Review: THE IRON DUKE by Meljean Brook

Review: THE IRON DUKE by Meljean Brook

Releases October 5, 2010

After the Iron Duke freed England from Horde control, he instantly became a national hero. Now Rhys Trahaearn has built a merchant empire on the power — and fear — of his name. And when a dead body is dropped from an airship onto his doorstep, bringing Detective Inspector Mina Wentworth into his dangerous world, he intends to make her his next possession.

Mina can’t afford his interest, however. Horde blood runs through her veins, and despite the nanotech enhancing her body, she barely scratches out a living in London society. Becoming Rhys’s lover would destroy both her career and her family, yet the investigation prevents her from avoiding him…and the Iron Duke’s ruthless pursuit makes him difficult to resist.

But when Mina uncovers the victim’s identity, she stumbles upon a conspiracy that threatens the lives of everyone in England. To save them, Mina and Rhys must race across zombie-infested wastelands and treacherous oceans — and Mina discovers the danger is not only to her countrymen as she finds herself tempted to give up everything to the Iron Duke.

Publisher: Berkley

Genre: Steampunk Romance

Single Title/Series: THE IRON DUKE is the first full length novel in Meljean Brook's new steampunk romance series, The Iron Seas.

Cover Thoughts: The cover is a lot more interesting in reality than on the computer with the abundant detail being quite exquisite. The metallic sheen of the machine components is extremely eye-catching and serves as a great highlight for the duller color pallet of the male standing in the port hole. What is especially detailed is the jacket on the cover model which is beautifully and richly textured to the point that it almost looks real. Overall, its unique look will undoubtedly make the cover stand out in a sea of pastels and jewel tones. While not a favorite, I can appreciate the cover's goal which is to portray both steampunk and romantic elements. Seeing as how this is still relatively new territory for the romance world, I think it's a good start.

Why I Read It: I received a review copy from the publisher.

My Review:

The Plot:

Ten years has passed since England, along with the help of The Iron Duke, wrestled its way from two hundred years of Horde rule yet not nearly enough time has passed to let the past reside firmly in the past. Far from healed, England's people are still grappling with the flood of emotion unleashed with the destruction of the Horde's control tower - a signal tower once communicating with the nanoagents infecting the population. With these nanoagents, or bugs, the Horde controlled their empire by suppressing emotions - especially anger - instigating breeding with Frenzies, and just in general, rendering the population completely immobile and useless in any revolt attempts.

The havoc the Horde once wrecked has been detrimental to a society that has barely gained a foot hold toward success for now in addition to the fear that still persists, poverty and injustice continue to reign. Discrimination is on the rise as those who fled England for the New World are returning with pockets lined with gold and disgust etched in their faces as they look down their noses at the nanoagent infected generations birthed under Horde rule. Those that receive the most disdain from both the bug infected Buggers and the New World Bounders, are the extreme unfortunate that resemble the Mongol Horde, those like Detective Inspector Wilhelmina Wentworth.

Having to endure the daily cruelty thrust her way since childhood, Mina's armor isn't just physical but mental as she fastens a stronghold on her emotions. Outwardly impervious, she hides a deep well of emotion that can only be caught in the span of a glimpse. For those who know Mina, her Horde blood eventually goes unnoticed but to everyone else, Mina represents all that they fear and hate making her a target for their raging anger. Mina understands all this and while her determination to do what she loves makes the brutality no less hurtful, she still has the strength to boldly cleave her way through life. Life's about to drastically change, however, when a body falls from the sky and lands on the stone entry steps of the Iron Duke's front door.

Rhys Trahaearn, known in England as the Iron Duke, is a complex mixture of cold detachment and fierce possession. He's a pirate with an innate sense of danger who wields his own brand of justice. For those who fall within the boundaries of his are protected to the fullest and right now, Rhys would like nothing more than to possess Detective Inspector Wentworth. Never in all his years has he longed to possess a woman but her tangible intelligence, inscrutable emotions, and palpable desire to avoid him at all costs stirs up the smell of challenge that simply can't be ignored. First thinking he'd let Mina's hound-dog nose sniff out the cowardly perp that dropped a body on his door step, events conspire to keep the two on the same path, a path that Rhys would like to imagine leads straight to his bed. But frivolous sex is soon eclipsed by Rhys's desire for Mina's heart.

The last thing that Mina needs in her life is to be dubbed the Iron Duke's whore. She may be the daughter of an Earl but a penniless one at that with her Horde blood being all that the outside world sees. People would talk and believe that the Iron Duke took her to bed for the Horde whore she is as a last slap-in-the-face payback. They'd of course be completely wrong with their cruel assumptions but Mina will not subject her family to the condemnation that they'd ultimately be be forced to endure. But as her proximity with Rhys intensifies, the moment presents itself where Mina can indulge in the touch and the desire that she feels without risking her family. The arrangement would be short lived but its effects would have to sustain her for a life time for no one will ever condescend to truly marry her.

Rhys, relentless in his pursuit of Mina, is determined for her to find trust in the protection he offers. Knowing that the small amount of time they're currently allotted will never be enough to satisfy his ravenous hunger, Rhys tries to prove that he can and will protect her forever but her relentless determination to protect her family stirs up both anger and admiration. But a potential life together will soon be moot if the England bound weapon they're tracking arrives undeterred and successfully destroys the very lives of their families and the hard won freedom that has only just started to sink in.

The Heroine:

Mina's a lovely mixture of confident strength and delicate vulnerabilities. She plows through life headless of danger with the goal of protecting the weak and justifying the dead. Her ethics are strict and her job as Detective Inspector is both loved and desperately needed. Her family, born under Horde rule,  know nothing of the wealth that the Bounders are arriving with. In this day and age, the aristocracy work to make a living and provide what they can for their families and Mina's job as a Detective Inspector ensures that food goes on the table.

A being of complete emotional control, Rhys ignites a fire within Mina that can't be contained. Her only option is to flee but that only encourages the Iron Duke more. Slowly and with a gentleness that is in complete opposition of the stories that have proceeded the pirate, Rhys chips away at Mina's defenses. Winning her trust takes time and effort but soon her trust is not enough as he works to steal her heart.

The Hero:

Rhys embodies all the traits that a romance reader longs for in her pirate hero. Giant in stature with cold sinister eyes and a black silky mane that barely conceals the gold hoop earrings on the top if his lobes, Rhys can't help but draw attention. His cool detachment and silent confidence demands the loyalty of his crew without a single spoken word and no one is immune to his thrilling presence, not even our buttoned up heroine.

Despite his hulking exterior and the scent of danger that wafts from his muscled body, Rhys has a big heart and evidence of his trustworthiness and his ability to protect those he deems as his becomes glaringly obvious. He's also a man of hidden depths with the capability of an endless and passionate love but no one has been worthy of it until Mina. Rhys's pirate senses recognize a reciprocating loyalty and fearlessness that surrounds the beautiful Detective Inspector. The fact that she'll willing sacrifice her life, which she proves time and again, to save those she loves would make any man long to be a part of those trusted few that Mina calls her own. And Rhys would like nothing more than to be hers.

My Final Thoughts:

Lighter than her Guardian Series, Brook's Iron Seas is a series filled with swashbuckling adventure, rogue pirates, corrupt governments and at its center, a heated core of romance that propels the plot through the seas and the air. The world is endless in scope as new and interesting history, technology, evolution and victories are unveiled. This is a larger than life series that demands and receives larger than life characters. They captivate with their layered depths and thrilling sense of adventure as they embark upon their death defying missions. But beyond that, it's the romance that takes its rightful place at center stage. Unfolding in various degrees, the budding love between the main characters is never forgotten but instead holds tightly to each and every scene. The heat and tension continually builds until its crescendo explodes with satisfying release upon the pages.

Never one to disappoint, Brook delivers a powerful and intense plot that spans England to Africa and back with numerous players and twists to throw you along the way. Never shy when exposing the sometimes horrid extent of human nature, Brook shows you both the very light and the very dark aspects of the Iron Seas Series. Everything from the desperation of the poverty stricken population to the arrogant selfishness of the upper echelon is revealed making for a dark and vibrant backdrop for Rhys and Mina allowing their goodness to shine brightly with supreme believability.

Be prepared to fall in love with Rhys from the first when he sees not the Mongol Horde blood of Mina's heritage but the beautiful, captivating, and thrilling woman that she truly is. A woman he doesn't just long to posses but a woman he's deperate to love, forever.

This is romance people!!!

A-

More Reviews:

The Vampire Book Club: 4.5/5
Parajunkee's View: 5/5
Throuthehaze Reads: 5/5
From The TBR Pile: 4.5/5

Interview with SPARKS Heroine - Anya Kalinczyk

SPARKS by Laura Bickle

WITHOUT A TRACE...

Anya Kalinczyk is the rarest type of psychic medium, a Lantern, who holds down a day job as an arson investigator with the Detroit Fire Department—while working 24/7 to exterminate malicious spirits haunting a city plagued by unemployment and despair. Along with her inseparable salamander familiar, Sparky, Anya has seen, and even survived, all manner of fiery hell—but her newest case sparks suspicions of a bizarre phenomenon that no one but her eccentric team of ghost hunters might believe: spontaneous human combustion.

After fire consumes the home of elderly Jasper Bernard, Anya is stunned to discover his remains—or, more precisely, a lack of them; even the fiercest fires leave some trace of their victims—and she is sure this was no naturally occurring blaze. Soon she’s unearthed a connection to a celebrity psychic who preys on Detroit’s poor, promising miracles for money. But Hope Solomon wants more—she’s collecting spirits, and in a frantic race against time, Anya will face down an evil adversary who threatens her fragile relationship with her lover, her beloved Sparky’s freshly hatched newts, and the wandering souls of the entire city.

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Hi everyone! Please welcome Anya Kalinczyk to Lovin' Me Some Romance. Anya is author Laura Bickle's awesome Urban Fantasy heroine from the Anya Kalinczyk novels. Let's see how many questions I can ask her before Sparky, Anya's endearing fire elemental familiar, destroys her computer. ;)

My Interview:

Anya! Thank you so much for visiting Lovin' Me Some Romance and giving me this chance to chat with you.

"Thank you so much for having me! And Sparky..." Anya struggles to hold Sparky the fire salamander on her lap. He squirms forward and tries to lick the webcam.

First, an obvious question but also one of the most interesting; you're a Lantern - an irresistible and deadly draw for spirits - what's that like? I mean, as if trying to make it in life couldn't get any harder you have this ability that makes you incredibly unique, so unique that it's almost isolating. How do you cope? What's the physical and mental effects?

"Being a Lantern is tough. It's hard to explain. Where other mediums allow spirits to use their hands and voices to communicate, I devour them. It's as if I've swallowed a black hole, and the ghosts are consumed by it. I breath them in...it burns...and they're gone." Anya rubs a scar that peeks out of the collar of her blouse. "The scars eventually fade. It hurts me...but not as much as it hurts them.

"I wonder where they go...whether they stop existing, or whether they wind up in some kind of Afterworld. I don't like playing God like that, being responsible for snuffing out what was once a life.

"The other ghost hunters I work with don't see it that way. They don't think that the spirits are human. That they're just trash that needs to be taken to the curb. And I'm the garbage collector." She looks down at her hands. "I don't like being in that position. Nobody else understands.

"Once, I met another Lantern. He understood. But, now, he's gone. And there's just me."

As an arson investigator, your interactions with spirits can be helpful or they can just helpfully spin you in confusing circles. Does having an intimate relationship with a potential afterlife make death frightening? I say potential afterlife because you do think that there's something beyond this realm, right? Do you believe it's heaven?

"I know that we don't just stop existing, like a watch losing time when the batteries run down. I know that some spirits wander in an Afterworld. A psychopomp, Charon, who works at the county morgue. took me there, once.

"I know that there's an underworld. Not sure if there's a classical hell or heaven. But I know that adventures continue beyond this world. Sometimes forever."

Sparky, your salamander familiar is always up to crazy antics. He's protective and possessive but also just plain silly sometimes and I for one am completely enamored with him. You've mentioned that there's no one or thing you really need, not your career, not Brian (who we'll get to in a moment) but Sparky, he's one thing you couldn't live with out. What makes him so integral to your life as both a Lantern and as just plain Anya?

Sparky the fire salamander snuggles up to Anya and puts his head on her shoulder. She rubs his speckled back and smiles. "I've had Sparky ever since I can remember. My mother gave him to me as a protector. He slept in my crib with me then and at the foot of the bed now, with his favorite toy. It's a Glo-Worm.

"Besides my mother...he's the only unconditional love I've ever really had. He loves me whether I'm a Lantern or whether I'm just Anya. He's always been here, and always will be here."

You're extremely hesitant when it comes to personal relationships. Brian, he wants you and the man is incredibly patient hinting to the fact that you might just mean the world to him if you would just take that last leap of faith. What holds you back? Do you ever think of having a family of your own?

A smile flits across her lips. "I do love Brian. I love him because he's ordinary. He has no special powers. He can't see ghosts. He hasn't seen the Afterworld, the way that I've seen it."

The smile fades. "But I don't know that Brian can really understand and accept all that I am."

She looks down at Sparky. "I did recently become a mother...of sorts. Sparky here laid salamander eggs in my bathtub. For a short while, I was mom to dozens of ectoplasm-gobbling newts."

Anya blinks and looks up with a dazed expression. "Don't think that I could ever handle that again."

DAGR, Detroit Area Ghost Hunters, is a group of paranormal investigators you reluctantly assist on occasion. There's what, like six different ghost hunter shows on TV right now. What do you think of the recent public obsession with ghost hunters?

"I think people are really curious about what happens after death. That interest has been timeless...it reminds me of a lot of the interest in Spiritualism around the end of the nineteenth century. Ordinary folks would spend their Friday and Saturday evenings holding seances and table-tipping. That's really very similar to what goes on today."

Now, just a couple of the book questions and I'll let you go since by now it's probably becoming difficult to keep your computer hidden from Sparky. *wink* For one, what's it like working with Laura? Is she easy to talk with? Speaking of Sparky, does she get along with him?

"I like working with Laura. She's easy to talk to...I kind of suspect that she knows more about this stuff than she lets on. And Sparky loves her. She keeps a stash of electronic toys for him to play with when she's interviewing me."

Sparky swishes his tail.

"And Sparky loves her cats."

How do you handle having your personal life and adventures being published? Do the covers for EMBERS and SPARKS portray a good likeness?
And finally, what's your favorite book genre?

"My adventures are published as fiction...so I'm sure that no one thinks that they're real!" Anya winks.

"The covers are gorgeous. The artist, Chris McGrath, is really inspired...the covers look just like me.

"My favorite genre right now...arson investigation manuals." Anya spreads her hands open. "I'm sad to say that I haven't had much time for pleasure reading, in between chasing ghosts and arsonists.

"Thank you so much for having me for an interview. I had lots of fun!"

Sparky leans forward to lick the computer screen, and it goes black.

Anya? ...Anya?

Well that's it folks! Looks like Sparky's cut us off but I think that was a satisfactory introduction to Anya and her electronics obsessed familiar. *wink*

I hope you all find a friend in Anya and check out her amazing adventures. Stay tuned for my review of SPARKS, book two in the Anya Kalinczyk series, later this week.

Giveaway Details:

The awesome Laura Bickle is giving away one SIGNED set of the current Anya Kalinczyk releases, which includes EMBERS and SPARKS, to one lucky commenter. Here's how to enter:

*Comment with a Valid Email Address (Entrants that do not leave an email address will be disqualified)*

**Contest Open to USA Only**

***Must be 18 or Older to Enter***

****Contest Closes Thursday, September 30th at Midnight U.S. Pacific Standard Time and the Winner will be Chosen Randomly and Announced Friday, October 1st****

Marie Treanor's eBook Pick Winner!

And the winner is...

JennJ

CONGRATULATIONS!!

A big thank you as always to all the entrants for their participation. And of course a big thank you shout out  to Marie Treanor for providing the giveaway and for talkin' vamps with me. ;)

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BLOOD ON SILK by Marie Treanor

Scottish academic Elizabeth Silk is spending the summer in Romania researching historical superstitions for her PhD. While she is tracing local foktales, one subject in particular sparks her imagination. His name is Saloman, legend's most powerful vampire, a seductive prince staked centuries ago. Now, in the ruins of a castle crypt, Elizabeth discovers the legends are real. Her blood has awakened him. Her innocence has aroused him. But Elizabeth unleashes more than Saloman's hunger.

An army of vampire hunters has amassed to send Saloman back to hell. Sworn to help - yet fearing Saloman's deadly blood lust - Elizabeth seeks to entrap him, offering her body as bait. But something stronger than dread, more powerful than revenge, is uniting Elizabeth to her prey. Caught between desire and rage, Elizabeth must decide where her loyalties lie...and what the limits are to a yearning she can no longer control.

MY REVIEW
MY INTERVIEW

Review: ENTWINED by Elisabeth Naughton

Review: ENTWINED by Elisabeth Naughton

ZANDER — The most feared of all the Eternal Guardians. It’s rumored he can’t be killed, and he always fights like he has nothing to lose. But as a descendant of the famed hero Achilles, he’s got to have a vulnerability… somewhere.

Forces of daemons are gathering and have broken through the barriers of the Underworld. Now more than ever the Eternal Guardians are needed to protect both their own realm and the humans’. Zander can’t afford to think about what might have been with the bewitching physician he once regarded as his soul mate. But with eternity stretching before him, he also can’t fathom spending his life without the one woman who makes him feel most alive. Perhaps he’s found his weakness, after all…

Publisher: Dorchester Publishing Co.

Genre: Paranormal Romance

Single Title/Series: ENTWINED is book two in the Eternal Guardians series but can easily be read as a stand alone novel. My reading experience of starting with book two can attest to that claim.

Cover Thoughts: The blue on the novel is incredibly striking both on the computer and in reality.

Why I Read It: I was offered a copy for review by the publisher.

My Review:

The Plot:

Descendant of the Greek Gods, the Argonauts are all that stand between the Argoleans and death. Towering males of incredible strength and lethal skill, they bravely risk their lives and traverse the portals of Argolea to Earth in order to combat daemons and the wrath of their leader - one very powerful and pissed off demigoddess known as Atalanta.

The Argonaut Zander is an immortal amongst his kind. He's seen kings come and go and brother Argonauts live and die. Now he wishes to end his infernal existence for he has no family to call his own and after having been cruelly betrayed by his soul mate ten years ago, there's nothing he longs to live for. Even the rise in daemons and the dire threat they pose to the Argoleans and the half-breed Misos on Earth can't sway him. But when the king demands that an Argonaut wed his daughter, Zander finds himself surprisingly raising his hand for the job. For the first time in ten years he feels he's found something to live for, a chance to make himself a worthy guardian again. That is until the king's personal physician asks him to strip...

Over the last ten years, Callia has nearly given up hope of ever being happy. Abandoned by Zander at a time when she needed him most, her persistent craving for him after all that he's destroyed leaves her frustrated and lost. While a distant part of her still hopes for a reconnection with Zander, that fragile hope is effectively squashed when Zander shockingly volunteers to bind himself until death to Princess Isadora. Now it's time to move on with life starting by gathering the tattered pieces of her torn soul and then proceeding, as the King's personal healer and at the behest of his command, to conduct a full physical examination of her one time love. Zander's virility must be ensured for heirs are a necessity in this turbulent time. With the Council looking to overthrow the power of the monarchy, the king will do whatever he must to ensure the survival of their people and with his dying breath he'll see his only legitimate daughter wed.

While making the decision to bind with Princess Isadora finds Zander a new found respect from his Argonaut brothers, it's done nothing to calm the consuming rage that continues to burn in the empty void where his soul should reside. Still clinging to his death wish, Zander continues to place himself in increasingly dangerous situations. After throwing himself into a battle where the odds were stacked sky-high against him, Zander's inevitable and horrific injuries has his Argonaut brothers rushing the best Argolean healer to his side: Callia.

Heedless of the fact that the love her life abandoned her ten years ago and then recently pledged his soul to another, Callia wastes little time before she's running to Zander's side. When a close and prolonged proximity rekindles a flaming desire between Zander and Callia, it becomes apparent that there's still unfinished business between the two. But while Callia is misled by a misinterpreted possibility of reconciliation, Zander is instead looking to just get his rocks off leading Callia to bolt into hostile territory. With hatred and pain once again reignited, things quickly get out of hand but that's not before a painful secret - lie rather - is revealed. Enemies close to their hearts have effectively stolen the most precious gift that their doomed romance was blessed to receive: life.

The Heroine:

Callia is a woman who on the outside presents a tower of strength but on the inside she's burdened with acute pain, sadness, and desolation. Surviving under the weight of all that she's lost, Callia's pushed through the last ten years by sheer will. While small, the kernel of hope lingering deep within her soul has survived a decade but it doesn't protect her heart from splitting open when Zander shoves this last piece of hope down the drain with his acknowledged pledge to another. While most would crumble under that kind of devastation, Callia lifts her head high as the last wisps of her dreams scatter to the wind.

Callia's source of pain is something that is leaked out slowly in the read but each tid bit is as shocking as the last. What's she borne and overcome is a thing of awe and it's not long before the reader is throwing their heart behind this brave woman. As the story progresses, the healing that occurs between Callia and Zander is slow and shaky as truths and betrayals are revealed but even with reconciliation comes the knowledge that they'll be separated forever since Zander gave his binding pledge to the king that he'll marry Princess Isadora. Knowing that in the face of all they've overcome happiness is still out of reach and it's utterly maddening but no worries folks, there's an HEA to be had with ENTWINED.

The Hero:

Zander is just as damaged as Callia as he's filled with self-loathing, anger, bitterness, and despair. He's desire to end his long and tortured existence is palpable as he throws himself again and again into life threatening situations. While Callia, as his soul mate, should be the calming force in his life, her believed betrayals leaves him shaken whenever in her presence. He loathes her as much as himself, so much so that only death can release him from the bonds of his pain.

Quite cruel at times to Callia, it's hard at times to hold onto a flame of hope for his character but when the source of his pain is revealed, one can't help but want to hold on as tightly as possible to his shattered soul and try to infuse some light into his dark existence. All is forgiven from a reader standpoint and while Zander continues to make mistakes with Callia, jeopardizing their fragile reconciliation, it all stems from a strong protection instinct. It's devastating to know that despite the fact that he's found his soul, his heart and his humanity, Zander still must let Callia go for his pledge to bind with Princess Isadora cannot be overturned.

My Thoughts:

ENTWINED, while emotionally tumultuous and complex, is also extremely engaging with a constant bombardment of activity, unveiled betrayals, and healing passion. There are several threads to this plot and while one would think that Naughton has every opportunity to drop one, if not all the balls she's got swirling in the air, delightfully this never happens. Not a single scene is wasted as everything reaches a satisfying crescendo and conclusion with this hero and heroine pairing. Bravo!

Another surprise: generally speaking, the use of The Big Misunderstanding in plots is a supreme source of frustration for me but with ENTWINED, all my developed stereotypes flew out the window. It all worked so well here that I'm finding myself rethinking my stance on The Big Mis. ... Maybe. :) But honestly, it did work well and I think it's because while vitally important, it wasn't the only driver propelling this story. I've seen it used before as the sole momentum for the plot and in those cases, I'm pulling my hair out. Thankfully I retained all my hair with this read. :)

And finally with regard to the world building, while complex, it in no way distracts from the romance nor is it so over-the-top that a new reader can't dive in with this second series installment. I for one had no trouble diving in and taking off with this thrilling read making ENTWINED a good candidate for paranormal readers that don't enjoy heavy world building.

ENTWINED is everything that paranormal romance lovers want in their reads: rockin' action, fluid world building, evil villains and most importantly, page burning passion that leaves you panting for more. Enjoy!

B+

More Reviews:

Smexy Books: 4/5
The Book Pushers: 3.5/5
Book Girl of Mur-y-Castell: 3/5
Novel Addiction: 3/5
Michelle's Book Blog: 5/5
Supernatural Snark: 4/5

Cover Alert! THE DEMON AND THE SUCCUBUS by Cassie Ryan

THE DEMON AND THE SUCCUBUS by Cassie Ryan

The Sisters of Darkness Series Book Two

Releases April 5, 2011

Amalya has spent the centuries using her succubus skills to become one of the most sought-after escorts at a high class brothel. Seducing and corrupting men to make her quota with her queen, Lilith, has left Amalya jaded about sex-until a devastatingly handsome new client triggers her most forbidden desires and delivers an enticing surprise.

Levi Spencer, Duke of Ashford, has been offered a deal he can't refuse in exchange for safely slipping Amalya back into Lilith's lair. But a demon with a vendetta is plotting something far more sinister than Amalya's death. And if Levi and Amalya can't stop him, it will mean the end of the world.

I'm seriously lovin' all the swirling colors. Quite eye catching and the similar pose of the couple with the cover of book one, SEDUCING THE SUCCUBUS, is a definite bonus.

*nods head* Pretty. Me like.

Cover Alert! BLOOD OF THE ROSE by Kate Pearce

BLOOD OF THE ROSE by Kate Pearce

The Tudor Vampire Chronicles Book Two

Releases February 1, 2011

Desperate to defeat King Richard III and gain the English crown, Henry Tudor made a pact with the Druids that bound him and his heirs to the Druids’ deadly struggle against the Vampires. Ever since, the Llewellyns, an ancient Vampire-slaying family, have been in the permanent employ of the monarchy.

When Rosalind Llewellyn had to join forces with her enemy Christopher Ellis to defeat a rogue Vampire threatening Henry VIII, their alliance led to a surprising passion. Reunited after a year’s separation, they face a new threat that could destroy their last chance at happiness.

Christopher is delighted by the spectacular rise of his friends George and Anne Boleyn at court. But Rosalind suspects Lady Anne is up to no good—that she may even be a Vampire who’s bewitched the king. Now Rosalind must fight to keep Christopher from falling under the woman’s mysterious spell. It isn’t until Anne reveals a dark secret that Christopher awakens to where the true danger lies—and begins to play a desperate game in order to save the woman he loves…

Wow....I'm a little speechless right now...

I. Have. To. Have. This. Book. RIGHT. NOW!!!!!

Anybody read the first in the series, KISS OF THE ROSE?

Interview with Marie Treanor & Giveaway!

BLOOD ON SILK by Marie Treanor

Scottish academic Elizabeth Silk is spending the summer in Romania researching historical superstitions for her PhD. While she is tracing local foktales, one subject in particular sparks her imagination. His name is Saloman, legend's most powerful vampire, a seductive prince staked centuries ago. Now, in the ruins of a castle crypt, Elizabeth discovers the legends are real. Her blood has awakened him. Her innocence has aroused him. But Elizabeth unleashes more than Saloman's hunger.

An army of vampire hunters has amassed to send Saloman back to hell. Sworn to help - yet fearing Saloman's deadly blood lust - Elizabeth seeks to entrap him, offering her body as bait. But something stronger than dread, more powerful than revenge, is uniting Elizabeth to her prey. Caught between desire and rage, Elizabeth must decide where her loyalties lie...and what the limits are to a yearning she can no longer control.

MY REVIEW

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Hi guys! Please help me in welcoming Marie Treanor to Lovin' Me Some Romance. She obligingly let me pick her brain over her new paranormal romance, BLOOD ON SILK.

My Interview:

First, who is Marie Treanor?

Marie Treanor is a writer, mainly of spicier paranormal romance, with a string of published titles to her name. She lives in Scotland with her eccentric husband of nearly twenty years, and three much-too-smart children. Having grown bored with city life, she resides these days in a picturesque village by the sea where she is lucky enough to enjoy herself avoiding housework and writing stories of romance and fantasy. She loves good books, old films, rich food and fresh coffee.

What is our obsession with vampires?! No matter how many vampire romances I read, my desire for more doesn't seem to cease as I gravitate unwaveringly - obviously never unwillingly - towards the next one. Why go this route that has been traveled so many times in the romance genre? Was the task intimidating or were you utterly confident with your twist upon such a well traversed myth?

Yes, the vampire thing is certainly addictive! I think it’s the power, and the sexual attraction of vampires, whether overt or understated, that draws us, and for me, I think it’s also the fact that the male vampire looks enough like a human to make me wonder how he would be if he behaved with just a hint of human emotion. It’s the contrast between softer feelings and the raw, power of an inhuman and lethal creature.

I chose to write about vampires because, like you, I love reading about them! Ever since I read Dracula as a kid, and later Interview with the Vampire, I’ve sought out vampire stories of all kinds – not just romance. In fact, I confess that as a student, I even went to Transylvania – in the days before communism fell too, so it took a bit of effort! – following the route Jonathan Harker took in Bram Stoker’s Dracula. :) The beauty of the Transylvanian hills under a full moon, with the distant howling of a wolf (all right, it might have been a dog) in the background, did nothing to dispel my fascination. Anyhow, when this story came to me, I was more than happy to write it.

Having contracted and completed it, of course, I did wonder if my story would get lost among the vast array of vampire romances out there. I’m still wondering :) But I am delighted with the level of interest so far among readers and reviewers, so I have hopes that people will enjoy reading it as much as I loved writing it.

BLOOD ON SILK mixes the old with new lending a distinctly gothic and bewitching feel to your vampires. With the lack of blasting and sharp modernity that soaks the vampire romances of today, I felt instead an ancient presence within your story, a dark romanticism that permeated each and every scene. Was this your way of differentiating yourself within the market or did your imagination and characters simply flow this way onto the pages? Was it important for you to bring new life to old myths? Or perhaps was it simply the influence of the incredibly old countries your novel visited that really couldn't be written in any other tone?

Thank you! That’s just the atmosphere I was aiming for! Not consciously to differentiate my story from the others, just because it came with my story, with the feel of it in my head as the awakening scene came to me and then as I began to write it. It is obviously important to keep a story new, however well-travelled the background, if only not to bore your readers! But I wasn’t consciously thinking about this as I wrote. The sheer age of my vampire and the history he’d been part of certainly contributed to the atmosphere I tried to convey. And of course, I love the old gothic romances with ruined castles and dark, brooding heroes with pasts….

An unapologetically dangerous killer of a hero, Saloman starts his journey as an ancient and newly awakened vampire with seemingly no redeeming qualities. I'll admit that while I rooted for him continuously from beginning to end, I also felt my connection with him dip dangerously low at times for he's an incredibly complex hero. Were you worried at all about reader connection with Saloman? Was your writing experience of him just as mysterious as my reading experience?

Looking back, I think I only worried about his evil tendencies after I’d finished writing it and discussed it with my editor! At the time, this was how I meant him to be. He isn’t just an incredibly strong male who happens to need a little blood to exist, he’s a vampire. An alien, very different creature whose people walked the earth before humans. He doesn’t think like us or act like us, and he certainly doesn’t have the same values. He’s scary and dangerous and I wanted to convey that. For me, it makes his moments of softening, of understanding or vulnerability, all the more meaningful.

After writing the above question, I now realize that Saloman is a complete anti-hero. Rare in the romance world, an anti-hero can be frightening, unpredictable, and have little regard for anyone but themselves. Even the heroine isn't safe from him for while he may be obsessively intrigued with her, that doesn't me she's safe from the death that he threatens so seductively with acute promise. Do you agree with this observation? Why or why not?

Hmm, I don’t know that he’s a complete anti-hero, although he definitely has tendencies! As you say, even Elizabeth isn’t safe from him for much of the book. But in fact, although they aren’t human ones, he does have values that go well beyond the selfish. Of course, when he first awakens, he’s angry. He’s out for revenge and determined to assert the power he believes should be his. Well, he’s had more than three hundred years of agony to brood on his betrayal and I have a certain amount of sympathy for that! But as his anger fades, there are hints of a better person underneath who could, we hope, develop through contact with Elizabeth.

Elizabeth Silk, your heroine, is in some ways more overwhelmingly complex than Saloman. Her emotions run in such tangible extremes and while that should have made her more palpable than Saloman, I felt my connection to her as one of simultaneous begrudging acceptance and champion awe. In other words, I didn't always like or agree with Elizabeth's decisions but I valued and rooted for her undeniable strength. How did your writing experience with her differ with that of Saloman? What's the level difficulty and pressure to create a heroine that would catch and hold the eye of such an enigmatic hero? Or was it the opposite? How do find a hero to compel such a heroine?

In some ways Elizabeth was a lot easier than Saloman to write: she’s human for a start, and like me, she’s a bit of an observer of life rather than a forceful participator! But that has to change when she wakens Saloman and is thrust into the terrifying world of vampires. I had to think quite carefully how she would react to certain situations, how her native strength would come to the fore to deal with some of those, while her weaknesses and insecurities would hamper her dealing with others. At the same time, there has to be something about her that is unique enough to intrigue a being of Saloman’s vast experience. So yes, she is complex and I think she became harder to cope with as the story progressed!

BLOOD ON SILK is an unconventional romance in that it lacks the traditional Happily Ever After. Pretty risky maneuver there, one my romance reader heart still has difficulty coming to terms with. Why does Elisabeth have to be so stubborn?! Just kidding, but why no HEA?

:) Well, she wouldn’t be Elizabeth if she wasn’t stubborn! But let me assure you that the story isn’t over yet. Blood on Silk is only the first of the Awakened by Blood trilogy, and Elizabeth and Saloman will certainly meet again in Blood Sin, scheduled for release in April. I take your point, though - the ending of Blood on Silk IS a bit risky for romance lovers! But I do like a cliff-hanger, and I think the hint is there in Saloman’s final words: “It will never be over.”

What can we expect next from Marie Treanor?

Well, there is Blood Sin next April, as I said, and the third book of the trilogy to come later in 2011. Before that, on 28th September 2010, I have an ebook release at Samhain Publishing, co-written with Bonnie Dee. Awakening Beauty is the third of our Fairytale Fantasies that take an adult twist on well known fairytales.

Giveaway Details:

Marie Treanor is giving one lucky commenter their pick of any ebook in her backlist. Here's how to enter:

*Comment with a Valid Email Address (Entrants that do not leave an email address will be disqualified)*

**Contest Open to ALL**

***Must be 18 or Older to Enter***

****Contest Closes Thursday, September 23th at Midnight U.S. Pacific Standard Time and the Winner will be Chosen Randomly and Announced Friday, September 24th****

Review: BLOOD ON SILK by Marie Treanor

BLOOD ON SILK by Marie Treanor

Scottish academic Elizabeth Silk is spending the summer in Romania researching historical superstitions for her PhD. While she is tracing local foktales, one subject in particular sparks her imagination. His name is Saloman, legend's most powerful vampire, a seductive prince staked centuries ago. Now, in the ruins of a castle crypt, Elizabeth discovers the legends are real. Her blood has awakened him. Her innocence has aroused him. But Elizabeth unleashes more than Saloman's hunger.

An army of vampire hunters has amassed to send Saloman back to hell. Sworn to help - yet fearing Saloman's deadly blood lust - Elizabeth seeks to entrap him, offering her body as bait. But something stronger than dread, more powerful than revenge, is uniting Elizabeth to her prey. Caught between desire and rage, Elizabeth must decide where her loyalties lie...and what the limits are to a yearning she can no longer control.

Publisher: NAL Signet Eclipse, a Division of Penguin Group

Genre: Paranormal Romance

Single Title/Series: BLOOD ON SILK is Book One in the Awakened by Blood Series.

Cover Thoughts: Love, love, LOVE this cover! Its absolutely stunning! I especially love the sharp contrast of the woman's blood red dress with the swirling gray fog. The title too is haunting and begs to be understood. The whole look and feel positively beckons you to a read.

Why I Read It: I was absolutely compelled to purchase this book. See the above cover love. *wink*

My Review:

The Plot:

An academic researching her thesis, Elizabeth Silk finds herself falling head first into the one myth she's trying desperately to debunk: the existence of vampires.

Believing that vampires are merely an excuse to explain or justify communal threats and unlawful killings, Elizabeth's research is doing a marvelous job at proving her point except for the persistent re-occurrence of one man named Saloman. An enigmatic being that crops up again and again since the birth of Christianity through to the nineteenth century, Elizabeth can't find any evidence of his birth or death as she has for all the other famous "vampires" in her thesis. Frustrated that Saloman's existence jeopardizes everything that she's worked so hard for, when a Romanian villager claims to know of Saloman's final resting place, Elizabeth wastes little time locating his tomb. But when her voracious curiosity has her unwittingly awakening the ancient vampire from his three hundred year sleep, Elizabeth's life is about to be turned up side down.

Saloman awakens to a burning need for blood followed quickly by revenge. Three hundred years ago he was betrayed by those closest to him, murdered in a sense by his friends and lover. Now, while his instinct as an Ancient is to drink his Awakener dry, the spunky courage of his female intrigues him to the extent that he lets her go virtually unscathed. However, she'll not go far for he eventually must kill Elizabeth to regain his full power but in the meantime he'll soak up as much of her as he can. Saloman must also protect Elizabeth from other vampires. There will be those that don't want him to regain his former strength and influential power rendering Saloman's arrogant decision to leave his Awakener alive as dangerously stupid for both him and her. But Saloman wishes to savor his Awakener and will do whatever is necessary to protect Elizabeth for while her death is a surety, he can at least make the moment the most pleasurable of her life.

Clinging to her cynicism, Elizabeth at first believes that the frightening experience in Saloman's tomb was simply an elaborately orchestrated hoax and when three people arrive at her hotel room door the next morning she fully expects to hear their apology before she boots them to the curb. But these people aren't just random pranksters, they're vampire hunters and they need her help to stop the evil that she, in her naivety, unleashed upon the world. They claim Saloman is insane with ambitions to conquer the world and enslave humans to his every whim. As an Ancient, he's nearly impossible to kill and if he's given the opportunity to kill Elizabeth as his Awakener, as well as kill the vampires who conspired in his death, than he'll be absolutely unstoppable. While Elizabeth wants to right the wrong she's inadvertently committed, there's one little problem: she's in love with Saloman.

The Heroine:

Emboldened by a feisty intelligence, Elizabeth's clever mind is balanced by a stubborn naivety, one that gets her into trouble more often than not. She's a loner, a woman who has grown more than accustomed to her independence yet she also retains an intrinsic loneliness that combined with her extreme wariness of others helps keep her alone.

Saloman is the first man to ever make her feel wanted and beautiful and while his desire of her spells Elizabeth's death sentence, she can't stop her heart from wanting him in return. He didn't lie when he said that he'd show her life at its greatest before he killed her for Elizabeth does experience more in the weeks following Saloman's awakening than she's ever experienced in her thirty years. He opens her eyes to an exquisite world, he puts her in the position to make friends with the vampire hunters that are desperately trying to protect her, and most of all, he instills confidence in herself. It's a strange and complex dichotomy that envelopes these two, a dance of push and pull that changes everything.

The Hero:

Saloman, for the first third of the novel, is a being of no redeeming qualities. He's positively lethal with his  plain spoken fact that Elizabeth will die at his hand, that their moments together are nothing but a game of cat and mouse as he plays with her heart and her fears. Waiting patiently for his humanity to be revealed, it's his anti-heroism that gradually comes to light.

A three thousand year old vampire, his humanity is truly gone and lost when he first meets Elizabeth. He thinks nothing but of himself and the retribution he deserves with the deaths of those that once conspired against him. Elizabeth however is a perplexing development. Saloman finds her decidedly interesting with her modern ways, feisty courage, and quick intelligence. But it's Elizabeth's complete lack of self awareness and the effortless shine of her inner and outer beauty that inspires Saloman's inner hero. He longs to show her true happiness and what it's like to feel true desire.

Elizabeth's impact on Saloman is nothing short of paramount. She inspires him to pause, to wait for the rage and anger to subside before he makes his kill. Death is so final and it leaves no time afterward for questions. Saloman now waits, tries to understand the motives of his enemies before he strikes - if he strikes at all. And while Elizabeth's death beneath his sensual mouth would return his ultimate power, he resists due to the love that he feels in his heart for the woman that opened the window to his humanity, even if it is a mere crack.

My Final Thoughts:

BLOOD ON SILK is at times a difficult and complex read but its also rewarding. Utilizing old vampire myths, Treanor soaks her novel in a decidedly gothic and dark romanticism.  Her vampires are every bit of the cloak and dagger beings from which their haunting legends arose from. They're dangerous, sensual beings with no humanity to speak of and care little but their own existence and the power they feel they're entitled to. The vampire hunters with their slashing wooden stakes also bring a distinctly historic flavor to the read but their advanced technology swiftly brings you back to the present with resounding clarity. This is a layered and beautiful read that if given a chance, one where all angles are viewed, a reader can easily appreciate what the author has done with such antiquated and redundant myths.

A rarity in the romance world, Treanor's use of the anti-hero is a welcomed delight. Saloman's death sentence for Elizabeth is one that feels very real and he's a being that's fully capable and willing to make due on his promise. And while his blossoming love for Elizabeth is perplexing, Saloman does little to reject what he feels for his Awakener. Instead he embraces her and learns from Elizabeth's humanity, implementing her intelligence and researcher heart into his own thought process thereby stilling his lethal instincts. Elizabeth is Saloman's Awakener in every sense of the world. She awakens his heart, his breath, his love, and ultimately his humanity.

As if BLOOD ON SILK couldn't get more any more interesting or complex, there is no traditional Happily Ever After to be had in this gothic romance. However, reader disappointment is eased with the fact that Saloman and Elizabeth's story doesn't finish with simply "the end" but continues on with Book Two, BLOOD SIN. Thank the book gods!

For die-hard vampire romance lovers, don't miss BLOOD ON SILK. If you find that the first third of the novel is slow and thoughts of desertion arise, push through it for the remaining two-thirds are more than worth your earlier efforts.

B+

More Reviews:

Smexy Books: DNF
Book Soulmates: 4/5

Keta Diablo's WHERE THE RAIN IS MADE Winner!

And the winner is...

twinmomoftwins

CONGRATULATIONS!!

Thank you as always to all the entrants and a big thanks to Keta Diablo for providing the giveaway!!

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WHERE THE RAIN IS MADE by Keta Diablo

A decadent-looking savage has captured Francesca DuVall and her brother, Marsh. Now she must spend every waking moment planning an escape. She didn’t count on the powerful draw of desire interfering with her scheme in the camp of the brutal Cheyenne dog soldiers.

Ethan Gray is a curator at a national museum . . . most of the time, but when he travels through time to help his beloved People he becomes Meko, leader of the most revered and feared tribe of the plains. Although their worlds are decades apart Meko can’t resist the dark beauty he kidnapped during a raid. He has many battles to fight but none he wants to win more than the one that will capture Cesca’s heart forever.

From the windswept plains of Colorado and the harsh life of a Dog Soldier to the placid life of a curator their love was fueled by passion and kindled by destiny.

MY REVIEW

Eve Langlais's LUCIFER'S DAUGHTER Winner!

And the winner is...

jeanette8042

CONGRATULATIONS!!

A big thanks and hugs to all the entrants and to Eve Langlais for participating in my interview and providing the giveaway!

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LUCIFER'S DAUGHTER by Eve Langlais

Being Lucifer’s daughter can be hell.

Hi, I’m Muriel, the only white sheep in a sea of black ones, and a virgin to boot. I am determined to wait for love, but my dad, more commonly known as Lucifer, just wants me to stop being an embarrassment. I’m hoping the hunk that I met in my bar will turn out to be the one–just looking at him makes my insides melt like marshmallows over the coals of hell, but trusting is hard when it seems everyone I get close to ends up trying to kill me.

Not only am I dealing with an extreme case of lust, there’s a new threat in hell, one my dad says to ignore. Something easier said than done since it seems everywhere I turn demons are trying to kill me. But I’m okay with that, because one thing I’ve learned being a princess of hell is that sometimes I have to grab a demon by the horns and slap it around a bit.

A rebellion in hell, demon assassins and scorching kisses, could my life get any more interesting?

MY REVIEWETTE
MY INTERVIEW

Cover Alert - BURNING SKIES by Caris Roane

BURNING SKIES by Caris Roane

Releases May 2011

Book Two in The World of Ascension Series

THE HUNGER WITHIN

A vampire warrior in exile, Marcus Amargi resists the call to return to the ranks of the Guardians who fight the death vamp armies. Here on Mortal Earth, Marcus has another battle on his hands—the seductive lure of Havily Morgan. The woman meant for him. Whose blood he craves. The one who comes to him in dreams—and demands his surrender…

THE FIRE UNLEASHED

A beautiful immortal with extraordinary powers, Havily lives in the realm of Second Earth but, in her fantasies, yearns for her winged lover Marcus. Soon, their bond will be put to the ultimate test. When their bloodthirsty enemies set the night on fire with sky-blazing weapons, Marcus and Havily must unite body and soul, to unleash the full power of their passion—and fight fire with fire…

We have a website people!!! http://www.carisroane.com/ Sigh....the world makes sense again. *wink* (Click here for why)

The World of Ascension series is looking mighty promising. What strikes my interest most is its multi-dimensional elements. For a man or woman to become a winged vampire they must prove their worth in order to ascend the next dimension. And of course there's a powerful evil lurking within the next dimensions with the tried and true desire to conquer the world. Lovin' it!!

You can find out more about BURNING SKIES, ASCENSION - Book One, and this new and fascinating series at the author's website. Happy surfing!!

Cover Image and Blurb from Author's Website

*Blog Tour* Review & Giveaway: WHERE THE RAIN IS MADE by Keta Diablo

Review: WHERE THE RAIN IS MADE by Keta Diablo

A decadent-looking savage has captured Francesca DuVall and her brother, Marsh. Now she must spend every waking moment planning an escape. She didn’t count on the powerful draw of desire interfering with her scheme in the camp of the brutal Cheyenne dog soldiers.

Ethan Gray is a curator at a national museum . . . most of the time, but when he travels through time to help his beloved People he becomes Meko, leader of the most revered and feared tribe of the plains. Although their worlds are decades apart Meko can’t resist the dark beauty he kidnapped during a raid. He has many battles to fight but none he wants to win more than the one that will capture Cesca’s heart forever.

From the windswept plains of Colorado and the harsh life of a Dog Soldier to the placid life of a curator their love was fueled by passion and kindled by destiny.

Publisher: Decadent Publishing

Genre: Shifter, Time-Travel, American Frontier, Indian Romance

Single Title/Series: WHERE THE RAIN IS MADE is a single title novel.

Cover Thoughts: Not beautiful but it does effectively convey the many genre elements beneath its cover.

Why I Read It: I was offered a review copy by the author.

My Review:

Ethan Gray leads two lives, one in the present and one in the not so distant past. Pledging his life to the People - the Cheyenne - he travels through time as the raven when summoned and does what he can as I Am The Wind, also known to his Indian brothers as Meko, leader of the Dog Soldiers. Normally, balancing his life as a Washington D.C. curator and that of a Dog Solider comes easily until his recent repeated visions of an ebony haired woman with eyes as green as grass spells change on the wind.

In a blink of an eye, Francesca Duvall's life changes forever when she and her brother Marsh are kidnapped by savages. Instantly spoken for by a beautiful dark warrior, Cesca grapples with her warring emotions of lust and hatred. When it soon becomes apparent that her beloved brother is under the watch of one particularly cruel Cheyenne warrior, Cesca gives little thought to her own survival in her determination to save her brother. When she's offered a pony by Meko as a wedding gift, Cesca grudgingly accepts as a means to an ends. The pony means escape and she bides her time formulating an escape plan for Marsh. In the meantime, her heart has never been in more peril.

Admiring her bravery and fierce will, Meko can't stop his heart from falling in love with Cesca. She calls to his soul and despite the fact that he has a mission to complete - a mission to help the People - he can't stop himself from making the green-eyed beauty his. Knowing that Cesca is the haunting women from his visions, Meko could be following his doom but again, he can't stop his heart. And when Cesca succeeds in freeing her brother and faces punishment by the People, Meko finds that he won't allow another to possess her. Ever.

As Cesca comes to terms with her new way of life, she comes to love the Cheyenne, most especially Meko. Soon her life before amongst her own people seems so distant and almost surreal as if she dreamed it. But even this new life among the People can be ripped away just as easily as blue coats, the white people, move in to brutally rip apart Cesca's new world. Who's the savage now but Cesca still can't understand why the fighting continues. White attack Red and Red retaliate and so the circle of blood continues. While Cesca tries at first to love all there is about Meko including his Dog Solider ways, it's brutally apparent that she doesn't. Wanting the blood to end Cesca must take a side and fight for what she believes in or this new life will be lost forever.

The Heroine:

Fiercely stubborn with an iron-clad will, Cesca is not easily tamed but unlike many Cheyenne, Meko doesn't wish to break her indomitable spirit. A woman that puts all others above her own needs, Cesca nearly dies trying to save her brother. Readily accepting that death will surely be her fate if she succeeds in helping him escape, her life matters naught when faced with an other's potential freedom.

She's a woman that could and would be your best friend for life.

The Hero:

Meko is man torn between his desire to help the People and the bewitching love he's developed for Cesca. If asked to choose, he'd try first to claim them both but in the end, Cesca becomes all that he cares about. He's strong and stable taking each and every blow that Cesca delivers as she adjusts to her new life with him.

He possesses her gently but thoroughly leaving no room to doubt the soul-shattering love he feels for her.

My Final Thoughts:

WHERE THE RAIN IS MADE is a lovely diversion from the paranormal melee that consumes most of the romance genre. Funnily enough, Indian romance is a genre that always surprises me. Why I don't read it more often is beyond me because the few that I have read, including this one, have been great reads that I'd recommend.

Be prepared to learn something about the Cheyenne with this read. Some areas of the book can get a little long, almost like filler pages, but the information is interesting and I enjoyed learning about the culture of this particular tribe.

The time travel element isn't complicated at all and I loved the fact that it didn't trigger my believability radar. Instead it was actually quite beautiful in how it worked with the story.

For romance readers wanting something new, something interesting that gives new light to American culture and history, pick up WHERE THE RAIN IS MADE. The romance is sultry and the love is passionate. Enjoy!

B

Giveaway Details:

Keta Diablo is giving away a PDF copy of WHERE THE RAIN IS MADE to one lucky commenter. Here's how to enter:


*Comment with a Valid Email Address (Entrants that do not leave an email address will be disqualified)*

**Contest Open to ALL**

***Must be 18 or Older to Enter***

****Contest Closes Thursday, September 16th at Midnight U.S. Pacific Standard Time and the Winner will be Chosen Randomly and Announced Friday, September 17th****

Interview with Eve Langlais & Giveaway!

Reviewette: LUCIFER'S DAUGHTER by Eve Langlais

Being Lucifer’s daughter can be hell.

Hi, I’m Muriel, the only white sheep in a sea of black ones, and a virgin to boot. I am determined to wait for love, but my dad, more commonly known as Lucifer, just wants me to stop being an embarrassment. I’m hoping the hunk that I met in my bar will turn out to be the one–just looking at him makes my insides melt like marshmallows over the coals of hell, but trusting is hard when it seems everyone I get close to ends up trying to kill me.

Not only am I dealing with an extreme case of lust, there’s a new threat in hell, one my dad says to ignore. Something easier said than done since it seems everywhere I turn demons are trying to kill me. But I’m okay with that, because one thing I’ve learned being a princess of hell is that sometimes I have to grab a demon by the horns and slap it around a bit.

A rebellion in hell, demon assassins and scorching kisses, could my life get any more interesting?

MY REVIEW

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

My Interview:

First, who is Eve Langlais?

I'm a definite multi tasker lol. I am constantly juggling my role as wife, mother, employee and author. So far it seems to be working but it does makes for hectic days at times.

Your novella, LUCIFER'S DAUGHTER, hosts a variety of paranormal characters including fallen angels. What do you think of paranormal genre lovers and their new obsession with these good boys gone bad?

I personally love paranormal romance because the possibilities are endless. When it comes to good boys gone bad, I think readers enjoy the struggle of a male who fights his inner demons and doesn't always win. It makes for a more complex character. I think as well, many of us like to think the love of a good woman is the cure to bring him back to the side of right--most of the time :). I also get a warm and fuzzy feeling when a bad ass male goes mental because someone has dared hurt his woman--so hot!

A nice twist, your Lucifer is dare I say a loving father? He dotes and worries for his daughter Muriel, our heroine. And while this worry may stem from the fact that she's not sinning enough, there's still worry. Why this different take on a being that the world over regards as evil? What inspired you to make him a fatherly figure?

Most people think of Satan as the most evil being in existence, yet, even those who do bad things care for others, why would he be any different? Love doesn't care if you're good or evil. Does the mobster who calls for hits and deal in drugs not care for his family even though we consider him evil? Then to me there's the fact that I think there is a fine line between good and evil and if you take the ten commandments literally, who hasn't sinned? I know I've lied, I've coveted and not always respected my parents in the past, does that mean I'm evil and incapable of caring? I wonder if I'm going to Hell? Hope it's my version if I am lol.

From your website and the other works of yours that are available, you're very much into sexy leather-clad bikers. What makes the biker an ideal hero? Do you yourself ride motorcycles?

LOL, I blame the biker syndrome on my husband who loves to ride his motorcycle. When he gets all geared up in his leather, it's hot! And of course there is the perception that bikers are bad boys, again very sexy. Me, I'm terrified on the back of a bike. My adventuresome side appears in my writing only and stops at the door lol.

While each have their own set of unique problems, what for you makes writing the novella a challenge verses the novel? What's its appeal? How do you know which characters require the short length of the novella?

Initially I wrote three novels in a row. Each took about four times the amount of time to write compared to a novella and the shocking part was the novellas did better sales wise. So that was one deciding factor for sure. The other was in a novel I found the story ended up cluttered with a lot of useless description and unnecessary scenes. Filler scenes I guess you could call them. With a novella, the story is purely about the characters and the events that push the story forward. It's funny since I started writing novellas I now find reading novels hard because of the junk that brings nothing to the story.

What can readers except from you in the future?

More naughty stories? LOL, I'm always working on new pieces. Right now I'm writing a third Alien Mate story where geeky meets hunky. I've also got some sequels to tackle for a few stories, Lucifer's Daughter being one. And Cleopatra is yelling at me that she wants her story told, so I'd better get to work on that one soon because she is one nasty lady lol. My website is a great place to stay up to date with what's going on with me and my work - http://www.evelanglais.com/

A big thanks to VampFanGirl for interviewing me and taking the time to read some of my work. Thanks as well to anyone who has taken the time to stop by and read.

Giveaway Details:

Eve Langlais is giving away one digital copy of LUCIFER'S DAUGHTER. Here's how to enter:

*Comment with a Valid Email Address (Entrants that do not leave an email address will be disqualified)*

**Contest Open to ALL**

***Must be 18 or Older to Enter***

****Contest Closes Thursday, September 16th at Midnight U.S. Pacific Standard Time and the Winner will be Chosen Randomly and Announced Friday, September 17th****

Reviewette: LUCIFER'S DAUGHTER by Eve Langlais

Reviewette: LUCIFER'S DAUGHTER by Eve Langlais

Being Lucifer’s daughter can be hell.

Hi, I’m Muriel, the only white sheep in a sea of black ones, and a virgin to boot. I am determined to wait for love, but my dad, more commonly known as Lucifer, just wants me to stop being an embarrassment. I’m hoping the hunk that I met in my bar will turn out to be the one–just looking at him makes my insides melt like marshmallows over the coals of hell, but trusting is hard when it seems everyone I get close to ends up trying to kill me.

Not only am I dealing with an extreme case of lust, there’s a new threat in hell, one my dad says to ignore. Something easier said than done since it seems everywhere I turn demons are trying to kill me. But I’m okay with that, because one thing I’ve learned being a princess of hell is that sometimes I have to grab a demon by the horns and slap it around a bit.

A rebellion in hell, demon assassins and scorching kisses, could my life get any more interesting?

Publisher: Liquid Silver Books

Genre: Paranormal Romance

Single Title/Series: LUCIFER'S DAUGHTER can be read as a stand alone novella with the follow up series sequel, SNOWBALLS IN HELL, releasing soon.

Cover Thoughts: As far as ebook covers go, this one rocks!

Why I Read It: I was offered a review copy by the author.

My Review:

All Muriel wants is to have a normal life and the chance to find love; her one and only who'll finally rid her of her pesky virginity. What's wrong with wanting to wait for love anyway? Well one person finds the idea revolting. Of course Satan wouldn't want these sort of life's pursuits for his daughter, a Princess of Hell. He wants a sinner, a daughter who'll defile her body, outsmart him with cunning lies and disobey him at every turn. Instead he'll have to take pleasure in the one fact that Muriel doesn't want to wait to get married to loose her virginity. And if that's all the sin he'll get then he'll take it.

While Muriel does wish for normal, this area of her life proves to never work according to plan. Running her bar Nexus, Muriel had once thought to appeal to the locals, humans more specifically. Instead, Nexus became the number one hang out place for the seedier underworld locals. This she can handle but her love life? Forget about it. Having an unattainable list of requirements for the one, Muriel risks the chance of never finding love but her luck is soon about to change when a gorgeous leather-clad, hulk of man proves to be everything she's ever wanted and more. Now if only she can subdue the pesky demon assassins that have chosen this exact moment in time to overthrow her dad in Hell. The inconvenience of all could effectively curtail a romance that feels more than meant to be. 

The Heroine:

Muriel is sassy, caustic, stubborn and brave. She's a person who knows herself and is strong in her resistance to fall for anything short of her ultimate desires. She loves her family, most especially her father and she doesn't care what being the daughter of Satan makes her except when it interferes with her love life. Men tend to run screaming at the discovery of her parentage except for Auric, the leather-clad, sword-wielding hottie couldn't care less who Muriel's father is. For the first time Muriel is met with total acceptance, love and chivalry. What woman wouldn't melt in the face of that?

The Hero:

Auric's a man of few words and Muriel's vivaciousness and coy games leave him more than speechless.  He's a man who doesn't change his mind once a decision has been made but Muriel has him rethinking his way of life within hours of meeting her. For the first time he finds what it means to live again and fights for every opportunity to make Muriel his forever.

My Final Thoughts:

LUCIFER'S DAUGHTER is a well written short that moves steadily with just the right amount of mystery to keep you flipping the pages. Its characters are bold and unique enough to hold their own against the melee of grays that effectively toss out the stark white and black lines of good verses evil. Langlais effectively talks readers into tossing out all our preconceived notions of Lucifer and his typical role in the paranormals of today as well with his heart and his role as a father who just wants to see his children happy.

There's a distinct undertone of humor to LUCIFER'S DAUGHTER, a modernness that makes you think this is all occurring down the street of every day life. And Muriel resembles everyday girls with her dreams to find her one and only and live happily ever after. It's especially heartening to read of heroine that will not let her dreams go even in the face of powerful adversity.

The mystery of Auric was my favorite. It sneaks up on you, well at least it snuck up on me. I had no idea he would turn out to be who he is and I have no intention of divulging his identity here. The mystery is too fun and nicely played out in the novella.

For paranormal lovers who require an eclectic mix of characters tossed with some steam and a dash of Lucifer, look no farther than LUCIFER'S DAUGHTER.

B-

More Reviews:

Happily Ever After Reviews: 5/5
Writing Corner: 5/5

J.K. Beck's WHEN PLEASURE RULES Winner!

And the winner is...

buddyt

CONGRATULATIONS!

Thanks as always to all the entrants! And finally, a big thanks to J.K. Beck for coming on the blog and providing such an awesome international giveaway!!

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WHEN BLOOD CALLS by J.K. Beck

Sara Constantine is one of the country’s most tenacious prosecuting attorneys—and she’s just secured a well-earned promotion. At first she’s thrilled. Then she finds out her new job involves prosecuting vampires and werewolves. And nothing prepares Sara for the shock she receives when she meets the first defendant she’ll be trying to put away: Lucius Dragos, the sexy stranger with whom she recently shared an explosive night of ecstasy.

When Lucius Dragos kisses the beautiful woman sitting next to him at the bar, he’s only hoping to blend into the crowd and avoid the perceptive gaze of the man he’s following…and planning to kill. But what starts as a simple kiss to secure his cover ignites into a fierce hunger that leads to an all-consuming passion. Charged with murder, Luke knows Sara will do whatever it takes to see him locked away—unless he can convince her that he’s not the monster she thinks he is. And that might mean making the greatest sacrifice a vampire can make.

Where in the world is VFG?!

Hubs and I in Jackson Square

I've been in New Orleans!! Me and the hubs recently returned from a spur of the moment and first time ever mini-trip to New Orleans, LA!

It's been a rule of thumb of ours since we married that we'd go somewhere - anywhere - every year but since we purchased our first home, that rule had to be laid to rest for two and half years. We didn't mind so much since we were, and still are, completely enamored with our home so our vacations simply became stay-cations. ;) We're back on track though after our fabulous four days in the historic New Orleans.

Anyone whose read Anne Rice's INTERVIEW WITH THE VAMPIRE or THE WITCHING HOUR has probably developed a pretty healthy desire to visit New Orleans, specifically the French Quarter, Garden District, and Lafayette Cemetery No. 1. My desire has been an obsession since I was 14 and finally I got to visit the places that has hosted pages and pages of my Anne Rice inspired imagination.

The Garden District was by far the most surprising element of our trip. In San Diego, our wealthy live in earth-tone, stucco mansions surrounded by perfectly manicured landscaping and smooth paved driveways. In the Garden District, the beautifully unique homes are distinctly old and seem to exude a vibrant and wise energy. The roads are gnarled and bubbly as the roots from the ancient oaks, Cyprus and magnolia trees punch their way through the pavement with an incredible force that won't be contained. The landscaping is decidedly wild and untamed with the foliage being cut back just enough for the cars and people to pass by relatively unscathed.

Former Home of Anne Rice

While Anne Rice no longer lives in her First Street mansion - in fact she lives next to me in the famous beach side community of La Jolla - the house still gave me chills with its presence. I couldn't help but envision the many characters, both mortal and ghostly, that graced its halls in THE WITCHING HOUR. Truthfully, my husband had to practically drag me away. Interestingly enough, we were told by a friendly jogger that the actor Nicolas Cage purchased the home from the author.

In any event, we came to New Orleans to witness the history, enjoy the people and most of all, we came to eat and boy did we! Three square meals a day, each time at a different restaurant we partaked of the buttery pork belly, fried green tomatoes, grilled crawfish, soft crab shells, crab cakes and more. One of the most delicious cities I've ever visited. Be prepared to spend the most of your travel money on the food. Trust me, it's worth it.

Only two things made our trip uncomfortable. One was the roach the size of my index finger that resided in our hotel room. Those suckers are fast! Never has a bug eluded the 12.5 shoe of my hubs but no one was catching this wily bug. We hunkered down, clinging to each other on the bed for a while before we came to the conclusion that the roach was most likely more afraid of us than we were of him and finally we ventured from safety to relieve our aching bladders. And two, the humidity was nearly unbearable! San Diego - notorious for its awesome weather - did nothing to prepare us for the sucker punch we were about face. While only around 85 to 90 degrees, the humidity would creep up on you. First, you're lulled into a false sense of security as you say "Huh, this isn't so bad". Twenty minutes later your clothes are plastered to a body dripping in a sweat that no breeze will dry and you're searching for the nearest watering hole. Luckily, the French Quarter isn't lacking in its bars and most are open 24/7. Next trip absolutely must be in the Spring or Fall.

All in all we had a great time, one we'll be reliving in the near future.

As for what's coming up here at LMSR, tomorrow I'll post the winners for J.K. Beck's guest post as well as M.A. Ellis's winner that's sorely late in being announced. Next week, stay tuned for some reviews and more giveaways! I'll also be making the blog rounds this weekend to catch up on what I missed.

Hugs,
VFG

Guest Post with J.K. Beck & Giveaway!

WHEN BLOOD CALLS by J.K. Beck

Sara Constantine is one of the country’s most tenacious prosecuting attorneys—and she’s just secured a well-earned promotion. At first she’s thrilled. Then she finds out her new job involves prosecuting vampires and werewolves. And nothing prepares Sara for the shock she receives when she meets the first defendant she’ll be trying to put away: Lucius Dragos, the sexy stranger with whom she recently shared an explosive night of ecstasy.

When Lucius Dragos kisses the beautiful woman sitting next to him at the bar, he’s only hoping to blend into the crowd and avoid the perceptive gaze of the man he’s following…and planning to kill. But what starts as a simple kiss to secure his cover ignites into a fierce hunger that leads to an all-consuming passion. Charged with murder, Luke knows Sara will do whatever it takes to see him locked away—unless he can convince her that he’s not the monster she thinks he is. And that might mean making the greatest sacrifice a vampire can make.

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Hi Everyone! Please help me welcome J.K. Beck to the blog as she interviews her lucious vampire hero, Lucius Dragos, of the newly released WHEN BLOOD CALLS.

Guest Post:

INTERVIEW WITH A VAMPIRE

Thanks to Lovin’ Me Some Romance for having me here today. I didn’t want to come alone, so I brought Lucius Dragos with me, the hero from When Blood Calls, to help me introduce his book and the series.

Lucius, can you tell us a bit about the Alliance and the PEC?

The Alliance is a bit like the Executive Branch of the United States government. It’s an ancient governing body. The Alliance has a representative from all of the primary shadow species, though I personally tend to pay the most attention to the vampires, therians (shapeshifters) and para-daemons. The vampiric representative to the Alliance is Tiberius, and most humans would consider him my boss. Certainly it is him that I report to when undertaking certain...missions. The PEC, the Preternatural Enforcement Coalition, is roughly equivalent to the human judicial system, and in our world, it includes both an investigative arm and a judicial arm. The system works well as a rule, keeping in check those shadow creatures who are unable to control themselves--a vampire who cannot control his daemon, for example. When the system fails, however...well, there are also forces at work behind the scenes.

Wow. There was a lot of subtext in that little speech. I’m not really sure where to begin. Let’s start with the “missions” you mentioned.

I would prefer that we didn’t.

You said you’d be forthcoming during this interview.

There is a difference between forthcoming and foolish.

Fine. Whatever. Okay, forget the missions. You said that some would call Tiberius your boss. What did you mean by that?

I see you’re not going to abandon this line of questions. Fine, but it will be your neck if things that should remain secret get out into the human world. I am a member of the kyne, a brotherhood. A secret group of warriors in the service of an Alliance member, charged with ensuring that justice is served, even when the trappings of justice fail.

You’re a vigilante?

I’m going to leave it to you to draw your own conclusions.

Dangerous man....okay, so shifting gears. What’s with the hematite?

In pop culture terms, hematite is a vampire’s kryptonite. It weakens us. It destroys our ability to transform into mist. It is, in a word, a problem. Of course, no problem is insurmountable...

I understand you have a history with agent Ryan Doyle, a para-daemon who has you under investigation. Care to elaborate?

No.

Right. Recalcitrant much? Okay, let’s shift gears again. Tell me about Sara--come on, I can see the way your face lights up just at the mention of her name.

Sara Constantine is a brilliant attorney, and a woman I both respect and desire. Unfortunately, if she does her job right, I’ll soon be dead, as she is the prosecutor currently trying me for murder.

And did you kill? ... Don’t smile at me, answer the question.

I admitted to as much on the record.

You mentioned that sometimes a vampire might not be able to control his daemon. What does that mean?

There are rumors in the human world that when a vampire is created, the human soul moves out and a demon moves in, a creature unrelated to the man who has died. But that’s not true. When a vampire is created, his own daemon--the dark part of his soul, if you will--is able to burst free. To run rampant within the man. To take over without remorse or conscience, and with a lust to kill. Some are able to fight the daemon back--there is a ritual that helps us--but it is hard, and some fail utterly.

And if they fail?

Then they are rogue, and the PEC will hunt them down.

The PEC hunted you--and it caught you. What about your daemon?

I fought. I won. And yet it remains a constant struggle. That is one thing that she...

She?

I shouldn’t say anything. Not under the circumstances.

Sara, you mean?

She calms the daemon within me. She is...special.

How is she--

I think this interview is at an end.

Oh. Right. Sure. Well, thanks for answering the questions. I won’t say you were entirely open, but you were definitely intriguing. Any last words?

I thank your readers for their attention, but I also want to warn them that here are things that hide in the shadows that humans believe live only in nightmares. They are real and they are dangerous and they walk the earth. But there are those of us who will fight them back, pursuing justice even when all hope seems lost.

Lucius Dragos was born in the year 122, and over the years has seen many things.

J.K. Beck (aka Julie Kenner) is the author of the Shadow Keepers series, which includes WHEN BLOOD CALLS, WHEN PLEASURE RULES, and WHEN WICKED CRAVES. You can read learn more about the books, sign up for a newsletter, request swag, and read an excerpt from BLOOD or PLEASURE at her website, http://www.theshadowkeepers.com/. And don’t forget to check J.K.’s blog at http://www.jkbeck.com/.




Giveaway Details:

J.K. Beck is giving away one bound galley of WHEN PLEASURE RULES, Book Two in the Shadow Keeper series. Here's how to enter:


*Comment with a Valid Email Address (Entrants that do not leave an email address will be disqualified)*

**Contest Open to ALL**

***Must be 18 or Older to Enter***

****Contest Closes Thursday, September 9th at Midnight U.S. Pacific Standard Time and the Winner will be Chosen Randomly and Announced Friday, September 10th****