Showing posts with label Erotic. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Erotic. Show all posts

Sponsor Spotlight: Introducing Rebel Ink Press

Today I'd like to highlight one of our sponsors at Cheeky Reads. Please welcome Rebel Ink Press and take a look at their upcoming releases. You might find a new-to-you author or book you just have to have!

Happy Reading!
Sabrina

Coming Soon From Rebel Ink Press

Rebel Ink Press is proud to be at Cheeky Reads today sharing a bit about our upcoming releases and the writers that produced them. Thanks so much Sabrina for inviting us over! We’ve enjoyed being here and look forward to working with you again soon.

Rebel Ink Press is a small, independent publisher of romance novels that run the gamut from young adult all the way to sizzling erotica. Since their official opening in September 2010, Rebel has signed both new and seasoned cutting edge authors from several genres. There's no question that Rebel titles have tremendous market appeal and that their writers are plugged in to the both the paranormal/fantasy side of the romance genre as well as the more down to earth, realistic, romantic side by featuring real-to-life heroes and heroines going about the business of day to day living. In fact, several of their authors are best sellers within their given genre and a few have won awards through their local writing guilds or chapters. Since their inception, Rebel has boasted four silver star winning manuscripts at ARe, a premiere e-book retailer, and their authors are gleaning rave reviews. For more information about Rebel please find us at: http://www.rebelinkpress.com/.

Our February line-up:

Kinship Trinity by JL Oiler - February 9, 2011
Time changes all. The world of humankind is gone, replaced by a landscape marred with the aftermath of war and disease. This is the world of the Were. However, even their existence hangs perilously by a thread. The ratio of males to females has become unbalanced and the ruling council is struggling to bring order to its people through the creation of strong clans. Clans lead by not one Alpha Were, but two

Cirri works within the confines of the council hall, evaluating and confirming the rosters of each group seeking clanship. Knowing the day would come when she would be a claimed mate, Cirri just never expected it to be so soon. Or that her mates would take her to the edge of ecstasy and beyond.

Meru and Arcos have traveled to the remnants of the human city seeking clanship even though they've yet to find their perfect mate. Fighting for their right to keep their clan together, neither Were expected to catch the scent of the female who was destined to be their third. But when their clanship paperwork causes a stir within the council, Arcos, Meru and Cirri find themselves fighting for their lives and that of their followers.

JL Oiler lives in the mountains of West Virginia with her husband, two children, and boxer. She began writing stories at a young age, but didn't begin sharing them until she was in her late teens. When not writing, JL enjoys the outdoors and teaching shop to unruly middle schoolers. JL joined forces with fellow authors BethAnn Buehler, Lila Munro, and Carl Franklin to form Wicked Muses in June 2010. JL has releases with Silver Publishing which include To Kiss a Demon, Claiming Night, and Have Yourself a Rotten Little Christmas. A March release is planned for her upcoming anthology (Force Recon: Beacon Bayou) from Rebel Ink Press. JL can be found frequently chatting on Facebook, Myspace, and Twitter. Readers can find JL at her author site: http://www.joiler.weebly.com/

An Executive Affair by Christopher Craven - February 13, 2011
After years of fighting his way up the corporate food chain, advertising executive Jason Hughes settles into his new office on the top floor. Nearly two years after his former lover committed suicide, Jason lives his life settling with everyone for everything. But once he’s been promoted to partner at Hanson Smith Advertising, everything changes—including his social life. Lusting for his secretary, Jon, Jason is contemplating coming out of the closet in the boardroom. But Jason’s sexuality isn’t the only thing on the table when he’s ordered to Valentine's day dinner at his boss’s house. When Jason discovers the man he’s juggled his feelings and sexual desire for is also in attendance that night, will it alter Jason’s position at the firm and erase the years he’s struggled to get to the top?

Christopher Craven grew up the scrawny middle child in a semi-liberal family residing in Phoenix, Arizona. From the time he was able to write his own name, Chris knew that he was destined to write for the world. Thanking his mother, who handed him his first adult novel in junior high, Chris strives to become a prolific name in the literary world. Preferring to write erotic romance that explores the love between kindred spirits and Romantic Suspense, Chris also enjoys barefoot strolls along the beach but can most often be found roaming the Eastern Colorado plateaus when he isn't writing. His online dwelling can be found at http://cravenheat.blogspot.com/

Cupid’s Desire by Dyanna Ashe  - February 13, 2011
Leonidus doesn’t have a typical day job. He’s a Greek Cupid responsible for setting in motion the fates of lovers since the beginning of time. But being a love god isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. Sometimes Leonidus has to set in motion passions that will destroy lives, decimate kingdoms, and leave nothing but sadness and ruin in their wake.

His current assignment is to help lonely, shy bookstore owner Chloe Jones fall for a man who is fated to break her heart and ruin her life. The problem is the more he gets to know Chloe, the less Leo wants to hand her off to an undeserving suitor. Leo is determined to protect Chloe from the cruelty of fate and claim her for his own. Unable to contain his rising passion, Leo puts both their lives in jeopardy playing a dangerous game of defiance with the gods themselves. Could this Cupid’s Desire destroy them both?

Dyanna Ashe is a woman on the run, constantly traveling, meeting new people, and exploring new places. Originally from beautiful Virginia, she is happiest when living out of a suitcase and writing whenever she finds inspiration. A true gypsy at heart, she loves being outdoors and surrounded by noisy crowds. Please visit her at her web home: http://dyannaashebooks.blogspot.com/.

Salvation—An Anthology by BethAnn Buehler, JL Oiler and Lila Munro - February 13, 2011
Hearts Vendetta by JL Oiler
Strata Drake had everything a thirty something woman could want: a gorgeous two bedroom flat in the best part of Salvation, Massachusetts, a great job as the requisition coordinator for a nearby museum, and a smoking hot new boyfriend who didn't pressure her for sex. That is until a night out on the town and a spiked drink changes things. Strata finds herself in bed with her hunky boyfriend and his identical twin for a night of passion that fulfills every erotic fantasy she's ever had. However, the next evening Strata discovers she's not only alone, but she's part of the undead. Now she must track the pair down and attempt to reclaim her humanity. Strata soon discovers she's not the only one looking for the tantalizing twosome. Teaming up with Chris Harm, an aggressive werewolf with a score to settle, she realizes she has a lot to learn a lot about herself and her new persona. She also discovers that the wolf has some sexy animal magnetism of his own.

Lethal Love by Lila Munro
After having freed his last assigned town of the worst type of evil to ever walk, Caleb Laird has no excuse to stay any longer. He once thought he’d never leave that small mountain town, but under order of the Agency, he’s been moved to Massachusetts. With his soul mate, Claire Adams, by his side and a few good friends tagging along, this new haven for all manner of para-beings seems like the perfect place for a fresh start.

Claire was more than happy to follow Caleb. In fact, she’d have followed him anywhere. In Salvation, no one knew about her past. Her identity could be concealed and no one would ever need to know about her aliases. Cheers to new beginnings! Now a year later Claire’s found her identity as a talk show host, she's getting married in a few days, and she’s just found out a little magic is on the way.

Thinking they were safe from the which that haunted them, Caleb and Claire never expected to have to deal anyone from a place worse than hell again. But something’s lurking in Salvation. It’s turning families against each other, stalking the innocent, and tearing Caleb and Claire apart. Caleb has to figure out who’s telling the truth before it’s too late and salvation is beyond his grasp.

Spellbound Hearts by BethAnn Buehler
Angeline Griggs has made a career out of teaching Early American History at Boston College. A descendant of William Griggs, the man responsible for the deaths of twenty three young men and women during the Salem Witch Trials, Angeline has spent a lifetime trying to demystify her distant grandfather's claims.

Armed with new knowledge of an ages old family secret, Angeline ditches an attempt at a personal life as she throws herself into studying the link between the men in her family and a long line of witches, one of whom her brother, Grier, has recently taken as his bride. Too enthralled with her studies to be bothered by the boring academic types that keep calling and asking her out, Angeline puts privacy blocker on her phone and requests her number be unlisted. Finally, a little peace and quiet.

Scotsman Branan Laird has come to Boston to attend the wedding of his cousin, Caleb. Glad to be stateside, where no-one knows about him or the "gifts" he's been given, Branan finds that time stops when he spies a gorgeous redhead fretting over a stack of books that weigh more than she does. Anxious to make her acquaintance, Branan is shocked when the women turns up her nose and dismisses him with the back of her hand. Certain she'll not only want to meet him, but that she'll fall for him as well, Branan devises a plan a certain bookworm won't be able to outrun.

Lila Munro is a writer of contemporary romance currently residing on the coast of North Carolina. She is a military wife and takes much of her inspiration for her heroes from the marines she’s lived around for the past fourteen years. Coining the term realmantica, she strives to produce quality romance in a realistic setting. When she’s not writing, she enjoys reading everything she can get her hands on, trips to the museum and aquarium, taking field research trips, and soaking up the sun on the nearby beaches. Her previous works include The Executive Officer’s Wife, Bound By Trust, and Destiny’s Fire. Anthology work includes a piece in All I Want for Christmas is Redemption. She loves to hear from her readers and can be contacted via her website http://lilamunro.weebly.com/ her joint effort website http://www.wickedmuses.webs.com/ or through Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/Lila_Munro

Broken Destiny by BethAnn Buehler - February 16, 2011
It's not about living...

When Casey Owens runs away from Nevada bad boy Mark Whitlow, she's fleeing not only one of the most powerful families in the south, but the man who just happens to be the father of her newborn son. Tossing caution to the wind, Casey refuses to let her past get in the way of her future. Her only focus now is Tyler, the precious little boy her ex future in-laws consider "the bastard child." While the last thing Casey wants to do is start over, it's not about her anymore.

Jamie Wallace, Rebel Canyon's favorite cowboy, is sick of the bar scene. Who would imagine such a successful, good-natured hunk would have so much trouble getting a date? But when Jamie wanders off his ranch and takes one look at the helpless waif of a woman he nearly kills with his truck, he wonders if the man upstairs has finally answered his prayers.

It's about love...

Jamie can't wait to explore every inch of Casey's body and he's just as intent on winning her heart as he is on undoing her zipper. There's just one catch. Jamie has no idea about Casey's past. Or the baby. And when he sees the scars that mark her body, Jamie loses more than just his nerve in the bedroom. With unseen forces working against them, Casey's resolve will be tested by a man whose kind of love leaves bruises while Jamie's heart will be torn between bending Casey over the tailgate of his truck and changing dirty diapers.

Offering Casey nothing more than his heart, Jamie can only hope that one day Casey will grow to love him in return. But will she ever truly be free from the hold of another man?

BethAnn Buehler's world revolves around her family, her friends and her love of writing.  When she's not working on her next story, she can most often be found having breakfast at a local restaurant with her parents, enjoying a caramel latte with her girlfriends or neglecting her responsibilities as a wife and mother because she's thinking about her next story.  Spaghettio's are fine for dinner most nights, aren't they? BethAnn writes romance with an erotic bent and gets most of her ideas from talking with her friends about what everyone really wants for Christmas---the perfect mate.  Of course we all know people like that don't actually exist, but it's certainly fun to create them on paper! BethAnn is a member of the Indianapolis Writer's Group as well as the Romance Writers of America, Indiana Chapter.  She lives with her awesome husband, gorgeous little boy and two rotten Silky Terriers. You can find out more about her at: http://www.bethannbuehler.com/ .

Force Recon: Beacon Bayou—An Anthology by BethAnn Buehler, Christopher Craven, JL Oiler and Lila Munro - February 22, 2011
Looking for a splendid place to visit? Welcome to Beacon Bayou! Come wander Big Thicket National Preserve... For one four man Marine Force Recon team, a vacation was just what the doctor ordered. Or in their case, the team corpsman.

Fresh off a mission in the jungle of South America, rest and relaxation are Recon's number one priorities. But for Gunnery Sergeant Brogan Baker, Sergeant Aaron Wolf, Corporal Regan Maxwell, and Chief Gabriel Sanchez, this vacation will test their strength unlike any mission ever has.
After a string of failed relationships, Brogan Baker is questioning his sexuality. Surely Regan Maxwell can't be the answer to Brogan's problems, can he? Besides, Regan’s a former Hollywood pretty boy just trying to prove he has what it takes while keeping one foot firmly planted in the closet. Then Ke;;i comes along. Can the two men foster their growing relationship and survive the presence of one tiny female?

Aaron Wolf, the unit lost sheep, agreed to the Texas get away thinking he could finally overcome the short comings his father points out every chance he gets. Meeting Scarlet might be the way out Aaron's been looking for, but it’s the beauty Gabe's got his eye on that shows Aaron there’s hope where he thought none existed. After losing his first wife over fifteen years ago, Gabriel Sanchez has sworn off women. But somehow Roslyn Romero manages to capture his heart. The only problem is she's got a host of her own issues that will push Gabe to the brink.

If that which doesn't kill us only makes us stronger, then the Force Recon team will either leave Texas in body bags or they'll have a new found resolve to live life to the fullest. Beacon Bayou beware. Recon never backs down.

Revving Her Wild Engines by Cassandre Dayne - February 24, 2011
Stephanie Simon was more than ready to have her most secret and sinful fantasies fulfilled. And the thought of having a torrid affair with David Tyler took her breath away. Unfortunately however, Stephanie and David have never met. Introduced by a friend, they've only conversed via the Internet, where they tell each other their every hidden fantasy. Stephanie's is a wicked tryst on the back of David's motorcycle and a ménage. And as luck would have it, David has the perfect third in mind.

Fueled by Stephanie's hunger to explore, David sweeps Stephanie off her feet with a wild ride across a pool table in front of his friends and a ménage that leaves her engine revved for more. But both David and Stephani hold a terrible secret. As they learn about their tragic pasts, neither knows if they can cling to the other for support and find the love and forgiveness they need.

Cassandre Dayne began writing in her early teens, penning everything from science fiction to romantic poetry. Unfortunately she allowed her love of writing to take a back seat to real life, but ideas for very wicked stories never fully left her mind. Suddenly awakened by the rampant fantasies and untold stories of characters that flowed through her dreams every night and filtered into her daylight hours, she could hold back the creative process no longer. Writing highly erotic stories and novels delving into all your most secret sensual fantasies, she is published with Rebel Ink Press and several short stories and novellas will be coming out in the next few months. In addition, she is the new radio show host at Robin Falls Red River Radio for their erotic writers corner debuting in January 2011. Married and currently living in a small town in Virginia with her two wondrous four-legged friends, her world is filled with endless possibilities of the future. Visit her website http://www.cassandredayne.com/ for a taste of her spicy world, trailers and free reads.

Thanks for spending some time with us today and perusing our February selections. You can purchase these works on their respective release days as well as many other fine Rebel titles at: http://www.allromanceebooks.com/storeSearch.html?searchBy=publisher&qString=Rebel+Ink+Press

Book Review: Backstage Pass: Sinners on Tour by Olivia Cunning

Book Review: Backstage Pass: Sinners on Tour
By: Olivia Cunning
Sourcebooks Casablanca
2 Heart Review
HEAT LEVEL: EROTIC ROMANCE
Five Stunning Guys, One Hot Woman and a Feverish Romance...

For him, life is all music and no play...

When Brian Sinclair, lead songwriter and guitarist of the hottest metal band on the scene, loses his creative spark, it will take nights of downright sinful passion to release his pent-up genius...

She's the one to call the tune...

When sexy psychologist Myrna Evans goes on tour with the Sinners, every boy tries to seduce her. But Brian is the only one she wants to get her hands on...

Then the two lovers' wildly shocking behavior sparks the whole band to new heights of glory...and sin...

Right off the bat, I want to say that I've never been a huge fan of musicians as heroes. It's not that I particularly dislike them, but I usually find that they tend to act like assholes. Knowing that, I was really hoping for a book that would present a musician I could cheer for. Backstage Pass wasn't totally it, but it was an entertaining read even if it's not something I would read again. If you are a fan of heroes who rock out, then this book might be much better for you than it was for me.

My main issues with the book were that I just couldn't get into a group of men with groupies and that I found the sexual music trance the hero goes into a little too hard to believe. I'm not an artist by any stretch of the word so I can't know for sure, but I did find it hard to believe that musicians write music while getting it on.

There were also a few sex scenes that I felt were thrown in as extras to make the book go more to the erotic side of romance and I felt the book would have been better without those.

The Sinners are an interesting group of men and since this is the first book in a series we'll see all the men find their true love. The author did do a good job of creating five very different guys that you do wonder how they will turn out and what kind of woman (or man) will be the one to make them change their ways. (Groupies, circle blow-jobs, etc. They really do act like an 80's rock band on tour)

I don't think I'll be reading any more books in the series, but not because it wasn't an interesting read, but because I don't think I would do the author justice to talk about her books when I already know I would have a hard time with the hero.

What about you...Do you enjoy a musicians as a hero? If so, what is it about them you love? If not, what is your favorite hero type or occupation?

Author Interview: 10 Questions with Ashley Ladd

crazyinlove_800 I’m excited to introduce Ashley Ladd, the author of Crazy in Love, a new Erotic Short Romance story from Total-E Bound. Ashley was nice enough to sit down and answer a few questions for us and I hope you enjoy the interview!
Make sure to scroll down after the interview to enter to win a copy of Crazy in Love!
Your newest release Crazy in Love features Kacey and Heath, a married couple who seem to have lost that spark. Can you tell us more about how they got to this point and what readers can look forward to in Crazy in Love? Heath is a young, hot shot attorney who's putting all of himself into his job. He loves his wife but is rarely home. When he is home, he's too tired or too busy working from home to pay attention to her. Thus Kacey feels neglected. When he rejects her advances and is annoyed when she tries to talk to him, she begins to think he doesn't love her anymore. She's ready to leave and start over.
When Kacey claims the ghost of her crazy great-grandfather is threatening to kill her, and her friend tells Heath that Kacey thinks he's fallen out of love with her, he finally realizes he has to take drastic measures to keep the woman he loves and save his marriage.
Characters really make a story for me, so I always love to ask authors what three words would you use to describe your hero? Passionate, work-aholic, sexy
What three words best represent your heroine? Genealogy buff, cat-lover, flirty
What was your favorite part of writing Crazy in Love? Any particular scenes or plot twists you couldn't wait to write? (Ok - we understand, no spoilers allowed!) My favorite part was researching the history, getting the dialogue and medical terms right, and creating a crazy ghost.
The ghost of Kacey's great-grandfather plays a central role in Crazy in Love. Where did your inspiration for the character come from? Have you ever been visited by a ghost? No, I've never been visited by a ghost but my younger daughter used to think a ghost visited her at night when she was little. She thought it was the ghost of my mother, but my daughter was only four, so she couldn't really explain why she thought so. I've had other adult friends who think their houses were haunted, too. One of them told me to put a half full glass of water next to my daughter's bedside at night to keep the ghost away.
My family history inspired this story. It's amazing how many fascinating stories are in the pages of genealogy. This is my second story inspired by our family genealogy. The first was in an anthology that is sadly out of print. But that story was a lot of fun to write, too.
You've authored over 40 books. How do you keep it fresh and what are your favorite stories to write? I'm having fun with ghosts and time-travels in particular. I love throwing a character out of his or her time and comfort zone and see how they cope out of their element.
As per keeping stories fresh, I think I'm succeeding. This year for instance, my stories include a vampire on a mission to save her world, Kacey who's being threatened by a crazy ghost, Colleen who gets whisked back in time to the 1970's and gets a second chance to get things right, a cougar story (older woman, younger man), a story that features military issues (I'm ex-Air Force), a genie story (this one's on submission), and one that involves the inner workings or a reality show. Ideas are everywhere. There's another dysfunctional ghost in the reality show story.
AlwaysABridesmaid_w2864_300[1]Speaking of how prolific you are, you also have another new release out titled Always a Bridesmaid. Can you tell us a little more about it? Certainly. AAB as I call it for short, is a contemporary category type romance. Breanna is summoned home to be her sister's maid of honor. Unfortunately, as much as she misses her sister and father, home holds too many painful memories thus she's been avoiding town for the past eight years, or rather, she's been avoiding her ex-fiancé Troy Youngwolf. He broke her heart when he eloped with her best friend and had a child with her. But Troy is now a widower, single father, and the town's sheriff instead of the town's bad boy. As her sister's wedding guests and parties cause trouble in town, Troy keeps showing up to keep peace in the town much to Bree's dismay.
Always A Bridesmaid is available here.  
I love asking authors what they're reading and if they have any new books or authors they would recommend. Any you want to share with us? This year's Christmas present from my hubby, a Cooler e-book reader is filled with books. Also my dresser has a large stack of dead tree books. What I can see from here are books by: Tawny Weber, Cathy McDavid, Trenae Sumter, Holly Jacobs and Merline Lovelace. At least one of the books on my Cooler reader is also by Merline Lovelace. I'm in the middle of Holly's book entitled "Unexpected Gifts".
Obviously, I enjoy reading Merline's books. I also very much enjoy books by Sheryl Woods, Holly Jacobs, Brynn Paulin, Stephen King, and Stephen White.
Where can our readers find you next? I was recently interviewed at Bookworm Nation and Molly Daniel's blog.
Next week starting on March 29th, I'll be guest blogging all week at http://www.novelspot.com/ and I’ll be the featured guest blogger at Long and Short Reviews.
June 2010 I'll be at Lori Foster's Readers & Writers Event in Cincinnati.
Lastly, would you give our readers a little sneak peak excerpt from Crazy in Love? Absolutely! I hope you enjoy it.
Excerpt From: Crazy in Love
A mixture of awe, disbelief, enlightenment, and grief washing over her, Kacey Carlisle poured over her great-great-grandmother’s pension claim records. The ancient handwriting was almost illegible in places yet it was clear—her grandfather, August, hadn’t left his wife and family as the descendants had believed all these years. Her grandmother, Emma, had kicked him out.
Emma had sworn under deposition she’d feared for her life after August had returned home from the Civil War, physically and mentally ill. Other acquaintances had also testified under oath that
August had suffered from crazy spells, that he’d thought spirits were chasing him. Others claimed August believed Emma to have been unfaithful. For sure, he’d been a tortured soul.
Kacey’s head spun so she took another sip of her soda as she tried to make sense of her readings. Clearly, there were two sides. Still, she sympathized with Emma. Her own husband, Heath, while not insane or abusive, had been ignoring her for a long time and so her thoughts had turned more and more to divorce. It broke her heart, but she could no longer deny it. Heath had fallen out of love with her. If she paraded naked before him, he’d only tell her to quit acting silly and stop blocking the TV.
Oh, yeah. She empathized with her ancestor. Men could be real shits. Who needed them?
Her heart cracked a little more. Who was she fooling? She still loved her husband, desperately, madly. Insanely. At least, they didn’t have kids who would get hurt.
Miffed at herself, she chewed her lower lip. So it would seem she was insane, too. Who would hang on when the situation was so hopeless?
Only a crazy person. Maybe she’d inherited Grandpa August’s crazy streak.
”It’s late. Come to bed,” Heath muttered on a growl. Barefoot, he padded through the hall and scowled at her. He scrubbed the heel of his hand over the beginnings of new stubble on his chin. “I’ll lose my job if you keep me awake all night. I won’t be able to function at work tomorrow.”
Thank you for having me over, Sabrina. I really enjoyed chatting with you. Ashley
You can find out more about Ashley and follow her at the following sites:
http://www.ashleyladd.blogspot.com/ http://www.ashleyladd.com/  http://www.elaineannhopper.blogspot.com/ http://twitter.com/ashleyladd http://twitter.com/elaine_hopper http://www.myspace.com/ashleyladdromancewriter http://www.facebook.com/ashleyladd
Tell us, have you ever been visited by a ghost? If not, who would you want visiting you from the beyond, or would you rather the ghosts leave you alone? Let us know and you could win a copy of Crazy in Love, compliments of Ashley!

Book Review: Fugitive – The Cat Star Chronicles by Cheryl Brooks – 2 Hearts

FugitiveCover22 Book Review: Fugitive – The Cat Star Chronicles
By: Cheryl Brooks
Sourcebooks Casablanca
2 Heart Review

Disclosure: ARC provided by publisher for review

Hunted and in hiding, he'll risk anything to touch her...

Manx is a Zetithian warrior, with a special feline gene that gives him incredible sexual powers. Drusilla's scent drives Manx wild with desire...Coming out of hiding, he's willing to give his life to bring her joy unlike any she's ever known.

Saving his life may be the most dangerous thing she has ever done...

Famous artist Drusilla is on a painting sabbatical when she unwittingly rescues the most fascinating male she's ever seen. But staying with Manx will throw her ordered existence into chaos and mortal danger...

Right up front I want to disclose that this is the very first of the Cat Star Chronicles I've read. I had heard from readers who both loved and didn't like Mrs. Brooks Cat Star books. That's why I thought it was time that I give the series a chance and see if it was for me.

Unfortunately, it's not.

This is a popular series and in reading Fugitive, I can see how the story could find many readers that this would be exactly what they were looking for in erotic romance. The book was written to provide lots of scenes for readers who are really looking for lots of steamy sex.

For me though, I just couldn't get past the idea of Manx being an alien being that had to many cat mannerisms. I've read many books were the hero wasn't exactly human, but usually the heroine isn't totally human either. It was really hard for me to get past thinking of animal sex, which is why this really didn't work for me.

Now, I'll admit it – I love good sex scenes. I'm a fan of erotic romance and don't shy away from graphic scenes. (Though I would like to point out sometimes I just want a sweet romance behind closed doors too.) In this book though, I felt like I was reading the equivalent of a porno script. I didn't feel the romance, instead I read about all the positions and graphic body part descriptions that just weren't sexy to me.

The penis descriptions in this book also made this not a book for me. Yes, it's imaginative and unusual and I think Mrs. Brooks deserves some credit for creating this world and the um, parts of her heroes. They just aren't to my taste. The descriptions are very vivid, so if you are interested in a male member with very unusual functions and sort of powers, then you might like this book and series.

Even if I had been more into this new male species, I still felt this book was lacking in romance. I got the erotica part of the equation, but I felt that the world that was created by Mrs. Brooks makes it almost impossible to have a real romance with any of her heroes. To make my point I'll disclose more about this book than I normally would in my reviews. The hero Manx's juices basically makes females euphorically happy and his cum makes them instantly orgasm. The hero and heroine themselves reflect on how addictive this could be for women and that was my main issue. I felt that there was nothing to the story that showed Drusilla and Manx falling for one another emotionally. Instead, it came across that Drusilla was just addicted to the way that Manx made her feel.

I appreciated the idea that this was a Sci-Fi romance since I feel there are way too few of them. As a Sci-Fi lover I'm always on the lookout for a hybrid space romance. Again, I give Mrs. Brooks credit for creating some some very interesting new planets and creatures and would like to have read about them without the premise of Zetithians who are sexually addictive.

Have you read any of the Cat Star Chronicles? If so, what did you think and please feel free to disagree with me! Also, let me know of any good Sci-Fi Romances you've read lately.

Book Review: Switch by Megan Hart

Book Review: Switch by Megan Hart
Harlequin Spice
3 Heart Review 
Disclosure: e-galley provided by publisher

Don't think.Switch200
Don't question.
Just do.

The anonymous note wasn't for me. Don't get me wrong, I'm not in the habit of reading other people's mail, but it was just a piece of paper with a few lines scrawled on it, clearly meant for the apartment upstairs. It looked so innocent, but decidedly-- deliciously--it was not.

Before replacing the note--and the ones that followed --in its rightful slot, I devoured its contents: suggestions, instructions, summonses, commands. Each was more daring, more intricate and more arousing than the last... and I followed them all to the letter.

Before the notes, if a man had told me what to do, I'd have told him where to go. But submission is an art, and there's something oddly freeing about doing someone's bidding...especially when it feels so very, very good.

But I find that the more I surrender, the more powerful I feel--so it's time to switch up roles.

We play by my rules now.

This book drew me in immediately because I loved the intrigue and mysterious nature of the heroine Paige. There was something about the way we were introduced to her that kept me reading forward to learn more about how she had gotten to where she was and what was driving her forward.  It didn’t hurt that she’s a lover of fine stationary, just like a certain blogger I know. Oh, and check out that gorgeous cover! Spice cover designers are the absolute best!

The characters as a whole were very relatable and I snickered at parts of the story that reminded me of what it was like living in a small town and desperately wanting to get out. The voice of the heroine rang true for someone from that background and I think readers will catch that as well.

One thing I thought was fairly obvious right away was who was sending the notes and that they indeed were meant for Paige to find. I won’t spoil it for you, but I think you’ll figure that out yourself pretty quickly.

I particularly like books with competing heroes, and this book has a touch of that. You really aren’t quite sure who Paige will end up with, and if you are like me, you aren’t too sure of who you want her to pick either.  For some readers this could be problematic, but I thought it was handled very well and added to the voice and flow of the story.

I did feel that there were a few too many side stories. Paige and her relationship with her parents explains much about her life and who she became, but I felt that many family scenes could have been edited out to make the book focus more heavily on the romance. Likewise, Paige’s relationship with her boss was a little more involved than I thought was needed. I liked the added dimension, but felt it tended to take away from what I really wanted to read about – the available men in her life!

Lastly, I would have liked to have had more sex. Yep. I said I wanted more sex. The book was hot, and I really enjoyed the drawn-out foreplay that the notes equated to, but I could have used more real, face-to-face sexual encounters in this story.

This was an enjoyable book that was written in a style that made me desperately want to read faster to discover what was going to happen. I loved that aspect of the book and thought it very well written. I will definitely be picking up more Megan Hart books in the future.

Book Review: Sweet Seduction by Maya Banks

Review: Sweet Seduction  sweetseduction200
By Maya Banks
Berkley HEAT
4 Heart Review
Disclosure: ARC provided by author

Since this was an ARC, it didn't come with a back cover blurb so the only first impression I had to go on was the cover image. That cover image was quite amazing, as you can see from the image to the right. That image, when combined with the title of Sweet Seduction, let me know this book would be on the spicier side. This time, first impressions were a great indicator of what was inside.

Many might wonder, “Why an image of a woman alone?” Once you've read the book, you'll understand it perfectly. This is a book about a woman's fantasies and a man who loves her so much, that he'll do anything to fulfill them. Here's a peek at a blurb I found online.

He was the stuff erotic dreams are made of
Salon owner Julie Stanford wanted Nathan Tucker ever since she gave him his first massage. Getting paid to feel every inch of his body, stripped, oiled, and spread out in front of her? Stuff dreams are made of. But the sexy lug was oblivious to the signals she was sending—until she finished off his final rub-down with something extra. In fact, the best extra he ever had. Unfortunately, he came around too late. Now Julie’s moving on…


She was everything he’d dreamed of
The woman was driving him crazy. She lit fire to his insides then ran like a scalded cat. And now she’s going to someone else to have all her fantasies fulfilled? Over his dead body… He’s more than willing to give her what she wants, and as soon as he pins the little minx down, he’d show her his own brand of sweet seduction.

This was my first time reading Maya Banks, but I had heard great things so I was very excited to give this one a try. I wasn't disappointed. As part of a series, I had no problems reading this book as a stand alone, but do think I would have enjoyed it more, and understood the character relationships better, if I'd read the previous books in the series first.

The story started off with a bang and didn't really let up from there. Right from the beginning I like the character of Julie and knew she wouldn’t be taking any crap from the hero. Speaking of the first scene, if you read romances and can't wait for the “action” to start, then this is your book.

Julie was my kinda woman, she knew what she wanted but she wasn't prepared to wait around forever for it. Nathan was a good match for her as he was sweet and would always let her and her outspoken characteristics be the center of attention. He was a good foil for her.

I enjoyed the secondary characters and saw just enough of them to know that each heroine’s book showcases having their sexual fantasy fulfilled. I liked knowing that each book will have differing sexual situations and wouldn’t provide any cookie-cutter sex scenes. 

There is more to this story than just the sex, and Maya does an excellent job of weaving in side plots that add to the central story. She has an awesome writer’s voice, and know exactly how to craft a good contemporary story.

One thing that did get me about this book was Nathan’s reasoning for not taking the Julie bait sooner. I felt like he didn’t really have a good excuse for denying his attraction at the beginning and based on his later actions, should have been the type of man to pick up her signals. Luckily, he gets over that real fast.

I can say that based on Sweet Seduction, I will be buying and reading the rest of the series. In speaking with Maya, I know that there are two more books to come, but I'm hoping for at least three so that we can get Cole's story. He intrigued me very much and I can't wait to hear how he came to be at Damon's and to be trusted with such a delicate job. If you want to know what that means, you’ll have to read the book! :)

Read an excerpt

Welcome Author Lyn Armstrong to The Freaky Friday Halloween Bash!

Welcome to our Freaky Friday Halloween Party! To kick off our celebration with a bang, I'm pleased to introduce guest author Lyn Armstrong to Cheeky Reads. I knew she'd be a perfect guest today because not only does she love Halloween, but she writes kick-ass erotic historicals about witches.

I'll be handing out random treats throughout the day and on Twitter, so be sure to check back often for your chance to win. One lucky reader will win an autographed copy of Lyn's first Celtic Witch story, The Last Celtic Witch! Make sure to leave a comment below to enter to win!

Now, let's welcome Lyn to Cheeky Reads!

You write erotic historicals set in Scotland. Would you tell us a little about The Last Celtic Witch, the first book in the Celtic series? Certainly. The Last Celtic Witch is very near and dear to my heart. This was the first book I had published, and is one of my favorites. Here is the blurb:

Pursued by evil forces for her powers, recluse Adela MacAye foresees her own agonizing death. She must seek the chosen one to produce an heir and pass on her Celtic powers. To fail would be the end of good magick, plunging the world into darkness. Conjuring a fertility spell she is led to a sensual chieftain who is betrothed to the sorceress that hunts her. Time is running out as fate and the future pursue her.

Plagued by enemies and undermined by sabotage, handsome Laird Phillip Roberts must save his clan from a bloody feud with an alliance through marriage … a marriage he does not want. After a night of white-hot sensual delights with the alluring witch, his heart commands he break the pledge of peace. With treachery around every corner, will he be too late to save …

The Last Celtic Witch?

Which actor would you pick to play the sexy hero in the Last Celtic Witch? For The Last Celtic Witch, I visualized Laird Phillip Roberts as Brad Pitt as he looked in the movie “Troy”. I like to cut out pictures of actors and sexy models and stick them on my wall beside my computer. This helps me get into the character’s head, plus when I am describing their looks, I can “flesh” out the details.

What inspired that first Celtic Witch book and the ones that have followed? There are many things that inspired The Last Celtic Witch. I’ve always been a fan of witches and warlocks with powers that help or hinder their lives. I also like to read erotic, edgy books that are epic adventures, which is why I write those types of stories. The dark, gritty side of history inspires me along with people from the past. They lived such harsh and brutal lives. When you add romance, magick, lust, and betrayal, it sends me into another fantasy world where good overcomes evil, and the sex is always amazing. LOL.

How much fun did you have researching Scotland and its legends for this series? Have you had the chance to visit Scotland? I was fortunate to do a six-week historical tour in Scotland. I went inside more castles than I can name, each one leaving me with a part of history. On top of that, I researched Scotland, its Celtic lore and Scottish witches for months. I would say it took me longer to research each book in the Celtic series than it did for me to write them. And I loved every painstaking minute of it. LOL.

There are 5 books in the Celtic series now. Tell us a little about the series as a whole and what kind of heros and heroines our readers can find in your books. Well, every book has received outstanding reviews. I won my first award with Witch Hunter where it received Reviewers Recommend Award at Coffee Times Romance.

The Celtic Series: The Last Celtic Witch - The Celtic Witch and the Sorcerer - Heart of a Warlock - Lady of the Mountain - Witch Hunter

In a superstitious time where witches are prosecuted and magick considered the devil’s work, a Scottish clan filled with secret Celtic powers must fight an evil darkness threatening their chance for love and their very survival.

My heroes and heroines consist of Celtic witches, a sexy warlock, evil sorcerer, Scottish chieftain and a sorceress. I like to put my heroines in very challenging situations where it seems impossible for them to escape. It’s important that my characters grow in some way through the book—to learn something new about themselves. You will fall in love with each character, even the villains and villainess. Oh, everyone LOVES my villainess. She was so much fun to write about. Many say she represents the darker side of me. Which is really scary to think about. LOL.

Now, I said you write Erotic Historicals, but your books are not just hot, they are SPICY! For readers not familiar with erotic romances, would you tell them what the difference is from your average hot romance? I know the first time I saw "erotic" on a book I hesitated, but there really was no worry! There are varying degrees of erotic romance. If you are interested, you can check out the heat ratings at www.ResplendencePublishing.com. They have different gems for their romance novels. For instance, my books are rated “Fire Opal”. This is the hottest rating because I have graphic sex scenes. I also have mild bondage, m/m, f/f, and ménage scenes. However, my stories are set around a romance between a man and woman. Some erotica is based on just the sex, but my stories have a strong plotline with great characterization. The sex scenes move the story along rather than rely on it.

What's been your favorite scene to write so far? Can you give us a little peak? Wow, that’s a hard one. I love all the books and characters; it’s hard to pick just one. But I loved writing this high-tension scene from the Witch Hunter.

Rhiannon spent the eve sitting on cold stones in the king’s dank dungeon, thinking about all things she wished she could change. If she had a chance, she would tell her mother, father and the rest of her family that she loved them. She would apologize to Lachlan for being the cause of his downfall. She never wanted him to be in the middle of the trial, which was why she trapped him in the mountain.

She rubbed her hot hands on her thighs. Since the middle of the eve, her palms constantly burned. There was not much time left before the sun rose and all goodness left her soul. How could she face the look of fear from Lachlan when the hex took effect? If only she were executed yesterday.

A nervous giggle erupted from her mouth. To think she was wishing in her last moments to die earlier.

The door opened, and the repulsive lanky Inquisitor pulled her to her feet. “I can help you escape,” Grigor offered.

Rhiannon stared at him, her heart leaping to throat.

“If you promise to use your powers to my benefit, we can work out an accord.” Grigor cupped her breasts and she shivered.

She spat in his face. “I would rather die.”

He gripped her arm and pulled her up against him, his teeth clenching. “Then I will torch you myself.”

Grigor dragged her along the cavernous hallway. For once, the Inquisitor was silent which terrified her more than his threats.

He placed her in the same cart she took to Tolbooth yesterday. “Where is Lord Lachlan?” she asked.

“You will see him soon enough,” Grigor replied in a scathing tone and sat beside the driver.

Tilting her head up, Rhiannon observed the eve’s fading stars, appreciating the last chance of seeing the sky’s dark beauty. Conflicting emotions tore at her heart. Although she was afraid to burn on the stake, if the dawn came before she died, everyone in Edinburgh was in danger of the evil that simmered beneath.

The cart rumbled out the castle gates and she willed the horse to trot faster.

Perhaps the sorceress would not be up this early.

Rhiannon hopes were dashed when she arrived at the hill outside the castle. Upon a high white horse sat the sorceress in a red gown and hat, her bosom almost spilling out of the exquisite dress. On a black steed next to Torella sat the king, appearing bored and impatient.

As soon as the crowd saw her, they shouted curses. The noise was so loud she wanted to cover her ears, but her bound wrists could not reach far enough. She glared at the hundreds of people who eagerly woke early to witness another witch burning.

The cart halted and Grigor roughly escorted her up the nearest scaffold of four.

Lachlan stood against one of the posts on the platform next to her. His tunic hung open at his sides, his muscled back exposed to the vicious mob.

His head hung low; he appeared defeated.

She swallowed past the lump in her throat.

A heavy-set soldier near Lachlan cracked a whip into the air and the crowd replied in awe, their eyes glistening with blood lust. The man picked up another whip near his feet and held it high for everyone’s pleasure. The claw-like pincers at the end of the whip held bloodstains. Every lash of the cat’s paw would tear Lachlan’s skin like a knife through butter until it reached the bone.

Damn the sorceress for blocking her powers. She could have saved Lachlan from feeling the pain. Allow his soul to escape into a world of bliss.

Grigor bound her to a post, and she peeked below at the pile of dry timber. Her heart felt like it was going to pound out of her chest. Sweat poured down the sides of her face. Her breathing increased.

“I pray you do not burn too fast, witch,” Grigor taunted and left the scaffold. He snatched a fire sconce from one of the guards and waited nearby, his eyes burning with impatience.

“Rhiannon,” Lachlan called to her above the din and she turned her head. “Try to escape if you can.”

She shook her head. “I cannot.” Bile rose in her throat and she swallowed the acidic taste. Something was happening to her beyond just fear. Her body seemed to blaze from within.

Rhiannon looked at the sorceress, and she held a sinister smile. Torella’s face turned to the east. She was waiting for the sun, for the hex to take place. She whispered into the king’s ear.

King James ordered, “Whip the traitor!”

“Nae,” Rhiannon screamed but it was lost in the mob’s cheers.

The soldier swung his arm to gain momentum then cracked the whip against Lachlan’s back. He squeezed his eyes shut, his body spasm against the pain, but he did not cry out.

Rhiannon struggled against her binds. She had to stop this.

The cat’s claw flicked through the air and tore his skin again. Blood dripped down his legs. The soldier flicked the pieces of flesh from the pincers and whipped him again and again.

“Stop it!” Rhiannon shouted at the sorceress. But she shrugged her shoulders and pointed to the east.

A reddish-orange glow colored the morning sky. The sun would soon appear over the mountains.
"I am a powerful witch!” she shouted as loud as she could.

The crowd hushed down to a whisper, their attention on her.

“If you do not leave this man be, you will all be cursed for the rest of your days,” she warned.

“Nae, Rhiannon,” Lachlan groaned.

The crowd’s faces changed from hatred to panic. They turned to the king.

His Majesty whispered into the sorceress’ ear and she nodded. “Burn the witch!” he ordered.

A mixture of terror and relief filled her being. She did not want to die, but could not allow the hex to darken the world.

Grigor pushed the other guards away and walked forward. Holding the fire sconce in the air, he stared at her with a huge grin on his face. He brought the flame down in an arc, and the timber easily caught fire. The Inquisitor practically danced around her scaffold, adding fire to the pile.

Her steady composure collapsed with the horror of a painful death. The crackling of the flames grew louder, drowning out the noise of the mob. Even Lachlan’s pleas for mercy for her seemed like a whisper.

The spot on her forehead seared the skin, while her insides burned even though the flames had not reached her flesh. She closed her eyes against the sting of smoke, the smell of wood clogging her lungs.

Suddenly, a sense of peace overcame her being. Her limbs instantly cooled and her skin prickled. The beat of her heart and her intake of breath slowed in pace.

She was ready for death.

A piercing light shone from beyond her eyelids and she opened her eyes.

Yellow beams of sunlight shot over the mountain range.

Evil darkness invaded her soul and body.

Tomorrow is Halloween. What's your favorite part of the holiday and do you have anything special you do to celebrate? (I watch The Great Pumpkin every year! This year I'm doing the walk through Cassadaga since I live right down the road). Oh, I love Cassadaga. I will be dressing up as an undead French maid this year and going to a wicked costume party at my friend’s place. I will also draw the winner for my Halloween contest at the stroke of midnight, so that should be fun.

You're running a special Halloween contest for readers. Tell us about it and how readers can enter! In light of my favorite spooky holiday and that I write erotic tales about sexy warlocks and Celtic witches, I am having a wicked Halloween contest.

For a chance to win a Celtic T-shirt with "Find Your Inner Witch" logo, an autographed book from the Celtic series (your choice), a unique Celtic calculator, Celtic series CD, a witch's broom pen and many other goodies visit my website www.LynArmstrong.com

Good luck!

I always ask authors for their book recommendations because they always know the best debut authors or new books! What new book or author should readers check out? Any good Halloween reads? I’m a huge fan of Sherrilyn Kenyon. She is not a new author, but for Halloween, you can’t go past her Dark Hunter series with sexy vampires and werewolves. Yummy!

What's up next for you? After the Celtic series I wanted to challenge myself with a different historical era. I’ve written an erotic Regency set in France before the revolution, called the “French Rose”. I am also editing another erotic Regency that is set in Kent in the early 1800’s about a sex society for the aristocrats, called “Tutoring Miss Molly”.

However, my next project will be a historical romance with a ménage theme set in France about a Queen who seduces the King’s guards.

The list goes on, but I’m constantly writing because my fans are always thirsty for more. LOL.

Thank you, Sabrina for having me on your blog. I wish you all an awesome Halloween. May you have a magical night.

Haunts and kisses

Lyn Armstrong

You can find the Celtic series in ebooks at http://www.resplendencepublishing.com/ or in print at http://www.amazon.com/.

For more information visit: http://www.lynarmstrong.com/


Thank you Lyn! For a chance to win a copy of the Last Celtic Witch, leave a comment telling us your favorite part of Halloween, your favorite witch story, or ask Lyn a question about her series. This contest is open to the U.S. only, but we will do a giveaway for International readers later today!

Friday Halloween Party Sneak Peek!

1105980_78689099 Fall is my favorite time of year as it welcomes in all of my favorite festive holidays including Halloween! I’m not a scary-slasher kind of Halloween girl, I’m more the spooky, witchy, fun kind! So, I thought it would be fun to celebrate Halloween with a day full of fun surprises this Friday.

So what’s in store?

I’ll be featuring special guest author Lyn Armstrong, who write erotic historical romances about Celtic witches. Lyn is a blast and I know we’ll be giving away an autographed copy of the first book in her Celtic Witch Series and she’ll be giving details on how to enter her super-fun and witchy Halloween contest.

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On top of that, I’ll have some surprise fun giveaways throughout the day to random comments just for hanging out with me and Lyn and getting revved up for a fun weekend!

I’ll also be doing some special giveaways on twitter all day Friday. So, if you don’t follow me there you should be sure to follow me before Friday! It’s www.twitter.com/cheekyreads

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It's witches, warlords, shifters, vampires and lots of treats this Friday at Cheeky Reads – be sure to stop by!

Technical Glitch My Petunia! Shame on Amazon!

Amazon Rank

Amazon has been stripping books of their important sales figures and deranking them from it's listings and of course they are targeting GLBT books - sometimes even wiping out entire listings from some publishing houses. They are censoring what is being made available to the public and that's ridiculous!

For instance, you can type in an authors name - which, if you do that then you really are looking for books by that author DUH! - then you will not get any of that author's books that might include same sex partners. BUT - you can still get all kinds of erotica as long as it's male/female.

Oh- and of course you can get your dogfighting book needs there too. And all the information you ever needed about machine guns. Cause those have never harmed anyone and we don't mind kids seeing those. Such bullshit!

Both Smart Bitches and Dear Author are following this very closely - I suggest checking out their posts that follow all the details. They also include information on contacting Amazon and putting a stop to this!

Click here to learn about the Google Bomb Campaign from Smart Bitches.

Check out how to contact Amazon with a complaint and see a letter here at Dear Author.

I was previously part of the Amazon Associates program, but no more. I have pulled all the amazon ads from my site and will be changing all the links that go to their site. Never again will I purchase something from Amazon and the Sony Reader just clinched the competition for my hard earned dollars!

Review: Kiss of a Demon King




Kiss of a Demon King

By Kresley Cole

Pocket Romance Books
ISBN-13: 978-1-4165-8094-2

ISBN-10: 1-4165-8094-8



This is the first of the Immortals After Dark series that this CheekyGirl has read, and I'll definitely be catching up with the whole series after reading Kiss of a Demon King! Since Cole does a masterful job of making her world easily accessible, new readers should feel free to jump right into this series. Look for a future review of the previous Immortals After Dark books coming soon!




From New York Times bestselling author Kresley Cole comes this spellbinding story of a demon king trapped by an enchantress for her wanton purposes – and the scorching aftermath that follows when he turns the tables and claims her as his captive.




His Obsession...Sabine, Sorceress of Illusions: the evil beauty who surrenders her body, but not her heart.



Her Downfall...Rydstrom Woede: the ruthless warrior who vows to keep her at all costs.



They were never supposed to want each other this much...With each smoldering encounter, their shared hunger only increases. If they can defeat the sinister enemy that stands between them,
will Sabine make the ultimate sacrifice for her demon? Or will the proud king lay down his crown and arms to save his sorceress?


From the opening chapter that weaves the tale of Sabine and her sister Lanthe's back story, to the introduction of our hero Rydstrom, Cole sets up a finely crafted tale that delivers some very erotic scenes and a story that will leave you highly satisfied and eager to return to Cole's world!


Cole entertains with a fully fleshed out world presenting the reader with multiple layers and intriguing character facets at every turn. She does an excellent job of showcasing her secondary characters to fill you in on both previous stories and piquing your interest in future ones.



Sabine is a complex character that readers will either immediately fall for – as I did- or she will grow on you even those she contends she's pure evil! Her true character reveals itself as she faces new surroundings and tries to understand her feelings for Rydstrom. He also undergoes a transformation as we see him deal with unexpected desires that conflict with his notorious straight-laced persona.



I had only one small issue with Kiss of the Demon King. Cole does quite the build up to Sabine and Rydstrom having sex, including taunting us with long drawn-out and exquisitely written dialog, only to drop Rydstrom's fantasies and fetishes once the two start accepting their tied fate. Since much is made of his fantasies in the first half of the book, it seems out of place for Sabine not to fulfill those desires.



Even with the ease of erotic moments between the two main characters, this was a fabulous read and I highly recommend it to CheekyGirls looking for an awesome paranormal romance or a new world to discover!