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Friday, January 9, 2015

Sneak Peek: Hot Highlanders and Wild Warriors

[Check out this great new short story collection edited by Delilah Devlin. This is part of the blog tour for the book. Use the Rafflecopter widget at the end of post to enter the drawing for a raft of prizes, including a $50 bookstore GC! ~ Lisabet]




Blurb

Men devoting themselves to their true love through the art of courtly love is the ultimate in romance. Hot Highlanders and Wild Warriors is filled with wild knights and Scottish warriors whose courage on the battlefield is outmatched only by their ardor for their ladyloves! Readers will unleash their fantasies of olden days where men wearing heavy armor or thick tartans sent a spirited young maidens (or lonely widows) heart fluttering. These bravehearts were prized for their physical strength and men were judged for their fierce loyalty and unshakeable honor. Crusaders, highlanders, Normans and Saxons, tournament fighters, vikings, and hunky Mongols astride stallions in search of adventure and love all populate the pages of this steamy read.

Contents

Pleasure in Surrender” by Delilah Devlin
After the lady of the keep bars her gates to the barbarian the king commands she wed, the half-Viking knight scales the walls of her heart


Wicked” by Susannah Chapin
The strong-willed daughter of a Scottish Laird learns it isn’t her surrender her father’s most powerful but wounded warrior craves


The Keeper of the Keys” by Axa Lee
A Briton queen learns to lay aside the household keys of her responsibilities and ask her Saxon warlord husband for what she craves


The Maiden’s Kiss” by Layla Chase
A Viking warrior tempts fate and his own control when an Icelandic maiden asks to be tutored in the art of kissing


My Loveliest Vision” by Renee Luke
Despite a daunting affliction, the lady of the keep will protect her father’s holdings from a resolute knight come to claim what he was promised


The Invasion of Nefyn” by Lizzie Ashworth
A Briton woman risks rape and death at the hands of invading Saxons in hopes of a visit from her warrior husband


The Promise of Memory” by Regina Kammer
A Roman slave finds freedom in fantasies of a knight in the imperial guard—a warrior who evokes memories of a long lost love


On My Honor” by Beatrix Ellroy
When a wounded knight is offered sanctuary by a widowed healer, the pleasure she also offers may strain his honor


A Hawk in Flight” by Connie Wilkins
The Lady of Aragotsotn paid tribute to the Mongol conqueror to save her people, but her falcon-fierce heart remains undefeated—though it might be won


To Love a King’s Man” by Emma Jay
At the Highland Games of 1589, a young widow risks all for a chance to win the love of a bastard favored by the king


The Bodyguard” by Jacqueline Brocker
As a ninja stalks through the palace corridors, the daughter of a samurai lord is drawn to her wounded, pensive bodyguard


Broken Vows” by Anya Richards
A marriage of convenience leads to most inconvenient desires and a threat to one knight’s immortal soul


Poetry and Amber” by Axa Lee
A mighty passion ignites along the Volga River between a Celtic witch and the Rus king to whom she’s been traded


The Squire” by Cela Winter
While traveling in France, a knight’s secretive new squire makes him question everything he knows about himself


From “Wicked” by Susannah Chapin:

Drawing near, Isobell feasted on the taut lines of his belly, the thin line of hair disappearing beneath the sheet, and lower to the angry twisted scar bisecting his thigh from groin to knee.

Her gasp was soft but not soft enough. In a motion so fast Isobell didn’t have time to scream, Lachlan pinned her to the wall, his massive forearm across her chest and a dirk at her throat. Panic gripped her in its iron fist, her shallow breaths doing nothing to tame her blackening vision.

He was going to kill her.

As quickly as the fury came, it receded, recognition dawning across Lachlan’s steel-gray eyes. “Isobell?” His voice was ragged with disuse. “Christ, what are ye doing here?”

She swallowed hard as the dirk’s cool blade left her skin. Trembling fingers flew to her neck, her elbow grazing his naked torso. Her heartbeat pounded in her ears, and a sheen of cold sweat dotted her face and chest.

There was barely a hairbreadth between his naked body and hers. His masculine scent wrapped around her, drowning her in desire.

She gathered her nerve, squared her shoulders and peered up at him. “I’m here to bring ye back.”

Is it yer da? Does he need me?” He reached to the side for his plaid draped over a chair, ready in a heartbeat to serve her father. Never a moment’s fear or doubt, just unshakable loyalty, bone-deep bravery.

Isobell reached to still his fingers with hers. “Nay, it isna my da.”

He straightened, towering over her. Long and lean, built for power and speed. A deadly combination of brains and brawn. Confusion knit his brow. “Then why are ye here? Ye shouldna be sneaking around the castle at night.”

Her practiced speeches were tendrils of fog she couldn’t quite grasp under his icy gaze. What had she planned to say? Use me in any way necessary to feel alive again? What manner of idiot was she?

Isobell.” He touched her chin, tipping it until she met his eyes.

Something dark and liquid pooled in her belly.

I think ye should leave now, lass,” he said, his voice tinged with anger.

She stiffened her back, grasped the fleeing strings of her frayed courage and infused her tone with all the authority she could muster. “I brought ye water and soap. There’s a clean shirt and food, too. Wash up and I’ll change yer sheets.” She brushed past him and stripped the sheets, the weight of his gaze on her.

Water splashed in the basin just before he spoke. “Leave the sheets. I’ll do the bed.”

Nay. Let me tend ye.” Isobell avoided his nakedness as she dumped the dirty bedclothes outside the chamber door. She’d give him privacy. For now.

I dinna need tending, lass,” he said, irritation in his curt words. “I’m a grown man, ye ken?”

The edge in his tone was sharp enough to sever her tender resolve, but Isobell refused to bleed. “I’m not sure of that. It didna look like ye were caring of yerself, sleeping in filth and refusing to leave yer room.”

And what would ye know of it?” he spat.

I know ye lay in here, day and night. I know ye stopped riding, stopped hunting. Ye pay the maids to bring yer food but won’t let them help ye wash. Ye came back from battle a ghost of who ye were.” She paused, her fingers bunching in the fresh sheets. “The most frightening part is that ye were little more than a ghost when ye left. Ye’re ashamed of yer leg, of yer limp, so ye push everyone away. People talk about ye, Lachlan. They whisper things.”

The heat of him pressed against her back. His warm breath caressed her neck as he spoke low and deadly. “And what do they say about me, sweet Bell? Tell me, so I can show ye how true it is.”

Available now at Amazon.com!


About the Editor

Delilah Devlin is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of erotica and erotic romance. She has published over a hundred thirty erotic stories in multiple genres and lengths, and is published by Atria/Strebor, Avon, Berkley, Black Lace, Cleis Press, Ellora’s Cave, Harlequin Spice, HarperCollins: Mischief, Kensington, Montlake, Running Press, and Samhain Publishing. In May 2014, she adds Grand Central to her list of publishers when Her Only Desire releases!

Her short stories have appeared in multiple Cleis Press collections, including Lesbian Cowboys, Girl Crush, Fairy Tale Lust, Lesbian Lust, Passion, Lesbian Cops, Dream Lover, Carnal Machines, Best Erotic Romance (2012), Suite Encounters, Girl Fever, Girls Who Score, Duty and Desire and Best Lesbian Romance of 2013. For Cleis Press, she edited 2011’s Girls Who Bite, and 2012’s She Shifters and Cowboy Lust. In 2013, she added SmokinHot Firemen and High Octane Heroes.



Visit the other blogs hosting this tour for more excerpts and more chances to win!


December 29 Wickedly Wanton Tales
December 30 The Crafty Cauldron
December 31 Behind Closed Doors
January 1 Pink Fluffy hearts
January 2 It's Raining Books
January 5 Deal Sharing Aunt
January 6 Bunny's Review
January 7 Angel's Guilty Pleasures
January 8 Words of Wisdom from The Scarf Princess
January 9 Beyond Romance
January 9 Long and Short Reviews

a Rafflecopter giveaway

7 comments:

Lisabet Sarai said...

Welcome to Beyond Romance, Delilah and the rest of the contributors. I loved this cover from the first time I saw it. Sounds like what's inside is just as delicious!

Goddess Fish Promotions said...

Thanks for hosting!

forsan said...

Some of the summaries are hilarious. Not sure I like the scottish accent writing though. I wonder if I would like this. Historical romances tend to get a bit too aggressive.

Unknown said...

I love the cover. It's enticing. Thanks for the opportunity and giveaway!

Rita Wray said...

Loved the excerpt, thank you.

Colleen C. said...

Each of the stories sound good! Some new to me names listed! Thanks for sharing! :)

Anonymous said...

I'm intrigued by all the different story premises!

Trix, vitajex(at)Aol(Dot)com

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