Thursday, October 27, 2016

M. Skye and Jenika Snow Two Halves Of The Same Delicious Coin

My life is still in hectic mode! Just bought a new house, so I've been packing and moving for the second time, but hopefully the last time. The process is a BEAR! But during that time I did manage to get some reading in.

The time that I did find to read I chose to spend my time with M. Skye and Jenika Snow. These two ladies are both home run hitters in the world of erotica/romance writing, but they each have a different style that will be sure to cure what ever is ailing you. Sometimes you want it slow and languid with an intense build, sometimes you want it quick, hot, and dirty. That's what these ladies will give you.

First let's start with slow, languid, and intense, that would be M.Skye. I read From Main Chick to Mistress. I don't do spoilers, but I will tell you that in true M. Skye form this is a full length read. The story is on point! I can tell you this, it's a fully flushed out story with characters that you will fall in love with and root for. There is loads of hot and steamy Good Good, as well a several plot twists that honestly, you just won't see coming.

After her husband of fifteen years dumped her, Elizabeth Pearson decided the best revenge would be to become the very thing she despised most a mistress…

Embarking on a racy affair with her ex-husband, Cedric, Liz gets the best of both worlds, while sticking it to him and his new bride, Felicia. Having the most fun and the best sex life she has ever had, Elizabeth soon discovers divorce may have been the best thing that ever happened to her.

With new players in the mix, and love and money on the line, Elizabeth has to decide if she wants Cedric, or if he’s just a loose end to tie in her quest for revenge.

I also recommend A Kiss Before Lying 1 and 2.

Dear M. Skye, I really, REALLY hope that there will be some sort of sequel or follow-up to this book! Loved it!





Tuesday, August 30, 2016

Spending A Little Time With Dianne Duvall's Immortal Guardians

There's no better feeling than stumbling across you next great read, unless it's the joy of finding out that it's only book one on in a series of 10!! I am still doing my happy dance!! My state of euphoria is the direct result of finishing book one in Dianne Duvall's book one in the Immortal Guardians series, Darkness Dawns. The last paranormal action/romance series that grabbed my attention like this, was the Black Dagger Brotherhood  by J.R. Ward.

Darkness Dawns has everything that you could want in a paranormal series, plenty of action, hot immortals, and plenty of steamy Good Good! But the foundations for all of that deliciously decadent icing is a solid story.

There are a few reasons that people choose to read romance. There are those that only want the sexual aspect of the writing, which is fine, but then there are those that enjoy the finished product of  carefully developed writing craft, THAT is what a real die hard romance reader wants. THAT is what makes Dianne's writing special, and THAT is what makes me want to sink my teeth into the next in the series.

Book one, Darkness Dawns, sets the stage for all stories that will come here after.

"Once, Sarah Bingham’s biggest challenge was making her students pay attention in class. Now, after rescuing a wounded stranger, she’s landed in the middle of a battle between corrupt vampires and powerful immortals who also need blood to survive. Roland Warbrook is the most compelling man Sarah has ever laid hands on. But his desire for her is mingled with a hunger he can barely control . . .

In his nine centuries of immortal existence, no woman has tempted Roland as much as Sarah. But asking her to love him is impossible -- when it mean forfeiting the world she’s always known, and the life he would do anything to protect." Dianne Duvall

I am looking forward to continuing on my journey with these beautiful Immortal Guardians.

Also! Dianne has a new book about to drop! Rendezvous With Yesterday from the Gifted Ones Series (Book 2). It's available for pre-order on Amazon.


"Modern-day bounty hunter Bethany Bennett helps her brother track two fugitives to a forest outside of Houston, Texas. But what should have been a routine apprehension of two bail skippers spirals out of control and ends in violence. After Beth and her brother are both seriously injured, a mysterious figure suddenly looms over her. And, when the smoke clears, Beth finds herself not only in another place, but in another time.

As Lord Robert, Earl of Fosterly, attempts to identify and track down the nameless enemy who has been plaguing his lands and people with violence, the most peculiar woman stumbles into his path. Small, vulnerable, yet possessed of a bold, fiery spirit and wicked sense of humor, she persists in dubbing Robert and his men members of something called a medieval reenactment group . . . until she sees his castle and labels herself mad. It seems bounty hunter Bethany Bennett has come to him from the future, bringing with her laughter and chaos, swiftly winning the hearts of his people and inspiring within him a love he thought he would never experience again. But when Robert discovers a way for her to return to her time, will the love they share be enough to keep them together?"

Much Love,

Pandora



Dianne Duvall is the New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author of the Immortal Guardians paranormal romance series and The Gifted Ones series. Her books have twice been nominated for RT Reviewers' Choice Awards and are routinely deemed Top Picks by RT Book Reviews, The Romance Reviews, and/or Night Owl Reviews. Reviewers have called Dianne's books "fast-paced and humorous" (Publishers Weekly), "utterly addictive" (RT Book Reviews), "extraordinary" (Long and Short Reviews), and "wonderfully imaginative" (The Romance Reviews).

Dianne's books have all appeared on the New York Times, USA Today, and/or Amazon Bestseller lists. The first book in Dianne's new series The Gifted Ones, A Sorceress of His Own, was released on June 2, 2015. A prequel of sorts to Darkness Dawns. A Sorceress of His Own is a medieval romance with paranormal elements that won awards in the Lone Star, Where the Magic Begins, Southern Heat, Picture This, Book of Your Heart and Suzannah national writing competitions. The second book in the series, Rendezvous With Yesterday, will be released in 2016 and is a time travel romance.

In addition to writing romance, Dianne has completed a one-act play (comedy) and teamed up with an award-winning screenwriter to write a spec script for a new situation comedy. Several of her poems have also been published in anthologies.

When she isn’t writing, Dianne is very active in the independent film industry and has even appeared on-screen, crawling out of a moonlit grave and wielding a machete like some of the vampires she loves to create in her books.

Thursday, August 18, 2016

Five Stars for Linden Hughes' A Taste Of Lacey

Books, books, and more books! I honestly don't think that a person can have too many books or for that matter, read too much. This leads me to share with you one of the aides in my guilty pleasure, my Kindle "Wish List". There are currently 85 titles waiting in queue (cue). it seems that as fast as I read them I'm adding more on! One day I'll get through the entire list I promise (fingers crossed behind my back).

Anyhoo! One of the titles on my list was a book called Taste of Lacey, by Linden Hughes. I had never heard of her, but the title had come up in a search and the cover looked really, really good! I mean look at it! The picture is actually taken of the two models together, not two separate people photo shopped together. Now please don't get me wrong, photo shop has it's place, and it's produced some killer book covers, but there's nothing like looking at two people that actually are together and look like they're into each other.

I was not disappointed. A Taste of Lacey is a beautiful story of childhood friends turned adult, who suddenly find themselves looking at one another differently. There's plenty steamy Good Good, but there's also enough angst to keep you biting your fingernails wondering if they'll actually get to their happily ever after.

The story of friends turned lovers isn't a new premise, but Linden has given a fresh spin on the idea. You will fall in as much love with Lacey and Ryan as I did. Kudos to you Linden Hughes!

As far as I could tell this is Linden's first work, but I'll be keeping my eyes open for more from her. Do yourself a favor and add this to your Wish List, just don't let it stay on there too long *wink*.

Much Love,

Pandora

Purchase from Loose-Id
Purchase at Amazon.com

Excerpt:

It was over! The fund-raiser dinner for the mayor of Atlanta and five hundred of his closest contributors ended without a drop of tea spilled or a single cold-food complaint. Not bad for a twenty-nine-year-old black female, and she was just getting started. 

The top item on Lacey Bishop’s “things to do before turning thirty” list was to have her own business. A year ago, she’d opened the Seasoned Thymes Catering and given her mother heart palpitations at the same time. “Why, pray tell, would you snub a job at the realty office or at your father’s construction company in favor of menial labor? And why do you always have to go against the grain?” 

Despite her mother’s accusations and loud, headache-inducing objections, Lacey’s parents wrote a fat check, giving the Thymes a much-needed capital injection. Her mother even brokered a deal for Lacey to purchase three adjoining buildings in a growing area for less than a song. After a quick rehab of the neglected properties, the Thymes began operations in the middle unit. Lacey liked to think the investment was a sign of unwavering support, but she knew better. More than likely, the cash was a bandage to minimize the bleed of potential embarrassment to her mother. It wouldn’t do for Lena Bishop’s daughter to operate in a low-rent area and be a “glorified cook.” 

The words--spouted in anger by her mother and later recanted--were forgiven but not forgotten. In fact, they served as Lacey’s motivation to become the caterer to Atlanta’s elite. To date, accomplishments toward her dream could fit on a dime, but tonight’s event and picking up five more contracts hadn’t hurt. Too bad her love life wasn’t coming together as well. A man was the least of her concerns anyway. As soon as she became a catering mogul, she’d put “have a successful relationship” on her to-do list. That would make her mother happy. Maybe. 

A janitorial service had handled the majority of the postevent cleaning, but family and friends also pitched in so Lacey could tie up loose ends and at least try to leave before dawn. As expected, her sister, Lisa, cut out before dessert, but the antics of that drama queen weren’t enough to dampen Lacey’s spirits. 

As soon as Troy, the head chef, finished loading supplies onto the company van, she’d collect the payment, and they could leave. With the exception of a couple of security guards and the mayor’s assistant, everybody else was gone already. Lacey didn’t mind; she needed the solitude to help her absorb the enormity of the night’s event. Even her parents and brother left, but only after Lacey had threatened them with bodily harm. Lacey shook her head and smiled. Oh, the irony. After giving Lacey pure hell for once again being the “family traitor,” her mother frequented the Thymes gigs like a groupie, often dragging her father along. 

Tonight was the gig that counted, though. 

Her savvy marketing skills and an impressive culinary degree had put Lacey’s foot in the door to bid on the contract for the mayor’s dinner; her outright refusal to cut corners had made her a contender. She’d gone up against quite a few experienced, well-established caterers, but their mistake was promising and delivering cheap. Anyone wanting cheap need not look Lacey Bishop’s way--a philosophy she’d embraced long before opening the Thymes. She realized watered-down, tasteless food would do nothing to spark donors’ generosity, which was the main goal. Plus, the seafood gumbo and smoked salmon at the tasting had caused the mayor’s rotund assistant to smack his lips and moan out loud. Thank goodness the mayor’s office chose quantity and quality--and awarded the job to the new kid who happened to be the highest bidder. Now he was about to fork over a pretty penny for a fabulous Thymes experience. Yes. 

Lacey wasn’t normally a very demonstrative person, but a loud, rambunctious scream was close to her vocal chords, rearing like an Olympic sprinter to break free. She’d pulled off an event for the mayor of one of the largest cities in America! Restraining the fist pump also threatening to escape, she calmly headed in search of the mayor’s assistant when the lobby doors swung open. Expecting Mr. Hubbard, she couldn’t hide her surprise when Ryder McKay, or Rye, her brother’s best friend, strolled in. Rye, his parents, and several neighbors from their old subdivision had attended the dinner in support of the Thymes. To say she was humbled would be an understatement. 

“What are you still doing here?” she asked, smiling. 

He gave a lopsided grin and ran his hand over his thick, close-cut blond hair. “I was out back helping Troy arrange your fancy catering apparatuses in the van.” 

“Rye! When I invited you, I had no intention of putting you to work, and not on a dirty job like handling chafing dishes.” It was enough he’d come at all, considering he was constantly on the go with his demanding job. 

“It’s no big deal. I even washed my hands afterward like Emily Ann taught me,” he said, referring to his mother. He held his palms up and wiggled his long fingers for inspection. “Plus I’m your ride home. Let’s go.” 

“Whoa. What?” She frowned so hard her eyes squinted. “Troy’s supposed to be dropping me off.” 

“He was, but that van is packed tighter than a can of sardines. I told him I’d take you.” 

The smile making its way to her lips froze. Hands on her hips, she pinned him with her gaze. “Wait just one darned minute, McKay. Is the top up?” 

His knowing grin put his even white teeth on display. “It is now.” 

“Good,” she said, her mirth not far from the surface. “It’s nice to know you listened the few hundred times I told you no black woman really wants the wind blowing through her hair, especially if she just got it done. I don’t care if you have the biggest and best vehicle ever made. It’s still a convertible.” 

“I think the many times you refused to ride with me over the years were lesson enough,” he said with a wry twist of his full lips. 

She laughed. He was absolutely right. “You know what? I don’t care what Kyle says; you’re all right with me. How’d you manage to get separated from him and a night on the town anyway?” 

Rye lifted one lean shoulder. “I wasn’t up for it after just getting in this afternoon and having to leave again tomorrow. I told him I’d stick around and make sure you were all right, so he let me off the hook.” 

She leaned closer to him, noticing the lines bracketing his mouth and his tired-looking eyes. She felt guilty because instead of resting, he was stuck helping her. “I appreciate it.” 

“Hey, the gumbo alone was worth the trip.” 

“Yeah, yeah, I know. It’s all about the food.” When they’d both still lived at home with their parents, if she was experimenting in the kitchen, he seemed to appear out of nowhere to be a taste tester. She hoped he knew how valuable his input was. 

Mr. Hubbard entered through the double doors with a big grin on his face. “Miss Bishop, everything was wonderful! The service was impeccable, and the food was divine.” 

“Thank you. It was our pleasure.” 

“The balance due on the contract,” he said, handing her an envelope. “The mayor was so pleased he included a nice bonus. You’ll hear from us again for sure.” 

She clutched the envelope and didn’t move an inch until Mr. Hubbard was out of sight. As soon as the doors to the outside of the building closed, she took a quick peek at the check. It had lots of zeroes, and it was made out to her company. Actually, as the company’s operator and sole stockholder, it was hers, but she wouldn’t split hairs. Her hardworking staff deserved much of the credit, and nothing would have been accomplished without them. She’d been paid for a real job not at cost or a freebie to get her name out. Her smile was so wide she was sure her tonsils showed. She started jumping up and down, stilettos and all, shrieking like she’d just won the lottery. Every emotion she’d been holding back came out in full force. 

“We got paid!” 

She grabbed Rye’s neck and planted a loud kiss on his whiskered cheek, but lost her balance on the way down. Instinctively, she circled her arms around his neck and clamped her legs around his waist to keep from falling. Rye’s grip on the fleshiest part of her behind held her in place. 

The first thing she noticed was how solid his body was. His shoulders were packed tighter than granite, and it didn’t stop there. From where her chest melded to his, down to the ominous area around his lean hips, he was chiseled muscle. Like she was touching a steel beam under the Atlanta sun, his heat permeated her very bones. 

Bit by bit, her laughter faltered and then faded away. Her gaze collided with his, and arousal rushed through her. Over the years she and Rye had exchanged friendly hugs or pecks on the cheek, but they’d never been quite this cozy. They fit like a train to a track. 

She looked on, amazed, as his cornflower-blue eyes darkened to a warm indigo. The phenomenon sent electric jolts of desire to her center. Had his mesmerizing orbs always looked like ten layers of cloudless sky? She couldn’t be certain; her brain was scrambled from the sensation of his substantial manhood pressing into her center. Instead of alarming her, the first contact with his erection made her pulse hammer. And her panties wet. 

What? 

Yes, she was on a natural high after the success of the dinner, but surely she wasn’t hallucinating. 

Was she really in Ryder McKay’s arms, and was he really kneading her behind like it belonged to him? At this moment he wasn’t Kyle’s best friend but a tall, hard man she desperately wanted. 

Rye lowered his head, and she allowed her eyes to drift closed. The first touch of his lips against hers was gentle and fleeting, like the brush of a cloud. Her lips parted, and he deepened their connection, flicking his tongue into her mouth to tangle boldly with hers. Damn, he could kiss. And he tasted so good, minty and sweet at the same time. All of a sudden, her breasts grew heavy, and her nipples hardened as if begging for his attention. Her mind struggled to dismantle the reasoning behind her visceral response, but Rye spread her ass cheeks, and all thought ceased. An insistent heat she hadn’t felt in years rushed to her vagina, and she gasped at the pleasurable burn. 

An acute sense of loss took her by surprise when he broke their connection. Excitement replaced disappointment, though, when he nibbled a trail down her neck toward her bosom. The closer he got to her rigid buds, the more they tightened, beckoning him. He answered, pushing her sturdy cotton bra beneath one needy globe and then lowering his head. 

“Rye,” she moaned, almost in a panic. At first she was scared he would suck on her trembling mound. Then she was afraid he wouldn’t. When he did, the need generated by his seesawing jaw was so powerful and wicked it made her pussy throb. 

Oh goodness. She’d referred to her female bits as her pussy, a word she’d always found utterly distasteful. Under the current circumstances, it fit. No nice, genteel expression could describe the plump, dewy flesh Rye had awakened. Tightening her legs around his lean waist, she rotated against his hardness. They were in the middle of a huge dining area at a public convention center where security could come along at any time, but there she was, grinding on him like a nympho. 

“Damn, Lacey. Where the fuck you been hiding all this fire?” Rye whispered roughly. 

In slow increments, she slid down his muscular body to stand on legs that had the fortitude of cotton balls. She was dazed and confused. One minute she was celebrating a major milestone for her company; the next she was on the verge of begging Ryder McKay to make her come. He was her brother’s best friend and their neighbor. When Kyle had broken his leg and couldn’t drive, it was Rye’s job to pick her up from school every afternoon for a month. This man was on her “family” Christmas list and was as familiar with the nooks and crannies of her parents’ home as she was, yet he’d turned her panties into a soaking mess. 

Her behavior was so out of character she didn’t know exactly how to react. Her normal practice was to write everything down, twist it, turn it, and evaluate it before taking the first step. Well, she didn’t feel that way tonight. She wanted Rye. Bad. 

According to her ex-fiancĂ©, she was “a cold bitch with a frozen pussy to match.” She’d believed him because he hadn’t done a thing to thaw her out. But as far as she could tell, her pussy worked just fine, because it was on fire for Rye. 

“I don’t know,” she finally answered. 

“This is what I know: I’m going to take you home, and either I can leave you there and we forget this ever happened, or,” he continued in a hard, menacing tone, “you’re going to invite me in, and we’re going to fuck until neither of us can walk.” 

At the possibility of him filling her with his hardness, she was no longer dazed or confused. She was hot as hell. Lacey Bishop, independent, logical black female, was about to fuck the white boy next door. She’d question her sanity later. 

“Yes,” she whispered. 

Although she was standing much taller than her normal five feet six in her high heels, he bent until his ear was close to her mouth. 

“Yes, what?” 

“Yes, I’m going to invite you in,” she said, her voice firm. 

“For what? I need the words, Lacey.” 

“Ryder Jackson McKay, I want you to take me home so we can fuck until neither of us can walk.” 

She strutted out of the building, check in hand. 

Copyright © Linden Hughes


Wednesday, August 17, 2016

Dear Romance Publishers, Please Stop Giving Readers The "Okie Doke"

Let me start this post by saying that when I first started blogging years ago, I made a promise to myself that I would do my best to only write on topics that I felt positively about. I never wanted to be the kind of blogger that was always spewing negativity. This has become even more important to me while writing book reviews; however, there's a trend that I I've noticed that I just can't ignore any longer. That would be the issue of false advertising in the interracial romance genre.

I've already discussed in previous articles that I am a HUGE fan of boxed sets. I have found more fantabulous authors and stories that I can shake a stick at through this medium; however, I've also noticed that there is more than a little false advertising with boxed sets.

First lets clarify what I expect from a genre search. When I tune up my trusty Kindle App and type BWWM in the search box I expect that all of the results will fall into this category. I have seen the occasion where BBW will also be included in the sear results and that's cool too as long as the leading ladies in these romances are women of color. Don't get me twisted, I am an equal opportunity steamy romance reader. I discriminate against no one, but, If I'm in the mood for something in particular I expect my search results to be accurate. I have also mentioned in previous articles how much the cover art plays an important role in my book selections. So it would stand to reason that If I do a BWWM search, I expect to see evidence of that on the cover.

So let me get back to this boxed set thing. recently I did a BWWM romance search on my app and a boxed set turned up,  (I'm not going to list the title because I don't want to get sued) any way The cover looked great gorgeous Sista with a serious dark haired hottie. Ok, I make my purchase and start reading....first book...as I go along a red flag goes up, no description of the lead female. There's no mention of her beautiful chocolate, cafe au lait, or even golden skin. Not even a side note about her hazel eyes (I have no idea why most Sista Gurls in romances have hazel or light eyes, they just do). I get to the end of the first book in the set and like I suspected the leading lady WAS NOT a BW, she was a BBW, but not a BW BBW. Ok....so I let that one slide.

So on to the second story. So how does it start? By straight off the top describing the leading lady as a petite, raven haired Caucasian curvy woman. All that's well and good, but that wasn't what I was looking for. At this point I just started paging through the stories realizing that story after story was anything but BWWM romance.

I'll be honest with you, I was straight fed-up! Like I said, this isn't the first time this has happened to me, but the sad part is that this won't be the last.  So for all of you publishers and marketing specialists, please stop giving readers the Okie Doke.

Give readers what they ask for. Tag your publications appropriately. You should want readers to be happy with their choices AND want to read more of the authors whose stories you included in your set.

Much Love,

Pandora

Friday, August 5, 2016

Renea Mason and Rebekah Weatherspoon Heating Up My Summer Reading List

First let me apologize for being gone for so long. I blame it on y pesky gall bladder that suddenly found itself in need of removal. You would have though that I would have had plenty of time to read and write, but actually I spent most of my time sleeping. The body just doesn't bounce back as quickly as it used to, old age, what a bummer. Anyway, when I was finally able to make my way back to my favorite past-time, steamy romances, I couldn't think of two better authors that I wanted to hop back on the train with than Renea Mason and Rebekah Weatherspoon.

Both Renea and Rebekah are celebrated Erotica Romance Authors in her own right. Rene Mason is a  Audie Award Winner for Curing Dr. Vincent, and Rebekah Mason's novella FIT (#1 in the FIT Trilogy) won the Romantic Times Book Reviews Reviewers’ Choice Award for Best Erotica Novella and most recently SATED (#3 in the FIT Trilogy) was nominated for the the Romantic Times Book Reviews Reviewers’ Choice Award for Best Digital Erotic Romance. With that being said, the least of your worries is if you will enjoy their work.


The first book on my list was Loving Dr. Vincent, book three in the Good Doctor Series (Renea, if you happen to read this, I REALLY think there's room there for a book four!) Anyhoo, Not only is this one of the best series that I've ever read, it's a perfect example of
excellent story and steamy menage good good that will have your toes curling and your forehead breaking out into and sweat and your lady parts trying to evolve into a sentient being!

Loving Dr. Vincent brings all of the characters full circle and the main story to a well thought out and developed conclusion.

Excerpt

"Elaine Watkins, Public Relations Advisor, is surprised when she receives a summons from the very attractive and enigmatic Dr. Xavier Vincent. She worships the talented physician and company icon responsible for developing the cure that saved her sister’s life and isn’t immune to his charm. Even though puzzled by his request, she is excited and eager to get started on his latest project.

But Dr. Vincent has other ideas. Instead of discussing cures, drugs and marketing strategies, he asks Elaine to join him in Paris to indulge his unique sexual appetites.

Torn between gratitude for saving her sister, her attraction for the powerful man and compromising her pre-conceived notions of sexuality, she must decide if it’s easier to feed his desires or walk away. Until she devises a plan of her own.

“Make no mistake, Elaine, I am a king. Kings command and conquer. They are brutal and uncompromising. You don’t want a king. Face it, you came here expecting a saint.” 
– Dr. Xavier Vincent"

From the first word of the first book to the final word of the last chapter, Renea will keep you enthralled. I look forward to keeping up with her.


Please check out her work on her website Renea Mason, Love Undefined. You can also follow her on Twitter, Google+, and Instagram.


Now! On to my beloved Sister Gurl, Rebekah Weatherspoon! This is the second installment in her Sugar Baby Novella Series. There are certain literary flavors that I've come to expect from Rebekah and So Right, does not disappoint.

Rebekah has, in my opinion  very unique talent of finding the perfect  balance of steamy, curl your toes Good Good, and humor that any reader will find genuine and refreshing. I also HIGHLY recommend her Fit Series, which is another one of my personal favorites.

Excerpt

First comes love. Then comes…the most ill timed proposal in history?

Kayla Davis never dreamt she’d meet sexy, considerate, and seriously sweet Internet billionaire, Michael Bradbury, but ten months after Michael went from Sugar Daddy to for real boyfriend she can’t imagine spending another day without him. Cohabitation is totally working—throw in a puppy or two and Kayla has her happily ever after wrapped up in a perfect little bow.

Until she finds out Michael might have bigger plans for their future, like marriage, kids, and ownership of a professional sports team. Kayla is more than ready to join Michael on this amazing ride through the next chapter of their lives, but first she needs to catch her breath and see if Michael is ready to be a part of a team and not just the boss.


Rebekah, this is from me to you. You are one of the very few erotic romance writers that ALWAYS manages to serve up exactly what I nee when I need it! Thank you for staying true to yourself. Continue exploring the depth and beauty of your unique voice, we don't have enough of them in the world.

You can follow Rebekah on her website, Rebekah Weatherspoon, Where Happily Ever Afters Are Always In Color, Twitter, and Facebook.

Stay tuned to more book reviews, I promise not to stay away this long again!

Much Love,

Pandora


Thursday, June 9, 2016

Alexa Riley - Fairytale Shifter Series, Not Your Grandmother's Fairytales

Alexa Riley is on top of her PnR game and she's showing no signs of stopping! If you're in the market for a seriously great PnR/Shifter series then this one definitely for you. Based loosely on the fairytales that we've all come to love, these four stories will put some starch in your knickers. With just the right amount, of sweet and sassy, I'm sure you'll love them as much as I did. The books can be read as standalones, but you'll enjoy them so much more if you read them as a series.

For more of Alexa's work, please visit her website AlexaRiley.com

Much Love,

Pandora

"Gray Ridge, Colorado is a quiet town, but this Halloween there’s a mating moon, and the shifters’ need to breed their fated mates runs strong.

Ruby is the proud owner of Red’s Goodie Basket, and as the new girl in town, she’s looking for business. But when the local sexy sheriff, Dominic Wolfe, keeps the customers away, she finds it’s hard to stay mad when burning with desire.

Dominic is a shifter, and his wolf wants Ruby. Since the second he laid eyes on her, he’s been fighting the need to mark her as his. But when the mating moon is full, he won’t be able to control his wolf any longer.

Tricks and treats are the last things on his mind when the mating heat takes over, and his obsession is put to the test.


Warning: This story is a sexy twist on a classic fairy tale, complete with a red cape, a basket of goodies, and a hungry wolf. It’s written to make you smile, turn you on, and help you celebrate Halloween!"

"Xavier has watched Gwen for years, sneaking outside her window just to watch her sleep. She calls to him in a way he doesn’t understand.

After he loses his mom and his sister in a tragic accident, he disappears into the woods and lets his wolf take over.

Gwen has been waiting around for her knight in shining armor to show up, but years have passed since she reached her mating age, and he still hasn’t come.

When Xavier makes his way back to Gray Ridge, one scent captivates him like no other…

He’s on a mission. Claiming Gwen as his mate is all that matters, even if she doesn’t remember him.

What he isn’t prepared for is Alpha Stone keeping them apart.

Warning: This fairy tale contains a hero in desperate need of his sleeping beauty, a heroine who wants to mate with her beast, and an alpha trying to keep it from happening. This is meant to be over-the-top, extra sweet, and lots of fun. Come roll around in it."

"When the alpha falls… He falls hardest of all.

The first time Stone saw Winnie, she was alone in the woods with no memory of where she came from.

With one look, he knew something was different. When she finally came of age and her mating heat kicked in, he realized that she had always been the one.

Sent to live with a strange family, Winnie was forced to deal with the hateful treatment of her stepmother and stepsisters.

Mating the alpha changed that.

But when her past comes back to find her, will the heat last after the clock strikes midnight?

Warning: This shifter fairy tale is meant to be enjoyed by only those who love this kind of adorable stuff. Think you’ve got what it takes? Then come on in!"


"Koda’s found his sister, Winnie, and now he’s made a life for himself in Gray Ridge, Colorado. As a bear shifter, he’s naturally a loner, and with so few females around, he’s resigned to never finding his mate. But when he stumbles upon a woman in the woods, his whole world changes.

Snow’s been on the run and has made a makeshift family with a band of seven wanderers. While resting in the woods and waiting for them to come back, something big finds her.

When Koda and Snow collide, they realize their stories are woven together more tightly than they could have imagined. Will the truth break their mates bond? Or will it bind them closer together?

Warning: This fairy-tale shifter story is full of alpha sweetness with a side of growly bear. What’s not to love?! If you love a classic story with a dirty twist, then get your click on!"



Wednesday, May 25, 2016

Bravo and Encore for Olivia Gaines, Xyla Turner, and Tiana Laveen's Anthology - The Company

As we just discussed in my last blog post, the foundations of my love with reading lies with PnR. I had just come off the high of reading J.R. Ward's The Story of Son, and I was craving another, well instead of one I got three!

I was hanging out on Twitter, where along with my beloved Kindle App, I come across some killer reads. I saw a Tweet about the anthology, The Company. I saw that Olivia Gaines was one of the authors and I was sold. I trust Olivia's writing so much that I knew if she decided to combine a work with two other writers they HAD to be stellar as well. Needless to say my instincts were spot on.

The company is an combination of three PnR/BWWM works authored by Olivia Gaines, Xyla Turner, and Tiana Laveen,  that can be enjoyed as a stand alone, but are best enjoyed together. Each work has it's own flavor, but the blend together to make a mouth water creation. (Literally mouth watering...OK it was more like panting and drooling. What can I say these ladies know how to write the Good! Good!)

Each work in The Company has just the right amount of dark mystery, romance, unexpected twists and turns, and plenty of hot and steamy stuff. There was only one problem with this anthology...it came to and end. It is my serious hope that these ladies bring other characters from The Company into their own love stories. Are you listening ladies? From my lips to God's ears!

If you're a lover of PnR, then you're going to fall head over heals with The Company. Bravo Ladies and Encore! Encore!

Much Love

Pandora~

The following is an excerpt found on Amazon

Truth is stranger than fiction at The Company. Things get especially exciting when the unknown comes wrapped in the gossamer thread of magic and mayhem. On the other side of this shimmery coin lies Love, the protective cloak that gives all we do meaning and validation. Thus, the world of the supernatural is a prelude and backdrop to romance that unfolds in all its glorious colors.

A woman uses a love potion to attract a man and repel another, yet gets more than she bargained for when the unexpected happens right where she least expects it. A man, both angel and demon, struggles with his identity while danger lurks around the corner and a new, powerful emotion takes over his being, shaking him to the core. An ambitious account executive is thrust in the midst of an old war between vampires and hunters, a kiss has her float in mid-air, and the world she’s always known shatters around her.

Trapped in the Company by Olivia Gaines

It all went wrong. Clarice's plan was to use just a bit of the love potion to attract one man, hoping to repel another, but a twist of fate and poor timing left her trapped in the company with Elliott Marsden for the weekend. Keeping her reputation intact was the least of her concerns; she needed to be extra savvy to survive a night with Elliott

Company Secrets by Xyla Turner

Jessica Cayman is an ambitious Account Executive for Delancey, Inc. She stays in her lane, works hard and has her eyes set on becoming a partner within the next year. The plan is easy until Sage Wesley, III from The Company refuses to work with her.

His aversion to Jessica turns into a kiss that literally has both of them off their feet. Floating in midair? Then a bite on her neck?

There are too many secrets and Jessica soon finds herself in the middle of an old war between vampires and hunters…too many company secrets.

Cruz Control: In Bad Company by Tiana Laveen


Born in Hell’s Kitchen, New York, Cruz Black spent most of his life attempting to escape the stifling, horrifying bonds of his bloodline. Part Angel Child, part Demon Child, his upbringing was built on the opposite side of ‘normal’. But, things change when the notorious King Angel Child of New York, Dr. Saint Aknaten, takes him under his wing. During an investigation into a Los Angeles hate crime case assigned to him by Saint, Cruz finds much more than he bargained for causing the sparks fly in an inferno of attraction when Cruz meets Chef Erika. Like brimstone bricks, the pair fall for each other fast and hard, and the chemistry is unmistakable. Cruz has found his mate, but will Erika stick around once he reveals the true nature of a beast?

P.S. - Author Tiana Laveen also has a series of books that begin with The Naughty Sins of A Saint, that you can also read that tell the stories of some of the major characters in Cruz Control: In Bad Company.

Thursday, May 19, 2016

Going Back To My PnR Reading Roots With J.R. Ward's, The Story of Son

If I tried to count all the books that I have read in the last 5 years I would probably lose my mind, and that's putting it mildly. I've always had a passion for reading, but life got in the way. Being a full-time wife and a mother of four, working full-time, trying to go back to school and finish my degree...all of it left no time for the relaxation and solace that a great book has always provided.

But then my life changed, my husband at the time decided that he was leaving, leaving me, leaving us. Please don't feel bad about it, I don't any more, but at the time, I was a broken mess. Suddenly I had a need to be able to find a safe place, that safe place was between the pages of books.

One of the first authors that I picked up was J.R. Ward, and the book was from her Fallen Angel series, book one, titled Covet. I will never forget the day. I had left work and was wandering through the Gallery Mall in Center City Philadelphia, while making my way to the train and I stopped at a book store called Books-A-Million. There was this super, super helpful employee whose name sadly escapes me. I told her that I was looking for something good to read. She asked me if I knew what kind of genre that I was interested in and I simply said I have no clue. She looked at me with a glint in here eye and said, "I think I have just the book for you." She showed me the display that contained all of the Fallen Angel books that were out at that time and she hands me the book. She said, "This is book one in the series, the author is AMAZING! Her name is J.R. Ward and I promise you will fall in love with her."

She asked me to stop back by and tell me if I liked it or not. Now this was before my fascination with e-readers so I was still buying paper backs. I made my way to my train, found my seat and started reading. By the time I reached my stop I was hooked!. I think I read through Covet in about two days. Needless to say I made my way back to Books-A-Million and went in search of the young lady that helped me, I didn't think she would remember me but she did. She smiled at me and simply said, "Well...."

She knew I was hooked just as she had said. Well, to make a long story short, I read through that series, then polished off all that had been published the Black Dagger Brotherhood series. (I have also read The Bourbon Kings as well.) So about little less than a week ago I was browsing through my Kindle app and I came across a title of hers that I wasn't familiar with it was called The Story of Son, which was originally published in 2008. It's a stand alone read that was originally included in the Anthology Dead After Dark, which also includes works by Sherrilyn Kenyon, Susan Squires, and Dianna Love.

The Story of Son blew me away...there's something to be said for picking up a read by an author that you know will not fail to pull you into what lies between the pages. Even though I am never with out something to read, there are times when I don't want to start something by an author that I've never read. I want warmth and familiarity, it's like coming home. I curled up on my couch with my blanket and my steaming cup of coffee and let me self be swept away.

All I can say is thank you J.R for always giving me what I need, when I need it. Beautiful story. Maybe there will be a sequel? Just a thought.

Much Love,

Pandora

Wednesday, May 11, 2016

Evangeline Anderson - Restoring My Faith In Paranormal Romance

I am a die hard lover of all things romance. I don't discriminate when it comes to the type of romance that I read.  I'll be honest with you, there are some genres that I rarely read, but there are always exceptions. With all that said, my favorite genre is paranormal romance. I mean come on, who's never watched a vampire flick and thought to themselves, "Ooo! Bite Me Baby!", you know you have confess.  Anyway, there was a particular book that I had seen pop-up on my suggested reading list on my Kindle App, more than a few times, but I ad never read it. Finally this past weekend I decided to give it a go....needles to say, I fell, and I fell hard!

The book that I read was "Crimson Debt" Book one in the Born to Darkness Series, by Evangeline Anderson. If you have a serious love of  PnR and you haven't read this series you're seriously missing out. All three of the stories are extremely well written and the characters are fully developed. There were three things that stand out in this series.  First, they are full length reads, not those books that you can breeze through in a solid 30 minutes. Second, Evangeline takes the time to craft a story where the conflict is not rushed and it's outcome unpredictable. There's nothing worse that reading a story and knowing the ending as soon as you finish the first chapter. Thirdly, the Good Good is OFF THE CHARTS!

All of the leading ladies and their men are unique, I also like the fact that the author writes one of the ladies as AA. Yes, I'm partial, what can I say. Her Character is in the third book "Ruby Shadows", and her name is Gwendolyn and her leading hottie's name is Laish. Ok, I don't do spoilers, but I will tell you this. Laish will seriously do some damage to your pulse! That's all I can say!

Evangeline Anderson has a crazy number of published works to her credit and I'm looking forward to reading every single one!

Much Love!

Crimson Debt

Born to Darkness, Book 1

Addison Godwin is a Non-Glam—one of the one in ten thousand humans who is immune to vampire glamour and mind tricks. Her gift enables her to work as an Auditor, enforcing the law that vampires and humans keep their distance from each other except in a purely non-physical way. The law is necessary because when a vampire tries to have sex with a human their blood-lust combines with their sexual appetite and the result looks like road kill.

Alec Corbin is a Four Star Master Vampire with piercing blue eyes and intentions to get Addison into his bed. He promises he can be gentle but Addison has seen way too many vamp/human crime scenes to go for that. She has no interest in the six foot four hunk of sexy vampire man candy, even if he is supernaturally hot.

But just because she Audits (and sometimes executes) vampires for a living, doesn’t mean she hates them all. Her best friend, Taylor, was turned against her will. Now, living as a slave to one of the crueler Master vamps in town, she leads a miserable existence and Addison is helpless to save her within the confines of the law.


Things come to a head when the Vampire Inquisitor comes to town and Taylor is given to him as a sex slave. When Addison sees her best friend tortured, beaten, and burned with silver she knows she has to do something—even if it means teaming up with Corbin and paying the Crimson Debt.

Scarlet Heat

Born to Darkness, Book 2

Taylor is a vampire—but she doesn’t want to be. Turned against her will by her sadistic mistress, Celeste, she has been living a miserable life of bondage and abuse for the past six years. Finally, through the help of her best friend Addison, Taylor is rescued but she can’t relax for long. In order to save her from an even worse fate, she is married off to Victor—a very reluctant groom who just happens to be a werewolf.

Victor doesn’t want to be responsible for the fledgling vampire, no matter how beautiful she is. Especially when he finds out he is the only one she can drink from. But aside from the strange arousal that overtakes him every time she sinks her dainty fangs into his throat, he has other problems to deal with…and a very big secret to hide.

Their marriage of convenience is only supposed to last for three months but Victor and Taylor finds themselves drawn together by more than the vows they took. But as their attraction grows, so does something else. Inside Taylor, something is changing. She begins to have physical cravings she has never had before, insatiable appetites that only Victor can satisfy.

Will she succumb to the madness growing within her or can Victor save her from the Scarlet Heat?

This one will make you fan yourself! Truly!
Ruby Shadows

Born to Darkness, Book 3

Nothing is for free when it comes to demons…a fact that Gwendolyn LaRoux finds out the hard way when she summons Laish, a minor demon from the Shadow Lands to help her cook up a little black magic. Unfortunately black magic has a way of growing and soon Gwendolyn finds herself drowning in darkness. Still, she’s determined to clean up her own mess. But when a creature from the Abyss enters our world and threatens her beloved grandmother, Gwendolyn has to admit she needs help—which means summoning the infuriating Laish, even though she swore never to call on him again.

Answering Gwendolyn’s incantations in a moment of boredom was a mistake for a demon who keeps what little heart he has left under lock and key. Laish immediately fell for the Creole beauty with jade green eyes and creamy, cafĂ© au lait skin and now he’s determined to have her—no matter what the cost. And thanks to Gwendolyn’s sticky dilemma, the price just went up.

When it turns out that the intrepid witch must travel through the Shadow Lands and close the door she left open to the Pit, she knows at once she can’t make the dangerous journey on her own. Of course Laish is more than willing to act as her escort and bodyguard…for a not-so-small fee. Gwendolyn doesn’t want to use her body as a bargaining chip but the lustful demon will accept no other form of currency. And since her grandmother’s life is at stake, she has no choice. Little by little she must give in to his demands.

As Gwendolyn and Laish travel further and further into the interior of Hell, will he be able to keep her safe? And will she be able to keep her innocence? Or with they lose themselves and each other among the… Ruby Shadows?


Evangeline Anderson is a registered MRI tech who would rather be writing. And yes, she is nerdy enough to have a bumper sticker that says “I’d rather be writing.” Honk if you see her! She is thirty-something and lives in Florida with a husband, a son, and two cats. She had been writing erotic fiction for her own gratification for a number of years before it occurred to her to try and get paid for it. To her delight, she found that it was actually possible to get money for having a dirty mind and she has been writing paranormal and Sci-fi erotica steadily ever since.

Tuesday, May 3, 2016

J.S. Scott Billionaire Obsession Series - So Delicious You Can't Read Just One

Hello my beautiful people! It's been way too long since I've finished a book review, but I have been distracted in the best way possible! I have been up to my eyeballs in romance that was so intoxicating that I could do nothing short of allowing myself to drown in it.

I have told you more that once, that I am almost anal about book series. If I find one book in a series that blows me away, I won't stop until I have greedily consumed all of them. Such was the case with J.S. Scott's Billionaire Obsession Series. It all started with book one in the series, "Mine For Tonight".

Mine For Tonight is the Simon Hudson and Kara Foster.

"Down on her luck, nursing student and full-time waitress Kara Foster gets a massive blow to her already desperate financial situation that will surely find her living on the streets. Needing nothing less than a miracle to save her, Kara gets rescue from an unknown, unlikely and overwhelming source. Billionaire Simon Hudson makes her an offer that is impossible to refuse, but terrifying to accept from a man that she's never met. Will the handsome, alpha billionaire really be a solution to her problems, or will he end up being a major complication and a danger to her emotional sanity?

Reclusive billionaire Simon Hudson would rather be behind a computer creating computer games than rubbing elbows with the elite and he knows exactly what he wants...until he meets Kara Foster. Something about Kara touches Simon in ways he's never experienced and definitely doesn't like. For over a year, Simon watches over Kara, but stubbornly refuses to admit his desire to possess her, not even to himself. But when she ends up in a situation that could very well be her destruction, Simon steps up to help her, not realizing that in saving Kara, he might very well be salvaging his own soul."

What I enjoyed most about Scott's "Billionaire Obsession Series" is the fact that she weaves real life issues that society sometimes chooses to turn a blind eye to, into some of her stories. Each of the books can be read as a stand alone; however there is a definite intersect of characters. You would be doing yourself a huge disservice if you didn't start with book one and work your way through the series. 

The next book in the series Billionaire Undaunted: The Billionaire's Obsession ~ Zane, is scheduled for release on June 7, 2016, and is currently available for pre-order on Amazon.com (And yes I've already pre-ordered mine!) I can't wait to read the story of Zane and Ellie. 

So until the next time, keep turning the pages! Much Love!

Pandora~

















J.S. Scott is a NY Times & USA Today bestselling author of erotic romance. She’s an avid reader of all types of books and literature. Writing what she loves to read, J.S. Scott writes both contemporary erotic romance stories and paranormal romance erotics. They almost always feature an Alpha Male and have a happily ever after because she just can’t seem to write them any other way! She lives with her husband in the picturesque Colorado Rockies.

Visit her website for a complete listing of her work - http://authorjsscott.com/about-js-scott/







Wednesday, April 13, 2016

Heather Killough-Walden - New Release, Snow King

There are very few  authors that I follow with a vengeance and Heather Killough-Walden is one of them. This isn't the first time that I've written about her work, and I'm sure that it won't be the last. The book that started it all was book one in the King Series, "The Vampire King". Flash forward to present day, and we arrive at the 8th king in the series, "The Winter King".

There's something very comforting in knowing the book you're going to read is going to be stellar, even before you open the cover.

There are 13 kings in the series, which is good for us because that means that we'll be able to enjoy this series through five more installments. (If we go by the information in Goodreads the 9th installment will be "The Demon King") Killough-Walden does not disappoint. This King, who's name is Kristopher Scaul is a powerful Alpha Male as are all of the King that we have met thus far, and they all know that as in the game of chess, their Queen is more powerful and that they will do anything to protect them. The only problem is that they have to find them first. Kristopher finds his queen, her name is Persephone Glacia Nix (Poppy), all he has to do is convince her; easier said than done right?

There was however one thing that made Poppy near and dear to my heart, it seems that Poppy is a Sister! I could be wrong, but that's what I gathered from the following:

“He opened his eyes and swung his head towards the door.  Two women were walking in, one with dark skin and black hair, and the other with lighter skin and multi-hued brown hair.  The latter had her back to him, but her scarf was an extra-long knit number filled with so many colors, it grabbed his attention as much as the words she’d muttered.  He found himself sitting up straighter, his breath held, his attention fixated – waiting for her to turn around.  And then she did. And his world went tumbling." - Snow King by Heather Killough-Walden

I hope that I'm right, but if not, it could never take away from the beauty of this story. Here is an excerpt from "The Winter King"

“If you believe anything I tell you, believe this. You are my queen, therefore, you are my world. You are the most important piece on the chessboard. Everything I do from here on out will be about you. I will eat, sleep, and drink you. I will breathe you. And I will stop breathing without you… If you go, the game is lost.”

Far beyond the easy reaches of the mortal world lies a kingdom of ice and snow. Its glacier mountains reach the horizons of eons, and its cold, hard oceans paint the vastness of its world. It is terribly harsh, and terribly beautiful, and there is only one man capable of ruling from its frozen throne. He has ruled there alone for more than a thousand years.

But the Thirteen Kings are finding their fated queens, and though he’d all but lost hope he would count himself amongst their lucky numbers, the moment she walks into view, his frozen heart and soul are rekindled with by a fire that will melt through anything, even him.

Persephone Glacia Nix – “Poppy” – is a human warlock who has forced herself to fit in with the mortals around her, despite her inherent differences, despite her secret longings, and regardless of the very different way in which she sees the world. Her empathetic nature makes life better for others, but difficult for her. She’s come to accept this as the curse that accompanies the gift of understanding. However, when Kristopher Scaul approaches her on a dark street in a dark city on a cold night and introduces her to a world she at last feels “at home” in, Poppy must finally decide whether to continue faking it in the mortal world – or take her place on a second frozen throne, in the lonely but beautiful Kingdom of Winter."

The Winter King is the eighth anticipated novel in the Big Bad Wolf spinoff series, The Kings, by NYT and USA Today bestselling author Heather Killough-Walden.

Now available at eBook sellers everywhere.

If you haven't had the opportunity to read Heather's other books in the King series PLEASE, PLEASE read them! I promise you you'll be hooked!

Much Love,

Pandora