Foodie Romance That Will Sear You With Its Heat

First, you need to drop everything and go peek at Amanda Usen's previous foodie romances (the ones that made me fall in love with her writing) - Scrumptious and Luscious. Then, dive into her newest release that will make your mouth water.

The best desserts are worth the wait…
Pastry chef Jenna Cooper crushed hard on playboy chef Roman Gallagher when her older brother brought him home to share their family Christmas six years ago. Now she’s old enough to do something about it, and she won’t take no for an answer—for anything.

Out of the frying pan into the fire…
Roman has one hard and fast rule—don’t sleep where you eat. But he can’t say no to Jenna’s plea for him to help her save her family business. Soon she's working for him, and their scorching chemistry melts Roman’s resistance.

If you can’t stand the heat… Jenna knows Roman has reservations about enjoying the heat between them, but she’s got a plan. She’s going to keep this sexy man so satisfied in—and out—of the kitchen, he won’t regret a thing. But Roman has his own ideas. He wants more than a few hot nights, and he's going to teach Jenna a lesson about playing with fire.

An excerpt from SEDUCING THE PLAYBOY:
She made it sound so simple. It would be easy to give her what she wanted, especially since he wanted it, too. He’d never felt anything as strong as the crushing need hammering at his balls right now. He wanted to believe her more than he wanted to breathe, to eat, or even to take over Gallagher Holdings. But this is Jenna. Despite her bold words and actions, he just couldn’t think of her in terms of no-strings sex. Hadn’t she just admitted to having a crush on him? Crushes weren’t made of quick and dirty; they were made of romance and fantasies. What would she do if he called her bluff?

He knew what she would do if he kept saying no—she’d never quit. She was too used to getting her own way, and there was no doubt in his mind they’d find themselves in this exact situation as soon as she regrouped. How long would he be able to resist? Whether he liked it or not, things had changed between them. But as much as his body was screaming for relief, jumping straight into bed with her felt wrong. Jenna wasn’t a random hookup.

Her lips brushed his ear and coasted over his cheek. By the time she reached his mouth, he had an idea. She wanted to play games? Fine, but they were going to play by his rules. Maybe he couldn’t ignore the chemistry between them, but he could damn well take charge of it. Until he was certain she wanted more than a few kisses to satisfy her teenage fantasies, he wasn’t going to do anything except give her a good long time to think about her choices. Playing games was his forte. He’d hold her hand and kiss her senseless, but that was it. He wasn’t going to jeopardize his relationship with her or her family because she’d gotten it into her head she wanted to sleep with him. After they spent some time together, she’d come to her senses and realize he was nothing like the fantasy guy she’d built him up to be.

He lifted her out of his lap and stood, pressing her against the door. With one hand, he caught her hair and tugged, pulling her head back. When her astonished gaze snapped to his, he bent to capture her lips, and her mouth opened in surprise. He plunged inside, taking possession of her in the way he had been dying to, honestly, no-holds-barred, proving he wanted her as much as she wanted him. It was ridiculous to pretend otherwise when he was hard as a rock.

He raised his head. “Let me get this straight. You want to have sex with me to get me out of your system? So you can go off and marry some guy to be your househusband without regrets, right?”

Her head fell back. “Stop torturing me, Roman.”

“I accept.” He stepped back, grinning. “But I have one condition.”

 .99 for a limited time! Available from AMAZON, BARNES & NOBLE, GOOGLE, iTUNES, and more.

Ava Miles New Release-A Perfect Way To Spend the Long Weekend!

My friend Ava Miles has turned into a writing machine, churning out sweet, romantic books *almost* fast enough to keep all her fans happy. Each one is better than the last, and will warm your heart. Want proof? Here's the tag line that goes with that gorgeous cover on the left: During sunset walks at the dog park, a woman with a mysterious past and a new candidate for mayor move from friends to lovers until her secret threatens to unravel his campaign and their love.

Blurb

Jane Wilcox has a secret. She’s been the incognito poker scout to a rock star poker player dressed as a smoking hot poker babe. Now that role is over, and she’s living in small town Dare Valley, working as a dog walker—or so everyone thinks. Without her Jimmy Choo heels and Prada gowns, she’s trying to find her new sexy Inner Swan and a fairytale romance, but she’s afraid she might have turned back into “Plain Jane” until she meets Matt Hale in the dog park. 

The sexy lawyer has a rambunctious dog that needs her Dog Whisperer skills and slowly they move from friends to lovers. Matt is one of the good guys, a hero, totally boy-next-door material. He’s returned to his hometown after experiencing a tragedy. He was unable to find justice for the woman in his last legal case, and now she’s passed away and given him her dog. He’s vowed to give Henry a good home and right the wrongs in the system, so he’s running for mayor of Dare Valley.

Jane and Matt fall in love during sunset walks in the dog park, but soon Jane’s secret past comes back to haunt her and harms Matt’s bid for mayor. Can Jane and Matt’s love survive the controversy? 

Amazon:http://amzn.to/1giCd9M B&N: http://bit.ly/RRA49I iBooks: http://bit.ly/1fwJbYw

And don't miss the opportunity to scoop up the first book in the series, Nora Roberts Land, for free for a limited time! Amazon: http://amzn.to/1hq88TY

Here's a snippet to get you started:

She smiled as she watched Rufus and Annie walk together in tandem. A true gentleman, Rufus walked slower so Annie, who was much smaller, could keep up. Training them to work together had been easy. All she’d needed to do was what she did with poker. Read books. Studied tape. Observed other players.

A man who was walking toward them stopped so his German shepherd could sniff a bush, and a huge wind gust suddenly crested across the park. Jane braced herself by planting her feet wider and watched in horror as the man’s hair blew off like the wind had scalped him.

What the… Oh my God!

His hair trailed over the snow like sagebrush as the wind continued to gust. He cursed and dropped the leash, running for that brown nest.

And then the man’s dog gave chase.

Jane had to bite her lip to keep herself from laughing out loud. Should she help…catch his hair?

The dog beat the bald man to the toupee and clamped it between his molars. The man tugged on it. Jane almost cried out, “don’t!” because the dog did exactly as she’d expected. It thought the hair tugging was a game. And since he wasn’t leashed, the dog had extra freedom. He ran toward the parking lot with the man’s hair, the owner yelling and giving chase.

Her shoulders started to shake, and she could feel laughter bubbling up. Desperate to hold it in until the owner was out of hearing range, she put one hand to her stomach and watched him. He’d made it all the way to the cars, swearing a blue streak.

Far enough.

She let out a bellowing laugh, which slowly trickled into some serious giggling.

Matthew Hale craned his neck to look at her from where he’d frozen on the path, watching the same thing. Henry was barking, and it almost sounded as if he were laughing too. There was a half smile on Matthew’s face, like he was fighting his own mirth. Their eyes met, and then Henry raced around him with the leash.

“Dammit, Henry!” he called, trying to untangle the red leash in his hand. The dog raced around him again, and the leash went taut around Matthew’s legs.

“Shit.”

And just like that, he fell like a tree struck by lightning. Right in front of her. Henry licked his face, and Matthew shoved him away.

“Get away, you cretin.”

Henry couldn’t go anywhere with the leash so taut, so he started to crawl over his owner.

“Need some help?” Jane asked, still laughing as she and the dogs approached them, secretly delighted she finally had a chance to talk to him. “You look like a damsel in distress.”

Sexy Cowboy New Release!

Today I'm sharing the release of another Carina Press author, Leah Braemel. If you like a sexy cowboy, you need to scoop up this book ASAP!

Jake Grady loves Bull's Hollow ranch and all the challenges and hard work it entails. But the past year hasn't been easy—his father's good name has been tarnished, and new financial problems are threatening to destroy everything the Gradys have built. Performing live under a stage name has become his escape, a way of blowing off some serious steam.

Accountant Paige Reynolds found Jake's guitar-playing alter ego intriguing, but her connection with the real Jake sends her attraction into overdrive. When she's summoned to make order out of the chaotic paper trail at Bull's Hollow, he sets her world a-rocking—both in bed and out. But Paige has a plan; she's determined to create her own path for the future, but is soon left scrambling for firmer ground.

Good news about Jake's potential singing career is followed by the revelation of another family secret, one that has him questioning whether he belongs at Bull's Hollow at all. But leaving the ranch would mean leaving his family…and Paige. How much is he willing to give up for a real shot at fame?

Buy links: Carina Press / Amazon / B&N 

Here's a snippet to get you started:

“Can’t say I’ve ever seen anyone so fascinated over paperwork before.”

With a gasp, Paige swiveled in her chair to find Jake leaning against the door, his eyes twinkling. Her whole body heated up at his lazy grin. “You might as well come in and sit down instead of standing there watching me.”

She’d heard the term ambled before, but Jake had this laid-back confident lazy stroll that amble fit perfectly. He crooked a hip on the desk and stroked her jaw with the back of his knuckles. The simple touch set fire to the breath in her lungs.

“So what’s got you concentrating so hard?’

“I’ve run off some reports so I can compare the receipts to the entries. I’ve already found some discrepancies.” She found the line entry and placed a ruler beneath it, then found the matching receipt. “See how she’s entered two thousand dollars for a gas payment in October? But the receipt,”

“…is for two hundred.” Jake leaned over her shoulder, the scent of earth and horse and man strangely enticing. “Damn, it’s that simple?”

“Yes.” If his mother had been carefully checking the entries she should have caught the error, but she didn’t point that out. Then again, the receipt was dated October. That would have been around the time Ed Grady had been killed. Had the bookkeeper deliberately counted on Cissy’s grief to distract her from paying close attention to the books?

She glanced up to find him looking at her, not the papers spread out on the desk. “What?”

“Nothin’. Just admirin’ the view.”

Heat blossomed in the wake of the finger he dragged along her jaw. Her breath caught and she had to press her thighs together when he traced the curve of her ear.

She rested her chin on her palm. “Do you ever wish you weren’t a rancher’s son? I mean the pressure to stay on the ranch, knowing you were going to inherit it must have been intense.”

“I like it here. I like being busy. Oh sure I had the usual dreams of being in the rodeo when I was a kid. Then I got thrown from a horse and decided those guys were nuts to get back up. And there was a time where I was convinced I was Spiderman. Until the string I coated with superglue as a spider web didn’t stick to the beams and I busted my ass falling out of the hay loft. I think at one point I wanted to be a jet pilot, too, but that didn’t last long.”

“What convinced you not to go for it? You discover you got airsick?”

“Nope. I got my first guitar.” His grin widened, deepening his dimples. My God, it wasn’t fair that a man had dimples that deep. Her breath caught as his smile widened. She’d heard of how a smile could reach a person’s eyes but had never seen it. Until now. Jake’s whole face brightened, his eyes gleamed. It was like he was changing into someone else right in front of her eyes.

A Sexily Sweet Contemporary Release You Won't Want To Miss!

I'm thrilled to announce that my talented friend and YA author Lea Nolan is sharing that talent with more readers by releasing a contemporary book today!

Burned by love and grieving over his brother’s death, sexy billionaire CEO Carter Anderson wants nothing more than to protect his family. So when beautiful and unassuming physical therapist Gwen Radley shows up at the funeral, pregnant with his brother’s baby, Carter’s certain she wants an interest in the Anderson empire—and both his suspicion and attraction grow when circumstances force Gwen to move into his family’s mansion.

An orphan, Gwen’s never wanted anything more than a family, and she finds in the Andersons a place she and her baby might belong. When Gwen’s therapy expertise leads to long hours of intense, late-night collaboration on a lucrative project, the attraction between her and Carter leads to a night of white-hot passion. But Carter’s distrust remains, leading them both to wonder if he will ever embrace his brother’s baby—or the love that’s blooming between them.

Here's a sneak peek for you:

“You like it.” Gwen teased with a laugh, her bright green eyes sparkling. They were beautiful. Though not nearly as beautiful as she. Feeling his resolve slip a notch, he breathed deep, inhaling her sweet perfume. Perhaps admitting his attraction, if only to himself, wouldn’t be the end of the world. In fact, it might make it easier to enact his plan. Even though she was already proving to be a giant pain in the ass.

Refusing to admit defeat, he shrugged. “It’s okay.”

She huffed. “That falafel sandwich is better than okay and you know it. I saw your eyes close when you took that bite. It’s a slice of heaven. You were savoring it.”

He chuckled as he swallowed a long swig of soda. “Okay, you got me. It’s great. And I was wrong.” He tilted his head.

“Happy now?”

“Yup.” She nodded. “See, that wasn’t so hard, was it? Your first impression isn’t always correct. Sometimes, it’s exactly the opposite of what you assume.” She propped her elbow on the back of the bench.

It was obvious she was talking about more than fried chick peas. As if introducing him to a Middle Eastern sandwich was supposed to allay his suspicions about her motives for announcing her pregnancy and encamping in River View. Irritation flickered in his gut, threatening to sour the delicious food he’d just eaten. They’d been getting along fine. Why did she have to open that entrancing mouth

of hers and remind him of his misgivings? Well, two could play at that game. He angled toward her. “I suppose that’s true. Though my gut has generally served me well.” He took another bite.

“Not in this case.” Her gaze locked on his for a moment before she glanced at his half-eaten sandwich. “You love falafel.”

He swallowed. “I do. But I hate other things.” He nudged closer, silently daring her to ask what it was that he despised. Because if she did, he might be tempted to forget his plan and show her just how loose he could be, giving her an earful about how wrong it was to steal a man’s company out from under him, then force the proxy papers on her right here and now.

A soft breeze blew, carrying her peaches and cream scent past his nose. Luscious, he wanted to taste it. Reminding himself of his mission and its importance, he searched her flawless, porcelain skin, then flashed back to when he’d caught her lithe body in his arms. His hands remembered the feel of her flesh, soft yet toned, and how beautiful and vulnerable she was in his embrace. Arousal sprang in his

core.

She was tempting, no doubt, but below that beguiling exterior lay the heart of a woman like any other. One who couldn’t be trusted because she would, indisputably, exploit you and rip out your heart. In that instant, he both loathed and desired her. A perplexing combination, no doubt brought on by her good looks, proximity, and the challenge she presented. He’d go along, maybe even allow himself to

enjoy the hunt, but ultimately, she’d be no match for him.

Taking a deep breath, her eyes flitted to his mouth. “I hate things, too.” She edged closer.

Was it going to be this easy to kiss her? He’d expected her to feign at least some token resistance, put up the pretense that Ben had meant something to her, but obviously she realized where the Anderson bread was buttered. She wanted him, bad. He might as well help her along.

Bending toward her, he closed his eyes and parted his lips.

Grab your copy at: Amazon: http://tinyurl.com/nrfhuyh *Barnes and Noble: http://tinyurl.com/kvfqzd7

Kobo: http://tinyurl.com/khetzt3 * iTunes: http://tinyurl.com/m7779kq