Tag: Avon Red

Guest Author (+ a Giveaway): Interview with Alexander Stavros by Sara Fawkes

Posted June 28, 2013 by Holly in Giveaways, Promotions | 1 Comment

INTERVIEW WITH ALEXANDER STAVROS

(“Fling: A BDSM Erotica Anthology“)

by Sara Fawkes

There are some vacations one doesn’t tell their conservative parents about.

The Mancusi Resort is an island paradise on the Mediterranean Sea just off the coast of Italy. It is one of the premier vacation spots for those looking to get away from the world, to take a break from their busy lives. It has been host to foreign dignitaries and tourists alike, and caters to the needs of each individual guest.

The resort is also known for hosting themed vacations, such as what is in store this week. When I stepped off the ferry, I had no idea what I would find. The very idea of a “Fetish Week” brings so many ideas to the forefront, allowing the mind to race over what exactly is in store.

Let me tell you, my dear readers, this is like NOTHING you’ve experienced before.

Alexander Stavros, current manager of the Mancusi Resort and the one who will be in charge of the week’s festivities, met me at the front of the hotel. I can’t think of a better host than the Greek Dom who all but exudes power and sensuality. I’ve been around some powerful men in my day and each one has that same aura: the sense that you’re safe, that they’ll take care of everything.

Even for an independent woman, that sort of energy is extremely sexy.

We sat down in a shaded area to the side of the entrance, still in view of the ferry dock. Alexander is a big man who wears his strength well. I’d been informed beforehand about my host: he was a businessman first and foremost, but is also a well-respected Dominant within the BDSM community. He was the perfect person to be overseeing this operation.

And, oh my, when he just LOOKS at you, immediately you want to melt!

“So, what enticed you to help run Fetish Week?” I asked, grabbing a nearby brochure.

“An old friend enlisted my help,” he answered, “but I am hoping that I can mix business with pleasure this week as well.”

Oh my! I cleared my throat. “Ah yes, that sounds lovely. So, what exactly should I expect this week?”

“We have a variety of activities planned, as well as many seminars about the many aspects of fetish life. There is no one-size-fits-all rule here; each individual is different. For example, I can tell you are a successful woman, but would I be wrong if I guessed you enjoy being dominated in the bedroom?”

I started fanning myself. “And if that was true?”

He leaned in close. “I always did prefer redheads.”

OH MY! It’s hard to talk, let alone think, when this man’s eyes are on you. I fumbled for words, temptation sizzling through me. I think he got the hint when I started twisting my engagement ring because he sat back. “Will you be running any of the seminars?” I asked, trying to mask my disappointment. Oh, to be young and free again!

He nodded. “I will be mostly in charge of the dungeons, while my co-manager Francesca Mornini will coordinate the classes.”

Dungeons? My mind immediately raced to medieval torture devices, handcuffs and whips and chains. He must have seen what I was thinking because he gave me a small smile that made my heart do flip-flops. “You may be surprised by what you find here, but it is best to have an open mind. Experimentation is encouraged, and we try to keep all our demonstration and activities within safe boundaries, unless otherwise requested by patrons.”

I was just about to ask him what constituted “safe” when something behind me distracted him. “Excuse me,” he said, rising from his chair. “It was wonderful meeting you, and I very much look forward to seeing you around our resort.”

His attention was focused on something behind me, and as he swept past I turned to look. At the foot of the ferry ramp, a young woman was frantically trying to pick up items from the ground, her suitcase appearing to have broken. Alexander made a beeline for her, bending down to help her with the mess.

I couldn’t help but smile as I noticed she was a fellow redhead. Somehow, I was pretty sure she would have a very interesting time at the Mancusi Resort.

As I headed inside, I began to get glimpses of what I was in for this week. A beautiful woman walked past me, holding a leather leash over her shoulder attached to the collar of an eager young man. Another statuesque blonde covered from neck to toe in a latex suit was checking in, a young lady sitting patiently at her feet. As I waited in line, I watched two young couples greet one another with hugs, then take the hand of the opposing partner and wander off separately toward the elevators and pool area.

This week is going to be FUN!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

About Fling:

Fling, an erotica collection of three steamy BDSM novellas set in Italy’s kinky Mancusi Resort during its infamous Fetish Week, features Take Me by New York Times bestselling author Sara Fawkes, Teach Me by Cathryn Fox, and Tame Me by Lauren Hawkeye.

Kate Swansea’s fiancée dumps her a day before the wedding. Will wealthy Greek businessman Alexander Stavros convince the BDSM virgin that a sexual adventure is the cure for her broken heart?

Tycoon Luca Mancusi whisks fashion intern Josie Pelletier off to his private resort to negotiate a deal for her boss’s lingerie line. But, by negotiation, he means a long, slow, spicy seduction…

Ariel Monroe, pop-star princess, refuses to sign a contract with CEO Marco Kennedy. She’s furious when he follows her to Fetish Week, although she could use a hot BDSM play partner. If he’s up to the challenge, of course.

Fans of E.L. James and Sylvia Day will fall for Fling.

Fling: A BDSM Erotica Anthology is available from Avon Red. You can buy it here or here in e-format.


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Review: Heart of Danger by Lisa Marie Rice

Posted November 14, 2012 by Tracy in Reviews | 0 Comments

Publisher: Avon, Harper Collins

Ghost Ops. A small unit of super-elite soldiers so secret only two men know of their existence. Betrayed by their commanding officer while on an antiterrorist mission, the team is massacred. Only three survive—and find themselves framed and disgraced. But en route to the court martial, they escape . . . and disappear.

Beautiful, brilliant, and determined, Dr. Catherine Young is on a mission to find a man who has vanished into thin air. Walking into a high-tech hideaway bearing an essential message to Tom “Mac” McEnroe, Team Leader of the betrayed Ghost Ops force, is the most dangerous thing she has ever done. The soldier she encounters is frightening and suspicious, but her senses reveal the man underneath: tough, honorable, and so breathtakingly masculine Catherine feels weak in his presence . . . But to surrender to Mac’s passionate desires would put her life in dire jeopardy. Catherine has a gift that enables her to see into the heart of others—and looking into Mac’s is like staring into the very heart of danger itself.

Catherine Young is a scientist. She does research on patients with dementia and she loves her work. She thinks she’s getting extremely close to finding a cure – which would be incredible. One of her patients, however, isn’t a typical dementia patient. She takes his function MRI and finds that what’s making him “demented” doesn’t actually seem biological. Catherine decides to “read” him. Catherine has the ability to touch someone and read their emotions but when she touches this patient she see images and what she finds is quite disturbing. The man is actually a soldier and wants Catherine to find one of the other men in his unit to let him know he’s there and alive and that he needs to be rescued.

Tom McEnroe is the man Catherine is to find but he’s in hiding. Despite that Catherine receives images from her patient as to how she might find him and she does. Tom can’t quite figure out how Catherine found him and he wants to know who sent her because he’s pretty sure that she’s not on his side. It’s important to Tom, who goes by “Mac”, to protect not only the surviving members of his team but also others. Eventually Mac decides that Catherine is trustworthy enough to the others in his ragtag group but there’s still something strange about her – he’s attracted to her but it goes way farther than just attraction and it’s freaking him out. Catherine feels the same way and when they let themselves explore that attraction they find that it’s much more than that.

This story is set in the unspecified future. They have eCars and there are few gas stations. They have hologram card and lots of other cool stuff. Apparently, however, having a pychic ability is seen as being a freak. Because of this Catherine Young has always kept her “gift”, something she feels is more a curse, under wraps. When her dementia patient grabbed her her gift practically explodes in her brain and is more intense than ever. She has this strange compulsion to do as the patient bids and goes to find Mac and just from the patients info on Mac is practically in love with him. I found this, almost immediately a bit much. The patient is sending images and feelings but it made me think she. When she finds Mac she’s scared but more intrigued and attracted. She feels so much for him based on what her patient mentally shared with her. Now Mac is not an attractive man but she seems to see what’s on the inside. He describes himself as born ugly and it just got worse with a knife scar and burn marks. I do love a scarred hero but in this story once they have sex it’s the best sex they’d ever had are in love almost from moment one. – I just need a little bit more romance in my stories than insta-love. When it came down to it these two people knew virtually nothing about the other yet they plan, in 3 days, to spend forever together. Wow, I need to think longer and harder when purchasing a new ereader. Both characters showed great qualities throughout the book. But it all just happened too fast for me.

While the story was entertaining I just that it was too much. As I said, the characters had great qualities but it seemed they could do no wrong and that’s just not human to me. They weren’t robots but flesh and blood and a lot of the scenes in the book didn’t sit right in my brain. Despite that I enjoyed the book enough to keep reading and that’s always a good thing. I may have to pick the next one up when it comes out to see what happens next.

Rating: 3 out of 5 

Lisa Marie Rice 


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Review: Hot and Haunted by Megan Hart, Lauren Hawkeye and Saranna DeWylde

Posted October 12, 2012 by Tracy in Reviews | 0 Comments

Publisher: Avon, Harper Collins

Nothing Else Matters by Megan Hart

After surviving the zombie apocalypse, Lira wants nothing more than the sense of life that only lust can bring. Suddenly torn between two irresistible lovers, Lira must choose: the one who brings her carnal fantasies to life? Or the one who sets her ablaze again and again?

Lira and six others are encamped in a synagogue trying to survive in post apocalyptic Pittsburgh. Lira is immune to the black spores that turn people in to zombies or Resurrect’s so she is the one that goes on missions to get food and supplies. When she returns she needs the life affirming skin on skin action that only sex can provide. Anthony who is part of her group is the one that provides that. He is in love with Lira but she feels that she can’t get attached to him because she never knows when or if she’ll return.

On one such mission she is attacked by Resurrect’s and saved by Mac. He is a former military man and when the get away from the zombies Mac is the one that provides her skin on skin. But what this brings her is not necessarily peace but the knowledge that she can love in return.

This story was kind of bizarre when it came to the zombies. How they became zombies what happened to them during the story was just fantastical. Of course it was meant to be that way, I’m sure, so it certainly achieved its goal.

The story revolves around the theme of death and destruction but also hope and love and what that means when everything else is falling apart. It was good in that way, definitely. The story was too short though and I wanted more as I felt it was incomplete, but that’s just me.

Pick Me Up by Lauren Hawkeye

Sure, hitchhiking is dangerous, but Holly just had to get away. Now soaking wet and stuck in a downpour with her roadside savior, she’s ready for a little window-steaming and some role-play. It’s all fun and games until Holly realizes she’s met her match . . .

In this story Holly causes a man to drive his car into a ditch and then sits in the car with him to wait for a tow. Holly has concocted the story that she’s a stripper and seduces people when really she’s a grad student that’s upset with her boyfriend. Earlier that day she’d found a dvd that showed her boyfriend screwing her ex-husband and his wife – kinky. I understood Holly’s need to feel desired but the story just went in too many strange places for me – especially at the end. The way it ended was highly unlikely and kind of ruined what could have been a good story.

Little Red’s Big Bad by Saranna DeWylde

Hunting werewolves and being snowbound in a remote cabin with a sexy FBI agent are all in a day’s work for U.S. Marshal Miranda Garrick. But when business mixes with pleasure, can she stay in control? Or will she be tempted by unrestrained passion . . . and tantalizing danger?

This was my favorite of the three stories. We have Miranda Garrick who is a US Marshall who is looking for an escaped convict who not only kills but eats his victims. She pairs up with FBI agent Aden Brewster and the sexual chemistry between the two of them is off the charts. When they get stuck in a cabin during a snow storm they let their passions run wild. That’s when Miranda thinks that Aden might not be who he says he is.

This was a great story. It kept me on the edge of my seat with both the erotic and suspense aspects of it. I loved how tough Miranda was and that she didn’t take crap from anyone. Aden was a total hotty and knew how to make Miranda happy. The ending of it was a nice twist as well and though there were no full explanations there was enough there to be satisfying.

Overall a very erotic set of stories. I do with we had gotten more from all the stories but it is what it is.

Overall Rating: 3.5 out of 5

Megan Hart
Lauren Hawkeye
Saranna DeWylde


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Review: Ravish: The Awakening of Sleeping Beauty by Cathy Yardley

Posted November 23, 2008 by Holly in Reviews | 1 Comment

Publisher: Avon, Harper Collins


An innocent beauty, trapped in sleep . . .

Sheltered from society, Aurora Jacquard has yet to feel the sweet release of physical love. Then, on the night she is about to give in to temptation, she inexplicably falls into a deep coma.

A handsome prince, determined to discover her secrets . .

Jacob White is one of the best neurologists in the world, and he intends to awaken Aurora from her virginal slumber. But when she begins to invade his dreams every night, beckoning him into a sensuous place of lust and danger, Jacob realizes there’s more to this woman than meets the eye.

It will take more than a kiss to wake her up . .

Trapped in a world of erotic dreams, Aurora and Jacob must surrender to their deepest darkest desires . . but how far are they willing to go?

This is the second novel I’ve read by Cathy Yardley. The main issue I had with the first, Crave, was that the sex over-shadowed the story. I’m happy to report that wasn’t the case with this novel. The sex was actually worked into the base of the story, so it felt like it flowed better and wasn’t just thrown in for shock value.

Doctor Jacob White is world renowned for his work with coma patients. When he’s contacted by Mrs. Jacquard regarding her daughter, he’s thrilled and can’t wait to take on the case. If he can bring the ellusive “sleeping beauty” out of her coma, it will be the ultimate coup of his career. When he starts having erotic dreams about her, he worries he’s crossing a patient/doctor line, but can’t seem to help himself.

Rory slipped into a coma for seemingly no reason while on vacation in the Caribbean. Jacob can’t find any medical reason for why she became comatose, nor has he found any possible cures. But the more he dreams of her, the more convinced he becomes that she isn’t just a figment of his overworked imagination. Is it possible Rory herself is contacting him through his dreams? And if so, can she provide the answer to her medical mystery herself? What will the conservative doctor do if it turns out there’s more to Rory’s case than some medical mystery? What if there’s magic involved? Can the good doctor set aside his prejudices if it means saving the woman he’s come to love?

Once again I was wowed by the story in this novel. Yardley has definitely shown herself to be a master storyteller. I was immediately wrapped up in the tale. In the beginning Jacob was cocky and full of himself, sure he’ll be able to cure Rory in a matter of days and walk away to collect his fame. I really enjoyed watching him struggle with Rory’s case and come down a peg or two. His internal struggle as he tries to deal with his dreams and what they mean in terms of his relationship with his patient was really interesting and showed a lot about his character I think.

The love scenes were really hot, and as I mentioned above it was refreshing that sex was an integral part of the story and the scenes weren’t just there to be there. They really played a key part in what was happening.

There’s also a secondary story involving Jacob’s younger brother Aaron and his ex-girlfriend Mahjani. I really enjoyed the parts they played in the main story arc, but also the way their romance worked. Aaron was ashamed that Mahjani, while a lauded professor, believed in the things she taught (mainly Voodoo) and broke up with her. Though hurt, Mahjani moves on with her life, but it’s obvious they both still care for each other. When Jacob asks Aaron to get in touch with Mahjani regarding Rory’s case, he reluctantly agreed. I loved it that Mahjani stood up for herself and didn’t let Aaron walk all over her. It was definitely an added bonus and didn’t take away from the main story, but rather enhanced it.

My biggest complaint comes from the fact that I don’t really feel we got to know Jacob outside of his role as Rory’s doctor. Parts of his past and childhood were alluded to, but the focus was on Rory. I wish we could have gotten to know more about him outside of this story.

Overall a well done erotic romance. The characters and story were well drawn and I was sorry to see it end.

4.5 out of 5

This book is available from Avon Red. You can buy it here or here in e-format.


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Book Watch: A Red Hot Valentine’s Day Anthology

Posted November 22, 2008 by Rowena in Promotions | 3 Comments

Publisher: Avon, Harper Collins

I saw this cover and I started singing along with Ludacris in my head, singing, “I wanna lick, lick, lick, lick you from your head to your toes then I wanna move…from the bed, down to the, down to the, to the, to the floor….” This has a really cute cover (love those abs) but the, “Better than a Box of Chocolate” thing, yeah I’m totally reading this one.

It comes out on January 6, 2009 so I have a bit of a wait but that’s okay because with my immediate TBR pile rising before my very eyes, I’ll have enough to keep me occupied until I can get my hands on this one but still…I am so reading this book!

This book is available from Avon. You can buy it here.


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