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Monday, August 31, 2015

#New! Third Take is the Charm @MsMarieLark #erotic #menage


Good morning, everyone! Today my guest is fellow Loose Id author Marie Lark whose new book has just been released. It's a sexy menage tale titled Third Take is the Charm. Welcome, Marie!

Blurb:
Not everyone gets a second chance at their own happily ever after—except maybe in the movies.

All her life, filmmaker Melody Gellar has wanted to tell the perfect love story. Recently widowed and with her thirtieth birthday looming, she decides that now more than ever she needs to remind herself what true love looks like. With a passion for erotic cinema and an eye for chemistry, she finds two male dancers with a long history together to play the lovers in her film.

Francis and Denny are electric on screen, but Melody quickly discovers she’s stumbled into an actual romance—one that neither of her stars have acknowledged and that threatens to push them apart. Worse, Melody begins to fall for them both from behind her camera. With their troubled, violent past dogging their every step, Francis and Denny need Melody to come out in front of the lens, to tell her own story with them—to make their happily ever after.

Sometimes the third take is the charm.



Buy links:

Third Take is the Charm is actually the third book in a series! The first two, Indelible Ink andStripped Down, take place in the same city with characters who appear briefly in this book. And while all three books stand reasonably well on their own, the one thing that ties them all together is the theme of finding ways to make work fulfilling—to be both creative and loving with a partner, be it in a gay, lesbian, or poly romance. (Or straight, presumably, haha. I haven’t gotten there yet.) For Jon and Arthur, that’s tattooing. For Red and Saro, it’s burlesque. And for Melody, Francis, and Denny—the heroes of Third Take—it’s documenting their love story on film.

Love stories, for me, are just as much about real-life issues as they are escapism, so writing Third Take, I wanted to explore the fantasy of three people falling in love with each other, while grounding it in the reality of money trouble, grief over lost loved ones, and other everyday struggles. I find the triumph of the fantasy all the more satisfying and moving when it’s packed with details that I can still relate to in my own life. What bits of realism do you like to see in your fantasies?

Excerpt:

Frankie gestured toward her. “Melody has a job opportunity she’d like to discuss with us.” 

The gentle skepticism and mockery in his tone were not lost on her, but she didn’t think he meant any offense. It was quite presumptuous of her to approach them when they were so clearly otherwise occupied. 

“I wanted—I wanted to ask if you’d think about being in a movie that I’m shooting,” she said. 

“Starring me or him?” Denny asked. His eyes glinted as he slid a glance at Frankie, his obvious competitive streak surprising Melody not even a little. 

“Ideally, both of you.” 

“What kind of movie?” Frankie asked. His voice betrayed the beginnings of curiosity. 

“Well, it’s a—a love story.” 

Denny wielded his grin like a knife. “Well, we’re in—aren’t we, Franny? 

“Please, don’t call me that.” He said it as though this was a regular point of contention between them. 

“You don’t have to commit now,” Melody said quickly. “I thought we could meet over the weekend, maybe?” 

“How much would you pay?” Denny asked as he cast a quick glance over his shoulder to the man waiting by the car. 

“Twenty thousand each.” The money was the hook—no point hiding it. She didn’t want it sitting in her bank account, a constant reminder of what she’d lost. 

Frankie’s eyes widened, and Denny barked a laugh. “You’d pay us forty grand to mess around with some girl.” 

“Not exactly. I’d pay you forty grand to tell a love story between the two of you.” 

A frosty silence descended then that Melody had foreseen but was unable to avoid. The rumble of car engines and the sounds of distant laughter from the club parking lot were brittle between them until Melody jumped back in. 

“Anyway, if you’d like to talk more about the job, here’s my card.” Flipping open the slim brass case, she pulled out two. Frankie took one without hesitation, though his expression was a bit blank as he looked down at it, and Melody suspected he was only being polite. 

Denny didn’t even bother to take his hands out of his pockets. “I live with him,” he said. “We’ll only need the one, thanks.” He cast a cagey look at Frankie. “I’ll see you back home, yeah?” 

His voice seemed to bring Frankie out of his daze, and he blinked, straightening to his full height. “Yeah. Be careful.” 

Denny saluted as he jogged back to the man waiting by the car. As soon as Denny was within arm’s reach, the man grabbed for him and spun him around, kissed him, and pushed him down into the open front passenger door. 

“Melody Gellar.” 

She turned at the sound of her name, finding Frankie once again smiling at her. He held up her card. 

“It’s a nice name. Sounds like the heroine of her own movie.” 

Melody felt his easy charm wrap around her like another coat. “Thank you. I—I hope you’ll consider my offer.” 

“We’d be idiots not to.” 

“Still—” 

“I’ll give you a call, Melody Gellar.” With a flourish, he pocketed the card. Then he hesitated, took a step closer, and leaned down to speak into her ear. “And my name is actually Francis.” As he straightened, Frankie—Francis—winked at her, like he was pleased to share his name. With a grin, he returned his attention to the woman in the red coat still waiting for him. 

Not wanting to intrude any further, Melody backed up a few steps and fished in her bag for her car keys. After that first opening gambit, she wanted to be home in her quiet house more than anything. 

As she crossed the street, she looked back once as the cars behind her pulled away. Both Francis and Denny rode in the passenger seats. Melody didn’t have to ponder too terribly long why Tommy had been hesitant to send her over there. Though it hadn’t been drugs, she suspected a transaction of some kind had taken place. 

Unlocking her car, Melody decided that might actually work in her favor. 

Bio and Links:
Marie Lark is a part-time teacher and rest-of-the-time writer. She lives in New York with her very respectable husband and tiny dog. She writes contemporary New Adult and LGBTQ romance, but loves love stories of all kinds. Romance is like kung fu—it’s in everything. Jackie Chan said that, right?

Friday, August 28, 2015

Off Topic: Nona's Adventures in Iceland! @nonaraines #travel #Iceland

Hi friends! The blog has been a bit quiet the past few weeks. We Divas have all been busy, and one of the things that kept me busy was my first ever European vacation. I'm not the adventuresome type (I leave that for my heroines, lol) and tend to be a worry wart, so my anticipation was tempered by anxiety about "what might go wrong." But very little went wrong and my companions and I had a wonderful time.

The trip was to honor my mother, whose mother grew up in Denmark. On our way to that country, we had a three day stopover in Iceland. So forgive the off-topic post, but I'd like to spend the next few blogs sharing some photos and experiences with you.

We stayed in Reykjavik, the capital and largest city of Iceland. We stayed in a small hotel right near the Marina, so got a great view of the boats (or are they ships?)

One of the ships along the Marina.
 


This fellow took his role as sentry very seriously.

Statue of Leif Erickson 
Our first full day in Reykjavic, my traveling buddy and I took a walking tour around the city. We booked through I Heart Reykjavic Tours and had a great time. Our tour group met at the statue of Leif Erickson in front of the famous Hallgrimskirkja, the largest church in Iceland. Our guide Audur (I can only spell an approximation of her name, because Icelandic has letters we don't have in English) was born and raised in the city and shared a lot of history and everyday life in Reykjavic. She was an awesome guide, and is also the owner and founder of I Heart Reykjavic. If you're planning on visiting, I highly recommend this tour.

The temperature was in the fifties, chilly and drizzly. Though I had a warm jacket, I wished I'd also had the foresight to pack a hat and gloves. Just a heads up to anyone planning to travel that way.
Hallsgrimskirkja


On our walk around the city, our guide pointed out some of the more colorful homes. They sure were bright and eye-catching. Because of the dearth of wood as building material, many homes are constructed of corrugated metal.

We also saw a number of paintings/murals on the outside walls of buildings, commissioned by the local government to encourage local artists and discourage random graffiti.
An example of the outdoor paintings around Reykjavic


After a wonderful morning, my buddy and I had lunch at a local restaurant (Snaps--one of the places Audur recommended). Very yummy! I had fish (ling, which I'd never had before) and afterwards we explored the city on our own.

Another ship
 
"Looking Seawards" honors those
who lost their lives at sea.

Well, I still have more to share, but don't want to bore you with too much chatter. Next time I'll tell you about the Blue Lagoon! Until then--


                                    Have a wonderful weekend, all!

Nona Raines

Hot Contemporary Romance
Edgy ~ Emotional ~ Erotic
www.nonaraines.com


 





Wednesday, August 12, 2015

#Guest post & #Review WINNING STREAK by @KatieKenyhercz

Hello Divettes!

I'm back again with a guest post and review of Winning Streak by the wonderful and talented Katie Kenyhercz!



As the new head of public relations for the Las Vegas Sinners hockey team, Saralynn Reese wants to leave behind the frivolity of her popular girl image. Unfortunately, her first big assignment is to clean up the media messes of the team's assistant general manager, Madden Vaughn. He's flirty, impulsive, and self-centered; he also happens to be drop-dead gorgeous. Could there be more to Madden under the Ralph Lauren surface?
Having struggled with a gambling addiction since his early twenties, Madden's finally moved past it and into a secure, corporate job working for his sister, the one person who means the world to him. When rumors fly and the team and his family both doubt his word, an unlikely ally pulls him out of his funk with a manicured hand: Saralynn.
He's tired of chasing the same type of unattainable girl, and this up-and-coming publicity dynamo fits that mold perfectly. But she also challenges him and believes in him like no one else. Can they help each other keep their feet on solid ground . . . or will these twin hearts find themselves skating on thin ice?


Rach's Review: 5 out of 5 Divas
Heat level: 3.5/5 

I've got to say, I really loved this book. Now, I admit I might be a tiny bit biased, as I was one of Katie's critique partners way back when on the first book in this series, On the Fly, and I had a good long while to fall in love with Madden in that book! So when Katie told me he was getting his own book, I was ecstatic! And Winning Streak definitely does not disappoint! I loved this book start to finish. Madden and Saralynn both have some serious issues, and the obstacles to their relationship are many and intense. These were both stellarly believable characters and their time together on the page sizzles. This story really touched my heart and gave me some warm fuzzies, in addition to some serious sexual tension that threatened to burn up the pages! Can't recommend this book highly enough. Or the series for that matter. I've always been a bit of a hockey fan, but not hugely into the sport, so don't let the hockey scare you off. This is a wonderful series, and I can't wait to see what's in store next for the Las Vegas Sinners.



From the author:
Winning Streak is an anomaly in the Las Vegas Sinners series because I never intended to write it. I'd planned to have a hockey hero in every book. However, when On the Fly came out, I got a lot of reader feedback asking for Madden's book. They fell in love with Jacey's sweet but hapless brother and wanted more for him. I'd already planned Full Strength, the goalie's story, for book 2, but when it came time for book 3, I put a poll out to my readers. Who did they want first, Madden or Dylan Cole, the rookie turned young captain? Madden was the resounding winner.

I started writing Winning Streak and hit wall after wall. I knew I had to deal with Madden's gambling addiction, but beyond that, I wasn't sure what to do with a non-hockey playing hero. Enter young professional and relationship train wreck, Saralynn Reese, the goalie's younger sister from Full Strength. Saralynn is a former mean girl looking to better herself, and that made her both a challenge and a joy to write. I had to keep her sympathetic and show her depth but still hold onto the snark and a bit of the high maintenance that makes her funny. I had the best time writing her because she is almost nothing like me, which was different from writing Jacey and Allie, my two previous heroines. 

The fun of Winning Streak is that you have two people who are broken in the same amusing way. They were beautiful and shallow for most of their lives (at least that's what most people saw) and now both want to improve. Throwing them together is like the blind leading the blind, but they do learn about themselves through each other, and I love that. Madden's struggling to gain his sister's trust and respect after a gambling relapse years back, and Saralynn's trying to get people to take her seriously by taking charge of the Sinners PR department. Her first assignment is to clean up one of Madden's media messes.

I love the way these two play off of each other, and they both go through some rough growing pains but struggle to do their best.

The 4th Sinners book, Home Ice, is already out, and naturally focuses on young NHL phenom, Dylan Cole, who hits his first ever slump and can't seem to deal. He falls for America's figure skating sweetheart, Lorelai Kelly, who broke her ankle in the last Olympic Games and is struggling to get back on her blades and stay in the spotlight while she moonlights as the star of Sin City on Ice.

The 5th and final book in the Sinners series is Fair Trade, and it will release this December. It follows Grayson Gunn, a player in his early 40s who's looking to retire at the end of the season. He'd played his whole career for his home team out of loyalty but they never made the playoffs, and they mercy trade him to the Sinners for one last chance at the Cup before he hangs up his skates. He's intrigued by the new team assistant physician, Olivia Parker, who had worked for an AHL team before getting the Sinners' offer. They're both recovering from painful divorces and trying to get their bearings in Las Vegas when an unexpected chemistry pulls them together even as they try to stay away.

I still plan to write a collection of short stories catching up with each couple from the series and entitle it What Happens in Vegas because I've had several readers say they wanted to know what happened to everybody. Happy to oblige!


I will be very sad to see this series end :-( But I am so excited that Home Ice is Dylan Cole's story and I can't wait to read it!

Grab your copy of Winning Streak here:
Amazon: http://amzn.to/1hvuerP 
Barnes & Noble: http://bit.ly/1TpgSco 

Thanks for stopping by today, Katie! It was great to have you.

~ Rach

Tuesday, August 11, 2015

#Review & #Giveaway: Circling Back @_Amanda_Young #erotic #menage #secretbaby

Title: Circling Back
Author: Amanda Young
Genre: Erotic MMF Romance
Release: August 10, 2015


Blurb:

A second chance is only the beginning...

Stella fled home at seventeen with a broken heart, an unplanned pregnancy, and a vow never to look back. Twenty years later, she has a career she enjoys and a solid relationship with the child she placed for open adoption. When that child goes in search of her birth father and calls for assistance, Stella is forced to return to her hometown and face the men who broke her heart, one of whom fathered her child.

Gavin and Holden raised a lot of hell as teenagers. They broke the law, broke their mother's hearts, and almost broke each other before they finally got their act together. Through all the ups and downs, they stuck by each other and managed to build a happy life together. The one thing they couldn’t do was forget the woman they’d loved and lost.

Forced to face the past and each other after so many years is no small feat. The trio does their best to make amends and put the past behind them while forging new bonds. Old feelings are rekindled and new emotions emerge from the ashes of their youthful indiscretions. Something remarkable could be on the horizon if they’re strong enough to navigate the pitfalls of a triad relationship and stand strong against the outside forces conspiring to bring them to their knees.

Buy Links:


Barnes & Noble: http://goo.gl/HWEhMP

Excerpt:

She glanced at Gavin and found his gaze headed south of her lower back. “See something you like?”
“I see something I love.” Gavin moved in close behind her and ran the outside of his thumb down her bare arm. “I love every inch of your beautiful body, from your beautiful, long hair all the way to your cute little toes.”
Stella basked in Gavin’s admiration. “That’s good to know.”
“You could make yourself more comfortable and let me express my regards for your many, many charms.” Gavin nuzzled the curve of her throat and pressed his warm lips against the sensitive skin beneath her ear.
The sensual touch sent a shiver down Stella’s spine and made her nipples tighten in anticipation of taking Gavin up on his offer. “I really wish you could.”
“We can.” Gavin pulled her ear lobe into his mouth, nibbled, and released it.
“We really can’t. Holden and Mae will both here soon.”
Gavin slid an arm around her waist and pulled her back tight against him. “We could be quick.”
Stella could feel the long, stiff length of him pressed against her bottom. She closed her eyes and prayed for the strength to resist. “You’ll just have to be patient and wait until tonight.”
Gavin groaned. “You’re so mean to me.”
Stella couldn’t help but laugh. She turned and wrapped her arms around Gavin’s neck. “You pitiful, pitiful man. Would a kiss make you feel better?”
“That might tide me over until later as long as it’s a good one.”
“I think I can meet your needs.” Stella brushed her fingers through the soft hair at Gavin’s nape and pulled him down to meet her as she lifted up and glided her lips over his. She kept the caresses soft for the first few passes and then pressed up a little harder and licked across Gavin’s lower lip. The tip of Gavin’s tongue met her own and flicked back and forth, taunting her into giving chase and deepening the kiss. Gavin’s mouth tasted sweet and minty, like he’d ate a piece of candy right before she’d arrived. Delicious.
Something banged in another room and then Holden’s voice called out. “Honey, I’m home.”
Gavin retreated and opened his eyes. He smiled at Stella. “Looks like we’ll have to pick this up later.”
Stella blinked up at Gavin. “Yeah. Later.” Definitely later. She could hardly wait. All she’d had was a little taste of what being with them was like. She couldn’t wait to discover what else they had in store for her.
With that thought in mind, she trailed back down the hall behind Gavin. He rounded the corner ahead of her and she heard his breath catch a second before her gaze landed on Holden and the spectacular bruise blossoming across his right cheekbone.
“Jesus fuck,” Gavin exclaimed. “What happened to your face?”
“Are you okay?” Stella asked, walking forward. “Did someone hit you?”
“Tell us what happened.” Gavin cupped Holden’s jaw in both hands.
“I got to meet Joanna’s ex. It was a real pleasure, let me tell you.”
“And he punched you?” Gavin asked.
It took Stella a moment to place the name as the guy’s old shop steward. “Why would her ex assault you?”
Holden shook his head. “He thinks I’m hiding Joanna from him or some shit.”
Gavin pushed Holden’s chin up and to the side, inspecting him. “Is this the worst of it or is there more hiding under your clothes?”
Holden caught Gavin’s hands and held them trapped within his own. “I’m fine. He caught me by surprise when I was leaving, shoved me into the building, and got off one sucker punch. Believe me, he looks worse than I do.”
“That’s better than nothing, I guess.” Gavin looked down at their clasped hands. “Your knuckles are a mess. Go wash up and I’ll come in and put some antiseptic on them.”
“Yes, Mom.” Holden brought Gavin’s hands up to his mouth, kissed, and released them. He stopped next to Stella and smiled at her. “Hey, pretty lady. I’m glad you’re here. Just let me scrub off the day and I’ll greet you properly.”
“Go look after yourself. I’ll be here when you’re finished.” Stella patted him on the butt.
“Hey now,” Holden said. “No getting fresh until I can do something about it.”
Stella grinned at him. “Don’t worry. There’s a lot more where that came from.”
“I’ll hold you to that,” Holden said over his shoulder as he walked out of the room.


****Nona's review of Circling Back****


Last week I featured the cover reveal of Circling Back and was so intrigued by the blurb I asked the author, Amanda Young, if I could sign up to review the book. Besides featuring same-sex love and menage shenanigans, it also includes the secret baby trope and a BBW as the heroine, both of which I love. I'm so glad I had a chance to read an advance copy of Circling Back!
Back in high school, Stella realized she loved Holden and Gavin, but didn't know that they were a couple as well. When she discovered them in an intimate situation, she ran away, convinced they'd only used her as a beard to hide their own activity. After she found herself pregnant, she surrendered the baby in an open adoption and moved on with her life.
Years later, her daughter is an adult who wants to meet her father, who may be either man. This forces Stella to confront her past and reunite with the two men, who had no idea of Stella's pregnancy. Holden and Gavin are still together after all this time, and once they get over the hurt of Stella keeping her pregnancy secret, they realize they still want her. And she wants them, too.
I thought the story might involve more drama surrounding their birth daughter, but instead Circling Back focuses on the threesome and how they get to know each other again. There are a lot of sexy scenes between Stella, Gavin and Holden, one on one and all together. Lovers of menage will not be disappointed, nor will those who enjoy same sex romance. Holden and Gavin's relationship is firm, but they are eager to open up to accept the woman they both love. It's nice to see Stella, whose sexual and romantic life has been in a holding pattern, getting her groove on. I enjoyed the sexiness of the story and also appreciated the way the characters struggled with day to day problems of job stress and being in a long distance relationship. There's also some suspense as the men try to help a friend who's been pursued by an abusive ex.

Gavin and Holden were awesome heroes in every way—sexy, strong and caring. I liked how Stella started out a bit hesitant, then made up her mind to "go for it" when the guys showed their interest. We should all be so brave in going after what we want! I highly recommend Circling Back to everyone who enjoys MMF menage romance.



About the author:
Amanda Young lives in Virginia with her husband, daughter, and two pampered pooches. When she’s not writing, she can usually be found chasing after a mischievous toddler or daydreaming about the characters in her next book. She loves to hear from her readers, and can be found on Facebook and Twitter. Her website, www.amandayoung.org, is where you can find up-to-date information on all of Amanda’s current and upcoming releases.

Find Amanda online:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Monday, August 3, 2015

#Cover Reveal & #Giveaway: Circling Back @_Amanda_Young #erotic #menage

Good morning! Nona here. I'm happy to share the cover reveal of fellow Loose Id author, Amanda Young, for her upcoming release, Circling Back. To celebrate the new artwork for Circling Back, Amanda is offering a $10 Amazon gift card to one lucky reader. Just enter using the Rafflecopter below and the winner will be notified by email on August 5th.


Title: Circling Back

Author: Amanda Young

Genre: M/M/F Erotic Romance

Book Release Date:  August 10th

Blurb:
A second chance is only the beginning...

Stella fled home at seventeen with a broken heart, an unplanned pregnancy, and a vow never to look back. Twenty years later, she has a career she enjoys and a solid relationship with the child she placed for open adoption. When that child goes in search of her birth father and calls for assistance, Stella is forced to return to her hometown and face the men who broke her heart, one of whom fathered her child.

Gavin and Holden raised a lot of hell as teenagers. They broke the law, broke their mother's hearts, and almost broke each other before they finally got their act together. Through all the ups and downs, they stuck by each other and managed to build a happy life together. The one thing they couldn’t do was forget the woman they’d loved and lost.

Forced to face the past and each other after so many years is no small feat. The trio does their best to make amends and put the past behind them while forging new bonds. Old feelings are rekindled and new emotions emerge from the ashes of their youthful indiscretions. Something remarkable could be on the horizon if they’re strong enough to navigate the pitfalls of a triad relationship and stand strong against the outside forces conspiring to bring them to their knees.

About the author:
Amanda Young lives in Virginia with her husband, daughter, and two pampered pooches. When she’s not writing, she can usually be found chasing after a mischievous toddler or daydreaming about the characters in her next book. She loves to hear from her readers, and can be found on Facebook and Twitter. Her website, www.amandayoung.org, is where you can find up-to-date information on all of Amanda’s current and upcoming releases.

Find Amanda online:


a Rafflecopter giveaway

TRR

The Romance Reviews