Bethany lost her one and only love to a war overseas. As if that weren’t bad enough, a brutal attack and claiming by a Lycan makes her life a living hell. She lives only for revenge until the day love comes back into her life and promises to rescue her from her misery. However, the mate who forced her isn’t about to let her go.

Devon died on the battlefield only to be reborn as a creature of the night. He fights to stay away from his one true love, but when he caves to his desire and sees her again, he discovers redemption is possible even for one who walks in darkness.

Warning: Contains scenes of violence toward the heroine and mentions of rape that might be offensive to some readers. Reader discretion is advised.

CRUZ’S SALVATION by Stacey Kennedy

Cruz understands torment. A mortal turned vampire in the war, he has suffered untold loneliness and despair. That is until he meets Kiara—a werewolf he’s forbidden to love.

Though Kiara needs Cruz, and wants him forever, werewolves and vampires are bitter enemies. To make matters worse, her Alpha, also her father, suspects that Kiara pines for a mate. Mistaking her sadness for the longing she feels for Cruz, he sets out to give her all the happiness he can provide.

Together, Kiara and Cruz will have to fight against the rules placed upon them to hold onto their love. But an unwanted visitor creates a complication neither of them planned for. Milo, Kiara’s chosen mate, has come to stake his claim. Now, not only are lives at risk, but hearts are threatened and dreams hang in the balance.

BUY LINKS:


http://www.staceykennedy.com/once-bitten-forever-burned/


http://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-oncebittenforeverburned-546379-139.html


http://www.omnilit.com/product-oncebittenforeverburned-546379-139.html


http://www.amazon.com/Once-Bitten-Forever-Burned-ebook/dp/B004ZGWF08/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&m=AZC9TZ4UC9CFC&s=books&qid=1304640516&sr=1-1

oOoOoOo

Eve Langlais is a Canadian in her late-thirties who’s happily married with three children. She resides in a small town in Ontario where she works from home as a webmistress and customer service rep. She enjoys spending time with her family, playing  video games, reading tawdry romance novels, and writing even naughtier ones. She claims her stories come from the voices clamoring inside her head. Discover what else her twisted mind has devised at http://www.evelanglais.com/.

Stacey Kennedy is an avid lover of urban fantasy/paranormal romance and erotic romance.  If she isn't plugging away at her next novel, tending to her two little ones, she's got her nose deep in a good book. She lives in Ontario, Canada with her husband.  Be sure to drop her a line at http://www.staceykennedy.com/, she loves to hear from her readers.

Giveaway Details:

Stacey and Eve are giving away a digital copy of ONCE BITTEN, FOREVER BURNED to one lucky commenter!  The contest is open internationally.  To enter, please leave a comment with your contact information.  Contest ends on Thursday, 5/26/2011, at 11:59 pm CST. Good luck!

Review: THE ABANDONED

THE ABANDONED

By Amanda Stevens

Publisher: Mira

Length: Novella, 66 pages

Release Date: March 14, 2011

An ebook exclusive prequel to The Graveyard Queen series.

There are rules for dealing with ghosts. Too bad Ree Hutchins doesn't know them.

When her favorite patient at a private mental hospital passes away, psychology student Ree Hutchins mourns the elderly woman's death. But more unsettling is her growing suspicion that something unnatural is shadowing her.

Amateur ghost hunter Hayden Priest believes Ree is being haunted. Even Amelia Gray, known in Charleston as The Graveyard Queen, senses a gathering darkness. Driven by a force she doesn't understand, Ree is compelled to uncover an old secret and put abandoned souls to rest—before she is locked away forever....

THE ABANDONED is a short and spooky 66-page prequel to Amanda Stevens' The Graveyard Queen series.  The first full-length novel is THE RESTORER, which I will be reading next.  THE ABANDONED has me hooked!  The Graveyard Queen is a character named Amelia Grey, who is a cemetery restorer and taphophile (someone with a passionate interest in graves and cemeteries - yes, I had to look that up).  I'm a bit of a taphophile myself, so I was very excited to come across this series.

While Amelia has a small role in THE ABANDONED, the star of this novella is Ree Hutchins.  Ree is a psychology student and volunteer at a psychiatric hospital.  After her favorite patient dies, she discovers that the hospital and nearby Oak Grove Cemetery have been harboring dark secrets about the deceased and her family for decades.  Ree is soon at the mercy of a ghostly presence hell bent on revenge.  She hooks up with recent law graduate and amateur ghost hunter Hayden Priest (in a cemetery of all places!), and together they work to solve the mystery before the evil one responsible silences her forever.

THE ABANDONED was an enjoyable and very creepy tale.  I love a good ghost story, and this one had plenty of chilling moments.  (It's not horror, but it was spooky enough for me!)  Though it was short, the story was well written with a suspenseful plot and intriguing characters.  Ree, in particular, really stood out for me.  She's someone I could easily connect with.  There's definitely more than meets the eye with Hayden.  I get the feeling that his story isn't finished yet.  THE ABANDONED is a solid start to Amanda Stevens' new series, and I'm definitely looking forward to more.

Review: HIGHLAND DESTINY

HIGHLAND DESTINY

By Laura Hunsaker

ISBN: 9781603944700

Publisher: New Concepts Publishing

Release Date: November 26, 2010

Mackenzie Stewart’s in Scotland for a much-needed vacation. During the castle tour, Mackenzie becomes completely enamored with a painting of one of the previous lairds. Two gentlemen come up behind her and, begging her pardon, they kidnap her, dragging her through time.

The men are sorcerers attempting to end a feud that has plagued their lands for years. Their patron has begun to dabble in the black arts, and between his irrational thirst for power, and his dark secret, the sorcerers are frightened. They believe Mackenzie can break the Stewart curse. They try to convince her to play along with their crazy scheme: marriage to the evil John Campbell.

Before Mackenzie can protest, her carriage is halted and the door thrown open. For a split-second she is arrested by the same beautiful piercing blue eyes that belonged in an oil painting.

Mackenzie then finds herself the victim of a second kidnapping!

Her new captor, however, does nothing but tempt her body and her temper. Believing her to in fact be the betrothed of his mortal enemy the Campbell, Connor originally sets out to capture his enemy’s betrothed. He never thought he would be so attracted to her that he’d want to keep her.

HIGHLAND DESTINY is the impressive debut by Laura Hunsaker.  Laura has woven a magical tale of romance and adventure with a hint of the paranormal.  On vacation in Scotland, the heroine Mackenzie Stewart finds herself pulled back in time to 1792 by two mysterious sorcerers.  They explain that she is destined to break a curse that her ancestors are responsible for.  She is to distract the evil John Campbell by playing the role of his bethrothed, so his rival Connor MacRae can destroy him.  However, the sorcerers' plan is upset when Connor kidnaps Mackenzie before she reaches Campbell.  While he's guarding his keep against Campbell, Connor must guard his heart against his beautiful captive.  Though she's meant to be a pawn to anger his enemy, this peculiar woman soon becomes so much more.

This is the first time travel romance I've read in a very long time, and I really enjoyed it.  With this type of story, I'm concerned about a few things: Will it be realistic?  Can characters from such different time periods make a genuine connection?  And how is it possible for them to live happily ever after?  Laura Hunsaker handled all of these issues beautifully in HIGHLAND DESTINY.

The time travel itself was very quick and smooth, so we get to the heart of the story right away.  I enjoyed the premise that a modern-day woman, a descendent of a Scottish clan, becomes entangled in an ancient feud that only she can end, and she has to travel 200 years in the past to do it!  There was plenty of action and suspense woven into the blossoming romance between Mackenzie and Conner, so the story moved along quickly.

Did Mackenzie and Connor make a genuine connection? Absolutely!  From the beginning they had very strong chemistry.  They were both solid, well rounded characters.  Mackenzie was the feisty, strong, clever modern woman, and Connor was the classic historical Highlander we love - brave, protective, determined, and swoon-worthy, of course.  And, the conclusion of their tale was fantastic! I highly recommend this book if you've ever dreamed of stepping back in time to find your own hunky Highlander. I'm giving HIGHLAND DESTINY 4 out of 5 stars.

Review: AT HIS MERCY

AT HIS MERCY

By Alison Kent

Format: eBook

Length: 12,114 words

Release Date: May 3, 2011

When car trouble sends Lise Kimball into the sweaty, sultry Mississippi south, she wants nothing more than a new tire and a place to spend the night before continuing her trip to New Orleans.

What she doesn't want is to find herself stranded in the company of Donovan True, a man as controlling as the one who drove her from Atlanta.

Except Donovan takes charge in ways Lise has never known. Being at his mercy might be exactly what she's been looking for.

Fed up with her controlling and manipulative husband of ten years, Lise Kimball files for divorce, and she leaves Atlanta for New Orleans with her SUV packed full of belongings.  She gets as far as Danport, Mississippi, when her journey is waylaid by a flat tire.  Lise's car rolls to a stop in front of a local bar, and the bar's manager, Donovan True, is more than happy to help a damsel in distress.  One innocent dance at the bar turns into a night wicked delights.  But when morning comes, Lise must decide if she should be on her way to New Orelans, or stay and let Donovan take control of her heart.

The blurb of AT HIS MERCY piqued my interest because I love "starting over" stories.  I liked both of the main characters.  Their dialogue and interactions felt very genuine.  Plus, they seemed to make an emotional connection that went beyond sex.  I was particularly drawn to Donovan when I discovered his "real" profession.  Sexy and talented - you can't go wrong with that!

I was a tad disappointed because the blurb hinted that Donovan and Lise may have a D/s (Dominant/submissive) relationship (it mentioned that he was controlling), but that was not the case at all.  (If you're familiar with my other blog, you know that I'm a huge fan of BDSM erotic romance!)  Regardless, the sex scenes were very steamy and well written, and they fit nicely into the story.  Lise obviously had some trust issues when it came to sex because of her soon-to-be ex-husband, and that added a deeper layer to her and Donovan's physical relationship.

AT HIS MERCY is a quick read at about 12,000 words.  Despite some formatting issues on my eReader, I thought this was an enjoyable and sexy tale.

Interview with Romantic Suspense Author Sarah Ballance

Please welcome romantic suspense author Sarah Ballance to Book of Secrets! Sarah is here to answer some interview questions and to talk about her latest release RUN TO YOU.  Hi, Sarah!

Describe yourself in six words or less.

Not as innocent as I look.

When did you first consider yourself a writer?

Not until after my first book released in June of 2010.  I wrote that story on a dare to myself and only submitted it for kicks after my crit partner strongly encouraged that I do so.  (Okay, she harassed me.  Totally.)  I was stunned when the contract arrived and I remained in a fog of denial that didn't begin to lift until after that buy link went live on release day.

Please share some juicy details about your latest release RUN TO YOU.

Talk about a vacation gone wrong!  Mattie takes off with her best guy pal Hutch to get away from a personal scandal and subsequently walks right into the target of a killer.  She's got her eyes on the local sheriff for a fling to forget about what's brewing at home, but Sheriff Wyatt Reed has his own set of secrets.  The truth is one none of them saw coming.

What was one of the most interesting things you learned in researching your book?

This one didn't require any research – just the occasional moment with Google – but I did learn that I have the ability to get REALLY freaked out when I'm in the middle of a scary part.  This is especially true as I've been staying up late to work, and not so much a problem when I get up early in the morning to write.

What is your favorite part of writing Romantic Suspense?

I like toying with my characters.  Weaving clues in the plot, trying to point readers in multiple directions at once to keep them guessing, and building to the climatic end – the combination is like a drug for me.  And developing a relationship between the characters in the midst of it all?  Oh, what sexual tension danger brings to romance!

Do you have a special formula for creating characters’ names?

Not at all.  I take the idea forming in my head as to who my character is and hit the baby name websites with it, LOL.  I try to match the character's personality and the mood of the story, and after that it's just whatever name I'm in the mood for.  Eventually, one will stick.

What does romance mean to you?

When I think of romance, my first thoughts are of my husband.  He's not the kind of guy to show up with a dozen roses, but that's because he knows daisies are my faves (and I prefer them plucked from our garden rather than from a florist).  We seldom go out on a "real" date, but he will totally pawn the kids off on my mom for an evening so we can grill steaks and shoot pool at home in peace. He'll take all six of our kids somewhere just so I can sit at home alone and write.  In those ways and so many more, he finds a way to show me every day that he's thinking of me.  There's no greater romance for me than that.

What are your guilty pleasures in life?

 Writing is my greatest guilty pleasure because it does take so much time from my family.  I'm a stay-at-home-mom and we homeschool so you can just imagine the amount of activity around here at a given moment.  Writing gives me a much needed break from that, but it's not my only guilty pleasure.  I'm also a little partial to a threesome with Ben & Jerry … my favorite flavor is Half Baked. ;c)

What can readers expect next from you?

Suspense, suspense, and more suspense!  I'm working on a new romantic, er, suspense series.  The working title of the first book is UNFORGIVEN and I'm hoping to get that one off to the submissions department within the next month.

Where can readers find you on the web?

Buy links:

PDF, EPUB, HTML, MobiPocket, Microsoft Reader:  https://www.nobleromance.com/Authors/97

Amazon Kindle:  http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B003WKYEJI

Author links:

Website:  http://www.sarahballance.com/

Blog:  http://sarahballance.wordpress.com/

Facebook:  http://www.facebook.com/author.sarah.ballance

Twitter:  http://twitter.com/#!/SarahBallance

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4103362.Sarah_Ballance

About the Book:

RUN TO YOU

By Sarah Ballance

Format: eBook

Length: 153 pages

Publisher: Noble Romance

Release Date: December 13, 2010

Mattie James can't pinpoint exactly when she lost control of her life, but the moment she decided to take it back made the front page of the local paper. Desperate to dodge the fallout— and the tabloids—she jumps at the chance to spend an off-season week in a tiny resort community by the sea. Making the trip with her ex-lover is a complication she can live with; coming face to face with a dead woman is not. 

The last thing Sheriff Wyatt Reed expected to find on the storm-ravaged beach was a beautiful blonde with a jealous sidekick, but one look at Mattie left him wanting more. Their first date takes an ominous turn when he gets the call that a woman was found murdered. With a killer on the loose and a troubling lack of suspects or motive, Wyatt has to put his feelings aside to focus on the case. But his vow not to become personally involved is shattered when he discovers Mattie's life is on the line, and this time the truth leaves her with a deadly choice . . . and nowhere to run.