31 January 2020

Flasback Friday...A Past Life Love Returns!


Bishop Kain has devoted his life to protecting crime boss Sherman Groto, but when he spots Evie at an underground fight, all he can think about is her. He tries to keep his distance, but like a moth to a flame, she’s a siren he can’t resist.


Evie Duncan’s dreams are slowly taking over her life. Every night she falls in love with the man invading her subconscious, playing out scenes from a past life. It becomes harder and harder to wake and leave her dream man behind.

Danger is coming for Evie and her salvation lies somewhere in the truth of her past life. If Bishop can save her, he may be the one man who can bring her into the light…and for once, she might be willing to stay there.





BUY LINKS




As she threaded her way through the thick throng of bodies, a tingling awareness danced over her skin. The last time she’d experienced such a weird feeling, she’d slipped off a cliff and ended up in a hospital. Deciding to be cautious, she stopped and turned in a slow circle to study the people around her. As if an invisible hand guided her, Evie looked to her left.

A man moved through the crush of people, parting them as if he were Moses at the Red Sea. He was a complete stranger, and she had never seen him before, yet there was something about him that sparked a familiarity. She pushed forward, trying to get through the dense crowd to get a better view of his face. His height worked to her advantage because she was able to easily follow, but she halted once she saw him going up a set of concrete stairs guarded by a few big burly men. For a split second, he turned her way. Her heart thumped wildly in her chest and every fiber of her being wanted … needed … to touch him, but he disappeared out of sight. She searched the second level until he came into view once more, and she was able to breathe again.

John.

He was here. He was real!

Subtle changes made this John a little different. A tad taller, which said something because he’d been tall in her dream world. Fantasy John had held a quiet strength that made people respect him. This John was so heavily muscled, with an aura of danger swirling around him, that people instinctively moved out of his path, giving him a wide berth. He had a militaristic look, with blunt-cut dark hair and a rigid posture any soldier would be envious of, but something told her he hadn’t been in any branch of service. She stared at him, unblinking, until he suddenly looked down and their gazes met.

The saliva dried up in her mouth as her heart thundered with a mixture of excitement and happiness. Any doubts she might have had about his identity disappeared instantly as the gossamer threads between them solidified. The people, the fight … everything disappeared, leaving them the only two people in the world. Curiosity filled his face. She reached out a hand but was bumped by someone walking by, abruptly pulling her out of the dream-like trance. She blinked and he was gone.

27 January 2020

New Historical Menage Release by Beth D. Carter!


Today is my release date for The Scarlet Dove! This book is one of my favorites that I've written. It's got a kickass heroine as well a lot of humor.

           1.      Please tell us a little about your new release (The Scarlet Dove) without giving too much of a spoiler away.

First of all, it’s a historical ménage romance set in 1888. It’s about a woman trying to find her place in a male-dominated world that has set parameters for how “proper” women should be.  


2.      Did you found any cool tidbits in your historical research for this book?

So a lot of this story is about my heroine, Liza, and her desire to find her place in the wild west. She has a wild dream of becoming a doctor. I did a lot of research on if that was a possibility. I always try to use historical characters in my stories, if possible, and I was able to incorporate some of that into The Scarlet Dove.


            3.      Was it difficult getting the heroes to a point where they could let their guard down and be open to the possibilities of love?

My two heroes, Blue and Apollo, are cousins. They’re tracking a dangerous killer and abductor of women. When they come across Liza, they’re unprepared for their attraction to her. I think it confuses the hell out of them and their jealous of each other. A ménage relationship isn’t in their radar at all, so love takes them by surprise. It wasn't easy getting them to that point, however, and it took a good 'ole fight to make them see the light.


             4.      How did you find that great balance between conflict and romance?

Conflict can intensify emotions. I like using it to develop a bond between the characters.



Can Liza find her place in a lawless world?

When Liza Trent decided to become a mail order bride out west, she never imagined her fiancé would die before she arrived. His death places her in debt, and the only way to pay off the money is by auctioning off her virginity against her will. When she’s rescued by two handsome men, she mistakenly thinks they’re assassins. Despite her reservations, she accepts their protection.



Only the two men, Apollo Beck and Blue Hawke, aren’t assassins. They’re Texas Rangers sent after a man who preys on women, and their dangerous hunt has just brought Liza into the line of fire.
Confused with the attraction she feels for two men, Liza has a difficult decision before her: commit to loving Apollo and Blue or commit to her burning desire to become a doctor…unless she’s found and taken for revenge first.



Content Warning: contains violence, strong language, and explicit sex scenes, including anal sex

Genre(s): Historical Romance / Menage

Buy it here...






A special sneak peak...

Liza grabbed one of the candelabras resting in front of a mirror and flung it onto the bed. Apollo jumped back as the sheer drapes erupted in a ball of fire. Mrs. Violet screamed, but he could no longer see the mezzanine because the fire on the bed blazed out of control, spreading up the paneled wall and moving fast. Smoke filled the room, and Liza coughed as she rattled the doorknob.

He grabbed her arm, but she struggled to break his hold.

“Stop it!” he growled. “We have to get out of here quickly or the smoke will overwhelm us.”

Apollo lifted his booted foot, and with a mighty kick, he knocked the handle loose. The door opened easily, and he raced out with Liza on his heels.

Thick smoke followed after them, hovering near the ceiling. The sudden fuel of fresh air caught the fire and flamed it out of control. Their audience was nowhere around, and he assumed they had already found their way out.

He grabbed Liza’s hand and raced down the stairs to the foyer. The possibility of the roof collapsing flashed through his mind. He hurried to the front door and saw it bolted shut. He tried busting it with his shoulder, but all he got was a bruised arm.

“Shit!” he yelled, grabbing it. He tried again with his foot, but the thick door wouldn’t budge.

“There’s a side entrance,” Liza said. “It’s locked too, but it’s not as heavy as that one.”

She spun and ran, and he followed after her, rubbing the tender spot on his shoulder. They made their way around the side of the stairs and through an empty kitchen. Blue waited for them in the open door.

“Good timing,” Apollo muttered as the three ran from the building, down the side alley, and onto the wooden sidewalk of the main street. People had gathered, staring at the massive, three-story building, the second and third floors now ablaze in the dark night.

“What the hell did you do?” Blue yelled.

The house was burning fast.

“She set the bed on fire,” Apollo huffed, coughing from the little bit of smoke he had inhaled.

Blue raised his eyebrows as he swung around to look at her.

At that moment the men from the auction burst from the side of the house, coughing and stumbling as bystanders ran to help them. Others went to help put the flames out, which were now spreading to the next building. For a moment, chaos ensued as animals shied away from the heat and people raced to contain the fire before it spread.

“You!” An angry voice bellowed from somewhere in the mess of everything. Reynolds came charging at them, a single-shot derringer clutched in one hand. Apollo and Blue stumbled back, dragging Liza with them.

“It’s him,” she whispered in a hate-filled tone. “The man who tricked me.”
Bio & Social Media Links:

I like writing about the very ordinary girl thrust into extraordinary circumstances, so my heroines will probably never be lawyers, doctors or corporate highrollers.  I try to write characters who aren't cookie cutters and push myself to write complicated situations that I have no idea how to resolve, forcing me to think outside the box.  I love writing characters who are real, complex and full of flaws, heroes and heroines who find redemption through love. I love to hear from readers so I’ve made it really easy to find me on the web:






24 January 2020

Flashback Friday...Love on the run.

Jessie Ciottie has been in protective custody for almost a year. She’s due to give testimony in a few days but suddenly, her location is found. She goes on the run, determined to testify but when men come hunting for her at the train station, it’s a petty thief that hides her.

The electricity is instant between Jessie and Ethan, and he promises to get her to the courthouse on time. But the path between her and safety is dangerous, and Ethan is the only thing that stands between her and a bullet.

BUY LINK:




     Man, she’d been without human contact for way too long!
     He was getting his breath back.  That horrible gasping he’d been doing was starting to ease up.  She knew she only had a moment before he was back on his feet.  She leaned over, careful not to restrict his airway too much and licked his mouth.  She ran her tongue over the full curve of his bottom lip before sucking it into hers.  Surprisingly, for a man hiding in train tunnels, he tasted of mint and licorice, two of her favorite things.
     She must have lost her damn mind because she took it further.  In some far distant corner of her brain she knew she was taking advantage of him but something seemed to possess her.  She kissed the corner of his mouth, over his cheek, until she reached his earlobe.  She took the small flesh between her teeth and sucked, tracing the curve of his ear with her tongue.  She leaned over his body and rubbed her softer parts all over his harder parts. 
     She was a woman possessed.  A year without contact of another soul, except for her handlers which didn’t count, made her go a little crazy.  It wasn’t until he moaned, and she felt the hard bulge beneath the fly on his jeans, that sanity snapped back to her.
     What had she just done?
     Practically raped this…this…petty thief!
     “Oh god!” she cried and in a flash tore her body off his.  She scooped up the flashlight and ran back the way she came, ignoring the throbbing ache between her thighs.

18 January 2020

New Release from Emily Carrington


Hello Emily!  Thank you so much for visiting Written Butterfly with me today!  It’s such a pleasure to chat with you.  So tell me…

Q) Is your book part of a series?  If so, can you tell us about it?

The Prince and the Painter is a prequel to a much lighter Christmas story I released in 2018 called Painter’s Pride. That story is about Jason and Aaron having arguments about the one thing not resolved during the prequel: Aaron’s discomfort with growing up in poverty. But The Prince and the Painter is darker. Much. It follows Jason and Aaron as they fall in love under the shadow of a serial killer and a rapist.

Q) What was the hardest (or easiest) scene to write?

The hardest to write was a scene between Aaron and the rapist (no rape onscreen). Disconcerting in the extreme, it was hard to reconcile Aaron’s terrible past with the strong person he’s become by the end of the book. Jason had a lot to do with Aaron’s strength but Aaron defied the rapist at every turn, so he had some strength of his own. That scene still gives me the creeps.

Q) What type of research did you do for your book?

 I’ve been writing this book since 1998. I’ve never spent so long on a book. I did a lot of research about Christianity’s darker side for the inspiration for Mrs. Fielding, one of the secondary villains.

Q) What made this story special to you?

This is the first story I wanted to tell when I decided, at seventeen, that I wanted to become a writer. Growing up as the only lesbian and only disabled person in a very small village, I was aware of the prejudice surrounding me on all sides. I used this book to get all of that off my chest, or at least most of it. The rest I got rid of with theHeartwood trilogy, which is coming this spring. Don’t get me wrong: there are wonderful things about living in a tiny village. But I didn’t experience most of them when I was growing up.

Q) Do you have a writing quirk, or habit when you write?

 Oh, absolutely! I listen to music, but only music that will evoke the mood I want. It has to have lyrics. It has to be something I’m familiar with so the lyrics won’t distract me, but I have to hear voices singing while I write.

Q) What do you think is your strongest asset as a writer? …what is your weakest factor as a writer?

“Dialogue, my dear,” she muttered. “It’s all in the dialogue.” I love listening to people talk. I often remember snatches of conversation for years and drop them into my stories where appropriate.

Q) Do you have a favorite book you’ve written?

For years, it was the first book in the Dragon in Training series, Dragon Food.  That was my first published novel and I adored Mark Tavery, the gay Jewish water dragon hero. But more recently,  I can honestly say each book I’m writing is my favorite while I’m writing it. That means my current favorite is Heartwood 3: Yew and Thorn.

Q) What are your upcoming projects?

Ready for this list?

Coming in 2020:

The Prince and the Painter, parts 1 and 2

Heartwood: White Oak and Black Mahogany (duet)

Heartwood: yew and Thorn

Fae Schooled trilogy ( I can’t ignore the SearchLight universe for long)

And at least three others that don’t have titles yet. 







Emily Carrington
“A moment in darkness…an eternity with a lover.”

17 January 2020

Flashback Friday...Part Time Mistress or Exclusive lover?

For two years Lexy Carmichael has been having a secret affair with Italian director Giovanni Macari. Every time he flies into Los Angeles, he texts her to meet him. And she always goes because she’s fallen in love.

After a night of earth-shattering sex, Gio changes the rules. He asks her for exclusivity. But Lexy comes with a ready made family…a son Gio knows nothing about. When she tells him the truth will that kill his desire for her? Can the fantasy sex they share translate into something real?

BUY LINKS:


       With her eyes on the ground she turned the corner that lead to the café and suddenly found herself bouncing off a brick wall. Strong arms came around her before she could fall, pulling her close against a heavily muscled body and not the brick wall she thought she’d run into. She’d looked up into eyes that were dark chocolate, so rich and lively that she knew she’d gotten a cavity from just falling into their depths. Thick black hair fell over his forehead, and she had the craziest urge to reach up and push it back. His skin was tanned, stretching over a chiseled face that could have been carved by Michelangelo.
        She knew immediately who he was. Giovanni Macari, an Italian movie star who had successfully transitioned into the Hollywood market. He had been an international actor in his twenties but had segued into directing over the years and along the way had picked up an Oscar or two.
        As she stared into his eyes, something shifted inside her. Her heart began to race like a thoroughbred in the Kentucky Derby. Her skin prickled, her breathing became shallow, and her pussy clenched with desire. She’d never, ever, had such a knee jerk reaction to a man, and she hadn’t a clue on how to handle it.
      Giovanni’s eyes traced over her face in an intimate sort of way. She felt his cock harden against her stomach, and her panties were instantly drenched as her juices ran. He gave her a sheepish, roguish smile.
        “Hello,” he greeted in a teasing, sexy voice that held just the faintest trace of an accent. “I must admit I’m very happy to meet you.”
        She grinned and felt her dimples crease her cheeks. “I was going to ask if that was a banana in your pocket.”
        He tipped his head back as he laughed. She was fascinated by the muscles in his throat. Really? Throat muscles turned her on?
       “I’m Giovanni Macari.”
       “Lexy. Lexy Carmichael.”
       “Ah. Sexy Lexy.”
       She felt her cheeks heat up. “Not fair. I can’t rhyme Giovanni with anything.”
       “How is it I’ve never run into you before?”
       “Maybe because there’s nine million people in this town?”
       He tilted his head. “Of all the gin joints, in all the towns, in all the world, she walks into mine.”
      “Casablanca is one of my favorite movies,” she murmured. And although she didn’t want to, she pulled back. He wouldn’t let her go, however, and kept her planted firmly against him.
     “Have lunch with me.”
       It wasn’t a question, and for some reason, this turned her on even more … if that were possible.
      “In the café?” she asked a bit breathlessly.
      “In my penthouse suite.”
       And by the carnal look in his eyes she knew exactly what would happen if she went to his penthouse suite. 



15 January 2020

New Vampire Series Now Available!




Title: Love Bitten
Series: Vampire Blood Royals #1
Author: Sabrina C Rose
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Release Date: January 3, 2020



Blurb

What happens when she destroys a vampire’s prized possession? He wants revenge… in every delicious way he can think of.


ERICA

It was official. Karma had a vendetta against her.

The latest? Two scantily clad women were making their way up to her fiancé’s office in the middle of the night. On their anniversary.

If karma was too stubborn to do anything about it, she'd take matters into her own hands. And her revenge came in the form of a metal bat against her fiancé’s shiny new car.

Only, karma was plotting against her. It wasn't his car that she'd smashed into oblivion. It belonged to someone else. Someone whose dark emerald green eyes, livid face, and fierce stare left her breathless and quaking from more than just fear.

JULIUS

She should have come issued with a warning. Danger. Caution. Something.

Hell, he even missed the red flag when she'd smashed his car to pieces. But the way she gripped the rod between her fingers had him imagining her fingers digging into him while he drank her blood and pounded her into the sheets.
And the way her doe innocent eyes widened and full pouty lips gasped like she could read every filthy thought in his mind, only revved the beast inside of him.

Dive into this heart stopping fan-favorite today!







Purchase Links

AMAZON US / UK / CA / AU

Free in Kindle Unlimited





Excerpt

Julius’s face burned hot as he took in the scene in front of him. He tried to breathe through it, but the beast inside of him rose higher to the surface with every inhale. His canine fangs elongated and sharpened. Two stupid humans were destroying his brand new, top of the line, custom designed car with pristine leather seats so soft that every baby butt in the alter realm would weep in shame.
He was going to kill them.
Calm, brother. Evan’s mutinous voice squeezed between his thoughts of breaking one girl in half before draining the other.
Stop reading my mind. Julius seethed.
Your fangs are down.
He forced them to recede as he closed the distance between them.
“What are you doing?” Julius roared. The sudden sound sent them both jolting up right.
A sharp gasp escaped one as she whipped around, dropping the bat in her hands with a clink at her feet. Her heart beat like a battering ram inside her chest. Its quick pace formed a hypnotic beat that revved the beast inside of him. Her blood pumped up her neck and settled in her cheeks, making him wet his lips in hunger. He wondered what she tasted like. His fangs threatened to drop again.
Julius, you need to think of something else.
Get out of my head.
Focus on something else. You’re losing it.
Evan’s words flitted from his mind as his gaze reluctantly travelled from her throat to her face.
The universe blinked. Everything peeled away, then refocused solely on her. She. Was. Gorgeous.
Her face was so striking. Round, innocent cheeks, big doe eyes, and near perfect symmetry. He wanted to study her for an eternity. Her hazel eyes were wild with emotion. When they found his, a jolt of electricity shot straight to his groin.
Julius sucked in a slow breath as his gaze trailed down the length of her. Golden wavy hair fell down to the small of her back, while fuck-me curves and legs that belonged tightly wrapped around his waist called to him. One singular thought repeated in his mind: Claim her.



Praise for Love Bitten

"Love this! Julius is hotter than August in Texas! Erica is just adorable..." Patti
"Loving the story so far..." Diana
"This will have readers hooked and coming back for more. I know I certainly want to." Nikki
Wow, just wow! I thought I didn’t really like vampire books. Boy was I wrong. – Anne-Marie
“YES! I love this story…. curious about Gustav, Damian…. and all the other brothers!” – Lisa Brin 
“OMG ..I’m loving this!! I’ve just finished chapter 10 and can’t wait for the next!! Yikes! Thanks…❤❤” – Rebecca S.




Author Bio


Sabrina C Rose lives in the dry heat of Arizona, where she spends her days retreating from the sun and her nights cooking up fairy tales that include oodles of paranormal goodness.
When she’s not plotting against the vampire king, she’s kicking back and watching all the Netflix. Current line-up: Agents of Shield, the Originals, Sense8, and Stranger Things.
Ask her why Eric Northman is one of the greatest vampire boyfriends ever created and you may unearth the secrets to the universe (no promises, though).


Author Links

14 January 2020

New Release from Lynn Burke!

Title: Wicked Warden
Series: Vicious Vipers 1
Author: Lynn Burke
Genre: MC Romance
Release Date: January 14, 2020


He’s the only man my father can trust when the cartel attempts to take us out. A vicious motorcycle gang member, he’s deadly with his fists and firearms.
He’s also the bastard responsible for my mother’s death.
I’m the one who’ll make him pay. A too-young, too-innocent woman he lusts after but refuses to touch.
He might believe he’s strong enough to withstand my plans for retaliation, but I will bring him to his knees and have my revenge.
Even if my heart dies along with his.


“We have to go.” Dad tugged me toward the exit. “Stick to my heels—don’t look at anyone, don’t speak to anyone.”
I nodded dumbly, using my free hand to swipe tears from my cheeks in an attempt to be the strong woman he wanted. If only he’d have offered a quick hug—the thing I always longed for and never received—the fortifying sense of having firm ground to stand upon, to depend upon outside of monetary means.
“The car’s at the end of the alleyway. You’ll get in the back, lay down, and stay down until I say.”
I nodded again, knowing to never argue with Dad’s commands.
One last quick scan of my face and he turned, grasping the exit door’s handle. Dad peeked out head moving left then right. “Stay close,” he whispered, pulling the door open far enough for us to slip through.
I stepped out into the dark after him, my breath loud in my ears as cold bit at my exposed, over-heated skin. Dad’s dress shoes slapped on the sidewalk, my heels clicking as we hurried up the alleyway.
A crowd still stood at the front of the club, but Dad pushed through, people closing back in behind us as we fought to get to the car.
I kept my focus on his tense shoulders rather than scan the crowd for faces I might recognize—my guards, or his men from the compound I’d called home. Every muscle inside me trembled, shaking my limbs. The second we escaped the throng, he headed toward a tan car I didn’t recognize, his head in constant motion as he scanned the immediate area.
Dad grasped the car’s back door handle.
Pop!
“Get in!” he shouted as people began screaming behind us.
He yanked open the door, and I dove in headfirst, my heart in my throat.
Oh fuck, oh fuck, oh fuck…
I curled up on the cloth seat, hugging my knees to my chest, trembling from fear as much as the cold.
Another gunshot sounded, and Dad slammed the door behind me.
Please be okay… I clenched my eyelids shut.
A third shot sounded through the ringing in my ears, and I bit my lip to keep from shrieking, curling even tighter into myself. Tears rolled down my cheeks, and I held my breath … waiting. Needing Dad to be okay. Needing him to get in the car and take me far away from the shit.
The driver door tore open, and a quick peek revealed Dad hopping in.
“Fuck!” He pulled away from the curb like a bat out of hell, tires squealing beneath us, and I clenched my eyes shut again, trying to still my breathing and calm the fuck down. Rather than spew a million questions and distract Dad as he muttered curses and sped down one road after another, I kept quiet except for sniffles when my nose threatened to drip.
Violence came with Dad’s line of business. I’d learned that first hand, and the aftermath of that war had left me without a mother, left my father broken and shut down toward his only living relative—me.
The only daughter.
The only heir to the fortune and empire he’d built from running drugs with a cartel I wished I didn’t know anything about.
“Shaun!” Dad barked. “Get your seat belt on. Now.”
He swerved, and a car sped alongside us as I sat up. Two men sat in the front, neither of which I recognized.
The one in the passenger seat raised a gun.
“Gun!” I shrieked, and Dad slammed on the brakes.
Lower lip between my teeth, I slid out of the shoulder strap and laid back down, curling up as tight as I could.
Dad stomped on the gas again.
Metal scraped—the car shifted.
Dad cursed low and long…
We sped up. He slammed the brakes again enough to tumble me off the seat had I not had the belt across my lap. More speed, more metal screeching—tears and snot mingled on my face, but I couldn’t be bothered to care.
I’d always thought keeping my eyes closed as a child meant no one could see me, that I hid in my own little world. Untouchable. Invincible.
I’d learned the day Mom died, the closing of one’s eyes couldn’t shield one from the horrors in life.
The car suddenly shifted—spun.
I bit my lip, tasting blood as I whimpered.
Sounds of screeching—metal smashing—a loud explosion.
Our car came to a standstill, silence engulfing the air around us.

© Lynn Burke 2018


Lynn Burke is a full time mother, voracious gardener, and scribbler of spicy romance stories. A country bumpkin turned Bay Stater, she enjoys her chowdah and Dunkin Donuts when not trying to escape the reality of city life.



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