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Showing posts with label Highland Warrior Series. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Highland Warrior Series. Show all posts
Sunday, November 6, 2011
Sunday Snippet #83
Embrace the Highland Warrior
Sourcebooks PublishingNovember 1, 2011
Cody sighed. Might as well get it over with. He removed the shackles, returned them, and bent over her. “Shay, wake up.”
Her eyes flew open. She planted both hands against his chest and shoved, knocking him on his back, then sprang on top of him. “How dare you handcuff me to a bed?” she yelled, punctuating each word with a shake that rattled his brain. He didn’t fight back. She had to get it out of her system, and he didn’t blame her. He’d be more than pissed if someone shackled him.
She landed a fist into his stomach, and the breath rushed out of him. Okay, enough was enough. He captured her hands and rolled, trapping her under him.
“Get off me, you oaf.”
“I’ll get off when you stop beating the snot out of me.”
She let out a war cry and lunged for his throat, teeth bared. Intrigued, he hesitated a second too long, and she sank her teeth into his neck. A jolt of desire shot straight to his groin. He’d never been one for the rough stuff, but damn! He pulled back before she could do more than leave a bruise. He trapped her legs with his and held her hands above her head, letting his full weight press her into the soft mattress. She still struggled but could move only enough to get him excited.
“I’m sorry, Shay. I had to do it. It was too dangerous to let you go traipsing through the woods. I had to keep you safe.”
“What if he was hiding in one of the other bedrooms and sneaked in here while I was handcuffed to the bed? You left me so I couldn’t even protect myself.”
“Lach heard him out in the woods, but that’s why I locked the door, just in case. If this guy had broken it down to get to you, you would’ve screamed, and I would’ve come running. I was never far from the house.” He’d heard every name she called him.
Her eyes still flashed fire, but her breath was steadier, and she kept glancing at his mouth. He thought that was a good thing. He wondered if she’d calmed enough not to hit him, because he should move. She had to notice the effect all the wiggling around was having on him. He felt her hips push against his, and he groaned. He relaxed his grip and lowered his head, letting his lips touch her chin. He kissed his way to her mouth, and she head butted him in the nose.
While the stars exploded in his head, she shoved him aside and bolted out the door. He jumped up and went after her as she pounded down the stairs. He caught up with her outside. She was swinging her purse like a whip, headed for the car.
“Where are you going?” he demanded.
“Get away from me.”
“You can’t leave.”
“Watch me.” She opened the door. “I’m tired of people hiding things from me. I thought you were going to stop. Now you’re handcuffing me to the bed.”
“I explained it to you.”
“Don’t touch me,” she said, jerking away when he grabbed her arm.
“You’re not leaving.”
Shay straightened her shoulders. “You can’t stop me.”
He grabbed her, tossed her over his shoulder, kicked the car door shut, and stomped up the steps.
“Put me down!” Shay kicked and twisted, cursing at him. He dumped her on her feet inside the door.
She blew her hair out of her face, and as soon as she could see, she threw a punch at his chin. He deflected it and grabbed her arm. “Stop hitting me.”
“How dare you throw me over your shoulder like some kind of caveman,” she spat, trying to wrench her arm free. It didn’t work, so she used her knee.
“Ah, not there.” Cody trapped her knee. “I made the mistake of letting you leave here nine years ago without listening to me. By God, I won’t do it again. You’ll listen if I have to sit on you,” he growled.
She drew back her other arm, and before she could throw the punch, he had her on the floor and was sitting astride her, pinning her wrists to the floor. She bucked and twisted, but he held her down. “We can do this all night if you want, but you’re going to listen to me this time.”
“Listen to more lies? You’re still hiding things from me. Like the fact that you have Nina’s entire house under surveillance. Like the fact that you’ve got a Bat Cave in your basement. Like the fact that you were in Scotland when the stalking started.”
“You think I’m your stalker?” he yelled. “Me! I’m trying to keep you alive. We’re all trying to keep you alive. That’s what the clan’s been doing your whole damned life, trying to keep you alive! And just like always, you’re making it hard as hell. Your father wasn’t a bloody spy, and that thing in your living room wasn’t a man!”
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Tuesday, November 1, 2011
Author Interview & Giveaway - Anita Clenney
Today I have the honor of bringing to you USA Today and New York Times best selling author Anita Clenney. Anita writes Paranormal Romance and Romantic Suspense stories. She has worked in a pickle factory (picture Lucy and Ethel, hair nets and all--lasted half a day), a preschool, booked shows for Aztec Fire Dancers, been a Secretary, Executive Assistant, and a Realtor. When she found Mr. Right, the two multiplied into a family of four. She lives with her family in Virginia, not far from Washington, DC, where they are slaves to a white Boxer named Lily, who thinks the family lives and breathes to buy new stuff for her to chew up. Please help me welcome Anita toThat’s What I’m Talking About. And find out how you can win her latest release at the end of this interview.
Twimom: Anita, welcome and thank you for stopping by.Anita: Thanks so much for having me here. I love connecting with readers about books.
Twimom: Embrace the Highland Warrior is the second book in your Highland Warrior series. How much and what kind of research did you do for your books?
Anita: The first book, Awaken the Highland Warrior, required the most research since it was the foundation for the series. I love Google and found most of what I needed there. The trouble is, I get distracted when I’m researching. I’ll find myself following links and forgetting why I was there in the first place.
Twimom: Your stories also bring in demons to the mix. What are your inspirations for the series? - other than men in kilts, which is a given!
Anita: Ha, I’m trying to get my husband to wear a kilt. :-) I’ve always been intrigued by mysterious, unexplained things, and also by the magic of the male/female attraction. This series brings both elements together.
Twimom: The third book in the series, Unleash the Highland Warrior, is due out next spring. Can you tell us a bit more about that story and the future of your series?
Anita: Unleash will have an element of time travel, like Awaken did, and it will be a poignant, intense ride. Without giving too much away, something happens in book three that I’ve never written before. These highland warriors feel as if they’re part of my family. I would love to tell all their stories.
Twimom: Do you have any other series and/or books in the works that you would like to tell us about?
Anita: I’m plotting out another paranormal series. No warriors or demons in this one.
Twimom: I always like to ask authors about their reading habits... What types of books do you enjoy reading? What was your favorite read during so far in 2011?
Anita: Since I love both romance and mysteries, I love to read a combination of both. Diana Gabaldon is one of my favorite authors. I finished the last book in her Outlander series, AN ECHO IN THE BONE in 2011. Loved it and I’m dying for the next in the series. Hurry Diana!
Twimom: What upcoming 2011/2012 releases are you most excited to read?
Anita: I can’t remember what Diana’s release date is, but I hope it’s by 2012.
Twimom: Anita, once again thank you so much for taking the time to tell my readers a little bit about yourself and your writing. It was wonderful chatting with you.
Anita: Thanks for having me. It was a blast.
You can find Anita Clenney on line at
Her Website
GIVEAWAY: I have two (2) copies (two winners) of Embrace the Highland Warrior to giveaway here at That’s What I’m Talking About. Thank you to Sourcebooks (www.sourcebooks.com) for sponsoring the giveaway of Anita’s newest release. To enter, please leave a comment and your email at the end of the REVIEW of Embrace the Highland Warrior or this interview with Anita Clenney. One entry per person. Winners are restricted to US and Canada mailing addresses, only. Contest open from November 1, 2011 until Friday November 4, 2011 at 9:00 PM EDT. Two (2) winners will be selected from the comment entries using random.org. As always, you do not need to be a google friends connect follower, but it is appreciated.
Review & Giveaway: Embrace the Highland Warrior
Embrace the Highland WarriorAuthor: Anita Clenney
Release Date: Nov 1, 2011
Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca
Highland Warrior Series #2
ISBN: #978-1402251269
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Format(s): Paperback (384 pgs), e-book
Book Source: Publisher
About the book: |
When the powerful demon that left Shay for dead discovers her empty grave, he comes seeking retribution, believing she possesses an ancient book he has sought for centuries. Knowing she can’t fight the demon alone, Shay returns to her clan and the Scottish Warrior who betrayed her…the only man she’s ever loved, where she discovers that betrayal isn’t always what it seems. Sometimes it’s far worse.
What B is talking about: |
Having fled to Scotland after learning that everything about her past was a lie, Shay Logan has returned to her home in Virginia with a stalker tracking her every move. There’s also the matter of her childhood friend and crush, who’s now all grown up and more irresistible than ever. Now, she just needs to figure out why a demon and a group of vampires are after her, too, and maybe things can get back to normal.
Cody MacBain thought he’d lost the woman who was destined to be his years ago, and has done his best to move on with his life. He is a warrior: pledged to saving humanity from the demons who would destroy it and take the earth for their own. He’s sacrificed everything for his clan and their destiny, but when Shay comes back, in danger and alone, he’s determined he’ll never lose her again. Whatever the cost.
I very much enjoyed the first novel in Clenney’s Highland Warrior series, Awaken The Highland Warrior, I had high hopes for this second book. I was not disappointed! In fact, I enjoyed it so much I read it twice, back-to-back. Embrace The Highland Warrior has everything I love in a novel: suspense, humor, romance, sensuality, unflinching heroes, strong female leads, and so on.
Shay and Cody are perfect for each other. That they are destined for one another is clear, not just because they’re “supposed” to be, but their connection to one another feels so pure and right. The flashbacks to their childhood games, and especially the events that happened later on to drive them apart, seem so true to their characters, that I had no trouble accepting that they are fated to be together.
All the returning characters are more vivid, in fact, and there’s none of the anachronistic unease that was present in a few places in the first novel. The warriors are a family, skirmishes and all, and the ties to their mutual history, as well as their futures, create a sense of unity that’s natural and seamless.
Another wonderful surprise in Embrace The Highland Warrior is the humor. I laughed out loud throughout the novel, watching the tough band of warriors frustrated and dumbfounded by the very headstrong women they’re trying to protect. Comic relief is provided by The Mighty Faelan, from Awaken The Highland Warrior, whose honeymoon has been interrupted so that the clan can rally together to protect Shay. He’s still adjusting to modern times, and his wife, Bree, has him constantly pulling his hair out, a detail she readily ignores. She has things to do! Mysteries to solve! Council meetings to eavesdrop on! Shay’s two elderly “Aunts” also keep the laughs coming, and I had a great time watching them turn the brave warriors completely upside down.
There are serious moments, too, however, but in Clenney’s capable hands, they’re handled extremely well. She gives them the sincerity they deserve, allowing her characters to grieve and regret as they need to, without letting these events derail the future they have a chance of making for themselves.
Embrace The Highland Warrior is a fantastic novel full of conflict and hope, and laughter and love. Cody and Shay are endearing, as are all the warriors and extended family. The battles are fierce, the good guys are very much worth rooting for, and the laughs are easy and welcome. Clenney got this one just right, and I can’t wait to see what she’ll come up with next.
B’s Rating: |
Books in the Series:
- right now the ebook is only $0.99 (limited time)Embrace the Highland Warrior
GIVEAWAY: I have two (2) copies (two winners) of Embrace the Highland Warrior to giveaway here at That’s What I’m Talking About. Thank you to Sourcebooks (www.sourcebooks.com) for sponsoring the giveaway of Anita’s newest release. To enter, please leave a comment and your email at the end of today’s review of Embrace the Highland Warrior or later today at the end of my interview with Anita Clenney. One entry per person. Winners are restricted to US and Canada mailing addresses, only. Contest open from November 1, 2011 until Friday November 4, 2011 at 9:00 PM EDT. Two (2) winners will be selected from the comment entries using random.org. As always, you do not need to be a google friends connect follower, but it is appreciated.
Thursday, May 5, 2011
Review: Awaken The Highland Warrior
Awaken The Highland Warrior
Author: Anita Clenney
Author: Anita Clenney Release Date: May 1, 2011
Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca
Highland Warrior Series # 1
ISBN: #978-1402251238
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Format(s): Paperback
I received a copy of this book from the PUBLISHER for the purposes of an honest review.
From the author’s website:
He's had centuries to dream of her...
Mis-adventurous historian Bree Kirkland discovers a one hundred fifty year old warrior buried in a crypt behind her house. But Faelan, the warrior, isn’t dead. When this chauvinistic Scottish Warrior awakes, he has no choice but accept the help of this modern-day woman who’s rescued him, but she’s more fearsome than the demon trying to kill him. If he’s not careful, she’ll uncover every secret his clan has bled and died to protect.
What B is talking about:
Bree Kirkland is a born adventurer specializing in collecting Civil War artifacts who has just inherited her family estate. The house currently has an archaeological dig going on in the yard, and borders a cemetery and crypt, but the history and unsolved mysteries it holds make it perfect for Bree. When she uncovers a 177-year-old Highland warrior in the crypt, she does what any strong-willed woman would do: she takes him in and feeds him, of course. That he’s been frozen in time for 150 of those years, and is gorgeous (and in a kilt!) is just a bonus.
Faelan Connor was single-handedly trying to defeat the demon he was assigned to lock away in a “time vault” when he was betrayed, ambushed, and locked in the vault himself. Now he’s resuming his quest with a woman he can’t resist, but doesn’t fully trust. He’s got quite a learning curve to contend with, along with the grief of losing his family so suddenly, and Bree’s self-sufficiency completely baffles him. Faelan, for all he's going through, is an entertaining hero. He second-guesses himself throughout the novel, especially where Bree is concerned, and some of his realizations while he's coming to terms with the modern world are just funny.
I think with any sort of anachronistic tale, there are certain factors that remain constant, regardless of the author or purpose. More specifically, the familiar “fish-out-of-water” theme, complete with “where am I?” bewilderment, necessary adjustments to a new environment, as well as how the hero comes to terms with the inherent loss of his or her present to the past. What distinguishes one of these novels from another, at least in part, comes down to what the author does with these constants. In Awaken the Highland Warrior, Clenney has done a good job of keeping her story afloat amid the necessary formula.
Bree is an interesting character. She’s willful and capable, and is not only able to stand up to Faelan and his notions of a woman’s place, but rescues him more than once; a fact which embarrasses Faelan as much as he respects her for it. He is shocked by Bree’s modern sensibilities, yet he can’t resist indulging in the sexual aspects of that awareness fairly often. Right before he curses himself over the situation. Faelan’s take on short skirts and facial piercings made for a solid laugh. No wonder Faelan is confused.
The main conflict got off to a slow start, but did become more interesting as the story progressed. The bigger battle, however, was definitely overshadowed by the conflict perpetually brewing between Bree and Faelan. In this case, that makes for good storytelling. Watching the two lovers fight their way to a happy ending was my favorite part of the novel. Although the main villain is a little cartoonish, and there are a few obvious conveniences, there's still plenty of intrigue to keep the pages turning. Clenney has a good sense of humor, as well, and comes through with some really good one-liners. Even Faelan’s chauvinistic predisposition is more entertaining than offensive. All in all, Awaken the Highland Warrior was a rewarding story, and I’m very much looking forward to the next novel in the series.
B’s Rating:
Liked it a lot – recommend (B+)
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