Only a man, beaten down by sorrow — #PNR #EroticRomance #MFRWHooks

For today’s MFRW Book Hooks blog hop, I’ve got a bit from my short paranormal erotic romance Hot Spell. My hero, Aidan, has a dangerous gift. He can control fire – kindle it and suppress it. But he has discovered through a terrible accident that if he gives in to desire, his partner will suffer the consequences and be burned to a crisp.

Blurb

The flames of passion are more than metaphor

Comfortable and at home in nature, Sylvie doesn't mind being alone in the wilderness. But she's not the only being haunting the glades and the trails. The stranger she encounters bathing in the stream near her camp obviously wants her, but refuses to act on his desire. Aidan is cursed with a power he fears will destroy her if they surrender to their passion. Can Sylvie refrain from tempting him?

The Hook

“How did you find out?”

Sylvie and Aidan sat opposite one another, across a table littered with dirty dishes. The meal had been more substantial and appealing than Aidan had promised. He’d augmented the chili with wholegrain bread, chocolate chip cookies and red wine from a box on the shelf above the stove. Sylvie was full as well as a bit tipsy.

“More wine?” Aidan seemed to ignore her question.

“No, thanks, I’ve had more than enough. But tell me—please. I’ve never heard of a Fire Elemental.”

Aidan leant back in his chair and sighed. “All the time I was growing up, I felt…different. There were things I could do… At the same time, I was limited in some ways. I couldn’t read books unless I wore leather gloves. Otherwise, the paper would char. I couldn’t swim. Even with my head above water, I couldn’t really breathe. I was an only child. My mom died when I was born and my dad… Well, I guess at some level he blamed me. Anyway, I lived a pretty solitary life until I met Alisa.”

He trailed off, obviously beset by painful memories.

“I’m sorry. Forget I asked. I should mind my own business.”

“No, no—you should know. I want you to know.” He squared his shoulders and leant forwards, skewering her with his gaze. Sylvie felt naked. No, she wished she was. “After—the accident—after Alisa was gone—I was pretty insane for a while. I ran off into the wilderness. I didn’t care what happened to me. That’s when I discovered I could start a fire with a simple effort of will. I learned that I had other talents, too. I could fly, or something close, riding the wind to go where I pleased.”

Excitement skittered down Sylvie’s spine. “That first night, at the creek, you disappeared…”

Aidan nodded. “I knew I had to get out of there. I wanted you way too much for safety. Anyway, I woke one dawn, curled under a tree, to discover that the forest was blazing around me. I hadn’t started this fire. It was probably a lightning strike. Somehow I knew that I could stop it if I wanted to. All I had to do was control my breathing and concentrate. Within minutes, the flames dwindled and died away.”

“That’s when you decided to become a warden and a fire fighter.” Sylvie could see the logic behind his choices, even though they hadn’t really healed him.

“Right. When I returned to civilization, I did some research. It turns out that Elementals—creatures who embody and control the forces of nature—feature in the mythology of quite a few Native American tribes. Not just Fire Elementals, either. That’s how Native Americans explained the upheavals and disasters that afflicted them. Floods, windstorms, landslides, earthquakes—these were the deeds of dissatisfied beings who controlled water, air or earth. Elementals are a bit like the Greek or the Norse gods—personifications of natural phenomena. But it appears that Elementals are real.”

He slumped back into his chair as if the tale had sapped his strength. Despite his stature and his poise, his handsome, rugged features and powerful body, he didn’t look like a god. Sylvie saw only a man, beaten down by sorrow and guilt, weary from the effort of suppressing his basic needs.

Find all the buy links at https://www.lisabetsarai.com/hotspellbook.html

Be sure to visit the other authors participating in today’s Book Hooks hop!

Review Tuesday: The Induction of Satine by JL Peridot -- #SciFi #Erotica #ReviewTuesday

The Induction of Satine by JL Peridot

Muscoca Media, 2017

Satine Luna doesn’t believe the rumors about off-world prisons for people caught misbehaving on the main planet. Then she’s arrested for theft, hustled into a transport, swept off to a bleak installation on one of the moons and delivered into the hands of Warden Jet. The warden treats her with surprising respect, even as he strips her of autonomy and dignity. Expecting brutality and painful discipline, Satine is initially confused. As the process of her induction continues, she finds that desire is not incompatible with punishment.

I’ve been aware of J.L. Peridot’s work for many years, since we were both active during the golden age of literary erotica in the first decade of the twenty first century. I’ve always found her prose supremely arousing without being gratuitously explicit. She often focuses in on subtle sensory nuances and the corresponding emotional resonance, leaving the reader to infer the blatant physical responses.

Recent books of hers that I’ve reviewed (for example, Yet We Sleep, We Dream and Until We Met Again) have drifted more deeply into science fiction themes while retaining an undercurrent of eroticism. The Induction of Satine, in contrast, offers pure unadulterated sensuality.

We know almost nothing about Satine. Hints suggest she might have been a member of some criminal gang, planet-side, but that’s just an impression. The society in which she lives is likewise a cipher. The rumored lunar prisons might be instruments of oppression or tools to advance civilization.

The author does give us a sense of Satine’s personality: manipulative, rebellious, motivated entirely by self-interest. At the same time, she’s clearly young and rather surprisingly innocent. As Warden Jet begins the process of her “rehabilitation”, she struggles to hold on to her resistance in the face of traitorous desire and burgeoning pleasure.

This is pure erotica, luscious and compelling. There’s no real plot to get in the way. At the same time, The Induction of Satine has a depth that is often missing in ordinary smut. As I’ve often tried to emphasize in my own stories, there’s no such thing as “just sex”. JL Peridot understands and demonstrates this truth.

This is the first of a planned quintet of short tales involving Satine. I have the next one, The Manipulation of Satine, on my tablet already. I am looking forward to reading it.

Something at home wasn’t right... #Memoir #Healing #Giveaway

Blurb

A raw and unflinching memoir of survival, truth, and transformation. Phillippa Mann takes readers deep into the fractured world of a girl who grew up living with a monster--a world where love and fear shared the same face, and silence became a means of survival.

Through heartbreak, chaos, and betrayal, Phillippa's voice emerges from the shadows as she begins to piece together a life that was never hers to begin with. Her journey is one of courage and reckoning, of facing the unbearable truths that shaped her, and finding strength in vulnerability.

More than a story of pain, House of Cards is a testament to the power of healing and self-forgiveness. It reminds every survivor that bringing hidden truths into the light is not the end - it's the beginning of reclaiming your story and rebuilding the foundation of who you were always meant to be.

Excerpt

My parents were married in England in June 1969. They emigrated to Canada in 1970, had my brother in September 1972 and me in October 1974. Both sets of my grandparents emigrated to Canada shortly after this to be closer to us.

I was born in Northern BC. My mother separated from my dad and moved to the Lower Mainland in 1976, approximately 900 km away, with her boyfriend at the time. While I have no recollection of that period as I was quite young, I’ve come across photos of my younger self with my dad and brother, and I can see the joy on my face. In those times, I truly felt happy. I remember camping with my dad, fishing, pretending to shave with him, and the smell of the Coleman stove. It was returning home to my mother after spending time with my dad that was the toughest part. Even though I was so little, I knew that something at home wasn’t right. I always felt such intense sadness and anxiety when my dad brought us back home after summer camping, winter break, or his weekend visits. I didn’t know how to articulate what I was feeling, and I struggled to express my emotions at such a young age, but I just knew that I hated it when my dad brought me back home. This is the first recollection I have of the abuse.

Naturally, at such a young age, I didn’t see it as abuse, and it took me over two decades to realize it. My dad would drop me off at my mother’s house before returning north, and even though I knew I’d see him again in a few weeks, to a three- or four-year-old without a grasp of time, it seemed like an eternity. I would cry when he left because I loved him so much and didn’t want him to leave. After my dad left, my mother would be so unkind to me, often ignoring me for days. I do not remember a single word being spoken to me. I recognize she must have said something to me; however, I remember the silence more than anything—the absence of good nights, hugs, or any trace of warmth. It continued until I finally begged her to say something, anything. Eventually, once she got what she wanted, she’d pretend nothing had happened, slipping back into normalcy as if the hurt had never occurred.

About the Author

Phillippa Mann is a Canadian author who is passionate about helping others find healing through shared experience.

Her memoir, House of Cards: Surviving Munchausen by Proxy and a Mother's Web of Lies, explores the emotional journey of growing up in chaos and reclaiming strength through forgiveness and self-discovery.

Family is at the heart of everything Phillippa does. She and her husband share a love of creating together, and their children and grandchildren inspire her every day to live with gratitude, laughter, and purpose. When she's not writing, Phillippa can be found playing with her Corgi, Glenn, crafting handmade gifts, baking cookies and cupcakes for her family business, Sweet Lavender Designs, which she started in memory of a dear friend.

She is currently working on her next creative project, a heartwarming children's book titled Hop Hop and the Great Garden Adventure, inspired by the wonder and imagination of her grandchildren.

Website

https://phillippamannauthor.com/

Instagram

@phillippamann.author

Amazon

https://www.amazon.com/dp/1834381525

Phillippa Mann will be awarding a $10 Amazon/BN gift card to a randomly drawn winner.

Meet me at the beach! #BoxedSet #SmallTownRomance #SpecialDeal

I just learned that Sadira Stone, one of my favorite romance authors, has put together a boxed set release of her Trapper’s Cove series. For a limited time, she’s offering the collection – six full length novels – for only $5.99.

Trapper’s Cove is a scenic little town on the coast of Washington state. The town is fictional, but with her descriptions of the natural beauty, the off-beat society and the quirky inhabitants, Sadira makes it feel real.

Come visit the Salty Dog Brewery, where sparks fly between the conservative owner Ryan and his creative head brewer Lilo. Stop by Xander’s Souvenir Planet gift shop, rumored to sell actual alien artifacts. Wondering what your future holds? Drop in at Zora’s mystic emporium for a Tarot reading and some down-to-earth wise woman advice. Admire the view from the lighthouse above the Cove, where the gentle, emotionally-scarred Kiernan lives alone—until army nurse Addy and her canine companion show up to help heal his wounds.

I haven’t read all of the Trapper’s Cove books yet; I have a few to look forward to. I can, however, recommend the ones I have perused. And if you’re already thinking about summer at the beach, now’s the time to load up your e-reader with distinctive romance tales that will satisfy your craving for happy endings while taking you to a place that’s well worth revisiting.

Get the boxed set from Amazon here:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0GTN6GG9J

For other vendors, go here:

https://books2read.com/TrappersCoveRomanceBoxSet

Either way, don’t procrastinate! Get your copy of this stellar collection before the price goes up.

Hell orbiting Earth — #MFRWHooks #SciFi #LGBTQ

My Book Hook today is excerpted from Free Fall: Escape from Xanadu, my recently released FF scifi romance novella. A book set in space seemed particularly appropriate, given the recent launch of the Artemis Moon mission.

Also, this book is currently on sale at all outlets for only 99 cents (compared to the normal price of $3.99). Grab your discounted copy while you can – the price goes up on Monday the 13^th.

Blurb

Welcome to Xanadu. For its elite customers, a space-based paradise of pleasure. For the slaves who work there, hell orbiting Earth.

Innocent and inexperienced, Mariel Linderman sells herself to Xanadu to rescue her farming family from starvation. Streetwise Rain Delgado accepts assignment as a Pleasure Rep in lieu of a prison sentence for murder. In a world that strictly prohibits same-sex relations, the passion that flares between them brings terrible risks. Their unexpected heart-and-soul connection turns their already precarious existence into a clandestine struggle for survival.

The Hook

“Pick up the pace now, Mariel! You’re in the home stretch! Just five more minutes!”

The perky artificial voice annoys her, but she can’t turn it off. The stationary bike with its fancy VR visuals reads her vital signs from her wristband in real time, supposedly adapting the instructions and resistance to provide a personalized workout. Most of the time it works okay, though a glitch last week had her racing at peak speed up a thirty degree slope during what should have been her cool down.

Mariel doesn’t really mind the scheduled exercise regimen required of all Pleasure Reps—she knows how low gravity affects muscle mass and bone density—but she’d rather not pass out from oxygen deprivation.

Still, like everyone in her generation, Mariel is used to the buggy tech created by AI. A small price to pay for our lightning progress, according to Enbro.

The billionaire genius, de facto ruler of America and much of the Third World, appears now on the eye-level holographic screen to deliver his daily ten-minute broadcast. The exercise machine overrides the soundtrack, but based on the captions the briefing is his usual combination of lecture, sermon and advertisement. He mingles news about technological breakthroughs with pleas for people to be patient with all the shortages. The background shows images of smiling inhabitants from Sirenum colony. The Mars bounty today is up to two and a half million.

The bike slows to a stop. Mariel perches on the seat, breathing heavily. “Don’t forget to hydrate,” the nagging digital coach concludes, before Enbro’s smooth, persuasive voice replaces it in her ears.

He’s winding up his pitch. “We’re entering a new era for humanity,” he asserts, gazing directly into the camera with disarming earnestness. “We’ve conquered the moon and Mars. The Cronus mission lifts off next January. After Saturn—well, nothing is going to keep us from the stars.” There’s a dramatic pause. “I hope you’ll join me on this adventure.”

The display winks out of existence. Mariel sighs, dismounts from the bike and exits the gym’s equipment room, peeling off her clothing as she goes. She doesn’t need to be at The Secret Garden until 1500 today. There should be enough time to back to the dorm and take a nap before starting work. She sleeps whenever she can now, a temporary escape from her life.

If she can sleep, maybe she’ll dream of Rain.

On the other hand, maybe…

She pulls open the cleaning chute but pauses before tossing in her sweat-soaked garments. Steel hinges connect the door to the inner wall of the chute. Trying to act casual, she runs her fingertip over the one on the left. Her heart leaps when she detects a scrap of paper wedged into the mechanism. Interposing her body between the chute and the video camera mounted near the ceiling, she extracts and palms the fragment, then deposits her bra and shorts into the aperture. Naked, she heads for the shower room, toes open a stall and closes the translucent door behind her. Only then does she dare unfold the scrap.

The writing is precise and tiny, barely readable. “Lunch? 1300 Level 6 Caf”

Sudden yearning swamps her. It has been less than two days since she last saw Rain, but it feels like weeks. She holds the paper under the lukewarm spray until it dissolves into pulp and swirls down the drain.

 

Find all the buy links at https://www.lisabetsarai.com/freefallbook.html

Be sure to visit the other authors participating in today’s Book Hooks hop!

When Love is More Dangerous Than the Cartel ... #DarkRomance #NewRelease

By Amber Daulton (Guest Blogger)

Corrupting His Wife is a story about power imbalance and the dark side of love and obsession. These themes fit perfectly in the dark romance genre, particular mafia romance, so if your reading taste leans toward the dark, the gritty, and the intensely possessive, the latest installment in the Lozano Cartel series is exactly what your e-reader needs. Think Beauty and the Beast (if the Beast was a cartel capo and the castle was a war zone).

Enrique Briceño, the ruthless second-in-command of the Lozano Cartel, is used to taking what he wants. When the woman he desires, Lourdes Villegas, is promised to another man, Enrique doesn’t send a wedding gift—he orchestrates an abduction.

Lourdes is a cartel princess who wants nothing more than to trade her gilded cage for an artist’s life of peace. Instead, she finds herself in the arms of a sensual man determined to corrupt her. But Lourdes isn’t a submissive captive; she fights back with a fire that catches Enrique off guard. As their world descends into a bloody power struggle, they both have to decide: is this a kidnapping, or the only escape they have left?

What to Expect:

A morally gray hero who will do anything to keep his prize.

A heroine with a backbone of steel who refuses to be a pawn.

Intense enemies-to-lovers chemistry that sets the pages on fire.

No cheating and a guaranteed HEA (Happily Ever After).

Reader Note

As this is a dark cartel romance, please be aware that the story contains heavy themes, including kidnapping, violence, and discussions of child endangerment, spousal abuse (not between the H/h), and miscarriage. It’s the third book in the Lozano Cartel series but can be enjoyed as a standalone.

Pick this up if you love high-tension romance where the anti-hero gets the girl!

Blurb

Kidnapping a reluctant bride is easy. Staying off her jilted fiancé’s radar is tough.

As the second-in-command of the Lozano Cartel, Enrique Briceño always gets what he wants. So when Lourdes’s father demands she marry another man, Enrique makes his move—abduction. Vowing to corrupt his sweet little captive in every wicked way imaginable, he doesn’t expect her to fight him with fire.

Cartel princess Lourdes Villegas longs for peace. Freedom. A chance to let her artist soul breathe. Yet once again, a man is pulling her strings. In Enrique’s arms, she trades one ruthless capo for another. His touch sets her ablaze, but she’s already plotting her escape.

As political alliances crumble and the streets run red, Enrique must prove he’s more than just another monster in Lourdes’s life. Because this time, love might be the most dangerous thing of all.

– Book three in the dark romance series, the Lozano Cartel. All the books can be read as a standalone, but are part of an interconnected series.

– Scenes featuring kidnapping, violence, and miscarriage (discussed) may be uncomfortable for some readers.

– No cheating. HEA guaranteed!

Spicy Excerpt

The following morning, Lourdes breached the veil of sleep as something shifted between her legs. A hot, wet swipe across her clitoris jolted her upright on the cushy rug in the penthouse living room. “Enrique!” Spots flashed in her vision. His guttural moan rumbled through her core. The golden glow from the table lamp sliced through the darkness and gleamed in her husband’s wicked eyes as he rubbed his morning scruff on her tender folds.

“You taste amazing.” Enrique gripped her thighs to hold her steady. At his mercy.

She groaned and plopped back on the floor. “Haven’t you had enough?”

He chuckled and leaned up just enough to smirk at her. “It’s my wedding night.”

“Ours, and it ended at midnight. What time is it?”

“Late, or early. Sun’s not up yet.” He feathered kisses along her inner thigh.

“We need sleep.” Her heart raced faster as his mouth closed over her throbbing labia. “Ooh!” She squirmed, desperate for an anchor in the bliss ravaging her body. He pinned her down, savoring her as though he’d never tasted anything so delicious. She gripped his messy hair and bore down on him. The fine tether on her release snapped. Pleasure crashed over her, liquefying her bones and rocketing her pulse into the stratosphere. She cried out, tears burning her eyes, and collapsed helplessly in his hold.

“I love the way you shatter.” He licked her once more, then stretched out beside her on the rug and drew her into his arms.

“Should I expect to wake up like this every morning?” Lourdes rested her head on his chest and dragged air into her straining lungs.

“Perhaps.” He stroked the length of her tousled hair.

She turned to face him. The swipe of his talented tongue across his glistening lips flip-flopped her heart. It should be illegal for him to look so damn good in the morning.

Download Links

Only 99 cents for a limited time!

Universal: https://books2read.com/CorruptingHisWife

Amazon: https://amzn.to/3H7ssPi

Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/corrupting-his-wife-amber-daulton/1148037918?ean=2940184521732

Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/corrupting-his-wife

Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=dGt5EQAAQBAJ

Apple: https://apple.co/4lV856g

Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1831689

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/240070753-corrupting-his-wife-lozano-cartel-book-3

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/books/corrupting-his-wife-lozano-cartel-book-3-a-star-crossed-lovers-dark-romance-by-amber-daulton

 

About the Author

Amber Daulton is the author of the Lozano Cartel, the Arresting Onyx, the Embracing You, and the Ramseys in Time series, as well as several standalone novellas. Her books are available in ebook and print on demand while select titles are also in audio and foreign language formats.

She lives in North Carolina, USA, with her husband and demanding 

cats.

Social Media Links

Follow Me: https://linktr.ee/AmberDaulton

Check out my website, Daulton Publishing: https://amberdaulton.com

 

Sign up for my Exclusive Newsletter (free ebook to new subscribers): 

 

 https://amberdaulton.com/newsletter-signup/

This woman could not have created that music! #Menage #Romance #MFRWHooks

My Book Hook today is a snippet from my multi-partner romance Goldberg Variations. This is quite an old story. The original version dates from 2010, when there were many opportunities for publishing in anthologies. Still, I think it holds up fairly well. After all, music is eternal.

Of course I might be biased. What do you think?

Blurb

A violinist, a violist and a seductress.

For twenty-two years the Goldberg brothers – Richard on cello, Harvey on viola and Albert on violin – have made music together, earning a decent living and a modicum of respect in the classical music community. When Richard’s sudden demise forces Harvey and Al to find a replacement cellist, neither can imagine how their new colleague will shake up their middle-aged lives.

Deidre Rasinovsky-Corbatta is an unlikely addition to the Goldberg Trio, a shapely siren with purple hair, scarlet lips and a rose tattooed on her ample breasts – but she plays cello like an angel. The passion she pours into her music spills over into her relationships with the two brothers. When both Al and Harv fall in love with her, will this tear the trio apart – or transform it?

The Hook

“Ms. Rasinovksy-Corbatta is in Practice Room 5 on the second floor,” the receptionist volunteered. “You can go on up, if you’d like.”

Harvey and Al bundled their instruments up the stairs to a long hallway that smelled of dust and rosin. Room 5 was at the end. The door was ajar. Light and music spilled through the opening.

Harvey grabbed Al, who was about to push the door wide. “Wait,” he whispered urgently. “Listen.”

The melody swirled around them like smoke, mysterious and difficult to apprehend, shifting form and mood in each moment. Harvey recognized Bach’s masterful D minor Partita, rendered with a purity and restraint that made Harvey ache. He closed his eyes and allowed the music to invade him, to overwhelm him. The notes soared heavenward, until he felt breathless in the thin atmosphere, then sank into low, throaty tones that vibrated deep in his gut.

He knew the piece well – could remember Richard performing it, to enthusiastic crowds – but now it seemed as though he had never truly heard it before. The playing was formal and precise yet somehow the control only heightened the emotional intensity. Pensive, questing, triumphant then subdued, the music ebbed and flowed in the darkened corridor.

“She’s good,” Al whispered.

“Shh!” Harvey felt momentary rage at his brother’s interruption, then that paltry emotion washed away in the tides of Bach’s creation. She was more than good. She was great, clearly a far more talented musician than any of the Goldberg brothers. Even Richard.

Why in the world would she want to be part of their group? What could they offer to induce her to join them? Harvey fretted briefly. Then the music raised him up again and carried him along, until the last mournful note trailed way into silence and set him free.

The two of them stood motionless for a long moment, looking at each other. Harvey gave a gentle knock.

“Come on in.” The voice was low and well-tempered, with the faintest trace of an accent. Harvey led the way into the practice room.

“Ms. Rasinovsky,” he began. He was unable to continue.

He didn’t know what he had expected, but the woman facing him with the cello cradled between her thighs was a shock.

Her red-shading-to-magenta hair made a spiky halo around her head. Her plump lips were painted to match. Wedgewood-blue eyes blazed in her long, pale face. One ear was pierced by half a dozen silver hoops and every finger of the hand that clasped the bow was decorated with a silver ring.

She wore a tight black jersey that zipped at the neck. The zipper was pulled down low enough that Harvey could see the tiny rose tattooed on creamy skin of her throat and the shadowy chasm between her full breasts. Her matching skirt was slit up the front. Harvey was grateful that she was wearing opaque tights.

When she smiled, put down her bow and stood to greet them, Harvey noticed her pointy-toed, high-heeled, Wicked-Witch-of-the-West boots.

No, there was no way this woman could have created that music! He swallowed hard, and tried again. “Ms. Rasinovsky,” he croaked. “I’m Harvey Goldberg, and this is my brother, Albert.”

“It’s a pleasure to meet you both. Thank you for coming all the way to Boston.”

Al’s eyes gleamed. He stepped forward and took the slender hand the cellist offered. “The pleasure is ours, Ms. Rasinovsky. I haven’t heard that piece played so well for many years.”

The woman laughed, deep in her chest. “You flatter me. And please, call me Deidre.”

“Al is telling the truth – Deidre. Your performance was astonishing. Not only was it technically perfect, it was very moving.”

“I appreciate the praise all the more, coming from a musician of your reputation, Mr. Goldberg – I mean, Harvey.”

She made his name sound like music. Harvey suddenly felt as though somebody had turned on a sunlamp. His wool suit was unbearably hot. His necktie was strangling him. He burned with embarrassment as he imagined how she must see him: a dumpy middle-aged man, balding and a bit disheveled, blushing like a girl. He needed to take control of this interview, but somehow he couldn’t organize his thoughts enough to utter a coherent sentence.

 

You can find the links on my website: https://www.lisabetsarai.com/goldbergvariationsbook.html

Be sure to visit the other authors participating in today’s Book Hooks!