By
Adriana Kraft (Guest Blogger)
Have
you ever felt like life was passing you by? That shut-down feeling
that separates you from everyone you see? They seem to be
normal, happy, satisfied, and you just can’t connect. Worse yet,
you don’t have the energy to do anything about it, to take even
that first baby step toward making a change.
That’s
what Merry Delaney is experiencing as the world turns toward the new
millennium, New Year’s Eve 1999. She’s an accountant, for god’s
sake. Her life consists of managing the math for other people’s
lives. She’s been a widow for the past year, but something inside
her died long before that, as she watched her husband’s MS take
over his body and felt him withdraw from her.
My
husband and I co-write erotic romance and romantic suspense under our
pen name, Adriana Kraft. The
Merry Widow
combines both – intense eroticism with underlying suspense. But it
is so much more than that. We wanted to capture a woman’s
transition from that dark place and explore the process as she opens
up and begins to say yes—slowly
at first, and then pell-mell into the fast lane.
Especially,
we wanted to explore the nuances of transformation: what is the
moment, precisely, when a character makes an about face? When she’s
passed (or we’ve passed, for that matter) the point of no return
and can no longer continue as before? Is it an earth-shattering
moment? Is it a moment so tiny it’s lost in the cacophony of
choices and activities, only to be recognized much later, upon
reflection? Does it happen not when the choice is first made, but
when a character is confronted with something she wants very badly
that flies in the face of what she’s become?
Naturally,
in our story, Merry’s journey of self-discovery is filled with
sexual adventure—we write erotic romance, after all. But it’s
also filled with choices she must make as she samples new experiences
and begins to fall in love at the same time. Will she settle for less
than what she truly wants? We hope not—and we hope the same for
you, our readers.
Blurb
So
much for all the anticipation about the new millennium. Merry
Delaney’s life is still in a rut and shows no signs of changing.
Sex? A fading memory, gone long before her husband actually died.
Excitement? Hardly the hallmark of an accountant’s life. At
forty-two, what can she look forward to?
Until
her best friend takes Merry’s predicament into her practiced hands.
One passionate kiss unleashes possibilities Merry never dreamed
of—and she wants to sample them all. Men? Women? Young? Old?
Ménage? Toys? Yes, to all, to pleasure, to making up for lost time.
Enter
Chicago Detective Jim Barnes, who solicits Merry’s help with a mob
funds-skimming case. Can the scorching passion that soon smolders
between Merry and Jim survive the escalating mob threats of exposure?
Having discovered a zest for sex, will Merry ever again be satisfied
with one man?
Buy
Links
Barnes
& Noble:
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/1014270702?ean=2940163931583
GooglePlay:
https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Adriana_Kraft_THE_MERRY_WIDOW?id=nbPQDwAAQBAJ
Excerpt
Jim
tried to breathe normally. That wasn’t going to happen as long as
he stayed in this woman’s presence. Her lips started to move. He
tried to focus on what she was saying.
“No
apology required. If I remember correctly—my brain is still
somewhat fried—I wasn’t holding back any. I don’t want another
detective.” Merry gave him a sultry smile. “Your cock will do
quite fine. I’ll gladly attest to that.”
He
crossed the foyer in a flash and crushed her to his body. He kissed
her hair, her forehead, her lips while her hands roamed across his
back and buttocks. “Jesus,” he exclaimed, feeling himself harden
again. “I’m not a twenty-year-old.”
“Thank
God.”
He
jerked himself from their embrace. “I don’t know what your game
is, lady. I don’t know what you want. But I’m finding it damn
hard to walk out of here.”
Merry
laughed. She actually laughed at him.
She
gripped his arousal. “You don’t seem to have much difficulty
getting hard again.” She lowered her hand. “I’m not into games,
Detective. Maybe I’m too old for that. I don’t have any
particular wants other than some good, mind-blowing sex—which
you’ve already demonstrated the capacity for. That’s all I ask.
No strings. No commitments. No expectations. No nothing but hot sex.”
“Hmm.
I’d be one of many if I sign on?”
“Probably.”
She never hesitated. She never blinked.
“Never
done it that way before,” he grunted.
Merry
smiled. “Neither have I, but I’m learning it can be quite
stimulating—quite invigorating, actually. And after so many years
of abstinence, I’m not looking for a lovey-dovey relationship.
Maybe someday, but not now. I’ve made a commitment to myself to be
open to new sexual experiences, new opportunities.”
“Your
commitment is to yourself?”
She
shrugged. “Yes. And I don’t feel a bit guilty about that. I’ve
sacrificed so much of myself because of commitment, I’m setting
about to reclaim part of myself.”
“So
I was merely part of that reclaiming.”
“Maybe.
I enjoyed it. I think you did, too. Maybe that’s enough. Maybe once
was enough. Or maybe you want to stay for coffee.”
Wow,
what an incredible book! Not only is The
Merry Widow
a gripping, romantic suspense but the heat level is hotter
than Death Valley… The ending took me by surprise and I was a
little sad to see it end. I grew attached to the characters and
wanted to stay in their world a little bit longer. The
Merry Widow
will be on my keeper shelf and one I will be re-reading again and
again. Highly recommend! N.
N. Light
Their
romance is hot in all the right places…If you love romance with
more than two people, you’re going to love this book! Seducing
Cat
is a must read! The
TBR Pile
Filled
with warmth, blazing hot sex, well-developed characters and an
interesting plot…not for the faint of heart. If you are
looking for an interesting story filled with scorching hot erotica,
author Adriana Kraft's novel Vegas
Gambler
is the book for you. Romance
Junkies
Ms.
Kraft has a gift for pleasing the reader with vivid imagery and
erotic language. Fasten your seat belts – Cherry
Tune-Up
is one hot ride that you don’t want to miss. Romance
Junkies
Definitely
recommended The
Reunion sizzled
as two incredibly sexy women and one gorgeous guy form a super hot
triad, eventually. These three are by far and away the best
smoldering trio I have read about. Oh, bring on more of this, but
read this one first! Rainbow
Reviews
About
Adriana Kraft
When
it’s Time to Heat Things Up
Award
winning author Adriana Kraft is a married couple writing Sizzling
Romantic Suspense and Erotic Romance for Two, Three, or More. Whether
readers open our romantic suspense or our erotic romance, they can
expect characters they care about, hot sex scenes, and a compelling
story. Our suspense stories deliver one man, one woman, danger and
intrigue. Our erotic romance is edgier and nearly always includes
ménage or polyamory, sometimes with two women and a man, sometimes
with two (or more) couples. We write our Erotic Romance stories to
entertain, of course, but most of all we write them because we
believe in happy endings for all who fall in love, whatever their
gender, sexual orientation or numerical combination.
Social
Media Links
Website:
https://adrianakraft.com
Twitter
https://twitter.com/AdrianaKraft
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/adriana.kraft.5
FaceBook
Fan Page https://www.facebook.com/AdrianaKraftAuthor
Amazon
Author Page https://www.amazon.com/author/adrianakraft
Pinterest
https://www.pinterest.com/adrianakraft5/
Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/kraftadriana/
