Character Blog Hop

A huge thank you to Kathy Bosman for tagging me in the character blog hop. Kathy has a variety of romances out with Astraea Press and Decadent Publishing. Here's the link to her character interview.


About Kathy:

Kathy loves reading and writing even more. She homeschools her three kids, so in between unsuccessfully explaining the difference between subject and predicate or how to divide fractions, she enters an imaginary world of troubled and passionate characters whose stories take over the page. Kathy lives in Kwazulu Natal, South Africa, where the summers are hot, the winters cool, and bugs thrive. Her first published novel, Wedding Gown Girl, came out in 2012 with Astraea Press. She belongs to the Romance Writers of South Africa Group (ROSA) which has been her greatest support and inspiration the last few years.

About her books:

Kathy has a variety of books published with Astraea Press and Decadent Publishing, the latest of which is, His Halloween Kisses.

Contemporary Holiday Romance

Ali’s never been so scared. She’s housesitting for a colleague on Halloween night, but the lights have gone out, and terrible noises and crashes send her imagination into overdrive. When her brother’s friend comes to her rescue, he kisses her in the dark three times. Once back in the light, Ali is embarrassed at allowing him to kiss her. Byron tries to ignore his strong attraction for Ali, especially seeing he’s not ready for a relationship. When Ali finds out why, she runs away, but life has other plans. What can bring them together? Fate, faith, or the memory of his Halloween kisses?

Purchase His Halloween Kisses at:

Amazon | Barnes and Noble

You can find a list of Kathy's other books on her website, and you can look forward to her upcoming release, The Dance of The Firefly, the second story in The Creators Series, with Decadent Publishing.

Right, on to my character interview...

MEET THE CHARACTER

What is the name of your character? Is s/he fictional/historical?

My character's name is Hannah de Jager, and she is fictional.

She's a twenty-eight-year-old Lieutenant, born and bred in South Africa, and serving under UAASA, a military space-expedition agency. She's one of the first explorers to venture into the Andromeda galaxy, a feat she longed to accomplish most of her life but believed to be impossible—until the technology to realize her dream suddenly became available. One of her favorite pastimes as a child was star gazing. It often gave her a nostalgic feeling, as if there was something, or someone, up there just waiting to be discovered.

When and where is the story set?

In the beginning of the story the year is 2070, and the crew is aboard The Beamed, a UAASA space vessel. The rest of the story, without giving anything away, is on planet Metatonn, Andromeda galaxy.

What should we know about Hannah?

Hannah, Hannah, Hannah.... It's difficult for her to let anyone in, and few really know who she is. Pain, love, and grief are abhorrent emotions she will do anything to avoid at all costs. 

Her life revolves around what's "out there" so much she's lost sight of "here and now". Like so many of us, she believes she'll find joy and contentment once she accomplishes a, b, c ... or gets this or that, but, unfortunately, life doesn't work that way.
Life also has a lot of surprises in store for her. Beings and events that will force her out of her protective shell and force her to live in the present. 

What is Hannah's goal?

To explore and start a new life on PHE3 (Potentially Habitable Earth 3). To spend the rest of her life discovering new sights, new species. Creating new memories. Away from corrupted humanity and a painful past.

Prove to herself that she isn't worthless. Prove to herself she doesn't need anyone as long as she has her mission and her android companion, Amostein.

What is screwing up Hannah's life (main conflict in writerly speak)?

What she believed to be a dream come true is nothing but a lie fueled by greed and corruption. With her life purpose gone, she doesn't know who she is anymore.

How can she explore, or begin a new life, when she's a captive? And how can she survive on a hostile planet when every being on it wants her dead? How can she cope with falling in love with someone who would love to watch her take her last breath? Someone who hates her on sight. Someone who forces her to feel all the emotions she vowed never to.

How can she prove her worth when she, herself, doesn't know it?

What is the title?

The working title is To Save Her Soul,  but it might change, and estimated publication date is February 2015. No cover yet :( but I'll keep you updated. This will be Book 1 in the sci-fi/paranormal Metatonn Rising series (standalone books). 

I'm tagging erotic romance authors, Angele Wells and Phoenix Kelly who are releasing their anthology Taking Pleasure Seriously on the 15th of October.

Review: Her Bareback Cowboys

The talented Ylette Pearson recently released an erotic cowboy ménage romance, and I had the honor of reading and reviewing it. Let me just tell you ... I've already read the book twice. Before we get to my review, here's a little info on Ylette and Her Bareback Cowboys (available from Totally Bound Publishing and all major ebook outlets). 

Author Profile:

Being naughty doesn't mean you can't be nice. Ylette Pearson writes both naughty and nice - depending on the mood. She enjoys the outdoors much more than being cooped up indoors and is often found sitting under a tree with the laptop on her lap. South African born, Ylette enjoys exploring the diversity of cultures, sights and sounds unique to the African continent.

Blurb:

When riding bareback proves too much of a temptation to resist…

When the Groundhog Saddle Company awards twenty-six-year-old freelance photographer divorcee, Adrian Barlow the coveted assignment of advertising their saddles and other leather products, she jumps at the opportunity. Her bank account is in dire need of replenishing and her reputation as a photographer hangs by a shred over a bottomless abyss. Even when her employer informs her that her duties include playing babysitter for the two cowboys they hired for the job, she doesn’t complain. She needs the money too much to be fussy.

Texan rodeo stars Wade Randall and Maverick Green agree to play fashion model for a couple of months because Wade needs the money to buy his own ranch in Texas and Maverick must rest his injured shoulder. However, nothing prepared them for the sight of Adrian when she collects them at the OR Tambo International Airport in South Africa.

The attraction between the three is instantaneous and the sexual tension so thick it clogs up the interior of Adrian’s four-wheel-drive Toyota Land Cruiser, but none of them are in the market for a serious relationship. Adrian’s past sexual mistakes caused her financial misery and she has no desire for a repeat performance while the men’s plans for life exclude permanent partners for a long time to come.

Isolated on a working farm in the Highveld of the Mpumalanga Province, Adrian is unable to resist the sexual pleasures the two cowboys promise. With the firm understanding that none of them wants a serious relationship, they embark on a journey of sexual discovery that melts the cold winter days.

However, when old acquaintances from Adrian’s past arrive, she learns that over-indulgence always comes at a price…

A little teaser to whet your appetite...

*Excerpt*

Two horses stood patiently in the corral, their breaths fanning steam in front of their faces, giving them the appearance of dragons. Today the horses wore brand-new saddles with thick blankets draped underneath. The door to the stables opened and Maverick strode outside.

Adrian caught her breath. Dressed in faded jeans covered with leather chaps, a blue checkered shirt, boots with spurs spinning and a Stetson plopped on his head, he made her ache to depress the shutter. She brought the camera to her eye and took some impromptu pictures, trying to ignore the raw sex appeal heating the chilly morning air and tying her insides in a knot. His breath misted in a plume as he approached.

“Morning. You’re up early.”

She returned his greeting and waited for him to join her. He hugged her and a tremor ran down her spine. He smelled of old wood cologne, fresh hay and horses. The combination drowned her senses in pleasure.

He lifted her chin and his blue eyes darkened. “You’re even more beautiful today than yesterday.”

She stood motionless as his lips descended on hers, capturing them in a soft caress. Her eyes closed of their own volition and when he swiped his tongue over her lower lip, she opened her mouth to his invasion. Her insides liquefied as his tongue explored the intimate corners of her mouth.

After he’d let her go, Adrian fought for breath and clung to his arm to keep upright. If a kiss sent her reeling, she couldn’t wait to find out how she’d feel if he was in full seduction mode.

“I can think of better things to do this morning than taking photos.” He started toward the house, dragging her along.

Wade met them at the door and pulled Adrian into his arms. “Work before play, Maverick. Remember we agreed?”

“I know, I know,” Maverick groaned. “But it’s going to be a bloody long day.”

Adrian hugged Wade to her. “Are you guys ready for some more work?”

Both nodded.

He squeezed her shoulder before dropping his arm and pointing in the direction of a clump of trees on the ridge. “We want to explore the ridge this morning, if it suits you?” He glanced at her. “Are you joining us?”

“Not on horseback. I’ll take my car like yesterday. Are you guys willing to get up a little earlier tomorrow so we can get the shots at the creek?”

“Sure,” Maverick answered. “Do you need a lot more photos?”

She wanted to say yes and keep them with her longer, but judging by how productive they’d been the previous day, she couldn’t see it happening.

“No, we should finish tomorrow.” She fiddled with the camera strap and started toward the house. “I’m getting some coffee. Care for some?”

Less than an hour later, and after a hearty breakfast, the silhouettes of the men disappeared over the hill. Adrian steered her vehicle along the dirt track leading up the mountain.

My review:

*This book was given to me in exchange for an honest review. These opinions are my own, therefore I urge you to read the book and form your own.*

Plot: 19/20
Dialogue: 19/20
Pacing: 19/20
Romance: 20/20
Editing: 19/20 (A few missing words, but they didn't bother me.)

Total: 96%
Final Rating: 5 stars!

To be honest, I don't think this review will do this book justice. Where do I even start? Hmm, how about the writing? Solid and well done. I usually skim through descriptions, sometimes I even skip them, but in this case...I was hooked. The descriptions were simply magical. The book drew me in, grounded me, made me feel like I was there. I could see everything clearly and from so few words.

Adrian, our heroine, finally lands a huge photography assignment after an incident in her past blacklisted her and ruined her career. Grateful for the second chance and determined to prove her worth, she's not willing to do anything, or anyone, to jeopardize it. But, of course, passion, lust, and compatibility don't always play by the rules. The three can't keep their hands off each other. The sex scenes were smokin' hot! They had me fanning my face and drinking lots of water ;) . But it wasn't just about the sex. It was about a love so deep and selfless it didn't let egos or fear ruin a good thing. About relentlessly working through issues and fighting for what you truly desire.

How about the stars of the show? The Cowboys. Alpha. Sweet. Romantic. Sexy as sin. You won't get any complaints from me. I loved them both, and they each brought something different to the table. Wade, the brooding, rugged heartthrob who didn't let his painful past stop him from getting the woman he wanted, making her the center of his attention. Maverick, oh boy, the charmer, brightening any situation with his gorgeous blue eyes and his smile, but also flexing his muscles and stepping forward when anyone threatened his gal. What's not to love? I especially liked the way the author worked around their alpha personalities and jealousy, making it possible for them to share. Character development was on point!

Hmm, the plot...exciting, unpredictable (at least for me), with a hint of suspense. It escalated at every turn, with a couple of twists to keep me guessing. I read this book in one sit. Couldn't put it down.I just loved it and, of course, I recommend it. *Thumbs up!*

Her Bareback Cowboys is available at these stores and other major ebook outlets:

Amazon

Totally Bound Publishing

All Romance Ebooks

Ylette's online profiles:

Website

Twitter

Facebook