Reading Between the Wines Book Club: 7/1/12

Tuesday, July 31, 2012

The Highlander's Reward by Eliza Knight (Spotlight/Giveaway)

Today I'd like to share with you Eliza Knight's new release, The Highlander's Reward, with this excerpt and a chance for you to win your very own copy at the end!

ABOUT THE BOOK:

She belonged to another… But was destined to be his… Lady Arbella de Mowbray abhors the idea of marrying an English noble occupying Scotland. When she arrives in Stirling, she is thrown into the midst of a full battle between the Scots and the English. Besieged by rebels, she is whisked from her horse by a Highland warrior who promises her safety. But when he kisses her she fears she's more in danger of losing herself. The last thing Magnus Sutherland wants is to marry the beautiful English lass he saved. As the laird of his clan, he has a responsibility to his clan and allies. But when Arbella is attacked by one of his own men, he determines the only way to keep her safe is to make her his. A decision that promises to be extremely satisfying. Magnus brings Arbella to his home of Dunrobin Castle in the Highlands. And that’s where the trouble begins… Their countries are at war and they should be each other’s enemy. Neither one considered their mock marriage would grow into a deeply passionate love. What’s more, they were both unhappily betrothed and those who've been scorned are out for revenge. Can their new found love keep them together or will their enemies tear them apart?

Tour: Giving It Up by Amber Lin (Guest Post/Giveaway)

Please give a warm welcome to erotica author, Amber Lin, who is joining us with her book, Giving It Up!

Is Giving It Up a Fairytale?

By Amber Lin

One of the words that comes up often when people read Giving It Up is “fairytale”. Oftentimes they’re pointing out that this is Not A Fairytale! But other times they say that it IS a fairytale, just a very dark, gritty, contemporary version of one.

Honestly I am happy with both responses—I’m just so thrilled people are reading and liking my book! But I thought it would be fun to deconstruct a typical fairy tale and see where Giving It Up falls, so here we go.

A Princess

Our heroine Allie… well, she has it rough. She’s been hurt in the past, so she has a hard time trusting. She’s a single mother without much of a support system, and she doesn’t have a lot of money. This doesn’t look much like a princess, even one in a dark contemporary setting. But there is that Cinderella story…

Deadlocked (Sookie Stackhouse, #12)
by Charlaine Harris
Hardcover, 327 pages
Published May 1st 2012 by Ace Hardcover
ISBN 1937007448

Its vampire politics as usual around the town of Bon Temps, but never before have they hit so close to Sookie’s heart…
Growing up with telepathic abilities, Sookie Stackhouse realized early on there were things she’d rather not know. And now that she’s an adult, she also realizes that some things she knows about, she’d rather not see—like Eric Northman feeding off another woman. A younger one.
There’s a thing or two she’d like to say about that, but she has to keep quiet—Felipe de Castro, the Vampire King of Louisiana (and Arkansas and Nevada), is in town. It’s the worst possible time for a human body to show up in Eric’s front yard—especially the body of the woman whose blood he just drank.
Now, it’s up to Sookie and Bill, the official Area Five investigator, to solve the murder. Sookie thinks that, at least this time, the dead girl’s fate has nothing to do with her. But she is wrong. She has an enemy, one far more devious than she would ever suspect, who’s set out to make Sookie’s world come crashing down.

Goodreads
Purchase at: Amazon, Kindle, Barnes & Noble

Viviana's Review:
Though I was looking forward to this book, I didn’t put too high of an expectation behind it. Why? Well, the most recent books haven’t been as remarkable as some of the earlier ones. With this in mind, I began the journey to see what the inhabitants of Bon Temps, Louisiana have been up to since last we “hung out”.

Sexy Snippets: Gunmetal Magic by Ilona Andrews

<center><a href="http://readingbetweenthewinesbookclub.blogspot.com/"><img border="0" src="http://i916.photobucket.com/albums/ad3/folksohana/RBtWBC%20Memes/SexySnippets-1.jpg"width="200" height="300"/></a></center>Tuesdays have never been so sexy!Sexy Snippets is a weekly feature hosted by Reading Between the Wines for the 18+ crowd. To join in just grab the button, post a sexy paragraph or two from your current read and share the author & title so other participants can add the book to their TBR list if they like. Then add your post to the linky below so everyone can follow along. Have a sexy good time!
Ack, I fess up! I totally spaced a post for this today, but never fear! Just let me flip forward some in my book and ah, yes...this should do nicely!

The V V Inn Series by C.J. Ellisson (Spotlight/Excerpt)

Today we would like to share with you a series from contemporary fantasy and erotica author, C.J. Ellisson, as well as a delicious new upcoming release!

Vampire Vacation (The V V Inn #1)

Meet Vivian. She's a 580-year-old vampire who exudes sex, has a talent for drama, and is passionate about two things: her human husband, Rafe, and their resort for the undead. Her ability to project physical illusions has created the perfect vacation spot a dark, isolated Alaskan hideaway where visitors can have their wildest fantasies come true.
Vivian knows the best performance requires perfect timing, but the powerful vamp is put to the test when she discovers a corpse in a locked guestroom minutes before the next arrivals. Always cool-headed, Rafe hides the body, convinced he and Vivian can find the culprit without disturbing their guests.
Juggling the increasingly outrageous demands of their customers while tracking a killer isn't easy. Will their poking and prodding give them the answers they need, or will it uncover secrets Vivian would kill to protect?

Warning: This story contains some explicit sex scenes and is not intended for readers under 18.
Purchase Links: Amazon / Barnes & Noble

Celebrate Entangled's Brazen & Covet Book Launch and Win an eReader!

From Entangled Publishing...

BRAZEN: the naughty little sister of our Indulgence line.

Brazen publishes steamy category romances that blend young, fresh voices, and explore the more seductive side of modern relationships.

Unleash your inner vixen. And you can do it on your new Sony eReader if you win during the Brazen Launch Celebration going on now! All you have to do is enter to win using our Rafflecopter entry form below. Spread the word!

Seducing Cinderella

Mixed martial arts fighter Reid Andrews’s chance to reclaim his title as light heavyweight champ is shattered when he’s injured only months before the rematch. To make sure he’s healed in time, his trainer sends him to recuperate under a professional’s care—Reid’s best friend’s little sister, all grown up.Disorganized and bookish Lucie Miller needs some professional help of her own. She’d do anything to catch the eye of a doctor she’s crushed on for years, so when Reid offers seduction lessons in exchange for 24/7 conditioning for the biggest fight of his career, Lucie jumps at the chance.Soon Reid finds himself in the fight of his life…winning Lucie’s heart before she gives it to someone else.

Amazon - Barnes & Noble : $2.99!

Review: The Darkest Day (Immortal Heat #1) by Britt Bury

The Darkest Day
(Immortal Heat #1)
by Britt Bury
ebook, 300 pages
Expected publication: July 3rd 2012 by Grand Central Publishing
ISBN13 9781455523290
Courtesy of author & NetGalley

ALL-CONSUMING DESIRE . . . Izel Campbell was raised to believe she is an immortal Fionn with the magical skills of persuasion. But when she travels to Scotland to visit her ancestral home, Izel discovers that she is actually the world's last living human. Forced to run for her life, Izel crosses paths with Kelvin Kerr, the Campbells' greatest foe-and the most magnificent warrior she has ever seen. BURNS BRIGHTEST . . . A thousand-year-old battle chief of the Kerr clan, Kelvin lives only to avenge his father, who died at the hands of the bloody Campbells. Honor demands he kill the Campbell heir, but when he learns that the lovely Izel is both Campbell "and" human, Kelvin is torn between duty and desire . . .ON" THE DARKEST DAY"

Word Count: 86,000. This is Book 1 in The Immortal Heat series.
Goodreads
Purchase at; Amazon and Barnes & Noble

Crystal’s Thoughts:
Britt Bury weaves a spellbinding story in her debut novel, The Darkest Day, that I never wanted to end!

Today we are happy to be a part of Eve Langlais blog tour for one of her new release, Seeking Pack Redemption!

Sometimes even outcasts can earn forgiveness.
Thrust into a nightmare, Thea thinks all hope is lost, until an unexpected rescue by three strangers. Forget returning to her old life though, because not only does a psycho vampire want her back, a trio of wolves wants to claim her as their mate.
What started out as a search for his missing sibling, turns into a rescue mission of a woman who makes his inner beast howl. Trent knows it wrong to want his dead brother’s mate, but he can’t help himself, and neither can his friends. However, danger stalks the one they want and they’ll have to face true evil before they can set her free.
And for an outcast wolf, the path to redemption is lonely. Can Jaxon ever atone enough to be welcomed back to his pack and into the arms of the woman he loves?

Author Chris Karlsen (Interview/Giveaway)

Today we have author Chris Karlsen stopping by to see if she can interest you in a tale about plots, the black market, sunken ships, and a little love.

Lexi: Golden Chariot is your newest release and your first venture into contemporary/mystery as your first two were historical romances. Were you excited to try writing Golden Chariot?

Chris: Very excited. I love history and Turkey is one of my favorite places. In Golden Chariot I got to explore the world of nautical archaeology, the Trojan War and do all that in Turkey.

Lexi: Even though Golden Chariot is not a historical, you still seemed to bring some history into it. The Trojan War is not a time in history that is written about very often. Did you have to do a lot of research or had you been interested in this time period before?

Chris: I don’t know why the Trojan War isn’t written about more. The larger than life characters from Homer’s, Iliad (Hektor, the noble Prince of Troy, Achilles, Helen of Troy, and Paris among others) led to my interest in Troy. I let my interest be Charlotte, my heroine’s interest. The research was daunting. I read on the language of the region during the Bronze Age, artifacts that reflect the cultures of the area, ships of the period, the archaeological work at the Troy site, nautical archaeology, artifact smuggling and several other issues involving a recovery project. But I have to say, I found most of what I read fascinating.

Review: Fascinated by Marissa Day

Fascinated
by Marissa Day
Paperback, 336 pages
Published June 5th 2012 by Berkley Trade
ISBN 13: 9780425247723
Copy courtesy of publisher

"Pleasure was an elusive dream... Alicia Hartwell has never experienced the pleasure of passion. Despite all her efforts to comprehend the notion of romantic love, it has remained an utterly foreign concept to her. Resigned to the life of a spinster, Alicia is therefore stunned when she receives a marriage proposal from the highly eligible bachelor, Lord Carstairs. ...until she met him. But Lord Edward Carstairs is not a normal nobleman. He's a Catalyst--able to draw magical power from the natural world for use in spells by human Sorcerers. He senses that Alicia is a victim of enchantment, one that has suppressed her erotic urges. Powerfully attracted to her, he's certain that he's the one to help her experience pleasure for the first time. But as Edward and Alicia's mutual passion burns hot, their fragile love and trust could be threatened by family secrets and a new magical intrigue neither imagined"

Goodreads

Purchase at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and The Book Depository

Lexi's Thoughts

Who isn’t fascinated by the Fae. The legends tell of frightening beautiful people with strong magic. As with everything in life there must be a balance, so what could have been the balance to these powerful beings? Day has created a wonderful mix of paranormal, historical, and romance in answer to that.

Thank you so much for joining us for our Tie Me Up In July event this week! Please give a warm welcome to author Leanore Elliot who will be wrapping things up for us today, enjoy!

WHAT TURNS US ON?
More Sex
By Leanore Elliott

I love sex, fantasies and drop to your knees heat. At the urging from Wicked Leanore’s fans for more hot sex? I decided to let my muse explore what is hot. Leanore writes erotica with an emotional tie, so this is not your average trashy type, one-night stand erotica, but it’s a body squirming, hot flash worthy anthology and definitely naughty enough.

Today I would like to welcome erotica and romance author, Ella Jade, to our Tie Me Up In July event. Ella is currently on a blog tour for her book, Make Me Stay.

Why do ropes, blindfolds, and hot wax excite us?

There’s no denying the recent surge in the popularity of the BSDM genre in romance books. I currently have three Dominant/submissive titles out, and I’m working on my fourth. Be My Everything is my highest selling book, having made the Amazon and All Romance EBooks Best Seller lists. The interest got me thinking about why I like to read and write about this subject.

18 & Over Book Blogger Follow #39: Show us the goods!

18 & Over Book Blogger Follow is a weekly feature that begins on Fridays and runs through the weekend, hosted by Crystal from Reading Between the Wines. This is a Friday blog hop with the objective to find and visit other book blogs that share the same interest as you, namely books geared towards the 18 & over crowd, and make some new friends!

How to join in:

-You should run a book blog that features and reviews mostly adult reads, some Y.A.’s are okay but 18 & over adult reads should be your majority.

-Make a separate post for the 18 & Over Book Blogger Follow on your blog.

-Copy the html for the button above and place it at the top of your post.

-List & answer the ‘Question of the Week.’

-Place your name and blog title in the linky below and the url for a direct link to your post

-Visit the other blogs on the list and say 'Hi!' Following each blog is not mandatory but I know it is always appreciated, and if someone comments saying they’re a new follower it’s polite to follow back. J It’s always nice to spread the 18 & Over Book Blogging love!

-Contact me (readingbetweenthewines10 at gmail dot com) with any questions!

~~Question of the Week:~~ Show us the goods! Share your bookshelves with everyone. Strictly eBooks? That's okay, take a pic of your reader! Give a tour of your shelves and have fun with it. J

The King's Daughter
The Chronicles of Alcinia #1
by Miriam Newman
Published Feb 14th 2012 by Rebecca J. Vickery
ASIN B0079JHX28
ebook copy provided by author

Born to a dying queen and an ambitious king, Tarabenthia is heir to the crown of Alcinia. Yet when the idyll of her childhood ends she will defy her father, tipping the balance in a world poised on the brink of destruction and leaving history to judge whether she is heroine or harlot.In a time of war, what would you surrender in the name of love?
I was the King's daughter once, so many years ago that sometimes now it is hard to remember. Before the tide of time carried away so many things, so many people, it was worth something to be the daughter of a King.Our little island nation of Alcinia was not rich, except for tin mines honeycombing the south. It wasn't even hospitable. Summer was a brief affair and fall was only a short time of muted colors on the northernmost coast where my father sat his throne at the ancient Keep of Landsfel. Winter was the killing time and spring was hardly better, with frosts that could last into Fifth-Month. But from the south, where men cut thatch in a pattern like the bones of fish, to the north where rock roses spilled down cliffs to the sea, it was my own.One thinks such things will never change, yet all things do.

Purchase at Amazon and Smashwords

Lexi's Thoughts:

A tale of countries being overtaken, its people decimated and sold as slaves, and their Princess taken never to return. Fate has other plans for her, placing her with the one man who can return her to her birthright and offer the chance at love.

Welcome back! Today I would like to give a warm welcome to erotic romance author, Natasha Blackthorne, who is joining us with her juicy new erotic regency books!

My erotic regency short story Waltz of Seduction is about a newly married couple that have been engaging in a very restricted sexual life. The husband, due to a past, painful experience, believes a gentleman shouldn’t make passionate sexual demands on a wife. When they have been married approximately nine months, they accidentally fall into practicing bondage. As a result, they find each other.

A Measured Risk is a different type of story. This is an erotic English Regency romance, which contains themes of D/s and BDSM. The hero in this story knows what he wants and isn’t hesitant to make demands.

It's that time! You asked and Laura has brought along the sexy Supreme God of the West Wind and Spring to answer your questions! Please give a warm welcome to both him and Laura, without further ado I'll hand it over to them now. ;)

I’m very excited to be back at Reading between the Wines Book Club again, especially to celebrate West of Want’s selection as Book of the Month for July. And, even more fun? I didn’t come alone! Nope, I brought with me Zephyros Martius, Supreme God of the West Wind and Spring who will answer questions YOU asked! That’s right! So, without further ado, here’s Zeph…

Touch Me by Calie Croix

ebook

Published January 2nd 2012 by Carina Press

ISBN 1426892977

Courtesy of NetGalley

Arriving home on leave from his tour of duty, Army Captain Alex Montoya knows there's a beautiful woman waiting for him-his best friend's sister. She's always been off limits...until now. He fully intends to move them out of being "just friends" and encourage her to release the sexual needs he senses she's buried deep.
Tianna McIntyre is starting over after her marriage ended. Her ex-husband weakened her self-esteem and caused her to deny her true sexual desires. But being around Alex brings all her dormant fantasies to the surface, and now Tianna feels the stirrings of her secret, submissive wishes.
Determined to help repair the damage Tianna's ex did to her self-worth, Alex will use whatever means necessary to convince her they're meant for each other, including tying her down to make sure he has her full attention while he takes her to the heights of pleasure she's always dreamed of..

Goodreads

Purchase at Barnes & Noble

Jolene’s Thoughts:

Event: Tie Me Up in July with Shiloh Walker (Interview/Giveaway)

Hot in Handcuffs holds novellas from not one or two amazing authors; it also has a FBI Psychics novella from well known romantic suspense author Shiloh Walker. And we are lucky enough to have her stop by today, and we didn’t even have to handcuff her to get answers from her! Welcome Shiloh!

Shiloh: Thanks for having me drop by… 

Lexi: Hot in Handcuffs sounds...well, hot. Your novella The Unwilling seems to have your signature suspense theme. But since it is part of a book of “Three Novellas of Erotic Capture” did you put a little more steam or BDSM than usual?

Shiloh: There aren’t any BDSM elements in mine, no… the connecting element with the three books is really the law enforcement rather than BDSM, although I know each of us played up different elements in our stories. But there wouldn’t have been any way for me to play that angle and still do justice to the story, from both a suspense angle and the way my series works, considering the confines of a novella’s length. It’s steamy, yes, but most of my books are.

Good morning lovelies and welcome back to Tie Me Up In July! Now I would like to welcome author, Tabitha Rayne who is joining us on tour with her book, A Clockwork Butterfly.

Thank you for letting me share my thoughts at your BDSM event! My book is about a young woman finding her love of bondage and domination – but today I also want to talk about sharing...

Sharing?

Event: Tie Me Up in July with Shayla Black (Interview/Giveaway)

When you think of books that are erotic with a BDSM flavor, the name Shayla Black comes to mind. So crack out those handcuffs, we know you already have the wine and welcome Shayla to the blog today!

Shayla: Thanks for having me here, Lexi! It’s a pleasure, especially if you have wine. 

Lexi: Oh don't worry, we have the wine!

Shayla, you are one of those authors who has been blessed by the cover gods. Your new release “Arresting Desire”, which is included in the book Hot in Handcuffs, fits right in with your drool-worthy covers. Do you have a favorite out of all your books?

Masters at Arms
(Rescue Me #1)
by Kallypso Masters
ebook, 0 pages
Published August 29th 2011 by Kallypso Masters (first published August 12th 2011)
ISBN13 2940013085916

Masters at Arms begins the journey of three men, each on a quest for honor, acceptance, and to ease his unspoken pain. Their paths cross at one of the darkest points in their lives. As they try to come to terms with the aftermath--forging an unbreakable bond--will they ever truly become masters of their own fates? Or would fate become masters of them? (Book One in the Rescue Me series about the men who own the Masters at Arms BDSM Club.) AUTHOR'S NOTE: This is an introduction to the series, but does NOT have the Happily Ever After endings that will come in the next three romance novels in the series. Being the back-story that usually is not told in "real time," there are some intense themes in the book, including death of a spouse, incest, torture, a battle scene, and amputation.

Goodreads
Download for FREE at Amazon Kindle and Barnes & Noble Nook

My Thoughts:

Under Fire

(Elite Force #3)

by Catherine Mann

ebook, 271 pages

Published May 1st 2012 by Sourcebooks

ISBN13 9781402245039

ARC Courtesy of Publisher

A decorated hero, pararescueman Liam McCabe lives to serve. Six months ago, he and Rachel Flores met in the horrific aftermath of an earthquake in the Bahamas. They were tempted by an explosive attraction, yet parted ways. Still, Liam has thought about Rachel every day—and night—since.
Now, after ignoring all his phone calls for six months, Rachel has turned up on base with a wild story about a high-ranking military traitor. She claims no one but Liam can help her—and she won’t trust anyone else.
With nothing but her word and the testimony of a discharged military cop to go on, Liam would be insane to risk his career—even his life—to help this woman who left him in the dust.

Goodreads

Purchase at Amazon, Kindle, Barnes & Noble and The Book Depository

Crystal’s Thoughts:

Sexy Snippets: Lord of Fire and Ice by Connie Mason & Mia Marlowe

Hello lovelies and welcome to our erotic BDSM event, Tie Me Up In July! To kick things off right Shannon (Cocktails and Books) and I both would like to welcome erotic romance author Roni Loren! At each of our blogs, Roni is sharing with us the place she has brought to life in her series, Loving On The Edge, The Ranch. A place where all your wicked fantasies can come to life! So come on in and let your fantasies lead the way!

A Tour of “The Ranch”

In every book series, there is something that ties the books together. That may be a single character that you follow throughout, it may be a family, or it may be a certain town or location. For my Loving on the Edge series, I have characters that all connect in some way, but the main thing that ties the whole series together is The Ranch, the BDSM resort where my characters often go.

Tour: Married by Monday by Catherine Bybee (Guest Post)

Today I would like to give a warm welcome to romance author, Catherine Bybee!

Conventions are an Author’s Book Club

What a great place for me to finish up my two week blog tour but right here with Reading Between the Wines Book Club. Seriously, can there be a better grouping of words in a blog title? I think not.

This week I will be attending my very first National Convention with RWA. I’ve been to a couple of Romantic Times Conventions which personifies romance book lovers from all walks of life. I understand that RWA is a more focused gathering of writers, publishers, and librarians. What I’ve always found amazing about romance writers and everyone they surround themselves with, is how helpful they are to and for each other.

Ninette Swann, Hit and Stay (Guest Post/Giveaway)

Please give a warm welcome to author Ninette Swann, who is joining us with her book, Hit and Stay.

Making a Good Hero

What makes a good romantic hero? Truth be told, the days of the super-pumped Fabio with blond tresses streaming behind are long gone. These days, readers are looking for a little more substance behind their leading men.

But how much is too much? While “me Tarzan, you Jane” no longer works, you don’t want to be dragged down by a hero with so many flaws he can’t help but to come across defeated, owned by life, and struggling to define his own merits. While heroines these days don’t need to be rescued, their partners still need to offer the comforting strength of a leading man. Readers still desire a unique world with a happy ending…at least in most romances. We want someone we can fully get behind, someone we can cheer for.

Tour: The Delphi Bloodline by Donna Del Oro (Guest Post)

Today I would like to welcome author Donna Del Oro who is joining us with her book, The Delphi Bloodline.

Behind THE DELPHI BLOODLINE: Exploring Your Own Psychic Abilities

By Donna Del Oro

Most of us have intuitive insights into situations and people. We get “gut reactions”, “vibes” or “feelings”. Often, we’re gratified, even surprised, when our gut reactions prove correct, and we spend a few minutes wondering why our guts are smarter than some people’s minds. Or why our guts can’t help us out more often. Like, which slot machine should I play? Which stocks should I buy? Is this man all he claims to be?

Tie Me Up in July: an erotic BDSM event (July 23rd - July 27th)

Hello lovelies! I wanted to tell you about a fun event we have coming Monday with Cocktails and Books. On July 23rd - July 27th we'll be featuring some of those deliciously naughty books that tie you up in more ways than one, BDSM!

Please give a warm welcome to romance author, Jill Shalvis, who is joining us with two of her latest novels from her hit series, Lucky Harbor!

1. Hi Jill, thank you for joining us today! I'm looking for a house to buy in a small town, why should I choose Lucky Harbor for my home?

Well, if Lucky Harbor was real, you’d want to live there for food at EAT ME, the local café. And also because there’s warm, fun, caring people there. And hot guys. What more do you want? J

2. Tell us about the quirky characters in your books, who could be good for a cuddle or a night out dancing? Which character would you take fishing or hiking with you?

Hiking? I’d want forest ranger Matt Bowers, thank you very much. Not only is he fine to look at, he’s not afraid of bears. For everything else, I’d take Dr. Josh Scott from Forever And A Day because I tend to have I Love Lucy moments, and having a very sexy ER doc at my side would come in handy.

18 & Over Book Blogger Follow #38: Which book is your security blanket?

How to join in:

-You should run a book blog that features and reviews mostly adult reads, some Y.A.’s are okay but 18 & over adult reads should be your majority.

-Make a separate post for the 18 & Over Book Blogger Follow on your blog.

-Copy the html for the button above and place it at the top of your post.

-List & answer the ‘Question of the Week.’

-Place your name and blog title in the linky below and the url for a direct link to your post

-Contact me (readingbetweenthewines10 at gmail dot com) with any questions!

Carolina Home by Virginia Kantra (Guest Post/Giveaway)

Today I would like to give a warm welcome to author Virginia Kantra, who is here celebrating her new release, Carolina Home!

Recipe for Summer: 5 Ingredients for the Perfect Summer Read by Virginia Kantra

I’m so glad to be at Reading Between the Wines. Even the name of the blog makes me think about indulgence, about summer wines and summer reads.

The ultimate summer wine is Sangria. And the same ingredients that go into a great Sangria also go into a great summer book.

1. The base

Sangria starts with wine, rich red wines from warm Latin countries. A good summer read needs a good base, too. All the things you expect from any good book—an interesting premise, compelling characters, an engrossing plot—are ingredients of a summer read.

Tour: Dark Light by Carl Hose (Spotlight/Giveaway)

Today I am very happy to participate in the tour for Carl Hose's Dark Light. All proceeds from the sale of this book go to the Ronald McDonald House which is a wonderful charity for seriously ill and injured children, and their families to stay close to them. I know several friends and their families that this organization has helped out greatly and we are very thankful for them. Here's a little bit about Carl's story and the book...

My daughter Ireland Joy Hose was due to come into the world on March 3rd, 2012. Since my wife Marcee was going to have a C-section, her doctor scheduled her to deliver Ireland February 13th. It’s typical to schedule C-sections about two weeks before the actual due date, but in my wife’s case, the C-section was scheduled a little earlier because she had complete placenta previa, meaning her placenta was blocking the birth canal. This is normally not a problem unless the previa turns into accreta, which means the placenta attaches to body organs and actually begins to grow into them (pretty alien-like). This can result in severe hemorrhaging and may require a partial or even a complete hysterectomy.

All of this is beside the point. Ireland decided she wanted to show up on January 27th at 10:35 P.M. She was six weeks premature, 18 inches long, and weighed just 4 lbs. 13 oz.

WEST OF WANT SCAVENGER HUNT - WINNERS

Thank you to everyone for participating in the West Of Want Scavenger Hunt! It was a lot of fun for us to put together and I hope you all enjoyed it as well. : )

Without further ado I would like to announce the winners for the hunt and the secret phrase that needed to be unscrambled!
GO WILD FOR WEST OF WANT

Please give a warm welcome to author, Timothy Cavinder, who is joining us on tour for his book The Finding.

Everything happens for a reason. How many times have you heard this in your life? Do you believe it? Have you experienced it? Some of the best friends I gotten to know, some of the best love I’ve shared have happened by chance, or was it really chance? In The Finding events occur to the characters by chance leading them to discoveries about themselves that they never imagined. I began writing The Finding one morning after mediating. The title just popped into my head. I had no idea what it meant. I just walked over to the kitchen table opened a notebook and began. Was it a whim? Was it by chance? I don’t know. All I know is that it felt right so I went with it. In the book Horace wakes in the middle of the night with a dry throat, he walks downstairs to get a glass of water from the kitchen only to discover Vivian, asleep and complete naked on the couch. Is this by chance or was it meant to be? More often than not it is best to follow positive feelings or positive situations put before us, whether that be an idea for a book trying to get out or discovering someone beautiful, be they clothed or naked.

Sexy Snippets: West of Want by Laura Kaye (Book of the Month)

Today I would like to welcome the fabulous paranormal romance author, Laurie London who is joining us with her upcoming release of Seduced by Blood!

The Interview

A Slice of Life Scene from SEDUCED BY BLOOD

(Not in the book)

By Laurie London

With his arms crossed, Santiago leaned against the kitchen counter and scowled, not bothering to hide the fact that he clearly was irritated as hell. “Why are we doing this again?”

His reaction didn’t surprise Arianna. He could be difficult to deal with sometimes. Really difficult.

Arianna glanced around, double-checking that no one else was present in the huge commercial kitchen of the Seattle field office before she started.

Cordell had both elbows propped on the island and was checking something on his tablet. Roxy Reynolds, the head trainer at Tracker Academy who was filling in for Lily up at Region Headquarters, stood near the sink.

Not surprising, Jackson was making himself a peanut butter and honey sandwich. The man she loved more than life itself was always famished, especially after sex. This morning she’d convinced him to leave his piercing in—okay, she’d begged—and some of her body parts were still tingling, though she did her best to ignore it.

Nope. It was just the five of them.

Scandalous Desires
Maiden Lane #3
by Elizabeth Hoyt
Paperback, 370 pages
Published October 24th 2011 by Grand Central Publishing
ISBN 13: 978-0446558938

Can a pirate learn that the only true treasure lies in a woman's heart?
Widowed Silence Hollingbrook is impoverished, lovely, and kind—and nine months ago she made a horrible mistake. She went to a river pirate for help in saving her husband and in the process made a bargain that cost her her marriage. That night wounded her so terribly that she hides in the foundling home she helps run with her brother. Except now that same river pirate is back . . . and he's asking for her help.
"Charming" Mickey O'Connor is the most ruthless river pirate in London. Devastatingly handsome and fearsomely intelligent, he clawed his way up through London's criminal underworld. Mickey has no use for tender emotions like compassion and love, and he sees people as pawns to be manipulated. And yet he's never been able to forget the naive captain's wife who came to him for help—and spent one memorable night in his bed . . . talking.
When his bastard baby girl was dumped in his lap—her mother having died—Mickey couldn't resist the Machiavellian urge to leave the baby on Silence's doorstep. The baby would be hidden from his enemies and he'd also bind Silence to him by her love for his daughter.

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Lexi's Thoughts

Scandalous Desires is a perfectly written historical romance, you will not want to set this book down. Whether you love pirates or not you will fall hard and fast, and the name Charming Micky O'Connor will forever be fixed in your memory.

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