Madly in Love - GA Aiken

G.A. Aiken is another pen name of one my favorite authors of all time, Shelly Laurenston. Despite this, it took me years to pick up her Dragon Kin books. I'm not sure why. Maybe because dragons interested me far less than other shape shifters. Or maybe because some part of my brain couldn't get over the fact she'd written under a different name. But once I did finally get over my block and pick up the books, I quickly flew through the series and anxiously awaited the next release.

Now, I know I've featured Shelly Laurenston before, and talk about her quite often, but as the seventh book in the series, Light My Fire, just released last week, I thought it appropriate to feature her once again.

Like her Pride series, the Dragon Kin series is overflowing with a cast of unique, maybe a bit crazy, characters, intriguing plots, and lots of sex. All of it adds up to an engaging book that will have you rolling with laughter. Not many authors have talent weaving humor into their stories, and in my opinion, Shelly Laurenston is one of the best.

Dragon Actually, the first book, while not my favorite, starts the series off with a bang. Even if you don't particularly care for dragon books, I suggest giving this series a chance. It, and the rest of the series, definitely landed on my keeper shelf.

Blurb:

It’s not always easy being a female warrior with a nickname like Annwyl the Bloody. Men tend to either cower in fear-a lot-or else salute. It’s true that Annwyl has a knack for decapitating legions of her ruthless brother’s soldiers without pausing for breath. But just once it would be nice to be able to really talk to a man, the way she can talk to Fearghus the Destroyer.

Too bad that Fearghus is a dragon, of the large, scaly, and deadly type. With him, Annwyl feels safe-a far cry from the feelings aroused by the hard-bodied, arrogant knight Fearghus has arranged to help train her for battle. With her days spent fighting a man who fills her with fierce, heady desire, and her nights spent in the company of a magical creature who could smite a village just by exhaling, Annwyl is sure life couldn’t get any stranger.

She’s wrong…

And just wait until you meet the rest of the family…

What books are you madly in love with?

Madly in Love Monday 11/24/14

Another Monday. Hopefully, even if you're off to work like me, it's a shortened week due to Thanksgiving. But since it's Monday, it's time for another Madly in Love Monday post. No more contests this week, so I've spent some time going through my keeper pile and picking out a book that I am madly in love with.

Today I chose Bear Necessities by Dana Marie Bell. I think I featured another (or maybe a couple) Dana Marie Bell books in the past, but she's one of my favorite authors so that's okay.

Bear Necessities is the first book in the Halle Shifters series but in the same world as her Halle Puma series. Not just the same world but the same town, which leads to some fun crossovers. Halle Shifters centers around a new group, mainly Bear shifters, although some wolves and foxes are thrown in as well. This series is definitely worth the read if you are into shifter romances. Highly recommended.

Blurb:
To hold onto his love, he must release his beast.

Halle Shifters, Book 1

Once a Bear sets his mind on a mission, it’s best to stay out of his way. Alexander “Bunny” Bunsun is that Bear. Something’s not right with his cousin Chloe, and he’s come to Halle, PA, to sort it out, turn his Harley around and head home to Oregon. Until an enticing scent lures him into the local tattoo shop.

There she is. An inked, Southern-drawled she-Wolf with lime-green hair. His perfect mate.

Tabitha Garwood’s rotten day just got worse. Her Outcast status makes her a target for harassment with alarming regularity. And now, in the middle of a root touch-up, looking like a half-melted Skittle, she’s met her destined mate. The only upside? She finally has a protector in the form of a huge, tattooed, shaved-head Bear who vibrates with carefully restrained power.

When Chloe is left for dead and Tabby is threatened, only Alex can keep his growing family safe. Giving Tabby the loving home she needs, though, could come at a price—Alex must give up the control he’s worked a lifetime to attain.

Which means someone could die at the hands—and claws—of his beast.

Warning: This novel contains explicit sex, graphic language, a hunky Bear named Bunny and… Yes. I said a Bear named Bunny. I don’t know about you but I’m not brave enough to make fun of it.

Thanksgiving Stuffing Alternative

Before I talk about this amazing dish which was featured in House & Home magazine recently (I've tried it and it really is a knock out), I want to mention that Brink of Passion has a page on Goodreads, so if you're a member, add it to your "Want to Read" list. If you're not a member, well, you should join because it's a great place to discover new books to fill up your TBR lists and discuss your favorite books.

Also wanted to mention, you can sign up for my new newsletter on the right side of the blog or HERE to stay up to date on my newest releases, cover reveals, and other events.

Now, onto this amazing stuffing alternative...

Mushroom & Spinach Bread Pudding
serves 12

These are absolutely delicious and a perfect addition to any Thanksgiving meal.

Ingredients
8 cups 3/4" cubed sturdy white or sourdough breast, crusts removed (I used sourdough)
1 lb. washed baby spinach
1/4 cup unslated butter, plus more for greasing pan
2 large onions (1 lb total), diced
1 tbsp chopped thyme
1.5 lb mixed mushrooms, sliced
Salt and Pepper to taste
5 large eggs
2 cups whipping (35%) or table (18%) cream
1 cup chicken stock, low-sodium or homemade
1/2 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
1 cup freshley grated Parmesan, divided

Directions
1. Prehead oven to 300 degrees F. Butter 2 standard 12-hole muffin tins. Place bread on parchment-lined baking tray. Bake bread 10 minutes. Remove from oven. Raise oven temperature to 350 degrees F.

2. Bring large pot of salted water to boil. Working in batches, cook spinach until just wilted, 20 seconds. Transfer to bowl of ice water. Cool, drain, and gently squeeze dry.

3. In large pot, heat butter over medium-high heat. Add onions. Cook, stirring until they start to brown, 3 minutes. Add thyme, mushrooms, salt and pepper. Cook, stirring, until moisture has evaporated, 5 - 7 minutes. Remove from heat (Note: my mushrooms could have been cooked a little more.)

4. In a large mixing bowl, whisk eggs, cream, and stock. Add bread, spinach, mushroom mixture, parsley, and 3/4 of the cheese. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Mix. Let stand 20 minutes for bread to absorb liquid.

5. Spoon mixture into tins. Place tins on baking trays (this stops bottoms from scorching). Sprinkler with remaining 1/4 cheese. Bake, rotating at halfway point, until custard is set and top is golden, 45 to 50 minutes.

These were a real treat and ended up not being that hard to make. Afterward, I froze them and they were just as good defrosted. So if you're looking for a different side this Thanksgiving, this is a perfect dish to serve.

Bon Appetit!

The Professional by Kresley Cole Giveaway

As anyone who reads this blog, or my twitter feed, regularly knows, I am a HUGE Kresley Cole fan. I preorder all her books from Amazon, including her Immortal After Dark series and her YA Arcana Chronicles series. So imagine my surprise when I went to comic con and found out she had a book I'd never seen before. I'm not quite sure how this book slipped through my radar, but it did. So I picked up two copies, one for myself and one to use as a giveaway, while waiting anxiously in line to meet her.

The one thing that stood out to me about Kresley Cole was how down to earth and relatable she seemed. We chatted for a bit about comic con itself, she asked me about my writing (which made me squeee like the fangirl I am internally.) She was absolutely lovely to meet.

So.... Here is your chance to win a paperback copy of The Professional autographed by Kresley Cole.


To Enter: 
 It's simple. Comment at the bottom of the blog. Doesn't matter what you write. Tell me about another must-read book. Share your thoughts on this one. Heck, tell me what you had for breakfast. Leave a comment and you will be entered into the drawing for a signed copy of The Professional. Giveaway closes Sunday at noon. Shipping within USA and Canada only.

Blurb (taken from Amazon):

Meet the Professional.

Mafiya enforcer Aleksandr "The Siberian" Sevastyan's loyalty to his boss is unwavering, until he meets the boss's long-lost daughter, a curvy, tantalizing redhead who haunts his mind and heats his blood like no other. Ordered to protect her, Aleksandr will do anything to possess her as well--on his own wicked terms.

He makes the rules.

Grad student Natalie Porter has barely recovered from her first encounter with the dark and breathtaking Siberian when he whisks her away to Russia, thrusting her into a world of extreme wealth and wanton pleasures. Every day under his protection she falls deeper under his masterful spell.

In the game of obsession, two players are better than one.
Yet all is not as it seems. To remove Natalie from an enemy's reach, Aleksandr spirits her into hiding. From an opulent palace in Russia to the decadent playgrounds of the mega-rich in Paris, the two lovers tempt each other's boundaries to discover whether their darkest--and most forbidden--fantasies really can come true....

Sexy Saturday - I'm Too Sexy

I'm once again participating in My Sexy Saturday, and this weeks theme is I'm Too Sexy.


I've been feeling a bit nostalgic lately, so I decided to revisit the first meeting between Gwen and Ethan from Chasing Paradise. Gwen runs the resort where Ethan is staying on vacation. The entire staff is smitten with him, and Gwen is having a hard time wrangling them into doing their jobs.
 

" Absorbed in her thoughts, she didn't see the wall in front of her until it almost smacked her in the face. Strong hands caught her arms as she stumbled to a halt.

"Woah, easy there." The man behind her chuckled. The deep voice rolled through her, making her shiver in new awareness. It lit fires inside she hadn't known existed until now. Looking over her shoulder into the chocolate-brown eyes twinkling down at her, she lost a little piece of her soul in their depths.

Her breath caught in her throat as a warm smile curved deliciously edible lips, drawing her gaze to his mouth. No wonder her staff was so enamored. Without a shadow of a doubt, this was the man who had her staff on high alert.

Breathing deeply, Gwen inhaled his woodsy scent. Her nose twitched as the scent stoked those fires inside higher. Without pulling out of his grip, she turned around to face him, wanting to get a better look at the man. His hair hung past his ears in a careless mass, giving him an easygoing look matched perfectly by his open smile and laughing eyes. The light brown was liberally streaked with blond highlights, making it look like he spent a lot of time in the sun.

Her eyes were drawn downward as she took in the whole picture. Except for a towel slung over one shoulder, he was bare from the waist up. Although he was obviously not a bodybuilder, subtly defined muscles could be seen under the light sprinkle of chest hair. The dark blue bathing suit encased his hips, falling to his knees. It was rude to stare. She knew that. But Gwen couldn't help herself. Before her stood her fantasy of the perfect guy.

"Uh, um." Words would be nice. Any words really. But nothing came to her. Why wasn't her brain working? The dimples at the sides of his mouth deepened, mesmerizing Gwen.

"I did catch you before you hit the wall, didn't I? You didn't hit your head?" The laughter in his eyes told her he already knew the answer. And how much he enjoyed her current inability to process words."

 
Blurb:
He’ll do whatever it takes to earn back her trust. 

A vacation is exactly what Ethan needs to escape the mate hungry females in his pack. Determined to have fun, he can’t think of a better way to start than sampling all the different flavors the shifter only resort has to offer, and not the food variety. But after he meets Gwen, no one else holds any interest for him. Ethan came on vacation to avoid mating. There’s no way he’s going to give up his freedom without a fight.

Gwen is devastated when she hears her mate denying everything they are to each other. She can’t sit by, watching him fool around with other girls at the resort. Or worse, crawl back, unable to resist the mating pull but not really wanting her. She needs to get away and her own vacation sounds like the perfect plan. But she should have remembered what her mother always taught her, never run from a predator unless you want them to chase you. The hunt is on…

Chasing Paradise is available at Barnes and Noble, Amazon, and other digital bookstores. 


Check out the other Sexy Saturday posts by visiting:

 

Cover Reveal - Brink of Passion

I cannot stop smiling whenever I look at the amazing cover for Brink of Passion designed by the incredible Renee Rocco.

What do you think?

 

Brink of Passion will be available on February 25th! 

*Working* Blurb:

He’d do anything to protect his mate.

The last thing Laurie expected when she bumped into Max at the shifter convention was finding her mate. Certainly not that her mate would shift into a leopard. Wolves and leopards mixed about as well as water and oil. Or should she say, cats and dogs. Mating him means leaving her family, her town, and the only home she’s ever known. But the possibility of a happily ever after is worth the risk, right?

Max couldn’t be happier with his brazen, feisty wolf, but returning home isn’t the welcoming affair he’d expected. In his absence, his brother had been attacked within the leap complex. Something is seriously wrong. When his worst fears prove true, his protective instinct goes into overdrive. Can he convince his mate to stay with him and keep her from danger at the same time?

Brink of Passion Release Date Set!

A lot has been going on behind the scenes with Brink of Passion, Alpine Woods Shifters 6. It's with a heavy heart I announce that Kensington has passed on publishing the book. The reason (at least the one they gave me) is that due to the length between series books, they do not believe the market is viable for a continuation. While I understand and respect their decision, I disagree. My personal belief is that there is not only a market but a desire for the continuation of this series, and I believe there are readers out there as excited and anxious for this book as I am. So, after much consideration, I have decided to dip my toe into self-publishing.

It's scary. Nervewracking. There is a level of comfort with a reputable publisher behind you that makes you feel almost less exposed. Deciding to self publish was not an easy decision, and it's one that has left me feeling unexpectedly vulnerable. However, I have reread Brink of Passion with a more critical eye, and I truly believe it is something special. Since Arctic Winds, the very first book in the series, came out in 2011, I have looked forward to writing Laurie's story. She is a character who exhibits so much of who I wish I were. She's strong and clever and knows exactly who she is and what she wants. And she's found herself a perfect match in Max.

So even though this is a new and scary world I'm stepping into, the more I plan for this book, the more excited I become. This move is giving me the freedom of choice. The freedom to choose my release date, to have a larger part of the cover art and editing process, a process which I strongly believe is vital to the success of any book. Immediately after making this decision, I contacted the editor of my previous Alpine Woods Shifters book, Piper Denna, to see if she would be willing to edit, and was lucky enough to have her agree. I also am thrilled to have the same cover artist, Renee Rocco, designing the cover as she always does a truly extraordinary job. I feel truly blessed to have such wonderful and talented people working on Brink of Passion with me.

So, although the book is written, there are still many things left to do before it is ready to be released. I am determined not to slack on any one of them, and to make this book as polished as any released through a publisher.



The fun part (Release date):
Barring any unforeseen delays, I am officially setting the Brink of Passion release date for Wednesday, February 25, 2015! I hope that I have readers support in this risky move, and I hope you prove me sane in thinking there is a desire for the continuation of the series. So mark your calendars folks! Brink of Passion will be coming to major e-sellers at the end of February!