Welcome to another LoveCats DownUnder Sunday Smooch!Today we have a smooch from Her Innocence, His Conquest by our guest, Jules Bennett, but first ...
the winner of last week's Sunday Smooch Giveaway is -- desere_steenbey!
Congratulations, desere! Can you please contact Nikki Logan at
nikki (at) nikkilogan (dot) com.au
and she'll send you a copy of Shipwrecked With Mr Wrong.
And now for today's Sunday Smooch from:
Her Innocence, His Conquest by Jules Bennett...
Architecture kingpin and expert playboy Zach Marcum knew exactly how to get what he wanted - both on the job and in the bedroom. Until sexy, independent and impossible-to-ignore Ana Clark charged into his life. Her construction company could make his luxury resort project a multi-million dollar reality, but he couldn't risk letting the career-driven siren slip past his defenses. Discovering she was a virgin made the seduction stakes even greater, as Zach crossed the line from business to pleasure...
[The Setup ... Ana has owned a construction company and worked with men her entire life. She hears how they talk about their one night stands and isn't impressed with playboy Zach Marcum when he hires her firm. He takes much more than a business interest in her and she hates to admit, but she may not be able to resist his charms. He wants to prove he's not like other men.]
Other than his lips settling over hers in a possessive, yet tender way, Zach didn't touch her. Ana didn't want to respond to those lips, but how could she not? Why did she have to deny what her body so desperately craved, ached for?
It was so easy to give into the gentleness. She'd never known such a delicate manner could be possessed by a man like Zach.
Ana wasn't one for PDA, but they were well hidden by the strategically placed potted palms. Even though kissing in public was never something she would've done before meeting Zach, she was discovering there were a lot of things she hadn't considered before meeting Zach.
With a sigh and a tingle streaming through her body, Ana leaned in just slightly. Enough to let Zach know she wanted this. Still, he didn't touch anymore than her lips and Ana knew, without a doubt, he was letting her decide how far and how intense this kiss would be.
He tilted his mouth just a bit, easing her lips open. She'd given him the go ahead with that little sigh and leaning into him. A light, feathery touch slid across her jawline. His fingertips.Chills popped up over her entire body. And before she could comprehend another thought, Zach eased back.
To be in the draw to win a signed copy of Her Innocence, His Conquest, tell Jules in the comments below, what you like to see in a hook or conflict? Reunion Stories? Amnesia? Secret baby? She's waiting to hear your opinions!
Come back next Sunday, when the winner of today's giveaway will be announced -- and a smooch from Hunter's Surrender by Anna Hackett will be posted!
Oh, but Jules, you *can't* end it there!!
ReplyDeleteGreat smooch from I know will be a fabulous read.
I do love woman in a man's world stories. My fave hook is lovers reunited. There's always so much to forgive and fall in love with all over again =)
Love that excerpt and kiss whoo hoo congrats on the release Jules I look forward to reading this one.
ReplyDeleteI am very fond of a friends to lovers story
Have Fun
Helen
Hi Jules,
ReplyDeleteGreat smooch! But oh, so tantalising and left us hanging!
Secret baby, friends to lovers, reunion, amnesia, rival company bosses....everything works!
Congratulations on the latest release!
Jules, you're such a tease. That book might be on shelves in the US, but we have to wait a couple more weeks till we can get it here and find out what happens next!
ReplyDeleteFavourite hooks? I love most of them. Variety is the spice of life. =) Though I do have a special fondness for reunion stories.
Robyn, I agree! I love reunion stories! That second chance at love is rare so I love reading and writing about them:)
ReplyDeleteHelen, thanks! Friends to lovers is always a good hook. I love seeing a big Alpha male fall in love;)
Nas, I agree with you, too! If the story is well told, I'll take any hook! Of course, it all depends on my mood, too, as to what I'll read:)
Rachel, sorry for the tease, but my hero is a playboy! Thanks so much for the invite!
Oooh, lovely! And I agree with the others - way to leave us hanging!
ReplyDeleteI'm another big fan of reunion stories, I love the idea that if something is meant to be, it will... eventually :)
Great kiss. I love the buildup.
ReplyDeleteMy favorite story is the one I'm reading. Initial hooks are babies, kids or pets on the cover. Best hook is a favorite author's name on the cover or a totally unfamiliar name. I love debut novels which leads to more favorite authors and on and on.
Jules, what a beautiful kiss! Zach sounds like a fabulous hero, sensitive when he needs to be - I do like that in a hero!
ReplyDeleteI love lots of hooks - as long as the story sweeps me away I'm hooked! But I guess I do have a soft spot for reunion stories, or at least, a shared background. All that lovely history to untangle!
Great to have you at the LoveCats!
:)
Sharon
Hi Jules,
ReplyDeleteloved the tender kiss, especially as it's not what Ana was expecting.
I love the instant chemistry experienced between a hero and heroine, but I also like the backstory of couple who broke up but have never fallen out of love.
*smoochus interruptus*!! Tease, Jules.
ReplyDeleteI'm with Helen re: friends to lovers but I also like any 'prohibited' hook where there's an element of 'we really shouldn't'. Have to be carefully done of course, to get past the PC police but that leaves a pretty broad scope....
Lovely to have you here.
Leah, I have a special place for reunion stories. I started dating hubby when I was 14. We broke up when I was 17 and got back together when I was 18. He immediately asked me to marry him and we've never been apart since! Love to see people who are meant to be reunited:)
ReplyDeleteKaelee, sounds like you have an addiction to a good book...as I do:)
Sharon, thanks so much! Fun place to blog:) Zach is a playboy, but I made him a softy, too and very protective of his family which makes him all the more attractive;)
Mel, instant chemistry makes me flip those pages even faster! I love that frantic build up!
Nikki, I agree. I like a prohibited hook when it's done right and catches the reader off guard...in a good way:)
Ooh, Jules, what a sigh-worthy kiss. And I love that Ana isn't initially all that impressed wtih Zach -- I love it when a hero has to work.
ReplyDeleteLike a lot of others here, I'm partial to a reunion story. But I love fish out of water stories too, and who doesn't love a good Cinderella tale?
Thanks for dropping by the Lovecats!
Michelle, I always make my hero work. That just shows the reader how much more he's in love (though he usually doesn't figure it out for a while).
ReplyDeleteOh, and the Cinderella story? Yeah, those are always a favorite because we're all that little girl at heart:)
Thanks for the welcome! I love this site!
Great setup and super smooch, Jules!
ReplyDeleteOh that is so romantic Jules!! What a beautiful start to your marriage :)
ReplyDelete