Featured Guest: Sabrina Devonshire and The Open Water Swimmer

Romance Reviews Submitted by Authors Presents

A Special Presentation for eXtasy Books author Sabrina Devonshire

The Open Water Swimmer

Written by Sabrina Devonshire

Published by eXtasy Books

Cover Art by Carmen Waters

Contemporary Erotic Romantic Suspense

187 Pages

The Open Water Swimmer—book synopsis from eXtasy Books

The elite swimmer Dana’s destined to fall in love with is also destined to die. Can she change his fate?

When children’s mystery writer Dana Thomas has recurring nightmares about a swimmer drowning in a race, she aims to change his fate. Her plan to remain objective makes a serious splashdown when she meets her “mission”, a towering blue-eyed man with the best cut set of pectorals she’s ever seen. Going incognito as a feeding station volunteer for FINA World Cup series raced, Dana travels to Greece, Portugal, Honduras, and Tunisia to try to protect him. When heat between the pair sizzles, Dana falls hopelessly in love with this man destined to die.

Elite swimmer and former Navy fighter pilot Jeff Dickson keeps dreaming he’s drowning. Recently dumped by his long-time girlfriend, who found him too competitive, Jeff believes his driven personality and international travel schedule can’t mix with love. When Jeff meets Dana, he’s instantly attracted to her voluptuous and mysterious personality. When Jeff learns she’s been stalking him for weeks at swimming races, he decides she must be psycho.

A series of fateful events before the final race lead Dana to believe her nightmare is about to unfold. Anticipating a dive-in and rescue scenario, Dana is shocked to discover that’s only the beginning. Can she change the fate of the man she loves and survive?

Book Review of The Open Water Swimmer

The Open Water Swimmer by Sabrina Devonshire isn’t your typical sports romance which is one of the reasons I loved this sensational novel. While the sport of open water swimming is definitely well understood by the end of the book, the author clearly put some thought into drawing the reader into her plot by building momentum with the appropriate development of a full-fledged romantic suspense.

A delightful novel with descriptive language, The Open Water Swimmer was written by an author who not only knows her sport, but also has a strong sense of place which she can convey to her readers with a deft hand. True to the sport and her story, Sabrina nails down the mechanics and vividly describes the events and her setting without sacrificing the budding romance. SabrinaDevonshire delivers a fast-paced romantic suspense while building a fiery chemistry between her hero and heroine, often a real task for writers when they’re writing so much action into a manuscript.

The verbal banter between the characters is often witty and always conveys a natural chemistry destined to win a romance reader's heart. There’s never a dull moment in this Sabrina Devonshire novel.  She takes us by the hand and leads us through a wonderful adventure.  Expect a few bumps along the way because her characters face challenges and all romantic suspense readers will enjoy watching the extreme measures Sabrina’s characters take to overcome them. You’ll enjoy every twist and turn. In the end, you’ll reach a satisfying conclusion that will keep you running back for more from author Sabrina Devonshire!  

~Reviewed by Destiny Blaine~

International bestselling eBook author Destiny Blaine loves to read her fellow authors’ books. To find out about her current projects, visit her blog at: www.destinyblaine.blogspot.com. For information on her upcoming writer's workshop, visit: http://destinyblaineworkshop.blogspot.com 

Friday, September 28, 2012

Friday, September 28, 2012

Welcome back to Romance Reviews Submitted by Authors.  I hope this greeting finds each of you enjoying the early days of autumn.  It really is a wonderful time of year here in East Tennessee. The leaves will soon change, leaving us with a beautiful landscape in our backyard. While I’ve always appreciated the view of the rolling hills and distant mountains, this year I’m embracing it more than ever before. For us, this fall represents a season for change.

Last weekend, my husband said goodbye to a thirty plus year career. Now, we’re in a decision-making phase. We had always planned for an eventual move to the coast—particularly North Myrtle Beach—after the kids left the nest. Now with nothing to hold us here in East Tennessee, we’re facing the decision we’d always thought we’d easily make. Do we stay or do we go?

Fact is, I think my husband really wants to go and I'd like to stay, at least for another year or two. I’m finally on a solid writing schedule again. The DH built a cozy writer’s cabin right in my backyard and I’m back to writing over fifty thousand words per week. How long will it last? I don’t know. Still, I find it’s best to stay the course, especially when life is serving up an appetizing dessert with the meal.

I know 'stay the course' has nothing to do with meal planning. Life planning is another beast altogether. Right now, life is good.

Since August 15th, I’ve completed six manuscripts. A few of these manuscripts were incomplete projects that I’ve housed on the desktop for over a year. To add to life pleasures, I’ve read probably twenty books since then.  In short, I have a routine again—and it’s one that suits me—something I haven’t had or kept for longer than a couple of months in recent years.

As an author, it’s an exciting time. We’re making plans to attend and sponsor conventions.  Book signings and workshops are in the pipeline. In other words, this writer is back on track. My focus is razor sharp.

Moving would disrupt my life in ways I can’t even imagine. We have over twenty-two years of life memories here. Oh sure we have friends in Myrtle Beach and the other three areas that now appeal to my husband as well—Las Vegas, Nashville, and St. Augustine—but I’m not sure I want to take time off and start the moving routine of packing, selling the house, buying a house, unpacking, and starting over.

At my age—forty-three—I’m settled. I like my life. No, I don’t have a lot of free time right now, but it suits me and I enjoy what I do. There’s a great advantage found in a writer’s life, too. We can take off whenever we need to take off. Oh sure, the time away from the desk often comes at a price, but we are still in control of our work schedules, whatever they may be. In short, that’s why moving is on this writer’s mind.  I need to go where my husband will be happy because my career allows for mobility. I can live anywhere and keep my career.

After being up half the night discussing a potential move, I’m sharing a few thoughts with you in hopes you’ll share with me, too. What are your thoughts on a ‘midlife’ move? Any experiences to share?

It’s an exciting time in life with new options on the table. I imagine my husband will insist on a forthcoming move because he’s ready for change today. The chains that bound him for years have finally been removed and he’s like an impatient bird eager to fly. I remember that feeling. I’ve been self-employed for almost a decade but I do remember how it felt to walk off the job and never look back. It’s pretty amazing and the DH definitely has ants in his pants. He’s excited, enthusiastic, and ready for the next chapter in life. For him, it’s time to rock-n-roll. 

As we start the new day, share your ‘moving’ stories with us. Leave a comment before 8PM CST tonight then drop an email to reviewsforallauthors@gmail.com. I’ll send you a free eBook as my way of saying ‘thanks’ for sharing your experiences.

Now for the business on the table.  We have a lot of exciting announcements today.

Author Showcases: Half-Price Sale begins today and ends Sunday at 10 PM EST for our author showcase spaces. Do you have a few books to showcase?  Want to promote all of your books for the next six months?  Check out author Clair de Lune’s showcase page or the sample link above. Due to the work involved in creating the page, author showcases are posted on specific dates. Reservations are accepted now for showcases beginning October 5th.

Our large novels have been assigned. Heartfelt gratitude goes out to the many authors who offered to help us catch up on reviews. You’re appreciated and we can't wait to showcase your upcoming reviews.

Thanks to an almost-empty review queue, we have a limited number of front page premium ad spaces available now for an October 10th ad campaign start.  If you’re ready to reserve your ad space for October 10th, send an inquiry to reviewsforallauthors@gmail.com.

Readers, mark your calendars for an exciting event in October. Authors are coming together for October’s Virtual Cocktail Parties. Find out more about your favorite authors and win some fabulous prizes. Don’t miss our October event! Click here and sign up now. 

Coming up this morning, we’re showcasing a review for Savage Lust, a western ménage written by author Gabriella Bradley and reviewed by author Justine Szot.  Put on those chaps and grab your cowboy hats, folks. Author Gabriella Bradley takes us on a scorching-hot ride in Savage Lust.

Make sure you stop by this afternoon, too. We’ll showcase a review written by author Tonya Ramagos for author Clair de Lune’s Initiation. The first book in a super new series, Initiation is a hit you don't want to miss.

Thank you for joining us at Romance Reviews Submitted by Authors. We’re glad you’re here.

Destiny Blaine

Book Review: Backstage Pass by Storm Savage

Romance Reviews Submitted by Authors Proudly Presents
  

Backstage Pass

Written by Storm Savage

Published by eXtasy Books

       Contemporary Erotic Romance      

63 Pages

"Sax and Mia—two parts of a song like words and music—love finds them

in the least likely place..." Backstage Pass

 

Backstage Pass—Book Synopsis

Sax and Mia—two parts of a song like words and music—love finds them in the least likely place. Will the music stop when a jealous ex tries to take back what she threw away?

After a tough year following her divorce and the loss of her beloved pet, Mia finally accepts an invitation to a dance at a senior center for a peaceful night out. Over the past few months she has buried herself in work and rarely left the house. What she finds at the dance takes her completely off guard causing her to regret going out at all. A tangled relationship is the last thing she needs.

Charming and modest, Sax wins her over with gentle persistence and she discovers they share more in common than a love for music. Mia loses her backstage pass and fears she’s also lost her man. Somewhat reserved, she feels out of place in his world especially when a jealous ex-wife seems determined to take back what she threw away.

When his ex makes an encore performance during a romantic evening with Mia, can Sax convince his new love that his past is truly behind him or will she run away again?

  

Review of Backstage Pass by Storm Savage

  

A steamy contemporary romance, Backstage Pass, follows a chance encounter between Sax and Mia. Sax is a musician that catches Mia’s attention at a concert, and their heat boils over in short work. Mia has suffered loss and heartache that leaves Sax wanting to right the wrongs of her previous relationship. Enter a nasty ex-wife, and you have a recipe for emotional turmoil that threatens their blossoming relationship. This is a story about real people with real pasts that cause real challenges in their very real, albeit very hot, relationship!

One of the most notable details that captured my attention as I read Storm Savage’s Backstage Pass was just how darn quick you can fall in love with these characters. Sax and Mia are written in an exceptionally genuine way. They are decent and morally strong characters that leave you rooting for them from the get go. Their heat is intense and when you couple that with their incredible authentic likability and honest emotional portrayal, it makes for a book that is easy to invest your heart in.

It is often difficult to build believable chemistry in a shorter story, or I should say, to build the deep emotionally bonded chemistry that you expect to see in longer romance novels. However, Storm manages it beautifully. The pace of Sax’s and Mia’s relationship works in a very honest and natural flow. There is no rush to bed and skip the humanity about this book—though there is plenty of “bed” to keep you turning the pages. Instead you develop a very strong bond and respect for these characters because they have heart, they have spirit, and above all else, they have respect and admiration for one another that translates well. In the end, you get a book that is both arousing and downright hot, and that leaves you feeling like the characters you’re reading deserve the passion and fire they draw from one another.

The fact that she captures her love for animals and music in one incredibly sultry and steamy book makes me a fan! Sax and Mia are relatable, honest characters that really are a celebration of just how passionate good and real love can be. Well done, Storm Savage!

~Reviewed by Author ~

Elizabeth Finn is a contemporary erotic romance author with three upcoming releases. Visit her at ElizabethFinn.WordPress.com to find out more about what she’s up to or email her at ElizabethFinn77@gmail.com – she’d love to hear from you!

Welcome to Romance Reviews Submitted by Authors

Welcome to Romance Reviews Submitted by Authors

It's Friday, August 31, 2012

Thanks so much for stopping by today. It's great seeing you in our neck of the woods. ;)

Romance Reviews Submitted by Authors

Book Review: Too Close for Comfort by Adriana Kraft

Romance Reviews Submitted by Authors Proudly Presents

Too Close for Comfort, Swinging Games Book Nine

Written by Adriana Kraft

Published by eXtasy Books

Erotic Romance

57 Pages

 

The long sought unicorn, so elusive in the Swing Lifestyle. Now that Sarah Creston has materialized in Jen and Brett Andrews’ bed, what’s next?

Too Close For Comfort-Book Synopsis

It all seemed so simple: Sarah Creston would move in for the summer, Brett and Jen Andrews could revel in their new threesome, and everyone else would understand. But now Donna and Ryan—their best friends and lovers—won’t speak to them, and Jen seems so infatuated with Sarah that even Brett is worried about the consequences.

Battered from the double whammy of her husband’s death and caring for her aging parents, Sarah Creston thrills to Jen and Brett’s exquisite care and ravishing sex. Now that she’s had her first taste of a woman, will she be satisfied—or will she want more? Everything hinges on what Sarah wants.

Review of Too Close for Comfort by Adriana Kraft

Brett and Jen open up their home to a woman with emotional baggage. Realizing Sarah has internal scars, Brett and Jen are careful about how they introduce their summer guest to their lifestyle and friends. In the process, they are forced to temporarily sever ties with their longtime friends and lovers, Donna and Ryan.  

Too Close for Comfort was not at all what I expected. The sex between multiple partners was meticulously written in a way which not only enhanced the story, but also helped the plot
unfold in a realistic manner.

With a gift for writing remarkable dialogue, Adriana Kraft used her characters to show how swingers are able to manage the lifestyle, hold a marriage together, and pursue other relationship interests while remaining true to their lifelong commitments. The scenes between multiple lovers weren’t forced or unnatural. In fact they were beautifully relayed in a fashion which draws the reader into the heart of these characters' most intimate moments. 

Too Close for Comfort is the ninth installment in Swinging Games, an acclaimed series published by eXtasy Books. This erotic novella is certain to keep readers up late burning the midnight oil. Too Close for Comfort  may provoke a few erotic fantasies, too. Purchase the whole series. You won’t be able to stop with just one installment of Swinging Games!

~Reviewed by Destiny Blaine~

International bestselling author Destiny Blaine writes in all genres under several pseudonyms. Her pen names have earned bestselling status at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Bookstrand, and All Romance Ebooks. You can find her on the web at www.destinyblaine.com or follow her on Twitter at www.Twitter.com/DestinyBlaine

Welcome

Set to launch August 10th, Romance Reviews Submitted by Authors is the brainchild of author Destiny Blaine, and a project open to all authors. Detecting a need for well-written subjective reviews, Destiny opened Romance Reviews Submitted by Authors for authors who want additional book promotion without the worry of promoting a review which is only stuffed with keywords directing a reader to another novel or short story.

This blog is also for readers of all romance genres. We hope to give each reader a true peek inside the books reviewed. We don’t ‘rate’ an author's books, but instead discuss them. We’ll give you an idea of what you might find inside the novel or novella reviewed. Then, you can decide if the book is one you’d like to read.

While our articles will be rich with appropriate keywords geared to attract search engines, our reviews will not encroach on an author's rights to promote their book fairly to a potential reading audience. Reviewers here are authors, too, and they will be instructed to bring out the positive aspects of each book while pointing out any areas of needed improvement in a constructive manner.

We don't believe in ‘anonymous’ reviews. If an author wants to review one of our books, they offer to do so in exchange for a visible byline.

More information will be posted as it becomes available. We’re glad you stopped by and look forward to serving you soon.