December 12th, 2009 — 3.5 Stars, ARC, Business, Category, Contemporary, Cooking, Enemies, Executive, Great Britain, P-R, Tycoon
Callum Ironstone wanted nothing more than to get Miranda Owen off his conscious. He could still remember her grief-stricken accusations that he killed her father, drove him to suicide. He’d done his best to make up for the harshness of his actions in the years afterward, not that she knew, but guilt still plagued him. In a last ditch effort of redemption Callum offers Miranda a contract to be a caterer for his holiday dinner party. What he didn’t expect was to be thrown completely off his guard… and for her to wind up in his bed. But now that she’s there he’s determined to keep her there.
The first concern I had about the novel was how the two would finally resolve the issue of Miranda’s father. Would Callum reopen the case and find the father innocent? Or would he show her undeniable proof about her father’s guilt? I found it hard to believe she’d land in his bed despite the uncomfortable attraction she felt for him. Uncomfortable is me projecting – because I would be seriously upset to find myself lusting after the man whose actions forced my father to consider suicide as the only way out and then take action on those suicidal thoughts.
While Miranda was anxious and worried once or twice about her attraction to him, she manages to push aside her feelings on that topic because of a conversation where they talked at cross purposes. She thought he was apologizing for wrongfully accusing her father. He was apologizing for being so harsh and public about his retaliation.
One of the biggest things in favor of this novel was how little time to took to deal with the breakup near the end and the follow up angst. Callum was very mature and worked quickly to fix and keep things from deteriorating. He was understanding and had foresight when most heroes would have been bullheaded, hurt. He did miss his chance to pull a Mr. Darcy behind Miranda’s back to humbly help her brother, but he did help (with her tagging along) and managed getting his HEA anyway.
Rating: 3.5 Stars
Buy from Amazon: Millionaire Under the Mistletoe
Buy eHarlequin: Millionaire Under the Mistletoe
December 9th, 2009 — 4.5 Stars, Book Review, Contemporary, Erotica, J-L, Kidnapping, Musician, Paranormal, Rape/Abuse, Runaway, United States of America, Vampire
Listening to the Maestro’s Butterfly is an experience that will leave you flushed and begging for more. You’re in luck too because there are two more books after this! Rebecca Rogers is a truly phenomenal narrator. Her character voices are a treat and she’s a real actress. Quivering sighs, harsh words, moans, groans, she does them all without ever breaking form. Rogers draws you into Jones’ secret world of vampires and you can not escape… just like Miranda you are trapped, captivated and set a fire.
Jones' mythology is unique. Her vampires have heartbeats, never get sick, can't reproduce, and fangs that extend. The feeders once bitten become the perfect meals, producing more blood, become slightly stronger, and live longer younger. Holding one's breath even ruins the flavor of blood. To be taken by a vampire is to know the true meaning of sex as they love to combine feeding with intercourse.
In the Maestro’s Butterfly, Rhonda Leigh Jones sets a sexy stage and does not fail to deliver. If you’re into dominant/submissive power plays, vampires, and kinky sex you will love this story. There are elements of S&M, including whipping, public/stage sex, voyeurism, sex with multiple partners (not at the same time unless you count in sync with watching others), and anal sex. Very hot!
Miranda wants to be dominated. She wants to include fear, surrender, and the unknown in the bedroom. She longs for it and is afraid of her desires. Her dreams involve running down darkened streets and being caught and forced upon by the mysterious hunter. In her day life she’s a musician and with a lucky break gets Claudio du Fresne to tutor her for half price. One night after a performance of his, he invites her back to his place and along the way they strike a bet. He will be the partner she has always dreamed of and if at the end of 30 days he will make her his forever… if not she will allowed to leave and he will continued to tutor her at the prearranged deal.
But there is a darker side to this story. Miranda is unaware of Claudio being a vampire. That’s not all… in addition Claudio has struck another bet, this time with his brother, Victoire "Jack" du Fresne. If at the end of 30 days Miranda stays with Claudio, Jack will pay for Claudio quarter of a million dollar performance piece. If however, she bolts like Jack suspects, Miranda will belong to Jack… whether she wants to be or not.
Rating: 4.5 Stars
Get the audio version here.
Originally posted 2009-03-15 05:57:29. Republished by Blog Post Promoter
Online Stores
December 1st, 2009 — Author Interviews, Erotica, J-L
LRP: I just read Market For Love and I was impressed by your details of the work atmosphere. Granted I have no background in finance America, you could have said anything and I would probably buy it, but that's not the point. What you did write was entirely believable for me as a reader. So my question for you is how do you go about researching topics like corporate America to be able to include it into your writing?
Jamaica: -----I actually worked in Corporate America as a professional writer and editor for many years---including in Chicago's LaSalle Street financial industry----so it is actually very easy for me to write books in that setting. I mostly wrote Market For Love based on my own experiences as a single woman working in the man's world of finance, so very little independent research was needed for this particular book.
LRP: There were some pretty hot and heavy sex scenes in Market For Love in which your writing never faltered. I take it you're pretty comfortable writing about it. In your opinion what makes a great bedroom scene?
Jamaica: ----I think a great bedroom scene (or sex scene, since very few of the sex scenes I write take place in actual bedrooms) involves three major things. First, there has to be a lot of dramatic and sexual tension leading up to the scene itself, and you have to establish that through the story's plotline and characterizations. Second, you need to describe the sex acts in great detail, frankly, and without embarrassment. Third, there needs to be a payoff----and not just in terms of giving the characters orgasms. There has to be a satisfying sexual payoff for the reader as well. A well-written sex scene is really a ménage a trois between the man, the woman, and the reader.
LRP: That's a very savvy statement! I'll back you up on that one! Now Miranda and Max are some pretty solid names, easy to get behind because they're not so far off the wall. Plus the alliteration helps I think. How did you decide their character names and naming characters in general?
Jamaica: ----You know, I usually just name my characters at random. Whatever names pop into my head are usually the ones I use. I also am pretty lucky in that I seem to have a talent for writing characters that live up to their names, too. On the rare occasion that I find myself looking up names in a baby book or something, it's usually to name minor characters. I never have any difficulty naming my heroes and heroines.
LRP: I like to ask authors this question about the genre: what do you think is the most abused aspect of or in romance novels?
Jamaica: -----I think a major weakness of most "sweet" romance novels is the fact they leave the sex out. One reason I'm so drawn to writing erotica is because it leaves the sex in without asking the reader to fill in their own details. Don't get me wrong----I still like a good non-erotic romance novel----but there still needs to be at least some sex and/or sensuality in order for it to appeal to me. Even Jane Austen understood the importance of sex in romance-----all of her heroines are quite sensual, even though her books make no direct mention of sex.
LRP: Now it's time for a really tough question, no answer is wrong here so don't be shy. How do you define love?
Jamaica: ----I define love as an emotion that has no conditions. Someone who truly loves you accepts you just as you are, warts and all, and doesn't expect you to "change" for him/her. And true mutual acceptance is an important part of sex, too.
LRP: Why did you decide to write romance instead of writing in another genre?
Jamaica: -----I actually do write in other genres besides romance. I write romance more than anything else because I love the genre. But more than that, I just love a good story.
LRP: What are some challenges you face when writing romance?
Jamaica: ----I think the biggest challenge is the inaccurate perceptions many people have of the romance genre. So many people dismiss romance as "trash" when in fact 53% of all the books published every year in English are romance novels. The entire publishing industry is dependent on the revenue generated by the romance genre, in fact. And that's quite enlightening, considering too many writers in other genres think they are somehow "above" it. Romance (and indirectly, erotica) go all the way back to Jane Austen, and anybody who disses Jane Austen answers to me!
Plus, there's a very time-honored literary tradition when it comes to erotica as well----D.H. Lawrence, Anais Nin, Henry Miller, even James Joyce wrote erotica. The longstanding literary tradition of erotica is what I focus upon whenever people try to criticize me for choosing to write it. There's also a pretty vocal subset of romance authors who really look down upon erotica authors, even treat them with open hostility----which I don't think makes sense at all when you consider how intertwined sex is with romance.
LRP: What do you hope your readers will gain from your books?
Jamaica: ----I hope they enjoy a good story, have their hearts set aflutter, and get a little turned on. And also learn something in the process.
LRP: What do you do to relax and get away from writing? Is there something that really gets you away from it all?
Jamaica: ----I enjoy spending time with my husband and 1-year-old son. I also enjoy reading, working out, sewing, painting, and gardening.
LRP: What would you say to aspiring writers about the whole process?
Jamaica: -----"Just Do It!" Make time to write every day. Make writing an integral part of your life. Because if your goal is to become a working novelist, you will have deadlines and financial obligations that will require you to write every single day in order to make a living. Career novelists usually have to write about 2,000 words a day to make their deadlines. And writing 2,000 high-quality, PUBLISHABLE words a day, every day, takes time, commitment, and a hell of a lot of stamina.
LRP: Thank you so much for joining with us today Jamaica, I really appreciate your time! I know my readers will be grateful for all your insights and advice! Good luck with all your future writing projects!
Jamaica keeps a blog and you can get all her updates at http://jillelainehughes.blogspot.com/ or catch up with her on her author website.
Originally posted 2008-11-20 05:22:45. Republished by Blog Post Promoter
Online Stores
November 17th, 2009 — 4.5 Stars, Book Review, Contemporary, Erotica, Executive, J-L, Survival, United States of America
Jamaica Layne writes a steamy, sticky, and ultimately sweaty good read. Market for Love is a quick little contemporary that was fun to devour. This novel was a smooth read and wonderfully well-executed! Layne sucks you in and doesn’t let go until the last page.
Miranda Johansson’s day is completely tanked from the get go the moment her stock portfolio takes a nosedive. In one fell swoop she has managed to lose 87 million dollars of her clients’ money. Dreading writing up and sending her necessary First-Call bulletin, Miranda dips out of the office for some desperately needed caffeine in the form of three double-espressos.
When the Rastafarian behind the counter insults her looks, Miranda snaps out a petty retort and gets caught. Who catches her at the height of her bad manners but Mister Drop Dead Gorgeous. Mortified Miranda ducks into the bathroom and sees the damage the young man with purple hair had tried to inform her about. Some very expensive eyeliner and mascara did not live up to their hype of being waterproofed.
Facing Mister DDG again in the lobby, he whips her up into a posh office he has access to and offers her the fully stocked bathroom to clean up. Miranda accepts and gets to work restoring her destroyed appearance and frayed nerves. Meeting DDG again in the main part of the office Miranda spills her story to his compassionate ears including her fears of getting fired. His response to this deluge of woeful news is to tell her to try to earn some of it back for her clients before the end of the day and surely her boss will not see the need to fire her.
Helpful on top of be DDG is all it takes for Miranda to give into the quidgy feeling that’s been bubbling in her tummy since the moment she laid eyes on him. One kiss turns into another and another and kisses lead to mind-blowing orgasms for both parties. Surprised at her own behavior Miranda fights the glow and gets the hell out of the office, stopping only long enough to exchange names.
He said his name was Max. He ended up being Maxwell Moore Junior, a corporate financial muckety-muck and her new boss. Completely horrified that she’d just slept with her boss Miranda is formulating resumes in her head until Maxwell calls a meeting of all the top executives. Of course this news comes just after she started her period and to make matters worse she was unprepared for the early arrival. How could a bad day get any worse? Since hiding out in the bathroom wasn’t going to work Miranda shores up her resolve and some toilet paper and heads up to meeting.
From spying ex-girlfriends to hostile corporate machinations to seriously distracting mind-blowing sex Miranda and Max are in for a whirlwind affair and a lot of news coverage. Will they manage to escape with their reputations relatively unscathed? Will their hearts take the beating of ugly public accusations? Will their phobias keep them from loving each other? Read and find out!
Rating: 4.5 Stars
Buy: Market for Love
Originally posted 2008-11-12 13:40:30. Republished by Blog Post Promoter
Online Stores
September 18th, 2009 — 1.5 Stars, A-C, Big Misunderstanding, Book Review, Gentry, Great Britain, Heiress, Mistaken Identity, Regency, Rogues and Rakehells, Secret Agent, Spinster, Teacher, Travel, Virgin Heroine
This was definitely not one of my favorite novels. Not only did Boyle use hair color to give stereotypical traits to the heroine, but the big reveal didn’t feel so big! Major bummer! As Susan would say thank goodness I’m FF (finally finished)!
A kiss can change the fates of nations. It certainly changed the fate of one Miss Miranda Mabberly. She was going to marry an impoverished (or at least highly strapped for funds) Earl and become a Countess but one kiss altered everything, including the world on its axis.
Miranda’s family force her to flee London into the country and into permanent hiding from the shame of that kiss. Along the way she manages to make it back to Miss Emery’s Establishment and gain a teaching position in decorum (irony at its best) under a new name. It’s been nine years since that kiss and Miranda can still recall its flavor of it.
Mad Jack Tremont or Lord John can too. Poorer than a church mouse, he’s been banished to the country seat where disgraced relatives of the Tremont’s have been living for generations. When crossing Miss Porter’s prim façade and tightly wound red hair, Jack can’t help but think of ways to seduce her out of her hairpins.
Rating: 1.5 Stars
Buy: This Rake of Mine
Online Stores
July 1st, 2009 — News
Last month was fabulous! Thank you all for making it so! June was filled with many great features including: guest reviews, guest bloggers, author interviews, and fun articles. We talked about the size of werewolf and vampire fangs, children in romance, and signs of too much romance novel reading. Shared below is the month’s highlights:
June's 11 Most Commented Posts
June’s Guest Bloggers:
June’s Author Interviews:
June’s Guest Book Reviews:
June’s Movie Reviews:
What were your favorite posts in June?
Online Stores
June 20th, 2009 — 4.5 Stars, Contemporary, Great Britain, Guest Reviews, M-O
By: Zarabeth, guest reviewer
Miranda's Big Mistake is a contemporary romance set in London. Our lead female, Miranda, goes through a series of what turn out to be unfortunate relationships all while "the one" sits quietly on the sidelines attempting to be supportive.
Our supporting female, Bev, is a very interesting character as well with entirely different standards, wishes, and dreams for her perfect man. Miranda leads a fairly average life as a junior hairstylists in a fancy salon and rents a room with a fantastic "old bird" of a woman, Florence.
We follow Miranda, Bev, Flo and a few other characters through a complicated web of relationships. But, by the end everyone ends up with the right man and it is a happily ever after.
I loved the style of narration and Jill Mansell's attention to certain details. I never felt lost or bored. I enjoyed reading the book immensely. It was rather long at 450+ pages but I didn't notice at all.
As with other romance novels, I can't forget to inform you that this is not a smutty sexually erotic story. It's about her life and the situations she finds herself in. Lots of situational humor, tragedy, and foresight that you wish the characters could see. Mansell does a wonderful job of keeping me reading the book.
Overall 4.5/5 Stars
Buy: Miranda's Big Mistake
Online Stores
June 4th, 2009 — Author Interviews, M-O
Keira: How did the ideas for An Offer You Can't Refuse
and Miranda's Big Mistake come to you?
Jill: With Offer, I was very keen to write about a sparky bookshop manageress who loves books, and my readers seem to have appreciated this - mainly because they're readers too! With Miranda, I wanted to set the story in a hair salon as I think they're amazing places for eavesdropping, gossiping and fun. I don't enjoy having my hair done, but I still love going because I know I'll come away with enough ideas to fill ten books!
Keira: Do character names come easily for you or is there a trial and error process?
Jill: Good question. I use my books of babies' names to find them, and sometimes they work straight away, but occasionally they don't work out and need to be changed. A lot easier to do now, with word processors, than in the old days when you had to sit down with your 600 typed pages and a bucket of Tippex...
Keira: Do you prefer a heroine, hero, or couple over the other and why?
Jill: Sorry, I don't understand this question. Is this an American term? I like all my main characters!
Keira: What do you think is the hardest thing for anyone to do in a relationship?
Jill: Ooh, another great question! Personally speaking, my other half is tidy and I'm not, so I have to try very hard to clean up after myself. And he has to try very hard not to mind when I fail! I suppose, in a nutshell, we're talking about compromise.
Keira: For you, what is the appeal of contemporary romance?
Jill: It's easy entertainment and I don't think there's anything wrong with that. We like to relax and escape from the pressures of life. I write feel-good fiction and people tell me I've cheered them up. For me, that's just perfect.
Keira:Is there anything you struggle with when writing? How to do you overcome that?
Jill: At the moment I'm struggling because my heroine has taken a job working in an office. The problem is, I've never worked in an office so I haven't a clue what she's supposed to be doing all day. If it was something more specific I could look it up on Google, but I'm just having to guess! (My agent had to break it to me that secretaries don't take shorthand any more...)
Keira: If you could be one of your characters - either book - who would you be?
Jill: Either of them, but Miranda is probably the nicer person, so I'll go with her. And she gets to see a great tennis match on the Centre Court at Wimbledon , which would make my year!
Keira: Fill in the blank: If you're not writing you are ______
Jill: ...Feeling very naughty and guilty, as if I've taken a day off work when I'm not even sick. Even when I'm doing other things, I'm probably still thinking about the characters and the plot at the back of my mind. (That ' s my excuse, anyway.) Yesterday was such a beautiful sunny day that my daughter and I went to Bath for lunch at Jamie Oliver ' s restaurant. We sat on the terrace, ate wonderful food and had the best time. Then we went shopping afterwards. Today I ' m working extra-hard to make up for it!
Keira: What inspired you to put pen to paper as it were and write in the first place?
Jill: This sounds terrible, but I really started because I wanted to become rich! I had no money at all and saw a magazine piece about successful romance writers whose lives had been transformed. I sat down and wrote a book. And now I've written twenty in total. It's been wonderful and it has completely changed my life.
Keira: Is there anything else you'd like to share with us?
Jill: I'd just like to say thanks, Keira, for asking to interview me. I'm so thrilled to be published in the States and everyone's being so kind about my books. The feedback has been fantastic. I couldn't have asked for a better response. You're all stars!
You can visit Jill at her website and follow what she's up to by checking out her diary. In the meanwhile, you can Buy: An Offer You Can't Refuse or Purchase: Miranda's Big Mistake.
Online Stores
