Archives for June 2018

Too Wilde to Wed by Eloisa James

June 4, 2018 By Leave a Comment


Too Wilde to Wed by Eloisa James
Publisher: HarperCollins
Genre: Historical
Length: Full length (384 pages)
Heat Level: Spicy
Rating: 4.5 Stars
Reviewed by Xeranthemum

No one is more surprised than Lord North when he returns from war to find his ex-fiancee in his ancestral home…working as a governess in a sexy, fiery new Wildes of Lindow Castle romance by New York Times bestselling author Eloisa James…

The handsome, rakish heir to a dukedom, Lord Roland Northbridge Wilde—known to his friends as North—left England two years ago, after being jilted by Miss Diana Belgrave. He returns from war to find that he’s notorious: polite society has ruled him “too wild to wed.”

Diana never meant to tarnish North’s reputation, or his heart, but in her rush to save a helpless child, there was no time to consider the consequences of working as a governess in Lindow Castle. Now everyone has drawn the worst conclusions about the child’s father, and Diana is left with bittersweet regret.

When North makes it clear that he still wants her for his own, scandal or no, Diana has to fight to keep from losing her heart to the man whom she still has no intention of marrying.

Yet North is returning a hardened warrior—and this is one battle he’s determined to win.
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He wants Diana, and he’ll risk everything to call her his own.

Looking for fun? A wonderful romance? A high-caliber, well written tale filled with swoon-worthy moments sprinkled with smiles, chuckles and an epilogue that ties it all together with sunshine filled perfection? Look no further than Too Wilde to Wed.

Ms. James’ Wilde family is filled with lovable rascals who can’t seem to stay away from scandals. In this particular novel, the scandal is based on assumptions, good intentions and noble actions, all of which stem from one sad incident. Only one person knows the full scope of the situation and she’s not telling.

The romance between North and Diana was thoroughly enjoyable. I loved their dialogue, both internal and external, their personalities and their temperaments. I particularly enjoyed watching them fall in love with each other, again, this time for all the right reasons. When I read the scene with Boodle, the valet, and his choice of … colors and styles that he expected North to wear, I couldn’t help but snicker. I prefer a man to look like a man. When North came back from the war, he refused to suffer wearing ‘high fashion’ any longer. Thank goodness. What followed was deliciously sexy and delightful.

Poor Diana. She’s eaten up with guilt, duty and trauma from being manipulated and ridiculed by her mother. In spite of those emotional burdens, she loves kids, is a hard worker and accepts what she expects to be her lot in life. Little does she know, there’s a certain someone who knows a lot more than they’re letting on. In a way, I get the impression that there’s a nod to Cinderella in this tale and it works wonderfully.

In Wilde in Love, there was a heroic skunk and I was tickled that there was an honorable mention in this book. In fact, there were some specific references that make me wonder if this novel could be considered a standalone read. I like to think so. I guess it’s because North and Diana were the main focus. Even so, the effect of the secondary characters seemed more profound because I had read the previous book and I had a sense of ‘homecoming’ especially when I was surrounded by the Wilde clan. They’re a fun, loud and loving family.

Readers who enjoy seeing lovers express their passion in the physical sense will have ample opportunity to see North and Diana in action. What shocked me the most was how Diana came to know as much as she did, intellectually speaking, and from whom. I didn’t see that coming.

As I said in the beginning, there is a satisfying epilogue that wraps it all up in the end but Ms. James also delivers an irresistible lure – Lavinia’s discovery. After that scene, the author has me wrapped around her literary finger and I’m enthusiastically eager for the next novel. This is going to be awesome!

So, in conclusion, Too Wilde to Wed is a must read. There’s much to adore in this novel and I’m delighted to share my enthusiasm with other fans. It’s an awesome romance!

Filed Under: Reviews, Romance Tagged With: , , , , ,

Mental Diplopia by Julianna Baggott

June 4, 2018 By Leave a Comment


Mental Diplopia by Julianna Baggott
Publisher: Tor Books
Genre: Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Contemporary
Length: Short Story (31 pages)
Heat Level: Sweet
Rating: 4 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

There seems to be a strange new disease spreading around the world. People are getting stuck in the past in mostly happy memories. They are straddling the line between now and then. Although the disease ends in death, the infected seem to go willingly. The epidemiologist seeks the answers to this viral mystery while she is falling in love and yet trying not to get infected, in Julianna Baggott’s Mental Diplopia.

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I’ve never read a tale about a pandemic that involved characters feeling happy and peaceful while they were dying from an incurable disease, so I was quite curious to see how that would change the typical progression of this sort of science fiction. The descriptions of this ailment only made me more interested in finding out where it came from and why it had such a strange set of symptoms. While this worked perfectly well as a short story, I would love to read a sequel someday about what happened next.

It would have been helpful to know more about how the main character met Oliver, her love interest. They clearly had a lot of chemistry, and I started rooting for them to somehow have a happy ending as soon as he was introduced. The only thing missing in their relationship was an explanation of how and when it began. Had it been included, I would have been perfectly happy to give out a much higher rating.

The unnamed protagonist was an intelligent and sensible epidemiologist. I enjoyed reading her calm and often understated descriptions of how this disease progressed and what happened to humanity once the vast majority of people had died from it. There was something compelling about reading such a factual account of a worldwide tragedy. Seeing it from the perspective of someone in the medical field made me even more interested in finding out how it would end than I would have otherwise been because of this. Her slight detachment from the subject matter gave her the objective point of view that the plot needed in order to truly drive its message home.

Mental Diplopia is a great choice for anyone who would enjoy reading a somewhat romantic take on the end of the world as we know it.

Filed Under: Reviews, Romance, Science Fiction/Fantasy Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Must Love Babies by Lynette Austin – Spotlight and Giveaway

June 4, 2018 By Leave a Comment


Long and Short Reviews welcomes Lynette Austin who is celebrating tomorrow’s release of Must Love Babies. Enter the Rafflecopter for a chance to win Picture Perfect Wedding.

This baby’s not the only one in need of a cuddle…

Brant Wylder is a bachelor and loving it! He’s in Misty Bottoms, Georgia, property-hunting for his vintage car repair shop when he gets the call. His sister’s been in an accident, and Brant has to drop everything and take care of his five-month-old nephew. That’s the end of the bachelor lifestyle.

Bridal boutique owner Molly Stiles is all business all the time, until she sees that Brant’s in trouble. In this Southern town, nobody ever has to go it alone. And besides, how can she resist that beautiful baby in the arms of a beautiful man…?

Enjoy an Excerpt

Molly stood beneath a magnolia tree, her face tipped to catch the moonlight. The breath caught in his throat, and for one fanciful second, Brant imagined a mythical princess or fairy.

He shook his head. The woman was real, and he wanted a dance, wanted to hold her in his arms. A little flirting? Harmless.
Stepping out of the shadows, he made his way to her.

“Beautiful night, huh?”

“Perfect.” Slowly, she turned, a smile on her face.

“How about a dance?”

She hesitated.

“I’m not asking for a lifelong commitment, sugar. Just a single dance under the stars. The night’s made for dancing.”

“It is, isn’t it?”

He caught her hand in his, amazed at its softness against his work-roughened one. “In the interest of full disclosure, I’m not the world’s greatest dancer, but you shouldn’t lose any toes.” He glanced at her sequined stilettos, showcased by her cocktail-length dress. “Don’t know how you even walk in those, let alone put on the miles you do, but I have to say that all mankind is grateful.”

Smiling, Molly peeked at her shoes. “They’re awesome, aren’t they?”

He nodded. “You can dance in them?”

“I could run a marathon in these.”

“Okay, then.” The moon shone through Spanish moss that dripped from the live oaks, forming a lacy pattern on the dewy grass.
Kelly Clarkson’s “A Moment Like This” played over the sound system. Reaching the dance floor, Brant slid an arm around her waist and drew her in, breathed in her scent. He swung her out and brought her back in one smooth motion, felt her quick laugh in the pit of his stomach. The music slowed when the band segued into John Legend’s “All of Me,” and he drew her close.

Molly fit perfectly in his arms. She lived in Georgia and he in Tennessee, and that made her safe. And if the plans he and his brothers were working on panned out? Still nothing to worry about since she lived in Savannah. When she rested her head against his chest, he wondered if she could hear the rapid thump of his heart. Ms. Molly was hot, hot, hot.

His hand slid a little lower, and without missing a beat, she relocated it to her waist.

Molly smelled of a midnight garden with just a touch of naughty. His body responded, and he willed himself to think about something else. “How’s the city?”

“Savannah?” She shrugged. “I live in Misty Bottoms now. I opened a bridal boutique. Today’s bride was my first.” She grinned, dimples creasing her cheeks.

The dance ended, and he reluctantly released Molly. “I’m driving back to Tennessee tomorrow.”

“Speaking of driving, thanks for taxiing the last of the rehearsal dinner’s partiers home last night. I heard they celebrated pretty hard at Duffy’s.”

“No problem.”

“I need to stop at my car before I go back inside. I left the little silver heart I attach to the bridal gown’s garment bag in my glove box.”

Brant walked beside her in the soft night air, a hand at her elbow, while the band played Blake Shelton’s “God Gave Me You.”

He lowered his head. “Before we call it a night, I’d love to see the rose garden our friend Cole salvaged.”

“What a mess, but after a lot of hard work it’s incredible again.”

The scent of roses surrounding them, they strolled through the yard. In the silver light of the moon, the flowers glowed and took on an almost magical, fairy-tale illusion. The house shimmered and welcomed, like the true Southern lady she was. Interlacing his fingers with Molly’s, peace enveloped Brant.

They wandered across the expanse of lawn and through the blooms in comfortable silence.

From the parking area, he heard the sound of engines starting, of tires crunching on the long drive. “Looks like it’s about time for lights-out. We’d better head back so you can finish up.”

A slight breeze caused Molly to shiver, and happy for the excuse, Brant wrapped an arm around her and pulled her a little closer, surprised when she didn’t pull away.

Reaching her yellow-and-white Mini Countryman, he made to open her door, then changed his mind, leaned in and gave her a quick kiss, one that should have been impersonal. Friendly. Instead, fire shot through him.

He pulled back, unsure whether he should be relieved or horrified that the expression on her face mirrored his own stampeding feelings. Clearing his throat, he said, “I’m taking care of a few loose ends in the morning, then heading back to Tennessee. And I already said that, didn’t I?”

“Yes, you did. The kiss was nice, thanks, but you don’t need to worry. I won’t show up naked at your hotel door.”

His breath caught.

She grinned, and he understood she knew exactly the effect she was having on him.

“I—” His phone vibrated. “Whoops. Sorry, but I’d better take this. My brothers probably forgot something. Organization isn’t their strong suit. If you’ll excuse me.”

“Sure.”

“Hello? Dad?” As he spoke, he made his way to a gnarly old oak. His father’s voice was gruff, almost as if he’d been crying. Panic grabbed Brant by the throat. “What’s wrong?

About the Author: Once upon a time, a handsome prince walked up to the Tastee Freeze window and asked the lovely princess—who was working there to earn money to redecorate the castle—for a chocolate milkshake and a date. She said yes to both, and they lived happily ever after.

Okay, maybe I embellished a little—the princess didn’t actually live in a castle—but it’s no wonder I write romances with their happy endings. My prince and I are still together.

We had one beautiful son whom we lost in 2006. Aaron brought untold love and happiness into our lives. He was one of those brave firefighters who run into the flames as others are fleeing.

Dave and I both grew up in Pennsylvania’s Alleghany Mountains. From there, we moved to New York, then to the Rockies in Wyoming. Presently we divide our time between Naples, Florida’s beaches and Georgia’s Blue Ridge Mountains.

I have a Master’s in Educational Leadership and taught middle school language arts before leaving it to write full-time. My books have finaled in Romance Writers of America’s national Golden Heart Contest, PASIC’s Book of Your Heart Contest, and Georgia Romance Writers’ Maggie Contest. My books written as Lynnette Hallberg include Enchanted Evening from Kensington, Moonlight, Motorcycles, and Bad Boys,Chantilly Lace and A Pretty Face, and Night Shadows from The Wild Rose Press, and Just A Little White Lie from Carina Press.

I love books and have closets full of them as well as two well-supplied ereaders. Nothing makes me happier than losing myself in my characters’ worlds. Besides reading and writing, I enjoy traveling. I’ve visited all fifty states with the exception of Alaska and have traveled extensively throughout Canada, Mexico, Europe, Africa, and Central America—always on the lookout for new characters or a new story.

Website | Facebook | Twitter

Buy the book at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, or iBooks.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Rachel Brimble: Interview and Giveaway

June 4, 2018 By 11 Comments

Long and Short Reviews welcomes Rachel Brimble whose newest book, The Mistress of Pennington’s, releases on July 1. Leave a comment for a chance to win a £20/$20 Amazon Gift Certificate.

Rachel said the best advice she was even given, which helped her enormously, was to “give yourself permission to write a crappy first draft.” She now embraces this mentality with every book she writes and her output has quadrupled.

“A filled page can be edited after all. A blank page, on the other hand…,” she said.

The difficulty of writing for her is when she has a germ of an idea for a book or series, but can’t think about how to sustain it for 90,000 words. Then, she tends to get writers’ block about the halfway point when she starts to think that the entire story is rubbish or her characters go off in a direction she hadn’t planned on. I asked her what she did when that happened.

“Write, write and write some more! The only way through writers’ block is to keep working. The solution will come in the end and, if not during the first draft, it most definitely will in a later draft. Trust me!” she assured me.

Even though starting a series can be hard for her, it’s also her favorite thing.

“I think series writing allows the writer and reader to really get to know the setting and characters in a way that isn’t possible with a single-title. Whenever I start planning a new book, I am always thinking how it could pertain to a series. My Harlequin series, the Templeton Cove Stories runs to eight books and is very special to me.”

“How do you come up with the titles to your books?” I wondered.

“With supreme difficulty! Titles are my nemesis and I’m most definitely not a writer who gets precious over her titles. I love it when the marketing team of a publisher have precedence on titles – totally gets me off the hook,” she said with a laugh.

Rachel told me that she’s lucky to have a home office. For many years, she wrote at the kitchen table or on the sofa with her laptop on her knees. But, about three years ago, she commandeered an upstairs bedroom as her office.

“I have a huge white, antique-look desk and bookshelves, the walls are painted a pale blue and I have two corkboards above my desk which house pictures from my work in progress and ideas for my next book,” she explained. “I am a very visual writer and pics of my hero, heroine, villain and where they live is vital to my creativity.”

The most surprising thing she has discovered about writing her 23 novels is that it never gets any easier.

“Each time I start a new one, I cannot remember how I started the others,” she told me. “I literally freeze. I also do the same thing when editors’ revisions arrive in my inbox – I have this complete mental stand off, ‘what now??’ The only way through these times are to attack and hope you get it right!”

I asked Rachel about the scariest moment of her life.

“My family and I were caught up in the 2010 French floods – we were on holiday in a caravan park when the flood hit. We had to be evacuated and rushed to the clubhouse roof. We were there for 16 hours before we were rescued by helicopter. We were cold, then sunburned, hungry and tired. It was definitely the scariest time in my life so far.”
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“Say your publisher has offered to fly you anywhere in the world to do research on an upcoming book,” I said, “where would you most likely want to go?”

“Italy,” she answered promptly. “I’ve been to Venice and Verona, but would love to explore Rome, Florence and Tuscany. I’m really keen to write an Italian set series but don’t feel I’m qualified enough until I’ve explored the country, eaten the food, drank the wine and spoke to the people. Yes, Italy is most definitely on my wishlist!”

1910 – A compelling tale of female empowerment in Bath’s leading department store. Perfect for the fans of the TV series Mr Selfridge and The Paradise.

Elizabeth Pennington should be the rightful heir of Bath’s premier department store through her enterprising schemes and dogged hard work. Her father, Edward Pennington, believes his daughter lacks the business acumen to run his empire and is resolute a man will succeed him.

Determined to break from her father’s iron-clad hold and prove she is worthy of inheriting the store, Elizabeth forms an unlikely alliance with ambitious and charismatic master glove-maker Joseph Carter. United they forge forward to bring Pennington’s into a new decade, embracing woman’s equality and progression whilst trying not to mix business and pleasure.
Can this dream team thwart Edward Pennington’s plans for the store? Or will Edward prove himself an unshakeable force who will ultimately ruin both Elizabeth and Joseph?

About the Author: Rachel lives with her husband and two teenage daughters in a small town near Bath in the UK. Since 2007, she has had several novels published by small US presses, eight books published by Harlequin Superromance (Templeton Cove Stories) and four Victorian romances with eKensington/Lyrical.

In January 2018, she signed a four-book deal with Aria Fiction for a brand new Edwardian series set in Bath’s finest department store. The first book, The Mistress of Pennington’s, will release in July 2018.

Rachel is a member of the Romantic Novelists Association and Romance Writers of America, and was selected to mentor the Superromance finalist of So You Think You Can Write 2014 contest. When she isn’t writing, you’ll find Rachel with her head in a book or walking the beautiful English countryside with her family. Her dream place to live is Bourton-on-the-Water in South West England.

She likes nothing more than connecting and chatting with her readers and fellow romance writers. Rachel would love to hear from you!

Website | Blog |
Twitter |
Facebook | Facebook Street Team – Rachel’s Readers |
Amazon Author Page | Goodreads

Buy the book at Amazon UK, Amazon US, or Kobo.

Filed Under: Guest Blogs, Romance Tagged With: , ,

We Have Always Lived on Mars by Cecil Castellucci

June 1, 2018 By 2 Comments


We Have Always Lived on Mars by Cecil Castellucci
Publisher: Tor Books
Genre: Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Contemporary
Length: Short Story (17 pages)
Rating: 4 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

Nina, one of the few descendants of human colony on Mars that was abandoned by Earth, is surprised to discover that she can breathe the toxic atmosphere of the Martian surface. The crew, thinking that their attempts at terraforming and breeding for Martian adaptability have finally payed off, rejoice at the prospect of a brighter future. But Nina’s about to unlock the mystery of the disaster that stranded them on Mars… and nothing will ever be the same.

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Wow, talk about plot twists! There were some fantastic ones in this story. I loved the way they were revealed to both the characters and the audience simultaneously. It was interesting to figure out what was happening at the same time that Nina was also putting the pieces together about what must have really happened generations ago when her ancestors lost touch with the outside world.

I would have liked to be introduced to a few more of Nina’s fellow colonists. While there wouldn’t have been enough space to introduce all twenty-four of them, their community was small enough that I think more of them could have made an appearance in this tale before Nina began to discover clues about why all of their ancestors had been stranded in the first place.

The ending made me wish for a sequel. As satisfied as I was by all of the answers that the main character found, I also desperately wanted to know what would happen to her and her community next. She had so many decisions to make after the end of the final scene. I wished I could see her reaction to everything that had happened as well as everything that was about to happen to her next.

We Have Always Lived on Mars was the sort of book I’d recommend to brand new and longterm fans of this genre alike. It had something for everyone.

Filed Under: Reviews, Science Fiction/Fantasy Tagged With: , , , , ,

Cowboy SEAL Redemption by Nicole Helm – Spotlight and Giveaway

June 1, 2018 By 1 Comment


Long and Short Reviews welcomes Nicole Helm who is celebrating the upcoming release on June 5 of her latest book Cowboy SEAL Redemption, the second book in her Navy SEAL Cowboys series. Enter the Rafflecopter at the end of the post for a chance to win a copy of Cowboy SEAL Homecoming, the first book in the series.

Three former Navy SEALs
Injured in the line of duty
Desperate for a new beginning…
Searching for a place to call their own.

Jack Armstrong’s been slowly piecing his life back together after a career-ending injury bounced him from the SEALs. The only trouble is, his family’s on their way to his new haven in Montana…and Jack refuses to let them know he’s still hurting. Desperate, he makes a deal with local bad girl Rose Rogers: in exchange for some extra security, she’ll play the perfect loving girlfriend.

Rose doesn’t trust any man, much less some tough-as-nails former SEAL. But the more they settle into their ruse, the more things start to feel real, and the more Rose’s true fear surfaces—that she’ll never be good enough for love. But Jack isn’t about to lose Rose. He’s done running when things get tough, and he’s determined to prove—once and for all—that even the most troubled hearts can find their way to redemption.

Enjoy an Excerpt

No man had ever held her close like this. Like you just held a person because you woke up together. And okay, maybe she’d never really spent the night with a guy. The few times she’d allowed herself to be charmed into sex, she’d always vamoosed either once the act was done or once the guy dozed off.

She didn’t stay. She didn’t do it again. And she did not, God forbid, cuddle. Someone holding her was supposed to be stifling. It was supposed to feel awkward. She was supposed to want to make fun of an act as soft and pointless as this.

Mostly she wanted to cry again and stay here forever. What was this man doing to her? And why him? Was it the scars—internal and external? The sob story? Or just those eyes?

“Do you have nightmares?” he asked out of nowhere.

She shifted in his arms. “Why would I have nightmares?”

He kissed her bare shoulder. “PTSD.”

“Hate to break it to you, sailor, but I never went to war.”

“You survived your own hell,” he said so matter-of-factly, she couldn’t even think up a response. “War isn’t the only thing that stamps itself on you, and death isn’t either. You know, when I was in the rehabilitation center, someone told me foster kids suffer from PTSD at a higher rate than military veterans.”

“What asshole said that to you while you were in a rehabilitation center?”

He shrugged. “Mike.”

“I’d like to wring that little fucker’s neck.”

Jack’s mouth curved into a smile. “I’d rather you didn’t. My mother likes you, but she wouldn’t approve of that.”

“Your sister likes me too.” Which she shouldn’t have said or even thought. What did it matter what his family thought? It was a fake like, for a fake her…but she liked them in return.

Except Dick Bag Mike.

“My sister worships you and might not care if you wring Mike’s neck.”

She laughed. Oh, damn him for having half a charming family. Vivian was adorable, and his parents were…

Well, she didn’t want to think about how lovely they were.

“You had your own trauma, Rose. I just wondered if it still bothered you. Nightmares. Panic attacks. I’ve done it all, so…”

Trauma. As though she were a victim. She had been, in a sense, but not like her sisters. They’d all looked after each other. They had put each other first at great risk to themselves. Only Rose had ever taken their father’s teachings to heart.

Always look out for number one.

“Just tell me the truth,” he said, and it was all gentle and impossible to fight him off.

The truth. She didn’t want to acknowledge the truth, but lying to Jack seemed so impossible. “S-sometimes. I’ve had nightmares. Rarely, but sometimes.”

“Mine have gotten fewer ever since I started talking. I told my sister I loved her last night.” He paused, rubbing his lightly stubbled chin against her temple. “I don’t think I’ve ever done that. And it was something. Telling Madison how much she hurt me changed something. I’ve still got scars, Geiger is still dead, Madison is still married to my brother, but…”

“But what?”

“See, that’s the thing. There didn’t used to be a but. It was a list of horrible, dark things, and it ended there. Everything was awful. Now? I still feel beat down by those things, by those hurts and scars, but…there’s a but. There’s more.”

She wanted to cry. For him. Because of him. She knew what it was like to have a but. Her sisters had always been that. It was so strange to realize that, over the past year as her sisters had been building their lives, she’d lost that but for herself.

She had her bar, her power, and her freedom. It should have been enough, but the list of bleak was holding her down, and she didn’t know how to be as brave as Jack and believe in a but.

“I’m not your happy ending, Jack,” she rasped.

“I don’t believe in happy endings anymore, Rose. Maybe I never did. I do know we don’t get what we deserve, and hard work doesn’t always pay off. That doesn’t change the beauty and hope of having a but.” He smiled then, so open and perfect and beautiful. “I care about you, Rose.” A gesture she didn’t deserve.

“I wish you wouldn’t,” she whispered.

“I know.” He sighed and brushed his lips across hers, light and quick. “I have to go do my chores before the family wakes up. Why don’t you come with me?”

“Come with?”

“Yeah, you can watch me do manly chores, we can eat breakfast with my family, and then you can head home and get some rest before you have to open the bar.”

She should refuse, stop diving deeper into this thing that was going to end so very badly if she let him get more attached.

If you let yourself get more attached.

“Say yes,” he murmured against her neck, nuzzling there.

And she was a very, very stupid woman, because that’s exactly what she said.

About the Author: Nicole Helm is the bestselling author of down-to-earth contemporary romance and fast-paced romantic suspense. A life-long Midwesterner, Nicole loves wide open spaces, places where neighbors are too far away to be a problem, and the stalwart spirit required to work the land. You’ll find most of her characters feeling the same way on their complicated journeys toward love and happily ever afters (always guaranteed).

She lives in Missouri with her husband and two sons.

Website | Facebook | Newsletter | BookBub | Instagram

Buy the book at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, or iBooks.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Four Elements Every Erotic Romance Story Needs by V.H. Luis – Guest Blog and Giveaway

June 1, 2018 By 9 Comments


This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. V.H. Luis will be awarding a $25 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Four Elements Every Erotic Romance Story Needs
By: V.H. Luis

1. Chemistry: If the tension between the hero/heroine is missing-in-action then the story will fall flat. The sad truth is we have all read a story lacking in chemistry. Yes, it’s often a well-written story and yet as you flip through the pages something prevents you from loving the story—the chemistry isn’t right.

***One of my favorite romance couples who had chemistry to spare, are Elizabeth Bennet and Fitzwilliam Darcy, from Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice. I know that’s not an erotic romance but I couldn’t resist adding it to the list!

2. Sexual Satisfaction: It’s called Erotic Romance for a reason. Readers especially in recent years want to know what is happening behind closed bedroom doors. If an author is going to show us that aspect of a hero/heroine’s relationship it better be two things: hot-as-hell sexy and emotionally satisfying. You can always tell when a writer phones-in a scene and though that should NEVER happen, it really, really NEVER should happen during a love scene.

***For my recommendation I’m going to go with On Dublin Street by Samantha Young. I think the steamy-scenes in that book were tastefully done and moved along the narrative.

3. Character Development/Depth: Honestly, I think this is a MUST in any story however I’m putting it on a list because I think it’s so integral in an Erotic Romance. As a reader I want to feel vested in the characters and the progress they are making in their relationship. If the steamy scenes are monopolizing the pages and they don’t help develop character growth or story progression, I tend to get nervous.

***A book I think does character development right in the erotic romance category would be Sylvia Day’s Bared to You.

4. Eventual Happily-Ever-After: While I don’t mind cliffhangers, I do think an erotic romance series must have a HEA—I mean seriously, if I’ve read multiple books in a series and I don’t get my HEA I’m liable to never read that author again. Life is brutal enough as is and many readers in general (including myself), read romance as a form of escape. We want to unwind and yes feel our heart race as these two crazy people find their way to happiness. I don’t mind an angst-filled journey, in fact I love that type of read, but I better get my HEA eventually.

***My recommendation would be E.L. James Fifty Shades of Grey, because the cliffhanger in book one had me reaching for book two in record time.

With this last post my first-ever Book-Blog Tour comes to an end. Thank you so much Long and Short Reviews for hosting, really ever single blog that allowed me the opportunity to post and helped promote my debut book—you guys are awesome! It has been a wonderful experience to answer questions about my book or talk about my thoughts in regards to romance.

I hope those who have taken a chance on Waking to Black (Uninhibited #1), enjoyed the book and if you’re dying to know what happens next you won’t have to wait long because Fading to Black (Uninhibited #2), is going to be released soon! Join my mailing list if you want more up-to-date information and feel free to e-mail me, as I’m sure you all have noticed I love to chat!

XOXO
V.H. Luis

He shattered my defenses, and I was fragile to begin with…

The first time I saw Adam Black, I was between the arms of a criminal, a gun to my throat and even then, I knew I was staring at the most dangerous man in the room.

Maybe it was his confident, cerulean eyes, or the sex appeal radiating from his pores like heat waves on a scorching day, but by proximity alone he made my vision blur and my heart stammer.

The day I was nearly killed in a bank hold-up, I began to live—because of him.

Now, I’m praying for the first time in years, hoping the scars of my past, the secrets I keep, don’t interfere with my future…

Enjoy an Excerpt

I close my eyes and bend my knees—or at least I think I am. I’m finding it hard to breathe, and the room is spinning. I must not be moving fast enough because the next thing I know, the man with the big gun grabs me and shoves the cold tip of the barrel against my neck.

This is how it ends? A pang of regret stabs deep within my belly. I wonder who will feed my cat when I’m gone, and the pathetic nature of that last thought is sobering. I haven’t accomplished much in the last twenty-four years. My eyes begin to water, and my vision clouds.

“Hey, take it easy,” a much calmer voice calls out from behind me.

I try to focus on the deep tenor of this stranger, who to my shock is defying a man with a gun, but my senses aren’t cooperating.

Using me as a shield, my captor spins me and I get a blurry first look at my would-be hero. Through pooling tears, I see he’s dressed in an expensive black suit, a crisp white shirt, and a solid black tie. He has hair the color of dark coffee, and because he defies the order to hug the floor, I notice he’s tall. His sapphire eyes lock on mine, urging me to breathe, and for a split-second I forget I’m in the arms of a lunatic because it’s this stranger’s gaze holding me hostage.

Though his hands are in the air, like everyone else’s, he seems to be humoring the robber rather than obeying him out of fear. And while not armed, his calm demeanor is more threatening than the creep jamming a gun against my throat. It’s as if under the façade of composure something dark and dangerous lingers—the insight makes me tremble.

About the Author:
V.H. Luis is the author of the Black Series, an erotic romance trilogy that follows the love affair of Evelyn Snowe and Adam Black. Her debut book Waking to Black, will be released in 2018, and the subsequent sequels Fading to Black and Surrendering to Black will follow shortly thereafter.

Welcome to my internet haven!

I’m a born and bred Miami Girl—and proud of it! I would wear shorts and flip-flops every day of the week if I could. Growing up in Miami, surrounded by my parent’s heritage has made me proud of my Cuban ancestry. Cafecito and a guava pastry for breakfast? Yes, please! Salsa music while I tidy the house? Of course.

If I’m not busy scribbling notes about the story pounding out of my head, I’m painting, listening to music, or spending time with the love of my life—my son. If I decide to travel, I bring the whole family (in-laws included), or at least I try to, because life is too short not to spend it with family; one of the many lessons my father taught me.

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Buy the book at Amazon.

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