April 8, 2016 by Tina Williams

BLOG TOUR & AUTHOR POST ~ City Nights: One Night in Budapest, by Lucy Felthouse (plus giveaway)

Unexpected Humour by Lucy Felthouse (@cw1985) #newrelease #erotica #romance #newadult #NA #tirgearr #blogtour

I occasionally get comments from readers about the humour in my books. It’s not in all of my books, and to be honest, except for the most recent stuff I’ve worked on, I don’t think I could say offhand which ones do contain funnies. Reason being… I don’t know I’m doing it. Much of the time, I don’t even know I’ve done it. It’s weeks or months down the line, when I’m working with an editor on my books, and I’ve had some level of remove from the story, that I realise there’s humour in there. It makes me laugh, so it obviously stems from my sense of humour—which admittedly, is pretty bonkers. But I definitely don’t sit there writing and thinking to myself “I’ll just add that in there because it’s funny” or “I must add something amusing to this chapter.” Whatever it is, it just seems to happen naturally.

This was definitely the case with One Night in Budapest. While it’s not got as many humorous parts as in some of my other books, there’s a particular section that made me grin as I wrote it, and laugh out loud as I edited it. Again, it wasn’t something I deliberately wrote to be amusing, more a situation that presented itself, and I saw it mainly as an opportunity to torment my characters a little. I hope it makes you smile, too. I’ve posted a little teaser of it below—though it’s not the whole section, as I don’t want to give too much away 😉

Happy Reading,

Lucy x

*****

Blurb for City Nights: One Night in Budapest

Adult/18+ read

Hermione’s in Budapest on a romantic weekend break. Or at least it should have been romantic—an unexpected break-up means she’s visiting the Hungarian capital alone. Determined to make the most of it, she goes on a night-time river cruise, the perfect opportunity to see some of the city’s beautiful sights after dark.

On the boat, cute Budapest native Emil serves her cocktails. They chat a little on the journey, engage in some banter, and when Emil asks Hermione out for dinner, she’s seriously tempted. But she’s a long way from home, by herself—is dinner with a complete stranger a good idea? Hermione decides to take a chance, and what follows is an unforgettable night which will transform her life forever.

Buy links:

Amazon Barnes & Noble

iBooks UK iBooks US

Kobo Smashwords

*****

Excerpt

Emil made a note on his pad. “Very good. Would you like to choose your second drink now, or later?”

“Later, I think. Thank you.” That would, at least, give her time to peruse the options at a more leisurely pace so she could find something else she fancied that didn’t have a name with sexual connotations.

She couldn’t help wondering whether she would be bothered about that had Emil not been so attractive. Would she have been able to ask a woman, or a man she didn’t find attractive, for a Screaming Orgasm or a Quick Fuck without bursting into laughter or dying of embarrassment? As she watched Emil walk away, his backside tight and luscious in his uniform trousers, she figured she wouldn’t be able to find out the answer to that question any time soon. He’d clearly assigned himself to her table, probably to ensure she got her bargain drinks. Christ, if they got any cheaper, they’d be paying her to drink them.

Therefore, the way she saw it, she had three options: have another Woo Woo, find something else that didn’t have a smutty name, or suck it up and order whatever the hell she wanted, smutty name or not.

Shaking her head at her own silliness, she turned back to admiring the city as it floated by the windows. At least she had a little while to make up her mind—her first stupidly named drink had yet to come.

*****

Author Bio

Lucy Felthouse is the award-winning author of erotic romance novels Stately Pleasures (named in the top 5 of Cliterati.co.uk’s 100 Modern Erotic Classics That You’ve Never Heard Of, and an Amazon bestseller) and Eyes Wide Open (winner of the Love Romances Café’s Best Ménage Book 2015 award, and an Amazon bestseller). Including novels, short stories and novellas, she has over 140 publications to her name. She owns Erotica For All, is book editor for Cliterati, and is one eighth of The Brit Babes. Find out more about her writing at http://lucyfelthouse.co.uk, or on Twitter and Facebook. You can also subscribe to her monthly newsletter at: http://eepurl.com/gMQb9

*****

GIVEAWAY!

Make sure to follow the whole tour—the more posts you visit throughout, the more chances you’ll get to enter the giveaway. The tour dates are here: http://www.writermarketing.co.uk/prpromotion/blog-tours/currently-on-tour/lucy-felthouse-15/

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April 4, 2016 by Tina Williams

RELEASE BLITZ ~ Love Through a Lens, by Lucy Felthouse (includes excerpt)

Out Now – Love Through a Lens by Lucy Felthouse (@cw1985) #romance #erorom #maytodecember

Blurb:

Celine Patterson is a recent graduate eager to begin her career as a camerawoman—with the fashion world and all its glitz and glamour calling to her. Things aren’t that simple, however, and she’s forced to take a job making a documentary in the Peak District countryside with a mid-list British actor.

In spite of her initial disappointment—not only is the job not what she wanted, the pay is appalling, too—Celine warms to the project. The actor she’s working with, Edward Robson, is kind, considerate, funny and a consummate professional. She realizes she can learn a great deal from him, and resolves to do so.

As the days of the shoot pass by, Celine grows increasingly fond of Edward, and that fondness quickly goes beyond the platonic. Convinced her crush is completely one-sided—he’s over three decades her senior, for starters—she tries hard to ignore it, hoping the feelings will go away.

But then something happens to change Celine’s opinion, and flip her world upside-down. How will she react? And can she emerge from this project with both her career and her heart intact?

Note: Love Through a Lens has been previously released as part of the Sweet Sensations boxed set.

Buy links:

Amazon: All Romance eBooks: Barnes & Noble:

iBooks UK: iBooks US:

Kobo: Smashwords:

Add to Goodreads:

*****

Excerpt:

Celine gritted her teeth and hung tightly onto the straps of her backpack as she forced one foot in front of the other up the steep incline. Her heart felt like it was going to explode from her chest, and her lungs screamed with the effort of providing her oxygen supply. Really, she needed to stop, to catch her breath, regain some equilibrium. But Edward was already way ahead of her, striding powerfully along as though their chosen path were perfectly flat. He had a huge backpack of his own, too, which didn’t seem to be slowing him down a jot.

But then, this was the difference between the two of them—or one of the differences, anyway. Edward Robson, mid-list British actor, was also a very keen outdoorsman, and probably did these kinds of walks all the time—with or without a camera being pointed at him.

Celine Patterson, however, was a different story altogether. Newly graduated from university, she’d struggled to find filming work in her preferred field—fashion—and so she’d had to cast her net wider. Incredibly wide, as it happened.

With hindsight, it was easy to see why she’d gotten the job with Edward—nobody else had wanted it. Not a damn soul. Traipsing around the Peak District wasn’t so bad, but add in heavy camera equipment, camping gear, food, clothing, maps, plans, GPS unit, satellite phone and makeup—for Edward, not for her—and a nice walk suddenly became a grueling trek. The money was poor, too, especially considering she was the only member of Edward’s crew. Could a single person even be called a crew? Or was she just a dogsbody?

She’d had no choice. It was this job or nothing. Crap money or no money. And, most importantly, this credit on her CV or no credit at all. She knew she had to start racking the credits and references up soon, if she wanted to get ahead in the highly competitive field.

So here she was, dragging herself up a heart attack inducing hill in the wake of an actor-cum-presenter. At least the project was interesting; they were checking out sites of myths, legends and ghost stories, that kind of thing. Edward was nice, too—kind, polite and pretty funny. Even better, it wasn’t raining. Overall, things could be a damn sight worse. She could be working with animals or children—or even both. And she’d heard many times over that they were the absolute worst.

She was still convincing herself that things weren’t that bad after all, when she glanced up and came to an abrupt halt as she realized there was a crotch practically in her face. Snapping her head up so fast it made her neck hurt, she made eye contact with Edward, who was standing a couple of paces farther up the slope, hence the awkward face-to-crotch angle. Her already hot face blazed with embarrassment. For once, she hoped the fact she was overheated would hide her mortification. The slight breeze that blew was doing nothing to lower her temperature.

*****

Author Bio:

Lucy Felthouse is the award-winning author of erotic romance novels Stately Pleasures (named in the top 5 of Cliterati.co.uk’s 100 Modern Erotic Classics That You’ve Never Heard Of, and an Amazon bestseller) and Eyes Wide Open (an Amazon bestseller). Including novels, short stories and novellas, she has over 140 publications to her name. She owns Erotica For All, is book editor for Cliterati, and is one eighth of The Brit Babes. Find out more about her writing at http://lucyfelthouse.co.uk, or on Twitter and Facebook. You can also subscribe to her monthly newsletter at: http://eepurl.com/gMQb9

March 26, 2016 by Tina Williams

REVIEW ~ Evening Breeze, by R.M. Miller

Literary Erotica/Erotic Novella

Adult/18+ Content

Book Blurb:

EVENING BREEZE: University student Ray was planning to spend the summer on a simple walking holiday with his gregarious girlfriend, but at the last minute she informs him she’s off on an exciting trip overseas with other friends, including a guy who is sweet on her, and without Ray. Despondent and dejected, Ray consoles himself by accepting an off the cuff invitation to join the pretty but reserved and difficult to know fellow student Daphne at her family home deep in the countryside. Ray sees it as an opportunity to get revenge on his girlfriend with a distracting summer fling, but he doesn’t count on falling in love with Daphne, nor is he prepared for the wayward attentions of Daphne’s scheming younger sister Izzy. An enchanting, provocative and powerful tale of passion, betrayal and love, Evening Breeze is a story you will never forget.

DESCRIPTION: A work of interracial erotic fiction: WW/BM. All characters 18+ years of age.

CONTENT WARNING: This story is intended for adults only and contains explicit language and graphic sexual content, including scenes some may find shocking; if you are offended by this kind of content, or if you are under the age of consent, then you should not read this book. Anyone purchasing this book thereby confirms they are of the age of consent and affirms their responsibility to keep the material from anyone under the age of consent.

My Review * (Five Stars)

Erotic and Suspenseful Tale of Love and Revenge

Evening Breeze by Reuben Miller is a wonderfully rich piece of literary erotica which enlivens all the senses. It is essentially a coming of age read and one that will stay in your mind long after you have read it. Although the action takes place over little more than a few days, the narrative and dialogue are so intense, that the characters and the setting leap off the page. The author’s writing is sublime, whether describing the beauty of the Devon countryside or the intensity of the love and passion the two main characters, Daphne and Ray, feel towards one another.

The serenity of the bucolic landscape where most of the action is set, and the growing romance between Daphne and Ray, contrasts with the ugliness of the character of Izzy, Daphne’s sister, as she draws Ray ever deeper into her web of deceit. I feared so much for Ray and Daphne as the novella progressed and the author does an excellent job of portraying Ray’s emotional turmoil and Izzy’s true nature.

The erotic scenes are superbly written and the author does an excellent job of describing teenage angst and portraying the life and culture of university life. It is clear from the outset that the love and bliss that Ray and Daphne find in each other are threatened by Izzy. Ray’s increasing tension as he waits for her next move is palpable and mirrored my own as a reader. I was on tenterhooks as the novella approached it’s denouement.

All in all a superb read.

Reviewed by Tina Williams

Please note, a copy of the book was given to me by the author for the purpose of a fair and honest review.

Purchase Links

Amazon US Amazon UK

Connect with the Author

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22014197-evening-breeze

http://author-r-m-miller.blogspot.co.uk/?zx=fe3f4a9e47891ea5

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100009960937737&ref=ts&fref=ts

March 24, 2016 by Tina Williams

Rennillia, by M. Sembera:Prequel Release Day Blitz! ~ includes giveaway

Sometimes, you have to go back to the beginning to get to the end.

Rennillia:Prequel (Rennillia Series #3)

New Adult

M. Sembera

March. 24, 2016

*can be read as a standalone*

Four friends test the bonds of love, loyalty, and friendship in the second instalment of this suspenseful new-adult saga.

I’m not a fan of reliving the past, especially mine. This isn’t exactly the beginning but it is the start of everything. Back before I knew the truth, back when we were far from innocent but completely naive. I was 15 and rebellious. My only friend was Hert and all I wanted, was to get out of my parent’s house. This is the story of our friendship, meeting Emerson, dating Jackson, losing myself and what I now believe to be the starting point of our future. -Ren

Goodreads Book Giveaway

Rennillia Prequel, by M. Sembera

Giveaway ends March 31, 2016

See the giveaway details at Goodreads

Enter Giveaway

Rennillia1/Rennillia2/Rennillia:Prequel/Rennillia3

The final instalment of Rennillia’s Series is set to release 5/19

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amazon author page

http://www.BrokenBirdMedia.com

March 18, 2016 by Tina Williams

REVIEW ~ Necessary Evils (Nick Harland Crime Thriller, book 1), by Bill Carson

Serial Killer/Crime Thriller

Book Blurb

John Kane’s quiet mundane world is suddenly ripped apart and he is thrust into a hellish nightmare existence after the murder of his beloved wife. The pain and anguish over his wife’s murder has been harnessed, molded and channeled into a hatred of the most abnormal ferocity, and an un-closable door had now been wrenched open in his mind, and he had crossed over into the darker realms of humanity where the merciless, cruel, vicious and uncompromising sides of human nature reside. His brain had been rewired and the switch had been flicked.

Has all this been preordained? Are there sinister dark forces at work at here? Necessary Evils will have you on the edge of your seat with your heart in your mouth.

My Review

An Electrifying Read ***** (Five stars)

Necessary Evils is a totally electrifying reading experience, involving murder, madness and twisted revenge. It is the second novel that I have read from the pen of Bill Carson, the first being Dark City, book 4 in the Nick Harland series. The read introduces the character of Nick Harland, in this novel in his job as a police officer, which Bill Carson develops later in the series and also the serial killer John Kane.

In it the lines between right and wrong are blurred, and I found myself empathizing with the acts of violence and depravity perpetrated by John Kane, the protagonist. When his beloved wife Sarah is brutally murdered the combination of his anger and grief combine to create a startling metamorphosis from middle aged office worker to cold blooded assassin. I enjoyed how the author described the change in his personality and although I found it terrifying it was also very credible. Kanes’s character almost regains a semblance of normality at one point in the novel, but the darkness that is ever present within him is never far away and when circumstances once again compel him to act all hell breaks loose…..

Of course, serial killers like john Kane cannot be allowed to continue wreaking revenge, even if his victims represent the scum of society and the Police, spearheaded by Nick Harland, race to apprehend this criminal who is creating terror on the streets of London. Yet the killer has done his research well and remains one step ahead of the authorities. However, will luck remain on his side or will Nick Harland finally get his lucky break and crack the case, enabling him to catch the killer.

There are a number of major twists and turns and some surprising turn of events for both John and Nick before the novel concludes. An absolutely super read for fans of crime/serial killer novels!

Reviewed by Tina Williams

Please note, a copy of this book was given to me by the author for the purpose of a fair and honest review.

For our review of Dark City click on the title.

Purchase Links

Amazon UK Amazon US

Connect with the Author

http://www.billcarsonbooks.com/

https://www.facebook.com/bill.carson.75098?ref=ts&fref=ts

https://twitter.com/billcarsonbooks

March 14, 2016 by Tina Williams

REVIEW – Boarded, by Annie Nicholas

#scifi #romance #aliens

A love found in the depths of space…

I absolutely LOVED this novella from Annie Nicholas. Having really enjoyed the author’s vampire romance BAIT (The Angler book 1) , which incidentally is currently FREE on Amazon, I downloaded Boarded, as I was in the mood for a bit of alien lovin’. What can be better on a cold, damp and grey day in the UK than to escape to the stars? Scroll down to read the blurb and my review. Tina ❤

Book Blurb

Assigned as an interpreter to a mysterious alien race, Liaison Sadie Beckit crosses multiple star systems to the remote Cyngi home world on an old space freighter. Knowledge is essential when dealing with aliens. A misspoken word or a careless gesture could lead to wars so liaisons are necessary to keep the peace, but Sadie is kept in the dark about her new employer. This mysterious species has chosen to withhold most of their culture and language information.

All she’s told is to accompany Ambassdor Nual back to Central Station. Sounds easy enough, but the lawless void of space holds many dangers.

My Review

Otherwordly Sci-Fi Romance

**** Four Stars

I just loved how this read transported me into another place, across the stars to realms created by the author’s imagination. This novella is a sexy, fast-paced read and has some real nail-biting moments!

Sadie, the heroine takes her job as a Liaison very seriously and is adept at maintaining a professional attitude. That is until she encounters the sexy Ambassador Nual from the mysterious race of Cyngi. Little is known about the race and Sadie is left well and truly in the dark when Nual not only refuses to share essential cultural information on his race and their customs, which Sadie requires to carry out her job and protect him, but appears to make his attraction to her clear from the start…..

I adored how this normally cool and collected female is taken off guard by the attraction she feels for Nual and his actions. Sadie is not sure whether his highly flirtatious and attentive acts are how his race treats all females or whether his attraction is reserved for alone. This made for a number of fun, sexy and sensual scenes and I enjoyed the verbal sparing between them.

Nual is a great romantic lead and I loved how he courts Sadie and how he is so protective of her, even though she can more than hold her own when danger strikes. The galaxy is a dangerous place and the couple and the other occupants of the space craft have to fight for their survival before the story reaches its denouement. Annie Nicholas does a great job of describing the different species featured in the read and how they interact.

A super novella, recommended for fans of sci-fi romance and romance fans in general.

Reviewed by Tina Williams

Purchase Links

Amazon UK Amazon US

Connect with the Author

http://annienicholas.webs.com/

https://www.facebook.com/authorannienicholas/

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March 6, 2016 by Tina Williams

REVIEW -Taken by the Sheriff, by Lolita London

Erotic Historical Romance

Adult/18+ Read

Blurb

Widowed Sheriff Terrence Evans has lost it all. No matter how much he throws himself into work, his loneliness is eating him up.

Governess Amanda Carter didn’t plan to fall for her boss, and certainly didn’t plan to submit to him out of wedlock. She quickly finds that his commanding tongue and firm hand, however, ignites something within her that nothing can extinguish.

Or so she thinks.

The passionate whirlwind comes to a halt, however, when they find out that she’s pregnant. Can they have it all together? Or is this a scandal that will tear apart more than just their hearts, but their small town as well?

This book contains explicit sex scenes and is intended for mature readers only.

My Review

***** (Five Stars)

Contains deliciously naughty scenes of spanking and domestic discipline

Taken by the Sheriff is another super read by Lolita London and is guaranteed to hit the spot for lovers of the genre! It combines the charm of the old West with passion and romance, with some deliciously naughty scenes of domestic discipline. I loved it!

In it, the young heroine Amanda leaves her family home in Boston and heads out West to Wyoming, to take up a position as a governess. Unhappy with the placement, she very soon quits and instead becomes governess to the young daughter of the town’s sheriff, Terrance Evans, a widower. Well, as soon as these two meet it is evident that they are attracted to each other big time, The author does a great job of creating the initial sexual tension between them and although the sheriff is a little slow to give into his desires, once he succumbs to Amanda’s charms the lovin’ is pretty non stop and little is left to the imagination!

I loved Amanda, an innocent, yet seething with burgeoning sexuality, a sexuality which is ignited once she claps eyes on her new employer. She is a spunky heroine, who deserves every happiness. As for Terrance, he is a very conflicted hero who lost the love of his life when his wife died and he has been mourning her for years. He resists Amanda for as long as he can, being wracked with guilt. However, as Terrance’s daughter blooms under Amanda’s care, their relationship deepens and the couple eventually come together in some scorching and erotic scenes involving spanking and domestic discipline.

Amanda offers him everything a man could want – a new mother for his daughter and a soulmate who embraces his passionate nature. Yet will this stubborn man realise what a gem he has found before it is too late? Will his devotion to his deceased wife always come between them? Will the town gossips ruin what chance the couple have of a lasting relationship? There are some shocking revelations and turn of events before the couple find their HEA and I was biting my nails to the quick as the read reached its conclusion.

A thoroughly enjoyable erotic historical romance!

Reviewed by Tina Williams

Please note, a copy of this book was given to me by the author for the purpose of a fair and honest review.

Connect with the Author

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14163708.Lolita_London

Purchase Links

Amazon UK Amazon US

March 4, 2016 by Tina Williams

REVIEW ~ Trapped in His World (Dark Romance, book 1), by Roxy Sinclaire

Dark Romance

Adult/18+ Read

Book Blurb

There is no escape…

I was only supposed to be his replacement secretary for one week. Now he has me trapped in his world of twisted and dark desires. I try to get away and I can’t – but the question is – do I really want to?

Navia Watson is struggling to survive. She has just left school and can’t hold a steady job. Just when she feels that there is no hope, her best friend makes her an offer that she can’t refuse. All she has to do is be a temporary stand in secretary for her friend’s position as the secretary for some billionaire for only a week. One week for some quick cash – how hard can it be? She is in for the surprise of her life when she walks into Jason Black’s office. The dark, sexy billionaire quickly pulls her into his web, one that she can’t unravel herself from. His piercing eyes call to her very soul and the darkness lurking in their depths entices her.

She suspects that the man is dangerous, but she could never have imagined the depth of the mysteries surrounding him. By the time Navia discovers his true nature, it’s too late for her salvation. Even if is she could leave him, there’s no way he will let her go. She is his and she is not sure she really wants to get away.

This is a dark romance novella with NO cliffhanger. Intended for audiences 18+ and not for the fainthearted. Contains situations some readers might find objectionable.

My Review

**** (4 Stars)

Wickedly hot and dark erotic read!

Trapped in his World is a hard-hitting dark novella which pushes the boundaries of non-consent and contains scenes which some readers may find disturbing. It ticks all the boxes for fans of dark romances, such as myself!

When Natvia agreed to step in and cover her friend’s job for a week she did not expect to catch the eye of her boss Jason Black and to be drawn into his dark and dominant desires. Once snared in this web, which combines mind-blowing sex and bdsm bordering on abuse, can she muster up the courage to escape? Does she want to? And even if she does, will Jason permit it?

The novella is told from Natvia’s point of view and we are therefore kept in the dark as to what Jason is thinking, which is effective in creating drama and suspense. When his past is revealed towards the end of the read it therefore comes as a complete surprise and I was left as perplexed as the heroine in how to react.

I found the heroine Natvia to be sympathetic. Although she is shy and retiring by nature, she does exhibit some degree of backbone when dealing with Jason. She is a tad naïve, but given her background this is understandable. She takes all that he wants to give her yet can she cope with his violent desires?

Jason is a hero whom I warmed to as the book progressed. It is clear from the outset that he has issues and is conflicted when it comes to how to conduct himself sexually and emotionally. I did not like some of the experiences he made Natvia endure and the fact that he blows hot and cold with her. I did however enjoy reading how he breaks all the rules when it comes to employer and employee relationships! There are many scorching bdsm scenes where he demonstrates his dominant personality. Their relationship has echoes of beauty and the beast, but it remained to be seen whether this particular beast could be tamed.

All in all a sexy and satisfying dark read, which pushed my emotional boundaries!

Please note, a copy of this book was given to me by the author for the purpose of a fair and honest review.

Purchase Links

Amazon UK Amazon US

Author Links

Homepage

March 2, 2016 by Tina Williams

COVER REVEAL ~ Three Loving Words, by DC Renee

I really like the sound of this New Adult Romance by DC Renee. I love a sexy read and lots of conflict in the romances I read and what could be more of a source of conflict than two individuals compelled to marry each other, especially when they despise each other? 🙂

Releases March 19th

I hate you. I heard those words so many times from his mouth that they lost their meaning. His “three loving words” is how I mockingly referred to them. It didn’t bother me, though, because I hated him, too.

He was gorgeous, with dark tousled hair, full lips, a strong jaw, and a body deserving of a magazine cover. He was rich and cared for his mother deeply. On paper, he was the perfect husband. The problem? He was my husband.

I dreamed of a fairytale love story for as long as I could remember. I dreamed of a boy to fall head over heels for me and treat me like the sun rose and set at my feet, especially after living in the shadow of my perfect sister and never feeling good enough for my family. When I decided to earn my parents’ love in a dramatic fashion, I’ll admit that I never imagined marrying him would end up part of the bargain.

The kicker? Enzo Faust didn’t want to marry me, either. And yet, here we are, a man that I both fear and loathe is my “I do…for better or worse.” I just didn’t anticipate that it’d be more ‘worse’ than ‘better.’

I’m Paige Stiles, and here’s my story.

DC Renee has been writing all her life, from cheesy poems in elementary school (i’ll share an example just so you know how cheesy: Flowers are my favorite thing; they usually bloom during spring. Pink, blue, yellow and green, so many colors that I have seen…etc.) to short stories and monologues, and eventually fan fictions for Days of Our Lives.It was thanks to that superbly encouraging fan fiction community that DC found the courage to publish her first book – Let Me Go. It held fast in the top 100 Best Selling Contemporary Romance Fiction Novels on Amazon for over a month, going as low as the top 20’s. Naturally, she loves to read, but she also likes watching hockey, dancing for fun, and loves her family.

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March 2, 2016 by Tina Williams

BLOG TOUR ~ Scandalously Yours Boxed Set (includes author post, excerpt and giveaway)

This boxed set looks such a fantastic read. I’m partial to historical romances, especially ones where scandal meets seduction and this collection fits the bill nicely! Don’t forget to enter the giveaway, read the author post by Maeve Alpin where she discusses her novella The Brass Octopus and check out the scandalous excerpt! 🙂

Scandalously yours…

Through the ages, where there has been society there have always been norms and, conversely, scandals when love gets in the way of propriety.

From the ancient Celts to medieval Cornwall, from Regency and Victorian England to the American west after the War Between the States, eight stories by multi-published, bestselling authors explore the triumphs of love between a man and a woman—even scandalous love—over what’s considered “proper” in their time.

Wilder’s Thief, by USA Today bestseller, Josie Jax

Robbing a bank wasn’t what reformed pickpocket Rachel Conroy had in mind. Yet when the lyin’ banker entangles her in one helluva financial fix, she finds herself in the bank of Diamond Bluff, Missouri, disguised as a lad and holding a gun on an unfamiliar teller. But the handsome man is so distracting she can’t keep her sex-addled brain on the task at hand—until he threatens to turn her over to the authorities to be hanged if she doesn’t return the money.

When village newcomer and winery owner Dierck Wilder mans his uncle’s small-town bank for a few fateful moments, he’s suddenly staring down the barrel of a revolver. His life veers off on a tumultuous path after he pursues the robber and uncovers a sexy diamond in the rough. Now to unearth the truth and tame Wilder’s bandit…

Aphrodite’s Necklace, by Anh Leod

Exiled by her husband to staid, Victorian England, the goddess Aphrodite is determined to spice up life for a mortal couple by giving them a magic necklace that opens their minds and hearts to passion. Can she teach innocents to delight in sensual love?

Emily Rogers is in the marriage mart, but once the necklace is in her hands, she enlists William Coxe, her family butler, to help find its owner. As Aphrodite intended when she dropped the priceless piece at a ball held in Emily’s home, desire overwhelms Emily—and also William, whom Emily’s parents would never countenance her marrying.

Good sense prevails when the two return the necklace to the goddess, but by this time love has caught the lovers in what seems an impossible situation. Can improper love survive the loss of Aphrodite’s necklace? Only with the goddess’s help can they find a way toward lasting happiness.

Madamoiselle Makes a Match, by Kate Rothwell

An original novella, never before published!

Victorian virgins meet at an inn.

In a village where work is hard to find, virtuous Sally must at last “entertain men” or lose her job at the local inn. The young man she agrees to entertain is Jasper, a visiting gentleman who’s appalled that he’d accidentally forced Sally into this predicament. Yet despite their peculiar meeting and the enormous differences in class and education, the maid and gentleman discover passion and something even more precious, intimacy. Their lovely interlude is interrupted, reality intrudes, and Sally faces another choice…

Seducing Laura, a Regency novel by bestselling British author, Lynne Connolly

When a fortune hunter attempts to steal her niece’s heart, Laura Wickenham makes every effort to prevent the ill-fated match. But the appearance of charismatic Ross Stansfield, the fortune hunter’s handsome uncle, throws her off balance. Instantaneous and combustible, their attraction makes her question her decision never to love again. When the young couple elopes, Laura sets out in pursuit, and fearing for her safety, Ross loses no time chasing her. Thrown closely together, their attraction becomes impossible to resist.

Ordered to find a master spy in the maelstrom of Regency London, Ross finds duty is a distraction any time he’s near Laura. He can’t make his need for her real until he discovers which of her suitors is a threat to Britain. As desire flares between the two, a world of spies and family scandal threatened to thwart a lifetime of happiness.

The Brass Octopus, by Maeve Alpin

Spinster Librarian Piety Plunkett is happy alone with her books, until her sister transforms her with a bras octopus beautifying machine. With her new look, the librarian catches the lusty attentions of a notorious rogue. Blake Blackmore enjoys the favors of beautiful women from the brothels of London to high society’s most fashionable debutantes, but only the spinster librarian consumes his mind night and day. Piety insists she will not wed but devote her life to her position as head librarian.

Blake takes matters into his own hands. In three passion filled lessons, he tutors Piety in carnal pleasure. Now that she is sharing her body, instead of just her books, Piety is shocked yet pleased at how naughty she can be. But if anyone finds out about what goes on in the library after closing time her reputation would be ruined. Is that Blake’ ultimate plan?

Beneath a Cornish Moon, by Ann Jacobs

A dying man’s last wish: Protect Lea. Make her your bride.

Marrying the lovely, sensual Lea will be no hardship for Alain, Earl of St. Vincent. Keeping her safe may be another matter, for a curse lies upon the St. Vincent lands.

Unless Alain can convince Lea to join with him in the fertility rites of the Winter Solstice, her life and his lands may be forfeit.

Alain’s dark passions seduce Lea’s heart and body, but it will take more than passion to bring St. Vincent back from the dark side of the moon.

Timeless Voyage, by Cornelia Amiri

As the pirate Anwen, presses her dagger against the throat of, Kaeso, her Roman captive, he s captivated by dreams of a woman he loved in a previous life, the mirror image of Anwen. Can Anwen and Kaeso steer their timeless voyage to a happy destiny or will they be robbed of love again?

As the Celtic pirate, Anwen, presses her hard iron dagger against a Roman’s throat, memories of fated lovers, druids and sacrifice, stay her hand.

Wooing the Librarian, by Jane Leopold Quinn

After a spectacularly failed romance left her devastated, all Isis Garrett wants is to start her library in this California town. The last thing she wants is another man, not even the handsome preacher who offers his church for her books.

Pres MacKay is starting a new life as a preacher. He can’t hide his attraction to the sweetly rounded new librarian even as she pushes him away. Can he discover the way into her closed heart and prove to her he’s one of the good guys?

Pres isn’t about to give up on Isis, though. The question is can she forget the pain of the past and see a future with him?

Author Post by Maeve Alpin

Scandalously Yours is a fantastic box set of historical fantasy romances. I’m thrilled to have my tale, The Brass Octopus, in the box set. It’s a Victorian novella that uses the ugly duckling and sexy librarian tropes.

The ugly duckling is a favorite fairy tale of mine. The so called duckling was always beautiful, she was just with the wrong family. If she’d been with a family of swans no one would have ever used the word ugly. That’s what happened to my heroine, Piety. Her verbally and emotionally abusive mother called her ugly. As she grew up, Piety tried to not bring attention to herself – dressing drably and throwing herself in to her work. She’s the head librarian in London, so she’s quite prim and proper. Naturally, since I am writing Steampunk I needed a machine and since I was using the ugly duckling trope I thought of a beauty machine, one with eight arms like an octopus. It covers your head, does your hair, puts make up on you and more. So the brass octopus beauty machine was born.

Now, let me tell you about the hero. Blake Blackmore is a rich rogue who spends his nights gambling and womanizing. I’m sure you’ve already guessed, once he meets Piety he’s willing to give all that up for her.

So these are tropes you’ve seen before: the ugly ducking and the lovable rogue. What makes The Brass Octopus different is – Piety and Blake live in an alternate dimension in which inventions depicted in Jane Loudon’s book the Mummy, A Tale of the 23rd Century have been created. So even though it’s Victorian London, there is some advanced technology for the era. Women wear pants, and tinkering or inventing gadgets is a favorite pastime for proper Victorian ladies along with decoupage, scrapbooking, and hand painting china. And Piety’s sister, Polly, has created a beauty machine called The Brass Octopus.

Blurb:

Can a prim librarian make a rogue smile…Can a lovable rogue make a librarian wild?

Librarian, Piety Plunkett is happy alone with her books, until transformed by a beautifying machine. Blake enjoys the favors of women but only Piety consumes his mind night and day. If anyone discovers what’s happening at the library after closing time, Piety’s reputation will be ruined. Is that Blake’ plan?

Excerpt:

Blake nodded at the servant. “We are chums of Meriwether Aston. Do you know where he is?”

“Yes sir, Young Master Aston is dancing in the sky with a young lady.”

Sager’s face twisted into a puzzled expression as he gazed up at the tall footman. “I am afraid I don’t follow.”

“Mr. Meriwether Aston took one of the guests up in the family balloon,” the footman replied in a deadpan voice.

Blake placed one hand on his hip. “Are you saying some young lady is unchaperoned in a hot air balloon, with Meriwether?”

“Yes, sir,” the footman answered with a blank expression.

Blake felt his lips draw together in a perfectly puckered circle of surprise. “Sounds like something I would do.”

“It’s sure to be the scandal of the ball.” Sager rolled his eyes.

“He may be forced to marry that one,” Blake said under his breath.

“Meriwether has one lady, but there are many more beauties here for us, and I plan to dance with them all.” Sager wagged his eyebrows.

“They are all the same. I tired of high society and giggling debutantes long ago. I am here for you and will try to survive the night as best as I can.”

“Oh, I see Miss June Ashton-Boyd. I must sign her dance card.” Sager adjusted his cravat.

“By all means. I’ll stay near the door for now. In case I need to leave unexpectedly.” No matter what he’d told his friend, Blake didn’t plan to stay for more than an hour. The young misses attending the ball came for one reason only: to find rich husbands. He was not in the market for a wife. He never would be. Unless he could find a beauty with the striking confidence and intelligence of that librarian, but clearly she wasn’t impressed by him. He’d never find that type of woman at a dance, anyway. More like a church social or a tea party. He seldom attended either. Those events lacked a certain thrill and rush that he loved.

As Sager dashed off to secure a dance with one beauty, Blake’s breath caught in his throat as a vision of loveliness glided into the entrance hall. He peered at the woman’s neck, swan-like and creamy, above the low-cut, shimmering blue gown. A desire to press his lips against her neck jolted him.

He noticed the resemblance at the nose and mouth between the auburn-haired lady and the blonde at her side. Sisters, he guessed. Blake sensed he was missing something. Their features seemed familiar, but he couldn’t place how. A servant handed each woman one small, leather booklet to slip onto their delicate wrists.

Blake bowed to them. “Good evening, ladies.” Then he flashed his brightest smile at the lady in blue. “I would be greatly honored if you would allow me to sign your dance card.”

“Are you asking me to dance with you?” She wiggled her lips, not quite a frown or a smile. Her brow furrowed as if his request confused her.

Usually women flirted with him to persuade him to sign their dance cards. As charming as this lady appeared, she might prove to be a challenge. That piqued his interest even more.

“Well, I know we have not met before.”

“Do you joke, sir? I am not amused. I have accompanied my sister with the intent of enjoying the ball and I shall do so no matter what you may think of me.” Piety tilted her head away from him.

“I did not mean to cause you any distress. I shall help you enjoy the ball. I assure you, I am a fine dancer.” She seemed a little calmer. “Let me introduce myself, I am Blake Blackmore.” He placed his hand on his chest. “May I have the pleasure of your name and that of your companion?” He flipped his palm off his chest and held it out toward her.

As she turned her head toward him, her eyebrows arched. “My name is Piety Plunkett and this is my sister, Mrs. Polly Plunkett Young.” She tilted her chin in the air. “Do you truly not recognize me?”

“I am sure I would have remembered if we’d met before.”

With a frown on her face, she opened her empty dance card. “By all means, feel free to choose a dance.”

When he finished filling in his name, she glanced at her card. “You have reserved each song. It is quite improper of you to engage more than four dances.”

“So it is.” He nodded, hoping she wouldn’t mark his name out. “I am quite improper.” She had an air of confidence and independence about her that he found compelling. He needed to charm her into a dance before she realized she had the option of saying no. He stretched his arm out to her. “May I escort you and your sister into the ballroom?”

For more about The Brass Octopus and Maeve Alpin please visit her at http://MaeveAlpin.com, https://www.facebook.com/MaeveAlpin/ and twitter @MaeveAlpin