Quick Note...I'm home after my surgery. All went well, though I can't talk for three days. It's torture, I tell you. At this point we wait to see if this helps re-awaken the paralyzed vocal cord or not. Time will tell.

In the meantime, since I missed yesterday, I want to give a big shout-out to Bradford Babes who had releases. Cynthia Eden's IN THE DARK in BELONG TO THE NIGHT hit shelves yesterday!!

Release Date: September 2009
Publisher: Kensington Brava
Genre: Paranormal Romantic Suspense
Length: Novella

Description:
FBI agent and leopard shifter Sadie James’ undead ex, Liam, still arouses her deepest desires, distracting her from tracking the brutal rogue shifter who is terrorizing Miami. By teaming up with Liam, Sadie has a better chance of solving the case, but as passion consumes them, she stands to lose more than just her heart.

EXCERPT
Her dead lover stood on the other side of the bar, rubbing his hand against the back of some long-legged redhead and looking very much alive.

Sadie James drew in a deep breath. Caught the scent of smoke. Expensive perfume. Sweat.

I went to that jerk’s funeral. Cried over his grave.

A grave he didn’t seem to be occupying.

She’d even taken flowers to the graveside.

The redhead laughed. Tossed back her head. The man turned, braced his hand against the wall behind her head and leaned in even closer to her.

Rage had Sadie’s back teeth grinding together.

She stalked across the bar, elbowing dancing men and women out of her way. Her fingers curled, and a hard fury tightened her body.

Two years. For two damn years she’d thought he was dead. While he was out there screwing redheads. Redheads who wore really trashy pink dresses.

He was bent over the woman now. His mouth poised over her throat.

Sadie was going to rip the bastard apart.

The redhead laughed. A high, tipsy giggle.

Sadie growled.

And even though she was still at least ten feet away, and the music blaring from the band jumping on stage was ear-splitting loud, Liam Sullivan stiffened. His dark head snapped up. He spun around, scanning the crowd.

His eyes, too damn blue and bright for a dead man, locked on her. She saw his stare widen and his lips began to curve into a smile—

A smile she’d knock off his still too-handsome face. “Liam.”

BOOK REVIEWS
“When you want action adventure, love lost and love found you want Belong to the Night. This novel will make you want more of the creatures that go bump in the night and the mates that love them.” Tina of TwoLips Reviews, 5 Lips and Recommended Read

“…great character development and well thought-out paranormal aspects…a really great read.” 4 Stars, Romantic Times, September 2009

“Each compulsively readable story is well-paced and filled with steamy, graphic sex. Laurenston’s characters shine with wit and depth, and Eden and Quinn deliver nonstop action.” Publishers Weekly

* * *

And don't miss Shelli Stevens' new story--HIS TO RECLAIM--in SEXY BEAST VII!!

Release Date: September 2009
Publisher: Kensington Aphrodisia
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Length: Novella

Five years ago Gemma gave her heart and soul to a fellow werejaguar only to have him disappear. Now Hunter has come back and kidnapped her on her wedding day in order to make her his again, and he will tempt, tease and taunt her body to the heights of hedonistic pleasure to get exactly what he wants…Big and bold, primal and powerful, these men have a seductive sensuality that no woman can resist.

EXCERPT
“Gemma!” The shrill scream pierced through the woods, filtering past the aged walls of the log cabin. “Oh my God! I can’t believe this. Gemma!”

The sound of feet pounding down the path mingled with the alarmed whimpers and short breaths of the approaching woman.

Gemma’s fingers clenched around the brush in her hand, her pulse quickening as she turned to face the door. Was it too much to hope that it was nothing more than the caterer having encountered a problem?

The door flung open, smashing into the wall. Her younger cousin Megan stepped into the room, eyes wild with panic.

“He’s really coming.”

They were just three words, but they were enough. The brush dropped from Gemma’s hand, and her body went numb with shock.

This was really happening…. No! The room spun and she gripped the vanity table to keep from falling to her knees. No. Was he insane?

“There’s no time.” Megan closed the door, hands shaking. “Shift and then run. Run fast. It’s the only way you can possibly escape him.”

“How far away is he?” Gemma’s voice came out remarkably calm as she fumbled to undo the buttons on her wedding dress.

The cold fear began to subside, and a hot burn of rage blazed through her. How dare he? After five years, how dare he?

Megan grabbed her arm and tugged her toward the door. “A mile. Maybe. And he’s not alone, Gemma. He’s brought friends. You must hurry! There’s no time to change out of your dress. Run, and I’ll find Jeffrey and tell him what’s happened.”

“My dress will be ruined during transition—”

Crash!

The door broke in half, and splinters of wood shot into the interior of the cabin like tiny missiles.

Heart in her throat, Gemma retreated, her body trembling as she stared at the man who now filled the doorway.

The man who’d just made good on the appallingly dark promise he’d made just days ago in an e-mail. She’d been half convinced it was a joke—someone toying with her heart—and had told Megan as much.

But it wasn’t a joke. The proof was standing in front of her eyes. Maybe a couple of years ago she would have wished for this, but not now. Dammit, not now!

Sweat clung to the hard muscles of Hunter’s nude body—it was clear he’d just shifted back to human form. A familiar heat crept through her body, and she hardened her jaw, refusing to acknowledge it. The same way she’d refused to acknowledge it for the last five years.

It was hard not to, though, with his dark hair and tan body. He was tall and broad, a mass of muscles and ridges.
Her gaze dropped, and her cheeks burned hot. She swallowed hard, unable to tear her gaze from his hard thighs and the thick cock that rested between them.

The blood raged through her veins, and she closed her eyes to count to ten. When she opened them again, her gaze was firmly back to his face, unwilling to let her eyes shift any lower than his shoulders this time, for that would be a guaranteed diversion from finding a way out of this situation.

Unfortunately, five years had done nothing but enhance Hunter’s raw sex appeal.

His eyes, burning like dark blue crystals, met hers. And like the devil come to collect his due, he advanced into the room, his face a mask of fierce determination.

Oh, God. She needed to act. Now. Swallowing against the thickness in her throat, Gemma glanced around the room, looking for anything that might be used as a weapon. She grabbed the chair from her vanity table and lifted it above her head with a grunt.

Hunter lunged forward and knocked it from her grasp, sending it crashing to the ground behind her. Before she could draw in a startled breath, he’d circled her wrists with one of his massive hands and pulled her body firmly against the rock hard wall of his chest.

“No!” She growled and lifted her knee to tag him in the groin, but he blocked the shot.

Instead, he pulled her tighter against him and forced his thigh between hers. His thick cock brushed her hip and she stilled, barely able to breathe as her heart slammed against her ribcage.

His soft laugh feathered warmth against her cheek. “You should have listened to your cousin, angel.” He leaned forward and said softly against her ear, “You should have run.”

Today is the day! STOLEN HEAT officially hits store shelves TODAY!

His past tore them apart. Her lies thrust them back together. Now a killer's out for revenge, but the biggest threat for both may just be the heat they thought they'd already lost....

Antiquities dealer Peter Kauffman walked a fine line between clean and corrupt for years. And then he met the woman who changed his life—Egyptologist Katherine Meyer. Their love affair burned white-hot in Egypt, until the day Pete’s lies and half-truths caught up with him. After that, their relationship imploded, Kat walked out, and before Pete could find her to make things right, he heard she’d died in a car bomb.

Six years later, the woman Pete thought he’d lost for good is suddenly back. The lies this time aren’t just his, though. The only way he and Kat will find the truth and evade a killer out for revenge is to work together—as long as they don’t find themselves burned by the heat each thought was stolen long ago…

"Exciting, action-packed and fast moving, this story seamlessly alternates from the present to the past. A first-rate mystery, it has well-developed characters and a suspenseful and satisfying climax. A fine romantic thread winds through it all."--RT BOOKReviews

"This is a well-thought-out concept and wonderfully written books in the trilogy so far. The mysteries are complex but the love is simple, a balance achieved with characters you can't help but like. The third book, Stolen Seduction, is due out next year and I am looking forward to it. You get to know both the hero and heroine of that book while reading the first two. I like them already, so I know their story is going to be just as good as these first two. After reading these two books, Ms. Naughton is now on my auto-buy list."--The Good, The Bad & The Unread

"STOLEN HEAT is an awesome combination of deadly suspense, edgy action and a wonderful romance with characters that you’ll laugh, cry and yell with. I had a great time reading it and I’m definitely looking forward to more of Ms. Naughton’s books."--Wendy, Night Owl Romance

In honor of release day, I'm giving away books! One lucky winner will get a copy of STOLEN FURY, the first book in the trilogy, and one will get a copy of STOLEN HEAT. All you have to do is leave me a comment here to be entered into the drawing.

And in case that's not enough for you, I'm giving away goodies at these other blog locations today:

Writeminded
Night Owl Romance
Muse Interrupted

Happy reading! And don't forget to enter my STOLEN HEAT CONTEST!

...from the Bradford Group! This one from Beth Kery.

WICKED BURN - Available Now from Berkley Sensation.

He wanted all of her…

Vic Savian knows what he wants when he sees it. And what he wants is his sexy neighbor, Niall Chandler. So when he sees her in the hallway of their building being harassed by an aggressive suitor, Vic makes his move—and finds himself greatly rewarded…

And did she ever let him have it…

Sleeping with her gorgeous neighbor—when she didn't even know his last name—was the craziest thing Niall's ever done. Now, she can't seem to get enough of Vic—or the uninhibited passion he stirs in her. Suddenly, with his help, she's opening to sensual pleasures she's never known before. But when Niall's past comes back to haunt her, will she and Vic let themselves venture beyond the bedroom and explore the possibility of love that's in their hearts?
Reviews:

— 5 Blue Ribbons from Romance Junkies: Kery brings her characters to life with her descriptive prose and realistic dialogue. I held my breath as they came together in some of the sexiest love scenes I have read this year.

— 4 stars from Romantic Times: Kery gives readers beautifully written prose with amazingly descriptive sex scenes. But be warned — this is a very sensual tale. The well-crafted characters are full of raw emotions that are right on the page for the reader to experience.

— 5 Book Marks from Wild on Books: After reading WICKED BURN by Beth Kery, I have a new favorite author! With passionate love scenes, poignant romance, and a touching story, WICKED BURN is the kind of book that I will read again and again – it will certainly have a permanent place in my personal library.

-- 4.5 Stars from Romance Novel TV: WICKED BURN by Beth Kery is a contemporary erotic romance that has a terrific plot that will tug at your heart strings. The two main characters are well drawn, three dimensional and layered with subtext. It seamlessly blends romance, steamy erotic interludes and character development with a good story line. Bravo Ms. Kery for creating a world I wanted to spend time in.

— 5 Stars from Genre Go Round/Barnes and Noble (reviewer: Harriet Klausner) This is a poignant contemporary romance starring two scarred lovers who have demons from past relationships. Beth Kery provides a deep angst-laden tale filled with real characters wanting much more out of life, though lessons learned have led to settling for much less.


Go out and buy this one too! Think of all the great holiday reads you'll have waiting for you!

Release Day!

Not for me, but for fellow Bradford pal, Lauren Dane!

While Lauren is already a multipublished author, her first NY release - UNDERCOVER, from Berkley - hits store shelves today. So it's a BIG release day.

I had the pleasure of reading UNDERCOVER and I can say with certainty this is a one HOT read you won't soon forget.

A sexy debut exploring an erotic future universe of passion, danger, and deceit…

On the battleground or in the bedroom, one woman and two men fight for dominance in a bold, new, and excitingly different direction in erotica…

As a lieutenant of the Federation military, Sera Ayers is accustomed to giving orders, not taking them. Now she must obey the one man she can’t stand—and can’t stop thinking about.

With the enemy Imperialists gaining ground, a covert team is assembled by Ash Walker. Ten years before, Sera had lovingly submitted to Ash’s dominance in the bedroom. But when he was forced into a political marriage, she refused to play mistress. His marriage now over, Ash wants Sera on his team—and back in his bed.

The third team member, Brandt Pela, has an elegance to match Ash’s savage sexuality. And when their undercover plan requires Sera to pose as Brandt’s lover, it ignites a passion among the three of them more dangerous than their mission.

Go out and buy it today!! UNDERCOVER would make a great Christmas gift for your significant other.