I’m very pleased with a couple of reviews I received over the last couple of weeks.
The first is for Bonded by Need from Just Erotic Romance Reviews. TS Peters gave it 4.5 Stars and had this to say …
“Wow! Is there ever a whole lot going on in between these pages. There is the drama of Jayda and her mates as they are forced to come to terms with her duality. There is the intrigue as something killing off both cougar and wolf, threatening the tentative peace. Last but not least, there is some serious shifter sexing! […] Like Jayda I felt a little conflicted over which hero I preferred. They are both so strong and supportive, while at the same time stubborn to the point of immaturity at times. Cole is the outspoken, demanding one that takes what he wants and never lets go. Zane on the other hand is sensitive and easy-going and they actually balance each other well. This one kept me on the edge of my seat as I waited to see what would happen next. It was refreshing seeing Jayda come into her own as an alpha shifter. If you want a book that will keep your heart racing, you will enjoy Bonded by Need.”
The second review I found is for a novella that’s been out for over a year, Arranging Love, the third book in the Tilling Passions series.
The reviewer at Passionate Reviews had this to say …
“The story had me completely. I rooted for Meghan, booed Peter, and tried to figure out who was trying to kill Meghan. Add to that the sick Tilling patriarch, the Tilling mother who was always being consoled by the doctor and one Mistress Crystal who is stalking Peter. Oh, my.
‘Arranging Love’ is a beautifully orchestrated story. There are twists and turns that have you guessing from the first chapter. I know I will be reading more about this fascinating family.”
Also, I just wanted to remind you that the contest I’ve been holding on my website will be coming to an end at midnight, September 30. It’s an easy peasy contest to win a handbag full of goodies …
Entering is easy peasy. Just visit my website find the contest page, read an excerpt and email me the answer to a question. A winner will be drawn Oct. 1.
This excerpt is from Arranging Love, the third book in the Tilling Passions series. Meghan and Peter are engaged, but looking for something just a little hotter …
Meghan held Peter’s gift in her lap, sipping at the wine, which was going down faster than she’d anticipated. Now that she’d been staring at it for several hours, she had to admit it was a beautiful book.
Artistic nudes of women, bound in different positions and photographed in a myriad of locations, filled the pages. Every one of them was a tribute to the power and joy of human sexuality. There was nothing sordid or deviant about the images. They were beautiful–and sensuous.
Meghan sat on the couch in the office at home, the feeble glow of the lamp wrapping her in a soft cocoon of light. She flipped through the images until she found the picture that continued to draw her attention.
A young woman lay prone on her back in a wine cellar. Candles flickered in the crevices of the cement room. Sunlight sifted through a small window, shafting light on her body curved gracefully over two wine casks. Her arms were bound to a post behind her head while ropes secured her ankles. Her legs were pulled wide, exposing labia that were swollen and glistening with moisture. Her bottom lip was clenched tightly between very white teeth as if holding back a moan of pleasure.
A deeply tanned man stood beside her, the muscles of his chest lean and well-defined. A partial leather mask shielded his identity. The lower half of his body was hidden by the barrels, leaving the observer to speculate on his nudity and level of arousal. But if the steepled points of their nipples were any indication, both partners were sexually charged. In his left hand he held a whip-like instrument made of many tails of leather.
The woman’s heavy-lidded eyes stared up at him, anticipating the next move of his right hand currently splayed on her inner thigh. The soft smile on the man’s face spoke of love and tender lust. This was not a couple intent on pain and amoral behavior. This was a woman surrendering herself to her lover and allowing him to bring her to that sacred place of euphoria.
Her fingers grazed over the picture as if touching the couple would reveal their innermost desires. Peter chose that moment to come slamming through the front door, the chill of the evening swirling around him as he stamped his feet on the Aubusson rug.
“Damn that friggin’ garage door opener.”
Setting down the wine glass, she padded into the foyer. “I couldn’t get it to work, either.” Her voice was soft in the darkness. “No snow’s coming tonight. The cars’ll be fine in the drive. We can mess with it tomorrow.” She hugged the book to her chest, wondering how they would break through the wall of tension that had been erected that morning.
Peter focused on hanging his coat in the closet. “I pressed the button, but the stupid thing doesn’t move.” He shut the door and stepped toward her. “I just need to check and see if it needs batteries, rewiring, or replacing.” Resting his hands on her shoulders, he bent and brushed his lips across hers. There was no heat, just routine. “A mechanical engineer should be able to figure out his own garage door, for chrissake.”
She had to agree. It had been working sporadically for at least two weeks, but Peter hadn’t been home long enough to know that and pointing it out at this moment didn’t seem like it would help span a chasm of disagreement.
Peter looked over her shoulder at the half bottle of wine and the empty wine glass. “You started without me?”
She pointed behind her at the second glass. “Actually, I was waiting for you.”
“Meghan, I…” Peter pulled the book from her hand. “You’ve been looking at it?” His gaze roamed from the book to her eyes.
Her fingers moved on their own volition, reaching up to caress the firm muscles of his chest. “Peter, I’m sorry. It was very shortsighted of me not to listen to you this morning.”
“No, Meggie. I shouldn’t have jumped you like that.” He held the book up. “This isn’t something couples just plunge into. It should be discussed and negotiated and discussed some more.”
“Well, then, I’d like to discuss page seventy-eight.” Meghan stretched up on her toes and pulled his bottom lip into her mouth, grazing it with her teeth.
“You don’t have to…”
“No, I don’t have to do anything, but after I calmed down and thought about it, I realized there are probably a lot of couples who find this very satisfying.” She kissed his goofy grin. “And Jules said she and Damon…”
“You talked to your sister about it?” He laughed even as he pulled her to him. “How we men face each other, knowing nothing is sacred among the Tilling sisters, is beyond me.”
Meghan ground her pubic bone against his growing erection. “As I was saying, Jules said it can be fun and add a little spice to things.”
The room spun pleasantly as Peter scooped her into his arms. “Well, if your older sister gave her blessing, who am I to deny my fiancée the thrill of domination?”
I’m so excited! Lynda at Simply Romance Reviews has taken time to read and review the whole Tilling Passions series! Thank you Lynda!
Not only did she read them, but she loved them! Yay! Just what every writer wants to hear about their babies! If you want to see the reviews in their entirety, scroll down the sidebar until you reach “A review for Tilling Passions” and click on the three separate links for the books. But let me give you just a taste of what she thought of them.
First off, she gave all the books and Outstanding Read!
Blind Love:
I enjoyed Blind Love immensely. Nina Pierce has a wonderful style to her writing, she hooks you before you know it and then sweet talks you until the last page. Even knowing that there were two more books in the series I was sorry to see this story come to an end. Blind Love is a perfect balance of steamy love and suspense. I definitely recommend it.
Grade: A
Love’s Bounty:
These two are amazing together, actually too hot to handle, they burn up the sheets wherever they are. You’ll definitely need a cool drink after reading one of their steamy encounters. But before Love’s Bounty is over there will be more twists to keep you on your toes until get to the end of the ride – um I mean story. Even though this is second in the series it can stand alone without a problem but I would definitely suggest picking up the entire series!
Grade: A-
Arranging Love:
You can’t ask for a better wrap up to this series. I was impressed with the twists Nina Pierce injected into this story. As the saying goes, “I didn’t see that coming!” I like that she has sweet and innocent Meghan go over to the dark side – at least in the bedroom. The hedonistic scenes where Peter shows his dominance are quite exhilarating. Arranging Love can be read as a stand alone book, but I really do recommend that you read the entire series. After finishing all three I think one story was better than the next, and I will be sad to say goodbye.
Grade: A
Yep, I’m snoopy dancing all over the place!
Thank you again, Lynda.
I love to write. Really I do. Okay, so not every day, but hey, it’s a job and everyone hates their job a couple times a month.
But then there are the days when everything comes together, the stars align, the characters promise to behave, settings pop off the page and your prose just shines! I love those days. It’s during those times I come up with some gems that make their way to the pages of my books.
So this list is 13 of my favorite lines from my books.
Healer’s Garden
1. But damn, he’d been treading water a hell of a long time while he waited for destiny to change the course of his life.
2. “Are you finished speculating? Because I can tell you the facts if you’re interested or I can just wait here while you try to attempt to put together a puzzle with missing pieces.” He lifted a shoulder. “Either way I’m good.”
Blind Love
3. “A man intent on conquering a woman and adding her to his proverbial notched belt holds no credibility with someone as innocent as Julie.”
4. Damon laughed and held his hands up. “I’ll go willingly. Please, just promise you’ll hurt me.”
5. The hurt tumbled over anger, rolling into an emotional snowball that plunged headlong without regret into Meghan’s feelings.
Love’s Bounty
6. He’d abandoned all pretense and now was as focused on getting laid as he was on collecting information from the bimbo. He figured she swung whichever way the wind was blowing. And the way he was feeling, he hoped she’d think a monsoon had swept in her direction when he found her.
7. Biting back a smile, Ayden watched her glistening tears turn into fury. That he could handle. An angry woman was one hundred times easier to placate than a despondent one.
8. Her long, muscular legs that he’d admired in the great room, started somewhere around her neck.
Arranging Love
9. Peter wasn’t sure if the guilt weighed on his facial features like it did on his heart.
10. Heat flushed her cheeks. “Peter, making love in the kitchen is one thing. But playing tortured slave girl to your master fetish, well … I’m just not sure that’s something well-adjusted adults do.”
Blue Moon Rising
11. Jayda Kynslan sauntered into the Whip and Bull Tavern wanting only two things: a cold beer and a hot cock.
12. Men, she’d come to believe, were nothing but scumbags of trouble on the garbage heap of misery.
Shadows of Fire
13. Firemen fought fires as a team. They hung by their balls as a team. Go team!
The last novella in the Tilling Passions series, ARRANGING LOVE, is out today! June 30th. Yippee!
And don’t be jealous, but the first copy, hot off the press goes to Mima Dixon who has a part (or two) in this story!
Here’s the back cover blurb:
He never believed love was unconditional. She never expected the ties that bind would be found at the end of a flogger …
ARRANGING LOVE, the final novella in the Tilling Passions series, finds florist, MEGHAN TILLING, questioning the true impetus for her fiancé’s frequent business seminars and sudden interest in bondage. Could her sisters be right in claiming Peter’s out-of-town trips have more to do with clandestine meetings rather than work commitments? Should Meghan let go of decorum and allow herself the pleasures of deviant sex?
PETER MADDOCK loves his fiancée, but when an online Dominatrix awakens the darker side of his sexual fantasies, he can’t help but seek her out at a private BDSM party. When several accidents threaten Meghan’s life, Peter fears he’s opened their lives to a stalker. Will he be able to protect his fiancée without revealing secrets that may threaten everything and everyone he’s come to love?
Can Peter and Meghan explore their innermost desires and discover the answers to her father’s illness … all without losing their lives?
~*~*~ And an EXCERPT from Chapter One:~*~*~
Meghan Tilling blew out a puff of frustration, sending wisps of chestnut curls out of her face. Straightening, she pressed fists into her lower back, working out the tension hours of floral arranging had knit into her muscles.
Usually, she loved the holiday season: long hours filling orders and delivering flower arrangements to smiling customers, the bustle of shoppers in the stores, the smell of balsam and cinnamon wafting about the floral shop of Tilling Gardens and Plants that she co-owned with her sisters, and the joy of being with her family. Normally all of the busy-ness combined to make her warm with nostalgia and giddy with anticipation, but not this year.
She couldn’t enjoy any of it. Not with her father so sick and Peter’s promotion. It all just sucked.
Her misery had worked itself into a throb that pounded in her temples with the rhythm of the hard-rock music blaring from the radio at the end of the workbench. And though it sent spasms of dull pain shooting behind her eyes, Meghan couldn’t bring herself to shut it off. Without it, silence would surround her like an unwelcome chill, opening her heart to the loneliness, and she’d find it impossible to go home to an empty house–again.
She stared at her reflection in the dark window over the bench. Despair stared back at her.
Even though she couldn’t see outside, Meghan knew the snow still fell. The Thanksgiving blizzard that began last week heralded the beginning of a very long winter. Well, officially November still counted as fall, but not here in Maine. In her hometown of Delmont, winter began with the first gentle snow flakes and ended when the last snow bank finally turned to mud–usually around Easter.
This year, winter had arrived with a vengeance, pummeling New England with back-to-back storms that had knocked out power and clogged all public transportation, including the plane carrying Peter Maddock, her fiancé, home from the engineering conference in Philadelphia.
Meghan chided herself for not closing the shop early and heading home to the warmth of a fire. The floral arrangements for the Anderton wedding could wait. There would be plenty of time to finish them tomorrow for delivery on Saturday morning. But the thought of a white-knuckled drive and an empty bed just depressed her more, and she decided to stay and finish the rest; twenty centerpieces for the reception, eighteen pew markers, seven wrist corsages and fourteen boutonnières for the family. The bouquets were already complete.
Connect
