• Military

    Her First Knight by @liviaquinn #RLFblog #military #romance

    Today’s featured book is Her First Knight by Livia Quinn.

    About the Book

    Title Her First Knight (Storm Lake: East) Under-Cover Knights
    Genre Contemporary Romance (Military)
    Author Livia Quinn
    Book heat level (based on movie ratings): PG-13
    Ridge Romano was a genius inventor, child prodigy, military
    contractor and CEO of two multi-billion dollar companies; and he was on a
    mission. With a background like that, fun was not a word in his vocabulary
    until recently, and he gave a five year old credit for that. So with such
    attention to his priorities, how had he wound up on a stage between two cover
    models playing strip bingo, in front of a hundred women crying “Tucker, take it
    off”? He’d paid for this… somehow.
    Buffy Calloway’s face and body were recognizable worldwide
    but the face she was looking for was the face of her franchise. She’d come to
    the romance conference to find that face, interviewing cover models from around
    the world, and she’d found her man. Tucker – the late arrival who that je ne
    sais quoi that would put her studio on the map, make her talent agency and
    photography studio an immediate success.
    She had to have him. There was just one problem. He wasn’t a
    cover model, and ‘said’ he had more important priorities – veterans. Who was
    she to argue with such a noble cause? The trouble was the Calloways always knew
    what they wanted, and Buffy wanted Tucker. Could this be the first time a
    Calloway was wrong?

    Buy This Book

    Publisher Campbell Hill Publishing
    ARe http://bit.ly/22VRJxu
    Barnes and Noble http://bit.ly/1N3sy0d
    CreateSpace (Print) http://bit.ly/22VRMt8
    IBooks http://apple.co/1SKouJs
    Inktera http://bit.ly/HF-in
    Kobo http://bit.ly/1OLsRm0
    Amazon Author page http://amzn.to/1OLwtUX

    About the Author

    Hi, I’m Livia Quinn, A DC native living on the bayou. With a
    life long fascination (read that: phobia) of storms, and living in Louisiana
    where severe weather is a part of life, it was only natural that it would play
    a big part in my world. Visit Storm Lake…where anything can happen! My former
    jobs as a mail lady, computer trainer, plant manager, professional singer,
    business owner and salesperson have stocked my brain full of quirky characters
    I can’t wait to share with my readers.
    Author Social Media
    Website http://liviaquinn.com
    Blog http://liviaquinn.com/blog.html
    Pinterest http://bit.ly/1mRx90S
    Goodreads http://bit.ly/22VXuev
    Amazon Author Page http://amzn.to/1OLwtUX
    TSU https://www.tsu.co/LiviaQuinn
  • Medieval

    Meet Sir Talon Quereste from The Herald’s Heart #MedievalRomance @RueAllyn #RLFblog

    Meet Sir Talon Quereste from The Herald’s Heart. 

    Author Bio

    Historical romance author Rue Allyn lives in southeast Michigan with the love of her life and one tyrannical cat, where she works daily on making Happy Ever After come true.

    About the Book

    Title The Herald’s Heart
    Genre Medieval Romance
    Book heat level (based on movie ratings G, PG, PG13, R): R
    Royal herald, Sir Talon Quereste could never love an overly adventurous, impulsive, argumentative woman of dubious background who threatens everything he values. Lady Larkin Roshan can only despise a man who would deny her identity and steal her heritage. So why has fate thrown them together to solve the mysteries of the heart?

    Introducing Sir Talon Quereste

    Welcome to Romance Lives Forever! We’re happy to have you here today.
    Name: Sir Talon Querest
    Age:  Twenty six
    Gender:  Male
    Birthplace:  Hawksedge Keep, on the coast of Northumbria near the Scottish border
    Profession:  Royal Herald
    Ethnicity/Species (if not human):
    Describe your body and build, skin tone, height and weight. Include any unique features such as dimples, freckles, or scars. I have, according to most women, guinea gold hair and pansy purple eyes. (Snickers) As if any knight would admit to something so effeminate as eyes the color of pansies. My chin is square and my mouth firm-lipped. I’m proud that there’s nothing weak about me, physically or otherwise. I consider myself taller than the average man. Some say I’m too tall. I work hard, so my shoulders are broad, my hips lean, and my legs strong enough to sit a horse from sun up to well past sundown. I’m outside a great deal of the time, so I’m definitely not fair skinned. Is there anything else you’d like to know.
    Who is the significant other in your life?
    No one until I met Lady Larkin Rosham. She’s overly adventurous, impulsive, argumentative and not at all the sort of woman I imagined I would love.
    Please tell us a little about yourself.
    I’m a complicated man. My origins are not as straightforward as I always believed them to be, but Larkin helped me accept the truth. I get great satisfaction from solving puzzles, as most heralds do, Our service to the king requires that we be able to easily discern truth from lie and make decisions that may affect noble families and the kingdom for years, perhaps centuries, to come.
    If we could only hear your voice (but not see you) what characteristic would identify you?
    Smoke, definitely smoke. My voice is deep as a man’s ought to be. However, I often spend weeks in the saddle alone so I’ve developed a very soft rasp.
    Do you get by, live comfortably, live extravagantly? 
    My service to the king allows me to indulge in pleasures and comforts whenever I have time. Sadly that is not as often as I would like. I have hopes that the king will reward me with a significant holding for the singular service I provided him recently
    What inner doubt causes you the most difficulty?
    That I might not be as good and honorable as I believe myself to be. My father unjustly repudiated me when I was six just after my mother died. Despite the fact that I have little respect or liking for the man, his rejection has always been the source of self-doubt. I have learned to thank him, because his repudiation spurred me to excel. I might not be quite the same man I am today had it not been for his unjust actions.
    What is your breaking point?
    Larkin nearly died once. I bargained with God for her life and caused us no end of trouble as a result.
    What would you like to tell your writer?
    You should have made Larkin more cooperative, less stubborn, and less impulsive. Honestly what were you thinking to have her as the love of my life?

    Buy This Book

    Publisher http://www.crimsonromance.com/historical-romance-novels/the-knight-chronicles-the-complete-series/
    Amazon https://www.amazon.com/Heralds-Heart-Rue-Allyn-ebook/dp/B01LOIJSCC/

    Author Social Media

    Blog https://authortravels.com/
  • Contemporary

    Meet Abby Bentley from Puffy and Precious #romance @AuthorMET #RLFblog

    Meet Abby Bentley from Puffy andPrecious by Mary E. Thompson.

    Author Bio

    Mary E. Thompson grew up loving to read, like a good little girl. Many nights she would fall asleep with the flashlight still turned on as she hid under the covers trying to finish the last few pages of a book. As an adult, the light from her ereader means she doesn’t need a flashlight, but she still stays up way too late to finish a book. 
    When Mary’s not reading she’s playing with her two kids or living out her own romance novel with her hubby. She has a weakness for chocolate, especially when it’s paired with peanut butter, and has been known to have a bad day just because there’s no chocolate in the house. 
    Mary grew up in Buffalo, New York and swears she’s the only local to never ski or snowboard. Soccer was always her sport, with a couple adventures white water rafting and skydiving to keep things interesting. Mary moved to South Carolina for college but missed Buffalo every day. Yeah she thinks she’s crazy, too. She somehow convinced her South Carolina born and bred hubby to return to Buffalo to raise the kids and live out their lives. He’s still not sure what he was thinking.

    About the Book

    Title Puffy and Precious
    Genre Contemporary Romance
    Book heat level (based on movie ratings): R
    He came for the puffy treats and stayed for the precious woman.
    Abby is moving on with her life. After she caught her husband cheating, live and in person, she divorces him and starts living for herself instead of doing everything for him. Abby opens her own bakery, changes her look, and moves out on her own for the first time ever. The only thing she isn’t ready to do is date.
    Graham helped Abby get her bakery up and running. As a carpenter he loved the challenge of turning the blank space into a bakery. Even more than that, he loved getting to know the beautiful new tenant.
    When Abby’s ex learns she’s moving on with her life and doesn’t need him, he isn’t happy. Abby always did everything for him, and he’s not willing to let go of that dedication.
    Now Abby is stuck between the man who made her feel needed, but never wanted, and a man who makes her feel wanted but doesn’t need her. Abby needs to figure out what she wants – the man from her past, the one who promises her a future, or the present she’s fallen in love with, alone.

    Introducing Abby Bentley

    Welcome to Romance Lives Forever! We’re happy to have you here today.
    Name: Abby
    Age: 27
    Gender: Female
    Birthplace: Winterville, NY
    Profession: Baker
    Ethnicity/Species (if not human): Caucasian
    Describe your body and build, skin tone, height and weight. Include any unique features such as dimples, freckles, or scars.
    I carry more than a little extra weight for someone who’s only 5’4” tall. My friends say I’m not that big, but size 16 feels huge, especially since I wear a 38DD bra. My green eyes are nice though, and I think I have an okay smile. I’m in love with my hair now. I just dyed it blonde and am growing it out. It really is true. Blondes do have more fun. Or maybe that’s just because I’m divorced now!
    Who is the significant other in your life?
    Ha! Next question. Seriously, one ex-husband is one too many. I’m not looking to make that mistake again. I’ll keep the others insignificant… maybe one day.
    Please tell us a little about yourself.
    I’ve found a new freedom since I got divorced. Of course, being divorced at 27 kind of sucks, almost as much as catching my ex cheating, but at least I found out what was going on before we had kids. I’m still young enough that I can adopt one day because I’m definitely not getting married ever again.
    Since I can do whatever I want now, I’ve opened my own bakery. It’s been fun, but more stressful than I expected. I never could have done it without my brother, Max, and Graham. Graham was amazing. He took my dream and made it a reality. I owe him. He’s so talented. Sexy too.
    Are you book-smart, self-taught, widely-experienced?
    Definitely self-taught. Or maybe Grams-taught would be more accurate. Yeah, I have a degree, but it doesn’t do much good for me. Learning to bake is something I’ve had to do over time with lots of practice.
    On what special skills do you rely?
    My creativity. I have to say I’ve become a very crafty baker. I’m not afraid to try different things and see if they’re any good. If something sucks, I lose a few hours. If it’s awesome though, I could easily gain some new customers. It’s also helped make my bakery into exactly what I hoped it would be.
    Are you close to family?
    I am. My brother was always my support growing up. Even now he’s there for me. Heck, I’m living in his apartment even though he’s married and moved out. My mom and grandmother are amazing, too. Without the three of them I don’t know where I’d be. I only wish my dad were still alive.
    How do others perceive you based upon looks, and is this assumption accurate?
    When people come into SkinnyCakes, my bakery, I know they’re shocked to find me behind the counter. A lot of them give me a nasty once over that makes me feel like I’m not good enough. I’ve thought about changing the name of my bakery, but I’m not going to. Just because I’m not skinny doesn’t mean what I bake isn’t. And just because I’m not skinny doesn’t mean I can’t bake healthy and make something people will love.
    Do you care about what others assume about you?
    That’s a tough question. It’s hard to say I can ignore it even though I’d love to be able to. Being vulnerable is part of what makes us human, right? I guess I care the most what my friends and family think of me. If strangers who’ve never taken the time to get to know me are going to judge me, I’ll do my best to ignore it.
    Can you keep a secret? Why or why not?
    Yes, but I’d rather not. Secrets destroyed my marriage. I don’t think secrets are a good thing. Unless there’s a surprise party at the end of the secret. Then it’s okay.
    What are your biggest hopes and dreams?
    I’d love to have kids one day, but I don’t think that’s going to happen. I pretty much gave up that dream when I walked away from my marriage. Of course having kids in that situation wouldn’t have been good either. I’m just trying to convince myself I’m okay with it.
    If you could make any one thing happen, what would it be?
    I’d give babies to all my friends who want to get pregnant. Maybe one for me too, but my happily married friends who are trying for kids… They should have them first.

    Buy This Book

    Publisher BluEyed Press
    Barnes and Noble http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/puffy-precious-mary-e-thompson/1123908803?ean=2940153069036

    Author Social Media

    Blog http://maryethompson.com/blog
  • Suspense

    The Turkish Affair #contemporary romantic #suspense @JArleneCuliner #RLFblog

    The Turkish Affair by J. Arlene Culiner.

    About the Author

    Born in New York, raised in Toronto, J. Arlene Culiner has spent most of her life in England, Germany, Turkey, Greece, Hungary and the Sahara. She now resides in a 400-year-old former inn in a French village of no interest and, much to public dismay, protects all creatures, especially spiders and snakes. She works as an actress, a photographer, a contemporary artist, a musician, writes mysteries, history books and perfectly believable romances. Her heroines are funny and gutsy; her heroes, dashingly lovable; and all are (proudly) over the age of forty.

    Interview with J. Arlene Culiner

    Why did you write this book?
    I know that many readers expect a romantic suspense to resemble what they see on television: danger, stalkers, a serial killers or two, violence, car chases, shoot outs and terror. But I dislike television, and I’ve always preferred realistic stories, even in the romance genre. It seems to me that if I were being threatened by a madman, I’d be so wrought up, I wouldn’t have time to fall in love — and for me that means, getting to know the other person, finding common interests, feeling those first gentle feelings of soft magic. None of that is possible in dangerous situations; and besides, in real life, there’s very rarely, a gorgeous, sexy interested secret agent on hand ready to rescue you.
    I did however, want to write a love story as well as a suspense, and I came up with The Turkish Affair, a mystery where there is certainly menace, but it’s more psychological. Yes, there has been a murder, but it’s off stage : no description, no chases, no screaming sirens. I wanted a strong-willed but warm and brave heroine, a gorgeous hero who is both intelligent and tender. I also wanted an exotic setting — the archaeological site of Karakuyu in central Turkey, once home to the long-vanished Hittites. I added true stories as well, and real places, and a few strange characters I met while living in Turkey.
    What is your favorite genre to read?
    I read everything, switching back and forth constantly: contemporary romance, biography, mysteries, mainstream literature, history — particularly that of eastern Europe — classics. Every book has its right moment.
    Who is your favorite character from fiction (not including your own)?
    Saul Bellow’s Moses E. Herzog? Stella Gibbons’ Flora Post? Salinger’s Holden Caulfield? No, there are far too many others. Impossible to choose one. And besides, all great characters have terrible flaws.
    What are you working on at the moment, and will see from you in coming months?
    I’m presently working on 1) a creative non-fiction work about a small village in eastern Hungary, 2) a contemporary romance that takes place in Blake’s Folly, the same Nevada community I used in  my previous romance, All About Charming Alice, and 3) a series of portraits.
    All three projects are so different from each other, I’ll have to wait and see which one pulls the strongest. They’ll all get finished eventually, I think, but none will be completed in the coming months. I need years to write a book, perfect the story and refine the language.
    Please tell us about your latest book.
    A top notch Washington journalist before a liaison with the wrong man implicated her in scandal, Anne Pierson has been hiding in backwoods Turkey and working as a translator. She’s determined to keep her past a secret, to avoid personal relationships. But after meeting Renaud Townsend, her discrete little world is turned upside down.
    Archaeologist Renaud Townsend is troubled by Anne Pierson’s refusal to talk about her past, but instinct tells him he can rely on her. Or is it only desire speaking? A lusty love affair for the duration of the summer dig is a very appealing idea.
    When Anne’s bad reputation links her to stolen artefacts and murder, the budding romance with Renaud comes to a halt. If they learn to trust one another, her name can be cleared. But is there still enough intensity to give love a second chance?
    About the Book
    Title: The Turkish Affair
    Genre: Contemporary Romance/Romantic Suspense
    Author: J. Arlene Culiner
    Book heat level (based on movie ratings): R
    Buy This Book
    Publisher : Crimson Romance:  http://www.crimsonromance.com/romantic-suspense-novels/the-turkish-affair/
    Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Turkish-Affair-J-Arlene-Culiner-ebook/dp/B01KGO49XS
    Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/J.+Arlene+Culiner
    Kobo https://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/ebook/the-turkish-affair
    Author Social Media
  • Science Fiction Romance,  Stressing the Hero

    Stressing the Hero from Surrender, Coalition Mates book 4 a #scifiromance by @SM_fiction #RLFblog

    Stressing the Hero from Surrender, Coalition Mates book 4 by Sarah Marsh. 

    Author Bio

    Sarah Marsh was born in British Columbia where she still lives, she has only recently began her writing career finding it the perfect outlet for taking the edge off a nine to five office job. She’s been a science fiction and romance junkie for years and when her imagination started to take the characters she’d read about even further in their adventures she decided to try writing something of her own.
    Sarah’s also a former pastry chef and spends a lot of time cooking and baking for friends and family as well as painting and knitting. Her biggest weaknesses are animals of any kind…she even loves the ones that wake you up at four in the morning because they can almost see the bottom of their food dish.
    When it comes to life in general she’s a big believer that laughter is the best medicine and that there’s no such thing as too much love, which is why she’s such a sucker for a happy ending.

    About the Book

    Title: Surrender, Coalition Mates book 4
    Genre: science fiction romance
    Book heat level (based on movie ratings): R
    Surrender: Coalition Mates 4
    Seduce me with words.
    Inspire me with passion.
    Blind me with longing.
    Break me with need.
    Bind me with love
    Sally Owens was content to spend her life hiding in plain sight, as long as no one got too close or tried to wrestle the reigns away from her that is…
    When she goes out for a night on the town to troll for the new Mr. Right Now, getting kidnapped and shipped out into space was NOT what she had in mind. But above all else Sally is a survivor and she soon comes up with a plan to thrive in this new world.
    Arkenon Quinn, Courtesan Guild Master on the planet of Sirus, is informed that one of the new human refugees wants to join the Courtesan Guild and he was of course curious. However, when he meets the audacious and beautiful Sally he finds himself signing up to be the one to mentor her against his better judgement. What he could never have anticipated was how quickly this fascinating creature would steal his heart and force him to do something he’s never had to do before- chase a female.
    Will Sally’s painful past keep her from finding a future with the man who’s like no other she’s ever met? Or will she have the strength to place her body and soul in Arkenon’s extremely capable hands?

    Stressing The Hero

    Every hero has a story. He has a background, a history, and a past. This interview allows us to meet a hero and get to know him better, by focusing on how he handles being relaxed, as well as how he handles stress.

    The Hero’s Relaxed Side

    This hero is at a party. Considering his story, describe the party.
    Any party that the Courtesan Guild on Sirus throws is a lavish affair, some are hedonistic while others are centered on traditions and formalities, depending on the occasion.
    How does the hero feel about being this particular party, and what body language is he displaying that gives it away?
    As the Guild Master it’s not only part of Arkenon’s job to put others at ease in any situation, but as he had taken over this position from his father before him, it’s also a large part of who he is and how he was raised. He has been trained to be in full control of his body language and is a master at only giving away what he intends to.
    Is he more likely to mingle or remain aloof?
    Ark would be mingling with everyone in attendance, always charming and alluring, making each guest feel welcome and cherished.
    If he drinks, what is his drink of choice at this party?
    At home with his friends he enjoys a nice cold ale, but at a formal Guild event he would sip on fine liquor.
    How much drink is his usual?
    Ark never drinks enough that he would be intoxicated; his need for control is too precise for that.
    The hero figures out where the hiding places are and then goes there. Is it to hide, to avoid someone, or to go drag a friend back to the party?
    Never one to hide from anything, if he is seeking out a hiding place then it would most likely be to coax out the person who is there.
    Is he likely to latch onto a friend and stay with him/her and ignore others, or is he the friend that others latch onto?
    Arkenon’s magnetism and charismatic personality ensures that he always has admirers flocking to him.
    If someone picked a fight at this party, how is the hero going to handle it?
    Diplomatically if he can, most likely charming the aggressive party goer into distraction and diffusing the situation.
    Is the hero the one most likely to get tossed out of the party, or the one who does the tossing?
    No one tosses a Master Courtesan out of a party. ;-)
    Will he know when to leave, or stay late and make a nuisance of himself?
    He stays long enough to do his duty.

    The Hero’s Stressed Out Side

    How does the hero handle it if the cops or some other authority figure pulls him aside when he was blameless in a situation?
    He is a formidable diplomat, he would calmly explain the misunderstanding and be respectful of the authorities.
    How does the hero react to hearing a scream?
    Ark is used to being responsible for a huge community of people, he would no doubt investigate to see if he could be of assistance.
    If he sees someone being assaulted, what is the FIRST thing that crosses his mind?
    Outrage, he cannot abide any kind of abuse.
    If he sees someone being assaulted, what is the FIRST thing he does?
    He would immediately interfere on behalf of the victim.
    This hero attempts to rescue someone and realizes that he is in over his head. The odds are against him and there is no way out. He is going to get his butt handed to him. What does he do?
    If he must sacrifice himself to rescue someone, he would.
    The hero runs into the one person from his past he wanted to avoid. He can’t get out of the situation and must interact with him/her in some way. What does he do?
    Arkenon will always try to be polite and professional if he can, but he is no pushover, he will speak his mind if he must and send the unwanted person on their way.
    Someone younger than the hero is in charge of the situation, and they are handling it badly, perhaps bungling things. How does the hero deal with it?
    Before he became Guild Master he spent years teaching others the skills required to become Courtesans in the Guild, so he knows how to assist and guide without undermining someones confidence or coming across overbearing.
    The hero is in physical pain but must bear up under it and keep going. What does he tell himself in order to get through the situation?
    Pain is relative, it will pass, but the lessons it imparts will always remain.
    What mentor’s words come to mind in a bad situation?
    “There was never such a foolish thing done in love, which love could not undo.”
    What lesson from his past gets him through a stressful situation?
    His father taught him to always be in control of his own reactions, to think first, and act second.

    Buy This Book

    Amazon: http://www.amzn.com/B017S0ZKT0
    Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/surrender-coalition-mates-4-sarah-marsh/1122940409
    Kobo: https://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/ebook/surrender-101

    Author Social Media

  • Contemporary

    Damaged by @_lisamowens #RLFblog #Contemporary #Romance

    Today’s featured book is Damaged by Lisa M. Owens.

    About the Book

    Title Damaged
    Genre  Contemporary Romance
    Author  Lisa M. Owens
    Book heat level (based on movie ratings): R
    Freedom isn’t free.
    Staff Sergeant Austin Chandler learned this lesson well. Dealing with the devastating truth that his military career is over, he is discharged from the Marines and returns home from fighting the war in Afghanistan with battle scars he fears will never heal. But the truth is a bitter pill to swallow when he arrives at the airport and realizes his wife has abandoned him when he needed her the most. Broken in body as well as in spirit, Austin suffers not only from the slow-healing scars on his back, but also the wounds that her desertion has left on his troubled heart.
    Until a chance encounter with a beautiful artist leaves him wondering if perhaps some things are meant to be. Trisha Morgan has secrets she is desperately wants to hide. With a troubled past and abandonment issues of her own, she fears love only leads to rejection and pain.
    But can two wounded souls break through the battered barriers of each other’s hearts?

    Buy This Book

    About the Author

    The writing bug bit Lisa M. Owens at an early age; she was writing short stories and poetry by the age of seven. At the age of eight, she entered a writing contest at her elementary school. About fifty books were written,but Lisa was one of the thirteen writers chosen whoreceived a certificate and the chance to meet Oklahoma writer Sandy Miller.
    A former victim of domestic violence herself, Lisa worked at the courthouse for over seven years. Almost three of those years she worked on the Marriage License/Protective Order desk. She helped women file protective orders and worked closely with the staff and counselors at DVIS.
    Frustrated with books that merely gloss over the subject of domestic violence, Lisa wanted to write a book that told the entire story. Her dream is for her words to help give someone the courage to leave an abusive relationship.
    She resides in Oklahoma and has two children. This is her third published novel, and she is currently working on the second novel of this series. She is currently working on her fourth novel.
    Lisa enjoys hearing from her readers.

    Author Social Media