This morning we get to visit with Isabel Winsor, author of the OH-SO-HOT Unleashed Under the Mistletoe. And make sure you enter her contest to win your own copy of this sexy read.
*****
Romance Novels As Random Acts of Kindness
By Isabel Winsor
“Remember there’s no such thing as a small act of kindness. Every act creates a ripple with no end.” -Scott Adams, creator of Dilbert
You have to be a little crazy to write romance novels. We live in a world that at minimum ridicules “those silly women’s romance books,” but at the worst, assassinates an artist like John Lennon for singing, “all you need is Love.”
But when I read about teenage boys playing the “knock out” game on innocent people walking down the street, or studies that report couples are having less sex under the pressures of jobs and finances, I think, “Damn it, we need more love in this world!” What better way to deliver it straight into the hands of perfect, wonderful strangers than a romance novel?
I began reading romance novels in my second year in college, when I was suffering under the weight of a pre-med degree and a busted up relationship. My friend lent me Captivated by Nora Roberts and it was like finding a one-hundred dollar bill in the street … but better! Maybe it was the fearlessness of its heroine, Morgana Donovan, or Nora’s lyrical but earthy voice, but soon after I began a steady reading diet of her books, on February 10, 1994 I realized my destiny wasn’t medical school. My destiny was to write books like Nora’s that made people feel good. I’ve withstood many eye rolls from those who think romance are beneath them. But the delight of a romance reader is worth tenfold!
Remember last December when Starbucks’ customers were buying coffees for the person behind them in line? All it took was one person who was brave enough to withstand disbelief and surprise to make that first offer. The “paying it backward” phenomena started somewhere in Maryland and personally, all the way in Yorba Linda, California I happened to pull into a Starbucks drive-thru window to be told, “The guy in front of you bought your coffee. What would you like?”
After I got over the surprise, it reminded me of how I felt when I read that first Nora Roberts’ novel. So when I think of readers who find my book on Amazon and take a chance on a new erotic romance author by downloading it, I hope they feel, at the very least, that the characters and story take them to a beautiful place where bravery and love prevail. Maybe when they get to the end, they will speak a bit kinder or look with more love on the people who cross their path. Ultimately that’s we romance writers do: we remind each other that all we need is love and love is all we need.
Oh and yes, I bought a latte for the mini van driver behind me.
*****
Unleashed Under the Mistletoe
by Isabel Winsor
Blurb:
The pretty girls never say yes to a guy like him.
But when Leo overhears the ladies in the office laughing at him behind his back, he does the unthinkable: he accepts a mysterious invitation to a secret group known as The Grove.
Thinking he’s at an exclusive holiday business party, Leo is shocked when leather clad beauties order the guests to strip!
The moment Evie lays eyes on Leo, she’s drawn by his dark, exotic good looks. Once she gets his clothes off and sees him for the shy but sexy guy he is, she’s tempted to shed her Domina persona.
Can an office geek wake up and see that this free-spirited woman might want more than to tie him up and make him beg
Savor your first taste of the Pleasure Grove.
Buy Links
Amazon Buy Link: http://amzn.to/1ahXdni (Available exclusively as a Kindle Select)
*****
Excerpt:
“We will begin in fifteen minutes, Leo,” Boyd said, sliding open the double pocket doors to a large, two-level room. A wall of narrow, wood-framed windows overlooked the tops of cypress trees and the restless silvery ocean.
“It is a pleasure to have you here,” he said and then walked off.
Leo couldn’t help but gawk at the authentic Arts & Crafts architecture and wood work. His attention snagged on one woman who licked her crimson lips as if she could taste him from where she stood. Leo self consciously ran his hand down the front of his pin-striped vest. She whispered to the man standing beside her. He glanced at Leo. A seductive grin lit his face.
He, the bartender and the couple were the only people in the room.
Leo nodded to the couple and went to the bar for liquid courage. He wished he had a date to bring to this thing. It would be another holiday season during which he made the rounds of parties solo; another New Years without someone to kiss.
“Will this be acceptable, sir?”said the bartender as he presented the bottle of 2002 Hourglass Cabernet. Leo tried to keep his mouth from dropping open. The last he checked, it was more than $100 a bottle.
“Yes, thank you.”
“Of course.”
He poured just enough for Leo to taste. This Cab would have knocked Bacchus on his ass. When Leo nodded, the bartender expertly poured and then wished him a good evening.
Leo should socialize, make some valuable connections; or at the very least, find out what this whole Grove thing was about. But the purring ocean lured him to the open windows. He hoped for the chance to explore the house. He’d seen it peeking through the trees when he jogged up and down Scenic Drive.
Chimes sounded in the room, cutting off the murmur of conversation. The bartenders and servers stopped what they were doing and filed out through a side door. Leo turned back to the crowd for some clue as to what would happen next. The doors opened and in marched two men, both dressed in black leather.
The long-haired Latin lover type strode up to the woman and tipped up her chin with a riding crop. Leo thought he was going to hit her but instead he did something even crazier and ripped her dress down to reveal her tea cup breasts.
He should put a stop to this. But the muscular Asian man boldly kissed the other man.
Leo turned, his instincts screaming to bolt for the door and fast. But then he saw her and all thoughts of escape vanished.
She stood in the center of the room, her brown hair curling down her back. Her innocent white dress was embroidered in the Mexican style with pink and red roses. Her arms and legs were lean and tan; feet bare and toes unpainted.
Raw need poured through Leo, filling in the hollow corners that had been carved open by too many failures with women. He couldn’t pull his eyes away from the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen in real life. Experience taught him woman like her would never notice a guy like him. She watched the kinky goings-on with the calm gaze of a lioness.
“Good evening,” she called out, her low, honey-toned voice sent shivers up his spine. “I see you have things in hand.”
Leo’s heart thundered and sweat beaded down his back. What the hell was this? He felt someone staring at him and pulled his gaze from her to find the Asian man’s dark eyes flick from Leo to the woman in white and then back; sizing him up as if he questioned Leo’s right to be here.
Leo couldn’t make himself move. This wasn’t real. He must have crashed his bike somewhere on the winding, bumpy streets of Carmel. In reality, he was probably splattered on the sidewalk as his mother and sisters had warned. All of this was happening in his coma-ridden head.
“You must be our third initiate,” she said.
Her brown eyes, slightly tilted at the corners stared into his, probably seeing his thoughts scrambling around in panic. His mouth hung open. But hell, it wasn’t every day a woman more beautiful than a Victoria’s Secret model stood before him.
But she was and she was talking to him.
“I-” He choked on his suddenly dry throat. “I what?”
“Do you have a red or black envelope?”
“Black.”
He breathed in the honey and vanilla smell of her. She wore no make-up. That voice coming from those full pink lips, made his nerves scream.
“Then you need to undress.” Her eyes travelled down to the uncomfortable bulge behind his zipper.
“But-”
“Or not. It’s entirely up to you.”
His mouth opened but no sound came out.
“You were invited for a reason. It’s your choice to stay or to leave,” she said, her gaze flicking back up to lock onto his. “But you need to make it now.”
*****
Author Information:
Website: www.IsabelWinsor.com
Blog: http://isabelwinsor.wordpress.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/IsabelWinsor
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/isabelwinsorauthor
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7360521.Isabel_Winsor
*****
I have to say that this is quite a steamy, hard-to-put-down book. The writing was smooth and flowed nicely, and I really liked both Evie and Leo. I found them to be engaging, with their own insecurities and strengths, and I really liked the way they interacted together. My only complaint is that we didn’t get to be a part of how they come to terms with her history and the way they met. It’s a big deal for him and could easily be the breaking point for their relationship, but it happens off-page. I’d have liked to have heard more of her past and how they plan on moving forward.
If you are looking for a story that will heat you up on a cold winter night, Unleashed Under the Mistletoe is definitely it. With interesting characters and burn-up-the-sheets sexiness, it’ll keep the pages turning.
*****
Giveaway:
Isabel is giving away five copies of Unleashed Under the Mistletoe, enter here –
http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/84db5127/
Romantic Reads and Such 