A Game of Cat and Witch (Monstrous Shifters) by Ruby Rune + giveaway

We're celebrating the release of A Game of Cat and Witch by Ruby Rune! This beauty is already an Amazon Bestseller and we're gifting one lucky ready a paperback copy on Instagram!

 

A Game of Cat and Witch (Monstrous Shifters) 

by Ruby Rune 

Genre: A Spicy Witch & Shifter Paranormal Academy Romance Cover Artist: Kage, illustration by Alilyushka

• Forced Proximity
• Just one dorm/bed
• Enemies to lovers
• Touch her and die
• Academy setting
• Witch + Cat Shifter
• Fated Mates
• Literal Black Cat MMC

Underlying Mystery Plot Avery Alarch has always been the worst witch at Caerwyn University. Now she’s got twenty-four hours to conjure a familiar or get kicked out for good—a fate that means losing her magic forever and being stuck on a dreary island with nothing but regrets.

 

Desperate times call for desperate spells. So when Avery stumbles on a forbidden grimoire, she decides to risk it all. One little summoning later, she’s expecting a cute magical cat. Instead? She gets Felix, a six-foot-six cat shifter with a bad attitude and a knack for trouble. He’s her mortal enemy, magically bound to her by an illegal spell, and very much not purring. 

 

He wants her dead. She wants him gone. Neither of them gets a choice. 

 

The only way out? Solve a string of enchanted riddles before their magical link destroys them both. Of course, that’s easier said than done when Felix keeps tying Avery up in shadows, and their bickering is starting to feel a little less hostile and a lot more heated. 

 

As they unravel puzzles and secrets, Avery and Felix find themselves at the heart of a conspiracy that could upend the supernatural world. And despite every rule and reason, sparks are flying in all the wrong (or right?) ways. 

 

Get ready for claws, curses, and cat-astrophic chemistry in A Game of Cat and Witch, the first laugh-out-loud installment in the Monstrous Shifters series. Perfect for fans of My Funny Demon Valentine and Assistant to the Villain, Ruby Rune’s debut is a magical, banter-filled paranormal rom-com you won’t want to miss.

 AVAILABLE ON AMAZON 

  

 

Triggers:
Dub con/non con : Graphic sexual scenes : Sexual assault (on page) : Physical violence : Anxiety/Panic attacks : Dismembered bodies : Trauma : Death of a loved one (not on page) : Death of a parent (not on page) : Graphic violence : Slut shaming : Excessive drinking : Murder and attempted murder 

 

About the Author

website

Ruby Rune is a romance author based in Northern NSW, Australia. At the moment, she writes unhinged paranormal romcoms for the whimsical and devious (I know that’s you, you little minx) starting with her debut A Game of Cat and Witch.

When she isn’t writing, she’s tending to her garden, gaming like a gremlin, devouring smutty cliterature, or doomscrolling on Instagram. 

 

GIVEAWAY

We're gifting one lucky ready a paperback copy on Instagram! 

 

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New Release: The Saltwater Curse by Avina St. Graves

The Saltwater Curse is now available and if you love the Hades and Persephone, Avina St. Graves has given us a beauty inspired by it but with a whole lot more tentacles! 

The Saltwater Curse
by Avina St. Graves
June 5, 2025
Genre: PNR/ Monster Romance
🐙 Hades & Persephone inspired
🐚 Stuffing
🐙 POVs from the animal companion
🐚 Captive x Captor
🐙 Fated Mates
A woman escaping her past…

Kristy Gallagher has slayed a monster before. When she could no longer live with her husband’s abuse, she plunged a knife into his neck. Then, she fled his family’s criminal empire—changing her name and traveling to the far reaches of the world, before finding her safe haven in Bali.

She’s used to looking over her shoulder but nothing could prepare her for the monster that lurks beyond the shore. Sharp claws, grasping tentacles—Krakens are real, and their King has decided she’s to be his bride.

A monster trying to end a curse…

Ordus is King of the Dead Lands, the last Kraken of his bloodline, and the final hope to break a terrible curse that plagues his lands. He must find his destined bride, his soul mate, and marry her to save his kingdom.

His fated mate shouldn’t be a human, but something about her calls to him like no other creature ever has. He drags her to his island, kicking and screaming, begging to be returned to the mainland.

Ordus must convince her he’s not a monster to be feared, but her soul mate who will protect her from anything and anyone who means her harm.

Including his own people.

A dark and delicious tale about what makes a monster—THE SALTWATER CURSE is inspired by the Hades/Persephone myth. Only with a lot more tentacles.

Triggers:
Stretching, sex, unconsented voyeurism, cannibalism (Depending on how you look at it), murder, gore, death by tentacles, shark attack (kind of?), kidnapping, health issues, toxic characters, trauma, PTSD, racism (by krakens toward humans). 

AVAILABLE ON AMAZON

About the Author:
website
From an early age, romance author Avina St. Graves spent her days imagining fantasy worlds and dreamy fictional men, which spurred on from her introverted tendencies. In all her day dreaming, there seemed to be a reoccurring theme of morally grey female characters, love interests that belong in prison, and unnecessary trauma and bloodshed.

Much to everyone's misfortune, she now spends her days in a white collar job praying to every god known to man that she might be able to write full time and give the world more red flags to froth over.

BOOK BLITZ ORGANIZED BY:

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YA witchy fantasyon Kindle Unlimited! Autumn Death (Bird Girl Witches Book 1) by L.A. Brown

Welcome to the tour for Autumn Death by L.A. Brown -- a gorgeous YA witchy fantasy you can now read on Kindle Unlimited!

Autumn Death (Bird Girl Witches Book 1)

by L.A. Brown

November 13, 2024
Genre: YA Dark Fantasy/ Witches
Tropes: The Supernatural, The Outsider, First Love, Love is the Answer, Coming of Age, Ancient Secrets, Backing into Darkness, Body Switching, Dark Family Secrets, Crime in the Family, Found Family, Fated Mates, Forbidden Love, Creepy Settings, A Foreboding Atmosphere, Mysterious Things are Happening, Magical Secrets, Fantastical Creatures, Magical Systems, Training Sequences, Powerful Artifacts, High Stakes, Happy Ending, Hereditary Witches, Hauntings

In book one of the Bird Girl Witches series, the mystical realm of The Korvids is being terrorized by a dark force, and a young, psychic girl may be the only one who can stop it. 

 

Arabel Spade is just 17 years old, but holds the gift of extraordinary supernatural abilities. When a series of brutal murders rock her hometown, she is determined to use her powers to solve the crimes and protect her people. 

 

But tracking the killer puts her on a collision course with the sinister Dorojenja – evil sorcerers intent on putting an end to her investigation, if not her life. As the bodies pile up, Arabel must navigate a web of secrets, betray her cold-hearted grandmother’s wishes, and forge alliances with mysterious magical factions like the Travelers.

Join Arabel’s epic journey of magic, danger, and self-discovery, as she battles for the ultimate fate of The Korvids.Join Arabel’s epic journey of magic, danger, and self-discovery, as she battles for the ultimate fate of The Korvids.

AVAILABLE ON AMAZON

CW: Three murders which happen off-page, but the bodies are found on the page. These murders are not described in detail, but it is mentioned that the bodies are naked and posed in a sacrificial manner. There is also a murder by drowning, body possession, and a murder by a vicious Death Ribbon spell. There are also ghostly attacks on our heroine and a kidnapping. There is a lot of romantic desire, but no sexual activity outside of kissing.

 

About the Author:

Lisa Ann Brown began her creative journey as both a writer and an actor. After studying Musical Theatre at Douglas College and screenwriting at Vancouver Film School, she spent a few years in Hollywood. Returning to Vancouver, LA became a talent agent before retiring from the film industry to focus on writing full-time.

She resides in picturesque Vancouver, Canada, happily nestled between the Pacific Ocean and Coastal Mountains.

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PRE-ORDER: Runt of the Pack (Bad Boy Shifters of the Unnatural Brethren) by Silvana G. Sanchez

We're celebrating the upcoming release of Runt of the Pack by Silvana Sanchez! Make sure to pre-order your copy!

Runt of the Pack (Bad Boy Shifters of the Unnatural Brethren)

by Silvana G. Sanchez

February 17, 2024
Genre: Paranormal Romance/ Shifters
🌹 𝗙𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱 M𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀
🕵️‍♂️ 𝗠𝘆𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘆 M𝗮𝗻
🏠 𝗙𝗼𝗿𝗰𝗲𝗱 𝗽𝗿0𝘅𝗶𝗺𝗶𝘁𝘆
🛏️ 𝗢𝗻𝗲-B𝗲𝗱 T𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗲
🔐 𝗞ñø𝘁𝘁ïñ𝗴
😈 𝗣𝗿𝗶𝗺𝗮𝗹 P𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻
🐺 𝗪𝗼𝗹𝗳 S𝗵𝗶𝗳𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀
🌶️𝗦𝗽𝗶𝗰𝘆 S𝗰𝗲𝗻𝗲𝘀
💖𝗙𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱 𝗳𝗮𝗺𝗶𝗹𝘆
When the lone wolf finds his fated mate, the pack bounds will be tested.

The runt of the pack. An Alpha redeemed.
Vladimir Volkov, leader of the Roman wolf pack, seeks vengeance when an old enemy returns to Russia. But tragedy strikes, and Vlad fails his duty to the Ursa clan. Left for dead after a brutal fight, a white wolf revives him. Given new life, he vows to prove himself to his pack again. But there’s one thing he never expected to find along the way—his fated mate.

Spurned by the pack. An Omega’s rising.
Rogue omega Anya Sokolov lives alone, painting to survive. Her wolf craves more. A howl in a snowstorm leads her to a wounded stranger—her fated mate, Vladimir. But joy turns to chaos when Anya's pack Alpha finds her. Old wounds reopen, threatening her newfound happiness with Vladimir.

In a pulse-pounding tale of love and redemption, Vlad and Anya must navigate the treacherous path of ancient rivalries and the brutal rules of the pack. Will their love withstand the onslaught of darkness, or will they lose everything they hold dear?

**** Runt of the Pack is a steamy fated mates, forced proximity, omegaverse new adult shifter romance, and is recommended for +18. It’s the second installment in the Bad Boy Shifters series. While it can be read as a standalone, reading the full series in order, along with the Unnatural Brethren series is highly advised! ****

PRE-ORDER HERE-AMAZON

About the Author
Silvana G. Sánchez
Silvana G. Sánchez is the USA TODAY bestselling author of sinfully addictive dark fantasy new adult novels Ash and Snow, Steel and Stone, Written in Blood, and more paranormal and fantasy romance stories, including the Vesely Academy series. She lives in Mexico with her husband, son, and two adorable Shih-Tzus she calls her dragons. When not plotting away in her writing den, she’s known to poke eyes in her practice as an ophthalmologist.

Book Tour Schedule
February 12th
http://rrbooktours.com Landing Page
https://www.instagram.com/angels_gp17/ - Feature
https://ilovebooksandstuffblog.wordpress.com - Feature
https://www.instagram.com/ilovebooksandstuffblog/
https://www.instagram.com/bookgrlobsessed/ - Feature
https://www.instagram.com/umber.reads.1988/ - Feature

February 13th
https://www.instagram.com/bookish_lady_night/?igshid=OGQ5ZDc2ODk2ZA%3D%3D – Review
https://www.instagram.com/squeakeysundergroundlibrary/ - Review
http://www.ismellsheep.com/ - Feature
 

February 14th
https://www.instagram.com/mommyandherbooks/ - Review
https://www.instagram.com/bookishlyrieka/ - Review

February 15th
https://www.instagram.com/nvl_reads/ - Review
https://rissreviewsx.wixsite.com/website - Review
https://breakevenbooks.com – Feature

February 16th
https://instagram.com/the_bookish_cave_of_wonders?igshid=OGQ5ZDc2ODk2ZA== - Review
https://www.instagram.com/adventuresofabooktrovert_?igshid=OGQ5ZDc2ODk2ZA&utm_source=qr – Review

Book Tour Organized By:

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Interview: Moon Cursed: A Fated Mates RH PNR by Romy Lockhart + giveaway

What inspired you to write this book?
Moon Cursed is the sixth novel and seventh work in my Hybrid Shifters paranormal reverse harem world. When I started this world with Vicious Love last year, I had no idea how popular it was going to be, but I did hope to be writing more than one book about each set of characters and this is the second novel to feature my female Alpha character Cheryl and her mates.

As for the inspiration for this one, I worked out backstories for her mates when I wrote the first book, and Oscar’s story was the one that called to me the most when I came back to write a second novel so Moon Cursed was born. Please note: Although this harem was formed in Vicious Love, it’s possible to read Moon Cursed without reading that book first.

What can we expect from you in future?
More fated mates, protective heroes and twisty plots!

I’m currently splitting my time between my Hybrid Shifters world, and my newly created Sweet Omegaverse series. If you love paranormal reverse harems, you might like both. It should be noted that some of the Sweet Omegaverse books will contain intimate relationships between the main male characters, but in all of the rest of my books including all of the Hybrid Shifter books, the main male characters are completely focused on the female lead.

The next Hybrid Shifters book will be the second novel to feature Rachel and her mates, centering on Silas and his special abilities! I’m also working on a book about Roxy, who is the big sister of Dante from Hybrid Rejected, and Kelly from Necromancer Bitten.

Do you have any side stories about the characters?
Yes, I’m always working on extra bits and pieces. There is a novella available now that’s a little bit special. I wanted to revisit all the characters from my first four books, but they demanded to be together in one story instead of split into four short stories so that’s what Hybrid Hearts became. It’s as steamy and suspenseful as the novels (maybe even steamier!) and is a little window into the lives of the heroines and their mates after the end of the first four books.

Can you tell us the reading order of the Hybrid Shifters world?
The stories are written so they can be read as standalones; however, for anyone who wants to read them in order, you can do so as follows:

Vicious Love, Shifting Hearts, Hybrid Rejected, Runaway Mate, Hybrid Hearts (Novella), Necromancer Bitten, Moon Cursed, Shifting Spirits (Coming Soon).

Moon Cursed: A Fated Mates RH PNR

by Romy Lockhart

July 31, 2022
Genre: Reverse Harem Paranormal Romance

Cheryl’s newly awakened Alpha wolf is put to the test when her Omega is accused of murder by another pack. Pack law dictates Oscar’s fate must be determined by his accusers, but she’s certain he’s innocent and determined to find a way to prove it.

Getting to the truth isn’t going to be easy. Oscar’s fractured connection with his wolf makes him even more vulnerable than the average Omega, and Cheryl’s instinct to protect her mate goes into overdrive when she finds out why the other pack want him.

She’ll do whatever it takes to keep him safe. No one threatens an Alpha’s mates.


Moon Cursed is a standalone new adult shifter reverse harem romance with college-aged characters, serious steam and an HEA.

Please note: This is the second novel in the Hybrid Shifter world to feature Cheryl and her mates. This harem was formed in Vicious Love, and the characters also make an appearance in the novella Hybrid Hearts.

Amazon-Bookbub-Goodreads

***Get Vicious Love here!**

Amazon-Bookbub-Goodreads

EXCERPT
It’s been four months since my wolf awakened and I found my mates, five weeks since I became part of a coven, and three days since I realized one of my mates is pretending to be okay when he’s not. I wasn’t prepared for any of this, least of all for an Omega mate who’s usually extremely open about his feelings, shutting down to hide something.

Whatever that something is, it must be big. He wouldn’t keep it from us if it wasn’t.

I know Oscar. He thinks he’s protecting us, but it’s our job to protect him.

As soon as we know what we’re protecting him from, we’ll be all over it. But we’re never going to work out what’s up if he never gets out of bed.

“We’re seriously going to be late,” Noah tells me, shaking his head.

Our Beta has been ready to leave for close to an hour, getting up like clockwork and taking the time to subtly style his short dark blond hair and make sure his clothes don’t have a single visible crinkle. His deep-brown eyes are pleading when he turns them on me. He’s been trying to convince our Omega to get moving for the past fifteen minutes, and he’s clearly reaching his limit. I can hear the exasperation in his voice, I can see the irritation in his stare.

“Who cares?” Oscar mumbles from the bed, where he’s stretching out and making himself more comfortable instead of getting up for class.

The sheets fall away from lightly toned torso, revealing a glimpse at the start of the fine trail of dark hair moving down from his navel. I pull my gaze up to his face, and I see the faintest hint of a smile on his lips. His thick, dark eyelashes flutter lightly, and I know he’s watching me while he pretends to be dozing, waiting for me to respond to this lazy attempt at flirting.

It's cute, I’ll admit, but we don’t have time for cute.

“You’re not an Alpha,” I remind him.

Alphas can come and go at the academy as we please, which is kind of stupid if you ask me, but given that I’m officially accepted there as an Alpha now, I’m hardly going to argue at the leniency it affords me. Omegas and Betas are expected to attend unless they’re sick, and Oscar might be hiding something, but I seriously doubt that something is health related.

Oscar groans a little and stretches again. He clearly has no intention of moving from our bed.

If this weren’t situation typical for a weekday morning, I might be worried.

I smile down at him. He has an arm up now, shielding one of his eyes against the sunlight that’s been streaming through the window ever since Noah opened the curtains in an attempt to rouse him.

“I’m Alpha-adjacent,” Oscar murmurs finally, cracking his unhidden eye open fully to gaze at me. He gives me a slow smile. “Of course, I’d be a lot closer to an Alpha right now if you were under the covers with me.”

Noah lets out a loud, weary sigh. “I give up.”

He leaves the room, and I know he’ll be waiting for us just as impatiently outside the mansion. At least he’ll have Everett to complain to out there. My Alpha mate never wastes time trying to wake Oscar up. That’s the duty of a Beta, as far as he’s concerned.

Usually, I’d say the same, but now that I know Oscar’s hiding something from me, from all of us, I feel like watching over him a little more closely.

Oscar sits up, letting the cover fall from his chest. He ruffles a hand through his messy dark brown hair and gives me a slow, deliberate elevator look. “Do you give up too?”

I give him a smile, even if his question gives me a little stab of guilt.

I missed the signs that something was wrong, and he’s hiding his pain from me.

I hate that I screwed up this badly. I need to find a way to make it right.

“I’ll never give up,” I promise, wishing he would just tell me what’s wrong.

He tugs at my hand, and I let him pull me down onto the bed, where his hands quickly snake up under my skirt.

“How ‘bout now?” he asks, a teasing smile on his lips as his fingers creep up my thighs.

His playful mood drags my black-painted lips into a real smile.

“Don’t start something we can’t finish, Oscar,” I tell him, knowing we really are going to be late if I don’t give him a reason to throw on clothes in the next two minutes. My judgement is going to be seriously thrown if I don’t break away now, before the heat I’m under flares and captures both of us in its furnace. “If you let me go and you get ready for class, I’ll give you my full, undivided attention tonight.”

His bright blue eyes light up. “All night?”

I nod slowly. He lets me go reluctantly. For a second, I’m not sure my plan worked, but he doesn’t sink back down onto the mattress. I get up and straighten my skirt.

Oscar leaps out of the bed, and I watch him dress in a whirlwind of motion before he darts into the bathroom. It’s kind of impressive how suddenly he went from no-desire-to-move to superhero-speed quick-change.

About the Author
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Romy Lockhart writes paranormal reverse harem and M/F contemporary romance. All of her books contain steamy scenes between consenting adults. All of her reverse harems have harem ever afters, and all of her romance novels have happy endings.

Giveaway

$20 Amazon

Follow the tour HERE for special content and a giveaway!

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Book Blast: Simon (Le Beau Series, Book 1) by V. A. Dold + giveaway

SIMON
Le Beau Series, Book 1
NOTE: Complete novel. No cliffhanger. Dual POV. Rated 18+ for language and strong sexual content.

Four years of honorably serving his country has left Simon, Cade’s younger brother, damaged and trapped in wolf form. Little did he know the only person with the ability to heal him completely would be found at home. Literally. Now that he’s found her, he is desperate to claim her.

Rose is a beautiful, voluptuous woman with limited experience with men. Although she's confident, she still has reservations. Never having a family of her own, her fear of abandonment has her fleeing romantic relationships, and doubting herself.

Travis is insane. A deadly loose cannon that a secret organization hired to destroy the Le Beau family by denying them their mates. Permanently.

Simon’s dream will be lost forever unless he is able to maintain human form.
Rose needs unconditional love and a mate to create the family she’s always wanted.
Travis’s all-consuming drive is to take Rose for himself.

Will Simon ever be whole again, able to claim his mate, giving Rose the love and family she so desperately craves? Or will Travis destroy them both?

Amazon

About the Author:

website-Faceboook-twitter-Goodreads 

V.A.Dold is the bestselling author of the Le Beau Brothers series, New Orleans wolf shifter novels. A graduate of Saint Cloud University, she majored in marketing. Prior to becoming a full time writer, she was a publicist to the authors, owning Innovative Online Book Tours and ARC Author & Reader Con's (ARC NOLA) (ARC Phoenix). Still is. The companies mesh so well together, much like PB&J.

Her idea of absolute heaven is a day in the French Quarter filled with nothing but her computer, her coffee mug and the Brothers, of course.

A Minnesota native with her heart lost to Louisiana, she has a penchant for titillating tales featuring sexy men and strong women. When she's not writing, she's probably taking in a movie, reading or traveling.

Her earliest reading memories are from grade school. She had a major fixation with horses, and the Black Stallion was a favorite. Then junior high came along and teenage hormones kicked in. It became all about the Harlequin Romances. She has been hooked on romances ever since.

Excerpt 

She looked at him over her shoulder. His blue eyes seared her with heat. The intensity of his stare made her shiver. Lifting one hand, he laid his fingers against the blush of her cheek. Then he wrapped his arms around her from behind. He buried his nose in her hair and let his wolf rumble in satisfaction. “I’m ready to show you off at Julia’s whenever you are.” 

“Let me check my face and hair. It’ll only take a minute.” She returned a few minutes later looking amazing. 

Her hair was pulled back in a fashionable messy bun. A single strand was left loose to fall down the side of her face to the tip of her breast. He longed to follow that strand to its destination, scrape his teeth against her nipple and inhale her precious scent. 

She was without a doubt the most beautiful creature he’d ever seen in his life. Rose placed her arms around his neck, and he relished how her warmth seeped into his body. 

“I may have to change my mind, you look too good, and I’ll be forced to kill some idiot who tries to dance with you.” 

She rolled her eyes at him and grabbed her purse. “Come on, Romeo, I’m ready for a boat ride and a turn around the dance floor.” 

Simon held her hand as she got into the boat then jumped in and revved the motor. “I’ll go slow so I don’t mess up your gorgeous hair.” He winked. 

She blew him a kiss and fluffed her hair dramatically. 

Even going slow it only took twenty minutes to reach the pier serving the bar. He already heard the music and boisterous patrons. He cut the motor and helped her exit safely; boats weren’t designed for high heels. 

Rose looked up and down the line of boat slips and shoreline. “Where’s her sign?” 

“She doesn’t have one. We’d rather random humans didn’t wonder in. Mates are more than welcome, but the occasional human to happen upon the bar isn’t very well received.” 

He led her to an open table. “I’ll get us drinks, would you like wine or a whiskey Coke?” 

“A whiskey Coke sounds great.” Her eyes were bright with excitement as she checked out the crowd. 

He squeezed into an open spot at the bar and waved over his cousin. “Julia! How are you, cher?” 

“Oh, mon dieu! Simon, it’s so good to see you. I heard you found your mate.” 

“I did.” He gestured to their table. “Rose is seated right there, stop over if you get a break.” 

“Oh, elle est de toute beauté. You’re a lucky man, cuz.” 

“Don’t I know it.” He grinned. “Can I get a Whiskey Coke and a beer?” 

“Oui.” 

He turned his back to the bar to check on Rose. Simon’s breath caught as she unconsciously moistened her lip with the tip of her pink tongue. That mouth was made for sin, with its plush lower lip. He imagined her mouth doing wicked things to a certain part of his anatomy. Blood thrummed in his veins. Simon turned to inconspicuously adjust himself, his faded jeans were suddenly way too tight. Her intoxicating scent of coffee and cinnamon rolls licked at his groin even from across the room. He wanted to rub himself all over her, saturating her with his scent whenever they were in public. His wolf wouldn’t be satisfied until they were mated. 

Gazing at her across the room his blood surged, he imagined her naked on his bed, her thighs parted in invitation. He lowered his head and tasted her passion. Loving her long into the night, her excited cries entwining with his hoarse groans as they made the bed shudder and shake. He shook his head. He really needed to get control of his randy thoughts. This was date night and he would show her a good time away from his bed for once. Down boy, he snarled at his wolf. When he glanced at her again she was snickering and shaking her head at him. He must be imagining loudly. 

“Here you go, no charge, and congratulations, Simon.” Julia rapped her knuckles on the bar top before she turned her attention to making another customer’s drink. She was very busy, so he left her to it. He’d barely taken his seat when the band took the stage for another set. He stood and held his hand out to Rose. “May I have this dance?” 

“Why, yes, you may,” she said playing along. 

Simon held her close enough to see the sparkles in her blue eyes. He loved the way her gaze lit up when she was happy. But his wolf itched to see her eyes dazed with passion as he made love to her, and then sated and sleepy afterwards. For now holding her on the dance floor would do. Rose’s intoxicating fragrance surrounded him, teasing his senses. He was in heaven. 

He cupped her cheek with a large, warm palm. “I’m so happy you moved into our house, Rose. Having you in my arms makes me the luckiest man in the world.” The moment she agreed to move to his house he’d called it their home. His glowing blue eyes regarded her with a tenderness that made her breath hitch. 

She tightened her arms around his neck, urging his face closer to hers. “I didn’t want to go back to Anna’s, to an empty bed anymore,” she told him. “If you really plan to have me as your mate, it only made sense.” 

“Just say the word and I’m yours completely. Forever.” He smiled, then dipped his head, kissed her deeply and nuzzled her.

Giveaway

Book Review + Alpha Male Diner: Darkness Possessed by Stephanie Rowe + giveaway

Zach Roderick (Calydon Warrior)

recipe by Stephanie Rowe

Darkness Possessed (Order of the Blade #9)

Ingredients for a Zach Roderick Flambé

1) One well-muscled ancient Calydon warrior

2) 800 years of soul-wrenching torment

3) Add red-hot sizzling fire that burns from within.

4) Sprinkle with a mouth-watering dose of raw masculinity, danger, and dangerous passion.

5) Top with sensual kisses that awaken dormant desires that no woman can resist.

Warning: Love is forever with this one. Consider yourself forewarned.

Notes for optimum results: Must handle this delicacy with care. He will protect and possess you, and engulf you mercilessly in the enormity of his presence and desire. His loyalty is unwavering, and once he accepts you into his circle of protection, you will never have to face anything alone again. He will do whatever it takes to safeguard you, no matter the cost to himself, no matter how great the sacrifice. He has no heart left to give you, but with the right nurturing and care, you just might be able to heal him and bring him back from the darkness that holds him so relentlessly in his grip.

Taste Test

Kiss her? Kiss her?

Zach went utterly still, his entire body shaking with need at Rhiannon's breathless request. He wasn't a saint. He wasn't even close. The need to possess her was so strong that his muscles were actually cramping from the effort of controlling himself.

Still pinned beneath him, Rhiannon was staring up at him, her blue eyes dark with desire so raw that it seemed to thrust right into his gut. She wanted him as badly as he wanted her. But he'd seen her terror. Hell, he was still carrying the marks from her attack when she'd thought he was going to hurt her.

"Zach?" Her hands slid from his shoulders to the back of his neck, her touch a tantalizing caress as she wove her fingers through his hair. "Kiss me," she whispered. "I need you to kiss me."

He swore under his breath, knowing damn well that all she was asking for was a kiss. She wasn't asking for him to rip her clothes off or to make love to her until neither of them could move. He knew that, but could he really kiss her and stop there? He could feel her breasts against his chest. Her legs were wrapped around his hips, pulling him against her. The heat from her body seemed to flood him, a pulsing, relentless need that pushed ruthlessly against his self-control.

No. He couldn't do it. He wouldn't take that chance.

But even as he had the thought and made the resolution not to kiss her, he looked down into the turbulent depths of her eyes and saw the desperation in them. He realized suddenly that the kiss wasn't simply about the raw lust that had been stirred up between them. She needed him to kiss her, a need that burned from the very depths of all the pain and trauma she carried with her. She needed him to show her what a kiss was supposed to be like.

Jesus. That was serious pressure. But what was he going to do? Abandon her, when all he wanted to do was sweep her into his arms and gift her with whatever kindness he had left, with whatever beauty hadn't already been stripped from his soul?

No. He knew he wasn't going to say no. He was going to kiss her, and prove to her that some men were worth trusting, and that he was one of those men. 

Gritting his teeth against the need to consume her, he slowly bent his head, forcing himself to move with agonizing precision, giving her time to stop him or pull back. But with each inch that he closed between them, her fingers dug more tightly into him and her legs clamped that much harder around his hips.

She wanted him. There was no going back. At all.

Desire flashed in her eyes as she suddenly comprehended that he was about to kiss her, then wariness, and then, before the turbulence of her emotions could stop him, he closed the distance between them and kissed her, delivering the most chaste kiss he could summon.

Her lips were the softest things he'd ever felt in his life. They were like the spun silk, warm with life and passion. Lust exploded through him, a fire so hot it felt as if it were searing his veins as his blood raced through his body. 

Swearing under his breath, he started to break the kiss, knowing that he was in over his head, but before he could pull back, she wrapped her arms around his neck and trapped him. Then, she parted her lips beneath his and kissed him. Hard. Passionately. Intensely, but with the tentative skill of a woman who had no idea how the hell to kiss a man, who was simply following her instincts.

And it worked.

He cradled the back of her head in his palm, braced himself on his other forearm, and kissed her back. No longer chaste and protective, he kissed her with all the passion of a warrior who had gone too long without the oxygen needed to sustain him, only to find that the woman in his arms was that missing piece of his survival.

DARKNESS POSSESSED
Order of the Blade, #9
by Stephanie Rowe
A fatal mistake stripped Zach Roderick of the powers that define him, leaving him a tormented shadow of the warrior he once was. Now, his teammate's life depends on Zach resurrecting the fire that once burned within him. As he undertakes a battle he has no way to win, he is derailed by a tempestuous beauty that awakens in him the dark desires that destroyed him once before.

The scars etched on Rhiannon Diaz's soul are so deep that she will never again be free. The once-powerful guardian is facing her last and greatest battle, and failure means a return to a sexual enslavement that is far worse than death. Her intense and passionate need for the powerful warrior who has vowed to protect her threatens the very foundation of her survival, but his refusal to abandon her drags them both into a world where wild, untamed passion rages, and surrender is their only chance.

All books in the Order of the Blade series are intended to be standalones that can be read in any order. The chronological reading order, however, is as follows: DARKNESS AWAKENED, DARKNESS SEDUCED, DARKNESS SURRENDERED, FOREVER IN DARKNESS, DARKNESS REBORN, DARKNESS ARISEN, DARKNESS UNLEASHED, INFERNO OF DARKNESS, DARKNESS POSSESSED.

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REVIEW

I didn't know what to expect when this book was given to us as an ARC. But having been told that you can read this series at any point, I said what the flock and went for it.

That being said, it was just by the wool of my hide that I was able to stay inside the story world. At book 9, you can be sure that a lot has gone down. I did get enough of the essence that helped make
​ most of​ the story understandable. This is a well written world, with a mix of characters that were interesting and complex.

I did not understand why you have to kill your mate. In this saga, if you find the one you're meant to be with, once you fall in love, they will kill everyone you love and then kill you. Unless the gal kills them first. Ok, well that sucks! Didn't like that.

The story felt like it was split in two, with half focus on Rhiannon and ​Zach but then shared with another couple. I presume this is because they are having their own story next? I don't know, but that was a little annoying. Aside from that flip flop of character focus, prepare for situations of rape and abuse towards women. Not winning.

Overall, this was certainly a different world that may not always have a happy ending. The characters come from some dark pasts and love seems hard to reach. Action and adventure mixed with a little humor, yet all delivered with ease. I would recommend starting at the beginning of the series to get the full affect.

Getting 3 and 1/3 Sheep

KD

About the Author:

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Four-time RITA® Award nominee and Golden Heart® Award winner Stephanie Rowe is the nationally bestselling author of more than forty published novels. Stephanie has received starred reviews from Booklist and high praise from Publisher's Weekly. Stephanie is the author of the bestselling Order of the Blade paranormal romance series, and she will be launching a new vampire series in Sept/Oct 2014. She also writes the intensely passionate Ever After series, and the gripping Alaska Heat romantic suspense series. She also published in teen fiction, middle grade fiction, and motivational nonfiction. 

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