Did you know...?

OK, so I have a few "did you know" things to mention. First, the popular YA vampires book series (which I just bought) "Vampire Diaries" has been made into a series and will begin airing this fall on the CW channel at 8 PM (Eastern Time).


That means at 8 PM we get vampires, then at 9 PM the wonderful show "Supernatural" with those hunky brothers fighting evil comes on. Thursdays just may end up being my favorite night of the week!


Second "did you know" mention is, tonight on the MTV Awards show, MTV will be airing the first never before seen movie clips of New Moon (in theaters this November) and movie clips never before seen of the next Harry Potter movie (comes to theaters this July).

Movie Trailers - Movies Blog

I really have high hopes for "New Moon"- I hope I'm not disappointed.

My Saturday Post

OK, so anyone who saw my pathetic 'Hump Day Mutterings Part 2' post knows that I did not find "Hunger" by Michael Grant at Barnes & Noble on its release day (May 27) and would be making a return trip there this weekend. I did much better this time, I found "Hunger" for my teenager and walked out with only two more books for me (like I needed any more books after what I already got this week!).

Right near the B&N checkout counter was a table covered with hardcover books for less than $8- who could resist that? Not me! I got "Someone to Love" by Jude Deveraux and "Stalemate" by Iris Johansen, both are authors I have loved and read for over a decade now. These hardcover novels were just $6.98 apiece and were originally marked $26 each! I just can't pass up a good deal, especially when it involves books! So my teen is happy off reading her books somewhere, while I am contemplating just what to read next! I have to read some paranormal 'bite me' vampire stuff next for my 'Love Bites' reading challenge (I've got to complete 3 books by the end of June).

Before I get to reading, I wanted to work on my blog & blog banner and change some things around and add some more romance photos to go with the hunk photos. I think this banner came out clearer than the last, what do you think? Is this one better or did you like the other one best? I'll be playing around more today, so don't be surprised to see some changes. :o)

My Friday Mutterings...

Back in February of this year I had a "what if" post about JR Ward's Black Dagger Brotherhood vampire series and asked IF this series was made into a movie, who would you like to see play each of the brothers.

Since then, three more characters have come into play or have a story coming up). So here is a reminder of my first choices with the additions of who I'd like to see play Rehv, Tohr and Lassiter IF it were made into a movie:

Richard Armitage as Wrath...

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For Rhage I think Hayden Christensen is perfect.

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I see Zsadist played by Shane West...

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The only one I see as Vishous is Johnny Depp...

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My pick for Butch is Jason Statham

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My pick for Phury is Paul Walker...

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My pick for Rehv is Channing Tatum...

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My pick for Tohr is Gerard Butler...

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My pick for Lassiter is Jared Padalecki (Supernatural's "Sam")... So those are my picks for the actors to play JR Ward's Black Dagger Brotherhood,

IF it was ever made into a movie. Who are your picks?

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I couldn't forget to post some hunkage for Friday! Enjoy...

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Have a great weekend!!

"Hidden Agenda" by Lora Leigh

I finished another book in Lora Leigh's "SEALS" series and really enjoyed it. This is book #4 (1-Reno's Chance, 2-Dangerous Games (my personal favorite), 3-For Maggie's Sake, 4-Hidden Agenda, 5-Killer Secrets, 6-Atlanta Heat, 7-Wild Card, 8-Maverick).

In "Hidden Agenda" we see Lt. Kell Kreiger's story unfold as he admits to himself that he's in love and has been in love with Emily Stanton for years. But Kell has issues to face and overcome before he can open himself up completely. He had married very young and his teen pregnant wife was murdered along with their unborn child. He had failed to protect them and has lived with the guilt and anger for years. Can Emily help him heal?

Emily Stanton is a twenty five year old virgin, but she's no innocent. Emily spends all her time in "research"- researching things like sex, lap dances, giving blow jobs, shooting guns, wrestling and more. She's got a controlling NAVY SEAL father and a free spirit that war with each other. She's passionate, smart, eager to learn and just what Kell needs- and wants. She's also been in love with Kell since she was a teenager and he rescued her from an evil drug lord.

Now Emily is a target and it's up to Kell and the SEAL team to protect her. Kell moves in and does his best to control his alpha male tendencies because he knows they won't work on Emily and will push her away. He wants Emily close, very close and not just temporarily but forever. Kell wants it all marriage and babies, now he just has to convince Emily that she's the one for him and he's the only one for her while he protects her and takes down the bad guy.

I liked this book, it's my second favorite in the Seal's series so far (still love Dangerous Games best). It has suspense, sexy romance, hot sex (the virgin took her blow job research very seriously and it paid off for Kell-lol), mystery (I really didn't know who "Mr. White" was till the end, but did guess who 'the son' was), and it kept the pace going in the series leaving you hanging for the next book. I am so happy to see Navy Seal Nathan and look forward to his whole story. I give this book 4 stars out of 5.

Happy Thursday!

All I've got for this morning is a book meme, dirty jokes and some hot hunks! I might have a review ready later today or tomorrow morning.

I am loving my book haul from yesterday *grins*, I may have to toss a coin to see what to read next I've got so many great choices! :o)



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Some Thursday Humor:
A little boy and his grandfather are raking leaves in the yard. The little boy sees an earthworm trying to get back into its hole. He says, "Grandpa, I bet I can put that worm back in that hole." The grandfather replies, "I'll bet you five dollars you can't. It's too wiggly and limp to put back in that little hole."The little boy runs into the house and comes back out with a can of hair spray. He sprays the worm until it is straight and stiff as a board. The boy then proceeds to put the worm back into the hole. The grandfather hands the little boy five dollars, grabs the hair spray and runs into the house.Thirty minutes later the grandfather comes back out and hands the boy another five dollars. The little boy says, "Grandpa, you already gave me five dollars." The grandfather replies, "I know. That's from your Grandma."
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Dirty Little Matt is sitting in the back of math class, obviously not paying any attention, when the teacher calls his name.
"Yeah teach?" he replies.
"If there are three ducks on a fence and you shoot one of them with a shotgun, how many are left?" asks the teacher.
Matt answers "Well, teach, if I shoot one of them with a shotgun, the loud noise is gonna make them all fly off."
"No, Matt, there will be two left if you shoot one with a shotgun, but I like the way you're thinking." the teacher responds.
"Well, teach, I've got a question for you... There are 3 women that come out of an ice-cream parlor, one is biting her ice-cream cone, one is licking it, and one is sucking on it. Which one is married?"
The teacher, a little taken back by the question answers, "Well, uh, gee Matt, I guess the one that's sucking on the ice cream."
Matt replies "No teach, the one that has the wedding ring on her finger, but I like the way you're thinking!"
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Thirteen on Thursday!

Thirteen books I've read so far this year that I will be rereading in the future...

1. "Suddenly You" - Lisa Kleypas (historical romance)

2. "Lover Eternal" - JR Ward (paranormal romance)

3. "Viking Warrior" - Connie Mason (historical viking romance)

4. "Dangerous Games" - Lora Leigh (contemporary romance)

5. "Colters' Woman" - Maya Banks (erotic menage romance)

6. "Nauti Nights" - Lora Leigh (contemporary romance)

7. "Slave" - Cheryl Brooks (futuristic romance)

8. "Surrender" - Kimberly Zant (erotic menage)

9. "The Assignment" - Evangeline Anderson (m/m romance)

10."Passion" - Lisa Valdez (historical romance)

11."A Hunger Like No Other" - Kresley Cole (paranormal romance)

12."Soul Deep" - Lora Leigh (paranormal romance)

13."Wicked Burn" - Beth Kery (contemporary erotic romance)

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Thursday's Hunkage...

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Hump Day Mutterings- Part 2

I am an addict. A compulsive book shopper who needs therapy- or someone to chop up my credit cards! This morning I had two hours to myself and was trying to decide how I would spend them. My first thought was I was going to read, that was followed quickly by the little bookworm with horns sitting on my shoulder telling me that Barnes & Noble needed me desperately. Why? Hmmm... I needed an excuse to justify buying more books when my TBR pile has been condemned as a dangerous hazard area. Then the bookworm with horns on my shoulder said: "Hunger" by Michael Grant was released today.' Oh...right, perfect excuse! "Hunger" is book two in a new YA series of "Gone" books.

If you have a teen who hasn't read this, get them this book- GOOD one! Way back months ago during piles of snow and frigid winds, I braved the nasty weather like a postal worker (nothing keeps me from a bookstore) and bought "Gone" by Michael Grant as a YA book for me to read- part of my plan to read more YA this year. The book is about what happens when in one moment ALL the adults disappear leaving only teens and younger in the world. Cars crash, homes are empty, babies are left alone with no one to care for them except freaked out teens. Really a gripping situation as the teens try to deal with their fear and having to instantly be adults while trying to solve the question of where did all the adults go and what happens now? Well, I get about half way through the book and my teen begins whining "Are you done with that yet?"..."How much longer?"..."Can I read it when you put it down to cook dinner?" and on and on. Finally, I got tired of her harassing me for the book, dog eared my page and handed it over to her while I cooked dinner. That was it. My "Gone" book was gone! She took the book everywhere with her for days until she finished it and loved every page- it even got passed around to her friends and then my mother! By this time, I had picked up about 5 JR Ward "Black Dagger Brotherhood" books so I put "Gone" back in my TBR pile and lost myself in JR Ward's vampire world and haven't gotten to finish "Gone" yet- but I will. Anywho...book two in the "Gone" series was released today and I know both my daughter and myself want to read it, so I latched onto that excuse to high tale it over to B&N this morning.

I get there, take a deep breath and sigh in pure pleasure at being at B&N during the week when the store is nearly empty but for employees stocking the shelves with new books. Pure bliss... I head straight for the Teen department- honest I did, but a table marked "Summer Reading" stops me. I pick up "The Princess Bride" by William Goldman because I love this corny movie and have never read the book. I toss my first book in my basket and continue on to the Teen section located in the very back corner of the store forcing me to go through assorted tables and shelves of books on my way. An end cap display catches my eye..."A Touch So Wicked" by Connie Mason (love her writing)- in goes book two without even reading the back blurb. Finally I make it to the Teen section thinking I was doing good with only two book so far. I look around, no "Hunger" by Michael Grant. I go to the help counter they look it up, yes it was released today but they don't have it yet. The guy goes in back to see if it has been delivered yet. Nope. No new Michael Grant books. Damn! So now the whole reason for me going to B&N is shot to hell.

What to do...what to do? Umm...it takes me less then two minutes to find and toss three other YA books in my basket that I have been eyeballing for months. I get "The Vampire Diaries: The Awakening & The Struggle", "The Secret Circle: The Invitation & the Captive Part 1" and "The Secret Circle: The Captive part 2 & The Power" all by L.J. Smith.

That satisfied my need to purchase some YA books. Now I head over to the romance section add seven more books to my basket (which is getting heavy now). I get "Nauti Intentions" by Lora Leigh (love this series), "Into the Mist" and "Unbroken" by Maya Banks (love her books), then because I was in the mood for more vampires and I need to complete my "Love Bites Reading Challenge" (right sidebar) I grab "Bled Day" by Erin McCarthy. My basket is breaking my arm but I can't leave without a few historical romances, so I toss in "Scandal in Spring" (I needed this to finish the series), "Seduce Me At Sunrise" and "Worth Any Price" all by the wonderful Lisa Kleypas.

I was very pleased with my haul until it rang up at nearly $150! But that cha-ching doesn't stop me from hitting one more store. Oh no, I am still obsessed with getting "Hunger" by Michael Grant to justify my going to B&N in the first place, so I detour out of B&N's parking lot and head for Target a department store not too far away thinking MAYBE just MAYBE they might have it. I tell myself I am ONLY buying that book and getting out of there- no stopping to look at clothes or shoes no matter how cute their summer sandals are! Determined I head straight for the book section (at the very back of the store) and don't stop to so much as look at the clothes or shoes. I get to the book section and there is no "Hunger", but my eyes zero in on a series I have been dying to read! (Do you see a pattern here?) I have heard SO much good things about this vampire book series and now an HBO series that I have to buy them- lucky me they were marked 25% OFF! I grab "Dead Until Dark", "Living Dead in Dallas", "Club Dead" and "Dead to the World" all by Charlaine Harris. These are the books that inspired HBO's "True Blood" vampire series. Woohoo, I've got them and I turn to leave- I swear it but my eye sees "Maya Banks" on a Harlequin Silhouette display so I go over and grab "The Tycoon's Rebel Bride" by Maya Banks and add it to the books I am struggling to hold. I don't stop there, I see a cowboy book "Montana Mistress" by Sara Orwig (new to me author) and have to have this one too. My arms can not hold another thing so I check out with six more books. Are you keeping count? That is EIGHTEEN more books and I still haven't got the ONE book I wanted in the first place! (This means a return trip to B&N this weekend with my kids).

So do I need therapy or what? Truly I am obsessed with books and headed for bankruptcy if I don't stop it. Do you think the government will give me a bail out? I'm going to email President Obama and ask. :o)

Hump Day Hunks and Mutterings

Hump Day is here again! Wow this week is flying by and I haven't had much time to read because its been so busy. But I have been squeaking by with at least a chapter a day. I am currently reading "Hidden Agenda" by Lora Leigh (part of her SEALS series). I love this series and this book is not disappointing me so far. My only gripe is my life interfering with my reading! As soon as I get lost in the book I have to put it down and do something else. This always reminds me why I love winter so much. I love being stuck in the house while its snowing outside and having nothing else to do but read and read some more. How long till winter gets here? :o)

Do you 'tweet'? Are you part of the Twitter addiction? I'm not. I have to confess; to me Twittering sounds like a nightmare along the lines of having my teeth pulled out. I like my privacy and could careless when someone is buying a cup of coffee or stuck in traffic. Who cares? Apparently millions and I missed the boat! I just don't get it. I really don't. I tried to see what the appeal is in broadcasting your life in 'tweets' for the public to follow and I just don't see it. Maybe I value my privacy too much, but I don't want to share what I do from moment to moment (not that I do anything all that exciting anyway). And I really don't want to know what anyone else is doing moment to moment. Aren't there more important things in life? I don't mean to insult any Twitterers (is that a word?) out there, so please don't take this wrong- just chalk it up to my obvious ignorance on the subject. I really don't get it. So many people complain about big government watching everything we do, then along comes Twitter and people jump at the chance to broadcast every moment of their lives. I just don't get it. Maybe I am too old (part of the over 40 crowd) to get this latest phenomena rage.

So do you send out 'tweets' and 'twitter'? Are you addicted to this latest technology? What about Twitter did you find appealing? I'd love for someone to show me the appeal of this latest technological rage that just baffles me completely.

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Today's Hump Day Hunkage...

It's Tuesday!

Hey there everyone! Hope you all had a nice long Memorial weekend. We had a lot of rain and didn't have our usual cookout. Instead we saw "Night at the Museum 2". I liked it. It didn't have as much going on as in the first movie. The first one had several issues going on at once the father/son relationship, father/x-wife&new hubby issue, bad guys robbing museum, feeling like a loser, being a quitter etc, etc, etc. This movie was more focused on just the Museum and the exhibits coming alive. I won't give away any spoilers, but I will say there was more history to be learned or revisited in this one which I really enjoyed. Also, like in Harry Potter, the artwork and photographs move and come alive- loved that. And in relation to one particular photo coming alive stick around at the end of the movie when the credits roll...there is more to see! After the credits begin to roll, there is one more movie scene in relation to one of those moving come to life photographs hanging in the museum and you need to pay attention to what is said in that clip. It was very clever!

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I got some goodies in the mail recently. First, from author Beth Kery I got a "Daring Time" mouse pad, her autograph, a cool pink pen and some other nice surprises (from the contest Lea held on her blog "ClosetWriter"). Then I got Evangeline Collins book, "Her Ladyship's Companion" from the contest I won on Barbara's 'Happily Forever After' blog along with a book thong and some autographed bookmarks!

My thanks to Barbara and Lea and both authors! :o)

Happy Memorial Day weekend!

Hi everyone! I don't have any reviews, just hunks today.

It's been raining and thundering, so cooking out and doing marshmellows and smores has been canceled. Instead we are all off to see "Night at the Museum 2".

I really liked the first movie and I hear the second one is pretty good, so hopefully I won't be disappointed. I post my thoughts on it later today or tomorrow.

For now, I'll leave you with some eye candy...

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Happy Memorial Day Weekend!

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My Friday Mutterings...

As with most Fridays, I am SO happy it's FRIDAY!! I don't have any reviews today and I am not even close to finishing my current read as I've been so busy. I was looking at my reading list yesterday and can't believe I have already read 70 books this year! I only have 5 more to read to complete my 75 Reading Challenge on Library Thing.

Since I don't have any reviews and haven't had time to 'research' for more hunks, all I have to post is the list of books I've read so far this year. If you haven't heard of some of these books please check out my reviews- most link back to Amazon or B&N if you want to purchase them. All the reviews for them are in my blog archive and/or under the book title in the labels area (left side bar) - I think its faster & easier to find stuff there. That's were I look to find my posts because I can't remember what month I read what!

Jan. Reads;

-"Into the Shadow" - Christina Dodd

-"Into the Flame" - Christina Dodd

-"Outrageous" - Christina Dodd

-"One Moonlit Night" - Samantha James

-"The Treasure" - Iris Johansen

-"Dark Lover" - JR Ward <--the one that started my obsession

-"The Decadent Duke" - Virgina Henley

-"Ride the Fire" - Pamela Clare

-"Lucky's Lady" - Tami Hoag

-"Candle in the Window" - Christina Dodd

-"Suddenly You" - Lisa Kleypas <--favorite historical so far

-"Seduction of and Unknown Lady" - Samantha James

-"Lover Eternal" - JR Ward <--my favorite BDBH book

-"Lover Awakened" - JR Ward

-"Lover Revealed" - JR Ward

-"Wicked Burn" - Beth Kery <--smokin' hot!

-"Broken Wing" - Judith James

-"Lover Unbound" - JR Ward

-"Lover Enshrined" - JR Ward

-"Secrets of a Summer Night" - Lisa Kleypas

-"Spellbound" - Nora Roberts

-"It Happened One Autumn" - Lisa Kleypas

Feb. 2009 reads:

-"Sugar Daddy" - Lisa Kleypas

-"Viking Warrior" - Connie Mason<--good viking story

-"Devil In Winter" - Lisa Kleypas

-"Bad Boys of Summer" - L.Foster, E.McCarthy etc.

-"Forever" - Judy Blume

-"Heiress for Hire" - Erin McCarthy

-"A Well Favored Gentleman" - Christina Dodd

-"Mr.& Mrs. Fitzwilliam Darcy" - Sharon Lathan<-good revisit of the Darcy's

-"Jacob" - Jacquelyn Frank

-"Nauti Boy" - Lora Leigh

-"Dangerous Games" - Lora Leigh<--one of my favorites

March (Menage Month) 2009 reads:

-"3 Brides for 3 Bad Boys"- Lucy Monroe

-"An Unforgettable Lady" - Jessica Bird (AKA JR Ward)

-"Wicked Pleasure" - Lora Leigh

-"Sins of Summer" (4 authors) <--fun read

-"Slave" - Cheryl Brooks <--my favorite of the Cat series

-"Colters' Woman" - Maya Banks <--WOW-if you haven't yet, read my review

-"Virtual Reality" - Joey Hill

-"Primal Heat" - S.King, L.O'Clare, J.Burton, L.Leigh<--HOT

-"Nauti Nights" - Lora Leigh <--best of the Nauti series

-"Nauti Dreams" - Lora Leigh

-"Dangerous Lover" - Lisa Marie Rice <--good one

-"Blackmailed" - Annmarie McKenna

-"Submission/Seduction" - Lora Leigh

-"Surrender" - Kimberly Zant

-"The Courage to Love" - S.Kane<--good erotic historical series

-"Love Under Siege" - S.Kane

-"At Love's Command" - S.Kane

-"Be With Me" - Maya Banks

-"Marly's Choice" - Lora Leigh

-"Warrior" - Cheryl Brooks

April 2009 reads:

-"Wicked Sacrifice" - Lora Leigh

-"The Assignment" - Evangeline Anderson (m/m)<--favorite m/m

-"A Hunger Like No Other" - Kresley Cole

-"Rogue" - Cheryl Brooks

-"Soul Deep" - Lora Leigh <--best of the Breed series

-"Tempting the Beast" - Lora Leigh

-"Passion" - Lisa Valdez <--WOW

May 2009 reads:

-"Wild Highland Magic" - Kendra Leigh Castle<--good series

-"Lover Avenged" - JR Ward

-"Twilight" - Stephenie Meyer (reread)

-"My Man Michael" - Lori Foster

-"Male of the Species" - Kate Steele (m/m)

-"Frost Fair" - Erastes (m/m)

-"Six" - Opal Carew

-"Torn" - Sage Whistler (m/m)

-"The Bargain" - Julia Templeton

-"Switch" - Claire Thompson (m/m)

It's Hump Day!!

I love GOOGLE. I start off in one place and end up somewhere totally irrelevant from where I started my search. That happened to me last night. I was looking up color charts (thinking of painting) then I ended up reading about "The Green Ones". You know, the green M&M's and the theory that they make you horny. According to SNOPES (I think that's where I was) the green M&M's making you horny myth started in the 1970's and grew. In 1997 M&M's introduced the first "female" M&M and she was...GREEN and rather sexed up looking! Then in 2008 for a Valentine's Day promotion M&M's came out with boxes of ALL GREEN M&M's and ditched the more traditional red for Valentine's Day. All for the sake of hornyness.


So then I looked at the top of the page on SNOPES and it said "aphrodisiacs" and of course that got my attention so I clicked it and learned that some people on antidepressant drugs are doing better than others! Did you know that a side effect of taking 'clominpramine' for depression is that every time you yawn (for real or faking it) clominpramine gives you an orgasm! This makes me wonder why so many people are taking Prosac when clominpramine is obviously the better option for treating depression! :o)


Then I left SNOPES and moved back into the hundreds of thousands of GOOGLE search results and came across some interesting aphrodisiac facts (now remember, this all started with looking for paint color charts). Did you know that "Spanish Fly" is made from a crushed up blister beetle? Yep. It's toxic and a side effect of eating cantharidin which is in the blister beetle is swelling in your urinary tract. Some idiot took this poisonous swelling as a sign of sexual stimulus and the "Spanish Fly" myth was born.


Next I learned that Ginseng means "man root" but does nothing for your sex life. And I already knew about chocolate having serotonin and phenylethylanine in it that triggers pleasure areas in our brains but doesn't really do anything for our sex life either. Oysters on the other hand do play a role for men. Oysters increase testosterone and because they are so high in zinc they promote the production of sperm and more sperm and more sperm. I don't know if the quality of the sperm is better, but I am wondering if couples having trouble getting pregnant because the males sperm count is low would benefit from him eating larger quantities of oysters!


Anyway, those are some of the things that my GOOGLE search for paint colors led me too! Who'd have thought?! :o)


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Hump Day Humor...


There was this old woman who heard a song called "Two Lips and Seven Kisses." She called up information after hearing the song on the radio to get the name of the record company. In dialing, she erroneously called up a gas station, and she asks, "Do you have "Two Lips and Seven Kisses?"The gas station attendant who answered the phone said, "No, but I have two nuts and seven inches!"So the woman asked, "Is this a record?"To which the man replied, "No, its average!"


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Bubba was fixing a door and he found that he needed a new hinge, so he sent Mary Louise to the hardware store. At the hardware store Mary Louise saw a beautiful teapot on a top shelf while she was waiting for Joe Bob to finish waiting on a customer. When Joe Bob was finished, Mary Louise asked how much for the teapot? Joe Bob replied "That's silver and it costs $100!""My goodness, that sure is a lotta money!" Mary Louise exclaimed. She then proceeded to describe the hinge that Bubba had sent her to buy, and Jo Bob went to the backroom to find a hinge. From the backroom Joe Bob yelled "Mary Louise, you wanna screw for that hinge?' To which Mary Louise replied, "No, but I will for the teapot."


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A mother and her son were flying Southwest Airlines from Oakland to Kansas City.The son, who had been looking out the window, turned to his mother and said, "If big dogs have baby dogs and big cats have baby cats, why don't big planes have baby planes? The mother, who couldn't think of an answer, told her son to ask the flight attendant.So, the little boy asked the flight attendant, "If big dogs have baby dogs and big cats have baby cats, why don't big planes have baby planes?" The flight attendant asked, "Did your mother tell you to ask me that?" He said that she had.With a clever grin, she said, "Tell your mother it's because Southwest Airlines always pulls out on time."


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Today's Hump Day Hunkage...

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"Switch" by Claire Thompson

This is a 'new to me' in m/m romance- it's a BDSM m/m romance. Over all, I really don't like BDSM in the romance books I've read (m/f either) because I quite frankly don't get it. But in this story it worked and it was a main element to how the story unfolded. The book is "Switch" by Claire Thompson and it's the story of two gay men who both consider themselves to be dominants. The problem is they are falling for each other but neither one wants to give up being the Dom in the relationship, but someone has to for it to work.

Dane Bishop is well known in the BDSM scene in Austin Texas and he thinks highly of himself, almost arrogant, but he's too likable to actually be annoying about it. He likes being The Man and dominant and he's good at it. By day, he's a reputable banker making good money and enjoying the climb up the banking corporate ladder. By night, he's dressed out in leather and whipping submissives to climaxes in BDSM clubs.

One day he meets Nathan, an easy going sexy artist whom Dane takes an instant interest in. The feelings are mutual and there is a spark between these guys from the moment their eyes meet. The problem for them is both are dominants and it can't work unless one is willing to admit that they are a submissive in the making. That is, that deep down inside they want someone more dominant than them to bring out the submissive in them. But which guy will "switch" from dominant to submissive? I'm not going to tell, but I will say I liked this story! These guys were engaging and sexy and I wanted them to find a way to be together. It was SOOO hard watching one of them struggle with giving up his dominance to open himself up and trust his lover. This was critical to the story and was well done. I didn't care for the BDSM scenes (as I said I just don't get it) but in this story the dominant vs submissive scenes between the guys were a must in bringing out their full story. You could see them grow and with each hurdle they got over together and individually. Besides being a good romance story, it was also a good story in trust. These guys had to trust each other or they were doomed.

This book may not be for everyone, the BDSM sex toys were umm...eye opening to me (lol) and the club scenes might be offending to some, but I think watching the relationship between these two men was worth those uncomfortable parts. These two sexy guys have their happily ever after ending.

I give this book 3.5 stars out of 5.

"The Bargain" by Julia Templeton

Before I get into what's in the book, will you take a look at that cover?! Is that not a great romance book cover? "The Bargain" by Julia Templeton is the love story of Aleysia Cawdor a Saxon and the Norman Knight Renaud de Wulf who claims her lands and eventually her heart when King William's army marches through England burning and plundering the land in his bid to take England for his own.

Back blurb: "HE SAW...

Saxon beauty Aleysia Cawdor is willing to do anything to protect her dear twin brother during a conquest that could strip her of her everything. Her last resort is to enter into a sensual bargain with her worst enemy, and submit to his brutish ways.

HE CONQUERED...

Love-starved Norman knight Renaud de Wulf is eager to again feel the touch of flesh. He's going to take what's coming to him-the vulnerable woman who's been waiting to fulfill her obligation in the most intimate way imaginable. Body and soul.

HE CAME...

Never would de Wulf guess the true motives for Aleysia's submission-or where their heated nights would take them."

I loved both Aleysia and Renaud. Aleysia makes her bargain with Renaud to save the life of her twin brother. She promises to give him her body willingly expecting to hate every moment of being with this enemy Norman. While she works to save her brother's life, she plots to get a message to her betrothed Duncan in Scotland. She is resigned to losing her virginity to the Norman knight thinking that Duncan will understand and rescue her anyway to one day become the husband her parents wanted him to be for her.

What Aleysia doesn't expect is that her body would betray her and crave Renaud's touch and respond to his body with a will of it's own. She is helpless to deny the desire Renaud stirs in her, just as Renaud can't and won't deny his desire for her. Aleysia finds she actually likes her Norman enemy, but she is divided between her love for her twin and her new feelings for Renaud. She can't stand beside both of them when they are on two different sides. She betrays Renaud trying to help her brother and loses his trust but not his heart. These two must fight the times they live in while they battle wills with each other and their consuming desire for one another.

Sparks fly from the very first moment these too meet and continue till the end of the book. They have a very 'happily ever after' by the end of the book.

I loved this book! I give it 4.5 stars out of 5. It's a shelf keeper that I highly recommend.

Happy Tuesday!

Good morning everyone! While I felt miserable yesterday, I did end up with a lot of free reading time. So much so that I have two book reviews to write today.

The first is the historical romance "The Bargain" by Julia Templeton, that Barbara tipped me off to. I am so glad I was able to find this at a NY bookstore because it's not available or in stock with B&N or Amazon. It was well worth the hunting to find it! And this one really 'hit the spot' for me as I was craving a good historical romance.


The second review I have to write today is for an m/m romance by Claire Thompson called "Switch" about two dominate gay males trying to figure each other out and their relationship.

Those reviews will be coming up soon, so check back later! :o)
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Today's hunks...

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My miserable Monday...

Ugh... Not my best Monday morning. First the alarm didn't go off...actually it did but someone (a kid who hasn't confessed) turned the volume off so yours truly didn't hear a thing and over slept. I probably wouldn't have gotten up for hours longer, but something woke me up. You know that feeling of being watched? I crack an eye open to my ten year old staring at me who then says "Umm... Mom are we getting up today?". Up? Huh? Yeah, I've over slept by an hour and my oldest's bus will be here in 10 minutes. Grrrrrrrr... I hate mornings like that. Then as my feet hit the floor I realise I've got a sore throat, swollen glands and stuffy nose (Ahh... spring allergies are kicking in again) plus the house is FREEZING!! I had left a few windows open last night and the temps dropped to the low 30's! So now we are all scrambling wrapped in anything warm we can find (put the winter stuff away 2 weeks ago). My teen comes down stairs looking like I feel and ends up staying home sick today- with me (oh yipee). My plan is to park my butt on the sofa under a blanket and read and read and read, so maybe I might have a review for later today or tomorrow morning.

My good, happy news is I won Barbara's contest! I won a copy of Evangeline Collin's book that is at the top of my TBB list! I was so happy I forgot I was feeling miserable! :o)

Thanks Barbara and Evangeline- you both made my miserable morning better.

OK, now I am going to crawl off to a warm comfy spot with my box of tissues, hot cup of tea and a good book. I'll catch you all later when the cold/allergy drugs kick in. :o)

Happy Sunday!

Hi ladies! I hope everyone is having a great weekend. I am happy to say I am OUT of my reading funk! Thanks to Barbara for tipping me off to "The Bargain" by Julia Templeton a historical erotic romance. I needed a bit of change in my reading material I think.

I had been predominantly reading paranormals and contemporary and almost nothing else for too long! I needed a good old smoking hot historical to get lost in and I found that in "The Bargain".

Now I am going to shut up and get to the hunks then back to my book!

Have a great weekend everyone!

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Sunday's hunks...

(yep, he's got his hands full)

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(*sigh*)

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(this guy reminds me a bit of Robert Pattinson)
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(Oh my...*gulp*)
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Reminder!

Today is the conclusion of "Mia's Men" on

author Cheryl Brooks blog (all links in my right sidebar).

I had a great time joining those ladies in creating our

online sexy futuristic paranormal story.

Thanks to Cheryl Brooks for including me! You rock Cheryl!