Sunday 22 September 2013

Review: Tears of Tess by Pepper Winters




Tears of Tess, a debut novel by Pepper Winters, is a New Adult Dark Contemporary romance. It has the following disclaimer on the blurb:

"not suitable for people sensitive to grief, slavery, and nonconsensual sex. A story about finding love in the strangest of places, a will of iron that grows from necessity, and forgiveness that may not be enough."

Needless to say, curiosity got the best of me and I signed up to do a review stop for Pepper's Blog Tour.

I'm glad I did.

That disclaimer should NOT be ignored. When they say it's a dark book, they're not kidding. Tess Snow is the title character, twenty years old, in a stable, vanilla relationship, though she secretly craves more in the bedroom. When her boyfriend takes her on holiday, the unthinkable happens. Tess is kidnapped by a human trafficking ring and sold into sex slavery. While I'd like to think that this kind of thing is just a figment of the author's imagination, it's sobering to realize that it does happen. 

Tess finds herself delivered to Q, an uber-rich, Dominant man, who begins to show her just what it means to be owned. Her darkest fantasies are suddenly becoming reality and now she doesn't know what to think.

This book tackles some tough themes: abandonment, rejection, desire, redemption. But the thing that stuck most with me was Tess's struggle to come to terms with her sexual fantasies. She wants to submit, to be forced, controlled. And that scares her, as I think it would many young women just beginning to explore their sexuality. To complicate matters, her boyfriend and only sexual partner is as unkinky as they get. 

I went back and forth right along with Tess. How do you come to terms with desires that many would consider sick and freakish? What I really liked though, is how the author managed to differentiate between fantasy and reality. When Tess is with Q, she is playing a role, even though she doesn't realize it at first. There are two disturbing rape scenes, which are not portrayed in a positive light and I tip my hat to Pepper for that. Role playing non-consensual sex is completely different and though it's hard to read, Tess has to experience it to realize the difference. 

And I'll confess that I totally fell in love with Q. He's everything the tortured hero should be, and we see that he is just as uncomfortable with his desires as Tess, and the vulnerability we see in him makes me want to grab him and save him from himself. 

The BDSM in this book is very edgy, much more so than what I normally read, but it's so well written that it didn't disturb me in the way I thought it might. 

I very highly recommend this book, but please, please, please - take the disclaimer seriously. It is not for the faint-hearted. I can't wait for the sequel, Quintessentially Q!

Want to win a copy of the book? Leave me a comment by midnight EST on September 30, and I'll choose a winner via random.org. There's also a tourwide giveaway that you can enter using the Rafflecopter at the bottom of the post. 



Tears of Tess
by Pepper Winters

A New Adult Dark Contemporary Romance, not suitable for people sensitive to grief, slavery, and nonconsensual sex. A story about finding love in the strangest of places, a will of iron that grows from necessity, and forgiveness that may not be enough.

"My life was complete. Happy, content, everything neat and perfect.
Then it all changed.
I was sold."

Tess Snow has everything she ever wanted: one more semester before a career in property development, a loving boyfriend, and a future dazzling bright with possibility.

For their two year anniversary, Brax surprises Tess with a romantic trip to Mexico. Sandy beaches, delicious cocktails, and soul-connecting sex set the mood for a wonderful holiday. With a full heart, and looking forward to a passion filled week, Tess is on top of the world. 

But lusty paradise is shattered.

Kidnapped. Drugged. Stolen. Tess is forced into a world full of darkness and terror.

Captive and alone with no savior, no lover, no faith, no future, Tess evolves from terrified girl to fierce fighter. But no matter her strength, it can't save her from the horror of being sold.

Can Brax find Tess before she's broken and ruined, or will Tess's new owner change her life forever?



Author Bio:
Writer, reader, sometimes wife. An avid devourer of sexy romance and angsty New Adult. Nothing beats lolling in a bubble bath with her array of book boyfriends, and plotting torturous stories to put her characters through. 

Living Down Under means she writes in the Queen's English, not Obama's, and aims to have an entire catalogue of sexy books that keep you wanting more. Oh, and she may or may not be in love with Q from Tears of Tess.


Author Links


Tears of Tess Blog Tour Giveaway

Tuesday 10 September 2013

Special Guests: Lily Harlem and Lucy Felthouse

You'll forgive me if I go all fan-girl for a minute because today my special guests are Lily Harlem & Lucy Felthouse, two of my personal favorites!

I love you Lily & Lucy!!!

What's even better is their book, Grand Slam which they've written together. I got to read it, and my review is posted here. Now, here's Lily to tell you about why we love sports heroes!


Sporting heroes, why we love them by Lily Harlem

Writing about sporting male leads has become a bit of a theme for me with my Hot Ice series, Scored and now, Grand Slam. Why? Because they just do it for me, those perfectly honed, talented, determined athletes who don’t let anything get in their way of the prize both in and out of the bedroom.

Some girls like firemen or cops, cowboys or rock stars, but me, I like sportsmen. It’s the glint in their eye, the set of their jaws, the dedication and commitment it takes to be the best of the best. I’m not saying I’d decline a hot fireman if he turned up on my doorstep or go for a ride with a cute cowboy if offered the chance, but give me a hunky gold medalist or Wimbledon champion and I’m mush!

So you can imagine my relief when co-author Lucy Felthouse had the same hankerings! Happy dance! Soon Travis Connolly was born. Brooding and dark he holds a secret close to his chest. When the rest of the world sees him hitting that ball on court, looking pristine in his whites and focused on winning, they have no inkling of the dominant desires he keeps under wraps or of the flavour his likes to taste when bedding women – and no, it’s not vanilla! I think that is one of the things I liked the most about Travis, the contrast between the public image and the one that lurks beneath the surface. It’s just as well Marie is highly trained in revealing a person’s inner secrets, even if it means she finds out some truth about herself along the way!

*****

Excerpt:

“Some people like pain,” he said, still not looking at me.

“Masochists you mean?”

“Yes, I suppose.”

Shit, was he trying to tell me that he enjoyed the pain the accident had left him with? If so, we really needed to discuss this. “That’s not the majority of people though.”

“No, but more than you think. And some people like administering pain.” He turned to me, cocked his head slightly and moved into the space I’d left between us.
I looked into his eyes. Swallowed and tasted his cologne as it traveled into my nostrils and then laced my tongue. “Would you consider them to be good people, Travis? These individuals that like to hurt others.”

“I’ve known a few people who like to give and receive higher sensations, and most of them I consider to be good friends as well as good people.”

I hesitated, felt his body heat radiating toward me, wrapping around me as I pondered his words. We were close, very close, and his consuming presence made logical thinking much harder than normal. “I’m not quite sure what you’re telling me.”

“You talk about pain like it’s a bad thing, Marie.”

“It is.”

He smiled but it wasn’t a sweet smile, more like one of a hunter who’d spotted prey.

“Pain is unpleasant for a reason,” I said. “Because it’s bad.”

“I disagree.” He raised his eyebrows and widened his eyes. It was a challenging, cocky gesture.

A tingle snaked its way up my spine and threatened to wreak havoc in my body by turning into a tremble. But I beat it down. I wouldn’t let a patient get to me this way. I was the one supposed to be holding the reins here.

“Maybe, Marie, you should open your mind to new ideas with a little more grace.”

“I fail to see how I haven’t been graceful in discussing your theory that pain is good.”

“Can we keep it that way?”

“I hope so.”

“In that case,” he flicked his attention from my eyes and looked at my hair, “would you like me to demonstrate?”

Damn, the guy made me feel tiny. Even though I was wearing heels, his broad chest and wide shoulders were looming over me. “Okay.”

He twitched the right side of his mouth into a half-smile. Now he looked like a hunter who’d captured his prey. A trickle of fight or flight seeped into my system. Which would be my best option?

“Now that’s the first rule.” He reached up and undid the clasp holding my hair on the top of my head. It tumbled around my shoulders as the clasp fell to the floor.

“Consent.”

“Doesn’t consent require knowing what you’re agreeing to?” Fuck, with him this close and stroking my hair, spreading it out, I’d pretty much agree to anything. Who was I kidding? Fight or flight was not an option, the only thing that shot through my mind was giving myself over to him. Allowing him to do whatever he wanted, control my body, feed it what it needed.

Damn, it had been too long since I’d been with a man. It was making me desperate.

He slotted his other hand over the left side of my head, the sound of him sliding his fingers over the shell of my ear noisy. My breath hitched and I locked my knees to stabilize my stance. I stared up at him, noting the small shafts of black hair sneaking out of his skin on his chin and the way his bottom lip was a little plumper than the top.

 “You see, some pain,” he said, gathering my hair up at my crown and tugging to create tension on the roots, “can heighten the awareness of everything else going on in the body.”

He pulled harder, forcing my head to tip back.

I gasped as discomfort shot across my scalp.

He increased the pressure a little more.

I reached out and clutched at his shirt, felt his hard chest beneath. “Travis, I—”
“Shh, I’m just showing you.” He slipped his arm around my waist, dragged me close and yanked my hair, really hard.

“Ow, I—” A barrage of sensations blasted through my system. The feel of him pressing up against me, hot hard male, all wide pecs and solid thighs. The pain from having my hair tugged with force, and the awareness that my belly was shoved right up against his groin. A groin that held a wedge of thick flesh.

“Just feel,” he whispered, hovering his lips over mine. “Endorphins are rushing into your bloodstream, giving you a natural high as pain alerts your nerve endings that something exciting is happening.” He slid his free hand up my back, tracing the outline of my spine through my blouse.

I breathed in the air he was breathing out, warm and sweet. The scream of hurt in my scalp made me want to wriggle but being held so firmly and confidently kept me still. The heat of the discomfort slipped down my nape and neck and over my shoulders, then combined with the lovely sensation of him stroking my back.

“Can you feel it?” he whispered. “Pain mixing with pleasure, the lines between the two blurring.”

I could feel it with every fiber of my being. My skin was alive with awareness, my breasts were heavy and desperate for stimulation, and between my legs I was buzzing for action. Good, hard man action, preferably of the naked, sweaty variety. “Yes,” I gasped.

*****

Blurb:

California had seduced me with promises of a new life working at Los Carlos Tennis Academy. What I didn’t expect was the dark, brooding number one seed, Travis Connolly, resisting my help. He wasn’t interested in my psychology skills. Instead his attention was drawn to the edgy, sharper corners of my desires, proving that they existed, setting me challenges and driving me crazy to the point of combustion.

I’m the best tennis player in the world—officially—so why would I need a damn woman full of psychobabble to get me on form? Despite my irritation, however, I can’t resist pushing Marie Sherratt’s buttons even though doing that shows her the darkest shades of my lust, the parts of me I buried deep. So I set her a challenge, one she rises to, one that has me rising too, and before long my game relies on her calling the shots, hitting the target and bending to my will. One thing was certain, being not just master of the court, but also of Marie is seriously good for my soul.



*****

Author Bios:

Lily Harlem

Lily Harlem lives in the UK with Mr Harlem and a host of rescued animals. She is an award winning author of contemporary erotic romance and writes for publishers on both sides of the Atlantic including Ellora's Cave, HarperCollins, Total-E-Bound, Xcite and Sweetmeats Press as well as self-publishing. Her HOT ICE series regularly receives high praise and industry nominations and sportsmen who are talented both in and out of the bedroom often feature in her novels. But whichever book you choose of Lily's one thing you can be sure of is it will be wildly romantic and down-and-dirty sexy. Enjoy!


Lucy Felthouse

Lucy Felthouse is a very busy woman! She writes erotica and erotic romance in a variety of subgenres and pairings, and has over seventy publications to her name, with many more in the pipeline. These include Best Bondage Erotica 2012, 2013 and 2014 and Best Women's Erotica 2013. Another string to her bow is editing, and she has edited and co-edited a number of anthologies. She owns Erotica For All, and is book editor for Cliterati. Find out more at http://www.lucyfelthouse.co.uk. Join her on Facebook and Twitter, and subscribe to her newsletter at: http://eepurl.com/gMQb9


Release Party Day 7: Against the Ropes by Sarah Castille


Day Seven – AGAINST THE ROPES RELEASE PARTY
Sarah Castille is celebrating the release of AGAINST THE ROPES with a SEVEN day party.  SEVEN great giveaways, SEVEN different posts.  Stop by all the amazing blogs participating in the party to increase your chances to win!!! Each blog will post a special AGAINST THE ROPES post all seven days (no weekend posts)


Five Fun Facts about Against the Ropes

1.      I interviewed several MMA fighters while researching Against the Ropes. It was an incredible sacrifice but I wanted to ensure my readers had an authentic experience (I certainly did!).
2.      I spent a few days watching UFC events and then practiced my new moves on DH so I could write authentic choreography for the fight scenes. He’s still recovering.
3.      To get in the mood for fight club scenes, I listened to “The Best MMA Training Tracks – Fight Your Way Through the World.”
4.      To get in the mood for sex scenes, I pretended I hadn’t seriously injured DH while practicing my “ground and pound” and “rear naked choke hold” moves.
5.      In one scene, Makayla accidentally flings a beet across a fancy restaurant. Although beets are not a favorite food in our household, I bought a whole jar of beets and then set the munchkins to flinging them across the kitchen so I could assess speed, trajectory, and damage factor. They thought they had died and gone to heaven. They also thought I was the coolest mom EVER!


Blurb
He scared me. He thrilled me. And after one touch, all I could think about was getting more…

Makayla never thought she’d set foot in an underground mixed-martial arts club. But if anyone needs a medic on hand, it’s these guys. Trouble is, at her first sight of the club’s owner she’s the one feeling breathless.

The man they call Torment is all sleek muscle and restrained power. Whether it’s in the ring or in the bedroom, he knows exactly when a soft touch is required and when to launch a full-on assault. He always knows just how far he can push. And he’s about to tempt Makayla in ways she never imagined…


Contact Information
Twitter (@sarah_castille): http://www.twitter/sarah_castille.com



Author Bio
Recovering lawyer, karate practitioner, and caffeine addict, Sarah Castille worked and traveled abroad before trading her briefcase and stilettos for a handful of magic beans and a home near the Canadian Rockies. Her steamy, contemporary romantic tales feature blazingly hot alpha heroes and the women who tame them.

Buy Links:
Amazon:
Kobo
***************************


PRIZES:
Against the Ropes water bottle
E-Copy of Legal Heat
Kindle copy of Fight Club: A Novel by Chuck Palahniuk
Keep Calm and Fight On T-shirt
Gold plated boxing glove key chain
AGAINST THE ROPES bracelet
$50 Amazon gift card


Partcipating Blogs

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Monday 9 September 2013

Release Party Day 6: Against the Ropes by Sarah Castille



Day Six – AGAINST THE ROPES RELEASE PARTY
Sarah Castille is celebrating the release of AGAINST THE ROPES with a SEVEN day party.  SEVEN great giveaways, SEVEN different posts.  Stop by all the amazing blogs participating in the party to increase your chances to win!!! Each blog will post a special AGAINST THE ROPES post all seven days (no weekend posts)


Sarah Castille Interviews MMS fighter, Torment

SC: Um...er...hi, Torment. **pushes up glasses** **wipes drool off chin**

Torment: Call me Max. Torment is my ring name and I rarely use it outside the gym or fight ring.

SC: **breaths heavily and sighs** I love the name, Torment. It sounds so...tormented. How did you choose it?

Torment: Fighters don’t choose their ring name, just as bikers don’t choose their road name. Ring names are picked by your team and are usually linked to something unique the fighter has done inside or outside the ring. I once knew a fighter nicknamed “Spew Beast”. Every time he went drinking with his buddies, he would drink too much and throw up on the street. If a fighter doesn’t like his ring name, he can fight his way out of it by winning a certain number of fights; his team will then choose a new name.

SC: Did you have a different ring name or were you always Torment?

Torment: I got my name after I fought my first boxing match when I was three years old. I was accused of tormenting my opponent in the ring, when all I’d done was take away his blankie and hit him with a right cross. I stayed with that club until I was sixteen, training with the same kids. The name stuck.

SC: Have you trained in any other fighting arts?

Torment: When I decided to pursue MMA, I had to broaden my fight base. I trained in Brazilian Ju Jitsu, Muay Thai, wrestling, Judo and Sambo. In other words, things that are focused on takedowns and clinch fighting.

SC: Feel free to take me down anytime.

Torment: **winks** There’s only one woman I want to take down and that’s my Makayla.

SC: So, where is Makayla today?

Torment: Probably sky diving or swimming with sharks. She’s a bit of a daredevil, especially if she thinks it’s something I would forbid her from doing. But she should be here soon, I promised to teach her some new moves.

SC: Hmm. I’ve seen some of your moves. Written about them, too. What’s your favorite move? I’m partial to the ‘full mount’ where my opponent takes the ‘dominant position’ although I’m not adverse to a good old ‘ground and pound’ with a ‘Submission Master’.

Torment: **laughs** I’d have to say my favorite move is the Rear Naked choke.

Sarah: **chokes** **splutters**

Torment: Looks like a good time to wrap up. What’s next for you?

Sarah: Thanks for taking the time to chat with me today. I’ve finished the second book in the Redemption series. It’s about Jake and Amanda.

Torment: Jake and Amanda? I thought they’d split. Why don’t you write about Rampage or Blade Saw? Or Obsidian. Now there would be a good story.

Sarah: Actually, I’ve started book three but I’m not telling you who it’s about. I could use some help with a ring name though...


Blurb
He scared me. He thrilled me. And after one touch, all I could think about was getting more…

Makayla never thought she’d set foot in an underground mixed-martial arts club. But if anyone needs a medic on hand, it’s these guys. Trouble is, at her first sight of the club’s owner she’s the one feeling breathless.

The man they call Torment is all sleek muscle and restrained power. Whether it’s in the ring or in the bedroom, he knows exactly when a soft touch is required and when to launch a full-on assault. He always knows just how far he can push. And he’s about to tempt Makayla in ways she never imagined…


Contact Information
Twitter (@sarah_castille): http://www.twitter/sarah_castille.com



Author Bio
Recovering lawyer, karate practitioner, and caffeine addict, Sarah Castille worked and traveled abroad before trading her briefcase and stilettos for a handful of magic beans and a home near the Canadian Rockies. Her steamy, contemporary romantic tales feature blazingly hot alpha heroes and the women who tame them.

Buy Links:
Amazon:
Kobo
***************************


PRIZES:
Against the Ropes water bottle
E-Copy of Legal Heat
Kindle copy of Fight Club: A Novel by Chuck Palahniuk
Keep Calm and Fight On T-shirt
Gold plated boxing glove key chain
AGAINST THE ROPES bracelet
$50 Amazon gift card


Partcipating Blogs

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Friday 6 September 2013

Release Party Day 5: Against the Ropes by Sarah Castille


Day Five – AGAINST THE ROPES RELEASE PARTY
Sarah Castille is celebrating the release of AGAINST THE ROPES with a SEVEN day party.  SEVEN great giveaways, SEVEN different posts.  Stop by all the amazing blogs participating in the party to increase your chances to win!!! Each blog will post a special AGAINST THE ROPES post all seven days (no weekend posts)


Playlist of songs in Against the Ropes
Eye of the Tiger by Survivor
Someone I Used to Know by Gotye
I Knew You Were Trouble by Taylor Swift
Sexy and I Know it by LFMAO
Bleed it Out by Linkin’ Park
Fallin’ by Alicia Keys
Set Fire to the Rain by Adele
You Can Leave Your Hat On by Joe Cocker
My Baby Just Cares for Me by Nina Simone
Listen to Me by Buddy Holly
I’m in the Mood for Love by Frank Sinatra
Electric Boogie by Marcia Griffiths
Row, Row, Row Your Boat


Blurb
He scared me. He thrilled me. And after one touch, all I could think about was getting more…

Makayla never thought she’d set foot in an underground mixed-martial arts club. But if anyone needs a medic on hand, it’s these guys. Trouble is, at her first sight of the club’s owner she’s the one feeling breathless.

The man they call Torment is all sleek muscle and restrained power. Whether it’s in the ring or in the bedroom, he knows exactly when a soft touch is required and when to launch a full-on assault. He always knows just how far he can push. And he’s about to tempt Makayla in ways she never imagined…


Contact Information
Twitter (@sarah_castille): http://www.twitter/sarah_castille.com



Author Bio
Recovering lawyer, karate practitioner, and caffeine addict, Sarah Castille worked and traveled abroad before trading her briefcase and stilettos for a handful of magic beans and a home near the Canadian Rockies. Her steamy, contemporary romantic tales feature blazingly hot alpha heroes and the women who tame them.

Buy Links:
Amazon:
Kobo
***************************


PRIZES:
Against the Ropes water bottle
E-Copy of Legal Heat
Kindle copy of Fight Club: A Novel by Chuck Palahniuk
Keep Calm and Fight On T-shirt
Gold plated boxing glove key chain
AGAINST THE ROPES bracelet
$50 Amazon gift card


Partcipating Blogs

a Rafflecopter giveaway