Roz Lee's Blog, page 26

Today, Charlotte Stout is with us to talk about her new book, Seattle Delight.

Charly’s life was simple and uncomplicated, just like she wanted it.  Or so she thought!  One chance encounter with a devilishly handsome stranger in her local coffee shop would turn her world, and her heart, upside down.  She would be thrown into a realm of privilege and romance, and more than just a little danger.  
How will she handle the dark gorgeous man who has inserted himself into her domain?  When danger threatens those she loves, will she have the strength of heart and spirit to do whatever it takes to save them?  Share Charly’s adventures as she navigates through the quickly changing landscape that has become her life.

Welcome, Charlotte!!   In Seattle Delight, your characters meet in a coffee shop.  We’ve all had our interesting encounters in unlikely places.  Tell us yours.  Where was it?  What happened? Who did you meet/see/bump in to?
   Two days ago my husband and I were relaxing in lounge chairs in front of the Buckey O’Neill cabin chatting about the three days we had just completed as visitors to the Grand Canyon.  We were staying in this magnificent historical structure, The Buckey Cabin, which sits about ten feet off the pedestrian walkway along the South Rim of the Grand Canyon. 
We were both engrossed in a good book in our respective chairs when we heard high pitched animated voices.  We looked up from our books to see a small group of teenagers stopped in front of the cabin reading the placard describing who Buckey O’Neill was and the origin of the cabin. 
A blond teenage boy, who looked to be about sixteen, stepped beyond the placard and looked at me and my husband, he nodded toward the cabin.  “Are y’all staying there?”  His voice was youthful, filled with energy, wonder and a southern accent.
“Yes, we are,” we both replied simultaneously.
“Wow that is so cool.”   He looked toward three of his friends and waved his hands animatedly.  “Hey guys, they’re staying here.  Hey, take my picture with them okay!”  The young man handed his camera to one of his female friends and almost danced toward us.
He bubbled with excitement at the prospect of having his picture taken with two strangers who were old enough to be his grandparents.  He squatted between our lounge chairs resting his forearms on the arms of the two chairs to steady his slight frame.  My husband and I just looked at each other, unable to speak.  We were being carried forward by the momentum of this young person’s tidal wave of enthusiasm.
The young girl holding the boys’ camera looked a little confused but she lifted the camera and started to line up the shot.   “Don’t mind him, he’s crazy.” She tried to explain obviously seeing the perplexed look on our faces.
The young man who prior to this young girl’s comment was oblivious to our potential discomfort took his cue from his female classmate.  He looked at each of us from his squatting position.  “I’m sorry, do y’all mind?”
How could we say no to that sweet yet slightly high pitched southern voice?  This teenager was a force to be reckoned with.  Energy sizzled around him.  He shared with us that he was part of a Christian teen group from North Carolina.  They were on a twenty-three day adventure traveling from North Carolina to California and back. 
He talked about how they were beating statistical odds that said the group would tire of traveling together and petty jealousies would start to be exhibited after five days.  He was proud as he announced that everyone in his group got along and he doubted there would be any issues throughout the rest of their travels, because they were special.
He told us he had to get up at 3:30 a.m. so he could hike the canyon before the heat hit; that he loved everyone on the trip; that this was an adventure of a lifetime; and they were sleeping under the stars because money was tight. 
When the young man and his troupe left, my husband and I looked at each other and smiled.  We both agreed that the encounter with this young man and his friends was a great way to finish this trip to the Grand Canyon.  These young people were so full of joy and optimism it was hard not to let those same feelings infect us.  We were happy and felt lightness in our hearts as we thought about how special the world is and will be with these dynamic young people being groomed to lead our country.Thank you again for hosting this stop on the tour.
Bonne JournéeCharlotte
Wow! That's quite a story, Charlotte! I love hearing stories like this. You never know who life will throw in your path. It's refreshing to know he was so interested in the wonders he was seeing that he wanted to document every minute of his trip. I'm sure he'll look back on that photo years from now and remember the wonderfully kind couple who took the time to visit with him.
Now, here's an excerpt from Seattle Delight.

“Hey, watch it,” Charly said as someone bumped her table and precious drops of the caffeine laced fuel danced across the table.  She couldn’t afford to lose a microgram of caffeine. Not today – well not any day!  Considering she’d written two lines and a finished first draft of her book was due in two months, she knew she was in a world of hurt.
Charly turned to see who had been so rude.  Okay, as a romance writer it was Charly’s job to write about hunks but what she saw before her left her breathless.  Looking at her with Caribbean Sea blue eyes, copper skin, and dark hair falling in waves to the top of his shoulders was a God.
“Pardon, I am so sorry,” he said in a deep, richly accented voice bowing his head in her direction.  His eyes – those incredible blue eyes were intently focused on Charly making her feel self-conscious.  Charly regretted that she hadn’t taken more care with her appearance this morning.  Her damp hair was a mass of unruly curls, her face devoid of makeup with the exception of a dab of lip-gloss.  Charly rested her chin in her right hand appreciating the view before her until she laid a finger on her upper lip.  Panic rose within her; she felt it and if he noticed it she would be mortified.  Damn, why hadn’t she waxed her mustache last night?   Why did women get mustaches in the first place? It’s not like we don’t have enough to worry about.  
Meet the author - 
Charlotte lives in Arizona with her hunky husband Warren, and her spoiled Silky Terrier, Tess. Her life has been filled with serious endeavors, including earning a Master's degree, owning her own business, consulting and working in the corporate world as a human resources executive. Before penning her first novel, Charlotte had written several practical guides for business applications, not exactly steamy stuff. Luckily, she never lost sight of her dream to write a novel that would encompass her passion for gorgeous men, adventure and a love of life. Enjoy
Connect with Charlotte Stout -
Website:  http://www.charlotteastout.comBlog:   http://www.charlotteastout.com/blog

Buy - SEATTLE DELIGHT-
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Have you had a memorable chance encounter?? Share it in the comment section below for a chance to win a $75 Amazon Gift Card to be awarded at the end of Charlotte's book tour. Follow the tour here. 

I've had a day or so to recuperate from the Romance Writers of America annual conference, so here’s my take on the event. I’m keeping it simple. Either a thumbs up, or a thumbs down.
Time spent with old friends . – It’s always good to see old friends, some of which I only get to see once a year at this event.
Meeting new friends . – All you have to do is turn and say hello to the person next to you, and voila! – new friend! Love it!
The Connect Lounge – Combined with the Goody Room, this roomy venue provided a place to chat with friends in person and online. Free Wi-Fi was provided by Sony, Tor/Forge, Samhain and Belle Books. Thanks to everyone who contributed. The free Wi-Fi saved countless dollars for conference attendees!
Food – Sustenance was plentiful this year. Continental breakfast was great – lots of healthy and tasty choices, and even if you were the last one to come down, you could still find something to eat at one of the numerous serving stations. There was a suspicious lack of places to actually perch to eat on Thursday, but that was corrected on Friday. Kudos to RWA and Marriott for a job well done. Luncheon on Thursday and Friday was delicious. The presentation was lovely, and the servers efficient and polite. Again, a job well done. For those meals not provided in the registration fee, there were good, reasonably priced choices in the hotel, and a short walk outside. The Starbucks/ café even had a place to sit.This is not always the case, so more kudos for that.
Literacy Signing – The room was huge!!! What a nice surprise! I wasn’t sure about the new non-alphabetical layout, but it only took a minute to find specific authors, then I’d turn a corner and be pleasantly surprised to see another author I didn’t know I was looking for. LOL Major kudos for raising over $50K for literacy programs!
Keynote Speech – Stephanie Laurens rocked the house this year with her take on the changing landscape of the publishing industry, particularly the choices authors have in regards to getting their work to the reader. Ms. Laurens received a standing ovation from the packed ballroom.
Awards Luncheon Speech – Given by Robyn Carr. Need I say more?
Annual General Meeting – Kudos to the Board of Directors for their forward progress toward giving self-published authors the recognition they deserve. New rules will allow self-pubbed authors to enter PAN with $5K in sales on a single book. More kudos to RWA for moving the Golden Heart contest into the twenty-first century. Next year, all entries will be received electronically!


An eBook wins a RITA - Yep, we've been waiting for this to happen! Congratulations to Fiona Lowe for her landmark win. Her Contemporary Single Title Romance, Boomerang Bride from Carina Press made history as the first ever eBook to win a RITA.
Van Gogh Vodka Event – Three free vodka cocktails. No need to elaborate on that.
Self-publishing workshops – Was it just me, or were there more workshops this year geared to the self-publishing option? They covered the gamut from why to how, and marketing if you do. 
Venue layout – For the most part, everything was on one level this year, as well as all in the same general area. No escalators or elevators to take. No guessing which floor a certain ballroom was on. Once I figured out Platinum was to the right, Grand and Marquis to the left, I was set to go.I have to give kudos to the Marriott for the bar layout. Lots of room for groups to spread out onto the patio or into the lobby. Again, not always the case.
Massage Station – Whether you took advantage of the massage station or not, the guys giving the massages were eye candy guaranteed to loosen you up!

Small Rooms – I figured out too late (entirely my fault for not reading the fine print) that our room that slept four was equipped with full-size beds. Seriously? I didn’t know there was a hotel on the planet that didn’t put at least Queen-size beds in their double rooms. Oh well, I could have forgiven them that since my bed-mate was skinny, but the room was tiny. Even without luggage for four, plus mountains of SWAG and books, we would have felt cramped. Note to self – read the fine print next year before deciding how many roomies to take on. Not that I regret spending time with my roomies. They were the best! If they weren’t, I probably would have killed them. That’s how cramped it was.
Temperature Control – It’s a common complaint. I almost froze to death in every workshop. I guess it beats the alternative, but still. I have to complain about something!
Clash of Events – I was really disappointed that the Passionate Ink party was at the exact same time as the Van Gogh Vodka event – the latter of which I signed up for in May. The PI party wasn’t announced until a few weeks before the conference. By then, I wasn’t inclined to change my plans (free event) for something I had to pay for.
Awards Ceremony – It seems I never know what to expect at one of these things. Food, no food. Food on the table or a buffet line afterwards. This year there was table seating with fresh fruit, cake pops and coffee. After much searching, self-serve water was found (because I don’t drink coffee). The fruit never made it my way – not that I really wanted it anyway. I passed on the white cake when it was revealed that it was cheesecake – which I don’t eat. I tried the chocolate cake pop instead, and washed all three bites down with my cup of water and wished I had a gallon more. Note to pastry chef – dipping one inch of a three-inch cake pop in frosting does not seal in moisture. If you want the whole thing wet, you have to dip the whole thing in. This goes for many things, not just cake pops. Add to that, fellow Los Angeles Romance Author, Robena Grant did not win a Golden Heart for her romantic suspense, Exposure. We still love you, Robena!
Elevators – Out of five elevators servicing the tower I was in, I only saw two at a time actually functioning, and it was never the same two, so you had to stay alert or you’d miss your chance. Did I mention that the elevator didn’t chime, nor did the arrows light up when it stopped on our floor? I’m sure the people in the rooms closest to them were grateful for this, but I was not.
Construction – I understand road improvements must be made sometime, but I am not inclined to cut the city of Anaheim any slack here. It’s summer. It’s tourist season. Construction goes on year around in SoCal, so couldn’t this have been done in the winter when the crowds are less? And in all fairness, I’m only picking on the city when perhaps I should be picking on someone else. I’m just not sure who else to blame, so they get all my animosity for this.
How about you? What would you give a thumbs up or a thumbs down?

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Perhaps he needs a bit of help finding his clothing?
Whatever this one needs, I'm offering...

Happy Manday!!

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Uhm...Rain dance, anyone?

Wet is good.

Happy Manday!

Here are six from Sweet Carolina. Caro Hawkins is trying to reason with her new driver, Dell Wayne. He isn't exactly cooperating with the program.
"What part of team sport do you not understand?""I understand what you're saying, but you have to understand too. I'll listen, but I'm the one driving the car. I'm the one who decides what risks to take. No one else."
Read an excerpt here.
Roz Lee's Website
Sweet Carolina is available from these retailers-AmazonBarnes & NobleSmashwordsKoboSonyAll Romance eBooks

Blurb -  A woman with a secret pastThirty-two year old Gina is forced to confront her fears when she attends a high school reunion. Born into a male body, she spent her childhood and teen years living as a boy, and she has only now returned in an effort to put the past behind her so she can begin to live life without the continuing fear of loneliness and rejection.A god of sexual desire on the edge of burnoutHimeros is one of the erotes, an aspect of Eros, and as such it is his duty to answer the call of sexual desire whenever a human needs him. But he has been living among humans too long and his energy has waned. When he decides to accept one last call he finds a woman who is unique. A woman who answers his own call and offers everything he desires. A woman who understands the whole human experience, from every perspective. Has he finally found the one with whom even a god of desire could find fulfilment? Forever, after all, is a long time to be alone.

My Review -  Greek Gods aren’t ancient history in the Gods of Love series from Jennifer Lynne. Once again, the gods are alive and well, and looking out for mortals who need their help. In this second installment, sexy Himeros comes to the rescue of Gina, a transsexual who has done something we can all relate to – gone to her high school reunion. Only there’s much more at stake for Gina. It’s the first time her former classmates have seen her as a woman. Goaded by her old nemesis, she blurts out an impressive lie – that she’s attending with her fiancé. Enter Himeros – the Greek God every woman wishes she could take to her class reunion. I didn’t know gods suffered from workplace burnout, but apparently, they do. Himeros is prepared to do his job, but he’s tired of eons of helping mortals in need of sexual gratification without benefit of an emotional connection. Having heard her silent call for help, Himeros swoops in, puts Gina’s nosy, judgmental classmates in their place, and whisks Gina upstairs for some heavenly sex. I can tell you, none of my class reunions turned out like this!I admit that I have no basis to relate to what Gina has gone through, first as Gerry – physically male but knowing in his heart that it was wrong – now living inside her newly created female body. She has all the right parts now, but the desire to use them has been clouded with fear of rejection, so much so, it’s been eight years since she’s been with anyone. What I can relate to is the way Himeros seduces Gina. Holy smoley. Heck yeah. What woman wouldn’t give in to his sexy body and smoldering words? His mission is to sort of – awaken the dead, and I can tell you, Himeros is up to the task! The sex scenes are beautifully crafted, and even though Gina can’t help but remember what it was like to be Gerry it didn’t take me out of the moment. Remember our hero Himeros is in need of a wake-up call of his own, and Gina, it turns out is just the one to give it to him. Because Gina has been there, she’s able to see past his god-like body and sexual prowess to the loneliness he hides from others.Aphrodite Calling is a beautiful story about two lost souls who find each other. It could have been simply a story about a transsexual and a Greek God, but it’s so much more. Ms. Lynne is a wonderfully talented storyteller. Her characters, both god and mortal, are well crafted and believable and the naughty scenes are hot, hot, hot!I give this wonderful story 5 stars, and unequivocally state – I can’t wait for the next installment. How many erotes were there??
Read an excerpt here (author's website)
APHRODITE CALLING is available from these retailers - 
AmazonBarnes & NobleAll Romance eBooksSmashwords

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I tried to settle on just one. Really.I did.*sigh*


Happy Manday!

When playing by the rules means stepping over the line…


Sometimes starting over means trying out assault and battery, especially when the object d’ violence is a cheating husband caught in the act. Restraining orders aside, safety comes in numbers and having certain … standards.

For Jessamine chaos and capitulation are facts of life. Giving up dreams to service her husband’s ambitions and enabling the same blind submission in her own daughter ends abruptly, leaving her rootless, homeless and destitute. 

For some people, it is the kindness of strangers who make the difference but for Jes it is the unlikely alliance of the mother-in-law-from-hell, a devastatingly handsome basketball coach and a phalanx of determined team members who convince a woman of a certain age that beginning again doesn’t mean giving up or giving in.

The only problem is … there’s that pesky 90 day rule.
Review-Who says love and romance is only for the twenty-something crowd? I’m a firm believer that there’s no expiration date on a woman’s heart, and THE 90 DAY RULE by Diane Nelson proves the point.
Jes’s story is one far too many women have lived. At an early age, her dreams fell under the bus that was her husband’s career, relegating her to the subservient role of token wife in charge of nothing but raising the perfect child and projecting the image of the perfect family. It’s all about keeping up images, until she catches her philandering husband in bed with a woman/girl young enough to be his daughter.
Fresh out of options, Jes is sleeping on the sofa in her daughter’s college digs while she tries to knit together a new life with tattered threads from the old one. Help comes from an unexpected source, but like most gifts, it comes with strings attached – play the devoted wife for ninety days, long enough to get her husband re-elected, in exchange for a quick divorce complete with a financial settlement that will allow her to resuscitate her dreams.
This is a wonderfully refreshing read jam-packed with real emotion and realistic conflict. As a reader well past the twenty-something mark, I appreciate a mature heroine with mature issues. Can she pick up where she left off all those years ago? Are the dreams of her youth no longer attainable or realistic at her age? What, exactly, does she have to offer the world? What is she to do with unexpected desire, and the important question in any romance, can she dare to love again?
I loved Jes’s journey from lost and broken to grounded and strong. The transformation isn’t easy, but real life rarely is. THE 90 DAY RULE is honest, and real, and fabulous, as well as refreshing, bold, and well written with layers upon layers to make a reader think along the way. I give it five stars for originality in a genre that too often takes the freeway when a side road might be more interesting.
Purchase THE 90 DAY RULE here.Diane Nelson's Website

I'm so happy to welcome Roni Loren to my blog today to talk about breaking rules, and her new book -  MELT INTO YOU.

Her first love has returned, and he's brought a friend...After running away from home and the boy who broke her heart, Evan Kennedy has kick-started the perfect new life with her celebrity fiancé. So what if said fiancé prefers guys? She knew the deal. And with her ticket to The Ranch, an exclusive resort where any fantasy can be satisfied, she knows she can find someone to fulfill her less-than-traditional desires on the side.She just never expected that man to be Jace Austin, her old heart-breaker—all grown up, hard-bodied, and holding out a collar. She knows it’s probably a world-class bad idea—especially since Jace has brought along his buddy Andre, who’s every bit as irresistible. But if they can stick to the no-strings rules, so can she.Too bad Jace has never been so good with rules. Evan is convinced “forever” is a word used only in greeting cards, but Jace and Andre have one last fantasy of hers left to fulfill. It’s time to go big or go home. And neither man has ever been a fan of going home.**************************************On Rules and Rule Breakers
First, thanks so much for having me here on the blog! Roz pointed out to me that many of my stories tend to have rule breakers in them and wanted me to talk about that a bit. What’s funny is that before she said anything, I’d never really thought of it that way. But looking at everything I’ve written, it seems to be true, lol. Apparently, I love a rebel.
Part of it is because I write BDSM romance and just having characters in that lifestyle in general requires rule-breaking personalities. It’s not exactly socially acceptable to want to tie up and whip your lover. But the other reason is--what is interesting about someone who always follows the rules and the prescribed path? (Although I’m currently writing a book that is going to play with that idea because I have a pretty straight and narrow hero--an anomoly for me, lol.) I want people who haven’t been sheep in their lives, people who aren't afraid to forge their own path and do their own thing.
And in MELT INTO YOU, I have taken that rule-breaking concept even further than I have in the past. Jace, the main hero, has never met a rule he didn’t want to break. He’s the black sheep of his family and pretty much gives the finger to anyone who tries to control him or label him. Of course, underneath his rebellious bad boy self, he’s got a soft, vulnerable side. But you’ll have to read the book to find out what really keeps Jace up at night.
Then I have Evan, the heroine, who has lived on the streets, been through hell, and is now marrying her gay best friend on purpose, even though he’s in love with someone else. She’s definitely walking her own road.
And finally, there’s Andre--Jace’s roommate, a dominant, and a cop. A cop who happens to like sharing women with his best friend and may possibly be in love with his aforementioned best buddy.
None of my characters have ever felt like they fit in with the rest of the world...and they don’t really want to. I think that’s what appeals to me most about rule-breakers. It takes a certain confidence to not want to be like everyone else. Plus, I come from a family of do-your-own-thing-and-who-cares-what-others-think people, so it may be in my blood, lol.
These characters sound wonderful, Roni. I do love people who color outside the lines! 
******************************************* Here's an excerpt from MELT INTO YOU.
“Stop fighting or you’re going to drown us both.” The rumbling male voice came from behind her, and the grip on her arms tightened. “We’ve got to get out of the undertow.”
Her heart jumped into her throat, but she forced herself to stop struggling so the stranger could help. His breath was warm on her neck as he pulled them both backward, but he didn’t say another word. The water seemed to be fighting their progress, and the man adjusted his hold until he had his arms hooked beneath her armpits. She wanted to tell him to let her go, that she knew how to swim, but her thigh was burning like a swarm of wasps had attacked it and her head was spinning again.
A few hard-fought minutes later, packed sand scraped against her heels, and she sucked in a deep sigh of relief. The man dragged her another few feet until they reached dry land, then set her down and kneeled next to her.
“Are you okay?” he asked, his broad chest heaving beneath his soaked T-shirt.
She lifted her gaze to the concerned eyes staring down at her, an odd sense of déjà vu washing over her. “I, uh . . .”
“I heard you scream. Are you hurt?” He touched the side of her head, evaluating her.
She wet her lips. “My leg . . . Something stung me . . . I lost my balance.”
He glanced down the length of her—the mostly naked length of her. Shit. She shot up into a sitting position and scooted backward, but his hand locked over her knee as he stared down at her upper thigh, which was still burning like she’d roasted it over an open fire.
“Damn, it got you good.”
“What are you talking about?” She tried to jerk her leg from beneath his grip, but he held her firm as he examined her.
“Jellyfish,” he said, frowning at her. “Your whole thigh is striped. That must hurt like a sonofabitch.”
She stared down at the red tentacle-shaped lines around her thigh. “Well, it doesn’t feel awesome.”
He chuckled, the rich sound seeming to vibrate from deep within his chest, and something stirred in the back of her brain. He climbed to his feet. “Here, let me help.”
“Don’t you dare pee on me,” she said, the words slipping out before she could rethink them.
He tilted his head back in a full laugh this time, the sound echoing down the beach.
She cringed. “I’m sorry, I—”
He raised a hand, his eyes still lit with humor. “Don’t worry. The urine thing is just an urban myth. And I’m definitely not going to ruin my ‘just saved pretty girl from drowning’ hero status by taking a leak on you. I’m not that stupid.”
She couldn’t help but smile. “Oh, a hero, huh? So this is all a big pick-up routine? Find drowning girls and ride in on your white horse?”
“Absolutely.” He grabbed the hem of his T-shirt and pulled it off, revealing miles of taut skin, sinewy muscle, and tribal-style ink running across his shoulder and down one arm, rendering her momentarily speechless. Water dripped off his soaked hair—which looked to be blond, though it was hard to tell in the moonlight—and slipped down his now bare chest. Her gaze locked on the tiny droplets, tracking their path down to the band of his shorts until they disappeared. Oh, blessed Lord.
He cleared his throat, no doubt catching her in her perusal, and squatted next to her. His hand slipped under her knee. “Here, seawater actually helps the sting. Let me wrap this around your leg, and then we can go to my room. We’ll get you feeling better.”
She cocked an eyebrow at him. “Oh, really. Might want to tap the brakes there, Rico Suave. Despite my state of undress, I don’t just go to strangers’ hotel rooms. I’m not quite that easy.”
Dimples appeared as he fought a smile. “Oh, not quite that easy, but easy. Duly noted.”
Here's where you can get MELT INTO YOU.
Amazon  (ebook) Amazon (print) Barnes & Noble

***************************************
Meet Roni 
Roni wrote her first romance novel at age fifteen when she discovered writing about boys was way easier than actually talking to them. Since then, her flirting skills haven’t improved, but she likes to think her storytelling ability has. Though she’ll forever be a New Orleans girl at heart, she now lives in Dallas with her husband and son. If she’s not working on her latest sexy story, you can find her reading, watching reality television, or indulging in her unhealthy addiction to rockstars, er, rock concerts. Yeah, that's it. She is the author of The Loving on the Edge series from Berkley Heat.
Website: www.roniloren.com Twitter: www.twitter.com/ronilorenFacebook: www.facebook.com/ronilorenGoodreads: www.goodreads.com/roniloren

**********************************************************Roni will award an eBook copy of "Still Into You" to one randomly drawn commenter at every stop and a Book Grab Bag - Autographed copy of CRASH INTO YOU along with these books: Raziel by Kristina Douglas, Blood Stains by Sharon Sala, The Summer Garden by Paullina Simons, and Deadly Valentine by Justine Davis and Cindy Dees to one randomly drawn commenter during the tour (US/Canada only). 
Wow! Those are some great prizes!!! Leave a comment below to enter your name in the drawing, then click here to continue on the tour!
What do you think about rule breakers? Who is your favorite rule-breaking hero or heroine? 

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Welcome!!Meet my favorite Military types - Sean Callahan and Drew Whitcomb
Sean's Army - 
and
Drew's Navy -
Spend some time with Sean and Drew in - Love Me Twice - book 3 in the Lothario series.

Sean Callahan came aboard the Lothario to do his brother Ryan a favor, and ended up the man in charge when both Ryan and Richard left the ship with the women they love. The last thing he needs is a complication, and Celeste is definitely a complication. Once upon a time Celeste had been part of his team as well as his lover, but after a disaster of a mission, and the realization that the other member of his team, Drew was in love with her too, she'd disappeared. Now she’s back, and it’s high time she choose.Some women have all the luck. Celeste just isn't one of them. All the luck she seems to have is the bad kind. How else can you explain ending up on a ship with the two men she's tried to forget for the last five years? Even worse, not a thing has changed. She still loves them both. Leaving them behind only postponed the decision she knows she has to make, and they aren’t helping any. In fact, they’re both doing everything they can to convince her to choose them. But, Celeste isn’t choosing anyone until she understands how their ménage a trios turned into a ménage gone wrong.
Excerpt - “You and your associate can relax and enjoy your vacation, courtesy of Uncle Sam. Drew and I will take care of this.”At the sound of Sean’s voice, she turned to face him. She knew as soon as he said he was in charge that he meant it literally. “What exactly do you mean by that? If you think I’m going to buy into the theme of this ship while you do your spook thing, you have another think coming.” She wasn’t ready to relinquish her duties to a couple of former spooks, even if they were more than that to her.Sean’s eyes darted to Drew again, and then came to rest on her. Premonition tingled along her nape and shivered down her spine. They were up to something, and she’d bet her best vibrator, the lifelike one that reminded her of Sean, that she wasn’t going to like it. She was right.“You owe us a decision.”Just like that, the conversation shifted from business to personal. “You just heard my decision.” She made one last attempt to grab the wheel and regain control before the mutiny was successful.“Don’t act as if you don’t understand, Celeste. The business decision has been made. Drew is in charge of security. The decision we want is a personal one.”Querido Dios. Her heart lurched and sank to her toes like an anchor. Five years ago, he’d asked for a decision, the same one she was sure he was going to demand now. She made the only decision possible then, she’d run away. Apparently, all she’d done was postpone the inevitable.“You can’t be serious.” The words were barely a whisper.“He is.” Drew’s soft voice came from a spot not a foot behind her. He’d moved without her noticing. Both of them were capable of moving like ghosts, hardly disturbing the air around them. For a spy it was a good trait, but in a civilian, it was unnerving.“Don’t get in a snit. You don’t have to decide today.” Sean said it as if it was perfectly logical, when they all knew there was nothing logical about this.“Well, that’s good.” Stall. Her mind whirled with possible escape scenarios. Short of jumping ship though, she couldn’t come up with a single one.“You ran away five years ago so you wouldn’t have to decide between us. The way we figure it, you have a whole week, well six days if you don’t count the day we dock. We’re reasonable men. We know you need current information in order to make a decision, so this is what we’re going to do.”Celeste folded her arms across her chest and locked her knees. As long as the ship didn’t make any sudden moves, she might remain upright. Sean’s face gave away none of the emotion she knew lurked beneath the surface. She’d hurt him when she left without explanation. He didn’t have to tell her that.“You get to spend two days with each of us, alternating. We’ll toss a coin to see who goes first. That’s only fair, don’t you think?”She couldn’t think. Too much information. Too many feelings. Too many memories. Too many needs. She hovered on the edge of something. Something dangerous…and seductive.“Uh.”“Good, you agree.”“Wait!” She found her voice, and a small portion of her brain began to function. “That’s only four days. What about the other two days?” She couldn’t believe she asked that when she should have been raging at the two of them for their macho, high-handed, lunatic plan.“The fifth day is shore day. We’ll spend it together, the three of us.”Her mind and body flashed to another time they’d spent together. They’d believed it was the end, but it had turned out only to be the beginning, of the end. The end had been a long time coming, but she could see it clearly now, six days away.“On the sixth day, we expect you to choose. Neither one of us is willing to let you walk out of our lives again.”Her knees shook, and her hands were clammy. “What if I don’t want either one of you? It’s been five years. Maybe my feelings have changed.” Like hell, they have.“They haven’t.” Drew’s breath fanned across her nape. When had he gotten that close? Damn. This wasn’t good. Not good at all.“You want one of us, or both, right now.” Sean had always been observant, and blunt. “I can see it in your eyes.” He inhaled deeply. “Your body betrays you.”Merde.“Let’s flip a coin and see who gets her first.” Drew stepped between her and Sean. He pulled a coin from his pocket and turned it so she could see it had two distinct sides. Neither one of them were cheaters. Small consolation.“Heads, I get her. Tails, you do.”Sean nodded his agreement. Drew flipped the coin in the air and caught it as it spun downward on its invisible axis.Celeste watched in fascinated horror as the two men she loved flipped a coin for her as if she was a carnival prize. Drew’s hand closed over the coin, and she jumped as he slapped it on the back of his outstretched arm. It was like watching a train wreck in slow motion. One by one, Drew peeled his fingers away. Then he lifted his hand to reveal the coin, gleaming silver against his sun-bronzed skin. Sean sat forward, and Drew leaned toward him. Drew scowled.Sean grinned.It took less than a few seconds, but it seemed her life passed before her eyes. God help her. They were right. She did want this.
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