Spotlight with Landra Graf

Today, I have Landra Graf, fellow Decadent Publishing writer with her erotic romance. This books looks so interesting!

1Night Stand Series

What You Need

by Landra Graf

A sexual submissive, Royce wants a woman who’ll make his fantasies come true. The last thing he expects on his 1Night Stand is to be paired with Victoria, his ex-best friend.  Haunted by their past, he refuses to deny his newfound attraction or his need for answers.  This time, he doesn’t plan to let her go.

Victoria has loved Royce forever, but the sting of his rejection is not so easily forgotten. No longer the naïve girl he knew, she’s matured into a sexual dominant. This domme demands a chance to restart their relationship—on her terms. Knowing that one night will never be enough, she plans a seduction that will last forever.   

What You Need

1Night Stand Series

Amazon | Decadent

About the Author:

Landra Graf consumes at least one book a day, and has always been a sucker for stories where true love conquers all. She believes in the power of the written word, and the joy such words can bring. In between spending time with her family and having book adventures, she writes romance with the goal of giving everyone, fictional or not, their own happily ever after.

Giveaway Details:

To celebrate 2 Lucky Winners have a chance at a $25 Gift Card to PureRomance.com and a free copy of What You Need. To enter to win just comment on this post with your email address. 

Contact Details:

Website: http://riseoftheslush.blogspot.com

Email: landra.graf7@gmail.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/landra.graf?ref=tn_tnmn

Twitter: @riseoftheslush

Enjoy the following excerpt for What You Need:

“Hi.” About the only word he managed before a pair of luscious, plump red lips descended on his. One sharp heel spike scratched the skin above his ankle. His trousers were tight and rough on his thighs igniting a pleasurable pain in his pulsing erection. She molded her body to his, and her nibbling bites on his mouth sent his brain reeling. The press of her weight sparked his nerves. Lord, he hadn’t experienced anything like that.

Skin hot and flushed, he moved to embrace her and deepen the kiss. Instead, she grabbed his wrists and anchored them above his head; a simple gesture of dominance and one he’d never thought of as arousing until then. Her ministrations slowed to a crawl, opting for tracing the seams of his lips and he thrusting his own eager tongue forward, desperate for another taste of spice and something familiar…a flavor of summer and sweet lemonade.

She pressed harder, her breasts crushed to his chest, his wrists still restrained, her nails biting into the flesh. Royce’s desire ratcheted up further and as he thought he might succumb to the most embarrassing release ever, she pulled away.

Panting, he tugged at his shirt collar. His date faced the window, out of the fan of illumination from low-lit lamps within the room. Curvy with toned arms and legs, her bare back on display, she stood straight and confident, her profile nothing less than stunning.

He took a deep breath and exhaled hard. What a way to start the night. Chemistry wouldn’t be an issue. But he also wanted a little conversation.

“That’s some way to say hello.” Chuckling, he grabbed his discarded bag and moved farther into the room.

“Yes, it is. But I’ve wanted to do that for a long time.” Her voice sounded sultry and all-too-familiar.

Holy hell.

“Tori?”

Book Review - A Valentine Challenge

I was given a copy of A Valentine Challenge by Kiru Taye for an honest review.

A Valentine Challenge 

by 

Kiru Taye

Contemporary, Multicultural, Romance

Challenge Series – Three friends. Three challenges.
Are they willing to risk everything for love? 

Book 1 – A Valentine Challenge

Life is good for ex-soldier turned entrepreneur Michael Ede. Or so he thinks. When his friends set him a challenge to exorcise the memory of a woman from his past, he expects it to be a walk in the park.

Socialite Kasie Bosa is spitting fire at men. Her long-term boyfriend has asked for a break via text message of all things. Fuming, she’s told him to go take a dive off the nearest bridge. So the next man who crosses her path is at risk of being shredded with her spa manicured nails.

Bad news for Michael who has chosen her as the object of his challenge. But neither of them can deny the sizzling chemistry between them nor control their responses, it seems. It’s the season of love. Will they escape unscathed?

Michael and Kasie's PLAYLIST

P Square featuring Rick Ross - Beautiful Onyinye
 


Brownstone - 5 Miles To Empty



Ne-yo - Let Me Love You

You reach her via her blog, Facebook, Twitter, Google+ or Pinterest

Follow her blog for latest news and giveaways: http://kirutayewrites.blogspot.com

Read book excerpts and free short stories on her website: http://www.kirutaye.com

Amazon US | Amazon UK | All Romance eBooks | Barnes and Noble

Add to your Goodreads TBR

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I have actually read this book twice and enjoyed it even more the second time.

Michael Ede is a billionaire entrepreneur but he’s been hurt by women. He’s jaded and agrees to seduce a rich girl to prove to his friends that he’s over the hurt. He knows he isn’t but he thinks that maybe he can get over it once and for all. The deal is – seduce Kasie Bosa or lose his private plane which he worked hard for. He must pose as a chauffeur, not as the self-made man he is. He enters into Kasie’s world as her driver but the attraction is immediate. There is something about her that draws him and he starts to fall in love. There’s too much at stake for both of them though.

What a beautiful love story this was. I cannot fault it in any way. There was passion, conflict and tender, deep romance that touched my heart. The sex scenes were tasteful and filled with romance – not just mechanical descriptions of lovemaking. I loved the sexual tension between the couple, and the hero was gorgeous. Any reader would fall in love with him. I honestly think this is my favourite of Kiru Taye’s books and I’ve read several and love them all. She has the most reverent writing style. She respects her characters and has a fantastic relationship with words and the worlds she creates. She touches the heart of her readers and takes them into exotic locations, bringing to life beautiful characters full of mystery and passion.

What Makes a Good Sex Scene

I've only recently started writing sex scenes. It's a scary thing for me because I do sometimes doubt myself. I've read aplenty but that means nothing. So, to actually write a blog post about this is crazy for a newbie but I'm keen to try. What makes a good sex scene in a romance?

This is my opinion and I think it's very subjective. That's what great about writing. What appeals to one may not appeal to another. Firstly, let there be some affection first. I DO NOT like it when the man and woman jump into bed with one another right near the beginning of the book. I like a bit of sexual tension and build up. That's what makes an awesome sex scene - the feelings that have been simmering in the background while the couple have been discovering things about each other. And not just physical things but things that draw them together. Yes, some men and even fewer women are able to have sex with someone they hardly know. But really, how passionate can it be? What's so romantic about that? Ew, maybe I'm a real prude but I find it rather cheap. How can you trust a guy you hardly know that he's free of STDs or anything else?

Sex is sacred. There has to be a drawing, an attraction, especially from the woman. She needs to feel that she's admired, cared for or loved in some way. Maybe not full on love yet but there has to be a report. I know you get those love-hate relationships and I actually enjoy the dynamics of them but there's a fine line between cheap and hot.

Don't make the sex scene the story. I hate a book that's just filled with one scene after another. The sex scene is to enhance a story. It's like action or dialogue. There must be something that the reader comes away with from the scene - either the characters realise they have this amazing connection or they realise they made a terrible mistake, or even they feel closer and more willing to pursue things further. Sex just for the sake of sex and to make the book "popular" or "modern" just grates me up the wrong way!

Erotic romance is wonderful. It can educate women who otherwise wouldn't know how to work towards their own pleasure. But they can cause one who is struggling to compare herself to these virile, always-sexual women in the books. I wish I could put a big disclaimer on my books to say that they're fiction. Not every woman can orgasm so easily and have no stumbling. Most of the characters in our books are people who are sexually frustrated and haven't been in a relationship for some time. There's been a build-up. Hence the intense sexual need and chemistry. When a couple have been together for some time, the sexual desires may have cooled a little. It doesn't mean the love's not there, but there are benefits to knowing each other well. The love is actually deeper and stronger and sex can be magic.

I know it's fiction but I sometimes wish that in some of the sex scenes, things didn't always go so perfectly. Just for once. But I suppose that wouldn't be very sexy to read. Although a man who's willing to wait patiently until his lady reaches arousal when she's very tired, is a hero in my books.

Lastly, I don't like kinky when it becomes abusive. When domination becomes abuse and one partner has to suffer in the scene. Not nice. At all.

So these are some things I don't like about sex scenes but what makes a good sex scene?

Not going into too much detail of the mechanics but more detail on the emotions and sensations.
Bringing in the thoughts of the characters and all five senses to describe how they feel.
Realistic yet not tacky or too awkward.
Not too long or too short.
A big emphasis on the romantic relationship above all else. Left with either a satisfied feeling that they are immensely happy or some conflict in the end - like a cliffhanger. In other words, either add to the romantic, falling in love feeling or challenge it.

That's all for now. Maybe more later.