Author Interview ~ Lori Foster, author of No Limits

A surprise inheritance reunites a mixed martial arts fighter with the woman he's never forgotten in the first in a smoldering new series from New York Times bestselling author Lori Foster...

Cannon Colter is quintessential hero material: chiseled jawline, shredded body—the works. He's also the guy who rescued Yvette Sweeny from kidnappers, only to put an end to her romantic dreams. These days, she's older, smarter, determined to face whatever life throws her way. Even the prospect of sharing a house and business with Cannon.

Cannon knew Yvette wanted him three years ago. But she was young—and some things are worth waiting for. Thrown together by her grandfather's legacy, he realizes how deep Yvette's scars really go, and how much danger lurks in their quiet town. As pent-up desire explodes between them, protecting her becomes the only fight that matters. And he'll break all the rules to do it…

1. Can you tell us a little bit about your latest release, NO LIMITS?

This is Cannon’s story, a character that readers met in my last series, Love Undercover. From the second Cannon showed up on the page, I knew he’d get his own story. He’s that kind of guy, the guy who steps up and takes notice and gets a lot of notice in return. In NO LIMITS, Cannon reunites with Yvette, another character from the previous series. They parted under strained circumstances, with Cannon just heading into professional MMA and Yvette young and traumatized from a horrific threat. Cannon saved her then, but he was noble because of her age and what she’d been through. Now she’s older, more independent, and he’s ready to make up for lost time.

2. Can you also fill us in on the prequel to the series, HARD KNOCKS?

HARD KNOCKS gives readers a peek into the MMA world and the fighters who will have novels in the Ultimate series. You get to see the inside of Cannon’s gym, the set-up and what the guys do for the neighborhood, as well as the close relationships they share. It’s a short romance featuring Gage and Harper, two fun, strong people with a few romantic quirks to work out. It’s short and sexy and gives readers a taste for how the novels will be more about fighters in a romance than about fighters fighting in the cage.

3. How has your UFC obsession influenced the writing of NO LIMITS?

Well, I’ve gotten into the idea of picking silly fight names for the heroes. And from the fight names, I’ve come up with some “inspired” reasons for them. It also makes it easier to justify the guy being totally ripped – although not all fighters are. I’ve learned in actual fights the physical appearance can be deceiving. It’s more about heart and talent, training and speed, than how a guy looks. But naturally any hero I write about will be blessed with a six-pack and boulder shoulders.

4. What was it like getting inside the mind of a mixed martial arts fighter?

I’ve interviewed a few fighters over the years, chatted with others while getting promotional photos and during before and after “meet and greets” while at live events. Every single fighter I’ve met has been extremely nice, unassuming, dedicated to fans, and (though it sounds silly) very sweet. It took only a few questions to see how much they give to the sport they love, the discipline it takes to stay in training, and the confidence they gain from having extreme ability. Since I’ve never asked a fighter about his love life, that part of the story is pure imagination on my part. But then I only write good guys, and talented lovers.

5. What is your process for choosing names like Cannon Colter?

I’m a terrible cheat when it comes to names. More often than not I see a name on Facebook or Twitter that I like. I never, ever use a first and last name together, but I do pick and choose and mix and match. When I see a unique name, or a name that resonates with me, I grab it up. When I’m writing, I’m far less focused on names than I am on personality. Names for me are an afterthought, so stealing from my social media sites makes it easy.

6. What are Cannon and Yvette’s best physical traits?

Although Cannon is a fighter with a shredded bod, it’s more his smile and his eyes that get to Yvette. He has a very sincere smile, because he’s a very sincere guy. And when he looks at a person, it’s felt through and through.

For Yvette, she has long beautiful hair, but it’s more about the deceptive confidence she tries to exude that draws Cannon – that, and the way she looks at him like he’s a superhero. What guy could resist that?

7. What is the best scene (in your opinion) between Yvette and Cannon?

There’s a fun scene where Yvette is at the rec center (the gym) and the fighters start arguing. Cannon is irked, his buddies are irked, and Yvette thinks they might come to blows. She tries to put herself in the middle and sort of gets sandwiched between some pretty hot flesh. I smiled while writing it, so I hope readers smile when they read it.

The poor guys didn’t know what to think. They’re big, physical guys who don’t mind working out a few differences on the mat, but they’re also friends, and they’re fighters with a load of control often utilized in a fight. But with Yvette, they all want to be gentle – while struggling to figure her out.

8. What music did you listen to while writing NO LIMITS?

I have a long playlist of about 150 songs. Much of it is from KORN and Kid Rock and Marilyn Manson, but I’ve also really gotten into Disturbed, The Pretty Reckless, Papa Roach, Skillet and Puddle of Mud. Oh, and Cage the Elephant. I like loud, strong music that I can sing along with while I’m writing.

9. How is this series different from your previous works?

The Ultimate series is a different setting, different characters, different plots – and yet you still visit some of the characters from Love Undercover series since it remains in the same fictional city and state. In the last series the focus was on Rowdy’s bar and the police station. There are visits to the bar still, but much of the action takes place at Cannon’s rec center and in different houses owned by the characters.

The stories remain super-sexy, the guys remain alphas, the women remain smart and independent, and elements of suspense go throughout both series. But I hope each character has their own personality and for me, that’s where the differences should be most evident.

10. What character did you find yourself most drawn to, and why?

I love Armie Jacobson – and I’m pretty sure readers will too. He’s outrageous, too sexy, has effortless talent in the cage, and a wounded background that has influenced his life greatly. I love all the guys – Gage, Cannon, Denver, Stack... but Armie stands out.

11. Do you prefer writing about small town romance settings (like in NO LIMITS) or city settings?

I’m not sure I’ve ever written a large city setting. Smaller towns, always fictional, work best for me because I like the lack of anonymity in a small town. Everyone knows everyone, or has at least heard of everyone, and it can lead to some touching, and embarrassing, situations. I like the warmth of knowing your neighbors and caring about them. And I like the ease in creating the town.

12. Who would play Cannon and Yvette in a book-to-film adaptation?

Josh Duhamel, while a little too old, would make a fabulous Cannon! He’s big and gorgeous and built. I think he’d be perfect if NO LIMITS was ever made into a movie. For the heroine, Mila Kunis is beautiful and I can easily picture her as Yvette. They’d make a hot couple!

13. What are your five favorite verbs to use during a love scene?

Favorite verbs to use in a love scene... Only five, huh? Wow, that’s difficult. How about catch/caught, press, contract, nuzzle/nibble, lick/suck. I’m not sure I could write a full love scene without them.

14. Can you tell us about the process behind the cover artwork?

Ooooh, I LOVE getting new covers, it’s so exciting. The way it works is that I give my editor an idea of what the characters look like. Usually this means emailing her my own character sheets – notes I keep on the characters to detail (and help me remember) height, eye and hair color, body type, etc... I usually include any and all info like the car he/she drives, job description, age and any other pertinent information that I might need to recall from book to book.

My editor also asks for a synopsis, but since they usually start working on covers long before I know what the story is about, it’s a guessing game on my end. I know there’ll be a hunk, a heroine, some suspense, hot sex, lots of emotion, and a happy ending. The how and why is often not clear to me at that point.

Then the publisher has a meeting with the art department and they brainstorm cover ideas and come up with a concept that I get to see.

The concept is just an idea. It’ll show a model, but not THE model. It’ll show a pose, but not THE pose. I see where the placement of my name and the title will appear, along with any quotes.

Once that’s approved, the art department does a photo shoot and from those images they choose the one they like best. I weigh in with pleas of chest hair. Chest hair is always my #1 requirement if they show the model with his shirt off. To be clear, this is for new novels, not novellas or re-issues. For those they generally use stock art. It’s all very fun and I can honestly say I’ve loved the artwork so far.

15. If you were stranded on a desert island with one of your many characters, who would you choose and why?

Since I’m an enormous wimp and not at all heroic, I’d love to have Trace with me, from Trace of Fever. He’s bossy and take-charge and lethal. He knows what he’s doing, how to protect and how to survive. Plus I think he was pretty sexy.

If it needs to be a character from my current Ultimate series, I’d say Denver – for many of the same reasons. He’s far more autocratic than Cannon or Armie or Stack. He’s big, brawny, and when necessary he can be lethal. I’d feel safer with a real bad ass if I had to be stranded.

16. What was the most difficult part of the process when writing NO LIMITS?

My heart broke for Yvette. She’s one of more damaged heroines I’ve ever written (although there have been a few) and she struggled so hard for her independence. More than anything she wants Cannon, but because he’s so brave and strong she doesn’t feel quite worthy, and the stigma of being seen as a victim really hit her hard. I image something like that would be very, very difficult to overcome.

17. Have you written an outline for the NO LIMITS series or do you make it up as you go?

I totally make it up as I go along. Or I should say my characters make it up. I never try to figure things out in advance because as sure as I do, the characters will have a different idea and they’ll rebel, making it difficult to write until I give them their way. Fighting it is futile. But since they’re seldom wrong, it works for us. (And yes, I’m nuts. I don’t fight that either.)

Usually the characters will give me enough clues along the way to keep the writing flow steady. For instance, while I was writing NO LIMITS, Denver stepped up and talked about Cherry and made it clear his book needed to be next. Now while I’m writing HARD KNOCKS (Denver’s story) Stack is giving me nudges, saying, “Me next, me next. And I’m going after Vanity... whether she or I know it yet or not.” So that’s how I know Stack’s story will be after Denver’s.

Armie has said he wants to wait, stew on things a while, come to grips with his future... so I’m letting him get used to the idea of what is to come.

18. What was your go-to snack while writing NO LIMITS?

Goldfish cheese crackers and pretzels. Occasionally I drink Mountain Dew when I need more caffeine but I usually snack with Lipton Citrus Green Tea as my drink.

I also love baby carrots. And far too often I cave to the call of the Pringles can.

19. What’s your favorite part of the book?

There’s a fight scene in the book. Not a sporting match, but an angry, defensive, you-dared-touch-what-is-mine kind of aggression filled with rage and loss of control and an awakening of strong emotion. Call me barbaric but I love writing scenes like that. I love getting down to the basics of how love can affect a person, whether it’s in sex or fighting off danger or just showing vulnerability awareness. It’s the real stuff people are made of.

20. What are you working on next?

I’m writing Denver’s story right now, titled HOLDING STRONG. It’s due out in spring 2015 and I’m loving Denver and Cherry together – and them as a couple with the rest of the fighters around. It’s a very fun dynamic.

After that I’ll do another benefit novella for June 2015. It’ll be part of the Buckhorn family and all proceeds from sales of the book will go to a charity. I’m not yet sure which of the Buckhorn clan will be featured, but I’m sure it’ll all come to me in plenty of time.

And then I’ll jump into Stack’s story. He should be ready by then – which means I’ll also be ready. Luckily the characters keep me writing. In fact, if there were more hours in the day, I’m not sure they’d ever let me stop!

Review: Dash of Peril by Lori Foster

Publish Date: March 25, 2014
Kindle{p.384}
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Source: NetGalley
Series: Love Undercover #4

Margaret Peterson, Dashiel Riske

To bring down a sleazy abduction ring, Lieutenant Margaret "Margo" Peterson has set herself up as bait. But recruiting Dashiel Riske as her unofficial partner is a whole other kind of danger. Dash is 6'4" of laid-back masculine charm, a man who loves life—and women—to the limit. Until Margo is threatened, and he reveals a dark side that may just match her own.

Beneath Margo's tough facade is a slow-burning sexiness that drives Dash crazy. The only way to finish this case is to work together side by side…skin to skin. And as their mission takes a lethal turn, he'll have to prove he's all the man she needs—in all the ways that matter.

This book was extremely difficult for me to get into. I just never felt any connection whatsoever with Margo or Dash. Which is sad, because I liked Dash in the previous installments to the series. He was laid-back and fun-loving, but in this one, not so much. Dash seem to become a totally different character than before.

The story line failed to hold my interest. I'm not sure if I just wasn't in the mood, or if just gotten tired of it from the previous installments.

Margo's relationship with her family was the most interesting aspect of the story. Her family was just plain cold toward on another. I'm not sure if the coldness of Margo's family rubbed off on her and that's the reason I never felt a love connection between her and Dash or what. I just couldn't get behind them as a couple. It felt like they were the odd men out, so they just got thrown together.

Cannon was major character in this one as well, so I'm guessing his story will be next. The bits of what I say of him in this one suggests that it should be a good read.

Review: Getting Rowdy by Lori Foster

Publish Date: September 24, 2013
Mass Market Paperback {p.448}
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Series: Love Undercover #3
Source: Publicist
Avery Mullins, Rowdy Yates

Charismatic bar owner Rowdy Yates isn't the kind of man women say no to. So when he approaches waitress Avery Mullins, he fully expects to get her number. However, the elusive beauty has her reasons for keeping her distance-including a past that might come back to haunt them both.

Avery spends her nights working for tips...and trying to forget the secret Rowdy is determined to unearth. But when history threatens to repeat itself, Avery grows to rely on Rowdy's protective presence. As the sparks between them ignite, she will be forced to choose between the security she's finally found...and the passion she's always wanted.

First off I must say, if Ms. Foster had been a little less careful, Cannon would have completely stolen the show. I absolutely loved him! I just hope he gets his own book soon.

I always enjoyed Avery in the previous book, but in this one, we had our moments. At times she just didn't seem to know when to shut up. Specifically at the family lunch. I, as the reader, knew what she was trying to do, but to Rowdy or anyone else who didn't know her story, it came across as looking really bad. She looked liked a rich, spoiled child who was using Rowdy's "bad boy" image to stick it to Mommy and Daddy. And that to me took away some of Avery shine in my eyes. Not to worry, she recovered it.

With what Avery went through, I found it difficult to accept that her mother didn't believe her. If no one else believed her, I thought a mother would. Rowdy on the other hand automatically believed her, no questions asked. Just when you think Rowdy can't possibly become more perfect, he does. Even when he and Avery had they "conflict" that every romance couple has, Rowdy never became a jerk. He was never overtly mean/rude to Avery, and then have to come back and try to win her over again after he realized his error.

As always, Alice was perfect, but Pepper was a bit of a surprise. At first it appeared as if she took an instant dislike to Avery, although she did come around in the end. I really enjoyed this book; there were some twist and turns I wasn't expecting, which is always a plus. Now I anxiously awaiting the next great installment to this series. I can hardly wait to see what's in store for Dash. Both he and Cannon managed to pique my interest; I truly want to find out more of their story.

Review: Bare It All by Lori Foster

Publish Date: April 30, 2013
Mass Market Paperback {p. 462}
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Series: Love Undercover #2
Source: Publisher
Alice Appleton, Reese Bareden

"A cop's craving to know more about the woman next door could prove fatal in the steamy new novel from New York Times bestselling author Lori Foster"

As the person responsible for taking down a brutal human trafficker, Alice Appleton fears retaliation at every turn. No one knows about her past, which is exactly how she prefers it...until the sexy cop next door comes knocking.

Detective Reese Bareden thinks he knows what makes women tick, but his ever-elusive neighbor keeps him guessing like no other. Is his goal to unmask Alice's secrets? Or protect her from a dangerous new threat? One thing is certain: their chemistry is a time bomb waiting to explode. And with no one to trust but each other, Reese and Alice are soon drawn into a deadly maze of corruption, intrigue and desire-and into the line of fire....

Alice has a difficult past that she refuses to share with anyone, and Reese is determined to figure it out. I knew Reese wanted to know what the story was with Alice, I'm glad he chose to handle it the way he did. He didn't demand anything of her, he just let her do it in her own time in her own way. The chemistry between the two of them was apparent from the start, but I loved how Rowdy ( a character from the previous book) was thrown in the mix. Alice saw Rowdy as a brother, a confidant and it tended to piss off Reese.

The interaction and connection among all the characters was great. I loved the unity among all of them. It felt more like a family instead of friends and co-workers. Bare It All packed the right mix of suspense and romance. Reese was the perfect alpha male without being over-the-top about it. Aloce on the other hand bothered me a bit with some of the things she would do that put her in direct danger. But it was never to the point that made me loose interest in her or the story.

Definitely a series that I will be continuing and looking forward to reading more of.

Guest Post, #Giveaway & Review: Run the Risk by Lori Foster

Please join me in welcoming Lori Foster, author of Run the Risk, as she provides us with a guest post and giveaway today! Also, follow along on the tour at http://booktrib.com/blog-tour-run-the-risk-by-lori-foster/

What book do you recommend everyone should read? Okay, now tell us why you picked that book!

If you’re a historical buff, Amanda Quick’s “SCANDAL” remains a favorite. I loved that story so much. Often in historical stories the heroines *can’t* be super strong because society was so restrictive. But in that book, the heroine finds her own unique ways to stand up to the hero while also winning him over, and she seems very sweet doing it!

If you’re into paranormal, I’d say “A HUNGER LIKE NO OTHER,” from Kresley Cole. She does this totally unique thing with paranormal, making the story both tragic and hilarious, and the characters are all so original that you know them right off.

For contemporary, I fell head over heels in love with Jill Shalvis’s “AT LAST.” Amy is such a special character, and Matt... oh Matt. :::Sigh::: That book had *everything* that I love in romance. Fabulous dialogue; a hunky, Alpha, in control but oh-so-kind hero; a strong and independent heroine; a backstory that tugs at your heart but doesn’t leave you sobbing in despair; and a romance that leaves you smiling. Good stuff!

 



Run the Risk
Lori Foster
Series: Love Undercover #1
Publisher: HQN
Publish Date: September 25, 2012
Mass Market Paperback {p.379}
Source: Publisher
Genre: Suspense
Pepper Yates, Logan Riske
Challenge: 100+
Buy the Book: Amazon

When Detective Logan Riske goes undercover to find Pepper Yates, a potential link to his best friend's unsolved murder, he vows to gain her cooperation by any means necessary. But the elusive beauty is more suspicious—and in far more danger—than he expected. And the last thing Logan needs is to start caring for her….Pepper has spent years dodging the corrupt club owner who will stop at nothing to keep her silenced. She can trust no one, not even the handsome new "construction worker" who's moved in next door. The heat between them is undeniable. But will surrendering to passion bring her the safety she so desires—or will her feelings for Logan draw them both into a killer's crosshairs?

Logan is determined to locate the man he believes holds the answers to the murder of his best friend. Who he finds is the man's little sister, Pepper.

Pepper is this shy, reserved young lady who appears to be afraid of her own shadow. This Pepper I liked and enjoyed. Although I found her somewhat strange at the time, I still liked her. Then she does this complete 180 and becomes a whole new person. I think the turnabout was a bit too drastic. Maybe if she could have been a little more somewhere in between the nun and the working girl, I may have bought it.

Logan was great but not what I hoped. He wasn't as alpha as I was expecting from Foster. Rowdy and Reese I feel stole the show from Logan. Even his brother Dash took the spotlight. Now Reese's neighbor Alice is going to be another strange one like Pepper. I'm looking forward to getting to know more about her, as well as Reese and Rowdy.

Run the Risk seems to be a good start to a new series, but it has me wondering is it going to be a continuation of the human trafficking storyline from the Men Who Walk the Edge series. This novel touched on it but it didn't get into it which makes me believe the next installments will.

Live Chat!! Monday October 22, 2012 @ 7pm ET

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Blog Tour & Guest Post: Lori Foster, author of A Perfect Storm

Not when she’d once been held captive by human traffickers who, after using her, had tried to kill her as punishment for running away.

Her death would have been a lesson to remaining trapped victims. Instead, the bastards had died—and good riddance.

Luckily—at least for Spencer’s peace of mind— Jackson was already in love with Alani, so his interest in Arizona wasn’t romantic in any way. But for Arizona? He just didn’t know.

Jackson was a good man. A protector.

And right now, Spencer felt like a destroyer of evil. Nothing protective in that.

“Oh, for crying out loud.” Arizona slugged him in the shoulder. “What the hell is wrong with you? No one died. Lose the sad face, will you?”

Next stop on the Tour:  http://myoverstuffedbookshelf.blogspot.com/

Lori’s Advice for Aspiring Romance Novelists

I suggest that budding romance writers write what excites them. Avoid the traps of trying to jump on the bandwagon, or emulate a successful author. If it’s not YOU, you won’t enjoy it. If you don’t enjoy it, why would anyone else?

Some writers prefer stand alone books. Some, like me, have characters that take over and show up again and again. Some like writing sweet romances, and some like super-steamy and explicit. It is such an amazingly personal thing that you can’t, and should never try to, write for anyone but yourself.

I’ve had books that readers hated. Some that readers *really* hated. LOL. But I’m a realist. I know I can’t please all the readers all of the time. When disappointed readers write to me, I apologize. I AM sorry that they spent time on a book they didn’t enjoy. But will I change what I’m doing for them? I can’t.

What works for me is writing what I want, what I enjoy, the way that I want to write it, and the way that works for me. All writers should do the same.

Another tip for new writers – stay away from critique groups. It’s YOUR book, not a book by committee. Just because your critique partner doesn’t like it, just because she thinks it’s awkward, doesn’t mean you need to change it. The only opinions that matter are #1) yours, and #2) the editor’s. Your critique partner cannot buy your book. All she can really do is point out typos, which is great, discourage you with criticism, which is self-defeating, or bolster you with praise, which may or may not jive with an editor’s opinion.

So avoid it.

Contests can also be a catch 22. Sure, you get immediate feedback and sometimes you get a connection with an editor or agent. But you also get immediate gratification – something you should get after you’ve _finished the book!_ NOT because you’ve written one to three chapters.

I’ve know unpubs who’ve polished that first chapter a dozen times. It’s been submitted in at least that many contests. It’s even placed in a few, or won in some. But the whole book? Why finish a book when you can send just one chapter in to win another contest?

Contests make it so easy to lose sight of the end goal – which is publication.

New writers – keep your eye on that end goal! As soon as you finish a book and get it mailed off, start another. And another.

Facebook | Twitter | Website | Buy the Book

http://booktrib.com/blog-tour-a-perfect-storm-by-lori-foster/

Review: A Perfect Storm by Lori Foster

A Perfect Storm
Lori Foster
Series: Men Who Walk the Edge of Honor #4
Publisher: HQN
Publish Date: March 27, 2012
Mass Market Paperback {p.442}
Source: Publicist
Genre: Suspense
Arizona Storm, Spencer Lark
Challenge: 100+
Buy the Book: Amazon

He never saw her coming…

Spencer Lark already knows too many secrets about Arizona Storm, including the nightmare she survived and her resulting trust issues. But in order to expose a smuggling ring—and continue avenging his own tragic past—the bounty hunter reluctantly agrees to make Arizona a decoy. Yet nothing has equipped him for her hypnotic blend of fragility and bravery, or for the protective instincts she stirs in him.

Arizona wants to reclaim her life, which means acting as bait to lure the enemy into a trap. Sure it's dangerous, especially with a partner as distractingly appealing as Spencer. But as their plan—and their chemistry—shifts into high gear, Arizona may discover there's an even greater risk in surrendering her heart to a hero…

Arizona enlists the help of Spencer in her latest efforts to take down another human trafficking ring. Spencer and Arizona seem like they’d work well together, only if Arizona would communicate her plans with him. But everywhere else the two of them seemed to work well. Both Arizona and Spencer were great characters both on their own and together.

Spencer, who doesn’t seem to be healed from the loss of his wife, doesn’t want any commitments with Arizona or anyone else. Arizona on the other hand, can’t stand the thought of being touched intimately by any other man but Spencer. Together they both seemed to heal each other.

A Perfect Storm provided the right mix of romance and action. Some of the situations Arizona got herself into were just on the right side of “what were you thinking.” Spencer constantly had his hand full with her.

The addition of the other couples is always a plus. I would have loved to see more of them. I was very eager to see how Spencer and Jackson got along with each other now that Spencer and Arizona were more than friends.

This is a great series that I would love to see grow to Troubleshooters proportions, but I think this one was the final one. Men Who Walk the Edge of Danger is definitely a series you don’t want to miss.

http://booktrib.com/blog-tour-a-perfect-storm-by-lori-foster/

Review: The Guy Next Door by Lori Foster, Susan Donovan, Victoria Dahl

The Guy Next Door
Lori Foster, Susan Donovan, Victoria Dahl
Series: Men Who Walk the Edge of Danger #0.5; Donovan Brothers Brewery #0.5
Publisher: HQN
Publish Date: February 9, 2011
Mass Market Paperback {p.378}
Source: Personal Library
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Natalie Alexander, Jett Sutter; Gail Chapman, Jesse Batista; Beth Cantrell, Eric Donovan
Challenge: 50 States
Buy the Book: Amazon

Ready, Set, Jett by Lori Foster

A vacation from her no-strings romance with her sexy next-door neighbor. That's what Natalie Alexander needs to get her head—and heart—together. But her solo trip south turns into a disaster when gorgeous Jett Sutter turns up with another challenge.

Gail's Gone Wild by Susan Donovan

Single mom Gail Chapman insists on chaperoning her teenage daughter's spring-break trip to Key West. But she never expects to face temptation—in the hunky form of Jesse Batista, the mysterious man in the cottage next door.

Just One Taste by Victoria Dahl

All-work-and-no-play businessman Eric Donovan won't be distracted by a "businesswoman" who's all wrong for him. Beth Cantrell owns a women's erotica shop! And she has a juicy little secret. Can she tempt him to put pleasure before business for once?

Ready, Set Jett by Lori Foster
Natalie and Jett’s relationship was already semi-established in the fact that they had a no-strings attached type of set up from the beginning. Natalie, who had been burned by past relationships, didn’t want to chance getting emotionally involved with Jett. Jett, who is usually all for sex with no commitment, doesn’t want that type of relationship with Natalie.

The two of them go on vacation together and go through an almost ordeal that finally gets them to admit their true feelings for one another. Although this is a short novella, both characters had a depth and believability about them that made their story come alive.

Gail’s Gone Wild by Susan Donovan
Gail’s vacation romance with the hottie author Jesse was hot from the start. They made such a cute, likeable couple. Of course both of them suffer from some trust issues that pose roadblocks for their relationship. But even with those trust issues they both fell in love with each other rather quickly.

Gail’s Gone Wild was a sexy, funny read. The characters and the location were very well written. I really enjoyed all of these characters, not just Gail and Jesse. This novella I was so engrossed in, I wasn’t ready for their story to end.

Just One Taste by Victoria Dahl
I didn’t care at all for the whole misleading of Beth by Eric in letting her believe he was his younger brother Jamie. When Eric wasn’t quick to clear that issue up, he lost points with me.

Beth’s refusal to be seen in public with Eric/Jamie because he’d ruin her reputation, I thought was a little much given she runs a sex shop. Not my favorite of the anthology.

Random Read {1}: The Guy Next Door

Random Reads is a brand new monthly meme hosted by I'm Loving ♥ Books! It's a great way to knock out some of the books that've been piling up on your shelf for awhile. To play along, you randomly choose something from your TBR list and read it some time during the course of the month.

Like Sarah, I will be using my Goodreads account and Random.org to choose my book for the month.

Three sexy new spring-fling novellas from three of today's hottest contemporary romance authors!

Ready, Set, Jett by Lori Foster

A vacation from her no-strings romance with her sexy next-door neighbor. That's what Natalie Alexander needs to get her head—and heart—together. But her solo trip south turns into a disaster when gorgeous Jett Sutter turns up with another challenge.

Gail's Gone Wild by Susan Donovan

Single mom Gail Chapman insists on chaperoning her teenage daughter's spring-break trip to Key West. But she never expects to face temptation—in the hunky form of Jesse Batista, the mysterious man in the cottage next door.

Just One Taste by Victoria Dahl

All-work-and-no-play businessman Eric Donovan won't be distracted by a "businesswoman" who's all wrong for him. Beth Cantrell owns a women's erotica shop! And she has a juicy little secret. Can she tempt him to put pleasure before business for once?

Teaser Tuesday: A Perfect Storm by Lori Foster

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by MizB @ Should Be Reading. To participate, all you have to do is the following:

• Grab your current/upcoming read
• Open to a random page
• Share 2-3 "teaser" sentences from somewhere on that page
• Be careful not to include spoilers! (You do not want to ruin the book for others.)

Share the title & author so that others who enjoy your "teaser" may add the book to their TBL pile.

Marla shrugged. "All I know is that you haven't slept with him."
"You're sure about that, are you?"
"Absolutely." Marla oozed satisfaction, even leaned in to taunt Arizona. "If you'd ever had him, you'd feel differently about having him again."
"Yeah? Why's that?"
With significance, Marla purred, "For one thing, he's big all over."

page 51; A Perfect Storm by Lori Foster

Book Obsessed Spotlights {15}

I thought I would return a feature I used to do every Monday spotlighting a recently discovered book that I found interesting from its blurb.

This time around I've changed it up a bit. Instead of posting every week about books I haven't read, I'll post about books that I have read and loved, that I want to share with you.


Savor the Danger
Lori Foster

She may be aloof, and more pretty than gorgeous, but Alani Rivers is the kind of woman a hot-blooded mercenary can't forget, no matter how hard he tries. So when Jackson Savor wakes up next to the naked, sleeping beauty—with no memory of what happened— he knows he's been drugged…even if Alani doesn't.

After she was kidnapped, Alani vowed never to trust another man again. Still, something about this strong, sexy hero with the tender touch makes her want to believe him. As Jackson hunts down a mysterious intruder, he swears he'll move heaven and earth to keep Alani safe. But what really happened that night? And will the truth bring them closer than they ever thought possible—or put Alani squarely in harm's way again?


The Sweetest Thing
Jill Shalvis

Two Men Are One Too Many . . .

Tara has a thousand good reasons not to return to the little coastal town of Lucky Harbor, Washington. Yet with her life doing a major crash-and-burn, anywhere away from her unfulfilled dreams and sexy ex-husband will do. As Tara helps her two sisters get their newly renovated inn up and running, she finally has a chance to get things under control and come up with a new plan for her life.

But a certain tanned, green-eyed sailor has his own ideas, such as keeping Tara hot, bothered . . . and in his bed. And when her ex wants Tara back, three is a crowd she can't control-especially when her deepest secret reappears out of the blue. Now Tara must confront her past and discover what she really wants. If she's lucky, she might just find that everything her heart desires is right here in Lucky Harbor.


Rules of Attraction
Simone Elkeles

When Carlos Fuentes returns to America after living in Mexico for a year, he doesn’t want any part of the life his older brother, Alex, has laid out for him at a high school in Colorado . Carlos likes living his life on the edge and wants to carve his own path—just like Alex did. Then he meets Kiara Westford.

She doesn’t talk much and is completely intimidated by Carlos’ wild ways. As they get to know one another, Carlos assumes Kiara thinks she’s too good for him, and refuses to admit that she might be getting to him. But he soon realizes that being himself is exactly what Kiara needs right now.

Review: Savor the Danger by Lori Foster

Savor the Danger
Lori Foster
Series: Men Who Walk the Edge of Honor #3
Publisher: HQN
Publication Date: June 28, 2011
Mass Market Paperback {p.411}
Source: Publicist
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Characters: Alani Rivers, Jackson Savor
Challenge: 100+

She may be aloof, and more pretty than gorgeous, but Alani Rivers is the kind of woman a hot-blooded mercenary can't forget, no matter how hard he tries. So when Jackson Savor wakes up next to the naked, sleeping beauty—with no memory of what happened— he knows he's been drugged…even if Alani doesn't.

After she was kidnapped, Alani vowed never to trust another man again. Still, something about this strong, sexy hero with the tender touch makes her want to believe him. As Jackson hunts down a mysterious intruder, he swears he'll move heaven and earth to keep Alani safe. But what really happened that night? And will the truth bring them closer than they ever thought possible—or put Alani squarely in harm's way again?

The overall story was a great! It kept me engaged with the action packed storyline and smoking hot romance. I had to force myself not to peek ahead to see what would happen next.

The series has the common thread of human trafficking among each of them, but Ms. Foster somehow manages to make each book totally exciting and different from the previous. These men are the men you want watching your back and in your bed.

I really love Jackson! He's a great combination of tough guy and playfulness. He always seemed to know just the right way to communicate and interact with Alani when everyone else wanted to treat her as a victim. Jackson is the kind of man you can say anything to no matter how outrageous because he'll come back with something even more outrageous. And if that wasn't reason enough to love him, then his relationship with his pseudo-sister was.

I truly liked Alani, but she did have her one moment with me. She knew of the danger she was in but refused to listen to Jackson and had a "you're not the boss of me" moment. If I wasn't so invested in her character, I probably wouldn't have let it bother me.

I anxiously await the next book in the series. If it's anything like Savor the Danger, I won't be disappointed. If you haven't read this series, I strongly suggest that you get to it ASAP!

Theme Thursday {6}: Body Parts

This meme is being hosted by Kavyen @ Reading Between Pages. Each Thursday she will be posting a new "theme" Anyone can join in; here are the rules:

• A new "theme" will be posted each Thursday
• Select a conversion/snippet/sentence from your current read
• Post your selection, but don't forget to list the title and author of the book
• This event is open for one whole week
• It is important that the theme is conveyed in the sentence (you don’t necessarily need to have the word)
  
  Ex: If the theme is KISS; your sentence can have “They kissed so gently” or “Their lips touched each other” or “The smooch was so passionate”

This week's "theme" is: BODY PARTS

Slowly, very slowly, he moved his right hand. His arm felt like lead, but he lifted it. He tried to move his left hand and realized that something warm and soft kept him pinned in place. Staying very still to avoid alerting anyone to his cognizance, Jackson opened his hand and...felt. He didn't need a clear head or his vision to know he palmed a very sweet female backside. A slim, smooth leg came over his, gliding up over his crotch.

page 9; Savor the Danger by Lori Foster

Teaser Tuesday: Savor the Danger by Lori Foster

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by MizB @ Should Be Reading. To participate, all you have to do is the following:

• Grab your current/upcoming read
• Open to a random page
• Share 2-3 "teaser" sentences from somewhere on that page
• Be careful not to include spoilers! (You do not want to ruin the book for others.)

Share the title & author so that others who enjoy your "teaser" may add the book to their TBL pile.

When Marc charged forward, Jackson landed a short, effortless jab square on his chin. Eyes rolling up, Marc went stiff, then fell back hard, his legs buckled awkwardly, his arms out at his sides.
Alani gasped. "Jackson!"
"What?" Unrepentant , he peered down at Marc. "He started doing crazy hops and shit. It was a reflex."
"You didn't have to knock him out."
"What'd you want me to do? Hug him?" He made a face. "I barely tapped him. How was I supposed to know he had a glass jaw?"

page 159, Savor the Danger by Lori Foster

Review: Trace of Fever by Lori Foster

Trace of Fever
Lori Foster
Series: Men Who Walk the Edge of Honor #2
Publisher: HQN
Publication Date: May 31, 2011
Mass Market Paperback {p.393}
Source: Publicist
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Characters: Priscilla Patterson, Trace Rivers
Challenge:100+, Summer Romance

Undercover mercenary Trace Rivers loves the adrenaline rush of a well-planned mission. First he'll earn the trust of corrupt businessman Murray Coburn, then gather the proof he needs to shut down the man's dirty smuggling operation. It's a perfect scheme—until Coburn's long-lost daughter saunters in with her own deadly plan for revenge.

With a smile like an angel and fire in her eyes, Priscilla Patterson isn't who she seems to be. But neither is the gorgeous bodyguard who ignites all her senses. Joining forces to plot Coburn's downfall, Priss and Trace must fight the undeniable heat between them. For one wrong move, one lingering embrace, will expose them to the wrath of a merciless opponent...

Trace of Fever picks up where When You Dare leaves off in their effort to catch human traffickers. This one tells the story of Trace, whose sister Alani was taken and rescued in book one. During Trace’s undercover assignment he takes up with Priscilla, his target’s daughter.

I liked both Priss and Trace, but Trace of Fever lacked some of the excitement that I felt in When You Dare. The romance between Priss and Trace just seemed to happen with no real build-up, it was just there.

I guess in comparing the two men, Dare and Trace, Trace didn’t come across as tough as Dare. Even down to the very end of the book, I was still unsure that when the time came to deal with the bad guy, if Trace would be able to follow through. Although Trace had more invested in this than Dare, after reading them both back to back, it came across as if Dare had more invested.

Priss grew up really sheltered and was a bit naïve about some things, but when it came to getting revenge on Murray she was headstrong and focused. I’ve been a fan of the whole motley crew family that these men have seemed to make with the women and friends in their lives.

I did like the story, but Trace just continued to lack something for me throughout. He just didn’t have that action hero appeal. With that said, I’m truly looking forward to reading Jackson’s story in Savor the Danger.