Royal Holiday by Jasmine Guillory

295 pages

Blurb

Vivian Forest has been out of the country a grand total of one time, so when she gets the chance to tag along on her daughter Maddie’s work trip to England to style a royal family member, she can’t refuse. She’s excited to spend the holidays taking in the magnificent British sights, but what she doesn’t expect is to become instantly attracted to a certain private secretary, his charming accent, and unyielding formality.

Malcolm Hudson has worked for the Queen for years and has never given a personal, private tour—until now. He is intrigued by Vivian the moment he meets her and finds himself making excuses just to spend time with her. When flirtatious banter turns into a kiss under the mistletoe, things snowball into a full-on fling.

Despite a ticking timer on their holiday romance, they are completely fine with ending their short, steamy affair come New Year’s Day. . .or are they?

Review

This is such a delightful and heartwarming romance. I think I read it from start to finish (more or less in one sitting) with a smile on my face.

Vivian is a wonderful romantic lead. Full of charm, with a great sense of humour, and an easy laugh she manages to charm everyone she meets and put them at ease. Malcolm is a bit stiffer, more set in his ways, and very recognizable as a ‘typical’ British male in that for the longest time he doesn’t ‘do’ feelings and, ignores whatever emotions he might be experiencing when it comes to Vivian.

Their coming together was smooth and natural, and the progression of their holiday fling was fluent and made perfect sense. In fact, even the aftermath, when they’re on different continents again with, as far as they can tell, no practical way to continue what they started, was logical. Yes, everything happened very fast but I really didn’t have an issue with that. I mean, why would two adults, both more or less at the midway point in their lives, waste time on silly games when they’re face to face with the opportunity to spend time with an attractive person who is obviously interested in them too?

The royal references and Vivian’s awe at everything she encounters were charming and I thoroughly enjoyed reading about two persons of colour falling for each other for a (much needed and very timely) change. It’s not that I actively avoid books about characters who don’t look just like me, it’s more that they are nowhere near as easy to find. Which makes me all the happier that this book found its way to the shelves of my library and I have no doubt I’ll recommend it to those borrowers who enjoy romantic reads.

In summary, I would call Royal Holiday a delightful and light-hearted romance with a bit of a fairy-tale feel to the story. Almost angst-free and filled with witty conversations, this book is bound to make you smile and leave you happy. Just one warning: Don’t read this book while hungry; the descriptions of the mouth-watering food Vivian gets to sample while in England made my stomach growl. 😊

The Third Wish by Jewel Quinlan - Audio Book Release

Blurb

Owen only has one wish left. And this time, he wants to ensure it doesn’t come with nightmare side effects like his first two did. Unfortunately, Cleo, the scornful genie granting his desires, isn’t willing help. With the wish deadline fast approaching, Owen must find a way to gain Cleo’s assistance, or he’ll be stuck forever in a tangle of his own making.

Trailer on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mP_8M_Ykxkk

Audiobook Details

Listening Time: 1 hour  18 minutes

Narrated by: Jack Calihan

Listen to a sample:

https://jewelquinlan.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/The-Third-Wish-Audiobook-Sample.mp3

Where to buy the audiobook

Audible  |  iTunes  |  Amazon

Want the ebook instead?

Evernight Publishing  |  Amazon  |  Barnes and Noble  |  iBooks  | Kobo

Or add it to your shelf on Goodreads

Excerpt

“…Maybe if you’d executed my first two wishes better I wouldn’t be so strung out.” Wrong thing to say. If I could have punched myself, I would have.

Cleo stiffened, eyes wide. And then they narrowed, and I could almost see the millions of ways she was killing me in her mind right now. I braced myself for a barrage of scorn mixed with profanity. If there was one thing I’d learned about Cleo in the past couple of months, it was that she had an extensive vocabulary of swear words. Not only was her range impressive, it was also interestingly exotic. I was well acquainted with it because it’d been directed at me on the frequent occasions I managed to get her to come out of the pill box. I’d thought I’d heard it all at this point in my life, but she proved me wrong. And somehow, whenever she directed her skill at me, I couldn’t help but feel that every term she used was eminently fitting.

“I’m so sorry you’re dissatisfied with your first two wishes, Master,” she drawled in an uncharacteristically chilly tone that made me shiver. “I shall return to my vessel and spend my time reflecting on how to do better with your third wish.” She turned and moved away from the door.

Fuck. The lack of profanity made me panic. I leapt up the stairs in one bound and grabbed her arm in desperation. If she evaporated back into the box, I’d have a hell of a time getting her to come out again. “Cleo, I’m sorry. Don’t go. I’m an asshole, okay? A dick. I’m—I’m every foul word you’ve called me since we met.”

The skin of her arm was soft beneath my fingers, but the biceps was firm. Did she work out? Would a genie even need to, being able to shapeshift and all? There was a small strange golden tattoo on her arm. I watched, fascinated, as it shifted from a crescent moon, to some intricate round design that reminded me of snowflakes, and then into a symbol of some kind. This close, her scent was warm in my nostrils. It was a mix of jasmine, incense, and something spicy that I had yet to identify. The intoxicating medley had visited me in my dreams more than once.

“Take … your hand … off me.”

The words were spoken slowly and in a deadly acid that had me snatching my hand back as though I’d touched a hot exhaust pipe. She glared up at me and twitched her arm as if to dislodge any germs I’d left on her creamy skin.

“Sorry. So sorry,” I said, my words coming out light and breathy as though I might set off a bomb. I took a half step back from her, lifting my hands in front of me in that universal I’m-not-armed gesture. “Please don’t go,” I pleaded. “I really need your help. Please.”

There were less than three days left for me to make my third wish, and I was desperate not to fuck it up.  I’d made the first two rather quickly, and they hadn’t turned out exactly as I’d hoped. Well, no, I can’t say that. I’d gotten exactly what I’d wished for. I was now ridiculously wealthy and famous. The problem was that both of those things had come with a lot of problems, like fleeing from people who were trying to kill me for reasons I had yet to determine. And I really didn’t want to spend the rest of my life using my new, magically-granted resources running, hiding, and generally having to look over my shoulder for the rest of my days. Of course, I could always wish to undo the first two wishes. But who in their right mind would do that? I ran a hand through my hair, and pleaded with her with my eyes.

Cleo made a scoffing noise and raked a critical gaze from my black biker boots, over my favorite well-worn jeans and grey t-shirt, and finally to my face, which no doubt looked more haggard than ever from worry and an overgrown five o’clock shadow. “And why should I help you? Out of the goodness of my heart?”

I scrambled to think of something to say, but my mind was blank. I was a mere human. And before she’d come into my life, I was only doing a passable job at being that. There was nothing I could give her that she couldn’t give herself, not even freedom.

“I can’t think of anything,” I said, feeling deflated. “But maybe you can.” It was a shot in the dark, but worth it. There was a faint glimmer in her caramel-colored eyes that signaled I was on the right track. Inspired, I pushed forward, desperate. “Is there something?”

She relaxed her stance, making hope soar within me. Then she dropped her gaze to the floor as if—No. Could it be?—as if she was reluctant to say it. I closed the gap between us again, feeling bolder, but I didn’t touch her. “Tell me,” I urged in a low voice, fascinated. “I want to know. No, I have to know. What I could possibly give you that you would want?”

Jewel is giving away 25 Audible Codes for FREE download of The Third Wish

Enter the Rafflecopter Giveaway from 8/21/19 through 9/21/19

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/012af9933/?

About the Author

Jewel Quinlan is a bestselling paranormal and contemporary romance author. Since her debut in late 2013, she has published seventeen stories and has many more to come. Restless by nature, she is an avid traveler and has visited sixteen countries so far. Lover of ice cream, dark beer, and red wine, she tries to stay fit when she’s not typing madly on her computer drafting another romance novel. In her spare time, she likes to do yoga, hike, learn German, and play with her spoiled Chihuahua, Penny.

For more information about Jewel Quinlan

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The Rose by Tiffany Reisz

400 Pages

Buy links: Amazon US | Amazon UK | Harlequin | Audible

Blurb

Author Tiffany Reisz returns to the world of The Red with an imaginative sequel full of lust and magic, and the dangers unleashed when the two are combined… 

On the day of Lia’s university graduation party, her parents—wealthy art collectors with friends in high places—gift her a beautiful wine cup, a rare artifact decorated with roses. It’s a stunning gift, and one that August Bowman, a friend of her parents and a guest at Lia’s party, also has his eye on. The cup, August tells her, is known as the Rose kylix, and it’s no ordinary cup. It was used in the temple ceremonies of Eros, Greek god of erotic love, and has the power to bring the most intimate sexual fantasies to life.

But Lia is skeptical of August’s claims of the cup’s mythology and magic—after all, he’s a collector himself, and she suspects he just wants to get his hands on this impressive piece of art. So he dares her to try it for herself, and when Lia drinks from the Rose kylix she is suddenly immersed in an erotic myth so vivid it seems real—as though she’s living out the most sensual fantasy with August by her side…

Realizing the true power of this ancient and dangerous relic, Lia is even more wary of giving it up, though August insists it is only safe with him. He’s willing to pay the full value of the cup, but Lia has another type of trade in mind. One that finds them more tangled up in each other—and in fantasy—than either was prepared for. 

Review

““Falling in love is brave and dangerous,” August said. “Like climbing a mountain or going to war. Foolish too, just like climbing a mountain or going to war. You shouldn’t hate yourself for doing something brave and dangerous.””

Before I start this review, I have three confessions to make.

• I’ve been a Tiffany Reisz fan ever since I first read The Siren, almost seven years ago.
• I’ve been obsessed with the old Greek myths for as long as I can remember.
• I half read and half listened to this book.

As I mentioned above, I’ve been fascinated by the Greek myths since I was a young girl. In fact, I’m pretty sure I wrote an essay on the Trojan war while I was still in primary school. If I remember correctly, I enjoyed reading my mother’s book about Greek myths more than I did the actually writing, but in my memory, the whole experience was exquisite.

Not quite as exquisite as reading The Rose was though. Before I started reading this book, I knew that offering me a book based on those myths andwritten by one of my favourite authors, equalled handing me a one-way ticket to paradise. But even that certain knowledge before I started the story couldn’t prepare me for the pure joy that was losing myself in The Rose.

The Rose did not disappoint. This book is a showcase of that special talent Tiffany Reisz has when it comes to layering her stories. On the surface this is a rather fluffy, fairy-tale like, and very sexy fantasy. But that’s only true if you limit yourself to what is in plain sight. If you look a little deeper, you’ll appreciate how much research must have gone into the Greek mythology referenced in The Rose. What’s more, the author doesn’t limit herself to a retelling of those myths, she adds to them, gives them slightly different meanings or outcomes, or provides answers where the original myth only leaves us with questions.

Lia was an utter delight. Just twenty-one years old, she has the whole wanting to be an adult and treated as such, but still reverting back to childish reactions, thoughts, and emotions, down pat. For a long time, August remained a bit of a mystery to me. He was obviously gorgeous and smart not to mention incredibly kind, but for a long time I didn’t feel as if I knew him at all. Of course, that was exactly as it should be because Lia doesn’t know him that well, and we experience the story through her eyes.

I retrospect, I have no idea why I even gave that vagueness in August a second thought. I should have known there would be a reason…a very good reason…an utterly delightful (although not completely unexpected) reason for his mysterious aura…and of course I have no intention of what that reason might be. Read the book. 😊

This wouldn’t be a Tiffany Reisz story if it wasn’t filled with clever observations, sparkling conversation, and delightfully original statements and ideas.

“You’re like a kitten with a switchblade (…) Give a switchblade to a kitten and the kitten somehow gets cuter, and also, even the switchblade becomes cute. That’s you.” - August

Only Tiffany Reisz could come up with an escort agency, ran by a twenty-one year old member of the British aristocracy and called the Young Ladies Gardening & Tennis Club of Wingthorn Hall.

And I’m not surprised that her charming romance gave me considerable food for thought:

“If a story is suppressed or obscured, it’s because somewhere along the way it scared the shit out of a man.”

Oh, and just in case you’re curious. I can honestly say that this book is as big a joy to read as it is to listen to. Both the written and the spoken editions come highly recommended.

*Sighs* I could easily write another 700 words about this book, but I’ll spare you that. I’m just going to leave you with this conclusion:

Whimsical, highly erotic, and astoundingly clever, The Rose is yet another of Tiffany Reisz’s stories that managed to blow my mind away.

Related review: The Red

Consequences (The Elders Trilogy #2) by T.L. Travis

Buy Links: Amazon US | Amazon UK - 

Exclusive to Amazon and Available to Borrow in Kindle Unlimited

Length: 87 pages

Blurb

In book 2 of The Elders Trilogy, Consequences, our heroine Jessica Cartright has been forced to leave the life she's grown to love behind. Hunted by Rogue Vampires, a coven led by her fiancé David's mother Lourdes, the Elders Council has moved them into their protective custody.

Lourdes and her coven have made it their life's mission to see to it that David and Jess never get married. The only way she can ensure this never takes place is by ending Jess's life, no matter what it costs her in the interim.

Hunted by the council for her crimes committed against not only human kind, but their community as well, will Lourdes be able to pull off her attack and escape unscathed? Or will she and Jess succumb to the same, bloody end?

The Elders Trilogy is an erotic,paranormal/horror romance series. While this book is predominately MF, there are some bi-sexual elements including a Reverse Harem scene.

Author Bio

TL Travis is the author of The Sebastian Chronicles along with numerous other erotic novelettes (and many more in the works), The Elders Trilogy - an erotic paranormal (Vampire) romance novel series and many non-fiction articles.

In her spare time she likes to fish, enjoy all the Pacific Northwest has to offer, spin spicy erotic webs for readers to enjoy, and rescue any 4 legged lost souls she comes across. Since her children are grown and have flown the coop, she’s taken to spoiling her two deaf white boxers even more so than they were before.

To view TL Travis literary and photography works please visit her website at www.tltravis.com

TL Travis can also be followed on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/tltravisauthor
Or via twitter at http://www.twitter.com/tltravis1

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Picture Perfect Cowboy by Tiffany Reisz - Release Day Review

The Original Sinners #10

Publisher: 8^th Circle Press

296 Pages

Buy Links: Amazon | Amazon Australia | Amazon UK | Amazon Canada | 

Barnes & Noble | iBooks | iBooks Australia | iBooks UK | 

iBooks Canada | Kobo

Blurb

Jason "Still" Waters' life looks perfect from the outside—money, fame, and the words "World Champion Bull-Rider" after his name. But Jason has a secret, one he never planned on telling anybody...until he meets Simone. She's the kinky girl of his dreams...and his conservative family's worst nightmare.

"Picture Perfect Cowboy" is a standalone erotic romance from Tiffany Reisz, set in her bestselling Original Sinners series. An abridged version was previously published in "Exposed: A Romance Anthology" as the novella "The Watermark."

Review

“With Simone, he lost all his inhibitions, and he had to say, he didn’t miss them one bit.”

Picture Perfect Cowboy is pretty much a picture perfect book. Romantic and incredibly sexy, this story manages to also be a lot of light-hearted fun considering it is centered on pure kink. And then, of course, there were those one or two moments that brought (happy) tears to my eyes. Yes, ‘perfect’ is the appropriate word alright.

Picture the scene. On one side you’ll find your cowboy, a former bull-rider, all male and, apparently, in full control of his life and yet deeply ashamed of his fantasies when it comes to women. On the opposite side you have Simone, a professional submissive who has long since left any trace of shame about who and what she is behind. Their worlds are miles apart yet the attraction between them is instant and undeniable.

In fact, it’s fair to say that our cowboy is somewhat out of his depth next to the very experienced Simone. He may have fantasized about dominating a woman for a long time (and have felt guilty about those fantasies for just as long), but that doesn’t stop him from being horrified when he discovers he’s broken Simone’s skin and has drawn (a miniscule amount of) blood. It takes Simone talking sense to calm him down again:

“If you want to respect women, respect the real woman in front of you, not some fake fantasy idea of what women are supposed to be like.”

From that moment forward it is almost smooth sailing all the way. Almost… Because the believe system that Jason has been bullied into over twenty-nine years can’t be destroyed in four short days. Not even when he’s been able to be his true self for the first time in his life during those four wonderful days. Not even when he knows he’s fallen…hard and, not even when he knows those feelings are returned.

The crisis, when it hits is harsh and, thankfully, short-lived. What’s more, it was necessary drama. Without it even I, who hates angst with a vengeance, would have said this story was too much…too easy. As it is, this is pretty much an insta-love sorta romance that works perfectly. I never doubted that this was the meeting of two souls who were meant to be together. The conflict and the way in which it was resolved again, only emphasized the rightness of Jason and Simone’s connection.

Of course this wouldn’t be an Original Sinners story without Nora and Søren. While they don’t feature on the page a lot, they shine whenever they do and Nora, as always, is good for a few comments and one-liners that made me grin from ear to ear. Such as the following text exchange between Simone and Nora:

““That’s not helping,” Simone replied. “I’m trying not to fall in love with him.”

“If he’s nice, sexy, and knows how to spank, what’s stopping you?”

Fair question.

What I love about Tiffany Reisz’s Original Sinners series is that while her characters would agree that sex is serious business, there’s always the emphasis on fun. No matter how hard the domination or how total the submission, regardless of pain inflicted, there’s always humor, always a lighthearted moment or comment to keep the scene from getting too intense. And I think it’s in those light-hearted moments that I fall for these characters the hardest.

The blurb on Amazon describes this book as: ‘the perfect jumping-on point for new readers! And I agree. This book gives you a wonderful taste of the world the Original Sinners live in and shows off Tiffany Reisz’s wonderful voice in the best possible. Having said that. In the Original Sinners series the stories hide layers upon layers of under the surface intrigue that doesn’t reveal itself until the very end. Picture Perfect Cowboy is a simpler story, without hidden meanings and secrets lurking in the background, which is exactly how this story needs to be told. I guess this is a gentle introduction to the magical, kinky, and utterly enthralling world that is The Original Sinners’ universe.

This book ends with a free bonus short story called "Flogging 101" wherein Professor Søren and Mistress Nora give Jason a flogging lesson and Nora has the opportunity to show both Jason and the reader why she’s such a remarkable and delightful character.

““If you break her heart, they’ll never find your body.”

Jason swallowed. “I guess you know people”, Jason said, trying not to look terrified. Mistress Nora seemed like the sort of gal who knew “people.”

“No,” she said. “I am people.”

Long story short. Picture Perfect Cowboy is a delightful, incredibly sexy, yet at times deeply touching story. It once again reinforces Tiffany Reisz’s position as the queen of kink in my universe. Her place at the top of my insta-buy, must-read authors’ list also remains intact.

Author Bio

Tiffany Reisz is the USA Today bestselling author of the Original Sinners series for Mira Books and Mills & Boon, including the RT Book Reviews Best Erotic Romance 2012 winner The Siren and the LAMBDA Literary Award-winning The King. Her novel The Saint won the Romance Writers of America RITA® for best Erotic Romance in 2015.

Follow Tiffany on Social Media: Facebook • Twitter • Instagram

About 8th Circle Press

8th Circle Press is a Lexington, Kentucky-based publisher of literary friction. For more information, visit our website at www.8thCirclePress.com. 

Desire For Ecstasy (Desire For #3) by Adira August - Pre-Order Special

DESIRE FOR Ecstasy in Pre-order for Sept 21st Launch

A 58k billionaire bdsm romance. Part 3/3, the last book of the Desire for trilogy. Featuring Hunter Dane with an appearance by Camden Snow of the Hunt&Cam4Ever m/m romance-mystery series. 

Desire for Ecstasy launches Sept 21st.

Desire For Series Buy Links:

Desire for Touch | Desire for Bliss

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“THIS IS SO THE WRONG TIME FOR YOU TO LEAVE.”

“It’s exactly the right time.” Ben lifted her chin and kissed her. “Hunter Dane is a smart, intuitive guy. Go home, Avia. Go get your own life back. Because in the end it doesn’t matter what I want or what you crave. It only matters if you, in your heart and mind, want us to be Dominant and submissive.”

“Master and slave?” A very serious question.

“No. Slaves have no choices at all. I’m not into it. Your life is yours, that’s the woman who captured me. If this”—he looked around in a sweeping gaze that included all of his domain—“is ever to be our home, your home, Avienne, it will be your refuge, not your prison.”

The sound of the helicopter approaching reached them.

“I’ll text you.” He picked up his bag. “You are aware that I love you?”

So Ben, she thought. Passion couched in the objective. “Always.”

---

Blurb

In the aftermath of terror, violence and death, Avienne Rivers and Benedict Hart struggle to put their fragile relationship back together.

Crumbling under her guilt over the death of Henry "Hank" Eustace, Avia searches for a way to heal her life and relationships. In the end, she knows her answer can only be found in the arms of the man she loves.

Until she discovers Ben committed a purposeful act of staggering betrayal.

Everything had been for nothing. She was nothing.

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Desire for Ecstasy on Amazon - Kindle Unlimited