What is love? What is romance?

Last week in the Facebook group, Sexy Spanking Reads, there was a heated discussion about the ‘rules of writing romance.’ My first thought was, “There aren’t any.”
Yes there are rules about writing. Every writer should have proficiency in language. A command of grammar, spelling, and basic story structure is the writer’s equivalent of a musician learning the scales.

Once a writer has mastered essential skills then they get to break some of the rules. The person who posed the question of whether or not the rules had changed asked if examples like cheating and open relationships as fall outside the romance genre.
For all that neither of those situations appeal to me, I can’t decide for others.
Art should be dynamic, challenging and evolving. Different takes on the genre will appeal to different readers.
What is the most romantic thing that has ever happened to you or someone you know? Here’s mine and I have no doubt it won’t be everyone’s idea of romance:
My loving husband has surprised me many times with his ability to make me feel cared for and wanted. The most romantic thing he’s ever done? Years ago we did an 18,000 km camping trip around the Australia outback. One of the most upsetting sights to me was the road kill: animals hit by speeding cars. It wasn’t the dead animals that worried me.
It was the gorgeous wedge-tailed eagles that would land to feed on the carcasses that were upsetting. These eagles are huge, with wing spans up to 2.8 m (9 foot). They can only lift off the ground in the direction they are facing so if a car comes barreling down the highway and the birds are having their fast food lunch and not looking that way, they become a second tragedy.
What did my husband do? Every time we saw a carcas on the highway, he stopped the car, donned gloves, and dragged the eagle-snack far enough off the road so the birds could land safely.
I never loved him more than I did in those moments. And my love for him has grown stronger since then.
But that’s us - two strong people with similar sensibilities in love. While I consider our love and relationship to be extremely romantic, it wouldn’t appeal to a lot of people because they may not care as much about the wild world as we do.
Also our love wouldn’t make much of a novel because there is little conflict between us, even if we do have power exchanges that spice up our intimacy.💝

His To Claim - what do you think?

SPOILERS!
Have you finished reading the whole book? No? Then you may want to stop reading now so the story can unfold naturally.

Today I’m talking about some of the feedback I received in the editing and beta reading process on this book. I love it when readers and editors challenge my stories because it helps me understand my own writing better.

In the first version of this novella, a few people missed the time lines. In this version my husband has done great book design. He has even included maps to show where each cruise went. You can preview the book online to see the change.

Other points raised:

I knew that having Jazz hook up with Scott the engineer was risky in a romance novel. In case I didn’t realize that, my editor warned me but I left it as it was. In real life, this is exactly what many people do after a break up so I was decided to try to capture that self-destructive trend.
To me this twist makes perfect sense. Otherwise how could she know that Adam is ‘the one’ if she hasn’t tried to move on with someone else?

Several readers thought that Jazz was embarrassed about her kink in her last encounter with Scott. She is self conscious, it’s true. Her long association with the Black Hen has taught her to be discrete on the issue of kink. She hopes Scott will get the hint without her having to articulate it.

Why is she so cautious in a world where so many people are up front about their preferences? The continued patronage of the Black Hen depends on it remaining low key so her first instinct is always to approach the subject obliquely.
Besides, she knows that it’s not that long since kink was classified as mental illness: (https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2015/01/bdsm-versus-the-dsm/384138/).
Jazz is savvy enough to realize that many people still think that critical way. When Scott looks at her with contempt it’s because he has that old-fashioned mindset. He thinks she’s mentally unbalanced.

It can be hard and sometimes humiliating for like-minded people to find their soulmates. I know how long it can take, doing trial & error. Whenever I get too comfortable with writing kink and question my need to be discrete about it, all I have to do is read some of the scathing reviews people drop on books in this genre.
Some people loathe them for the erotic content.
Worse still are the people who attack authors in the genre because the practices described in the books aren’t the way those readers believe things should be done.
***
Those are just a few of the issues around this book and the genre generally.
What are your thoughts on the book or on the genre?
I hope parts of this story touched in all the right ways.

Taken By The Renegade by Sadie Marks

I’m thrilled to welcome the amazing Sadie Marks to my blog today. She brings with her, book 2 in the Rise of the Sadecs, Taken By The Renegade - just released today!

Dark choices distract Sam when she’s pulled from the arms of her renegade Sadec lover. Her captors fill her every possible need except her need for him.

Blurb:
Samantha is a masochist with no interest in the trappings of romance or submission, until she meets the sexy new Dominant in town and falls for him hard. But he’s not who she thought he was. He’s not even human.
Trev is a renegade member of the sadistic Sadec race. and by the time she learns it, she’s on his spaceship far from home. When she’s confiscated by his people as forbidden contraband, Sam finds herself reborn into her new life as Silla. She consents to fill her role as Pain Receiver and reluctantly learns to submit to their whims.
But Trev is never far from her mind, and when she’s given the chance to get back to her renegade Sadec Dom, she realizes it’s worth risking everything to be with him.
Taken by a Renegade is a stand-alone sequel to Surrendering to Her General where Silla first appeared as a minor character. Now we’ll see her backstory and learn how she ended up at the mercy of the Sadecs as she struggles to get back to the man she loves.
Disclaimer: Taken by the Renegade contains lots of steamy scenes well as graphic BDSM and power exchange, so please avoid it if you find those things upsetting.

Buy link: Amazon
Free in KU

Excerpt:
A slow grin crept across his face. "In our game, the prey—that would be you—runs off and hides. The hunter—that's me—has to track down the prey, and when he finds her…" He let the words trail off, but they had the desired effect.
She swallowed hard and shifted nervously. Her fingers twisted and rolled the hem of the short one-piece dress she'd worn, but at least her voice didn't shake when she asked, "What? What does he do when he finds her?"
"Anything he wants, of course, and she has to obey if she wants to be rewarded." There was way too much weight given to the word 'obey' and she knew exactly what he was doing. He wanted her submission, if only for the night.

More about Sadie Marks
Sadie Marks has been in love with Science-Fiction and horror since she was a little girl and when given the opportunity to mix power-exchange romance with sadistic aliens there was no way she was going to turn it down. She is continuing to work on the Rise of the Sadecs series and is enjoying her work on the third book.
Her wide and varied experiences lend a note of realism to the D/s relationships she portrays in her books.
(Sadie Marks is the darker half of Author Kessily Lewel)
Sadie doesn’t have her own website, but she does share one with Kessily Lewel which covers a mixture of topics like writing, safely exploring BDSM relationships, and the occasional kinky short story.

Connect with Sadie Marks and Kessily Lewel
Kessily’s website
Sadie’s Amazon page
Sadie’s BookBub page
Sadie’s Facebook page
She also shares an amazingly fun facebook group with four other authors who write kinky romance and would love to have you as part of the fun over here:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/2351026058496857/

Don’t miss these exciting titles by Sadie Marks and Blushing Books!
Surrendering To Her General, Rise of the Sadecs, book 1
Taken By The Renegade, Rise of the Sadecs, book 2

Dark Melodies, book 1 in The Black Combe Dom series by Ashe Barker

Hang onto your hats! Ashe Barker has a new series out. Dark Melodies is super-length book 1 (over 600 pages!)  in The Black Combe Doms series.
Blurb
Who knows where pain ends, and pleasure begins?
The chance of a new life out in the wilds of the Yorkshire moors sounds too good to be true to shy musician Eva Byrne. Stifled and smothered within the cocoon of her brilliant academic career, Eva yearns for something different. Something real and exciting. Something she can feel
Excitement. Passion. Pleasure. She finds that sexy, enigmatic Nathan Darke can provide all these and more when she moves into his home as violin tutor to his young daughter. But Eva’s sensual encounters with her demanding, domineering new employer quickly evoke her deepest fears, as he introduces her to the trauma of submission and marks her with his particularly dark brand of love.
But will Eva’s natural curiosity and thirst for new experiences be enough to withstand the sting of Nathan Darke’s exquisite touch? Will simple surrender be enough as he challenges her every inhibition, taking her on an erotic journey of self-discovery and liberation?
Disclaimers:
Dark Melodies is intended for mature readers. 18 and over only! Scenes include power exchanges, spanking adult women, and explicitly sexual situations. These scenes are fantasies only, suitable for discerning readers. If such content may offend, please do not buy this book. 
Dark Melodies was previously released as three separate books, Darkening, Darker and Darkest, in the series The Dark Side. In this volume the three books in The Dark Side trilogy are published as one combined novel, under a new title, Dark Melodies with new cover art, no cliffhangers and a HEA.

Buy Link: mybook.to/DarkMelodies
Available in paperback or read for free with Kindle Unlimited.

Excerpt:
Slipping his hand out of my bra, he pulls me to my feet and quickly turns me to face the table. His hand in the small of my back, he pushes me face down across the hardwood surface, sliding the iPad and my coffee cup to one side.
I start in surprise as he lifts the hem of my dress—surely he just said…
Then I moan out loud as he again slips his hand into my clothing, this time down the back of my lovely red lacy briefs, down the hollow between my buttocks, slowing slightly to circle my anus with one gentle fingertip. I stiffen, waiting…
“So sweet and tight. We’ll come back to this,” he murmurs softly, leaning close to kiss my neck before continuing on between the wet, swollen lips of my pussy. He slips one finger inside my moist entrance, working gently in and out, circling the outer lips, spreading my juices all around. I moan faintly, lifting my bum up in welcome. He slides a second finger inside, whilst with his other hand he attacks from the front to take my swollen clitoris between his thumb and finger, gently rubbing.
The combined pleasure is so intense, so sudden, it overwhelms me, and I come immediately. I scream, unable to contain any of the fabulous sensation of internal fragmentation now shooting out through my outstretched fingers—white-knuckled, still gripping the edge of the table—and my toes, still encased in my lovely, red fuck-me shoes. I whimper, almost in frustration that my climax has hit me before I even saw it coming.
“I’m not finished with you yet. Stay there.”
More? How wonderful.
His voice is low, seductive and commanding. I stay still. Waiting. He straightens, steps away from me, goes over to his desk. He returns a moment later, gently pulling my underwear down to my ankles. “Step out.” His command is clear. I obey.
“You have a beautiful bottom, Miss Byrne,” he observes, trailing his fingertips lightly down the furrow between my buttocks, then tracing the line of each lower curve before bringing something down on me—hard, sharp, fierce. I scream out loud, with shock more than pain, though the sting is real enough. Instinctively I start to stand up, but his hand goes to the small of my back, pressing me back down.
“We agreed on five strokes for every frown. I counted at least four frowns since we came into this room, and that’s me being generous, Miss Byrne. So that’s twenty strokes. Agreed?”
I don’t answer, still reeling from the sudden assault. He strikes me again, and I scream again, louder. “Agreed, Miss Byrne?”
“Yes, yes. Please don’t…”
“Eighteen to go, then. Grit your teeth, Miss Byrne.”
I do, flinching with every blow, my fingers curled desperately around the opposite edge of the table. Counting slowly. He takes his time, waiting between each blow for me to settle again, to be ready. After ten strokes he stops, places a ruler beside my face on the table, and steps away again. I know not to move. He comes back after a few moments and I feel something cool, soothing, being smoothed into my red-hot and extremely sore buttocks. He gently massages me, kneading my tender skin where his ruler has done its work.
“You’re new to this, Miss Byrne, so I’m really being very gentle with you. Next time it will be harder.” He taps my buttock lightly with his palm. “Relax—we’ll soon be done.” He stands, picks up the ruler again. “Are you ready to continue, Miss Byrne?”
I know he will demand an answer, so I whisper my consent, and he starts again. The next ten blows are excruciating. He alternates between bringing his ruler down hard on first one side of my bottom, then the other, always hitting the same spot on each cheek and now not even waiting for me to collect myself between blows. Each new blow builds on the sting left by the one before it. I lie there in my world of pain, biting my lip to keep from sobbing, waiting for him to finish.
After the twentieth stroke he straightens, stands still behind me. I can imagine his eyes on my abused bottom, and just hope he’s satisfied. I know better than to say as much, though, and I wait, desperate for him to give me permission to get up. I lie there, frozen with dread at what might be coming next.
“Open your legs, Eva.”

The other books in The Black Combe Dom series:
mybook.to/DarkMelodies
mybook.to/SureMastery
mybook.to/HardLimits
viewbook.at/LaidBare
all four are FREE to read on Kindle Unlimited.  Available in paperback too

Getting to know the amazing Ashe Barker
USA Today Bestselling author Ashe Barker writes erotic romance and spanking romance in a variety of genres including contemporary, BDSM, paranormal, historical. ménage, gay romance and time travel. She is a #1 Amazon Bestseller and all her stories feature hot alpha males and sassy submissives, often with a lot to learn. Kink abounds, and there’s enough dirty talk to satisfy the most demanding smut lover. However dark and dirty the setting, love always emerges triumphant, and her stories never fail to deliver a satisfying happy ever after.
Connect with Ashe Barker:
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www.ashebarker.com
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Submitting to the Cattleman by BJ Wane

BJ Wane is here today with book 6 in her Cowboy Doms series, Submitting to the Cattleman.

She was a one-night stand, but he couldn't forget her haunted eyes.

Blurb:
Why does doing the right thing have to be so hard?
Leslie Collins has been asking herself that question ever since her eye-witness testimony in a murder case landed her in the Witness Protection Program far away from everything and everyone she’s ever known. Now, four years later, she struggles with growing despondency over the circumstances that prevent her from forming a relationship. When she allows her loneliness to get the better of her and indulges in a one-night stand, she never dreams her stranger will show up again at the private club she’s stayed away from for a few weeks.
Kurt Wilcox returns home to Montana to help his father recover from a stroke and hopefully mend the rift between them. He doesn’t plan on rescuing a woman from a mugging and ending up succumbing to the loneliness reflected on her face and indulging in a one-night stand. When he meets up with Leslie at his club, he refuses to let her hide her identity or her reasons for inviting a stranger into her home and bed.
Leslie finally caves to his persistence and agrees to an affair that seems promising until she learns her identity has been comprised and an attempt on her life forces out the truth about her past. Will putting her trust in her Dom jeopardize him and his employees when she agrees to his protection, or will Kurt rid her of the threat against her, as he promises, leaving her free to embrace her own HEA?
This is book six in the Cowboy Doms series but can be enjoyed as a standalone.
Publisher’s Note: Submitting to the Cattleman is a contemporary, western romance contains elements of mystery, suspense, danger, power exchange, BDSM, and sensual scenes. If any of these bother you, please do not purchase.

Buy link: Amazon

Excerpt:
Kurt reached the loft and spotted Leslie bound on the St. Andrew’s Cross right away. As he eyed her slim, bare back, spread legs and white, soft ass, he didn’t know who to be pissed at the most, her or his dad. He shouldn’t have let Leland goad him into an argument right before he’d left. If the stubborn coot didn’t want to go to therapy or work at getting back on his feet, Kurt ought to leave him alone to stew in the misery of his own making. The problem was, he cared too much to do that, just as his strong feelings for Leslie wouldn’t allow him to give up on her regardless of her continued obstinance. Maybe, if those glimpses of a desperate, lonely ache reflected on her face weren’t continuing to wreak havoc with his conscience, starting with the first time she’d looked up at him, he would find it easy to wash his hands of her and walk away.
Between wanting to solve the mystery of her solitary life and the driving lust to fuck her in every way possible, he wasn’t about to let this little rebellion deter him from his goals. Mitchell flicked him a questioning look as he approached, checking the tightness of the ankle cuffs before rising to greet him.
“Kurt. I hope your scowl isn’t because of something I’ve done.”
“No, in fact I’d like to thank you for preparing my sub for me.” Leslie’s muscles tightened under Kurt’s hand as he caressed her clenching buttocks.
Mitchell’s eyes darkened, his gaze cutting toward Leslie. Fisting a hand in her long hair, he pulled, lifting her head. “Is this true, you’re with Master Kurt?”
She bit her lip, both men noticing the guilt swirling in her eyes as she looked from one to the other before her trembling mouth went taut and she replied with a thread of defiance coloring her tone. “We never agreed to be exclusive.”
Kurt winged one brow upward and crossed his arms over his chest. “I don’t share. In case I neglected to mention that, now you know.”
Moving back, a hint of amusement crept into Mitchell’s expression. “I’ll step aside and let you two work this out. Leslie, look me up if you decide to ditch Master Kurt again.”
Kurt waited until Mitchell walked away before leaning against Leslie’s back, loosely circling her neck with his hands and whispering in her ear, “Don’t you think you should have told me before you accepted another Dom’s invitation?”
“I didn’t think it would matter.”
A slight tremor ran through her body as he tightened his hands on her throat, just enough to remind her of his control, and what she’d agreed to. “Once again, you thought wrong, and you’re not being completely honest. You’d rather back away than risk revealing more about yourself, like you did last night.”
She tried to turn her head to look at him then released her breath in a huff when his hold wouldn’t allow it. Her throat worked under his hands as she swallowed and said, “You have no right to pry.”
Now it was his turn to sigh with exasperation because, damn it, she was right. Stepping back, he ran his hands over her shoulders, down her arched back and palmed her buttocks. “You’re right about that, but not about how you let me know you weren’t happy with me.” Digging his fingers into the soft globes, his thumbs slipped between the fleshy mounds to tease the sensitive area. “I’m disappointed you would resort to such a tactic instead of talking to me. Five swats with my belt or say red and we’re done. What will it be?”
Leslie couldn’t think straight, not with Master Kurt’s hands on her, the displeasure in his deep voice filling her with guilt and regret. She’d been a fool. What made her believe she could simply walk away from him now when she couldn’t forget him after one night together? Now she found herself torn between her ever-growing need for one man and her determination to ensure no one else would come to harm because of their association with her.
She heard the slide of his belt as he removed it and quaked inside. Goosebumps popped up across her backside as he trailed the supple leather over her flesh. To this day she didn’t understand how an aching, hot butt could calm her rioting emotions while drawing tears of discomfort, or how the hurt could eventually morph into pleasure. But there was no denying her body sang in tune to the silent threat, warmed to the promise of blissful pain and the pleasure induced forgetfulness it could lead to. If he allowed it.
Kurt reached around and cupped one breast before pinching her nipple. “Give me your answer, Leslie.”
Need won out over good intentions and she succumbed to the pull of that deep, commanding tone. For the first time in almost four years, she didn’t want to think in terms of ‘what if’, instead, opting for ‘why not’. “I’ll take the swats, Sir.”

BJ Wane in her own words:
I live in the Midwest with my husband and our dog, a lovable Great Pyrenees/Standard Poodle.  I love dogs, enjoy spending time with my daughter, babysitting dogs and kids, reading and working puzzles.  We have traveled extensively throughout the states, Canada and just once overseas, but I now prefer being a homebody. I worked for a while writing articles for a local magazine but soon found my interest in writing for myself peaking.  My first book was strictly spanking erotica, but I slowly evolved to writing erotic spanking romance with a touch of suspense.  My favorite genre to read is suspense.

Connect with BJ Wane
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3420232.B_J_Wane?from_search=true
https://bjwaneauthor.com/
https://twitter.com/bj_wane
https://www.facebook.com/bj.wane
https://www.facebook.com/BJWaneAuthor
https://www.bookbub.com/profile/bj-wane
https://www.instagram.com/bjwaneauthor/

His For The Taking by Brandi Evans

Today Brandi Evans brings us His For the Taking, the first book in the Red Light Fantasies.

Not all love stories play by society’s rules.

Blurb:

I love managing Red Light Lingerie, a sexy boutique in Dallas. I get to spend my days talking to people about bedroom wear, sex toys, and enhancement lotions for all occasions. But by far, my favorite erotic job perk is my sexy British boss, Maxwell Penn.
Max is a Matthew McConaughey look-alike who’s equal parts dreamboat and domineering pain in the neck, and I regularly fluctuate between “I want to bed him” and “I want to strangle him.” But still, yum.
The paradigm of our relationship, however, changes irrevocably when a lingerie designer, a friend of Max’s from Britain, comes to town, and I have to stand in for a no-show lingerie model. Before I can say G-string, I find myself sandwiched between Max and his dark-n-sexy friend.
I’d be in total heaven if it weren’t for the guilt swirling in Max’s blue eyes. I have no idea why it’s there, but I’m bound and determined to find out.
Publisher’s Note: His for the Taking contains descriptions of consensual activities, including eroticism and discipline. If you object to these elements, please do not read this book.

Buy link: Amazon

Excerpt
I yanked against my restraints. The material stretched with my movements, but my hands stayed firmly bound at the small of my back.
“See, Max? This is one sturdy piece of lingerie.”
My mind exploded with images of what they could do to me, completely helpless and practically naked. Should I worry? A smart woman probably would—but the look in Max’s eyes—
I’d never wanted him more than I did at that moment.
Garrett’s voice interrupted my thoughts. “Also, I designed the top so the two front halves can be pushed together to allow quick and easy access to the tits without having to untie any restraints already put in place. Would you like a demonstration of that, too?”
Max’s gaze stayed locked with mine, never veering, never faltering. “I’m thinking.”
I bit my bottom lip and shook my head. But who was I fooling? I’d wanted Max to touch me for a long time. I’d dreamed about it and gotten off while imagining him fucking me. But what about Garrett? I’d fantasized about being with multiple men, too, so I’d consider his presence icing on the beefcake.
Part of me wished Max and I were alone, but it was probably better we weren’t. Less intimate, which I needed. As it was, the intensity of his stare threatened to melt me into a puddle.
“Please touch me, Max,” I whispered, unable to stop myself. At least, I think I verbalized the words, but I may have simply mouthed them. “Please.”
Max’s eyes widened. His nostrils flared. And he hesitated a long, tortuous moment before stepping into me and yanking the garment’s outer edges into the valley between my breasts, completely exposing me—and then cupping the undersides of my breasts.

More about Brandi Evans

Brandi Evans was raised by a caravan of traveling Gypsies. She spent her days learning the ways of her people and her nights lost in legends as old as time. Okay, not really, but that's way more interesting than the truth!
In reality, Brandi grew up the oldest child of an ordinary family. Grade school, middle school, high school. Nothing extraordinary happened until she left the nest. She joined the military, went to college, got married, and became a mom. And somewhere along the way, she discovered she liked to read—and write!—stories hot enough to melt eReaders.
Connect with Brandi Evans:

Website: http://brandievansauthor.com/

Blog: https://www.blogger.com/blogin.g?blogspotURL=http://brandievansauthor.blogspot.com/

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Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Brandi-Evans/e/B004D05W56/

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4373174.Brandi_Evans
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Entwined, the Dark Necessities book 3, by Felicity Brandon

In case you missed it, book 3 in Felicity Brandon’s The Dark Necessities series is out now. Today the spotlight is on Entwined

Blurb:

Free from her captor, author Molly Clary finds herself back at home, but she’s just as lost as ever. In the isolation of her new-found freedom, Molly makes a startling revelation; she can no longer function without Connor Reilly. She can’t write without him; she can’t live without him.
The admission leads Molly into the most intense and dangerous chapter of her twisted love affair yet, and by reaching out to Connor again, she must decide if she can really leave her old life behind to venture into the dark and mysterious confines of the organization known only as The Syndicate.
For a couple whose love is built on lust, and fear and submission, there should be no happy ending. But as Molly helps her kidnapper lay his ghosts to rest, the question beckons, can they forge their own brand of happiness regardless? Can Connor finally be delivered into a consensual union with his kitten, and will it be enough to satisfy both of their dark needs?

Disclaimer: Entwined contains spankings, bondage and discipline and other sexual activities. These are fantasies only, intended for adults. Strong stuff but worth it. If such subjects offend you, please do not buy this book.

Buy link: Amazon

Excerpt
“What do you want then?”
He’d barely ever asked her before, but now her desire seemed to matter more than anything else. It was more important to him than The Syndicate, or even his fucking liberty. It was critical to the next breath he was going to take.
She gazed at him with wide, watery eyes. “This is so fucked up,” she started, lowering her face at the admission.
“Hey,” he whispered. “I’ve got a PhD in fucked up; do you really think anything you can say will make things worse?”
The hand at her nape made small circles, applying just enough pressure to draw her body toward him.
“I think I want you,” she conceded in a long rush of breath. “I don’t know if it’s just the writing, or this thing between us, or what, but I think I’m bound to you, Connor.”
Bound to him? Fuck, that sounded wonderful, and his cock sprung to life at the prospect.
“What a delightful analogy,” he smirked, raising his left brow at her.
Molly smiled in response, although she was practically panting as his thumb stroked the side of her nape.
“So, you missed me?” he chuckled, pressing his body past the gear shift as he closed the distance between them.
“More than I should,” she agreed, watching his approach with expectant eyes.
Connor saw her pupils dilate as his face neared, and he sympathized. He felt it, too, the bond between them was stronger than anything he’d ever known.
“I’m going to kiss you,” he told her in a low sensual growl. “If you don’t want this, then tell me now. I’m not good at asking for permission, kitten. This might be all that you get.”
Molly was smiling as his words resonated, her head tipping as she took them in. “Let me answer you then.”
He’d barely registered her words when she came for him. Connor had never seen such speed in his pet before, but she was on him before he could take another breath. Crossing the small divide between them, she pounced, pressing her body against his, and knocking him backwards as her lips took what they wanted. Connor had to admit it, he never saw this coming, but as soon as their mouths collided, he reciprocated, kissing her back as eagerly as his new position would allow. Molly’s attack had caught him off guard, and he’d slumped back into the passenger seat, now pinioned by his passionate little pet. Of course, he could have fought her off. He’d have had her flat against the driver’s seat with ease if he’d wanted to, but the truth was he didn’t want to. This was a side of Molly he had never seen.
Because he’d never allowed it.
But he had to concede, the wild side of his kitten was making him hard.
Molly drew back from him, her arms either side of his chest propping her up. Her face was flushed with emotion, her eyes wild with fire. It was like she could barely believe what had just happened, what she’d just done.
“Is that a yes to the kiss, kitten?” he laughed as he questioned her, loving her the blush in her cheeks grew darker.

More about Felicity Brandon
Felicity Brandon is a top 100 Amazon bestselling author.
She loves the darker side of romance, and writes sexy, suspenseful stories, with strong themes of bondage and submission.
You’ll find her either at her laptop, at the gym, or rocking out to her favourite music.

Connect with Felicity Brandon:

Website
Newsletter sign-up (grab a FREE sizzling short, just for subscribing!)
Amazon
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Facebook Page
Fierce AF - Facebook group for readers
Book & Main

Taken by Felicity Brandon

How dark do you like a story to be? Felicity Brandon is here this week with her latest book, Taken, book 1 in the Dark Necessities trilogy. The verdict is unanimous: this story takes you to the thrilling far side of the moon.

One obsessed fan. One captive author.

Blurb:
Lost on the streets of a foreign city, author Molly Clary is attacked after a book signing. An unknown hero steps in to protect her, but her relief turns to terror when her savior’s true intentions are revealed. 
Connor Reilly doesn’t just want to save her. He wants to take her for himself.
Now Molly’s fighting, not just for her life, but for the essence of who she truly is. If she’s going to survive in Connor’s dark new world, she’ll have to learn to play his base games. But if Molly plays, what will it cost her? Can a monster ever really learn to love, or will his need to dominate destroy them both?
If you enjoyed the debauched desire of the Twist Me series, then you’ll devour Felicity Brandon’s edgy new trilogy.
Disclaimer: Taken contains spankings, kidnapping, bondage and discipline and other sexual activities. These are fantasies only, intended for adults. Strong stuff but worth it. If such subjects offend you, please do not buy this book.

Buy link: Amazon

Excerpt:
“Are you going to run, Molly?” His voice was calm, and almost amused as it questioned her.
She shifted her gaze to follow the sound of his voice, her face no doubt portraying her anxiety on the subject. “No,” she lied, her tone breathless.
“No?” he repeated back to her as he stepped forward out of the black shadows of the furthest corner. His right brow arched in the tantalizing way it did when he knew he was onto a winner.
“No,” she confirmed, shaking her head for good measure.
He moved toward her laughing. “You could run, you know,” he went on, his gaze intense as his tall body loomed over her.
Molly blinked up at her captor. Free of her binds at last, she felt bolstered and no longer wanted to call him Master. She could never allow a monster like Connor to master her. “What?”
“You could run,” he affirmed. “If you wanted to? Your stories have always had an element of the cat and mouse about them, haven’t they, pet? I know you’d enjoy that, and if you didn’t already know, I love the thrill of the chase.”
Adrenaline spiked in her body as he spoke. Was he giving her permission to flee from him? Is that why he’d removed the chains? Was this just the latest game he wanted to play?
“Yes,” he answered her, although she was certain she hadn’t spoken the words out loud. “You can run, Molly, but you know if you run, I’m going to chase you, and you know I’m going to catch you.”
Her heart was pounding in her chest as she sat up straight beside him, pinning her wide-eyed gaze onto his. “Why are you saying this?” she mumbled. And how do you know all of this?
His smile widened, and he pulled up a box from nearby, seating himself beside her. “After all this time, pet,” he purred. “Don’t you think I know you by now? I knew you before we’d even met. I know what you’re thinking, Molly. You are quite literally an open book to me.”
She flushed, her head falling forward as though the admission was shameful. She was ashamed, because he was right. He did seem to know her. He knew what she was going to be thinking, what she wanted, and just how to control her. It was freaking infuriating.
“Look at me.” His voice was sterner, having taken on some of the quality which made the knot of anxious energy in her belly tighten. She complied, not wanting to rile the beast in him. Their eyes met, his mesmerizing green orbs utterly compelling. His hand came slowly to her face. Molly flinched out of instinct, but relaxed when he began to caress the side of her face with calm, gentle strokes. “This is your story, pet,” he mused. “Our story. If you want to run, then I am not going to stop you.”
“But you will chase me?” she whispered, her fear furling as simmering arousal at his touch began to flood her system. She knew she shouldn’t crave him, but she found herself leaning into the warmth of his hand. It was like a reflex. Despite the fact this was the same hand that had captured, and tormented her, it was also the hand that had rescued and comforted her – and pleasured her.
Connor’s chuckle resonated deeply inside of Molly’s body. “Of course,” he answered, his fingers tightening in her long dark hair. “I will chase you because you’re mine, pet. You belong to me now, we both know that, don’t we?” He hesitated as though he expected her to speak, but she merely blinked at him. Too terrified to respond. Too afraid of what her answer might be. “Molly?”
The sound of her name made her lips part. It was intimate, fanning the flames of her burgeoning need. “Yes, Master?” she said, her voice barely audible as she confessed the truth.
For a moment they just stared at one another, the admission lingering in the dank air around them.
“But that’s not the only reason I’d chase you,” he went on eventually. “I’d chase you because it’s what you want, Molly, isn’t it?”

The Dark Necessities trilogy continues in the twisted pages of Tamed, released December, 2018, and concludes in the heart-stopping finale, Entwined (due January 2019).

More about Felicity Brandon:

Felicity Brandon is a top 100 Amazon bestselling author.
She loves the darker side of romance, and writes sexy, suspenseful stories, with strong themes of bondage and submission.

You’ll find her either at her laptop, at the gym, or rocking out to her favourite music.

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Book & Main

Claiming Mia by BJ Wane

BJ Wane is here today with her latest book, Claiming Mia. Reviewers are calling this “a great smoking hot story” and “interesting and fast moving, […] a good balance of a mystery and an enjoyable love affair.

She gave him her body and submission, but he wanted more.

Blurb: Newly divorced Mia Reynolds doesn’t like Chief Nolan MacGregor. His arrogance gets under her skin, but it’s her body’s instant reaction every time he levels that cobalt gaze upon her or hints at giving her what he keeps insisting she wants that really gets to her. After her husband’s betrayal, she’s sworn off getting involved with anyone, and certainly isn’t going to trust her fragile heart with the town’s reformed bad boy.
Nolan wants Mia and refuses to let her prickly stubbornness stand in his way. Once he entices her into an affair and shows her the benefits of submitting to him, her off-the-charts responses prove he was right all along – she is the one for him. When his investigation into an illegal drug ring implicates Mia’s business, he never stops believing in her innocence.
When the Feds go around him, Mia refuses to believe he hadn’t been with her just to keep an eye on her and her nursery for proof the drugs were coming in on the trucks carrying her landscaping orders.
Mia’s reluctance to trust Nolan completely lands her in trouble with a drug trafficker and it isn’t until she is kidnapped that she realizes what her insecurities and refusal to let go of the past might have cost her…
Publisher’s note: Claiming Mia, a steamy contemporary romance, contains elements of power exchange. Only suitable for ages 18+.

Buy links: Blushing Books │Amazon

Excerpt

“You want to spank me instead of giving me a ticket?” Mia didn’t know if her stunned disbelief stemmed from outrage at his audacity or the instant pickup of her heart rate which caused her blood to heat in a volcanic rush through her veins at the thought of his large hand connecting with her butt.
“In the worst way,” he admitted with candor, not bothering to hide the truth. Then again, when had he ever held back from letting her know where his interests laid, she bemoaned.
They both heard Mia’s convulsive swallow as she contemplated her choices. It came down to she couldn’t afford an increase in her premiums. A shiver rippled down her spine as he pressed closer and his warm breath tickled her neck when he nipped the tender skin. Okay, maybe the strain on her finances wasn’t the only reason she was giving his suggestion serious consideration. If she could sate her curiosity about the way her body was always so quick to react to his sexual innuendos about putting her over his knee, remarks she never imagined would titillate her before the divorce, maybe she could get him out of her mind once and for all.
Taking a deep, nerve-bracing breath, she muttered in a whisper, “Fine,” as if there might be someone around who could hear her. “I’ll meet you…what?” she gasped, incredulous as he spun her to face the truck and hiked up her skirt. “Here?”
“No time like the present. Don’t worry, Mia, my body is blocking yours, but even if I wasn’t, no one driving by can see back in this far.” With a hard yank, he drew another outraged gasp from her when he tore off her panties.
Warm summer air wafted over her exposed buttocks for the first time in her life, shocking her when the sudden outdoor exposure elicited a thrill of excitement. Before she could grasp the significance of that, he palmed her right cheek and squeezed, the instant pleasure from his touch taking her breath away.
“Just as I thought,” Nolan rasped, bending his head to nip her earlobe. “Soft and malleable. And so very…spankable.” He drew back and slapped the same cheek, a light smack that tingled more than hurt.
Mia shut her eyes against the warm dampness filling her long-neglected pussy, mortified by her response to what should have been an abasing experience. The next swat covered her other cheek and was just as potent as the first. Her tense muscles relaxed, and she was thinking this wasn’t so bad when he delivered a harder smack that jiggled her flesh. A small cry slid past her compressed lips, but he didn’t give her time to balk or complain as he set about peppering her butt with a volley of spanks, alternating between light and hard enough to sting while moving back and forth between her buttocks. A slow warmth enveloped her entire backside, along with small prickles of pain as the slaps grew sharper. Unable to help herself, she lowered her head to rest on her hands braced on the truck and tried to ward off the escalating pulses spreading down to her sheath. A part of her couldn’t believe she was letting him do this and an even more insane part couldn’t fathom the escalating arousal the embarrassment and discomfort added to.
Nolan stopped and caressed her buttocks, the now soothing strokes calming her riotous senses. “I knew you had a submissive streak worth exploring,” he said in a rough tone.

BJ Wane in her own words:

I live in the Midwest with my husband and our dog, a lovable Great Pyrenees/Standard Poodle. I love dogs, enjoy spending time with my daughter, babysitting dogs and kids, reading and working puzzles. We have traveled extensively throughout the States, Canada and just once overseas, but I now prefer being a homebody. I worked for a while writing articles for a local magazine but soon found my interest in writing for myself peaking. My first book was strictly spanking erotica, but I slowly evolved to writing erotic spanking romance with a touch of suspense. My favorite genre to read is suspense.

Connect with BJ Wane:

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3420232.B_J_Wane

bjwane@cox.net

http://bjwane.blogspot.com/

https://twitter.com/bj_wane

https://www.facebook.com/bj.wane

https://www.facebook.com/BJWaneAuthor

Fear's Whisper by Poppy Flynn

Poppy Flynn’s latest book, Fear’s Whisper, is available now. Early reviews are in and one reader says: “These characters are well-developed, solid and interesting to read about. Get ready for a heart-stopping, tear jerking journey as Charlotte and Jake's story is told by a very talented storyteller, Poppy Flynn.”

Could kink set you free? Come and get hot and sweaty at Club Risqué and find out what turns you on

Blurb:
Charlotte Chapman and Jake Blackwood keep getting thrown together. After twelve years of crushing on the hot businessman she first met as a student at University, Charlotte is more than prepared to see how things progress, but Jake keeps getting cold feet.
When he walks away for the second time, Charlotte decides to explore the BDSM lifestyle that he keeps throwing up as a barrier. But because of a terrible past experience, Jake misinterprets travel journalist Charlotte's interest and believes she is out to scoop a news story at the expense of him and his newly acquired club.
Can she convince him of the truth or will this be the end of what was beginning to be a beautiful relationship at last?
Publisher's Note: Fear’s Whisper, a steamy love story, contains graphic scenes and power exchange. If that is not to your liking, please do not read it.

Buy links: Amazon │Blushing Books │Amazon UK

Excerpt:
It was just so liberating to be lightly bound and following commands. She didn’t have to worry about what to do and what to say, whether she should be reciprocating in some sensual, provocative way that seemed to come naturally to some women, but which she had never understood.
Prior to this experience, sex had always been something awkward and slightly stilted. Like some kind of complicated dance that no-one had shown her the steps to and which she had no chance of following after the music started. So instead of relaxing she fretted and second guessed herself, wondering if she was doing the right thing but feeling like a failure regardless, until she was so stressed that the whole thing became an ordeal to endure until the man she was with got off and she lay there feeling disappointed and vaguely unfulfilled and wondering if that’s all there really was.
But not tonight. Tonight, something magical was happening. Tonight, she felt free; as if someone had waved away the burden of unrealistic expectation and replaced it with the permission to just feel. And boy was she feeling! Every touch, every kiss, every…thing seemed startlingly magnified. This was the closest thing to bliss that Charlotte had ever experienced and intuition was telling her that this time there was certainly more to come. Hopefully her! Yes, definitely her. It would be the first time. Well, not the first time. But the first time with a man. Oh goddesses! What if it didn’t happen. Would Jake be able to tell? What if she disappointed him anyway?
Suddenly Jake bit down on her nipple and the light bolt of pain wrenched her away from her thoughts before he laved at the small hurt and it bloomed into a tingling pleasure.
“You’re thinking so loudly I can hear you,” Jake growled. “Keep it up and I’ll be forced to spank you to take your mind off whatever is winding you up.”
Spank her? Charlotte’s pussy clenched at the thought and she felt her panties dampen some more.
Jake chuckled darkly against her breast. “I don’t think you find that idea too dreadful, do you sweet Charlotte. Would you like to feel my hand warming that pretty ass until it’s all hot and pink and branded with my palm?”
“No”, Charlotte panted. “I mean yes!” Her back arched as Jake bit down tenderly on her other nipple, taking away her ability of coherent thought. “Oh goddesses! I mean, were there two questions there? I can’t think…”
Charlotte could feel the laughter rumbling in Jake’s chest. “That was the idea. Don’t think! Just feel. You were doing such an excellent job of it until your brain kicked in.”

More about Poppy Flynn:

Poppy Flynn was born in Buckinghamshire, UK and moved to Wales at eight years old with parents who wanted to live the 'self-sufficiency' lifestyle.
Today she still lives in rural Wales and is married with six children.

Poppy's love of reading and writing stemmed from her parents’ encouragement and the fact that they didn't have a television in the house.
"When you're surrounded by fields, cows and sheep, no neighbours, no TV and the closest tiny village is four miles away, there's a certain limit to your options, but with books your adventures and your horizons are endless."
– Poppy x

Connect with Poppy Flynn:

Website: www.poppyflynnsaucyauthor.com

amazon.com/author/poppyflynnsaucyauthor

https://poppyflynnbooks.blogspot.com/

https://www.facebook.com/poppy.flynn.355

https://www.facebook.com/clubrisque1/

https://www.instagram.com/poppyflynnbooks/

https://twitter.com/PoppyFlynn1

https://www.pinterest.co.uk/poppyflynnbooks/