It’s my birthday, and I have gifts for you – #Giveaway #FreeBook #MFRWHooks

Happy Wednesday! And happy birthday to me! No, I won’t tell you how old I am. You’d just be shocked. In any case, I’m not too old to celebrate. And since this is also the day for our MFRW Book Hooks blog hop, I thought I’d celebrate by giving you some birthday gifts.

For my hook, I’ve got a steamy kiss from my BDSM erotic romance The Gazillionaire and the Virgin. You can get a copy of this best-selling, full-length novel for free, between today and next Monday. See the details after my hook.

Plus, I am giving away a $10 bookstore gift certificate to one randomly selected commenter. To be eligible, you must include your email in the comment, so that I can find you if you win. (I promise I won’t use the email except to locate you.)

Want another chance at the gift certificate? Go leave a comment on my post at Sweet n’ Sexy Divas, too. Same rules.

https://sweetnsexydivas.blogspot.com/2024/01/birthday-goodies-for-everyone-giveaway.html

Blurb

Trust can’t be bought—it has to be earned.

She’s the billionaire. He’s the virgin. Still, he knows how to make her melt. One word from Theo, one touch, and Rachel surrenders to bliss. It seems that love and complementary desire may harmonize their differing values, until Rachel’s unwitting violation of Theo’s trust tears them apart.

The Hook

Max opens the rear door of the limo. Theo flinches away.

“Hi, Theo!” I lean out to wave. “Nice to see you!”

He scowls at me. “You’re twelve minutes late. I thought you’d changed your mind.”

“Sorry! It’s a rather a long way from Santa Cruz, a bit hard to predict the travel time. I probably should have called. Traffic on 101 was even worse than usual…” I’m babbling, his presence making me giddy. “Anyway, why would I change my mind?”

He doesn’t answer, just stands there shuffling from one foot to the other as Max waits patiently.

“Get in, Theo. Please. We’re headed up to the city. We’ve got a reservation. We need to get started.”

He shoots Max a dubious look. “I’m not sure I want to go. I thought… I thought it would just be the two of us.”

“Don’t mind Max. He’s just the driver. I thought it would better to be chauffeured, so that we could concentrate on talking.”

“Talking? Is that what you have in mind?” I still hear irritation in his voice, but he does climb into the limo to settle down next to me.

“Ah, well—among other things.” For some reason I’m blushing. I gesture to Max in the front seat. A smoked glass privacy pane slides up to block his view of us. “Is that better? Now you can forget he’s even there.”

“Hmm.” Fumbling in his jacket pocket, he fishes out a scrap of paper, which he thrusts in my direction. “Here. The CIH account number you wanted.”

“Excellent! I’ll set up the transfer first thing Monday…” Our fingers touch as I take the note. That minimalist brush of skin on skin sends heat roaring through me. I suck in my breath. My nipples pebble under my jacket. Thank God he can’t see them. I think I’d dissolve in embarrassment.

Theo spears me with a curious gaze. “Is something wrong, Rachel?”

“No, no. I’m fine.” I tuck the paper into my purse, then force myself to meet his eyes. “I’m very glad to see you, Theo.”

His stiff posture softens a bit. “Me too.” He sweeps his gaze over my form. “You look – well – just beautiful.” Before I know what’s happening, he reaches out to engulf my small hand in his much larger one. He gives me a squeeze. “I’ve missed you,” he says, almost inaudible.

You missed me? It’s been less than forty eight hours, I start to say, trying to laugh off his intensity. But his warmth accelerates my pulse and dampens my pussy. His scent of soap and menthol shaving cream swamps me with memories of our transcendent first night together. I ache to have him in my arms again—to have him in my cunt. I can’t deny I’ve missed him too.

He’s watching me, reading my face, his dark eyes flickering with emotion. I am suddenly as frightened as I am aroused. Theo Moore isn’t going to do casual. He’s an all-or-nothing sort of guy. I could seriously hurt him.

I want him, oh yes, more than I’ve wanted anyone in a long time. Am I ready to take responsibility, though, for the consequences?

So I don’t answer, don’t tell him how he has monopolized my thoughts for the past two days. Instead I change the subject.

“Have you thought about how you’ll use the donations?” Even to my own ears, my enthusiasm rings false.

“No–no–never mind that. I’ll consider that later.” He tugs on my hand, pulling me closer. My body slides across the leather upholstery, until my thigh presses against his. “I want to talk about us, Rachel.”

There is no ‘us’, I want to tell him. It’s too risky. Last night was great, but it won’t happen again. I choke down the words. I can’t think of any reply that won’t damage his fragile self-image.

There’s no chance for me to speak anyway. Theo wraps me in his bear-like arms, leans in, and claims my mouth. His kiss scatters my resolution like sun burning through fog.

His lips lock to mine, firm and muscular, taking control. I don’t fight him – how can I, when both of us know this is what I want? When he runs his tongue along the seam, I open automatically, following my instincts as he, I suspect, is following his. He tastes of peppermint. He smells like sun-warmed earth. He drinks me in as though he’d like to swallow me whole.

Get a free copy of this book from Smashwords!

Go to the book page:

Click on Buy, then enter this coupon code: KF43P

The price will drop from $4.99 to zero. Conclude the sale, then go download the book in your choice of ebook formats: mobi, epub, pdf, etc. The coupon expires on Monday, February 5^th.

Enter to win a $10 Amazon or BN gift certificate!

Just leave a comment on this post that includes your email (obfuscated is fine). I will randomly choose a winner from all comments on this post and at Sweet n’ Sexy Divas.

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Review Tuesday: Sin in the Second City by Karen Abbott #History #Prostitution #ReviewTuesday

Sin in the Second City: Madams, Ministers, Playboys and the Battle for America’s Soul by Karen Abbott

Random House, 2007

A formula for popular history: find an interesting but obscure historical figure, research their life and times, then weave a story around them. Karen Abbott adopts this strategy in Sin in the Second City, with mixed success. At the center of her narrative are the Everleigh sisters, Minna and Ada, who owned the most exclusive and outrageous brothel in Chicago during the second half of the nineteenth century.

Elegant and expensive, Everleigh House catered to the wealthy and influential men of the Second City: celebrities, tycoons, playboys, politicians and racketeers. The women who worked there - Minna's and Ada's "butterflies" - were not just beautiful but also cultured (educated by their employers in many circumstances), and earned a fortune compared to the harlots in other houses. Indeed, Minna and Ada had a waiting list of women who wanted to join their enterprise.

The descriptions of Everleigh House, the excesses it saw and the scandals it suffered, would be fascinating in their own right. Ms. Abbott tries to expand the scope and impact of her tale by chronicling the long campaign by religious fanatics and puritanical officials to combat "white slavery" and shut down all of Chicago's bawdy houses, including Minna's and Ada's establishment. Somehow, this made the story feel scattered and unfocused. 

The book contains long sections about the individual men involved in the anti-vice movement - their lives, their foibles, their successes and failures. For me, this was just distracting. I really didn't care about them. I wanted to read more about the goings on at Everleigh House: the wild doings at the Ward Ball where the sinners of Chicago thumbed their noses at the law; the gracious manner in which the sisters dealt with their opponents; the incredibly enlightened treatment of the "butterflies", even when they violated the sisters' rules. This seemed to me to be the heart of this history, not the hysterical polemics and dirty dealings of the do-gooders. “The Battle for America’s Soul” referenced in the sub-title seems like an overstatement. In fact, Minna and Ada possessed more soul than all their opponents put together.

As I read this book, I also found myself wishing I was more familiar with Chicago. I think someone who knew the city well would find special pleasure in this book.

I enjoyed Sin in the Second City, largely because of the original, boldly unapologetic pair of women whose lives it chronicles.

We were born for greatness … #Memoir #Resilience #Giveaway

Blurb

A journey through a life marked by hardship, pain and resilience.

From the devastating loss of a mother at a young age to abusive relationships and a harrowing escape, this gripping memoir unveils the story of survival, redemption, and the enduring strength of the human spirit. With unwavering determination, the author overcomes the shadows of her past to forge a path toward self-discovery, healing, and hope.

I Survived is an inspiring testament to the power of resilience and the unwavering belief that no matter the obstacles, one can triumph over adversity and ultimately thrive.

Excerpt

Introduction

My name is Celisha J. I have been through a lot, learned, and am better because of it. I am a firm believer that every lesson is a blessing. God has saved me so many times. I know he did this because he has something bigger planned for me.

My prayer for this book is that it helps women and children who have gone through the same or similar situations to know that they don’t have to allow the traumas of their past to keep them from being successful. I believe that God has a plan for our life, but we did something to alter that plan along the way. He did not intend for us to struggle or have a hard life. He allows us to choose the path we want to go on. The good thing is he is that he is always there to pick us up when we fall. We were born for greatness.

Hold yourself accountable for your mistakes and forgive yourself and those who hurt you. Forgiveness is for you. I want people to know you can be the best you that you allow. No one says it will be easy, but the main thing to remember is that you are responsible for you. I believe that the only person you can truly believe in life, who won’t let you down, is God and yourself. In order for you to crawl out of the slump of being abused, hurt, let down, controlled, and battered is, your faith in God and the belief that he has better for you. He does not want us to live in our past. He intended for us to learn from it and allow our past to help other people gain strength, but if we tell our stories and we have not grown from what happened to us, then who can we really help?

I have done some things in my past that I am not proud of, and this book tells you my story and how I remember it. No, it is not everything, but the book will tell you the things that stood out the most to me. I have learned a lot and grown from my mistakes, and I have decided not to allow the embarrassment, pain, and struggles from my past to hold me back, so I am releasing it in this book.

This is my Ugly Truth!

About the Author

Born in Michigan and now living in Atlanta, Celisha J. is an actress and author all in one, landing a role in a movie and a lead role on a TV series.

Her memoir “I Survived” is a chilling story about her life from losing her mom at an early age and all the things that she has endured in her life, that should have broken her but she uses her pain as motivation to continue on her journey to following her dreams of being an actress, author and motivational speaker. She is currently pursuing more roles in acting.

Website: http://www.Celishaj.com

Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/Celishaj_

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Celishajtheactress

Amazon Author Page: http://amazon.com/author/celishaj

Available on Kindle Unlimited: https://www.amazon.com/I-SURVIVED-Celisha-J-ebook/dp/B0CL9K719D

YouTube Video: https://youtu.be/Qzi7NXoPXbs?si=SIVr-OVo5Nv01dro

The author will award a $25 Amazon/BN gift card to one randomly selected reader.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Charity Sunday: Toward a Cure – #SMA #Research #CharitySunday

Greetings! Welcome to the first Charity Sunday of 2024. Today I’m supporting the charity that originally got me started with Charity Sunday: CureSMA (https://www.curesma.org/). 

 

SMA, or Spinal Muscular Atrophy, is a progressive hereditary neurodegenerative disease that affects the motor nerve cells in the spinal cord and impacts the muscles used for activities such as breathing, eating, crawling, and walking. Until recently, most babies born with SMA died before their first birthday. However, partly due to the work of CureSMA, there are now effective treatments that slow the progression of the disease and allow sufferers to enjoy a more normal life.

One of my cousins was born with SMA. Danny was lucky enough to have knowledgeable, supportive parents, and to receive an experimental treatment when he was an infant. He is now almost nine years old, and in stable health. He goes to school; he’s even been to Disneyland. Although he would still be considered quite severely disabled, there’s a good chance that he’ll live to become a productive, happy adult.

With more financial support, CureSMA can fund research and raise the profile of this relatively rare but terrible disease. I believe that new therapies on the horizon may be able to reverse at least some of the effects of SMA. Hence, today I will donate two dollars to CureSMA for every comment I receive.

Meanwhile, to thank you for joining me today, I have an exclusive steamy excerpt from my most recent release, Wild about That Thing. It has nothing whatever to do with my charity, but hopefully will amuse you.

You can find all the buy links for this novella on my website: https://www.lisabetsarai.com/wildaboutbook.html

Excerpt (Rated X)

Ruby sank down onto the bed, suddenly unsure. Without a word, Zeke began to undress. She swallowed hard, her pantyhose growing more sodden by the instant as he revealed his blond-furred torso and muscled thighs. He stepped out of his briefs, setting his erect cock free. It reared up from the red-gold tangle at his groin, swaying a bit, like a tree branch in the wind. Sporting a wicked grin, he stroked it once or twice to coax a bead of moisture from the fat bulb. Ruby clutched the bedspread, her heart slamming against her ribs. Was this really happening?

No sooner was Zeke naked than Remy began to disrobe. He kicked off his boots, then dragged his shirt over his head and tossed it into a corner, to be followed by his jeans. Gone was the composure that had first drawn her attention. Was it really less than a week ago? Urgency and impatience vibrated in his every gesture. His swollen penis arced towards the ceiling in a graceful curve, bobbing with his pulse. He struggled for control, his hands clenched into fists by his sides. His skin gleamed like polished oak, smoothed over the sculpted curves of his hairless chest and lean flanks. Revealed to Ruby for the first time, his naked body was every bit as compelling as his face. She fought the urge to literally throw herself at his feet.

Her suit jacket felt hot and constraining. She shrugged it off her shoulders. The silk of her blouse revealed her taut nipples, straining through the lace of her brassiere. Her musk escaped the confines of her panties and hose. She was dying for them to touch her, but neither man moved. She was the one in charge.

“Please,” she managed to choke out, holding out her arms. “Don’t make me wait any longer!”

In an instant, they were both by the bed. Remy crouched down to remove her shoes. He kneaded her insteps and arches. She tingled all over. He worked his way up her legs—massaging her calves, working his thumbs into the pressure points above her knees, stroking the insides of her thighs with light touch that shot straight to her pussy. As he worked, he pushed her skirt up into a crumpled mess in her lap. She didn’t care. She leant back to give him access to the elastic circling her waist. In one swoop, he relieved her of her underwear and stockings.

Meanwhile, Zeke knelt behind her on the bed, his thighs flanking her hips, his chest against her back, and his erection flattened against her spine. He reached around to unfasten her buttons, his blunt fingers brushing against the heated skin below her bra. The transient contact made her yearn for more. He removed her blouse, taking care not to damage the delicate garment, then addressed himself to the hooks of her bra. By the time she released the breath she was holding, he had bared her breasts. Her plentiful flesh spilled out of his palms. Zeke thumbed the swollen tips and lightning streaked down to her clit.

“God, you’ve got gorgeous tits, darlin’! Juicy and firm as Georgia peaches!” Zeke gave the aching nubs a pinch, making her squirm. At the same time, Remy’s slender fingers parted her labia and warm breath stirred her moist folds.

“Oh…” She hardly had time to moan before Remy’s mouth fastened on her pussy. “Oh—oh!” He burrowed into her, sucking her flesh into his mouth while swiping the flat of his tongue across her clit. Sensitized by days of self-imposed celibacy, her hungry cunt spasmed with pleasure under his expert attention. She tilted her pelvis and parted her thighs, trying for more contact. Remy probed her crevice, making her crave deeper penetration, before returning his attention to her clit.

Her whole being concentrated on the tongue dancing in her pussy. A climax curled in her belly. Remy’s mouth coaxed it closer to the surface.

All at once there was heat and wetness from a new source. Zeke’s ripe lips surrounded one nipple. He swirled his tongue around the engorged bead of flesh, then applied delicious suction. His moustache brushed her bare skin, soft and sensual. Just when she thought she’d burst from the pleasure, he transferred his mouth to the other breast, leaving the first soaked with saliva, chilled and tingling. He used his teeth but Ruby felt no pain, only a brilliant stab of delight.

Remy reacted as her body tensed. He drove his face into her sex, plunging his tongue into her hole, mashing her clit against his nose. The dueling sensations, above and below, drove her into a frenzy. Her lovers worked together to brink her to the peak. That realization—that the two men were collaborating in her pleasure—was what finally pushed her over the edge.

* * * *

Please don’t forget to leave a comment, to help Danny and the other kids battling SMA. Thank you!

 

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All of us mortal – #Aging #Memories #Erotica

Scarborough Castle at sunset - Photo by Lisabet Sarai

Yesterday I received something of a shock. From a fellow author’s newsletter, I learned that Victoria Blisse, a stalwart of the U.K. erotica and erotica romance community, had died. I’d been out of touch with Victoria for a long time, but she was one of a long list of writer friends whom I hold in the light during in my daily meditations. Plus she was one of the few members of my writing community whom I’d actually met in person.

Victoria was a live wire, enthusiastic about everything including kink. She edited and published a series of great erotic anthologies called Smut by the Sea, sexy stories loosely linked by their settings near the beach. She also organized several erotic writers conferences with the same title, in the glorious historic town of Scarborough. That’s where I was lucky enough to meet her (as well as a number of other authors I’d previously known only in the digital realm).

That day-long adventure was one of the peak experiences in my seven-decade existence. I so rarely have the opportunity to live my identity as Lisabet Sarai. That day, I could be as outrageous and seductive as I liked. People wore corsets and carried riding crops. We had workshops on craft. We hugged and congratulated ourselves on escaping from convention, for one day at least. I met people who’d only been names in a table of contents before. I did a steamy reading from one of my novels, just barely managing to finish within the time limit and escape the promised penalty of a spanking.

I’ll never forget the excitement, the pride, the undercurrent of arousal... You can’t get thirty erotic authors together without people feeling turned on.

Victoria also ran a blog event called Sunday Snog, encouraging her friends to post kiss excerpts. Note that the kiss didn’t necessarily have to be mouth-to-mouth! She had very few inhibitions.

I believe she was at least ten years younger than I am, so the notion that she’d passed on hit me hard. Then I realized that despite that age gap, at this point she was, like me, elderly. It’s so hard for me to get used to the idea of aging – not just my aging, but everyone I know. But I’ve been part of the erotica community for nearly twenty five years now. We’ve all gotten old... at least physically.

And we are all of us mortal. One could see that as depressing, but I’d prefer to focus on the unique joys of today as well as the fantastic memories I’ve accumulated over that long time.

I’ll cherish my memories of Victoria Blisse. And even if she’s gone, I can still hold her in the light.

In her honor, here’s a link to a Sunday Snog I posted that was inspired by Smut by the Sea. Victoria was the first person to comment. I can hear her voice in my mind.

May she, and all of those whom she touched, be blessed.

https://lisabetsarai.blogspot.com/2015/06/smut-by-sea-snog-177-and-contest.html

Join us for Charity Saturday, 28 January 2024! #CharitySundaySignup #Altruism #Marketing

Image by Mier Chen from Pixabay

Since 2017, I’ve been devoting the last Sunday in each month to a post which features some worthy cause. Often, other bloggers join me in this effort, turning the event into a blog hop. This month’s Charity Sunday blog hop will take place this coming Sunday, the 28th of January.

Charity Sunday is a meme designed to give authors and bloggers a chance to give back to the world—as well as, hopefully, to attract new readers.

How does it work? Each participant selects a favorite charity. Before the date, you should prepare a blog post that: 1) talks about the charity and why you support it; 2) provides a link to the charity; 3) includes an excerpt from one of your books; 4) includes the code to show links to other participating blogs.

It’s fun if you can make the excerpt relate somehow to your chosen charity, but this isn’t required.

For every comment left on your post, you commit to giving some amount to the relevant charity. The specific charity and the amount to donate are up to you. You can set an upper limit to your donation if you want.

If you’d like to participate in the next Charity Sunday on January 28th, just sign up using the Linky List below. Please be sure that the link you enter will lead directly to your Charity Sunday post, not just to the home page of your blog.

You can get my brand new 2024 Charity Sunday banner here:

https://www.lisabetsarai.com/2024CharitySundayBanner.jpg

For an example post, check out this link from my last Charity Sunday:

https://lisabetsarai.blogspot.com/2023/12/charity-sunday-for-kids-on-journey.html

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Their eyes locked for a long moment – #EroticRomance #Academia #MFRWHooks

Happy Wednesday! For today’s Book Hooks hop, I’m sharing a bit from my taboo erotic romance Incognito: Secret Lives, Forbidden Loves. This excerpt is G-rated – but most of the book most definitely is not. It’s real romance, though... even ends with a honeymoon!

Blurb

Shy and serious by day—insatiable by night.

During the day, Miranda Cahill works diligently on her doctoral thesis. At night, she has sex with strangers. Her secret life explodes when she realizes her masked partner at a kink club and the charismatic colleague courting her are in fact the same person – the one man who can teach her to accept her diverse desires, as well as to trust her heart.

The Hook

Passing a classroom, she glanced through the glass-paned door and saw Mark Anderson in front of two dozen students. She stopped to watch him. Although she could not hear his lecture, his face was animated. He smiled often, laughed occasionally, gave his students complete attention when they spoke. Pacing from one side of the room to the other like an actor on a stage, he moved with lithe grace. He used his hands, gesturing expansively one moment, clenching his fists dramatically the next. Occasionally he ran his fingers through his tousled brown locks, sweeping them back off his forehead.

Miranda found herself transfixed. His performance ran the gamut from the melodramatic to the comic. Just like his Dickens, she thought. There was an ache in her chest as she realized how attractive he was, how accessible he seemed. Not at all like the arrogant, mocking gentleman in her dream.

He was totally focused on his class, but suddenly he looked over at the door. Did he recognize her standing on the other side of the glass? She felt the intensity of his gaze, and it seemed that their eyes locked for a long moment. Miranda was embarrassed, as if she had been discovered engaging in some forbidden act. Blushing, she hastened away.

Mark found her fifteen minutes later in the lounge, drinking a cup of coffee, skimming a Xeroxed manuscript and trying to calm the silly beating of her heart. “Miranda!” Pouring himself some coffee, he sat down next to her. “What did you think of my first lecture?”

His manner was so friendly, she couldn’t help answering his warm smile. “Actually, through the glass I couldn’t hear anything you were saying. I was just admiring how much you were able to communicate with body language.”

“Ah, yes, the fruit of my years in amateur dramatics. You might not realize that you are looking at the favorite leading man of the Kenosha Community Theatre. Why, everyone in southern Wisconsin had heard of Mark Anderson!”

“You’re from Wisconsin?”

“Alas, yes, but I’ve been trying to remedy that failing. Graduate school in San Francisco and London. Six months working on my dissertation on a remote island in Nova Scotia. Six months ‘sabbatical’ in Thailand. And now lovely Boston, which I am enjoying more every day.”

Miranda somehow got the notion that this comment had a personal dimension. She ignored the discomfort associated with that thought and forced herself to continue with the conversation.

“Where are you living? Have you found a decent apartment?”

“Actually, I’ve got a great place, on Pearl Street.”

“In Chinatown?”

“Exactly. On the third floor, above the Jade Garden Restaurant. It’s an old building, with tall windows and wooden floors. I look out on an alley, so it is relatively quiet. The only problem is, with the cooking smells that filter up from below, I’m always hungry!”

They both laughed, and Miranda felt marginally more relaxed.

“What about you, Miranda? Where are you from?”

“Born and bred in Cambridge. Spent my childhood playing in Harvard Yard.”

“Miranda Cahill—you’re not related to Herman Cahill, the Shakespearean scholar?”

“My father. He’s retired now, living in Florida. Obviously, I couldn’t do my graduate work anywhere but here, in his department.” Miranda sighed. “All the expectations are a bit of a burden, though. No one mentions it, but everyone knows that I’m his daughter.”

“I’ll bet you were named after the character in The Tempest,” said Mark with a laugh.

“His favorite play,” nodded Miranda. “It is a good thing that I wasn’t a boy, or he might have named me Prospero!”

“So, what does your father think about your unconventional thesis?”

“He refuses to comment. He can be something of a curmudgeon sometimes. In fact, I think he finds it embarrassing, but titillating.”

“Well, I can understand his perspective.” There was an awkward moment of silence. Miranda stared at the bottom of her coffee mug. Mark finally spoke.

“Look, I’ve got to run. I have a student conference in five minutes. But I’d love to talk some more. Why don’t you come over for dinner tonight?”

Miranda hesitated, nervous all over again.

“I’m as good a cook as I am an actor, if I do say so. Do you like spicy food?”

“Definitely.”

“Then I’ll cook Thai. Please, don’t disappoint me, Miranda.”

He looked so earnest, so open, and so darned attractive, Miranda could not say no. “What time?” she asked.

“How about eight? It’s 17 Pearl Street, apartment 3B.”

“Can I bring something?”

“Just your lovely self,” said Mark. Then he noticed her blush, and made his tone more matter-of-fact. “You could bring a bottle of wine, if you felt like it. Red.”

Miranda smiled, sensing that he understood her ambivalence. “I have a bottle of Côtes de Rhone that my father sent for my birthday. I’ve been saving it for a special occasion.”

“Seems very appropriate.” Mark glanced at his watch. “I really have to go, but I’ll see you tonight, okay?”

“See you tonight,” said Miranda. Then she sat by herself for another ten minutes, waiting for her heartbeat to return to normal.

Buy Links

Ebook

Kinky Literature: https://kinkyliterature.com/book/362-incognito-secret-lives-forbidden-loves

Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0B1N7CTMQ

Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0B1N7CTMQ

Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/2940165857058

Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1147874

Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/incognito-secret-lives-forbidden-loves

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/61138791-incognito

Audio - Narrated by Freya Victoria

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Incognito-Secret-Lives-Forbidden-Loves/dp/B0BMWG2XQK

Audible: https://www.audible.com/pd/Incognito-Audiobook/B0BMWDKQH2

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

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Review Tuesday: Their Untameable Passion by A P von K'Ory #RomanticSuspense #ActionAdventure #ReviewTuesday

Their Untameable Passion by A P von K’Ory

AuthorMeProfessionals Press, 2023

Nicknamed “Gorgeous Ice Block” by her envious and admiring colleagues in the world of finance, Leontine “Leo” Boswell is fiercely intelligent and doggedly willful. Leo is determined to unearth the truth about her mother’s mysterious murder. In the course of her barely legal investigations, she takes risks that lead her into an ambush and she is kidnapped by the Phantom, a shadowy figure of enormous power. She finds herself half-naked, chained to the floor on a boat in the middle of the sea. Though Leo struggles to remain strong and rational, her captor knows how to wring the maximum anguish out of his stubborn but vulnerable prisoner.

Adrian Xerxes Cranford, Leo’s first and only lover, is in Europe on his own mission against the Phantom when he learns about Leo’s abduction. Crushed by the news, furious and desperate to save his “Adrian goddess”, he’ll move heaven and earth, crack skulls and slit throats, to set her free. First, though, he has to find her.

Their Untameable Passion is the third installment of A P von K’Ory’s Untameable erotic romance series. Unlike the first two books, which focused on Leo’s and Adrian’s incendiary erotic connection and their slowly developing mutual trust, this novel shifts into action/adventure mode. The story reads like a Mission Impossible episode, as Leo and Adrian individually fight to defeat a seemingly omnipotent adversary. Complicated plans, advanced intel-tech, split-second coordination... Ms. von K’Ory even has Adrian jumping out of a helicopter thousands of feet above the ocean.

The author keeps Leo and Adrian apart for nearly the entire book. Surprisingly, this amplifies the volume on their passion. Each of them suffers deeply from their separation and their worries about the other’s welfare. Their pain is visceral, mirroring the intensely physical nature of their relationship. There are no sex scenes at all in Their Untameable Passion, aside from memories and fantasies, yet the lovers’ constant focus on one another keeps the level of erotic tension high until the outrageous, thrilling conclusion.

Like much of this author’s work, this book is extreme in both plot and emotions. If someone summarized the novel for me, I’d probably giggle and shake my head at its lack of realism. As I read, however, I found myself suspending disbelief, carried along by the author’s confidence and conviction. Ms. von K’Ory clearly feels every nuance of her characters’ pain and passion. She manages to make this real and immediate for her readers. We’re passengers on Adrian’s and Leo’s roller coaster of lust and love. After the fact, we might wonder whether any of this is plausible, but while we’re on the ride, there are no doubts.

All in all, I greatly enjoyed Their Untameable Passion. When faced with adversity, Leo and Adrian come to a deeper understanding of how much they care for one another. They release their remaining resistance and mistrust of one another in the process of their life-and-death battle against the Phantom. Adrian, in particular, comes to realize that he literally cannot live without Leo – a humbling conclusion for someone so arrogant and macho. Despite its action/adventure trappings, this novel is true romance, providing a delicious HEA with a love so pure and powerful that it almost hurts – which is exactly what Leo and Adrian crave.

The next fight could be her last... #SpaceOpera #Eugenics #Giveaway @MerrinSlade

Blurb

In a world where perfection is demanded of its citizens, one imperfect woman may be the only person who can save humanity.

One thousand years in the future, humans have developed the ability to alter their genes to create a perfect version of themselves, but not all are so fortunate. Cerys Skye is a Wild Type, genetically unaltered and forced to live in the Refuge—a place for Wild Types and the unlucky citizens whose genetic modifications society has deemed as imperfect.

All the fiery tempered young woman knows is how to fight. Using her wits and skills, Cerys must compete in brutal prize fights if she is to bring food to the table for her younger sister. But, she is always aware that the next fight could her last—she must find a way out of this life.

Leaving behind all that she knows, the last place the tempestuous Cerys expects to find herself is joining the United Planet's Space Force Academy, where she battles prejudice and intolerance in a world run by genetically modified humans.

As the new recruit discovers, not all is as it seems at the Academy with a shadowy cyber-evil seeking to threaten humanity. But, when loyalties are tested and the stakes are high, can Cerys rely on new found allies and her unshakable courage to stop the impending catastrophe?

Contains mature themes.

Excerpt

She felt light-headed. “I need half an hour. To find my sister, that’s all…” Starla would understand this was for both of them. She would ask Gerry to take Starla in. Of course, she would. Gerry had a big heart.

“If you’re joining the Space Force, you leave now. You must decide,” he said.

Panic seized her. “I have to say goodbye. I must make arrangements.”

“Step into the pick-up zone. Or you are free to stay behind.”

Cerys glanced up at the silver disk darting through the clouds towards them. She looked back at the crowd. Inquisitive tourists gathered in a wide circle around her. Standing on the edge of the pick-up zone, their faces flashed: green, white, green, white.

In that moment, a woman shoved to the front of the crowd, the haft of a sword glinting over her shoulder—a Valkyrie.

“Kara,” Cerys shouted. “Over here.”

“Cerys.” Kara strode towards the checkpoint. GMs shrank away. “What’s going on? Did they take you? I heard about it.”

The secofficer scowled, and the crowd whooped.

“Kara, listen.” Cerys tugged her aside. “I’ve been recruited to the Space Force. Tell Gerry to look after Starla, and tell Starla…I love her. I’m getting her out of here. I’ll send money. Promise me.”

Kara blinked. “Now? You’re going now?”

“Just promise.”

“I promise.” She nodded vigorously. “Of course, I promise. Hey, what’s this…?”

Secnoids grabbed Kara from behind, dragging her away. Even the famous Valkyrie were not permitted to say goodbye.

“Tell Starla I’ll message…” Cerys shouted, but Kara was already lost in the crowd.

 

About the Author

Merrin Slade is a science fiction writer who transports readers to alternate futures and faraway universes.

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