Humpday Hello...BDSMmmmmmm

Howdy there humpday lovelies! Big breath in, we are almost there!!! This week's spotlight brings about a chance to explore some new authors, new stories, maybe a little edgier for some. There are some really excellent stories out there and we bring you some new and some old...

Speaking of old....You know me, I am always up for some spanky good fun so I say bring it on! After reading about these folks working up a sweat, I think we all need a snack....let us share my favorite mid-week treat - Eye Candy! Mmmmmm


Satisfaction Guaranteed, Charlene Teglia, Samhain Publishing, 2009

Welcome to The Capture Agency, a fantasy dating service for dominant men who know what they like and how they like it, and women who can handle limitless pleasure. After being matched with a partner, the male will capture his date and make her a slave to passion. This service is for couples who aren’t afraid to push the limits, let go of their inhibitions and lose themselves in the fantasy.

Clients include Chase Hunter, the agency’s owner, who decides to break his cardinal rule against dating clients and capture a woman for the first time. Kane Woods, a man of superior size and strength who’s always had to reign in his desires--until now. And Gage Michael, who learns that his ex is using the service…and decides to capture her. Will these couples enjoy a hot romp between the sheets, or will they capture each other’s hearts?

I have been wanting to showcase Ms. Teglia's writing on our blog for some time. She is one of those author's that sits on my "Go to" shelf - you know the one, need a good read, looking for just the right mix of romance, action and that little something more...every girl has one. Charlene Teglia sits squarely on mine - her style is eccletic: some paranormal, some contemporary romance, some seriously hot erotica - a little something for every mood. The something more is harder to describe. Personally I enjoy characters that dont take themselves too seriously - they are maybe a little goofier, or snarkier, or kookier than those classic heroes and heroines. At any rate - allow me to demonstrate with one of my favs: Satisfaction Guaranteed!

What's a girl to do when she has this immense dissatisfaction with the way her dating life is going? How can she works her fantasy into reality? If she lives in Seattle, she can try the Capture Agency, a fantasy dating service specializing in pairing their clients up with compatible partners who are willing to push the envelope and play out their fantasies. Satisfaction Guaranteed provides the answers to the same question posed by three very different women - who says you cant always get what you want?

HARD MATCH stirs up a fantasy recipe - take one highly intelligent woman and add the proud owner of a dating agency who, according to the never-wrong computer, is her perfect match. Stir in the spice of perfect sexual chemistry and turn the burner to high! Watching Rachel and Chase boil over makes the perfect entre to this trio of stories.

THE PERFECT STRANGER - Argh, poor Sabrina just wants a man to shiver her timbers! And she's hoping the Capture Agency will help her work out her wicked pirate fantasies. Big, dominant Kane is looking for a woman he doesnt have to fear breaking in two. Can a petite, mouthy beauty be both his undoing and his salvation - reigniting the spark in his love life as well as his writing career?

EX MARKS THE SPOT - Emma's broken hearted and her husband, Gage, doesnt know why.
Hoping her friend's Rachel and Sabrina have figured out the secrets to happiness, she decides to give the Capture Agency a try. Gage, desperate to prove his faithfulness and passion were never in doubt, uses the agency to seduce the love of his life back into his arms.

Passion is never vanilla in this woman's world. Dominant men and the women who love them make for exciting, sexy stories. Teglia has mastered the craft, blending realistic characters, interesting story lines and creatively sexy ideas to capture the readers immagination and keep it cooking!

I give this spanky good fun a delish five strawberries - Teglia has captured this reader who always eagerly wants more and more and more!

Down and Dirty

Hello Guilty Indulgence readers, my family survived the first week of school and we are starting to fall back into our normal routines. It doesn't take the kids long to fall out of the routine but getting them back in can be harder than pulling teeth it feels like some mornings. Things are quite here for about another month and then we go into fall baseball and right after that is basketball season, so I took some time this week and got caught up on a few series that I was behind on which was nice because it kind of feels like reconnecting with old friends. Of course none of my friends are actual vampires or demons, at least not that I know of, but you get what I mean. I also got to read a new book buy an author that I love to read, and who was the inspiration for this weeks theme.

When I finished this book I knew it had to be my next blog because of how much I was affected while reading it. G.A. Hauser writes damn good stories! I really don't know any other way to put it. And the anal retentive person in mean LOVES that she has a guide book that shows how all of her character's connect and overlap. This weeks theme may not be for everyone but I have found with my ever expanding TBR list to never say I would never read a book like that because I would have missed out on some really fabulous stories. If this theme does make you a little nervous that's OK check out some of our other posts because I promise you will find something that will interest you. And remember Safe, Sane and Consensual.


Down and Dirty, G.A. Hauser, August 2011

UCLA art history professor Jean DuLac enjoyed his life. He was happy with his career and traveling the world searching for masterpieces to photograph first hand for his students.
When Jean decides to use one of his own art designs for a tattoo, he meets tattoo shop owner, Harry Callahan. Jean finds out the shop is called, Down and Dirty Harry's Tattoos for a reason.
Harry Callahan loves his work. His reputation for being the best tattoo artist in LA is well earned. Harry and his older brother 'Clyde' have a lot in common. Clyde is an erotic dancer by night, firefighter by day, but he and Clyde share the same taste in men...as well as the men themselves.
The night Jean decides to get his skin inked, he meets Harry and can't help but be smitten with a man as big, brawny, and handsome as 'Dirty' Harry. Jean has no idea the dark delights he is in for Friday night after class.
What Jean discovers is how intense being the object of two men's desires can be and how pleasure with the Callahan brothers, means getting Down and Dirty.

When I finished this book I felt emotionally drained. When an author can pull you so far into a story that in just a few hundred pages you feel like you have lived and felt everything that the characters have, you know it's good.

When we first meet Harry he comes across as this bad-ass tattoo guy full of confidence and completely secure. He owns three successful shops he is drop dead gorgeous who would ever guess that he has cut himself off emotionally for so long that he doesn't know how to connect past a sexual relationship. He learned at an early age that he couldn't trust people to stay in his life. Everyone that is except Clyde.

When Jean walks into the tattoo shop Harry can't deny his instant attraction to the man and neither can Jean judging by the bulge behind his fly. After a totally inappropriate but scorching hot scene behind the tattoo curtain both men want to take their attraction a little farther. In the back room after Harry has tied Jean to the bed Clyde walks in and joins the fun. Jean has very mixed emotions about what happens but cannot deny he enjoyed it.

After agreeing to go out to a club for the night with the guys and that turning into a weekend of the hottest sex of his life Jean isn't sure he can walk away from the pleasure that Harry and Clyde have introduced him to. He also isn't sure he can do just sex and that seems to be all they are offering.

The character's in this story and their emotions are so real. Everyone can understand Harry's feelings once we know his back story. And while Clyde's may be harder for us to understand I felt that it started from a good place and in the end we really can't help who we fall in love with. Jean's journey was more one of self acceptance and once he was able to do that he could better understand the dynamics between Harry and Clyde.

This story pulled at my heartstrings and made it necessary for me to take several cold showers and any time an author can do that I think they have a winner. This book pushes several buttons but it is so well written that you forget about that and just accept the story for what it is, and that is a story about finding and accepting love. I hope Ms. Hauser revisits these characters because I would love to see Sam staring in his own book. I give Down and Dirty 5 chocolate dipped strawberries!

Men In Handcuffs

New to the Kim Dare series, The Rawlings Men, I started with book one: Handcuffs and Leather. I was enticed a bit by the idea of series with eight M/M BDSM novellas following men from the same extended family. Unique, for certain. Each of the Rawlings men has some type of connection with the police force, i.e. constables, forensic psychologists, police advisors, etc. Combined with these men also being Dominants, how could it get yummier? 

In Handcuffs and Leather, young and submissive Constables Hadley meets his Master, psychiatric Michael Rawlings. After taken hostage, Hadley wants to put it all behind him but he’s been dealing with all the crazy publicity, hasn’t slept since that night because of some strange dreams and now he’s being sent to see a psychologist. The last thing Hadley needs is a shrink and his bewilderment only compounds when he realizes that he’s being sent to Dr. Rawlings who he’s had a crush on for months. In fact, he’s the star of his dreams. 

Through the counseling, his feelings for Dr. Rawlings come out. They explore a relationship – which was bit too much sex, not enough emotion – and the two men heat up the pages. It was a nice story though a longer book would’ve given me more time to become invested in the characters.

The only part that weirded me out a bit is that it seems (after now reading a few) that they tend to be attracted to younger men and the author refers to them often as “his younger lover” or otherwise references their age difference. I just didn’t want to be reminded! Regardless though the books do deliver hot and steamy so do try the series out and enjoy.

Be aware: While the books can be read as stand-alone titles, they are best read in order as part of the full series.

RATING: 3 Chocolate-Dipped Strawberries

It's BDSM Week!

This week, the Indulgent Bloggers are reviewing a variety of BDSM books by a variety of authors. For those of you wondering if this genre is right for you, check out the reviews. We'll be telling you just how hot the stories are - they range from light BDSM through dark BDSM - so you can decide which you prefer. But we're guessing some of you have already read at least one or two books in this erotically delicious genre. Enjoy our buffet of books this week - try some of our suggestions - and give us some suggested reads back by COMMENTING throughout the week.

IMPULSE CONTROL, Sara Brookes, Moderate BDSM, 4 Chocolate-Dipped Strawberries

Impulse Control is the first book in Brookes’ Sypricon Masters Series. It’s short and serves as an introduction to the sci-fi series but leaves you just wishing there was more. Brookes grabs readers with one of the best first lines I’ve ever seen: “Today was the cherry on top of a shitty week sundae”; and then moves you quickly through a BDSM exchange worth reading.

After finally catching a serial killer, Deputy Chief Marshal Selene Orasova heads to Tawse, a BDSM club on the planet of Sypricon, seeking a reminder that pleasure still exists in the universe. She’s disappointed when she finds the club nearly empty but when she moves to leave, she runs into Vaughn, the man she was “unconsciously” hoping to see. It was a bit strange – I wasn’t sure if she wanted to find him but didn’t want to say it or if she really didn’t know what she truly desired but others did and it took me awhile to determine whether the two knew each other and how well.

Anyway, Vaughn is one of the few Doms Selene has yet to match up with and he’s immediately intrigued by the hard edged reputation as an important deputy with their planet’s protective force. After just s few minutes with Selene, Vaughn quickly discovers she likes to “top from the bottom” but he is determined not to let that happen. Determined to dominate her and certain it’s what she really needs, Vaughn pushes Selene’s limits with some impulse control.

As a reader, I felt rather ambivalent about the characters. I neither really liked nor disliked either which left me feeling a bit uninvested. Though Vaughn does fit into my alpha male criteria - dominant, sexy, and still caring – and Selene has the strength I like to see in a heroine. And I always like the theme of giving up control to gain more freedom in BDSM books so overall, it was a good read.

Fall over the falls Friday

It's Friday once again. Another busy week behind me. My kids are getting ready to go back to school and the college kids have already returned. Fall is around the corner which causes me a stupid amount of pain so let's not talk about it anymore. I'm heading to Gettysburg PA this morning for a soccer tourny. But let me tell you what I squeezed in this week....

The Mane Squeeze by Shelly Laurenston

Growing up on the tough Philly streets, Gwen O'Neill has learned how to fend for herself. But what is she supposed to do with a nice, suburban Jersey boy in the form of a massive Grizzly shifter? Especially one with a rather unhealthy fetish for honey, moose, and…uh…well, her. Yet despite his menacing ursine growl and four-inch claws, Gwen finds Lachlan "Lock" MacRyrie cute and really sweet. He actually watches out for her, protects her, and unlike the rest of her out-of-control family manages not to morbidly embarrass her. Too bad cats don't believe in forever.

At nearly seven feet tall, Lock is used to people responding to him in two ways: screaming and running away. Gwen-half lioness, half tigress, all kick-ass-does neither. She's sexy beyond belief and smart as hell, but she's a born protector. Watching out for the family and friends closest to her but missing the fact that she's being stalked by a murderous enemy who doesn't like hybrids…and absolutely hates Gwen. Lock probably shouldn't get involved, but he will. Why? Because this is Gwen-and no matter what the hissing, roaring, drape destroying feline says about not being ready to settle down, Lock knows he can't simply walk away. Not when she's come to mean absolutely everything to him.

It took me a awhile to get into this book. Not because it's not good but because I really wasn't into Gwen's character. I was expecting someone else's book to be next. I get that way when I'm reading a series and I have to wait on another character's book that I really wanna read (so waiting on Dee's book). The whole time I'm reading this book about bears I can only imagine them shifted and lounging around eating honey. LOL! I have to give Lock credit, he has nerves of steel to deal with Gwen. Most men wouldn't work that hard to get a woman.This is Tyra's (she who jumps over the line) favorite book in this series and it turned out to be one of mine also (all falling boxes that hit me in the head aside). I hate to cut this short but I have to hit the road. The soccer field calls me!

I give this story 4 chocolate dipped strawberries and a jar of honey. What you do with it is up to you:)
PEACE!
GO FLASH!

In Bed with a Highlander

There’s no reason to do anything but just say it… Maya Banks’ In Bed with a Highlander is one of the best historical romance novels I’ve read.  Banks uses her usual humor and flirtatious dialogue to create a charming love story - a story that while simple has just enough complexity to keep readers interested, unencumbered by too much historical background that so many of these novels find themselves bogged down by. 


Mairin Stuart, the late King's illegitimate daughter and heir to a large dowry, has lived in a secluded abbey for much of her life hiding from men who wish to claim her only for her status. While this could make her weak, every decision she makes speaks of her strength. Her bravery and naiveté fuse together to create a sympathetic heroine the readers will adore. Continually doing the very things she believes are right, Mairin is true to herself. First, she steps forward when found by Cameron Duncan’s men in order to save the nuns who have cared for her. Next, after being abducted and learning of Duncan’s plan to marry her and sire an heir so he can claim her dowry, she denounces him in front of the clergy. Though she finds herself beaten and locked away in his castle, her inner strength is poignant.


The young boy Crispen, whom Mairin earlier saves from Duncan’s soldiers, pays her back by now saving her. Crispen helps her escape Duncan’s castle, planning to bring her back to his father, the handsome and widowed Laird Ewan McCabe. Crispen is written so characteristically perfect as a young boy eager for parental approval that the way he interacts with, and even how he protects Mairin from his father, will endear readers to him. Crispen will not provide any details as to Mairin’s identity simply because she has sworn him to secrecy, worried her name will cause her more trouble. And though concerned because Mairin wears Duncan's colors, Ewan still commits himself to help her for his son’s sake. It is precious that Crispen ultimately gives Mairin the gift of family.


When finally Ewan learns of Mairin’s royal connection, he determines a marriage would suit both of their needs. Ewan’s clan has been suffering to rebuild for eight years since a battle that took Ewan’s father’s life. Mairin can provide land and money for his clan while Ewan can provide the protection Mairin needs most. While they may not love each other at first, both recognize the wisdom of their union. Then as their relationship develops, Mairin and Ewan are both sweet and spicy together. It’s the humor that most sets this book apart with fun and laugh aloud dialogue. And though some of this humor plays out in the bedroom, Mairin’s sexual naiveté and Ewan’s prowess are a delicious combination. Yet most of the humor in the book lies in Mairin’s constant need to say everything on her mind, her struggles to fit in with the clan, and her continuous attempts to thwart her bodyguards. Though I adored Ewan, Mairin made this book for me.


In Bed with a Highlander makes it mark among the very best in historical romance. Using the right amount of historical elements to create the setting and mixing it with an action-packed journey and a beautiful flowing love story is the perfect combination. Without any doubt, Banks’ first Highlander book is worthy of 5 Chocolate-Dipped Strawberries. It is absolutely delicious.


Thanks to Maya Banks for donating this book in exchange for an honest review.

Humpty hump - Sin's got me Undone!

I know it has been one of THOSE weeks...and here we are again, right at the crest and hoping the ride down is a fast one! Man, school started (my oldest started high school!), my youngest got braces (again) and we got socked with a major 5.9 earthquake 60 miles away from us. I kinda felt like I was living in L.A. again!

The one good thing to come out of stress is insomnia adds to my reading schedule....who needs sleep when you can read, right? Since I am dragging a bit and could use an energy boost - how about joining me in a snack - an eye candy snack. Ooooh tasty!

Larissa Ione, Sin Undone, Hatchette Publishing, 2010

The final installment in the Demonica series, I held off reading this because I adore the world of Underworld General and all its crazy demonic/supernatural population. Larissa Ione's fantastical world of a demon run hospital under the streets of NYC is brilliant and her characters are hotter than Hell itself!

Sin, the long lost, actually never known, sister to the Seminus demons we already know and love: Wraith, Shade, Eidolon - finally gets her story. Last time she was glimpsed was taking over the Assassins' Den. Working with her natural ability for creating lethal diseases, combined with centuries of servitude as an assassin have made her the perfect candidate. Except she might have accidentally created a plague which is killing off the entire turned population of Wargs (were-wolves) and has the ability to mutate and jump species faster than the UG guys can make a vaccine.

Connall, the long lost end of dhampire royalty is hiding from his obligations a little bit longer - after years of holding the world at bay, he finds a home with the UG team. A dare finds him hooked up with a sexy succubus in the nearest janitors closet (they do have alot of sex in the closets of UG!!!!) Problem with vamps - they have a tendency to get blood addicted. Problem with succubi - they need alot of sex. Problem with the two most prickly creatures in the underworld...they might be falling in love!

I wasn't so keen on Con and Sin in their initial introduction in the previous book - that has definitely changed. I found both characters to be hilarious - snarky and sexy and utterly kick-ass warriors. You have to appreciate a couple that can scrap and screw and still manage to break down each others walls - and they had some serious walls. The little poignant twist at the end had a true (swear it!) tear in my eye. And the glimpses of the UBER bad ass horsemen of the apocalypse were to die for - I am ants in the pants dancing with excitement to read onto the next segue in Ms. Ione's writing....bring on the Eternal Riders!

I give Sin Undone five sticky sweet chocolate dipped strawberries and applaud the killer demons willing to duke it out for love!

In Bed with a Highlander

Greeting and salutations everyone. It's the first day of school for my kiddos, I have one who is starting her freshman year in high school and then my son is starting 7th grade. There was a lot of excitement at the bus stop this morning....not from my kids but the grade schoolers were very excited. The air was crisp this morning and very much felt like a fall day instead of August 23rd but it was a nice change from 70 degrees at 8:00am. It's hard to believe the summer is over and we are heading into another school year, time is going by entirely to fast.

Speaking of time, we are taking a trip back in time this week with Maya Banks newest book. We were lucky enough to get an ARC of this book and I just want to say a quick thanks to Ms. Banks and her publishing company for allowing us that privilege. This is the first in her McCabe Trilogy and after finishing the first the last two are already on my wish list.



In Bed with a Highlander, Maya Banks, Ballentine Books
Ewan McCabe, the eldest, is a warrior determined to vanquish his enemy. Now, with the time ripe for battle, his men are ready and Ewan is poised to take back what is his—until a blue-eyed, raven-haired temptress is thrust upon him. Mairin may be the salvation of Ewan’s clan, but for a man who dreams only of revenge, matters of the heart are strange territory to conquer.
The illegitimate daughter of the king, Mairin possesses prized property that has made her a pawn—and wary of love. Her worst fears are realized when she is rescued from peril only to be forced into marriage by her charismatic and commanding savior, Ewan McCabe. But her attraction to her ruggedly powerful new husband makes her crave his surprisingly tender touch; her body comes alive under his sensual mastery. And as war draws near, Mairin’s strength, spirit, and passion challenge Ewan to conquer his demons—and embrace a love that means more than revenge and land.

Mairin is the illegitimate daughter of the now deceased King Alexander of Scotland. She is also the heir to Neamh Alainn and whoever she marries and has a child with will lay claim to the land, which is why her location and identity have been kept secret. Duncan Cameron’s men, who seek to return her to their Laird so he can marry her, kidnap her from the Abby where she has been in hiding for most of her life. On the way to Laird Cameron’s keep, a young boy is caught trying to steal a horse and is captured and about to be punished when Mairin steps in to keep the boy from being harmed. What Mairin doesn’t know is that the boy is Laird Ewan McCabe’s only son and he is Duncan Cameron’s biggest enemy.

When the party arrives at Cameron’s keep, the Laird demands that Mairin marries him, when she refuses Cameron beats her unconscious. Later that night a servant helps Mairin escape with Crispen only to be found by Crispen’s uncle Alaric who seeing Mairin wearing the Duncan colors assumes she had something to do with the boy going missing and takes her back to the McCabe keep. Mairin is sure she has gone from the frying pan to the fire.

Ewan McCabe's clan has been struggling to rebuild for eight long years and Ewan has been waiting for the opportunity to avenge the death of his father. The unexpected arrival of the spirited beauty with royal connections seems like the answer to the woes of his clan. They need each other, he needs her for her land and money and she needs his protection.

Can a relationship forged from necessity grow to be your reason for living?

What an excellent start to this family trilogy. I have to say that the sexy McCabe brothers are some of my favorite highlanders but for me Mairin made this book. She turned out to be such a strong, feisty and sassy woman. I loved her habit of speaking her thoughts out loud without knowing she was doing it, and I laughed out loud every time it happened. Ewan is the kind of hero that every woman dreams of, he is protective and cares for his family and his clan and you know he would give his life for the people he cares for.

Strong secondary characters added depth to this book and made it even more enjoyable for the reader. Ms. Banks brings you into the McCabe clan and you can't help but totally fall in love with them. She also gives you just enough hints of what's to come to drive you completely crazy until the next book comes out. I am so looking forward to Alaric’s story in Seduction of a Highland Lass, releasing on September 27, 2011, and Caelen’s story, Never Love a Highlander, coming October 25, 2011.

So if you like your books to sweep you away to another time and place, if you like to laugh out loud one moment and find yourself on the verge of tears the next, if you like your men strong and your women feisty, then do yourself a favor and pick up In Bed with a Highlander, because I promise you won't be disappointed.

I give In Bed with a Highlander 5 chocolate dipped strawberries!!

Feed the lions Friday

I have returned (no jail time was served)! Had an absolute blast in Philly AND I won a Kindle! Yes, that's right a Kindle! I haven't used it yet but I plan on working on it this week. That was definitely a highlight of the trip. We did some sight seeing, ate at the Hard Rock Cafe, saw some amazing cupcakes AND I spent a chunk of time in the Macy's. It was 3 stories! Costumes went great. I'd post pictures if I thought I could get away with it...lol Met some great authors and I have a whole list of new stuff I want to read. Trip down was good but coming home we hit some pretty hard rain. Note to self if you can't see the gas station from the exit don't get off. Just saying...
Here is what I read while laying in the sun.

The Mane Attraction by Shelly Laurenston

Weddings have the strangest effect on people. How else to explain the fact that Sissy Mae Smith woke up in Mitch Shaw's bed the morning after her brother Bobby Ray tied the knot? Or that gunmen are trying to kill Mitch, and Sissy Mae now has to escort a bleeding, stubborn, yet still incredibly sexy lion shifter to her Tennessee Pack's turf to keep him safe? It doesn't help that Mitch's appraising gaze makes her feel like the most desirable creature on earth, or that the ultimate stray cat is suddenly acting all kinds of possessive...

Mitch is an undercover cop who's about to testify against some dangerous ex-associates. Even more worrisome, he's harboring hot, X-rated fantasies about the fast-talking little canine-and he has to deal with every male in Sissy Mae's Pack sniffing around her in a way that makes his hackles rise.. Mitch has his pride, and he intends to show Sissy Mae that when a lion sets out to make you his mate, the only thing to do is purr, roll over, and enjoy one hell of a ride...

I have to admit I didn't really see this pairing coming. But it is a great one. Mitch is in the other books before this one but he's kind of in the shadows so to speak. His family finds out in a prior books that he's an undercover cop but he kind of stays to himself until Sissy Mae hits and with Sissy Mae there's no such thing as laying low. My favorite part of this book is when Sissy Mae takes Mitch back to her childhood home. I love to see her shed her tough girl image and relax with Mitch. I really don't see the big deal her hometown pack has with her coming home for a visit but hey, I'm not a shifter so we'll go with the flow. I mean she clearly has no plans to stay and take over. I named this weeks blog feed the lions Friday because of Mitch's insane ability to consume stupid amounts of food. I now see where the grocery store name Food Lion comes from hehehehe!

I give this book 4 chocolate dipped strawberries and a barf bag for Mitch (that chapter is way to funny!)
PEACE and good luck to 16 of my favorite girls as they head to Gettysburg to play.

Humpday howl for Mac's Mate

Well, we did it! Made it to Philly and back - alive and well....although it was touch and go through torrential rains on I95....take my advice, heed it well - if you are on the interstate and you cannot immediately see the gas station - skip that exit and try another one. We went on a wild goose chase in gale rains looking for a bloody gas station and managed to find flooding the likes of which I have only seen on the Weather Channel....scary!!!!!! Thanks to my trusty co-pilot and a box of cupcakes, we survived. And the booty we brought back - enough books to keep you dear readers entertained and intrigued for months!

Seeing as how we left things right before the full moon and since my hospital is still feeling the full moon effects (dont laugh, just ask any nurse about THE FULL MOON), I thought I'd give you a little wolfy treat to go with this delish eye candy this week!!!!

Mac's Mate, Kitty DuCane, LooseID, April 2011

Kitty DuCane knows erotica and she loves her shifters! She is one of those writers who fancies herself a true "storyteller" and it shows. Her sexy stories play out with humor and mystery and the result is pure magic!

MAC'S MATE is Ms. DuCane's third in her DEA werewolf series. DEA SAC Mac McNamara's latest mission crash lands with his helicopter in his prime suspect's front yard. Working off a tip that a large drug shipment was arriving from Mexico to the Texas ranch of Callie Johnson, Mac and his crew thought their task was cut and dried. Nothing seems to come easy for this team and it all gets more complicated when Mac realizes the curvy but crippled ranch owner is his mate.

Callie Johnson is a survivor – of an abusive marriage, of the harassment of land developers and she doesn't plan to be intimidated by an Alpha team landing on her front lawn. Skittish and wary of men, it takes a lot of convincing on Mac's part to lure this sexy siren in bed. Once there, his promise of erotic delights proves to be no sham. Of course, she still has her secrets and Mac needs to figure them out in time. When Callie disappears, his faith in his mate will either make him or break him.

With entertaining characters and a well-written story line, MAC'S MATE proves to be a quick and easy read. This particular story can be read as a stand alone and still be enjoyable. This reader looks forward to more of Ms DuCane's feisty females and the alpha force werewolves who claim them!

I give this howling good story a tasty four chocolate dipped strawberries and some frisky kitchen business! Enjoy!

This review was previously written for The Romance Reviews.

Philly Friday

Hi all! I'm taking a break this week. We're all in Philly at the Authors After Dark party.

See you next week unless we don't get bail money!
PEACE!

Heading To The HOT ZONE... AAD, Here We Come!

We're on our way to Authors After Dark 2011 in Philadelphia, PA so no time to do another review... busy, busy, busy with packing, costuming and shopping. So here is one of my TRR reviews to share for the road. See you on the other side!


HOT ZONE by Betty Womack 

Hot Zone got off to a slow start but hit its stride as the storyline centered on the two interesting main characters. Jessica Fontana is a Seattle-based Special Ops agent, engaged to a man she is beginning to see isn’t a fit for her. Then she meets Jake Claypool, Texas Special Ops agent, when she goes on an assignment. Once married to a society girl when he was younger, now his life is all about his job with the FBI. Though seemingly in two different places, they find a connection and the sexual tension makes for an interesting story.

When they are sent as partners on a dangerous mission to Nicaragua, Jessica and Clay have to have each other’s backs, something they are trained to do. Though the book started off slow, it is the action in the jungle that makes for a spine-tingling adventure. Jake and Jessica, in the field, seemed invincible - even hurt, and badly outnumbered, they had skill. The jungle fight scenes are vividly described and intense.

But it’s when they find themselves falling in love that really scares them. And it keeps the romance reader flipping pages to find out whether these two heroes are brave enough for another chance at love. The characters were well-drawn and a good combination, had great humor and fun exchanges, steamy sexual friction and strength to match no others.

4 Chocolate-Dipped Strawberries... this book will appeal to any fan of romantic suspense.

This review was originally done for The Romance Reviews and is also posted at: http://www.theromancereviews.com/viewbooksreview.php?bookid=2850

Humpday hello!

Hey there humpday friends and acquaintances....Howdy do? I really am majorly discombobulated at this point - packing madly for AAD - that's Author's After Dark. So stinkin excited about meeting some super great authors - Lara Adrian, Larissa Ione, Cat Johnson(fan girl squeal!), and many many more! We GI gals are connecting with long lost friends for a super time so please forgive me. I am saving myself for Philly, so I will catch you up on good book dish next week....for now, I leave you with my own favorite treat....eye candy! Big breath in, let it out slow and oogle away! You made it halfway thru the week - you are almost there! Cheers! (and watch out for that full moon!)

Stormy Tuesday

WOO HOO! I am so excited this week. Thursday morning at O'Dark-thirty Rebecca, Kim, Jenn and I take off for Philly and the Authors After Dark conference. I have been looking forward to this week for months now because not only will I get to meet several of my favorite authors but I also get to see Sid and Tina!! Philly will never be the same.

Ok guys I have a new auto-buy author for me. Thea Harrison and her Elder Races series is the best new series I have read since Cat and Bones. I am love love loving this series and the unique,complex, HOT Alpha males that Ms, Harrison has created. Storm's Heart is the second book in this series and it just keeps getting better.



Storm's Heart, Thea Harrison, Berkley Publishing
During the rule of her murderous Dark Fae uncle, Thistle "Tricks" Periwinkle found sanctuary among the Wyr in New York. Her ethereal beauty and sparkling personality won the hearts of the public, but after her uncle's death, there are those who don't want to see her ascend the throne...
Able to wield thunder and lightning, Wyr sentinel Tiago Black Eagle has ruled the skies for centuries. His massive build and thunderous power make him one of the Wyr's best weapons. And he's the one sent to protect Tricks when she's almost assassinated in Chicago.
Soon, both Tiago and Tricks will fall prey to the stormy hunger that engulfs them- a passion that will shake the very foundation of all the worlds.

Tricks Periwinkle is actually Niniane Lorelle, heir to the Dark Fae throne, but after witnessing her Uncle slaughter her entire family she ran and has been living under the Wyr's protection for the last 200 years. With her Uncles death it's time for Niniane to go home and claim a throne she really isn't sure she is strong enough to hold. After an assassination attempt that was a little too close for comfort Niniane goes into hiding to figure out a few things, one of which is just who she can trust.

When Tiago who is a thunderbird shifter and one of Dragos sentinels sees the assassination attempt of Ninaine on the news he immediately flies to Chicago to help the faerie. He finds her holed up in a hotel room drunk on bubble gum vodka(they have bubblegum flavored vodka?)and nursing a knife wound. Tiago tries to take her back to New York but Niniane knows she has to stay and fight for her birthright. Tiago's protective instincts go into overdrive and he swears to protect her with his life....and it may just come to that.

This second book in the Elder Races series expands on the world that we were introduced to in Dragon Bound. We get to know some characters better and meet several new ones. This book gives us a deeper look into the Dark Fae demesne and the politics that exist there. And while I found the political intrigue compelling the heart of the story is the relationship that is beginning between Ninaine and Tiago.
It would have been very easy to write Ninaine off as flighty and airheaded but that would be a mistake because what she is, is a caring, funny character with a lot of self doubt and watching her character grow into the Queen she is to become was very enjoyable.
Tiago was another character and could have become very stereo-typical of the Alpha male and while he is that....oh is he EVER, he is also a man that is willing to stand behind the woman he loves if that is where she needs him.
I missed the gang from Cuelebre Enterprises and would have loved to know more about Pia's preganacy and how Dragos is adapting. We did however have Rune, the gryphon and Aryal the harpy who were funny and set up the third book in the series nicely.
I am throughly enjoying this series and the different types of shifters we have in this world with dragons, and gryphons and harpies that are not your typical shifters. It's a new twist with fresh exciting story lines and I can not wait until the next one Serpents Kiss.
I give Storm's Heart 5 chocolate dipped strawberries and a shot of bubblegum flavored vodka!

Deadly Captive

It’s hard to say "I really liked it" when the book so disturbed me on a variety of levels. But the fact that it got to me means it was so well written. Bianca Sommerland's Deadly Captive is a dynamic book but be warned that it is dark. The subject matter is as dark as a book in the romance genre can be. There's BDSM, torture, forced sex, and of course, some blood. If these are triggers for you, then don’t read the book.

That being said, Deadly Captive is deep, dark, and well-written. Bianca Sommerland scorches readers with a story of two people held in captivity, tortured and abused, but desperate to hold on to one another as anchors. Both main characters are convincing as they fight to survive the brutality of their vampire captors. It is amazing that the reader can find the evidence of their love despite the circumstances of their captivity.

The reader first meets Lydia, the heroine, as she awakes bound in the midst of a performance that will determine whether she remains alive. So long as she entertains her vampire captors, they care for her health and safety and spare their lives. For the first two thirds of the book, the reader gets a garish picture of their captivity, so honest and realistic. Faced with forced submission, beatings and unbearable living conditions, Lydia greatest pain is that she has no memories of her life before imprisonment. As she discovers more about her captors, she leans on her cellmate, Joe, for support. Joe understands that the crowd must be entertained and he does so without apology in order to save their lives. Joe is Lydia’s only comfort as the vampires torture her. He convinces her to survive long enough to break free and seek revenge. So riveting, readers nearly feel their desire to sustain one another triumph.

When they escape, the story takes this abrupt turn into more of an action and suspense story. The transition is awkward and the story reads choppy. The relationship between the characters – the way they relate to one another – becomes so different that it was in discord with the first part of the book. Their interactions suddenly seem awkward and some scenes did nothing more than confuse me. I felt disconnected as Lydia and Joe, who is an entirely different person than we thought, interact with the outside world. Suddenly I was lacking the ability to understand what was compelling the characters and that disconnect left me yearning to know more; completely opposite of the first part of the book when I had a deep knowledge of what motivated them.

Despite the awkward transitioning, this book is exceptional - truly worthy of our 5 Chocolate-Dipped Strawberry rating. Deadly Captive is a dark but well-written story. Readers willing to endure a darkly fantastical paranormal world filled with violence, dubious sexual consent, and bondage elements; this is a book you will never forget.

This review was originally written for The Romance Reviews and is also posted at:
http://erotic.theromancereviews.com/viewbooksreview.php?bookid=2397

Heart of Stone

Like a cliché, Angela Claire's Heart of Stone reminded me of an old country song about a misguided cowboy sworn off love. But much to Claire’s credit, it was well written and an enjoyable quick read. The story is a timeless one and while Heart of Stone is set in the late 1800s, it could just as well been this century. Which I wish it was because like my followers know, I don't like historical romance. So it takes a lot to capture me in the genre.

Jake Stone moved to Colorado from Boston to have his own ranch. He’s a hard-working, hard-loving kind of man who finds himself at a loss and endears himself to the reader fairly quickly. Soon after moving out west, he’s widowed with a small baby to take care of. With no family in the west, he asks his aunt to come help. But instead of making the trip herself, she sends Melinda O'Chauncey who is more temptation than nanny. Jake immediately wants to send her home since he has no intention of marrying again and can’t eradicate the feelings of lust. Back in this time, that leaves him no option but to keep his hands off of Melinda.

As Jake and Melinda begin to adjust to life together – Jake working the ranch, Melinda caring for his child - life isn’t as simple as settling in. Catching glimpses of Melinda continues to tempt Jake, softening his resolve to stay away. And then Jake’s neighbor, who would do anything to possess Jake’s fortune, threatens their safety. But the very thing that threatens to pull them apart just may be what pushes them together.

Heart of Stone is a nice historical western romance. A handsome hero, the beautiful heroine, the evil villain combine with the difficulty of ranch life in a unique enough plot for a story that holds reader’s attention. The interactions between Jake and Melinda are real, charming and humorous which allows readers to connect with the characters. With a fairly even flow, minus a few scenes that had abrupt and awkward endings, the story rolls along until the very end.

RATING: 4 Chocolate-Dipped Strawberries.


A version of this review was originally posted at The Romance Reviews:
http://www.theromancereviews.com/viewbooksreview.php?bookid=2575

Finding Sanctuary

Winter and His Twins is the second book in Cooper McKenzie's Welcome to Sanctuary series. I am fond of the theme of finding a place to live where everyone is accepted which continues on again in this book. After reading the first book, I thought the series had the chance to go somewhere. But it just didn't for me.

The premise is simple enough: just like his sister before him, Winter meets his Irish Wolfhound mates. Like most shifters, they mate for life but the difference here is that they mate in triads and the reader gets two sexy heroes. Though Winter’s mates are identical twins, they each have unique personalities which adds interest to the story but too little character development left much to question. A bit flat, readers will be hanging on to know more about the characters.

The mates meet when brothers Garrett and Hawk come to Winter’s rescue after he’s beaten up by an ex-boyfriend. Immediately the sexual attraction is jumping off the pages and Winter doesn’t blink twice when he learns of their heritage. Both men are loving and caring with Winter (even the sex scenes are quite romantic for a shifter erotica), who also happens to be their favorite gay erotic romance author, but readers are never given more than the fated mates rationale which leaves the love story hollow.

The story is fluid and quick-paced but it just didn’t feel real with an awkward relationship and a disappointing climax. A whole lot more character development would have made for a better story. But overall, readers will still like what they know about the characters.

RATING: 3 Chocolate-Dipped Strawberries


This review was originally written for The Romance Reviews and is also posted at: http://glbt.theromancereviews.com/viewbooksreview.php?bookid=2722.

Fuzzy Bear Friday

I’m gonna be short and sweet today. HAPPY HAPPY FRIDAY! Looking forward to a great but busy weekend. Having my kids birthday party tonight at the pool. Where is the sun when I need it? Gonna start packing for Philly in between putting toys together. I can’t believe it’s August already!

No Mercy by Sherrilyn Kenyon
Setting: Modern New Orleans

Live fast, fight hard and if you have to die then take as many of your enemies with you as you can. That is the Amazon credo and it was one Samia lived and died by. Now in contemporary New Orleans, the immortal Amazon warrior is about to learn that there’s a worse evil coming to slaughter mankind than she’s ever faced before.
Shapeshifter Dev Peltier has stood guard at the front of Sanctuary for almost two hundred years and in that time, he’s seen it all. Or so he thought. Now their enemies have discovered a new source of power- one that makes a mockery of anything faced to date.
The war is on and Dev and Sam are guarding ground zero. But in order to win, they will have to break the most cardinal of all rules and pray it doesn’t unravel the universe as we know it.

Fuzzy wuzzy was a bear, Dev Peltier is my favorite bear. I LOVED THIS BOOK! What I love about this series is that even though each character finds their happily ever after the story as a whole moves forward. This book had all kinds of my Nick in it. Who at the end does the sweetest most amazing thing. It also rocks that past characters are still a part the story. Seriously, I could just jump up and down and giggle I love this series so much. Dev is my favorite Bear. I love his smartass comments. I also enjoyed the twist in this story of the Daimons attempting to find a way to lift their curse. Travel between the realms is always fun. Who doesn’t like lions that shoot arrows out of their tails, shifting ground and flying monkeys? Do yourself a favor and start this series
I give this book 5 chocolate dipped strawberries and some demon-be-gone!
PEACE

Wilde Nights

This is the fourth in the Brothers of Wilde Nevada series by Chloe Lang. I've anxiously awaited each new addition and was a little disappointed in this book. I found this book to be more artificial than the others. The flow of the book seemed off and this may be caused by the strands of the story beginning to shift together. But I’ve developed a relationship with the Jessie and her men so I’m willing to keep reading along.


In Wilde Nights, Jessie spends time with Denver, the more intense brother, who takes it upon himself to teach her about the BDSM world on the premise of preparing her for Austin, their eldest brother who lives the BDSM lifestyle 24/7, since the brothers hope to share her in marriage. In previous books, Denver has held himself back from Jessie although he has participated in the ménages with her and his brothers. It was nice to see Denver’s personality come through as the author does create unique personalities, and therefore unique relationships between Jessie and each man.


As Denver introduces her to the lifestyle, she connects with him on a different level from the other brothers. I had a difficult time shifting into the BDSM-style sex which also seemed awkward and unnatural, as if it wasn’t natural for the characters themselves. It doesn’t take Jessie long to begin calling him “Sir” and Denver is taken by her courage and control. Falling deeper and deeper for her, he’s past all his limits, and still she wants more which tells him she just may be the right woman for Austin. So perhaps the BDSM scenes will seem more natural in the future book with Austin.


The author introduces other secondary characters who play important roles in developing the main characters. Mrs. Wilde, the brothers' mom, takes an active role as Jessie's mentor, helping her see just how her relationship with the Wilde brothers is possible. Then with a visit from her father, Jessie makes some discoveries about her family that change the way she sees herself and allows her to open up to the possibility the brothers are proposing. The strands of the story are finally coming together but the flow is still abrupt and I suspect only the final book will give us the answers we are waiting for.

NOTE! This is one of Siren's newest serialized imprint series. This is Book 4 of 6 in the The Brothers of Wilde, Nevada collection and is not stand alone. Each book is a continuation of the previous book and must be read in the numbered order. Each book may end on a cliffhanger but usually with a happy-for-now for the heroine and one or more men. The final book contains a happily forever after for the heroine and all her men.


This review was originally written for The Romance Reviews and is also posted at:
http://erotic.theromancereviews.com/viewbooksreview.php?bookid=2894

Humpday hello! Take Me HOME!

Greetings and salutations my summer friends. I readily admit, I am too beat by the heat to come up with much more that a simple hi. I will however, never forego our all time favorite treat...eye candy. Say it with me...yummmmm.

This week brings another new to me author - thanks to the divine Ms. T, Tyra that is, and her love for all things male....male/male that is! Before you shake your heads and say, nope, so not me - pause! Just one moment - and think of things that make your heart go boom, boom, boom....(no Katy Perry jokes coming from me). Romance - check, heartbreak - check, action and drama - check. So, check it out!

Home, William Neale, MLR Press, 2010

William Neale writes comfort food for the romantic soul. This super promising new author takes classic ingredients: characters that struggle against their feelings, complicated outside forces, that ever burning desire to find a meaningful relationship and cooks up one heck of a love story! Like the old adage, "The longest way round is the shortest way home", Mr Neale's debut novel, HOME, depicts the rocky road to romance between two life-long frenemies.

Lucas's father has recently passed. Rogan shows up at the funeral to pay his respects and to finally apologize for his past behaviors. Lucas hears him out and initially struggles to find his tale credible but actions speak louder than words. Lucas and Rogan's off the charts sexual chemistry sizzles on the page. Watching their relationship grow despite their many individual obstacles—work, family, and a very unplanned public outing—serve to build a love story so emotional, so universally relatable. The sacrifices they are willing to make for one another will move the reader to tears.

Neale has a true gift. In HOME, he creates strong and relatable characters and allows a complex story to unfold without forcing it. Empathizing with these men who have one rotten thing after another happen to them, all while trying to navigate the course of what the readers know to be a true romance, makes the story captivating. Far from formulaic, this well written love story provides the reader with action, suspense, sexual heat and more than a large slice of reality. Well worth the read, HOME hits the mark and puts this author on the Auto-Buy list for this reviewer!

I give HOME Five Chocolate Dipped Strawberries....tastes like Home to me!

This review was previous written for The Romance Reviews.

Hello Hello Hello

Hello all, I am finally starting to feel like myself again after surgery. It hit me a little harder than I was expecting. Thanks for all the thoughts and prayers from everyone and a big thanks to Barry and the kids for taking such great care of me.

I didn't get a lot of reading done while rehabing because I found that I just couldn't concentrate. I did however get caught up on one long running series and that is the Warriors of Poseidon by Alyssa Day. I was two books behind so now I am all caught up and soo ready for Alaric's book. I am ready to see the big man be happy. In the mean time here is what I thought of Vampire in Atlantis.


Vampire in Atlantis, Alyssa Day
Daniel, vampire and ally of the Warriors of Poseidon, has fought on the side of humanity—even against his fellow creatures of the night—for more than 11,000 years. But the crushing weight of futility and the reality of always being starkly, utterly alone has forced him to finally give into despair. He took the first step into the sunlight that would destroy him—and instead walked into Atlantis.
Eleven thousand years ago, Serai was one of a group who agreed to be placed into magical stasis to ensure the future of the Atlantean race. When a dark sorceress steals the gemstone that protects her sleeping sisters, she awakens to a vastly changed world—and the one man she could never, ever forget. And with an ancient evil tracking their every step, the long-lost lovers must battle both the darkest of magic and the treacheries of their own hearts.


Serai was a young Atlantean woman who was put in stasis for the good of the race and to protect the future of Atlantis. When she was awakened she was supposed to marry the King. However, she was trapped for over eleven thousand years only having occasional times of semi-consciousness. When the stone that holds the women in stasis starts to fluctuate in power causing Serai to come fully awake. Serai takes this opportunity to free herself and vows to do everything she can to free the other women. When she discovers that Conlan, her proposed husband, has married a human woman and never bothered to awaken her or the other women she is enraged. However, she discovers that the stone that holds them is in the hands of a dark witch and if it isn’t found soon, it will kill her and the rest of the women.

Daniel is an eleven thousand year old vampire and he is weary of life and has decided to meet the sun and true death. But just as the sun is rising he is sucked into Atlantis only to find the only woman he has ever loved and who he thought died all those years ago. Daniel vows to help Serai free the other maidens even if he can never have a life with her.

This is another strong installment in the WoP series. This is a book about redemption but there is also plenty of action. Daniel has been one of the most intriguing characters all along and I was very glad to see that he got a book of his own. The more I learned about Daniel the more I liked him and thought Serai was a great match for him. Serai is another strong heroine which is something that Ms. Day is very good at writing.I was also glad to finally see something about the maidens that had been put into stasis, this was a plot thread that I had been wondering about since the first book.

This book seemed to have a lot more sub-plot action going on than in others and you as a reader can feel that we are getting ready for something big to happen. And while this is true there were still some moments in this book that made me laugh and helped balance out a lot of the drama. The addition of some new strong and interesting secondary character's gives me hope that this series still has plenty of action to come.
I give Vampire in Atlantis 4 chocolate dipped strawberries and a cake.(cause lets face if if I had been in stasis for 11,000 years the first thing I would want is cake.)

In Control

Have you ever read a book that you know is good but you just don't connect with? That is what Control was for me. I'll read other books by Charlotte Stein because she has a depth in her writing that draws me. But these characters, and their story, were a turn-off for me.

Control is the name of the game with Madison and her men. This story is multi-dimensional, hitting on the emotional levels of sex by creating a depth to her characters. Her illustrative writing sets a mood for a sensuous read so that the reader feels involved in each sexy encounter on Madison’s way to discovery.

When Madison Morris decides to hire an assistant for her erotic bookstore, she meets two completely different but equally appealing men. Andy is aggressive where Gabriel is uptight. Andy is presumptuous where Gabriel is repressed. And while she can hire only one – that would be Gabriel – she certainly can entertain both. The story of their developing relationship is complex, to say the least. Madison finds herself in a ménage where one man causes her to grasp control while the other man makes her lose it.

Control is in the erotica genre so it’s no surprise that it contains lots of crazy hot sex (jumping right in on the first chapter) and includes elements of dominance and submissive. Madison explores her sexuality as she plays with her men, never sure who is leading and who's following, and seems to thrive on creating a game of it all. But the story is deeper than most erotica provides readers as the author takes it a step further by giving the reader insight into the psychological aspects of sex.

While I acknowledge that the book is well-written, it lacked the romance that warms me. I didn’t particularly like any of the three main characters and couldn’t find any way to connect with them. But despite my feelings about the book, I believe readers who enjoy erotica but are seeking a deeper meaning in their story will enjoy it.

RATING: 3 Chocolate-Dipped Strawberries

This review was originally posted at The Romance Reviews: http://erotic.theromancereviews.com/viewbooksreview.php?bookid=2985.