What's In My Beach Bag #23

What's In My Beach Bag will be a weekly post about all the books & other goodies that I've bought, borrowed or won! 

 

*Click on photos to enlarge*

RECEIVED FOR REVIEW

(Click on covers to take you to Goodreads)

 

♥Thanks to Tara @ Entangled Publishing for Speaking of Love by Ophelia London.
♥Thanks to Sarah @ Entangled Publishing for Keeping Secrets in Seattle by Brooke Moss.
♥Thanks to Jess Michaels for Her Perfect Match.

WINNER, WINNER CHICKEN DINNER

 

♥Thanks to Victoria Danann for The Order of the Black Swan Collected Tales: Books 1-3 (Hearts of Fire Giveaway)

♥Thanks to Alisha Paige (Ruby Vine) for My Little Texas Tornado (won over @ LilyElement)

♥I won...

• Raised by Wolves by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
• Dangerous Angels by Francesca Lia Block
• Ghost Hunt 2 (ARC) by James Hawes and Grant Wilson 

from Lisa over @ A Life Bound by Books from her & Jessica's (Confessions of a Bookaholic) Haunted Halloween Cover Contest where my cover took 4th place. Thanks for the books ladies! 

Well, that's it for my haul! Hope y'all enjoyed it :) Did you get anything awesome?

Guest Post + Giveaway w/ Jess Michaels

Hello there! Thanks for stopping by the blog! Today we have the awesome and talented author Jess Michaels! She will be taking over the blog for the day! So make her feel welcome :p 

     First I’d like to say thanks to Ana for letting me be a part of her blog today! If you have no idea who I am at this point, I write erotic historical romance set in the Regency period. I love alpha males and strong female characters who I’d like to be friends with. And lots and lots of steamy stuff.

     Now Ana actually gave me a topic, so I’m going to post the questions she asked because I’d love to answer them directly. :)

What's your take on smut in books? Is it easy to get down and write those steamy scenes? Are they as steamy as you imagined them in your head? And of course, do you have someone that reads them before you let them get shipped to the printers?

     So I guess I’ve never considered my book to be smut. Like porn, I‘ve always considered “smut” to be a bunch of sex without a story. Not a bad thing, but not really something that sticks with you. I write erotic romance. To me that means I’m still telling a story of two characters, but they may have a sexual conflict that is strong enough that it is a driving force in their book. In AN INTRODUCTION TO PLEASURE, my bestselling first book in my Mistress Matchmaker series, my heroine is being trained sexually by the hero. So yeah, they’re going to get it on, but there’s still a lot of story there between the love scenes.

     As for writing, I’m not sure any of it is easy. Sometimes sex scenes come a lot easier than other times. I don’t have to ‘get in the mood’ or anything because it’s my job. This is what I do.  Lucky me.  But I’m always trying to use every scene I write, sex or not, to forward the plot, the character development or the tension. If I can do all three, then I’m super happy. I’m never writing sex just for the sake of sex and I hope I’m writing love scenes that readers can’t skip.

     There is some discomfort, of course that comes with question number three. I am published, and have an editor, so she always reads my books before they hit shelves. In fact she reads them multiple times. There is also a copyeditor who reads them to catch any final mistakes. It is a little weird when someone makes a comment or correction in a love scene. It really does hit home that someone is READING this. But the panic subsides and after almost 40 books (many of them very sexy), the idea that people are reading my books isn’t as shocking to me as it once was.

     Sexy books are fun! They are fun to write, they should be fun to read. 50 Shades definitely didn’t invent this genre of erotic fiction and I hope readers will give the rest of the talented authors in erotic romance a chance to show you what WE’RE working with.

     Thanks again for having me! :)

Concluding this post, Jess is throwing in a giveaway! *happy dancing here* what's up for grabs you ask? ONE lucky winner will get the chance to win a PAPERBACK copy of Nothing Denied (Book #3 in the Albright Sisters series) by Jess Michaels

<a href="http://www.beachbumreads.com/2013/02/JMichaelsGuestPostGiveaway.html" target="_blank"> <img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRtGDUKhX_qNnBn-EUGHc693ZfhmtQeRZg6qXaCu8pXDn5n0GyDB9XLpQo36XhiK_uO0H_glpoCgMYQzaOXupoz0mfC7rh18eYKkFXnwBd7Ijn-v1BaHHS6Yca81y0UW38GoI1f0RMG1cq/s1600/JMichaelsGiveaway.png" /></a>
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Good luck!

Jess Michaels always likes the "good parts" when she reads romance, so it makes sense that she writes erotic books. She is a nationally bestselling and award-winning author of nearly 40 novels and novellas. When not writing, she enjoys being a geek, designing jewelry and trying to keep the cats from scratching the furniture. She lives in Tucson with her husband.

Jess Michaels is a pseudonym for author Jenna Petersen (historical romance) and author Jesse Petersen (urban fantasy)

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Review: For Desire Alone by Jess Michaels

*Received in exchange for an honest review*

For Desire Alone
(Book #2 in the Mistress Matchmaker series) 
Amazon | Goodreads | BN
Author: Jess Michaels
Publisher: Samhain Publishing (November 6, 2012)
Genre: Adult, Historical Romance, 207 pages
ASIN: B009AZ3IB4
My Copy: eBook

SUMMARY:

Behind their passion lurks a dark truth that could destroy their love.

Mistress Matchmaker, Book 2

A mistress should never be foolish enough to fall in love with her protector, nor trust him with her financial future. Mariah Desmond did both, and now her dearly departed protector has left her with nothing.

Forced to seek another protector, she’s determined that this time, she’ll lead with her survival instinct—not her heart. But when she attends one of Vivien Manning’s infamous parties, the familiar face of her late lover’s best friend throws her for a loop.

A painful past taught John Rycroft that he’s not fit to be anyone’s knight in shining armor. His soft spot—make that a hard spot—for Mariah is precisely why he’s kept his distance. Yet the sight of her flirting with a bevy of men vying to become her next lover makes something inside him snap.

As John hauls her bodily away from her suitors, Mariah’s indignation melts away in the heat of the sizzling sexual chemistry. She quickly finds it isn’t easy to navigate John’s stormy emotional waters. Especially when his abusive father’s quest to get his son back under his thumb puts her life in danger.

Product Warnings
Contains intensely sexy scenes of two people falling into bed (a lot) and in love.

MY REVIEW:

Checklist of things you will need before starting this book:

• Fan (preferably on full blast)
• AC (again on full blast)
• Windows (open) 
• Empty room (with doors locked) NO INTERRUPTIONS!

Okay, you all settled? GREAT! Let's get started... Jess Michaels takes you back into a time where carriages were the bomb and whoever had the biggest poofy dress was also the bomb. Jess takes you on the journey of the life of a mistress. And Mariah Desmond is said mistress' name. (pretty name, que no?)  Mariah has just lost her protector and he has left nothing for her (mhm. no money, no home. zip, nada, zilch!) and she is forced to look for another protector before she uses up what  little funds she has left. 

Whilst on her journey to find another protector, Mariah finds herself having a very lust filled affair with John Rycroft, whom was her last protectors best friend. Weird? Somewhat. But these two can't help the feelings of lust that is building within them and soon to be more? But wait! John has his own issues which keeps him at bay (at least in the heart pouring, sweep you off your feet, prince charming kind of way). Sexually? No problem, he can handle that with his hands tied behind his back. John is finding it more and more hard to conceal his feelings for Miss Mariah and when a person from his past comes bangin' on doors and threatens her life, John pushes aside his feelings and drops a proposition into the unknowing Mariah's lap to help better guard her life. 

For Desire Alone was a damned good read. Seriously. I absolutely loved Mariah and Johns characters as well as a few minor characters that were mentioned in the book as well. The sexual content is definitely there between these two. Fulfilling each other is, without a doubt, a piece of cake. Feelings wise? It's a bit more complicated. Mariah isn't willing to lay down her heart and let it get stomped on. Oh, no. She's done with that, or so she thinks. Then you have John who has his own issues and aside from trying to hide his ever showing bulge behind his trousers, he is also trying to fight the deeper feelings that are building within him for the lovely and outspoken Mariah Desmond. The connection between these two is there and it's sizzlin'. (Add a cup of ice water to the above list of things you need before starting this book.)

There wasn't much I didn't like about this book, I thought it flowed really well and the Jess Michaels really kept the story going, building up to events and drawing you in with the words on the page. I would definitely recommend For Desire Alone. All you historical romance fans out there? Mhm, this ones for you! Ooh and it gets pretty damned steamy, so all your erotica lovers, this ones for you too ;) For Desire Alone is the second book in the Mistress Matchmaker series. I was told you can read these as stand alone's. I haven't read the first book, but I can tell you that by reading this book, I was in no way confused or lost. 

MY RATING:

Alpha-Males After Dark #7

Alpha-Males After Dark is a weekly meme hosted during the week (After hours of course) by Ana here @ Beach Bum Reads and Neyra over @ Darkest Addictions. Alpha-Males After Dark is an 18+ meme that has your favorite smutty scene from a book of your choice with your favorite Sezzy Alpha-Male. Following this, you will state why you chose said Sezzy Alpha-Male and that particular hawt & heavy scene. Your post can be as explicit or as conservative as you want. Just spill the deets, you know we will ;)

To join in on all the steamy fun all you have to do is link back up in the link section below and be a follower of both Beach Bum Reads & Darkest Addictions. Have fun! ;)

You can use our meme button above by grabbing the link below or make one of your own ^_^

<img_proxy_proxy_proxy_proxy_proxy_proxy_proxy src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUBgt0ikEjMZBEbhAaJa74Kn4BbXAvehWnL0AobAYddNTGWfITn3pKwofapV6QylQabbR9J-kq3sQP5ZJp2B7iPN-I12RATVLFS7z3wu35JRa6fwSI_IxmNFy6ej1WuiqXXBeacRKVJNFq/s1600/AlphaMalesAfterDark.png">

Welcome back to another week of AMAD! This week I chose John from For Desire Alone by Jess Michaels. This week is going to be a bit different. Neyra & I have decided to do a "Twin Post" for this weeks AMAD. How this came about? Well, Neyra and I were buddy reading on her computer (because she asked me a question that I will not reveal to your innocent eyes LMBO). Yes, we read sezzy books together xD So... we chose John because he exudes ALPHA MALE! We even tweeted about his sezzy self while we were reading... literally stopped to tweet ;)

We chose this specific scene.... because.... it's hawt. xD John can't get Mariah out of his head and rubs one out ;) Freakin' hawt right? We thought so ^_^ Without further ado, I give you John & his cock ;)

   John sprawled across his bed…alone. He didn’t think he’d spent a night alone in two years, and now it had been three. Three since he had plunged his cock deep within Mariah’s trembling pussy and made her scream his name.

   Somehow the idea of any other woman now seemed stale and troublesome.

   He stared at the canopy above his bed. Normally, he took a woman and never thought of her again. It wasn’t that he didn’t repeat pleasure. Certainly there had been lovers he revisited from time to time. But never twice in a row.

   And yet all he wanted was Mariah. He wanted to spread her naked on his bed. He wanted to take her in a bath scented by roses. He wanted to fill her while they watched others make love at one of Vivien’s most special and secret parties.

   He groaned as his cock sprang to attention at his erotic thoughts. Fuck, but the woman was like a drug. One he had avoided for years. But now that he’d had that little taste…he wanted more.

   He grabbed his cock and stroked as he pictured Mariah, her red hair down around her shoulders, leaning over him with a knowing smile. Owen had occasionally talked about her. How she had certain very sensitive places on her body. Her breasts, for example, which John had not uncovered during their encounter. He had cupped them, though, and could picture them in his mind.

   How he would suck them, bite them, tease them as she writhed beneath him, moaning and begging for more.

   He stroked harder and grunted as pleasure built deep in his loins, increased with every stroke and every thought of her.

   Taking her had been as fantastic as he had always imagined, but in his excitement he had done it too quickly. He could well imagine how incredible it would be to drag that pleasure out. To use all the techniques he knew to make love to her for hours at a time, until she was weak from orgasm after orgasm, until she ached from release and trembled like a virgin on her wedding night.

   Only then would he come. Only then would he find his own pleasure.

   His cock spurted and splashed seed across his stomach and bed sheets and John flopped backward against the pillows with a groan of relief.