What's on the box?

 Howdy All!

It’s Michelle here. We Cats have decided to incorporate a monthly group post to share some of our favourite things…and this month we thought we’d share our current favourite TV addictions. :-)

And just for a giggle -- here's a picture of me with our very first TV set. We had the grand total of two television stations and thought we were the bees knees! Dear me, how times change. We now have so many channels I'm in danger of developing RSI whenever I decide to channel surf. :-)

So, what are we LoveCats watching (obsessing about!) on the box at the moment...?

 Bronwyn: My favourite addictive TV show is Nashville. I record it every Thursday night and save for a little slice of weekend indulgence (preferably with a slice of something indulgent, like cake or pie!) I’ve had my on-again off-again times over the four (I think!) series but at the moment it’s very much on-again.  I love the Nashville/music industry setting and I loved the original premise pitting an aging Queen of Country against the young, bad-girl diva. I love how backstory informs the character flaws. I love the music and the cameos by real stars — Elton John this past week — and the cast of characters with their on-again off-again relationships...not only romantic, but friendships and rivalries and management and producers and songwriting partners. If there is one character you totally don’t get (I’m looking at you Deacon Claybourne!) then there’s always another to enjoy.

Yvonne: There’s pretty much only one show on in NZ right now that has me riveted and that is How To Get Away With Murder. Honestly, I think it’s so twisted and manipulated and I dislike each and every character in one way or another but I feel compelled to watch because of the twists and turns in the ever-evolving tale. As each sin of the past or present is revealed and just when I think everything is lost, or about to be wrapped up, something else even more convoluted happens to enmesh everyone even stronger in the growing web of truths, lies and deceit and the story shoots off in another direction to totally enthrall me.

Amy: I’m currently loving Call The Midwife. I’m not sure if it’s because of my own nursing background or the fact that midwives fascinate me or the nostalgia that drips from every second but I’m totally bewitched by it. It brings out all the feels with its exquisite writing. There’s rarely an episode that doesn’t have me tearing up at some point. I think it’s that strange mix of gritty and dreamy. Harsh realities trumped by youth and ideals and optimism. I also love that its essentially a female story, a window into a time when birthing was secret women’s business. And Vanessa Redgrave’s gorgeous narration is the cherry on top.
 

Jen: Favourite TV Show…wow, that’s a tough one. We are in the middle of so many great series at the moment including The Good Wife, Vikings, Nashville, Outlander, Game of Thrones, The Americans, Parks and Recreation and more. I would have to say I like The Good Wife the most at the moment. So great watching a series with a powerful female lead.

Helen: I have two favourites! Game of Thrones – I love the diverse characters and how not one character gets a free pass (except for Jon Snow who came back from the dead….but he’s (Kit Harrington – worth a look on Google if not familiar) seriously swoon worthy so I was very happy to see him back after such a dramatic death scene) I love the dialogue and the way they weave hints of things to come. Oh, and did I say I love Jon Snow…

The Walking Dead – I love, love, love this show. Heroics abound in this series. And the bad guys just get badder every season. Of course the good guys prevail, but it’s fascinating to watch the characters play out and develop (or get eaten by zombies)

 Kandy: My recent favourite TV show is Grantchester — featuring an Anglican vicar as an amateur sleuth in 1950s Cambridge. One review calls it “Cluedo with cassocks.” The vicar, Sidney Chambers, happens to be played by the handsome James Norton and his friend the Detective Inspector Geordie Keating is played by another favourite actor Robson Green. There we have it, I’m watching it for the gorgeous male actors! It deals with some interesting social issues of the time and has a ongoing story line of thwarted love. I also like the period settings and fashion. But it’s mainly for James Norton...


 Sue: My favourite TV show at the moment is The Voice—US. There is so much singing talent out there, it is mind boggling. And the variety from blues to country to opera is wonderful. I love watching these people grow from week to week. Their enthusiasm is contagious. I often hate to see someone leave the show. I don't agree with the votes very often!!! What I've also realised is that if a person has a voice they're born with it. So many young people do very well on this and other similar shows. I've always been envious of people who can sing—my tone is flatter than a piece of road kill. Not even worthy of singing in the shower.

 Louisa: My favourite TV show this year is Peaky Blinders. For those that don't know, this is a show about a family of gangsters based in Birmingham, UK just after the first world war. We follow the family through their return from the trenches to dominating the crime scene in Birmingham to (current and 3rd season) living with their riches and the consequences of their, sometimes extremely violent but always understood, actions. The main character, Tommy Shelby, played by Cillian Murphy, is one of the most tortured and tormented souls I've ever seen and even though some of the things he does (or gets others to do) are violent and dangerous we always know the motivation and conflict and are on his side. It is heart-in-the-mouth viewing. Oh, and the soundtrack and visuals are amazing.


Annie: I’ve been rewatching some old TV series recordings lately and having a ball. My favourite is the adaptation of EF Benson’s Mapp and Lucia starring Geraldine McEwen, Prunella Scales and Nigel Hawthorne. Think late 1920s fashion (Geraldine McEwen’s dresses are just fabulous), a small English town with an even smaller social group of upper middle class people, ruled by two strong willed women, each of whom wants to be queen. Add Benson’s snarky, satirical humour, underhanded tricks by the protagonists and fabulous performances. It’s enormous fun.

 Barb: Long Lost Family is my current favourite. I know most fiction writers tend to love dramas or comedies,  but my favourite shows are the stories about long lost family members trying to reconnect, and this is a brand new series I can’t get enough of. In the last series of this kind I’ll never forget the story of the guy who’d been moved from foster home to foster home until one day he decided to look for his biological mother. He ended up finding that while his parents had had him when they were really young, after he was adopted out they eloped and ended up having four more children and were celebrating their fortieth wedding anniversary. They’d spent their whole lives looking for him too and the reunion was incredible. I cried buckets.

Michelle: My most recent obsession has been with Goggle Box—which should be on tonight, but the series ended last week. *sob*  I know! I know! How odd is it that I’m sitting in my lounge room at home watching other people sit in their lounge rooms in their homes watching TV, but… I’ve found it utterly compulsive. It’s the voyeur in me, I suspect, but the people we watch—a mixture of families, couples and friends—tease each other, flirt with each other, give each other advice, and beneath it all you can sense how much they care about each other. It’s not gushy love, but it warms the cockles of my heart all the same. Also, in relation to the programs they watch, they say out loud many of the things I only dare to think. Sometimes I agree with their views, sometimes I don’t, but regardless, I often find the program thought provoking. I’m going to miss it until it returns later in the year.

That's quite a selection, huh? You can't say that we cats don't have diverse tastes. :-) It’s your turn now…tell us what's had you glued to on the box recently -- some of us are in need of some new TV inspiration. :-)

Special Project: Our Christmas Box Set!

Today we have another sneak peek at the stories that will be in the first ever box set of stories from the LoveCats! 

Last week we posted the blurbs of the stories from Michelle Douglas, Helen Lacey, Stefanie London, and Louisa George. This week are the final three stories from the box set.

Millionaire Under The Mistletoe

Kandy Shepherd

The last thing London-based chef Carly de Luca anticipates on her surprise trip home to Sydney for Christmas is a steamy encounter with gorgeous Dylan Burke. Dylan--her first love, and the man she left behind when she fled Australia. Old feelings reignite but high-flying millionaire Dylan won’t take the risk of further heartbreak with beautiful Carly, the woman he’s never been able to forget. Can Christmas weave its magic to help Carly and Dylan let go of past hurts and take a second chance on love?

Her Small Town Christmas Wish

Jennifer St George

Turtle Beach is the last place international singing sensation Giselle Harrington wants to be for Christmas. But she' determined to sell her mother's estate and finally erase all evidence of her tragic past.

Jake Carlton has never forgotten the girl who skipped town without a word, breaking his heart when he was 16 years old. He's followed Giselle’s illustrious career from afar, convinced she'd never return to Turtle Beach. When he discovers she's home for Christmas, will he have a second chance at love or will a terrible secret tear them apart forever? 


All She Wants For Christmas

Rachel Bailey

Two days before Christmas, a helicopter unexpectedly brings mystery author Samuel Ruxthorne's estranged wife to his island home. When she pulls divorce papers from her bag, he's not surprised. Bitterly disappointed, but not surprised. 

Maddy wants to move on with her life. The first step is to divorce her ruggedly handsome, brooding husband, and since he didn't reply when she posted divorce papers, she decides to do the job in person. But when a tropical storm blows up and there's no safe passage off the island for days, will Maddy find that what she really wants for Christmas is something else entirely?

I don't know about you, but I can't wait for Christmas, despite the stress that it often brings of trying to get everything done for the day. Tell me, what are you most looking forward to about Christmas and what's the one thing you wish you could skip this year?

Coming soon....

We have some very exciting news here on Lovecats Downunder!

A bunch of us have got together to bring you some new and never-before released novellas just in time for Christmas- and we wanted you to be the first to hear about them!

We've covered many of our favourite tropes and have wonderful hot and steamy settings across Australia and New Zealand. Because no-one does a hot and sexy Christmas box set better than us downunder!

Here are a few teasers...

Michelle Douglas
Christmas Wishes, New Year Kisses
When Josh Halliday drags his best friend and business partner Erin Timms to a tropical beach in Far North Queensland for some much needed R & R, he finds things heating up in a totally unexpected way. Fantasizing about his best friend is one thing. Falling in love with her is quite another.

Louisa George
Baby, It's Hot Outside
Daniel Wade is allergic to festive fuss, so being best man at a Christmas wedding is proving to be a double whammy of a challenge- especially as it means his estranged wife will be back on Waiheke Island for the celebrations.
Emma Neale is returning to Waiheke- and her husband- after 2 years and a lot of heart searching. She has divorce papers in her luggage and a job in Brisbane waiting for her. But seeing Danny again and sharing a kiss under the mistletoe has her questioning her decisions. Is it time to let him go, or is he the christmas gift she's been waiting for?


Helen Lacey
Her Christmas Cowboy
When her 18 year old sister rocks up on her doorstep with a baby on her hip four days out from Christmas, Sydney lawyer Elyse Prescott is forced to take her back home - to the tiny town of Denary, Queensland. But going back to Denary means facing every reason why she left - including Brett McCrane. Ten years ago the sexy cowboy had broken her heart and she'd never quite forgiven him. Now, with her wayward sister, her forgetful father, an adorable baby and a farm on the brink of foreclosure, all she wants to do is hightail it back to the city. Only...it's Christmas...and her family need her. And since Brett's eyes are still as blue and the chemistry between them is as combustable as ever, Elyse has to make a choice - to go back to the city and her old life...or take a chance on love...

Stefanie London
Sleigh Bells In The Sand
After spending a year chasing information about the mother who abandoned her, Neve Ritter has done the unthinkable. Instead of going home for Christmas, she’s agreed to house sit a beach cottage in Sorrento. But her idea of a reflective holiday is rudely interrupted when she realizes she not alone in the house. 
Damien Alessio is a passionate class action lawyer, best known for taking on greedy corporate giants. Only Damian is burned out and an embarrassing mistake has caused him the biggest loss of his career. When a severe hail storm strands them together, leaving them without power or phones, they find comfort - and a little Christmas magic - in each other's arms.

Make sure you pop back regularly and we'll give you more teasers from our other box set authors, Rachel Bailey, Jennifer St George and Kandy Shepherd

Release date is 1st December- so set the date in your diary! We will post more information as we get it.

Welcome Party for New LoveCat Claire Baxter!

Today the LoveCats DownUnder are in party mode as we welcome the lovely Claire Baxter to our group. Yay! Claire is a firm favourite both with the LoveCats and with other lovers of romance fiction and we’re so excited she’s agreed to join us. To celebrate we’re posting an exclusive interview with Claire and giving away some wonderful party prizes.

Claire’s novels have been translated into 20 languages and have finalled in the Romance Writers of Australia's Romantic Book of the Year Award, the Booksellers' Best Awards, the RT Book Reviews Reviewers' Choice Awards and the CataRomance Reviewers' Choice Awards. She has also branched out into novellas and her short stories have been published in commercial women's magazines around the world. First published by Harlequin (Mills and Boon Romance), her publishers now include Entangled (Bliss and soon Ignite as well with an upcoming romantic suspense) and Random House Australia. She’s one busy lady! If you want to find out more about her you can visit her website but in the meantime here’s Claire, answering some ‘getting to know you’ questions:

Monty and Phoebe

Does anyone with fur, feathers or scales share your life now, or have you had a pet in the past? If so, tell us a bit about them. 

We had two gorgeous dogs who were a huge part of our lives for sixteen years, Monty and Phoebe. Monty was a Rhodesian Ridgeback cross and a big boy who thought he should be a lap dog, a sweet, gentle giant. Phoebe was a Gordon Setter cross and was always on the go, keeping the garden free of pigeons, and generally being busy. We lost Monty over a year ago, and Phoebe a year before that, but I still look for them when I come home. It will take a long time for the memory to fade. 

 

Our garden has now been claimed by the neighbours’ cat. She spends the whole day in our garden and I have no idea why she prefers it to her own. She stands on the outdoor table watching me work in my office.
 

Where Claire spends a lot of her summer!

Even though you're now a Cat, if you could be any mythological creature, which one would you be? Why?

 

 Well, I did once go to a fancy dress party as Medusa with my hair full of (jelly) snakes and that was fun. Not sure that I’d fancy the whole turning-people-to-stone thing, though.

What was the first category book you read?
 

The first one I remember reading is A Bride At Birralee by Barbara Hannay. I loved it, and it made me want to write sweet category romance.

 

What do you like about writing category stories?

 

It’s the romance, the whole romance, and nothing but the romance. There’s no room for distractions and sub-plots that take the focus away from the developing relationship.

 

What's something we wouldn't know about you?

 

 Hmm...I had to think about this question. I guess not many people know that I used to drive trucks around France. Not big trucks. I worked for a hire company and delivered the vehicles to customers. That was only part of the job, but it was the fun part.
 



Claire's newest book

 Can you share one goal for 2014 with us?
 

That’s easy. I intend to be more productive and stop spending so much time on the internet when I should be writing. I WILL be more productive in 2014.

To celebrate having Claire join us at the LoveCats  we're giving away to fantastic prize packages. To be in the draw just leave a comment on this post. To get you started Claire's asking:

 Do you see the new year as a chance to wipe the slate clean and start again with new goals? Or do you avoid setting goals in January, preferring to set them at different times throughout the year?

Check back at the end of the week when we'll post the names of the two winners. Here's a list of the 'Sweet Somethings' on offer, donated by the LoveCats. 

One winner will receive:

'From Duty to Daddy' from Sue Mackay,
A cosmetic bag from Yvonne Lindsay,
'Last Chance Proposal' from Barbara DeLeo,
A surprise gift from Louisa George,
A signed book of the winner's choice from Annie West,
'The Redemption of Rico D'Angelo' from Michelle Douglas,
A book of the winner's choice from Sharon Archer,
An ebook of 'Taming the Tycoon' by Amy Andrews,
An ebook of 'Flirting with Danger' from Claire Baxter (Amazon or Kobo),
A book of the winner's choice from Rachel Bailey,
Something sweet from Bronwyn Jameson,
A backlist book from Helen Lacey, and
An ebook of 'The Billionaire's Pursuit of Love' from Jennifer St George.

One of Claire's hand made necklaces

A second winner will receive:

'How to Resist a Heartbreaker' by Louisa George,
A book of the winner's choice from Rachel Bailey,
An ebook of 'The Billionaire's Pursuit of Love' from Jennifer St George,
A backlist book from Helen Lacey,
A surprise gift from Barbara DeLeo,
A signed book of the winner's choice by Annie West,
A manicure set in a kitty-cat case from Michelle Douglas,
'From Duty to Daddy' from Sue Mackay,
A book of the winner's choice from Yvonne Lindsay,
Harlequin Australia's Valentine's Day Collection from Bronwyn Jameson,
A book of the winner's choice from Sharon Archer,
A personally-made charm necklace from Claire Baxter, and
An ebook of 'Holding Out for a Hero' from Amy Andrews.

Funday Monday!

Find the LoveCats! 

To celebrate our anniversary, we've put together this word puzzle!  

We've been chatting with you here at the LoveCats DownUnder for THREE YEARS and ONE MONTH!  Time sure does fly when you're having fun!

Anyway, we're all here including our lovely Cats in the Wild!

Make Your Own Word Search

Sunday Smooch!

Welcome to another LoveCats DownUnder Sunday Smooch!


Today we have a smooch from The Wedding Must Go On by Robyn Grady, but first ...

the winner of last week's Sunday Smooch Giveaway is -- Bn100!


Congratulations, Bn! Can you please contact Nikki at

Nikki (at) nikkilogan (dot) com (dot) au

and she'll send you a copy of Wild Encounter.

And now for today's Sunday Smooch from The Wedding Must Go On by Robyn Grady ...


Designs on the best man... With his best friend’s wedding suddenly cancelled, and an important business deal riding on it, Nate Sparks needs to get them back up the aisle ASAP! The best person to help is feisty maid-of-honour Roxy Trammel – otherwise known as Trouble… Luckily Roxy also needs this marriage to go ahead – her reputation as a wedding dress designer depends on it! Nate proposes a plan to get the jilted lovers back together – and if it doesn’t work…? He’ll walk Roxy down the aisle in her design himself! All Roxy can wonder is: is that a threat…or a promise…?

(Set up: Nate and Roxy have a single 'goodnight kiss' history. While he'made clear he's not up for a relationship, he does need Roxy's help to get their best friends' cancelled wedding plans back on track. After that embarrassing kiss'n'run incident, Roxy wants nothing more to do with Nate. However, she does want to see her friend happy. She'll talk, but first - needing to attend customers waiting out in her shop - she grudgingly asks Nate to help to unjam the zip on the wedding gown she's wearing - a much prized dress that is in the running to win an international contest.)

(Excerpt...)
Outside, the desk bell pinged. Roxy jumped, called out, ‘I’ll be right there,’ then glanced down at the gown she still wore. Which, frankly, looked great on her. The white satin suited her skin’s natural glow. The sweep of her waist in that bodice was hypnotic. Not that he would allow himself to be concerned with any of that. He was here to get his plan on the table and any bugs ironed out before they went ahead with Operation Back Together.
He said, ‘I thought you were changing.’
‘I couldn’t get a hold of the zip.’ She whirled around. As the train slapped his shin, he was presented with a tantalizing rear view. ‘You’ll have to help.’
Alarm bells—red and flashing—went off in his head. An invitation and bare flesh equalled temptation. Sure, what Roxy proposed seemed innocent enough but, in essence, she was asking him to help her undress. To open himself up and be vulnerable to the call of his baser urges, which he had trouble enough containing where Roxy Trammel was concerned. He held up his palms.
‘I’ll pass.’
‘You can’t pass.’
Believe me, ‘It’s safer I don’t.’
‘I trust you not to do any damage.’ When he didn’t budge, she groaned and muttered, ‘Okay. Time to get this out in the open.’ Her fists finding her hips, she rotated again. ‘I won’t lie and say I didn’t enjoy the kiss we shared that night because, while I’m loath to admit it, I did. And I admit my reaction was…enthusiastic. But if you think I’m so desperate that I’d use sex to manipulate a marriage proposal, think again. And if I were to do such an abhorrent thing—’ her nose rose a regal notch ‘—it wouldn’t be with you.’ She hesitated, then went on. ‘In fact, I’ve been kissed since and, frankly, yours pales in comparison.’
Nate’s gape turned into a smirk. And she called him a liar. He knew just how much she’d enjoyed that kiss. Almost as much as he had. Still, if she could play this Arctic ice-shelf cool, couldn’t he? Hell, it was only a zip. She wasn’t asking him to slip off a garter or nightdress or that itty-bitty pair of silk panties—which he’d best not think about right now.
When he lifted his chin, she lifted hers. He twirled his finger—turn around—and, hoisting up her skirt, she whirled again. The dress’s back was scooped low and, with her long fair hair twisted up, Nate was greeted by an unobstructed, blemish-free landscape. Delicate twin shoulder blades bracketed a sweep of smooth tan skin and two accidental curls spiralled either side of the dent of her spine. Pleasant warmth pooled then solidified high on Nate’s thighs. But he took a deep breath and, focusing not on the view but the task, doggedly searched. After a full-on few seconds, he huffed. No wonder she couldn’t find it.
‘There is no zip.’
‘It’s invisible,’ she told him. ‘Feel around inside the bodice facing.’
Nate scratched his head. Did she say invisible? And, ‘Bodice what?’
‘Slide your finger up and down the inside top of the seam.’ She dropped a wry look over one shoulder. ‘You do know what a seam is, don’t you?’
‘A rich deposit where minerals are found.’
She rolled her eyes as if to say, Men. ‘Just don’t tug too hard.’
When she turned back, Nate shook out his hands, rubbed his palms together. Not sweaty. Not cold. All good. He edged one fingertip inside. Her skin was toasty-warm and smooth as the satin. And now he was aware that she was wearing the same perfume she had that fateful night. Subtle. Something with lavender? Whatever the ingredients, the scent was light and fresh and… Nate filled his lungs.
The kind of bouquet I could breathe in all day.
He snapped open eyes that seemed to have drifted shut. Roxy had implied that she’d dated since their evening together. Leaning closer, he slid his thumb down and felt around. He hated himself for needing to ask but couldn’t a guy be curious?
‘So, I take it you’re seeing someone.’
‘No one in particular.’
Chewing that over, he found something small and difficult to grab high at the top of the crease. Squeezing just enough to get a grip, he added, ‘And yet someone’s swept you off your feet.’
Those curls tickled the back of his hand as she purred. ‘I’ve been swept off several times since that night.’
His bite tightened and grip firmed more. He was jiggling in earnest when, outside, the desk bell rang again.
‘I’ll be right out,’ Roxy called pleasantly, then to him, ‘What’s taking so long?’
‘Inexperience,’ he growled. With a wedding gown, at least. This darn thing didn’t glide as it should. ‘Don’t force it,’ she told him.
‘I’m not forcing anything.’
Shifting, he began to work it in a hopefully more fruitful and earnest kind of way. Clearly this exercise needed a little more of the ol’ Nate Sparks finesse. Three seconds later, she complained, ‘You’re too rough.’
‘Relax.’ His fingertips rolled, then tugged and rolled again. ‘Just a few seconds more.’
‘Nate, not so hard.’
‘Almost got it—’
The zip suddenly gave. Actually what gave was the fabric splitting either side. While Roxy stiffened, Nate’s heart stopped beating as he held his breath and stared. It wasn’t much of a tear. Really barely noticeable. But when Roxy turned around, her expression said it all. Her face was a mask of disbelief, anguish. Rage. And her eyes, which had looked merely annoyed earlier, now spat green fire.
‘Tell me you didn’t tear the dress,’ she groaned. ‘You didn’t, did you? Not this dress.’
The anger in her eyes turned to fear then they edged with moisture and Nate felt the walls press in.


To be in the draw to win a signed copy of The Wedding Must Go On, tell us your idea of the perfect wedding dress.


Come back next Sunday, when the winner of today's giveaway will be announced -- and a smooch from Defying His Desert Duty by Annie West will be posted!

I'm Sexy And I Know It

by Robyn Grady

Romance novels give readers such a wide variety of heroes to enjoy. Some are the big brooding type (think Mr. Darcy). Some are witty with oodles of boyish charm (pretty much any movie Hugh Grant's been in). The heros I write tend to dip in both pools although they are always confident. They are the men who don't hesitate taking charge in a crisis and getting everyone out of that burning building or off that sinking ship.

The hero I'm writing at the moment - Dex Hunter, second born son in my Hunter Pact Series for Desire - is even a little showy. He owns a movie production company in Los Angeles and doesn't mind basking in his own limelight. But Dex does have his limits...

Unlike this guy.Sparkling brief swimmers and, let me just say, a rather toned bod coupled with some pretty amazing moves and an appreciative audience...Australian beaches rock!

Sunday Smooch - Rachael Johns

Welcome to another LoveCats DownUnder Sunday Smooch!

Today we have a smooch from One Perfect Night by Rachael Johns, but first ...

the winner of last week's Sunday Smooch Giveaway is -- Helen!

Congratulations, Helen! Please contact Rachel at rachel (at) rachelbailey.com and she'll send you your prize.


And now for today's Sunday Smooch from One Perfect Night by Rachael Johns.

[Set up: Cameron has taken his company’s party entertainer (or so he thinks) to a party at his Aunt’s place. He’s been attracted to her from the get-go and can’t resist flustering her a little by teasing her under the table.]







“Cameron?”

When there was no response to her gentle call, she sucked in much-needed air and began the walk past the garage toward the road. Her fairy heels clicked against the cobbled path as she contemplated how accepting Cameron’s family had been. She got the feeling he’d been hoping to shock them by bringing her, but no one had raised an eyebrow at her costume and all had been accepting without question. She couldn’t help wishing it wasn’t a farce…that somehow she could be a part of such a large close-knit family.

As she reached the end of the building, a hand shot out and tugged her toward a deep rumbly voice.

“Finally.”

A voice that sent pheromones rushing to her head, a voice she’d now recognize instantly. A voice that wiped her mind clean of all thought except its owner.
Cameron pulled her tight against his body, his hands rushing to cup her cheeks as his lips desperately sought hers. Her breasts tingled against his chest and his arousal pressed against her thigh. The containers clattered to the ground.
“Leave them,” he ordered, pulling away only long enough to utter this direction.
Somewhere a dog howled its disapproval.

“With pleasure,” she slurred, her body drunk from the pleasure of one illicit kiss. The setting reminded her of her first kiss behind the sports shed on the school playing field.

That was where the similarities ended.

He twisted her round and she thanked the Lord for the support of the garage door as Cameron leaned in close and claimed her mouth once again. No teenage kiss had ever come close. And she knew, as his tongue trailed a line between her lips, as her mouth opened and welcomed him, as his hands sought her buttocks and drew her so close she couldn’t tell where his heat finished and hers began, that no kiss would come close ever again.

She knew she ought to resist. Rob her lips of his mouth and tear her hands from his heat, but resistance was futile. If he didn’t mind playing with fire, if he didn’t view their working relationship as a problem, who was she to object?
Her hands roved over his arms, his shoulders and his perfect six-pack abs. Every muscle in his body seemed to be drawn bowstring tight. She pulled back, staring into his eyes. Her gaze met with a raw energy she wanted to believe had everything to do with the way she felt in his arms, but a tiny voice inside reminded her of his strange reaction when he’d heard about Ella’s pregnancy.

“I’m taking you home,” Cameron growled, his face still only inches from hers, his hands tangled in her hair.

“Yes.”

Knowing as the word slipped from her lips in a husky breath that he wasn’t simply escorting her home. Knowing that he expected an invitation inside for Considering she’d only just met him, considering who he was…the mere thought of what coffee entailed should have sent her running for the mountains. And, he was obviously far more experienced than she.

Instead it made her legs wobble, her pulse thunder and her breasts ache.Perhaps pure physical gratification was exactly what she needed to forget her woes for the night. Would it be so wrong to take what Cameron was offering, to prove to herself she was as female as the next woman?

To be in the draw to win a copy of One Perfect Night, simply answer this question:

What is the most public place you’ve ever been kissed?


Released last month, One Perfect Night is available from
Carina Press.





Come back next Sunday, when the winner of today's giveaway will be announced -- and a smooch from What Happens in Charleston by Rachel Bailey will be posted!

Sunday Smooch!

Welcome to another LoveCats DownUnder Sunday Smooch!

Today we have a smooch from Rodeo Dad by Soraya Lane, but first ...

the winner of last week's Sunday Smooch Giveaway is --
Catherine!


Congratulations, Catherine! Can you please contact Sophia at SophiaJames6 (at) gmail (dot) com (minus the spaces) and she'll send you a copy of Christmas at Blackhaven Castle.

And now for today's Sunday Smooch from Rodeo Dad by Soraya Lane ...



Rodeo champion Lark Anderson lived for the sound of crowds chanting his name. Now all he hears is a small voice saying, "daddy." A fall ended both his rodeo career and his marriage—leaving him a single dad.

The town is suspicious of its new "celebrity" resident, and town darling Sophie Baxter has been nominated to keep an eye on the hot-tempered cowboy.

But the sight of his strong arms hugging his daughter and tucking her in at night makes Sophie's heart ache with longing. Could this little family ever find a place in their hearts for her?

[Set up: Sophie has been stranded on Lark’s farm for the night due to snow closing the roads, and he’s convinced her to take a soak in his outdoor bathtub.]

Lark’s arms slowly moved from the edge of the bath, his hands sliding into the water and landing on her thighs. Gently, so gently. One moved up her torso, landing on her stomach, the other stayed on her leg. Sophie leaned back farther into him, her head on the side. And then Lark’s lips found her skin. His mouth touched her neck, the side of it that was above the water.A shudder traced through every inch of her body, but she was powerless to move away.

Didn’t want him to stop.

Ever.

His lips caressed her skin, softly worked their way down her neck and over her shoulder. His fingers now gliding against her, tickling and teasing her.

“Lark,” she said, not knowing why but feeling she had to slow things down.

“Mmm,” he murmured against her skin.

“Lark, I think …”

“Don’t think,” he whispered.

She pulled away, enough so that his mouth fell away from her.

“Are you sure? I mean, you’ve just come out of a marriage, I’ve got, well …”

“Sophie?”

She sighed. “Yes.”

“Shut up and kiss me.”


Rodeo Dad is available in Australia and New Zealand now, and Soraya is giving away a copy today. To be in the draw, simply leave a comment!

For more information on upcoming releases, head to http://www.sorayalane.com/ or www.facebook.com/SorayaLaneAuthor.

Come back next Sunday, when the winner of today's giveaway will be announced -- and a smooch from Harlequin Medical Author Sue Mackay will be posted!

Sunday Smooch!

Welcome to another LoveCats DownUnder Sunday Smooch!

Today we have a smooch from The Millionaire’s Mistletoe Mistress – from Tis the Season anthology (Christmas with the Boss in the UK) by Natalie Anderson, but first ...

the winner of last week's Sunday Smooch Giveaway is --
Marybelle!


Congratulations, Marybelle! Can you please contact michelle @ michelle - douglas (dot) com (minus the spaces) and she'll send you a copy of The Secretary's Secret.

And now for today's Sunday Smooch from The Millionaire's Mistletoe Mistress by Natalie Anderson ...


Imogen's new boss, Ryan Taylor, is demanding, infuriating and utterly gorgeous. But she's been burnt by a colleague before, and she's not about to commit the same mistake twice…no matter how tempted she might be.


However, making Imogen his mistletoe mistress by Christmas is at the top of Ryan's wish list!





[Set up: Imogen has been trying to avoid her sexy new boss at the Edinburgh department store where she works in the office... But as she’s trying to walk to work one morning (it’s slippery on the icy paths!), she runs into him... ]

For the first time in days she stared properly into his eyes – even in the half-light of the late dawn they were that vivid blue. She was vaguely aware of her own mouth moving into a mirroring smile. Oh he had it all. One of those American great-all-round types with his blue eyes and brown hair, bronzed skin, broad shoulders and… had she dwelt on the blue eyes already?

“Do you wear contacts?”

“No. Why?” He seemed to be smiling with his whole body.

She couldn’t believe she’d asked that question out loud. “Your eyes are very blue.” Oh no she was whispering. Oh brain, where art thou? She jerked back. “I’m sorry.”

“Why?”

Because that was inappropriate. But she couldn’t answer. Looked away to try to clear her head from his almost hypnotic power. “It’s freezing, isn’t it?” Hell. Reduced to talking about the weather to distract from the fact she’d just made a colossal fool of herself. To try to ignore the way she burnt up in his presence.

“I like the cold. I like the fun of warming up.”

She looked back at him then. Had he moved closer? He had, and he was taking another step closer.

“It’s easier to warm up than cool down.”

“I don’t think so,” she said, just to disagree. “It can be impossible to warm up.

The brakes on her sensibility were slipping – standing near him, with him smiling like that. He still had his hand on her arm and he was edging closer and closer.

“You can always warm up.”

Awareness zinged between them.

“No.” She shook her head in the tiniest movement and her last hint of caution melted. “My lips are so cold they’re numb.” The scare from the almost-fall must have addled her everything.

“Numb?” He was looking deep into her eyes in a way that obliterated rational brain power.

She nodded, felt that squeezing inside as his gaze dropped to her lips.

“I don’t believe you.” His mouth had that cheeky quirk to it.

“They are,” she insisted. “I’ll have to be careful with my coffee or I might burn them.”

His lashes swooped up and she was pinned in place – just where she wanted to be. “Well we can’t let that happen.”

Bluer than the brightest summer sky, his eyes gleamed. Spellbound she watched as he came nearer and nearer.

The kiss was butterfly light. The faintest brush of his mouth on hers. Not remotely long enough or hard enough or deep enough to satisfy Imogen’s burgeoning desire.

“Still numb,” she spoke as his mouth lifted and hovered mere millimetres from hers.

Her challenge was unmistakable.

His smile widened and then she got to taste it as his head lowered. Her eyes closed and in her mind she was floating in those skies of blue. His lips were warm, gentle, teasing before they lifted again, still too soon.

She sighed, resigned. “I can’t seem to feel a thing.”

His brows shot up but there was a knowing look in his eyes. “I’ll have to try harder.”

This time she met his mouth with her own wide and hungry. This time he put his hands on her. This time it was longer, and harder and deeper.

Imogen moaned. He slid one hand down her back, pulling her against him while at the same time taking that last step closer. She was sandwiched firm between the bridge railing and him. Yet still she wanted closer. She hadn’t lied. It was true – she couldn’t feel a thing – other than pleasure radiating out within her. Emboldened by that madness, she kissed him as deeply, searching him out with her tongue, desperate to taste more of him – all of him. Her arms lifted, locking around his neck. Their bodies strained together, arousing, intoxicating, suddenly in an embrace so tight it almost hurt. Until finally he lifted his head and let them both breathe.

But it wasn’t sobering oxygen that she inhaled. It was all Ryan. “Are you sure you don’t wear contacts?”


Natalie is giving away a copy of The Millionaire's Mistletoe Mistress. To be in the draw, tell us whether you think it's easier to get warm, or warm down!

Come back next Sunday, when the winner of today's giveaway will be announced -- and a smooch from Unmanagable Isobel by Sophia James will be posted!

Sunday Smooch!

Welcome to another LoveCats DownUnder Sunday Smooch!

Today we have a smooch from The Secretary's Secret by Michelle Douglas, but first ...

the winner of last week's Sunday Smooch Giveaway is --
Linda!

Congratulations, Linda! Can you please contact Susan at susan-gee-heino (at) yahoo (dot) com, and she'll send you copies of Mistress by Mistake, Damsel in Disguise, and Temptress in Training.

And now for today's Sunday Smooch from The Secretary's Secret by Michelle Douglas ...

Expecting a secret bundle of joy!
With one last look in the mirror, Kit Mercer prepares to face her boss—surely he can't wait to sweep her into his arms again and declare his love?

Actually, what Alex Hallam does is tell her their fling can't continue. He knows it's the right thing to do—after his ex-wife's lies, is he really ready for a relationship with sweet, lovely Kit?

Until Kit reveals she's pregnant! Swapping the boardroom and working lunches for the baby clinic and wake-up feeds, they'll get more than they bargained for…. Maybe even swapping their business contract for a marriage certificate!

[Set up: Kit is pregnant with Alex’s child, but Alex is far from ready for fatherhood. They are sitting on a break water overlooking the ocean when, for the first time, Kit feels the baby kick. She grabs Alex’s hand and presses it to her stomach, hoping it will forge a connection between him and the baby.]



His eyes widened. 'This is the first time?'

She couldn't get the grin off her face. 'The very first time.'

Alex's wonder made him look younger. The grooves either side of his mouth eased, the creases around his eyes relaxed and the darkness in his irises abated, his lips tilted up at the corners, and it all made Kit catch her breath.

Beneath her hand, his hand tensed. She dropped her gaze to stare at their two hands. Neither one of them moved, and in less than a heartbeat desire licked along her veins. She wanted to lift her gaze and memorize every line and feature of his face, the texture of his skin, while she could. So she could have this memory for ever.

She didn't need to look up to do that, though. His every feature was already branded on her brain. She knew that dark stubble peppered his jaw. Alex needed to shave every day, but he'd skipped that chore this morning, eager to get started on the painting instead. Her palm itched to sample that roughness, her tongue burned to trace it, to taste it...to tease him.

Today he looked more like a disreputable pirate than a civilized businessman and a thrill coursed through her at the danger she sensed simmering just beneath the surface.

Finally obeying the silent command she sensed in him, she lifted her gaze to his. At the edge of his right eyebrow was a tiny nick, as if he'd once had a stitch there. She'd always meant to ask him about it, but her breath came in shallow gulps and her pulse had gone so erratic she didn't trust her voice not to give her away.

His eyes burned dark and hot as they travelled over her, and her soul sang at the possessiveness that transformed his features. No longer afraid of revealing her desire for him, she lowered her gaze to his lips. Need, hunger, thirst all speared into her. Her lips parted. Her eyes searched out his again, pleading with him to sate her need. If she couldn't taste him just one more time she thought she might die.

Something midway between a groan and a growl emerged from his throat. His hand tightened on her stomach. Her hand tightened over his. Yes! Oh, please, yes!

Still Alex held back, his eyes devouring her face as if he was picturing in vivid detail every caress he meant to place there. He didn't lift his hand from her abdomen and it felt like a promise. His fingers splayed, sending darts of need right into the core of her, making her tremble with the intensity of her desire.

His other hand came up to cup her face, his thumb traced the outline of her bottom lip, dipped into the moistness of her mouth, traced her lips again, moved back and forth over them as if to sensitize them to the utmost limit of their endurance before taking her to the next level with his lips and mouth and tongue.

She started to pant, wanted to beg him for his lips, his mouth, his tongue, but still his mouth didn't descend. With a low growl she flicked her tongue across his thumb. He stiffened as if electrified. She drew his thumb into her mouth, circled it with her tongue, suckled it until his eyes darkened to obsidian.

And then finally, slowly, inexorably, his head lowered and her blood started to sing. His body blocked out the sun and, as he moved closer, all she could see was the light reflected in his eyes. His lips touched hers, moved over hers—surely, reverently, thoroughly—her eyes fluttered closed and, as the kiss deepened, light burst behind her eyelids. Every wonderful Christmas, every sun-drenched summer and visiting dolphin, every bright and beautiful thing that had ever existed in her life gained a new vitality in that kiss.

The need and the energy, it took her and Alex and merged them into a sparkling, flaming oneness until, body and soul, she didn't know where she ended and Alex began. It was the kind of kiss to shape worlds and change lives. It shifted the foundations of her world and all she believed about herself.

Alex eased away from Kit. He didn't know for how long they'd kissed. He barely knew which way was up. Very slowly he drew his hands away—one from her face, one from her stomach. He tried to stop his legs from jerking in reaction.

'Are you okay?'

Her voice came out soft and husky, as if he'd kissed all her breath away. Served her right for kissing his breath clean away too.

He nodded and cleared his throat. 'And you?'

'Oh, yes.'

She had stars in her eyes! No woman should look at him like that.

An imaginary noose pulled tight around his neck, and yet for a moment all he could see was the shine on her lips and he ached to sample them again.

'I'm...' He cleared his throat again. 'I'm sorry.' 'I'm not.'

'It can't happen again.'

'I'll be holding my breath till it does.'

He closed his eyes. He was in way over his head.


Michelle is giving away a signed copy of The Secretary's Secret. To be in the draw, tell us what you think Kit and Alex should call their soon-to-be new arrival.

The Secetary's Secret is out now in the UK and
will be on North American shelves in December
and in Australia/NZ in January 2012!

Come back next Sunday, when the winner of today's giveaway will be announced -- and a smooch from Natalie Anderson will be posted!

Sunday Smooch with Susan Gee Heino

Welcome to another LoveCats DownUnder Sunday Smooch!

Today we have a smooch from Temptress in Training by Susan Gee Heino, but first ...

the winners of last week's Sunday Smooch Giveaway are --
Sonali and Kaelee!

Congratulations, ladies! Can you please contact Christina Hollis at christinahollis (at) hotmail (dot) co.uk , and she'll send you each a copy of Weight of the Crown.

And now for today's Sunday Smooch from Temptress in Training by Susan Gee Heino ...


A handsome earl and a beautiful seamstress are looking for answers. Both are willing to do what it takes to get them--even if it requires a little seduction.

Whether mending a ripped corset or constructing velvet pantalets, Sophie Darshaw is skilled with a sewing needle and in high demand at Madame Eudora's brothel. But dreams of a better life lead Sophie away from the brothel, and into the arms of a dangerous man...

After the Earl of Lindley's search for the double agent who killed his family keeps leading him to Miss Darshaw, he begins to suspect she's somehow connected to the plot. Bedding her seems like the best way to get some answers. But Sophie learned a few things from the girls at Madame Eudora's, and she's ready to put them to use...




She must have recognized the icy reality of revenge on his face. She took a step backward, away from him. The glow from the lamp hanging near the doorway spilled out into the yard where they stood. The warm light played against the heavy shadows, making her eyes seem endlessly deep and her skin endlessly tempting. Emotion only allowed her to draw short, halting breaths. Her worn gown pulled against those unignorable curves. Damn it, why couldn’t he forget just for these moments how beautiful the girl was?

“Maybe you can’t feel compassion, but surely you can feel something,” she said, swallowed, and gave the tiniest hint of a smile. “You are, after all, a man.”

Oh, he felt something, indeed. He just did not wish to discuss it at present. “My feelings are hardly your concern, Miss Darshaw. Go back to your father and say farewell.”

Now she regained that hesitant step she’d taken away. “Please, I’ll do anything.”

She let that phrase hang in the air. He knew exactly what it meant. Holy hell, could he actually be tempted?

“Anything, my lord,” she repeated with another halting step closer.

By God, he had to admit anything sounded remarkably enticing. She was barely a hand’s span away. Every soft curve of her body and every slight tremor in her lip lured him. She offered herself for the sake of her treacherous father and Lindley wished to heaven he had the resolve to refuse.

He did not. Reacting before his better judgment could intervene, he pulled her into his arms. She was either eagerly willing or too shocked to protest; he really did not care one way or the other. All that mattered was that her face tipped up toward his and he was finally able to capture those tremulous lips with his own. She was as soft and delectable as he’d often imagined.

He pressed her for response and was pleased to find one. Her fingers dug into his coat, clinging to him as if she were as desperate for his touch as she was to rescue her father. He explored her mouth with his own, willing her to forget everything but this moment. Damn, but it would have been easy enough for him to put all his many worries aside and simply enjoy the feel of her, the taste of her.

Of course he could not afford it, though. There must be purpose to this madness. He might allow her to crumble into mindless desire, but he would have to remain in control. He must use her for his objective and never forget what that was.

God, he wished he could forget, though. Holding Sophie, hearing her muffled moan and feeling the heat that flowed between them, Lindley would have given nearly everything to believe this was real. Yet of course he’d already given everything and he knew for a fact Miss Darshaw was not what she seemed.




This is the third in a series, so as a prize to one lucky winner, Susan is offering signed copies of ALL THREE books, MISTRESS BY MISTAKE, DAMSEL IN DISGUISE, and TEMPTRESS IN TRAINING.
To be in the draw, let Susan know what temptations you just can't seem to avoid. Chocolate? Shoes? Daring young men in cravats!?
You can learn more about Susan and her books at http://www.susangh.com/


Come back next Sunday, when the winner of today's giveaway will be announced -- and a smooch from The Secretary's Secret by Michelle Douglas will be posted!