GUEST BLOG: THE TABOO OF MENAGE

The Taboo of Menage

by Cassandra Carr

One of the most common reactions I get when I mention I write menage books is eyebrows jumping into hairlines, followed by nervous laughter. I shrug it off because I know most people either don't understand menage relationships or they've been taught to believe it's wrong to be with more than person. That's fine--it's why my stories are fiction.

Polygamy is neither legal nor accepted in "polite society". Does it happen? Of course. If you were a part of a permanent, committed menage relationship, would you be upfront about it or would you try to hide it? I think that's hard for a lot of us to say, even if you're pretty open-minded about sex. One of the biggest needs humans have is for acceptance, and we naturally shy away from anything that will get us shunned by society. There are exceptions, but there always is, right?

So why do I write menage if it's a taboo subject and not one that's accepted by society? Because it's fantasy. What woman hasn't thought about two (or more!) hunky guys focused exclusively on her pleasure. You haven't? Liar. ;-)

My job as an erotic romance writer is to bring the fantasies women have about sex alive in a safe way. That's why I write menage.

What do you think about menage in real life? Do you know anyone living this lifestyle?

Cassandra Carr lives in Western New York with her husband, Inspiration, and her daughter, Too Cute for Words.

When not writing she enjoys watching hockey and hanging out on Twitter. Her December 2011 release, Caught, was named Best BDSM Book 2011 by LoveRomancesCafe.

For more information about Cassandra, check out her website at http://www.booksbycassandracarr.com, "like" her Facebook fan page at http://www.facebook.com/AuthorCassandraCarr or follow her on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/Cassandra_Carr.

BOOK SPOTLIGHT - PASGANKEE

"An isolated village, remote and vulnerable.

A series of brutal murders.

And a vengeful spirit born of tragedy, reawakened after a centuries-old massacre.

Three distinctly different people must come together, racing against time and their own personal demons in a desperate attempt to stop an unstoppable killer and save their town.

Welcome to Paskagankee, Maine. You may not survive the visit."

"...absolutely fantastic...The story moves along at a good pace, dripping with atmosphere. The frights come at you hard and fast...A great story, believable characters, tension, atmosphere, frights galore, blood, and a nice twist at the end..."
   —Literary Mayhem

"A scorching supernatural thriller—Allan Leverone does it again...he is a writer on the rise. Check out Paskagankee. You'll be glad you did."
   —Mark Edward Hall, author of APOCALYPSE ISLAND and SERVANTS OF DARKNESS

I've been fascinated by the power of the written word my whole life, penning my first thriller somewhere around the age of ten. In this short story, a young man gets lost in the woods during a fierce winter snowstorm and his body is found months later huddled against a tree, a single teardrop frozen onto his dead cheek. I suppose this gives you a fairly accurate insight into my genre sensibilities.

I attended the University of Notre Dame with the intention of majoring in newspaper journalism before changing direction after my freshman year and majoring in Business Administration, a degree I received in 1981 and have to this day never put to use.

After graduation, and despite having never set foot inside an airplane, I was hired by the Federal Aviation Administration and began training as an air traffic controller, a job I have held ever since, working in Providence, Rhode Island, Bangor, Maine, and, for the last twenty years controlling traffic at Boston's Logan International Airport.

I am a proud member of the International Thriller Writers, New England Horror Writers and Short Mystery Fiction Society, I live in Londonderry, New Hampshire with my beautiful wife of nearly thirty years, Sue, our three children, one granddaughter, and Midnight the Miracle Cat, who has survived more adventures than the rest of us combined.

Connect with Allan:

Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter

Free today May 30th on Amazon.com! 

Go get your copy!

SECOND CHANCE - REVIEW & INTERVIEW

"Emily wants Colin in her life and her bed. Enlisting the help of Colin's teammates and Madame Eve's 1Night Stand dating service, she plans to prove to Colin he can have everything he lost once again."

Author: Debbie Gould
Pages: 36 pages
Publisher: Decadent Publishing on January 2012
Form: E-book (from tour for an honest review)
Genre: Contemporary Erotic Romance (+18 Only)
Series: 1NightStand
Amazon: Buy / $3.99 (Kindle) ( EU price, click to see yours )
Barnes & Noble: Buy / $3.99 (Nook)
Smashwordss: Buy / $3.99 (E-book)

"Lieutenant Colin Beckett, US Air Force special ops, lost his wife in childbirth while off on a mission. Two years later, he’s still trying to come to grips with the guilt that tortures him. And to complicate matters, he finds himself undeniably attracted to his wife's sister, Emily. Struggling with his desire, he tells himself he doesn't deserve a second chance with such an amazing woman.

Emily wants Colin in her life and her bed. Enlisting the help of Colin's teammates and Madame Eve's 1 Night Stand dating service, she plans to prove to Colin he can have everything he lost once again.

Will their one night lead to the happy ending she longs for or the loneliness he thinks he deserves?" ~Goodreads

Colin's story is quite dark, his wife dies giving birth to their daughter while he's away in the special ops. He breaks down, gives the girl to his wife's sister to raise. He truly doesn't believe he deserve his daughters love and the fact that he's beginning to have feeling to Emily scares him to the core.

Colin and Emily's story is short but I actually liked Emily's determination to help Colin until it truly is over. Colin's team mate Bobby making Colin jealous over Emily was fun to read as well!

Short, redeeming and somewhat sexy Second Chances was good but was missing either that extra sexiness or bit more sexual tension to be addictive.

Rating :

Niina : Welcome to For The Love of Reading, Debbie Gould, I’m glad you could stop by!

Debbie Gould : Thank you so much for having me today.

Niina : Let’s get started! Can you tell my readers here 4 fun unknown facts about you so we can break the ice?

Debbie : Lets see, I'm Scottish, my left thumb is double jointed, I'm recently single and I love skinny dipping. Oh, wait, this isn't a dating site is it?

Niina : Tell us little about your novella Second Chance, what’s it about?

Debbie : Ahhhh, Second Chance. It's really about just what the title says, but also about forgiving yourself and letting yourself move on. My hero lost his wife in childbirth while he was away on a mission and had never forgiven himself for not being there when she needed him. I've actually caught a little flak from a few readers. Because of the guilt he felt, he distanced himself from the infant daughter that was born that night. But the way I see it is we all grieve in our own ways and men react to situations totally different than women do. He felt, if he was in her life, he'd end up letting her down too or losing her someway. To some readers, they felt this was the wrong way for him to handle things. They are totally right, but like I said, men in particular are not known for using their emotions wisely, lol.  BUT, he does come around and make it right in a big way.

Niina : What made you want to write for the 1NightStand series? (I’m a fan myself, I love the series)

Debbie : I'd read a few of them and just LOVED the idea. So I started plucking away at my own.

Niina : What scene did you most enjoyed writing and why?

Debbie :They scene where Colin's best friend, Bobby, basically tells him what an idiot he's been and to smarten up or he'll go after the girl himself. Bobby really tells him straight up how it is and is willing to literally pound it into him if he has too, lol.

Niina : What do you think makes your hero sexy?

Debbie : Beyond his gorgeous body, the man really does have a heart of gold, misguided though it may be. When he loves, he loves deeply.

Niina : What are you working on right now? Can you give us a sneak peak?

Debbie :  My writing partner and I are actually working on Bobby's story right now. Lemme see if I can find a little tid-bit to share of Bobby.

A fierce craving shot through Bobby, arrowing straight to the growing bulge that strained against his pants zipper. Damn, she was hot and gorgeous and, hell yeah, he wanted her. All that blonde hair, those wet lips, and luscious curves—a guy would have to be dead not to. Instinct screamed that he throw her to the floor and bury himself deep inside her, but thank God his brain had the good sense to demand otherwise. He needed to watch for her cues, or the whole thing could go south.

Niina : Now to more personal questions! What’s the sexiest article of clothing on a guy?

Debbie : Carhartt pants. They snuggle right up to a guys butt perfectly. Love em.

Niina : Would you rather meet real vampires or werewolves?

Debbie : Vampire, I guess. They seem sexier than werewolves somehow.

Niina : Your favorite dangerous fictional bad boy, and why him?

Debbie : Mark Wahlberg in FEAR. Oh my gosh he was a THE dangerous bad boy in that movie. He started off as THAT bad boy all the girls would go for, edgy, dark, sexy. Then he turn psychotic, lol. Great movie and he played the heck out of that part.

Niina : What is your favorite guilty treat/pleasure?

Debbie : Red Velvett cake. Love the stuff!!!!!

Niina : Before we finish, here are some Quick Fire Questions:

Night or day?  Night
Pick-up or Mini-van? Pick-up
Boots or Heels?  Boots
Beer or Wine? Beer
Cocktails or Shots? Shots
M&Ms: With or Without Peanuts?  Without
Treats: Sweet or Salty? Salty
Date: Going to Park or Going to Movies? Park
Winter or Summer? Summer
Jewels or Chocolates? Chocolates (White, and don't tell me that's not a chocolate.)
Men: Alpha-male or Submissive? Alpha
Men: Clean Shaven or Stubble? Clean shaven
Men: Bad boys or Good guys? Bad boys
Tattoos or Piercings on a guy? Tattoo's here and there VERY sex, but not TOO many.
Brunettes or Blonds? Brunettes
Romance: Vampires or werewolves? Vampire
Romance: Fallen Angels or Sexy Demons? Fallen Angels
Romance: Cops or Cowboys? Come on, I've been good about the whole pick one thing but do I REALLY have to choose here??? Fine, I guess the cowboy wins. Now if you'd asked Military, it'd been all over with. :-)

Niina : Thanks for visiting the For The Love of Reading, Debbie! Any news would you like to share with your readers, or websites they can check out?

Debbie : Check me out at www.authordebbiegould.com and the blog my writing partner and I have, http://www.garland-and-gould.blogspot.com/

BARCODE: LEGEND OF APOLLO / AUTHOR INTERVIEW

Niina : Welcome to For The Love of Reading, Kashif Ross, I’m glad you could make it!

Kashif Ross : The pleasure is mine.

Niina : Let’s get started! Can you tell my readers here 4 fun unknown facts about you so we can break the ice?

Kashif : 1) When I was in undergrad, I used to carry a red bear on my backpack from Victoria Secret. Written across its belly were the words, "Sexy little bear." I thought it was fitting because I was short and I think I'm pretty damn attractive.

2) Just last year, I was training to be an animator with professionals from Dreamworks. I couldn't afford to continue doing it, but it was fun and taught me a lot about bringing characters to life.

3) I'm a damn fast writer. I've written a 75k novel in a week. I've also written three 100k+ books. Each took me three weeks to complete.

4) I often refer to myself as a ninja in my day-to-day conversations. For example, "How'd you get here so fast." My response, "I'm a ninja." It adds some spice to my life.

Niina : A VS teddy, huh? ;) Tell us a little about your book “Barcode: Legend of Apollo”, in five sentence or less?

Kashif : The story was written to appeal to people sick and tired of the standard hero's journey where good triumphs over evil and a vampire/wizard boy saves the day. Do not read this if you're looking for a happy ending because it's for readers that want something different. Barcode is based on humans that can harness the powers of gods. It's about a boy that wants nothing to do with his destiny, but he can't run from it, no matter how much he tries.

Niina : What chapter did you most enjoyed writing and why?

Kashif : There's a chapter where one of the villains gets his butt handed to him by a guardian of the arena. However, I'm not happy he gets smacked around, I enjoyed writing the tension and the shock on the audience's faces when they watch him stand up to their hero.

Niina : Which way are you going with series?

Kashif : Down a dark and twisted path. The more you read the story, the more deaths will appear. Though it's a fantasy, I'm trying to keep things "realistic" in a sense. I don't want all the heroes to make it out safely just because they can. I want to create a level a tension where readers can't predict what will happen next. Some characters may even come back to life.

Niina : Dark and twisted is good! What character did you most enjoyed writing and why?

Kashif : It's a close call between Kode and Michelle. Though I loved creating a strong female character, I really had a thrill making Kode full of mystery and murderous intent. I purposely made it difficult for readers to get a grip on him. I even made things more twisted in the end, but that's where I had the most fun.

Niina : I absolutely loved Michelle myself. :) What sparks your inspiration?

Kashif : Music! I play certain songs in order to draw out specific emotions in the readers. For this story, I played a lot of Paramore: "Ignorance" and "Monster." For the intimate and emotional scenes, I used Trey Songz, "Me 4 U." For the second book, I used "Monster," but it was by Jay-Z and Kanye West. I also used Paramore's "Misery Business."

Niina : Kanye West has some awesome music, very author friendly. ;) How did you find your cover and if you didn't take part in the search, what is your opinion of it?

Kashif : I asked a college friend to design the cover for me, Stephanie Yang aka Sheep. She partnered up with Glynnis Koike. I sent them ideas of what I wanted from other anime shows or album covers and they did the rest. It requires a lot of teamwork to get the cover done. They ask a lot of questions and turn my words into ideas. It's fun and challenging, but in the end they created some delicious nom-nom!

Niina : The cover really got me, I was wondering who's the alien, until I started reading and went, 'wait not an alien!' Err... so, what’s the best and worst advice for writers you have received?

Kashif : I can't really narrow anything down. Everyone has advice, but I take it with a grain of salt. Really it's all about what you do with the information you receive that's important.

Niina : Can you tell us five fun/quirky things about the hero that we didn't learn from the book?

Kashif : These contain minor spoilers - 1) Spencer is intentionally a jerk. I made him that way because I wanted his character growth to be awesome. That leads me to,

2) Spencer's character was built around Draco Malfoy from Harry Potter. I wondered how much more interesting HP would've been if the story began with the prick that no one liked.

3) Spencer is actually slowly becoming evil like Anikin Skywalker did in Star Wars. He's not meant to be a good guy. Some readers wonder why they still don't like him in the end, though he did so many great things. It's because there's evil in his heart.

4) Spencer was one of the last characters added to the story. It was originally written without him in mind.

5) He's a breast man.

Niina : I liked Spencer being such a jerk, it added depth to the story and it was bit odd. ;) Now to more personal questions! Would you rather meet real vampires or werewolves? (not the Disney versions)

Kashif : Grr...neither. After Twilight, I'd like to stab one in the heart with a stake and shoot the other with a silver bullet. That's a friendly warning to any sparkly eyed fantasy pretty boys that try stepping in my neighborhood.

Niina : LOL! What is your signature dish?

Kashif : I make a mean plate of Italian sausage spaghetti, but that's not for everyone, so I have to give it to my fajita grilled chicken burrito.

Niina : What is your favorite guilty treat/pleasure?

Kashif : Women with nice butts...that's probably not what you meant, huh?

Niina : LOL! I'll accept it. Not even the raciest answer I've gotten! (the raciest rhymes it bildos) What’s on your night stand?

Kashif : A teddy, ink cartridges, and change.

Niina : Before we finish, here are some Quick Fire Questions:

Night or day?  Day
Pick-up or Mini-van? Pick-up...rawr
Boots or Heels?  Heels if she has sexy feet.
Beer or Wine? Meh...non drinker here.
Cocktails or Shots? You alcoholics always want to know about drinks.
M&Ms: With or Without Peanuts?  With! Are you crazy? Who buys the one without? You have no soul.
Treats: Sweet or Salty? Sweet. Salty makes me feel...dirty.
Date: Going to Park or Going to Movies? *Gasp* Can't choose. *Hides in corner and hugs knees* Can't choose!
Winter or Summer? Summer.
Women:  Talkative or wallflowers? Wallflowers...dammit I hate when people don't know when to hush. Plus, mysterious floats my damn boat!
Women:  Curvy or Slim? Curvy. Sorry for those of you without a figure. Somebody loves you.
Tattoos or Piercings on a woman? I love art so I'll go with tats. Plus, Barcode is all about intricate tattoos.
Brunettes or Blonds? Is this really a questions? Brunettes. Dark and mysterious always wins with me.
Cops or Cowboys? Native Americans.
Time-Travel or Sci-fi? Aren't they the same?
Romance or Erotic Romance? Erotic. How can life really happen without something kinky going on in your pants?
Male POV or Female POV (Point Of View)? Male. I love strong female POV, but most stories are written with weak women that I'd be tempted to slap in real life. Just saying.
Times New Roman or Courier? TNR

Niina : Thanks for visiting the For The Love of Reading, Kashif! Any news would you like to share with your readers, or websites they can check out?

Kashif : Of course. What author wouldn't tell more of what's to come? I'm currently finishing Barcode: Cavern of Youth. I expect it to release on June 2nd. If you want to read updates, head over to kashifross.com. Thank you very much for this opportunity. I love this website.

Niina : Thanks! Glad you came by!

Review of Barcode coming up soon! 

Unfortunately this blogger is feeling quite under the weather and hadn't pre-written this review so hang in there it's coming up as soon as I feel good enough to write.

SHAPE - APRIL 2012

If you are like me and sometimes don't get to mags right away then you might have this April Edition still unread. Though this time in my case the Finnish store I went to didn't yet have the "current" edition - which is why I decided to order Shape again!

The first thing in the cover that got me was Alison Sweeney, I love her in The Biggest Loser ( yes I do watch that show! I'm a huge Jillian Michaels fan ).

The second was The Hunger Games Workout - I was expecting some running, climbing or something to go with the mood of the book! But no, what I got was just the actresses who played Glimmer doing moves, bummer. :(  Get in to fighting shape, okay I did get that and the moves were really strength building.

The Sexier By Summer workout I loved! I love doing the 2. Booty Booster move, it's easy but efficient and who doesn't want a perkier butt! A hint, the lower angle your knees butt and feet make the more bunch the lift and point has to your abs as well. ( click for a bigger pic )
Also 5. The High-Kick Dips were a workout for the arms and butt!

Of course my favorites are the Success Stories and the Weight-Loss Diary girl Yasmin. It's the best source of inspiration! I especially loved Kathy's 80 pound loss with Wii Fit and kick boxing.

I think the most emotional article in this issue was My Boyfriend Almost Killed Me - I've always had trouble believing that a strong woman could get bullied and abused but this story really told how it happened to her, bit by bit, and now I have to say it really can happen to anyone who meets a manipulative man, if they don't know these warning signs : Gets serious too quickly, easily jealous, blames his exes, pressures to spend less time with family and friends, wants to move far from said family and friends, criticizes and puts you down subtly ( you're not as smart, or as pretty or as slim as... ).

Another great 164 pages! Shapes always has the best test on apparel and footwear, but also the beauty tips, and health tip - like did you know to buy asparagus with the tips close together instead of open for more flavor... well I know now! And did you know that with more iron in your system your exercises will be more efficient and your moves faster? Now you do!

Let's get fit!

P.S: Want a Weight-Loss Success Story to read to inspire you today, here we go! Beyonce lost 60 pounds after baby!

A SKINWALKERS LEGACY - REVIEW AND GIVEAWAY

"With a murderous Lycan tribe on their tail and only a few hours to spare once Lexia learns her birthright, Galen will only have a day to teach her what those before her learned in a lifetime. Before their time is over, passion will erupt between the guard and his ruler, a fateful battle will dawn between two tribes and a new Chieftess will arise within the nocturnal hours…"

Author: Shae Wynters
Publisher: Liquid Silver Publishing on May 2012
Form: E-book (from tour for an honest review)
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Amazon: Buy / $9.19 (Kindle) ( EU price, click to see yours )
Barnes & Noble: Buy / $5.09 (Nook)
Excerpt: Chapter 1

"Lexia Torrance is a young woman with the gift of second sight. Her ability allows the Phoenix Police Department to solve crimes based on the gift of touch. Her latest case leads her to the body of a local man left with the killers' calling card—an emblem burned on the victim's chest in the shape of a sun. She soon finds herself facing five men looking for the necklace with the same emblem…and they are determined to find her as well...

Galen Cortes knows the immense ability deep inside Lexia as well as her destiny to take the throne as Skinwalker Chieftess to the southwest tribe. As a guard of the tribe, Galen has sworn to protect Lexia and teach her the truth about her powers. Despite what his heart feels, he knows a guard isn’t supposed to get too close to a betrothed Chieftess. But his fiery passion may soon override his rational thought.

With a murderous Lycan tribe on their tail and only a few hours to spare once Lexia learns her birthright, Galen will only have a day to teach her what those before her learned in a lifetime. Before their time is over, passion will erupt between the guard and his ruler, a fateful battle will dawn between two tribes and a new Chieftess will arise within the nocturnal hours…" ~Goodreads

The premise for this book is very interesting, the plot sound like a very good addition to the paranormal genre.

The heroine with paranormal gifts unaware of her destiny among the Lycan, skinwalkers, werewolves. An evil prince hunting her for power and a guardian trying to keep her safe while revealing what and who she really is. Sounds interesting doesn’t it? I sure though so!

But it fell flat with me, Lexia was tough, too tough. She came out cautious at first then suddenly she’s on the crime scene like she’s a seasoned detective when in reality she’s a medium consultant. And then there is the guns fights and the bad girl posturing that just clashes with her inner world that the reader first gets. I get that it’s supposed to be fast pace and an adventure but it’s not believable.

I did a lot of skipping in this book, waiting to get to a more solid point, but unfortunately I had to give up, this book wasn’t for me.

Rating :

a Rafflecopter giveaway

MY MAY FAVORITES

What items I loved this month! This is a new thing I'm trying out - I'm excited to tell you a little more about me ( showing, not telling, a rule writers and reviewers swear by! ), and this should be a perfect way to get to know me a little better! I actually came up with the idea when watching Make Up By TiffanyD's videos, she's awesome btw, I watched tons of her videos this Saturday. Let's start with make-up!

Maybelline's Dream Terra Sun Bronzer in "Tiger", it's sunny again so it's bronzer time! I've missed bronzer, I love the shimmer and the healthy look you can get with it. Sunkissed. ;) And girls, this smells like a very sexy perfume, I love love love putting it on.

Wet'n'Wild Coloricon Trio "I'm Getting Sunburned" I love love love this! I have only once used the brow bone pearl-essence pink on the eyebrow, I usually just use either the pink with dab of brown on the outside corners, up and down - or the same but with a gold base and the dab of brown. It's my absolute favorite right now, because I don't have to use eyeliner with it. Whoo! ( though I do love the Wing, it's my basic look ) Another one I have used a lot this month, which was my last month's favorite is "Knock on Wood", which is much more neutral on the shimmer but has awesome color combination, the wine red is awesome! Also, Wet'n Wild is completely Animal Cruelty Free, a HUGE plus!

L'Oréal Extra-Volume Collagen in Black is my fave mascara right now! It works wonders for a cheaper price. All I need is to curl my lashes on two spots, apply and it looks so much fuller right away with great separation.

My make-up powder hasn't changed sense I first got Lumene's Natural Code Skin Perfector Mineral Powder in Toffee. It's skin-matifying and doesn't clog poars - and it's 94% organic, can't find fault in that! Plus the coverage for a light mineral powder is great!

Malava's 179 "Lemon Cream" is what my nails are wearing this month, it's just a yummy, light yellow, candy color with a light shimmer. And it last long, even on me (I notoriously destroy a coat pretty darn quick) - other than Lemon cream I use Lumene's Natural Code Nail Stylers 2 Have Fun (mat white) and 3 Be Happy (sheer beach) for a french polish - I love the natural code they are all hypo-sensitive with no formaldehyde.

That was make up now to 

miscellaneous item!

I've been loving this Teekanne "Happy Moods" tea with Lemongrass, stimulating Green Tea, known for its antioxidant properties. Coriander, Cardamom, Cinnamon and Ginger paired with the fruity flavours of Apple, Orange Peels and Marigold Flowers create such a yummy combination that it just livens up the day! Also green tea is so good for girls on the a diet!

Which brings me to my next item which has been this protein rahka ( it's like a mix between yogurt and Crème fraîche ) PROFeel Mansikka / Strawberry. This is excellent for dieters because of the protein, after all when one is dieting (like myself at the moment) getting smaller portions is mandatory so you still want to get the energy. As a vegetarian, I found this awesome as vegetarians need their protein from something as well. The taste is good too, it does have that slight powdery taste of protein products but it's the mildest I've come across. Valio is a Finnish brand, but I bet there are US equivalents around.

One more, what is a diet 

without some inspiration!?

 I've taken up reading Shape and Self again! Two of my faves. With my plan to lose 30 pounds, I'm sure to need help in staying on track and last time I went on a diet both these mags were a huge help! Self has the best motivation in my book, and Shape has the best tips and exercises, but I love them both equally as much! My diet started out great, btw, I weight 2kg/5lbs less than I did a week ago! Go girl!

So this is me! 

Now you know me a little bit better! 

Why don't you share too, tell me what's your fave make-up this month 

or what you've loved this month?

REVIEW - COLLISION

"But Leah's not quite as unaffected as she's trying to portrait to Brady, and he sees it too. Deciding to seduce Leah might have started out as a way to spend the few weeks together in a fun and tumble way but what happens when feelings run deeper than sex and entertainment, how many hearts will get broken when Leah's own tour begins?"

Author: Cassandra Carr
Pages: 143 pages
Publisher: Ellora's Cave Publishing on April 2012
Form: E-book (from tour for an honest review)
Genre: Erotic Cowboy Romance (+18 Only)
Series: Buckin' Bull Rider  #1
Amazon: Buy / $6.19 (Kindle) ( EU price, click to see yours )
Barnes & Noble: Buy / $6.37 (Nook)

Leah is the Ice Queen of Figure skating, recovering from an ankle injury she thinks some good PR will help her, so she join a top scoring pro bull rider on tour for few weeks as they both happen to be sponsored by the same automobile company.

Brady is all about fun, flirting and action, a complete opposite to Leah's cool, prim and proper facade - which is why he's drawn to her, where all the girls willing flirt with him and chase him Leah's the opposite, she gives him the cold shoulder and frosty snapback when he tries to smooth talk her to a roll in the sheets.

But Leah's not quite as unaffected as she's trying to portrait to Brady, and he sees it too. Deciding to seduce Leah might have started out as a way to spend the few weeks together in a fun and tumble way but what happens when feelings run deeper than sex and entertainment, how many hearts will get broken when Leah's own tour begins?

Oh I loved this book! I was excited to read this after Cassandra Carr’s last pro bull rider erotic romance novel Impact, and Collision didn’t disappoint! The writing was as great as in Impact, and it was great to meet Connor and Jess in this book as well! The characters were real, fun, witty and had great depth, which is why it was so easy to read, Collision is definitely character driven, and I loved it! Another pro bull rider gem from Cassandra Carr!

I loved Brady, ummm… who wouldn't? Tall, dark, handsome, arrogant, mischievous and bossy in the bedroom, who is signing up for that?! Me. too. I loved his character from the beginning, he was an open book and fun - a total opposite to Leah who was reserved and cool on the outside. I loved the juxtaposition of a rough and tumble pro bull rider and the ice queen of Olympic Figure Skating. They were a mismatch that worked so well! Did I say hot as well, no, well here goes! These two burned some sheet for sure…a bossy guy in bed is always a yummy read, but there was also a little bit spanking, ropes and... well you'll just need to get it to know more. ;) It'll be worth it!

The plot was good too, it was mainly based on the characters - but it really didn’t need more, the tension and the two different worlds was enough, the rest was up to Leah and Brady.

If you love cowboys and pro bull riders, well girls then this is for you! One hot story of two worlds colliding with bang, and yes, with loads of sexual tension! ;)

I want more! Hopefully Ms. Carr will be writing another Buckin' Bull rider Book.

Rating :

MY WICKED GLADIATORS: GUEST BLOG & REVIEW(+18 ONLY)

"Forced to lay with masked gladiators chosen by Lucius, Alba is surprised to discover pleasure in being powerless. Only in the forbidden arms of Caius and Marcus does she find comfort, however temporary it may be."

Author: Lauren Hawkeye
Pages: 352 pages
Publisher: Red Avon Publishing on May 2012
Form: E-book (from tour for an honest review)
Genre: Historical Erotic Romance (+18 Only)
Amazon: Buy / $6.98 (Kindle) ( EU price, click to see yours )
Barnes & Noble: Buy / $3.99 (Nook)

"Alba has spent her entire life pleasing others. As an upper-class plebeian woman in Ancient Rome, that is her place in life. But when her husband Lucius, the owner of a prestigious gladiatorial school, uses her body as a bargaining tool to increase his fortunes, she is faced with doing as he demands, or finding herself on the street.

Forced to lay with masked gladiators chosen by Lucius, Alba is surprised to discover pleasure in being powerless. Only in the forbidden arms of Caius and Marcus does she find comfort, however temporary it may be. But with Lucius’ demands looming and the threat of death for her gladiators ever-present, will Alba’s fleeting pleasures be enough? Or will Alba finally grab hold of her happily ever after, no matter the consequences?" ~From Goodreads

Welcome to ancient Rome where wealthy have slaves and the height of entertainment is gladiators battling to a bloody death on the arena. Lauren Hawkeye brings a young wife of a Ludus keeper to the page, with her attraction to one her husband’s gladiators triggers a sequence of events that transform her from a shy and obedient wife to something completely different. And it’s story worth reader.

As erotic romance this comes close to the real Roman times with the casual attitude to sexy, orgies and slaves, and less strict rules about homosexuality. With all the hot sex sprinkled all over the book one still cannot ignore the romance, which is rule breaking and bordering illegal in the Roman era. The fact that this is a threeway romance is less shocking than the fact that a free woman is falling for two slaves. I loved My Wicked Gladiators, as a fan of history I was all for this and as erotic romance it made it plenty hot glimpse into Roman times.

I enjoyed both Marcus and Caius’s characters, very stern and strict and obedient (well at least on the surface) but I loved how they transformed when they were alone with Alba. They suddenly became passionate, caring and cherished her very different from her husband. Who started out okay and kept getting worse and worse as the story unfolded and his true colors showed. Ended up dispicing him, probably not alone in that.

If you love history with an erotic romance story, then look this up! Fans of Rome will love this!

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CHICKS IN CHARGE / WHY SCI-FI EROTICA? (+18 ONLY)

Why Science Fiction Erotica?

Science fiction and fantasy are the great "what if." What if a man could fly? What if we could take a star ship to another planet? What if an alien race chose to conquer us through interbreeding instead of war? What if a scientist could create an instant orgasm phone app? You know, the really big questions.

That’s what has always drawn me to science fiction. It’s a world of endless possibilities in every aspect of life, and writers of the genre have known this since it was invented. They’ve also explored the great forbidden “what if” of non-humans interacting with humans in intimate ways.

“What do they want, Captain?”

“It’s horrible! They’re stealing our women!”

Ah yes, the old cliché. But what do they want “our women” for, exactly? Why does that strike such terror into the male human heart? Because “our women” are for “our men,” and if one of “them” were to mate with “our women,” well, perish the thought.

Today, however, things are a bit different. Captain Kirk got to at least second base with a number of non-human females, and that seemed to be perfectly fine with Starfleet. Spock, in fact, is half Vulcan, the result of one of these previously too-horrible-to-contemplate alien/human hookups.

To be blunt about it, the thought of making it with a non-human is kind of hot. It’s not a new concept, either. Look at the legends of ancient Greece, such as where centaurs and the infamous Minotaur came from. Leda and the Swan. A certain NSFW image from Japan, an 1814 print titled “Dream of the Fisherman’s Wife.” The list goes on and on.

But why? Because some people want more than just vanilla heterosexual relationships. If you look at the sales figures of something like Twilight, it’s clear that a lot of people want more than that. It’s always been there, but rarely talked about in polite company.

Frankly, I think it’s a lot healthier to talk about and engage in non-vanilla sex than to watch people chopping up zombies on television and getting tortured in movies. As the older, puritanical ways of thought continue to fall away over time, we’re beginning to see changes in our culture, both in entertainment and in our laws. Mainstream shows feature same-sex couples, and mixed-race couples ( gasp! ) are so commonplace that we barely bat an eye any more.

The thought of the white Captain Kirk kissing the black Lieutenant Uhuru on the original Star Trek series was so controversial that Gene Roddenberry had to fight long and hard to get even the obscured liplock we did get to see. Now, four decades later, it’s practically expected.

The future looks bright for increased sexual freedom of all flavors, not just vanilla.

~ WJ Craft is the author of “Chicks in Charge,” a fantasy science fiction erotic short story collection, now available on Amazon.com. Contact WJ on Twitter: https://twitter.com/WJCraft & blog http://deepestregions.blogspot.com/

Author: W.J. Craft
Pages: 60 pages
Publisher: Self Published on December 2011
Form: E-book (from tour for an honest review)
Genre: Science Fiction Erotic Romance (+18 Only)
Amazon: Buy / $5.47 (Kindle) ( EU price, click to see yours )

"Over 20,000 words of intriguing and playful delights where women come out on top in a variety of ways!

Chainsaw Chicks of Chinese Camp: Are the legends true? Are four amazons lying in wait in this tiny rural town for their perfect boy toys to come along and play with them?

Zap: While researching a possible preventative for epileptic seizures, a scientist stumbles onto a very interesting use for her new app.

Take Me To Your Leader: In this 1940s retro tale, a military translator gets up close and personal with some newly-landed alien emissaries.

The Gnome World Order: Find out what really goes on underneath those seemingly innocent pointed red hats.

Little Shoppe of Enchantments: Augustus Pound takes a wrong turn with some rather questionable results. This version includes the longer alternate ending, not available anywhere else!

Cowboy: They seemed like ordinary women in the greasy spoon in town, but they had plans for Jack Barnes and his equipment.

Rosa Erotica: Lyrical and touching. A 500-word ode to the spirit of the rose goddess and a warrior's epiphany."

Wow, oddest erotic stories I've ever read. Ever. Seriously. Nicely done, Ms. Craft!

The cover really doesn't ummm... do justice to the stories.  The cover is all innocent contemporary when on the inside you get alien invasions and chainsaw ummm... toys. LOL! I can't help but giggle how odd these were, little scary and little bit of a turn on. I can't say too much without giving away some shockers but envision man with four members and a gnome with an interesting head... LOL! I can't believe I'm writing this.

I have never read anything like this and if you are looking for a dark-ish, sci-fi erotic short stories where women are on top of the situation - no matter how weird - then you might wanna give this a go as it is something I bet you've never read either.

I think I liked Take Me To Your Leader, The Gnome World Order and Cowboy most, I think they were also the oddest of the bunch.

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GUEST BLOG: V IS FOR VIRGIN (GIVEAWAY)

The V Word—Virgin

Virgin—the word alone holds incredible power. It is no more than a term for sexual innocence, yet throughout history virginity has brought powerful men to their knees, controlled countries, and offered females a sense of personal freedom when nothing else could. It has long symbolized a woman’s gift of fidelity and a man’s assurance of paternity. One would think this state of innocence would have lost potency in today’s world, but that is not true. Virgins remain both the symbol of purity and the ultimate sexual temptation.

Losing one’s virginity can be scary, exciting, wonderful or horrid depending on the moment and the person it is shared with. In traditional romance the heroine’s virgin status was expected and, for many publishers, required. Then came the sexual revolution and that idea faded as virginity became almost embarrassing—something to be dealt with and shed. Now, the pendulum has begun to swing back across society. More and more, I meet people, male and female, who are sexually savvy and educated yet technically innocent. They enjoy hot books and movies but have chosen to preserve their virginity until they have met someone they feel worthy of the gift. No one checks these days for a hymen that could have been lost to a tampon, a pap smear, or never have existed. In the age of born again virgins, virginity depends more on a state of mind than a flap of skin, but that makes innocence no less influential. Acknowledgement of the power of virginity has crept back into romance and has perhaps strengthened in erotica.

In Runaway Virgin readers meet a girl whose status is not wholly her own doing. Her overprotective father and brothers have sheltered her to the point of smothering. Losing her virginity becomes a goal to prove she’s her own person. When she runs away to work at the Sturgis Motorcycle Classic, Neva picks the perfect spot to cross into womanhood. At the rally she can be anyone she chooses, and she chooses to be sexy and flirty and unhindered by familial expectations. It becomes her right of passage on her terms—her body, her choice, her freedom.

V is for valor, victory, validation, and virginity—yet only the virgin can control all these things by simply not acting upon his/her natural instincts. Such power in the hands of the innocent—what else could be as seductive?

One lucky commenter will win the Runaway Virgin e-book! 

All you need to do it comment about the Guest blog with your e-mail addy!
Open May 22 - 28th!

For L.C. Dean, who lives and works in St. Paul, MN, writing erotic romance provides an escape from cold winters and hot summers. The majority of L.C.’s work is intentionally brief: snippets to be enjoyed over a short break or at the end of a long day. In today’s busy society, many people rarely take time to read. Super shorts like the Sturgis Rally Riders series ( Decedent Publishing’s EDGE ) provide passionate respites in a world that often spins too fast.

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