Feature & Follow Friday.....

Hello all, it's that day of the week where we learn new things about each other and discover new blogs along the way.  We also help each other by becoming followers of one another.  Normally that following would be through GFC (which would be great if you'd still take a few seconds to do), but with that being eliminated for certain blogs (a big boo-hiss to that) I now ask that you follow through a RSS Feed (or Twitter, FB, or email) which you can find to the right.  I want to thank all of you ahead of time who choose to become a follower and make sure to let me know in the comments if you're new so I doubly make sure to follow you back.  And now for this weeks get to know me question....

Q: You are a matchmaker -- your goal, hook up two characters from two of your favorite books. Who would it be? How do you think it would go?

 

A:  I'd pair up the King Vampire Wrath from JR Ward's Black Dagger Brotherhood with Sookie Stackhouse from Charlaine Harris' series.  Wrath is very powerful but not afraid to show his softer side to the woman he loves.  I've always found Bill a bit wimpy in the vampire world and Eric only reveals his feelings of love when his memory is lost, so Wrath would bring the whole package to Sookie while getting her away from all the craziness of Bon Temps.

Review for Possession by Melissa Schroeder

Loving a military man isn't always easy and sometimes living with him is impossible.
 
Possession: A Little Harmless Military Romance Book 2
 
Deke Berg has been in love with Samantha for ten years. From the moment they met, they could never keep their hands off each other. Their marriage was volatile and short-lived, and they were both much too young. Now, though, Deke knows what he wants in life, and Samantha is at the center of his plans. Unfortunately, Samantha is wary of the marriage-espcially to a man who broke her heart.

Sam has always loved Deke. Being a former military brat, she thought she'd been prepared for life as a military spouse. But the long separations were hard, especially dealing with the stranger who returned home. When she asked him to choose, he left and she tried to move on. She doesn't know if she can handle that pain again, but after spending a night together in Hawaii, it's impossible for her to ignore him.
Old prejudices and painful memories aren't easy to overcome, but there is one thing Deke understand: Samantha is his woman, and he will do anything to prove his love and win her back.

Warning, this book contains: Another hard headed military man, a few embarrassing moments, nosey brothers, and two people too stupid to realize they are perfect for each other. It's Harmless and military, so for your own safety make sure there is ice water nearby. The author assumes no responsibility for overheating the reader.

********************

In Melissa Schroeder's latest release in her A Little Harmless Military Romance series we return to Hawaii to try to reunite former married couple Deke and Samantha who never fell out of love and have trouble keeping their hands off each other whenever their close to each other.  Not only do we see their struggle to put past misunderstandings behind them, but we get to see many secondary characters from previous books as well as meeting new and exciting characters with their own paths to love starting out rocky.

Deke is a strong willed hero who always tried to do what he thought best.  After a recent mission went bad he realizes he doesn't want to waste another minute away from Sam and goes after her wholeheartedly.  He's the epitome of heroic and sexy to boot.  His actions showed a more thoughtful and mature partner in his relationship with Samantha.  Samantha seemed young and easy to anger in her interactions with Deke.  While I adored his character, I found her a bit melodramatic and overly emotional, which left me annoyed by her at times throughout the story.

Like all of Ms. Schroeder's works, the sexual interludes are nicely spaced throughout the story and seamlessly blend with action outside the bedroom.  The sexual interludes were both sweet and sexy with a bit of lite BDSM play.  For people that proclaim to be members of the BDSM community, this action is definitely on the light side so those who are put off by that subject matter need not worry.

This was a straight forward pleasant read with no big misunderstandings.  The hero is extremely likable and delectable and went above and beyond the call of duty to make the woman he wants happy.  Many secondary characters are introduced that have me excited for future books in this series with the subtle set-ups seen here.  All-in-all, another satisfying installment to a series ripe with promise!

My rating for this is a B.

*I received this book from the author in exchange for my honest opinion.

Review for The Avengers (2012 movie)

After many weeks of waiting for the crowds to die down, I finally went to see The Avengers and what a rip roaring, action packed, fast paced, cinematic extravaganza it was!  Under the masterful directing hand of Joss Whedon, the coming together of each superhero is nicely and quickly handled with each character getting time to show their personality as well as their powers.  With so many larger than life superheroes battling for top dog status, there were many moments of humor amongst the testosterone, mostly courtesy of Iron Man/Tony Stark (played by Robert Downey Jr.).  He's just as snarky working with a team as he is on his own.  I enjoyed seeing a romantic side to him though in his scenes with Pepper Potts (played by Gwyneth Paltrow) and their playfulness with her standing up to him and hope to see their relationship expanded.

Captain America (the eternally boyish Chris Evans) still represents the triumph of the underdog in America and definitely acts as cheerleader throughout the movie.  Thor (that sexy Adonis Chris Hemsworth) is still arrogant with his god-like nature and seemed to be the one having the hardest time being a team player.  His showdown with Iron Man not only showed off some cool special effects but some exciting action sequences as well.  The Hulk (the surprisingly good choice of Mark Ruffalo) finally lives up to the hype after his two previously disappointing movie incarnations.  I enjoyed his take on it being a totally separate entity within him that even he is somewhat afraid of.  Once the Hulk actually emerges it's to very human-like facial expressions and actions.  His fight with the villain Loki is both humorous and to the point.  The two new additions to the Marvel movie world, Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson) and Hawkeye (the ruggedly sexy Jeremy Renner) are intriguing and easily meshed with the rest of the team.  They have a history just hinted at in this movie, and as a newbie to the comic world, I'm dying to know more about each of them.  Black Widow makes for a worthy heroine, and without a Wonder Woman movie on the horizon, I admired her battle scenes and her ability to keep up with the boys.

Amongst so many worthy heroes, it's imperative that there be a worthy villain.  Once again Loki (played with unapologetic glee by Tom Hiddleston) brings the bad as he tries to subjugate Earth using a massive alien army.  His scenes are over the top fun and there's true enjoyment radiating off him as he chews through each of his scenes.  I definitely hope this isn't the last we've seen of him as I'd like to dig deeper into the complicated brotherly relationship between him and Thor.

From start to finish this movie gives viewers everything they'd hope for in a summer movie.  Great action sequences and special effects, likable characters worth rooting for, and a tantalizing teaser to keep people talking for months until the next installment from the marvelous Marvel superhero movie franchise!  This is one geeky gal who cheered, laughed, and squealed with joy throughout the movie and isn't ashamed to admit it!

For those who still haven't seen the flick, or those wanting to relive the joy, here are some clips......

My rating for this movie is an A!

Teaser Tuesdays #68

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers.

FALL INTO THE SUN by Val Kovalin

....from location 922 of 1630.

-The beloved voice slid past Bobby's defenses like a knife.  He made a weird sound, and Isidro stared at him.  It had been eleven years, three months, and nine days since he had last seen Alejo.  Now that he was back in town he had been yearning to visit him, while knowing he shouldn't.  Only pain lay in that direction.  

Book Tour for Necessity's Door by Fiona Glass (Guest Post & GIVEAWAY)

For the last three weeks we've had the talented writers from Riptide Publishing's Rentboy Collection visiting us.  Today, I'm happy and excited to welcome Fiona Glass whose contribution to the collection is entitled Necessity's Door.  So let's celebrate this holiday in style with Fiona learning about her new release with a character interview with undercover cop Jake......

Since my latest book Necessity’s Door is released this very day at Riptide Publishing I thought it would be fun to report on an interview with Jake, the main character, which happened a few weeks after the events in the book.  The interviewer is a hot-shot journalist from a local newspaper in Birmingham and fancies herself for the next Pulitzer Prize, but Jake being Jake, she found things didn’t go entirely her own way!

So, tell me, Jake... er, it is okay if I call you Jake?

Yeah, go ahead.  I tend not to advertise my last name anyway.  Not good if you're undercover, especially now it's so easy to trace people on the internet.  One whiff of that 'The name's Bond, James Bond' stuff and I'd have every criminal from here to Timbuktu beating a path to my front door.

Er, yes, I can imagine.  So tell me, Jake, what's it like being an undercover detective?  Is it as glamorous and exciting as the books and films make it sound?

Not really, no.

I see.  Could you be a little more forthcoming?

Well, put it this way.  Most of the time I'm living an ordinary, normal, boring life, with all the everyday normal boring actions that we all do and take for granted - chores, shopping, nine-to-five job, paying the bills.  It's just that I'm living someone else's normal, boring life for a few weeks or months instead of my own.  And there's nearly always a lot of standing around.  You get used to having sore feet.

But it must be dangerous sometimes?

It can be risky, yeah, but usually only if something goes wrong or I cock up.  The biggest risk is always me blowing my own cover - even after several weeks it's so easy to forget who I’m pretending to be.  A couple of years back I nearly blew an operation when I told someone who my dentist was - even a detail like that can tip the bad guys off.  And then the other week...  No.

Go on, that sounds interesting.

No, sorry, I can't discuss individual details on recent cases.  Let's just say if it hadn't been for Mac - he's my partner, sort of - they might have been fishing me out of the nearest canal.  You certainly find out very quickly who your friends are.

That does sound exciting.  I know you're openly gay, Jake, so does that mean Mac is your boyfriend?

No, no, I didn't mean...  I mean, he's my back-up when I'm on a job, and a good mate off the job.  Although sometimes....  No.

I've heard that your most recent case was a success, and that you were very brave.  Tell me more.

Nothing much to tell, really.  Like I said, I can't discuss details of individual cases. There was a lot of standing around, my feet hurt most of the time, and I had a few hairy moments, but our hard work paid off and we're hoping there'll be one less bastard on the streets of Birmingham as a result.

Is that all you can tell me?

Pretty much.  The case should be coming to court in the next month or so - the gory details will be in all the papers then.

But you worked undercover as a male prostitute, didn't you, Jake?

Er, yeah.

Can you tell me anything more about that?

I could, but I don't think your readers would want to know.  Except for the sore feet.  There’s a limit to how long you can stand on one leg propped up against a lamp post, you know.

You didn't enjoy it then?

Oh come on, what sort of a question is that?  Would you enjoy pretending to be a prostitute?

Probably not, no, but then we're not talking about me, are we, Jake?  Will you work as a rent-boy again?

Right, that's it, this interview is over.  I can't possibly answer that.

Necessity's Door by Fiona Glass

Being an openly-gay detective in Birmingham comes with its share of problems. For one, the pay is awful. For another, Jake always gets stuck with the crappy undercover jobs. Like posing as a prostitute to catch the new crime boss in town—a man notorious for rough sex with pretty young rentboys.

Jake’s latest op is fraught with difficulties, all of them men. Like his partner, Mac, who he’s secretly fancied for months. And his new client, Graham, who he keeps sleeping with for reasons far beyond maintaining his cover. And of course there’s the target, Frank Warren, who’s much harder to lure than Jake had anticipated.

The longer the job drags on, the tougher it gets for Jake to juggle his own needs with those of the job. They may be closing in on Warren, but Jake’s heart—and moral compass—are slipping through his fingers. Mac is there to back him up, but is he really the man Jake needs? Tough to tell among all those lies Jake's been telling himself and everyone else.

You can read an excerpt and purchase the book HERE.

The paperback version of the entire collection will be released August 6th at Riptide Publishing!

**********GIVEAWAY**********

Like the sound of it?  Want to read more?  Email me the answers to the questions posted below and I’ll put all the correct entries into a hat (well, actually a willow-pattern bowl, but who’s checking...) and the first correct entry drawn from the bowl at the end of the blog tour will win a mystery prize.

Here’s the questions:
1.  What is the real name of The Blue Baboon gay club?
2.  What colour is Frank Warren’s hair?
3.  How much does Warren pay Jake for sex?

Think you know the answers?  Then get emailing and good luck!  I’m looking forward to hearing from you.  And in the meantime if you’d like to find out more about me and my work, then please just drop by....

Website:  http://www.fiona-glass.com/

Blog:  http://fionaglass.blogspot.com/

Goodreads:  http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1223751.Fiona_Glass

Author Page at Riptide Publishing:  http://www.riptidepublishing.com/authors/fiona-glass

*Giveaway Ends at 11:59 PM CST on 6/7.

**To learn even more about this book, visit the other blogs hosting this tour listed here.

Review for Necessity's Door by Fiona Glass

Being an openly-gay detective in Birmingham comes with its share of problems. For one, the pay is awful. For another, Jake always gets stuck with the crappy undercover jobs. Like posing as a prostitute to catch the new crime boss in town—a man notorious for rough sex with pretty young rentboys.

Jake’s latest op is fraught with difficulties, all of them men. Like his partner, Mac, who he’s secretly fancied for months. And his new client, Graham, who he keeps sleeping with for reasons far beyond maintaining his cover. And of course there’s the target, Frank Warren, who’s much harder to lure than Jake had anticipated.

The longer the job drags on, the tougher it gets for Jake to juggle his own needs with those of the job. They may be closing in on Warren, but Jake’s heart—and moral compass—are slipping through his fingers. Mac is there to back him up, but is he really the man Jake needs? Tough to tell among all those lies Jake's been telling himself and everyone else.

********************

With its storyline of an undercover cop playing the role of prostitute, Necessity's Door fits in seamlessly with the other titles in Riptide Publishing's Rentboy Collection.  While there's a feeling of implausibility in Jake's actually going with the men who stop for him, it didn't hamper my enjoyment of this story in any way.

At the start of the story Jake is definitely in turmoil after his boyfriend walks out on him taking all of Jake's savings.  It's made him a bit desperate to make ends meet.  Add in his current assignment working as a rentboy to track down a drug dealer and you see Jake at an all time low mentally.  He's lonely both mentally and physically and it's led to some reckless decisions.  I understood his feelings of frustration and desperation and how easily that can lead you astray.

Mac was a good and loyal friend and I appreciated his honesty with Jake in all matters.  He was a good moral compass for Jake and I can see why Jake was attracted to him.  Graham too was just what Jake needed.  He brought some much needed humor to his life and made him feel cared for.  I wish we'd gotten a more vivid impression of Graham though.  The glimpses we get feel like just that, glimpses without much substance.

Considering the subject matter the sexual interludes aren't very graphic and are often summed up in two or three sentences.  The story flows along nicely but the ending felt a bit rushed and too perfectly tied up to ensure a HEA.  This doesn't detract from this enjoyably written story with likable characters put in an intense situation.  Fiona Glass has created an emotionally intense story featuring conflicted yet admirable characters which has me clamoring for more of her works and brings the Rentboy Collection to a satisfying conclusion.

My rating for this is a B-/C+

*I received this book from the author in exchange for my honest opinion.  

In Honor of Memorial Day...

To all those who have served our country in the past, and all those serving now, Thank You for your service.  Thank You too all those families who sacrifice their loved ones in honor of our country.

Celebrate today the right way, thank a military servicemember!

*gif from the Animation Factory

Intriguing Release from JoAnne Kenrick.....

Estella, Vampire Queen of the Rejected,

royally invites you to join herself and her zombie lover for a fix of dark erotic tales sure to tickle your fancy and give you the shivers. But mind your manners, because she bites.

TALES FROM THE COFFIN official blog

Estella  is better known as the Vampire  Queen of the Rejected due to her major Haversham complex; dumped at the altar, she's Dracula's rejected bride. And boy does she harp on it--still wears her Victorian wedding dress, moth holes and all.
Lucy Rot  was a  sweet girl who had a rather bad experience with magic. Now she's a zombie and Estella's lover and lacky.
Together, they lure the unsuspecting into their dark basement for a fix of darkly erotic twisted tales...and dinner!

Think story within a story. Great expectations mashed with Tales from the Crypt and Red Shoe Diaries.

TALES FRO THE  COFFIN BOOK ONE,  STRANGE AND BEAUTIFUL, RELEASES 22nd MAY 2012 . Book two, All the Pretty Faces releases June/July 2012

EXCERPT:

 (c) JoAnne Kenrick, Decadent Publishing. All rights reserved.

“Fancy bursting into my boudoir and expecting me to entertain on demand. The cheek of it. You people have no manners.” Estella puffed her raspberry-red hair into something that resembled an up-do and readjusted her breasts, shovingher plump flesh back into her once-upon-a-time-white corset. “I know. The wordis out. I give great story. I do understand. You’re excited, who wouldn’t be? I amrather marvelous, if I do say so myself.“In my day, though, the men held doors open for ladies, and the ladies tiltedtheir necks to offer supper. Oh, no need to wrap that sweater farther up yourjugular, dear, I’ve already eaten, so I’m not hungry…at the moment.” Estellastretched her arms out, licked her canines, and hoisted her moth-hole-riddenskirt to expose her alabaster thighs decorated with stockings laddered at theknees and splattered with fresh blood. “I can’t vouch for Lucy, though. She’salways hungry, aren’t you my little Deady Bear.”

Estella, Vampire Queen of the Rejected, is sick of men. Or so she would have you think. Ditched at the altar by Dracula himself, she'd rather spend her days with what she now believes to be the more faithful gender. Plagued by a Haversham complex, she gets her kicks by luring prey into her decrepit house with promises of erotic tales...but mind your manners, and fingers, because she bites.

 Lucy Rotterdayne—a zombie better known as Lucy Rot—is Estella's sometimes-faithful subject and lover. Although why she hangs around to be ridiculed and taunted by a bitter vampire, she has no idea. Perhaps the answer is rooted the story of how she was zombified by a doctor who is simply masterful with his hands?

WARNING.  For adult audiences only.

BUY LINKS

Get your kindle books signed by the author here:

Trailer Widget -- for trailer in full screen, hit the yellow movie box in the widget.

Also by JoAnne Kenrick

www.joannekenrick.com

 

Book Tour for Alien Revealed by Lilly Cain (Interview & GIVEAWAY)

As a fan of sci-fi I'm always on the lookout for books featuring this theme and have found an exciting and sexy start to a new series courtesy of Lilly Cain and her release, Alien Revealed.  Lilly is here today answering some of my dying to know questions as well as letting me give away a digital copy of her book.  So let's give a warm welcome to Lilly Cain........

TSP:  How did you get where you are today with your writing career and would you have done anything differently?

LC:  I can remember one of my mentors, best selling author Julianne MacLean, telling me to persist, that my writing as good, that sometimes it is just a matter of hitting the right editor at the right time, with the right book. She was really right, but one thing I should have focused on was to write longer books – which would have opened up more editors as potential sales. What I have learned over the years is to keep writing, keep reading, and write what feels good to you – it shows in your work!

TSP:  Your books are mostly paranormal/sci-fi in nature.  What draws you to these genres and why do you think they appeal to readers?

LC:  For me, and I suspect for most readers, the appeal is in the escapism that these genres can offer.  Here we have heroes who really can love you – forever. They can take you out of this world, literally. They offer things and extremes that our lives, bogged with work, family, and everyday events cannot.

TSP:  How would you describe Alien Revealed and how does it connect to The Confederacy Treaty series as a whole?

LC:  Alien Revealed is the first book in my erotic sci-fi romance series, The Confederacy Treaty. It, like the rest of the books, it fairly short at 35,000 words (most of the books are in the 35-40K range) but loaded with action, both inside the bedroom and out. In Alien Revealed we are introduced to the Inarrii – the race of aliens chosen by the Confederacy to initiate first contact with Earth. The Inarrii are sensual beings with the ability to connect on a mental level, and with some really interesting physical differences from humans.

TSP:  What is your ideal writing space look like and do you designate certain times of the day for writing?

LC:  I know I should write at my desk, but the truth is I hardly ever do.  The desk is for internet and email. My laptop and my favorite overstuffed chair, with a steaming cup of French Vanilla Hazelnut coffee is more ideal for me when I am home. I also really like to write at my parent’s cottage, where there is no TV, no internet, and no phone. J That’s the place to get serious work done.

TSP:  How has the digital revolution affected your career and how you market yourself?  Do you have an eReader yourself?

LC:  The digital revolution – which we all have to remember is still ongoing – has really opened up things for erotic romance – I think a lot more people feel comfortable about ordering my books on their ereader than being seen with my hot covers in their hands.  Most of my books are digital only right now. And because people who read ebooks tend to be those more techno inclined, they also tend to be in a hurry.  Shorter books, novellas and the re-emergence of the short story as popular reading are great for my style of writing. I do have an e-reader, a Kindle, and both my children have Kobos.

TSP:  My site is all about favorite things.  What are some of your favorite things, the things you can't live without?

LC:  Favorite things (they also mostly happen to all be bad for you things, coincidence?): coffee, chocolate croissants, a cold bottle of Coke, my cat – when she is being nice – my kids – also when they are being nice – and a view of the water.  Many of these things cannot be had in a coinciding manner, LOL.

Alien Revealed

by Lilly Cain

Carina Press

Inarrii agent Alinna Gaerrii was tasked with observing the Starforce base on Earth. Crash landing her observation pod onto the base was not part of her mission briefing. Neither was making m’ittar—mind contact—with Major David Brown, the human who discovered her amongst the wreckage.

David thinks she’s a psychologist sent to evaluate his Special Forces team, and Alinna goes along with his misconception, seizing the opportunity to observe humans up close. But their daily contact has unexpected side effects, and Alinna soon invades David’s dreams. Through their intimate mental connection she allows him to express his forbidden physical desires.

Alinna delights in the sensory exploration and grows excited by the prospect of a treaty with the humans and a potential life mate in David. But an attack from an unknown ship sends the base into chaos, and Alinna may be forced to reveal her lie, erasing all hope of a successful treaty, and driving David away forever…

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Lilly Cain is a wild woman with a deep throaty laugh, plunging necklines and a great lover of all things sensual - perfume, chocolate, silk! She never has to worry about finding a date or keeping a man in line. She keeps her blond hair long and curly, wears beautiful clothes and loves loud music. Lilly lives her private life in the pages of her books.

Lilly lives in Atlantic Canada, although she spent eight years in Bermuda, enjoying the heat and the pink sands. She returned to her homeland so she could see the changing of the seasons once again. When not writing she paints, swills coffee and vodka (but not together), and fights her writing pals for chocolate.

When not living up to her pen name, Lilly is a single mom who loves reading and writing, dabbling in art and loving and caring for her two daughters. She loves romance and the freedom erotic fantasy provides her imagination. She loves the chilling moments in her novels as much as the steaming hot interludes. Her stories are an escape and a release, and she hopes that they can give you that power, too.

Media Links:

Website – www.lillycain.com

Publisher (books also available on Amazon etc, and available as an audiobook at Audible.com) - www.carinapress.com

Group blog - http://contactinfinitefutures.wordpress.com/

Facebook – www.facebook.ca/LillyCain

Twitter – www.twitter.com/LillyCain

**********GIVEAWAY**********

Prize is a digital copy of Alien Revealed.

-Giveaway is OPEN TO EVERYONE!
-To be entered, just leave a comment, along with your email addy.
-Winner will be chosen using random.org and will have 48 hours to respond to my winner's confirmation email or a new winner will be chosen.
-Giveaway ends at 11:59 PM CST on 6/4.

Book Review for Alien Revealed by Lilly Cain

Inarrii agent Alinna Gaerrii was tasked with observing the Starforce base on Earth. Crash landing her observation pod onto the base was not part of her mission briefing. Neither was making "m'ittar"--mind contact--with Major David Brown, the human who discovered her amongst the wreckage.

David thinks she's a psychologist sent to evaluate his Special Forces team, and Alinna goes along with his misconception, seizing the opportunity to observe humans up close. But their daily contact has unexpected side effects, and Alinna soon invades David's dreams. Through their intimate mental connection she allows him to express his forbidden physical desires.

Alinna delights in the sensory exploration and grows excited by the prospect of a treaty with the humans and a potential life mate in David. But an attack from an unknown ship sends the base into chaos, and Alinna may be forced to reveal her lie, erasing all hope of a successful treaty, and driving David away forever...

*******************

As the first book in a trilogy about an alien species making first contact with humans, there's a lot to like and be excited for in the future.  With two very likable characters and lots of steamy interludes this was a book that grabbed me from page one and with its open ending has me clamoring for the sequel.

Alinna's species is highly sexualized and communicates mostly through psychic means.  Encountering humans is both exciting and scary, especially after crash landing and being mistaken for someone else.  Once her otherworldly origins are discovered she must rely on the first man to ever claim her heart if she wants to get home alive and ensure the formation of a treaty between their species.  Alinna is tough yet tender, scared by her unfamiliar surroundings yet does what needs to be done to save both her species and humans.  The aspects of their species are intriguing, from the sexual differences to their mental abilities.  These aspects make for some very steamy sexual interludes, both in dreams and in actuality.

David is very honorable and the epitome of heroic.  He likes to be dominant which is frowned upon in the military so it's no-holds-barred with Alinna which makes for a scorching hot sexual encounter.  David's very likable and a whole new world has been opened to him upon meeting Alinna.

Both the Earth setting and the first glimpse of the Inarrii show an exciting technological world.  It adds an interesting feel to the story and made for vivid imagery.  I thoroughly enjoyed the blend of steamy romance and intense action scenes and found this the perfect series starter.  I'm excited by the implications of this story's first contact and look forward to further interactions between the species.  Lilly Cain has created a visually appealing and mentally intriguing story than sci-fi fans with find immensely satisfying.

My rating for this is a B+

*I received this book from the author in exchange for my honest opinion.

Feature & Follow Friday................

Hello all, it's that day of the week where we learn new things about each other and discover new blogs along the way.  We also help each other by becoming followers of one another.  Normally that following would be through GFC (which would be great if you'd still take a few seconds to do), but with that being eliminated for certain blogs (a big boo-hiss to that) I now ask that you follow through a RSS Feed (or Twitter, FB, or email) which you can find to the right.  I want to thank all of you ahead of time who choose to become a follower and make sure to let me know in the comments if you're new so I doubly make sure to follow you back.  And now for this weeks get to know me question....

Q: Activity! Dreamcast your current read.

 

A:  I caved to peer pressure and am reading Fifty Shades of Grey by E.L. James.  Here are my picks for the main characters of Anastasia Steele and Christian Grey.....

 

 

Mila Kunis as Anastasia

Chris Pine as Christian

Book Tour for This Tangled Thing Called Love by Marie Astor (Promo & GIVEAWAY)

Who doesn't enjoy a sassy heroine, a older woman/younger man relationship, and some sexy heroes tempting women at every turn?!  Well I know I do, and for those of you tantalized by those kinds of characters should definitely take a chance on This Tangled Thing Called Love by Marie Astor.  Courtesy of CBLS Promotions I'll be bringing you a glimpse into this book as well as a giveaway for some jewelry.  So let's get right to it...............

This Tangled Thing Called Love by Marie Astor

Twenty-eight-year-old Claire Chatfield has everything a girl could possibly wish for: looks, a promising career at New York’s top architectural firm, and an engagement ring from one of New York’s most eligible heir-bachelors! Life should be a dream, but when Alec Brunell, a sexy tango dancer, moves into the apartment one floor above from Claire’s, he unwittingly awakens Claire’s old insecurities, making her question her life choices. Will Claire brave her fears and allow herself to take a chance on Alec, or will she continue to play it safe?

In order to secure his place as his father’s successor, thirty-three-year-old David Lawson must settle down with a wife befitting the future head of Lawson Enterprises - and who could fit the prerequisite better than the stunningly beautiful and incredibly bright Claire Chatfield? There is just one glitch – David Lawson is in love with another woman – a Hollywood Legend Claudia Block.

A successful tango instructor, Alec Brunell has never lacked for women’s attention, but he finds himself at a loss when faced with his downstairs neighbor, Claire Chatfield. Upon hearing of his occupation, most women swoon with desire, but Claire runs for the door. Still, her iciness only adds fuel to his fire, as Alec is determined to change Claire’s view of him.

Claudia Block has been basking in the limelight of Hollywood for more years than she cares to admit. While she still has her looks, she would much rather not mention her age, which makes her unconventional affair with young and handsome David Lawson that much more difficult for her to give up.
 

This Tangled Thing Called Love is a love story about finding one’s perfect match - sometimes following one’s heart is as convoluted as learning the steps of tango.

EXCERPT #1:

“Are you sure you don’t want me to drop you off at your apartment?” David asked while his chauffeur held the black Mercedes door open for him.
 

“Positive. I’ve got a few errands to run on the way.”
 

“Oh?” David arched an eyebrow and Claire sensed his eyes lingering on her neckline. “Is this blouse supposed to be open like this?” David buttoned the top button Claire had purposely left undone. “Oh, and let me know if that new neighbor of yours gives you any trouble.”
 

“I don’t think he will be bothering me anymore.” Claire stammered, wondering what on earth prompted David to bring this up.

After David’s car pulled away, Claire considered her options – she had planned to spend the day with David, but as it had unexpectedly turned out, she now had the entire Sunday to herself. Well, truth be told, these occurrences were becoming disconcertingly frequent: lately, she noticed David spending a far greater number of weekends at the office than Claire would have liked to admit. Of course, she could have taken David up on his offer and hung around to spend a few precious evening hours with him, but as much as she had been tempted to, she knew that she had been right to resist - she was not about to manifest her growing attachment to David by sitting around and moping for him. Claire smiled with self-satisfaction remembering the protective way David had buttoned up her blouse – men, even a man like David Lawson, were highly predictable. The minute you let them think they knew everything about you, they were liable to take you for granted, but as long as you left some mystique, they would keep coming back for more.

EXCERPT #2:

Alec put down the paint roller and wiped his forehead on the back of his arm. Man, he was beat – he had forgotten how grueling physical labor could be. Sure, he worked out six days a week, not to mention daily dance practice, but painting walls made him discover muscles he did know he had. Every bit of his body throbbed, but at least he had gotten the job done – the south wall was painted red, and the other three were white. Now, all he needed was wait for the paint to dry so that he could add a silhouette of a tango couple against the red background – that ought to complete the ambiance. He opened the small fridge and reached for a bottle of orange juice. The cool liquid soothed his parched throat; holding the now half-empty bottle, Alec walked over to the window to check out his new view. All in all he was happy with his new digs: the rent was reasonable and the view was not bad either – from the top floor he had an unobstructed view of Second Avenue – not exactly the poshest of locations, but it would do.

One thing he had not counted on was fussy neighbors. Alec smiled, thinking of the unexpected visitor from the morning. “Claire,” he mouthed her name, remembering her tousled chestnut hair and hazel eyes - even that bulky bathrobe she had been wearing could not conceal the shapely outlines of her body.

Of course, a girl like that was bound to be a challenge. But he had always liked challenge, and the fact that he was a professional tango dancer usually played in his favor. Usually, but it might not be so this time. Alec winced, remembering Claire’s reaction to his innocent question about her music taste. What was all that about? he wondered - as far as he was concerned, no one could resist tango. Well, he would get to the bottom of Claire’s music idiosyncrasies in due time, but in the meantime, he needed to think of a way to become more neighborly.

“Think of the devil,” Alec murmured, taking another gulp of orange juice as he spotted the subject of his thoughts exiting the lobby. Someone must have a hot night planned, he thought, his eyes examining every detail of Claire’s outfit, which was far more flattering than the bathrobe he remembered from this morning. Now, she was dressed in a little black number that fitted her body to a T – his instincts had been right, from long, shapely legs to firm, flat stomach to wonderfully full breasts, her body was downright perfect, and the way her chestnut mane bounced down her back made Alec want to get to know his neighbor better. Heading out for a night on the town, Alec mused – it was Saturday night after all, and he was glad to remark the absence of a male companion by Claire’s side. Suddenly, his new building looked even more appealing.

BUY LINK:

Amazon Kindle:  http://www.amazon.com/Dance-Me-Stars-Contemporary-ebook/dp/B0078IPNCW/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1333508381&sr=8-1


*For more info about this book, visit the other blogs hosting this tour listed HERE.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:


Marie Astor is a die-hard romantic who wholeheartedly believes in true love, which is why she writes in the contemporary romance genre. Marie is the author of contemporary romance novels This Tangled Thing Called Love, Lucky Charm, On the Rim of Love, and a short story collection, A Dress in a Window.

To learn more about Marie’s writing, visit her at:
 
Website: http://www.marieastor.com/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/marieastorcollection
GoodReads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4665230.Marie_Astor
Twitter: @marieastor

**********GIVEAWAY**********

3 Prizes, 3 Winners!

Just fill out the Rafflecopter Form below to be entered.  Giveaway ends 6/1!

a Rafflecopter giveaway