Lily has always lived up to her preacher father’s expectations of how she should behave, but all that changes when a hot stranger walks in to her hair salon and a feral need to have him takes over her common sense. On a whim, she screws him in the supply room, caving to a desire that only grows with each kiss.

When she learns he’s the billionaire alpha who wants to boot her out of her business for the sake of his own, she’s livid. But the pulse between her legs never got the memo. Things heat up even more when he offers her a naughty proposal that’s going to make this good girl stop thinking twice about being bad…

Lily is in debt, losing clients to a competitor across the street from her and also being hounded to sell out, so a developer can build a parking garage for the new establishments they’re creating. Most of the neighboring business have agreed so she’s the final hold-out. She can’t bring herself to sell, it was her mother’s shop and she has far too many memories to give it up. Although she may not have a choice if she doesn’t get some clients.

Marco and his brother Nicola are the developers but they’ve had an agent handling the details of the purchases. With Lily trying to dissuade others from selling out, Marco decides to pay her a visit.

That visit doesn’t go quite as expected and is one of the hottest scenes in the book. It also goes rapidly downhill when Lily realizes he’s not the person she was expecting.

On top of all the corporate stuff, Marco has a another problem, his grandmother is going to be ninety years old, she’s ill with signs pointing to her not seeing another year. The perfect gift for her, in his mind, is for him to be engaged. However without a girlfriend he was going to have to go about it in a strictly business way, complete with a contract.

With the mutually strong attraction between the two of them, Marco decides that he can design a contract that is beneficial to both him and Lily. One month in his bed and he will pay off her debts, pay above market value for her space and set her salon up in a prime location. She has to respond to the offer in 24 hours or it disappears.

Lily determined to keep her salon comes up with a counteroffer. As he pretty much drools over her, he comes up with the perfect solution to his dilemma. She keeps the salon but she has to be his fiancé for his Nonna’s birthday party in Italy.

This was a quick, fun read, with some family drama, a sweet and feisty grandmother, lots of sizzling sex and a few surprises.

5 Contented Purrs for Carmen!

Carmen Falcone

Carmen Falcone learned at an early age that fantasizing about fictional characters beat doing math homework any day. Brazilian by birth and traveler by nature, she moved to Central Texas after college and met her broody Swiss husband–living proof that opposites attract.

She found in writing her deepest passion and the best excuse to avoid the healthy lifestyle everyone keeps talking about. When she’s not lost in the world of romance, she enjoys spending time with her two kids, being walked by her three crazy pugs, reading, catching up with friends, and chatting with random people in the checkout line.

She loves to procrastinate, so please indulge her and drop her a line. For more info, visit her website.

Baker Natalie Brooks needs to fix her home before it falls apart, but her late husband’s alcohol addiction left her broke. When her sexy father-in-law shows up at her house and offers his help to compensate for failing his son before he died, she accepts though she doesn’t know him that well. However, there’s no denying the instant heat sizzling between them. She shouldn’t want him, but she doesn’t know how to stop the need building inside her.

Contractor Vincent Brooks needs closure to ease his guilt about not being there for his son when he was alive. When he learns about his daughter-in-law’s financial crisis, he returns his hometown in Texas to volunteer his services and pay off her debt. What he doesn’t count on is his attraction to his son’s intriguing, gorgeous widow. And, if he’s reading the signals right, the electricity sparking between them is mutual. Acting on it would be wrong, so he’s determined to fight the desire drawing them together.

Everything’s going according to plan until the AC breaks. Vincent suggests they go to the nearest motel to keep from melting during a scorching summer night, but there’s only one room available which tests their self-control. They can’t fight the sizzling heat flaring between them and their sexual chemistry spirals into a dangerous fire zone…

Now before you say anything this series is FORBIDDEN so if you can’t deal with that don’t bother reading any further.Natalie is a baker, but she really wanted to do some sort of pottery, but the town she’s in doesn’t have much in the line of arts and crafty stuff. At one point, after her husband’s death she thought to move possibly move and start over somewhere. Unfortunately her late husband’s alcoholism left her with no money and a house that is falling apart.

Her mother-in-law Dina, in an attempt to be helpful, calls her ex-husband and reveals Natalie’s plight. His guilt over not being around for most of his son’s life has him coming to her aid.

Now the attraction Natalie feels toward Vincent has her questioning her own motives, as does Vincent since the feelings appear to be mutual.

Plenty of twists to get to the very hot scenes. While this wasn’t a favorite for me, the whole alcoholism and the marriage time line bothered me. It was very hot and sexy and very much the forbidden relationship Carmen was going for.

4 Contented Purrs for Carmen!

Carmen Falcone

Carmen Falcone learned at an early age that fantasizing about fictional characters beat doing math homework any day. Brazilian by birth and traveler by nature, she moved to Central Texas after college and met her broody Swiss husband–living proof that opposites attract.

She found in writing her deepest passion and the best excuse to avoid the healthy lifestyle everyone keeps talking about. When she’s not lost in the world of romance, she enjoys spending time with her two kids, being walked by her three crazy pugs, reading, catching up with friends, and chatting with random people in the checkout line.

She loves to procrastinate, so please indulge her and drop her a line. For more info, visit her website.

Psychology student Camila Duarte is finally on her own, living in NYC and away from her overprotective brothers. Her serenity quakes when she receives terrorizing letters. When the threats ramp up, she hires the best problem solver in the business to protect her and look for the criminal.

After losing his wife and kid, Jaeger Bauer left the NYPD and has one simple rule: don’t get attached. A job is just a job. Working close to Camila, however, puts his remarkable self-control to the test. He wants to pursue her, even though they are complete opposites and want different things. As the stakes get higher, Jaeger needs to choose between protecting his client…or surrendering to desire and jeopardizing the entire mission.

Although this isn’t a Christmas story, I have been waiting for this book, the final book of the Brazilians. Thank you to Carmen Falcone for the ARC, it’s always a privilege to read a book before release.

What’s a girl to do when she finds herself receiving threatening letters? Well in Camila’s case she could turn to her brothers but her whole reason for leaving Brazil was to prove she could be on her own. Besides the publicity that would arise from her going to them or the police could jeopardize her future career as a therapist.

When Jaeger’s Aunt Gesa calls and tells him he has to take Camilla on as a client, he knew he couldn’t say no without incurring the woman’s wrath.

Threatening letters were one thing, but then Camilla comes home from work and finds her dog dead.

This is a favorite scene when Jaeger takes her to his home for the extra security.

A tiny brown Chihuahua ran to him, yapping and wagging its tail. He carried the dog to another area of the apartment, with an apologetic expression. “I’m sorry.”

She blinked back more tears. Her heart raced at the memory of how happily Torto greeted her whenever she arrived at home, even if she’d been gone for a few minutes to get the mail. “It’s okay,” she lied, but her restrained voice betrayed her.

“This should have crossed my mind.” To the dog he said, “Sit down.”

She slid off her oversize bag, letting it fall on the floor, and then sat on one of the sofas. What a strange feeling. She’d lost both her parents, so she’d had firsthand experience on dealing with grief. Yet knowing about it did nothing to help her accept the loss of Torto.

“Some people say it’s just a dog, but he was my companion ever since I lived in Brazil. Having him here meant having a little piece of my family and homeland with me.”

“I…” He scratched his head. Would he offer his condolences again? He reached to his cabinet, grabbed a bottle of tequila and two shot glasses from another, and filled them up. “Here.” He walked to her, holding the glasses.

She accepted one, trying for her fingers to not brush his. She glanced at the clear liquid and realized that was the best he could offer her. Didn’t take a shrink to know Jaeger Bauer didn’t enjoy sentimental conversations, and maybe the alcohol would help numb the pain. Taking a deep breath, she lifted the glass to her lips and drank it all at once. A burning tightened her throat for a few seconds, and when she sat the glass on the coffee table her limbs loosened a notch.

“Better?” he asked, and she noticed he’d emptied his glass, too.

“Is that what you do not to feel?” she asked him, her brain barely catching up to the words escaping her mouth. He sat across from her.

“Not often. I train and work and deal with each day one at a time.”

“Whom did you lose?” she asked, composing herself on the sofa and crossing her legs. The way he talked about things had to mean he knew a thing or two about losing people.

He drummed his fingers on the glass. He shook his head. “Working for you will be easier if we don’t try to be friends.”

“Shouldn’t be a problem. Something tells me you’re not exactly an expert at making friends.”

He smiled. “You got that right.”

Why didn’t he smile more often? Okay, so it wasn’t a happy-go-lucky chuckle or anything. He curved his lips and slowly showed his straight white teeth, the grin sneaking up on him before he could dictate himself not to, she imagined.

“Okay, nonfriend…what’s up with the tiny dog? I’d picture you with a Rottweiler not with something that can fit in doll’s clothes.”

“He belonged to an old neighbor who passed away. I offered to walk the dog when she was sick, and after she died I thought she’d want me to keep it.”

“That’s sweet of you.”

“It’s not like I’m curing cancer. Pork Chop’s just a dog,” he said then, maybe realizing his words, sighed. “I’m sorry.”

She waved him off. “It’s okay. I understand what you mean. It’s still nice of you to care for him. And you can bring him to the living room. I promise I’ve run out of tears. Some warm interaction with another being would be good,” she said, then immediately regretted her moxie.

She avoided glancing at him and massaged her temples. Droga. What a crappy, crappy day. The night didn’t look much better either. She closed her eyes. Maybe she’d lied to him about the tears, she realized as a hot sting pricked her eyelids. No. She clamped her lips shut and tensed up her whole face, willing sadness away.

She felt something move around her, the weight in the sofa shift a bit. When she opened her eyes, she found him sitting next to her.

He put his hand on hers, and a sizzle traveled up her arm. “We’ll find who did this to your dog, Camila. I promise you.”
Carmen Falcone. Brazilian Surrender ARC (Kindle Locations 387-428). Kindle Edition.

With her brother’s wedding approaching, keeping her secure was going to be difficult. Especially since every minute spent with her is leading to something he’s not sure he’s ready for.

A fast paced, page turning read that will keep you guessing until the end. With plenty of steamy build-up to a sizzling relationship.

5 Contented Purrs for Carmen!

  Carmen Falcone

Carmen Falcone learned at an early age that fantasizing about fictional characters beat doing math homework any day. Brazilian by birth and traveler by nature, she moved to Central Texas after college and met her broody Swiss husband–living proof that opposites attract.

She found in writing her deepest passion and the best excuse to avoid the healthy lifestyle everyone keeps talking about. When she’s not lost in the world of romance, she enjoys spending time with her two kids, being walked by her three crazy pugs, reading, catching up with friends, and chatting with random people in the checkout line.

She loves to procrastinate, so please indulge her and drop her a line. For more info, visit her website.

Financier turned activist Emanuel Duarte has promised he would find the one witness who can testify against real estate developer Silas Lancaster. Sick of having every attempt at exposing Silas shut down, Emanuel wants to honor a promise he made, and takes from his opponent what matters most—his beautiful daughter Erika. Only he gets more than he bargained for with the tempting—and frustrating—woman.

Fundraiser and socialite Erika Lancaster can’t believe she’s been kidnapped. Her sexy captor is feeding her lies about her father that she refuses to swallow. Emanuel’s plans will hurt her and ruin her mother’s legacy—and that she can’t allow. Desperate to find a way out of the lush Brazilian jungle, she decides there’s only way to disarm the enemy—seduce him.

But her plan backfires and soon she realizes that seducing the enemy comes with a hefty price…loving the enemy simply isn’t an option.

Emmanuel wants the truth exposed. The corruption that caused housing to crumble and people to die. All his efforts to bring Silas down have failed. Frustrated he comes up with a plan he is sure will get him the answers and the justice he seeks.

Erika is her father’s spokesperson, usually representing the foundation started in her mother’s memory. Often she attends functions with or in place of her father. She heads out to one of these affairs with her contingent of bodyguards, one of which she thinks she recognizes. When they head in the wrong direction she realizes these bodyguards were not sent by her father. She is being abducted, albeit in an unconventional way.

As kidnapping’s go this one was more of a game, a trap being set. Erika must be convinced to help Emmanuel destroy her father. Unfortunately that would also destroy her foundation, her mother’s legacy. The fact that her father sends goons to retrieve her does much to win her to her abductors cause.

This is a favorite scene.

“Uncuff me. Now!” he shouted. A sheen of sweat slicked on his forehead, and the desire that had fogged his irises moments earlier had disappeared.

“I can’t.” She reached the threshold, then glanced back.

“Sorry,” she said, even though she had no clue why she apologized.

He kidnapped her, lied to her about her father, and who knew what else. But why did a strange feeling nag at her, shooting a nauseating sensation in her stomach? She shook her head and scurried to the entrance. She couldn’t afford to waste any time. If the sound of his body slamming against the frame was a hint, he would be running after her soon.

She slid the key in the door handle and twisted it. The sun blinded her. She started to run, but suddenly strong arms grabbed her, and calloused hands covered her mouth.

“Ssshhhh…you’re safe.” Someone whispered. “Your father sent us.”

A burly man materialized in front of her. It took her a couple of seconds to register he just mentioned her father. Somehow her heart kept hammering on.

“You’re safe now.” The man’s grasp around her loosened enough to give her room to breathe. She blinked. “What?”

“Tony’ll take you back. And I’ll go in.”

Tony took her elbow and cocked his head in the direction of a black sedan. He opened the door for her. “Get inside.” She stared at the door with hesitation. “Where are we going?” The two men seemed legit enough. Why would a third party want to kidnap her? “Shouldn’t we call the police first?” She had no idea how these procedures worked, but why would Tony rush her away while the other one stayed? Was it because the guy would call the police and have Emanuel arrested?

Tony shook his head, somewhat annoyed. Obviously he had expected her to jump into his car without asking questions. Her father must have already had a clue about her whereabouts when Emanuel called him the previous day. Otherwise, how would he have found her so quickly and sent these two men after her? They had showed her no special badge, so she assumed her dad hired them privately. Why would he keep her disappearance a secret when he had done nothing wrong? Her stomach clenched. Unless…

A hellish smile spread across the man’s oval face. “There aren’t any police involved. Your dad ordered me to fly you home ASAP, and Harry will handle your kidnapper.”

Her chest tightened. “What do you mean handle? Listen, I think this is a huge misunderstanding…”

Tony mocked her and waved his hands in the air. “Mr. Lancaster was very clear about it. He wants no loose ends. Emanuel Duarte must be eliminated.

Now, if you get in the car, you can put this nightmare behind you, and you’ll be having brunch with your friends tomorrow.”

Nightmare? She pushed down the lump in her dry throat. The guy who walked in would kill Emanuel if she didn’t stop him. He’d die for kidnapping her because he wanted to help someone he believed was wronged. He shouldn’t have taken her, but he claimed he had good reason, and he didn’t deserve to die. She couldn’t allow that to happen, nor could she live with that kind of knowledge. She slammed the door and stepped back, her hand fumbling in the backpack. She palmed the gun, the weapon heavy and cold. “I can’t go.”

He opened the door and pointed to the inside of the car. “That’s not your choice.”

Her dad couldn’t have told these men to kill Emanuel, could he? Misunderstanding or not, leaving Emanuel behind was not an option, not if she had anything to say about it. Determined, she grabbed the gun and aimed it at him. “Get away from me.”

He laughed. “Why wouldn’t you want to go home? Listen, I can call your father, and you can talk to him after we get a head start. Get in the car, or you’ll make life harder for all of us,” he said, and reached for the inside of his vest.

“Don’t.”

He launched at her, and she pulled the trigger. The sound sliced through the air, as Tony touched the fresh blood seeping through his pants. “Bitch. You got my leg.”

…

Emanuel punched the intruder in the face, and he stumbled back against the nightstand. The guy must hurt and kill people for a living, he’d give him that. Ever since he’d broken the wooden frame and gotten out of the bed, the cuffs still clasped against his wrist, he’d realized the restraint would be the least of his worries. The idiot had stormed into the room and clocked him before he even registered his presence.

“I should have shot you, but I got paid extra to make it slow and painful,” the man said, panting and wiping blood from the side of his mouth.

The thug stood up, but before he could throw a punch, Emanuel shoved him against the wall, curled his fingers into a fist and hit his jaw. Once. Twice.

“You’re overpriced. I’m killing you for free.” Emanuel shoved his elbow on the man’s shoulder, dropping him to the floor. The guy groaned. Did this idiot expect Emanuel not to be such a good fighter? He’d learned his ways as a young boy and knew every dirty trick in the book, even though in his adult life he seldom used them.

A squirming noise yanked him from the moment, and he dashed out of the room. Erika. He left the house and found her fighting with another man who kept pushing her into the backseat of an idling car.

“No.”

“You’ve done enough for a day,” he grunted. “Now shut up and get in the car, you rich bitch.”

Emanuel launched at them and pushed the man off her. He tried to protest, but Emanuel punched him and he fell to the ground.

“Let’s get out of here,” he said to Erika.

She nodded, and he circled around the car and slipped onto the driver’s seat, turning on the engine. She shut the door and stayed in the back. Within seconds, they were driving away from it all.
Carmen Falcone. BC_Galley.indd (Kindle Locations 858-918). Kindle Edition.

As they travel through the Amazon, staying at interesting venues their relationship evolves. A relationship where trust must be earned and the attraction is volatile.

Sexy, intriguing and full of beautiful detail of the Amazon region.

5 Contented Purrs for Carmen!

  Carmen Falcone

Carmen Falcone learned at an early age that fantasizing about fictional characters beat doing math homework any day. Brazilian by birth and traveler by nature, she moved to Central Texas after college and met her broody Swiss husband–living proof that opposites attract.

She found in writing her deepest passion and the best excuse to avoid the healthy lifestyle everyone keeps talking about. When she’s not lost in the world of romance, she enjoys spending time with her two kids, being walked by her three crazy pugs, reading, catching up with friends, and chatting with random people in the checkout line.

She loves to procrastinate, so please indulge her and drop her a line. For more info, visit her website.