WELCOME GUEST AUTHOR, Cassandra Carr!

The Buckin' Bull Riders- what's coming next?

I want to thank the lovely ladies of Guilty Indulgence Book Club for featuring my bull riders this week. Who doesn't like a hot bull rider, am I right?

I thought you might be interested in hearing where the series is going, so here's the rundown:

Impact: book 1; Conner and Jessica; published February 2, 2012
Collision: book 2; Brady and Leah; published April 4, 2012


Momentum: book 3; Marco and Natalie; SOLD; publishing summer 2012

BLURB: Marco D'Allesandro has a destiny he wants no part of-running his family's olive oil empire. He's the oldest son and has been groomed for the job since he was twelve years old. After seeing a professional bull riding event while on vacation in America, Marco is hooked. Against his family's wishes, he moves to America to pursue his own dream to become a professional bull rider himself. Now he's at the pinnacle of his career, but his family wants him home. Things only get more complicated when he meets Natalie Webster, a blonde-haired, blue-eyed angel who's got problems of her own. Marco wasn't looking for love, but might have found his true destiny in Natalie.

Velocity: book 4; Paolo and unnamed heroine; NOT YET WRITTEN; publishing fall 2012
Inertia: book 5; Garrett and unnamed heroine; NOT YET WRITTEN; publishing spring 2013

I have rough outlines for books 4 and 5 but I'm going to keep them in my pocket for now, especially since I'm a pantser and my books don't always turn out like my outlines. 

Will there be a book 6 and beyond? Who knows? If you guys want it, you can probably convince me to keep going... *wink*

I've also been asked- what about Jessica's brothers? Well, I'm glad you asked! Jessica's brothers are getting a spin-off series. I'm not sure when the first of those will release because, frankly, I have no idea when I can write the first one. I can tell you it will be a BDSM series. I've been getting badgered (and I say that with great affection) to write more BDSM books, so Jess's brothers will all be involved in the lifestyle. I know the over-reaching plot points of the series, but I'm not going to share them just yet. ;-)

So how many books do you want to see in the Buckin' Bull Riders series? Are you excited about a trilogy for Jess's brothers?

COMMENT BELOW - talk to me and I will be happy to respond.
Cassandra Carr
          
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Collision of Ice & Bull

Collision
Buckin' Bull Riders, Book Two
Cassandra Carr

BLURB:
Olympic Gold medal-winning figure skater Leah Fitzpatrick, dubbed “The Ice Queen”, is on the down slope of her career when she finds herself roped into a joint promo gig on the professional bull riders’ tour. She’s paired with “The King of Rodeo”, Brady Parrish, and although his looks could stop traffic, she’s got a future to worry about that doesn’t leave room for knocking boots with the sexy bull rider. No matter how hot he is.

Brady is living the good life. He’s at the top of his profession, and has no idea something is missing until the cool Leah is thrust into his life. But he sees something in her that hints at an underlying fire, and sets out to prove her nickname wrong. In the midst of their steamy affair, he falls hard. Blindsided by the potent combination of beauty and vulnerability Leah displays, Brady is determined to melt “The Ice Queen’s” heart.


REVIEW:
With a premise of opposites attract, Collision is a story of the Ice Queen colliding with the Rodeo King. But these are just their public personas because in real life, neither are truly what their nicknames state, especially Leah. She hated the Ice Queen nickname yet she perpetuated it with her own actions and attitude. Though readers come to realize she was lonely, had one friend (her manager) and no connection with her family. Her persona gave her the distance she needed from the public so when Brady broke right through that barrier, Leah had no idea how to cope with Brady. But it's when Brady draws her out that readers begin to see the true tragedy behind her facade. I only wish there was more development for Leah - it was far easier to get a read on Brady but that may have been because he was a secondary character in the first book Impact. Together, they made a perfect pair - and I am not so sure they really were opposites. As athletes, they understood their mutual way of life with training, competing and discipline.

Carr's characters have spunk and charisma, something I've noticed in each of the three books I've read by her. These two together - Brady and Leah - burst from the pages with their chemistry. She effortlessly brings the story to life with realistic dialogue, descriptive imagery and steamy sex. This is a hot read you won't want to miss. And then get ready because book three in the series comes out this summer! *squee!*

RATING: 5 Chocolate-Dipped Strawberries 
This book was given to us by the author. Many thanks.

EXCERPT:

“Can I help you with something, darlin’? Need a hand back there?” Then he turned on the full force of his smile and she cursed her weak knees. As soon as she was able to recover, she berated herself. Here she was, a grown woman, practically falling at the feet of this cowboy who was so not her type.
“No,” she bit out, but then rolled her eyes and relented. “Well, yes. I need someone to help me into my dress.”
He winked and the phrase “bad boy” flashed through her brain. Yeah, this Brady was no Boy Scout. “Helping women into their dresses isn’t my specialty, but I’ll give it a shot. You must be Leah.”
She held up a hand to shake his, but snatched it back when the dress began to fall, briefly revealing the side of her breast before she was able to conceal it once more. “Yes, I’m Leah. And I need the wardrobe assistant’s help. She’s over there, brushing off some chaps from what it looks like, if you can believe it.”
Brady laughed. “Yeah, I wore them last night, they’re probably pretty dusty.”
Leah’s mouth fell open. She’d been making a joke about the chaps, hoping Brady would agree with her about the apparent cheese factor. “You wore them? In public?”
“Yes ma’am. But I’d be happy to oblige you if you need help—”
“No! Just get Sandy,” she commanded, adding, “Please,” when he didn’t move immediately.
Giving her another smile, as well as a smoldering look that had her nipples tightening and her thighs clenching involuntarily, he loped away. Sandy came to zip up her dress and then her hair and makeup were done. She was wearing twice as much makeup as she usually did, which was saying something, considering by necessity she wore entire vats of it to perform. Not only that, but the makeup they used were colors she thought were better suited to a burlesque dancer than a figure skater, but she was so eager to get the show on the road she sat there and let them do whatever they wanted without protest.
Through it all, she watched as other assistants fussed over Brady, helping him dress in his chaps, which she was quite sure he was perfectly capable of putting on himself, and smoothing their hands over his Western-style shirt on the ridiculous premise of making sure it wasn’t wrinkled. All the while Brady smiled and laughed and flirted, and Leah fumed. He was acting totally unprofessionally, like a country bumpkin on his first trip to the big city. And of course the girls were eating it up. It was disgusting to watch, and yet Leah couldn’t take her eyes off him. She didn’t stop to consider why it bothered her so much.
When they were both ready, David brought them together. “All right, now we’re going to take a whole bunch of pictures. All you two have to do is stand there and look good. We’re gonna play off your nicknames. Leah, did you know Brady’s is ‘the Rodeo King’? Isn’t that perfect?”
“Perfect,” Leah grumbled, not happy they were going to use her dreaded nickname.
As they were being positioned, Brady spoke to her out of the side of his mouth. “Come on, sweetheart. This whole thing’ll be a lot more fun if you loosen up a little.”
“I’m plenty loose,” she ground out between clenched teeth.
“You’re about as loose as a calf I’m tying up on the ranch.” He paused and then gave her another long, thorough perusal. “Though I like tying up women a lot more.” Despite the heat that flooded her in parts she’d rather not think about at the moment, she managed to throw him another glare which he laughed off. Did he take nothing seriously? Her career was hanging in the balance and he acted as if he didn’t have a care in the world. It would be nice if she wasn’t the only one with a stake in this.
Turning away from him, she concentrated on the cameraman. Through the next few hours, she simply shut down and gave them whatever they wanted, put on each ugly skating dress without complaint, even while knowing the pictures were only going to give more fuel to those who hated her for whatever reason. She posed however they put her, and smiled through it all. Brady continued to laugh and joke with the crew as if this was the most fun he’d had in months.
The cameraman gave them a break while he checked the pictures he’d taken thus far, and Leah took the opportunity to eat a sandwich and guzzle down a bottle of water. When the cameraman called them back, he said, “All right. We’ve got some good pictures so far, but I’d like to sex things up a little.”
“Sex things up?” Leah echoed.
“Yeah. Both of you are young and good-looking, let’s play that up. Now, Leah, if you could turn toward Brady. Great. Put your left arm around his waist and your right hand on his chest.” Rolling her eyes, Leah complied. As soon as her hand made contact with his muscular pecs it started to tingle and her breath caught. Luckily Brady was listening to the photographer and didn’t seem to notice her sudden discomfiture.
“Brady, put your right arm around her shoulders and stick the thumb of your left hand in the belt loop of your jeans. Pull them down just a little. Perfect.” He took a few shots that way and then cocked his head as Leah fought to get her breathing under control. No man had ever caused a pure visceral reaction in her like Brady did, and she was stumped about what seemed to draw her to him like bees to honey. “Brady, would you mind unbuttoning your shirt?”
Brady grinned and Leah snorted, trying her damndest to cover her still-increasing respiratory rate. Of course he didn’t mind. The women on the crew were already drooling and falling all over themselves—including her, much to her own chagrin. When he began to unbutton his shirt and finally separated the two plackets, pulling the shirt out of his jeans as he did so, it was all she could do to keep her own mouth closed. The man’s chest was mouthwatering, sprinkled with the same dark-blond hair that was on his head. His well-developed pecs led down to six-pack abs, where another trail of hair led to…
Brady cleared his throat and Leah’s head snapped up. “Excuse me?”
“The photographer is talking to you.” Brady was smirking and she had a crazy notion to shock him by kissing that expression right off his face. Instead, with her cheeks flaming she turned to the cameraman.
“Yes?”
“I want you in the same position as before, but,” he walked up and shoved her hand underneath Brady’s shirt, “put your hand here.” Leah’s stomach dropped as her fingers came into contact with the coarse hair and smooth skin of Brady’s chest. “Brady, lower your right arm and put your hand on Leah’s hip. Pull her into you. That’s good, very sexy.”
Her gaze flew up to Brady’s face. His brown eyes had darkened with heat. Forcing her eyes away, she concentrated on the photographer and tried to ignore how warm and hard his body felt against hers.
A few moments later Brady leaned down and whispered into her ear, his own breathing hitching, “Darlin’, if you don’t stop petting me we’re gonna have a mighty interesting situation that I don’t think any amount of airbrushing can disguise.”
Copyright 2012, Cassandra Carr

Impact - Cassandra Carr

YEE HAW!! As if being a bull rider isn't alpha enough he has to be a Dom too??  This week we are featuring Cassandra Carr's Buckin' Bull Riders series and Ms. Carr is a new to me author, but now that I have found her I plan on reading more. And since I am posting on Wednesday I went looking for some HOT looking cowboy eye candy to share with you! I'm rockin it old school but you really don't get much sexier!!!






Impact, Cassandra Carr, Ellora's Cave
Buckin' Bull Riders #1
Professional bull rider Conner Raub hides a secret from the world. He’s a Dom. When he meets a submissive on tour who pulls at his Dom tendencies, he fights to deny his true self, believing his colleagues will condemn his lifestyle.
Jessica Talbot is new to the BDSM scene and the bull riding tour, but after seeing Conner come to the aid of a submissive being mistreated in a club, she sets out to have him for her own. After their first night together she asks him to train her to submit and he refuses, afraid to mix business with pleasure. But Jessica isn’t deterred. She’ll do whatever it takes to make him realize he can have it all—a career, true love, and the BDSM lifestyle he craves.

There is something about bull riders that is just intrinsically mysterious and sexy as hell. And yeah just a little bit crazy too but that just adds to the mystery. What kind of man volunteers to get on the back of a bull and hold on with just one hand? Conner exudes that sexy, protective alpha male persona not just in the ring but in the bedroom as well.

Jessica is a woman in a mans world and she has no problem being strong in her job. But she is looking for someone else to take over in the bedroom. She may be naturally submissive but she isn't afraid to go after what she wants...and she wants Conner.

I found myself instantly drawn to both characters in this book and just could not put it down. I really enjoyed how spunky Jessica was and had to laugh at how she always seemed to be "topping from the bottom".

Ms. Carr created a believable world with real characters you can't help but like and root for. The bull riding aspect was believable and exciting to read. There is one strong secondary character that is the MC in the next book and I have a feeling that there will be more humor in that book just because Brady is so funny in this book.

I had a couple of problems with the BDSM aspect of this novel in that there are several times when Conner can't seem to make up his mind on what he wants and that seemed a contradiction to how his character is originally introduced. His vacillation seemed very un-Dom like to me.

For me this was a fun, sexy read and I am very much looking forward to the next book in the series Collision.
RATING: 4 Chocolate-Dipped Strawberries This book was given to us by the author. Many thanks.

Humpday Hello - Get ready for Impact!

Greetings and Salutations Humpday Nation! What a glorious Memorial Day weekend - who ordered the bright blue skies, sun and fun? We sure did! It was awesome to have a three day weekend - although, truthfully by Monday afternoon I wasn't quite sure what to do with myself....so I flopped on the deck with a popsicle and a good book! Shocked, aren't you?

Belated salutes to all our troops: Past, present and future - we are truly humbled by the work you do! I'd post some hottie military eye candy in honor of, but I am saving it for our BIG July 4th Extravaganza....stay tuned! So, in honor of this weeks spanky cowboy goodness - I give you another dish of hot hunky bull ridin delight! Mmmmmmmm

Impact - Book 1, Buckin Bull Rider Series, Cassandra Carr, Ellora's Cave, February 2012

Professional bull rider Conner Raub hides a secret from the world. He’s a Dom. When he meets a submissive on tour who pulls at his Dom tendencies, he fights to deny his true self, believing his colleagues will condemn his lifestyle.

Jessica Talbot is new to the BDSM scene and the bull riding tour, but after seeing Conner come to the aid of a submissive being mistreated in a club, she sets out to have him for her own. After their first night together she asks him to train her to submit and he refuses, afraid to mix business with pleasure. But Jessica isn’t deterred. She’ll do whatever it takes to make him realize he can have it all—a career, true love, and the BDSM lifestyle he craves.

This week brings another new to me author with her wickedly delightful tale of a Dom in the closet....on a bull riding tour no less!  Creative, clever characters capture the reader quickly with the tease of a one night stand that seems destined either for complete disaster or possible true romance.  At times quirky and entertaining, at others sizzling off the page - Impact overall made for a genuinely enjoyable read.

Carried by a solid storyline, both well written and well edited, Impact seems poised for perfection.  It's one flaw also seems to be it's most interesting aspect: the concept of a reluctant Dom and a sub who definitely tops from the bottom.  Novice Jessica is truly fascinated with exploring her submissive sexuality and has the major hots for PBR Conner after seeing him rescue an abused sub in a Dallas BDSM club.  Connor wants to hide his Dom personality from all those on his tour, only reluctantly confiding in his best friend, Brady, when he gets emotionally tangled in knots over the hot pursuit of tour staffer Jessica that he is a Dom.  Connor's dream of having a full-time D/s lifestyle looses some plausibility - as if he can put it on hold for the duration of his career and then live it full time once he retires.  However jumbled their D/s relationship seems, their chemistry is undeniable and Carr can definitely write some steamy scenes to scramble the readers brains when the try to hard to figure out who's topping whom!

With several more tales to be told in this enticing series - Ms. Carr will absolutely capture a fan base of readers who like their alpha males hot and their heroines sassy!  Grab a copy and be prepared for one erotic Impact....on it's way to Collision (Book 2)!

RATING: Four Chocolate-Dipped Strawberries This book was given to us by the author for an unbiased review. Many thanks.

Cassandra Carr lives in Western New York with her husband, Inspiration, and her daughter, Too Cute for Words. When not writing she enjoys watching hockey and hanging out on Twitter. Her December 2011 release, Caught, was named Best BDSM Book 2011 by LoveRomancesCafe.

For more information about Cassandra, check out her website at http://www.booksbycassandracarr.com, "like" her Facebook fan page at http://www.facebook.com/AuthorCassandraCarr or follow her on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/Cassandra_Carr.

Armed & Dangerous - Abigail Roux

Hello everyone!! I hope you all had a FABULOUS Memorial Day weekend. I spent a lot of time at the ball field...I know you are shocked. We are coming up on the end of season tourny and I am both excited and sadden by this. Lane has been playing at this ball field for six years and if he decides to play next year he will be moving up Babe Ruth and will not be playing at Keezletown anymore. My husband and I have put a lot of time and energy into making the Keezletown league and field a great place to play and it will be weird not to be a part of it anymore.

Ok let me just start by saying that I LOVE Ty and Zane! They have got to be the hottest couple out there right now. They are stubborn and loyal and sexy and you just can't help but want to read more and more. Ms. Roux was by herself this time around and she pulled it off seamlessly.

Armed & Dangerous, Abigail Roux, Dreamspinner Press
Cut & Run Series Book 5 
Left alone in Baltimore after his unpredictable lover bails, Special Agent Zane Garrett takes his frustration out on everything in his path until he is ordered to Chicago to back up an undercover operative. When he gets there, though, he finds himself face to face with his wayward partner, Special Agent Ty Grady. They have to deal with the uncertainty lingering between them while they work to retrieve their intended mark, a retired hit man and CIA wet-works operative named Julian Cross.
Ty, once a marine and now an FBI hotshot, has a penchant for being unpredictable, a trait Zane can vouch for. Zane is a man who once lived for his job but has come to realize his heartbreaking past doesn’t have to overshadow his future. They're partners, friends, lovers, and the go-to team for unusual cases. With Cross and his innocuous boyfriend, Cameron Jacobs, in tow, Ty and Zane must navigate the obstacles of a cross-country trek, including TSA pat-downs, blizzards, their uncooperative prisoners, CIA kill teams, a desperate lack of sleep or caffeine, and each other. Ty and Zane are determined to get Julian Cross to DC in one piece, but it’s starting to look like it might be the last thing they do.


Ty & Shane are back! Everyone who is as excited as I am raise your hand!! Everyone who threw the last book across the room when they read the last chapter, also raise your hand?? Yeah, pretty much everyone. LOL Well the good news is....there is resolution and it comes pretty quickly in the beginning of the book...it's not one of those things that get drawn out through the whole book. Please...there isn't enough time for that kind of drama in this book because there is SOOO much else happening.

STOP!! If you have not read Warriors Cross you will want to do that before you proceed!(just trust me on this one folks)


Not only do you get Ty and Zane in this book but you also get Julian and Cameron. There was so much testosterone in this book I thought I was going to have to pee standing up. The one-liners and snarky comments were abundant and funny as hell. The storyline was intense and fast paced and really kept you guessing who to trust right up until the end. The core of this story is relationships, both new and old.

Ty and Zane are sent to Chicago to bring in a CIA operative named Julian Cross and what should be a fairly open and shut case is anything but. Now they are on a planes, boats and automobiles escapade that not only strains their relationship but brings into question some old relationships.

The dynamic between Julian and Ty is so freakin' funny that I would suggest not drinking anything until you are done unless you want it coming out your nose. The way they went at each other you would have thought they were related.

Speaking of related, we get to spend some time with Ty's brother Deuce and there are new and exciting things happening in his life. Of course we don't find any of this out until after he takes a baseball bat to Ty.(see what I mean about relationships)

My favorite parts are with Ty and Zane and I have to admit I was a hot mess the first time they are together in Chicago. Ty could not have been sweeter and when Zane finally gives him the "present" that he bought for him on the cruise ship I just lost it. And seriously anytime you can pull a Princess Bride quote into a book you know you are channeling the Good Book Gods.

I think this may have been the best Cut and Run book since the original and I for one am hoping for many more!


RATING: 5 Chocolate-Dipped Strawberries This book was given to us by Dreamspinner Press. Many thanks.