Monday, May 25, 2015

Antique Discovery (Alicia Trent #3) by Eileen Harris

About the Book:



This third book in the series. A vacation becomes complicated by murder, discovery, and friendship. Danger lurks in too many directions. Alicia and her friends will have to stay alive and sort through the clues carefully if they want to save an innocent friend and prevent the destruction of an historic treasure.








Buy Links:
Wings e Press I Amazon I Barnes & Noble

Excerpt:

When the ranch faded out of sight, I began to get nervous. There was always the chance of an accident. The horse could step in a gopher hole and stumble, or a million and one other problems could arise, but those possibilities weren't bothering me. I had the unnerving feeling I wasn't alone out here. The nervous tension didn't feel natural. It was more like a warning from outside myself. As I had this thought, I could feel that the red pendant was much warmer than normal. If it got much hotter, it would burn me. If the necklace was an early warning system, that would be great, but from the things the shaman had said, I didn't think it would turn out to be that simple.

The dips, rises, and dry washes could hide someone from view, but they'd have to know the desert like a native if I couldn't catch a glimpse of them. I could have chalked my fears up to knowing the ranch was empty or that the isolation had spooked me. I could have, but a little voice in the back of my mind kept asking, “Did the pendant spook me or had it warned me of danger?” I didn't know, but I turned the horse around and let him pick his own speed on the return ride. He chose an all out gallop, and he was so fast I felt almost like I was flying.

A full hour had passed for Nick to take care of his meet-and-greet responsibilities by the time I rode the horse into the stable. David was still there. When he turned and saw us, his jaw dropped. He said, “Wow, that's the last sight I ever expected to see.”

I said, “What are you still doing here? I thought you'd be out partying by now.”

I climbed down off the horse and began gathering the equipment I needed to groom Star. David said, “Let me do that. Star has decided to tolerate me again, and it is my job, you know. Besides, you're all cleaned up for the party, and I still have to get ready. I'm just finishing up here, so I'll rub down the horse and take him back to the pasture. You go have fun, and I'll see you out there later.”

I thanked him and said, “By the way, what do Cobber and Corker do since the cattle drive is over? I haven't seen them back at the compound.”

“You'd be surprised. Their work is never done. Cattle are always grazing somewhere on the ranch, and the dogs keep them more or less in the same area. Those guys are pretty good at running off any predators too. There's always a cowboy or two who stay at the line shack closest to where the cattle are, and they keep an eye on both the herd and the dogs.”

My curiosity satisfied, I thanked him again and went to find Nick.

I saw him talking to the cooks. The barbeque was almost ready to serve, and as I got closer the smell made my mouth water. Standing beside Nick was Laudine. She was wearing a yellow skirt and a white blouse with a multicolored ruffle. She looked about thirty years old. I said, “Don't you look great today? What are you doing hanging around the cooking on your day off?”

“I'll have you know the absolutely perfect barbeque sauce being used today is my own special recipe. You didn't seriously think I'd leave all the cooking to a bunch of cowboys, did you?”

One of the cooks at the grill said, “Hey, watch it, lady, or we'll have you out at the cook wagon on our next roundup.”
I laughed at their banter and said, “I should have known. If this food tastes as good as it smells, we are all in for a treat.”
We weren't quite ready to eat yet, so we rounded up Lawrence and walked out behind the recreation room to check out the activities. I rounded the corner and stopped dead in my tracks. I said, “Good grief, I had no idea a full carnival was camped out here. This is as big as most carnival midways, including the rides!”

Nick said, “We try to have something spectacular and different each year. This not only looks like a carnival, it actually is a carnival. The owner is a friend of Lawrence's, so he set this up.”

I said, “Lawrence, you have hidden talents. How in the world did you ever become such good friends with a carnival owner?”

“It's a long story and a good one, but I don't think we have time for it today. One night when we're sitting around a good fire, I'll tell you about the first time I ran into Hannibus Carson. Right now I challenge you all to a game of breaking balloons.”

Nick was picking up the tab for the carnival, and all the games were free to party-goers. We began by throwing darts and progressed around the circle of booths. I love carnival food and was tempted to eat at all the food booths we passed, but I resisted in anticipation of the barbeque. Hopefully I could try these goodies later. It wasn't long until we'd worked up an appetite and headed back to the food tables. We loaded our plates with barbequed ribs, potato salad, homemade French fries, and anything else that struck our fancy from the dozens of choices. One of my favorites was the cowboy beans, usually made with pinto beans, but the cook wasn't above throwing in any other type of beans he happened to have around. I knew this dish always had ham or bacon for flavoring. I didn't know what else they added, but I planned to ask before I went home. I wanted to be able to make this dish myself when I got a craving for the delicious smoky taste.

Once our plates were full, we found table space in the rec room and settled down to some serious eating. Laudine and I only managed to get through our first plateful, but when Nick and Lawrence went back for seconds, we had them bring us peach pie for dessert. Each piece was a huge slab, and Laudine and I could easily have shared one, but when the men brought us each a piece of our own, we ate every bite. The peaches were fresh from a local grower, the crust flaky, and the juice still slightly warm. All the food I tasted seemed way above the normal quality for a gathering of this type. When we couldn't hold another bite, our friends went off to visit with Hannibus Carson and Nick and I decided on a walk to help digest the food. People were still coming up to talk to Nick, but now it was just friendly chatter. We strolled around from group to group, and sooner or later I saw almost everyone I knew. Betty and Cameron had been in the rec room while we ate. I saw David and Cody together at the carnival surrounded by a group of flirting girls. Becky Cloud, the assistant cook I'd met in the restaurant break room, stood close to David, smiling up at him like he'd hung the moon. The sheriff and his wife were piling plates with food, and the Herreras were still competing, but this time it was at one of the games on the midway. I saw Hwan with a tall, good-looking guy and steered Nick their direction. She introduced her friend as someone she had met in one of her classes at the university. I only caught his first name, which was Tony. Hwan was stunning in jade green jeans and a shimmering pearl-colored top. As we were moving to the next group, Reed walked up to chat with Hwan. Olivia Denning was there wearing a beautiful pleated squaw dress and barely resembled the efficient head housekeeper I'd met previously. Both the guests and the employees seemed to be having a great time. Even the Banner twins were here with a group of kids their own age and were behaving like normal teenagers.
It was just getting dark when we heard the band start its first number. We decided to have a go at dancing. Nick assured me it wouldn't hurt his leg. We'd danced together a few times before, and we both loved it. The second number was a two-step and we were doing pretty well when I stumbled slightly and said, “Oh, damn, you need to come outside with me now.”

About the Author:

From living off the grid in the Arizona desert, Eileen has moved to the woods of upstate New York. She has authored a standalone adventure novel called Desert Shadow. She is also the author of Alicia Trent Series. The Black Cane : Dowager Diaries Book 1 is her latest release.







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Men of Valor (Box Set) by Kiru Taye


Men of Valor 1- 3 Box Set
Books: His Treasure #1, His Strength #2, His Princess #3
Genre: Historical Romance, African Fiction
Release date: May 25, 2015
Photographer: Hector Obeng
Cover design: Love Bites and Silk


His Treasure
In a time when men ruled their households with firm hands, can a quiet man tame his rebellious wife with persevering love?

Love Romances Café Best Book of 2011
Kiru smolders with the sensitivity of the loved in describing this man... An exceptional book, well worth the time, money and frustration.....Sigh! ~ Imagervet (Amazon reviewer)

I didn't want the story to end, it was that good. ~ The Wordsmythe (Amazon reviewer)

***
His Strength
When a warrior seeks to claim a free-spirited woman, he soon discovers a tigress unwilling to be caged. Is the hunter about to be hunted?

The story is well told, the characters are tight and multi dimensional. ~ PamelaStitch.com

I enjoyed the FIERY passion between Ikem and Nneka...their chemistry is totally OFF-THE-CHARTS...and only IGNITED more by their INTENSE and sometimes humorous verbal sparring. ~ Malaika Tamu (Amazon reviewer)

***
His Princess
With the weight of a kingdom on his shoulders and his honour at stake, can a Prince truly love a slave?

I loved the hero, who in a land and time of male dominance, chose to be a man without reproach - a man worth losing one's heart to.  ~ Empi Baryeh, author

This book was fantastic. Throughout it I kept wondering how the hero and heroine would end up together. When the major revelation came I said, "Hot holy crap" out loud because I didn't see it coming. ~ Nana Prah, author














Excerpt from His Treasure
Obinna looked up at her, his eyes fringed by long, dark lashes, a black, expressionless pool she could drown in, always unnerved her. As she couldn’t read his mood, gauging how to tell him what she wanted to say was difficult.
“Yes, say what’s on your mind Adaku,” he said in his usual deep voice, as he licked his long fingers.
Something stirred low within her belly. Her eyes hungrily followed his action, and she got distracted. For a brief moment she wished it was her fingers he was licking.
“That could be arranged.”
Adaku looked up sharply and Obinna’s brow was lifted with amusement. She realized she must have spoken her thought out loud. Embarrassment and heat washed over her as he took hold of her hand in his large one.
Somewhere within her mind something shifted. An awareness of Obinna at a primal level registered in her rapidly hazing brain.
The air suddenly felt warmer and her skin prickled. He took her fingers into his warm mouth in turn, twirling his moist tongue around each. Sensation flooded her body, and she forgot everything else she wanted to say. All she could feel was the stroke of his tongue on her fingers as he sucked and lapped each one.
His touch scorched her straight to her soul.
She gasped and his gaze came up, locking on to her and pinning her to the spot. His eyes were filled with a desire she couldn’t explain. His tongue moved down her skin, searing a path to the spot at the center of her palm before licking it. Then he released her hand, and she realized she was trembling.

Excerpt from His Strength
"Why did you not come to see me when you want me so?" He cocked his eyebrow cynically.
Her mouth formed an O. "I-I don't want you," she replied in a petulant fashion, shaking her head vigorously. But her eyes told him another story. They were a warm brown and stared at his lips as if expecting him to kiss her.
Maybe I should oblige her.
He chuckled. "Liar," he whispered before he lowered his lips to her. But he didn't claim her lips immediately. Instead he feathered her face and neck with kisses, alternating between nipping and licking her sweet-salty skin. Her breathing increased rapidly. When he looked up, he noticed that her eyes were closed. He licked the pulse at her neck before he trailed his lips back up and hovered above her lips. She opened her eyes and moaned softly.
"Say it, Nneka. You want me to kiss you."
"Never!" Her voice, as well as her body, trembled as she spoke.
"Why do you have a tough time admitting what you want? Your eyes and body betray you easily." He laughed as he pushed his thigh between her legs, parting them. He felt the heat and dampness of her hooded pearl against his bare skin.

Excerpt from His Princess
"Rise, Ezinne," he said.
The intense timbre of his words resonated, doing odd things to her insides. She’d heard him speak before. Still, being alone with him seemed to heighten the effect of his voice on her body.
She straightened but kept her eyes lowered. She needed to gain back control of her body. If she kept her eyes lowered, away from him, she could keep her body in check.
"Look at me," he said in a snappy and low… dangerously low tone.
Was he annoyed?
Slowly she lifted her chin, her stare connecting with his once more. His lips were pursed, confirming her suspicions of his irritation.
Anxiety and excitement caused her heart to thump against her chest. Instinct told her to look away. This was the prince. He was capable of crushing her with a snap of his fingers. She should heed the warning.
Instead, she refused to look away and held his gaze. Infuriation crept up her spine at a snail's pace. She would not be intimidated.
"When you are in my presence, you will look at me directly," he continued.
"As you wish, my prince." She nodded and curtsied briefly still maintaining his gaze.
"And when we are in private like right now, you will use my given name, Emeka."
Doing that would mean accepting this whole arrangement as his con—companion. She couldn't do that. She wouldn't do that.
"No, my prince. Regardless of where we are, you are still the Crown Prince of Umunri, and I'm just a servant in your palace. I can't address you by your given name. It is improper."
"That may be so. But for the next four weeks, you are here to grant my every desire as my concubine."




Kiru is the award winning author of His Treasure and bestselling author of The Essien Trilogy series. She writes sensual and passionate multicultural romance stories set mostly in Africa. When she's not writing you can find her either immersed in a good book or catching up with friends and family. She currently lives in the South of England with her very own alpha husband and three children.


Follow her blog for latest news and giveaways: http://kirutayewrites.blogspot.com
Read book excerpts and free short stories on her website: http://www.kirutaye.com
Check out her author page on Amazon http://www.amazon.com/Kiru-Taye/e/B00723TSDI/

You can also reach her on



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Thursday, May 7, 2015

The Agency Series by Jacey Holbrand


The Agency Series by +Jacey Holbrand 
Genre: Erotic, Gay, Science Fiction, Romance
Publisher: Evernight Publishing
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Book 1 – The Encounter
Evan ‘Zen’ Zenas is the top agent at The Agency and is known for his brusque demeanor. He’s also known to be tough on trainees. Those who find themselves under his tutelage usually don’t last long. When he’s assigned a new assistant, Seth Trivos, Zen’s faced with questions about his past he’s not too keen on answering.
Seth Trivos knew Evan once upon a time, loved him even, but when Evan disappeared, he unknowingly broke Seth’s heart. Now, he’s in Evan’s world as the newest recruit at The Agency, and he’s looking for answers.
Will Zen chase away another new assistant because he doesn’t want to open up about a past encounter or will being forced on a case together make him face the demons he’s been trying to hide from?
A May/December, male-male, erotic romance

Book 2 – Breeding Seth
Evan Zenas and Seth Trivos had a tumultuous start to their relationship which has finally mellowed out. But now, something is wrong with Seth. Concerned for his health, Evan convinces his boyfriend to see the doctor, and the prognosis is alarming.
Seth is pregnant.
The mystery is how.
Not only is their relationship at stake due to the life altering news so is Seth’s life.
A gay erotic sci-fi story.

Book 3 – Cooper's Condition
Cooper Hanes has met the love of his life, Doctor Micha Levi, and the chemistry between them is instant and hot. Yet life takes a turn when they go on a fateful trip.
Alien abduction. Experimentation.
Cooper’s left to deal with the greatest challenge of the ordeal.
Being pregnant.
Can their lives and love survive the aftermath of the encounter and the changes that come with Cooper’s condition?

Gay, Erotic, Science Fiction with male pregnancies



The Encounter


Breeding Seth



Cooper’s Condition











The Encounter
A new protégé was in his future—if his earlier glimpse of the young pup coming to report for his first day of work was any indication.
Another rookie. The Chief loved to give him “the fresh fish.” He said if the trainees could survive him and his attitude, they could survive anything. He couldn’t argue. The work he did for The Agency was serious, and he expected others to take it the same way. Unfortunately, a good portion of the new employees who came in didn’t. They treated what went on with the cases as a novelty.
Stupid reality shows, making the search for the paranormal, supernatural, and alien existence seem like easy fun. Real people had real issues. They needed to be treated with respect.
Luckily, he did have a way of reading people and cutting through the bullshit, and most people couldn’t handle his frankness. It’s the reason why his boss gave him the newbies. He weeded out the nonserious adventure-seekers. All three “fish” he had in the past year and a half left The Agency and went on to other careers. When the third left, the guy said he was going to go work in his brother’s kennel—the bitches there would be nicer to him.
So be it. Zen liked working alone.
Chief’s office door stood open an inch. Before entering, he decided to take a moment to assess the situation. Always good to get the lay of the land before stepping into something new. Peering in, he fixed his gaze on the recent hire standing opposite Owen, who was sitting at his desk, and purposely eavesdropped on the conversation.
The new guy was already nitpicking his role at The Agency. His main beef: working with Zen on assignments.

Breeding Seth
He looked at Doctor Hayes. “It is real, right? I mean this isn’t some kind of twisted dream or alternate reality that we’re in, is it?”
“I’m afraid not,” the doctor said, keeping a level gaze upon the two of them. There was no hint of guile in his serious expression. “We’re all very much awake and present. Mr. Trivos is most certainly pregnant.”
Seth’s gaze darted to Doctor Adams, then Doctor Hayes, and back to Evan. “Oh God, Zen. You’re right. I should have been more concerned about what was going on with me much sooner. What about all the prenatal care I’ve not done? Has my neglect put our child in danger? What if because I’m a man carrying her, there are genetic or chromosomal defects? What—”
“Seth.” Doctor Adams interrupted, lifting and pushing her hand toward the floor a few times as if to say, calm down. “Everything is fine. Your baby is fine. Your blood work came back completely normal. It is all as it should be. Remember, there have been women who never knew they were pregnant until they had the baby, and the child was fine. You and your little one will be okay.”
Taking a deep breath, Seth nodded. “Sure. Sure. Everything’s okay.” He breathed deep again. “I’ve always dreamed of having a girl, someone who’d be able to pal around with the boys and then be completely feminine as well.” Seth paused.
Alarm shot through Evan as he watched Seth’s fingers dig into his swollen abdomen and turn white along with the rest of his skin. “Seth! Is something wrong?”
Seth shook his head. “No, I feel fine. I just think… No. I don’t think. I know how this happened.”

Cooper’s Condition
“You’ve been here before, right? Any suggestions, Micha?”
“Yes, I have. Are you allergic to, or don’t like, anything in particular?”
“No to both. I like to try just about anything.”
Micha tipped up his lips in a sexy half smile, implying he understood the double entendre of Cooper’s statement. “If you don’t mind me doing so, I will order for the both of us.”
“Go for it.”
Doctor Levi picked up the menu, pointed at it and rattled off the French names of the foods with ease along with the names of the wine pairings.
Cooper realized he could listen to Micha’s exotic voice speak French all night long, even if he were just reading the side of a cereal box. Happier than he’d been in a long time, he enjoyed the chance to observe Micha. Handsome, smart, worldly, and with an overall good personality. He’d really lucked out with his find this time. A complete change from the lunk-heads he normally dated.
The waiter left and Micha returned his focus to him again. “So, how about me what?”
“Huh?”Smooth, idiot. Think quick. What had I asked him before my hormones switched my gears? “Right. Children. Do you have any? Want any?”
“No children yet. It’d be nice to have a couple of them.” Micha reached out and clasped Cooper’s hand. “With the right person.” He rubbed the back of Cooper’s hand with his thumb.
A hot sizzle raced up Cooper’s arm. Anticipation of taking things further with Micha thickened the air in his lungs and his cock.
“How about you?”

I’d bear your children if I could.

Bio
Jacey Holbrand believes love comes in all forms and should be celebrated. She’s committed to her muse and writing so she can share those kinds of stories with readers. Hot days. Sexy nights. Come play in her world. Jacey loves to hear from readers! Click the link to eMail her: JaceyHolbrand@gmail.com


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