Aphrodisia Authors :: Blog

I apologize for not being able to post in awhile, but have been more busy over the last few months than I’d foreseen. But I do have news to share today and this of the release of my latest novel. The title is The Story of Odette: the Swanmaiden’s Unveiling.  Here is some info and I’ll provide an excerpt, too.

It began as a short story in the anthology Sexy Beast VI from Kensington Aphrodisia and continues with The Story of Odette: the Swanmaiden’s Unveiling.

As the swanmaiden’s daughter, Odette was orphaned at a young age when the forces of Charles Martel laid siege to her village and tribe. She was left helpless to the whims of a vengeful half-sister, Vanda. Some years later, however, Odette’s fortune changed when Vanda’s sympathetic husband escorted her into the refuge of fabled Athla. It is a realm sacred to the gods, where only a few mortals are allowed entrance — and the power-hungry Vanda is not among them.

Odette now finds the acceptance and love she’s always craved, and upon entering adulthood she is also educated in Athla’s sacred disciplines of passion and surrender. Unknown to Odette, however, Vanda has pledged her aid to the vampire priests of Loki, who want the swanmaiden’s daughter to sacrifice to their deity. To this dark end Vanda recruits a handsome soldier named Cu’lugh to enter Athla’s borders and bring Odette back. Cu’lugh sets off to Athla, ignorant of Vanda’s true motives and the dire fate intended for his quarry.

But what neither the vampires nor Vanda know is that Loki seeks more than a mere sacrifice. This father of lies and chaos awaits release from his ancient prison and to exact revenge on the gods who confined him there. Killing Odette is only the first step in Loki’s malevolent agenda — to destroy hope, happiness and love forever in the world of mankind.

EXCERPT

She heard someone enter the house and soon she heard Holbarki speaking with another man. She figured it must be one of his light elf friends he was expecting. They could come and go freely in Athla and their artists had a penchant for Athlan trinkets, which, obviously, Holbarki could supply easily enough.

Two silhouettes approached from the front of the room.

“My finest stirrups are on a table in the back,” she heard Holbarki say, “in front of the tapestries.”

She watched as the merchant stepped out of sight and the other figure advanced. It was a man, so focused in his purpose he seemed unaware of everything else. An Outer Realm soldier, she guessed by his worn boots and scuffed scale mail and the much-used scabbard at his back. He was sweaty and unshaven, his mustache thick and dark as his short hair. He was stalwart but not overly tall, and his neck was thick but smoothly attractive under the stubbled chin. Evidently weary from travel he showed none of the eagerness most visitors to Athla came in with, nor the satisfaction of having prevailed against the hardships of the Wasteland to enter the fabled borders. No, this Outer Realmer’s demeanor was like none she’d ever beheld before. She could not read the look but she was sure of it, so glaring was it behind his weariness.

As if this were but a stop on some journey he’d rather have over, Odette thought.

The warrior’s almond-shaped eyes glittered like dark coals as he examined the stirrups displayed; his face was grim, preoccupied. Odette breathed shallowly, hoping he would find whatever it was he needed and go away. The elf girl’s attentions had been one thing; she did not want to endure a man’s touch without the protection of Lord Eryan or one of the stewards she knew.

For several minutes he browsed through the collection, his tanned brow creased; and even in her frightened impatience Odette could not take her eyes from him. He was different from the men of Athla with the animal-like energy that radiated from his very being. Not even the Athlan soldiers exuded such an aura of raw power . . . and it stirred something very deep in her sex that bade her to plead for but one glance from his beautiful eyes.

She chastised herself silently. Certainly, she should be glad this Outer Realm warrior had other concerns. Surely, he was no more than a barbarian who had stumbled out of the Wastelands and been allowed to enter the borders simply because of his personal tolerance, not because he’d quested to find Athla. Otherwise, she told herself, he would be overjoyed to be in the realm and probably already have his own serving girl on a chain by his side.

But her sex was wet and throbbing. She closed her eyes and tried to think of nothing as she waited for him to leave.

Holbarki’s voice piped close by. “Find what you need, good sir?” Odette heard the man mumble something indistinct and the merchant went on. “You have come to the right place. Unlike many merchants in this realm I understand the practical needs of the Midgardians. You need something, I will do my utmost to make it available hastily. You do not need to dally about while I craft the thing from raw materials or imbue it with magical incantations or artistic fancies.”

“No?” The soldier sounded bored, and Odette opened her eyes just enough to peek out and saw the dissatisfaction on his face.

“My own mother is from the Outer Realm,” Holbarki explained. “She told me time and again the more commonsense habits of her people as compared to the Athlan folk. With their lax lifestyles, they have no conception of necessity. The blacksmiths, for example, save you be one of the street sentries or a member of the army or royal guard, would put you on a waiting list.”

The soldier’s mouth turned up in a smile. “Well, perhaps your king pays highly to promote such an enthusiasm to join his army.”

Holbarki laughed overmuch, and by the hardening of the soldier’s smile Odette knew he saw clear through the merchant’s ingratiating polish.

“I am sorry, but I do not find . . . what I need. Where may I find the closest ironworks?”

Holbarki darkened, but his gloss did not fade. “There is Reir and his son, just down the avenue, the red stone house.” Seeing the soldier nod he added, “I see by the fashion of your mail you favor Celtic work. I have just a few days ago received a cargo of horse blankets from friends in Brittany you may be interested in.”

The soldier’s brows rose. “Celt? From which tribe?”

“A tribe friendly with the Frisians, who give them aid against Boniface’s crusading monks.”

The soldier’s face grew thoughtful again. He rubbed the back of his neck and glanced about, and in that moment he discovered Odette. At once his somberness fled. A heated, almost dazed smile softened his mouth and he gazed at her with an intensity that made her tremble. She lowered her eyes instantly, and as she endured the blush that scorched her entire face she prayed he would look away again.

Instead, he walked over to the trestle and raised his fingertips to the ends of her hair over her left shoulder. Her heart beat so rapidly that her ears rang.

“I was shocked—pleasantly, that is—when I entered your realm and found the women running about unencumbered by wasteful apparel,” he said to Holbarki, “and when the guide who led me in explained that this is custom, well, I thought for a few moments I had passed into the realm of the fey.”

Odette felt stifled with heat as his dark eyes canvassed her flesh. And though she sought to turn her face away, those same penetrating eyes drained her will.

“She is quite real, as are all our lovelies,” said Holbarki. “However, this little flower has been displayed for viewing pleasure alone. She belongs to Mistress Helrose, one of our most esteemed priestesses, and has not yet been Unveiled.”

The soldier threw him a questioning glance. “Unveiled?”

Excerpt from The Story of Odette: the Swanmaiden’s Unveiling

©2012 by Anya Howard

This novel is available in an Amazon Kindle edition. For more information about the book and the prelude story in Sexy Beast VI visit  http://anyahoward.com/

Have a great weekend!

~Anya Howard

This post isn’t about a new Aphrodisia book, but this last month my novella Taming the Rose was released from Beyond the Page Publishing.  As it is an Erotic Romance fantasy, I thought readers of my Aphrodisia titles may just find this of interest, too. Here is a little info:

Daughter of a forest woodsman, Roselyn’s life has always been simple and routine. But everything changes after Roselyn’s stunning sister accepts the marriage proposal of kind

Prince Michael. Enduring the dour courtiers at the prince’s castle is definitely not Roselyn’s idea of fun, but soon she becomes friends with a pair of attractive and lively young men who are as bored with Michael’s court as Roselyn is. When the three venture secretly to a fair outside of Michael’s dominion, Roselyn witnesses sensuous sights that remind her of the frustrated desires she has always ignored. That night Roselyn is introduced to the Mummer King, a forbidden masked figure whose duty is to carry petitioners’ requests to the old pagan gods. In the presence of the Mummer King Roselyn dares confess her secret and passionate needs.

But upon returning to Prince Michael’s castle Roselyn is confronted with an ancient evil that has been unleashed on the court. Hope of defeating this monstrous force arrives in the most unexpected source; one that will challenge Michael’s reign, and more so, Roselyn’s reluctance to trust her desire for love.

Erotic Romance, Ménage à trois, discipline

99 cents in NOOK, Kindle and other ebook formats

Find out more!

~Anya

I love this photo: it’s so ME right now! I feel like I can just walk to the end of this catwalk and plunge into SO many new ventures that’re this beautiful–and they’re all good!

As I write this, I’m on the verge of leaving for the NINC conference in St. Petersburg: six days in an oceanside room, seeing friends I only see at conferences, and WOW, the program! Got big-name industry types coming in to Brainstorm the Future of Publishing! I’m teaching sessions on numerology and collaging, and who knows what I might come away with from other presentations?

I’m on the verge, as well, of completing the first book of my new Amish series, Seasons of the Heart, for Kensington…slightly ahead of deadline! I’m really pleased with how it’s turning out, and how my characters have fleshed out so well for the next three books.

I’m on the verge of having another Aphrodisia single title out, too: SEXUAL HUNGER hits the stores later this month, as the follow-up to last fall’s SEXUAL SECRETS! Features some continuing characters from that story, as well as a heroine who enjoys twin lovers. But gee, she can only marry one of them! What to do?

That jumping-off point in the photo also sets the feel for a new contract opportunity with a new editor! She and I are brainstorming, enjoying the get-to-know-you stage of a relationship we hope will produce another ongoing series!

But the BIG ONE: I’m on the verge of moving to a new home in a totally new city! My husband just took a dandy new job in St. Paul, MN so I’ve been scurrying to get this Missouri home of 21 years ready to show and sell this week (yes, while I’ve been on deadline for my book and prepping for my conference!) I’ve discovered how addictive house-hunting online can be! Looking to move to a no-maintenance condo where somebody else mows our grass and clears all that snow they get up there!

So yeah, some moments my head’s spinning so fast it’s on the verge of just popping right off and launching into space! But it’s all good, not? I might be a writer, focused on my computer screen a good bit of the time, but never let it be said my life is boring! I’m on the verge of a whole new life…a whole new me!

With the success of the “Twilight” series and the new TV series “The Gates,” it’s obvious our fascination for things paranormal continues. “What evil lurks in the hearts of men”–or women? Well, The Phantom knows–and Inquiring Minds wanna know, too!

Even as I begin a new Amish series of squeaky-clean romances, the kind Beverly Lewis and Cindy Woodsmall have so successfully published, I delve into the secrets and temptations and human inclinations that my characters try to hide from God…the sides of our souls that scurry from the light. Envy, greed, murder, succumbing to temptation…we’re all in there! Our dark sides are never out of reach, really, and my characters in Willow Ridge will strive to admit and forgive these tendencies.

And then there’s the other me who writes erotic romances as Melissa MacNeal. Now that gives my pastor something to pray about! It also gives Christian and inspirational editors pause, and I’m fully aware they won’t buy my work because they feel anything sweet Charlotte writes about must surely be, well–tainted, by that other stuff I publish.

And I’m OK with that! I thank God every day that I’m such a diverse writer, and that this ability to write on both sides of the Dark line has kept me published over the long haul.
(And yes, I’ll eventually get to the Chocolate part I’m taunting you with visually!)

So even as I delve into the soul secrets my new Amish characters are dealing with, my November book, SEXUAL SECRETS, features Maria Palladino and the Darington twins…a 3-way romance they flaunt throughout most of the story, even though their decadence flies in the face of Victorian morality. Once this trio learns about Lady Darington’s dirty little secrets, however, the hero, Jason, decides he wants Maria all to himself and they’ll play it straight once they marry. I suspect that because they’ve given their “badness” a chance to play itself out, they’re ready to give “goodness” a chance…although poor Jude’s none to happy about it!

Is there common ground here? Something that reconciles the desire for redemption with our tendency to be wayward? I found it this morning! And rather than moralize or delve any further into the human condition, I’ll simply say: DARK CHOCOLATE. It’s all you really need to know about heavenly decadence–and here’s a recipe that would delight my Amish baking ladies while satisfying the SEXUAL HUNGER my Victorian lovers create! Devour a couple of these sinfully delicious dark-on-dark cookies and I’m guessing you’ll see the light (or you’ll just keep snarfing them and think “Hey–temptation! Is that a BAD thing?!”

DARK-ON-DARK COOKIES

1 ¼ C. butter or margarine, softened
2 C. sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
2 C. flour
¾ C. Hershey Special Dark cocoa
1 tsp. baking soda
1 bag Hershey Special Dark chocolate chips.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Cream the butter/margarine and sugar, then blend in the eggs and vanilla. Combine the dry ingredients and mix into the dough, adding the chocolate chips last. Drop by spoonfuls onto greased/parchment papered baking sheets and bake 8-9 minutes. Cookies will be soft and puffy. Allow to cool on the sheets about a minute, until they settle around the chips, and then cool on a rack. About 5 dozen.

I finally sat down today and started writing Wolf Tales 12. I’ve been thinking a lot about this one since it’s the final book in the current series, and I realized I couldn’t just start it at a point where Wolf Tales 11 leaves off. I decided to jump five years into the future so that I can show a lot of story lines resolved, but as I was getting set to write, I realized that in five years, there HAD to be more babies born! I mean, I left off WT11 with Tala’s twins and Lisa’s daughter’s birth (both are pregnant in Wolf Tales 10) and Keisha and Xandi both considering having more babies, and a few other characters pregnant, and I had a typical, author-like “OH SHIT!” moment.

That lasted about ten seconds before I sat down with my list of characters and figured out who would have babies in the ensuing five years, what sex they’d be, what their names and birthdays and ages were, and all the details that are required to turn imaginary characters into real living, breathing people. I had NO IDEA how much fun that would be, and I can’t wait for you to meet the rest of the next generation of Chanku…once I get them all written, of course! They’ll all be in Wolf Tales 12, along with, hopefully, the resolution to a lot of issues I’ve raised throughout the series. In fact, if you have any questions you want to see answered, I hope you’ll leave them in the comments section below. I really don’t want to risk missing anything!

I got the cover art for Wolf Tales 11 the other day, and as usual, it’s gorgeous! What do you think?
It’s got a different feel from the others–the color scheme is more along the lines of my DemonSlayers books. Not sure if that’s on purpose or just the current “color of the day” for bookcovers, but what I really love is the female model–she looks exactly the way I picture Liana, who has a fairly good role in WT10 and 11. Of course, the guy looks more like Logan Pierce than Adam Wolf, but I’ll take what I can get…and you KNOW how those Chanku are! I’m sure Liana and Logan have diddled at some point…

Wolf Tales 10 is out, and I’m hearing great things from readers. I was a bit worried about this one–killing off a character is frowned upon in romances, but as I told readers, this IS paranormal. Dead doesn’t necessarily mean gone… I can promise a few tears and a lot of smiles with this one, and you will never again hear the phrase, Louiseville Slugger, in quite the same way…

Anyway, that’s about all the news I’ve got for now. My editor assures me that, even though the series is ending with 12, there’s a good chance I’ll be able to bring it back at some point, so I’m tending to think of it more as if I’m just going on hiatus. You know…sort of like killing off characters in a paranormal romance–they might be dead, but they’re never really gone. And please, let me know what story lines you want to see settled. I really appreciate your input, and I’ve discovered that often my readers have much better memories than I do when it comes to the nitty-gritty about my books! I will be following up on those hieroglyphics that were discovered on the cavern walls in the cave beneath Anton’s Montana home (Wolf Tales VII) and telling you more about Lily and her amazing abilities. She’s definitely her father’s daughter! But remind me, if you will, of other things I need to remember. I’ll be picking a few names from those leaving comments to win a free book, so even if you just leave a post saying “HI!” you’re entered!

If you’re 18 or over (yes, they’re WAY hot) check out first chapter excerpts of Wolf Tales 10 and Wolf Tales 11

>I almost forgot! I just heard from Danielle, one of the reviewers at Coffee Time Romance, letting me know that Wolf Tales 10 has been given the CTRR (Coffee Time Recommended Read) award.

My book Sex Drive (from Aphrodisia) has been chosen by Cosmopolitan as their red-hot read for May! (By the way, that’s the issue labeled on the front, “The Sexy Issue – So much hot stuff!”) How cool – sorry, make that seriously hot – is that?

Why me? People have asked how I managed this. Sheer luck. I had absolutely nothing to do with it, except of course that I wrote the book. As I understand it, publishers send their sexy books to Cosmo and the magazine picks the ones they want to excerpt. My guess is, they liked mile-high sex! Well, who wouldn’t? My heroine and hero, Theresa and Damien, sure had fun joining that club.

So, surprise number 1 was hearing that my book had been chosen. What a total thrill! I was in Cabo San Lucas when I picked up the email from my publisher, and I promptly celebrated by going to the bar and ordering – what else, but … a cosmo. Yum!

Surprise number 2, which wasn’t such a big one because I’d already heard about other authors’ experiences, was how much Cosmo changed my writing. In the end, I can maybe sort of recognize my characters and scene. LOL. But that’s fair, because one of the most important things with any kind of writing is to know your audience. When I’m writing a book, I have 300+ pages to develop character, emotion, and story. Cosmo has a page and a half to provide a sexy excerpt for their target audience.

If you’re interested in how my 7 page scene differs from their 1.5 pages, you can check out the original of my scene on my website at http://www.susanlyons.ca/books/sex_drive_excerpt.php (along with another excerpt from earlier in the book).

For the most part, I understand why Cosmo edited the way they did. But here’s one thing I totally don’t get. In my book, the flight from Sydney, Australia to Vancouver, BC, stops in Honolulu – and hero Damien, a thriller writer who has a reading scheduled in Honolulu, persuades the no longer buttoned-up sociology prof Theresa Fallon to “lay over” with him. In the excerpt, Honolulu has become L.A. Uh, pardon me (and nothing against L.A.), but I think Honolulu’s a way more romantic, sexy venue. After all, Damien and Theresa do have sex on the beach – as in, Waikiki! So, what was the logic for switching Honolulu for L.A.? If you have any theories, I’d love to hear them.

Sex Drive is the first book in my sexy “planes, trains, automobiles, and a cruise ship” Wild Ride to Love series about three sisters who travel home to their baby sister’s wedding. Along the way, they find romances of their own—and learn that the journey to love truly is one wild ride! The second book, Love, Unexpectedly, is out this month from Kensington Brava under my pen name Susan Fox. There’s info on both books (and all my other titles), including book videos, behind-the-scenes notes, discussion guides, recipes, my monthly contest, and other good stuff on my website at http://www.susanlyons.ca. I hope you drop over for a visit.

Dane, The Lords of Satyr

I work with some hot men…all half-satyrs and all sexy alpha hunks from 1800s Italy. But is my husband jealous of any of them? Of Nicholas? Or Raine, Lyon, Dominic, Dane? Not at all. He’s proud of my work and very supportive.

But he is jealous…of the time I spend social networking on my computer. Blogging and chatting with readers on Facebook or via my e-newsletter group every month takes time away from our lives together. But it’s mostly fun for me and it’s what authors do. We want to meet our readers and to talk about our books.

Although he’s very tech-savvy and is a vocal proponent of MACs, my husband is not interested in social networking. He’s never been on Facebook or Twitter or MySpace, and he doesn’t understand their appeal or why they’re useful. I discussed this with a friend who said that her husband resents the time she spends online as a blogger-reviewer of adult and YA mystery and sci-fi novels.

So I’m wondering…are there people in your lives–husbands, partners, brothers, mothers, friends, and/or significant others—who are jealous of the time you spend social networking online? How do you handle their feelings? Do you try to spend more time with them? Bargain about how long you’ll spend online? Explain what you’re doing and why it’s important to you? Or are there some husbands, boyfriends, partners, who hang out in the blogosphere too? And are you jealous of the time they spend online and away from you?

GIVEAWAY: Please drop a comment with your thoughts. I don’t have copies of my June release, Dane, The Lords of Satyr, yet, but I’m giving away one copy of your choice of the other satyr novels (Nicholas, Raine, Lyon, or Dominic) plus an autographed Dane bookmark to one person who drops a comment here within the coming week. Winner announced here April 4th (next Sunday). Looking forward to your thoughts!

Elizabeth Amber
Nicholas | Raine | Lyon | Dominic : The Lords of Satyr series
June 2010: Dane ~ Read an Excerpt
hot historical paranormal romance
Kensington Aphrodisia
www.elizabethamber.com

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ElizabethAmber/

DANE, THE LORDS OF SATYR

Do you talk with your friends about sex? With your mom? Your sister? Anyone? Do they know about your first sexual experience? Your current sex life?

I don’t share many of these intimate details. I met my best friend in middle school and we’ve been best buds ever since. We know the circumstances of each other’s first sexual experience, but we’ve only recently opened up about it. (I was 18, he was my first love, my second boyfriend, my first heartbreak.)

But my bf and I don’t know the details of each other’s story. Probably never will. We don’t know any details about each other’s current sex lives. I don’t know the details of my sister’s or my mom’s. When it comes to family members, that info is definitely TMI for me.

Are other romance readers and romance authors the same when it comes to this issue? I wonder.

How about you? Do you keep this very private, semi-private, or do you dish with a close friend or family member?

Elizabeth Amber
Nicholas | Raine | Lyon | Dominic : The Lords of Satyr series
Coming in 2010: Dane
erotic historical paranormal romance
Kensington Aphrodisia
www.elizabethamber.com

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ElizabethAmber/

Read an excerpt from Dane, The Lords of Satyr (May/June 2010 release)

http://www.elizabethamber.com/excerptDane.html

Synopsis: As he searches for his missing brother in 1880s Rome, the arrogant Lord Dane Satyr wrestles with his fiery inner demon, Dante. Dane has little patience for the ElseWorld Council’s insistence that he must take a human wife to safeguard his ancestral lands.

Eva, a beautiful social climber with a gift for matchmaking, is determined to throw her humble beginnings in the faces of an Italian society that once scorned her mother. She schemes to wed a human from among their ranks. But she is far from human herself. And above all else, she must ensure that no one–not Dane, his brothers, her best friend, or anyone–learns what she truly is.

When Dane and Eva first meet, they are consumed by intense needs they cannot satisfy alone. Can their scorching passion and growing love for one another overcome the dangers that keep them apart?

My debut paperback, BDSM romance Sweet and Dirty, is now on store shelves! This is a first, and it’s tremendously exciting. I’ve gone in to visit the local Barnes & Noble and Powell’s Books, signed some stock, took some pictures, and basically beamed.

It’s a delightful first. But got to admit. I’m not entirely innocent.

In the past I’ve enjoyed the experience of seeing published an anthology of which my short story’s one small part (Kensington’s Hot Blood #13, a paperback containing anti-vampire romantic horror “Care and Feeding”). I’ve also enjoyed the experience of seeing my hardcover contemporary romance, Thrill of the Chase, carried at libraries. Books in Motion has picked up Thrill to create an audio book out of it. That feels awesome.

But this is different. Better. This is the first paperback that’s all me (two long novellas!) and in stores. Libraries are great, but, stores! It’s a first, and a gratifying one.

Sweet and Dirty is all about firsts. In each of its two stories, an innocent woman enters the wicked world of BDSM and is never the same again. Each woman experiences many first times. First caning. First D/s scene. First aftercare. First extreme play. First romantic betrayal. First happily ever after.

Here’s an excerpt from Sweet and Dirty.

Tell me about a first time of yours. Anything that brings a smile to your face when you remember it. I’ll give away a copy of Sweet and Dirty to one winner out of those of you who leave a comment.

Christina

My book Take Me is out TOMORROW!!! (At least according to Amazon, some places still say the 1st, but I bet you can find it around!) Woo whoo, I’m so excited! So today, I’m giving away a copy of Take Me!

So I was thinking how I ended up here. Writing erotic romances that could singe the eyebrows off my more conservative friends/relatives. I mean, how did it happen really? Well, I came up with a sort of theory.

When I first started out eating ethnic food, or any food type really (for me it was thai food) I was like starting at 0 stars. I wanted it as non-spicy/bland as possible. And then…after awhile, I started to add a star. Kick up the spice. I was building up a tolerance. And pretty soon I was  up to 3 1/2 stars (out of 4!) on my spiciness. I had built a tolerance. What I started with wasn’t hot enough for me anymore. And oddly enough, the same process I can kind of see happened with romance novels. I started out reading books with the most mild love scenes, which at the time scandalized me, and then slowly began picking up books with a hotter heat level. Until I loved it HOT! And so when I started writing, I was already writing pretty spicy, and then the erotic romance market came in with a bang. It was just one tiny step (upping my tolerance) and I wasn’t just reading it, but writing it.

Today my love scene tastes run from spicy (doesn’t have to be erotic) to erotic. I can still read books with the not as spicy love scenes , but I do miss them.

So for a chance to win a copy of my book, tell me: have you always liked your love scenes hot? Or what is the heat level you prefer? I will draw a name tomorrow afternoon/evening!

Here’s a bit about my book Take Me.

After years as a slave to the pleasures of the powerful, Talia knows how to make a man mad with lust. But her pleasure counts for nothing—until a handsome, ruthless stranger appears. Ryder dares to look at her… to touch her… to awake in her a desire she’s never imagined. When he kidnaps her to learn her secrets, Talia vows not to let her passion take control. But soon she discovers that her captor’s intense gaze and searching hands can perform their own kind of interrogation, a sweet torture she finds impossible to resist…

Read an excerpt here.

Purchase here.