Author Discovery: Escape to Love

Escape to Love
by Lindsay Townsend

Categories: EROTIC Romance Historical
Word Count: 15,753
Heat Level: SIZZLING

Blurb ~
Severus is a slave, dragged from the fields to an uncertain future. Warned to expect no mercy from a mysterious young woman who comes to him in the night, he learns that his natural father is his owner, Calvus, and that he has a half-brother, Thallus.

Thallus has no sexual interest in women but he is desperate for an heir. Severus and Thallus' sexy young wife Lydia, whom Severus recognizes as the mystery woman who warned him, are sent to the family palace at Baiae and expected to breed.

Lydia, used to an unconsummated, loveless marriage, is intrigued by the handsome Severus and appalled by her husband's and father-in-law's treatment of him. She finds herself anticipating their lovemaking. She also wants to help Severus to escape because she knows that once he has served his purpose, Thallus and Calvus will never let him live.

They have just a month to escape.

Excerpt ~ http://www.sirenpublishing.com/lindsaytownsend/etl.asp ~

~~~~~~

Author Review by Savanna Kougar

Lindsay Townsend’s ESCAPE TO LOVE is a delicious and exciting escape into another time. I adored all the different historical aspects that was the Roman world during *AD 125 * ~ especially how they were used to create the story and the growing love between Lydia and Severus.
As honorable as the handsome, strong Severus was in his caring treatment of Lydia it was the heroine, Lydia, who truly won my heart with her intelligence and cleverness in bringing about their opportunity to escape the horrors waiting for them both.
However, like the true hero he is, Severus defends his Lydia when it matters most, winning my heart for him as well.
On a personal note, I wouldn’t mind resurrecting some of those erotic practices supposedly designed to bring about a woman’s fertility. My goodness, did Lydia and Severus enjoy themselves during their breeding sessions.

Savanna

Savanna Kougar ~ Run on the Wild Side of Romance ~ http://savannakougar.com ~

Author Discovery: Review of 'Mucho Caliente' by Francesca Prescott

Does Gemma dare wish upon a Latino superstar?

Thirty-seven year old Gemma hadn't reckoned on being seated next to Latino heartthrob Emilio Caliente on the flight to Ibiza. She's bravely dismissed her cheating husband's generous divorce settlement, opting instead for a creatively satisfying, financially independent, bohemian lifestyle on a Spanish island in the sun.

Falling in love with a pop music superstar eight years her junior was definitely not part of her plan. Common sense dictates staying away from Emilio Caliente and his cinnamon kisses: his life is in turmoil, his latest single has bombed, the press want to see him naked and his hellacious manager seems increasingly deranged.
But surely the chain of extraordinary events that insists on bringing them together is proof that love is oblivious to common sense? Does Gemma dare follow her heart and wish upon a pop star without undermining everything else she set out to achieve?

In this delicious romantic comedy, Gemma is an appealing heroine in the midst of a major life change. Newly divorced from the dull and very unkind Richard and beginning a new artistic life in Ibiza, does she need the complication of pop heart-throb Emilio Caliente? Yes, of course she does!

Written from Gemma's chatty, intelligent first-person viewpoint, Mucho Caliente is an engaging, amusing story, full of high frolics, antics and laughter. Gemma is always prepared to laugh at herself at the foibles of the world. She negotiates her way through complications such as Kevin (another sexy hunk who, like Emilio, is interested in her), a shower consisting of a shower head and large blue plastic basin, missing suitcases, an ex-Miss Sweden and more with sunny charm. I particularly like Gemma's assessment of a bikini as 'leopard print butt floss with matching nipple warmers' and her desire to 'pound X in the tomato zone'.

There are some beautifully ironic, comic moments in Mucho Caliente - look out for the Caliente Fan club and what happens next, especially after Gemma's too-close encounter with a jelly fish.

Strong emotions such as jealousy are vividly and amusingly depicted while throughout Gemma remains sympathetic. When she and Emilio do get together it is very tender and passionate. I love the little love words Emilio uses - very Latin lover!

The setting in Mucho Caliente is also a real plus. It's clear from her detailed description that Francesca Prescott has spend time on Ibiza and she shows the island in all its natural and also frivolous glory, with some particularly lovely descriptions.

Throughout the story holds attention and it really hots up when Gemma's nasty ex Richard appears on the scene and things become really complicated, right to the very end!

Emilio calls Gemma a star and so she is. If you are looking for Mucho entertainment, look no further than Mucho Caliente.

http://www.bookstrand.com/product-muchocaliente-13914-330.html

Lindsay Townsend
Please visit my blog at http://lindsaysbookchat.blogspot.com
And my Bookstrand author page at: http://www.bookstrand.com/authors/lindsaytownsend/

Mucho Caliente! - Review

Disillusioned and recently divorced, Gemma Talbot heads to the Mediterranean resort island of Ibiza to start a new life. On the flight to the island, she meets Latino heart-throb and pop star, Emilio Caliente. Totally overawed by his mere presence, she somehow manages not to screw up the opportunity, and persuades him to accept a ride to the hotel.

On the car ride to the hotel he turns towards her and says, "Gemma, you are the most beautiful, most wonderful creature I've ever met. You're neither fat, nor smelly, and gee, your hair smells terrific. Will you join me in my room and have wild sex with me?" NO, that was her imagination, and when they arrive at the hotel, Emilio has to be elsewhere than in the company of an "older woman."

The reader wonders how the gauche Gemma will manage to pluck Emilio away from the Swedish beauties and East European nymphomaniacs. Perhaps she doesn't, but Gemma certainly tries hard enough, ably assisted by her BFF, Celeste, and her upper class pal, Laura.

In these pages, this accomplished author gives us some marvelous observations and insights into the female psyche and human behavior. One could say, almost Dickensian. For example: "I forego piling on a ton of makeup and opt for the paired down, natural, "hey guys, I'm not wearing any makeup" look, which on a good day wouldn't pose a problem. Today, however, I'm partial to paper bags." Furthermore, Ms. Prescott gives away some (actually, lots of) girl secrets, "Am I just searching for reassurance on the status of my pulling power?"

On the way to pursuing her goal, Gemma finds time to compare Emilio with her ex (guess who wins that one), and avoids the distraction of erstwhile boyfriend, Kevin. Not to mention heading off the Ibiza chapter of the Emilio Caliente fan-club.

Reading Mucho Caliente!, one finds oneself laughing out loud, or simply sniggering at Gemma's wacky antics. Ms Prescott's style reminded me of Helen Fielding (Bridget Jones's Diary), and she is literarily as skilled as the British author. In other words, Mucho Caliente! is both a rewarding and a hilarious read.

~ Bill Newman

Author Discovery: The Prince and the Nun

The Prince and the Nun
by Jacqueline George

I finally had a block of time to finish another one of Jacqueline's books. I've noticed that Jacqueline is a master at building believable environments and communities because both The Prince and the Nun and Light O'Love feature memorable characters who can hardly be called merely "supporting" cast members.

Let's discuss the "Prince" in the story. Mefist IS Prince Charming in every sense of the word but he and his soldiers are caught in a war and assigned to take full control of sleepy convent hidden away in Krasna Dolina Valley which is a time capsule for an old way of life and religious beliefs.

Mefist must deal with Mother Therese, an attractive and intelligent leader of the nuns who must also protect the inhabitants of the valley around the castle.

Well to be exact, he doesn't really "deal" with Therese, he orders in the most charming way as possible to convert part of the convent into a bordello and decides to train the young women as well. The temporary arrangement will affect all the women's lives permanently as they meet people from beyond the valley, face the realities of war and realize that physical love is simply divine.

Jacqueline's work is a delicate narrative involving many pairings, characters from many backgrounds and a highly anticipated ending between the hero and unlikely heroine.

After I completed the work, I couldn't help but feel that the convent's occupants are now truly prepared to go forth and find new paths in their lives.

The Prince and the Nun is a satisfying read for anyone who would like to meet a very strong heroine who realizes her spiritual convictions do not conflict with the temptation her Prince presents to her....

~Silapa Jarun~
Saturdays With Silapa

What Am I Reading?

I'm reading Jacqueline George's The Prince and the Nun gradually and updating my progress at Goodreads.

Here is a list of SirenBookstrand authors at Goodreads.

~ Silapa Jarun ~

Author discovery: All Shades of Blue Paradise by Savanna Kougar

Destiny and love can be denied for only so long...

Except for her daring equestrienne competitions, Lady Sheridan lives a quiet life caring for her family's estate, staving off financial ruin and keeping her brother's misdeeds from ruining his marriage and the life of her beloved nieces. Despite all his desperate efforts, Baron Zaggry has never discovered why his Sherfantasy broke their engagement. Now, his ruse successful, Sheridan is finally his, his slave lover. He has ten years worth of denied pleasures to make up for, to savor however he erotic chooses.

I savoured every delicious word of Savanna Kougar's ALL SHADES OF BLUE PARADISE. Kougar is a powerful, sensual writer, a poet of language, and the world she creates is richly textured, sensual and voluptuous, with its own language, beliefs and symbols. Blue is the colour of life, of love and of so much more in this alternate world of warring, sensual aristocrats. The pleasures and pains of slavery and of mastery are fearlessly and seductively explored and I was enchanted throughout. Sheridan is a beautiful, complex, caring woman of great dignity, compassion and courage. She is always graceful under pressure - and what seductive pressure Baron Zaggry tempts and teases her with! This is a kind of war between the sexes where all desires are admitted to and expressed but where the 'victor' of each encounter is always magnanimous. Their powerful relationship kept me guessing throughout and utterly enthralled. To be slave-dressed by a man like Zaggry ...
what a wicked, delicious fantasy!

This is the revelation of a decadent, disturbing world, a world of high politics and high stakes, where the fates of many are discussed at elegant yet deeply erotic soirees. In the midst of this sensual, abandoned world, the love between Zaggry and Sheridan remains absolute, although the cruel misunderstanding that has been deliberately engineered between them by their enemies remains until almost the very end of the novel, offering a satisfying conclusion of one of many threads. The end of All Shades of Blue Paradise is also a beginning as another contest has been arranged, with Sheridan about to compete with an enemy and Zaggry determined to protect her.

I await the next book in this intoxicating series with keen anticipation.

Lindsay Townsend
lindsaysbookchat.blogspot.com

Author Discovery: Lindsay Townsend's "A Secret Treasure"

I haven't read a sweet romance in a long time so Lindsay Townsend's A Secret Treasure was very delightful.

The setting of Rhodes became a character within the story and served as a matchmaker for two very different people: Eve Burnett and the irresistable Italian Julio Falcone.

A Secret Treasure takes place during 1937 when Rhodes was dominated by the Italians. Therefore, a British woman like Eve is bound to believe that Julio, a policeman, must be a
Fascist.

Eve must decide whether or not to protect her parents and her brother David from Italian authorities such as Julio, who suspect that David is involved in the Greek resistent movement.

The courtship between Eve and Julio is traditional but strained due to the heroine's family obligations and complicated by a valuable treasure the natives must preserve at all costs.

Eve's character, to me, is represented by the treasure which I cannot reveal here. The young woman's character and ability to act under pressure is a bit like the treasure's ability to shine through the darkness.

Lindsay Townsend's work is the perfect read for someone who wants to experience an elegant romance with a touch of danger.

Another review of A Secret Treasure 5 Angels by Fallen Angel Reviews!

Ecataromance review.

Silapa Jarun

author of

Katana Duet: Samurai's Forbidden Love

Author Discovery: Anika Hamilton

This week I was looking for short and sweet and found Anika Hamilton's Dessert Box. Carmella and Sandra have built many passionate memories together and this Valentine's Day Sandra has asked her lover to relive them all in order to unlock her from box to enjoy chocolate covered treats.

Dessert Box is not about new found love but a ten year relationship spanning college years together, periods of experimentation and moments where they could not keep their hands off of each other even in formal settings. Anika's story is unique because it is about what happens *after* the "happily ever after".

The narrative is told from the more dominant Carmella's point of view so my only complaint to Ms. Hamilton is, "will there be a sequel where Carmella sets up a challenge for Sandra?" (^_^)

Dessert Box's elegant style is a perfect introduction to Hamilton's other work, Reclaiming Nicola, which is a short mxf romance.

Five questions to enjoy your feast;
Five answers to receive your treat;
Five pieces to create one tool;
Five components to achieve one goal;
Five reasons to set me free;
Five flavors of chocolate on me.

See everyone next Saturday!
Silapa Jarun
Keeping history hot...

Review of "A Secret Treasure," by Lindsay Townsend

Lindsay Townsend’s romantic suspense, A Secret Treasure, makes for a fascinating, entertaining and interesting read. The Greek island of Rhodes comes alive in Lindsay’s clear and classic prose, and the historical detail is folded in with an impressive light hand, ensuring that the storyline never falters. The romance between Eve and Julio has the freshness of times gone-by and the dialogue is sprinkled with distinctive English humor. The atmosphere throughout the book is both heartwarming and filled with suspense, reminding me of Franco Zeffirelli’s wonderful 1999 film, “Tea with Mussolini.” I thoroughly enjoyed “A Secret Treasure.” Stories like this are a breath of fresh air, and I look forward to reading more work by this talented writer.

Francesca Prescott

Silapa’s Amazing Multi-Media Interview with Lee Silver!

I have to admit, I was a bit skeptical when Silapa Jarun, author of Katana Duet suggested we do a multimedia interview. Ya right. I mean, we live like a million miles apart. Well, it was just so sweet of her to offer, how could I say no?

Never underestimate the power of the internet, or for that matter, Silapa

After she gave me a quick lesson on how to use the audio recorder I didn’t have a clue was even on my computer, I sat down to answer her questions. My hubby grudgingly volunteered to do the guy parts from a scene in my new romantic suspense, The Twist with the promise of splitting all the royalties the promo would generate (wink, wink). Fingers crossed, I sent everything off to Silapa so she could work her magic.

I was absolutely amazed when Silapa sent me the final interview! It's fast-paced & fun, weaving a blend of sound tracks and sound bites that would make Barbara Walters blush. The interview was as natural as if we were chatting in the kitchen over a cup of coffee.


Websites, blogs, trailers (yawn). They’re all so…yesterday. Turn up your headphone, ladies, Silapa just raised the bar You can hear Silapa’s interview on my website at http://www.leesilver.org/Page0002.Html

A very sincere thank you to Silapa for doing all the heavy lifting. You can read all about Silapa and her new release, Katana Duet at:

Lee

Lee Silver
"Romance with a Twist"
THE TWIST, BookStrand #1 Bestseller
www.LeeSilver.org

Author Discovery: Savanna Kougar's 'When A Good Angel Falls'

I read 'When a Good Angel Falls' by Savanna Kougar and was hooked from the very start, pulled instantly into a mesmerising, original story. The post apocalypse world of 2012, where books are illegal, corpses line the streets, and where even the stars are obscured by ash, is powerfully evoked. The beautiful, red-haired heroine Sedona is a healing, powerful heroine. The cherubic hero - who looks like Tom Cruise and who whimsically uses Old Spice - is wonderfully appealing.

With ultimate high stakes - the fate of the earth itself - Sedona is key to the planet's survival.

There is also powerful, erotic romance in "When a Good Angel Falls", eroticism as a life-giving, life-enhancing force that is vital to the story and the earth. The love-play between Sedona and her younger hero lover is highly charged from the very beginning and is both playful and deliciously sensual. The hero is to die for: considerate, playful, seductive and hot!

This is a fast-paced ride of an adventure, beautifully written, about an older woman who is an incarnated angel discovering her true powers. It is a marvellous, empowering read with a spine-tingling climax. And I love Aru, the sly musical references and the spirit animals, especially the wolves!

Lindsay Townsend

http://lindsaysbookchat.blogspot.com

Author Discovery: Jacqueline George

This week's installment of Saturdays With Silapa will feature Jacqueline George's Light o'Love.

Jacqueline George's Light o'Love is simply spectacular!

Initially, I was attracted by the interesting setting of the The Jane Flockman Institute of Political Science and Ethics,and the haunts in an around Liverpool. What I found was a memorable story about the supernatural world thriving around us.

Jacqueline's elegant prose teases readers with sensual descriptions of characters who come from all over the spectrum and each and every one are part of the Institute's eclectic family. While the story focuses on the coming of age and sexual awakening of, Shirley Grainger, Light o'Love, the work features loving and amusing older characters who are the heroine's teachers and friends. It's rare to come across a work of erotic literature with mature couples but Jacqueline created such attractive and vibrant pairs I found them to be just as delightful as the young lovers!


Light begins as a pupil but she evolves into a guide for her classmates who are also studying The Craft and testing the waters of the adult world. The young women soon realize the dangers of witchcraft which come from attracting members of the Dark Light.

The heroine, with all her erotic adventures and looming perils around her and the school still has a degree of innocence derived from her altruism. Light's "voice" impressed me as being completely believable and she is such a fun character I hope a sequel is in the works. Light's very goal is to reach out to heal people around her with love and in doing so she touched me as a reader and brought a smile to my face.

Silapa Jarun

Author Discovery: Lee Silver's The Twist

Lee Silver's thrilling novel, THE TWIST, initially begins as
a rigged medical trial for a tobacco company. Zane Tollison
signs a contract which turns him into a human guinea pig
and introduces him to Kathy Davis a scientist and workaholic.

The book's blurb mentions “Zane is changing into a carbon copy
of Kathy, a pawn in a bizarre genetic metamorphosis...” but
what is left out is the story is also a very intriguing romance
based on the hero and heroine learning about one another
by getting under the other person's skin. THE TWIST
moves from being a story about a complex game of dress up
to an emotional and sensual journey which brings the two
main characters closer and closer. The villain, Jonathan Chorde
pulls all the strings in a game where the winner gets *much* more
than simply money and power.

While I enjoyed all the details of Zane Tollison's immersion into
womanhood and his relationship with Kathy who becomes his mentor and close friend, I found myself sympathizing with Elise “Leesie”, Zane's wife. Elise, to me, represents all the weaknesses of the physical realm due to her emotional background. Kathy on the other hand, personifies the intellect and skill of women. Between both these female characters, Zane becomes a hero which faces a challenge within himself due to his transformation. While we're used to hearing that “It's a man's world” poor Zane has to live the nightmare of being in a woman's world much to the reader's amusement.

The Twist is a fulfilling fast-paced work sprinkled with tastefully written naughty scenes you will enjoy from the first to last page.

~ Silapa Jarun ~

SilapaJarun.com
KATANA DUET: Samurai's Forbidden Love
Available at Bookstrand.com
http://tinyurl.com/6hqpog

FALLEN ANGEL REVIEWS ~ 5/5 Angels!
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Book Trailer
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Wendi Darlin's Review of Renee Knowles' Going Topless

I’m a huge fan of women’s fiction, and Renee Knowles’ Going Topless was a wonderful read. She did a fantastic job of weaving the storylines of three vivacious women together in an intriguing foreign locale. Amsterdam was painted so beautifully, I felt like I was there. She portrayed the scents, the history, and even the people of that country so well, I’ve moved it up on my list of places to visit before I’m too old to walk cobblestone streets.

Going Topless’ three primary characters, Susannah, Chelsie, and Mattie, were well-drawn and easy to relate to. Susannah’s journey was touching and heartwarming. Still recovering from the death of her husband, she is stung by the revelation of his betrayal. An intervention by her sister, Chelsie sends her to Amsterdam where she begins to pick up the pieces of her life, and meets a sexy younger man who is all too happy to help her get her groove back.

Chelsie has her own agenda in Amsterdam, but the reunion with her former lover isn’t what she’d hoped it would be. Worse, she doesn’t think she can share her pain with Susannah for fear of alienating her sister.

Chelsie’s best friend, Mattie finally steps out of Chelsie’s shadow. After a false start with a man who will tell her anything she wants to hear …as long as her wallet’s open… she finds someone who helps her see how desirable she really is.

This is a really nice feel-good read. A perfect beach book. I read it on an airplane, and it made the cross-country trip “fly” by.

Author Discovery and Review for 'The Twist' by Lee Silver

Would you take an assignment that paid 12 million dollars a week?

Zane of Tollison Consulting is deep in debt and the offer from Clearwater Tabacco seems too good to resist. At first all seems well and Zane strikes up a sparky relationship with Kathy, the clever and cute researcher at Clearwater.

Soon however there are problems. He can't contact his wife Elsie. He's having stomach cramps. He seems to have changed from being right handed to becoming left handed. And those aren't the only changes....

The science in 'The Twist' is fascinating, clearly explained and wonderfully SHOWN. There is also romance and that too is very original and intriguing. The novel has some very interesting and wry things to say about gender and gender roles, with the added spice of danger and threat to life. How will Zane and Kathy escape the traps that are inexorably enclosing them? Lee Silver keeps you guessing right till the end.
All in all, an excellent, engaging novel.

Lindsay

Anne Krist's 'Burning Bridges'

I read 'Burning Bridges' by Anne Krist in one sitting. From its powerful, immediate opening I was captivated. In Sarah and Paul we meet two young people who are passionate, committed and deeply in love. Anne Krist perfectly captures that youthful love and later, the profound emotional devastation, when, as the result of Sarah's well-meaning but meddling parents, Sarah believes that Paul has died in the Vietnam war and Paul is convinced that Sarah never wrote to him. How these two come together again and finally acknowledge their undimmed feelings is wonderfully evoked in the novel and the ending is a real five-hankie moment!
All relationships within the story are handled with great understanding and compassion, especially the romance of Paula, Sarah's daughter, and her lover Dan, and the mother-daughter relationship between Sarah and Paula. Later, the 'new' father-daughter relationship between Paul and Paula is gripping in its mix of tough and tender.
There are twists and turns throughout the story and I always cared for and believed in the characters - I really wanted them to win through in the end. I don't want to say too much because I don't want to spoil the story for anyone else, but if you are looking for a poignant yet powerful love story, 'Burning Bridges' is it.

Once Upon A Time, A Fairy Tale Collection

Once Upon A Time Fairy Tale Collection: Familiar themes with a sexy twist.

This anthology gives the reader a rich and diverse serving from some of Siren’s most prolific, and best-selling authors. That may sound a tad immodest, as I was blessed to have a story of mine—Beau And The Lady Beast—included in this book. But I have to be totally honest, here. Every one of these short stories is a winner. Let me share with you a glimpse of the treasures my story was fortunate enough to be included with.

Nine Inches of Snow And The Ebony Princess by Gracie C. McKeever is a story of shapeshifters, psychics, and destiny. From different backgrounds and different cultures, Aziza Lopez isn’t prepared for her reaction to meeting David Healey. What begins as an unexpected assignation becomes a quest for healing—and justice. McKeever’s characters capture the reader’s emotions and her dialog sparkles as hero and heroine come together across planes in search of that happy-ever-after.

Imagine being stood up, only to find a two-inch tall naked man on your porch? Camille Barton knows she’s only sipped one glass of wine; Tanner Clinton knows his young nephew’s claim of being able to invoke a magic spell is just make-believe. But what happens next is pure fun as Camille agrees to allow the tiny, naked and, she is certain, figment-of-her-imagination to stay the night. Only problem is, she awakens the next morning with a bed mate who is all man. Sage Burnett has crafted a witty, heart-touching tale of love, lust, and magic in Under Tanner’s Thumb.

Next, journey outside our own galaxy into the wonderful imagination of Lara Santiago in Little Red Rides The Wolf. Cheri Amaranth travels to the planet Selenia to meet her aging Grandfather for the first time. Once she lands, though, nothing is the way she thought it would be. First there’s a beautiful blue-eyed wolf; then an enigmatic Hunter; and finally, Caine Wolver, whose captivating blue eyes somehow seem familiar. Lara Santiago’s characters grab the reader’s heart from the first moment, and her fast-paced plot keeps you guessing—and smiling—right up to the end.

With prose as lyrical as the phantom song Lady Cynthia Lucas hears, Emma Wildes creates a timeless story of love and destiny in The Merman. Armand, a prince from a realm cloaked in mystery and myth has come to England in search of his one true love. Lady Cynthia has always been drawn to the sea. Destiny brings them together, but Cynthia wonders if what she feels for Armand is real, or as ethereal as the wind. The reader comes away from this story with a full heart and a belief in the fantastical.

In Kinsey And The Exotic Dancing Princess, Tonya Ramagos paints a tale of lucre versus love in a locale that is as exotic as it is compelling. Kinsey is a soldier on a quest for his life’s fortune; Damita is a princess whose secret life is her heart. With marvellous imagery and clever twists, the characters soar to sensual heights and are torn by unexpected dilemmas. The reader will cross their fingers—and cheer—this evocative and memorable story.

Marina Bennett and Sebastian Montclaire have met only on line; yet the connection they make defies the boundaries of logic in Tower Of Secrets by Samantha Lucas. A veritable prisoner in her own home, Marina yearns to know the touch of a real man. As enigmatic as he is handsome, Sebastian plans to storm the tower and claim Marina as his own. In a sensual tale with strong emotion and imaginative turns, the reader will hope—and smile—to the very end.

Once Upon A Time A Fairy Tale Collection will give you wonderful bed-time stories you'll want to read again and again!

Love,

Morgan

Romance...with that extra bit of heat.

Tarbaby Trouble

TARBABY TROUBLE by Phoebe Matthews
Reviewed by Bill Newman

At a writers' workshop recently one of the speakers said that a reader will always be hooked if the voice of the author is compelling. I'd not read much in the fantasy genre so I decided to test his theory and eagerly pounced on Ms. Matthews to ask her to let me review Tarbaby Trouble.

Knowing I was new to the genre, the author made me promise to toss the book out if I couldn't get past the first dozen pages. Every author says that, but two hundred and fifty pages and two days later I finally put it down. And such is the breakneck pace of the story that I wondered where those two days had gone.

Fleeing a Seattle criminal and his low-life associates, the heroine joins some friends on a wilderness trip. Separated from the group, and lost, she is found by a young man dressed as a barbarian. At first she thinks she has stumbled into the filming of a reality show that looks like Survivor meets historical reenactment. But alas, it is not a movie set and she finds herself the prisoner of Prince Tarvik. The young barbarian prince turns out to have a father modeled on Vlad the Impaler and an even more scary uncle and Machiavellian aunt who want to take over the kingdom.

Stripped of the 21st Century accoutrements upon which her normal life depends, the heroine (who selects the name Stargazer for herself) falls back on her knowledge of astrology to gain the upper hand. To say more would ruin the story, but suffice to say Stargazer will need all of her wits to thread her way through the plots and counter plots in the strange land, and to avoid being beheaded (yes, literally).

Oh, and did I mention that Ms Matthews endows the heroine with an outstanding sense of humor? It means the reader is treated to a cute, comical and at times satirical commentary on life in the primitive land. The humor starts on page one and keeps the endorphins flowing until the last page.

The plot is fiendishly clever (like the heroine) and all fits together like a thousand-piece jigsaw puzzle. The clues are all there and Ms. Matthews challenges the reader to keep up with Stargazer's furious pace on her journey of survival and self discovery.

By the way, once you reach the last 100 pages, don't plan on going anywhere until you've finished.

Discovering Michele Hart's Looks are Deceiving

Looks are Deceiving is a fast paced, engaging novel that captures the reader at the start. Michele Hart employs a technique I appreciate in books by starting the reader off by thrusting directly into a situation where the heroine, Elissa, is challenged by a strange and unusual offer.

By the end of the first chapter, Michele Hart has already captured the reader in the intense chemistry between Elissa and the hero, Greg. The passion builds through the book as the author expertly develops a deeper relationship between Elissa and Greg.

Elissa is a charming mixture of shy and daring, adventurous and pragmatic, sexy and, yes, frumpy at times. Driven by an undeniable attraction for Greg at first, it soon becomes obvious that Elissa’s desires are complicating a much deeper goal.

Greg’s motives are more pure and straightforward, but no less complicated. As the single minded, determined hero, he suffers from a flaw that real men are often accused of. Greg sometimes fails to be direct about the smaller details.

Between Elissa’s intentional deceptions and Greg’s lack of explanations, the plot twist and turns in unpredictable ways. Looks are Deceiving has many layers of depth and a reader would be well advised to keep the title in mind when starting in on this novel. Even once you think you’ve figured it all out, there is still a mystery to be revealed in the last chapter.

Michele Hart thrusts the reader directly into the action from the beginning and keeps them there. With sizzling sex, engaging heroine and hero, a full range of colorful side characters and a well-developed plot, I highly recommend Michele Hart’s novel for anybody who loves their romances filled with suspense.

Jenny Penn
Deception – coming soon in fall from Siren Publishing
Mating Claire – coming soon in fall from Siren Publishing
Cattleman’s Club: Patton’s Way – coming in late fall from Siren Publishing
www.jennypenn.com
www.myspace.com/jennypennbooks

Jami's Book Review--Cowboy Games by Wendi Darlin

Book Review

Cowboy Games by Wendi Darlin
Siren Publishing
Released on June 12, 2008

Wendi Darlin's first release, Cowboy Games, promises to be a Siren bestseller.

I, for one, loved Cowboy Games, because let's face it, who doesn't love a sexy cowboy, and Gavin Carter is one of the sexiest. He also operates Fantasy Ranch, every female's idea of a dream vacation. For seven days, the guests at Fantasy Ranch are treated like royalty by their gorgeous cowboy. Of course, there's a catch--two small rules that are not negotiable:

• No sex.
• No contact or attempted contact after the week is up.

Rebecca Ryder lost her husband a year ago and is still mourning his death. Their parting words on that fateful day involved a cowboy fantasy they'd enact when he came home from work that night, unfortunately, he never came home. Now Rebecca is ready to live that fantasy in the protected atmosphere of Fantasy Ranch.

One big problem: Rebecca and Gavin never considered that their fantasy might turn to reality, causing them to break every rule imposed by the ranch and by their own hearts.

Cowboy Games is a delightful tale of two lovable characters who are desperately trying to deny their attraction for each other. Wendi weaves a story full of sexual tension, heightened by the fact that the characters keep avoiding the inevitable. She takes you right to the edge of your seat then keeps you wanting more.

As a final twist, the ranch is being investigated by the authorities with the hope of getting enough dirt to close it down.

Pick up your own copy of Cowboy Games. You'll enjoy every minute of it.

Available for sale in ebook format at:

http://www.sirenpublishing.com/