Win A Kindle Paperwhite

To celebrate the release of Naughty List we are giving away a Kindle Paperwhite loaded with books by the Naughty Literati. The contest runs for 7 days only so don't wait, get your entries in now. Good luck! Win a Kindle Paperwhite loaded with books
Books on the Kindle:
Black Leather, White Lace; Vernon by Lynne Connolly
BlackWind, Sean and Bronwyn by Charlotte Boyett-Compo
Captive of Her Heart by Charlotte Boyett-Compo
Chemistry of Evil by Lynne Connolly
Double Down 1, My Greatest Fantasy by Nicole Austin
Double Down 2, Make Mine A Double by Nicole Austin
Dragon Lovers 1, Dragons' Bond by Berengaria Brown
Dragon Lovers 2, Dragons Redeemed by Berengaria Brown
For My Master by Suz deMello
Furlough Love by Trinity Blacio
Grandma's Need Loving Too by Trinity Blacio
Leader of the Pack, Francesca Hawley
Santa's Package by Alexa Silver
Street of Dreams by Marianne Stephens
The General's Wife by Regina Kammer
The Woodsman by Belle Scarlett
WyndRiver Sinner by Charlotte Boyett-Compo

Excerpt from Holdin’ On by Alexa Silver

Copyright © Alexa Silver, 2014

“Ahh!” A woman’s startled yell broke through Max Hawthorn’s self-pity on Christmas Eve morning.
He jumped up, pounded down the deck stairs, and raced across the tightly packed sand to the edge of the water. He staggered once, clutching his head for a precious moment before the world righted itself.

“Where are you? Wave your hands so I can see you!” The waters of this secluded California beach weren’t known for sharks but that didn’t mean there was no danger. Rip currents, drowning, even jellyfish could render a swimmer incapacitated. And in late December, the water was downright cold.
What the hell was she doing out there?

“Help!” Her voice was stronger now. Was she closer? He scanned the waves, searching for any break in the relatively calm waters.

There she was. Twenty yards down the beach, about fifty yards out. He ran as best he could, his head pounding with every step. What am I doing? But he knew. As long as he still had some strength, he would help this person. A few weeks or months on and he would be forced to let a stranger die, but his body wasn’t quite gone yet.

He waded into the chilly water, lunging toward the bobbing head. The voice hadn’t said anything in a couple of minutes but one arm flailed and her head was clearly visible above the waves.

“I’m coming for you! Keep holding on!”

Max broke the water in an awkward half dive and stroked toward her, the cold shock working against him on all levels. His head was spinning and he started to gray out a couple of times before his head cleared.

He reached the woman in a couple of minutes and locked his hands around her wrist. This part would be the hardest of all. He had to somehow tow her in, despite the pounding of his head, the dizziness that caused his vision to darken around the edges.

Excerpt from The Christmas Leopard by Lynne Connolly

Copyright © Lynne Connolly, 2014

Sandi dropped the tessera into place.

“Fuck, no!” Fabrizio’s low curse alerted her.

She lifted her head and blinked.
At the edge of the room stood a large cat. Large was probably an underestimate. It was huge. She watched it, holding her breath when its sides rippled in movement. It could rip her apart.

She’d just dropped into Looking Glass Land. Or Saturnalia.

“Oh my God, it’s the biggest leopard I’ve ever seen!”

Gianni snapped into action. “Get around her other side, Fabrizio. And strip, fast. I need your energy.”

She felt rather than heard Fabrizio move, sliding quickly across the room to stand next to her. “Don’t move, Sandi. It’s waiting for you. You called it, so you’re the target. If you want us to get you out of this, do exactly what we tell you. I know telling you to ask no questions is like asking Dita to leave her corset off, but please try. We don’t have any time to waste.”

A breath of air told her Gianni was on her other side. Fabrizio, busy taking his clothes off—WTF?—glanced at him once. Gianni put his hand on her shoulder and chanted something in a language she didn’t know. It wasn’t Italian, or Latin.

The animal snarled, its lip curling above huge ivory fangs.

“Listen, Sandi.” Gianni’s voice came in softly. “This is real, understand? You’ve invoked a demon and it takes the form of a great cat. We can get you out of this. But only if you do as we say.”

Sandi nodded.

“Take off your clothes. I need your essence, love.”

“What?” She was startled enough to turn and stare at him.

Bare-chested, Gianni was every woman’s dream; strong and lean, with no spare flesh anywhere about him. His biceps flexed as he slowly lifted his arms and traced symbols in the air. “That should hold it for now. But to banish it I need to do more. If we move out of this space, within three feet of the pavement, it will kill us all.”

The animal moved, its black spots rippling along its fur as it slunk around them, trying to find a way in.

Gianni’s breath fell hot on her neck. “This is basic, primitive magic. I need to join with you and Fabrizio. Both of you at the same time. Then I’ll take the energy I need from you both. It’s an ancient ritual of my people.” He glanced at Fabrizio. “Our people.”

Excerpt from The NightWind’s Visit by Charlotte Boyett-Compo

Excerpt from The NightWind’s Visit by Charlotte Boyett-Compo, part of the Naughty List Boxed Set

Copyright © Charlotte Boyett-Compo, 2014

Chapter One

Margeaux sighed deeply as she scrubbed at the caked-on tomato sauce that clung to the plate. Her head was down, her eyes locked on the sudsy water and the pale blue plate shimmering beneath the bubbles. With her bottom lip tucked between her teeth, she worked at the dried red crust that clung to the plate like a leech. So intent was she on removing the offending scab that when the sudden blast of wind hit the window over the sink, she jumped. She snapped her head up to stare at her reflection in the frosted glass. Wincing, she put up a suds-coated hand to push back a strand of hair that had escaped the bun at her nape. As she ran the base of her thumb over the runaway, the clink of the snow pummeling the windowpane made her shiver. It was blizzard weather and the warmth from the radiant heaters was struggling to keep the kitchen bearable.

‘Ten to fourteen inches,’ she remembered the newscaster saying. ‘Whiteout conditions by midnight.’

It was Wythentide Eve and snow always fell on Wythentide. Ice carnivals were held all over the planet during the holidays between the Winter Solstice and Fairing Night but the most important one was Wythentide. It was on that day the doorway between this world and the next opened. When a whiteout occurred on the eve of the great day, it was considered an omen.

And not a very good omen at that.

Well, she thought as she stared out the window at the snow blowing across her backyard, it was going to have to step it up if there was going to be a dreaded whiteout. While the snow was coming down in a thick curtain, she could still see the fence at the back of her property and that was about eighty feet away. Not that she cared if there was a whiteout. She didn’t believe in omens. Wasn’t superstitious. She never ventured beyond her front door even in the heat of summer so it matter little to her if the snow obscured her vision. Being an agoraphobic in an An Rúis did have its upside.

Lowering her head once more, she scrubbed more vigorously at the accumulated sauce until something her Aunt Therese had once said stole through her memory.

‘Scrub lightly and not hard. The light strokes will wear away the dirt quicker. The harder you scrub, the more you push the grime into the carpet.’

She stopped, flipped the sponge over and very gently ran it over the caked-on sauce. The spot came away easily.

“Huh,” she said aloud as she lifted the plate out of the water to inspect it. The scab was gone and the plate was sparkling clean. Turning on the faucet, she ran it under the cold water then slid it into the slot in the drainer.

Squeezing out the sponge, she poked it into the mouth of the whimsical little ceramic green frog perched on the back of the sink and fished under the water to remove the sink stopper. As the water began to drain, she returned her gaze to the window.

And nearly screamed.

Her heart stuttered as she stared at the figure of a man standing under the security lamp in the falling snow. He was facing the house with his hands jammed into the pockets of a dark pea coat, his hair blowing in the wild whip of glacial wind. The broad shoulders of the coat were rimed with snow. She could not see his face but instinct told her his eyes were locked on her.

Fear closed her throat and she backed away from the sink. Her hands were dripping wet. Cutting her eyes to the backdoor beside the sink, she could feel her heart thudding hard in her chest; hear it pounding in her ears.

Was the door locked?

She shook her head.

When wasn’t it? She rarely opened it except in the sweltering heat of mid-summer and then she never unhooked the screen door.

The very flimsy screen door that lay behind the multi-paned door that was her only protection between her and the outside world.

She bit down on her lip.

Slowly she swung her gaze to the window over the sink—hoping the dark figure was gone then praying it wasn’t.

He was still standing there hunched into his coat with the snow cascading thickly around him. It didn’t seem as if he’d moved at all. He was ankle-deep in a drift with the light from the security lamp washing over him in a faint yellow pyramid.

Reasoning she had more than ample time before he could wade through the snowbank to reach the stoop, she shifted her gaze to the door to make sure it was securely locked. Trembling now, she saw that it was but the relief she felt was short lived. Her mind shot to the front door.

Had she locked it behind Jon when he had come to deliver her groceries?

Loathe to leave the kitchen for fear the stranger lurking in her backyard would break through the primarily glass door, she reached out to grip the edge of the sink. Her knees felt like water—about to run out from under her—as she clamped her fingers onto the porcelain to stare at the stranger.

He might as well have been a statue for he hadn’t moved at all. The only thing stirring was his hair as it was tousled by the strong gusts of wind.

“What do you want?” she asked aloud. Her heart was trip hammering behind her ribcage to make her feel lightheaded. She hadn’t expected at answer but when one came, she nearly fainted.

You. I want you, Margeaux.

Excerpt from Prelude to a Most Unusual Marriage by Katherine Kingston

Copyright © Katherine Kingston, 2014

After an hour or so they stopped at a stream dappled with shadows from overhanging trees. It sang merrily as it plopped over rocks and a fallen log half-drowning in its clear course.

“It’s a lovely area,” Elizabeth said.

“Made all the more so by the company.”

“You are ever the flatterer,” she said.
“No, my dear, I’m honest.” He stared at the stream rather than at her when he said, “Except that you appear far too melancholy. Do you still grieve for Henry?”

She drew a breath. It started now. “I do, some. But more I grieve for all the ways I wronged him.”

That silenced him for a moment as he turned to flash a glance her way then looked back at the stream. “How do you believe you wronged him?” It came out sharper than the earlier question.

Elizabeth straightened her spine, gathering her courage. “In many ways. I was a poor wife to him. I tried but I wasn’t the woman he needed.”

“What do you believe he needed that you couldn’t supply?”

She sighed. “I’m not entirely certain. I think perhaps someone gentler, more understanding, more tolerant of his faults, yet one who could be subtle enough and smart enough to curb some of his excesses.”

He turned back to her again, his features pulled into a troubled expression. “Excesses?”

“He drank more than was wise. Gambled. Spent every farthing he could get his hands on.”

Richard’s frown turned even darker. “Did he leave you penniless?”

“Not quite.”

“How have you lived this past year?”

“Carefully,” she admitted. “But I have managed.”

“Why did you not tell me this?”

“My lord, Richard, we are not related by blood. It was not your responsibility.”

“As I was Henry’s guardian, I naturally feel responsibility for his family.” He took another step toward her. “Which brings us to the question of your future. I should be happy to take a hand in finding you another husband.”

“No.” It came out without thought and more sharply than she expected. “No, please, Richard. I’m not ready to be wife to another yet. I’m not fit.”

“Because you were unable to restrain Henry? Or unable to understand him as perhaps you thought you should?”

“No, there’s more,” she admitted, “But I…” She dropped her face into her hands as she struggled to get out the damning words. Breath refused to form them. “No, I can’t,” she said.

“Not right now. I will, I promise. But not right now.”

A finger pressed beneath her chin, forcing her face up. She hadn’t heard him get so close and was surprised to look up directly into Richard’s gray eyes. “If it’s related to what you’ve told me already, I doubt it could be so horribly shocking and unforgivable. Did you have an affair?”

This time her eyes widened. “No. Of course not.”

“Then I doubt it will be so awful.”

Elizabeth tried again to tell him, but the words caught in her throat. His closeness was doing strange things to her. Her blood seemed to bubble and froth within her. Her heart pounded hard against her chest. His aromas of leather and horse and man surrounded her, drawing her toward him.

His fingers stroked down the side of her cheek and the warmth of it sent a thrill careening down her spine. When he leaned toward her, she watched the blade of his nose, the hard planes of cheek, the well-shaped lips move closer and closer. His mouth came down on hers, all sweet softness and delicious heat. She closed her eyes, the better to soak in the sensations that contact roused. Glorious tingling heat rushed from her lips to settle down deep in her womb.

Her mouth opened in a soft moan. His tongue swept in to explore the depths and recesses. Excitement frothed her blood and bubbled through her. Desire rose, making her want to open more than just her mouth to him. She wanted to feel his hands on parts of her body below her face. Her breath sped up and she reached up to cup her hands in his thick, soft hair.

A few exciting moments later, he broke away and took a step back. “Elizabeth… I’m sorry. I should not have done that.”

She collected her breath. “Why not, Richard? We are both free of other promises.”

“But we must find you a husband who’ll treasure you as you deserve.”

“As I deserve,” she echoed softly. She shook her head. “That is the issue. I deserve nothing. But what about yourself, Richard? Surely you mean to marry again. You’ve a title to pass on.”

He swallowed hard. “I do mean to marry. Perhaps soon. I’m hopeful.”

“She is a most fortunate lady then.”

“Perhaps not,” he said. “I have a title and some fortune, but I am no easy man to live with.”

“Even so you’re a worthy match.” She grinned through the remains of her tears. “I think you would ever be a challenge, so your wife would rarely be bored.”

He looked startled, then a wry grin spread across his face. “You may be right. But it will take a special woman to see it that way. And to accept the challenge I present.”

“Are you really that hard to accept, Richard?”

“Yes, I am. Much more so than you can guess.” He stopped and backed up another step. “I suppose we should be returning before someone begins to wonder where we are.”

Harlie's Books ARC Review of Naughty List "Outstanding!"

ARC Review of Naughty List by Naughty Literati Authors! Available for Pre-Order NOW!

Harlie here:  I will give a couple of sentences to each book and then my overall review and rating will be at the bottom.  

Anthology: Naughty List
Are you on the Naughty List?
Thirteen Naughty Holiday stories to warm up your winter*
Click title to read an excerpt* (click on the title for the excerpt)

The NightWind’s Visit by Charlotte Boyett-Compo
Be careful what you wish for. The NightWind hears every whisper, every sigh, every need and he’s coming to grant your every wicked, wanton desire.
Review: Lord a mercy, what a way to start the antho.  Steamy, paranormal and a twist that I didn’t see coming.  Great job from a new to me author.

Dear Santa…I Want A MAN For Christmas by Marianne Stephens
Frustrated with untrustworthy men, Melissa orders a man doll. When delivery guy, Nick, shows up, she has second thoughts about how to satisfy her needs.
Review: If you have never read Ms. Stephens you are missing out.  I love her work and Melissa and Nick are breath of fresh air.  Believable characters and sweet ending.
 
Prelude To A Most Unusual Marriage by Katherine Kingston
Guilty secrets torment widowed Elizabeth Fitzhugh. A Christmas visit to the Earl of Chisenholm offers redemption, if she can find the courage to grasp it.
Review: This is the story that pushed my limits.  Some harder elements of BDSM in it but in the end I loved the story.  I would love to have a follow up with Elizabeth and the Earl.    Great historical with a BDSM element.

No Gentleman by Francesca Hawley
Librarian Abby Kelly comes west finding a roguish shapeshifter who desires her. Will Goldwolf is no gentleman, but Abby discovers he’s just what she wants.
Review:  Ms. Hawley has been one of my go to authors for a couple of years now and this is another one that I want a follow up too.  Great characters, humor (oh yes) and a charming western town that seems ordinary on the surface.  *giggles*

Jewel’s Menage Christmas by Berengaria Brown
The excitement has left Jewel, Donovan, and Oscar’s relationship. Jewel plans to spice things up, but will Donovan and Oscar rise to the challenge?
Review: For a menage, this is one of the sweetest stories that I’ve ever read.  Sure the sex is smoking but underneath it all is what every couple goes through and has to figure out to put the spice back in their relationship.  Great humor, too.    Plus, the boxers need to be bought.  LOL!

Tune Me Up by Lainey-Jo Charles
Jason catches Dani having an intimate moment with a recording of him singing to her, and is ready to move them from friends to forever.
Review: Trope alert!!!  Friends to lovers!  *swoon*  Love, love this story.  Plus their job roles are reversed and that just added an another element to the story.  Plus, did I mention friends to lovers?  *swoon*

On the Eighteenth of January, ’78; or, A Night At Valley Forge by Regina Kammer
During the infamous winter of ‘77-‘78 at Valley Forge, two soldiers fanboy over their charismatic leader, General George Washington.
Review: I admit that this one pushed my limits too but once I thought about it and reconsider my initial thoughts, this one is a gem.  Yes, its M/M and its not too graphic in nature.  Pay attention to the dialogue and you will understand why this one is a true gem in my book.  I can be dense but once you stop and think…brilliant.

The Christmas Leopard by Lynne Connolly
Two gorgeous Italian hunks save art restorer Sandi when she accidentally summons an ancient evil from a mosaic. Their methods are unconventional—and scorching hot!
Review:  Ms. Connolly is one of those writers that I have read for years and she never disappoints.  Menage at its finest with a paranormal twist that was fresh and new.

Christmas Bad Girl by Trinity Blacio
She only had one wish this Christmas. To find the one man who was strong enough to master her in and bed and out.
Review: And I thought I had body issues.  But what’s a girl to do when she’s taller than most.  Loved, loved the sci fi twist with the Jolly Green Giant.  Plus, OMG, the cute meet was one of the best I’ve read in a long time.  Did I mention toys?  *grin*

How The Alien Stole Christmas by Belle Scarlett
On board a deep space station Christmas Trent learns her sexy cyber lover, who may not be human, wants to steal her for his own.
Review: *thud*  For some reason, I wasn’t too keen on this one because it was sci fi but Ms. Scarlett made me believe in aliens, humans and that her world is out there.  It also had a bit of suspense element in it that just heighten my enjoyment of the story.  Where can I get one?

Merry Christmas, Kitten by Nicole Austin
Sirena Petra wants one thing for Christmas—an orgasm. And sex toy expert Kenyon Fort has exactly what the lion shifter needs to find more than just her happy place.
Review: Another great story by Ms. Austin.  Yes, I’ve read her before.  *giggles*  And as much as I don’t read much shifter stories, I loved this one.  Especially since it had a lioness shifter with trust issues.  The sex is scorching but the ending is sweet.

Viking in Tartan by Suz deMello
Medieval romance from the Highland Vampires series. A Viking raider brings change to little Clan Kilbirnie, especially to the chieftain’s daughter, Rhona.
Review: I hate when I read a story and there are like ALOT more in the series.  *grins*  Now I’m going to have to buy the whole series to find out if the curse stays within the clan or not.  Damn it Ms. deMello!  NOT!  Thank you for opening my eyes to a wonderful series and it has Highlanders!  Woo Hoo!

Holdin’ On by Alexa Silver
Rock star Max is terminally ill. When Aislin falls into his life, rocking his world, everything changes. Is she his Christmas miracle?
Review: Overall, this one made me cry a bit.  I hate when characters are sick.  But Ms. Silver had me believing in the impossible.  Plus, Max and Aislin were real, believable and sweet.  Oh yes, big awe moment for me in the end.  Ms. Silver is a new to me author and I will be looking at her backlist…pronto!

OVERALL REVIEW:
Outstanding about sums it up.  Some pushed my limits, some used my favorite tropes and who knew that a lion shifter had her mate in front of her the whole time?  You really need to grab this anthology and enjoy the holiday season with this offering from some of my favorite authors.
I would like to thank Marianne Stephens for giving me the ARC to review.  Again, outstanding and brilliant.
Author Information:
The Naughty Literati are a group of authors who’ve come together to show off their epic talents in short stories filled with powerful eroticism and satisfying romance. Our tales range from heartwarming and sweet to scorching hot erotic, medieval to futuristic, humans to aliens and shape-shifters, vanilla committed couples to kinky menage fun. Our first boxed set anthology will be available for your reading pleasure on December 1st. Thank you for joining us on this naughty journey.

Rhona and her #Viking #Vampire from "Viking in Tartan" in the new NAUGHTY LIST #boxedset (#romance #medieval #Scotland @MFRW_ORG)

Today I'm blogging about a short story that will appear in the Naughty List, a boxed set The Naughty Literati created to warm up your chilly winter nights. It’s available for preorder now and will be published on  December first.

Here's the 4-1-1 about Viking in Tartan, a medieval romance from the Highland Vampires series: A Viking raider brings change to little Clan Kilbirnie, especially to the chieftain’s daughter Rhona.

And here's a sexy little snippet to jumpstart your weekend:

He kissed her neck, feathering his tongue over the sensitive skin, and all conscious thought fled. She gripped his shoulders, then stroked them, admiring his strength, a contrast to his sweet, sweet kisses.

Her body was heating, tingling, sizzling, and she wanted to touch herself the way she did when she was alone at night, but... Wasn’t that wanton? Would he cease to treat her kindly if he knew the desires that drove her?

He lifted his head. “Touch yourself. Touch yourself in whatever way feels good to you.”

Here's where you can preorder the boxed set:

Amazon: http://indi.uno/1taThiO

iTunes: http://tinyurl.com/nogyvpe

 Kobo: http://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/naughty-list-2

Google: http://tinyurl.com/nqdnq3k

Special preorder price only $.99!

Remember: this is a blog hop! Find other talented writers' sexy snippets here: http://thenuthousescribblers.blogspot.co.uk/