SAFEWORD

TITLE: SAFEWORD

AUTHOR: A.J. ROSE

Pages: 270

Date: 30/12/2013

Grade: 5+

Details: no. 2 Power Exchange

Own / Kindle

The blurb:

“Everywhere Detective Gavin DeGrassi looks he’s reminded of his attack by the Breath Play Killer. It’s in the house he lives in with his partner and Dom, Ben Haverson. It’s in the sympathetic yet pitying looks he receives from his fellow detectives when he returns to the force after a year-long hiatus. It’s in the suffocating coddling of his entire family, and the relentless reporter demanding an exclusive of his ordeal.

Most of all, it’s in his lack of submission to Ben, who isn’t convinced Gavin’s recovered enough to trust the power exchange between them.

The miraculous recovery of two teen boys from a twisted kidnapper gives him heart, and Gavin's determined to prove he can handle anything despite increasing strain between him and Ben, painful nightmares, and panic when anyone touches him.

But his next case is too close for comfort: a friend and colleague found raped and murdered in a fate chillingly similar to what could have been his own, and this killer isn’t stopping with one cop. As the body count rises and taunting souvenirs are being hand-delivered to Gavin, he faces a frustrating lack of leads, a crushing need to prove himself, and a sinking suspicion the imprisoned kidnapper’s reach is further than originally thought. A miasma of uncertainty and fear threaten to suffocate him when he asks a question with which he’s overwhelmingly familiar: what happens when a victim is pushed too far?”

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I was going to start this review by saying that I fell in love with three men while reading this book. And then I got this sense of déjà vu and decided to have a quick look at my review of “Power Exchange” and wouldn’t you know it? Those exact same words can be found there and while the sentiment is still the same, I won’t bore you be repeating myself too much.

Having said that, my feelings about this book are pretty much the same as the ones I have for "Power Exchange". A.J. Rose has managed to find what for me is the perfect balance between a good and heart-stopping mystery, a wonderful and gripping love story and very hot scenes. There is not a single boring paragraph in this book.

When the story starts it is hard not to get immersed in Gavin’s pain, Ben’s helplessness when it comes to lighten that load for the man he loves and the strains it is putting on their relationship.

“How could I give my whole self to him if I no longer recognized who I was?”

When Gavin and his partner Myah are put in charge of the investigation of the brutal murder of a colleague, my heart literally constricted. I saw so many ways in which this could harm Gavin’s slow road to recovery I almost wanted to walk away from the book.

I should have known better of course. I should have trusted this author and his characters. As the investigation grows ever more gruesome and frustrating, Gavin and Ben find the strength to face their combined and individual demons. Everything that could so easily have thrown them back into the darkness – the nature of the investigation, the fact that Gavin is apparently being targeted again -  all the stress and doubt that might have caused them to give up, instead forces them to delve that little bit deeper. The love and connection between these two men only grows more intense in the face of all that might destroy them and slowly Gavin is able to let go of his demons – one by one.

“The last of my walls, once ironclad in the wake of our trauma, crumbled like the turrets and battlements of a sandcastle, demolished by a smooth, powerful wave.”

I’m going to repeat myself again. I apologize but I seem incapable of stopping myself. If I ever feel the need to find myself a Dom, he will have to be a Ben. It was as if I could hear him while I was reading this book and… well, let’s just say he did things to me. Nice things.

“I want to tie you up, Gavin. But when I do, I want you immobile. I want you at my mercy. I want the sound of my voice to turn you on so much, you come without a hand on you.”

I loved the BDSM aspect of this book. I couldn’t get enough of the interactions between Ben and Gavin, was enthralled by the way their relationship developed and awed by the descriptions of the dynamic between them in this book.

“Just as it takes more strength to kneel before another than to stand besides them, it takes more self-awareness and humility to know what one can’t control in order to avoid losing control altogether.”

And then there is the way this author uses his words. And here I run into a problem. I don’t think I have the words to do A.J. Rose’s words justice.  I could just say that his words touched me, and that would be true, but it wouldn’t be enough. Maybe saying that his words resonated with me would be more accurate but it still doesn’t quite capture what I feel. So, instead I’ll give you a quote and leave it up to you to decide whether or not it is one of the most beautiful things you’ve ever read.

Okay, they're a bit too young, but the love is there.

“We stood in our living room on the precipice of understanding. The way behind was full of doubt and fear, of tiptoeing around each other and letting our past define us. The way forward was treacherous and exhilarating, full of possibility and risk and awakening. I knew which way I wanted to us to tip.”

I cried when Gavin was able to surrender again. That moment filled my heart with joy and my eyes with tears.

“I’d found it again: complete and wholehearted trust.”

I think I may have to apologize again. This book is as much a mystery as it is a love story and my review all but ignores that first aspect of the story. Let me stress that the mystery in this book is good, well plotted, thrilling and heartbreaking. And this time I didn’t beat the detectives; I got to the solution at about the same time they did.

There is a part of me that wants to cry because this may well be the end of Ben and Gavin’s story. Like I said before, I’ve fallen in love with these two characters and could happily read another ten books about them, regardless of what they would end up doing next. But, on the up side, I know that A.J. Rose is close to finishing a new, completely unrelated, book, and I’m rather excited about that. I also know that this is going to be a long book, and I’m even more excited about that. I can’t imagine this author suddenly producing characters who fail to steal my heart or a story that won’t keep me captivated from the first to the very last word. And if the worst comes to the worst and my withdrawal symptoms become too hard to bear, I can always reread Power Exchange and Safe Word. I don’t revisit books very often; there are just too many new books I’m curious about coming out all the time. It’s quite possible though that these two books will end up on the list of exceptions to that rule.

“Nothing mattered but him in my arms. The job, the house, none of it. It was stuff. He was my everything.”

TRANSGRESSION

TITLE: TRANSGRESSION

AUTHOR: THEO FENRAVEN

Pages: 205

Date: 29/12/2013

Grade: 5

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The blurb:

“Zachary Fox can’t sleep. 

His acting career is taking off. Public recognition is picking up. Now more than ever, he understands how key reputation is to his success. But his relationship with his co-star, Kris—arranged around publicity rather than genuine feelings—is suffocating him. She once understood his needs, but her demands are beginning to grate with every shrill order she gives. 

Zach has a secret. The breakout star of a new medical series, he’s been hiding his orientation from co-stars, friends and family, the studio, and his fans. 

On the recommendation of a friend, Zach seeks out Sky Kelly, a well-connected herbalist whose concoctions are natural magic, as is her stunning beauty. On the surface, she has it all: her own house, a thriving business, and good friends, but the things she had to do to get there are a time bomb ticking away, and when it goes off, she'll be teetering on the edge of a chasm that can put her right back where she started. 

Sky has secrets. Like, she’s got a Y chromosome and the original equipment to go with it. Like being a highly paid escort. Like, if Zach is seen with her in public, it could ruin his career. Like someone becoming so obsessed with Sky, that obsession threatens them both.

Secrets... everyone is hiding something, and instead of finding The One, it could be The End. “

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Before I start my review of this book I wanted to say this. I started writing about ‘Transgression’ last night, immediately after finishing it, and had to stop myself. It took about two paragraphs before my review turned into something resembling a political treatise. This book deals with an issue I have strong feelings about and I doubt that I’ll be able to keep those out of my review. I will however try to concentrate on the wonderful story and keep my personal feelings in the background.

This won’t be the first time I tell you that you really must read a book, and it probably won’t be the last time either. Whenever I’m fortunate enough to find a story that touches me in one way or another I feel this need to spread the word in the hope that other people will find the same reading joy I did. And this story touched me; boy did it ever. It touched me in so many ways it is hard to know where to begin, but I’ll try.

First and foremost this book touched me because of the wonderful love story it contains. The story of a love so strong it will overcome prejudice, personal setbacks as well as scrutiny and scorn.

When Zach, an up and coming actor and Sky, a beautiful herbalist, first meet there is an attraction between them. What neither of them knows is that the other person is hiding a secret that, if it ever came out, could cost them everything they’ve worked so hard to build. When they reveal their secrets to each other, Zach and Sky realize that not only are they attracted to each other; their individual secrets also mean they couldn’t be better suited for each other. In a perfect world, that would have been the end of the story – happy ever after and so on. In the real world, and in this book, it means shit hits the fan as soon as their relationship as well as their secrets are publicly revealed. Throw into the mix a spoiled young man obsessed with Sky and suddenly it is not only their starting relationship which is in danger.

The second reason I’ve fallen in love with this book is because of how it deals with diversity. Zach, Sky and quite a few of the other characters in this book have feelings, bodies and preferences that make them stand out from what the world would describe as ‘the norm’ (whatever that may be). Theo Fenraven managed to show that just as having red hair doesn’t make you a lesser human being, neither does being bi-sexual, or transgender, or a cross-dresser. Again, it shouldn’t be necessary to point this out, but since, unfortunately it is, I am glad it was done in such a sensitive yet realistic way. I’m sure it would have been tempting to make these characters almost saintly, if only to compensate for all the prejudice that does exist. The author, thankfully, didn’t fall into that trap. These are characters like you find in any other love story; they have their strong and weak points, there are moments you’d like to shout at them to just get their act together and follow their hearts and fuck the world, and you’ll find your heart breaking for them when everything appears to fall apart.

To say that for most of the book I was hurting for Sky would be an understatement.

“She was different, exotic, an anomaly that intrigued. She understood why they were compelled to see for themselves, but their unconcealed interest in her anatomy only perpetuated the feeling she was a freak, a mistake of nature that shouldn’t exist.”

To think that anybody might consider themselves a freak is enough to break my heart, the knowledge that the world is filled with people who would view Sky as just that makes me want to scream.    

So many characters in this book struggle with what they are; are so afraid of how they will be perceived if their secret were to ever come out that they keep it even from those they consider their best friends. I can’t even imagine what it must be like to live your life like that and shudder when I try to imagine how lonely a person would feel as the result of keeping those secrets.

 “It’s a black and white world, and the rainbow has no place in it.” - Zach

The fact that this book exists and may get one or two people to think again gives me a small glimmer of hope; hope that there will be a day when Zach’s observation will no longer be true because the rainbow will have become accepted by all as the beauty it represents.

This book rubs all the prejudice that floats around in this world right into the readers’ faces and even if you don’t have a prejudiced bone in your body you’ll end up feeling ashamed of all the things people think, and allow themselves to say out loud. I will never understand why people feel the need to put down or object to anything or anybody that is different or how they could imagine that it is okay to do so.

Of course this book can be read as “just another” love story. It is my hope that those who pick up this book will recognise all the issues the story deals with while enjoying the love story.  My only regret after reading this book is that the ending, beautiful as it is, isn’t a reality for more couples in the real world.

I started off this review saying that I didn’t want to turn this into a personal quest; I think I may have failed in that. My intention was to write a review that accurately reflected my thoughts and feelings during and after reading this book; I fear I may have failed in that too. It seems that I just don’t have the words to describe all the feelings this book awakened in me.

So, allow me to summarize; this is a beautiful love story centered on issues that shouldn’t be issues to begin with but need to be confronted for as long as they are. This is one of the best, most memorable books I’ve read this year. The story is good and should be read by anybody who wants a little bit more from their books than just another charming love story.

SAFE IN HIS ARMS

TITLE: SAFE IN HIS ARMS

AUTHOR: RENEE ROSE

Pages: 124

Date: 27/12/2013

Grade: 3.5

Details: Received from Stormy Night Publications

              Through NetGalley

Own / Kindle

The blurb:

“For as long as she could remember, Becca dreamed of a dominant man to take her in hand, and Zac, the handsome Marine she met at her sister's wedding, filled the role with aplomb… for a weekend. Then the fling came to an end, Zac went off to war and died for his country, and Becca learned she carried a child who would be born without a father.

Seven years later, Becca has done her best to move on and forget about Zac… until the day she walks into her kitchen to find the man she believed she would never see again locked in mortal combat with her son’s nanny, and realizes everything she thought she knew about Zac was a lie.

Like all Black Ops agents, Zac doesn't exist in any government record. His life is a series of deadly missions, and relationships of any kind are unsanctioned. But he keeps one secret. He watches over Becca, the beautiful daughter of a rogue agent, and Parker, the six-year-old boy he fathered that fateful weekend. When he spots a known assassin in their apartment posing as a nanny, he's forced to reveal himself and take them to safety… whether Becca likes it or not.

While Becca may have enjoyed his dominance once, bending her to his will again may not be quite so easy. He is determined to keep her safe, however, and if a long, hard spanking is required, he is more than willing to oblige. Having Becca over his knee rekindles more than his passion, though; even when the immediate danger has passed, he finds it much more difficult to “ghost out” on his family again. Must he resign himself to protecting those he loves from afar, or can he find a way to be the man Becca needs and longs for, the man who is worthy of her submission and her love?”

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This was a charming erotic love story, if a little bit short. The set up is nicely done.

After one weekend with Zac, the man who fulfills all her fantasies, Becca finds herself pregnant. She knows that he is a Marine and unlikely to be around a lot but nothing prepares her for the news that he has died; leaving her to raise her son alone.

If Becca was unprepared for single parenthood, she’s even less prepared for the shock she receives when she finds herself face to face with the father of her child once again six years after he’s supposed to have died. Discovering that he is a ghost – a Black Ops agent with no official identity and no possibility of ever living in the real world – destroys any hopes she might have had of reuniting with her son’s father. And, as if all of that is not enough, she also discovers that she and her son are in danger; the nanny she had recently hired turns out to be a professional killer.

Despite all her doubts Becca can’t deny that she is still attracted to Zac and graves the domination only he can provide her with. But even as she is trying to figure out how to resolve his need to be invisible with her need to have him in her life danger comes lurking once again, leaving her and her son in a situation that may well end up killing them.

Zac hates that he had to stay out of Becca and Parker’s lives. He has done what he can, providing them with affordable housing and an income without ever contacting them. Being close to Becca again unleashes all his feelings for the woman who captured his heart over the course of one weekend and just walking away isn’t an option anymore. The problem is that staying with her is even less of an option. It will take deadly danger to make Zac realize that sometimes the impossible has to be done anyway.

Like I said, this was a nice story. Both Becca and Zac were interesting characters, if a bit two dimensional due to lack of back story. I’m not entirely sure how I felt about this psychic connection between Zac and his son but I did like that Zac had been keeping an eye on his unofficial family over the years.

In fact, there was a lot I liked about Zac, especially the way he had no reluctance admitting his feelings, first to himself and then to Becca too.

“This was what it was to love, then. Helplessness. And attachment to something that could be taken away or lost.” – Zac

I wasn’t quite as impressed with Becca who seemed a strange mixture of very strong and rather helpless. And I can’t help thinking that after having it explained to her several times Becca would be able to remember why the spankings were working so well in their relationship.

This is one hot story though and especially the spanking scenes are not for the feint of heart. This couple isn't playing when it comes to spanking; Zac and Becca are looking for more than lightly tinted ass cheeks. Zac inflicts real pain and Becca receives real benefit from it even if she is very slow to realise that. After all, the theme of this book is Domestic Discipline and as such the spankings are punishment. Becca may ultimately find pleasure in them, they are inflicted as punishment and are meant to hurt. The introduction to anal sex seemed a bit too fast to me, but that may well be a personal thing so don't let that put you off reading this book.

Despite those niggles I did enjoy this quick read. It was a straight forward story with a little bit of mystery, some action, a lot of heat and a wonderful happy ending. In fact it was a good read to spend a stormy afternoon indoors with.

UNHINGE THE UNIVERSE

TITLE: UNHINGE THE UNIVERSE

AUTHORS: ALEKSANDR VOINOV & L.A. WITT

Pages: 288

Date: 24/12/2013

Grade: 4.5

Details: Received from Riptide Publishing

              Through NetGalley

Own/Kindle

The blurb:

“SS Lieutenant Hagen Friedrichs is the sole survivor of a party sent to retrieve his brother—and the highly sensitive information he’s carrying—from behind enemy lines. But his daring rescue attempt fails, and Hagen becomes the prisoner.

Allied command has ordered Captain John Nicholls to extract critical intelligence from their new Nazi POW. His secrets could turn the tide of the war, but are they real? John is determined to find out . . . and to shatter the prisoner who killed his lover during the attack on their tiny base. The deeper he digs, though, the more he realizes that the soldier under the SS uniform is just like him: a scared, exhausted young man who’s lost loved ones and just wants to go home.

As captor and captive form an unexpected bond, the lines quickly blur between enemy, friend, and lover. And as horrifying rumors spread from the front lines and American soldiers turn their sights on the SS for vengeance, John may be Hagen’s only hope for survival.”

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About 15 years ago I decided that I’d read enough books about WW II to last me a life-time and would try to stay away from them. That was before I read ‘The Book Thief’, before I discovered Elizabeth Wein and before I even knew ‘Unhinge the Universe’ existed. So far, every single time I broke my vow has been rewarded with a wonderful reading experience. I guess it is time to admit that a good book is a good book even when it is set at a time and place I’ve already read too many books about.

‘Unhinge the Universe’ is indeed a wonderful book for several reasons. First and foremost this is a well written book with an intriguing, tension-filled, sexy and captivating storyline, fascinating main characters and a perspective I haven’t come across before.

In a story set during this war you expect the line between good and bad to be obvious; of course the German has to be the villain and the American the hero.

It makes a refreshing change to see the authors haven’t chosen the easy and obvious route and have managed to create two characters who, while on opposite sides, both have personal reasons for hating and distrusting each other only for those reasons to slip into the background and the attraction between the two of them to take over.

I loved how what started as a game to get the upper hand over the other man slowly turned into a connection that both John and Hagen found impossible to ignore despite the obvious dangers involved. Both men start of trying to use the other man’s homosexuality against him only to find that not only have they given each other a potentially lethal weapon they have also discovered an attraction that won’t be denied.

The reluctant but growing attraction between Hagen and John was a delight to read although I have to admit that the change in their feelings towards each other happened a bit too quickly for me. Even taking into account the fact that they were in a war situation where ‘normal’ time-lines and emotions don’t apply I couldn’t help feeling that both of them were able to put their personal losses behind them a bit too easily. And there were one or two other issues that made me raise my eyebrows because they seemed unlikely. But, and I can’t stress this enough, it didn’t take away from my reading pleasure at all. In fact, my ‘issues’ only surfaced after I’d finished the book and reflected on the story. While I was reading the story and caught up in the tension my only concern was for John and Hagen and their seemingly impossible future.

The fact that I couldn’t imagine how a happy ending might be achieved for these two characters made this a rather strange reading experience – wonderful but strange. Whenever I had to put the book down for a moment I had a very hard time picking it back up, not because I didn’t love the book, I did, but because I was so worried about these two characters. I didn’t want to get to the last page if it wouldn’t bring me the ending I was hoping for.

What was even more amazing was that I was having these angsty feelings while Hagen and John didn’t.  I guess that made sense for these characters; in a war situation living in and worrying about the moment rather than the future is probably the only way to survive. Finding myself torn between the need to know how the story would end and being afraid to do so, just in case the ending wouldn’t be what I was hoping for, was exhilarating and meant that even while I wasn’t actually reading, John and Hagen were firmly stuck in my mind. I have no doubt that they will linger there for a while longer.

This book surprised and delighted me. An unlikely but sensual and sexy love story in an even more unlikely setting on its own would be enough to make me a happy reader. The fact that these authors managed to combine that love story with a description of war that was neither glorifying it nor resorting to stereotypes made this book a treasure. It is safe to say that Aleksandr Voinov and L.A. Witt have found themselves another fan to add to what should, by rights, be a multitude of admirers.

“Strange, he thought, how it really was the same for the men on either side of this war. It battered them all the same, broke men in one uniform as easily as the other, and deep down, everyone just wanted it to be over. Maybe someday, it would be” – John

AWAKENING

TITLE: AWAKENING

AUTHOR: ELENE SALLINGER

Pages: 224

Date: 22/12/2013

Grade: 3+

Details: No. 1 The Chrysalis Series

              Received from SourceBooks Casablanca

              Through NetGalley

Own/Kindle

“Claire Ryan is finally coming out of her shell after a devastating breakup. What better way to rejoin the world than through a romance book club. But she never expects to find love for herself... Bookshop owner Evan Lang still harbors deep grief for the death of his wife. He'd introduced her to a world of domination she'd never before known. He thinks he'll never be able to find someone that open, that responsive again. Until Claire walks through his door...

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This book could have been so much better. I liked the idea behind the story; two people dealing with past issues coming together and eventually finding a way to overcome what lies behind them so that they can create a future together. I just wasn’t impressed with the way in which the story was told.

 For starters, the first part of this book dragged for me. I don’t mind if it takes the main characters in a romance – erotic or otherwise – a long time to actually get to admitting that they are attracted to each other. In fact, I love it when the build-up to the characters getting intimate is slow yet heated. I do however expect there to be interaction between those two characters, an aspect that was rather lacking from the first half of this story.

 The story has more or less reached the half way mark before Claire and Evan even start talking. Up until that point they have been trying to ignore each other and Evan has been nothing short of rude and abrupt with Claire. All the reader gets to see are the angst-filled thoughts and feelings on both sides. I have to be honest and admit there were one or two occasions I just wanted to put the book away because the story didn’t appear to be going anywhere.

I had a few issues with the characters as well. Claire seems to be a contraction in terms. She has come out of a long relationship about which she feels guilty because of the way she behaved, has been unsatisfied with her love-life for as long as she can remember and has fantasies about a less vanilla – although she’s not aware of that term – relationship and yet she has, when the story starts, never touched her own vagina while masturbating? I guess it is possible, but to me it just felt unlikely. And I wasn’t anymore convinced that the woman who couldn’t bring herself to actually buy the erotic books she was interested in would, without a second thought, engage in a sexual encounter in the bookshop while it was still open to the public.

And Evan seems to be as much of a contradiction. He sees Claire, recognizes her needs and decides to try and help her without getting involved with her. His main aim is to make sure that she won’t fall into the hands of a man who will take advantage of her needs and fantasies. Yet, in the act of introducing her to BDSM he turns into exactly the Dom he says he is trying to protect her from. Unable to contain either his anger at himself or his lust for the woman he doesn’t want to be interested in, he is a risk rather than a safe harbor.

Having said all of that, there were quite a few things that I did enjoy. I liked how Evan left out relevant books for Claire to find so that she could discover that her desires were not crazy or dirty but rather something lots of people share with her and indulge in. I loved the way he explained the BDSM dynamic to her and adored him for trying to show her how beautiful and seductive she is.

Claire grew on me once the story really kicked off in the second half of the book. I loved her submission to Evan and adored how that submission didn’t mean she forgot to look after herself. In fact, the more she submits the more she grows to value herself, and that was a wonderful dynamic to watch.

The sex scenes, once they did happen, were HOT. I loved the way Evan introduced Claire to the delights of controlled pain. It was wonderful to observe her while she got to understand that her need to feel pain didn't mean she was depraved or crazy but rather an opportunity to experience a different way of intimacy. And I would have adored Evan's lack of control when it came to Claire just as much had it not been for the fact that he was supposed to be introducing her to BDSM and should have been in complete control, especially considering her fragility. But the spanking, the flogging and the introduction to anal play were all written in such a way that I could almost experience the sensations.

 In short, for me this was an exercise in contradictions. I’m sorry that the best I can say about this book is that it was an okay read for me. I’m convinced that all the ingredients for a brilliant story where there, if only the author had chosen to use them in a slightly different way.

I’ll end this review with my favourite quote from this book.

“What did I tell you about tears, little one?”

“They are for things you can’t change.”

CHRISTMAS WITH CADEN: MEET NIKKA MICHAELS AND HER BOOK

Good morning and thanks to the lovely and always supportive Helena Stone for hosting me. I hope everyone has a safe and Happy Holiday.

Meet Nikka Michaels; the author of ‘Christmas with Caden’ in twenty questions:

Number: 42. You thought I was gonna say 69, didn’t you?

Colour: Red

Food: Good old burger and fries.

Drink: Ice cold Coca Cola from the fountain.

Pet: Cat

Season: Fall in the PNW.

Activity: Reading, writing, watching tv.

Sport/Team/Individual:   

     Baseball: Seattle Mariners
     Football: Seatle Seahawks  

     Soccer: Portland Timbers
     Hockey: Portland Winter hawks 

Music: Everything and anything.

Artist (Music): Right now it’s Imagine Dragons.

TV programme: Chopped

Genre (Books): M/M and erotica.

Author: Too many to list. Right now it’s Amy Lane.

Book: I Know this Much is True by Wally Lamb

Writing space: My desk by the windows.

Writing clothes: PJS!

Background sound when writing: Music, dishwasher, lol

Place in the world: Australia

Dream: To be able to be a writer full time.

And the one thing you detest more than anything else: Spiders. ::shudder::

And now, meet the book:

 

Christmas with Caden 

by: Nikka Michaels

Genre: Erotic Romance

Length: Short Story

Published: December 15, 2013

Publisher: Cobblestone Press

CHRISTMAS WITH CADEN BLURB:

Paige Anthony is annoyed at spending Friday night at the company Christmas party. She’s bored until she spots the son of the boss, Caden Davis dancing and is intrigued.

When Caden saves Paige from the advances of his brother, she looks at him in a new light. A few sexy dances later, she manages to forget the horrible beginning of the night. When she decides to leave, he offers to walk her home and admits he’s wanted her for a while. Will Paige’s attraction be enough to make her forget about holidays past and consider Christmas with Caden?

CHRISTMAS WITH CADEN EXCERPT:

“Is this how you really dance? Because you can show me the real you, you know. After all, you did just middle school dance me. I want a Caden dance.”

His slow, wicked smile made her stomach flip and heat flood her skin. “You want me? You got me.”

Slowly he spun her in a circle, her back resting against the front of his body. His hands settled on her hips, squeezing gently as he nuzzled her ear. His fingers pulled the fabric of her dress taut against her nipples as the delicious friction intensified with every move. She bit back a low moan at the sensation.

“This is me. This is how I really dance.”

Shivering at the feel of his warm breath against her ear, she closed her eyes and let her body go loose, relaxing as she moved with the beat of the music. His hands smoothed up and down her sides, teasingly light as he moved with her, not guiding but simply moving with her.

Through the thin fabric of her dress and his shirt and suit pants, heat from his body added to the sweat that beaded on her skin. She could feel his hardness pressing against her ass when she rocked back into him, though he let her lead all their movement. The club had gotten more crowded as they’d danced. The look on his face when she glanced up at him was one of hunger, his heavy-lidded eyes gone dark, illuminated by the flash of the strobe light. With the top buttons of his shirt undone, he looked as though he’d just been dragged off the floor and ravished.

Paige wanted to be the reason he looked that way.

CHRISTMAS WITH CADEN BUY LINKS:

Cobblestone Press: http://www.cobblestone-press.com/catalog/books/christmaswithcaden.htm

Amazon US: http://www.amazon.com/Christmas-Caden-Nikka-Michaels-ebook/dp/B00HELTTMS/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1387383546&sr=8-1&keywords=Christmas+with+Caden

Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Christmas-Caden-Nikka-Michaels-ebook/dp/B00HELTTMS/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1387383658&sr=8-3&keywords=Nikka+Michaels

All Romance eBooks: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-christmaswithcaden-1375585-356.html

Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/christmas-with-caden-nikka-michaels/1117745994?ean=2940148873488

NIKKA MICHAELS BIO:

Nikka Michaels lives in the often rainy Pacific Northwest where she spends her time cooking, laughing and crafting romantic tales to satisfy her craving for HEAs.

Blog: http://www.nikkamichaels.com

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/nikkamichaels

Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/Nikka.Michaels

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7231273.Nikka_Michaels

COVER REVEAL FOR 'TRUST' BY SHERRI HAYES

Finding Anna, Book 4 Cover Reveal

It is my pleasure and honour to be part of the cover reveal for Truth, the fourth and final installment in the wonderful Finding Anna series by Sherri Hayes. I can't wait to get my hands on this title and find out how the story ends.

 

Book 1

Stephan has lived the lifestyle of a Dominant for five years. After several rebellious teenage years, it gave him the stability and control he had been seeking after his parent’s death.

As president of a not-for-profit foundation, he knows what his future holds and what he wants out of life. All that changes when a simple lunch with his college friend and Mentor, Daren, leads him to buying a slave.

Thrust into a situation he never thought he’d be in, Stephan can’t walk away. He is compelled to help this girl in the only way he knows how.

Brianna knows only one thing, she is a slave. She has nothing. She is nothing.

Can Stephan help Brianna realize that she is much more than just a Slave?

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Book 2

As Brianna comes to terms with the realization that she is no longer a slave, she must figure out what she wants for her life. Forgetting her past isn’t an option. It is an integral part of who she is now, and it will forever shape her view of life. The one thing she knows is that she cannot imagine her life without the man who saved her, but can she be what he needs? 

Stephan never imagined falling in love with the woman he rescued, but the thought of her no longer being part of his life is physically painful. The scars from her past continue to haunt her, and he is helpless to stop them. All he can do is try to help her work through the traumas of her past. Can he be everything she needs and help her move on?

The two must figure out how to navigate not only their relationship with each other, but also the outside world. A friend from Brianna’s past shows up where she least expects them, and Uncle Richard continues to enforce his well-meaning agenda to get Brianna more traditional help. As forces, both friend and foe, threaten to tear them apart, Stephan and Brianna have to navigate the turbulent waters and find what they need in each other.

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Book 3

For the last two months, Brianna has discovered something she never thought she would again. Hope. After the horror of being Ian’s slave for ten months, a fate she never imagined she’d escape, it feels as if she is living a dream. She has freedom she hadn’t expected to have again, and she wakes up every morning not fearing what the day will bring.

There is also Stephan. The man who saved her from the daily torture she had to endure at the hands of Ian and his friends. The same man who makes her heart race with just the thought of him. Life is good.

Outside forces are determined to conspire against them, however. When Brianna’s father shows up on her doorstep, it sends her world spiraling out of control. He brings with him new information about how Brianna ended up in Ian’s clutches, but will it make a difference? Will Stephan be able to find a way to make Ian pay for all he made Brianna suffer?

As Brianna and Stephan try to find out the truth, their relationship is tested. She is forced to face her past head on and deal with the ugly reality of what happened to her. Will Stephan’s love be enough to see her through her newest challenge, or will the fragile trust they’ve built come crumbling down around them as the truth makes itself known.

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Book 4 - Available March 20, 2014

 

CHRISTMAS WITH CADEN: A REVIEW

TITLE: CHRISMAS WITH CADEN

AUTHOR: NIKKA MICHAELS

Pages: 29

Date: 19/12/2013

Grade: 4+

Details: Short Story

              Proof received from author

Own/Kindle

The blurb:

“Paige Anthony is annoyed at spending Friday night at the company Christmas party. She’s bored until she spots the son of the boss, Caden Davis dancing and is intrigued.

When Caden saves Paige from the advances of his brother, she looks at him in a new light. A few sexy dances later, she manages to forget the horrible beginning of the night. When she decides to leave, he offers to walk her home and admits he’s wanted her for a while. Will Paige’s attraction be enough to make her forget about holidays past and consider Christmas with Caden?”

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Seasonal, romantic and sexy this was a perfect story to read on a cold winter’s afternoon. I liked Paige Anthony. In fact, she reminded me a bit of me, especially in her dislike of the office party she felt she had to attend for at least a little while.

It was good to see that despite this being a short story, Nikka Michaels had taken the time to build up to the steamy scenes. Too often in books, especially short ones, I end up wondering how on earth the two characters managed to end up in a bed together. In this story it actually felt natural. Between Caden’s pre-existing feelings for Paige and Paige’s growing attraction for her boss’s youngest son it made sense for the two of them to end up exactly where they did.

If I’m honest I have to admit that for me the dance scene was at least as hot as the more intimate ones later on.

“To Paige, nothing was sexier than a man owning his body and knowing how to move it.”

And I always adore a story in which the female lead is at least as strong and self-assured as her male counterpart. Paige is no damsel in distress; she can handle herself and does so quite effectively. She also knows exactly what she wants and how to go about getting it.

“I deserve to take what I want, Caden. What I want right now is to kiss you.”

Did I mention that this is a hot story? Well, it is. It may be short, and I may have wished to spend more time with these two characters but I can’t deny that this story hit all the right buttons for me.

“She wanted nothing more than to make Caden feel good, feel as good as he’d made her feel this whole evening, from cared for to the bone-melting, soul-melting connection they’d had so far.”

I seem to be saying it a lot lately, but Nikka Michaels is yet another author I’ll be keeping a close eye on. I loved ‘Chasing Matt’ the book she co-authored with Eileen Griffin and with this book she has shown herself to be not just a wonderful writer but also a versatile one. I can’t wait to see what might be coming next.

Buy links:

Cobblestone Press

Amazon US

Amazon UK

All Romance eBooks

Barnes and Noble