Buy A Book And Help With Hurricane Sandy Relief

Gabrielle Bisset has always been a dear friend of this blog not only because she's quickly become hands down one of the best in the romance genre but also because she's one of the nicest people we've ever met. So it's not surprising that when she heard of all the devastation from Hurricane Sandy that she wanted to help. She is, after all, a Jersey girl by birth (which explains the lady's toughness!), but beneath that hard exterior lies the heart of a kind soul.

We support Gabrielle in helping the Red Cross Hurricane Sandy relief efforts and hope you do too. Even though we received an ARC of Blood Avenged for review, we're both planning to purchase it from Amazon today to help out all those who are suffering from the horrible storm.

So buy a book and help out some people who need it.

Winner of the Wicked After Dark Hop

Congratulations to Amanda P. for winning the copy of Gabrielle Bisset's Stolen Destiny in the Wicked After Dark Hop! I've contacted the author, so the book will be in the winner's hands at any time now.

Wicked After Dark Hop

We don't do many hops anymore, but Talia saw this one and since both of us love to be just as wicked as one can be, we jumped on board. We wanted to give a book we both loved away, but it was so hard to decide. We've loved so many, but when I asked author Gabrielle Bisset if she'd be willing to give one of her books away here, she made the decision for us. We usually think of her as one of our favorite vampire romance authors, but she's got another series too, her Destined Ones series.

Recently she made her book Destiny Redeemed free at Smashwords until November 21 with the coupon code TG45G, so when she offered the first book in that series, Stolen Destiny, we jumped on it. So, not only can you get a surefire book today by going to Smashwords and getting Destiny Redeemed for free, but you can get the first book if you win here too.

While reading Stolen Destiny isn't necessary to understand Destiny Redeemed (they share just one character in common, but the world she's built in the series remains the same), we thought the idea of someone having both would be great. Here's the blurb for Stolen Destiny:

Released from prison to find a murderer, a prison-hardened Varek Leale is convinced no woman deserves the man he’s become, but his Aeveren destiny makes him succumb to sweet and sexy Callia Reynolds. To catch a murderer, he and Callia must find an Aeveren with the power to control time. But Amon Kalins isn’t a man to trifle with, and when he wants something, he’ll use his powers, devastating charm, and good looks to get it.

When Amon manipulates time and seduces her away, Varek must turn to the people who set him free for help to get her back. But the Council doesn’t do anything without requiring something in return, and what they want is Amon Kalins, one of the most powerful Aeveren ever. Varek will do what he must to capture Amon and find Callia. If he doesn’t, she’ll be lost to him for untold lifetimes.

We both love Stolen Destiny (just for different reasons). Talia loves the hero, Varek, who's a bad boy in his own right, but for me, it's Amon, the villain and the most incredibly sexy wicked man I've read in a long time.

Just leave a comment with an email address and you're entered. It's an ebook giveaway, so this is open internationally too. We'd love it if you'd follow our blog too, but that's completely optional. Hop around and have a great Halloween!

Blood Spirit (Sons of Navarus #3) - Gabrielle Bisset

More and more, it's difficult to find a great indie book. I posted last year that I love indies, but to be honest, I think I have to amend that to I love indies who know how to produce a professional book. That's why I adore Gabrielle Bisset's books. You want a professionally edited book with a great story that sucks you in and characters who jump off the page? Buy her books.

Blood Spirit is the third book in her Sons of Navarus series and it's a winner. I keep thinking she can't get better, and then she puts out the next book about another unbelievably hot hero and I'm in love all over again. First there was Vasilije and I didn't think she could top him. Then there was Saint and my love of dark heroes came raging forth. Now she gives us readers Terek and I'm thinking I love another one of her heroes.

In the hands of a lesser author, Terek's character might have been difficult to love. He has women around him at his beck and call, he's incredibly confident, and he doesn't see that he can be arrogant. Gabrielle Bisset presents all this and still makes him a hero. This is why she's so good at what she does.

The reality is that those traits are just the cover of a male who has put up walls around his heart after losing everything in his life hundreds of years ago. He's sired thousands of female vampires to be his companions, but he's never let anyone in. Also, Terek is a war hero from hundreds of years of fighting humans in the vampire wars with them. All these things add up to a very sexy leading man.

The heroine the author gives Terek and the readers is just the right counterbalance to him. Ilona is strong and confident. She stands up for herself and fights him every step of the way. She struggles more with the idea of all those women around him than the idea that she's now a vampire, though.

See, this is the key with this series. Yes, it's a paranormal romance series about vampires, but it quickly becomes so much more. Terek and Ilona, like Saint and Solenne and Vasilije and Sasa, aren't dealing with things because they're vampires. They're dealing with things because they're a man and woman falling in love in a world that's full of problems. The vampire story is the backdrop, but even that isn't all about blood and fangs.

The series plot that continues through each book is getting good too. The Archons, especially the bad guy Marc Verrater, are beginning to really play a huge part in the story now. Even that isn't about vampires so much as about power. 

If you love great writing, sexy scenes, and a terrific series plot, you have to pick up the Sons of Navarus series. This is what romance should be.

Blood Spirit is another top rated book for this reader. Don't miss it or any of the other Sons books!

Blood Spirit Buy Links:

Amazon:  http://www.amazon.com/Blood-Spirit-Sons-Navarus-ebook/dp/B009AAS27Y/

Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/blood-spirit-gabrielle-bisset/1112881838

Blood Spirit Paranormal Fall Fling

Thanks so much to Selena and Talia for having me here on the Blood Spirit/Sons of Navarus Paranormal Fall Fling! And the celebration doesn't stop until the last day of October. All month the Blood Spirit/Sons of Navarus Paranormal Fall Fling giveaway has weekly prizes, along with grand prizes of gift cards, ebooks, and cool Sons of Navarus swag at the end of the fling. Be sure to keep reading after the post for details on how to enter!

I'm here with both my hero and heroine from my newest book, Blood Spirit, so let's get started! Here's the blurb to give everyone a feel for the story. It's the third book in the Sons of Navarus series and continues the story set up in the first two books.

I am everything you seek. I am vampire.

Blessed with the gift of telepathy, Terek always knows what a woman wants. His gift has afforded him nightly sensual pleasures and exotic treats for centuries, but beneath the surface he yearns for much more.

Ilona can give him what his soul craves, but only if he trusts his heart. One fateful choice made out of desire puts all he cares for in danger. With a civil war and the threat of Archon hunters at every turn, this Son may lose everything if he can't find the balance between heart and mind.

Gabrielle:  Welcome, Terek and Ilona! I'm so happy to see you.

Terek:  It's good to see you again, Gabrielle. 

Ilona:  Hi Gabrielle!  It feels like ever since Blood Spirit came out, we've been doing these all the time!

Gabrielle:  It does feel that way, doesn't it?  I'll try to make sure we touch on some new things this time so readers get an even better sense of who you are, okay?

Ilona: Sounds great!

Gabrielle:  Okay, first question. As I sit here looking at the two of you, I have to say you look like night and day. Why do you think the differences don't matter between you?

Terek (looks at Ilona and she at him.):  You want to answer that?

Ilona:  Sure. I'm probably better at this difference thing than he is. You see, the differences are only on the outside. He's dark and very Spanish while I'm light and look more like my mother, an English woman. But inside we're very similar. We want a quiet life together, just like in the fairy tales.

Gabrielle:  Do you think being vampires makes the fairy tale different, Terek?

Terek:  No. Love is love, no matter who it's between.

Gabrielle:  Onto the next question. Readers think Terek is a very sexy man, Ilona. Can you tell us something that is less than perfect about him?

Ilona  (looks at Terek and smiles):  He knows what I'm going to say here, and not because he can read my mind. (chuckles) He still doesn't have that ability with me. No, the only less than perfect thing I can find about Terek is that he pulls that Alpha male thing with me sometimes when I don't want him to.

Terek:  (smiles) She's talking about when she's in danger. Sorry, but that's never going to stop. I can't change who I am.

Ilona:  I'm just not used to it, I think. Gabrielle, you know how it is. When was the last time you met an Alpha male outside of Terek and the rest of the Sons?

Gabrielle:  (groans) I know what you mean, Ilona. I don't know where Alpha males went, but I never meet them. You're lucky to have snagged one, trust me.

Ilona (kisses Terek on the cheek):  I know. I just have to get used to that badass vampire thing he pulls every so often. It could be worse. He could act like his friend, Vasilije. My Lord, I don't know how Sasa deals with him.

Gabrielle: (laughs)  See?  It's just a matter of perspective. Okay, let's continue. What do you think you'd like to do once the Sons defeat the Archons? 

Terek:  Stay in bed for a month.

Ilona:  Honey, I think she was serious.

Terek:  So was I. After fighting those bastards for so long, I'm going to need to spend a month in bed with the woman I love. I'm sticking with my original answer, Gabrielle. Stay in bed for a month.

Gabrielle (smiles):  Ilona? Other than being in bed for that month, what do you think you'd like to do?

Ilona:  I think it would be nice for us to settle down in a new house somewhere in Spain--somewhere we can be by ourselves and enjoy our time together.

Gabrielle:  That sounds great! You two sure do know how to relax. Okay, one last question:  What's next for you?

Terek:  Until the civil war is over, I'm going to be fighting the Archons with the other Sons.

Ilona:  I'll be doing anything and everything I can to help him and the others.  It's all pretty new to me, but the other women have been great and taken me in like we've been friends for years.

Gabrielle:  Thanks to both of you for sitting down with me tonight. And I have to tell you that your story, Blood Spirit, has become a fan favorite already. Best of luck!

I hope readers will visit my blog to enter the Blood Spirit/Sons of Navarus Paranormal Fall Fling giveaway. There will be weekly prizes and grand prizes at the end of the fling, including gift cards, ebooks, and Sons of Navarus swag. Visit http://gbisset.blogspot.com/p/paranormal-fall-fling.html for all the details on how to enter!

Blood Spirit Buy Links:

Amazon:  http://www.amazon.com/Blood-Spirit-Sons-Navarus-ebook/dp/B009AAS27Y/

Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/blood-spirit-gabrielle-bisset/1112881838

Apple:  http://itunes.apple.com/us/book/blood-spirit-sons-of-navarus-3/id566343270?mt=11

Thanks so much to Gabrielle, Terek, and Ilona, and be sure to look for our review of Blood Spirit coming October 15!

Felicity Heaton Guest Post

Interview with an alpha vampire – Andreu, hero of ENSLAVE

It’s great to be here at The Enchanted Book for the next stop in my Vampirerotique Summer Book Tour.

Today, I was lucky enough to lure the very hot alpha vampire, Andreu, into my lair to talk about his book, ENSLAVE, and his lovely succubus heroine.

FH: I have Andreu here with me today to talk about his book, Enslave. Firstly, can you tell us a little about yourself?

ANDREU: I am an elite vampire and was raised in northern Spain, which makes me Catalan rather than Spanish. I turned five hundred recently and I am the younger brother of Javier, Vampirerotique’s staff manager, and I’m here at the theatre to cover for him while he gets hitched and goes on his honeymoon. I have other reasons for being at the theatre too. I want to learn everything I can about the business so I can open a successful erotic theatre for myself in my home city of Barcelona. I have done many things in my years. As a vampire, it’s imperative that I adapt to the world as it grows and changes. I was a warrior once and now I am a businessman. Some would say that it isn’t such a big leap. Both tend to involve tactics and battles of some sort or another.

FH: In Enslave, you meet a very sassy succubus. I understand I can’t use her name because a fae’s real name is powerful and I don’t want anyone getting ideas about using her name against her. Everyone at the theatre has come to call her by her new nickname, Chica. How did you meet and how did you feel about her initially?

ANDREU: I appreciate you not divulging her name. She chose the name Chica because I called her it several times during the lead up to our relationship, and continue to call her it now. She likes it a lot and the rest of theatre seem at ease about calling her by that name. I met her when she teleported into Vampirerotique during one of the shows. Not the wisest thing she could have done but now that I know her better, and I know how big that curiosity of hers is, I understand why she did it. Succubi use a sort of spell to veil themselves. Hers slipped and I saw her, and I knew right then that I wanted her. She’s beautiful... but deadly. It was hard for me at first. My warrior instincts said to fight to protect myself and that she was out to kill me, and the rest of me said to give in to her advances and just go with it and see what happened.

FH: I hear she really stirred up the theatre though and almost divided you boys into two factions—those in favour of killing her, and those who said to leave her be and not harm her. It sounds as though you couldn’t decide which side you should choose.

ANDREU: I really couldn’t. She was tearing me in two directions and I wasn’t sure which was the right path to take. In the end, the decision was made for me and while I’m still not happy about what happened, I’m glad that it gave me a chance to get to know her better and give up my fight.

FH: Your relationship with Chica is forbidden due to her succubus clan’s laws and also complicated because of what she is. Was it difficult at first?

ANDREU: Very difficult. Not so much for me, but for her. I never realised just what she was going through. She kept it hidden from me and I just thought it was a cool thing. I was forbidden fruit. It doesn’t get better than that, right? Wrong. I should have been more open to her and tried to find out what was going on in that pretty little head of hers. There were a few moments that scared the hell out of me too. It’s not easy when the woman you want to kiss might just kill you if her succubus nature gets a little frisky.

FH: No, it certainly doesn’t sound like a great match, but it worked out in the end and now you’re together. How has life been since the end of your story?

ANDREU: More interesting than it was before my story. *smiles* I’ve been really busy with the theatre but every moment I can spare, I’m working with Payne. He’s been fantastic. I know he and Chica don’t get along, and now that I know a few things about them I can understand why, but he really has been a great help. He doesn’t stop trying to help her and that has given her a reason to trust him and they have been getting along much better. It makes my life a lot easier as I had begun to grow close to Payne since we joined as the new recruits to cover for Javier and Callum. Chica keeps me busy too. That girl has a huge appetite and let’s just say I’m happy to provide her with sustenance.

FH: I bet you are, you pervert. *he grins* Your story, Enslave, is a book in a series. Can you tell us a little about the series and can we expect see more of you in other stories in this series?

ANDREU: Absolutely. You’ll be seeing more of us in the next story and probably the one after that. I think my romance was book four or five?

FH: Four.

ANDREU: Book four. I know that a lot happened before I joined the theatre. Dios, my own brother lost his mind and his heart to a mortal female... Callum, his best friend, went off the rails and fell for a werewolf... and Sera somehow managed to turn Antoine from an ice giant into a puppy... well, maybe not quite a puppy, but he’s much more amiable these days. I’ve heard that everyone is waiting for Snow to find love. He needs something good to happen to him. The guy is a train wreck waiting to happen.

FH: Yes, I’ve heard he’s not doing so well at the moment, but that he has also been enjoying getting up to mischief with the help of the ladies. I bet your Chica is the ringleader in that naughtiness.

ANDREU: She’s very good at causing trouble, and so is Snow. He has really embraced the females and in a way, I’m glad of it. Having Snow in your corner is a great thing.

FH: I’ll end on something I ask all of my interviewees. Describe yourself in one word?

ANDREU: Passionate.

FH: I’m not going to dispute that one. Thank you for meeting with me today and chatting.

ANDREU: Thank you for having me here and I hope readers will pick up a copy of my rather sassy and sexy romance. I still think it’s the best one in the series.

FH: Readers and reviewers have been raving about it, but I think that will only last until Snow gets his own book. I have to interview your lady next, so be prepared for her to bare all about you.

ANDREU: *laughs* I can’t wait to read it. Take care.

FH: You too. *watches as he leaves* I can’t wait to interview his woman.

Be sure to follow this fantastic tour between June 28th and August 25th to learn more about the passionate heroes, wicked heroines, and life at London’s premier vampire erotic theatre! You can also find yourself in with a chance to win a $50 or $25 Amazon Gift Certificate if you follow the tour. More details, including how to enter and a full list of stops, are available at the Vampirerotique Summer Book Tour page:  http://www.felicityheaton.co.uk/vampirerotique-summer-book-tour.php

 

For a chance at a swag pack, leave a comment below. Two winners will win and the giveaway is open internationally.

Covet, Crave and Seduce are all available in paperback, and in ebook from Amazon Kindle, Barnes and Noble Nook, Apple iBooks and Kobo. Enslave is now available in ebook from Amazon Kindle, Apple iBooks and Kobo and will soon be available from other retailers. Excerpts are available for all of the current releases in the series, so you can get a taste of these wicked erotic romances.

Read more about Enslave below, and visit my site for links to all the retailers and a hot excerpt:

Enslave (Vampire Erotic Theatre Romance Series Book 4)

Felicity Heaton

His determination to succeed in business has left no room in his life for love. Now, a beautiful and deadly succubus has teleported into his dark, decadent world and is in danger of enslaving his heart.

Andreu’s future entails opening an erotic theatre like Vampirerotique, gaining wealth, women and power, not shackling himself to a single female, but he cannot deny the dangerously seductive woman who stirs his anger and passion, and tempts him like no other—he will have her.

The moment their eyes meet, Varya knows she cannot have the exotic dark vampire who sets her pulse racing. His shadowed aura marks him as forbidden, but the hungers he awakens in her are too intense to resist—she must have a taste.

When an erotically-charged kiss ignites their soul-searing passion and reveals something dangerous about Andreu, will Varya leave forever or will she dare to risk all in pursuit of something she thought was beyond her reach?

Books in the Vampire Erotic Theatre romance series

Covet (Vampire Erotic Theatre Romance Series Book 1)

Crave (Vampire Erotic Theatre Romance Series Book 2)

Seduce (Vampire Erotic Theatre Romance Series Book 3)

Enslave (Vampire Erotic Theatre Romance Series Book 4)

Bewitch (Vampire Erotic Theatre Romance Series Book 5) – Coming soon!

Unleash (Vampire Erotic Theatre Romance Series Book 6) – Coming in 2013!

Biography

Felicity Heaton writes passionate paranormal romance books as Felicity Heaton and F E Heaton. In her books she creates detailed worlds, twisting plots, mind-blowing action, intense emotion and heart-stopping romances with leading men that vary from dark deadly vampires to sexy shape-shifters and wicked werewolves, to sinful angels and hot demons!

If you're a fan of paranormal romance authors Lara Adrian, J R Ward, Sherrilyn Kenyon, Gena Showalter and Christine Feehan then you will enjoy her books too.

If you love your angels a little dark and wicked, Felicity Heaton’s best selling Her Angel series is for you. If you like strong, powerful, and dark vampires then try the Vampires Realm series she writes as F E Heaton or any of her stand alone vampire romance books she writes as Felicity Heaton. Or if you’re looking for vampire romances that are sinful, passionate and erotic then try Felicity Heaton’s new Vampire Erotic Theatre series.

In 2011, four of her six paranormal romance books received Top Pick awards from Night Owl Reviews, Forbidden Blood was nominated as Best PNR Vampire Romance 2011 at The Romance Reviews, and many of her releases received five star reviews from numerous websites.

If you want to know more about me, or want to get in touch, you can find me at the following places:

My website: http://www.felicityheaton.co.uk

My blog: http://www.indieparanormalromancebooks.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/felicityheaton

Twitter: http://twitter.com/felicityheaton

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/felicityheaton

Author Richard Long Promo Event

Be sure to scroll down to the bottom of the post to find out about a great giveaway!

Spice up your summer reading with an intelligent and impressive dark thriller!

The Book of Paul is a new dark thriller by author Richard Long. The book has received great reviews and is currently on sale for 99 cents on Amazon Kindle, Barnes & Noble, and iTunes! Download your copy now!

In addition, Richard is doing a HUGE giveaway, including a $100 gift certificate to Amazon, signed copies of his book, a Tarot Reading, and more!

The Book of Paul is the first of seven volumes in a sweeping mythological narrative tracing the mystical connections between Hermes Trismegistus in ancient Egypt, Sophia, the female counterpart of Christ, and the Celtic druids of Clan Kelly.

About The Book of Paul

“Never alive…and never dead…”

In the rubble-strewn wasteland of Alphabet City, a squalid tenement conceals a treasure “beyond all imagining”—an immaculately preserved, fifth century codex. The sole repository of ancient Hermetic lore, it contains the authentic alchemical rituals for transforming thought into substance, transmuting matter at will…and attaining eternal life.

When a lusty, East Village tattoo artist has a torrid encounter with a battle-hardened loner, they are overwhelmed by the intensity of their feelings.  Rose and Martin soon discover they are unwitting pawns on opposing sides of a battle that has shaped the course of human history.  At the center of the conflict is Paul, the villainous overlord of an underground feudal society, who guards the book’s occult secrets in preparation for the fulfillment of an apocalyptic prophecy.

The action is relentless as Martin and Rose fight to escape Paul’s clutches and Martin’s destiny as the chosen recipient of Paul’s sinister legacy.  Science and magic, mythology and technology converge in a monumental battle where the stakes couldn’t be higher: control of the ultimate power in the universe—the Maelstrom.

Read the first few sample chapters here >> http://www.thebookofpaul.com/excerpt/

The reviews are in!

The Book of Paul has been well received by reviewers who enjoy dark thrillers.

“Intelligent, self-aware, and often amusing, while hitting all the markers for sadistic, salacious, and scary. Written in short cinematic bursts from multiple viewpoints, The Book of Paul…weaves in and out of the realm of alchemy, mythology, and ancient arcana. No ordinary writer of horror…Richard Long is doubtless going to build a large and loyal fan base composed of people just like him: literate folks with a bizarre sense of humor who prefer salsa to sugar, red meat to broccoli, and a bucket of blood to a bath filled with rose petals. They will be waiting for the next installment.”

-- ForeWord Clarion Reviews «««««

"Totally absorbing! The Book of Paul is moving, profound, funny, terrifying and never lets you go. The prose is swift and sharp...at times, even poetic. Masterful storytelling. Hats off!!"

--Henry Bean, writer/director of THE BELIEVER

“Elegantly written and original, Richard Long's The Book of Paul…is so suspenseful and entertaining that I could not it put down, reading late into the night, wondering what the next chapter would bring. I strongly recommend it. The reader will not be disappointed.”

-- James H. Cone author of THE CROSS AND THE LYNCHING TREE

“I was greatly impressed. It is extremely hard, if not impossible, to put down.”

--Michael Rips, Author of PASQUALE’S NOSE 

"Twisted, outrageous, relentless -- you won't want to miss The Book of Paul."

--Greg Lichtenberg, author of PLAYING CATCH WITH MY MOTHER

About the author

Richard Long writes to exorcize the demons of his past and manifest the dreams of his future.

He started life in the school of hard knocks and worked to create his own rags to riches story of troubled kid turned successful advertising executive.

His debut novel, The Book of Paul, is a dark, thrilling, and psychologically rich supernatural horror/thriller that blends mythology, science and mystery into a page-turning addiction.

Richard is also writing a YA novel, The Dream Palace, primarily so that his children could read his books.

He lives in Manhattan with his wife, two amazing children and their wicked black cat, Merlin.

Connect with Richard on the following links:

Website: http://www.thebookofpaul.com


Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/RichardLongNYC


Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/RichardLongNYC

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6426921.Richard_Long

Giveaway:

Tweet, like, follow, share, blog and grab a copy of his book to enter.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Great Book For FREE! Don't Miss This One!

One of our favorite authors, Gabrielle Bisset, has put her newest book up for free until August 12! Remember the other day when we called out the Fifty Shades nonsense and its lack of sexiness in particular? Well, if you want a sexy read that's written like an erotic romance book should be, check out Vampire Dreams Revamped. That girl can write some sex scenes!

Run over to her blog at http://gbisset.blogspot.com/2012/08/vampire-dreams-revamped-free.html to get the lowdown on the free action and pick up the book for free until next Sunday.

Are you still here reading? Get going and get that book! We promise you won't regret it.

We're Calling The S*#t Out

For months we've sat idly by as this Fifty Shades shit rolled past us, and we promised ourselves we wouldn't say anything since people who love this garbage can be off-the-wall crazy.  That promise was broken just moments ago when we read that yet another piece of fanfic from Twilight just sold to some idiotic New York publisher for way too much money. Are they fucking kidding?

We blame people like us to some extent for not saying anything, for not calling the bullshit out when Fifty Shades first arrived on the scene. We should have come down on this garbage like a ton of bricks. We didn't, and now look at the mess. We don't care if you can't tell it was Twilight fanfic. It was. Even worse is that it's plain and simple crap. Bad writing, boring characters, and awful story are the nicest things that should be said about this three volume void.

Also to blame for this mess is an entire generation of readers. It's disturbing in the extreme how many readers (most of whom are also bloggers) will say to us that Twilight affected their lives so much they began to love reading. Are you kidding? And this series has affected everything since for them, especially how they read. They can't handle much depth because then it's too complex and "confusing." Twilight taught them surface writing was good writing, so they judge everything based on that erroneous idea.

Don't bother telling us there's anything thoughtful in those books or in the Fifty Shades books. There isn't. You'd only be embarrassing yourself if you said otherwise. Both series are filled with vapid ideas, banal writing, and characters flatter than the envelope the mailman shot under Talia's door yesterday.

Most of all, if you think that's erotic writing, you're telling the whole world you've never had good sex. Ever.

We can't tell you how many times we've wondered when Random House was going to come out and say, "Ha, ha! You fools! You bought this crap and made us millions. Thanks, sheeple." They can't actually think it's any good. If that's the case, New York publishing is even more lost than the indies say it is.

So now we once again have to hear from reviewer after reviewer about how wonderful this new book is. Do book bloggers even know what a well-written story is anymore? If all they have is a Twilight background and a love of books based on that, they don't. Do reviewers have any clue what makes a good story or are they basing everything on whether they liked the book or not? If so, then what makes their opinion any more valid than anyone else's? What seems clear is that far too many people giving their opinion have no real basis for it.

The backlash against Fifty Shades has already begun, and even though it's overdue, it's here. We know of at least two authors who refuse to send their books to blogs that liked the series. Expect that to continue as authors find other ways to get the word out about their books rather than through book bloggers who don't know what makes up good writing. When it happens, all of us who blog about books deserve it, either for not knowing garbage when we see it or for knowing and not standing up and calling "Bullshit" on it.

Selena and Talia

Menage After Midnight-Madelynne Ellis

Menage After Midnight was a nice surprise for me. I will freely admit I don't usually do the menage scene because it often has M/M and I'm not really drawn to that. However, when Madelynne Ellis showed up in my email, I thought I'd give it a try. It was, after all, a story that is set in Georgian England, so I had to give it a chance.

Here's the blurb and a sample of this 10K word novella:

Affection for a price…

Paris Ashcroft supports himself by offering discreet sexual liaisons to women whose husbands neglect their duties. Romance is merely the means by which he makes a living. However, when Sophia Lovich, the one woman he’s lost his heart to, asks for his attention, he intends to surrender himself to passion.

Little does he suspect that Sophia will ask him to endure her husband’s dark desires too!

Excerpt:

Part One

Paris knew he’d struck gold when Sophia Lovich blew him a kiss from over her husband’s shoulder. Her gaze met his for a mere heartbeat before she glanced away, lowering those dark silken eyelashes of hers over eyes like chips of bitter chocolate.

When she looked up again, he found it impossible not to smile back.

Lucifer curse him for the hideous wife thief he’d become, but Paris couldn’t help himself.

Not this time. Not with her. He’d taken many to his bed out of necessity, but he rarely felt aroused by those who encouraged his affections. Swiving other men’s wives had become a way to bring food to the table and support his sister in her matrimonial quest. It wasn’t about love or excitement or anything but the most perfunctory sense of satisfaction on his part. He did it as a service to all the women who sought passion but whose husbands saw them only as a means to beget children, with no interest of their own in sex or in any sort of fulfilment.

With Sophia, things would be different.

There would be no detachment, only raw edges and passion.

He had only to look at her and his pulse raced. Every curve of her body set his imagination alight. She had such a tiny waist but broad padded hips. Perhaps some of that was the dress, but he liked to think not. He liked to imagine that hidden beneath her voluminous skirts was a softly rounded belly and thighs he could pillow his cheek upon. She’d have a plump womanly bottom too. Forget all the dainty sparrows; he loved Sophia for her sheer voluptuousness.

Hell if it hadn’t splintered his soul when he’d first seen the wedding band upon her finger. Not that he was in any position to make her an offer, but the fantasy of having her sprawled across his bed had been a good one. It remained a good one. Better yet, tonight he intended to make it real.

Across the table, Sophia shook her head at his prolonged scrutiny. He’d been staring without even realising it, but a quick glance at the gamblers around the table suggested the indiscretion had passed unnoticed.

“When?” he mouthed, wanting to seize this opportunity with both fists. The mere prospect of it had him fidgeting, and too much of a delay would necessitate him shuffling out of the room with the skirts of his frock coat drawn fast across his front to avoid displaying his obvious arousal.

Discretion—that’s what women valued. And public reserve, coupled with fire in the bedroom. He’d do well to remind himself of that lesson tonight, else she’d fly before he ever got close to fulfilling anyone’s wishes.

Sophia didn’t reply. Instead, her gaze strayed over to the mantle-clock. Already long past midnight, many of Reeve’s house guests, his sister among them, had retired to their beds. Only the politicians and gamblers remained, of whom several were likely to still be present at dawn, Lovich among them with any luck.

To Paris’s utmost relief, Alexander Lovich barely raised his elegant head to look up from his hand of cards when his wife whispered sweet nothings into his ear. Perhaps that was for the best. Paris didn’t want her reminded of how fine a catch Lovich was. Unlike most of the husbands he stood in for, Lovich was neither rotund, aged or sallow. He was a stallion of a man, with the physique of a blacksmith, without any of the calluses that accompanied that profession. His hair and teeth were apparently all his own too. He had warm smiling eyes and was quick to laugh.

“Don’t wait up, dear. And do remember to warm the bed,” Lovich said.

Oh, don’t worry, I’ll do that. Paris stifled the urge to smirk. No point flaunting the fact that he was about to tup another man’s wife, especially since it was a man he’d once admired. If Lovich had any sense, he’d be pleasuring Sophia himself, rather than indulging Lady Luck. Although, to be fair, the fool did at least catch her hand as she turned to go, in order to press a kiss to her knuckles. Many, he knew, would not even have done that. Too many men who didn’t care for their wives.

So, what's my verdict? I want more from Madelynn Ellis. I'd really love for her to give me something longer. I enjoyed the story and found it entertaining. It is well-written, smooth, and very sensual. Ellis knows how to use words well. I'm still no major fan of menage, but who knows? Maybe this author has started something toward that.

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