Five Gold Blings by Clare London (Spotlight, excerpt, and review) ADULT title

 

 

Five Gold Blings

ADULT title

by

Clare London

 

 

One Christmas, two lonely hearts, and five portions of sparkle!

Gray isn’t enjoying December. The weather’s grim, his job’s a struggle, and his useless boyfriend ran out on him months ago. He’s a walking Mr Christmas Grump. And then he delivers a parcel to Alec, a bright, sparkly, over-earnest vlogger who’s going through his own hard times. Over the course of five days, accompanied by an irritating but relentlessly cheerful pop song, Gray and Alec share secrets, kisses, regrets, triumphs, some truly awful fashion—and maybe a love that will last far beyond the new year.


This short novella was previously published in the 2020 anthology “Gifts for the Season”. It is a standalone Christmas romance.

 

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Exclusive excerpt:

When Mr A opened the door and took the box, I just followed him in. Assumed he’d tell me to get lost if he thought it was creepy, or he didn’t want me there. But he didn’t.

“So, what’s the A for?” I asked. “In your name. You’re not a partridge, so it must be something human...”

“Alec,” he said. “Sorry. I should have introduced myself before.”

“Seeing as we’ve already exposed ourselves to each other,” I said with a laugh. Then wished I could bite my bloody tongue out for being gross.

“What is it this time?” I rushed on. “Still the summer fashion theme?” I peered in with him, as he opened the box. Our heads were very close together, and for a wild moment, I imagined I could smell strawberries. Jesus. In December? The cold must have affected my brain.

It was a stock of sunglasses. Bright colours, big lenses, wide frames, and they were all covered in little jewels like confetti. As he picked out a couple of pairs, the neon light caught them, and the sparkle nearly blinded me. Talk about overkill. “You’re surely not going to wear them,” I scoffed. “They’re for teenage girls, aren’t they?”

Alec’s expression was mischievous. He nibbled at his plump lower lip in a way that made me want to grab him and offer my lips instead. “Dear me, Gray. How un-metrosexual you are. They’re for whoever wants to wear them.” He glanced at my face but in an assessing way, rather than a look-how-hot-Gray-is-and-I-want-to-ravish-him way.

I laughed nervously, because I had a feeling I knew where this was going. “Which, duh. Isn’t us. Right?”

No immediate answer from Alec. When I glared at him, his cheeks turned pink.

“Will you join me on the podcast again, Gray? It’ll look so much better with two models. We can create all sorts of fun shots. I’ve got some cocktail glasses, a beach ball. It’ll be like taking selfies from beside the pool in Ibiza.”

What the hell? This was a cold, bleak office unit off Clapham High Street at the end of December. You couldn’t get farther away from a Spanish beach. Not that I’d ever had a foreign holiday, but I imagined myself with the sun hot and canary yellow above us, lying on a sunbed in next to no clothes, Alec’s smooth skin glistening with suncream, sipping his margarita and blushing so, so prettily when I ran my fingers along his thigh…

I cleared my throat and we broke our mutual stare. He was flushed: looked strangely confused.

 

Amazon link

 

 

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My review:

 

 

4 stars

 

I'm still in my "bah, humbug" mode, even as I'm gathering things for the holiday season, but this cute, sweet story did a great job of nudging me toward the cheerful part of the spectrum. Of course, now I'm going to be humming the song even though I am NOT ready to sing Christmas carols, lol. 

 

I love the positive message and the encouragement to follow one's dream, not to mention the great ideas for repurposing other people's discards. This was necessarily a condensed start of a beautiful relationship, but hopefully there will be more details about this cute couple at some point in the future. This was an enjoyable quick read that celebrates both the holiday season and the joy of creativity.

 

 

A copy of this title was provided for review

 

Purr-Fect Pitch by Carolyn Wren (VBB, excerpt, and GIVEAWAY) GFT

Purr-Fect Pitch

by

Carolyn Wren

A warm-hearted, fun filled rom-com novella laden with love, music…and cats.

When his ringing doorbell wakes Devlin from a post birthday party hangover, he finds a beautiful singing telegram dressed as a kitten on the other side, who leaves him intrigued and confused in equal measures. His mysterious songstress has the voice of an angel and the devil’s own temper to match.

Katherine ‘Kat’ Grant has one dream, and that’s singing. To achieve it, she needs admission to the exclusive Perdies College of Music. Kat’s adolescent years were difficult, being dependant on the charity of others left her with a fierce independent streak and a loathing of special treatment. She’ll succeed on her own merits without anyone’s help, especially the cheeky, alluring Devlin who seems to have squeezed himself into every aspect of her life.

Devlin knows he has the power to make all of Kat’s dreams come true. But wielding that power means he could lose her forever.

Can a charismatic cat loving hero and his sassy stubborn singer find their own love song?

Find out, in Purr-fect Pitch.

Excerpt

“I don’t want you falling.”

“You’ve seen me run in heels.”

“Fair point, I—” his voice dropped away.

“Devlin? Devlin? Where’d you go?” Kat felt around beside her in the dark and came up with empty air.

“Ouch, down here. I tripped over the ornamental rockery.”

“What? Are you hurt?” She dropped to her knees, searching for him, her questing hands encountering the fine wool of his trousers. His quick intake of breath was her first clue, even before her fingers brushed against the zipper at his groin. Kat yanked her hand away. Great, now she was groping him.

“Is my chin bleeding?”

“I can’t see. Stay there, let me get my phone.” Kat rummaged through her shoulder bag, and flicked on the phone’s torch app. Light flooded the area, revealing Perdies owner sprawled on the ground, one foot snagged under a large rock.

“I knew that bloody rockery was a bad idea.” He dabbed the grazes on his chin and cheek.

“Here,” she handed him a tissue. “Can you move? Is anything broken?”

“Only my ego.”

All that languid grace and elegance had vanished, lost in an awkward tangle of limbs. Kat bit her lip to fight off a giggle.

“Are you laughing, Katherine?”

“No.” The single, high pitched word would have made a castrato envious. 


Buy link:

Amazon


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About the Author:

After spending her working life in the finance sector, mostly in the mining industry, Carolyn began writing in 2009, just for fun. Much to her surprise, she won the very first writing contest she entered, the Australian based Emerald Award for unpublished manuscripts, and one week later received a commendation from the International Daphne Du Maurier Awards for Excellence in Mystery/Suspense. This gave her the incentive to keep writing, and to pursue a publishing deal. As at June 2020 Carolyn has 7 winners trophies and 15 finalist certificates from contests all around the world. Her books are published through Australian publishing houses, Serenity Press and Gumnut Press with future releases due with UK publishers Vulpine Press.

Carolyn likes to let her characters take control. The resulting stories range from light hearted comedic contemporary through to sexy, action packed romantic suspense and emotion driven urban fantasy. One thing remains constant in all her books, she’s a romantic at heart and loves a happy ending.

Website
Facebook
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GIVEAWAY



a Rafflecopter giveaway



The tour dates can be found here

A Woman for Zachary and Hot to the Touch by Adriana Kraft (Double Trouble blog tour, guest post) ADULT titles RBC

Double Trouble From Adriana Kraft

A Woman for Zachary

Meghan’s Playhouse, Book Two

&

Hot to the Touch

Swinging Games, Book Fifteen

 

Guest Post: 

 Double Trouble from Adriana Kraft


 One of my favorite recent memes from FaceBook reads as follows: When I get old, they’re never going to say “what a sweet old lady.” They’re gonna say “what on EARTH is she up to now?!”  

If that sounds like trouble, hold on to your hat—we’ve got a double dose heading your way. 

Our two recent erotic romance ménage releases feature leading characters at mid-life. Baby boomers ourselves, we often write characters in their 40s, 50s, and even 60s and beyond. 

If that’s not what trips your trigger, these two books aren’t for you – but, with any luck, all of us will reach these ages eventually, and we hope our readers do so with vim, vigor, and yes, a vibrant and active sex life. 

We like to think some of our characters can light the way.  

Hot to the Touch takes the mid-fifties couple who star in our Swinging Games series to a clothing optional RV resort for some summer fun. In A Woman for Zachary, the early twenties heroine who starred in Seducing Cat hooks up with a mid-forties woman and an early-fifties man to ignite the spark that’s been smoldering between them.



 

  

                                    
                                                                                                                                                                  A Woman for Zachary

 











 Blurb:

It’s New York! Broadway beckons, but Meg has more fun keeping an erotic triangle going with her current flame, Zach Cullen, and her drama coach, Josie Patrice.

Zachary Cullen has ignored Josette Patrice’s overtures for years, but she agrees to take on his latest protégé-slash-arm-candy Meghan Keenan in her off-Broadway workshop theater. Though the girl has incredible talent, Josie would stake her reputation on that little thing being a switch-hitter, like herself, and she doesn’t want Zach to be duped. 

Josie sets out to seduce Meg and expose her for what she is, but all bets are off when Meg turns the tables on Josie to hook her up with Zach.

Excerpt: 

Josie was shaking her head back and forth before Zach finished speaking. “That’s not enough.”

Zach closed the distance between the two of them.

She pressed her back against the wall, and he placed his palms against it, framing her head. She licked her lips.

What was he doing? She’d imagined him being this close countless times, but not in this way. Not in anger. Not struggling with his sense of fairness over sharing another woman. 

She kept her arms locked at her sides.

“That’s exactly what Meg said. What is enough? Do we draw lots for her?”

Josie shook her head.

“Maybe I can have her even days of the month and you odd days.”

“That might work.” Josie could hardly breathe. Zach’s male scent was overpowering. She’d agree to almost anything, if he just stayed where he was. She should be afraid of him, but she wasn’t. This was a man she’d known for a decade. He might be very angry, even deeply pained, but he wouldn’t hurt her—at least not physically.

“It works for parking cars in the winter. It’s a beginning, I guess.” His eyes darkened with a passion she couldn’t decipher. She watched his eyes shut and re-open.

And then his mouth was crushing against hers. She tried to breathe through her nostrils. His muffled groans filled her mouth. Tentatively, she lifted her hands to his shoulders. It was as if he was in a trance. She sighed and pulled him closer. Maybe she was, too.

Erotic Romance Ménage

Novella, 28,000 words

eXtasy Books, August 4, 2017

Four Flames: Explicit Sex, MF, FF;

Ménage, FFM, FMF; Sex toys

Buy Links: 

extasy books | Amazon

 

Hot to the Touch 

 











Blurb:  

Can the summer get any hotter? Escaping Southern Indiana summer heat, swingers Brett and Jen check out a Minnesota clothing optional RV resort, where the rules are very different from the swing lifestyle venues they’re used to. When they spot a hot looking couple in the swimming pool, they’re definitely interested, but they know better than to make the first move. Will Paul and Kim turn out to be players, or will Brett and Jen get a cold shoulder?

  

Excerpt: 

“Hi guys,” Kim said, giving Jen a hug. “We ran into traffic, but we’re here at last. I love your outfit, Jen. That short skirt is just right for your long legs. You guys are fine dancers.”

“And you look fantastic,” Jen managed to say. “That top is so sexy. As you said, just a touch of mystery. And I love those dangling earrings. They sparkle nearly as much as you do. Absolutely stunning.”

“Thank you,” Kim murmured, turning to hug Brett.

“As stunning as you look,” Paul said, gathering Jen into his arms for a long hug. “You both look scrumptious. Good enough to eat. Right, Brett?”

Brett nodded.

Jen noticed Kim made no move to break away from Brett’s arms. She watched the olive-skinned woman drag her lips across Brett’s wrist before lifting it up and sliding onto the curved bench. Jen slid in from the other side, with the guys sitting on either end. A bare leg brushed against her left leg, a trousered one against her right. If those legs were meant to only tease, she’d be very, very upset before the night was over.


Erotic Romance Ménage

Short Story, 7,000 words

eXtasy Books, July 30, 2017

Four Flames: Explicit Sex, MF, FF;

Ménage, MFMF

Buy Links: 

extasy books | Amazon

About the Author: 

Winner of the 2014 Bisexual Book Award for erotic fiction, author Adriana Kraft is a married couple writing Sizzling Romantic Suspense and Erotic Romance for Two, Three, or More.

One man, one woman, danger and intrigue – always a happy ending, but oh, what a ride! Readers can count on our Romantic Suspense line for gutsy characters, hot sex, and breathtaking intimacy as our hero and heroine battle outer threats and inner demons to stay alive and fall in love.

A man, a woman (or two), or another man, threesomes, foursomes—what’s your fantasy? We write our Erotic Romance stories to entertain, of course, but most of all we write them because we believe in happy endings for all who fall in love, whatever their gender, sexual orientation or numerical combination. Here you’ll find multiple partners, three-way, four-way and more, swing lifestyle, lesbian, bisexual, ménage and polyamory, in both contemporary and paranormal settings.

Together we have published over thirty-five romance novels and novellas to outstanding reviews. We love hearing from readers at adrianakraft99@yahoo.com, and here is our website:

When It’s Time to Heat Things Up http://adrianakraft.com  

Author Links:

Website | Blog | Facebook | Twitter | GoodReads  | Pinterest | Amazon Author Page | Newsletter 

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GIVEAWAY


Adriana will be awarding a $10 Amazon GC, to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Please use the RaffleCopter below to enter. Remember you may increase your chances of winning by visiting the other tour stops. You may find those locations here.

a Rafflecopter giveaway





 

Dragos Takes a Holiday (review), contests, freebies and other items of interest

                                            


“Dragos Takes a Holiday” by Thea Harrison is an ADULT paranormal romance novella that continues the story of Dragos Cuelebre and his family.  A little finagling has the welcome result of Dragos taking his family with him for a much-needed retreat.  His mate Pia's judicious display of books on treasure hunting gives incentive for searching the waters around the Bermuda triangle for a particular sunken ship, much to the dismay of treasure hunters who have decided to claim the spoils themselves.  Dragos’ offspring, affectionately known as Peanut, continues to grow rapidly both physically and magically, but he is little match for the determined predators he runs afoul of.  Fortunately, Dragos has not lost any of his protective instincts nor his propensity for ensuring that the world runs according to his personal dictates.




This fun glimpse of one the leading Elder races family gives a touching picture of the way the dynamics have changed now that Dragos and Pia are parents, yet the flame of attraction still burns hotly between them.  The delightful anomalies involved with their respective powers add to the allure of this tale which is an entertaining quick read. I suspect that those who are new to the series might be a bit confused as there is not much exposition on the various characters and their respective backgrounds yet there is plenty of magical action to enthrall and enough spice to keep the reader warm on a cold winter’s night.  I loved the juxtaposition between Dragos' role as the doting papa and the ruthless leader of his people and look forward to many more tales of this fascinating family.

© Night Owl Reviews
I received a copy of this title in return for an honest review.

Dragos Takes A Holiday (Amazon link)

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If you need a laugh during all of the hectic events of this season, take some time to watch the video at this link.  (and think about those 'alpha' definitions)


 The talented Lily Harlem has an ADULT title available for free on Amazon for a limited time.




Hired: 1 (Hot Ice)



Night Owl Reviews has the Winter Wonderland scavenger hunt at this link and other contests at this link

Romance Books 4 Us has a Dancing Santa contest at this link

Fresh Fiction has tons of contests at this link

The Thankfully Naughty bloghop has a stop at Tara Lain's blog at this link

Christmas Paws bloghop at this link