Second chance romance

May as well dream big!

My novella, His To Claim, was part of the anthology Kisses & Kink, released in June 2022 (no longer available). The common denominator shared by the stories in that collection was the setting. The stories took place on cruise ships.
With no more than that to go, I let my imagination loose.
I didn’t see one ship. I saw three.
The first was a catamaran around the Great Barrier Reef in Australia. I’ve done that trip so I didn’t need to do a lot of research for part I of my book. The catamaran I sailed on hosted 10 guests and was run by 3 onboard staff.
The second part took place on a ship more like the ones that come to mind when someone says ‘cruise ship’ - a floating village, population just under 5,000 (3,500 guests & 1,300 staff). I’ve seen these giants from land but I’ve never been on one so I had to research how they operate.
The final ship in my story was based on the National Geographic ships, which are a fraction of the size of the big liners, carrying as few as 60-120 passengers. Being so much smaller, they can explore points where the big ships can’t go.
All of that left me with a fascination about cruise ships and the pampering they offer. This past week I came across this article from the Miami Herald, written by Anna Jean Kaiser. Prepare to enter another dimension.

Here are some of the highlights of the article in case you missed it:
With the help of Miami cruise industry veterans, the Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts is entering the luxury cruise business with a high-end, 95-suite mega yacht slated to hit the ocean in 2025.
“This is going to be an extraordinary, unique, hybrid product. It has no equal — there is no such animal in cruising and nothing like it in yachting,” said Four Seasons Yachts CEO Larry Pimentel, a Miami cruise executive with decades of experience running luxury cruise ships, including Carnival Corporation’s Seabourn and Azamara, formerly part of the Royal Caribbean family.
“I was tasked with creating the best product at sea; it’s a tall order, but an exciting one,” he said, explaining that he was told not to create a cruise ship or a copy of a yacht. “We created our own vision of what the best product at sea could be.”
Four Seasons Yachts, whose corporate headquarters is in Miami, will be a three-ship fleet, with the first yacht debuting in November 2025, the second in 2026 and the third in 2027. Italian ship builder Fincantieri is building the yachts, which will cost a combined $1.2 billion. The first ship will cost a staggering $4.2 million per suite to build and have room for about 200 passengers.

Four Seasons’ cabins won’t be your average cruise ship suites. Starting at 590 square feet, some suites will have modular walls for families and groups to combine rooms. Some will have their own swimming pools and certain ones will have attached “staff cabins” for guests who have security guards, caretakers or nannies accompanying them. The largest cabin will be the “funnel suite,” a 9,600-square-foot, four-story suite with glass walls facing the ocean.
The yacht will come with 11 bars and restaurants, a spa and fitness center. The yacht’s main swimming pool floor will be able to rise up, spilling the water out and creating a flat space for shows, events and weddings.
[…]

The Four Season’s seafaring venture comes as competing luxury hotelier Ritz-Carlton debuted its first luxury yacht in October. But Pimentel and Levine say, while they think the Ritz-Carlton yacht will do well, they believe their Four Seasons ships cater to a different, higher-paying clientele. They also pointed out that the Ritz-Carlton’s yachting line is a licensing agreement, unlike their partnership.
Pimentel and Levine say it’s too early to share details on the cost of sailing on a Four Seasons yacht, but said it will be comparable to the pricing at Four Seasons hotels and resorts.
When completed in late 2025, the first yacht will sail the Mediterranean in the summer and the Caribbean in the winter. But you’re less likely to see the Four Seasons yachts in the traditional cruise mega ports, where thousands of passengers are unloaded onto an island for a few hours or a day.
“You will not see us in those ports,” Levine said. “We are a yacht, a mega yacht. We’ll be visiting smaller, less accessible ports around the Caribbean. On a cruise, the cruise [line] tells you what you’re gonna do. On Four Seasons Yachts, you tell us what you’d like to do.”
Read the full article here.

Would you like to take a cruise on one of these floating luxury palaces? How big can you dream?

#Saturday spankings - constant craving

Thanks for joining the writers on the Saturday Spanking blog hop.

This weekend I’m sharing bits from Trusting Ingrid.

Ingrid has spent her entire life looking after number one. Charming when she needs to be, she can lie more persuasively than an Academy-award winning actor. After all, society’s rules don’t apply to her.

If her outrageous behavior made her happy, it wouldn’t be so bad. But she’s a desperate woman, wrestling with alcoholism and not winning the battle.

In this scene, she had just accepted Lachlan’s offer to help her get her life on track.

Lachlan, a man with a commitment to rehabilitating feral, frightened creatures, is taking her in hand. This is her first spanking.

From Trusting Ingrid, book 3 in the Romancing the Coast series:

Lachlan shimmied his right hand under Ingrid’s hips, forcing her bottom in the air before cramming a pillow under to hold her backside high.

“You have a beautiful ass,” he said.

Ingrid relaxed at the compliment, not expecting the fierce smack that followed. It echoed in the room, for a second drowning out the sound of the fire.

She yelped as the pain sank in. A second stroke followed. Then another, more intense with a sharper bite. The amount of burn he could deliver with his wide palm and long fingers defied belief. He must be using an implement she hadn’t seen. Surely a man’s simple hand couldn’t hurt so much.

She gulped. “No.”

Lachlan stopped. “Those weren’t strong enough to hurt a fly, which is why the color of your bottom will be the deciding factor of when you’ve had enough.”

He sounded amused, as if he was nothing more than a masseuse working through a stubborn knot in a muscle.

“If I listened to your complaints, I’m sure I’d have to stop after a few strokes.”

The air stuck in Ingrid’s lungs as she braced herself for what was coming next.

One smack followed another after that, so closely paced, it was impossible to know where the pain from one ended, and the next one began. Ingrid wheezed from the shock and sting. The pre-heating in front of the fire now magnified every stroke as Lachlan’s hand fell relentlessly on her bottom. First one cheek, then the other. Then what felt like a dozen on one side before a dozen more on the other. She wriggled and danced on his lap, reaching back to stop him. He pinned her hands to the small of her back without breaking the pace of the punishment.

She wanted it. She hated it. She wanted him in control like that. She wanted to be helpless, to surrender to his will. She craved the lack of control.

Buy link – Amazon

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#Saturday Spankings - the first time

To paraphrase Elton John, Saturday’s alright for spanking. Thanks for joining me and the other writers on the Saturday Spanking blog hop.

My excerpt is from my latest book Trusting Ingrid.

Ingrid has spent her entire life looking after number one. Charming when she needs to be, she can lie more persuasively than an Academy-award winning actor. After all, society’s rules don’t apply to her.

If her outrageous behavior made her happy, it wouldn’t be so bad. But she’s a desperate woman, wrestling with alcoholism and not winning the battle.

In this scene, she had just accepted Lachlan’s offer to help her get her life on track.

Lachlan, a man with a commitment to rehabilitating feral, frightened creatures, intends to take her in hand.

He’s about to spank her for the first time.

From Trusting Ingrid, book 3 in the Romancing the Coast series:

“Take off your jeans and panties. Now. Then assume the position. Don’t make me ask you twice.”

Ingrid took off her clothes, laying her jeans on the sofa, topped with her small black panties. She was glad she’d shaved her mons that morning. It was almost naked but not in a trying-too-hard or a knew-we-would-get-here way.

His eyes dilated as he looked at her. He cupped his hand over the mound. His forefinger explored between her folds. She moaned.

He chuckled. “Seems like you’re ready for more than a spanking. Let’s get on with it. First, the preparation stage.” He helped her kneel with her round bottom cheeks pointing toward the fire. As instructed, she rested her head on the ottoman, facing him.

As much as the heat from the fire stirred her desire, she hated the sense of being on display, ready for his inspection, whatever that might involve. Her emotions cartwheeled between hunger for the spanking and a conflicting, deep sense of shame for wanting it.

He stayed crouched beside her, stroking her hair. “Do you know why you are being spanked tonight?”

Buy link – Amazon

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#SaturdaySpankings - the schedule

Welcome to the Saturday Spanking blog where every week we look at who is in the naughty corner.

I hope you enjoy this excerpt from my latest book Trusting Ingrid.

Ingrid has spent her entire life looking after number one. Charming when she needs to be, she can lie more persuasively than an Academy-award winning actor. After all, society’s rules don’t apply to her.

If her outrageous behavior made her happy, it wouldn’t be so bad. But she’s a desperately unhappy woman, wrestling with alcoholism and not winning the battle.

In this scene, she had just accepted Lachlan’s offer to help her get her life on track.

Lachlan, a man with a commitment to rehabilitating feral, frightened creatures, intends to take her in hand.

From Trusting Ingrid, book 3 in the Romancing the Coast series:

“I’m going to spank you tonight. That much you’ve figured out already, right?” Lachlan asked, although it wasn’t really a question.

She nodded hesitantly.

“What you may not realize is that I consider your problems, your bad behaviors, to be long term, entrenched habits that can only be broken and rebuilt over a period of time, with regular and consistent correction.”

Ingrid froze. “Period of time? What does that mean? What is consistent correction?”

“The initial period will be a month. For the next four weeks you will be spanked at least once a day.”

Ingrid gasped. “No!”

“Yes” Lachlan kissed her neck.

With his warm lips caressing her skin, her determination to resist him weakened. She protested feebly, “That’s too much.”

“It’s barely a start, considering some of the things you’ve done. The spankings aren’t the only important thing. Far more important is your submission. That will tell me that you know you need to change, that you consent to my direction for the process.”

“At least once a day?” She hated the timidity in her voice.

“Once a day to pay for old sins. More than that for new offences. You’re lucky. Today you’re only going to be punished for today’s wrongdoing.”

Buy link – Amazon

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#SaturdaySpankings - a challenge for Lachlan

Welcome to the Saturday Spankings blog hop where some of your favourite writers share their work. Today I'm sharing Trusting Ingrid.

Ingrid is incredible in the old-fashioned sense of the world – almost beyond belief.

She has spent her entire life looking after number one. Charming when she needs to be, she can lie more persuasively than an Academy-award winning actor. After all, society’s rules don’t apply to her.

If all this made her happy, it wouldn’t be so bad. But she’s a desperately unhappy woman, wrestling with alcoholism and not winning the battle.

Enter Lachlan, a man with a commitment to rescuing feral, frightened creatures.

From Trusting Ingrid, book 3 in the Romancing the Coast series:

Ingrid melted against Lachlan, driving her long powerful thighs against his. She was hungry, her need at least as great as his. He could feel it in the heat pouring from every cell in her body.

Then she shut herself down.

She wanted control, a power-exchange game he knew well. 

What does a control freak need the most? Someone to take over the helm for a while. When he told her he’d spank her, he’d swept his hand over her breast. Sure enough, her nipple had hardened at his words. That was all he needed to know. Even if she said she wouldn’t pick him up at the airport, he’d come back here anyway. She wasn’t going to get away that easily.

The biggest challenge with Ingrid would be reading her true desire. Even if she said she was direct, sex was never that simple. Lachlan’s type of sex was even more precarious. He’d have to get her consent without her conceding any sort of defeat.

Conquering a woman of Ingrid’s complex combination of strength and frailty would be like walking through a minefield. He couldn’t wait to get back to her.

Buy link – Amazon

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#SaturdaySpankings - Incredible Ingrid

Ingrid is incredible in the old-fashioned sense of the world – almost beyond belief.

She has spent her entire life looking after number one. Charming when she needs to be, Ingrid can lie more persuasively than an Academy-award winning actor. After all, society’s rules don’t apply to her.

If all this made her happy, it wouldn’t be so bad. But she’s a desperate woman, wrestling with alcoholism and not winning the battle.

Enter Lachlan, a man with a fondness for rescuing feral, frightened creatures. The first time they are alone (edited for brevity):

He pushed his fist into her hair, guiding her closer to meet in a kiss. His lips parted as they met hers. His tongue tasted of chocolate, whipped cream, and sweet strawberries. She sucked it hungrily.

Her heart pounded. Her temperature soared. This was exactly what she’d wanted – craved – since the moment she’d seen him.

When his breathing became ragged and urgent she wrenched away. “You’ve got to go to work,” she said.

He cupped her chin with his hand. “Are you a cockteaser, angel?” His eyes glinted with amusement.

“Of course not.” She smoothed her hair, walking away from him with an exaggerated swing of her hips. “That would be rude.” She breathed slowly, willing her body to cool down.

“That wouldn’t just be rude. It might get your backside tanned.”

Buy link – Amazon

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New release: Trusting Ingrid

My road trip has drawn to a happy conclusion and I’m home again. Just in time to share the news that Trusting Ingrid, book 3 in the Romancing the Coast series is out now.

Ingrid has been expecting to have this conversation her entire life. She’s skated on the edge of the law for so long, she’s always expected to have it with a judge or prison warden.

Blurb:

Ingrid Nickel doesn’t want to go into rehab. Again. She tried it once but it didn’t work.

When she meets Lachlan Morrison, the connection is electric. She sees a handsome man, directing and challenging, who won’t be intimidated by a powerful woman like her. He sees a woman whose bluster and sarcasm is a cover for something deep inside her that is badly broken.

The daughter of a grifter, Ingrid has grown up street-wise and lawless. Lachlan has rescued more than one creature whose bark was worse than its bite.

Will his stern, loving magic work on Ingrid?

Publishers note: Although loosely part of a series, Trusting Ingrid, a spicy romance can be read as a stand alone story. It includes scenes of domestic discipline and power exchanges.

Buy link: Amazon

Trusting Ingrid.jpg

Excerpt:

The newsreaders said the rain was part of an atmospheric river that would pass in twenty-four, maybe thirty-six, hours but Lachlan insisted they walk Cotter regardless.

“A dog like that needs lots of exercise,” he said.

Ingrid trudged along silently, unable to talk to Lachlan because they were both hunched under their hoods, deafened by the hammering downpour. In those drenched miles, Ingrid learned what it would be like to walk along a riverbed, with water constantly washing over her. By the time they were home, she was chilled, tired, and in a mood darker than the skies above. She decided to get the next bad part of the day over with, sending Lachlan the usual text.

He found her in the bedroom, playing poker on her iPad.

Without looking at him she said, “Guess what? I’m too tired for a spanking.”

He sat beside her. “Guess what? You’re getting one anyway.”

He took the iPad out of her hands and wrestled her to her feet in front of him. She stood, stubbornly not looking at him. He tried to pull her leggings and panties down. She locked her legs together, pressing her lips into a thin line, her jaw set.

“You want to make this last longer, do you?” he asked. “Because I’ve got the rest of the afternoon free. If my hand gets tired, I have a belt. You decide.”

Her eyes met his. She blinked before pulling her own pants down. She was barely across his lap when he started to spank her. Hard. He spanked her quickly, efficiently, with more force that he’d ever used before. Within seconds she forgot the rain, she forgot being embarrassed by having to ask for a spanking. She forgot everything but the river of pain being delivered to her backside. By reflex she cried for him to stop, even though she knew he wouldn’t. Every ounce of willpower she possessed was devoted to not breaking the position on his lap, even though she knew she was strong enough to get away if she wanted to.

Lachlan wasn’t a caveman dragging her by her hair to a beating because she was helpless to resist. She was physically strong. She was mentally devious. She could scream loud enough to wake the dead if she wanted to. In short, she could get up and walk away. And then what? Try to find someone else as sexy, as affectionate, as caring as Lachlan?

Impossible.

Besides, the idea of the spankings turned her on. The reality of them scared her. But they didn’t last forever and he was always so gentle after.

When the spanking stopped that afternoon, she burst to her feet like a diver coming up for air. Grateful for his determination to spank her, to not let her weasel her way out of what they both knew she needed, she wrapped her arms around his neck. Kissing the top of his head, she said, “Thank you."

#SatSpanks - Initiation

Proud and self-reliant Cynthia Donohue is about to be spanked for the first time (abridged):

Antony tapped his knee. “Assume the position.”

Cynthia bit the inside of her cheek, ready to cry from humiliation more than anything else, unable to move.

“I’m waiting.”

“I’m scared.” Her words came out in dry puffs.

“You should be. But it won’t kill you. It may make you stronger.”

“You don’t understand, I haven’t been with a man since…huh…I dunno. I’ve never had my bottom on display like you’re doing now.”

“First of all, I’m not doing anything. Yet. You’re the one who is going to present herself to me as a sign of good faith, of your consent. You’re going to show me that you trust me, that you accept my leadership. I fell in love with your intelligence and humor well before I started to admire your body.”

Still she didn’t move.

Buy link – Amazon

Ronnie Doyle (from Seeing Ronnie) interviews Antony Jacobson about his relationship with Cynthia in this exclusive blog post on the Blushing Books’ site: Holding Cynthia - blog. 

Don’t miss these other great books & stories from me and Blushing Books:

Romancing the Coast series:

Seeing Ronnie, (book) 1

Simon in Charge series –

Simon in Charge – 3 book box set

Or buy the books individually (available for free on Kindle Unlimited)

Simon Says

Winning Sadie (book 2) – also available on Audible

Sadie Says I Do (book 3)

Short story:

A Prairie Promise (in the A Spanking Good New Year anthology from Blushing Books)

Please join these other bloggers for more un-put-downable spanking fiction:

#SatSpanks - the first lesson

My book, Holding Cynthia is about independent, willful Cynthia who is falling love with Antony, all too quickly. Last week he announced that he was going to spank her for disobeying an order. The conversation continues (edited):

His words hung in the air between them like a sudden frost.

Her mouth was chalk dry. “Spank me?”

“Yes, spank you. Bare your bottom and turn you over my knee. When you disobey me, I will punish you in the good, old-fashioned way. Do you understand?” His voice was level, calm. Most of all it was authoritative.

“What? You think I’m going to just submit to that?” Even as she asked the question her pussy clenched with desire and her fingers itched to touch him, to say yes with caresses. She wanted her body to consent so she wouldn’t have to say the words out loud.

“That is exactly what I think.” He didn’t wait for her to answer. “I’m going to spank you, gently this time because you’re new to the practice.

Buy link – Amazon

Ronnie Doyle (from Seeing Ronnie) interviews Antony Jacobson about his relationship with Cynthia in this exclusive blog post on the Blushing Books’ site: Holding Cynthia - blog. 

Don’t miss these other great books & stories from me and Blushing Books:

Romancing the Coast series:

Seeing Ronnie, (book) 1

Simon in Charge series –

Simon in Charge – 3 book box set

Or buy the books individually (available for free on Kindle Unlimited)

Simon Says

Winning Sadie (book 2) – also available on Audible

Sadie Says I Do (book 3)

Short story:

A Prairie Promise (in the A Spanking Good New Year anthology from Blushing Books)

Please join these other bloggers for more steamy spanking fiction: